Caluin and M. Whitaker say q Cal. inst pr. at Geneua 1450. c. 8. de fide f. 37 â—8 M â—â—hit de Eccl. coâ—â— Bellar p â—81 285 M â—uike agâ—â—nst Heâ—â— Sand c. p. 5 9 5 6 560. The Church can neuer want Pastours and Doctours And certainly there can be no Pastour with out some knowne flocke M Fuike saith That Christ will suffer no particuler Church to continue with out a seruant to ouer see it that Pastours and Doctors must be in the Church till the end of the world euen from Christes tyme to Luthers age M. Sparke saith r in his answere to M. Iohn Albines pag. 11. The Church of Christ hath alwayes had and shall haue to the end successiuely in all ages in one place or other such as haue shewed the truth fully vnto others and haue shined as lightes in their dayes set vpon a Candlesticke M Fuike saith againe Å¿ in his answer to a counterfait Catholike p. 100. truth cannot be continued in the world but by ministery Also in t pag. 845. Certayne propositions and principles disputed in the vniuersitie of Geneua it is concluded that the ministerie is an assentiall marke of the true Church M. Deering saith v vpon the epist to the Hebrewes ca. 3 lectur 15. and 16. Salvation springeth in preaching of the Ghospell and is shutt vp a gaine with ceassing of it And a little further he saith Take away preaching you take away faith for which he citeth many scriptures And M. Fulk saith yet x vbi supra pag 11 92 That these Church Pastours at least some of them shall alwayes resist all false opinions Euen with open reprehension Also M. Dâ—ering saith y vbi sâ—pra c. 2. v. 12. lect 10 3. lect 12. The Religion being of God no feare of man shall keepe them backe because as M. Deering saith that were to keepe the honour of God for Cornets and solitary places for as the Apostle prescribeth y Rom. 19.10 z with the hart aman belieueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth confesseth to saluation a See Beza in his sermons vpoÌ„ the Cantiâ—les Englished p. 79. 80. Our Puritan Aduersaries acknowledge and teach that there must be Pastours and Doctors to the end of the world for the administration of the word and Sacramentes b 1 Cor. 11.29 For wee are thereby to shew the Lordes death till hee come M. Whitaker saith speaking to this end of the administration of the word and Sacramentes c contra Dureum l. 3. pag. 249. and That being present they constitute a Church and being abseÌ„t do subuert it d 260. And that they are essentiall notes of the true Church e in his synopsis p. 75 69. whit gift in his defeÌ„ce c. p. 81. M. Couell in his exam c. p. 21. say ye same Hip. in Method Theolog. p. 548 557. Pol. in part Theolog p â—04 Keck insistem Theolog p 408. M. Willet saith likewise of them These markes a cannot be absent from the Church and it is no longer a true Church then it hath these markes for saith he the only absence of them doth make a nullity of the Church Hiperius and Amandus Polandus affirme that these notes are needfull to distinguish the true Church froÌ„ the false that meÌ„ carefull of their saluation may know where the true Church is and to which company chiefly they ought to adioyne themselues Bartholomaus Keckermannus saith the Church of the new testament ought alwayes to be sensible and manifest by notes and externall forme that the other Gentiles which are yet without the Church may know vnto what Church to adioyne themselues which Esâ—y foretold of the Church of the new testament in most excellent wordes saying f Esay c. 61. v. 9. They shall know their seed in the Gentiles and their budd in the middes of peoples all that shall see them shall know them that these are the seed which the Lord hath blessed M. Henoth Clapham after many proofes alledged by himself from the scriptures and otherwise concludeth saying g in his soueraigne remedy against schisme pag 18. and 17. Not only all auncients euer held the Churches euer visibility but also all learned men of our age And againe Contrary to all scriptures they affirme that there hath bene no vibisility of the Church for former hundreth yeares which position is against psalm 72.3.17 and Esay 59.21 And againe h Matth. c. 24. v. 23.24.26 Our Sauiour for bides saith he all going out vnto such desert and Corner Ghospellers Caluin sayth i Instit l. 4 c. 2. sect That saluation or entrie into life is in or by this visible church And againe k q. 22. This benefit so wit of remission of sinnes is so proper vnto the church that wee cannot other wise enioy it but by remaining in the communion of it therfore let euery of vs thinke this to be his dutie not to seeke for remissioÌ„ of his sins elswhere but where the Lord hath appointed it to wit in the visible church These Caluin yet further he saith l â— 10. So great accompt doth the Lord make of the communion of his church that he shall be held a traiterous turne coate and forsaker of religion whosoeuer disobediently alienates himself from the Christian society whence it followeth that the departing from the church is the denying of God and Christ and therefore so much the more must wee be ware of such kind of disagreement or breach of faith neither can there be a more heinous crime imagined then which sacrilegiously to violate that wedlocke which the only be gotten sonne of God vouchsafed to contract with vs. These hee Melanchthon saith m in Concil Theolog Part. 2. pag. 293. and 344. It must needes be that wee confesse a visible church And againe what meaneth this monstrous assertion which denieth there is any visible church M D. Hamfrey saith n in Iesuitismi part â— rat 3. pag 140 It is made manifest wee doe not place the church in the aire but one the earth that wee coÌ„fesse the church to be a towne seated vp a o Matt. 5. hill which cannot be hidd p Esay 2. The high mountayne of the howse of God higher then all hils vnto which all nations shall fly c. therfore why doe they so earnestly labour to proue what was neuer denied by vs c. And againe q pag. 141. The church is visible by the exercises of pietie which are seene of all in the church for whilst the ministers teach others do learne they administer the Sacramentes these laity communicate c he which seeth not this is more blind then a mole she is visible because her signes are excellent and manifest c r pag. 242. secret a boades are not the Christian conuocation c because this communion of Saintes is an open testification of Christianitie M.
