noÌ„ in Conciliis EpiscoporuÌ„ noÌ„ in literis quorum libet disputatorum non in signis prodigiis fallacibus quia etiam contra ista verbo Dom. praeparati et cautired diti sumus sed in praescripto Legis in Prophetarum praedictis in Psalmorum cantibus in ipsius Pastoris vocibus in EuangelistaruÌ„ praedicationibus et laboribus hoc est in omnibus Canonicis SanctoruÌ„ librorum authoritatibus Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. and vpon these they challenged that great Champion but heare what answere hee makes them Let the Donatists if they can shew their Church not in rumors and speeches of the men of Africa not in the Councels of their Bishops not in discourses of any Writers whatsoeuer not in signes and miracles that may bee forged for we are forewarned by Gods word and therefore fore-armed against those things but in the prescript of the Law in the prediction of the Prophets in the verses of the Psalmes in the voices of the Shepheard himselfe in the preaching and workes of the Euangelistes that is in all the Canonicall authorities of the sacred Scriptures If Saint Austen had been liuing in these dayes either he must haue retracted this Protestant doctrine or hee would haue beene reputed for an heretique for all these marks which were anciently maintained by the Donatists are proclaimed by our aduersaries to be visible characters of the true Church neither did this learned father require more of the Donatist then the Catholiques of those times were willing to performe on their parts and therfore hee bindes himselfe to the same conditions which hee required of his aduersaries and withall renders the reason of his demand Nec nos proptareà dicimus nobis credere oportere ad in Ecclesia Christi sumê° quia ipsam quaÌ„ tenemê° commendauit Mileuitanus Optatus vel Mediolanensis Ambrosius vel alii innumerabilis nostra communionis Episcopi aut quia nostrorum Collegarum Conciliis praedicata est aut quia per totum orbem in locis sanctis qua frequentat nostra communiâ—tantâ— mirabilia fiunt Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. Quia nec nos propterea dicimus c. Because wee our selues doe not say wee must therefore be beleeued for that wee are in the Church of Christ or else for that Optatus and Ambrose and infinite other Bishops of our Communion haue commended the Church which wee hold or because our Church hath bin published in the Councells of our Colleagues or because in all places of the world where our Communion is frequented there are so many miracles wrought This was the doctrine of Saint Austen and the ancient Fathers and this is ours they required no more of the Donatists but to lay apart all pretended titles and relie onely vpon the word of God we offer to the Romanists no lesse then to accept the same conditions vpon triall of that title and relie only vpon that word I must confesse I thinke a more speedy way might haue been found to haue giuen an answere to the Controuersies of that age for Saint Austen might haue poynted at the Church in the West which was then as conspicuous as the Sun at Noone day hee might haue answered them it was a Citie vpon a hill which was visible to all He might haue produced the Apostle for a witnesse that her faith was published throughout the whole world he might haue confuted them with sacred Councells and Doctrine of the ancient Fathers and confirmed his trueth with the death of constant Martyrs which sealed their doctrine with their blood in the testimonie of the true faith Certainely all these proofes were pregnant in his time and he might easily haue produced them in behalfe of his Church as our aduersaries in these dayes doe for theirs but hee left these brags to these latter times and sends them to the Law to the Testimonies to the word of Christ that speaketh better things then was possible for man to vtter Ne in Ecclesia errares ne quis tibi diceret Christus est qui non est Christê° aut Ecclesia est quae non est Ecclesia audi vocem Pastoris ostendit Ecclesiam ne quis te fallat in nomine Ecclesiae Aug. Psal 69. and to that end saith hee thou mightest not erre in the Church and lest any man should say this is Christ who is not Christ or this is the Church which is not the Church heare the voyce of the Shepheard hee hath shewed thee the Church that the name of the Church may not deceiue thee The summe and substance therefore of St. Austens doctrine was this that neither Bishops nor Councels nor Miracles nor rumors of the Catholique name doe demonstrate the Church of God to be Catholique for all these are common to heretiques as well as Catholiques but the holy Scriptures which beare the testimony of Iesus they onely carry the infallible markes of his trueth In Scripturis didicimê° Christum in Scripturis didicimus ecclesiam Aug. ep 166 and in them faith hee wee haue knowen Christ in them we haue knowen the Church Neither was this the opinion of Saint Austen only for Saint Hierom tels vs that in his dayes the Church was not gone out of her limits of the holy Scriptures Non est egressa de finibus suis id est de Scripturis sanctis Hier. lib. 1. c. 1. in Mich. and from thence the timber and materialls must bee taken with which the house of wisedome is to bee built And Saint Chrysostome as a wise Master-Builder in this house gaue this Caueat to the worke-men in after ages Chrys in opere imperfecto Hom. 49. It can no way be knowen which is the true Church nisi tantummodó per Scripturas but onely by the Scriptures Non enim per alios dispositionem salutis nostra cognouimê° quam per ees per quos euangelium peruenit ad nos quod quideÌ„ tuÌ„c praeconiauerunt posteà verò per Dei voluntateÌ„ in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum et ColumnaÌ„ fidei nostrae futurum Iâ—en advers haeres l. 3. c. 1. otherwise if they had regard to other things they should bee offended and perish and not vnderstand which is the true Church And lastly the learned Father Irenaeus assures vs Non per alios c. by no other haue wee knowne the way of our saluation but by them by whom the Gospel came to vs which verily they then preached and afterwards by the will of God deliuered the same to vs in the Scriptures to bee the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith Tell me then in this latter age and time of Controuersie wherein it is commonly voyced in our eares Loe heere is Christ and there is Christ this is the true Church and that is the true Church how shall the religious man which loueth trueth and seeketh comfort resolue himselfe to which Church shal he safely ioine himselfe when perhaps he wants the learning perhaps the leasure to looke
Vers 16.17 All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good workes So that if you regard the authoritie of the written word it came from God by inspiration if the vse of it it teacheth correcteth improueth if the end and perfection of it that the man of God might bee throughly furnished to euery good work Now whatsoeuer is so profitable vnto all these ends to make a man wise vnto saluation must needs bee sufficient of it selfe and the rather because there is nothing can bee wished for either to soundnesse and sinceritie of Faith or to integritie and godlinesse of life that is to mans perfection the way of saluation which the Scripture giuen by inspiration of God doeth not teach the faithfull seruants of Christ nay more if that which is written bee not sufficient by the beliefe whereof we may attaine to eternall life without doubt Saint Iohn the beloued Disciple of Christ would neuer haue told vs Iohn 20 31. These things are written that wee may beleeue and beleeuing we may haue eternall life I proceed to the examination of the ancient Fathers that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. orat cont Gen. in init Sufficiebat quideÌ„ credentibê° Dei sermo qui in aures nostras Euangelistae testimonie-traÌ„sfusus est quid enim in eodem SacrameÌ„to salutis humanae non continetur aut quid fit qd reliquuÌ„ est aut obseurum Plena sunt omnia vt à pleno et perfecto facta Hil. de Trin. l. 2 Tert. contr Hermo c. 22 that written Word may be established Athanasius the holy Father tells vs The holy Scriptures giuen by inspiration of God are of themselues sufficient to the discouery of the truth And as concerning the fulnesse of all truth which is reuealed in the Scriptures Saint Hillary assures vs that in his dayes The word of God did suffice the beleeuers yea saith he what is there concerning mans saluation that is not conteined in the Word of the Evangelist What doth it want What is there obscure in it All things there are full and perfect And Tertullian himselfe professeth that hee honoureth the fulnes of the Scriptures and denounceth a woe to Hermogenes the heretike if hee take ought from those things which are written or addeth to them And Saint Cyrill more expressely Non omnia qua Dominus fecit conscriptâ— sunt sed qua scribentes sufficere puturunt tam ad mores quam ad dogmata vt rectâ fide et operibus et virtute rutilantes ad regnum coeloruÌ„ perveniamus Cyr. in Ioh. li. 12 c. 68. In iis quae apertè in Scripturâ posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae coÌ„ueninient fidem moresque viuendi Aug. de doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. All things saith he which Christ did are not written but those things are written which the Writers thought sufficient as well touching conuersation as Doctrine that shining with right faith and vertuous workes wee may attaine to the Kingdome of Heauen And Saint Austen giues his consent with the rest of the holy and ancient Fathers that In those things which are layd downe plainely in the Scriptures all those things are found which appertaine to Faith and direction of life And thus by the testimonies of the blessed Apostles and the consent of holy Fathers we haue certaintie we haue safetie wee haue assurance wee haue all sufficiencie in the Scriptures Surely the ancient Fathers did little dreame that the precious stones and timber on which the Church of Rome was first built should bee repayred in her decaying age with strawe and stubble of vnwritten doctrines and vnknowne Traditions Saint Cyprian that blessed Martyr was so farre from allowing Ecclesiasticall Traditions for a poynt of Faith that hee makes this Quaere Whence is this Tradition Vnde ista Traditio vtrumne de Dominica c ea enim facienda esse qua scripta sunt Deus testatur Cypr Epist 74. ad PoÌ„p is it deriued from the Lords authoritie or from the precepts of the Apostles for God willeth vs to doe those things which are written But this quaere is so distasted by Bellarmine that to this short demand hee returnes this sharpe answere Respondâ—o Cyprianum haec scripsisse euÌ„ errorem suum tuerâ— veilet ideò si more errantium tunc ratiocinaretur c. Bâ—◠〈◊〉 vet Dei li 4. ca. 11. Cyprian spake this when hee thought to defend his owne errour and therefore it is no maruell if hee erred in so reasoning yet wee may see what time and errours haue brought to passe those authorities of Scripture which the heretiques pretended for their vnwritten Traditions in the ancient Church are the very same which the Romanists at this day assume in behalfe of their Traditions Irenaeus tels vs that in his time the heretiques complained Iren. l. 3. c. 2 that they who were ignorant of Traditions could not find the trueth in the Scriptures for the truth was not deliuered by writing but by word of mouth And for proofe of their assertion they cite the words of Saint Paul We speake wisedome amongst them that be perfect 1. Cor. 2. Bellarmine alledgeth in this very Text Bell. de ver Dei l. 4. c. 8. to proue that many mysteries require silence that it is vnmeet they should be explained by the Scriptures and therefore are onely learned by Traditions Tertullian tells vs that the heretiques confessed indeed Tertul. de praescip advers haeres cap. 25. that the Apostles were ignorant of nothing but they say the Apostles reuealed not all things vnto all men And for proofe they cite the Word written O Timothy keepe that which is committed to thy trust In like manner Saint Austen tels vs that All foolish heretiques doe seeke to colour their deuices by the pretext of this Gospell Aug. in Ioh. Tract 97. 96. I haue yet many things to say vnto you but ye cannot beare them now But saith hee seeing Christ himselfe hath been silent of those things who of vs can say they are these and these or if hee dare say it how doth hee prooue it These and the like places are cited by Bellarmine and the Romanists Bell de vervo Dei li. 4. cap. 5. for the honour and authoritie of their vnwritten Traditions nay more they are vrged with such eagernesse in defence of their doctrine that some of them publikely professed Si Paulus ille Tharsensis c. Fauour Antiq pag. 275 If that same Paul of Tharsus the chiefe instrument of diuine Philosophie should condemne any Traditions of the Catholike Roman Church I would confidently prescribe him abandon him pronounce Anathema with direfull execrations against this Saul Waltram Bishop of Naumburg a principall member of the Romane Church and conuersant amongst the
scrip Eccles. ann 290. Gregorie Nyssen his eight Bookes De Philosophia are cited by Bellarmine for Free-will yet in his Catalogue aforesaid he confesseth they seeme not to be the bookes of Gregory Nyssen Lactantius Verses are cited by Bellarmine for Adoration of the Crosse and yet he confesseth elsewhere that it is doubted whether Lactantius were the Author Bell. li 1. de ver Dei ca. 14. Nec librum illum esse Augustini vt erudit fatentur Bell. de Mis lib. 2. c. 12. Ad locum Saint Austen is cited ad Orosium by Bellarmine to prooue Ecclesiasticus Canonicall Scripture but elsewhere when he is obiected in our behalfe in that Tract hee answeres it is not Saint Austens worke as learned men confesse Iustin Martyr Bell lib de Bap c. 25. Idem lib. de Confir c. 5. Idem lib. de Euch. c. 2. Idem lib. 1. de Sanct. 1. 4 § 3. his Questions are alleadged by Bellarmine for Vnction in baptisme for the Sacrament of Confirmation for Transubstantiation but elsewhere hee declareth them to be the work of some new Authour and not the workes of Iustin Martyr Origen in his Homilies on the Gospels Lib. 2. de Euch. c. 8. lib 3. de paenit ca 7. is cited by Bellarmine for the Reall presence and his Homilies on the Psalmes he cites for Auricular confession In lib. de Script Eccles yet the one he disclaimeth as none of Origens the other he freely confesseth it is doubted of who is the Author Cassianus is cited by Bellarmine for an ancient Author Bell de Iustif l. 1. c. 13 for the poynt of Iustification Idē de bon oper cap. 2. lib. 2. and set times of fasting yet elsewhere hee acknowledgeth the booke for Apocryphall and counterfet Bell li. 6. de lib. arb ca. 4 § accedat and condemned in a Roman Councell vnder Pope Gelasius Bell li. 2. de Pont. c. 14. Eusebius his third Epistle is cited by Bellarmine for the Supremacie yet he professeth elsewhere Idem de Confirm lib. 2. c. 7. it is not certaine who is the Author thereof Hee that shall reade these and many such like authorities of pretended Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Religion might at first sight happily bee induced to beleeue that all or most of the ancient Doctors of the Church belong to them when as in truth our aduersaries vse them but as Merchants vse their Counters sometimes they stand with them for pence sometimes for pounds as they bee next and readiest at hand to make vp their account Thus one while they muster vp their forces by multitudes of authorities as if they would make that good by number which they want in weight Sometimes they condemne them as counterfet sometimes they purge them as if they were full of corruptions according to seuerall occasions they haue their seuerall deuices to produce them or auoyd them at their pleasure Si conficta historia non est vllius authoritatis Bell. lib. 2. de Pont. cap. 9. whereas if they bee counterfeit as they are confessed to bee they are of no authoritie if Catholique and Orthodoxe they make nothing for the points in Controuersie as shall bee presented in the next place SECT XI The most substantiall poynts of Roman Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers NEither are these men content to challenge a right to all the Fathers although they confesse they are not all orthodox and true Fathers but they likewise charge vs that Sebast Flash in profess Cath. we make no more account of them then wee doe of the Turkes Alcaron or Aesops Fables Nay saith Bristow it is well known to such as heare the Protestants Sermons Bristow Mot. 14. or bee in place to heare them talke boldly and familiarly among themselues are not afrayd to confesse plainely that the Fathers are all Papists A strange and senselesse fiction deuised by these men when not onely our learned Diuines but the vulgar people are all eye-witnesses that the Booke written by the Iewel of our age is published in all the Churches of our kingdom whose challenge for the principall points of our Religion is made good and will euer remaine vnanswerable out of the Writings and Authorities of the ancient Fathers But admit some Protestants were so ignorant or senselesse as to say priuately All the Fathers were Papists what stupiditie then may we think it in the chiefe Pastors of the Romane Church which by their publike writings and open confession acknowledge the principall poynts of Controuersie yea their chiefe Articles of Faith were vnknowne to the ancient Fathers We confesse it for a truth that the ancient Fathers St. Austen S. Ambrose St. Hierome and the rest were learned men they were Instruments of Grace and Mercy we read them we reuerence them we giue God thankes for them but withall wee learne this lesson frō them Wee weigh not the writings of men August ad Fortunat. Epist 111. bee they neuer so worthy and Catholique as wee weigh the Canonicall Scriptures but yeelding that reuerence that is due vnto them Wee may mislike and refuse something in their writings if we find they haue thought otherwise then the trueth may beare and such saith Austen am I in the writings of others and such I would wish others to be in mine Saint Austen thought it no preiudice to the Romane Church nor disparagement to his own learning to haue his writings examined by the rule of Scripture Nay more saith he that which in my bookes thou thinkest to bee vndoubtedly true Quod certū non habebis nisi certum intellexeris noli firmè retinere Aug in Proae lib 3. de Trinit vnlesse thou perceiue it to bee true indeed hold it not resolutely St. Ambrose was so farre from wishing Prince or people to rely vpon his doctrine that by way of preuention hee writes to Gratian the Emperour Nolo argumento eredas sancte Imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus c. Ambros de Fide ad Grat l 1 c. 4 Beleeue not O Emperour our Arguments and our Disputations let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophets let vs aske Christ. Now admit a doubtfull Recusant at this day repaire for instruction to a Romish Priest or Bishop will he answer him with Austen Examine my doctrine by the rule of Scripture and if you find it not agreeable to that Word hold it not resolutely or will he answer him with Ambrose Heare not my arguments beleeue not vs that are the professed Priests and Pastors of the Church but read the Scriptures consult with the Oracles of God let Christ the Head of the Church resolue the doubts and controuersies of Religion Surely nothing is more to bee wished for by vs nothing is lesse to be hoped for from them True it is that St.
