time deliuered vnder her authority To draw therfore to a conclusion since the Scriptures affirme that many of Gods people are in Babyloâ— and that Antichrist must sit in the Church of God since that Popery taketh not away from the foundation but addeth to it * â—â—ndamento a◠〈…〉 â—aâ—itâ— noâ—â—tium Caput 〈◊〉 vâ—i sâ—pra Vide Dr. Prid. â—â—ct de â—isib â—â—clesia whence nothing is more frequent with ouâ— Diuines than to tearme Popery â—octriâ—am addititiam and their Reliâ—ion Popish additaments and Aquiâ—â—â— who gaue the Pope power to â—ake a new Creede neuer thought â—hat he might abrogate the old for â—s much as they haue that Baptisme â—hich maketh them members of the â—ue Church and Orders so good â—hat wee neuer iterate them seeing â—hat when wee dispute against them â—ee acknowledge them to hold funâ—amentall truth and that all our â—octors with an vnanimous consent â—ffirme so much and the sentence of â—ny one Classicall Author cannot be â—rought who affirmeth the contrary â—nd lastly seeing the Church our Mother imputeth vnto them errour â—nely in â—atters of Faith not abneâ—ation of the Faith it selfe we affirme â—hat the Church of Rome though otherwise wicked enough hath not â—et directly denyed the Foundaâ—ion of Faith and therefore that wee cannot deny her the name of a Christian Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that we intended to proue The Second Part. Wherein the Reuerend Bishops Arguments are defended and Mr. Burtons Obiections answered CHAP. I. Containing an Introduction to the following discourse THere is in rectitude as the Philosopher wisely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth that perfection and beautie whereby we discerne both it selfe and whatsoeuer is contrary vnto it For hee that knowes what is straight doth euen perceiue thereby what is crooked because the absence oâ— straitnesse in bodies capable thereo◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ariâ—â—â—â—e anima lib 1. is crookednesse yet because tâ— Iudge both of rectitude and obliqâ—tie is the Rule which all haue not tâ— skill few the will to apply it is necessarie sometimes to leaue the amiable discourse of truth and apply oâ— selues to set forth the knottinesse anâ— deformitie of error that error maâ— yet be more abandoned and trutâ— more heartily embraced Wee suppose that wee haue alreadie not onâ—ly fortified the cause it selfe whicâ— wee tooke in hand with good aâ— solid reason but laid downe thoâ— rules also whereby whatsoeuer câ— be probably obiected against thâ— truth may be fully answered â—â— namely if we marke in what senâ— we affirme the Church of Rome tâ— be a true Church in what respect sâ— is Babylon and in what consideration a true Church what it is to dâ—nie the foundation what likewisâ— to ouerthrow it and how farre â— Christian Church may ouerthrow it Yet to make the worke complete it will not bee amisse to examine the weight of those reasons which are opposed hereunto and to free the arguments already brought in defence not of the Romish Church or anie point of their Religion but of a true â—ssertion amongst Protestant Diâ—ines from the exceptions alledged against them And this we will doe Heb. 6. 3. â—f God permit Where by the way let mee aduerâ—ise that had the second Edition of â—he Reuerend Bishops booke * Of the old Religion I saw it not till I had quite finished the first part of this Treatise come sooner to my hands I thinke I had saued my paines and not proceeded â—hus farre not that I had not a good mind to the Bishops defence and yet haue but that it might seeme superâ—uous to adde to it vnreasonable to â—eply against it M. Burton as it is â—uident before the Edition of his booke saw and read the Reuerend Bishops Apologie wherein he sheweth that preferment hath not made him differ from what he was before nor self conceit to take vp a new opinion but loue of the truth to auerâ— that wherein he finds all Diuines tâ— conspire with him none gain sayinâ— him At M. Burtons hands he hath gâ—â—ned nothing hereby but the opinioâ— of pertinacie added to his error â—â— taketh him boldly by the sleeue anâ— calleth him to account not only fâ—â— his former assertions but for his Apologie also how iustly we comâ— now to enquire CHAP. II M. Burtons method and manner of prâ—ceeding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianzenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All disputation consisting of twâ— parts the confirmation of trueth anâ— the confutation of error the first oâ— these wee haue absolued the laâ—â— now taketh place M. Burton tooke vpon him the interpretation of a portion of holy Scripture in the booke of the Apocalyps one of those two bookes which St. Austen said were reserued to be vnderstood in heauen The subiect of his discourse is the powring out of the 7. Vialls wherein The Cantic in the Old Testament and this in the New as if St. Iohn in the Spirit of prophecie had foreseene the errour of our most worthy Prelate and designed M. Burton for one of the 7 Angells he powreth out the second Viall wholly vpon him with how good successe let the euent decide In the meane while I shall returne him some of his owne dregges to drinke His proceeding is troublesome and tempestuous like the Sea one while affirming another while denying the same thing Scopae dissolutae Now he answers now he argues by by he declaimes altogether without order vt nec pes nec caput vni reddatur formae yet to reduce him to the best forme we can wee will obserue in his discourse these two parts 1. a generall proposition 2. the disputation it selfe In the first hee teacheth vs how to procced herein telling vs that it is a matter not to bee 7. Vialls Page 28. maintained by finenes of wit nor quaint Rhetoricall discourse but vpon sound ground and substantiall demonstration I need not tell you whom hee would decipher by this speech but I must needs wonder that hee is so witty at first and it calls to my remembrance the Infamous Paralleâ— written by Eudaemon Iohannes against the late Reuerend Bishop of Winchester wherein one maine head of hiâ— accusation against that worthie Prelate is that he was too conuersant iâ— the Comick writers his stile wâ—â— Vid 〈◊〉 Tortâ—r â—orti too curious his Latine too neat foâ— the Iesuits palate Thus M. Butrâ—â— least the Bishop by his diuine Esoquence and accurate speech shoulâ— preuaile too farre with his Readers strikes first at that by disgrace tearming it finenesse of wit and quainâ— Rhetoricke little hurting his aduersarie therreby but singularly dishonouring Almightie God For whose are the Arts whose is Eloquence and vtterance who gaue man the wit and the braine Demand of all the faculties of the Soule and bodie whose Image and inscription they beare they will tell you Gods In as much therefore as you offer â—niurie vnto the least of these you do â—t vnto God But who sees not whereunto