great a space betweene the body of Christ and the bread and wine in the Supper as there is betweene the earth and the highest heauens to witt that the body of Christ is no where but in that one certayne and determinate pleace of heauen The same also saith v de re Sacramentaria q. 6 Beza in expresse wordes in the some of his doctrine Secundly Caluin teacheth that the signes and body of Christ although in place they differre very much yet they are so conioyned to gether not only touching the signe in that one is a token of the other but also because together with the signe God doth truly giue vs the verie bodie and blood of Christ wherby our soules are indeed nourished vnto life euerlasting This Caluin hath in all the places aboue noted And also saith yet further x vpon the 26. Matth. That in the supper the body of Christ is truly giuen vs that it may be a wholesome food vnto our soules that is our soules are fed with the substance of Christes body that wee may truly become one with him And a little after therfore saith he an emptie and bare signe is not set before vs but such as receaue this promise by faith are truly made partakers of the body and blood of our lord Againe he teacheth that to eat the flesh of Christ is not only to belieue but also to be made truly partaker of his flesh y lib. 4. inst cap. 17. ¶ 5. For saith he as not the beholding but eating of bread is required vnto the nourishment of our body so it is necessarie that our soule be truly and fully made partaker of Christ Againe z ¶ 32. in the holy supper he commaundeth me vnder the signes or formes of bread and wine to receaue his body and blood I nothing doubt but he doth truly giue it and I truly receaue it these Caluin But because this secund seemeth contrarie to the first for how can the body of Christ be truly giuen to vs with the bread and be present in the supper if this body be only in the highest heauen and the bread only on earth therfore he addeth this third saying a Ibib. ¶ 7. there remaineth nothing saith he but that I breake out into admiration of that mysâ—erie which certenly neither mynd by thinking nor tongue by explicating is sufficient to expresse And againe b ¶ 10. But although it seeme incredible that in so great v distance of place the flesh of Christ should so penetrate as to be meat for vs let vs remember how farre the secret virtue of the holy ghost doth exceed our vnderstanding and how foolish a thinge it is to measure his immensitie or wonderfullnes by our capacitie therefore what our vnderstanding doth not comprehend let faith conceaue that the spirit doth truly vnite what is disioyned by distance of place Againe c ¶ 32. Moreouer saith he if any aske of me the manner how he shall not be ashamed to confesse that it is a secret more high then either by witt can be comprehended or wordes declared The like hath Beza d de Sacramentis q 9. But saith he neuerthelesse wee confesse that the mysterie of God is incomprehensible wherby it cometh to passe that the same which is and remaneth in heauen and no other where is truly communitated vnto vs who are now on earth and no other where But because Caluin perceaued this his mysterie to be incredible and to inuolue a most manifest contradiction he addeth that the very body of Christ did not descend but a certen substantiall force deriued vnto vs from the flesh of Christ by his spirit as a certeyn Channell or conduit for thus he speaketh e lib. 4. instit cap. 17. ¶ 12. The bond saith he of that coniunction is the spirit of Christ by whose fastining wee are coupled together and as a certeyne conduit by which what soeuer Christ himself both is and hath is deriued vnto vs. Againe I freely confesse that I reiect the mixture of Christes flesh with our soule or transfusion as they teach because it sufficeth vs that Christ doth from the substance of flesh breath life into our soules yea power out his owne life into vs although his verie flesh doe not enter into vs. Againe Å¿ ¶ 13. Wee must saith he frame such a presence of Christ in the supper as may neither adioyne him to the element of bread nor include him in the bread or any wayes inclose him c. least something should be affixed to his body nor agreable to mans nature which is done when it is said to be infinite or in many places at once Also certenly that which wee teach hath nothing in it wherby to giue offence to any vnlesse to a few ages when that ignorance of Sophisters did raigne in the Church and the cleare light and manifest truth was oppressed with barbarisme Againe g ¶ 15. 29. Let this therfore be establissed for certayn that the flesh of Christ is not truly giuen vnto vs in the supper for food vnlesse the true substance of the externall signe did signifie as much But as one errour riseth out of an other that place of Hieremia is so foolishly wrested to prooue transubstantiation that a man May be ashamed to relate it c. yet so also thought many of the Fathers but what as if their ignorance were not rather to be pardoned and shâ—me concealed then impudencie to be added wherby to feare them yet still in hostile manner to contend with the true sense of the Prophet These Caluin An old condemned Heresie by the primitiue Church This was in tyme past the heresie of the Sacramentaries Synodo 7. act 6. tom 3. S. Theodoret Dialog qui dicetur impatibilis that the Eucharist or lords supper was not the true flesh of Christ but only a figure and image of the body of Christ The same many ages before reporteth S. Theodoretus out of S. Ignatius disciple to S. Iohn Moreouer there were others who not denying the veritie of Christes body in the Eucharist denied not withstand that the body of Christ did remayne in the Eucharist if it were kept vntill the next day whome S. Cyrill therfore saith that they were madd S. Cyrill in epistola ad Calosyrium Episcopum Whereas it is obiected that the sixth chapter of S. Iohn doth not treat of the Eucharist I proue the contrarie very manifestly that it doth specially treat of it The question therfore is not whether the whole chapter perteine vnto this matter for the contrarie is manifest as in a great part therof mention is made of the miracle of bread faithl and incarnation the controuersie therfore is only of these wordes The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world c. almost to the end Almost all the heretickes of these tymes denie these wordes to perteine to the Sacrament of the Eucharist
