pressed as they know not â—hat to say or whither to turne I appeale to the whole â—â—ditory whether this was not the summe of his reply â—â—d whether he did not heereupon abruptly end cease â— proceed any further with much disgust of the standers â— and small satisfaction to his owne fellow Ministers â—ho came to assist him Howbeit seeing both VVhitaker â— Reynolds distinguish in the same manner as Barbon hath â—â—one and often affirme that the Church may slide in to â—â—rours of probation not of damnation curable not inâ—â—rable I will a little further lay open the falsity of that â—istinction And first I would haue theÌ„ tell me what these â—urable errours be Grosse and fundamentall such as canâ—ot stand with the principles of faith or sleight and indifferent such as do not preiudice the integrity thereof â—â— such We need not for the attayning of saluation be cured of them we may without losse of Gods fauour heere or heereafter perseuere vnto death incurably in them In which case your new Ghospell was needles your outcryes slanderous your breach detestable in making so execrable a schisme diuision from vs for slender matters not necessary to saluation Grosse then and fundamental they be of which we shal be certainely healed before we dye therefore M. Whitaker affirmeth the Church may for a tyme erre in some foundations yet be safe or souÌ„d A crabbed saying for fayth must be entiere or els it is no fayth therefore if the beliefe of the Church be fayling in any one foundation it is no way sound but wholy erres in fayth as M. VVhitaker not many lines before directly auoucheth If any fundamentall point of doctrine be remoued the Church presently falleth A true speach howbeit most contrary and repugnant to the former And yet it is impossible for the Church euer to be ruined impossibly to perish or depart from God at any tyme or moment as hath beene disputed in the former Chapter Therfore impossible â—â— her to be ensnared in any substantiall or fundamental eâ—rour 5. Besides if curable errours be fundamentall whâ— be incurable What greater then fundamentall Or hâ—â— can any be counted incurable when there is none â— damnable which may not be cured by the salue of gracâ— When we dayly see that Arianisme Iudaisme Turcisâ—â— Apostacy Infidelity c. often cured with help from â—boue No errour there is which may not be cured by grace Are they incurable out of which the Church caâ— neuer be recouered But of this neuer Heretique as yâ—â— made question The Donatists who contended that thâ— whole Church crred and perished before their dayes saiâ— it reuiued againe and tooke life in them and so do all heretiks or sectaryes whosoeuer challenge a recouery of the decayed Church But what do I striue against meere fancyes All the arguments I haue heere proposed manifestly conclud that the true Church of Christ is neuer obnoxious to any errour at all little or great curable or incurable necessary or not necessary to saluation For she teacheth Why the Church can fall into no errour curable or incurable all truth the spirit and wordes of God are alwayes in her mouth She is a pure virgin and cannot be stayned with any spot of vnchast doctrine she is alwayes directed by the holy Ghost we are commanded by God alwayes to giue care vnto her But as we can be led into no offense smal nor grieuous materiall nor formal culpable nor inculpable into nothing dissonant or repugnant vnto truth by imbracing the direction or following ProtestaÌ„ts are eÌ„trapped in their own affertions holding the true Church may erre and yet themselus certain of truth the commandment of truth it self so we can tumble into no errour little or great curable or incurrable by following the direction or safe conduct of the Church And truely I wonder at this witch craft of Sathan how he should perswade our miserable sectaryes that they alone haue the purity of the Ghospell the certainty of the spirit the true reformed Church and yet to teach them withall that the true Church may erre For how can they be sure themselues do not erre in their fayth and in appeaching vs of so many superstitioÌ„s if their Church may erre How can their followers be sure they are taught â— truth if their teachers themselues confesse they may â— O drunken heresy O malicious blindnes art thou â—ereft of the light of reason and drowned in the pit of â—lful darknes as to produce no better witnesses for the â— of ours and rising of thy Church then such as may â—e such as may lye and beguile the people S. Augustine Aug. in psal 63. v. 7. â— braydeth the Iewes for labouring to disproue our Saâ—ours resurrection with sleeping watchmen And shall â—t I reuile our Lutheran or Caluinian strumpet for inâ—ing vs of sundry falshoodes by the verdict of errable â—inisters deceauable Reformers Who graunt they may â— blinded with curable errours Of such errours we acâ—se them in all points wherein they disagree from vs â—e proue them guilty by the word of God doome of anâ—â—quity and vniuersall Senate of all the faithfull who â—â—nnot erre Let them by the like Iury acquit themselues â—â—fense their doctrine with the like authority or els in â—â—ine do they bragge of verity or exclaime against our â—â—perstitious abuses Will they runne to the authority of Scripture But either they are infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost neuer to mistake or interprete it amisse and then their Church can neuer erre neither curably nor incurably which they deny or they may sometyme swarue from the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost they may fall into the curable errours of which we attach them and so are condemned by their owne mouthes for insufficient witnesses or accusers of vs. To go one Iren. l. 3. c. 4. 40. l. 1. c. 3. Hier. l. 3. adue Ruf. c. 8. in fine Cypr. epist 55. ad Cornel. Aug. de vnit Eccl. c. 28. 6. As the scripturs before mentioned so the ancient Fathers aboundantly testify the inerrable rule of the true Churches beliefe S. Irenaeus sayth The Apostles haue layd vp in the church as in a rich treasure all truth that he that will may from thence draw the water of life Likewise She keepeth with most sincere diligence the Apostles fayth and preaching In her sayth Saint Hierome is the rule or square of truth The Church sayth S. Cyprian neuer departeth from that which she once hath knowne S. Augustine Behould how after the same sort he addeth of the body which is the Church that he may not permit vs to erre neither in the bridegroome nor in the bride In another place he affirmeth Aug. tom 2. ep 166. fol. 290. that our heauenly Maister forewarneth vs to auoyd schismes In so much as he maketh the people secure of euill gouernourâ— least for them the chayer of holesome doctrine should be forsaken â— which euen
fratris to receaue the Sacramentes That he demaunded of a Bishop VVhether he agreed with the Catholique Bishops that is with the Roman Church Iocundus also the Arian as Victor reporteth sayd to Kinge Theodoricke Yf you put Armogastes to death the Romans will proclayme him a Victor Vti de pers Van. l. 1. Hier. in ap aduer Ruf. Martyr Where by the Romans he vnderstood Catholiques In like manner Ricemer the Goth and Arian wrote vnto the Genneses Yf he be a Catholique he is a Roman Hence the Roman fayth is tearmed the Catholique fayth the Romen Bishop Bishop of the Catholique Church Bishop of the vniuersall Church Pope of the vniuersall Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 11. Con. Calce act 3. in rela Sanctae Synodi ad Pap. Leonem Poss in vita Augustini ca. 17. Iustin in Epist Hormis papae Cypo epist 52. Leo ep 82. Cypr. l. 4. ep 2. Opt. l. 2. contra Parmen L. in vrbe Roma de statu hom Aug. de ci Deil. 5. c. 15. Art 22. 16. Church His sentence the iudgement of the Catholique Church His definitions Catholique instructions His Sea the roote or matrixe of the Catholique Church His solicitude the care of the vniuersall Church To communicate with him to communicate with the Catholique Church To enter league with him to keepe frendship or society of communion with the vniuersall world 16. In fine as in auncient tymes all people subiect to the Roman Empire were by a generall decree of the ciuill law graced with the name of Roman Cittizens After which sort Saint Augustine testifyeth of some enobled with the title of Roman Senatours who neuer entred the gates of Rome And Saint Paul being borne at Tharsis in Cilicia professed himselfe a Roman borne So in like manner All Churches that liue in communion with the Roman Church All that submit themselues to the obedience of that Sea Al that acknowledge her their head and mother Church borrow from her the denomination of Roman Churches Especially sith that generally denominations are deriued from the most eminent and principall part and neuer any Church neuer any people in any parte of the worlde hath beene taynted with heresy or touched with schisme which tooke the name of Roman Church or Roman people by reason of their communion with the Sea of Rome Therefore as the name Catholique and the thinge signifyed thereby So the name Roman or Romanist is a playne demonstration that our Church is the Gen. 13. 22. flocke of Christ and only seed which our Lord hath blessed and multiplyed like the starrs of heauen and duste of the earth The Kingdome of God whose dominion is extended from one sea to another and from the Riuer to the vttermost boundes of the worlde The Lady or Queene which sitteth one the right hand of her spouse enuironed with Psal 71. see S. Aug. vpon that psalme Pacian ep 3. ad Symp. Malach. c. v. 1. v. 11 the variety of all tribes and Countryes The chosen people which from the rising of the sunne euen to the setting euery where magnifyeth the name of our Lord. And the Protestantes Secte is that deuided faction which rebelleth agaynst him that segregated bunche or festered boyle That harlotry Synagogue which shrowded in corners lyeth in wayte to deceaue our soules to entangle them with fayre wordes and flattery of lippes c. VVhose howse the wayes of hell penetrating to the inward partes of death Prou. 7. CHAP. XX. In which Apostolicall succession is declared to be an apparant note of the true Church Agaynst Mayster Francis Mason AS the Church of Christ cannot possibly continue without the preaching of truth and administration of Sacraments the Sacramēts cannot be ministred nor truth preached without pastours teachers to deliuer the same The Pastours and teachers not still remayne without a perpetuall generation or propagation of them by succession mission and approued ordination Tertullian libro de praescrip Ther ore the ancient Fathers haue alwayes appealed to this lawfull successiō of Priests Bishops as to an illustrious note mark of the Church more plaine more cōspicuous more easily known thē the doctrin of truth to which notwithstanding it is inseparably linked Augustin psal contra partē Do. Tom. 7. libro contra Ep funda Iraeneus libro 3. c. 