euident argument of true religion and oppose their consent therin as a sufficient cloake to couer all their dissentions in other matters Zuinglius Prefat Ecclesiast tom 1. fol. 39 It is an euident argument of true Religion among you that you cast out all the filth of Popish idolatry and bridle the sloathfull company of Priests and put them from the Church And when Cardinall Hosius obiected to Protestants their disagreement about the Eucharist Iames Andrews in his answere pag. 367 sayth In what ProtestaÌ„ts especially agree VVhat is this dissention to you Papists Be it we truly disagree in this point yet in that we especially agree that with one mind we impugne your Popery as true Antichristianisme And Drentius in the Preface of the same booke Otherwise with one consent they fight against Popery And to the same obiection Caluin in Confutat Holland pag. 576 sayth thus True yet with one consent we all teach that Popish idolatry is to be detested In like manner Beza in Hospin part 2. Hist fol. 300 I confesse yet in this we all agree with vnited minds to impugne your transubstantiation Sadeel also Respons ad Sophism Turriani pag. 562 Yet neuerthelesse this my litle booke will be witnesse with how conioyned strength all our Churches do set vpon the Popish errors And in in dice Repet pag. 808 It is well that all they who conioyned themselues to the reformed Church with one consent reiect the Popes Primacy And D. Whitaker Contr. 2. quest 5. cap. 8. pag. 521 Yet in the meane tyme we all agree against the Pope And in this vnity of theirs to be against the Pope they greatly triumph His maiesty in his monitory epistle p. 174 Almost the halfe part of the Christian world is gon out of Babylon And D. Andrews respons ad Apol. Bellarm. cap. 14 Almost False of the Christian world is so farre vnited in one profession as that they are gon out of Babylon And when Becanus had found fault with him because he sayd The King of great Britany and the Kings of Denmarck and Sweden with the Princes of Germany who are of one beliefe with him are a part of the Lords flock because the Kings of Denmarck and Sweden be Lutherans and therefore are not of one beliefe with the King of great Britany Burhill in defence of him cap. 15. answereth That who are of one beliefe with King Iames is put in steed of who with him refuse to be vnder the Pope They meane then that all those are of one beliefe with them and be part of the Lords flock who refuse to be vnder the Pope Which kind of vnity is that which his Maiesty in his declaration against Vorstius noted Heretiques to keep saying pag. 49 There are in Hungary and Bohemia innumerable Heretiks who agree together only in hatred of the Pope But not only Heretiks but also Iewes Turcks and Infidells agree with Protestants in this point An excellent vnity surely worthy of Christians wherein they shall haue such partners and fellowes Seauenthly I proue it because when they be asked who were Protestants before Luther they produce no other then such as were aduersaries to the Pope Illyricus being to make a role of witnesses dares not call them Protestants or witnesses of the Protestant truth Editio Lugdun but simply witnesses of the truth or witnesses who reclaymed against the Pope and Popish errors And in the Preface professeth that he gathereth as farre as he cold all those who in any sort did before Luther giue testimony to the truth of Christ against the errors and furies of Antichrist And l. 20. col 1951. after he had brought forth all his witnesses he sayth of them thus They desired a fuller manifestation of the truth which at last sayth he we in this sixteenth age haue obtained That is his witnesses attayned not to the knowledge of Protestant truth which was reuealed but in the sixteenth age Neuerthelesse they seemed witnesses good inough for Illyricus because in some sort they were opposite to the doctrine and deeds of the Pope Beza also lib. de notis Eccles pag. 80. when he had obiected to himself that in former tymes their Church was not visible answereth I say that from the Apostles tyme there was scarce any age in which as soone as this Antichrist the Pope began to put out his head God did not raise some who opposed themselues against his tyranny And to the same question thus answeaâ—eth Sadeel in Refutat art 6â— Posnan pag. 851 VVe are ready to shew that there was no age in which there were not some who reproued your false Church Surely these men imagine Protestancy to consist in opposition to the Pope and Popery or they say nothing to the question proposed Likewise D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 3. cap. 2. pag. 474. proueth that the Protestant Church hath alwayes byn in Popery because therein haue byn some who though they communicated with Papists yet before death reiected their opinions which kind of proofe supposeth that it sufficeth to a Protestant to reiect Popish opinions 5. You see then that the cheife ring leaders of the Protestants confesse that theirs and their followers end was to abate the authority of the Pope that they deeme the forsaking of the Pope to be the foundation a good part and summe of the Protestant building that they account the leauing of Popery an euident argument of true religion that they define describe paint and name a Protestant by opposition to the Pope that they say their faith differeth not from ours but in denyall of some of our articles that they deny dissemble and extenuate whatsoeuer they dislike in those who are aduersaries to the Pope that they oppose their consent in opposition against the Pope as a buckler against all obiections about their dissentions in other articles finally that being bidden to produce Protestants before Luther they name such as any way opposed themselues against the Pope What do all these things declare but that which some of them say in plaine words that the Protestant Church is a rable of all sects which are not Papists 6. But out of all things which haue byn sayd in this and the former chapters First we see what great power Protestants take to themselues What followeth of all hitherto sayd that according as they please they include or exclude the same men out of the Church VVho will not to vse S. Augustins words feare these men who haue receiued such wonderfull power ouer men Secondly we see that they imitate the old heretiks lib. 3. cont Crescon c. 20. Praescript c. 41.42 L. 18. de Ciuit. c. 50. who as Tertullian sayth make peace generally with all and with whome diuision is their very vnity For as S. Augustin noteth the diuell hath stirred vp heretikes as if they might be indifferently permitted in the citty of God without amendment as the citty of confusion indifferently had Philosophers of different yea of
masses and bookes Thus Luther 2. In like manner the Protestants in Sleidan lib. 1. fol. 258 The Pope made lawes by which true knowledg was vtterly oppressed Melancthon tom 2. Lutheri fol. 192 Scholasticall diuinity being receiued fayth was destroyed the doctrine of works being admitted The Magdeburgians Praefat. Centur. 5 Extreme abolitioÌ„ of religion There was an extreme abolition of true Religion and the word of God vnder Popery Caluin Praefat. Institut In former ages men had extinguished the light of God And 1. Institut cap. 11. § 9 Many ages since true religion was drowned and ouerthrowne 4. Institut cap. 2. § 2 The substance of Christianity buried Vnder Popery that doctrine without which Christianity cannot consist was all buryed and shut out Respons ad Sadolet pag. 128. he sayth that the necessity to leaue the Roman Church was That the light of diuine truth was extinct the word of God buryed c. And p. 130. Cheifest points of doctrine ouerthrowne from the root maketh this speach vnto God in defence of his forsaking the Roman Church There were not a few profane opinions which euen by the ground ouerthrow the cheifest points of that doctrine which thou diddest deliuer vnto vs by word Lib. de necess Refor pa. 49 VVhen the word of God was choaked with these so many so thick darknesses Luther stept forth c. pag. 62 None prayed to God with assured sayth that is in earnest neither could they for Christ being buryed in that manner as he was c. Word of God ended Respons ad Versipell pag. 358 They haue extinguished the doctrine of saluation In Psycopan pag. 388 The word of God being ended by peruerse vse and sloth now returneth to light In Rom. 11. vers 22 The truth was taken away The light put out S. deel de vocat Minist pag. 552 God suffered that light to be put out which should perpetually haue lightned vs in gouerning our life Pure worships banished Crispin Praeâ—at operum Occolampadij Both the doctrine of saluation and piety were taken away they banished out of the Church all pure worship of God Celius secundus Cario de amplitudine regni Dei lib. 1. pag. 33 True Christ taken out of the world And so by litle and litle true Christ was taken out of the world and Antichrist put in his steed And Hospin part 1. Histor lib. 4. pag. 291. writeth that after 800. yeares after Christ the light of the holesome and true doctrine began to be darkned till it was vtterly put out The light cleane put out Thus forraine Protestants both Lutherans and Sacramentaries 3. Amongst English Protestants thus writeth M. Bale Cent. 4. c. 6 Holesome truth perished from the earth Cent. 1. pag. 69 From this tyme anno 607 purity of heauenly doctrine vanished out of the Church The truth perished froÌ„ earth In his Apology against Priesthood and vowes fol. 3 Two things haue cheifly byn the cause of the vtter decay and full destruction of Christian religion c. Vanished out of the Church M. Powell in â—tinerarium Cambrâ—ae lib. 2 cap. 7. sayth that about the yeare 1189 There was the cheife raigne of darknesse in so much that not only preaching of the true word but also the true religion was banished and scarce the name of Christianity remayned Vtter decay full destructioÌ„ of religioÌ„ M. Fox in the Protestation before his Acts affirmeth that about the yeare 1215. and 1080 Christian sayth was extinguished And pag. 840. that Christian Religion was wholy changed into Idolatry D. Fulke ad Cauillat Sâ—apletoni Scarse name of Christianity remayned Scarce could he fiue hundred yeares after banish the true doctrine of saluation out of the Churches of Europe And finally the Apology of the English Church part 5. cap. 13. diuis 1. sayth that Papists haue broken in peeces all the pipes and conduicts haue stopped vp all the springs and choaked the fountaine of liuing waters and by damning vp all the fountains of Gods word haue brought the people into a pittifull thirst Item Not a sparck of diuine light found VVith great distresse went they scattering about seeking some sparck of heauenly light to refresh their consciences withall but that light was already throughly quenched out so that they could find none This was a rusull state this was a lamentable forme of Gods Church It was a misery to liue therein without the Ghospell ProtestaÌ„ts light thoroughly quenched out without light without all comfort Thus write these learned Protestants both English and strangers of the destruction of their doctrine their fayth their religion and Ghospell before Luther arose which do so plainly testify the substantiall destruction therof as I may well vse S. Augustins words in the like occasion If I should speake thus they would resist and cry Lib. 1. de pec mer. c. 9. that I speake not truly thought not truly For in these words if they were spoken by others they would imagin no other meaning then that which in the foresayd Protestants they will not vnderstand 4. ProtestaÌ„ts confesse their lundam art perished Neither write they otherwise of the destruction of their principall and most fundamentall article of Iustification by only fayth For thus the Confession of Anspurg cap. 20 VVhen the doctrine of fayth which ought to be principall in the Church lay so long vnknowne Sole faith vnknown as all must needs confesse that there was a most profound silence of the iustice of fayth that in sermons only the iustice of works was spoken of in Churches c. And tit de bonis operibus pag. 25 Horribly ouerwhelmed In tymes past certaine absurd opinions horribly ouerwhelmed this doctrine in which the vnlearned faigned that men did satisfy the law of God In the meane tyme there was great silence how Christ is to be apprehended by fayth And pag. 27 The was no word of fayth which is necessary for remission of sinnes And pag. 19 In tymes past there was great silence in Churches of the exercises of sayth And Praefat. Apol. Confess August in Melancthon tom 3. fol. 27 All Churches Monasteries schooles briefly all bookes of late diuines No man taught c All Prot. coÌ„fort vnknown were before mute of the iustice of fayth No man taught sinnes to be forgiuen by fayth in Christ Sacraments were impiously profaned after that opinion that they iustify by the work wrought was receiued And this opinion did wholy oppresse the doctrine of saith Praefat. Conf. Saxoniae All this comfort which is necessary to euery one how a man conuerted to God is iustified was vnknown The Protestant Princes and Cities in Sleidan lib. 21. fol. 240 The contention is about the doctrine of sayth and of the true knowledge of God which is the cheifest head of Christian life and of pure religion Vtterly extinct And it cannot say they be denyed that this doctrine was vtterly extinct and