erred I proue manifestly by all that which followeth M. D. Couell saith p in his defence of the Hookers fiue bookes art 4 c. Pag. 31. It is not the word of God which doth or possibly can assure vs that wee do well to think it is the word of God the first outward motioÌ„ leading meÌ„ so to esteeme of the scripture is the authoritie of Gods Church which teacheth us to receaue Markes Ghospell who was not an Apostle to refell the ghospell of Thomas who was an Apostle and to retayne Lukes ghospell who saw not Christ reiect the glospell of Nicodemus that saw him M Fulk saith q in his answere to a CouÌ„terfayt Catholike Pag 5. The same saith M. VVâ—â—â—â— adu Stapl. l 1 c 5. p. 69 and M. Iuell in his def of Apolog. an 1571. p 242. That the church hath iudgment to discerne true wictinges from counterfayt the word of God from the writinges of men and that this iudgment she hath not of her self but of the holy Ghost Peter Martyr saith r Peter Martyr in his coÌ„mon places in English part 1. c. 6. sect 8. pag. 42. Matt. 28.20 Iohn 9416. wee acknowledge it to be the function of the Church that seeing it is endued with the holy Ghost it should discerne the true and proper bookes wee gruaÌ„t in verie deed that the auncient Church had such a boundance of the spirit as thereby they easly knew which of those that were presented vnto them were the true and proper wordes of God Now certenly if the Church had this true spirit of the holy Ghost as Peter Martyr confesseth our Sauiour promiseth that it shall remayne which her vnto the worldes end percoÌ„sequence caÌ„not nor hath not erred which yet further is made more euident by the sequell THE 13. ARTICLE The Church doth consist of good and badd a Matt. 3.12 HEe shall make cleane his flore and shall gather his wheat into his Barne but the chaffe he will burne with vnquenceable fier b Ibid. â— 13.30 Suffer both to growe vntill the haruest and in the tyme of haruest I will say to the mowers gather yee first the Cockell and bind them in bundles and burne them but the wheat gather yee into my barne c. c v. 39. The haruest is the end of the world c. d v. 49. soe shall it be in the consummation of the world the Angles shall goe forth and shall separat the good from the badd e Matth. 1. Reade but this whole Chapter and I doubt not but you wil be satisfied in this point THE 14. ARTICLE The Church is and ought to haue bene alwayes visible a Machabaeas cap. 4 IN the later dayes there shal be prepared the mountayne of the house of the Lord and placed on high vpon hils b Esaie 60. pag. 20. Thy sunne shall no more goe downe nor thy moone leese her light for our Lord shal be thy light which shall continue foreuer c Act. 20.28 Attend vnto your selues and vnto the whole flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops to gouerne the church d Matth. 5.15 lib. de vnit eccl c. 14. A Cittie placed vpon a hill cannot be hidd This place and diuerse others S. Austine expoundeth to be meant of the church e Matt. 18.17 Tell it vnto the church c. now if the church be not visible how can wee tell the church which is not to be found f Ibid. 16.18 See also Rom. 10.14 And Esaie cap. 61.9 And vpon this Rocke will I build my church and the gates of hell shall not preuail against her But certenly the Duiell hath preuailed and that in a large measure if at any tyme according to you the Church hath bine so obscure that shee could not be found wherby poore soules might be receaued into it FATHERS g in psal 30. con 2. S. Austine saith The Prophetes haue spoken more obscurely of Christ then of the church I thinke it was because they did see in spirit that men would make diuisions or inuentions against the church and would not haue so great strife about Christ as be ready to rayse vp great contentions concerning the church therfore that from whence greatest contention would a ryse was more plainly fore told and manifestly prophecied of h homil 30. in Matthaeum Origen saith The church is full of light euen from the East to the west c. i hom 5. in 6. Esaie S. Chrysostome saith It is easier for the sunne to be extinguished then the church to be darkned or made obscure k lib. 3. coÌ„tra epist Permeniani c. 5. S. Austine saith There is no securitie of vnitie but out of the promises of God the church being made manifest and as is said placed vpon a mountaine cannot be hidd And againe l tract 1. in epist IoaÌ„nis my brethren doe wee shew the church with our finger is shee not manifest And againe m tract 2. what shall I say more how blinde are they that see not so great a mountaine that shutt their eies against the light put on a candlesticke Also againe n psal 47.9 vpon this place of the psalme God hath founded it foreuer he writeth thus But perhaps that cittie speaking of the church which hath held vp the world shal be some tyme ouer whelmed God for bid God hath fouÌ„ded it foreuer if therfore God hath founded it foreuer why fearest thou least the skie should fall And disputing against the Donatistes whoe said that the whole visible church was perished and remained only in Africa as you now say in England amongst certen iust persons only saith thus o in psal 101. concious 2. But that church which was ouer all nations is now no wheare shee hath vtterly perished this they say whoe are not in her Oh impudent voice shee is not because thou arte in her but beware least thou therefore be not for shee shall be although thou be not And afterwarde he bringeth in the church speaking thus How longe shall I be in this world tell me for their sake that say shee was but is not now the church hath played the Apostata and is perished from amonge all nations and he told me behold I am with you euen to the end of the world And againe p tom 6. cont Faustum Maniih l. 13. cap. 13. for these motiues or sauegarde of little children which may be seduced by meÌ„ from the manifest clearnes of the truth our Lord also prouiding said a cittie placed vpon a mountayne cannot be hid And againe let it be saith he that from hence the true Church is hidden to None wher vpon that is grounded which he saith in the Ghospell a Cittie placed vpon a hill cannot be hid and therfore he adioyneth in the psalme I haue put my tabernacle in the sunne that is in the open view These S. Augustine From the Aduersarie
