that before Luthers tyme they seeke their Church in Popery and amongst the Papists 2. Secondly I prooue this same out of that which diuers tymes they graunt that the Roman Church holdeth all the fundamentall articles of fayth That Papists hold the foundation of fayth which themselues commonly teach as hereafter shall be shewed to suffice to make a Church Their Confession of Auspurg in the 21. chapter hath these wodrs This is almost the summe of doctrine among vs in which as it may seeme there is nothing which differeth from scripture or from the Catholike Church or from the Roman Church LutheraÌ„s so farre as it appeareth by writers All the dissention is about some few abuses which haue crept into Churches without certaine authority Whereby we see that the first and auncientest Protestants The suÌ„me of faith in Popeâ—y publikly professed that they differed not from the Roman Church in the summe of doctrine but that all their disagreement was about some few abuses And albeit the wordes be somewhat altered in the printed copies yet that they were in the originall copie which was presented to Charles 5. Emperour is manifest by Fabritius who repeateth them so out of that copie by Pappus in his 3 defence against Sturmius who so also reporteth them by Zanchius in his dispute between two Deuines where he repeateth these wordes out of the said Confession There is nothing in our doctrine which differeth from the church of Rome as far as it is knowne by writers and finally by Hieremias Patriarch of Constantinople in his censure vpon the said Confession it being sent vnto him by the Protestants where he thus writeth to them Yee say yee agree in all things with the Latins Cocleus anno 1â—28 VseÌ„berg causa 17. and that the difference betwixt you and them is only touching some abuses likwise Luther in his foresaid epist cont Anabap VVe confesse that in Popery is much good belonging to Christians yea all Christian good All ChristiaÌ„ good to wit that in Popery is the true Scripture true baptisme the true Sacrament of the altar the true keyes for remission of sinnes the true office of preaching the true Catechisme as the Lords prayer the ten commaundements and the articles of faith Whereupon Schusselburg in his 8. tome of the Catalogue of heretikes pag. 439. saith VVe deny not but that Luther sayd that all Christian goods are in Popery What was needfull to saluation and came from thence vnto vs Iohn Regius in his consideration of the censure c Albeit the Ministery of Papists be corrupted with many traditions and inuentions of men yet it had that which was necessary to saluation to wit the Canonicall scripture the Creed c. Leonard Crenâ—zen The bishop of Rome holdeth the same foundation of the Catholike faith 1. Cor. 3. The fouÌ„dation of Fayth which I and the Catholik Apostolik Church do acknowledge although there be some difference of opinions in certaine circumstances Thus the Lutherans Of the Sacramentaries SacrameÌ„taries Iunius in his 5. controuersy lib. 3. cap. 19. writeth thus of Papists Lutherans and Caluinists VVe agree in the essentiall foundation Essentiall foundation Zanchius in his foresayd preface In despite of the Diuell that Church of Rome hath kept the principall grounds of fayth Principall grounds of fayth Boysseul also in his forenamed confutation pag. 79 VVe acknowledge that it is pure in the cheife articles of Christian Religion And Vorstius in his Anti-bellarmin pag. 188. It is manifest that there are many in that company of Papists who rightly hold the fundamentall points The fundamentall points of our Religion And of the English Protestants his Maiesty in his monitory epistle pag. 148. plainly intimateth that Papists do stick vnto the auncient foundations of the old true Catholike and Apostolike fayth M. Hooker in his 3. booke of Ecclesiasticall policy pag. 128. sayth Touching those maine points of Christian truth wherein they constantly still persist English ProtestaÌ„ts we gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus Christ D. Whitaker in his 2. cont quest 5. cap. 14 Papists haue the Scripture Baptisme Catechisme the articles of fayth the ten commandments the Lords prayer The main points and those things came to vs from them D. Whitgift in his answere to the admonition pag. 40 Papistry confesseth the same articles of fayth that we do although not sincerely And pag. 62 Papists belieue the same articles of fayth that we do M. Perkins in the preface of his reformed Catholike By a reformed Catholike I vnderstand any one that holds the same necessary heads of Religion with the Roman Church The necessary heads yet so as he pares of and reiects all errours in doctrine whereby the sayd religion is corrupted D. Morton in his answere to the Protestants Apology lib. 3. cap. 18. sect 1 VVe may graunt that God may cooperate with them to the conuersion of Infidels The ghospell of saluation so far as the Ghospell of Christ which is the power of God to saluation is preached by them D. White in defence of his way cap. 38 In the substantiall articles of fayth we agree with them Lastly D. Hall in his foresayd booke sayth The substantiall articles that the Romane Church is one touching the common principles of fayth Those things which she holdeth together with vs make a Church As farre as she holdeth the foundation she is a church 3. Thirdly the same point is proued The articles which make a Church by that they graunt some to be saints whom they acknowledge also to haue liued and died Papists For of S. Bernards holines thus writeth Luther vpon the 4. cap. to the Galathians Bernard a man so holy pious chast c. The Apology of the Confession of Auspurg in the chapter of answere to the ArgumeÌ„ts Antony Bernard That they say some Papists be saints Francis Dominicke and other holy Fathers Brentius in his Apology for the Confession of Wirtenberg pag. 297 I iudge Bernard to haue byn a man indued with great piety and to liue now happily with Christ Caluin in his 4. booke of institutions c. 7. num 22 Gregory and Bernard holy men Vorstius in Anti-bellarmin pag. 181 VVe graunt Bernard indeed to haue byn pious Lubbert in his 6. booke of the church c. 7 VVe think Bernard to haue byn truly holy D. Whitaker cont 3. quest 5. c. 14 I take Bernard to haue byn holy indeed And D. Morton in his Apology part 2. lib. 2. c. 23 I confesse Bernard was a Saint And as plainly do they confesse that he was a Papist For thus Luther in the place now cited Let vs imagine that Religion and discipline of the ancient Popery to flourish now and to be obserued with that rigour with which the Eremits Hierome Augustin Bernard Francis and many others obserued it And in his booke of abrogating Masse Bernard Bonauenture Francis Dominicke with their
ordinance in al those things that of necessity are requisite to the same And his maiesty ep cit Whitâ—k Cont. 2. q. â— c. 18. Sutla l. 1. de Eccl. c. 1. Mort. Apol. l. 2. cap. 3â— It is needfull that the churches be vnited amoÌ„g themselues in vnity of saith and doctrine in those points which are necessary to saluation And hereupon diuers Protestants deny those Corinthians who denyed the Resurrection and those Galathians who ouerturned the Ghospell of Christ to haue byn members of the Church because they denyed a fundamentall point point of Christian fayth Wherefore vnlesse Protestants will deny their common doctrine in this matter reiect their owne definition of the Church cast away their only marke of the Church and leaue no marke of her at all they cannot auouch any one to haue byn a Protestant who dissented from them in any fundamentall point of doctrine 2. If any one say that although he who denyeth any fundamentall point of Protestancy cannot be of the visible Protestant Church yet may he be of their inuisible Church I answeare that as shall be shewed hereafter there can be no Church which is inuisible in profession of fayth howsoeuer it be inuisible in iustice and predestination and therefore none can be of the inuisible Church who is not also of the visible Againe Protestants will haue none to be of the inuisible Church but such as are iust But how is he iust who denieth Gods faith and maketh him a lyer and that in a principall point of religion Besides Protestants say that none can be a member of the inuisible Church vnlesse he be also a member of the visible Church if so conueniently he may 3. Moreouer the holy Fathers most frequently Leo. Ierm 4. de Nat. Hier. lib. 3 â—oÌ„t Ruffi Aug. l. de haer q. 11. in Mat. 18. de ciuit c. 51. Basilius in Theodor. lib. 4. c. 19. and sometymes also Protestants themselues do teach that it is necessary to a faythful and belieuing man that he deny no one article of fayth and much lesse a fundamentall or principall article Finally Protestants are wont to laugh at Catholiks if they proue any Father to haue byn a Papist because he held some fundamentall point of Papistry For thus writeth Pareus lib. 1. de amiss gratiae cap. 1 It is ridiculous for him to conclude S. Augustin to haue byn a Papist because in this errour he agreed with them no lesse them if you inferre that we are Papists because we agree with Papists in some truth And D. White in defence of his Way cap. 45. pag. 432 His holding of some things superstitiously which the Church of Rome hath entertayned proues not that he professed the same fayth the Church of Rome now doth because the fayth of the sayd Church comprehends much more then he held and what he held is now otherwise expounded and applyed then by him it was And in his Way pag. 298 If he would deale faythfully and to the point he should not say Bernard professed the Roman fayth and was a monke but he should haue shewed that be professed the present Roman fayth as the Councell of Trent and the Iesuits haue set it downe at least in the fundamentall points thereof Let them then abide the law which themselues haue made and let not them conclude any one to haue byn a Protestant because he agreed with them in one or more points vnlesse he agreed with them at least in all fundameÌ„tall points of their doctrine I adde also that against Protestants we do rightly conclude that the holy Fathers were Papists if we do shew that they dissented from Protestants in one or more fundamentall points For they will not deny but that the Fathers were either Papists or Protestants But Protestants they were not if they denyed their doctrine in any fundamentall point thereof therfore they must needs be Papists And the like is not of others whome Protestants cannot coÌ„clude to haue byn theirs if they can proue that they were none of ours Because neither we wil graunt nor they can auouch that such were either ours or theirs as they graunt of the holy Fathers What is necessarily required to a ProtestaÌ„ts Be it therefore certaine and assured that to a Protestant is necessarily required that either explicitly or at least implicitly and vertually he belieue all the fundamentall points of Protestancy and willfully deny no one of them And that therefore Protestants can no way challenge any who reiected any one of their fundamentall and principall articles It remayneth that we set downe the fundamentall articles of Protestancy lib. de vnie baptism c. â—â— because Protestants themselues agree not herein but as S. Augustin sayd that the Donatists did concerning sinnes which they would haue to exclude men out of the Church so Protestants in a strange fashion distinguish the fundamentall points of their fayth deuising rules of distinction amongst them not out of the scriptures but out of their owne heads Which be the fundamentall heads of Protestancy CHAP. VIII 1. THAT we may determine which be the fundamentall articles of Protestant religion we must first shew How much ProtestaÌ„ts esteeme the Conf. of Ausp that all Protestants professe to receiue the Confession of Auspurge at least in the principall and fundamentall articles thereof Of the Lutheran Protestants this is manifest For in their conference at Aldeburg both parties of them agreed to admit it for a rule of their disputation And ibidem pag. 404. those of the Electors side do say VVe referre our selues and do looke vnto the Confession of Auspurg as to the foundation of religion next after the word of God And other Lutherans in Zanchius in Supplicat ad Senat. Argentinens pag. 70. The fouÌ„dation of Religion do appoint that it be taught according to the Confession of Auspurge presented to Charles the 5. anno 1530 and the Apology thereof subscribed at Numberg and that it be the square and rule of all religion in all articles The square of religion Heshusius lib. de present corp Christi in caelo affirmeth that amongst the Lutherans all that are promoted to degrees and cure of soules do sweare to the Confession of Auspurg and the Apology thereof They sweare to it The same testifyeth Lobechius disp 1. pag. 12. and as Lauatherus addeth anno 1530 The lawes of the vniuersity of VVittemberg do streightly forbid to defend any opinions which are contrary to this Confession Heâ—â—â—sius also lib. cit writeth The authority thereof most holy that the authority thereof ought to be most holy amongst all godly men Westphalus cont Laskum affimeth that it containeth the summe of doctrine founded in the word of God Ernestus Regius in vita Vrbani that it is the square and rule of controuersies in the Church Lobechius lib. cit that it is the rule of sayth and doctrine distinguishing the orthodoxall Church from the heterodoxall Reineccius in armatura tom