spoken of throughout the whole world nay more he makes an earnest request to God that he might see the members of that Church and impart Spirituall gifts vnto them to the ende they might be established These testimonies of the Apostle were speciall Caracters of an eminent glorious Church although in truth there is not so much as this name of a Church giuen to the Romans in all the Scriptures The church at Babylon elected 2. Pet. 5.13 vnlesse they will allow the Church at Babylon to bee the Church of Rome and heere was a probable assurance of continued stability and perseuerance in the Faith in all Ages but behold the same Apostle which did so much glory in behalfe of their Catholique Faith which gaue God thankes for them which without doubt prayed for the continuance of that Faith Verse 9. For God is my witnesse saith he without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my Prayers As if hee had foreseene by the spirit of Prophesie they would glory in their owne worth and merits shortly after in his eleuenth Chapter of the same Epistle giues them this speciall Caueat Be not high minded but feare and withall giues a speciall reason of that Caueat For if God spared not the naturall branches take heede also lest hee spare not thee behold therefore the bountifulnesse and seueritie of God towards them that haue fallen seueritie but towards thee goodnesse if thou continune in his goodnesse otherwise also thou shalt bee cut off This Doctrine of the Apostle doth trench so farre into the present estate of the Church of Rome that the Rhemists forbeare their Annotations vpon this place for the truth is these last words Thou also shalt bee cut off Doe plainely intimate that the Church of Rome from the time of the Apostles had a possibilitie of falling and consequently was but a particular Church for so it befell the Church of Ierusalem and much more saith the Apostle may it befall the Church of Rome Let vs compare the testimonies and promises in behalf of the Roman Church with other particular and famous Churches in the time of the Apostles and see whether those promises did more largely extend to the faith of the Roman Church then to other Churches St. Paul writing to the Thessalonians termes them by the name of the Church he giues this large testimonie in their behalfe Thess 1.8 From you sounded out the word of the Lord not onely in Macedonia and Achaia but your faith which is toward God is gone forth into all places that wee haue no need to speake any thing yea more hee giues them a kinde of assurance for the perpetuitie of their faith The Lord is faithfull 2. Thess 3 3 and will establish you and keepe you from all euill yet this Church is fallen away and hath lost her first faith The Ephesians are termed by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church of the liuing God the Pillar ground of truth And for this Church the Apostle makes this confession Ephes 3.14 16. I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to bee strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man yet we see this Church which was the ground and pillar of truth and for which the Apostle earnestly prayed for is rased to the ground and vtterly fallen from the truth The Corinthians are tearmed by Saint Paul 1. Cor. 1.2 The Church of God called to be Saints And this Church is farther witnessed by the same Apostle that shee was rich in all things through Christ in all kinds of speech and knowledge and that shee was not destitute of any gift yea he deliuers confident in behalfe of that Church that God would establish them vnto the end euen the day of the Lord Iesus Christ yet soone after some of them denied the Resurrection they fell from the truth and are now subiect to the Turke If then the Church of the Thessalonians of the Ephesians of the Corinthians touching the outward face and visibilitie of the locall Churches if they are all fallen notwithstanding such faire testimonies and large promises in their behalfe which also were accomplished in the Elect what stabilitie could the Church of Rome promise to her selfe which had not so much as the name of a Church but was threatned vpon the breach of a condition that they also should bee cut off Whether the condition be broken or no I will not heere dispute but this I may safely say If the Iewes being the Lords peculiar people and the naturall branches were broken off how much more the Church of Rome being but a wilde Oliue branch might bee cut off from the faith of Christ No doubt the Spirit of God foresaw that the Romanist would glory in the name of the Church and aduance that name aboue his word and therefore the word of God gaue not so much as a name of a Church nor promise of infallibility perseuerance vnto it but a speciall caueat to put them in mind not to be high minded I say therefore to the Romanist as St. Hierom sometimes said to Pammachius and Oceanus Quisquis es assertor novorum dogmatuÌ„ quaese te vt parcas Romanis auribê° parcas fidei quae Apostolico ore laudae tur cur post quadi ingeÌ„tos annos docere nos niteris quod antea nesciuimê° cur profers in medium qd Paulus Petrê° edere noluerunt vsque ad huÌ„c lâ—eÌ„ siâ—e istâ doctâ—inâ nund Christianus fuit Hieron ad Pammach OceanuÌ„ Thou who art a maintainer of newe doctrine whatsoeuer thou bee I pray thee spare the Romane eares spare the Faith that is commended by the Apostles mouth why goest thou about now after 400 yeeres I may say 1400 to teach vs that Faith which wee before neuer knew Why bringest thou forth that thing that Peter and Paul neuer vttered Euermore vntill this day the Christian world hath beene without this Doctrine But obserue the cunning of our Aduersaries they doe as much glory of the Apostles testimonie that the Romane Faith was published through the world as if the ancient and the now Romane faith were all one And to prooue an infallible Succession in their doctrine they pretend that St. Cyprian a blessed Martyr did witnesse to the world that the Romane Church could not erre and consequently the Trent doctrine is the ancient faith of Christ and his Apostles St. Cyprian saith M. Bishop tells vs that Perfidiousnesse and falsehood in matters of Faith can haue no accesse to the Church of Rome so that by the Apostles confession they challenge an eminent Visibilitie and by this ancient Fathers testimonie they claime an assured stabilitie in matters of Faith If these things were true I should craue pardon of Cyprian not to beleeue him because the Apostle teacheth mee to beleeue the contrary but the trueth is this testimony so often alledged by
his heauenly Angels to witnes that notwithstanding you obtrude the invisibility of our church as a stumbling blocke to the ignorant notwithstaÌ„ding your great brags of an outward face of an eminent and glorious Romane Church yet your Trent faith and doctrine vvas far froÌ„ the knovvledge of Christ his Apostles nay more if any Iesuite or all the Iesuites aliue can proue your Roman Faith had Antiquity Vniuersalitie and Succession in al ages and that your Trent Articles were plainly commonly and continually taught receiued de Fide as Articles of Faith before Luther let all the Anathema's in your Trent Councel fall vpon my head And as touching the great noise and rumors of your Catholike Church if you wil consider and vveigh it vvith wisdom and moderation you shall find it wholly depends vpon tvvo doubtfull and vncertain coÌ„clusions viz. The Infallibilitie of the Pope and the Intention of the Priest These are but tvvo slender threds to vphold the Vniuersall faith of all Christians and therfore blame not vs if such things seeme harsh and vntunable in our eares that many millions of soules shold depend vpon the Infallibility of one man that man by your own supposall may draw vvith him innumerable soules to hell That man vvho hath the name and nature of Antichrist in his person in the one as he is against Christ and his doctrine in the other as he claimes to be Christs Vicar sit in his stead for the very name of Antichrist imports both Anti-Christ signifies Against Christ and to be in the place of Christ That man vpon vvhose forehead by the testimonies of learned Authors the vvord Mysterie Dr. Iames in his Epist Dedicatory of the Corruption of the Fathers c. the very mark of the Beast was sometimes writteÌ„ That man who is pointed at by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be that Antichrist by his habitation seated vpon seuen hills Reuel 17. That man who hath the character of the man of sin 2. Thess 2.4 which aduaÌ„ceth himselfe aboue all that are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 viz the Kings and Princes of the earth That man who hath published the doctrine of Deuils 1. Tim 4. by forbidding of meats and Marriage vnto Priestes Lastly that man whose Infallibility Conc. Flor. in Decret Eugenij whose Succession whose Orders whose Baptisme and Christianitie it selfe depends vpon the Intention of a silly Priest Bell de Iustif li 3. â— 8 of whose Intention none can be assured by your owne confessions It is not the great souÌ„d of a visible Church that must outface the truth for the emptiest vessels make the greatest souÌ„d neither is it the name of Catholike which you wholly appropriate to your selues sufficient to proue your Church Catholike nay more your pretences of Scriptures of Traditions of Fathers of Councels of an Infallible Church are but figge-leaues to couer the nakednesse of your nevv borne faith for it shall appeare by this small Treatise that your chiefest scriptures on which you build your Trent doctrine are Apocryphal your Traditions which you haue equalled to the Scriptures are Apostaticall your Fathers which you assume for Interpreters of the Scriptures are spurious and counterfet your Councels which depend vpoÌ„ the Infallibilitie of the Popes iudgment are erronious doubtful and your preteÌ„ded Catholike Church which is made the onely rule of Faith is neither a whole nor yet a sound member of the Catholike and Vniuersall Body This way therefore which you take is a cloke colour to darken truth by outward shewes and specious pretences and therefore Via Deuia a vvandring and By-way Neither is it your bitternesse and inuectiues against a Lay man shall make me silent in Gods cause for I say with Moses Num. 12.29 Would God al the Lords people could prophecie and I hope there will neuer be wanting a Mildab a Medab to assist Moses and Aaron that may bee able to vindicate Gods Honor and Truth ease our painful Pastors and Ministers which most laboriously performe the work of an Euangelist and conuert soules by preaching which yours peruert by Controuersies of Disputations I hope I say there wil be alwaies some who wil publish to the shame of your Romish Pastors the palpable ignorance of the Laitie who with an implicite faith inuolued obedience resigne vp their sight and senses to blind guides Let the Trueth of God and his Church flourish no rayling accusation of an Aduersary shall deterre mee from my seruice to his cause In the meane time I will appeale to your own consciences whether it bee Catholike doctrine or sauour of Christian Charitie which your Iesuites teach viz. Haereticos non magis audiendos esse etiamsi vera et sacris literis coÌ„sentanea dicant aut doceant quaÌ„ Diobolum Mald. in Math. 16.6 That the Reformed Churches are no more to be heard then the deuill himselfe although they speake trueth and agreeable to the Scriptures nay more I speak it with shame and griefe Discept Tâ—â—ol Sect. 2. the Pope at this day allowes the Talmud of the Iewes and yet prohibites the Books of Protestants Giue mee leaue therefore to speake to you as somtime S. Austen spake to the Donatists Aug. contr Petâ—l lib. 3. cap. 59. If you will be wise vnderstand the trueth it is well if otherwise it shall not grieue mee that I haue taken this paines for you for though your hearts returne not to the peace of the Church yet my peace shall returne to mee in the Church The cause is Gods the labour is mine if you wil reade it impartially and can shew me any error clearely faithfully and moderately I wil make a work of Retractations and professe openly with righteous Iob Iob 31.35 36. O that mine aduersary would write a Booke against mee I would take it vpon my shoulder and bind it as a Crowne vnto me H. L. The Contents Sect. 1. THe safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scriptures Pag. 1. Sect. 2. Our Aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered p. 16. Sect. 3. The Scripture according to the Iudgement of the ancient Fathers is the sole Iudge of Controuersies and Interpreter of it selfe p. 43. Sect. 4. Our Aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers p. 58 Sect. 5. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues p. 86 Sect. 6. Our Aduersaries pretences from the Authorities of Fathers and Councels to proue the Apocryphall Bookes Canonicall answered p. 122 Sect. 7. The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding
backeward for 1600 yeeres and rightly examine the doctrine of both Churches If hee seeke the Protestant Church behold shee being poore despised for want of continued eminencie is become a stumbling blocke to the ignorant If he looke on the Roman Church behold Reu. 17.2 c. Shee is arayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones and the inhabitants of the earth haue beene made drunke with the wine of her fornications and they that follow her wonder with great admiration And without doubt the Popes triple Crownes the golden crosses the Legend of Saints the multitude of professed Orders their pompe in Processions their rich cloathing of Images their pretended power of their Priesthood the great rumour of their Catholique cause their Iubilies and Pardons their Merits and Miracles doe so dazle the eyes of the ignorant and common people that they thinke there is no Church true and visible but the Romane Church and certenly the case thus standing wee haue no better plea for our Church Vtrum nos schismatici sumê° an vos nec ego nec tu sed Christus interrogetur vt indicet ecclesiam suam Aug. cont lit Pet lib. 2. c. 85. then the holy Father Saint Austen sometimes made to Petilian the Donatian heretique Whether of vs be Schismatiques we or you aske you not me I will not aske you let Christ bee asked that hee may shew vs his owne Church SECT II. Our aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered I Speake not this as if the Romanists of these times did wholly waue the Scriptures for if wee may credit Doctor Sanders There are most plaine Scriptures in all poynts for the Catholique Faith Rocke of the Church cap 8. p. 193 and none at all against the same And their owne Bristow would make the world beleeue Brist Mot. 48. from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalyps there is no text that makes for vs against them but all for them If these men haue spoken the trueth let them beare witnesse of the truth onely let me tell you the Rhemists in their Annotations vpon the Gospel professe in the name of their Church that if wee should Rhem. Annot in 1. Cor. 1.5 when wee came to yeeres of discretion be set to picke our Faith out of the Scriptures there would bee a mad worke and many Faiths among vs. And their fellow Ecchius proclaimes to all the world Ecch. Euchirid c. 4. that the Lutherans are dolts which will haue nothing beleeued but that which is expresse Scripture for all things are not deliuered manifestly in the Scriptures but very many are left to the determination of the Church Haeresin esse si quis dicit necessarium esse vt Scripturae in vulgares linguas coÌ„uertantur Sand. visib Monar haeres 191. And their Proselyte Sanders who pretends such euident testimonies of the Scriptures in behalfe of his Church accounts it no better then heresie to translate them And Peresius his fellow Iesuite complaines It is the Deuils inuention to permit the people to reade them Diaboli inuentum esse vt populus Biblia legere permitteretur Peres de Tra. part 1. assert 3. And it is the generall vote of the best learned Romanists The reading of the Bible makes more hereticall Lutherans then Roman Catholiques If therefore the Scriptures are such pregnant plaine testimonies in behalfe of the Romane Faith as some Romanists pretend why do they condemne the translating of them why do they not permit the people to reade them and if all places of Scripture make for them and none for vs how comes it to passe that by reading them many Papists by their own confession become Protestants It is the blasphemous assertion of Albertus Pigghius NoÌ„ vt scriptu illa praeessent fidei et Religioni nostrae sed potiùs vt subessent Pig Hierar lib. 1. c. 2. that the Apostles haue written certaine things but not to that end their writings should rule our faith but rather that they should be vnder and ruled by our faith and Religion And heereupon hee quarrels with all those that submit their knowledge to the authoritie of the Gospell Si dixeris haec referri oportere ad iudicium Scripturarum coÌ„munis te sensus ignaruÌ„ esse comprobat sunt enim scriptura muti Iudices Pigh cont 3. de Eccles If thou shalt teach saith hee that those things must be put to the Iudgement of the Scriptures thou shewest thy selfe to bee voyd of common reason for the Scriptures are dumbe Iudges cannot speake Neither is this the opinion of some priuate spirits which of late haue declined the authority of the Scriptures but if wee looke beyond Luther wee shall finde that almost 300 yeares before his dayes the Romanists did endeauor by all meanes to extinguish the light of the Gospell About the yeare 1255 there was a great contention betwixt the Vniuersitie of Paris and the Order of Franciscan Fryers in which dissention the Fryer Mendicants published a book called Euangelium aeternum Mat. Paris in Hist An. 1256. the eternall Gospell in this Booke it was declared that the Gospell of Christ was not the euerlasting Gospell that it was to cease and determine as the olde Law did at the comming of Christ that the Gospell of Christ should from that time continue but 50 yeares and that their new Gospell did containe as much or more then the whole Bible that theirs was the Gospell of Christ and the eternall Gospell Neither was this wicked blasphemy published by one man but by a whole Order of Monkes and Fryars Neither were they vpstart opinions like mushromes growne vp in a night but they were set afoot fifty fiue yeares before that time This and much more of the like doctrine is to bee read in Mathew Paris B. Vsher de Eccles success statu cap 9. p. 278 and more particularly in that excellent Treatise of the Succession and state of Christian Churches Thus the Romish Priests of the former and latter ages agree like Pilate and Herod both to the condemnation of Christ his Word and as Herod saith Ambrose burnt the Scriptures Ambr. in Luc. lib 3. lest by meanes of such ancient Records some doubt might afterwards be made of his posterity In like manner our late Romanistes haue silenced the Scriptures lest by such ancient Euidences their new Articles of Faith should be discouered and had it not beene for feare or shame I am verily perswaded they had fulfilled in a sense to litterall the words of the Apostle The fire shall trie euery mans worke of what sort it is Now can any man imagine why these men should bee so angry with Christ and his Apostles Can they say the Scriptures are subiect to errours and neede an Index Expurgatorius No they dare not they will not say so but they say