5. cap. 3. pag. 684 In tymes past no religion had place in Churches but Papisticall D. Humfrey ad Rat. 3. Campiani At length all left the fellowship of the Church M. Perkins in Exposit Symboli During the space of 900. yeares the Popish heresy spred it selfe ouer the whole world And D. White in his way pag. 352. compareth Popery before Luthers tyme to a leprosy which sayth he possesseth euery part of man And in his defence cap. 37 he sayth I affirme Papacy to be a leprosy breeding in the Church so vniuersally that there was no visible company of people appearing to the world free â—â—om it And whether any company at all knowne or vnknowne were free from it wholy or not I neither determine nor greatly care M. Iewel serm in cap. 11. Lucae pag. 208 VVhen all the world the people Priests and Princes were ouerwhelmed with ignorance when the word of God was put out of sight when all schooles Priests Bishops Kings of the world were sworne to him the Pope that whatsoeuer he tooke in hand they should vphold it VVhen whosoeuer had muttered against him must straight way haue byn excommunicate put to most cruel death as Gods enemy M. Fox in his Acts p. 391 All the whole world was filled and ouerwhelmed with errors and darknesse And finally D. Bancroft in his suruey c. 4. pag 60. hath these words Both the Priests of all sortes and likewise the people became in tyme to be so drowned in the puddles of Popery all of them together from the toppe to the toe Al people from the toppe to the toe forgetting c. 5. By these confessions of Protestants we see plainly that all the westerne Church all Europe all Christian Churches the whole Christian nation the whole body of the Church the whole world all all without exception all alike all euen to the last all euen to the common people all Kings and people from the first to the last all Priests and people from top to toe all and euery one were ouerwhelmed with Popish and more then Cymmerian darknesse Secondly we see that no man strone against Popery no man admonished no man taught no man belieued no man so much as dreamed of that which is the cheifest and most principall point of Protestancy but one only and Luther alone was wise Thirdly that the case was such for so many ages for 600. yea for 900. years last past Fourthly that it is so manifest that as themselues confesse the whole Christian world knoweth it it is confessed manifest by it selfe most cleare and out of all doubt and no man in his writtes can deny it To all which if you add that very many and most famous Protestants oftentymes most plainly most freely and in all kind of writings haue confessed this ye shall most euidently perceiue Lib. 1. cont marc ca. 3. de carne Chr. c. 5. li. 22 cont Faust c. 15. that vnlesse it be hereticall licence as Tertullian speaketh or by some diuelish priuiledge as S. Augustins word is their confessions can be vnderstood in no other sense then that when Luther began there was not one Protestant in the whole world Lastly we see hereby that Protestants herein imitate the phrases of old heretiks Cont. epist fund c. 4. for Manichee as S. Augustin writeth sayd Almost all nations are ignorant how the truth is And the Donatists The Church is perished from the whole world The Luciferians in S. Hierome Heres 69. The whole world is become Diuels Whose damned speach sayth he doth frustrate the Passion of Christ Dial. cont Lucifer Nestorius in Vincent Lyrin auouched That the whole Church had erred And other heretiks there say Learne true fayth which besides vs none vnderstandeth Cap. 26. which lay hid for many ages and now of late is reuealed and shewed Marcion also and Valentinian in Tertullian auouch Praes c. 28. that all had erred at whome he pleasantly iesteth in these words Forsooth truth which was to be freed expected some Marcionists or Valentinians Lutherans or Caluinists In the meane tyme men preached amisse belieued amisse so many thousands we wrongly Christened so many works of fayth wrongly done so many miracles so many graces done amisse so many Priesthoods so many functions wrongly executed 6. If any say that the scripture sometyme speaketh vniuersally when notwithstanding it is not to be vnderstood vniuersally as when it sayth All seeke their owne There is not one that doth good no not one and the like and therefore though the foresayd speaches of Protestants be vniuersall yet they are not to be vnderstood vniuersally I answeare that it is found to affirme that the foresayd speaches of Protestants ought to be vnderstood according to certaine speaches of the scripture and those spoken of other matters rather then according to their own plaine and manifest signification Who made this law of expounding Protestants words Or do they keep it in expounding Catholiks or other mens wordes God may speake in scripture as he thinkes best Protestants ought according to custome which as is sayd is the law and rule of speach both to speak and to be vnderstood Besides sith we know that the scripture cannot lye or gainsay it selfe and in other places it sayth the contrary we iustly limitate its vniuersall speaches in this or that place And therfore vnlesse Protestants can shew that they haue the like priuiledge that they cannot contradict themselues as the Scripture hath there is no reason to expound them according as we do the holy Scripture 7. If any reply that also Saint Hierome Dial. cont Lucifer sayd that the whole world meruayled how it was become Arian and yet meant not that the whole world was Arian I answeare that Saint Hieromes example doth nothing auaile Protestants First because Saint Hierome sayd once so Protestants very often Againe he sayd so only in heat of dispute with his aduersary Protestants haue written so when they disputed with none Besides Saint Hierome in the very same place expoundeth himselfe that he meant not that indeed the whole world was become Arian For he sayth that it was euident that the Bishops vvere no Arians but belieued a right and abode in the agreement of fayth but only speaketh so because all the Bishops assembled at Arimini yelded to the Arians that the word Consubstantiall should not be vsed But Protestants say not that all the world yelded to the Pope about the suppressing of one only word but that all from the first to the last from the top to the toe were drowned in Popish errours and none belieued or so much as dreamed of that which is most fundamentall and necessary in Protestant religion Which kind of speaches S. Hierome neuer vsed Againe Saint Hierome vsed only this phrase The whole world but Protestants vse both that and many more and more plaine Lastly albeit Saint Hierome had spoken altogether as Protestants do yet there were no reason that
enemies to the world to all others besides themselues could not be discerned from others lurcked in desertes in darknesses like sparkles vnder much ashes professed not their fayth before the world or their aduersaries but at most before themselues and were known only to those that had eyes that is to themselues 3. The same also they meane They teach that the church may be inuisible to the world when they teach that the church of God may be inuisible to the world and all that are out of it Iunius in his 2. book of the church cap. 13 VVe conclude that the outward forme and visible shape of the Church may so in common vanish that it cannot be pointed at or perceiued of the world And againe The Church is oftentymes couered and inuisible to the world Often inuisible to the world And cap. 16 The visible fashion of the Church may be hid and faile from the vngratefull world And in his Theologicall Theses cap. 43 Sometymes the church appeareth to the faithfull alone sometymes it is knowne to some godly persons not to euery one Besnage in his booke of the state of the visible and inuisible Church cap. 4 The Church is not alwayes knowne to the world Sonis in his answere to Spondé cap. 2. pag. 32 God sometymes taketh away the face of the Church from men Lubbertus in his 3. booke of the Church cap. 4 VVe affirme that the Church may be driuen to those straights that it may lye hid from the world and persecutors And cap. 6 VVe deny that she is alwayes visible to the world which he repeateth againe cap. 7. Riuet in his Epirome of Controuersies treatise 1. sect 37 It happeneth sometymes that the Church hath byn inuisible or rather hidden sometymes from the eyes of persecutors sometymes from the eyes of the faythfull themselues to wit of some and the most of them D. Whitaker Controuers 2. quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 474 VVe say that the Church may be conserued in so few that it appeare not to the world And quaest 5. cap. 6. pag. 508 It is most false that the Church shall alwayes be knowne and manifest to the world D. Fulke to Stapletons Cauillat Bullinger Alphonse Chytreus Marlorate and all the rest do acknowledge that the Church by the defence of Christ shal be protected in the desert that is in places remote from the sight and accesse of the wicked Againe The Church is not alwayes apparent to the multitude of the wicked And in his booke of Succession pag. 19 It is not doubted whether the Ecclesiasticall succession of persons and places ought sometymes to be visible to the world but whether at all tymes And pag. 21 Sometyms the Church is vnknowne to the world Pag. 42 God would sometymes prouide for the Church in this sort in striking her enemies with blindnes that they could not find her And pag. 129. The externall policy of the Church is vnknowne to the world that is to the enemies of the Church And pag. 366 I affirme that the Church is sometymes vnknowne to the world D. White in his way to the Church pag 86 The question is only of the outward state of the Church whether it be alway visible to the world or not that in euery age those congregations may be discerned and pointed to which are the true Church For we say not Pag. 87 This number may be very small and their profession so secret amongst themselues that the world and such as loue not the truth shall not see them they remayning so hidden as if they were not at all And pag. 97. The Church may be hid or become inuisible sometyme so that the world cannot see it D. Morton in the 1. part of his Apology lib. 1. cap. 16 ProtestaÌ„ts proper defence Protestants say the Church is not alwayes knowne to all the faythfull nor to her enemies And this he termeth the proper defence of Protestants And cap. 13 VVhen Protestant say the Church is sometymes ecclipsed like the moone they meane that she is brought sometymes to so sew that it is not seene but of those which are in her but not openly knowne by her visibility rites or visible Succession or to all the faythfull D. Willet in his Synopsis Cont. 2 quest 1. pag. 67 A number of faythfull people hath byn alwayes in the world but not alwayes visible to the world Againe If by visible they vnderstand that which is actually visible we say it is not so alwayes visible to the world Thus we see that for to maintaine the inuisibility of their Church they teach that the visible forme of the Church of God may vanish mayly hid may faile from the world is often taken away from men by God is vnknowne to the world That the Church sometymes is vnknowne or appeares not visible to the world sometyme knowne only to the faythfull yet not to all them neither but to some and the fewer of them and that neither by any visible rites nor by visible succession and that this kind of doctrine they terme the proper defence of Protestants to wit for to defend the inuisibility of their Church before Luther Which kind of defence hath neither truth nor probability and though it had yet would it not suffice to defend the inuisibility of their Church before Luthers tyme when it was inuisible not only to the world to enemies to straungers to some or most of the faythfull but to all and euery one as shall manifestly appeare hereafter 4. If any say that it is no meruayle if Protestants teach that their Church was inuisible to the world because the true Church cannot be seene but by fayth I answeare first that this supposeth their Church to be the true Church which ought not to be supposed but proued Secondly that they teach that the Church may be vnknowne not only to the world but also to some or most of the faythfull Lastly that the true Church may be knowne two wayes one way to be the true Church of God an other to be knowne distinctly from all other Churches The true Church discerned from all other Churches euen by Infidels as Christ was knowne to be the Messias only by his disciples but yet he was knowne distinctly from all other men by the Iewes And the scripture is knowne to be the word of God only by Christiâ—ns but is knowne distinctly from other writings by Infidels And in Christs tyme his company was known to be the true Church of God only by the faythfull but knowne distinctly from all other companies or Churches euen by Infidels And the same we say of his Church from his tyme vnto our dayes that it is and euer was knowne to be the true Church of God only of the faythfull but known and seene distinctly from all other Churches euen by the world Infidels And of his kind of knowledge and visibility wherewith the true Church is knowne and visible not only to the faythfull