say the Church can be destroyed 8. If any reply that S. Augustin vpon the 128. psalme sayth that the Church was once in Abel alone and Tertullian lib. de poenit cap. 10. the Church is in one or two I answere that S. Augustin there by the Church vnderstandeth those only whome the scripture by name hath canonized as it hath Abel for otherwise it is manifest that in Abels tyme there were others that were of the Church besides himselfe to wit Adam and Eue. And Tertullian by the Church vnderstandeth not the Catholike or vniuersall Church as we do but any number of Christians such as were those domesticall Churches which S. Paul sometymes saluted 9. The last refuge may be that what Protestants haue sayd of the destruction of the Church and fayth they meant not of their owne Church and fayth but of some others But this is a fond shift For first as I haue shewed they meane the destruction of the true Church and fayth Eyther therefore their Church and fayth is not the true but false or else they meane of their owne For the true Church and fayth is but one as the Apostle sayth Ephes 4 One God one fayth And the Nycen Creed I belieue one church S. Cyprian lib. de vnit One God one Christ one Church and one sayth S. Hilary ad Constant VVhatsoeuer is besides one fayth is not fayth but treachery And S. Leo serm 4. de Natiuit Vnlesse it be one it is no fayth Nay Luther lib. cont Papaâ—um tom 7. fol. 461 Christ knoweth not two kinds of vnlike Churches but one only Church Caluin 4. Inst cap. 1. § 2 VVe cannot find two or three churches vnlesse Christ be pluckt in peeces And in his Catechisme As there is one head of the faythfull so they must all be vnited in one body that there be not many Churches but one only And hereupon inferreth Sadeel in Refutat Thes Posnan art 61. that what is sayd of the true Church is sayd of theirs Seeing sayth he the true Church is one and not many as often as the truth of doctrine shineth openly so often we say the true Church and therfore our Church was visible Secondly because as we haue seene they speake of the destruction of their most principall article of iustificatioÌ„ by only faith which they affirme to be the life soule and summe of their Church Thirdly because they estsoones speake of the destruction of the Ghospell but by the name of the Ghospell they meane their owne doctrine as by the name of Gospellers they vnderstand themselues as hereafter shall appeare Finally because they professe that by the name of a Protestant Lutheran or Caluinist they vnderstand a true Christian Sadeel lib. de peccat remiss cap. 1 Ours that is the true Christian Catholikes opinion D. Fulke lib. de Succest pag. 186 I will neuer deny that Iewell was a noble Protestant that is a Christian And ad Cauillat Staplet The community of Christians whome ye call Protestants Hutten in Expostul cum Erasmo Against Lutherans that is maintayners of the truth Schusselburg tom 7. Catal. haeret Pap. 73 A Lutheran or true Christian is c. And lib. 2. Theol. Caluin fol. 131 Lutherans that is true seruants of Christ Beza cont Illyricum pag. 168 VVe perceiue no difference betweene Sacramentaries and Christians Hospinian part 2. Histor fol. 384 The Sacramentaries that is the orthodoxall And Danaeus cont Bellarm. pag. 311 The Caluinists that is Christians pag. 169 A Caluinist that is a godly man 10. Wherefore out of all whâ—ch hath byn sayd in this and the former Chapter I thus make my first demonstration to proue that Luther was the Author and first beginner of the Protestant Church and religion If the Protestant Church were not at all when Luther began he was the author thereof But it was not at all Therefore he was the author of it The Maior or first proposition is euident For if it were not at all when Luther began he was the beginner of it The minor is manifest by the foresayd CoÌ„fessions of Protestants wherein they plainly say that it was substantially perished That euery man followed a Church and religion different from the Protestant before Luther arose CHAP. III. 1. THE second demonstration wherewith we will proue Luther to haue byn haue byn the Author of the Protestant Church and religion we will take from the Protestants confessions that wheÌ„ Luther first began all the world and euery man imbraced a different religion Luther in the Preface of his first come Here see euen by my case The whole world how hard it is to yet out of errours which are confirmed by the example of the whole world and by long custome as it were changed into nature And to 2. this is written in his Epitaph O Christ Long custome he shewed thâ—e when all the world was ouerwhelmed with darkenesse And lib. 1. de captiuit Babylon fol. 72. being to write against Masse he sayth Neither let it moue thee that the whole world hath the contrary opinion and custome And fol. 68 There is almost this day nothing more receiued or more seâ—led in the Church then that Masse is a sacrifice Againâ— So many ages I set vpon a thing which being approued by the custome of so many ages and consent of all is so ingrafted as it is needfull to change almost the whole face of the Church Consent of all And lib. de â—â—râ—g Miss fol. 244 How often did my trembling hart quake and reprehending me obiected that their strongest and only argument Art thou only wise what did all erre Only Luther wise were so many ages ignorant Behold how Luthers heart or conscience did tell him that he alone knew Protestancy and that for many ages all were ignorant of it And in hiâ— table talkes fol. 10 These cogitations were very troublesome to me Thou only hast the pure word of God all others want it And lib. cit de Missa â—ol 247 The common people without doubt are most fully persuaded that all men are holpen by Masses for it seemeth incredible that all the world should be so forsaken of God And fol. 256 It seemes incredible to them that Luther alone should be wise Contra Cochlaeum fol. 408 The Sophisters and Monks haue seduced the whole world to trust in works The whole world vnder the Pope Tom. 3. in psal 82. fol. 481 In tymes past the whole world was vnder the Popes Dominion Tom. 5. â—n 4. Galat. fol. 388 In former ages Paul was vnknown to the whole world Tom. 6. in cap. 11. Genes fol. 130 The wicked impostour so he termeth the Pope hath deceiued all the word in c. 37. fol. 506 The whole world was horribly brought into madnes and solly by Papists In cap. 19 fol. 238 In the former age all things lay in darknesse Tom. 7. epist ad D. Sabaudiae fol. 483 VVe confesse that the world was by the Pope most miserably seduced
28. fol. 396 If the Pope must be worshipped Christ must be denyed And de Missa priuata tom 7. fol. 475 VVhosoeuer is vnder the Pope and obeyeth him cannot be saued Caluin against Seruer pag. 607 Is it not a profanation of the sacred vnity to professe one God and faith with an impious and prophane company And Respons ad Versip pag. 362 How wicked and soule treachery is it to abide in that sacrilegious company of Papists And D. Whitaker ad Rat. 3. Campiani None abide with the lambe in the mountaine who haue any commerce with Antichrist And Caluin in Confutat Hollandi lib. de vitandis superstitionibus bringeth many proofes to shew that the faithfull may not communicate with the false Church and therto citeth the letters of Melancthon Bucer Peter Martyr and those of Zurich and the same is commonly taught of Protestants How then did not those Protestants separate themselues from the body of Christ how were they saued who in tymes past communicated with papists How were they saued vnlesse God be an acceptour of persons and tyms that he will cut of some from his body and from hope of saluation who communicate with Antichrist and not others at these and not in former tymes Againe Protestants teach that the Church ought to professe her fayth as besides the testimonies before repeated the Preface of the Confession of Saxony sayth They that are demaunded must needs tell the doctrine And the CoÌ„fession of Bohemia art 2 They teach that they must vndoubtedly belieue all the articles of the Creed and confesse them with the mouth Luther in 1. Petri cap. 2. tom 5. fol. 464 If any now as the Emperour or other Prince should aske me my fayth I must plainly confesse it to him And de Scru. Arbit tom 2. fol 432 Truth and doctrine must alwayes be preached openly and neuer kept secret or crookt and turnd awry D. Feild lib. 1. de Eccl. cap. 10 For seeing the Church is the multitude of them that shall be saued vnlesse he mak coÌ„fession vnto saluation for fayth hid in the heart and concealed doth not suffice it cannot be but they that are of the true Church must by the profession of the truth make themselues knowne in such sort that c. And the Preface of the Syntagme of Confessions VVhen euery one ought according to the Apostles precept giue a reason of his hope how much more the Church And D. Whitaker Cont. 4. quest 6. cap. 2. pag 696 True sayth can no more be separated from confession with the mouth then fire from beat or the sunne from its brightnes and beames What fayth then had those protestants which as is sayd durst not professe their mind And Cont. 2. qoest 3. cap. 2. pag. 472 It is not lawfull for the godly to dissemble true Religion or make shew of false nor to conceale what they think of Religion if they be examined of them who haue authority to aske them of their fayth But it is not credible that in so many ages in no part of the Christian world no Catholike Magistrate should aske any protestant of his fayth especially if it be true that Luther writeth in psalm 22. tom 3. fol. 344. that Papists do so examine the body of the Church that all her bones may be counted that is none of them can by hid VVherefore we must not imagine that there are any hidden bones of Christ all are bewrayed and counted wheresoeuer they are either by the espials of secret confession or by the tortours or examiners Which sheweth that if there had byn any true protestants heretofore they would haue byn discouered 11. Finally they are brought to these straights that sometymes they say that the protestant church which they imagine was heretofore in popery did consist of those who were papists both in opinion and profession This Caluin intimateth in the words before cited when he sayth that his church was corrupted with pestilent doctrine And Luther de Missa priuata tom 7. fol. 231. saying The very elect were seduced in that great darknesse And in cap. 9. Isaiae tom 4. fol. 95 Behold sayth he the whole face of the Churches vnder Popery Did not they all who truly felt the burden of sinne imagine that they should by good works satisfy for their sinnes Which thing alone would suffice to blot them out of the role of protestants D. White in defence of his way cap. 36. pag. 350. sayth those imaginary protestants were corrupted some more some lesse with those errors which sayth he now we fly And cap. 40. pag. 394. graunteth that they were infected with damnable heresies D. Whitaker lib. 2. de Scriptura cap. 8. sect vlt. sayth They were beset with most thick darknes Nappâ—r in cap. 12. Apocal. pag. 195. that their visible Church in tymes past VVholy embraced the errors of merits and indulgences c. And Morgersterâ—â— tract de Eccl. pag. 41 These things were in tymes past to be forgiuen the godly that they belieued the Pope to be â—hrists vicar and head of the church Popery to be the church Saints to be prayed vnto Masse to be the Lords supper Are these men think you in their wits who call them godly and say they must be pardoned who belieued Antichrist to be Christs vicar Antichrists Synagogue to be the Church of Christ and horrible idolatry such as they account Masse prayer to Saints to be seruice of Christ The same also they meane when they challenge the simple ignorant Papists for theirs or confesse the vulgar Roman Church to be the true Church or as others of them speake graunt the Roman Church but deny Popery the Popish or Roman Popish Church For they imagine that the simple Catholike people neither doth now nor in former tyms did belieue those points of fayth which themselues deny But this they feigne of the simple Catholike people and cannot proue it Besides there is no Catholike â—o simple as doth not vertually belieue all points of Catholike fayth which Protestants deny sith he actually professeth to belieue whatsoeuer the Catholike Church teacheth Neither is there any at all who doth not belieue iustification by good works which point alone would suffice to make them no Protestants Besides Caluin 4. Institut cap. 8. sayth that we affirme him to be no Christian who doth not vndoubtedly agree to all points of doctrine as well affirmatiue as negatiue And the same sayth D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 5. cap. 8. pag. 519. D. Morton part 1. Apol. lib. 1. cap. 9. and D. Willet in the Preface of his Synopsis Yea as before we rehearsed Cap 2. they confesse that before Luthers reuolt all from head to foot were drowned in the pudles of Popery that none dreamed of that which is the cheifest point of Protestancy Wherfore Schusselburg tom 8. Catal. Haeret. pag. 440. seemeth to say That befor Luther arose Popery was the true church like as the Synagogue of the Iewes was before the comming