that I am vvhat shall I doe whither shall I goe I that haue lost so great opportunity of reconciling my self vnto God I that haue contemned reiected and despised all good admonitions to eternall blisse finally I that haue lett slipp so larg a benefitt as to do penaunce and satisfaction for my sinne vvhither shall I novv fly vvho vvill receaue me the guilt of my ovvne conscience is as thornes to my hart my ovvne members accuse me and incessantly call for reuenge These me thinkes vvell examined should moue any hart if not obdurate to a most serious examination of his estate But what do I trouble you with all these you are not the principall obiect of this my study No it is you Deere Mother who is the speciall cause of all this endeuour and for whose eternall future happines to requit in some part your motherly care and trouble for vs in our infancy all our thoughts and vitall spirits doe labour with dayly and earnest prayer that God will at lenght haue mercy vpon you and that you may be not only a common mother of nature 2. Machab. cap. 7 2â— but rather such a Mother of Martyres as vvee read of in holy scripture if you should be hold me your sonne vnder the hand of some Antiochus ready either to suffer death or violate the lawes of our forefathers you would with a true Christian Motherly courage stepp forth and say I beseech thee my sonne that thou looke to heauen and earth c. and vnderstand that God of nothing made them and mankind so shall it come to passe that thou wilt not feare this torment c. take that death that in that mercy I may receaue thee againe for then should you find me an answereable son to that of hers and heare me say by the grace of God with him My brethren I mean all Cotholicke martyrs hauing now susteined short payne are become vnder the testament of eternall life and I as also my brethren v. 36.37 doe yeeld my life and my body for the law of our forefathers inuocating God to be propitious to our nation England quickly In that I rather choose to come thus mediatly vnto you impute it not I pray you to any forgetfullnes of dutie or want of filial affection but only the tender respect I haue of that daungerous estate in which you dayly sleepe yea rather dye then lyue which when I duly consider and looke into I confesse I am in a manifold mynde and as perplext as he that encountreth diuers wayes and knowes not which to take My dutie to your person and desire of your saluation bides me be bold and perswades that I cannot performe a better office yea an office by the law of nature bound vnto then to aduertise you of so eminent a daunger but on the other side I feare least my dutie be thought ambition to instruct her from whom I had my first being and because truth breedeth hatred I feare I may force an vnwelcome dutie in place of a filial office and so may incurre the same displeasure which S Paul did by his playne dealing saying Gal 4.16 I am become your enimie telling you the truth and be esteemed a foe in that office wherin I meant to shew my self most dutifull but at length rather resolued that I should do best as good Surgeans and Phisitians do force a bitter pill or smarting salue then suffer a patient to perish Moreouer I presume that your true zeal though wrong imployed wisdome and discreet iudgment will more esteeme the gentle reproofe of one wishing you all happines then the smothe flaterie of a foule deceauer and that you will not interpret that in an ill sense which is meant with all sinceritie and true affection wherefore the same that I craued of my brother in these few words I humbly intreat of you that you will not despise tâ—is my dutie as a matter of smal or little moment which I haue already sufficiently proued to be other wyse but that with all attention and patience you will receaue it and so to your future glorie and eternall comfort make the best vse of it Apoc 2.2 Therefore as vvith S. Iohn I may say I know thy workes and labour and thy patience v 4. so lyke wise But I haue against thee a few thinges thou hast left thy first Charitie which once our auncestors had in the Catholicke church be myndfull therefore from whence you are fallen to witt from that church our Sauiour promised should neuer fall and doe penaunce and the first vvorkes Matt. 16.18 that is the vvorkes first practys d and preached by the Apostles not lately inuented by Apostataes haue regard also I pray you to the vvhole chapter follovving and compare it vvith the arrogancie vvhich also you shall find hereafter vvritten of these our moderne heretiques Luther Caluin and Zuinglius and you shall find them to be the verie persons to vvhome it may most sitly be applyed and consequently to your Church of England for these as you all with one consent acknowledge arre the men that first illuminated our land with the light and true knovvledge of the vvord of God vvhich light notvvitstanding as is most apparent brought vvith it a foule spirit of dissension for who knoweth or seeth not how you are diuided amongst your selues Deere Mother being by heresie cutt off from the Church vvhat hope can you haue of saluation if I should alleadge the terrible threatninges of auncient fathers against such as are out of the Church notwithstanding you least account of their authoritie I feare that endeuouring only to beat into you a feare of damnation I should driue you to vtter despaire And certenly although God and his Church be alwayes ready to receaue you to mercy yet if you resolue to dye out of the Church liue you neuer so well morally you haue iust cause to expect no part in the Church triumphant 〈◊〉 1â— 17. who dye no member of the Church militant for what saith our Sauiour if hee vvill not heere the Church let him be to thee as the heathen and publican And in an other place speaking of those which will not heare nor receaue the Apostles and in them the Catholicke Church he saith 〈◊〉 â—p 〈…〉 Amen I say vnto you it shal be more tolerable for the land of the Sodomites and the Gomorâ—heans in the day of iudgment then for that Cittie Also you may heare S. Cyprian vvhat the primitiue Church taught in his tyme concerning those that vvere not of it They cannot liue with God lih de vnitate Ecclesiae that will not liue in vnitie and concord with his Church and although they burne in flames and being deliuered to the fier or cast to wild beastes doe lay downe their life for Christ there shal be no crowne of glorie for any such but the punishment of his infidelitie such a man may suffer death but crowned he cannot be