the obscurity of the matter a man may chance to erre slip August l. 11. cont Faust c. 5. or els in such matters of fact as were in times or places far distant from them so that themselues could not search the truth but belieued the reports of others Such a question is that of Pope Ioane in which Protestants cite no Catholike author which liued not some ages after that time wherin Pope Ioan is sayd to haue beene Or if they produce any Catholike Author in any matter of fact the truth wherof he might haue tried either he is of no credit or the matter is such as it turneth to no preiudice of the Catholike faith But we heer produce Protestants in a matter of fact such a matter as they could most easily know For what was more easy then for Luther and his fellowes to try either then or euer since whether when he first began there was in the world any Protestant company whether it were visible whether it had Pastours and the like For who can thinke that only the Protestant company could lye so close hid that neither in all Luthers time or euer since either the being or the estate or condition or place or Pastours or any thing at all therof could be espied out of so many Arguses which now in one whole age haue sifted all corners of the world to find it out And besides this is such a question of Fact as vpon the decision therof an end may be made of all cōtrouersies betweene Catholikes and Protestants For as I sayd before if Luther be the Author and beginner of the Protestant Church it is certaine that it is not the Church of Christ nor to be followed of Christians Note but to be forsaken detested To which I ad now that if Luther himself such so many learned famous Protestāts as I haue cited do by many wayes so plainly confesse that Luther was the Author therof it cannot be doubted but that he was in truth the Author of it For I alleadge not men of small credit among Protestants but such as are of greatest authority with them nor a few but many nor of one nation alone but of diuers to wit Germans Italians French English Scottes Flemings and others nor Protestants of one sort or sect but of all three namely Lutherans Sacramētaries and English Protestants So that they could not beare false witnesse in this matter either for wāt of knowledge because they were many and learned of different countries and most diligent in searching the matter and the matter it selfe most easy nor for want of good will towards the cause because they were all most earnest Protestants And to refuse the testimonies of such witnesses in a matter of fact in their owne time so easy to be knowne and so diligently searched of them what other thing is it then obstinately to refuse to know the truth of this matter so important to be knowne and wherby may be made an end of all contentions in Religion Wherfore let Protestants say as they please Note that in questions of doctrine they will not depend vpon Luther Caluin or any one or all their doctours together but vpon the scripture alone Neuertheles in matter of fact wherof the scripture saith nothing such as this is for the Scripture telleth not what was the state and condition of the Protestant Church when Luther began in what place it was what Pastours it had who saw it and the like either they must confesse that they refuse all triall knowledge of so important a truth or they must giue credit to the deposition of sufficient witnesses And if euer men were or can be sufficiēt witnesses of any matter of Fact Luther and those Protestants which here I produce are sufficient witnesses of that which I bring them for to testify And thus much touching the cause why I proue Luther to haue been the founder of Protestant Religiō only by the testimonies of Protestants Why so many Protestāts testimonyes are alleaged 10. As for the reason why I alleadge so many Protestants that is that it many appeare that it is not the priuate testimony of some one or few but the generall consent of them all or at least the common sentence of many of them And if I seeme to any Catholike ouer tedious in heaping vp so many testimonies of Protestants I pray him to cōsider that I write not this book to Catholikes to confirme them in the Catholike faith who I know to that end doe not need the testimonies of Protestants but that I write it partly to Catholikes for to furnish them with store of Protestants testimonies to stopp their mouthes and to shew them that they are right Heretikes that is condemned as the Apostle speaketh by their owne iudgement to which end a few testimonies of theirs would not suffice And therfore to such as intend this end the multitude of testimonies will not be troublesome For who that indeauoureth to vāquish most obstinate enemies will complain of the abundance of good soldiers wherof he may make choice And if I had rehearsed only some few testimonies and named the places where the rest may be found some would haue cauilled as M. Iewel did against D. Harding that I had cited dumbe witnesses Besides seing the iudgments of men are diuers it may fall out that what kind of testimonyes seem strong forcible to some others acount but weake and litle to the purpose and therfore it was behofull that there should be as it were a store-house of Protestants testimonies that euery one might take what weapon he thinketh fittest for him vse it against them But especially I gathered these testimonies of Protestants for the Protestants themselues that by their owne mens iudgement I might withdraw them from their errour And therfore I was not so fearfull to bring too many for Catholikes as carefull to prouide inough for Protestants In which I could hardly offend by multitude For as S. (p) Lib. 1. Vigil saith Mans mind possessed with the errour of a false opinion is hard and slow to perceiue truth with how many witnesses so euer it be vrged therto (ſ) De gestis cum Emerit Or as (q) Lib. de Patient Tertullian writeth much talke in matter of edification is not foule if at any time it be foule And (r) Lib. 1. cont Iou. S. Hierom delay is no losse when by delay the victory is more assured Wherupon S. Augustin counsaileth vs not to regard and delay whatsoeuer so we bring good proofe of what we say Besides (t) VVhi. cont 295. c. 17. l. 1. de script c. 11. sect Sadeel in Refut Posnan c. 12. Protestants deny that we ought to iudge of them by one or few though they be Pastors and (u) White in defence of his way c. 7. write that M. Brierly in his Protestants Apologie although it be stuffed with all kind of
12. VVhat as Tertullian sayth meane they otherwise then they write masters of deceit not of truth 10. If any demaund how it came to passe that Protestants should so often and so plainly say that their Church and religion was perished before Luther appeared Wherfor Protestāts say their Church was perished I answeare that there were many causes thereof First because it was so euident that their Church and religion was not at all when Luther began that as themselues haue confessed they cannot deny it It cannot be denyed If any deny it he may be conuinced All men must confesse it The matter it selfe proclaimeth and proueth it Num. 1.4.5.7 And finally that it is manifest both to learned and vnlearned Secondly they sayd so for to moue men to hate the Pope and Papists whome they affirmed to haue destroyed the fayth and Church Thirdly for to purchase the loue of the people as who had restored to them againe the Church and Religion Fourthly they sayd so for to excuse their preaching and playing the Pastours without ordinary calling as if forsooth when they began there had byn no church which could giue them cōmission Finally as phrantike men so Protestants sometymes are in good fittes in which they see and confesse the truth But at other tymes when Catholiks out of this perishing and destruction of their Church and religion do inferre that it is not the Church or religion of Christ Matth. 16. against which as he hath promised the gats of hell shall not preuaile but some other Church religion either first began by Luther or else restored and renowed by him after that it was substantially perished and destroyed then they mollify and glose their former sayings deuise strange violent senses of their words and euery way seeke out shiftes and sleights whereby they may auoyd the force of their owne testimonies which we shall rehearse and refute in the next chapter The Protestants shiftes for to delude their foresayd Confessions touching the substantiall decay of their Church and Religion refuted CHAP. II. 1. ALBEIT the foresayd confessions of the Protestants touching the substantiall decay of their Church and religion before Luther arose be so plaine and euident as we may well say with Tertullian VVho will not acknowledge these rather then expound thē De Resur c. 21. Yet because the obstinacy of heretiks is so great as it may be sooner ouercome then persuaded is wont to seek out all shifts to auoyd the force euen of their owne words I will heare set downe their shifts and confute them 2. Their first shift is Their first shift that the forenamed Protestants by the words of fayth religion and the like when they say that they perished did not meane the inward fayth of the heart as if no man in his heart had held the Protestant fayth or religion but only the outward profession thereof and so meane only that the outward profession of Protestancy was perished or that none professed it I graunt indeed that somtyme they speake of outward profession of faith but this commeth all to one purpose That they say inward faith perished Because the profession of faith can no more perish in the church then the fayth it selfe as hereafter we shall proue by the confessions of Protestants themselues But that they speake not also of the inward fayth or of fayth it selfe is most false First because they say so without all proofe neither can they proue it otherwise then because perhaps the same Protestants haue other where sayd the contrary which kind of proofe we hereafter shew to be nothing worth Lib. 2. c. vl Againe it is credible vnlesse one will belieue what he list that by so many words of light clarity religion worship of God truth of God Ca. 1. n. 2. 3. sayth true knowledge knowledge of fayth Christian fayth knowledge of Christ as they haue vsed and we repeated they meant not fayth it selfe but only the outward profession of faith Besides they sayd plainly That none belieued to be iustified without workes That the doctrine of Iustification by sayth was blotted out of the memory of men Cap. 1. nu 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 that holesome truth perished from earth and that it was taken from men that Christ was buryed and taken out of the world and the Church that all Protestant consolation was vnknowne that without Luther one iot had not byn knowne that the knowledge of Christ the knowledge of sayth fayled and lastly that Christ was not vnderstood but vtterly vnknowne Which words are manifestly spoken meant of true or inward fayth I adde also that it is a rule of ciuil law approued by Luther and Protestants Luther de abrog mis epist ad Amsd. Schusselb tom 4. Catal haeret that who cold speak clearely and yet spake obscurely should haue his words expounded against him Seeing therefore Protestants could haue spoken farre more clearly if they had meant only that outward professiō of faith had perished we may lawfully expound their words against themselues 3. To this shift is another like wherewith they say that the foresayd testimonies of Protestants touching the destruction or decay of their Church are not to be vnderstood of their inuisible Church The secōd shift which they say is the company of only true faythfull and predestinate men but of the decay of their visible Church which they say is the company of al those that professe true doctrine and is the Church not in the sight of God but only in the eyes of men I do not deny that sometymes they speake of the visible Church notwithstanding as before I sayd it comes all to one purpose because as shall be proued hereafter there can be no inuisible Church without a visible nor a company of faythfull and predestinate men but they must professe their fayth The Protestāts say the true Church hath perished But most false it is that they speake not also of the true Church which they will haue to be inuisible to any but to God alone For first as before I argued this cannot be proued otherwise then that perhaps the same men haue at other tymes sayd the contrary which will proue that they like lyers haue contradicted themselues not that they haue not sayd this which they haue as clearly sayd as euer they sayd any thing else Besides in saying according to their meaning that the Church hath not perished or cannot perish they do not indeed cōtradict themselues when they say that it hath or can perish For when they say that the Church cannot perish by the name of the Church they vnderstand not the Catholike Church that is the Church spread throughout the world Cap. 1. n. ◠for as we saw they teach that the Church may consist or be reduced to one or two and that Elias thought there was none of the Church but himselfe Whereupon D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 3. pag.