neither did any maÌ„ feele or perceiue himselfe to haue bin a member of such a Church before that time Wherfore as he should manifestly play the Sophister who would goe about to proue by scripture that the sunne appeareth at midnight so likewise doth he who out of scripture endeuoreth to proue that there was a protestant Church before Luther because all mens sense conuince the one as well as the other Besides Protestants write that though faith commaund vs to beleiue things which we see not yet it doth not commaund vs not to beleiue that which we see for otherwise faith should be contrary to sense and none should become faithfull but he should first be senselesse But surely wonderfull is the blindnes or wilfulnesse of Sacramentaries who in the matter of the Eucharist against the most expresse words of Scripture will endeuour to proue by sense that there is not the body of Christ when as the body of Christ there is not sensible And here in the matter of existence of their Church before Luther out of some apparent shew of scripture against the most manifest sense of all men will proue that it was before Luthers time When as a Church is a sensible thing and can be felt either of others or at least of them who are of it How much better and more reasonably should they proceed if in the Eucharist where Christs body is not sensible they would rather giue eare to the most expresse words of scripture then to the suspicions of their seÌ„ses which can iudge of nothing but of sensible accidents and in the matter of the Church whose being is seÌ„sible they would submit their vncertaine if not false expositions of scripture not only to the sense of all men but also the most certaine expositions of the Church and Fathers But this sheweth that in their beleife they are guided neither by seÌ„se nor scripture but out of them both borrow a shew of proofe for that which of their mere wilfulnes or fancy they choose to beleiue 10. Thus thou seest Christian Reader for how vaine a sophisme whose Maior is manifestly false so false as that out of this matter it is generally denyed of Protestants themselues and so improbable also as that it cannot be proued in no shew or colour and whose Minor is more doubtfull then the conclusioÌ„ it selfe and the manner of prouing sophisticall and no other then the proofes of al Heretikes be for how vaine a sophisme I say then the which scarce any can be more vaine Protestants beleiue or rather will seeme to beleiue a thing wholy incredible and in a thing sensible against the sense of al maÌ„kind to wit that before Luther there was a Church which held the whose substance or all the substantiall and fundamentall points of Protestancy nor in so weighty a matter respect either their oâ—â—e consciences or the iudgements of men or tribunal of God or danger of their eternall damnation Surely Homil. cont Sabel that I may end with S. Basils words I moane and bewayle them that for a meane sophisme and counterfait paralogisme they cast themselues into hel 11. Out of all which hath bin sayd in this chapter I thus frame my tenth and last demonstration If no sufficent testimonie nor any probable argument but only one sond sophisme can be brought to proue that the Protestant Church was before Luther this is not to be beleiued of any wise and prudent man But no other proofe can be brought Therfore c. And if it were not before Luther surely he is the Author of it The Maior is euident by it selfe and the Minor by what hath bin brought in this chapter Certainely if euery one of the demoÌ„strations which we haue brought doe not conuince that the Protestant Church and religion was not before Luther at least all of them together manifestly conuince it For by the first fiue demonstrations was shewed that before Luther it was not at all it was in no place was vnknowne of all the world was not seene of any nor had any Pastors And with the rest hath bin demonstrated that after Luther arose no ancienter Protestant did euer appeare and adioyne himselfe to Luther that all the first knowne Protestant had bin Papists afore times that the Protestant company and religion is new that Luther and other plainly confesse that he was autho of that religion and finally that no proofe besides one friuolous fallacie can be brought to shew that such a Church or religion had bin in former times And if yet any Protestant doubt hereof let him at least compare al the foresayd demoÌ„strations wherwith so many wayes out of the very testimonies of Protestants we haue shewed that no such Church was before Luther with their vaine sophisme wherewith they make shew to proue the contrary and he will easily perceiue on whose side this so important truth is like to stand And if he make any account of truth of Gods seruice of his owne reputation or eternall saluation he will forsake the Protestants Church put himselfe in the lappe of the Catholike Church Which as S. Augustine speaketh euen in the testimony of all mankind hath not only beene in all ages since Christ De vtil credendi cap. 17. but also hath had Pastors nor hath been visible only to her owne but to others also and to the whole world and hath most valiantly fought ouercome and triumphed ouer Iewes Pagans Heretikes Schismatiks and all the gates of hell To preferre before this most ancient most glorious church another newly start vp many ages lurking knowne to none not to her owne and destitute of Pastours flocke seat and appearance and in truth feigned and deuised and to omit all other proofes wounded deadly with so many confessions of her owne champions and proued by one only vaine fallacie what other thing were it then to preferre lyes before truth darcknesse before light death before life the synagogue of Satan before the Church of Christ and finally wilfully to cast himselfe headlong into hell VVhat he must obserue who will answere the foresayd demonstration CHAP. XVI SEEING I haue yielded so much to Protestants condescended to so vnequall conditions as that I haue vndertaken to proue that Luther was the author of their Church and religion by the only Confessions of Luther and other Protestants it is reason that if any one of them goe about to answeare my foresayd demoÌ„strations he hould obserue these most iust lawes which I will here set downe and which themselues haue prescribed to others 2. See Iuel defens Apol par 2. c. d. 5. Kemnice Exam. tit de script Epist Monit p. 145. Calu. cont Seruet p. 643. First therfore touching the words of Protestants which I haue alleadged let him either confesse that they are truely cited by me or if he denye that let him not say it only but let him shew that they are supposed falsifyed or so changed as that the sense which I
that it is one that it is the auncientest of all Churches that it is alwayes visible hath alwayes Pastors and the like And of another principle which may be tryed by our sense and experience as that the foresayd properties agree neither to the Protestants nor to the Anabaptists nor to any hereticall company And therfore these kind of demonstrations moue euen the most obstinate heretiques and are euident euen to the most ignorant and vnlearned persons 3. And hence ariseth a fift cause of handling rather questions of Fact then of doctrin because the fruit of debating those questions is reaped with more facility and of far more For wheras few but diuines do themselues perceaue the true meaning of the testimonyes of Scripture wherwith the questions of doctrin are debated as the true meaning of the law few but lawyers theÌ„selues do see all perceaue the meaning of those testimonyes wherwith the questions of fact are disputed Epist dedicat exercit cont Baron who will affoard an atteÌ„tiue eye to see or eare to heare And heer upoÌ„ Casaubon wrote that for to insinuate into the mind of the Reader any opinion now in controuersie Baronius historyes are of greater force D. Flauignie then Bellarmines disputes And sayd also sometyme as one most worthy of credit who heard him told me that whiles he read Bellarmines disputations he began to doubt of all Religion but whiles he perused Baronius Annales he felt himselfe by little little drawn towards Papistry which thing might wel haue befallen him and such others not because Cardinall Bellarmine proueth lesse soundly for the nature of the matter the truth of Catholik Religion in questions of doctrine then Cardinall Baronius doth the same in questions of Fact but because such is the nature of the testimonyes wherewith the truth of Catholike fayth in questions of doctrine is proued that they are lesse euident then the testimonyes wherewith the Catholike truth in matters of Fact is proued and also haue many thinges which seeme to be contrary and repugnant to them Whereupon it falleth out that some hearing or reading controuersies of doctrine disputed between Catholikes and Heretikes and not being able of theÌ„selues to discern betwixt truth shew of truth either follow neither party but become vncertaine or Atheistes or content with any shew of truth take that part to which any affection of their will doth draw them Whereas none by hearing or reading controuersies of Fact becommeth not more confirmed in the Catholik faith or more auerted from heresy And therefore Tertullian counsaileth vs Praescrip cap. 1â— not to dispute with Heretikes out of Scripture by which questions of doctrine are disputed but aduiseth vs to appeale to antiquity succession and such like which concerne questions of fact 4. Lastly though the fruit of disputing both those kind of questions were equall yet sith the Author by order of nature goeth before the thing whereof he is Authour according to the order of Nature we ought to intreate of the Author of Protestancy before we dispute of Protestancy it selfe For as well sayth Tertullian nothing but God alone is without beginning which how much it goeth before in the state of all thinges so much ought it to go before in the handling of them Lib 5. cont Mar. Lib 3 cont Mar. that the state may be knowne And other where Nothing is knowne before the beginning is knowne Wherfore I will begin my first dispute concerning the Protestant Religion of the Authour therâ—of Yet before I do that I must set downe and determine what a Protestant or the Protestant Church and Religion is and what is necessary for one to be a Protestant and discouer the vncertainty of Protestants And this much touching the matter which I haue made choice of to handle in this little worke and the causes thereof VVhy proued only out of Protestants 5. As for the manner wherwith I vndertake to discusse this question of Fact whether Luther was the first Author beginner of the Protestant Church and Religion I purpose to proue it only out of the confessions of Luther himselfe and of the three sorts of Protestants to wit Lutherans who professe to follow Luther in all points of doctrine Sacramentaries who notoriously dissent from him touching the reall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament and our English Protestants who differ from both the former at least in discipline gouerment of their Church because this kind of proofe out of their owne wordes I find to be both necessary and most effectuall with Protestants Necessary because of this question of Fact neither the Scripture Necessary or the Fathers say any thing as also because seeing Protestants deny part of the scripture and interprete the rest as they please and will not stand to the sentence of the Church Councels or Fathers account reason Sophistrie contem me the testimonies of Catholique writers they haue left nothing but their own coÌ„fessioÌ„s by which we may dispure with them And I pray God they do giue place to their own most frequent and most plaine confessions and not delude them by voluntary and friuolous interpretations for then hope may be that there wil be some end of these controuersies At least we shall reape this profit by this labour that by it shall be manifest to all that either Protestants will heare no testimony admit no iudgement no not their owne which is a most euident argument of a most desperat cause or that they shall be condemned by their owne verdict sentence or lastly that there can be no forme of speech so plaine no words so cleare no sentence so manifest which they with their faigned figures deuises will not wrest frustrate and delude which is in effect to disanull al kind of proofe which is taken out of words or testimonies whatsoeuer For I will bring so plaine testimonies of theirs as plaine can scarce or not at all be deuised I will bring so many as themselues will require no more I will bring so weighty as themselues will demaund none more weighty I wil bring them also most freely and often iterated and repeated lastly I will bring not only those which indirectly and by consequence proue that which I would but those also that especially oftenest which directly testify that which they are brought to confirme Wherfore either they will not delude these words of theirs or they wil delude all wordes whatsoeuer And either they will not refuse these their owne testimonies and confessions or they will reiect all testimonies and iudgements whatsoeuer which is in effect to confesse that their cause is most desperate and most worthy to be reiected and condemned of all Most effectuall 1. This maÌ„ner also of proofe is most effectuall for what can be of greater force to conuince a man then his owne iudgement and acknowledgement of the truth Surely vnlesse a man will professe himselfe to be en enemy