1. Therefore Tertullian thus prouoked the heretikes of his tyme Let them set forth the beginning of their Churches Let them thew the ranke or order of their Bishops c. Saint Augustine in like sort challenged the Donatistes Recount sayth he the Priestes euen from Peters seate and looke who haue succeeded one another in the ranke of those Fathers After the same manner Saint Iraeneus discomfiteth the Valentinians Saint Epiphanius Epiphan haer 17. Ieronymus dialog vlt. cōtra Lucif Optatus l 2. the Carpocratians Saint Ierome the Luciferians Optatus the heretique Parmenian And he particulerly nameth the Roman Bishops from Peter to Siricius Saint Augustine from Peter to Anastasius affirming that by that succession of Priests and Bishops he was held in the Church 2. Whereunto least some Cauiller should take exception that they speake only of the tyme past of the Augustine Ep. contra Faustum Manich. cap. 4. succession which was before their dayes but they prophecy not of the tyme to come nor do they auow that the like succession shal stil perseuere S. Austine to encoūter this obiection notably writeth in another place The true Church by most certayn successiō of Bishops doth perseuere frō the Apostles tyme vnto ours and to tymes after vs agayne Which is a Augustine libro cont aduers leg Proph. cap. 20. Ecclesia ab Apostolorum tēporibus per Episcoporum successiones certissimas vsque ad nostr ū deniceps tempora perseuerat thinge so cleerly defined in holy writ especially by Saint Paul to the Ephesians and so necessary for the instruction of the infidells edification of the faythfull consummation of the Saints and true essence or being of the Church as no Sacrament can be ministred word preached fayth imbraced or Church remayne where the true vocation or ordinary calling of Bishops and Priestes is at any tyme wanting Neyther doe the more learned of our Aduersaryes make doubt hereof But as the heretikes in Saint Augustines tyme so these now bragge of a certayne figure or similitude of beginning vnder the name of Christians but are indeed withered braunches cut of from the vine For some of them endeauour to steale a beginning or ordinary calling from the temporall Magistrates and suffrages of the people as Caluin and his brats of Geueua Others from the temporall Prince only without the peoples voyces as Brentius and Musculus Others from the Presbitery or meere Priestes that be not Bishops which Monsieur Caluin l. 4. instit c. 3. §. 1. c. 4 §. 11. Brent in prol Mus in locis comun Plessis in tract de Ecclesia cap. vlt. Field in his 3. booke of the
mind that is to fayth What shall I call this treacherous VVhitak ibidem fol. 501. or foolish dealing to answere one thing wheÌ„ another is demanded we now dispute of the sensible markes to discouer the visible Church of such markes as may be seene and perceaued by sense and not of the act of fayth or thing belieued wholy in that respect inuisible and obscure because fayth according to the Apostles definition Is the argument of thinges not appearing Which Hebr. 11. v. 1. to confound with the precedent motiues inducing vs to accept these thinges as the misteryes of beliefe is knauish treachery or notorious folly For as the naturall reasons which the Philosopher alleadgeth to perswade the Atheist there is a God are not the thing he belieueth or obiect of his fayth but as it were the outward Ambassâ—dours he vseth to winne him to accept that first ground of beliefe so the visible signes which leade vs to the knowledge of the Church are not reuealed articles imbraced by fayth but the forerunning messengers which The outward markes which leade vs to the Church must be apparaot to sense propose vnto vs that article of belieue They appertaine to the eye of the body to the manifest feeling and touch of sense or els they could be no signes at all to giue notice vnto vs of a true visible and sensible Church 3. M. VVhite harpeth vpon another string but with as false a stroake as VVhitaker For he teacheth Faith is the cause of the Church and therefore more knowne then the Church it selfe c. as euery cause is more apparant to our vnderst anding and better knowne to our iudgment then the effect I graunt that faith is the cause of the Church but that causes are more apparant VVhite in his way to the church §. 26. fol. 112 113. VVhitak loc citat to vs imprisoned in a Cottage of earth wintered amongst the cloudes of sense then their effects is euidently false contradicted by VVhitaker disproued also by many experiences of the eclipse of the Moone of the ebbing and flowing of the sea of the Remora his hindering the course of a ship and of a thousand such naturall effectes whose causes are vnknowne from whence the knowledge of Philosophy had her first being For many learned men woundring at these and the like effects began to search out the hidden causes and reasons of theÌ„ And what Is Aristotle of another mind whome M. VVhite VVhite in the same place so boldly quoteth as countenancing his absurdity I am fully assured he hath not so much as any sillable sounding that way For he distinguisheth two kind of knowledges one in respect of vs the other in the nature of the Aristotle no where teacheth causes to be more knowne to vs then their effects as White falsifyeth him thing in it selfe that is the thing in the perfection of his owne nature is more intelligible although by reason of our imbecility we cannot reach vnto it Thus Aristotle in the very places obiected by VVhite only teacheth that causes are both before their effects and better knowne to wit in nature but not to vs not to our vnderstanding not to our iudgment as he wretchedly applyeth and abuseth his wordes whether of malice or of ignorance I will not iudge but although he had beene wholy vnacquainted and ignorant in Aristotle yet VVhitaker his maister who affirmeth the same and with the same distinction as Aristotle doth might haue taught him the truth if some euill humour had not possessed his hart 4. Thirdly the true preaching of the word and doctrine of saluation is the very being it selfe or essence of the Church it is the only thing we require in searching it out Wherefore to assigne that for a marke is to delude the seeker and to giue the substance as a figne of ProtestaÌ„tâ— markes meer collusions the thing required For example if a stranger should demand where the Mayor of the Citty or chiefest Magistrate lodgeth Were it not a mockery to say Where he dwelleth who hath the whole command of the towne or were the stranger any whit the neerer by this reply No more is any Protestant the neer of finding the Church by these her essentiall Markes which doe not openly appeare or shine in her forehead but are closely hidden in her secret bowells For so S. Augustine sayth That truth remayneth Aug. in psal 57. in the wombe or bosome of the Church as all essences are couched vnder the veyles of accidents by vs who borrow our knowledge from outward senses must needs be vnderstood before we vnderstand the natures themselues Therfore we must first repaire to the Church before we can find the truth inclosed therein 5. M. VVhite admitteth with S. Augustine that true faith is in closed in the bosome of the Church but as a VVhite in his way to the true Church §. 28. fol. 118. 119. light saith he in a watch tower as a candle standing in a lanterne which by it owne light can guid vs infallibly to the Church c. as the firmament is seene by the light of the sun though it self hold out the sun vnto vs These be his examples as farre wide from his purpose as he from sincerity in alleaging of them For the light manifesteth it self without the help of the tower the sun vseth not the working of the firmament to cast forth his beames They both doe naturally shine and giue light vnto vs the truth not so that cannot be seene vnles it be manifested opened by the Church Faith is Rom. 10. v. 17. Psal 118. v. 130. by hearing heard it cannot be without it be vttered vttered it must be by the Preachers of the Church the Preachers then are they that giue notice of the Truth Therefore the Royall Prophet doth not say that Gods truth of it self but that the declaration opening of his words illuminateth and giueth vnderstanding Againe By the light we discouer the parts of the tower by the sun the firmament quite coÌ„trary in our case for we arriue not first by beames of faith to take notice of our preachers but by our preachers we are instructed in all pointes of faith which order of proceeding is manifestly expressed by the Prophet Isay speaking Isa 2. v. 3. in the person of such as trauaile to learne the truth Come let vs go vp to the mount of our Lord to the house of the God of Iacob he will teach vs his wayes c. Loe they first knew the mount of the Church to which they ascended and knew it to be the mount of our Lord the house of the God of Iacob and then were taught and instructed in his lawes The spleÌ„dour of the Church guided them to the light of truth not her reuealed light to know the Church For this cause our Sauiour termed his Apostles their successors not the towers or houses only which hold bâ—
opening the window as VVhite imagineth deliuer vs this ligot but he termeth them the candles themselues lights of the world VVhite in the place before cited Matt. 5. v. 14. VVhite as before which guide enlighten vs in the heauenly path of true beleefe Wherefore if a light vpon a watch tower in the darcke night may according to White be the only marke whereby to find the tower the doctours Pastours of Christ which our Sauiour auoucheth to be his glorious lights shining in the darke night of this world must by Whites owne allusion be the only marks to find out the faith of Christ They to whome Cornelius to whome S. Paul called from heauen to whome all the ignorant are perpetuall sent by the voyce of God to learne the truth of his doctrine Act. 10. v 5. 6. Act. 9. v. 7. 17. way of his commaundements 6. Fourthly either the sincere preaching of the word in some particuler points is sufficient to descry the Church or it is necessary it be sincere in all pointes of faith both VVhitaker VVhite agree that it must be sincere in al fundameÌ„tal VVhitak cont 2. q. 5. cap. 17. VVhite in his way to the true Church §. points necessary to saluatioÌ„ because diuers heretical conuenticles haue the sincere preaching in some particulers either of Trinity Incarnation Passion or ResurectioÌ„ of Christ yet that sufficeth not therefore it ought to be sincere in all But how shall the ignorant be assured what Church it is which is pure in all these articles who doe not vnderstand the articles themselues neither which be fundamentall nor how many nor wherein the chief foundation of euery article consisteth as necessary to saluation How shall they for example be certeinly perswaded whether the Protestant sect syncerely teacheth the article of imputatiue iustice of originall sinne of predestination of many such in which diuerse learned men haue fowly erred strayed from the truth They I say who cannot examine these pointes by the analogie of holy writ or if they can are not able to iudge of the verity of such deep vnsearchable misteries what course shall they take beleeue their ministers who confesse they may deceaue them beleeue their priuat spirit who haue no meanes in this case to make triall of it whether it accord or disagree from the rule of faith M. Field hath set downe a prudent course which if his owne followers would now embrace we might ioyne handes Field in his epistle dedicatory before his first book tâ—gether concerning this point Seeing the coÌ„trouersies of religioÌ„ in our time are growne in number so many in nature so intricat that few haue time leasure fewer strength of vnderstanding to examine them what remayneth for men desirous of satisfaction in thinges of such consequence but diligently to search out which amongst Iren. l. 3. c. 3. 