ensnared in those traditions of men but rather snares of the deuill whiles all were persuaded that in keeping them they obtayned saluation in omitting them sell into damnation And serm de Simulacris fol. 277 All the world was filled with the other abuse of images For who would haue put images in Churches if thereby he had not thought that he did seruice to God Thus much Luther 2. And in like manner speake the Lutherans The Confession of Auspurg cap. 20 No man admonished of the difference betwixt humane traditions and Gods law no man taught how good works did please The Magdeburgians Praefat. Centur. 5 All alike were drowned in the impieties and Aegiptian darknesse of Antichrist All alike And Praefat. Centur. 8 Antichrist had brought vnder his yok all Europe that we may say they speake nothing of other parts of the earth All Europe Melancthon tom 4. Prefat in Act. Ratisbon pag. 730 Only Luther durst touch the errours of the Popes schooles Our Churches follow him rather then the consent of so many ages Popes and schooles Lobechius disput 29 The Roman tyranny hath ouerwhelmed the Church and held the Christian world in thraldome Huber in Antibellarm lib. 4. The Christian world cap. 3. Our Church hath a new forme not vsed at that tyme when the Pope possessed all Morgestern tract de Eccles pag. 145 The whole Christian world knoweth that before Luther all churches were ouerwhelmed with more then Cymmerian darknesse All churches Hitherto the Lutherans 3. Amongst the Sacramentaries Caluin 2. Institur cap. 2. § 4 All All eueÌ„ to the common people euen to the common people are embâ—ed with this principle that man hath free will Lib. 4. cap. 18. § 18 The Abomination of Masse profered in a golden cuppe hath made so drunke all Kings and people of the earth from the highest to the lowest that they put the whole hope of their saluation in it alone Al people on earth from the highest to the lowest Which very words are repeated by Lobechius disput 26. and by Hospin epist dedicat 1 part Histor and part 2. fol. 25. And the sayd Caluin lib. 4. cit cap. 10. § 5 The whole world was couered with a most thick mist of ignorance And lib. de Coen pag. 10 VVith how thick a mist of darknes was the world beseiged Againe VVhen Luther began to teach he so handled the matter of the supper as that what belongeth to the corporall presence he seemed to leaue such as all then receiued And lib. de Necess Reform pag. 46 It is manifest that the whole world was bewitched with these wicked opinions before Luther appeared The whole world And Respons ad Sadolet pag. 130 All things were stuft with pernicious errours There was none which truly esteemed that only sacrifice of Christ none which so much as dreamed of his eternall Priesthood and the intercession which dependeth thereupon none rested in his only iustice No maÌ„ so much as dreamed of c. But now whereas all did put their trust in good works when they went about by good words to purchase thy God he speaketh to grace to obtaine iustice to purge their sinnes to satisfy thee All which sayth he do dash out and annihilate the vertue of the crosse of Christ Respons ad Veâ—â—pel pag. 354 Seeing the whole VVâ—sterne hurch as he calles it defendeth obstinatly all the inipiety which we iustly detest c. All the weâ—terne Church And epist 141 VVe are compâ—â—en to make a separation from the whole world Bucer lib. â—0 vâ—â—â—â—â—â—su Ministerij pag. 602 It is plaine that for many ages past God reuealed to no nation the doctrine of our saluation and all things belonging to his Kingdome so farre as he hâ—â—â— dâ—â— in our age Lâ—b de Concord pag. 660 This error of the reall presence preuailed with all Nations of the whole world D. 〈◊〉 â—it de Antichristo cap. 26 At length antichrist and his doctrine ouercame all men holding their peace shamefully and basely submitting themselues vnto him vntill Iohn Vâ—iâ—lâ—s arose who stoutly opposed himselfe against him Sâ—eidan epâ—â—t â—ed 〈◊〉 Hâ—â—tor The beginning of Protestancy was slender and almost contemptible One only man and one only bare the haâ—â—â— and brunt of the whole world Bibliander Orat. ad Pâ—â—â— oâ—eâ— Germ VVe put it as a thing knowne by it selfe most cleare and out of all doubt Al people from the first to the last that after Gregory the great his death the Pope of Rome was Antichrist who with his abom nations blâ—sphemies and idolatries did so besot all Kings and people from the first to the last that they became more blockish then â—rute beasts Zâ—â—inglius lib. de vera falsa relig cap. de Eâ—char The whole body of Christendome I think no man will deny this that we all ran to masse as to a sacred refuge Daniel Camier epist 49 Errour possessed noâ— one or two small parcels but Apostasy turned the very whole body away from Christ Hospin Praefat. part 2. Histoâ— None stroue against From Gregories tyme no man stroue against superstition but all added and put to what strength each one could And ep dedicat part â— This most grosse and more then Cymmerian darknesse endured in the whole Christian world these 6. hundred years last past Viretus in Hospin part 2. fol. 224 The whole Christian Nation The whole Christian Nation vtterly bewitched as it were with sorceries and alienated from God and true religion c. Praefat. Syntag. Confess VVhen all was couered with most grosse darknesse of ignorance and idolatry Gualter Praefat. Comment Epist ad Rom In the point of the reall presence the whole Christian world was greatly deceiued And Praefat. in â—om 2. Zuinglij The whole world was before bewitched with trust in outward signes Iezler de bello Euchar. fol. 24 The former age was euery where drowned in most thick darknesse which no man in his witts can deny Brocard in c. 2. Apocal. fol. 41 Al euery meÌ„ber of Christ VVhen the preaching of the ghospell was allowed in Luther and his first onset against the Papacy the knowledge of Christ was sound missing in all and euery of his members 4. Amongst our English Protestants thus speaketh the Author of the Apology of the English Church pag. 38 VVe are indeed departed from him who we saw had blinded the world for many ages His Maiesty in his Mâ—nitory epistle pag. 37 In those ages a thicker and more blind ignorance of truth possessed the world Pag. 100 How many ages was the Christian people held in so great blindnes and ignorance of holesome doctrine And pag. 160 A darck night of Popish doctrine possessed the world D. Whâ—taker Conâ— 2. eâ— 3. pag. 467 The plague of Popery at last went through the whole world Pag. 468 That Antichristians plague raged through all parts of the world and through all visible Churches And Cont. 4. quaest
but euen to Infidels and of the opposite ignorance or inuisibility we speake in this matter and Protestants also as appeareth by their testimonies already rehearsed shall yet more by those which we shall repeat hereafter That they say their Church was simply inuisible 5. Further more therefore Protestants do not only teach that their Church may and hath byn inuisible respectiuely that is to this or that kind of men as we haue already heard but also they graunt that it may be simply and absolutely inuisible Luther vpon the 90. psalm tom 3. fol. 493 The Church was and abode in Popery but truly so hidden as to one that would iudge by the appearance the seemed to be no where at all Seemed to be no where And vpon the psalm 22. fol. 344 The Church is brought into the dust of death so that no where there appeareth any shew or trace of her And vpon the first chap. of Micheas tom 4. fol. 434 No trace of church appeared In the former ages there was no true forme of religion extant The Magdeburgians in the preface of their 10. Century It is very hard to find where which the Church was in this age No forme extant Likewise in the Preface of the 11. Century Euery where was darknes neither durst the Church mutter any thing Gerlachius in his 22. disput of the Church pag. 927. writeth that before Luther The true Church withdrew it selfe from the eyes sight of men into lurking holes and hid her selfe in darknesse Zuinglius in his supplication to the Bishop of Constance tom 1. fol. 120 The heauenly doctrine lay a long tyme hid Hospinian in the epistle dedicatory of the first part of his History From the yeare 1200. vntill the yeare 1515. the Church lay miserably ouerwhelmed as it were with a most deep and most strong deluge Caluin in the Preface of his Institutions God permitted that in former ages there should be no face of the true Church extant No face of the church extant And addeth of his owne doctrine It lay a long tyme vnknowne and buryed Againe For some ages all things were drowned in deep darknes And vpon the 23. chapter of the Acts vers 6. he sayth The Church was hidden from the eyes of men And in his Preface vpon Isaias Touching the oueward shew of the church nothing for many ages appeared but desolate and confused wast on all sides Beza in his book of the notes of the church pag. 99 The Church lurked in the wildernes Pareus in his 4. booke of grace and freewill cap. 6 In Constantines tyme the church began to waâ— sick to death notwithstanding the Catholike Church remayned But where In the desert as in the world withdrawne from the eyes of men Sadeel in his treatise of the vocarion of Ministers pag. 533 After the Church had a long tyme lurked the Lord called her at this tyme into light Could not be discerned Voyen in his Preface of Catalog Doct The true visible Church could not be discerned no tract of Gods grace appeared in his Church The Apology of the English Church part 4. cap. 4. diuis 2. sayth that 40. yeares agoe truth first began to spring vnknowne at that tyme and vnheard of Vnheard of D. Humfrey vnto the 3. reason of F. Campian pag. 286 VVhy the picture of the Church in these later tymes cannot be seene of our aduersaries or drawne of vs c. And pag. 288 If the only names of our Fathers were extant who eyther by teaching Not so much as their names extant or monishing or writing did help the Church of Christ we should see another ranck and progresse of the Church another succession of Bispops another picture of Protestants And pag. 291 And yet they will obiect that our Church was hidden which they no where suffered aliue D. Whitaker Controu 2. quest 3. pag. 479 VVhen they aske of vs where was our Church in tymes past for so many ages we answere that it was in a close wildernesse that is that it was hidden lay secret fled the sight of men And quest 5. c. 3. pag. 499 Luther brought the fayth out of darknesse wherein before it lay drowned And cap. 4. pag. 502 Our Church was then but you will say it was not visible Not visible VVhat then therefore was it not No. For it lay hid in the wildernesse M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed colum 788 VVe say that many ages past before this our age that vniuersall defection ouerwhelmed almost all the world Not visible and that our Church was not visible at that tyme. M. Base in his 1. Century of the writers of Britanny cap. 4 From Phocas vntill the renewing of the Ghospell the doctrine of Christ lay so long in lurking holes M. Downham in his 2. booke of Antichrist cap. 2 The generall defection of the visible Church began to worke in the Apostles tyme. M. Powell in his 1. book of Antichrist c. 23 Our religion lay long tyme vnknowne and buryed vnknown buried And M. Cox Chancellour of Oxford in King Edward 6. tyme exhorting the vniuersity men to Protestantisme biddeth them pluck out truth lying long tyme lurking in Trophonius denne Thus clearely and thus many wayes they simply and absolutely graunt that their Church was inuisible vnknowne and buryed before Luther arose 6. The same also they intend They teach the Church may be simply inuisible when they say that the Church either was or can be inuisible For they would neuer say so vnlesse they knew that such was the condition of their Church before Luther began Luther vpon the 90. psalm tom 3. fol. 495 Sometymes the Church was most weake and so dispersed as it appeared no where Hutter in his Analysis of the Confession of Auspurg pag. 448 No where appeare It is certaine that it may fall out that the true Church may ly hidden and her visible forme not at all tymes appeare to the eyes Herbrand in his Compend of diuinity place of the Church pag. 502. writeth That the faythfull sometymes appeare not to the eyes euen of the Godly Not to the Godly Kemnitius in his common places tit the epistles of the Apostles pag. 78 Sometymes the true Church another bastard and company preuailing and ouertopping doth so as it werely hid that Elias may say I am leâ—t alone Gerlachius in his 22. dispute of the Church pag. 946 No surely if at some tyme the Church be not seene with corporall eyes therefore she is not Caluin in the Preface of his Institutions Sometyme God taketh away the outward knowledge of his Church from the sight of men Sometyme the Church hath no apparent forme And in his treatise of the true Reformation of the Church pag. 332 The Church sometyme lyeth hid and flieth the sight of men And in his Antidote of the 18. article of the Vniuersity of Paris VVe gather that the Church