thought not that he was otherwise vnderstood None was yet troubled with such a question you not yet iangling he spake more securely But the ProtestaÌ„ts which we produce liued al after that protestancy was both bred and hatched after the Catholike fayth had for many ages shined through out the world and therfore could not be ignorant what wordes of theirs might make for the Catholike fayth Cassander Erasmus-Cornelius Agrippa Marsil of Padua and preiudice their owne cause Another difference is that none of the Catholikes whose testimonyes Protestants alleage against vs is accounted of vs for a man sent extraordinarily of God and much lesse for a Prophet Euangelist or Apostle Nay Beatus Rhenanus Faber Stapulensis Orthuinus Gratius many of them are obscure writers and of small or no reckoning among vs some of them are not held for Catholikes of vs and some of them euen by the iudgments of Protestants themselues are our open enemyes But the confessions of fayth which we cite against ProtestaÌ„ts containe their faith so that they cannot be reiected of them vnles they will renounce their fayth And of the men whose testimonyes we produce one is accounted of them a (e) Humf. ad Rat. 4. Camp God another a Prophet an (f) Colloq Aldebur Schusseâ—b Catal. 13. Hunius praefat de liber arbit Euangelist an Apostle a third Elias an Angell His writings are held for inspired from heauen for a rule of fayth and equall to the writinges of the Apostles Another is called a (g) â—â—anae lib. 4 de Eccles c. 9. Beza ep 6. great and admirable Prophet others are esteemed for lights lampes bright starres props founders parents renewers of the Protestants church and religion Others are men extraordinarily sent and diuinely raised to lighten the world most of them for very learned famous well deseruing of the Protestant religion finally all for sincere Protestants The holy Fathers were wont to refute both the (h) Iustin dial cum Tryphon August l. de ciuit Chrysost hom 26. in 2. Cor. Cyril l. 6. in Iulian. Pagans superstition and the (i) Hier. cont Vigilant Ambros serm 5. de Sanctis Hilar. l. 1. 6. de Trinit heretikes errours out of the Diuels confessions Of which kind of proof (k) Apol. cap. 22. Tertullian vsing it maketh this account What more manifest then this fact what more sure then this proofe Belieue them they speake true of themselues who vse to credit them when they lye No man lyeth to his owne disgrace And S. (l) Lib. ad Demetr Cyprian VVho so sayest that thou worshipest the Gods belieue euen them whom thou worshippest And likewise Minutius in Octauio Neither do they lye to their owne shame especially if some of you be by Belieue themselues witnessing that they are Diuels and confessing the truth of themselues But our proofe taken out of the Protestants confessions of faith out of Luther such like famous Protestants testimony against Protestancy is much more euident and stronger both because it is more likely that men will confesse the truth though against themselues then the Diuell the father of lyes and sworne enemy of truth as also because the confessions of the Diuel were extorted from him by force as the Fathers themselues doe acknowledge but these of Luther and his mates come most freely from them Belieue therefore O Protestants your chiefe leaders Note your founders Instructors Prophets EuaÌ„gelists Apostles in that which they freely of their own accord coÌ„fesse of themselues of their doctrine Euen by the testimony of your own Prophets teachers belieue that ProtestaÌ„cy is newly risen first founded by Luther before knowne to none No man willingly lyeth to his owne shame no man freely confesseth that which ouerthroweth his owne cause but which he cannot deny No man knew protestancy better then they no man fauoured it more then they VVho sayth Caluin is to be credited touching Popery more then the Pope himselfe De ver â— Eccles reform And whom shal we belieue touching the author and hatching of protestancy amongst the Lutherans rather then Luther himselfe Melancthon the Century-writers Kemnice Schusselburg and the like Or amongst the Sacramentaryes rather then Zuinglius Bullinger Bucer Peter Martyr Caluin Beza Plessie and such others or amongst English Protestants rather then Iewell Fox Whitaker Fulke Humfrey Perkins and the like whose frequent and plaine confessions we heerin produce A third difference between our and the Protestants manner of proceeding in this kind of proofe is that Protestantes oftentymes alleadge Catholikes testimonyes corrupted mangled and falsifyed and sometymes also the obiections which they make against theÌ„selues insteed of their answeres as Cardinall Peron not long since shewed Plessie to haue don before the French King conferenrence at fountaine Bel-caue euen by the iudgment of Protestant themselues And it were easy to demonstrate that D. (m) Apol. part 1. l. 1. c. 23. l. 2. c. 41. part 2. l. c. 35. l. 2. c. 41. Morton hath done the like in his Apology But I produce the testimonyes of Protestants certaine and entiere at least for that sense for which I alleadge them For I haue cited none in this worke which either I haue not seene with myne owne eyes and for the most part haue quoted not only the bookes and chapters but also the leaues and pages or if I haue wanted the booke I haue cited them out of some good Author The fourth difference that of great moment is that the Catholiques whose testimonyes Protestants alleadge against is if so be they were true Catholikes were alwayes ready to reuoke and recall whatsoeuer they had written contrary to the catholik fayth to submit all their wordes or writings to the censure of the catholike Church which to be the mind disposition of all Catholiks Protestants themselues confesse For thus writeth D. (n) Contr. 2. q. 5. c. 8. Whitaker This is the condition this the consent of the Popish Church that all hang their saluation vpon one man and submit themselues to one mans iudgment And D. (o) Apol. part 1. l. 2. cap. 31. Morton Is there any Papist that thinkes any decree of the Pope can be contemned or broken without cryme or heresy Which sith it is so in vaine do they obiect any Catholikes words against the Catholike fayth For either they are not contrary thereto or if they be they are already reuoked recalled and disanulled by himselfe But the mind and proceeding of ProtestaÌ„ts is far otherwise who subiect not their opinions to the iudgment of the Church but as they thinke that she may erre so will they hold their opinions notwithstanding her sentence to the contrary and therfore iustly may we produce their testimonies against their owne Church 9. The fift difference which is much to be noted is that Protestants alleadge Catholik witnesses in matters of doctrin in which some tymes by reason of
the obscurity of the matter a man may chance to erre slip August l. 11. cont Faust c. 5. or els in such matters of fact as were in times or places far distant from them so that themselues could not search the truth but belieued the reports of others Such a question is that of Pope Ioane in which Protestants cite no Catholike author which liued not some ages after that time wherin Pope Ioan is sayd to haue beene Or if they produce any Catholike Author in any matter of fact the truth wherof he might haue tried either he is of no credit or the matter is such as it turneth to no preiudice of the Catholike faith But we heer produce Protestants in a matter of fact such a matter as they could most easily know For what was more easy then for Luther and his fellowes to try either then or euer since whether when he first began there was in the world any Protestant company whether it were visible whether it had Pastours and the like For who can thinke that only the Protestant company could lye so close hid that neither in all Luthers time or euer since either the being or the estate or condition or place or Pastours or any thing at all therof could be espied out of so many Arguses which now in one whole age haue sifted all corners of the world to find it out And besides this is such a question of Fact as vpon the decision therof an end may be made of all cōtrouersies betweene Catholikes and Protestants For as I sayd before if Luther be the Author and beginner of the Protestant Church it is certaine that it is not the Church of Christ nor to be followed of Christians Note but to be forsaken detested To which I ad now that if Luther himself such so many learned famous Protestāts as I haue cited do by many wayes so plainly confesse that Luther was the Author therof it cannot be doubted but that he was in truth the Author of it For I alleadge not men of small credit among Protestants but such as are of greatest authority with them nor a few but many nor of one nation alone but of diuers to wit Germans Italians French English Scottes Flemings and others nor Protestants of one sort or sect but of all three namely Lutherans Sacramētaries and English Protestants So that they could not beare false witnesse in this matter either for wāt of knowledge because they were many and learned of different countries and most diligent in searching the matter and the matter it selfe most easy nor for want of good will towards the cause because they were all most earnest Protestants And to refuse the testimonies of such witnesses in a matter of fact in their owne time so easy to be knowne and so diligently searched of them what other thing is it then obstinately to refuse to know the truth of this matter so important to be knowne and wherby may be made an end of all contentions in Religion Wherfore let Protestants say as they please Note that in questions of doctrine they will not depend vpon Luther Caluin or any one or all their doctours together but vpon the scripture alone Neuertheles in matter of fact wherof the scripture saith nothing such as this is for the Scripture telleth not what was the state and condition of the Protestant Church when Luther began in what place it was what Pastours it had who saw it and the like either they must confesse that they refuse all triall knowledge of so important a truth or they must giue credit to the deposition of sufficient witnesses And if euer men were or can be sufficiēt witnesses of any matter of Fact Luther and those Protestants which here I produce are sufficient witnesses of that which I bring them for to testify And thus much touching the cause why I proue Luther to haue been the founder of Protestant Religiō only by the testimonies of Protestants Why so many Protestāts testimonyes are alleaged 10. As for the reason why I alleadge so many Protestants that is that it many appeare that it is not the priuate testimony of some one or few but the generall consent of them all or at least the common sentence of many of them And if I seeme to any Catholike ouer tedious in heaping vp so many testimonies of Protestants I pray him to cōsider that I write not this book to Catholikes to confirme them in the Catholike faith who I know to that end doe not need the testimonies of Protestants but that I write it partly to Catholikes for to furnish them with store of Protestants testimonies to stopp their mouthes and to shew them that they are right Heretikes that is condemned as the Apostle speaketh by their owne iudgement to which end a few testimonies of theirs would not suffice And therfore to such as intend this end the multitude of testimonies will not be troublesome For who that indeauoureth to vāquish most obstinate enemies will complain of the abundance of good soldiers wherof he may make choice And if I had rehearsed only some few testimonies and named the places where the rest may be found some would haue cauilled as M. Iewel did against D. Harding that I had cited dumbe witnesses Besides seing the iudgments of men are diuers it may fall out that what kind of testimonyes seem strong forcible to some others acount but weake and litle to the purpose and therfore it was behofull that there should be as it were a store-house of Protestants testimonies that euery one might take what weapon he thinketh fittest for him vse it against them But especially I gathered these testimonies of Protestants for the Protestants themselues that by their owne mens iudgement I might withdraw them from their errour And therfore I was not so fearfull to bring too many for Catholikes as carefull to prouide inough for Protestants In which I could hardly offend by multitude For as S. (p) Lib. 1. Vigil saith Mans mind possessed with the errour of a false opinion is hard and slow to perceiue truth with how many witnesses so euer it be vrged therto (ſ) De gestis cum Emerit Or as (q) Lib. de Patient Tertullian writeth much talke in matter of edification is not foule if at any time it be foule And (r) Lib. 1. cont Iou. S. Hierom delay is no losse when by delay the victory is more assured Wherupon S. Augustin counsaileth vs not to regard and delay whatsoeuer so we bring good proofe of what we say Besides (t) VVhi. cont 295. c. 17. l. 1. de script c. 11. sect Sadeel in Refut Posnan c. 12. Protestants deny that we ought to iudge of them by one or few though they be Pastors and (u) White in defence of his way c. 7. write that M. Brierly in his Protestants Apologie although it be stuffed with all kind of