4. Lact. l. 4. diuin insti cap. vlt. Ambr. ep 32. ad Imper ValeÌ„t Aug. de vtilit credend c. 37. VVhite in his way to the church §. 26. fol. 119. Augu. in psal 57. all the societies of men in the world is that blessed company of holy ones that houshold of faith that spouse of Christ Church of the liuing God which is the pillar ground of truth that so they may embrace her communion follow her directions and rest in her iudgment Hither to he I might produce the words of S. Irenaeus Lactantius S. Ambrose and S. Augustine who exhorte vs also to repaire to the Catholique Church to beleeue her to set vp our rest in her and from her Maisters and teachers to learne the truth 7. But VVhite obiecteth the authority of the same S. Augustine seeming to teach the contrary when he sayeth By the face of truth I knâ—w Christ the truth it self By the face of truth I know the Church pertaker of the truth So he perfidiously translateth S. Austines words detorteth his meaning from the scope of his discourse For S. Augustine disputing against them who confined the Church within the borders of Africa proueth out of the holy Scriptures out of the word of God and authour of truth that it is vniuersally spread ouer all the earth After this he inferreth out of the mouth of truth not as he treacherously englisheth it by the face of truth I know Christ the truth it self out of the mouth of truth I know the White falsly traÌ„slateth S. Augustins wordes Church pertaker of the truth that is as by the cleere testimonyes of the word of God I know Christ the truth it self so by the like cleere testimonyes do I know the vniuersality of the thurch partaker of the truth which the donatistes denyed This one property of the Church he learned from the mouth of truth not the true Church it selfe from the pure preaching of the word in all necessary points of faith as White misconstrueth his meaning For S. Augustine expresly teacheth some few leaues after that Christ himself the foundation and ground of all consequently his Incarnation his death Passion cannot Christum ignoret necesse est qui Ecclesiam eius nescit in qua sola cognosi potest Aug. in psal 69. be known but by the Church It is necessary saith he he be ignorant of Christ who is ignorant of his Church in which only he may be knowne Therefore the notice of the Church leadeth vs to the knowledge of Christ and not e contra especially seeing we cannot rightly spell the words and tel the sense of scripture nor know that scriptures are nor vnderstand and beleeue what is signifyed by the name of Christ vnles we were first instructed by the Church 8. Lastly if before we come to the knowledge of the Church we must learne her faith why do wee after seeke to the Church when we haue already obteyned the treasure of truth for which we sought vnto her if before we geue credit to the Church we must examine her doctrine whether it be true or false if before we accept her interpretation of scripture we must try whether it agree with the sense and connexion of the self same scripture if after such collation and diligent conference we may lawfully renounce or follow the Church whereinsoeuer we deeme it sutable or disagreeable to the written word we must be examiners and iudges both of the Church and Scripture priuate men must censure publique vnlearned sheep controle their Pastours the â—reatest and a city confusion and absurdity that can be imagined VVhite in his way to the church §. 30. fol. 127. which yet is nothing the lesse by VVhites colouring of it and saying that They examine and iudge not by their owne priuate humours but by the publike word of God which in the Scripture speaketh Or as he sayth in another place By the spirit of God in the scripture because his spirit his publike Idem § 27 fol. 116. word speaking in the Scripture
impossible their Church should continue so many ages distinct from the Roman Papacy and no monument be left no steppes remayne no notice taken of it at least by the preuayling faction as they terme it of the Romane Church which diligently recorded the names and heresies of euery particuler person who at any tyme stood vp or defended any doctrine contrary to hers Yf the Romane faction tyrannyzed ouer them blotted out their names defaced their Sparke in his answere to M. Iohn d' Albins pag. 53. 54. workes razed their Churches burned their Records as Sparke fayneth some Chronicler or other some frend or enemy some Protestant or Catholike would haue registred those ransackinges or mentioned the vtter abolishments our Gouernours made of them Otherwise what warrant haue Protestants to belieue what euidence to shew they had such professours To belieue without ground in ciull matters is vnaduised lightnes in matters diuine rashnes inexcusable I proceed 6. Two other seeming answeres some of our late Reformers are wont to coyne First That seeing the Papacy Other euasions of our sectaryes reiected preserued the kernell of religion belieued the Trinity the Incarnation and passion of Christ c. their Protestant Church might be saued in it although it separated not it selfe in communion from her But this caÌ„not be For the Pelagians the Donatistes the Circumceâ—â—â—â— held these and many other grounds of true religion yet no maÌ„ could be saued participating with them nor with the Quartadecimani nor with any heretical Congregation although it disseÌ„ted from the true Church but in one heresy alone Therefore although the papacy imbraced the Fulke in c. 1â— A poc sect 2. forenamed principles of fayth yet beccuse it was defiled according to you not with one but sundry heresies which vndermined the castle of heauenly beliefe the maynteyners of Protestancy coulde not be members of the true Church abiding in the false they could not be vnited to God in the house of Belial partake with Christ in the seate of Antichrist as hath beene other where more largely discussed 7. Their second euasion is that ignorance might IgnoraÌ„ce cannot excuse our sectaries auncestors in coÌ„municating with vs if we danably erred free their confederates from the danger of damnation in coÌ„municating with our Church vntill the truth of their Ghospell was reuealed and our errours discouered vnto them But I answere that the plea of ignorance of matters necessary necessitate medij as the only meanes to atteyne saluation in iustification other articles of like tenour on which the summe of religion in Protestants opinion dependeth cannot be admitted in the Court of conscience before the tribunall of heauen For of such ignorance sentence is pronounced by the Apostle Yf any man know not he shall not be knowne And VVhosoeuer haue sinned without the law without the law shall perish Agayne albeit 1. Cor. 14. v. 38. Rom. 2. v. 12. the Church of God may for a tyme be inuincibly ignorant of some truth not necessary to saluation yet neuer of any necessary truth Wherefore if imputatiue iustice if only fayth without merite of workes and many such like protestant articles be necessary to be belieued the ignorance of them must needs cause al their auncestours to forfeit Field in his first booke c. 10. p. 19. eternall blisse especially sith Field therein subscribeth to the Apostle That no man can be saued vnlesse he make confession to saluation c. and by profession of truth make himselfe knowne 8. Besides as the Church cannot be ignorant of a necessary article much lesse can it generally professe any daÌ„nable errour any pernicious falshood as all latent Protestants openly did liuing in the Papacy and publikely professing as they account it our erroneous doctrine This the promise of Christ the assistaÌ„ce of the holy Ghost the protection of God would neuer permit his Church to doe 9. This were to frustrate the comming of Christ the price of the bloud his preaching of his Ghospell For why did he take such paynes to preach the truth if ignorance might excuse vs Why did he suffer death to abolish Matth. 28. Ephes 4. Ioan. 14. 16. all errours if his people haue beene so long ouer whelmed with them How doth he raygne for euer in the Kingdome of his Church if that for these many ages hath been subiect to Sathan Did not he promise that when he should be exalted he would draw all thinges vnto him Did not he promise to cooperat with his Pastours baptizing teaching to the consummation of the world that neither they might erre nor we be carried away with the Tertullia de Praes c. 28. vayne blastes of errour Was not the holy Ghost sent to teach all truth and that for euer Did not God forewarne vs that the preachers of the new Testament should neuer be silent from praysing his name enioying his spirit and deliuering his wordes from generation to generation euerlastingly without interruption Vpon these assurances Tertullian deemed it so great a blasphemy that the whole Church of God should be spotted with errours as he thus Tertul. ib. cap. â—9 prouoketh ValeÌ„tinus the heretik Age nunc c. Go to now haâ—e all Churches erred c. hath the holy Ghost had regarde to no one to leade it vnto truth sent for that end by Christ demaunded for that end of the Father that he might be the Doctour of truth Forsooth the Steward of God the vicar of Christ hath neglected his office permitting the Churches otherwise to vnderstand otherwise to belieue tâ—en he by his Apostle preached A little after he scoffeth at him and others in this sort The truth expected some Marcionistes and Valentinians Lutherans and Caluinistes to be infranchised by them In the meane tyme the Gospell hath beene wrongfully preached wrongfully belieued so many thousand of thousands wrongfully Christned so many workes of faith wrongfully administred so many miracles so many gifts wrongfully imployed so many priesthoods so many offices wrongfully executed in fine so many Martyrdomes wrongfully crowned Yf Tertullian thought â—t a caluÌ„niation so infamous to affirme this of the Church for a little more then a hundred yeares space how monstrous is the report of our Reformers who venture to attach it of superstition ignorance idolatry during the long tract of a thousand yeares 10. Lastly although ignoraÌ„ce may now then excuse the not belieuing of some particuler mysteryes yet the ignorant who otherwise incurre the displeasure of God can neuer gayne his fauour or recouer felicity vnlesse they be pardoned their sinnes and become members of the true Church Out of the Church no pleading for pardon no excuse can be heard to put a sinner in hope of saluation Otherwise the Iewes the Turkes the Pagans al such as haue been misled by heretikes might pleade this excuse But the hiddeÌ„ ProtestaÌ„ts who lurked in the Papacy were not members of the Church They made not the true Church where