of Christ for thus he writeth Popery as Iudaisme heretofore signifieth that company which at least in her tyme had the true Church with it Such were the Iewes before the comming of Christ and the Papists before the comming of Luther His meaning as I suppose is that as the Christian Church is in state another church from the Synagogue because it hath other Sacraments other Sacrifyce and more points of fayth and Christ another founder of the Church distinct from Moyses so the Protestant Church is a distinct Church from the ancient Christian Church and Luther not only another Elias as they call him but also another Messias a founder and beginner of another Church distinct from that of Christ at least as far as his church differed from the Synagogue Behold Christian Reader wherto all their winding turning and doubling about the being of their Church in Popery is come Surely as S. Augustin sayd L 20. cont Faust c. 12. against the Manichees their imaginations haue lost all wayes For they are nothing bâ—â— the visions of frantike men For their remayneth no probable way to defend that their Church was heretofore in Popery It is mere frenzy to think that it waâ— in Popery virtually and implicitly like as a plant iâ— in the seed or a man in a child at the Christiaâ— Church once was in the Synagogue or that it waâ— openly distinct in Communion and Profession froâ— Papists or that it consisteth of such which either iâ— hart or at least in Profession were Papists or finally that the Church of God such as they will haâ—â— the Protestant to be was for many ages in a differeÌ„t yea a most opposite church where neither by diuine nor humane testimony it can be proued to haue byn neither can there any way be imagined by which it may with any appearance or probability be sayd to haue byn there Thus sayth S. Augustine do they dote lib. 20. coÌ„t Faust c. vl who not abiding true doctrine turne to fables 12 And out of these wherewith we haue shewed that the Protestant Church heretofore was not in Popery is refuted also Zanchius Praefat. lib. de Natura Dei where he sayth that their brethren in tymes past liued in some obscure vallies and Mountaines and met at night And D. Fulke lib. de Succes pag. 324. saying that in Europe the Church was by Antichrist thrust into obscure places but least they should be tript in their lying they name neither those mountaines nor vallyes nor places nor their night-owle-brethren nor finally proue any thing L. 14. cont Faust c. 9. But as S. Augustin sayd of Faustus They say it away they neuer seeke to proue it Or as Christ sayd of the aduersary man they sow cockle and depart It sufficeth for these new Pythagorians to powre out lyes like oracles for they assure themselues that with retchlesse men they will find credit of themselues like weeds grow without tilling Hence also is refuted the same Fulke in cap. 10. Apocal. Where he affirmeth his brethren hertofore haue liued in the Alpes in the Appenine Mountaines and in the Hereinian Forest He might better haue sayd they liued in the Wildernes of Vtopia for he proueth nothing L. 16. cont Faust c. 26 O man that I may cry out which S. Augustine thincking only of his owne talke and not thinking of any gainesayer Againe Doest thou not know lib. 4. cont Cres c. 54. or doest thou not feele with the heart of what man soeuer that in dispute where truth is sought where proofe followeth not the talke is vaine and foolish Wherefore now let vs heare their arguments or rather Sophismes wherwith sometymes they endeauour to proue that their Church was in tymes past in Popery The Sophismes wherwith some Protestant make shew to proue that their Church was heretofore in Popery refuted CHAP. X. 1. THE first argument wherewith Protestants would seeme to proue that their Church in former tymes was in Popery is grounded vpon that saying Apocal. 18 Goe out of her Babylon my people Therefore Gods people were in Babylon that is say theâ— in Popery Thus argueth Luther in cap. 12. Genes tom 6. fol. 144. And in cap. 19. fol. 234. The Magdeburgians in Praefat. Centur. 8. Plessy lib. de Eccles cap. 10. and others commonly Yea M. Perkins in his reformed Catholike tract 22. writeth that by this commandement it may be gathered that the true Church is and was long tyme in the Roman Church Wherein he speakes more truly then he meant For the true Church is and was alwayes in the Romane but the Protestant neither is nor was there To the argument I answere that this place can be no sufficient ground of fayth among the Protestans because their Angel their Apostle and Euangelist Martyn Luther denyeth the Apocalipse to be Canonicall Scripture Againe though indeed it be canonicall Scripture yet for the most part it is so obscure as but very few places therof are fit to grouÌ„d any point of fayth as is euident both by the booke it selfe which is well nigh all Mysticall and allegoricall and by the iudgement of the Fathers and confession of Protestants Euseb l. 7. cap. 20. For thus sayth S. Denis Patriarch of Alexandria of the Apocalipse I verily think that almost in euery sentence there lyeth some mysticall and merueilous sense Likewise S. Hierome Epist ad Paulin. The Apocalipse hath as many mysteries as words And S. Augustin In the booke of the Apocalipse many obscure things are told and there are few things therein lib 20. de Ciuit. c. 17. by light whereof the rest may be sought ought with labour And with Protestants D. Andrewes in his answere to Bellarmines Apology cap. 9 Is he ignorant that concerning the Apocalipse nothing certaine or of fayth is yet prescribed by the Church that it may be lawfull to vse one only kind of interpretation and no other as if it were so cleare and euident that it were a hainous offence to leaue it or to dissent any way from it Yea as any may with greatest probability shew the prophesies there to be fulfilled so is it free for any to vse his iudgement to follow his own opinion in explicating them And D. Whitaker Cont. 4. quest 5. cap. 3 pag. 677 It is well inough knowne that Iohn in the Apocalipse speaketh not of cleare and open matters but of obscurt and hidden M. Brightman in his Preface of the Apocalipse In so great abundance of ancient and new expositions the Apocalipse yet as all agree needeth an Apocalipse And M. Sheldon in his booke of the miracles of Antichrist cap. 4. pag. 54 calleth it a darck Mysticall prophecy in which sayth he quot verba tot latent Mysteria And pag. 226 The Apocalipse is a booke wholy mysticall which doth excepting some few doctrinall rules and exhortations to vertue in types figures formes and resemblances describe and foretell the future euents of the
vs these accursed speeches and others too when in the midst of the darcknesse of that age it first began to spring and to giue shine some one glimmering beame of truth vnknowne at that time and vnheard of when as yet the thing was but new the successe therof vncertaine and when there could be imagined against vs no fact so detestable but that the people then would soon beleiue it for the nouelty and straungenesse of the matter Ibid. diuis 1 How often haue they set on fire Princes houses to the end they might quench the light of the gospell in the very first appearing of it M. Fox in his Acts set forth anno 1610. pag 788. writing what passed anno 1523 speaketh thus But in the blade Then the doctrine of Luther first beginning to spring and being but in the blade was not yet knowne wherto it tended nor to what it would grow D. Rainolds in his Conference cap. 5. sect 2. sayth that Protestants haue not had long tract of time And a late Chronicler thought to be M. Good win writing the life of K. Henry 8. 1521. sayth In the meane time our king moued at the nouelty of Luthers doctrine c. To all which I adde that Erasmus whome Protestants as is before shewed doe challenge as one of theirs writeth thus to the Brethren of the low couÌ„treis New Ghospell do not they bring a new Gospel who expound it otherwise then the Church hitherto hath don But Why I pray you should the Protestants religion seeme new to all the world and in the iudgement of all pious and prudent men if indeed it were not new How should so many so famous Protestants so often and in so many different kinds of writings to wit in prose in verse in peaceable in contentious writings in Historicall in dogmaticall in speech to men to God himselfe haue sayd so plainly and so many wayes that Protestant religion was new fresh vnwonted vnused wholy new newly planted erected anew if they had not thought that it was indeed new For as Luther sayth It is impossible but that the conscience will some time bewray it selfe 5. ProtestaÌ„ts first refuted If any answeare that the fore sayd ProtestaÌ„nts doe not meane that their religion was absolutely new First I aske why then doe they absolutely say so and that so often and in so many kind of writings Why do they so often and in so weighty a matter write otherwise then they think Besides it cannot be proued that they did not meane that it was absolutely new when they spake so otherwise then because perhappes at other times they sayd the contrary Which kind of proofe in Heretikes is friuolous as partly hath bin shewed before partly shall be more hereafter Moreouer this is like the excuse of the Marcionists who wheÌ„ they had brought in a new God yet would not haue him to be called absolutely new but only newly knowne or discouered 6. Fiftly I proue the nouelty of Protestant religion because euen then when in words they deny it to be new in very deed they confesse it to be new in such sort as sufficeth for me to proue that Luther was the Author therof and that it is not the religion of Christ to wit that it is of new erected built set vp according to the very substance and essence therof in such sorr as a house falleÌ„ downe but newly raised in walls roofe and other such substantiall parts may be called a new house Because Christs Church and religion cannot be new in this sort being such as can neuer fall For they confesse that the antiquity of their Church was abrogated and that it is a religion refined and reformed and that they are refiners and reformers D. Morton 1. part Apol. lib 1. cap vlt writeth that Protestants Challenge the first antiquity but abrogated by mens fault Iunius Cont. 4. lib. 4. cap. 7 sayth The continuance of the old and Catholike doctrine is renewed But surely that thing whose antiquity hath bin abrogated and broken of is new For the kingdome in Caesars time was new in Rome although it began with the citty it selfe because it had bin abrogated for diuers ages Wherupon Riuet Epitom-Cont tract 3 cap. 21 sayth Things are called new when they are renewed and vsed after interruption Besides whether a thing once abrogated and taken away and afterward restored be to be called new or no