that the Church may for a tyme swarue from the truth euen in some fundamentall points and be notwithstanding safe And Zanchius lib. 1. epist pag. 221. will not haue vs forsake any coÌ„pany on occasion of false opinions which swarue from the groundwork of fayth D. Hall likewise in sua Roma irreconc sect 1. sayth that the true Church may foster such errours As by deduction and consequence destroy the foundations of beliefe D. Fulke in his serm vpoÌ„ the Apocalips hauing made this obiection to himselfe that seing the Church is the Espouse of Christ it cannot be that he suffered it to be possessed so many ages with damnable errors answeares it in this manner VVhat Christ himselfe hath sayd that the errors of false Prophets should be exceeding great in as much as the very elect if it might be should be led into errour And lib. de Succes Eccles pag. 122. he sayth It seemes not fitting to take from the Grecians the name of a Church whome notwithstanding he confesseth to be ensnared with grieuous errors Now a grieuous errour according to D. Whitaker cont 2. quest 4 cap. 1. dissolues the foundation and may therfore be termed fundamentall M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed col 790 VVhen an errour is repugnant to the foundation either directly or by necessary consequence if it proceed of weaknes he in whome it is ought to be reputed a member of the vniuersall Church And vpon 1. Galat. v. 2 If a Church through frailty fall into errour although it concerne the foundation notwithstanding it remaynes yet a Church as is certaine by the example of the Galathians And vpon the epistle of Iude v. 19 The Church of Gaelatia through weaknesse remoued it selfe vnto another Ghospell and erred in the foundation yet Paul writeth to it as to the Church of God D. Willet affirmeth the same in his Synopsis cont 2. q. 3. pag. 104. And Melancthon tom 2. lib. de Eccl. pag. 123. toucheth the same string when he sayth The true Church it selfe may haue errours which obscure and darken the articles of fayth And tom 4. in cap. 9. Rom God gathereth alwayes some company in which the foundation is kept sometymes lesse pure sometymes more D. White in his way pag. 111 Some articles lying in the very foundation may be belieued not so clearly Nay sometymes they dare auouch that those very Corinthians that denyed the resurrection and those Galatians also that changed the Ghospell of Christ into another Ghospell were of the Church Luther in 1. cap. Galat fol 215. Perkins loc cit For thus the Switzers Confession c. 17 VVe are not ignorant what manner of Churches those of the Corinthians and Galathians were in the Apostles tyme which the Apostle accuseth of many and grieuous crimes and yet termeth them the holy Churches of Christ And Caluin 4. Institut cap. 1. § 27 Most greiuous sinnes possesse sometymes whole Churches The Apostasy of the Galathians was no small offence the Corinthians were lesse excusable then they howbeit neither of them are excluded from the Lords mercy Sadeel in his answere ad Thes Posnan cap. 12. pag. 866 The Galathians and Corinthians though corrupted with errour and disagreeing each from other about the cheife groundwork of beliefe and that not concerning the manner but touching the matter it selfe retained notwithstanding the name of a true â—hurch And hence he gathereth that the debate and disagrement betweene the Lutherans and Caluinists concerning the Eucharist doth not let either of them from being of the true Church 5. The deeds of the Lutherans and Sacramentaries yeld vs a second kind of proofe For the Electorall or milde Lutherans in colloq Aldeburg scripto 8. call themselues LutheraÌ„s professe that theÌ„selues differ fundamentally Fellowes and companions of the same Ministery fellow-cittizens and fellow-soldiers of those of Saxony or rigorous Lutherans of whome notwithstanding scripto 6. pag. 111. they giue this censure They haue shewed themselues to dissent from our Churches in the foundation Againe VVe will make it euident that they impugne the fundamentall doctrine And scripto 4. pag. 4 Our opinion is that we disagree not about impertiment matters only or things of no consequence but about the maine and cheifest matters And scripto 7 This one thing they ayme at and bend all their endeauours to vndermine and ouerturne the groundwork of sauing doctrine And pag. 374. they complaine that those of Saxony do often cry out of them that they are worse then any idolaters And the Sacramentaries in Praefat. Apologet. Orthodoxi consensus write thus of the Lutherans They haue hitherto suffered among them such as call in question the doctrine of iustification of originall sinne of free will of the Ghospell of the law and vse thereof of Christs descent into hell of his person of the election of Gods children and many other articles of no small moment which things they easily put vp because all these go vnder the name of Lutherans Now that the Sacramentaries likewise acknowledg the Lutherans for their brethren is apparent by the Apology of the Church of England by the consent of Poland by the preface of the Syntagme of Confessions SacrameÌ„â—taries challenge LutheraÌ„s by the Conferences of Marspurg and Montbelgard and other publike writings and registred acts and yet they see and openly exclaime against their errours in fundamental points of fayth Of Luther thus writeth Zuinglius tom 2. Resp ad Luther fol. 401 And yet say they differ fundameÌ„tally from theÌ„ VVe iudge thee a worse seductour impostour and denyer of Christ then was Marcion himselfe And fol. 430. Luther as yet is entangled and sticks fast in two errours exceeding grieuous and in most foule ignorance Of Melancthon thus sayth Caluin epist 183 Either he openly impugneth true doctrine in the cheifest heads or else hideth his meaning craftily or not very honestly And epist 179. he complaineth that Melancthon endeauoureth to ouerthrow his doctrine of predestination VVithout which sayth he the knowledge of Gods free and vndeserued mercy is vtterly lost The like he sayth epist 141. Sturmius lib. de Ratione incundae Concordiae sayth plainly that the Lutherans do pluck vp the foundation of Christian Religion And Bullinger in fundamento firmo writeth that the very infidelity of the Iewes and Gentils is by the Lutherans brought into the Churches Cureus in Exegesi Sacramentaria pag. 91 Surely the controuesy between the Lutherans and Sacramentaries is concerning the foundation The Sacramentaries in the Preface of the Conference at Mulbrun say that the Lutherans Teare in preces and adulterate the articles of the incarnation of the true humane nature c. VVhich articles say they no Christian man can doubt but are the groundwork of saluation And in the foresayd preface They are at variance not about the Lords supper only but touching the person of â—hrist touching the vnion of his diuine and humane nature touching the vbiquity of his body and corporall manducation thereof
they certainly assure themselues that God loueth them M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed col 780 No man can belieue himselfe to be a member of the Church What fayth is according to Protestants vnlesse he firmely and certainly persuaded that he is predestinated to eternall life Besides Caluin in his litle Catechisme cap. de fide defineth iustifying fayth to be a certaine and stedfast knowledge of our heauenly Fathers goodwill towards vs. The like definition he hath 3. Pareus l. 1. de Iustit cap. 11 Instit cap 2. § 2 Luther in cap. 4. Ioelis tom 4. and generally all Lutherans and Sacramentaries except that where some define it to be a knowledge others say it is an assurance or confidence of Gods fauour Hence it is manifest that they account none a iust or faythfull man vnlesse he haue a speciall fayth of his iustification and Gods fauour towards him 2. Secondly I proue the same out of diuers commendations of Protestants touching the necessity and excellency of this article For Luther tom 1. in disp fol. 410. sayth In vaine he belieueth other articles who denieth that we are iustified by only fayth And tom 2. lib. cont Missam fol. 390. he sayth The Summe that this article is the summe of his doctrine and Ghospell And lib. de votis fol. 278. that this is the definition of a Christian who belieueth to be iustified by the only works of Christ alone The Definition without his owne Tom 3. in Psalm Grad fol. 573 That the only knowledge of this article conserueth the Church And fol. 576. that it is the summe of Christian doctrine The Sun the sunne which lightneth the Church which falling the Church falleth Tom. 4. in cap. 53. Isaiae fol. 200. he writeth that it is as it were the foundation on which the Gospell relyeth and which alone distinguisheth his religion from all others Fol. 201. that it is like the liuely fountaine whence all treasures of diuine wisedome do flow The fouÌ„dation and the foundation of all the Church and Christianity And Prefat in Ionam that it is the cheife of Christian doctrine and the summe of all the scripture Tom. 5. Prefat in Galat. fol. 269. he affirmeth that it is the only rock of the Church And 273 The rock VVho holdeth not this article are sayth he either Iewes or Turks or Papists or Heretiques And fol. 274. that in this doctrine alone the Church is made and consisteth And fol. 333. he plainly confesseth that it is his only defence Their defence without which as he speaketh both we and heretiks togeather with vs had long since perished Tom. 6. in cap. 21. Genes fol. 265. he termeth it the cheifest article of fayth And tom 7. epist ad Liuones fol. 499. auoucheth that it is the only way to heauen and the summe of Christian life The only way And finally in the first article concluded at Smalcald In this article are and consist all which in our life we teach witnesse and do against the Pope the Diuell and all the world This and much more writeth Luther in commendation of the necessity and excellency of the article touching iustification by only fayth And of the contrary beliefe concerning iustification by works tom 5. in cap. 3. Galat. fol. 257. he sayth It is the sinck of all euills And in cap. 4. fol. 402 That it taketh away the truth of the Ghospell faith Christ himselfe 3. With Luther herein agree the Lutherans For the Confession of Auspurg cap. de discrimine ciborum sayth that this article is the proper doctrine of the ghospell And the Apology therof cap. de iustificat that it is the principall place of Christian doctrine And cap. de poenit the cheifest place and principallest article about which they fight with their aduersaries and the knowledge wherof they account most necessary to all The Confâ—ssion of Saxony that this article being extinguished there is no difference betwixt the Church and other men The Confession of Bohemia The suÌ„me of all Christianity and piety that this article is held of them for the cheifest of all as which is the summe of all Christianity and piety The vniuersity of Wittemberg tom 2. Lutheri fol. 248 It is the cheifest article of the ghospell The Ministers of the Prince Electour in Colloq Aldeburg pag. 1. say that this article is as it were the summe and last end to which all the other articles do look vnto And those of the D. of Saxony pag. 132. affirme that as long as this doctrine standeth Luther standeth yea Paul yea God This doctrine falling Luther falleth This falling God falleth Paul falleth God falleth and all men are necessarily damned Those of Magdeburg in Sleidan lib. 21. call this article the stay of saluation Melancthon tom 2. Lutheri fol. 506. termeth it the cheifest article Kemnice part 1. Examen tit de Iustificat pag. 231 The cheifest place And in locis part 1. tit de Iustificat pag. 216. writeth that it is like the castle and principall bulwarck of all Christian doctrine and religion Lobechius disput 22. The Bulwarck pag. 515. addeth that it is one of the cheifest points of our sayth because the prore and poupe of Christianity is contayned therein and on it hangeth the hinges of our saluation Scnusselburg tom 8. Catal. haeret affirmeth it to be the cheifest article wherein consisteth our saluation and which is the head of our religion Finally to omit other Lutherans Brentius in Apolog. Wittemberg part 3. pag. 703. sayth The essentiall differeÌ„ce that the essentiall difference betwixt a Protestant and a Papist is that of the Protestant religion these are the first principles The scriptur Christ the Sonne of God sayth or assurance of Gods fauour towards vs for Christs sake 4. Neither do Sacramentaries dissent herein from the Lutherans For the Confession of Basse auoucheth it to be the first and cheifest point in Euangelicall doctrine The French Confess art 18. calleth it the foundation Zuinglius in Isagoge fol. 268. sayth it is the summe of the Ghospell Bucer Respons ad Abrincens pag. 613. And Gualter Prefat in Ioan. write that about this article is almost all the whole substance of dispute with them and Papists Bullinger in Compend lib. 5. cap. 1. termeth it the cheifest point of holy Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine And lib. 8. cap. 8 The highest and cheifest head of Christian doctrine and of fayth Peter Martyr in locis tit de Iustif col 939. sayth it is the head fountaine and stay of all piety Tom. 2. epist ad Peregrin col 136 The summe of Summeâ— It is the summe of summes and cheifest head Caluin 4. Institut cap. 11. § 1. that it is the cheifest proppe of religion lib. 11. § 17 The summe of all piety And Respons and Sadolet pag. 125. that the knowledge thereof being gone Christi glory is extinct religion abolished and hope of