consent and agreement by which the members of the same Church though of diuers nations languages customes dispositions yet are all vnited in the same fayth lawes sacrifice religion They are all carefull as Saint Paul exhorteth to keep the vnity of the spirit in the band of peace To be of one accord and one iudgemet For which cause Christ earnestly prayed and vsed many other effectuall meanes he ordeyned vs all to one end and goale of felicity You are called in one hope of your vocation He taught vs to acknowledge as Saint Paul writeth in the â—ame place one Lord one fayth one Baptisme one God and Father of Eph. 4. v. 3. Phil. 2. v. 2. Ioan. 17. v. 11. Eph. 4. v. 4. v. 5. 1. Cor. 10. v. 17. 18. all He nourisheth vs with one bread his owne sacred flesh He incorporateth vs in one body He guideth vs with one and the same spirit and that all thinges might be orderly disposed he submitteth vs in his absence to the obedieâ—ce of one head his vice gereÌ„t vpon earth by which the pâ—erogatiue of vnity is principally maynteyned and â—â—â—refore Saint Augustine termeth the sea of his residence Câ—â—hedram vnitatis the Chayre of vnity And Saint Cyprian Aug. ep 166. CypriaÌ„ ep 73. Optat. l. 2. con Parm. Iero. con Iouin cont Lucif Leo ep 84. Bernard l. 3. ad Eug. Irae l. 1. c. 3. 〈◊〉 Peter vpon whome our Lord built his Church he instituted and â—â—wed the beginning of vnity The like hath Optatus rhe like S. â—â—rome and Saint Leo. 3. By the assistance of Gods holy spirit and â—y the subordination of the people Priestes Pastours Bishops to this supreme head the Pope of Rome which Saint Bernard resembleth to the subordination of the Angells Archangells Cherubims and Scraphims to Almighty God there is preserued in the vniuersall Church spread ouer all the world that admirable peace and perfect argrement as if it dwelled to vse Saint Irenaeus words â—â— one house enioyed one soule and one hart she preacheth teacheth and deliuereth the thinges shee belieueth so conformably as if she spake with one mouth For sayth he Although there be different languages yet the vertue of traditioÌ„ is one the same Neyther do those Churches which are founded in Germany belieue otherwise or otherwise deliuer Nor those that are amongst the Hiberians nor those that are in the East nor those that are in Aegypt nor such as are in Libya nor such as are planted in the midest of the earth But as the sunne that workemanship of God is one and the same in the vniuersall world so the light the preaching of truth euery where shineth and enlighteneth all who will come to the knowledge therof 4. This conformaty of doctrine which Irenaeus marked in the vniuersall Church of his tyme where can we now discouer but amongst the Professours of the Roman fayth Goe into Asia Goe into Africa sayle into India passe into Iaponia compasse the East and returne into Al Catho like professours are vnius Labij of the same speach or language the West and you shall behold all Countryes all prouinces all Cittyes euery professor of our Religion vnius Labij of one language of one hart and soule in Sacraments sacrifice and all Articles of fayth The reason is because they all as I â—outhed aboue submit themselues to the iudgement of one soueraygne and supreme head who guided by Gods spirit infallibly gouerneth and vnâ—â—â—th the whole body From whome if any dissent he is seuâ—red and cut of from the rest of the members 5. Amongst Protestants no such thinge nothing but schismes iarres and mutuall discordes such as Saâ—â—t Aug. l. 18. de ciuitat Dei ca. 41 Iraen l. 1. Tertull. de praes Hil. l. 7. de Tri. ChrysostoÌ„ Hom. 20. operis impersect in Matth. Parkes agaynst VVillets Limbomastix Augustine discouered amongst the heathen Philosophers â— such as Irenaeus Tertullian S. Hilary and S. Chrysostom amongst auncient heretikes For example trauayle into these ouâ— Sectaryes dominions one fayth shall you find in one Countrey another in another one in Saxony another in Germany another in England This at Geneua that at Zuricke c. What shall I speake of Citties and countries examine the fauorites of any particuler sect no agreemeÌ„â— amongst them no towne no village no man perseuereth long in the same beliefe But they often change and vary from themselues coyning as Saint Hilary reporteth of the Arians yearely and monethly faythes Euery man sayth M. Parkes maketh Religion the handmaid of his affections VVe may say now that there are so many faithes as willes and so many doctrines as manners of men whiles eyther we write them as we list or vnderstand Beza ep 1. and Andr. Dud. repeateth his wordes M VVilliam Reynolds in his preface before his refutation of M. VVhitaker reprehen Cauils them as we please in so much that many are brought to their wits ends not knowing what to do Which Duditius an emineÌ„t Protestant in the fight of Beza obiecteth agaynst his own brethren which Maister VVilliam Reynolds our Catholike writer notably declareth in the changes and alterations of our English gospellers in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth and I might further specify in many particulers since the raygne of our gracious King Iames. 6. For in her dayes the reall presence was * VVhitaker cont 2. q. 5. c. 7. pag. 89. Reynoldes in his fifth cont folio 657. Sparks in his answere to M. Iohn de Albins fol. 235. See these wordes of the Bishop of Ely allowed by Casaub in his aforesayd answ to Car. Peron â—â— 16. Causab pag. 33. In the conf at Hâ—mp court Reynolds in his 4. coâ—lus Field in his â— book c. 10. 11. Field in his third booke of the Church c. 22. fol. 118. Illiricus in clauo Scripturae de varia c. tract 6. dupl iustit instific Field in the place before cited impugned as implying contradiction and destroying the humane nature of Christ Now it is allowed as nothing impossible VVe agree with you sayth the Bishop of Ely concerning the obiect all the strife is aboue the manner c. we belieue the presence we belieue I say the true presence as well as you c. Then yearely shrift or auricular confession was an antichristian and popish bondage a butchery of mens consciences now the Fathers who ordeyned it had their reasons why they thought that such manner of confession would further the easier atteyning to saluâ—â—tion Then to pray for the dead that their soules might thereby be reliued was new fantasticall and superstitiâ—us popery Now to desire of God rest for their soules was an aunâ—â—ent custome and is referred by his Maiesty to the head of thinges proâ—â—able or lawfull Then when a woman was head a woman might lawfully baptize and Christen infants Now the midwifes christing is vnallowable and of no force at all Then the holy Catholike Church which we belieue
Bellarmine diuideth his tractes of the notes of the Church into two parts In the first he sayth truth sanctity of doctrin is no note of the Church In the later he reckoneth it amongst the rest But let vs pardon him this ouer sight It was no ouer sight M. Field in Cardinall Bellarmyne but it is rashnes in you to speake the least or too much officiousnes to offer pardon where none is required or fault committed For that renowmed Prelate vsing sanctity in the aforesaid sense doth no way decline to the in â—â—â—icate darkenes of your cloudy notes because although it be an endlesse and insuperable difficulty S. Aug. de Gen. ad lit cap. 14. to the most part of men to seuere the purity of doctrine from all substantiall errours yet it is no great matter as S. Augustine auerreth then to discerne the spirit when it arriueth or leadeth to some such thinges which are agaynst good manners or Catholiks belieue many thinges aboue but nothing repugnant to the light of reason agaynst the rule of sayth For then it is espied of many To such enormityes leadeth the beguiling spirit and beliefe of our Gospellers but the Religion of Catholikes is sincere and holy pure from such misguiding errours For albeit we teach and belieue many obscure and supernaturall verityes aboue the reach of humane capacity as the Trinity Incarnation of Christ resurrection of the flesh with others of like sort yet nothing manifestly discordant to the common â—ynderisis or light of nature as Tertullian Arnobius Clemens Alexandrinus Saint Augustine Saint Thomas haue plenteously demonstrated agaynst the Pagans and heathenish Philosophers Neyther do we teach any lesson of liberty pernicious to good manners but all thinges which tend to piety deuotion Sanctity and perfection 2. Our doctrine for example of the freedom of will and powerfulnes of grace to fullfill the law Of reprobation and damnation that it proceeds from our selues not from God That we may do some good workes pleasing Many points of Catholike doctrine specified which wholy teÌ„de to the increase of piety and reformation of manners to his Maiesty and meritorious of heauen That his fauour once gotten may be lost That concupiscence or euil suggestions without consent be not sinnes but stoutly resisted occasions of merit That we haue a stedfast hope yet no assurance of saluation All these articles and diuers other which I omit to recount are conformable to Scripture agreeable to reason sutable to the goodnes and bounty of God and most auayleable to the purchase of celestiall riches to which all our precepts also of manners and admonitions are aymed For we exhort to the mortification of our passions abnegation of our selues contempt of honours riches and worldly pleasures We preach voluntary pennance chastisement of our bodyes watching fasting contrition confession and satisfaction for sinnes We incite and stirre vp our followers not only to the performance of Gods commaundements by the help of his Protestant doctrin ether disposeth to all wickednes or stoppeth the course of vertue grace but to the imbracement also of his Euangelicall counsayles to Religious pouerty consecrated chastity vowed obedience To such vnion with God to such contemplation of heauen to such neglect separation perpetuall diuorcement from all earthly affayres as those who zealously imbrace and feruently put in practise the exhortations of our Church seeme rather to liue in mortall flesh Angelicall then humane liues 3. The Protestants Ghospell venteth the quite Fulke in c. 27. act see 3 ad Gal. 5. contrary