it sufficeth to me that the Protestant religion is in such sort new as a house fallen downe and newly raised may be called nâ—w because the Church religion of Christ cannot be new in this manner nor the antiquity therof abrogated and cut of In like sort Muscle in locis tit de noua doctrina pag. 417 Albeit he deny that they make new doctrine yet he confesseth that they renew doctrine And that he meaneth of a substantiall renouation wherin the very substance of a thing is renewed it appeareth by the precedent page where he sayth that old matters abrogated fallen down for some ages are renewed A Church therfore and religion fallen downe they doe renew that is erect a new Wherupon the French Confession Beza Bastingius as is before recited say that their Church is againe a new erected and others cal her a Church Reuiued resuscitated reborn and assigne a new birth and begining of her which words doe manifestly signifie a new substantial production or making of her which whether it be called a nouatioÌ„ or renouatioÌ„ maketh not much to the purpose seing it is either a substantial production or first making of that which neuer had bin before or a reproduction and second making of that which though it had bin before yet was fallen and the substance therof corrupted and perished Of which nouation or renouation Luther was the Author Besides they call themselues Renewers or Refiners ProtestaÌ„ts call themselues reformers and their Church or religion Reformed or refined D. Andrewes Respons ad Apol. Bellarm. cap. 1 VVe are Renewers VVe call our religion reformed Caluin Epist 341 VVe carry the name of the reformed Church Iunius lib. 4. de Eccles cap. 16 VVe hold the Reformed Christian saith And in the same sort speaketh the Scots Confession the Consent of Poland D Whitaker Prefat cont cont 1. quest 2. c. 16. 17. cont 2. quest 5. c. 2. others commonly I aske therfore what kind of forme of religion haue they taken away by their reformation and what a one haue they giuen Surely they haue changed the very substantiall forme For to omit al other points they haue taken away the former manner of obtayning remission of sinnes by the Catholike faith and good workes and brought in a new of obtayning the same by special faith only and vndoubtedly the way to obtaine remissioÌ„ of sins is substantiall to a Church and religioÌ„ But they who take away the substantiall forme and bring anew doe make a new thing and such a
neither did any maÌ„ feele or perceiue himselfe to haue bin a member of such a Church before that time Wherfore as he should manifestly play the Sophister who would goe about to proue by scripture that the sunne appeareth at midnight so likewise doth he who out of scripture endeuoreth to proue that there was a protestant Church before Luther because all mens sense conuince the one as well as the other Besides Protestants write that though faith commaund vs to beleiue things which we see not yet it doth not commaund vs not to beleiue that which we see for otherwise faith should be contrary to sense and none should become faithfull but he should first be senselesse But surely wonderfull is the blindnes or wilfulnesse of Sacramentaries who in the matter of the Eucharist against the most expresse words of Scripture will endeuour to proue by sense that there is not the body of Christ when as the body of Christ there is not sensible And here in the matter of existence of their Church before Luther out of some apparent shew of scripture against the most manifest sense of all men will proue that it was before Luthers time When as a Church is a sensible thing and can be felt either of others or at least of them who are of it How much better and more reasonably should they proceed if in the Eucharist where Christs body is not sensible they would rather giue eare to the most expresse words of scripture then to the suspicions of their seÌ„ses which can iudge of nothing but of sensible accidents and in the matter of the Church whose being is seÌ„sible they would submit their vncertaine if not false expositions of scripture not only to the sense of all men but also the most certaine expositions of the Church and Fathers But this sheweth that in their beleife they are guided neither by seÌ„se nor scripture but out of them both borrow a shew of proofe for that which of their mere wilfulnes or fancy they choose to beleiue 10. Thus thou seest Christian Reader for how vaine a sophisme whose Maior is manifestly false so false as that out of this matter it is generally denyed of Protestants themselues and so improbable also as that it cannot be proued in no shew or colour and whose Minor is more doubtfull then the conclusioÌ„ it selfe and the manner of prouing sophisticall and no other then the proofes of al Heretikes be for how vaine a sophisme I say then the which scarce any can be more vaine Protestants beleiue or rather will seeme to beleiue a thing wholy incredible and in a thing sensible against the sense of al maÌ„kind to wit that before Luther there was a Church which held the whose substance or all the substantiall and fundamentall points of Protestancy nor in so weighty a matter respect either their oâ—â—e consciences or the iudgements of men or tribunal of God or danger of their eternall damnation Surely Homil. cont Sabel that I may end with S. Basils words I moane and bewayle them that for a meane sophisme and counterfait paralogisme they cast themselues into hel 11. Out of all which hath bin sayd in this chapter I thus frame my tenth and last demonstration If no sufficent testimonie nor any probable argument but only one sond sophisme can be brought to proue that the Protestant Church was before Luther this is not to be beleiued of any wise and prudent man But no other proofe can be brought Therfore c. And if it were not before Luther surely he is the Author of it The Maior is euident by it selfe and the Minor by what hath bin brought in this chapter Certainely if euery one of the demoÌ„strations which we haue brought doe not conuince that the Protestant Church and religion was not before Luther at least all of them together manifestly conuince it For by the first fiue demonstrations was shewed that before Luther it was not at all it was in no place was vnknowne of all the world was not seene of any nor had any Pastors And with the rest hath bin demonstrated that after Luther arose no ancienter Protestant did euer appeare and adioyne himselfe to Luther that all the first knowne Protestant had bin Papists afore times that the Protestant company and religion is new that Luther and other plainly confesse that he was autho of that religion and finally that no proofe besides one friuolous fallacie can be brought to shew that such a Church or religion had bin in former times And if yet any Protestant doubt hereof let him at least compare al the foresayd demoÌ„strations wherwith so many wayes out of the very testimonies of Protestants we haue shewed that no such Church was before Luther with their vaine sophisme wherewith they make shew to proue the contrary and he will easily perceiue on whose side this so important truth is like to stand And if he make any account of truth of Gods seruice of his owne reputation or eternall saluation he will forsake the Protestants Church put himselfe in the lappe of the Catholike Church Which as S. Augustine speaketh euen in the testimony of all mankind hath not only beene in all ages since Christ De vtil credendi cap. 17. but also hath had Pastors nor hath been visible only to her owne but to others also and to the whole world and hath most valiantly fought ouercome and triumphed ouer Iewes Pagans Heretikes Schismatiks and all the gates of hell To preferre before this most ancient most glorious church another newly start vp many ages lurking knowne to none not to her owne and destitute of Pastours flocke seat and appearance and in truth feigned and deuised and to omit all other proofes wounded deadly with so many confessions of her owne champions and proued by one only vaine fallacie what other thing were it then to preferre lyes before truth darcknesse before light death before life the synagogue of Satan before the Church of Christ and finally wilfully to cast himselfe headlong into hell VVhat he must obserue who will answere the foresayd demonstration CHAP. XVI SEEING I haue yielded so much to Protestants condescended to so vnequall conditions as that I haue vndertaken to proue that Luther was the author of their Church and religion by the only Confessions of Luther and other Protestants it is reason that if any one of them goe about to answeare my foresayd demoÌ„strations he hould obserue these most iust lawes which I will here set downe and which themselues haue prescribed to others 2. See Iuel defens Apol par 2. c. d. 5. Kemnice Exam. tit de script Epist Monit p. 145. Calu. cont Seruet p. 643. First therfore touching the words of Protestants which I haue alleadged let him either confesse that they are truely cited by me or if he denye that let him not say it only but let him shew that they are supposed falsifyed or so changed as that the sense which I
14. Ninthly Nothing can make the church inuisible I proue that the Church could not be inuisible because there is nothing which can make that the Church professe not her fayth For if any thing most of all persecution But as the waters did lift vp the Arck of Nöe which was a figure of the church so do persecutions raise vp the church and make her more knowne And as the heauen in day tyme all shineth but at might glittereth in the starres so the church in tyme of peace flourisheth in all her members but in tyme of persecution is most glorious in her constant soldiers And there are many and most excellent testimonies of the holy Fathers how that the Church is by persecution made more pure more famous and more plentifull which one may read in SS Iustin Irenaeus Tertullian Gregory Nazianzen Hilary Ambrose Hierome Augustin Leo Theodorete Gregory the great others I according to my purpose will alleage only the testimonies of Protestants Luther vpon the 1. psalme tom 3. fol. 125 The faythfull whiles they are killed do encrease while they are diminished do multiply And vpon the 9. of Isaias tom 4. fol. 84 The Church is made fruithfull with the bloud of the Godly and increaseth Caluin against Seruet pag. 595 The true and proper church rising vnder persecution flourished vnder the same The like he hath vpon the 2. Tim. cap. 2. and Philip 1. Lubberia lib. 5. de Eccles cap. 3 The true Church grew vnder suffering persecutions And the Apology of the English Church in the end This flame the more it is kept downe so much the more with greater sorce and strength doth it breake out and fly abroad D. Fulke of Succession pag. 255 I acknowledge that the Church is so farre from being extinguished by the persecution of the materiall sword that I graunt it giueth her occasion to delate and extend her bounds For so as Tertullian sayth well the bloud of Mâ—rtyrs is the seed of the Church This all that are not starck blind do see to haue happened to our Church For how much the more Antichrist raged with fire and sword so much the more famous she became And D. Whitaker Cont. 2 quest 5. cap. 4. pag. 501 Persecutions destroy not the Kingdome of Christ but make it more famous And Cont. 4. quest 5. cap. 2. pag. 669 VVhen tyrants raâ—ed against the church religion suffered no losse yea then most of all flourished How then could the Protestant church if it were the true church of God become inuisible before Luther arose by persecution 15. If any reply that this is true of violent persecution of the heathens but not of persecutions by fraud deceit as is the persecution of Antichrist which made the Protestant Church in former tyms to become inuisible I answere that first he speaketh voluntary without all proofe Againe that the English Apology and D. Fulke speake namely of Antichrists persecution meaning the Pope which they