1. cap. 28. CoÌ„taineth the suÌ„me of doctrine affirmeth that it was inspired from heauen and written by instinct of the holy ghost Nay some Lutherans as testifieth Laskus epist ad Regem Poloniae sayd that they would rather doubt of the doctrine of Paul The Rule of fayth then of the Confession of Auspurg And with the Lutherans herein conspire the Sacramentaries For as Bucer confessed in the Conference of Ratisbon The Protestants condemne all writings Inspired froÌ„ heaueÌ„ which are repugnant to the Confession of Auspurge and the Apology thereof Caluin admonit vlt. ad Westphalum pag. 797. sayth Surius anno 154â— Touching the Confession of Auspurg I answere thus that as it was published at Ratisbon there is not one word in it contrary to our doctrine And epist 236. sayth that be wittingly and willingly subscribed to it Beza epist 1. writeth in this sort I define those to be our Churches which hold the Confession of Auspurg the French Confession c. And Apol. 1. cont Saintem pag. 297 Neither is the Confession of Auspurg such as any pious man may reiect it Zanchius loc cit receiued the Confession of Auspurge as the square and rule of all doctrine And as Vorstius writeth Respons ad epist Parci pag. 91 In the vniuersity of Heddelberg they vsed to sweare to no Confession but to that of Auspurg Or as D. Whitaker affirmeth Cont. 2. quest 5. cap. 5. pag. 505 The Confession of Auspurg is receiued of all Protestants vnlesse perhapps it be in one word or two rather then in any opinion And in truth seing all Sacramentaries professe to hold the Lutherans who follow the Confession of Auspurg for their brethren in Christ and besides when we obiect vnto them their dissention in matters of fayth they appeale vnto their harmony or syntagme of Confessions amongst which the Confession of Auspurg is placed as do those of Geneua Prefat Syntagmatis the Switzers Prefat suae Confess Beza epist 1. Sadeel Indice Repetit Turrian pag. 808. and respons ad Theses Posnan c. 11. Vorstius in Antibellarm pag. 168. D. Feild lib. 3. de Eccles cap. 12. 42. D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 5. cap. 8. pag. 521. D. Andrews Respons ad Apol. Bellarm. c. 1. D. Fulke de Success pag. 287. 304. D. White in his way to the Church pag. 138. and others commonly When as I say the SacrameÌ„taries do thus they must needs approue the Confession of Auspurg at least in all the principall and fundamentall points thereof For I hope they will not hold theÌ„ for brethren in Christ whome they see to dissent from them in fundamentall points of Christian fayth nor say that those Confessions agree which are repugnant in the very foundation of beliefe VVhich the coÌ„fess of Ausp accouÌ„teth fundameÌ„tal articles 2. But this Confession of Auspurg so generally receiued and of so high account with Protestants as we haue rehearsed hath set downe and declared which be the fundamentall points of Protestancy For in the beginning thereof is set this title The principall articles and after that many Protestanticall opinions are rehearsed thus it sayth of them cap. 21. The suÌ„me of Protest doctrine This is the summe of the doctrine which is deliuered in our Churches And â—fterward naming certaine controuersies of Indulgences Pilgrimages the like it sayth of them These kind of matters we haue let passe that those things which are the cheifest in this cause might be easierly knowne Againe Cheifest points those things only are rehearsed which were necessary to be told And finally VVe would present these articles before written in which our Confession might be extant Only necessary and the summe of their doctrine who teach vs might be seene And in another edition of this Confession in Melancthon tom 3. thus is written in the end thereof VVe haue comprised the summe of Euangelicall doctrine necessary to Churches SuÌ„me of doctrine necessary Wherefore vnlesse Protestants will reiect their first and most maiesticall Confession of Auspurg they must needs confesse that the articles thereof are the summe of Protestant doctrine the principal articles of their fayth are they only which are necessary to be told and the summe of Euangelicall doctrine necessary to Churches But surely such are fundamentall articles 3. Neither doth the sayd Confession alone but also many other great Protestants acknowledge the articles of it to be fundamentall For thus hath the Apology of that Confession in Melancthon tom 3. fol. 91 Truth necessary to the Church VVe haue comprised in the Confession of Auspurg almost the summe of all Christian doctrine And Melancthon himselfe in the preface of that Apology writeth that that Confession is truth necessary to the Church And likewise in the preface of his 3. to me I gathered together the heads of confession comprising almost the summe of the doctrine of our Churches The whole forme of the Confession was after sent to Luther who wrote back that he had read and allowed this Confession And tom 4. Respons ad Staphylum pag. 817. sayth that the Confession of Auspurg contayneth the whole body of doctrine And in Prefat 2. tom Luther 11 The summe of doctrine which our Church preached is publikely comprehended in the Confession of Auspurg The whole body of doctrine Likewise the D. of Wittemberg in the preface of his Confession speaking of the Confession of Auspurg sayth thus VVe commanded our preachers to write the summe of their doctrine And the Ministers of the Elector in colloq Aldeburg scrip 3. pag. 21. say VVe doubt not but the summe of doctrine reuealed from heauen is dextrously plainly and most sweetly contayned in the Confession of Auspurg And pag. seq VVâ—â—â— the Confession of Auspurg we comprehended the summe of doctrine Kemnice Praefat. lib. de coena The summe of holesome doctrine is comprehended in the Confession of Auspurg out of the word of God Westphalus defens altera cont Laskum sayth It containeth in briefe the summe of Christian doctrine Iames Andrews lib. cont Hosium pag. 22 The summe of pious doctrine is contained in the Confession of Auspurg Finally the Lutherans as the Sacramentaries of Newstad write in Admonit de lib. Concord cap. 4. Note pag. 116 do place in the role of heretiks as erring in the foundation of sayth and saluation all those who find any sault with the Confession of Auspurg or dissent from it in any article And as touching the Sacramentaries themselues the Palatin Confession pag. 198. sayth thus That Confession of fayth which was presented at Auspurg and the Apology annexed thereto was taken out of the doctrine of the Apostles Prophets and the foresayd Creed as a certaine litle summe Caluin lib. 1. de Lib. arbit pag. 142 VVhen at Auspurg there was to be exhibited a forme of Confession Melancthon the Author thereof would not make any stay but only in that doctrine Doctrine necessary to saluation which alone is proper to the
12. VVhat as Tertullian sayth meane they otherwise then they write masters of deceit not of truth 10. If any demaund how it came to passe that Protestants should so often and so plainly say that their Church and religion was perished before Luther appeared Wherfor Protestāts say their Church was perished I answeare that there were many causes thereof First because it was so euident that their Church and religion was not at all when Luther began that as themselues haue confessed they cannot deny it It cannot be denyed If any deny it he may be conuinced All men must confesse it The matter it selfe proclaimeth and proueth it Num. 1.4.5.7 And finally that it is manifest both to learned and vnlearned Secondly they sayd so for to moue men to hate the Pope and Papists whome they affirmed to haue destroyed the fayth and Church Thirdly for to purchase the loue of the people as who had restored to them againe the Church and Religion Fourthly they sayd so for to excuse their preaching and playing the Pastours without ordinary calling as if forsooth when they began there had byn no church which could giue them cōmission Finally as phrantike men so Protestants sometymes are in good fittes in which they see and confesse the truth But at other tymes when Catholiks out of this perishing and destruction of their Church and religion do inferre that it is not the Church or religion of Christ Matth. 16. against which as he hath promised the gats of hell shall not preuaile but some other Church religion either first began by Luther or else restored and renowed by him after that it was substantially perished and destroyed then they mollify and glose their former sayings deuise strange violent senses of their words and euery way seeke out shiftes and sleights whereby they may auoyd the force of their owne testimonies which we shall rehearse and refute in the next chapter The Protestants shiftes for to delude their foresayd Confessions touching the substantiall decay of their Church and Religion refuted CHAP. II. 1. ALBEIT the foresayd confessions of the Protestants touching the substantiall decay of their Church and religion before Luther arose be so plaine and euident as we may well say with Tertullian VVho will not acknowledge these rather then expound thē De Resur c. 21. Yet because the obstinacy of heretiks is so great as it may be sooner ouercome then persuaded is wont to seek out all shifts to auoyd the force euen of their owne words I will heare set downe their shifts and confute them 2. Their first shift is Their first shift that the forenamed Protestants by the words of fayth religion and the like when they say that they perished did not meane the inward fayth of the heart as if no man in his heart had held the Protestant fayth or religion but only the outward profession thereof and so meane only that the outward profession of Protestancy was perished or that none professed it I graunt indeed that somtyme they speake of outward profession of faith but this commeth all to one purpose That they say inward faith perished Because the profession of faith can no more perish in the church then the fayth it selfe as hereafter we shall proue by the confessions of Protestants themselues But that they speake not also of the inward fayth or of fayth it selfe is most false First because they say so without all proofe neither can they proue it otherwise then because perhaps the same Protestants haue other where sayd the contrary which kind of proofe we hereafter shew to be nothing worth Lib. 2. c. vl Againe it is credible vnlesse one will belieue what he list that by so many words of light clarity religion worship of God truth of God Ca. 1. n. 2. 3. sayth true knowledge knowledge of fayth Christian fayth knowledge of Christ as they haue vsed and we repeated they meant not fayth it selfe but only the outward profession of faith Besides they sayd plainly That none belieued to be iustified without workes That the doctrine of Iustification by sayth was blotted out of the memory of men Cap. 1. nu 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 that holesome truth perished from earth and that it was taken from men that Christ was buryed and taken out of the world and the Church that all Protestant consolation was vnknowne that without Luther one iot had not byn knowne that the knowledge of Christ the knowledge of sayth fayled and lastly that Christ was not vnderstood but vtterly vnknowne Which words are manifestly spoken meant of true or inward fayth I adde also that it is a rule of ciuil law approued by Luther and Protestants Luther de abrog mis epist ad Amsd. Schusselb tom 4. Catal haeret that who cold speak clearely and yet spake obscurely should haue his words expounded against him Seeing therefore Protestants could haue spoken farre more clearly if they had meant only that outward professiō of faith had perished we may lawfully expound their words against themselues 3. To this shift is another like wherewith they say that the foresayd testimonies of Protestants touching the destruction or decay of their Church are not to be vnderstood of their inuisible Church The secōd shift which they say is the company of only true faythfull and predestinate men but of the decay of their visible Church which they say is the company of al those that professe true doctrine and is the Church not in the sight of God but only in the eyes of men I do not deny that sometymes they speake of the visible Church notwithstanding as before I sayd it comes all to one purpose because as shall be proued hereafter there can be no inuisible Church without a visible nor a company of faythfull and predestinate men but they must professe their fayth The Protestāts say the true Church hath perished But most false it is that they speake not also of the true Church which they will haue to be inuisible to any but to God alone For first as before I argued this cannot be proued otherwise then that perhaps the same men haue at other tymes sayd the contrary which will proue that they like lyers haue contradicted themselues not that they haue not sayd this which they haue as clearly sayd as euer they sayd any thing else Besides in saying according to their meaning that the Church hath not perished or cannot perish they do not indeed cōtradict themselues when they say that it hath or can perish For when they say that the Church cannot perish by the name of the Church they vnderstand not the Catholike Church that is the Church spread throughout the world Cap. 1. n. ◠for as we saw they teach that the Church may consist or be reduced to one or two and that Elias thought there was none of the Church but himselfe Whereupon D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 3. pag.