interpretation of holy Scripture I doe admit so that by the latter part of the Article they allow the Fathers to bee interpreters of the Scriptures and by the first part they make themselues sole interpreters of the Fathers to which addition an ignorant Priest will sweare with a mentall reseruation that he doeth not receiue nor expound the Scripture but with the vniforme consent of Fathers that is according to the sense and iudgment of the Roman church for it is not to bee doubted but the Church will allow of that sense which is most agreeable to that doctrine and of that interpretation although it bee farre different from the Ancients which is most consonant to their Religion and the rather I incline to this opinion for that Cardinall Hosius doth protest it for a vniversall and Catholike doctrine of his Church Si quis habet interpretationeÌ„ Ecclesia Romana de loco aliquo Scriptura etiamsi nec sciat nec intelligat an quomodo cuÌ„ Scriptura verbis conueniat tamen habet ipsissimum verbuÌ„ Dei. Hos de expresso verb. Dei If a man haue the Interpretation of the Church of Rome of any place of Scripture hee hath the very words of God though he neither know nor vnderstand whether and how it agreeth with the words of Scripture Now if it happen that those which are better instructed by comparing of Scriptures and Fathers doe make a doubt of some place of Scripture which the Church teacheth different from the Fathers Cardinall Cusanus by way of preuention giues him to vnderstand Non est miruÌ„ si praxis Ecclesiae vno tempore interpretetur Scripturam vno modo et alio teÌ„pore alio modo naÌ„ intellectê° currit cum praxi intellectus enim qui cuÌ„ praxi coÌ„currit est spiritus vinificans sequuntur ergo scripturae ecclesiam et non è conuerso Nich. Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 7. that there is Fides Temporum a faith that followeth the time Neither is it any maruell saith hee though the practise of the Church expound the Scripture at one time one way and at an other time another way for the vnderstanding or sense of the Scripture runneth with the practise and that sense so agreeing with the practise is the quickening Spirit and therefore the Scriptures follow the Church but contrariwise the Church followeth not the Scriptures This learned Romanist tells vs it is no wonder that the Scripture is at diuers times diuersly expounded hee tells vs the Scripture attends the Churches pleasure and lastly which is most true hee professeth the Romish Church followeth not the Scripture but the times That this Cardinall speaketh truth I think no Protestant doth make a question but that you may be witnes also of the practise of these times you shall obserue how fitly these men haue applyed the Scripture to their Church whereas it is said to Peter in a vision Arise In voto Baronij contrà Venetos kill and eate Cardinall Baronius being Interpreter will tell you The Pope is Peter and the Venetians are the meate which must bee killed and deuoured In like manner whereas Saint Paul saith Haereticum deuitâ Auoyd an heretique the sillie Fryar applies it to times and persons with this Exposition Erasm Encom Moriae Haereticum de-vitâ tolle kill the heretique meaning the Protestant and in this manner according to the times the sense runneth with the practise or at leastwise I am sure this practise runneth with these times Thus then you haue Fides Ecclesia an Exposition of Scriptures according to the Article of the Romish Creed and Fides tempâ—rum an Exposition sutable to the times and their owne doctrine If therefore we appeale to Scriptures they account them dumbe Iudges without the Exposition of their Church if we require an Exposition with the consent of Fathers they tell vs we must admit that sense which the Church holdeth whose right is to iudge of the true sense of Scriptures If wee shew them that their Expositions are senselesse and disagreeing from the Ancients they tell vs the Scriptures may receiue different Expositions according to the times And thus they make the Scriptures sound like Bells according to their fancies and violate their oath with a Saluo Iure sauing a right to the sense and meaning of their owne Church This way therefore is Via Deuia a Wandring and By-way It resteth in the last and chiefest place to obserue the difference bewixt the Church of Rome and vs touching the intire Canon of Scriptures for without doubt this is the onely and infallible rule of faith and there is a curse denounced by God himselfe against all those that adde to his word Deut. 4.2 Reu. 22.18 or diminish ought from it It shall appeare therefore by many pregnant and infallible testimonies of our aduersaries themselues that the Canon of Scripture which we professe and beleeue was the same which was taught and declared by Christ and his Apostles in the first age the same which was published generally receiued by the ancient Fathers in succeeding ages the same which continued in the bosome of the Romane Church in all ages till the dayes of Luther SECT V. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues IT was the complaint of Campian the Iesuite that the ancient Canon of Scripture was altered at the comming of Luther and thereupon as a man inraged against the Lutherans Camp Rat. 1. hee makes this open out-crie What incensed Luthers whelps to put out of the true Canon of Scripture Tobias Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Maccabees Desperation for by these heauenly oracles they are expressely conuinced as often as they dispute against the defence of Angels as often as they dispute against Freewill as often as they dispute against Praying for the dead as often as they dispute against Praying to the Saints Surely if this Romanist had beene as reall in his proofes as he was vaine glorious in his speeches he had gone beyond all the Romish Proselytes of our age for neuer man made greater flourishes with poorer proofes for it shall appeare that wee haue published no other Canon of Scripture then Christ and his Apostles taught and receiued no other then the ancient Fathers declared to be diuinely Canonicall and those onely Canonicall none other then the learned Doctors and Professors intirely preserued in the bosome of the Roman Church in all ages so that if any curse be denounced against vs for renouncing doctrines of faith deduced from Apocryphall Scriptures I say it shall appeare by the same Decree they haue layd an Anathâ—ma vpon Christ and his Apostles and haue cursed the ancient Fathers and the principall members of their owne Church In the first age to Ann. 100. First then wee must obserue Rom. 3.2 Factique sunt Iudaei depositarii et custodes
siue Purgatorii fiue IndulgentiaruÌ„ fides in Primitiuâ Ecclesia at que nunc est Roffen Aâ—t 18 p. 496. Touching Vniuersalitie It is the confession of Fisher their owne Bishop of Rochester Whosoeuer will reade the Commentaries of the ancient Greekes so farre as I see he shall finde very seldome mention of Purgatory or none at all and the Latins in the Westerne Church did not receiue the truth of this matter altogether but by little and little neither indeed was the faith either of Purgatorie or Indulgences so needfull in the Primitiue Church as now it is A strange confession of a learned Bishop that two principall Articles of Faith viz. Purgatorie and Indulgences were scarce knowne in the ancient Church nor yet very necessary to bee receiued at all times and of all persons Let it suffice many poynts of the now Romane Religion were vtterly vnknowne to the Greeke Church which in the first ages did wholly communicate with the ancient Romane Faith and therefore their Alphonsus à Castro thinkes it the best way to solue the poynt in question with this answere Vnus ex notissimis erroribus GraecoruÌ„ et ArmenoruÌ„ est quo docent nullum esse purgatoriuÌ„ locum quo animae ab hac luce migrantes purgentur à sordibus Alph. à Cas aduers haeres lib. 12. It is one of the most knowne errours of the Grecians and Armenians whereby they teach there is no place for Purgatorie where soules after this life are purged from their offences Touching Succession St. Chrysostome Gregorie Neocaesaria Olympiodorus and diuers ancient Fathers were vtterly ignorant of it and Saint Austen a Latine Father was so farre from receiuing it as a poynt of Faith that doubtingly hee professeth Tale aliquid etiam post haÌ„c vitaÌ„ fieri incredibile noÌ„ est et vtrù ita sâ— quaerâ— potest aut â—â—enâ—â—â—uâ—latere Aug. in Enchirid. ad Laurent cap. 69. It is not incredible that some such thing should bee after this life and whether it bee so or no it may beâ— a question and it may bee either found or bee hidden 〈◊〉 we all know and confesse that if Saint Austen and the Romane Church had receiued the doctrine of Purgatory in his dayes as it is now taught for an Article of Faith certainely hee would neuer haue told vs perhaps it is so it may be or it may not bee and it is a doubt whether there be any such place or no. And howsoeuer it is pretended that the Greeke Church at the Councell of Florence for peace sake was content to yeeld that the middle sort of soules were in a place of punishment but whether that were fire or darknesse and tempest or something else they would not contend yet I say if they had assented to this or the like doctrine it was 1400 yeeres after Christ and therefore most vnfit to be receiued for an Article of Faith but the truth is Marcus Bishop of Ephesus who was one of the Legats of the Patriarchs of Antioch Hierusalem would neuer consent to this Doctrine neither could the Greeke Church afterwards by any meanes bee drawne to yeeld to it Besides within two yeeres after Cardinall Cusanus and the Deputies of the Councell of Basil in the yeere 1438 doe sufficiently manifest the opinion of the Greek Church wherein the Grecians begin their disputation in this maner Mart. Crus in Turc Graec. p. 186 A Purgatory fire and a punishment by fire which is temporall and shall at last haue an end neither haue wee receiued from our Doctors neither doe wee know that the Church of the East dâ—eth maintaine it And from these and the like propositions they make this peremptory conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Sacran c. 2. For these reasons therefore neither haue wee hitherto affirmed any such thing neither will wee at all affirme it I may adde to these Testimonies the opinions of the Muscouites who affirme that there is no Purgatory but onely two receptacles for soules Heauen and Hell Againe the Cophites and the Abissines the Georgians and Armenians together with the Syrians and Caldeans that are subiect to the Patriarkes of Antioch and Babylon from Cyprus and Palestina vnto the East Indies neuer made discouery of the new found land of Purgatory This doctrine therefore wants the proper markes of the Romane Church viz. Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can bee no Article of faith no Apostolique Tradition as is pretended in the second poynt Priuate Masse wherein the Priest alone doth communicate without the people hath neither Antiquity Vniuersalitie nor Consent and consequently hath not the true markes of Romish Traditions Touching Antiquitie it is the confession of their owne Cochleus Coch. de sacrif Missae contra Musculum Anciently all the Priests and people did communicate together as appeareth by the Canons of the Apostles and writings of ancient Fathers Odo in Exposit Canonis And Odo Cameracensis professeth that in the Primitiue Church they neuer had Masses without the conuention of the people to communicate together Touching Vniuersalitie it is the confession of Iohannes Hoffmeistenus Cassand Consult de solit Miss pag. 906. The thing it selfe doeth speake and crie aloud both in the Greeke and Latin Church that not onely the sacrificing Priest but the other Priests and Deacons and the rest of the people or at least some part of the people did communicate together and how this custome ceased it is to bee wondred and it is to be endeauoured that this good custome may bee restored to the Church Touching Succession St. Chrysostome speaking to the lay people of his time Chrys in 2. Thessal Hom. 4. saith Neither doe we receiue more and you lesse of the holy table but we taste therof equally both together And St. Basil an other Greeke Father witnesseth the common vnion of Priests and people expressely in these words Liturg. Basilii All wee receiuing of one bread and one cup c. the Quire singeth the Communion and so they communicate together I will adde to these the confessions of their owne learned Authors Cardinall Bessarion a Greeke borne declareth the maner of the Communion in his time PrimuÌ„ consecrare deinde fraÌ„gere postea distribuere quod nos in praesenti facimê° Bessar de sacr Euch. An 1450. The very order of the things required first that we should consecrate or blesse bread next that we should breake it last of all that wee should diuide or deliuer it to the people which thing we Grecians doe at this present day And for a conclusion of this poynt Iustinian and Durand publikely declare and professe that in ancient times Iustin in 1. Cor 10. Durand Rat. 4 c. 53. diuers parts of one consecrated loafe were distributed to all the which the Greeke Church vseth at this day that by their Communion their vnion with Christ might bee more plainely expressed Thus Priuate Masse wants the requisite conditions of the Romane
writing was so true and perfect Non desunt aliqui Catholicorum qui negant nullū fuisse Traditionē non scriptā apud Iudaeos Bell. de verbo Dei non scrip l. 4. c. 8 that some Romanists confesse the Iewes had nothing pertaining to the knowledge and seruice of God that was not written And as in the creation of the world before the Sun was made the light was sustained and spread abroad by the incomprehensible power of God yet after the Sun was created God conueied the whole light of the world into the body of the Sun so that though the Moone and Starres should giue light yet they should shine with no other light but what they receiued from the Sunne Euen so in the constituti-of the Church howsoeuer God at first preserued and continued the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation from himselfe to some chosen men by whose ministerie hee would haue the same communicated to the rest yet when hee gaue his word in writing he conueyed into the bodie of the Scriptures the whole light of his Church so that albeit there should be Pastors Teachers therin to shine as starres to giue light to others yet they should giue no other light but what by the beames of the written Law was cast vpon them And that wee might haue good warranty for the written Word God himselfe shewed the first way by his owne example who with his owne finger wrote the Decalogue in tables of stone and saith Moses The Tables was the worke of God Exod. 32.16 and the writing was the writing of God vpon the Tables And as God was the first Author of writing in the old Law so our Sauiour Christ God and Man taught the same lesson by his owne example and direction in the New For when the Disciples wrote saith Austen what Christ shewed and said vnto them Cum illi scripserunt qua ille ostendit et dixit nequaquā dicendum est quod ipse nō scripserit c. Aug. de consens Euangel lib. 1. c. 35. it is not to be said that he did not write because the members wrought that which they learned by the inditing of the Head For whatsoeuer he would haue vs to reade of the things which he did and said he gaue in charge to them as his hands to write the same And thus one and the same Spirit that prescribed the old Law to Moses gaue also expresse charge to the Evangelist Saint Iohn Scribe Reuel 1.11.19 write these things And lastly the reason of this writing Saint Luke renders to Theophilus Luke 1.4 That thou mightst know the certaintie of those things wherein thou hast beene instructed Now as things written are of longer continuance and better assurance whereby we haue the certaintie of our faith and doctrine so likewise by that certainty we inioy the more safetie and for that cause the Apostle Saint Paul tells the Philippians that which hee deliuered by word of mouth being present Phil. 3.1 To write the same things saith he to me it is not grieuous but for you it is safe And this may be a good comfort for all beleeuing Protestants that wee haue these two benefits of the written Word by the doctrine of two Apostles Certaintie and Saftie Scriptura Regula credendi certissima tutissimaque est Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2 Euseb li. 2. cap. 14. This doctrine was rightly obserued and earnestly pursued by the true beleeuers in the Primitiue Church in so much as it is obserued by Eusebius that the faithfull who had heard the preaching of Saint Peter not thinking that sufficient nor contented with the doctrine of that diuine preaching vnwritten most earnestly intreated Marke that hee would leaue them in writing the Commentaries or records of the doctrine which they had deliuered vnto them br word and ceased not till they had perswaded him thereto Now it is reported saith hee when the Apostle vnderstood this to haue beene done by the reuelation of the holy Ghost he ioyed much in the desire of those men by his authority warranted this Gospel in writing to the reading of the Church Here was a memorable example both for the Certaintie and Safetie of the Christian Faith the faithfull heare the Word of God yet fearing the vncertaintie of that which might bee deliuered vpon report from hand to hand they intreat Marke the Scholler and follower of Peter that hee would commit the same to writing this was performed accordingly and Saint Peter ioyed in the performance of it and withall testified by his approbation that their good motion proceeded from the Holy Ghost In like manner you shall obserue as the Apostle St. Paul wrote those things which he deliuerd by word of mouth to the Philippians so likewise hee deliuers the same things to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.3 which hee receiued according to the Scriptures And from hence wil arise a third benefit which is the grand point in question The Scriptures are alone sufficient without the helpe of Traditions for that which Saint Paul hath testified of the Church at Corinth and Philippi the same Nicephorus expresseth more particularly in these words Niceph. Eccles Hist lib. 2. ca. 34. What Saint Paul being present taught by word of mouth amongst the Corinthians Ephesians Galathians Colossians Philippians Thessalonians Iewes Romans and many other persons whereunto the holy Ghost sent him and whom hee begate in the faith of Christ the same things in his absence bee compendiously reuoketh into their memory by his Epistles written vnto them If therefore St. Paul set downe in his Epistles all that doctrine which hee deliuered by word of mouth to those seuerall Churches withall taught that doctrine which he receiued according to the Scriptures it will follow of necessitie that all things necessary to saluation are contained in the Scriptures for hee witnessed of himselfe I haue not shunned to declare all the Councell of God Acts 20.27 Let vs appeale to him touching the sufficiencie of the Scriptures First hee exhorts Timothy 2. Tim. 3.14 to continue in those things which hee had learned and had been assured of neither doth he tell him hee was assured of Traditions but plainly expresseth in that place his meaning of the Holy Scriptures and that it might appeare the Scriptures were not denyed by the Apostles to children and ignorant persons as it is now vsed in the Church of Rome hee testifieth in his behalfe that from a child hee had knowen the holy Scriptures Verse 15. and that it might yet further appeare the Scriptures were sufficient for his sauing knowledge without the helpe of Traditions he protesteth to him Ibidem that they were able to make him wise vnto saluation And lastly lest it might bee thought a particular instruction to Timothie alone and not to the rest of the faithfull he proclaimes the written Word as a generall rule and conclusion for all beleeuers