say hath since Luthers tyme made their church more famous How then could it before his tyme make it inuisible Moreouer the scripture and holy Fathers teach that Antichrist shall rage most cruelly against the Church and Protestants affirme that the Pope whome they will haue to be Antichrist hath byn so cruell against Protestants as any Herode Nero Domitian may seeme to haue byn mild if they be compared to him Finally heretikes do by fraud persecute the Church and neuerthelesse the Apostle saith There must be heresies 1. Cor. 10. that those who be tryed may be made manifest So farre is fraudulent persecution from making the Church inuisible as it maketh the tried faythfull to be manifest And both S. Augustin oftentymes others obserue that heresies haue byn occasion of great increase of knowledge vnto the Church 16. Tenthly I proue ProtestaÌ„ts inferre an inuisible Church to be no Church that the Church cannot become inuisible because Protestants do often inferre such and such a Church or company not to haue byn because it was not seene as in the Preface of the Protocoll of Frankentall they proue the Anabaptists were not before the year 1525. Because say they if you read all stories you shall find no people from the beginning of the world who had a Confession of fayth like vnto yours But by the same manner it were easy to proue that Protestants were not before Luther For as Spalatinus in his relation of their CoÌ„fession of Auspurg boasteth One shall not find such a Confession neither in any history neither in any ancient Father or Doctor In Luther tom 9. German And Fox in his Protestation before his Acts sayth that of their Church there is no mention made in Histories Luther also vpon the 3. chap. ad Galat. tom 5. fol. 358. writeth that of his principall opinion nothing is read in books of Monks of Canonists of Scholmen yea nor in the books of ancient Fathers There was a wonderfull silence of it for many ages in all schooles and Churches Likewise when one sayd that the Roman Church was a member of the Catholike Church Caluin in his Answere ad Versipellem pag. 359. sayd I do not gainsay that the Roman Church is a member of the Catholike if he could shew a Church at Rome Which supposeth that no Church is where it cannot be shewed When Bellarmine sayd that beside the Synagogue of the Iewes there were in Elias tyme Churches amongst the Gentils D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 475. thus answered If they say that God had other Churches let them shew them and tell which they were and where they were And D. Rainolds in his 12. Prefection vpon the scripture col 106. inferreth that none of the Synagogue did belieue those bookes of Scripture which they deny to be canonicall because we cannot name any When D. Harding sayd that there was such an heresy M. Iewel art 2. diuis 8. pag. 75. denying it sayth It must needs be a very straung heresy that neuer had neither beginning nor ending nor defender nor reprouer nor mouth to speake it nor eare to heare it nor pen to write nor tym to last in nor place to rest in And if an heresy must be heard of certainly much more the Church of God When Beza impugned the Arians thus he discourseth epist 18. pag 98 If their opinion be true we bid them shew where there Church hath byn sith from the propagation of the ghospell it is easy to demonstrate that neuer any one held any such thing who was not condemned by the perpetuall consent of the Church And he addeth epist 81 Certainly there hath byn no true Church if these men teach truth When the Bohemians would proue that they had borrowed nothing of the Anabaptists thus they write in the Preface of their Confession Our Congregation was long tyme before any thing was heard of the Anabaptists or their name knowne in the world Finally M. Bancroft in his Suruey of the
religion of Protestants Christ borne againe Vsher de Success cap. 8. In the beginning of the Ghospell born againe Scult in Praesat 4. partis Medullae Thou wert in the floure of the Church borne againe In the floure of the Church Moreouer Luther tom 1. in dis fol. 410. calleth his doctrine A doctrine repayred in this age And Praefat. ad Galat. tom 5. fol. 270. sayth In these later tymes the holesome knowledge of Christ was againe resuscitated Iames Andrewes lib. cont Hosium pag. 1 The Lord by the Ministery of Luther hath resuscitated the doctrine of the Ghospell And pag. 349 Repaired Among our men after the doctrine of the Ghospell was resuscitated Kenice Praefat. in lib. de vnione hypostat Resuscitated It is now three score yeares since the ancient serpent raised againe the heresy of Berengarius for to oppresse as they say in the hlade the doctrine of the Ghospell then first restored by Luthers Ministery Ghospell in the blade Caluin l. de Coena cap. 10 This controuersie began betweene them who were the chiefest captaines in restoring the doctrine of the ghospell and bringing it backe as it were when it was lost Restored Lib. de libero arbit pag. 147. The purity of the Ghospell was restored by Luthers labour especially Et epist ad Ducem Somerseti God would haue me to be one of those by whose labour he restored this tyme the sincere doctrine of the Ghospell Danaeus in method scripturae pag. 400 There are 54. years past since that tyme that the pure light and doctrine of the Ghospell was first restored to the world Apol. Eccles Angl. part pag. 64. It is no new thing though at this day the religion of Christ be entertained with despits and cheks being but lately restored and as it were comming vp againe a new Ibid. cap. 17. Our desire was to haue the temple of the Lord restored a new Iezier de bello Euchar. fol. 72 Euen from the beginning of the restored Euangelicall light M. Bancroft in his Suruey cap. 8. In this later age of the world it hath pleased God to restore vs the light of the Ghospell And M. Alenson in praef contro 4. Whitakeri After the restauration of the Ghospell And many more as we see in the chapter following call their ghospell restored Religion By which it may appeare that D. Andrewes Respons ad Apol. Bellarm cap. 1. did vntruly deny that their men call their fayth a restored fayth But whiles he denyeth that their men termeth it so he clearely sheweth what those meane who terme it so to wit that they meane a religion borne or framed a new according to the very substance thereof And in truth what els could they meane by so many termes and so often repeated of a religion greene in the blade borne againe rising againe resuscitated renewing reuiuing recalled repaired brought backe againe restored but a religion substantiall produced instituted and founded a new 3. Thirdly this is proued because they write that in the tyme of Luther of Melancthon of Zuinglius of the Anabaptists and such others was the beginning the very beginning the first beginning the originall the entrance the cradle the dawning the new rising of their Church and religion as appeareth in the aforesayd testimonies of Luther Melancthon Besoldus Kemnicius Musculus Gualter Peter Martyr Danaeus Vsserius Gezler And besides Luther in cap. 3. Genes tom 6. fol. 33. hath these words In the beginning of the Ghopell Carolostadius c. Georgius Fabritius lib. 8. Orig. Saxon. pag. 13. God would that true and holesome doctrine should haue her beginning in the vniuersity of VVittemberg Caluin epist ad Montis belgardenses col 590. ProtestaÌ„cy had its beginning in WitteÌ„berg edit 1617 In this our age the ghospel did slow out of the church of VVittemberg Brentius Praetat lib. Andreae contra Hosium Did not we all in the beginning of the reuealed ghosâ—ell with one mouth disproâ—e your Popish impietyes And in Recognit pag. 327 They cannot deny that euen from the beginning of the reborne ghospell the Zuinglians c. And I. de Maiest Christi pag. 109 Euen from the beginning of the reuealed ghospell Melancthon c. WitteÌ„â—ergenses in Resur Orthodoxâ— consensu pag. 22. Luther recaÌ„ted some things which in the beginning of the reborne doctrine of the ghospell he graunted to the Papists Lobechius disput 12. Straight after the beginning of the shining truth in the yeare 1520. c. Pappus defens 1 cont Sturmium pag. 19. Thou saydst that there were no such Theses published since the beginning of reâ—â—gion I shew thee the contrary that Luther and Philip held the â—â—me Sleidan prefat histor The beginning of Protestanâ—y was slender and almost contemptible and one only Luther â—â—re the brunt of all the world Zanchius lib. de perseueâ—at 192 Anabaptists in the beginning of ProtestaÌ„tisme In the beginning of the Ghospell the sect of Anabaptists â—â—ose Caluin epist 63 If in the first beginning of the church â—ising againe this example of tyranny doth now peep what will 〈◊〉 shortly And epist â—78 In the beginning of the ghospell â—â—rne againe Epist 269. The beginnings of the kingdome of Christ euery where in our ages were almost base and contempâ—â—ble Respons ad Sadoset p. 133 New rysing After the new rising of be ghospell Plâ—ssie de Eccles cap. 11. VVhat shall we thinke â—at the new starre anno 1572. did signify but the new birth of â—hrist on earth by preaching of the word And he addeth New birth â—â—at as Christ first borne put the Idols oracles to sâ—â—nce so borne againe he hath made the Popish miracles to vanish Scultete part 1. Medullae in Irenaeo cap. 9. The dawning In this age the dawning of the Euangelicall truth hath shined a new vnto vs. Zuinglius lib. de Prouid tom 2. fol 352 The Lantgraue laboureth that the infancy of Religion be piously nourished The infaÌ„cy And Gesner in Bibliotheca sayth Luther did happily set forward the infancy of Religion The Alogy of the Church of England part 2. c. 2. diuis 1. writeth that Anabaptists and Libertynes haue beene stirring in the world euer since the ghospell did first spring M. Powel de Antichristo c. 32. How many wars haue beene since the light of the ghospell arose the Heluetian the Protestant warre c. Vsserius I. de Success Eccl. c. 8. At the beginning of the ghospall borne againe Thomas Bilney c. M. Bale cont 8. cap. 68. speaking of the beginning of protestancy calleth it The rising of the new Hierusalem Horne in his harbour Second birth The second birth of Christ And Brocard in cap. 2. Apocal the second comming of Christ But surely if the yeare 1520. were straight after the beginning of Protestancy If Luther Second comming Melancthon Zuinglius the Anabaptists and such like were from the beginning at the beginning and straight after the Rising of Protestancy If the dissention amongst Protestants