5. cap. 3. pag. 684 In tymes past no religion had place in Churches but Papisticall D. Humfrey ad Rat. 3. Campiani At length all left the fellowship of the Church M. Perkins in Exposit Symboli During the space of 900. yeares the Popish heresy spred it selfe ouer the whole world And D. White in his way pag. 352. compareth Popery before Luthers tyme to a leprosy which sayth he possesseth euery part of man And in his defence cap. 37 he sayth I affirme Papacy to be a leprosy breeding in the Church so vniuersally that there was no visible company of people appearing to the world free â—â—om it And whether any company at all knowne or vnknowne were free from it wholy or not I neither determine nor greatly care M. Iewel serm in cap. 11. Lucae pag. 208 VVhen all the world the people Priests and Princes were ouerwhelmed with ignorance when the word of God was put out of sight when all schooles Priests Bishops Kings of the world were sworne to him the Pope that whatsoeuer he tooke in hand they should vphold it VVhen whosoeuer had muttered against him must straight way haue byn excommunicate put to most cruel death as Gods enemy M. Fox in his Acts p. 391 All the whole world was filled and ouerwhelmed with errors and darknesse And finally D. Bancroft in his suruey c. 4. pag 60. hath these words Both the Priests of all sortes and likewise the people became in tyme to be so drowned in the puddles of Popery all of them together from the toppe to the toe Al people from the toppe to the toe forgetting c. 5. By these confessions of Protestants we see plainly that all the westerne Church all Europe all Christian Churches the whole Christian nation the whole body of the Church the whole world all all without exception all alike all euen to the last all euen to the common people all Kings and people from the first to the last all Priests and people from top to toe all and euery one were ouerwhelmed with Popish and more then Cymmerian darknesse Secondly we see that no man strone against Popery no man admonished no man taught no man belieued no man so much as dreamed of that which is the cheifest and most principall point of Protestancy but one only and Luther alone was wise Thirdly that the case was such for so many ages for 600. yea for 900. years last past Fourthly that it is so manifest that as themselues confesse the whole Christian world knoweth it it is confessed manifest by it selfe most cleare and out of all doubt and no man in his writtes can deny it To all which if you add that very many and most famous Protestants oftentymes most plainly most freely and in all kind of writings haue confessed this ye shall most euidently perceiue Lib. 1. cont marc ca. 3. de carne Chr. c. 5. li. 22 cont Faust c. 15. that vnlesse it be hereticall licence as Tertullian speaketh or by some diuelish priuiledge as S. Augustins word is their confessions can be vnderstood in no other sense then that when Luther began there was not one Protestant in the whole world Lastly we see hereby that Protestants herein imitate the phrases of old heretiks Cont. epist fund c. 4. for Manichee as S. Augustin writeth sayd Almost all nations are ignorant how the truth is And the Donatists The Church is perished from the whole world The Luciferians in S. Hierome Heres 69. The whole world is become Diuels Whose damned speach sayth he doth frustrate the Passion of Christ Dial. cont Lucifer Nestorius in Vincent Lyrin auouched That the whole Church had erred And other heretiks there say Learne true fayth which besides vs none vnderstandeth Cap. 26. which lay hid for many ages and now of late is reuealed and shewed Marcion also and Valentinian in Tertullian auouch Praes c. 28. that all had erred at whome he pleasantly iesteth in these words Forsooth truth which was to be freed expected some Marcionists or Valentinians Lutherans or Caluinists In the meane tyme men preached amisse belieued amisse so many thousands we wrongly Christened so many works of fayth wrongly done so many miracles so many graces done amisse so many Priesthoods so many functions wrongly executed 6. If any say that the scripture sometyme speaketh vniuersally when notwithstanding it is not to be vnderstood vniuersally as when it sayth All seeke their owne There is not one that doth good no not one and the like and therefore though the foresayd speaches of Protestants be vniuersall yet they are not to be vnderstood vniuersally I answeare that it is found to affirme that the foresayd speaches of Protestants ought to be vnderstood according to certaine speaches of the scripture and those spoken of other matters rather then according to their own plaine and manifest signification Who made this law of expounding Protestants words Or do they keep it in expounding Catholiks or other mens wordes God may speake in scripture as he thinkes best Protestants ought according to custome which as is sayd is the law and rule of speach both to speak and to be vnderstood Besides sith we know that the scripture cannot lye or gainsay it selfe and in other places it sayth the contrary we iustly limitate its vniuersall speaches in this or that place And therfore vnlesse Protestants can shew that they haue the like priuiledge that they cannot contradict themselues as the Scripture hath there is no reason to expound them according as we do the holy Scripture 7. If any reply that also Saint Hierome Dial. cont Lucifer sayd that the whole world meruayled how it was become Arian and yet meant not that the whole world was Arian I answeare that Saint Hieromes example doth nothing auaile Protestants First because Saint Hierome sayd once so Protestants very often Againe he sayd so only in heat of dispute with his aduersary Protestants haue written so when they disputed with none Besides Saint Hierome in the very same place expoundeth himselfe that he meant not that indeed the whole world was become Arian For he sayth that it was euident that the Bishops vvere no Arians but belieued a right and abode in the agreement of fayth but only speaketh so because all the Bishops assembled at Arimini yelded to the Arians that the word Consubstantiall should not be vsed But Protestants say not that all the world yelded to the Pope about the suppressing of one only word but that all from the first to the last from the top to the toe were drowned in Popish errours and none belieued or so much as dreamed of that which is most fundamentall and necessary in Protestant religion Which kind of speaches S. Hierome neuer vsed Againe Saint Hierome vsed only this phrase The whole world but Protestants vse both that and many more and more plaine Lastly albeit Saint Hierome had spoken altogether as Protestants do yet there were no reason that
society in profession of true doctrine and right vse of Sacraments is termed of Protestants the true Church not because this Church or society is of it self the true church or the society instituted by God but because alwayes in or vnder it there is the true Church to wit the society in iustice and predestination by reason that in euery company of them that professe true doctrine and rightly vse the Sacraments there are some who are sociated and vnited in iustice and predestination Which D. Whitaker intimateth when Cont. 2. quest 4. cap. 1 pag. 485. he sayth The visible Church which holdeth and professeth true sayth is the true Church only of the part of the elect and predestinated I answere that this supposeth a thing doubtfull and perhaps false For what certainty can there be that in euery particuler company of them who professe the true fayth rightly vse the Sacraments there is alwayes a coÌ„pany of the iust and elect when as Christ sayth Many are called but few are chosen Matt. â—0 especially if as Protestants say one or two make a church Surely Danaeus Cont. 4. pag. 689. seemeth to deny this saying These visible companies are sometymes a part of that true Church sometymes none But admit that in euery company of true professors there be always a company of iust and elect what reason were this to terme the society in profession of true fayth the true Church if in deed the society in iustice predestination be the only true Church This would suffice to say that the apparent Church could neuer be separated from the true Church but not to call that society the true Church which indeed is only the outward appearance of the true Church And much lesse would it suffice to call it the church properly so termed the spouse and body of Christ the Catholike Church the Church which we professe to belieue as the Protestants haue termed the visible Church Neither can these epithets or names be giuen to any other society then to that which hath the true nature and substance of the Church indeed because they signify as properly and expresly that only Church as she can be expressed of vs by any words whatsoeuer And sith Protestants haue giuen them all to the visible church they must needs confesse that shee hath the nature and substance of the very true Church indeed and consequently that an inuisible Church is no true Church indeed 6. Fourthly I proue that the Church cannot be inuisible ProtestaÌ„ts somtyms say that the church cannot be inuisible because oftentymes Protestants do confesse it The Apology of the Confession of Ausburg chap. of the Church The Church is principally the society of fayth and of the holy Ghost in the hearts which yet hath her outward markes that she may be knowne Luther vpon the 4. chap. of Genesis tom 6. fol. 56 The Church was neuer so voyd of externall marks that it could not be not knowne where God was certainly to be sound And vpon 51. psalm tom 3. fol. 474 For Christ will not lye hid in the world but will be preached not between wals but vpon the house top Melancthon vpon the 11. of Daniel tom 2. pag. 511 It is necessary that the Church be a visible company Againe VVe seigne not an inuisible Church like to a Platonicall idea And in the Preface of his 3. tome he thinketh it so absurd to put an inuisible Church as he sayth To what tendeth that perdigious speach Monstruous to say the Church was inuible which denyeth that there is any visible Church We must needs confesse a visible Church And vpon the 3. chap. 1. Tim. tom 4. pag. 398 Others sayth he setting aside wholy the externall shew do speake of an inuisible Church as of a Platonicall idaea which is no where seene or heard Kemnice in his common places title of the Church cap. 3 God will haue vs to know where and which is the Church Therefore she must be knowne not to God only but also to vs and therupon is defined to be the visible company of them who imbrace the Ghospell of Christ and rightly vse the Sacraments Iames Andrews in his book against Hosius pag. 210 VVe are not ignorant that the church must be a visible company of teachers and hearers Againe The Church is and is called a company of men chosen of God in which the word of God soundeth incorrupt c. Hunnius in his treatise of Freewill pag. 91 God in all tymes hath placed his Church as in a high place and hath exalted it in the sight of all people and Nations Hutter in his Analysis of the Confession of Auspurg pag. 430 The elect are not the whole Church no if you speake only of the true church For the church consisteth not only of inward sayth in Christ but also of the outward administration of the word Sacraments Now as farre as this in outward rite is performed so farre the true Church truly is visible Beurlin in the Preface of his Refutation of Sotus I confesse the Church of Christ is alwayes to be acknowledged visible And he addeth that all confesse the same The same doctrine is taught by Gesner loc 24. by Adam Francis in his 11. place and by other Lutherans Amongst the Sacramentaries thus writeth Vrsin in Prolegomenis ad Catechcsin pag. 2 The Church must needs be seene in this world that the elect may know vnto what company they must adioyne themselues in this life Iunius Cont. 4. lib. 3. cap. 13. affirmeth that it is impious to say that the Church can wholy want a visible forme Keckerman in the 3. book of his Theologicall systeme writeth that the Church must always be sensible that other nations may know to what church they ought to adioyne themselues and that Confession of sincere doctrine can neuer faile wholy nor the visible church wholy erre Danaeus in his booke of the visible Church dareth to say that who denieth the true church of God and that visible to haue byn from the beginning of the world he without doubt sheweth himselfe to be ignorant in holy scripture Amongst our English Protestants M. Hooker in his 3. booke of Ecclesiasticall policy pag. 126 God hath had euer euer shall haue some Church visible vpon earth D. Feild in his 1. booke of the Church cap. 10 For seing the Church is the multitude of them that shall be saued and no man can be saued vnlesse he make Confession vnto saluation for fayth hid in the heart and concealed doth not suffice it cannot be but they that are of the true Church must by profession of the truth make themselues knowne in such sort that by their profession and practise they may be discerned from other men And D. White in defence of his Way cap. 4. pag. 390 I acknowledge the prouidence of God who hath left the records of history to confirme our fayth and freely graunt our religion to be false if the