Hierome in the question betwixt him and St. Austen whether St. Paul reprooued Peter colourably or in earnest alleadgeth seuen Fathers against St. Austen and withall desires him to giue him leaue to erre with seuen Fathers But what answere maketh Austen He appeales to St. Paul Ipse mihi pro his omnibê° et suprà hos omnes Apostolus Paulus occurrit ad ipsum confugio ad ipsum ab omnibus qui aliter sentiuÌ„t literaruÌ„ tractaetoribus prouoco Aug. Ep. 19. and saith he Instead of all and aboue all I haue Paul the Apostle to him doe I runne to him I appeale from all Writers that think otherwise Here wee see seuen principall members of the Church against the meaning of one Apostle and yet all they were not able to remooue St. Austen from that one authoritie which was preualent against all and I thinke it cannot be denied but that this Father went the right way to the Gospel Againe when hee was pressed by Cresconius a Gramarian with a testimony out of Cyprian hee returnes this answere I am not bound to bee tyed to that Epistle because I doe not account of Cyprians Epistles as of the Canonicall Scriptures Ego Epistola huius authoritate noÌ„ teneor quia c. Aug. contr Cres lib. 2. c. 32. but I examine them by the Canonicall Scriptures and what I find in them agreeable to that word I receiue it with commendations what I finde to disagree from it with his good leaue I leaue it This was the account the ancient Fathers made of their owne writings and their fellow Bishops euen at that time when the Church was most visible and when the Fathers were in chiefest estimation in the Christian world I speake not these things as if there were lesse hope to find the truth in the writings of the ancient Fathers then in new and vpstart opinions of some priuate spirits It is the voice of God and Nature Aske thy father Deut. 32.7 and he will shew thee thine ancients and they shall tell thee and herein we are obedient children and according to our dutie Leu. 19.23 Wee rise vp before the hoarie head and honour the person of the aged We agree with the Fathers wherein they agree with the Scriptures and with themselues and if in some particular poynts wee dissent from some particular Fathers yet it is in those things which want vniuersalitie and consent or are doubtfully vttered or are deliuered as priuate opinions and not as Articles of Faith wee follow the Anciens as Leaders not as Masters for their writings are no rules of faith Scriptae Patrum non sunt regulae fidei nec habent authoritatem obligandi Bell. de CoÌ„cil author lib. 2. c. 12. neither haue they authoritie to binde This is Bellarmines confession this is ours And that the world may know our aduersaries haue no such cause as they pretend to bragge of the authorities of the Fathers let any Protestant or Romanist examine the substantiall poynts of Controuersie as they are now published Bulla Pij 4. and decreed by the Popes Bull and Councell of Trent let them I say obserue the questions as they are now stated with Anathemas for Articles of faith compare them with the doctrines of the ancient Fathers and they shall easily discerne that our aduersaries oftentimes obtrude the Tenets of particular persons for the generall consent of Fathers and produce doubtful opinions to proue Articles of faith for I dare confidently avow that in all fundamentall poynts of difference either they want Antiquitie to supply their first ages or Vniuersalitie to make good the consent of Christian Churches or vnitie of opinions to proue their Trent Articles of beliefe And for tbe better manifestation of this my assertion I will giue you instance in the principall poynts of the Roman faith and doctrine that by comparing the doctrine of the Fathers in the first place with the Tenets of the Romanists in the later it shall appeare that the Northerne and Southerne Poles shall sooner meet together then their opinions standing as they doe can be reconciled Hee therefore that will take vpon him to proue out of the ancient Fathers that Christ is really present in the Sacrament to all faithfull Communicants let him spare the labour I will confesse it for wee acknowledge that Christ is really present both spiritually by faith and effectually by grace conferred vpon all worthy receiuers But let him proue that Christs body is substantially corporally and carnally in the SacrameÌ„t vnder the accidents of bread and wine and that Reprobates and creatures void of reason much more of faith may really partake of his flesh and blood as is now taught and beleeued de fide in the Roman Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the Sacramentall bread and cup were carried home to mens houses in the time of persecution and sometime priuately receiued let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him shew me that priuate Masses that is the receiuing of the Eucharist by the Priest alone without a competent number of Communicants was the pulique practise of the ancient Church as it is now vsed in the Romane and I will subscribe Het at will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the consecrated bread was somtimes giuen without the cup to sicke folkes to impotent and abstenious persons let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that the Fathers did generally forbid the Lay people and the communicating Priest to partake of the Sacramentall cup and that the bread alone was adiudged sufficient without the Cup as it is now receiued in the Roman Church De fide as an Article of Faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Prayers and Seruice in the Roman Church was commonly taught and practised in the Latin tongue let him spare the labour I will confesse it for it was the common and knowne language of the Latin Church but let him shew mee that Prayers and Seruice was deliuered in a tongue vnknowne and not vnderstood of the common people as it is now vsed and receiued with Anathema in the Roman church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Images were allowed for memory for history for ornament let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him prooue that they were allowed by the Fathers for publique and priuate veneration or religious worship and that such worship was established as a doctrine of Faith as it is now vsed in the Roman Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the Bishop of Rome and all other Bishops had power to dispence with the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Penance by Pardons and Indulgences let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that those Indulgences were the treasure of the Church
aduersaries I say to seeke for the knowledge of infallible Trueth or to search for the soundnesse of true sauing faith in Generall or Prouinciall Councells is but Via Dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way It resteth for our Aduersaries last and best refuge to flye to the Sanctuarie of their Church for in trueth whatsoeuer pretence is made of Scriptures of Fathers of Councells yet if there bee sent out a Melius inquirendum for the Authour of their newe Creed and Trent doctrine they must returne a Non est inuentus and seeke him onely in the Church SECT XVII In the Romane Church which our Aduersaries so highly extoll aboue the Scriptures there is neither safetie nor certaintie whether they vnderstand the Essentiall or Representatiue or the Vertuall or the Consistoriall Church CAmpian the Iesuite who formerly made his claime to all Fathers and Councels now in the name of the Church insults against the Protestants in this manner Audito nomine Ecclesiae hostis expalluit Campian Rat 3. So soone as the Aduersarie heard the Church named he waxed wan and pale Indeed I confesse it would terrifie a religious and sober minded man to heare such daily blasphemies vttered against the Maiestie of Gods word and to sound out nothing but the honour and authoritie of the Church who can but wax wan and pale out of pitty charity to heare the Church named and see that she hath kept the name only and lost her wonted nature who can but waxe wan and pale to see her spoiled and bereft of her Iewels treasurie of the sacred Scriptures and retaine onely the caskets and boxes the bare name of a Church where those Iewels lay Looke vpon the best learned of the Roman Church and tell me if they will not astonish a true beleeuing Christian and make him change his countenance to heare such odious comparisons betwixt the Scriptures and the Church In altiori genere viz in genere causae efficientis atque adeò aliquâ ex parte formalis Stapl Relect contro 4 q. 4. ar 3. 9. 3. ar 1. The Church saith Stapleton is an infallible foundation of faith in a higher kind then the Scripture for the Scripture is but a foundation in testimonie and matter to be beleeued but the Church is the efficient cause of Faith and in some sort the very formall In Relect. princ fid dog cont 4. q. 5. nay more if both of them bee properly considered and compared together the Church is a more noble subiect then the Scripture Eam Ecclesia authoritateÌ„ esse quia et scripturas quoque ipsas laxaÌ„di et consignaÌ„difacultateÌ„ c Idem Princip Anal. Pio sensupieque dici potest scripturas si de stituantur ecclesiae authoritate non plus valere quaÌ„ Acsopi fabulas Hos li. 3. de autho sacr Scripturae yea the Church hath such authoritie that shee may set at libertie or seale vp the Scriptures themselues yea saith Hosius a man may speake it in a good a godly sense the Scriptures are of no more account without the authority of the Church then Aesops fables Neither let this seeme strange that the Romanists insist principally vpon the authoritie of the Church for he that shall looke back and obserue how the sacred Scriptures are condemned of Obscuritie and Insufficiencie he that will consider how the holy Fathers are censured and reiected by them as counterfet or erronious he that shall note the Decrees and Canon of Councells condemned as spurious or superfluous these things I say considered it is no maruell our aduersaries flie to the Roman Church Dicitis praecepto Christi obediendum esse primo loâ—o deinde ecclesiae et si aliter praeceperit Ecclesia quam Christus noÌ„ Ecclesia sed Christo obedie oduÌ„ esse certè in hoc est omnium praesumptionuÌ„ initiuÌ„ quaÌ„do iudicant particulares suuÌ„ sensum indiuinis praeceptis coÌ„formâ—areÌ„ quaÌ„ vniuersa Ecclesiae Nich. Cusa ad Proem Epist 2. and for this speciall cause aduance the name of the Church aboue all Cardinall Cusanus by way of obiection puts the question to the Bohemians whether they were better obey the Word of God or the Church You say wee must first obey Christs Commandements and afterwards the Church and if the Church command vs to doe otherwise then Christ commandeth wee must obey Christ and not the Church It is true that the Protestants rightly propose that question which without all question cannot otherwise bee resolued but heare what answere hee makes them Verily herein standeth the beginning of all presumption when particular men thinke their owne iudgement to bee more agreeable to Gods commandements DicetuÌ„ forsitan quomodò mutubuntur pracepta Christi authoritate Ecclesia vt tuÌ„c sint obligatoria quando Ecclesia placu erit Dico nulla esse Christi pracepta nisi quae per Ecclesiam protalibus accepta sint Mutato iudicio Ecclesiae mutatuÌ„ est Dei IudiciuÌ„ Idem Epist 3. then the iudgement of the vniuersall Church nay hee puts the question further Perhaps you will say How shall Christes commandements be changed by the authoritie of the Church that they shall binde vs when the Church shall thinke it good I tell thee saith hee there is nothing to bee taken for Christs commandements vnlesse it bee to bee so allowed of the Church when the Church hath once changed her iudgement Gods iudgement is likewise changed Cardinall Hosius giues his consent with Cardinall Cusanus and morâ— plainly resolues the question in few words Quod Ecclesia docet expressum Deiverbum est et quod contra sensum et consensum Ecclesia docetur expressum Diaboli verbum est Hos de expresso verbo Dei Whatsoeuer the Church teacheth is the expresse word of God and whatsoeuer is taught against the sensâ— and meaning of the Church 〈◊〉 the expresse word of the Deuill To say nothing of the doctrine of Deuils viz. the forbidding of Meats and Marriage foretold by the Apostle and now fulfilled in the Church of Rome I will giue you an instance or two in the word of God and the doctrine of the Romane Church that you may the better discerne whether the Church changing her iudgment there be any variablenesse or shadow of turning with Christ and whether the doctrine of the Roman church bee not expressely against the Word of God Etsi Apostolus lingua intellectâ preces velit celebrari tamen sanctaÌ„ EcclesiaÌ„ iustissimis de causis coÌ„tra statuisse Bened. Mont. in 1. Cor. 14. Touching Prayer in an vnknowne tongue it is the confession of Benedict Montanus a Parisian Doctor Etsi Apostolus c. Although the Apostle thought good to haue Prayer in a knowne tongue yet the Church vpon good causes hath decreed the contrarie Touching Adoration of Images Licet in lege veteri prohibita fuissent lege diuinâ imagines visibiles nedum ipsius Dei
our aduersaries makes nothing for their purpose for if Cyprian say that Infidelitie cannot come to the Romans whose faith was praised by the Apostles mouth then can none of the people of Rome erre because the faith of them all was praised by the Apostles mouth but the trueth is this holy Father speakes not there of matters of faith nor of the stabilitie of the Romane Church although most Romanists so translate it and apply it but of the tumultuous and disorderly courses of certain lewd persons who being censured by the Bishops of Africa fled to the Bishop of Rome for protection of their cause and therupon vpbraideth them that they came to Rome with lyes and tales which could finde no admittance nor harbour there Nauigare audent et à schismaticis et profanis literas ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est adquos persidia non potest habere accessum Cypr. lib. 1. Epist 3. when as they might wel vnderstand that the Romans were men whose Faith was commended by the Apostle Et ad quos perfidia non potest habere accessum vnto whom perfidiousnesse could haue no accesse that is they would giue no eare to their perfidious and calumnious suggestioÌ„s This therefore I must needs say is vnfaithfulnesse and perfidiousnes in the Church of Rome wilfully to misapply those things which make nothing for them I proceed from the infallibilitie of the Church to the authoritie of it wherein you shall likewise obserue the Romanists doe insist especially vpon that knowne confession of St. Austen Ego vero Evangelio noÌ„ credereÌ„ nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae coÌ„moueret authoritas Aug. contr Ep. Fund cap. 5. I should not haue beleeued the Gospell except the Authoritie of the Church had mooued mee thereunto But I pray what doe these words concerne the Roman Church why should they bee applied rather to the Roman then to his owne Church in Africa or our Chuch in England for hee speakes not of the Roman Church or any particular Church but of the Church indefinitly Moreouer their owne Canus professeth Canus loc Theol. lib. 2. cap. 8. that St. Austen had to doe with a Manichee who would haue a certaine Gospell of his owne admitted without further dispute In this case saith he St. Austen puts the question What if you finde one which doeth not beleeue the Gospell what motiue would you vse to such a one to bring him to your beliefe I for my part saith hee should not haue beene brought to imbrace the Gospell if the Churches authoritie had not swayed with me 〈…〉 reâ— Cyâ— Epiâ— And from hence also Bishop Canus drawes this sound conclusion The faith of the Gospel is not founded vpon the authority of the Church This Exposition of their Romanist is agreeable to our belielfe for wee professe that the first outward motiue to bring men to the knowledge of the Scriptures is the authoritie of Gods Church Hooker Eccles Polit. lib. 3. If I beleeue the Gospell saith Hooker yet is Reason of singular good vse for that it confirmeth me in this my beliefe the more If I doe beleeue as yet neuerthelesse to bring mee to the number of beleeuers except reason did somewhat helpe and were an instrument which God doeth vse to such purposes what should it boot to dispute with infidels and godlesse persons for their conversion and perswasion in that poynt Hee therefore that shall conclude from St. Austens doctrine which he professed in the name of an heretike let him receiue his answer from the same Father when he makes his confession as a true Catholike Ex veritatis ore agnosoo Ecclesiam participem veritatis Aug. in Psal 57. By the mouth of God which is the trueth I know the Church of God which is partaker of the trueth But as it happeneth sometimes that hee who hath fallen into the hands of an vnskilfull Physician is loath afterwards to commit himself euen to a good one Aug. lib. 6. Confess c. 4 So was it in the state of my soule saith Austen which could not bee healed by beleeuing and for feare of beleeuing false things it refused to be cured by true ones And in the Chapter following whilest hee was yet a Manichee hee makes this humble confession Thou Lord Idem Confess l. 6 c. 5. didst perswade mee thus I say not that they were blameable who beleeued thy Bookes which thou hast grounded by such authoritie throughout almost all the nations of the earth but that they indeed were blameable who beleeued them not and that no â—are was to bee giuen to any if peraduenture they should say to mee How dost thou know that these Bookes were imparted to mankind by the Spirit of that one God who is true in himselfe and most true when hee speaketh to vs for that is the very thing it selfe which is especially to bee beleeued Thus St. Austen the Catholique interprets Austen the Heretique After his conversion to the trueth the blessed Spirit did perswade him that there was no eare to bee giuen to those men which made such doubts and questions as are dayly made in the Church of Rome viz. How doe you know the Scriptures to bee the Word of God but as the Samaritans beleeued that Christ was the promised Sauiour vpon the report of a woman yet afterwards when they heard him themselues they professed they beleeued him for his owne sake and not for the womans report So likewise this holy Father first conferred with flesh and blood as the most knowne familiar meanes to introduce a sauing knowledge but after hee had receiued the Spirit and word of trueth he like the Samaritans beleeued the Gospel not for the Churches sake but for Christs own authoritie and his Gospels sake The Authoritie of the Church is rightly compared to a Key which openeth the dore of entrance into the knowledge of the Scripture now when a man hath entred viewed the house and by viewing it likes it and vpon liking resolues vnchangeably to dwell there hee doeth not set vp his resolution vpon the key that let him in but vpon the goodnesse and commodiousnes which he sees in the house I omit diuers Expositions of the learned Romanists touching this saying of Austen Durand l. 3 Dist 24 q. 1 Diedo de Eccl. Script dogm lib. 4. c. 4. Geâ—s de vita spir Animae lect 2. Coroll 7. Durand Driedo and Gerson tell vs That those words of Saint Austen had relation to the Primitiue Church which both saw Christs person and his miracles heard his doctrine Aquinas saith Augustinus de Ecclesia vt causa praeponente non vt fundamento fidei loquitur A quin. in 2 2. quaest 2. art 7. that St. Austen spake of the Church as an ouer-ruling cause but not as a foundation of Faith And for a conclusion of this poynt The minde of the faithfull beleeuer doth not rest in the
where hee was fed with bread and water And hence we may obserue that if the Pope of Rome bee the Virtuall and totall Church if he be that Rule of Faith vpon whose infallibilitie the whole Christian world must relie in matters of beliefe as the Church of Rome teacheth then certainly the Church at this time was driuen into great straights when as the Head of the Church or rather the totall Church fell into dangerous heresie and consequently eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie can be no sure Note of the true Church But as it was rightly obserued by Isidorus Pleasitota the declination of the true Church from the Apostles time was caused through the distemperature of the Head and thereupon hee makes this ingenuous confession Isid lib. 3. Ep. 408. In the dayes of the Apostles and afterwards when the Church flourished and laboured of no disease the diuine Graces of God went as it were in a ring round about it but afterward it grew diseased and was troubled with faction then all those things fled away not through his carelesnesse and negligence that first inriched her but through their naughtinesse that gouerned not things as they should haue done Ann. 600. to 700. In the seuenth Age Iohannes de Molinis tells vs In Speculo Carmelit cap 6. from the time of Heraclius the Emperor after the yeere 600 the day inclined towards the euening and the Church hauing been in an ecclipse set in the West and became almost deficient And Gregorie himselfe complaines Greg. Ep. 4. l. 1. Iud. 9. that the Ship of the Church was in danger of shipwracke Nay more Diabolê° ita valdè in qui busdam necessaris Ecclesiae membris dentes figit vt omne quod absit citius ouile dilaniet Greg. lib. 4. Ep 36 The Devill saith he so strongly fastneth his teeth in the necessarie members of the Church that vnlesse by Gods grace the prouident company of Bishops ioyne together hee will soone destroy the whole flock of Christ Flens dico gemens denuntio I speake it with teares Quia cum Sacerdotis ordo intus cecidit foris diu stare non potuit I tell it with sighs of heart seeing the Order of Priesthood is fallen within it cannot now stand long without The chiefe reason of this complaint was caused by Iohn Bishop of Constantinople who at this time assumed the Title of Vniuersall Bishop and as new Lords are commonly said to make new Lawes so from and after this time many alterations succeeded in Faith and Manners both in Head and members of the same house Thus wee haue heard in the first age The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke In the second there was a conspiracie against the Trueth In the third Heretikes arose and assaulted her In the fourth the Church was darkened by the multitude of Heresies In the fift she was most flourishing in her members but knowne only by the Scriptures In the sixt the Head of the Church was diuided by heresie from the body In the seuenth there was a declination towards the West and consequently there followed a darkenesse and obscuritie more or lesse in succeeding ages Now as you haue heard complaints against heretikes and persecutors that inuaded the ancient Church in her first best ages so likewise you shall obserue there followed corruptions and errours in Doctrine and Discipline whereby Obscuritie became the proper mark of the true Church almost in all ages till