mutation ought rather to be termed a formation then reformation But whether it be called a formation or reformation it skilleth little it sufficeth as I sayd that it is a substantiall mutation of religion the Author whereof Luther was and such a mutation as cannot happen to the religion and Church of Christ Moreouer it is the shift of old and new heretiques to bring in new religions vnder the name of Reformation Of the Marcionists thus writeth Tertullian They say that Marcion did not so much innouate the rule of faith as reforme that which heretofore was corrupted L. 1. cont Mar. c. 20. And he himselfe after he was become a Montanist This is shewed of vs that the discipline of Monogamie is neither new nor strange yea both ancieÌ„t and proper to Christian L. 1. de Monogam c. 4. that you may thinck the Paraclete Montaâ—us to haue bin rather the Restorer then beginner therof And of Seruetus thus write those of Zurick in Caluin cont Sâ—ruet pag. 626. He goeth on to thrust vpon the Church a most corrupt doctrine vnder the shew of restitution of Christianity 7. Sixtly because the Protestants designe the place the occasion the yeare day and hower when Protestancie began The place we haue heard already out of Caluin and Fabritius was Wittemberg the same doth Luther insinuate in cap. 49. Isaiae tom 4. The place where ProtestaÌ„â—y began fol. 192 saying Now VVittenberg is blasphemed as the fountaine of all heresies but it will come to passe some yeares hence that it shall be praised of Posterity as Gods garden from whence the Gospell was propagated into Germanie and all parts of the world And Mathew Index in Edicto aeterni deâ— That clamour against Antichrist came out of the durty townes of barbarous and base Germany â—rotestanâ—y began â—n a durty owne of barbaâ—ous couÌ„â—y A sit place no doubt from whence so durty filthy and barbarous an heresy should spring For sooth Wittemberge is the Protestants Syon from whence their law should come S. Austin thought it ridiculous madnesse that the Donatists shold say that the Church was to be renewed out of Africa the third part of the world â—e vnit c. â— shall we think it wisedom to imagin that it should be renewout of a durty and barbarous corner of Duchland The occasion of it was Tezelius his preaching of Indulgences â—he occaâ—on of the â—ginning â—f proteâ—ancy for thus writteth Crusius l. 10. Anal. Sueu pag. 5.8 Tezelius boldnesse stirred vp Luthers mind to set vp conclusions against those indulgences on the gates of the temple of All Saints in VVittemberg the last day of October which was saturday The day of the weeke month Hence now came the occasion beginning sayth he of correcting the christian religion Schusselburg Praef. tom 8. Catal. haeret Old men remember it recorded in writing for remembrance for euer and publiquely extant that this was the cause that the Gospell flourished againe in our age that Iohn Tetzele carryed about pardons of sinnes to be sold in the Popes name And Kemnice 4. part Exam. tit de Indulgentijs pag. 78 It is knowne to all the world that the impudent and impious sale of pardons aboue 50. yeares ago gaue entrance to the holesome repurging of heauenly doctrine And Manlius in Calendario On All Saints eue first of all conclusions against Indulgences were fastned by Luther vpon the gate of the Church of VVittemberg castle in the yeare 1517. at twelue of the clocke The lame lay Melanccthon â—â—â—fat in tom 2. The year houre Lutheri Sâ—eâ—dan Carion and others We haue then the place where to wit Wittemberg the yeare 1517. the day of the month the last of October the day of the weeke Saturday and finally the very houre to wit twelue of the clocke when first Protestancy began to arise And as Vincent Lyrin sayth Cap. 34. VVhat heresy euer was there which sprung not vp vnder some certaine name in a certaine place and tyme. 8. LutheraÌ„s say that the Sacraâ—â— doctrine is new Seauenthly I proue the nouelty of Protestancy by the mutual testimony of the Lutherans against the Sacramentaries and of the SacrameÌ„taries against the Lutherans For of the Sacramentaries doctrine thus testifieth Luther in defens verboruÌ„ Coenae tom 7 fol. 381. Neither doth any thing set forth this heresie more then noueltie And tom 2. Zuâ—nglij fol. 383. Carolstadius first raised his errour Melancthon Epist ad Miconium calleth it new doctrine and addeth that Carolstadius first raised this tumult Heshusius lib. de reali praesentia fol. 2 Carolstadius the vnhappy author of this discord Kemnice in fundamentis Coenae pag. 116 Carolstadius was the first author of this strife And Hospin part 2. Histor fol. 68. writeth that Melancthon impugned the Sacramentaries doctrine as a thing altogether new and fol. 46. that Pomeran disallowed Zuinglius doctrine as a noueltie And in Narrat dissipatae Eccles Belg. pag. 179. The Lutherans say to the Caluinists your doctrine is new and pag. 213. your doctrine is of late And Confes. Mansâ—eld The Sacramentary doctrin is iustly suspected of vs. First for the nouelty therof because it arose in our tyme. Neither ought the Sacramentaries to accept against these testimoÌ„ies as if they were the testimonies of the aduersaries For such aduersaries they are as themselues account them their brethren in Christ and members of the same Church Besides though themselues be aduersaries both to Catholiks and Lutherans neuerthelesse they will haue their testimonies to be takeÌ„ against theÌ„ in matters of fact Moreouer because the Sacramentaries themselues doe sometime confesse the same For Zuinglius tom 2. Respons ad Struthionem fol. 303. calleth Carolstadius The first teather of the truth of the Eucharist And in Subsidio fol. 244. he calleth his opinion the exposition of the ancients brought back is it were after it was lost Lasco Epist ad Reg. Poloniae Abolished by iniury of times and restored as it were after it was lost Lauather de dissidio Euchar. fol. 2. writeth that the Senate of Zurich VVas troubled which the newnesse of the matter And fol. 5. that when Occolampade had set forth his booke the Senate of Basle moued with the nouelty of the matter forbid his book to be sold vntill it had bin examined by Censors And fol. 1. that Zuinglius opinioÌ„ was not heard of by the common people In like sort the Sacramentaries write of the proper opinions of the Lutherans For of their impanation or mixture of Christs body and bread in the Eacharist Caluin Defens 2. SacrameÌ„taryes say the Lutheran opinions are new cont Westphalum pag. 786. sayth It is a new doctrine and till now vnheard of that bread is substantially the body of Christ Oecolampadius responsione poster ad Perkeymer pag. 18. Those new Doctours graunt to bread that it is substantially the body of Christ And of the Lutherans vbiquity wherwith they make Christs body to
werâ— in the first beginning of their Church If finally Protestant doctrine had its beginning in the Church of VVittemberge slowed from thence without doubt it is a new doctrine anâ— Church which either had neuer been before or waâ— newly founded and restored Besides what otheâ— thing can signify The new rising the new birth the seconâ— comming of Christ but another substantiall beginninâ— and repayring of Christs religion and Church afteâ— it had been quit ouerthrowne The same also theâ— insinuate when they say that the light of the ghospell was in their tyme new kindled or lightned againe Kindled againe Luther tom 2. fol. 305. alias 307. God in thâ— last tyme hath kindled againe the light of the ghospell And iâ— cap. 17. Genes tom 6. fol. 210. He hath kindled againe for vs the light of the Ghospell Melancthon in cap. 11. Dan. tom 2. fol. 314. God hath againe kindled for vs the light of the ghospell which againe he repeateth in his common places tit de gratia The same hath Vitus Theodorus Praefat. Comment Luth. in Psalm Kemnitius in locis tit de Iustificat pag. 109. 247. The Elector in Edicto de lib. concord Zuinglius Praefat. Elench â—om 2. fol. 5. sayth Christ hath lighted againe in our tyme the lanterne of his word Wherefore falsly doth Boysseul in confutat Spondaei pag. 25. deny that their men say they kindle a new the doctrine of saluation But as before I sayd of D. Andrewes Boysseul by denying that their men say they kindle againe the doctrin sheweth vs that those who indeed say so do meane of a substantiall production of light as in truth the word kindling doth signify 4. Fourthly I proue the nouelty of the Protestant Church and religion because they doe sometymes in plaine termes call it new fresh vnused vnacustomed newly planted altogeather new and newly erected Luther Praefat. formulae Missae tom 2. fol. 384. I was alwayes slow and fearefull for the weaklings in sayth from whome could not suddenly be taken so old and iniured nor ingrafted so fresh vnaccustomed manner of seruing God In Psalm 45. tom 3. fol. 439. he sayth Neither was there euer any new word reuealed without miracles Fresh and and vnaccustomed Which after he had proued by the example of Abraham Moyses and Christ he addeth So we also haue our Miracles And in cap. 19. Gen. tom 6. fol. 238. he sayth that Papists do sore vrge them saying Your doctrine is new and vnknowne to our forefathers which he answearing denyeth not that his doctrine is new but rather granteth it saying VVhat belongeth it to vs what God hath iudged of those who dyed heeretofore Now the word is preached vnto vs we must not be Inquirers who aske God why he hath reuealed his doctrine at this tyme and not in former ages And in cap. 12. fol. 148. he writeth in these words Heere surely Abraham doth shew no small trouble of conscience which euen in his banishment is wounded with this dart to thinke in this sort Looke to it Thou art all alon a stranger wheresoeuer thou goest thou carryest with thee a new and strange religion Art thou alone holy hath God care of thee only and hath he cast off so many people and nations The like sayth Luther we also suffer when our aduersaryes with open mouth demand of vs Are all who went before vs and followed the Popes religion damned Yee see how plainly he intimateth his trouble of conscience about the newnesse and strangenes of his religion And in Appendice confess in Hospin part 2. fol. 188. he sayth Because our doctrine seemed at that tyme very new and wonderfull scandalous to the whole world Seemed very new to the whole world it behoued me to deale moderatly And in the Epitaphe of his tombe is engrauen this verse A new light of the Ghospell he spred throughout the world Melancthon Praefat. in tom 2. â—urther thus speaketh of him He did so illustrate these writings that after a long darcke night there seemed to the iudgment of all pious and prudent men to arise a new light of doctrine New in the iudgement of al wise men The vniuersity of Wittembrg in Sentent de Missa in Luthero tom 2. fol. 349. writeth that the abolishing of priuate CoÌ„munion Is in this tyme a thing altogeather new As Luther ibidem fol 385. sayth that Communion vnder both kinds is a rite ouer new Spalatine whome ProtestaÌ„ts account a very graue man in his relatâ—on of the Confession of Auspurg sayth Neuer such a coÌ„fession Such a confession was neuer made not only a thousand yeares agoe but not since the beginning of the world neither in any history nor in any ancient Father or Doctor it such a Confession to be heard of Huber in Antibellarminum libro 4. capite 3. Our Church hath a new forme not vsed at that tyme when the Pope had all Wittembergenles in Prefat Refutaâ— Orthodoxi Consensus call the Protestant Church lately planted Lately planted and as yet tender George Fabritius libro 7. Orig. Saxon. pag. 858. speaking of protestancy sayth New doctrine Duke George was greatly against this new doctrine who was deceiued by the ancienter vse of his forefathers And lib. 8 pag. 21. writeth that euen the Prince Electour himselfe at the first did not much defend Luthers reformatioÌ„ as being new And Freschelius Archdeacon of Wittemberg Preface in Comment Melancthonis in Math. calleth the Protestants company according to the age therof a Childish camp A childish camp In like sort doe the Sacramentaries speake for thus Zuinglius Parenesi ad ciuitatem Suithensem tom 1. fol. 110. First of all in humble manner we entreat this that our cause doe not seeme to you absurd by reason of the newnesse therof And in Supplicat ad Suithenses he doth almost openly confesse that he goeth about to giue men new precepts and lawes And those of Zurich in Sleidan lib. 4. write that their ministers doe teach them now fiue yeares and that at the begining this kind of doctrine seemed new because they had neuer heard any such thing before Sadeel de vocat pag. 543 Seemed new God hath brought into light the reborne Church as a yongling and pag. 555. that he hath layd a new foundation of the Church and erected againe the Church Caluin Respons ad Sadolet pag. 131. A new foundation maketh a man speake thus to God in defence of his becomming a Protestant I being offended at the nouelty did hardly giue eare vnto it Bastingius epist dedicat Catechis Erected a new It seemed good to God in our time to erect his Church a new Beza in Confess cap. 4 sect 49 God would preserue the reliques of his Church in Poperie till he had erected it againe Erected againe The Apologie of the English Church part 4. cap. 4. Diuis 21 Forty yeares agoe and vpward it was an easy thing for them to deuise against