doctrine For firstit denyeth the liberty of free-will Euery one sayth Fulke is free from coaction but not from the thraldome and slauery of sinne Secondly it VVhitak contr 1. q. 6. ca. 3. fol. 580. teacheth the commaundements of God impossible to be kept and therefore Whitaker inferreth That no man ought to hope for iustice or saluation expresly agaynst the wordes of Christ by the obedience he yealdeth to the law both which stoppeth the race of vertue and clippeth the winges of all honourable attemps For who will euer assay to do which he hath power to wil or possibility to performe Who caÌ„ with any courage vndergo to aske he knoweth before haÌ„d to be aboue his strength Thirdly our Gospellers hold Protestant doctrin iniurious to God making him to hate his owne who breedeth loue in all others to â—he rish their ofspringe That God doth purpose decree cooperate to the blindnes and obstinacy of the wicked and that whatsoeuer he willeth and decreeeth must of incuitable necessity infallibly ensue that he createth some and ordeyneth them to destruction hatred which are as I haue exactly haÌ„dled heretofore the greatest blasphemyes that euer were brayed forth agaynst the tender bowells of infinite mercy For he that ingendreth a naturall affection in all creatures to loue their of spring cannot himselfe hate the works he produceth 4. Fourthly they defend all our good works euen our best dutyes exacted by God to be stayned with sinne and seuerely weighed to be displeasing to him merit damnation An assertion repugnant to the very light of nature reason and voyce of God often reiterated in holy writte They many of them at least directly VVhitak contr â— q. 5. pag. â—01 teach That a man once iustifyed cannot loose his iustice what mischief soeuer he wilfully incurreth That Dauid was the child of God when he committed adultery That sinnâ— are not hurtfull to him that belieueth That God doth not impute to the faythful the vncleanes of their dishonest liues Fulke in c. ad 7. Rom. sect 6. in c. 5 ad Gal. sect 2. Fulke ibid Could any Epieure or Mahometan desire more pleasing dreames to flesh and bloud Ffthly They allow not distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes but all sinnes euen the sudayne in voluntary motions of concupiscence to be of their owne nature damnable and deadly yet if they haue true fayth there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Do you not perceaue what rufull gappes these passadges open to a floud of iniquity How they playne the way to al licentious riot For he who perswadeth himselfe That no ambition pride voluptuousnes or other offences can be hurtful vnto him that they cannot procure the wrack of damnation he who knoweth the first motions or euill suggestions to be deadly and mortall as well as the consent or consumation of them what preuayling barre or forcible restraint should this man haue from the satisfying of his violent passions or full accomplishing of his carnall desires Especially if he should reason thus Sith I am already caught by the waues of sinne it importeth little to be more or lesse carryed away as long as I am sure to be brought backe to the shore agayne sure to haue no imputation of one or other of consent or surreption layd to my charge do you not perceaue O you deare soules so vnhappily misled do you
Ep 22. ad Eustoch vide miracula diuersa ad Sanctorum monumenta â—dita Reade him also de muliere septies icta in vita Hilarionis supernaturally wrought by the Reliques of S. Steuen Not hearkning to the miracles which S. CypriaÌ„ S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Chysostome S. Hierome a thousand historiographers very plentifully recount the powerfull hand of God in sundry Countryes dayly atchieueth They looke into few things when angled with the conterfet bayte and vayne promise of truth cast forth by their Ghospellers they diue not into the manifold absurdityes and open repugnancyes implied in their doctrine They consider not their corruptions falsifications detorting of Scripture and racking of the Fathers which they commonly vse to writh them to their purpose Thus they skimme of in Luther in Caluin other their predecessours the froth of their noweltyes and ouerslip diuers notorious barbarismes diuers atheisticall and blasphemous speaches couched in their writinges which haue beene often layd open by the learned of our side Yet to approue the vigilancy and wisedome of our soueraigne King IAMES who hath prudently inhibited the reading of such new brued and poysoned workes to the noble students of his two famous Vniuersityes I will briefly insinuate some few of Caluin the chiefe late Nouelist his Atheismes wherin he appeacheth the diuine goodnes it selfe of iniustice impotency dissimulation his beloued sonne Christ Iesus of ignorance incongruity in his speach superfluons inferences rashnes timidity desperation The immaculate Virgin his dearest Mother of sinnefull enclosing the omnipotency of God within the boundes of Nature For first he often inculcateth that God is chiefe author of his own iust vengeance and Satan is but only a minister therof That God Calu. lib. 1 inflit c. 18. §. 1. 2. 3. c l. 2. c. 4. §. 2. l. 3. c. â—1 Ibid. l. 3. c. 23. §. 8. purposeth willeth moueth loueth and commandeth the wickednes of sinners their obstinate blindnes and hardnes of hart Then that thâ— will of God is a necessity of things From whence it ensueth that the reprobate necessarily sinne by the appointement of God which they cannot auoyd and that God is vniust for punishing them without cause Likewise it followeth that sinne it selfe is no sinne but an vpright action consonant vnto reason For the wil of God saith Caluin Calu l. 3. c. 23. §. 2. is so the highest rule of righteousnes that whatsoeuer he willeth euen for this that he willeth it it ought to be takeÌ„ for righteous But God according to him willeth sinne therefore sinne is righteous good according to rule Secondly it followeth that Good decreeth those Ibid. l. 1. inflit c. 18. §. 13. thinges with his secret purpose which he hath openly forbidden by his lawe and so he both willeth and willeth not the same thing which without dissimulatioÌ„ or contrariety cannot be conceaued Besides he denieth Gods absolute power of effecting all thinges Ibid l. 3. c. 23. §. 2. We trust not quoth he in the feygned deuise of absolute power which as it is prophane so worthily ought it to be abhorred of vs. No lesse impious is he against God then malepart and audacious against our Sauiour Christ in accusing him of ignorance That he knew In c. 24. Matt. 36. Matt. 21. v. 18. In cap. 9. Matt. v. 2. Quod quidam existimaÌ„t Christum diuinitùs conscium fuisseipsoâ—um fidei quae occultantiùs lat ebat mihi coactum videtur Matt. 7. v. 12. Calu. in eum locum Superuacua est illatio Calu. l. 2. instit cap. 16. §. 12. Ibid. §. 10. Ibidem not as man the day of iudgment nor of what kinde the figge tree was that grew by the way side nor the inward thoughts of the hart saying That which some think that Christ was acquainted from aboue with their saith which lay hild within seemeth to me aforced astrayned thing he accuseth him likewise of incoÌ„gruity in his speach to wit That Christ promiseth from God reward to fasting is an improper speach of superfluous infereÌ„ce for when Christ inferred All thinges therfore whatsoeuer you will c. Caluin giueth it this glose It is a vaine or superfluous illation Of timiditye and searefulnes in these wordes Theeues and other euill doers doe obstinately hast to death many doe with hauty courage despise some other doe mildly suffer it But what constancy or stout courage were it for the some of God to be astonished and in a manner stricken dead which feare of it c. howe shamefull a tendernes as I sayd should this haue beene to be so far tormented with feare of comon death as to melte in bloudy sweate and not to be able to be comforted but by sight of Angells Wherupon he brayeth forth another sacrilege that our Sauiour besides his corporall death suffered the death of his soule he suffered that death wherwith God in his wrathstriketh wicked doers He felte the rigour of Gods vengeance in his soule he suffered the terrible tormentes of a damned and forsakes man His Matt. 26. Calu. in harm super eum locum v. 38. Calu. in harm in c. 27. Matt. v. 46. Sed absurdè videtur Christo elapsam desperationis voceÌ„ solutio facilis est quamuis enim sensus carnis exitum apprehenderit fixa tamen stetit sides in corde Calu. in harm in c. 1. Luc. v. 34. Videtur Sancta virgo non minus malignè Dei praesentiam restringere quà m priùs Zacharias c. nec magnopere laborandum est vt eam purgemus ab omni vitio Calu. l. 3. insti c. 20. §. 24. 27. l. de rat reforma Ecclesiae sanctos vocat laruas carnifices vmbras bestias vâ—nome is not yet spent He traduceth also the diuine Wisedome as rash and inconsiderate in those wordes which he vttered Father if it be possible let this cupp passe from me This prayer saith Caluin of Christ was not premeditate but the force and extremity of grief wringed from him this hasty speach To which a correction or recalling was presently added The same vehemeÌ„cy drewe from him the presente memory of the heauenly decree At length he concludeth that Christ was so amazed with feare at the iudgements of God as he was drouen to despaire at least in outward wordes For obiecting to himself how absurde it should seeme that a speach of desperation should fall from â—hrist he answereth The solution is easye for although the sense of fleshe did apprehend destruction yet faith remayned stable in his harte as though he should say his tongue vttered wordes of despaire although his hart were still fixed in God Where the sonne of God is thus blasphemed can the Mother of God be free from disgrace the venomous wretch very seldome discourseth of that heauenly Queene but by a word which he vttereth you may throghly ghesseat his malicious spirit Vpon that question of our Ladies to the Angel Gabriell how shall this be done