the dayes of Luther In the eight Age Paulus Diaconus calls to the Christians of that time to awake and listen vnto him for saith he You haue buried in contempt and obliuion the word of God Wolph Tom. 1.203 you haue made the Temple a denne of theeues and instead of sweet melody you resound blasphemies against God himselfe and therefore verie shortly the vniuersall Catholike Cittie will fall to ground And Venerable Bede calles to them of his time Nec sine lachrymis rem lachrymis dignam coÌ„templeÌ„tur quantuÌ„ Ecclesiae flatus ad petora quotidiè vel vt mitius dicaÌ„ ad infirmiora gereÌ„da deuol uatur Bed ii 4 in Sâ—m cap. 2. p. 30â— to behold the lamentable estate of the Church Neither saith he let them behold it without teares which is worthy to bee lamented in that it is growne worse and worse or to speake more fauourably it is at least fallen into great infirmities And Charles the Great makes this generall complaint touching the doctrine and Doctors of the Church Carolus Magnus de Imag. in Praefat. The Priests laying aside all sound and wholesome doctrine and little regarding that of the Apostle If an Angell preach other doctrine let him be accursed they transgresse the commandements of the Fathers and bring into the Church such doctrine as was neuer knowne to Christ and his Apostles In the ninth Age Arnulphus Bishop of Orleance an eye witnesse of those times professed openly There is made a departure not onely of Nations but of Churches the Man of Sinne now begins to bee discouered Religion is ouerthrowen and the seruice of God is contemned by the chiefe Priests themselues and that which is more Rome it selfe now almost left alone is departed from her selfe Ann. 900. to 1000. In the tenth Age Christ saith Baronius lay asleepe in the Ship of the Church Bar. Tom 10. ann 912 num 8. ann 900. Sect 1. and which is worse there was not any found amongst his disciples who awaked our Lord all of them being in a snorting sleepe It was the age next to that wherein the Deuill was let loose Infaelix dicitur hoc saeculuÌ„ exhaustuÌ„ hominibus ingenio et doctrinâ claris siue etiam claris Princitibus et Pontificibus Geneb Chron. Vbr. 4. That vnhappy age saith Genebrard which was exhausted both of men for wit and learning and of worthy Princes and Bishops In this time saith Wernerus Christian faith began much to decline from her first virilitie when as in many Christian prouinces neither the Sacraments nor Ecclesiasticall Rites were obserued And Ioachim Abbot complaineth Est et alia sicus quae malidictione praeuarâ—cationis exarnit Latina Ecclesia siue nâ—â—icula Petri. Morn c. that the Latin Church was another Fig tree dryed vp which did beare nought else but temporall leaues and bid her selfe vnder the Title of the Church to the shame of the Pope and his Sea In the eleuenth Age Ann. 1000. to 1100. Who will let me see the Church before I dye saith Bernard as in the dayes of olde Bernar in Cant. Serm 33. when the Apostles did cast foorth their Netts not to take siluer and gold but to take soules There creepeth saith hee an ougly Rott at this present through the whole body of the Church yea the wound of the Church is inward and past recouery And a Canonized Saint of the Romish Church Morn de Eccl p â—â—2 Virgo â— Mathilda tells them of that Age The
to shew that there was a kind of necessitie for the latencie obscuritie of the true Church especially in the later ages because it was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. SECT XXV The aforenamed corruptions and most remarkable declination of the Church of Rome in the later ages was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. AS the complainants haue made knowne vnto vs that there was an Apostasie a falling away from the trueth in the later ages so likewise you shall obserue that they told nothing of the defection in the Church which was not foretold by Christ and his Apostles at that time when the Mysterie of Iniquitie began to worke whereby you shall see the one foretels the other answers the Apostles spake of errours and heresies that were to come the complainants tell you of errours and heresies that in their dayes were come vt impleretur that whatsoeuer was foretold might bee accomplished Now that the Church of Rome hath fallen frō her first puritie that she is that Church at which the Prophecies long since pointed and is now fallen that the Pope is that Man of Sin that sits in the Temple of God which was forespoken and that there is not neither can bee any other Church to which the Prophesies can fitly agree I wil compare the Romish Doctrine with those Prophesies that her Tenets in the Church may appeare to the Euidence of things foretold and her doctrine may appeare to be the accomplished Reuelation of St. Iohns Reuelation First then let vs examine by way of question and answer Whether the Church of God hath not fallen from her first sinceritie more or lesse in all ages How comes it to passe that the Pope of Rome assumes to himselfe the fulnes of power and is aduanced aboue the kings of the earth which are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 It was foretold The Man of Sinne shall be reuealed which is an Aduersary ◠Thess 2.3 4. and is exalted aboue all that is called God and that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God How comes it to passe that there are such lying wonders and false miracles wrought in the Church of Rome in these latter times It was foretold Math. 13 14 The sonne of perdition shal be reuealed whose comming is by the effectuall working of Satan 2 Thess 2 9 with all power and signes lying wonders How comes it to passe that the Shepheard of the flocke is become the wolfe and the chiefe Pastors teach peruerse doctrine to make Proselytes of their owne It was foretold After my departure Acts 20.29 grieuous wolues shall enter in among you not sparing the flocke and shall speake peruerse things to draw Disciples after them How comes it to passe that the common people are giuen to beleeue fables and reade Legends in stead of Scriptures It was foretold 2 Tim. 4.1 The time will come when they will not suffer holesome doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lustes get them a heape of Teachers and shall turne their eares from the trueth and shall be giuen to Fables How comes it to passe that the Church of Rome makes a distinctiō of meats and forbids Marriage vnto Priests It was foretold In the later times some shall depart from the faith 1 Tim. 4.1 and giue heed to the spirit of errour and doctrine of Deuils forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats How comes it to passe that Indulgences and Pardons are granted for mony and made the treasure of the Church It was foretold There shall be false teachers among 〈◊〉 by whom the way of trueth shall be euill spoken of 2 Pet. 2.3 and through couetousnesse shall with fained words make merchandise of you Reu. 18.3 How comes it to passe that the number of the faithfull are so few that at all times they cannot easily be discerned It was foretold Luk. 18.8 When the Sonne of man commeth he shall not find faith vpon the earth 2 Thess 2.3 Againe The day shall not come except there bee a falling away first and that man of Sinne be reuealed How comes it to passe that the Deuil hath seduced the people in these latter aages It was foretold When a thousand yeeres are expired Reuel 20.7 Satan shall bee loosed out of his prison and shall goe to deceiue the people in the foure quarters of the earth How comes it to passe that the Church of God which is tearmed a Citie vpon a hill should bee obscured and scarcely discerned in these latter ages It was foretold Reuel 12.6 The woman fled into the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that they should feed her there How comes it to passe that in the time of peace and securitie errours were brought in by the enemy of the Gospel It was foretold While the husbandman slept Math. 13.25 there came the enemie and sowed the tares among the wheat and the enemy was the Deuill Lastly how comes it to passe that we haue made a departure from the Church of Rome Vt impleretur that it might bee fulfilled which was spoken Reue. 18.4 Goe out of her my people that yee be not partaker of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues And certainly all these sayings are come to passe that not one jott of his word should passe not fulfilled so that wee see not any things fulfilled in the Church of Rome which were not foretold neither was any thing foretold but in the fulnesse of time shall bee accomplished SECT XXVI The Conclusion of this Treatise shewing in sundrie particulars the certaintie and safetie of the Protestant and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romish Way THe Philosopher tels vs that Trueth and Falshood are neere neighbours the outmost postes of their doores are both alike yet their way is contrary for the one leadeth vnto life the other vnto death If we shal inquire further how to distinguish the house of Truth from the house of Errour hee giues this Character The doore of Falshood is painted and beautifully adorned but the doore of Trueth is plaine and homely and heereby it appeares that many times men are deceiued and mistake the doore and goe into Errours house when they seeke the Trueth These two wayes I haue briefly suruayed and distinguished by two seuerall Titles The Safe way an◠The By way The one like the house of Trueth is plaine and naked and knowne only by the Scriptures and this is Via Tuta a certaine Safe way The other like the house of Falsehood is adorned with specious shewes and colourable pretences of Traditions of Fathers of Coūcels of a pompous outside of an eminent and glorious Church and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Let vs looke back and take a short view of the
knowne and vnderstood do comfort and reuiue the Reader by how much the more they are with industry and difficultie sought and vnderstood But that which is obseruable these men who so much complaine of the obscuritie of the Scriptures doe both wittingly and willingly indeauour in their Translations to make them abstruse and hard to be vnderstood by their strange vncouth phrases looke vpon their old Testament in their Doway Translation instead of Foreskin Gene. 17. Exod 12. 2. King 15. 1 Chron. 6. they haue put Praepuce for Passeouer Phase for vnleauened bread Azyms for high places excelces for the Holy of Holiest Sancta Sanctorum Againe looke vpon their Rhemist Testament and there you shal obserue these strange wordes Depositum Rhem. Test in M. Fulks Preface to the Reader Exinanited Parasceue Didragmes Neophyte and the like which shewes that albeit the Scripture of it selfe were neuer so plaine and perspicuous to euery mans vnderstanding yet there need an expositor for these inkehorne termes whereas in trueth although those words were most agreeable to the Hebrew Greeke or Latine yet ought they rather to giue the most significant and plaine termes the true sense of Scripture alwayes premised that stands best for the capacitie and vnderstanding of the Reader It is not then the pretended obscurity of the Scriptures which giues a iust cause of restraint to the lay people for not reading of them for this is but a colour and a vaine pretext of them saith Chrysostome the trueth is they feare lest by reading of them their Trent doctrine and new Articles of Faith should be discouered for it would trouble the best learned Priest to shew his disciples in what place of Scripture they are commanded to worship Images to call vpon dead Saints to pray in an vnknowne tongue to forbid the Scriptures to the Laity to deny Mariage to Priests to adore the reliques of Saints by what Scriptute his Holinesse hath power to depose Kings to free soules out of Purgatory to gather into the Treasurie of the Church the superabundant satisfaction of Saints It is a crime worthy of the Inquisition with them to haue a Bible but for the ignorant lay man to make such enquirie after Scriptures for that doctrine which was not conceiued in the Scripture is a sinne worthy of death Looke vpon the Tenets of their owne Church and take but their owne confessions The Church of Rome doth represent God the Father by the image of an olde man yet Vasques the Iesuit confesseth Vasq lib. 2. de Adorat c. 3. disp 4. n. 74. The Scripture saith plainely God did forbid the Iewes to represent Him by an Image The Church of Rome doth ordinarily make vowes to Saints Cum scriberentur Scripturae sanctae nonduÌ„ caeperat vsus voueÌ„di sanctis Bell. lib. de cultu Sanct. cap. 5. yet Cardinall Bellarmine professeth When the Scriptures were written it was not the vse to vow to Saints The Church of Rome hath defined and declared Indulgences for an article of faith yet their Syluester Prierias tells vs Indulgentiae authoritate Scripturae non innotuêre nobis sed c. Prier cont Luther pro Indulg They are not made knowne to vs by the authoritie of Scriptures The Church of Rome teacheth that the wordes of Christ This is my body doe effect Transubstantiation yet Cardinal Caietan confesseth In 3 part Tho. super quae 75. art 1. vt Ioseph Ang. Flores Theol. quae in 4. sent q. 4. Non apparet ex Evangelio It doth not appeare that those words are properly to bee vnderstood by force of Scriptures but which is more to bee lamented these men are so farre from building their Church vpon the Scriptures that as it were in despight of Christs precept they decree their halfe Communion for an article of Faith with a Non obstante Notwithstanding Christ did institute in both kinds Conc. CoÌ„st Sess 13. And their Councell of Trent acknowledgeth that the Apostle called concupiscence sinne Hanc concupisceÌ„tiam quam aliquando Apostolus peccatuÌ„ appellat sancta Synodus acclarat c. Conc. Trid. Sess 5. but withall commands the contrary beliefe with a curse to them that teach the Apostles doctrine in so much as their owne Posseuinus confesseth in sober sadnesse Apostolus concupisâ—eÌ„tiam peccatum vocat at non licet nolis ita loqui Pâ—st Appar Sac. Ver Patr. antiqui The Apostle calls concupiscence sinne but saith he it is not lawfull for vs so to doe This is so truly knowne and vnderstood of those who haue a dispensation to read the Scriptures that Petrus Sutor a Carthusian Monke amongst other inconueniences for which hee would haue the people debarred from reading of them alleadgeth this Cum multa palam tradantur obseruaÌ„da quae sacris in literis expresse non habeÌ„tur nonnè Idiotae haec animaduertentes faciâ—è murmurabunt Nóne et facilè retrahentur ab obseruatione InstitutionuÌ„ EcclesiasticaruÌ„ quandò eas in lege Christi animaduerterint non continers Sutor de Translat Bib. cap. 22. in speciall for one Whereas many things are openly taught to bee obserued which are not to bee expressely had in the whole Scriptures the simple people obseruing these things will quickly murmure and complaine that so great burdens should be imposed vpon them whereby the libertie of the Gospell is so greatly impaired and they also will bee easily drawen away from the obseruation of the ordinance of the Church when they shall obserue that they are not conteined in the Law of Christ It is not then the obscuritie of the Scriptures but a feare by their owne confessions of some strange discouery that would be made by reading of them and in that feare they rather intimate a plainnesse and easinesse in the vnderstanding them for otherwise what need they feare the peoples reading them if they were so full of obscuritie as they pretend that they could not vnderstand them As therefore wee denie not that there is difficultie and obscuritie in the Scriptures In iis quae aperiè in scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae coÌ„tinent fideÌ„ moresque viuendi Aug. de doctr Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. so wee professe likewise that there are plaine and euident testimonies which illustrate those difficult and obscure places and that in those plain and euident places al things cocerning faith and good manners are contained This was Saint Austens doctrine this is ours let vs therefore follow that sweet counsell which that holy and ancient Father by way of preuention gaue the Christians of his time We are brethren why doe we striue Aug in Psa 21. expos 2. Our Father dyed not vntestate hee made a Testament and so dyed Men doe striue about the goods of the dead till the Testament bee brought foorth then that is brought they yeeld to haue it opened and read the Iudge doth hearken the Counsellers bee silent the cryer biddeth peace all the people are
locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidia detergeret Nihil enim fere de illis obscuritatibus eruitur qdâ—â—on planissimè dictuÌ„ alibi reperitur Aug. de doct Chris lib. 2. â—a 6. for saith hee In this great plentie of Scriptures wee are fed with plaine things and exercised with obscure those driue away hunger these contempt the holy Ghost hauing tempred them so of purpose and then he concludeth with the Tenet of our church There is scarce any thing drawn out of these obscure places which hath not been spoken quod non planissimè most plainely some other where Neither was this the opinion of this learned Father only but it was the confession of S Ambrose Multa obscuritas in Scripturis propheticis â—â—d siâ—â— anu â—â—â—aÌ„ meÌ„â—â—â—ā◠〈◊〉 a scrâ— tuâ—aruÌ„ â—â—aÌ„â—eâ— qua sunt occulta diligentèr examines paulatim incipies rationeÌ„ colligere dictoruÌ„ et operietur tibi Non ab alio sed à verbo Dei Amb. in Psal 118. Serm. 8. There is much obscurity in the Scriptures but withall if thou knocke at the doore with the hand of thy vnderstanding thou shalt gather by little and little the reason of that which is there spoken and the doore shall bee opened vnto thee non ab alio sed à verbo Dei and that by no other but by the Word of God it selfe And with these Doctors of the Latin Church agreeth the Greeke Fathers Behold saith Basil and heare the Scripture expounding it selfe Basil HexaÌ„ Hom. 4. Yea saith he what things be or seeme to bee couertly spoken in some places of holy Scripture Quae ambigua sunt tectè dicta esse in quibusdaÌ„ diuinae scripturae locis videntuâ— ab aliis locis manifestis declaraÌ„tur IdeÌ„ quaest coÌ„p Expl. quaest 267. Ad ipsuÌ„ diuina Script scopuÌ„ incedamus quaeseipsam interpretatur quaÌ„uis sacra Scriptura cum nos tale quiddaÌ„ docere vult seipsaÌ„ exponit et auditoreÌ„ errare non sinit Chrys HoÌ„ 13. in Gen. Chrys in 1. Thes HoÌ„ 7. SiquideÌ„ empturê° vesteÌ„ quaÌ„uis artis Textoriae imperitê° sis haec verba non dicis Nescio emere illudunt mihi sed facis omnia vt discas fac illa quae facienda et rectâ ratione quaere à Deo et ille tibi omnino reueâ—abit IdeÌ„ Homil. 33. in Act. the same are expounded by other plaine places elsewhere And saith Chrysostome Let vs follow the scope of the holy Scripture in interpreting of it selfe when it teacheth some hard thing it expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the hearer to erre Let vs not feare therefore saith hee to put our selues with full saile into the sea of Scriptures because wee shall be sure to find the Word of God for our Pilot. And lastly as it were forestalling that Popish opinion that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore not to be read by the vulgar people hee elegantly incites a Gentile to the reading of the Scripture by a familiar and common reason When thou buyest a garment though thou haue no skill in weauing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they will deceiue mee but thou dost vse all meanes to learne how to know it doe therefore those things which are to bee done seeke all those things of God and hee altogether will reaueale it vnto thee So that if any doubt or difference happened in the Primitiue church amongst the true beleeuing Christians they referred the determination of it to the Inquest of Christ his 12 Apostles and they onely were made the sole Iudges of the question And that wee might know this Protestant doctrine continued for many ages in the Church Pope Clement the first almost sixe hundred yeeres since professed it for the Catholike doctrine of his time Integra firma regula veritatis ex Scripturis Dist 37. cap 14. that a man must take the sense of truth from the Scripture it selfe seeing that euery man may haue the full and firme rule of faith and truth in the Scriptures If we descend froÌ„ the Pope to the great Councell of Basil it was the general vote of many B. and Cardinalls and confirmed likewise by the Pope himselfe The Diuine Law or holy Scripture the practise of Christ of his Apostles Lex diuina praxu Christi Apostolica et Ecclesia primitina vnâ cum CoÌ„ciliis Doctoribusque fundantibê° se veracitèr in eadeÌ„ pro verissimo et indifferente Iudice in hoc Basiliensi Consilia admittatur Conc. Basil Sess 4. and the Primitiue Church together with Councels and Doctors grounding themselues truely vpon the Scriptures shall bee admitted for the most true and indifferent Iudge in the Councell of Basil The resolution of the ancient Father Optatus in the question betwixt the Catholiques and the heretiques whether one should bee twise baptized may serue for a proofe and a full conclusion of the premisses You say it is lawfull wee say it is not lawfull betweene yours it is lawfull and ours it is not lawfull the peoples soules doe doubt and wauer De coelo quaerendus est Index sed vt quid pulsamus ad coelum cum habemus in Euangelio Testamentum Opt. lib. 5. contr Parmen Donat. let none beleeue you nor vs wee are all contending parties Iudges must be sought for if Christians they cannot be giuen on both sides for truth is hindred by affections A Iudge without must bee sought for if a Paynim hee cannot know the Christian mysteries if a Iew hee is an enemie to Christian Baptisme no iudgement therfore of this matter can bee found on earth a Iudge in heauen must bee sought for But why knocke we at heauen when wee haue the Testament of Christ in the Gospell And thus I haue briefly shewed you the deputed Iudges and Interpreters of the Scripture in the Primitiue Church now let vs obserue by what Rule the Scriptures are expounded in the Roman Church SECT IIII. Our aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers Bulla Pij quarti Art 2. IT is an Article of the Romame Creed published by Pope Pius the fourth and by the oath their Foreman hath taken all Priestes and I suites are sworne Not to receiue or interpret the Scriptures but according to the vnifoâ—me consent of Fathers It is a large and faire promise and deliuered vpon oath and for my part if the church of Rome can make good the vniforme consent of Fathers for all their twelue newe Articles of Faith which hath been often promised but neuer as yet by any one performed I shall willingly listen to their interpretation and preferre it before any priuate or latter Exposition It was the profession of our late King of famous memory Apolog. for the oath of Alleag pa. 36. What euer the Fathers of the first foure hundred yeeres did with one vnanime consent agree vpon to be beleeued