Bede who for his great vertue and rare learning was surnamed venerable or reuerend M. D. l in Iesuitism part 2. rat 3. pag. 326. Humfrey doubteth not to number him amongst the godly men raysed vp by the holy ghost OF S. BERNARD M. VVhitaker saith m in prelect de eccles Contra Bellarm. pag. 369. and respoÌ„ ad rat camp rat 7. pag 105. I think Bernard to haue bene truly holy And in another place he saith Bernard which only holy maÌ„ your Church hath had this many yeares OF S. AVGVSTIN Caluin saith n lib. 4. instit cap. 14 §. 15. he is the best and most faithfull witnes of all antiquitie Gomâ—â—us saith o in speculo veraeccles pag. 96. Austine according to the opinion of all Fathers is accounted mostly cere M. â— etâ—â—d p de eccles lib â— pag. 170. tearmeth S. Austine the greatest of all the â—athers and worthyest deuyne the Church of God euer had synce the Apostles tymes M D. Couell saith q in his answere to Iohn Burges pag. 3. S. Austine is a man farre beyonde all â—hâ—t euer were before him oâ— shall in lyâ—kliehood follow after him both for his humane deuyne learning those only excepted that were specially inspired OF DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA M Sutclisse saith r de presbyteris cap. 13. pag. 91. That Dionysius is certenly the best witnes of antiquitie for he seemeth to be most auncient See their opinion of Dionysius and his writinges in prayer for the dead Also S. Ignatius his writinges approued in good workes THE 4. ARTICLE Our aduersaries appeale vnto the Fathers M. Iuell nameth S. Gregorie that conuerted England for one of those fathers by whome he wil be tried and with solemne acclamation protesteth saying a Serm. at Pauls crosse ô Gregory ô Austine ô Hierome ô Chrysostome ô Leo ô Dionysius ô Anacletus ô Calixtus ô Paul ô Christ if we be deceaued you haue deceaued vs. This you taught vs c. And againe concerning no fewer then twenty and seuen seuerall articles by him specially repeated in the same place and in his reply to M. Harding he doth insist further saying b Vbi supra Psal 125. as I said before so say I now againe I am content to yield and subscribe if See any of our Learned aduersaries or if all the Learned men that be aliue be able to bring any one sufficient sentence out of any old Catholick Doctor or father or out of any old generale counsell c. protesting with all that he affirmeth thus much c Humfrey in his Ioannis Iuelli vita mors an 1573. pag. 123. not as carried away with heat of zeal but as moued with the simple truth M. Whitaker lykewyse thus confidently affirmeth saying d in resp ad rat cap rat 5. pag. 90. The speach of M. Iuell was most true and constant when prouoking you to the authoritie of the first six hundred yeeres he offered that if you could shew but any one cleare and plaine sentence out of any father or councell he would graunt you the victory It is the offerre of vs all the same doe wee all promise and wee will performe it Concerning M. Iuell M. Hooker tearmeth him e in his eccles policy lib 2. sect 6 pag. 112 the worthiest deuyne that christendome hath bread for some hundred yeares Lubbertus saith of M. Witaker f de principijs Christian dogmat l. 1. c. 5. p. 48. Which that glorie of England Whitakers hath obserued before me Concerning both they were such eminent men that their liues were seuerally written M. Iuells as before by D. Humfrey And M. Whitakers by M. Abdy Ashton in Latin and printed at Camebridge 1599. M. Sateliffe saith g his examen of M. D. â—â—llisons Suruey pag. 1â— the Fathers in all poyntes of faith are for vs and not for the Pope M VVillet saith h in Anâ— leg c. pag. 263 pag. 264. I cale God to witnes before whome I must tender an account c That the same faith and religion which I defend is taught and confirmed in the more substantiall poyntes by those histories councells and fathers that liued withim fiue or six hundreth yeares after Christ And little further he blusheth not to say It is most notoriously euideÌ„t that for the chiefest pointes of Poperie as Transubstantiation Sacrifice of the masse worshipping of Images iustification by workes the supremacy of the Pope prohibition of marriage and such like the Papistes haue noe shew at all of any euident proofe froÌ„ the Fathers within fiue hundred yeares after Christ Heere I spare to speake he is so notorius referring the most obstinate blindest to that which followeth M. Field doth confidently a verre of our so many Christian Catholicke Churches dispersed though the whole world at Luthers first appearing that they were all of them i de eccles lib. 3. pag. 7â— 76 The true Protestant Churches of God and that they which then belieued those damnable errours which the Romanistes now defend were a particuler faction only These M.D. Field All which considered prima fronte as the say at the First sight I may seeme to haue raysed a Diuell that I cannot gett downe a gaine but by gods grace and your gentle patience I shall well discharge my selfe of such a fiend THE 5. ARTICLE Scripture is not easie to be vnderstood a Gen. cap. 22 v. 1. GOD tempted Abraham b Iam. 1. v. 13. God tempteth no man c Exod. 10 v 5. I am the Lord thy God mightie ielous visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vpon the third and fourth generation d EZech. 18. v 10. The soul that shall sin the same shall dye the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father and the father shall not beare the iniquitie of the sonne e Act 9. v. 8. Hearing the voyce but seeing no man f ibid. 22. v. 10 They saw the light indeed but the voyce they heard not g Matth 5. v. 17. so let your light shinne before men that they may see your good workes h ibid c 6. v. 1. Take heede that you do not your iustice before men i Hebr 9. v. 4 In the Arck was a goulden pot hauing Manna k â— kings cap 8. v 4. In the Arck was no other thing but two tables of stone Moreover â— Peter saith l 2 Peter cap. 3. v. 16 that in the Epistles of S. Paul certaine thinges are hard to be vnderstood which the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the rest of the scriptures to their owne perdition Also how hard and obscure are these senteÌ„ces which heere follow m 1. Peter 3. v 19 In the which spirit coÌ„ming he preached to them also that were in prison which had bene incredulus some tyme when they expected the patience of God in the day of Moe Againe n 1. Cor 15 v. 29 Otherwise what shall they do that