what is this field in which the cockle groweth with the wheate the reprobate with the elect â—ut the visible Church of Christ In which visible pastors shall plante water sow the seed of heauenly doctrine visible flocke shall increase fructify by in ward faith outward profession outward obedience outward subordination and comunication of sacramentes vntill the end of all thinges notwithstanding if any here expound with the Donatistes the Field for the world not for the Church I answere him with S. Augustine The world is named put for the Church because the Aug. post collat c. 6. cap. 8. church is foreshewed that it shal be dispersed throughout the worlde which he proueth by these euident textes of holy scripture God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself who truly quoth he recoÌ„ciled not any but his Church vnto him And then The sonne of man came not to iudge the worlde but 2. Cor 5. v. 19. Ioan. 3. v. 17. that the world might be saued by him howbeir he saued none but the faithful of his Church Therfore by the world his Church is vnderstood 3. I hope you will not cauill againe That although the seed be visibly sowed in all the world yet it shall not visibly so continue Yf you do the voyce of our Sauiour cryeth against you That it shall grow vnto the haruest which cannot be without the visible ministry of pastors submission of people without the visible preaching conuerting of natious Likewise S. Augustine beateth back this obiection made by the Donatistes both by this very place of S. Matthew by that of S. Paule to the Collossians The truth of the gospell is in the whole world and fructifyeth and groweth euen as in you alleaging Coloss 1. v. 5. â— these passages especially the former disputeth thus VVhat new doctrine doe you preach vnto vs VVhat is the good seed Aug. de vnit Eccl. c. 17. to be sowed againe whereas since it was first sowed it increaseth vntill the haruest if you say it hath perished in those places wherein it was first sowed by the Apostles and therefore ought to be sowed againe out of Affrike out of Germany by Luther out of The like he hath de vnitat Eccles cap. 15. France by Caluin read vs this out of Gods diuine oracles which truly you cannot read vnles you first conuince that to be false which is written the seed there sowen increaseth and fructifieth euen vntill the haruest Eusebius Caesariensis Cyrillus Alexandrinus S. Ambrose S. Ierome confirme the same in most plaine termes but none better then my forenamed S. Augustine De vnit Eccl. c. 25. Euseb Cesar de Demon. Euan. l. 4. c. 9. Cyril Alex. l. 5. in Isa c. 54. Amb. l. 4. HexaÌ„ c. 2. Ierom. in c. 4. Isa Aug. in psal 101. conc 2. Aug. ibid. Augu. in eundem psaâ—m who in another place exclayming against the former cauillation of our Reformers prosecuteth it thus The Church which was of all nations now is not it hath perished this they say who are not in it O impudent speach she is not because thou art not in her Beware therefore least thou art not For she shal be although thou be not This abhominable and detestable speach full of presumption falsity vnder propped with no truth enlightned with no wisedome seasoned with no salt vaine temerarious rash pernicious the spirit of God foresaw disproueth according to him by many testimoÌ„ies of scripture by which he witnesseth the continuance of the Church in the vniuersall world vntill the consummation of all things wherupon he concludeth VVhat is this thou sayest the Church to haue perished out of all nations when as to this end the gospell is preached that it may be in all nations Therfore euen to the end of the world the Church is in all nations this is the shortnes of her dayes Which he auoucheth not of the inuisible but of that visible Church in which Emperours promulgate lawes against heretikes oâ— that Augu. de vnit Eccl. c. 25. non aliqua terrarum parte sed vbique notissima est church which assembleth people into one of that which draweth kingdoms to serue our Lord of that which preacheth the ghospell in the whole world in testimony of al natioÌ„s of that which not in any part of the earth but euery wher is most known of that which is so huge a mountain as it spreâ—eth it self ouer all the earth they are blind who do not see so great a mountain who shut their eyes against a candle placed vpon a caÌ„dlestik Of that wherof he writeth how wilt thou beleeue Christ whom August tom 9. in ep Ioan. Tract 1. 2. item epist 166. thou seest not if thou beleeue not the Church which thou seest 4. But let this sauage fiction take place that the visible society of Gods children hath perished the kingdome of Christ hath beene ouerthrowne as Caluin doteth religion abolished the Church destroyed and all hope of saluation vtterly extinguished Let it be that all the fountaines of Gods word Calu. in resp ad Sadol haue beene stopped the diuine light wholly put out in so much as no sparke there of hath remayned From whence then I pray did â—â—otestantes receaue the light of their gospell By whome The Apology of the Church of England f. 4. 5. 6. Were they instructed in faith fed with the milke nourished with the food of celestiall doctrine by scriptures But fayth is by hearing neither do the Scriptures expound themselues or expresse the meaning of their hidden misteryes but euery where sendes vs to our pastours and teachers to heare from their mouthes sucke from their lippes the streames of life yea Caluin himself sayth Because sayth is by hearing there wil be no sayth vnles there be some Cal. in 1. ad Tim. 3. v. 15. that preach Who preached then to Luther Who to Zuinglius Or to any other Protestant when he first began How crept they into the world Children without parents Schollers without Maisters With this argument S. Augustine triuÌ„phed against the Donatists If the Church was not c. From whence is Donatus or Luther come vnto vs Out of what soyle is he sprung Out of what sea hath he peept From what Augu. l. 3. de Bapt. cont Don. c. 2. Lib. 3. c. 2. cont epist Parm. heauen is he fallen Againe VVhy do you labour in vaine VVhy doe you boast that you haue a Church if the Church in former tymes hath perished Let them tell me by whome Maiorinus or Donatus Luther or Caluin were begotten that by them Parmenian and Priminianus Lutherans and Caluinists might be borne c. But if not finding hâ—â— they might haue their beeing of them selues let them cease to bragge that the Church hath remayned with them which they affirme to haue wholy perished in former dayes 5. Lastly they that admit a defection of
be reputed an aduersary while he sitteth in the throne And Saint Paul directly teacheth that the personall line and continuall propagation of Prophets Euangelistes Pastours and Doctours was instituted by God for the perpetuall succession and continuance Ephes 4. v. 11. 12. 13. Ibid. v. 14. of truth That now we be not children wauering and caryed about with euery winde of doctrine c. Therefore the true personall succession cannot be where the succession of doctrine wauereth much lesse where it fayleth which M. Reynolds M. Whitaker and sundry of our Protestant Reynolds in his conference ca. 7. diuis 9. VVhitak contr 1. q. 5. cap. 6. folio 271. aduersaries earnestly auowe and diligently demonstraty to our handes thereby to defeate if they could possible the prerogatiue of our succeeding Bishops But albeit it maketh nothing agaynst vs nay vpholdeth the right of our clayme who agree with our auncestours in al points of fayth yet it vtterly ouerthrowneth the vsurped title they newly challenge to the pedigree of our Bishops froÌ„ whome they dissent in the very many articles of our beliefe For by their owne arguments no participation can they haue with them in chayres no affinity or succession in Priestly thrones agaynst whome they bray forth defiance in doctrine 6. Now as touching Election the third thing which is defectiue in the Protestant ministery that is a priuiledge only due to ecclesiasticall persons For although secular ProtestaÌ„t Bishops want the electioÌ„ of Deane chapter of all clergy persoÌ„s Princes or such as haue auowsans might somtyme present and nominate their Prelates although the consent and approbation of people for greater vnion and peace hath beene also required yet the Election which interesseth the elected entitleth him to his dignity and giueth him a certayne right to his calling This is and euer was only proper to the Pope to the Deane and Chapter or some other of the Clergy and flatly forbidden to the laity vnder payne of excommunication in In Concil gener 8. can 22. ap Grat. distinc 63. c. Hadrian In Syno Niâ— 2. can 3. the eight generall Councell vnder Basil the Emperour and Adrian the Pope Likewise in the second Nicen Synod it is declared That euery Election of Bishop Priest Deacon made by secular powers let it be inualide and of no force And amongst the Canons of the Apostles the thirtith Canon hath these wordes The Bishop who by the fauour of the Princes and Potentates of the world hath gotten his Church let him be deposed But our English Protestant Bishops haue inuaded their Seas by the fauour of Princes by their letters patents without the canonicall election of Pope Deane and Inter can Aposto ca. 30. Chapter or any ecclesiasticall person Therefore they are to be deposed as wolfes vsurpers entring in at the window and not at the dore This defect is not fayned by coniectures as Barlowes consecration is by Mayster Mason nor proued by secret partiall and vnknowne Recordes MasoÌ„ l 3. c. 4. pag. 127. as he doth the ordination of others But it is publikely set downe in the common receaued lawes or Statutes of the Realme For in the first of King Edward the 1. Edward chapter 2. sixt an Act of Parlament was made for disanulling the election of Archbishops and Bishops by the Deane and Chap. taking away the writ of Conge-deslier grauÌ„ted to that purpose The wordes of the Statute are these The writ of Congedeslier was not to be graunted in King Edwards dais whose lawes Queene Elizabeth reestablished 8. Eliza. 1. 7. Be it enacted by the King with the assent of the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in this present Parlament assembled by the authority of the same that from henceforth no such Conge-deslier be graunted nor election of any Archbishop or Bishop by the Deane and Chapter made but that the Kinge may by his letters Patentes at all tymes when any Archbishopricke or Bishopricke be voyde conferre the same to any persons to whome the Kinge shall think meete Can there be a more euident proofe that the Bishops of King Edwards dayes when this Statute was in force wanted their canonical electioÌ„ And after when his lawes repealed by Queene Mary were reestablished by Queene Elizabeth at least in the beginning how beit since they make shew of returning to the auncient custome Can there be likewise a more vehement suspition willfull forgery in M. Masons registers which testify the Writ of Conge-deslier to be graunted forth when by the tenour of that law it could not be graunted 8. Notwithstanding although their Bishops election Mason lib. 2. chap. 10. fol. 88. 89. The ordination of Protestant Priests Bishops vnlawfull inualide noneat all was inualide and succession of no account yet M. Mason stifly vrgeth that their ordination or consecration was good vnlesse we can name some defect eyther in the consecrated or consecratours I answere that the consecratours after their reuolte from the Catholique Church obstinat persisting in schisme heresy were excommunicated and suspended from the due execution and practise of their functions So that although they had beene before true lawfull Bishops as none excepting Cranmer were of the whole Protestant ranke yet then their authority being taken away by the Catholike Church which as she had power to giue had power also to restrayne and disanull their iurisdiction they could not lawfully communicate vnto others that which was suspended in themselues For this cause Saint Athanasius accouÌ„teth them not in the number of true Bâ—shops who are consecrated by heretikes saying By what right can they Athanasius in Concil Arimi Seleuc. § Quae auteÌ„ Seieâ—ciae be Bishops if they receaued their ordination from heretikes as they theÌ„selues accuse them to be Likewise writing in another place in the person of Pope Iulius It is impossible quoth he that the ordinations made by Secundus being an AriaÌ„ could haue any force in the Catholike Church 6. But M. Mason our Protestants Attorney will reply Apol. 2. that S. Athanasius is to be vnderstood of the legitimate and lawfull vse not of the validity of ordination For that euery Bishop communicateth not by reason of his inherent grace or out ward vnion with the Church but by vertue of his episcopall character which no schisme quoth he by deduction out of our writinges no sinne no Mason l. 2. c. 10. fo 88. heresy no censures of the Church no excommunication suspension interdiction degradation nothing nothing at all sauing only death if death can dissolue it Thus he I graunt that the character is indeleble and that alone is sufficient in the consecratour if his intention also be right and if he vse the true matter and forme essentially required thereunto But our English Superintendents after their fal from the Roman Church neyther intended to giue those holy orders which were instituted by Christ neyther did the ordeyned intend to receaue them