that Pygmeis being put vpon Gyants shoulders doe see further then the Gyants themselues But Bishop Fisher doth more warily excuse it and with plausible reasons assure vs that Many things Nec cuiquaÌ„ obscuruÌ„ est quin posterioribê° inge niis multa sint tam ex Euangeliis quaÌ„ ex scripturis c. Roffeas Consur Assert Luther Art 18. as well in Gospells as in the rest of the Scriptures are now more exquisitely discussed by later wits and more clearely vnderstood then they haue been heretofore eyther by reason that the yee was not as then broken vnto the Ancients neither did their age suffice to weigh exactly that whole sea of Scriptures or because in this most large field of Scriptures euen after the most diligent reapers some eares will remaine to bee gathered as yet vntouched How forcible motiues these reasons may seeme to other men I will not heere dispute sure I am they are vaine excuses for Romane Bishops and Cardinals who are bound by their generall Councell and the Popes Bull to obey the Exposition of Fathers as an Article of their faith But admit these opinions should bee excused for the particular Tenets of some priuate men let vs see how faithfully the Popes Pastors of these latter times haue interpreted the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers Moses saith Whit. Durae â—s in Camp 9. Reason pag. 269. God made man after his Image Pope Adrian interpreteth therefore Images must bee set vp in Churches Saint Peter saith Behold De obed maior vnaÌ„ sanctaÌ„ c. here are two swoâ—ds Pope Boniface concludes Therefore the Pope hath power ouer the spirituall and the temporall Saint Matthew saith Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs Iewels Defence p â—2 Mr. Harding expounds it Fiet vnum ouile et vnê° Pastor quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest sâ—d dâ—â—liquo alio Ministroqâ—â— bresâ—t loco eius Ioh de Par sâ—de pot Reg Papati c. 30. therfore it is not lawfull for the vulgar people to reade the Scriptures Saint Iohn saith There shall bee one Fold and one Sheepherd Iohannes de Parisijs tels vs This place cannot bee expounded of Christ but must bee taken for some Minister ruling in his stead The Prophet Dauid saith Thou hast put all things vnder his feet Antoninus expounds it Anton. in sum part 3. tit 22. c. 5. Haebr 2. Thou hast made all things subiect to the Pope the cattle of the field that is to say men liuing in the earth the fishes of the sea that is to say the soules in Purgatory the fowles of the ayre that is to say the soules of the blessed in heauen And lastly whereas our Sauiour Christ witnesseth of himselfe In Concil Later sub Leo 10. p. 671. All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth Stephen Archbishop of Patraca applyed it to Pope Leo the tenth in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope himselfe who thankfully accepted it and suffered it to bee published and printed and as it is rightly obserued by learned Du Moulin Pope Innocent the third in his Booke of the Mysteries of the Masse Buckler of faith pa. 30. the booke of sacred Ceremonies Durants Rationalls Tolet and Titleman and others do most ridiculously wrest the Scriptures altogether different from their right meaning and the Expositions of the Fathers as for instance The Scripture saith The Rocke was Christ therefore say they the Altar must bee of stone It is written I am the light of the world therfore Tapers must be set vpon the Altar It is written Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth therefore the Priest must kisse the Altar It is written Thou shalt see my back parts Exod. 33.23 therefore the Priest must turne his backe to the people It is written Laua me ampliús Psal 51. Wash mee againe therefore the Priest must wash his hands twise It is written Exod. 3.5 Put off thy shooes for this place is holy therefore the Bishop at Masse changeth his hose and shooes And lastly the Pope himselfe at the time of his coronation casteth certain copper money amongst the people vsing the words of Peter Siluer and gold haue I none but that which I haue I giue thee These and the like Expositions doe much resemble the strict order of Monkes who reading the words in Matthew Districtissimi MonachoruÌ„ simplicitèr intelligentes fecerunt sibi cruces ligneas easque sibi iugiter humeru circuÌ„ferentes c Ioh. de Polemar orat in CoÌ„cil Basil pag. 385. Hee that taketh not vp his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of mee made themselues woodden crosses and so carried them on their backes continually causing all the world to laugh at them for howsoeuer they may seeme to bee the expositions of some priuate spirits yet hee that makes oath in verbo Sacerdotis to receiue expound the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers and shall render such Expositions of the Text can bee no true Catholique Hieron 24. q 3. cap. Haeresis For whosoeuer doeth otherwise vnderstand the Scripture saith Hierome then the sense of the holy Ghost who is the Penman of the Scripture requires although hee hath not departed from the Church yet hee may bee tearmed an heretique But as the Fryar said wittily in his Sermon the trueth which hee preached was like holy water which euery one called for apace yet when the Sexton cast it on them they let it fall on their backs in like manner the Romanists seemingly call for the Scriptures they commonly vaunt that they expound and receiue them according to the vniforme consent of Fathers but as Vincentius Lyrinensis said of the heretiques of his time When they shall begin not onely to vtter those sayings Vbi caeperuÌ„t illas voces noÌ„ iam proferre sedetiam exponere non ad c. VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 36. but also to expound them then the bitternesse then the sowernesse and madnesse is perceiued then a new deuised poyson will be breathed out then are prophane Nouelties disclosed then may you see the bounds of the ancient Fathers to bee remooued the Catholique Faith to bee then butchered and the doctrine of the Church torne in pieces Pope Pius the fourth who first published the Articles of the Creed was not ignorant that the Scriptures must be farre fetched and hardly strayned to make them speake for the Trent doctrine hee well vnderstood that it was too generall and strict a tye vpon euery Masse Priest to receiue and interpret the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers knowing well that many Masse Priestes were vtterly ignorant of the Fathers and therefore to qualifie the rigour of that oath adioyned these words to the aforesaid Article Artic. 2. Also that sacred Scripture according to that sense which the Mother Church hath holden whose right is to iudge of the true sense and
Prologue before the booke of Proverbs and Gregory in his Moralls the bookes of Iudith Tobias and the Maccabees Ecclesiasticus and the booke of Wisdome are not to bee receiued for confirmation of any matter of faith Occham Dial. part 3 Pract. 1. li. 3. cap. 16. so also it readeth those two volumes of Ecclesiasticus and Wisedome for the edification of the people but not for confirmation of poynts of faith and religion Postquam auxiliante Deo scripsi super libros sacrae scripturae Canonicos alios inteÌ„do scribere qui non sunt de Canone scil liber Sapientiae Ecclus. Iudith Tobias et libri Machabaorum In Praefat. Tobiae Nicholas Lyra After that by the assistance of God I haue handled the Canonicall bookes of Scripture beginning from Genesis and proceeding to the end of the Apocalypse being confident of the same ayde and assistance I purpose to write of those bookes which are not in the Canon as namely the booke of Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Iudith Tobias and the bookes of Maccabees This Author is so truely ours in this poynt Nicholas Lyra in prafatione in libruÌ„ Tobia dicit neque eum neque Iudith neque Machabaorum neque Sapientiae neque EcclesiasticuÌ„ neque Baruch neque vltimos Esdrae in Canone haberi recipi tamen in Ecclesia legique ad mores informandos quanquaem eorum authoritas ad probanda ea quae in contentionem veniunt minus idonea reputetur Ioh. Fr. Pic. Mirand Theorem 5. that Picus Mirandula professeth Lyra saith Neither the bookes of Tobit nor Iudith nor the Maccabees nor Wisedome nor Ecclesiasticus nor Baruch nor the last bookes of Esdras are to bee reckoned in the Canon but notwithstanding they are receiued of the Church and are read for rectifying of manners although their authoritie is of lesse account for proofe of those things which are in controuersie In the fifteenth Age An. 1400. to 1500. Alphonsus Tostatus giues his voyce with the reformed Churches Quanquam isti libri ab Ecclesia recipiantur nullius authóritatis solidae sunt ideò ad confirmanduÌ„ et probanduÌ„ ea quae in dubium venerint inutiles sunt c Tost praef in lib. Paralip q. 2. Denique liber iste non est de Canone id est inter Scripturas Canonicas coÌ„putandus quamuis de eius veritate non dubitatur Dyonis Carth. prolog in Ecclesiast Perer. in Dan. lib. 16. p. 742. Although saith hee the bookes in question bee receiued of the Church yet are they not of any solid authoritie and therefore they are improfitable to prooue and confirme those things which are called in question according to Saint Hierom. Dionysius Carthusianus in writing vpon Ecclesiasticus saith That booke is not of the Canon that is amongst the Canonicall Scriptures although there bee no doubt made of the trueth of that booke This is confessed likewise by our aduersaries Dyonisius Carthusianus and Lyra doe not denie the Historie of Susanna to bee true but they denie the bookes of Iudith Tobit and the Maccabees do appertaine to the canonicall Scriptures Ita 22 volumina supputaÌ„tur quibê° quasi literis et exordiis in Dei doctrina c. Wald. doct fidei lib 2. art 2. circa initium Anton. par 3. tit 18. ca. 6. juxt fineÌ„ Thomas Waldensis cites out of Hierome the Canon of the olde Testament in these words As there are twentie two letters by which we write in Hebrew all that wee speake so there are accounted twentie two bookes by which as letters wee are instructed in the doctrine of God and withall addeth Dicit Thomas 2.2 Nichol de Lyra super Tobiam scil isti non sunt tanta authoritatis quòd ex dictis eorum posset efficaciter argumentari in his quae sunt fidei sicut ex aliis libris sacrae scripturae vndè fortè habent authoritateÌ„ talem qualeÌ„ habent dicta sanctorum Doctorum approbato ab Eccâ—esia that the whole Canonicall Scripture is conteined in the two and twentie bookes Antoninus tells vs that Aquinas and Nicholas de Lyra say the Apocryphall bookes reiected by the Hebrewes are not of that authoritie that a man may argue from their sayings as efficaciously touching poynts of faith as from other writings of the sacred Scriptures and therefore happily they haue such authoritie as the sayings of holy Fathers which are approued by the Church but not as the Canonical Scriptures themselues In the sixteenth Age An. 1500. to 1600. Reliqui viz. Iudith Tobiae MachabeoruÌ„ libri cuÌ„ Sapientia et Ecclesiastico à Diuo Hier. inter Apocrypha locaÌ„tur Nec turberis Nouitie si alicubi reperias libros istos inter Canonicos supputari vel in sacris CoÌ„ciliis vel in sacris doctoribus NaÌ„ ad Hieronymi lineam reducenda sunt taÌ„verba Conciliorum quam DoctoruÌ„ sic vt libri isti non sint Canonici id est regulares ad firmandâ—m ea quae sunt fidei possunt tamen dici Canonici id est regulares ad aedificationeÌ„ FideliuÌ„ Caiet in finecom Hist veter Testament Cardinall Cajetan tells vs The bookes in question betwixt vs as namely Iudith Tobit the Maccabees the books of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus are reckoned by Hierome amongst the Apocryphall books neither be thou troubled saith hee O Nouice if elsewhere you finde these bookes reckoned amongst the Canonicall Scriptures both by sacred Councells or by the holy Doctors of the Church for they are to bee reduced to the rule of Hierome that those bookes may not bee accounted Canonicall that is to regulate our faith but they may bee termed Canonicall for the edification of the faithfull This testimony of Cajetan against the Tenet of the Church of Rome fully agrees with vs in so much that Ambrosius Catharinus a Romanist professeth that Cajetan in this poynt committed almost as many sinnes as hee deliuered words And his fellow Canus protesteth that hee is ashamed that a man otherwise ingenious and learned and a godly pillar of their Church In huius vero confirmatione argumenti Ambrosius Cathâ—rinus Caietanum affirmat tot peccata admisisse quot verba penè effudit Can lib. 2. cap. 11. should so much degenerate from the learned professors of the Romane Faith that when all Writers agree that the name of Canonicall is sacred and diuine onely Cajetan should say the Bishops and Councels did otherwise vnderstand it And for a conclusion Arias Montanus in his Edition of the Bible Accesserunt et huic Editioni libri Graecè scripti quos Ecclesia Orthodoxa Hebraorum Canonem secuta inte Apochryphos receÌ„set Arias Mon. in the Frontispice of the Bible Edit Antwerp ex Offic. Plant. Ann. 1584. tells vs there are added to that Edition bookes writen in Greeke as namely Toby Iudith Hester the Booke of Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Baruch the Additions to Daniel and the two bookes of Maccabees the which bookes saieth hee the Orthodoxe Church following the Hebrew Canon reckons amongst the Apocrypha And thus by
the true Canon of Scripture in their dayes how comes it to passe that Bellarmine cites the Councell of Nice for the booke of Iudith Why doe the Romanists claime the antiquitie of their Canon from the Councell of Carthage Why doe they professe in honor of that Councell that it was generally receiued and that S. Austen subscribed to it when as that Canon touching the Apocryphal Scriptures was not decreed nor confirmed by that Councell by their owne confessions But admit the Councell of Carthage had decreed it yet can any man prooue that the Church at that time did receiue the bookes of Iudith of Hester of the Maccabees and the rest for the rule of faith Shall we thinke that Saint Austen maintained the Canon of Scriptures contrary to Saint Hierom must wee beleeue that the Councell of Carthage within lesse then thirtie yeeres did decree contrary to the Councell of Laodicea nay more is it so much as probable that both those Councells should bee confirmed by one and the same generall Councell of Trullo and yet one should decree a contrary Canon of Faith against the other And as touching Saint Austens subscription to that Councell it is a sufficient allegation against it that the 47 Canon was neuer decreed in that Councell and the rather it appeares by this for that St. Austen did not allowe the booke of Iudith of Wisdome of Ecclesiasticus and the Maccabees for Canonicall all which are expressely decreed in the Councell of Carthage for Canonicall Touching the booke of Iudith St. Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 18. c. 26. l. 17. c. 20 he tells vs the Pewes neuer receiued it in to the Canon of Scriptures withal there he professeth that the Canon of the Iewes was most authentical Touching the bookes of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus hee tells vs Solomon was a Prophet as his workes namely the Prouerbes the Canticles and Ecclesiastes doe witnesse all which are Canonicall August de Ciuit. Dei lib. 17. c. 20. but Ecclesiasticus and the booke of Wisedome were onely called his for some likenesse of stile but all the learned affirme them none of his yet the Westerne Churches held them anciently of great authoritie And lastly touching the bookes of Maccabees hee declareth by pregnant and seuerall reasons that they are Apocryphall First by way of distinction hee tells vs this reckoning is not found in the Canonicall Scriptures but in other bookes which the Church receiueth for Canonicall Secondly hee tells vs they are accounted Canonicall for the suffering of holy Martyrs whereas the Canonicall bookes are simply and absolutely of themselues and for themselues Canonicall Thirdly hee tells vs the Church did receiue them not vnprofitably which is as poore a testimony as hee could haue giuen of his own works Fourthly they are receiued with this condition if they be soberly read in the Church And lastly hee giueth this speciall reason in behalfe of the true Canon of Scripture Christ giueth his Testimonie to those bookes as namely to the Law to the Prophets to the Psalmes because all they beare witnesse of him but the Apocryphall bookes neither witnes any thing of Christ neither are they conteined vnder all or any of those bookes which Christ himselfe diuided into the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes It is true Proto canonici Deuterocanonici there was Canon Ecclesiasticall wherein all or most part of the Apocryphall bookes which are now read and receiued in our Churches were anciently read for example of life and instruction of manners and for that cause were commonly called Canonicall and in this manner Saint Austen speaking of thâ— Maccabees tells vs Hos libros non Iudai sed Ecclesia habet pro Canonicis Aug. de ci uit Dei lib. 18. cap. 36. These books the Church did account Canonicall which the Iewes did not yet withall he professeth in the same Tract that those bookes which were not in the Iewes Canon and yet were receiued of the Church for Canonicall were of lesse force and authoriritie when as it cannot bee denied that all the bookes truely and diuinely Canonicall were alwayes reputed of equall force and authoritie Againe there was Canon diuinus Aug de Ciuit Dei lib. 17 cap. 20. a diuine Canon which was held the rule of Faith wherein was numbred onely the twentie two bookes of Scripture committed to the Iewes and this Canon St. Austen who termed the bookes of Maccabees Canonicall doth distinguish from the Canon Ecclesiasticall and giues his very instance in the bookes of Maccabees In Machabaeorum libris etsi aliquid MirabiliuÌ„ de diuini Canonis Mirabilibus exiguaÌ„ expositioneÌ„ tangeremus Aug. de Mirabil sacrae Scrip. lib. 2. cap. 34. There may be something saith he found in the books of Maccabees worthy to bee ioyned with the number of those miracles yet hereof will wee haue no care for that we intend the miracles Diuini Canonis which are conteined in the diuine Canon And thus he distinguished the bookes of Maccabees which he termed Canonicall for instruction of life from the diuine Canon of Scriptures Canon MoruÌ„ Canon Fidei Caiet which were receiued for confirmation of faith and that diuine Canon onely hee acknowledgeth to be giuen by inspiration from God and to bee of most certaine credit and highest authority in the Church and for that cause hee giues this further rule Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. The bookes which were receiued of all Churches such as were in the diuine Canon among the Iewes were of greatest authoritie and ought to bee preferred before those which were not generally receiued of the all Churches Diuum AugustinuÌ„ fuisse certissimuÌ„ omnes libros Canonicoâ—esse infallibilis veritatis sed noÌ„ fuisse aequè certum de omnibus libris quos enumerauerat qui esseÌ„t canonici na si ità sentiebat rem noÌ„ fuisse adhuc à generali Concilio definitam et proptereà potuisse sine labe haeresios quosdaÌ„libros ab aliis non recipi IdeÌ„ ibidem and thereupon Bellarmine confesseth by way of solution That Saint Austen was most certaine that all Canonicall bookes were of infallible truth but was not alike certaine that all the bookes of Scripture were Canonicall for if he did think so yet hee knew the poynt was not as yet defined by a generall Councell and therefore without any staine of heresie some books might not bee receiued of some persons for Apocryphall Since therefore the pretended Canon of the Nicene Councell is not extant since their suggested Canon of the third Councell of Carthage by their owne confessions is not confirmed in that Councell since the bookes of Maccabees which are ioyned with the Apocryphall bookes in the Latine copies are not to bee found in the Manuscripts of the ancient Greeke coppies nay more since contrariwise wee haue the testimonie of Christ and his Apostles for the intire Canon comprehended in the Law in the Prophets and in the Psalmes since