the word that it leaueth to be a Church In cap. 17. Ioannis tom 5. fol. 203 For God hath not determined to conserue them the faythfull without outward meanes albeit he could do it Also vpon the 1. chap. of Zacharias Although God can teach men the Ghospell without sermons yet he will not do it And of the Notes of the church tom 7. fol. 149 VVhat could or would the people of God belieue vnlesse the word of God sounded there Melancthon in locis tom 3. cap. de libero arb fol. 311 God gathereth a true Church by the voice of the Ghospell and not otherwise Kemnice in the 2. part of his examen tit de Sacramento ordinis pag. 391 God by his certaine counsell hath determined that he will dispense those things which belong to the matter of our saluation not immediatly by infusing new and peculiar reuelâ—tions into the minds of men without any meanes but by the outward Ministry of the word Caluin 4 Institut cap. 1. § 5 Howbeit Gods power be not tyed to outward meanes neuertheles be hath tyed vs to the ordinary meanes of Preaching Many are pusht on by pride disdaine and emulation to perswade themselues that they can profit inough by priuate reading and meditating And § 4 The knowledge of her the visible Church is profitable to vs yea necessary for we cannot come to life vnlesse she conceiue vs in her wombe beare vs nourish vs with her duggs And in 1. Tim. cap. 3 The office of preaching which God hath left in his church is the only instrument of truth that it go not out of mens minds The Ministery of the word being taken away God truth will fall downe Beza epist 20 It is cleare that fayth cometh of hearing and therefore preaching must goe before fayth Tayé in his Enchiridion disput 60 The necessity of ecclesiasticall Ministry appeareth in that without it we can not know the word of God nor his will therein reuealed vnto vs. D. Whitaker lib. 1. de Scriptura cap. 9 sect 9. pag. 106 The ministry being taken away neither fayth nor Charity nor obedience nor any vertue will remayne safe And cap. 2. sect 6. pag. 37 VVe cannot at all belieue without the Ministry of the church And lib. 3. cap. 15 sect 20. pag. 478 I affirme determine and hold that there is no entrance to saluation without the Ministry of the word Againe by the Ministry of Pastors we belieue the Scripture neither is it to be hoped that without this Ministry sayth can grow in our minds And cap. 5. sect 2 I confesse the Ministry of the Church to be most necessary And Cont. 2. quest 5. cap. 19. pag. 550 VVe neuer come to fayth without preaching of the word D. Fuâ—ke de Succes pag. 30 The peoples saluation cannot be procured without preaching And pag 162 No Christian will deny preaching of the word to be necessary for the edification of the church M. Latimer in his sermons fol. 38 Take away preaching and take away saluation Fol. 99 The office of preaching is the only ordinary meane whereby God hath determined to saue vs. M. Cartwright in M. Hooker lib. 5. of Ecclesiasticall policy p. 41 Reading may set forward but not begin the worke of saluation sayth may be nourished therewith but not bred herein mens attention to the Scriptures and their speculation of the creatures of God haue like efficacy both being of power to augment but neither to effect beliefe without sermons And the Puritans in D. Whitgifts Answere to the Admonitions Reading is no feeding How then could there be any Protestant Church or fayth at all before Luther when as we heard before there was then no Protestant preacher Scripture requireth preaching And in like sort sometymes they confesse that the Scripture it selfe teacheth that preaching is necessary to haue fayth The Confession of Auspurg cap. de potest Eccles pag. 59 Euerlasting iustice the holy Ghost eternall life cannot be had but by the ministry of the word and Sacraments as Paul sayth The Confession of Bohemia art 10 They graunt that none can attaine to right sayth vnlesse he heare the word of God according to that of S. Paul Fayth is of hearing And againe How shall they belieue in him of whome they haue not heard And the Protestants in their conference at Marspurg agreed as reporteth Hospinian part 2. Histor fol 77 That the holy Ghost if we speake of the ordinary course giueth fayth to none vnlesse preaching or the vocall word goe before but by and with the vocall word he worketh and maketh fayth where and in whome it pleaseth him Rom 10. Caluin also 4. Institut cap. 1. § 5 God inspireth fayth into vs by the instrument of his Ghospell as Paul admonisheth that sayth is of hearing Againe VVe must hold that which I haue set downe out of Paul that the Church is not otherwise edified but by outward preaching and in 1. Tim. cap. 3 Paul meaneth simply that which in other words he deliuereth Rom. 10. because fayth is of hearing that there will be no sayth vnlesse there be preaching The like he hath 1. Cor. 3. v. 6. Heb. 4. v. 12. and Ephes 4. v. 12. Beza in the Conference at Montbelgard pag. 407 The ordinary manner whereby fayth is infused is by hearing the word Rom. 10. And Bucer in cap. 10. Rom The Apostle knew that God could call men without the ministry of men neuertheles he absolutely wrote How shall they belieue in him of whome they haue not heard Hyperius also vpon the same place That is that all belieue and call vpon God it is needfull that before they heare the Ghospell and be taught D. Whitaker lib. 1. de Scrip. cap. 2. sect 4 That of the Apostle how shall they belieue without a preacher conuinceth this much that preaching is necessary to conceiue assured of fayth God And c. 10. sect 4 The Apostle doth plainly say that fayth is of hearing And Cont. 2. quest 5. c. 19. pag. 549 This place of Isay 59. sheweth that true preaching of the word shall be perpetuall in the Church M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed col 787 I answere that place Rom. 10. Faith is of hearing to be vnderstood of iustifying fayth So that neither the visible nor inuisible Church could euer haue byn without preaching 6. Out of all that hath byn sayd in this and the former chapter I thus make my fourth demonstration for to proue that Luther was Author of the Protestant Church If before Luther the Protestant Church had no Pastors she was not then at all But then she had no Pastors at all Therefore then she was not at all And by him she came to haue both Protestant Pastors and sheep Therfore by him she had her beginning The Maior is euident by those Confessions of Protestants which we haue rehearsed in this chapter and the Minor by those that were repeated in the former That the Protestants Church and Religion before Luther
church How then can Protestants gather certainly out of the Apocalipse that their Church heretofore was in Popery But as Luther in cap. 9. Genes tom 6. fol. 114. speaketh of the Anabaptists and others VVhy Protestāts accoūt to much of the Apoc. The Anabaptists make so much of obscure bookes as the Apocalipse because there they may seigne any thing And in cap. 11. fol. 136 Ambitious heads think it a great matter if they giue their iudgment freely of obscure places and after stubbornly maintayne their opinion And Praefat. in Cantica tom 4. fol. 47 Some do put all their labour in hard places thinking it a commendation of their wit to medle with those matters which others by reason of their obscurity do fly because in obscure places euery one may diuine and follow his owne head 2. Thirdly I answere that the foresayd place is allegoricall mysticall and obscure and therefore not fit to ground fayth vpon That it is mysticall and allegoricall is manifest because Babylon doth not litterally but at most mystically signify Popery That also the sense which Protestants frame thereof is obscure is euident because they cannot either by any part or by any circumstance therof clearly shew that by Babylon is meant Popery Besides neither any of the Fathers nor of those imaginary Protestants before Luther did perceiue this sense otherwise some of them would haue obeyed Gods commandement and gone out of Popery But it were playne madnes to vrge an incredible thing as is that Protestants were heretofore in Popery to be belieued certainly for one mysticall obscure place VVho sayth S. Augustin without great impudency will goe about to expound for himselfe Epist 48. any thing spoken in Allegory vnlesse he haue manifest places by which the obscure may be lightned Let them bring therefore some euident place Morton part 2. l. 2. c. 5. wherein Babylon signifieth Popery Luther also sayth If in the new testament the signification of a figure be not cleare we must not rely vpon it because the diuell an excellent craftsman playeth with figures if he catch a soule which without certaine ground wresteth the Scripture to Allegories he vseth to cast him here and therelike a dye Bnd in cap. 3. Genes tom 6. fol. 52 An Allegory serueth nothing for proofe Kemnice also 1. part exam tit de epist Apost pag. 79 VVe say that a sentence is not to be builded vpon any obscure places of Scripture which cannot de proued out of other cleare places Peter Martyr in locis tom 2. tract de Missa An opinion is not to be founded in doubtfull words Sadeel ad Sophism Turrian loc 11. pag. 597 The most learned interpreters do teach that Anagogicall arguments must rely vpon cleare and expresse testimonies if they will breed sayth And Pareus lib. 4. de Iustificat cap. 15. pag. 1120 Testimony for a false opinion is in vaine sought out of an Allegoricall and most obscure place But as the Fathers haue noted it was euer the humour of heretiks to seeke some pretext of allegoricall and obscure places Of the Gnostiques thus writeth S. Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 1 Heretikes seeke out obscure places VVhereas many parables and Allegories are recited which may be drawne into diuerse senses they craftely accommodating that which is ambigious vnto their deuise do lead into captiuity from the truth those which haue a weake fayth in Christ And S. Augustin lib. de Vnitat ca. 24. sayth to the Donatists Yee willingly abide in obscure matters that you may not be compelled to confesse cleare matters And of heretiks in generall thus speaketh Tertullian Praes c. 17. Diuers presumptions of necessity will not acknowledge those things by which they may be ouercome and relye vpon those which they haue falsely forged and haue taken out of vncertainetyes Againe De pud c. 16. This is the custome of froward men idiots and heretikes by occasion of some doubtfull passage to arme themselues against an army of the whole testament And Clement 7. Stromatum They seek out doubtfull speaches and turne them to vphold their opinions The like writeth Luther of Anabaptistes And others as hath byn now rehearsed Wherfore Protestants do follow the custome of Gnostikes Donatists Anabaptists froward idiots and heretikes whiles they fit the Allegory of Babylon to their turne whiles they willingly abide in obscure matters and make such account of the Apocalipse because there they haue leaue to feigne any thing whiles they rely vpon those things which they take out of vncertainties and by occasion of one ambiguous and doubtfull place are armed against an army of sentences of the Scripture which teach that neither Popery is Babylon nor Protestants the people of God Moreouer Donatists for the very like place Isaiae 52 Goe backe againe out of the midst of her lib. de vnic bapt c. 14. L 2. cont Parmen c. 28. l. 2. cōt Gaud. c. 9. would proue that they ought to go out of the Catholik Church of their tyme as witnesseth S. Augustin and Danaeus confesseth lib. 3. de Eccl. c. 9. who also in lib. 1. August cont Parmen hath these words The argument of the Donatists out of Isay the 52. was That we ought to goe backe and goe out of the midst of Babylon And the Anabaptists in Zuinglius tom 2. in Elencho fol. 21. Out of this selfe same place of the Apocalipse did gather that they ought to goe from Protestants Why then may wee not say with D. Whitaker Cont. 2. q. ◠c. 23. Our aduersaries serue themselues of the same weapons whereof most wicked heretikes did and herein shew themselues to be nothing lesse then Catholikes Moreouer I say that if I list to expound Scriptures at my pleasure I might say and more probably too then Protestants that by the foresayd words God commandeth Protestants to goe out of Protestancy For Protestancy may well be called Babylon because it is a Masse and confusion of opposite heresies where almost euery one hath a fayth of his owne and speaketh a peculiar language nor vnderstandeth the tongue or doctrine of another And Protestants may be called the people of God in that they are baptised and therein dedicated to his seruice and pretend the fayth of Christ as did Israel euen after it had foresaken the Synagogue De prouid art 22. And as Caluin sayth that God calleth euen the disobedient his seruants as Nabuchodonozor in Hieremy and as God hath both good and faythfull seruants and naughty and vnfaythfull so hath he good naughty people 3. Secondly I answere that the argument which can be framed out of this place to proue that which the Protestants write of their churches being in Popery before Luther arose to wit Goe you my people out of Babylon Therefore before Luthers tyme the church was in Popery and so secret as for many ages she was not seene either of her own or of others is a meere Sophisme First because