English translation A translation that taketh away from the text that addeth to the text that some tymes to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the Holy Ghost Also calling it A translation which is absurde and senslesse peruerting in very many places the meaning of the holy Ghost Not without cause therfore did his Maiestie affirme that he could neuer yet see a Bible well translated into English See the Sume c. vt supra The Catholicke translation acknovvledged for the best BEza saith of S. Hierome g in cap. 1. S. Lucae v. 1. The old interpreter saith he seemeth to haue intetpreted the holy bookes with marueilous sincerity and religion And in another place h Praef. noui test anni 1556. the vulgar translation I doe for the most part imbrace and preferre before all others M. D. Humfrey saith also of S. Hierome i de ratione interpretat lib. 1. pag. 74. The old interpreter saith he seemeth sufficieÌ„tly bent to follow the proprietie of wordes and he doth it in deed to carefully which notwithstanding I suppose him to haue done not of ignorance but out of religion and conscience k pag. 179. Which is no fault as M. Humfrey himselfe testifieth in the same place saying In Prophane writinges a man may rainge more freely and depart from the wordes in Canonicall Scripture no such licence is tolerable for it is not lawfull for man to alter the tongue of God These hee Carolus Molinaus l in Luc. 17. professeth to preferre the vulgar translation or edition before Erasmus Bucer Bullinger Brentius the Tigurine translation also before Iohn Caluin and all others That famous Protestant writer Conradus Pelicanus saith m in praefat in psalterium anni 15â—4 Wee find the vulgar edition of such excellencie learning and to agree with the Hebrew truth touching the sense that I doe not doubt but the greeke and Latin interpreter were most learned yea most pious and of a true Propheticall spirit M. Whitâ—ker hauing changed his former vehement stile else where against S. Hieromes translation saith in his answere to M. Reynoldes n pag. 214 S. Hierome I reuereÌ„ce Damasus the Pope I commend and the worke I coÌ„fesse to be godlie and profitable to the Church in his answere to M Bâ—uges c pag. 94 M. D. Cauell saith the vulgar translation was vsed in the Church one thousand and three hundreth yeares since and doubteth not to preferre it before all others In so much that wheras the English translations are manie and among themselues disagreeing he concludeth that of all those o pag 91. the appoued translation authorized by the Church of England is that which commeth nearest to the vulgar is commonly called the Bishops Bible o truth most strong Sacred and inuiolable p Austin coâ—â— Donâ—tist poâ— Collat cap. 24. more forceable as S Austine obserueth to wringe out confessioÌ„ then any rack or torment To conclude therfore although wee should graunt them to haue agreed vpon some one translation yet their disagreement in the sense therof is farre greater And as q pag 5â— M. D. Reynoldes saith in his coÌ„ference with M. Hart It is not the shew but the sense of wordes of Scripture that must decide controuersies And S Hierome saith r in Epist ad Talat The Ghospell is not in the word but in the sense not in the Barke but in the sappe not in the leaues of the wordes but in the roote of the meaning THE 12. ARTICLE The Church cannot nor ought not to haue erred SCRIPTVRE a Esale ca. 59.21 THis is my league with them saith the Lord my spirit which is in thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not departe out of thy mouth the mouth of thy seed the mouth of thy seedes seed saith the Lord froÌ„ hence forth for euer more b Ibid. ca. 60. verb. 1. l. 20. Whearas thou hast bene forsaken enuied and vnfrequented I will make thee saith God to arise into an euerlasting height so as thou shalt sucke the milke of other nations and the brestes of princes and thou shalt know that I thy God am thy Sauiour and defender thy sunne shall no more goe downe nor thy moone leese her light for our Lord shal be thy light which shall continue for euer c psal 88. verb. 37.38 his seede shall coÌ„tinue for euer his throne as the sunne in my sight and as the moone persite for euer d Daniel 2 44. But in the dayes of those kingdomes the God of heauen will rayse vp a kingdome that shall not be dissipated foreuer and it shall stand for euer And e cap. 7.14 his power is a power for euer which shall not be takeÌ„ away his kingdome which shall neuer be corrupted f Matth. 1618. And I say vnto thee that thou arte Peter and vpoÌ„ this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuail against her g Luc. 22.32 But I haue prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren h Iohn 14.16 And I will aske the Father and he will giue you another paraclete which shall remaine with you foreuer the spirit of truth i Ibid. c. 1613. But when that spirit of truth shall come he will teach you all truth k Iohn 17.9.11 â—aske not for the world but for those whome thou hast giueÌ„ me c. holy Father keepe them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me c. I do not aske for these onlie but for those also which shall beleeue in me by their word l Iohn 14.26 The holy Ghost whome the Father will send in my name he shal teach you all thinges m Mat. 28 20. And behold I am with you all dayes euen to the comsummation of the world n Tim. 3.15 The Church of the liuing God is a piller and fountion of truh o Luc. 1 3â— There shal be no end of his kingdome Heere wee must confesse either that these thinges shal be performed hereafter or haue bine already or god is to be accused of alye If you answere that they haue bine performed I demaund when yf you say in the Apostles tyme I demaund how it chauceth that neither then the knowledg of God true religion was altogether perfit and afterwardes in so short aspace vanished away which was promised to be eternall so aboundant that it should sucke the milk of other natioÌ„s that the sound or doctrine thereof should spread vnto all partes of the erath as indeed you all say earnestly maintayne the Messias which should plant this Church according to you is not yet come and consequenly our Sauiout was not the true Messias but that our Sauiour was the true Messias and did once plant his true Church you deny not that this Church cannot erre I haue proued that it hath not