sword in the scabberd that is the true sense of the Scripture in the sheath of the letter The Scriptures doe not containe clearely all the mysteries of Religion for they were not giuen to that end to prescribe an absolute forme of faith but Tradition containes in it all truth it comprehends all the mysteries of faith and all the estate of Christian Religion and resolues all doubts which may arise concerning faith and from hence it will follow that Tradition is the Interpreter of all Scriptures the Iudge of all Controuersies the Remouer of all errors and from whose judgment we ought not to appeale to an other Iudge yea rather all Iudges are bound both to regard and follow her judgement Now if we looke backe and consider those blasphemous speeches vsed against the Scriptures and compare those passages with the reuerend regard they giue vnto Traditions wee cannot but conceiue there were some speciall reasons that induced the Pope Trent Councell to set Traditions in the first place Quam TraditionuÌ„ authoritateÌ„ si tollas nutare iam vacillare videbuntur Andrad de Orth. expli lib. 2. Andradius who well vnderstood the state of the Church of Rome being present at the making of that decree giues this generall lesson in their behalfe Many poynts of Romane doctrine would reele and totter if they were not supported by the helpe of Traditions But it may not bee forgotten Sutor de Translat Bibl. c. 22. their owne Monke Petrus de Sutor more particularly shewes one speciall cause why the Scriptures were denied vnto the lay people viz. Because many things being taught by the Romane Church and not contained in the Scriptures would more easily drawe the people from the traditions and obseruances of their Church And another reason why Traditions are in that speciall request aboue the Scriptures is rendred by their owne Bishop Canus Canus loc Theol lib. 3. cap. 3. Because Tradition is not onely of greater force against heretiques then the Scripture but almost all disputation with heretiques is to bee referred to Traditions Thus you see by the confessions of two learned Romanists there was great cause why traditions should haue the first place amongst the Articles of the Creed for the one saith they preuent the reading of the Scriptures which otherwise would discouer the doctrine of their Church the other saith they are more availeable then the Scriptures to confute the doctrine of heretiques These testimonies premised for the honour and authoritie of Papall Traditions let vs examine what are meant by Traditions and next which are those Traditions that are of that high esteeme in the Romane Church for if their Traditions bee of equall authoritie with the Scriptures and yet are not contained in the Scriptures there is great reason they should bee approoued by testimonies and witnesses aequiualent to the Scriptures Kellis Suruey l. 8. c. 3. Doctor Kellison tells vs that Tradition is nothing else but an opinion or custome of the Church not written in holy Scriptures but yet deliuered by the hands of the Church from time to time from Christians to Christians euen to the last age And Saint Austen declareth more properly VVhatsoeuer the Vniuersall Church doth hold Aug. lib 4. contra Donat c. 24. not being ordained by Councells but hath beene euer held that is beleeued most rightly to be an Apostolicall Tradition It appeares therefore that Papall Traditions which are of equall authority with the Scriptures must haue Vniuersalitie of Churches and consent of ages or to vse the wordes of their Trent Councell Such as are preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholike Church All doctrinall Traditions of this nature are receiued by the Reformed Churches for wee all professe with the same Father Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Whatsoeuer is vsed by the Church throughout all the world is to bee obserued and it would bee most insolent madnesse to dispute against the same Let vs heare therefore out of their owne mouthes what are those Traditions which are not written in any Apostolique Authour and yet haue those requisite conditions and speciall characters of the Roman Church viz. Antiquity Vniuersality and Succession Pet. à Soto in lib. cont Brentium Petrus à Soto giues vs to vnderstand that the sacrifice of the Altar the vnction of Chrysme Inuocation of Saints Prayers for the dead the Popes Supremacie Consecration of water in Baptisme the whole Sacrament of Confirmation Orders Matrimony Penance Extreame vnction Merit of workes Necessitie of satisfaction and confession to a Priest are all Traditions of the Romane Church Canis in Catech. c. 5. de precept Eccles Coster in refut script Wallesij antith 6. Canus loc Theol. li 3. ca. 3. Canisius and Costerus referre to Traditions the worship of Images set times of fasting all the Ceremonies of the Masse Melchior Canus tells vs the imploring helpe of holy Martyrs and celebrating their memories the worshipping of Images the consecrating and receiuing of the body and blood of Christ by the Priest the Sacraments of Confirmation and Orders not to bee reiterated are no where happily to bee found in Scriptures but amongst all the Romanists as it is obserued by reuerend Whitakers there is none doth so fully and punctually set downe the Traditions of the Romane Church as their Bishop Lindan who amongst other Traditions Whit. coÌ„tr 1. c. 5. quest 6. mentions the Reall presence the Communion vnder one kinde priuate Masse Indulgences Purgatory Peters liuing and dying at Rome All or most of these Traditions are substantiall and fundamentall poynts and the denyall of them makes a man an heretike in their Church Now it is very obseruable in the first place that no vnwritten Tradition hath any ground or foundation in the Scripture Peres de Tradit p 4. for Tradition is so taken saith Peresius that it is distinguished against the doctrine which is found in the Canonicall bookes of Scripture and consequently touching all or any of the Papall Traditions there is no vse at all of Scriptures Herein then stands the difference betwixt the Church of Rome and vs Multa pertinere ad Christianorum doctrinam et fideÌ„ quae nec apertè nec obscuâ—è in sacris literis coÌ„tinentur Canus loc Theol. ca. 3. fund 3. There are many things saith Canus belonging to the doctrine faith of Christians which are neyther contained in the sacred Scriptures manifestly or obscurely and this he vnderstands by the Traditions of his owne Church There is no point of Faith taught in our Church which is not expressely contained in the Scriptures or by necessarie consequence deduced from thence and if we receiue the witnesse of men yet the witnesse of God is greater 1. Ioh. 5.9 But that which is incongruous to common sense and altogether different from the Romish doctrine those men which generally professe that vnwritten Traditions are so called because they are distinguished from the word written as Bellarmine confesseth
Monks of former ages giues the reason which occasioned the Romanists of these later times to stand vpon iustification of their Traditions About the time the Deuill was let loose that is to say a thousand yeeres after Christ certaine Monkes saith he for the vpholding of Pope Hildebrands faction desired other doctrines Alienas doctrinas appetunt magisteria humana institutionis inducunt Lib. de vnit Eccles p. 233. and brought in masteries of humane Institution and to preuent the knowledge of the truth they permitted not yong men in their Monasteries to studie the sauing knowledge of the Scriptures to the end Vt inde ingenium nutriatur siliquis daemoniorum qua sunt consuetudines humanarū Traditionū Ibid. p. 228. that their rude wit might bee nourished with the huskes of deuils which are the customs of humane Traditions that being accustomed to such filth they might not taste how sweet the Lord was This learned Author giues vs to vnderstand that the vnwritten doctrines in the Roman Church were but filth and huskes of Deuils which without doubt the heretiques of former ages had scattered and left behind them And thus the Priests and Fryars haue receiued the doctrine of Traditions from the Monks the Monkes from the heretikes and both ioyntly sympathize with the heretike Eutyches in the generall Councell of Chalcedon and make one and the same generall acclamation Concil Cha. Act. 1 Thus I haue receiued of my forefathers thus I haue beleeued in this faith I was baptized and signed in the same haue I liued till this day and in the same I wish to die I speake not this to decline the authoritie of Apostolique Traditions for I know well the same Apostle who tels the Scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation giues also this warning to the Church of Thessalonica stand fast 2. Thess 2.15 and hold the Traditions which yee haue been taught whether by word or our Epistle Here the Apostle calls his owne written Epistle a Tradition and for ought can appeare that which hee taught by word of mouth was but the word written for a man may teach one and the same doctrine diuers waies but what Protestant I pray did euer refuse to hold the traditions which Saint Paul and the rest of the Apostles taught by word of mouth Wee generally confesse that they were of equall authoritie with the Word written but who can tell vs what Traditions those were if they were not written We may grant without preiudice to our cause that Saint Paul deliuered more to the Thessalonians by word of mouth then was conteined in that Epistle although the words alleadged inforce no such thing for wee take not vpon vs to maintaine that the first Epistle to the Thessalonians contained all the doctrine to saluation but doth it therefore follow that he deliuered more vnto them then was contained in the whole Scriptures When Paul came to Thessalonica three Sabbath dayes saith the Text hee reasoned with them out of the Scriptures He taught them Acts 17.2 that it behooued Christ to suffer and rise againe from the dead and that Iesus was Christ and after that Acts 26.22 hee witnesseth both to small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Therfore whatsoeuer hee deliuered to the Thessalonians although it be not found in his written Epistle yet it must needs be contained in the holy Scriptures Againe if the Thessalonians had insisted onely vpon vnwritten Traditions yet the Apostle would by no meanes approoue of it for hee professeth that the Iewes of Beraea were more noble then those of Thessalonica and there he giues the reason for it Acts 17.11 In that they receiued the Word with all readinesse of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so And hence we haue an example of the vndoubted Traditions of the Apostles themselues which were examined by the touchstone of the Scriptures but no man can shew me that euer the Scriptures were examined by vnwritten Traditions We say therefore that all vnwritten Traditions which concerne the saluation of the beleeuer are either immediately or at least by sound inference deriued from the Scriptures and those also haue a manifest and perpetuall testimony of the Primitiue Church and the vniforme consent of succeeding Christians in all ages And whereas our adversaries charge vs that we likewise holde doctrinall Traditions which haue no foūdation in the Scriptures as namely the Canon of the Scriptures the keeping of the Sabbath the baptizing of Infants and the perpetuall Virginitie of the blessed Virgin it is sufficiently apparant that these things are also deriued from the Scriptures for as wee deny not that the Canon of the Scripture may bee tearmed a Tradition in a large sense yet wee say euen that Tradition is deriued also from the testimony of the Apostle Saint Paul yea and of Christ himselfe who witnesseth that whatsoeuer he spake was written in the Law in the Prophets the Psalmes vnder which none of the Apocryphall Books are contained Touching the Sabbath day wee hold the obseruation of it to bee perpetuall Acts 20.7 1. Cor. 16.2 Reue. 1.10 and vnchangeable because we find it noted in the Scriptures Touching baptisme of Infants Bellarmine himselfe prooues it first from the proportion betweene Baptisme and Circumcision secondly from two places of Scripture Iohn 3.5 Math. 19.14 Lastly concerning the perpetuall Virginitie of Marie although for the honour and sanctitie of that blessed Virgin wee beleeue it Index Biblicus in Regiis Biblus vocabulo Maria multis scripturae locis significari perpetuam virginitatem Maria ostendit yet this doctrine is not de necessitate but de pietate fidei it is more for pious credulitie then for necessitie and yet if we require Scripture for it the Fathers proue it out of the 44 of Ezech. 2. as Hierome sheweth in his Commentaries vpon that place Now if any man list to be contentious and demand of vs where it is written that the Sonne of God is of the same substance with the Father Where is it written that Christ is God and man subsisting in one person Where is it written that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne as well as from the Father or where is the word Trinitie to bee found written in the whole body of the Scripture If any man shall deny the truth of these things because they are not plainly in the same words deliuered in the Scriptures what can his question argue lesse then a plaine cauilling and shifting of a knowne truth for as Athanasius in the like case answered the Arrians touching the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the substance with the Father Athan. Ep. quod decreta Synodi Nicaenae cōgruis verbis sunt exposita Albeit the word bee not found in the Scriptures yet it hath the same meaning that the Scriptures intend and import the same with them
redeeme those punishments by our owne labours Idem ibid. Resp lest we also should seeme to be our owne Redeemers But Pope Iulius the fourth and the Councell of Trent saith the Cardinall most plainly teach the contrary Gelasius Bishop of Rome in the yeere 492 professeth and declareth for an Article of his beliefe In the Sacrament is celebrated an Image Gelas cont Futych Nest or semblance of the body and blood of Christ and there ceaseth not to bee the substance or nature of bread and wine On the contrary Pope Innocentius the Third decreed it for an Article of faith in the Councell of Lateran with a Firmiter credimus Wee stedfastly beleeue Lib. 1. Decret cap. Firmitèr credimus that the body and blood of Christ are truely contained in the Sacrament of the Altar the bread being transubstantiated into his body and wine into his blood by the diuine power so that there must be really verily and substantially present the naturall body and blood of Christ which was conceiued of the Virgin Mary and which is ascended into Heauen Touching the Communion in both kind the same Gelasius proclaimed to the communicants of his time Aut integra Sacramenta percipiant aut ab integris arceantur Gelas de Consecr Dist 2 CoÌ„perimus §. Either let them receiue the whole Sacrament or let them be driuen from the whole for the diuiding of one and the same Sacrament cannot be done without great sacriledge On the contrary in this latter age Pope Martin the Fifth hath decreed it with the consent of a whole Councell Conc. Constant Sess 13. If any shall obstinately maintaine that it is vnlawfull or erronious to receiue in one kind hee ought to bee punished and driuen out as an Heretike Gregorie the Great Bishop of Rome about the yeere 600 publisheth his instruction for the people touching Images Epist ex Regist lib. 9. cap. 9. Let the children of the Church now dispersed be called togeather and taught by the Testimonies of the Scriptures that nothing made with hands may be worshipped And withall concludes If any will make Images forbid them not but by all meanes let him avoyd the adoration of them On the contrary in this later age Pope Pius the fourth declares it for an Article of Faith I most firmely auouch Bulla Pij 4. Art 9. that the Images of Christ and the Mother of God alwayes a Virgin and other Saints are to bee had and retained and that due honour and veneration is to bee giuen to their Images Againe touching the vse and sufficiencie of the Scripture Sect 13. touching the Reall presence Priuate Masse Communion in both kindes Merite of workes the Popes Supremacie and the like Gregory is flatly opposite to the Popes of these later times And that you may yet further heare that the Popes haue no Infallibility in their Determinations and Decrees you shall find likewise that the later Popes doe not onely vary from the Faith of the Ancients but also differ amongst themselues and contradict each other in many substantiall poynts of their owne doctrine Pope Caelestine the Third in the yeere 1191 published a Decree Alph. aduers haeres lib. 1. c. 4. that of maried persons if one fall into Heresie the Marriage is dissolued and the Catholike partie is free to marrie againe Neither saith Alphonsus was this errour of Calestine such as ought to bee imputed to negligence alone that wee may say hee erred as a priuate man not as Pope for this difinition of Caelestine was extant in the Decretals which I my selfe haue seene and read On the contrary Pope Innocentius the Third his immediate Successor decided the case and confessed that one of his Predecessors which saith the Glosse Decret li. 4. de diuortijs Quanto §. Praedecess was Caelestine had decreed otherwise whose resolution was in the olde Decretals and it was euill that Caelestine said Pope Gregorie the Ninth in the yeere 1227 proclaimeth it to the world Greg. Ep ad Germ. Archiep Constant apud M Paris in Henr. 3. The not knowing the Scriptures by the testimonie of trueth it selfe is the occasion of errours and therefore it is expedient for all men to reade or heare the same On the contrary Pope Clement the Eighth forbids all the common people yea â—id Regulars also to reade or retaine any vulgar Translation of the Scriptures without licence of their Bishop or Inquisitor and there hee giues the reason flatly opposite to the Teneâ— of his Predecessor Azor Inst Moral part 1. l. 8. c. 26. Because the common vse of Scripture is found by experience to bee rather hurtfull then profitable Pope Nicholas the fourth in the yeare 1288 declared in his Decretall Sixti Decr. lib. 5. tit 12. §. Exijt that To renounce the proprietie of all things not in speciall onely but in common also is meritorious and holy which Christ taught by Word and confirmed by Example and the first Founders of the Militant Church deriued to others by paterne of their Doctrine and Life On the contrarie his Successor Iohn the 22. published and declared Extrauag â—ohn 2 tit 14 § Cum inter nonnullos that It is Hereticall to affirme that Christ and his Apostles had nothing in speciall nor in common Pope Martin the fifth in the yeare 1431. in the grand Councell of Basil Conc. Basil Sess 33. decreed the Councell aboue the Pope Pope Eugenius the fourth Bell de Eccles CoÌ„cil l. 1. c. 7. his immediate Successor condemned that Session declared the Pope to bee aboue a Councell And that which is most remarkeable those Romanists which condemne the Translation of our Bible as if the latter Translation did contradict the former shall finde The first Bible was printed at Rome 1590 the second 1592. that Pope Sixtus Quintus published in the yeere 1590 and commanded to be read and followed vpon such pain 〈◊〉 as are mentioned in his Breue D. Iames his Apol. of Belluâ—n Papale p 27. within two yeere after was reiected by hiâ— Successor Pope Clement 〈◊〉 8. as a Translation erronious Acta prioruÌ„ Pontificum sequentes Pontifiâ—es aut infringunt iut omnino tollunt nihil enim aliud isli Pontificuli cogitabant quam vt nomeÌ„ et dignitatem maâ—oruÌ„ suorum extinguerent Plat in Stephan in Romano and opposite to thâ— Truth And thus saith â—â—tina The latter Popes eitheâ— viâ—lat or vtterly repeale thâ— Decrees of their Predecessors For the little pettie Popes haâ— no other study to busie themselues withall but onely to defuce the name and dignitie 〈◊〉 the former Popes First then wee may obserue that the ancient Bishops of Rome published and declared the same faith and doctrine which the Protestants teach in the fundamentall poynts at this day They commaunded Priests and people to communicate together contrary to the doctrine of Priuaâ— Masses they taught that the Sacrament was a semblance of Christs body