Truth But when God by the Scriptures reuealed it vnto them they both preached it themselues commended it to posterity So that the thinges reuealed vnto them in Scripture was all the Our Ghospellers haue no certayne rule to know their reuelation froÌ„ Scripture to be true warrant they had to preach such Protestant articles as they now maynteyne contrary to the approued doctrin of the Church 25. But I inquire of M. Mason what reuelation it was they had from Scripture Was it the priuate interpretation they made thereof That is fallible and subiect to errour That reuelation euery heretique challengeth and with as much reason maynteyneth it as any Protestant doth his Was it as others pretend the publique voyce of God which spake in Scripture But this In the first part of the Antidote in the first second chapter is a meere collusion of words to beguile the simple For the voyce of God speaking in Scripture is nothing els but the very text of Scripture the wordes and sentences vttered in Scripture as I haue elsewhere often declared Was it their industry labour in conferring reading finding out the true sense of Scripture But this industry was also deceauable as I haue inuincibly demonstrated Our Ghospellers haue not the true Christian fayth concerning any article whatsoeuer in the first controuersy of my Antidote Therefore Protestantes could haue no reuelation from Scripture wherreby they might be infallibly certayn which is necessary to sayth of the truth they deliuered Yea although they should haue lighted vpon the true meaning of some essentiall article of beliefe yet that article so taught and belieued because they so interprete that place of Scripture was not any article of Christian fayth not that diuine fayth which we are commanded to imbrace but a meere humane verity a humane fayth The reason is In the 9. chapter of this third part because the thing belieued causeth not fayth but the infallible motiue for which we belieue it that motiue in Protestants is altogeather fallible as hath been elswhere more largely conuinced Therefore the reuealed truth Luther in expo Ep. ad Galat. cap. 1. folio 215. printed ad VVittemberge by Ioan. Luâ—â— 1954. which they belieue is also fallible 26. Besides Truth reuealed to Protestants in holy Scripture is not sufficient for their Legantine power vnles the legacy also or charge of preaching be coÌ„mitted vnto them It is not inough sayth Luther their chiefe Patriarch for a man to haue the word and purity of doctrine but also he must be assured of his calling not of his calling oÌ„ly to Prieststood by the shell as you tearme it of succession or ceremony of ordination but of his calling and commission giuen to preach and recommend vnto posterity the kernell of Luther ibidem folio 276. doctrine This Mission this vocation he must also haue and that from men or els although thou wert as Luther sayth wiser then Salomon wiser then Daniell if thou be not called more then hell beware thou cast not out a word And many leaues Ierom. 23. v. 21. after he protesteth of himselfe that although he could deliuer soules from errour and damnation by his holesome doctrine yet he ought to commit the matter to God and not to preach Ezech. 13. v. 6. vnlesse he be called by men For such as do otherwise he tearmeth them impostors miscarryed not with a good but a wicked spirit They are those of whome Ieremy and Ezechiell fore warned vs I sent not the Prophets and they ranne I spake not vnto them they prophesied They see vayne thinges and they diuine lyes saying our Lord sayth whereas our Lord sent them not 27. Therefore albeit we should suppose that these new Gospellers had as Mayster Mason insinuateth power from vs to preach truth which notwithstanding is most false yet when they beganne to preach other doctrine then was deliuered vnto them other then was put into their mouthes by their predecessours therein they lost their calling ranne of themselues preached of themselues not sent from God with extraordinary miracles nor yet from men with ordinary commission to publish that fayth For as he who hath authority Aâ— Ambassadourâ— who alter the legacy of their Prince are not therein to be tearmed his Ambassadours no more can ProtestaÌ„ts be sayd to be sent to alter the coÌ„mission of those that sent them Optatus l. 2. contra Parmen from his Kinge to deliuer an Embassage if he alter or change the Massage of his Prince he cannot therein be truly sayd to be his legate or Ambassadour especially if the King recall or countermaunde whatsoeuer he proposeth contrary to his minde No more can Protestant Ministers though rightly ordered and lawfully called maynteyne their calling or vocation to preach any other truth then such as was commended vnto them much lesse if our Bishops reuerse their commission contradict their doctrine labour by al meanes vtterly to suppresse it For who doubteth but that such as haue power to communicate haue power also to reuoke moderate and restreyne the authority which they giue And whosoeuer persisteth after the reuocation or whosoeuer altereth the tenour of his commission he runneth not sent he prophesieth that which our Lord neuer sayd nor any of his seruants deliuered vnto him he is therein as Optatus wittily iesteth at Victor the Donaeist A sonne without a Father a Nouice without an instructour disciple without a mayster follower without a predecessour prodigiously borne a preacher of himselfe teaching a lesson which he neuer learned of any before For to go backe and say with M. Mason that God by Scriptures reuealed it vnto him is no authenticall or sufficient calling because generally all heretiques boast of the like reuelation all pretend their Mission and calling by Scripture That the Donatistes the Circumcellians the Arians arrogated and had as good warrant God leaueth not Scripture to euery ones priuat exposition but to the interpretation only of his Church for the true meaning of Scripture as any Protestant hath for his exposition Wherefore to auoyd the confusion occasions of errour which might ensue of leauing the Scripture to the particuler interpretations of priuat men it pleaseth God to vnfold the true sense meaning of his will to the publike Pastours preachers of his Church to them he infallibly deliuereth the inheritance of truth of them only we must seeke it to them we are bound to repayre to haue it opened vnto vs from them alone we can haue our vocation to preach it Otherwise euery mad and fanaticall spirit might fondly deuise as Protestants doe what constructions what reuelations he list 28. This reason Iohn Caluin the chiefe Architect of M. Masons religion assigneth why God teacheth not eyther by himselfe or by Angells but by the voyce and Caluin in c. 59. Isa speach of men This order quoth he God hath setled in his Church that they may vaunt themselues in
vayne to be ready to obey him who reiect his Mynisters Therefore he commaundeth the word and doctrine to be required from the mouth of Prophets and Doctours who teach in his name and by his warrant least we foolishly hunt after new reuelations Yf this be so how durst your M. Caluin How durst our sectaryes deliuer a Gospell they neuer tooke from the mouth of any Prophet or Doctour Caluinus contra errores Serueti With what face doe they vaunt of obeying God when they disobey his Mynisters the interpreters of his will How shall we know that they who follow not the setled course prescribed by him doe not foolishly hunt after new reuelations Michael Seruetus forsooke that ordinary way he vsed the like pretense as M. Mason doth of reuelation froÌ„ Scripture the same Caluin inueighed agaynst him That like another Mahomet he rose a restorer of a new world with a new and vnknowne reuelation Is not this sayth he to make voyd the whole glory which Christ hath gotteÌ„ By thy own saying I coÌ„demne thee and thy fellowes o vngracious seruant For by the same argument thou o Caluin art like another Mahomet Caluin his followers come like Mahomet with new reuelations the English sectaryes progenitours like so many Mahomets who contrary to the publike truth receaued in the Church challenged another reuealed to them out of holy Scripture With whome I reason thus When Cranmer in England or any other beganne to vent their reformed Gospell eyther the same Gospell was preached by some lawfull Pastours in some partes of the world or not Yf it were not The Church of Protestants was no where extant the glory of Christs Church in their conceit was wholy extinguished If it were FroÌ„ those Pastours our sectaryes should haue deriued their succession To theÌ„ they ought to haue gone for their holy Orders 29. Or if the shell of ordinution from the Priestes of Tertullian in praes ca. 20. Antichrist was good inough for their Antichristian synagogue at least from them they ought to haue taken rraducem fidei semina doctrinae their letters patents and commission to preach From them they should haue gleaned the kernell of doctrine they should haue drawne from those pure Churches the line of fayth and seeds of doctrine as Tertullian anoucheth Aug. l. 5. de baps contra donatist cap. 26. which aduise S. Cyprian also giueth and S. Augustine much commendeth it saying That which he Cyprian admonisheth that we repayre to the conduite head that is to Apostolicall tradition and from thence direct the pipe to our tymes is an excellent The succession propagation of truth which heer we seeke cannot be learned