incarnatie and tooke both flesh and blood for our saluation so also by the prayers of the word of God wee are taught that the Eucharist being made food by him wherby our blood and flesh may be nourished by mutation is the flesh and blood of the same Iesus incarnate Tertullian anno 200. saith h lib. 4 cont Marcion The bread which he tooke in his hand hee made his body saying This is my body Againe i lib. de resurrect carnis The flesh feedeth vpon the body and blood of Christ that the soule may be replenished or filled with God Origen anno 230. expounding the 25. the chapter of Exodus saith k homil 13. in Exod. I would haue you to admonish others you that are wont to be present at the diuine mysteries know that when you receaue the bodie of our Lord you keepe it withall watchfulnes and veneration least any little part therof fall to the grownd least any little parte of the consecrated gift slip away or fall for you belieue that you are guiltie of a great offence and you doe well to belieue so if any part therof fall through your negligence Againe speaking of the centurions child he saith l hom 5. in diuersa loca Euangelij loquens de puero centurionis when thou receauest the holy food and incorruptible banquet thou eatest and drinkest the body and blood of our Lord then our Lord entreth vnder thy roofe thou therfore humbling thy self imitate the Centurian and say Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe For where he entreth vnworthilie there he entreth to iudgment S. Cyprian anno 240. saith m in Serm. in caena Domini in principio The supper being disposed amongst the Sacramentall banquets the old and new institutions met together and the lambe being consumed which the auncient tradition did propound our maister did set before his Disciples the vnconsumable food Et infra this bread which our Lord deliuered to his Disciples being changed not in outward shew but in nature by the omnipotencie of the word was made flesh and as in the person of Christ the humanitie appeared and the diuinitie lay hidd so the diuine essence infused it selfe ineffablie or vnspeakeablie into the visible Sacrament c. The Doctrine of the Sacrament is new and the Euangelicall schooles haue brought forth this first instruction and Christ our Doctor first taught the world the discipline That ChristiaÌ„s should drinke blood the eating wherof the authoritie of the auncient law most straightly forbideth for the law forbideth the eating of blood the ghospell commaundeth it to be dronke S. Hilary anno 350. saith n lib. 8. de Trinitate There must be no doubt concerning the veritie of the flesh and blood for now both by the profession of our Lord and our faith it is indeed flesh and indeed blood Et mox is not this the truth it seemeth not to be ttue vnto them that deny Christ to be true God Also explicating that of the six of S. Iohn he that eateth my flesh shall liue through me c. he saith truly this is the cause of our life that wee haue Christ according to the flesh remayning in vs carnall men who shall liue by him as he liueth by the father Et infra thou saist that the son of God temaineth in vs carnally through the Eucharist S. Cyrill of Hierus anno 350 saith o Cateches 4. Mystag for as much as Christ himself thus affirmeth and speaketh concerning the bread This is my body whoe dare hearafter doubt of it and for as much also as himself confirmeth it and saith This is my blood who I say can doubt of it and say it is not his blood Et ibidem once he turned water into wine which is neere vnto blood at his pleasure only in Canaan in Galile and shall not he be worthy to be belieued that he turned wine into blood wherfore with all assurance let vs receaue the body and blood of Christ for vnder the forme of bread his body is giuen to thee vnder the forme of wine his blood is giueÌ„ to the. Et ibid so shall wee be Christophori that is bearers of Christ when wee haue receaued his body blood into our members and wee shal be made as S. Peter saith partakers of the diuine nature thou must not consider it as bare bread and wine for it is that body and blood of Christ according to our Lordes owne wordes for although thy seÌ„se make thee think thus yet faith must coÌ„firme thee that thou iudge not the thing according to the tast Et infra knowing this and being most assured that this bread which wee see is not bread although the tast think it bread but that it is the bodie of Christ and the wine which wee see although to the sense of the tast it seeme wine yet that it is not wine but the blood of Christ S. Ambrose anno 380. saith p lib 4 de Sacramentis cap 4. But this bread is bread before the wordes of the Sacrament yet when the consecration shal be adioyned of bread it is made the flesh of Christ Againe q lib de myâ—teâ—iâ—s mâ—â—â—â—ndis c. 4. peraduenture saith he thou wilt say vnto me I see another thing how can you assure me that I receaue the body of Christ now theÌ„ it remaines that wee proue it therfor wee will vse most manifest examples to proue that this is not that which nature formed but that which the benediction hath consecrated and that the force of the benediction is greater then the force of nature because by the benediction nature it self is also changed Moyses held a rod in his hand he cast it a way and it became a serpent Also hauing declared many examples of Elias and Elizeus hee concludeth if the benediction of a man preuayled so much that it conuerted nature what shall wee say of the diuine consecration it self where the wordes of our Lord and Sauiour himself worke for this Sacrament which wee receaue is made perfect by the speech of Christ and if the word of Elias preuayled so much that it brought downe sier from heaueÌ„ shall not the word of Christ be of sufficient power to chaung the nature of elementes thou hast read concerning the workes of the whole world that he spake the worde and they were made he commaunded and they were created therfore the worde of Christ which was able to make that which was not of nothing shall it not be able to chaunge those thinges which be into that which they were noâ— for it is not a matter of lesse power to giue new natures vnto thinges then to chaung the natures of thinges S. Basil anno 380. saith r lib de Baptismo cap 9. if such threatninges be pronounced against them that rashly come to those Sacramentes or sacrifices which are sanctifyed by men what shall wee say of him who is rash in receauing