of the holy Ghost were wholly at the Popes command to breath onely where hee will haue him It is confessed on both sides that Christ is the Way and Trueth and by his word he hath prescribed a sure an infallible rule to find out the truth If the Scripture were but a partiall rule yet by Bellarmines owne confession it is the most certaine Scriptura â—egula credendi cerrissima tutissimaque est Bell. de Verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. and most safe rule of faith Now â—et vs see what is the most certaine rule of the Roman â—aith and on what assured meanes their proselytes may â—est satisfied and infallibly â—nstructed for the saluation â—f their soules Suarez the â—esuite tells vs It is the Catholike truth Veritas Catholica est Pontificem definientem ex Cathedrâ esse RegulaÌ„ Fidei quae errare non potest quaÌ„do aliquid authenticè proponit vniuersa Ecclesia tanquaÌ„ de fide c. Suarez de Tripl virt Theol. Sect. 8. disp 5. de reg pag. 214. Censeo esse rem de fide ceâ—taÌ„ Suar. ibid p. 214. that the Pope defining in his Chaire is the rule of Faith which cannot erre that is wheÌ„ he doth propose any thing authentically to the vniuersall Church to be beleeued 〈◊〉 a diuine faith and thus saith he all Catholike Doctors teach in these dayes and I thinke it 〈◊〉 be a thing certainly to be beleeued This Iesuit maintainâ—â— the Infallibility of the Pope yet speakes but as he thinks and withall tells vs It is thâ— Catholike doctrine of these times when as hee should haue prooued it by ancient Records that it was the Catholike doctrine of all ages For there is no man liuing let him be Papist oâ— Protestant if hee be a man of â—nderstanding but will holâ— it most requisite and absolutely necessary that the rule of faith should be declared by Christ and his Apostles by Catholike Traditions by Generall Councels by the consent of Fathers and the whole Christian world and certainly if the Popes Decrees conclusions be that rule of faith they ought to be confirmed by al those testimonies since on his judgment both Councels Bishops do depend but especially since the error of the Pope is adiudged to be the error of the Vniversall Church Againe he that deliuered what hee thought was the Catholike doctrine of these times touching the Popes Infallibility in generall tels vs of an other point at that time questionable viz. Whether it was to bee beleeued as an Article of faith Idem ibid. pag. 218. that the or that particular Pope were 〈◊〉 true Pope This doctrine saith he I taught at Rome affirmatiuely in the yeere 1585 but withall professeth that many at that time thought otherwise He that proclaimed it to the world that the Popes definitiue sentence in his chaire was the rule of Faith withall professeth that within these few yeeres it was not resolued whether this or that particular Pope might erre or no. And as it was obserued by a judicious and religious Gentleman M Noy of L. Inne for I shall gladly acknowledge any thing that I receiued froÌ„ any man this later question produced a new Quaere viz If the Pope were not a true Pope and Canonically elected then that person which worshipped a Saint canonized by that Pope commits flat Idolatry by reason the Saint wants his right Canonization for want of the Popes true and Canonicall election Many such doubts said he were mooued touching this Rule of Faith which neither the Iesuite was able to resolue nor the Church had as yet determined Hee that can but spell and put these things together would feare and tremble to think he hath no better assurance of his saluation then a doubtfull vncertaine questionable and vrresolued way to guide him into the paths of sauing knowledge And that the world may know the Rule of Faith which ought generally to bee receiued De Fide of all the faithfull is altogether doubtfull in the Roman church I haue summoned 12 of the Popes disciples to deliuer their seuerall opinions concerning the Popes Infallibilitie but how they concurre in witnessing the trueth of this Doctrine I leaue it to bee iudged Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. 1. Bellarmine It is probable that the Pope not onely as Pope cannot erre but as a priuate man cannot fall into Heresie or hold any obstinate opinion contrary to the Faith 2. Albertus Pigghius Piggh. de Eccle. Hier. lib. 6. c. 13. The Iudgement of the Pope is more certaine then the Iudgement of a Generall Councell or else the whole world 3. Hosius Hos lib. 2. cont Brent Bee the wickednesse of Popes neuer so great it can neuer hinder but that this promise of God shall euer be true The Popes shall shew thee the truth of Iudgement 4. Iohannes de Turrecremata Ioh. sum de Eccles lib. 2. cap. 112. It is better to rest vpon the sentence of the Pope which hee deliuers out of Iudgement then the opinions of whatsoeuer wise men in matters of Scripture for euen Caiphas was a High Priest and although hee was wicked yet hee prophecied truely 5. Siluester Prierias Whosoeuer leaneth not to the Doctrine of the Romane Church I'tier contr Lutherum and Bishop of Rome as vnto he Infallible rule of God of which doctrine the holy Scripture hath taken force and authoritie hee is an heretike Episc Bitont Conc. ex Rom. 1. cap 14. Romae habit 6. Cornelius Mus I must ingenuously confesse I would giue more credit to one Pope in matters of faith then to a thousand Augustines Hieromes or Gregories c. For I beleeue and know the chiefe Bishop in matters of faith cannot erre because the authoritie of the Church in determination of things belonging to faith is resident in that Bishop and so the errour of that Bishop should come to be the errour of the vniuersall Church Thus the great Mountaines were in labour and at last appeares Ridiculus Mus This man cares neither for Fathers nor Councells he knowes the Pope cannot erre and he is a man of experience You may beleeue him for hee was a Preacher at twelue yeeres old saith Sixtus Senensis but there are six more of the Popes sworne seruants they are Legales homines and craue audience hauing the said power and iurisdiction with the rest onely they say they cannot flatter they must and will speake the trueth in this howsoeuer the rest bee diuided from them and first concerning the first of the second ranke 7. Alphonsus de Castro We doubt not Non dubitamus an hareticum esse et Papam esse coire in vnuÌ„ possint Non enim credo esse aliquem adeò impudentem Papae assertatoreÌ„ vt ei tribuere hac velit vt nec errare nec interpretatione sacraruÌ„ literarum hallucinari possit cum constet plures Papas adeò illiteratos esse vt Grammaticam penitus ignorent qui fit vt
there In the ages following for 300 yeeres more the Arrian heresie so infected the Church that the ship of the Church was almost sunke Hieron ad Lucif saith Hierome If therfore in the first and best ages the Church was much darkned and obscured what splendor and visibility should we expect in these latter dayes wherein the deuill is let loose seeking to deceiue if it were possible the very Elect themselues Let it suffice as God himselfe first planted his church in Eden with two so he hath watred it in the Garden of his Spouse with the increase of many best knowne vnto himselfe and hath promised a continuall preseruation of it where two or three are gathered together in his Name and according to this Rule which our aduersaries cannot deny vve haue at this day a Church in Spaine in Italie in the East and West Indies in euery place where the Inquisition reigneth although the outward face of the Church doe not visibly appeare Your Church of Rome is too too visible in this Kingdome although you haue not toleration of publike Exercise nor is your Idol of the Masse set vp in the Temple which our good God and gracious King forbid I speake not this in any sort to decline the visibility of our Church for the Church is like the Moone which hath often waxings waynings and vvee know the Moone at full and and the Moone at the waine is one and the same Moone although not alike conspicuous It was a Quaere in the dayes of Salomon Who can finde a vertuous woman August de Tempore Serm 217. but saith Austen in that hee said who can find her shewed the difficultie not the impossibitie of finding her and this woman was the Church He that made that question was the wisest among men and he that expoūded his meaning knew well how to distinguish the right woman from the counterfet yet both agree in this that the true Church was not easie to be discerned Saint Iohn tels vs this woman tooke her flight into the wildernesse and there shee was fed If the Apostle had foretold the place as well as her flight happily shee had beene pursued and found of many but the place vvas a desart obscure and vnfrequented and therfore known to few and for certain she was found of some for otherwise shee had not bin fed In vaine I must confesse had Christ cōmaunded vs to tell the Church if there had been no Church to heare and his precept had bin needlesse to bid vs heare the Church if there had been no Church to speak yet hee that warned vs to heare the Church forwarned vs that after his departure Grieuous wolues would enter into the church and speak peruerse things Acts 20.29 He that taught his Disciples to obserue to doe according to all the Scribes and Pharisies should teach thē enters this caue at against their false glosses Math. 23.3 Beware of the leauen of the Pharisies He that said Blindnes in part was hapned to Israel told vs also that the Church of Rome if she did not continue in her goodnes Rom. 11.22 shee should also be cut off And it is observable the same Church of Ierusalem which the Prophet Dauid called the Citie of God Psal 48.19 was termed an Harlot by the Prophet Isay in his time and that Temple which Solomon termed a House of Prayer in his dayes 1 Kin. 8.20 was afterward by Christ called a den of theeues Math. 21.14 the one shewed what the Church was the other how it was altered yet both agree they were one the same church The Christian church was neuer brought to a lower ebbe then was the Iewish Synagogue at the coming of Christ yet a man at that time might haue seen Simeon and Zachary Ioseph and Mary Anna Elizabeth the true seruāts of Christ standing together with the Sadduces in the same Temple which might wel be accounted as the house of Saints in regard of the one so a den of theeues in respect of the other If therefore wee haue corrected the errours of the Romane church as Christ whipt the theeues and money changers out of the Tēple we doe not hereby make a new Church but renew that house of Prayer and restore it to the ancient and true seruice of Christ If we had left our Mother when we first found her sick shee might haue iustly taxed vs of disobediēce and want of dutie towards her but when the Priest saw her and passed by when the Leuite looked on her and forsook her Luther and Caluin perform'd the office of the good Samaritan they came neere vnto her and saw her and tooke care to cure her wounded soule and frō that time her children became Physicians to heale not parents to beget a new Church To heale a sore to purge a sick and diseased body is not to make a new body but to renew it and restore it to his former health let me giue you but one familiar example of your owne in this latter age Saint Francis established the Order of Frāciscans and they according to the meaning of their first Founders did for a long time follow the Institution of their first Orders afterwards when certaine errors and corruptions had crept in amōg them they separated themselues frō the rest and were called the Recollects Vpon this occasion a suit was cōmenced to decide whether the Recollects or the other Franciscans did adhere to the true orders of S. Frācis After examination deliberation had the Recollects were found to adhere to the ancient Institutions of their Order and therevpon Iudgement was published on their behalfe and they were afterwards called the Reformed Franciscans Such is the state of the Reformed Churches at this day the true Church was first planted and established by Christ and his Apostles continued sound in Head members for many ages afterwards whē error and superstition had crept in and gotten the vpper hand there were certain Recollects which complained of the corruptions and errours which had sprūg vp in the Roman church wherupon after mature deliberation had of the true doctrine of Christ and his Apostles publication was made in the behalf of the Recollects that they were found to adhere to the ancient Institutions of Christ and his Apostles and from and after that time they were called the Reformed Churches Will you bring a Quo Warranto and examine for what cause and by what authority the Protestants haue reformed the errours of your Church I will tell you in briefe If for no other cause yet for this alone because you are taught to eate your God Mariana and kill your King they might iustly seeke a reformation in doctrine and maners but the trueth is 1. Iohn 4.1 there were false Prophets gone out into the world and for that cause Christ gaue his commission to try the spirits whether they were of God and accordingly they proceeded to examination of
the doctrine of the Scriptures by Fathers couÌ„cels and after publication of witnesses they receiued vvarranty froÌ„ the ancieÌ„t Bish of Rome and your owne famous Councell of Trent the one commending that doctrine to the Christians of their daies which we now profess the other commanding a reformation in the RomaÌ„ church of such errours in faith maners as we condemne I will giue you instances in both Your worship of Images which you receiue as an article of faith for feare of Idolatry we haue reformed if you require warranty from the Romane Church Gregory Bishop of Rome proclaimes it to the Christians of his time Greg lib. 9. Epist 9. Let the children of the Church bee called together taught by the testimonies of holy scriptures that nothing made with hands may bee worshipped Your doctrine of Transubstantiation which you haue decreed for an Article of Faith we haue reformed if you expect warrantie from the Roman church Gelasius Bish of Rome published and professed our doctrine flat coÌ„trary to the faith of Transubst In the Sacrament is celebrated an image Gelas cont Eutych Nestor or resemblance of the body bloud of Christ and there ceaseth not to be the substance and nature of bread and wine Your halfe CoÌ„munion we haue reformed if you require warranty from the Roman Church Iulius Bish of Rome speaking of the deliuering to the people a sop dipt in vvine for the vvhole Communion tels vs De Consecrat Dist cum omne In Christs institution there is recited the deliuering of the bread by it selfe the cup by it selfe lest inordinate and peruerse deuices weaken the soundnesse of our faith These are fundamental points agreeable to the tenets of our Church and are warraÌ„ted to vs by the ancient Bishops of Rome themselues and if the Popes doctrine be infallible in points of faith which you teach and professe without doubt they may bee sufficient warranties for you to allow this Reformation I wil come neerer vnto you descend from the ancient Bishops of Rome to your late CouÌ„cell of Trent which intended wished a Reformation in faith and manners euen of those things which we haue reformed your Prayer Seruice in an vnknowne tongue we haue restored to the vnderstanding of the hearer if you expect warrantie from your ovvne Church your Councell of Trent although they reformed not this doctrine yet for the better satisfactioÌ„ and instruction of the ignorant lest say they the sheepe of Christ should thirst Conc. Trid. Sess 22. c. 8. the children craue bread and none should bee ready to giue it them it was decreed that the Priests Pastors should frequently expound and declare the mysterie of that vnknowne Seruice to the people Your superstitious ceremonies of many lights and candles and your certaine number of Masses vve haue reformed If you expect warranty froÌ„ your own Church QuarundaÌ„ verò MissaruÌ„ et CandelaruÌ„ certuÌ„ numeruÌ„ qui magis à superstitioso cultu quaÌ„ à veraÌ„ Religione inueÌ„tus est omninò ab Ecclesia remoueant Idem cap. 9. your Councell of Trent confesseth They were first inuented rather out of superstitious deuotion then true religion and therfore say they let theÌ„ be altogether remooued froÌ„ the Church Your Indulgences which are made an article of Faith we haue reformed if you expect warranty from your ovvn Church you may answere with the Fathers of the Trent CouÌ„cell Quastorum abusus vt coruÌ„ emendationi spes nulla relicta videatur c. The Popes Officers in collecting money for Indulgences gaue a scandall to all faithfull Christians which might seeme to be without hope of Reformation and therfore we haue reformed theÌ„ Ab Ecclesiis verò Musicas eas vbi siue organo siue cantus lascivuÌ„ aut impurum aliquid miscetur Your lasciuious wanton songs which are mingled with your Church Musicke vve haue reformed if you expect warrantie from your own church your owne CouÌ„cel complained of it and wished it might be reformed and they giue the reason for it Vt Domus Dei verè domus orationis esse videatur Idem ibid. That the House of God may appeare to bee the house of prayer Your Superstition your Idolatrie your Couetousness which you confesse to haue crept into the Masse by the error of time and wickednesse of men vve haue reformed if you require warrantie from your own church Ordinarii locoruÌ„ Episcopi ea omnia prohibere atque è medio tollere sedulò curent ac teneantur quae vel auaritia idoloruÌ„ seruitus vel superstitio induxit IdeÌ„ Can. 9. your CouÌ„cell decreed That the Ordinary should bee very carefull to remoue all those things which either couetousnes or worship of idols or superstition had brought in Lastly your priuate Masse we haue reformed and restored to the Communion of Priest and people if you expect warrantie from your own Church Anacletus and Calixtus both Bishops of Rome decreed that after Consecration all present should coÌ„municate Dist 1. Episcopus 2. Peracta or else bee thrust out of the Church And your late Councell of Trent although they reformed not this doctrine yet Optaret quideÌ„ sacrosancta Synodus The CouÌ„cell could wish that the people might coÌ„municat with the Priest and there they giue the reason for it Because it would be more fruitful and more profitable Sess 22. c. 6. If therefore we haue changed your Sacrifice into a Sacrament your carnal and grosse eating of Christ into a spirituall receiuing by faith your half Communion into the whole Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ your priuate Masse into the publike communion of Priest and people your adoration of Images into the true worship of God in spirit and truth your prayer and seruice in an vnknown tongue into the vulgar laÌ„guage to be vnderstood of the coÌ„moÌ„ people your lasciuious wanton songs into Dauids Psalmes we haue don nothing herein but what the Apostles what the holy Fathers what the ancient Bish of Rome taught in the first best ages and what your grand CouÌ„cell of Trent intended and wished to be reformed in this latter age Nay more since your Councell hath made seuerall Decrees for Reformation The Councel of Trent began An 1545 and ended Ann. 1563. Bell. Chro. pa. 121. 123. since they can neither plead vvant of Authority nor vvant of time during the liues of â—ight Popes and eighteen yeres continuance why they did not proceed put in execution those Decrees I hope wee shal deserue the greater thaÌ„ks from your Popes and Cardinalls for rectifying those abuses which they themselues condemned and from their owne Decrees and faire preteÌ„ces may iustly arrogate to our selues that honorable Title of Reformed Churches Giue me leaue therefore by way of counter-challenge to your Iesuit to vse the words of sobernes truth Where was your Church Trent doctrine before Luther for I call God and