out of Scripture 2. Pet. â— v. 16. thinge and without doubt to be obserued especially seeing in this mark of succession it is not the bare truth for which we inquire but the propagation traditioÌ„ reception coÌ„tinuance lineall descent of the truth how it hath been coÌ„ueyed by Pastour to Pastour in al succeeding ages how taught how belieued from the Apostles dayes euen vnto ours This cannot be learned out of Scripture because it followeth after the Scripture The succession of doctrine came after the Scriptures were written how shall it then be proued by the precedeÌ„t Scriptures which were in the Apostles time who endited them depraued and Athanasius ora 2. contra Arian peruerted by some to their owne perdition as S. Peter witnesseth and why may not such deprauatours much more be now How can the Scriptures beare witnes of the publication progresse true perseuerance of that Eos qui aliunde quaÌ„ a tota successione Cathedrae ecclesiastica originem fidei suae deducunt haereticos esse which fell out many yeares after their authours compilers were dead So that for the true doctrinal you must needs haue recourse to the true Pastoral succession which are inseparably chayned and linked togeather To leaue this way and endeauour eyther by Scriptures or by any other meanes to vphould the continuall descent propagation of fayth is an euident brand or note of heresy as S. Athanasius anoweth saying They are heretikes who de riue the origen of their fayth any where els then from the whole succession of the Ecclesiasticall chayre which he accounteth Aug tract 37. in Ioan there an excellent and an admirable way to fiâ—d out an hereticall sect And S. Augustine affirmeth That to be the Catholike fayth which comming from the doctrine of the Apostles is planted in vs by the line of succession S. Irenaeus also more auncient Irenaeus l. 4. cap. 45. then he sayth VVith whome the succession of Bishops from the Apostles tyme downeward remayned these are they who conserue our sayth doe expound the Scriptures vnto vs without danger 30. By this tyme thou perceauest courteous Reader the peruerse vnto ward course of Protestants who departed from the Pastours of the Church to the written word wheras they should haue repayred to her Pastours to haue learned without daunger the meaning of that word Thou perceauest the beggary or nullity rather of their prophane secular ministery which vndertaketh the care of sonles without any true election ordination succession or mission Thou perceauest how vainly they confide in their reuelations from Scripture who haue no certayne rule or publike warrant as Catholikes haue to knowe whether their reuelations proceed from God or no. Thou seest how they beare about them the earemarke of heretiks in deriuing their fayth from another Origene then the line of Apostolicall succession Thou seest how dangerously they vsurpe the functioÌ„ of Pastours who are wolfs robbers and soule-killers of the sheep so deadly bought with the bloud of Christ CHAP. XXI In which the Beginning Propagation Continuance of the true Fayth is proued to be a Note of the true Church and only to appertayne to the Roman Church which neuer altered the Faith it first receaued from the Apostles I SAY prophecying of the true Church and of the very place from whence Isay 2. v. 3. the preaching of the euangelical gospell should begin sayd The law shall come from Sion and the word of our Lord froÌ„ Act. 1. v. 8. IerusaleÌ„ Our Sauiour doth not only assigne the same beginning but foretelleth Luc. 24. v. 46. 47. the growth increase and continuance therof in these wordes You shal be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem and in all Iury and Samaria and euen to the vtmost of the earth And Matth. 13. v. 37. 39. item 24. v. 14. It behooued pennance to be preached in his name and remission of sinns vnto all nations beginning at Ierusalem Then he auerreth that the seede of his word thus sowed in the field of the world shold increase and grow vntill the haruest That is vntill the last day vntill the consummation of all thinges Hence S Augustine Aug. de vnit Eccl. cap. 10. maketh this illation Let vs therefore holde the Church
designed by the mouth of our Lord from whence it is to beginne and how farre it is to be dilated it is to beginne at Ierusalem and to be dilated into all nations Where he often sayth it shal perseuere Ibidem c. 5. vntill the end of the world This marke is distinct from those which I haue explaned heretofore because I speake not here of the vniuersall being of the Church but of the manner how it came to be in all nations 〈◊〉 of the successiue line of pastorall doctrine but of the order how it also continued for euer 2. After which sort it is to be reduced to the precedent note of Apostolicall succession and such Churches as are thus deriued from those which the Apostles planted Tertull. in praes cont haer may be truly called as Tertullian affirmeth Apostolicall Churches But the Church of Rome only can shew how it beganne at Ierusalem how it grew and spread it selfe into all nations how it still perseuereth whole and entire in all the pointes of fayth she first sucked from the Apostles The Apostolicall fayth is to be knoweÌ„ not by the priuat expositions which now are deuised but by the generall interpretations of Scripture which haue been deliuered froÌ„ tyme to tyme. breastes Therefore she alone is the vndoubted spouse of Iesus Christ For we doe not here intrude our selues to the Apostles tymes and lay clayme as Protestants and other heretikes falsly doe to the Apostolicall faith but to the preaching propagatioÌ„ continuance of that fayth not to the new interpretatioÌ„s which now are made of the written word but to the receaued expositions which from tyme to tyme from country to country from Iury to Rome from Rome to all nations haue beene infallibly gathered and faythfully deliuered out of that sacred word Of this our sectaryes are so destitute as they had not any Priest or Bishop Clark of layman woman or childe in the whole world who preached vnto Luther their first beginner and deliuered vnto him or any other of his consorts their Protestant doctrin Therfore Mayster Mason retire to as you haue heard to the reuelation of Scripture made in England to Cranmer Latimer Ridley and their fellowes others to the like reuelations made to Luther at wittemberge to Caluin at Geneua Mason l. 1. chap. 2. fol. 11. to Oecolampadius at Basil from thence they deriue the propagation or reuiuall of their Gospell which lay dead before for many ages And that which Saint Augustine Aug. l. de vnit Eccl. cap. 17. condemned in the Donatists of no lesse then blasphemy to wit that the good seede of heauenly truth which was sowed by the Apostles and Apostolicall men in all the world and which was there to grow vntill the haruest should haue perished out of those places and be sowed a new out of Africa This I say which he accounted in them a most detestable blasphemy is reuiued again by our late Sectaries who as wretchedly dreame that the same seede was decayed in their dayes or couered at least froÌ„ the view of the world that it had not any publike Pastours to preserue it Doctours to water it preachers to sow it but it must be sowed a new by Cranmer out of England by Luther out of Wittemberge out of Geneua by Caluin whose folly I impugne with Saint Augustines wordes For as his enemyes furnish our Sectaryes with obiections so he armeth vs with irresistable answeres Let them sayth he search the Scriptures and agaynst so many testimonyes which proclayme the Church of Christ to be spread ouer all the world let them Aug. de vnit eccl c. 4. bring but one as certayne and manifest as those by which they demonstrate the Church of Christ to haue perished out of other nations and only to haue remayned in Africa as though it should haue another beginning not from Ierusaelem but from Carthage where first they set vp a Bishop agaynst a Bishop Or as we may apply it to our purpose VVhitak cont 2. q. 5. cap. 1. The Apology of the English Church pa. 4. chap. 4. Caluin libro 4. instit 1. c. 7. §. 24. Fox acts and mon. pag. 400. and pag. 402. Oecolampadius vpon his tomb at Basill is called Euangelicae doctrinae Author primus Buâ—er â—â— An. 36. ad Episco Hereford calleth Luther primum Apostolum purioris â—uangelij Ioachim Camera fratrum orthodoxae Eccles pag. 161. calleth â—uther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from England from Wittemberge from Geneua where by Bishops of Priestes lately sprunge vp are scattered abroad new seedes of beliefe contrary to the sowinges of all other Bishops and Priestes In so much as their owne followers attribute vnto them The Restauration The Bringing to light The first Beginning or Rebudding of the Gospell The Reedification of the desolate ruines of Religion The Opening of a veyne longe hid before The Rising of aebeame of truth then vnknowne and vnheard They call them the first Authours first Maysters first restorers first Apostles of their euangelicall strange â—â—d new reformed doctrine For themselues also entitle it new â—â—d strange And another of their fauourites auerreth that â—uther receaued not his fayth eyther froÌ„ Husse or Wickâ—iffe but was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instructed of himselfe by the help no doubt aâ— he imâ—gâ—â—ed of holy Scripture A playne demonstration that the Protestant fayth is not that which beginning first at Ierusalem was diffused ouer the world and from Pastour to Pastour descended by the Apostles prescribed way of preaching vnto them Now let vs see whether this property belonge not to the Roman Church 3. Our aduersaries cannot deny but that the ChristiaÌ„ faith first preached at Rome came from Ierusalem eyther by Saint Peter as the whole clowd of Fathers and greatest torrent of Protestants beare witnes or at least by S. Paul who continued the same preaching and was there vnder Nero crowned with martyrdome Likewise that the same fayth was propagated into all Nations the Apostle also testifieth saying to the Romans Your fayth is renowned Rom. 1. v. 8. in the whole world and Saint Irenaeus calling it the greatest and most auncient Church of Rome knowne to all the world as founded by the two most glorious Apostles Peter and Paul addeth Irenaeus l. 3. c. 3. adu haeres immediatly after that vnto this Church in respect of her more mighty principality it is necessary that all Churches agree and haue accesse that is to say all faythfull people wheresoeuer they liue In which Church the tradition that hath descended from the Apostles VVhitak in his ans to Doctor Sanders 2. demonst Fulke in c. 22. Thessa sect 7. Reynolds in his 5. conclus hath euer beene kept by those that liue in any place of the world Fot this cause our aduersaryes confesse that it was our mother Church a most pure excellent and flourishing Church And so continued for some few ages But since say they it is degenerated into a