needs bestrong which is taken from the confession of the aduersaries for the confession of the aduersaries against themselues is effectuall And truly saith he I do acknowledge that the truth inforceth testimony from her enemies contra Donatist post collat cap. 24 in his comm places part 2 pag 329. S. Austine saith That truth is more forceable to wring out confession then any rack or torment Peter Martyr saith doubtlesse amonge all testimonies that testimonie is of greatest accompt which is testifyed by the enemies Heere you see that to th end there be no means left vnsought wherby to make this our so weighty a case cleare Deut. 32.31 Esay 19.2.3 Esdras ca. 4.41 wee haue made euen our ennimies iudges bringe forth as the Prophet saith the Egiptians against the Egiptians for certenly as it is written truth is great and preuaileth THE 48. ARTICLE Of the purity or rather arrogancy of the church of England pag. 146. M. Iacob in his defence of the treatise of Christs sufferings printed 1600. saith This is the profit that comes by ordinary slaunting with the Fathers c if in this case wee were to looke after any man surely wee haue more cause to regarde our late faithfull teachers rather then those of ould who being equall with the best of them in any of the excellent graces of Gods spirit c. M. Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury in his defence and briefe comparison of the protestant Bishops of our tyme with the Bishops of the primitiue church faith pag 472 The Doctrine taught and professed by our Bishops at this day is much more perfect sound then commonly it was in any age after the Apostles tymes Againe pag 473. surely saith he you are not able to reckoÌ„ in any age since the Apostles tyme any company of Bishops that caught and held so perfect and sound a doctrine in all poynts as the Bishops of England do at this day c. And in the truth of doctrine our Bishops be not only comparable with the old Bishops but in many degrees to be preferred before them Beza saith I haue bene accustomed to say in epist Theolog. epist 1 pag. 5 and not without cause as I take it that whylest I compare those very tymes next vnto the Apostles with our tymes they had theÌ„ more conscience and lesse knowledge and on the other side wee haue now more knowledge and lesse conscience in praefat in nou test dicat principi Condicuâ— This is my opinion saith he c. In so much as he affirmeth that Caluin did far exceed all the auncient and later wryters in interpreting the scriptures with varietie of wordes and alleaging of reasons All which is directly against M. Bancroft Bishop of Canterburie pag. 37â— in the suruey of the pretended holy discipline where he saith for M. Caluin and M. Beza I do thinke of them as their writings deserue but yet I thinke better of the auncient Fathers pag. 64. I must saith he confesse it Also the more aduised See Chemnitius in his examen CoÌ„cil Trident. part pag. 74. 64. and sober protestantes to vse their owne wordes doubt not but that the primitiue church receaued from the Apostles and Apostolicall men not only the text of scripture but also the right and true sense thereof And that wee are greatly confirmed in the true and sound sense of scripture by the testimonie of the auncient church In the confessions of Bohemia in the Harmony of confessions pag. 406. It is confessed that the auncient church is the true and best mistresse of posteritie which going before leadeth vs the way Sarauia saith The holy ghost which doth sit ouer in defenâ— and his president in the church tract de diuersis ministrorum gradibus pag. â— is the true interpreter of the scriptures of him therfore ought the true interpretation be sought and for as much as he cannot be coÌ„trary to himself which is ouer the church and hath gouerned it by Bishops now to reiect them is not a greable to truth in defens Apologiae printed anno 1573. pag. 35. M. Ievvell saith The primitiue church which was vnder the Apostles and Martyrs hath euermore bine accompted the puriest of all others without exception THE 49. ARTICLE Of Heretickes impudencie Imprimis Luther tom 5. ad Gal. cap. 1. fol 299. MArtin Luther hauing a scholler to dispute against his aduersaries in this manner did encourage him The argument saith he of the Papists me thinks is very probable and strong that is the church did thus thinke and teach it so many yeares all the Doctours of the primitiue church most holy men did also iudge it to be thus and so taught it what art thou saith he that dare disagree from all these But afterward heare Luther himself against these when Sathan saith he doth vrge this matter confidently say whether Cyprian Augustine Ambrose or S. Peter Paul Iohn yea an Angel from heauen teach otherwyse not withstanding this I know for certayn that I do not persuade humane but deuyne thinkes for this I may speake with confidence let therbe the church with Austine and other Doctours also S. Peter Paul Iohn yea an Angel from heauen which doth teach a contrary not withstanding my doctrine is such that it doth illustrate the glory of God only Peter was chief of the Apostles and taught with out the word of God These Luther Againe where he bids adew to all fathers lib. de fâ—â— 1â— arbitrio councells deuines Schools Bishops the consent of all ages and Christian people saith in this manner wee receaue all scripture saith he but so that the authority of interpreting it be in our power what wee interpret the holy ghost doth teach what others do bring although they be great although they be many it coms from the spirit of the Diuell and a wicked mynd Againe Luther perceauing that place of S. Paul Rom. â— vvee thinke a man to be iustified by faith and not by the vvorkes of the lavv not sufficient to proue iustification by faith did add this particle only and when he was admonished of it thus he answered tom 5. fol 141. 144. so I will so I commaund it let my will stand for a reason c. Luther will haue it so and saith he is a Doctour aboue all Doctours And a little after he concludeth moreouer saith he this word only ought to remaine in my testament although all Papists runne made at it and it greeueth me saith he that I haue not added these twoe wordes without all workes and lawes Againe in his booke against king Henry 8. he speaketh thus The word of God saith he is aboue althinges the deuyne maiestie maketh for me so that I nothing care if there be a thousand Austines a thousand Cyprians and a thousand Henries against me If I am no Prophet saith he yet I am sure the word of God doth stand for me I