true Church Thus the maior proposition is answered For the minor which affirmeth That the Cburch of Rome hath not these Markes of a true Church we confesse that Gods Word is not purely taught amongst them but mingled with much drosse and error yet haue they not abolished all truth neyther can wee thinke but that they are much sounder in their Sermons than in their Disputations For the Sacraments it is true they haue defiled the Ordinances of God with their indecent Rites yet can they not hereby make them nullities much lesse by their erroneous opinions â—uacuate the force of them Their Baptisme for the substance of it is holy and good and effectuall no doubt to them that receiue it as ours The Eucharist is to them that partake of it if they be worthy Receiuers a true Sacrament notwithstanding their Teachers opinion of Transubstantiation That they are debarred of the Cup in the holy Communion is the sacriledge of the Masters of that Synagogue and the want thereof shall not be preiudiciall to those that vnfainedly desire it It is a rule of equitie Factum alterius â—lij nocere non debet The faultinesse of others shall not hurt those which doe not so much as consent with them and surely God will neuer lay that to their charge which through the perfidiousnesse of others it lay not in them to auoyde This part of the Reason then proueth the Church of Rome to bee an vnsound Church not no Church And Mr. Burton himselfe who thinks that these markes could not agree to the Church of Rome for these nine hundred yeares past yet denieth not that there was both a Church and Saluation there till the Councell of Trent Thus I hope wee haue giuen full satisfaction to Mr. Burtons greatest and his onely Argument and shewed it to bee neyther substantiall nor demonstratiue The Word of God purely preached and the Sacraments according to Christ his holy institution administred are Markes of the true Church If here by we examine the Church of England shee will appeare glorious and beautifull like Eden the Garden of the Lord if wee vrge them against the Church of Rome they shew her to bee not no Church at all but not an Orthodoxe Church CHAP. IV. Mr. Burtons cauilling at the Reuerend Bishops Similitudes examined FRom hence hee descendeth to examine those speeches which fell from the Reuerend Bishops Pen whiles he would set downe the extents of the differences betwixt vs Old Religion Chap. 1. and the Church of Rome Who iustly blameth those which dislike whatsoeuer is in the Church of Rome counting all Doctrine Popish that by them is maintained and all Discipline Antichristian which by them is vsed as if it were all errour no Church adding these words Neither for the chaffe doe we leaue the floore of God neyther for the bad fishes doe we breake his nets Mr. Burton But if pag. 36. the floore bee not now Gods floore but Antichrists floore where nothing is to bee found but chaffe and if the nâ—tâ— bee no other but such as catch onely the bad fishes which is not the property of Gods nets c. Stay a little Is there nothing in the Church of Rome but chaffe no good corne Pol ego illum perisse dâ—co quoi perijt pudor Is it all chaffe which they teach concerning the Trinitie Is it all chaffe which they teach touching many other fundamentall Points of Christian Religion Those studious endeauours of the Dominicans against the Iesuites maintaining Gods free grace against mans free wil are they all chaffe The Twelue Bookes of Aluarez De auxilijs gratiae which doe so trouble all the Fathers of the Societie is there nought but chaffe in them neither So long as M. Burton hath been in the Ministrie could hee neuer find any good graine amongst the writings of the Iesuites themselues how many sound and orthodox interpretations of Scripture do they lend vs Maldonat Lorinus and the rest if there be nothing but chaffe in them wherefore doe we lay out so much monie to buy their Commentaries It is not long that I haue been a Preacher yet in that short time I thanke God I haue found much good corne amongst them and haue deliuered many things professedly out of them yet neuer hitherto could any man accuse mee of teaching either Heresie or Schisme And doubtlesse hee himselfe is not ignorant hereof though he thinke good to dissemble it Againe It is true it is not the propertie of Gods Nets to catch onely bad fishes nor yet of any nets at all and for no other cause is the Kingdome of heauen that is the Visible Church of God compared to a Net but because that promiscuously it gathereth both good and badde Mat. 13. 47. fishes All truth saith the Bishop wheresoeuer it is found is Gods as the Kings coine is currant though it be found in any impure channell M. Burton True but when the truth of God is turned into Pag. 36. a lie and this lie put for Gods truth then the case is altered Here is a nimble conuersion But if all Men and Deuils should turne Alchymistes were it possible for them to Metamorphose Gods truth into a lie St. Paul speaking of the Gentiles how they abused that light of reason wherewithall God enlighteneth euerie one that commeth into the world and became vaine in their Imaginations saith of them that they changed Rom. 1. 25. the truth of God into a lie which was but a change neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a simple conuersion Thus M. Burton vnlesse you may haue leaue to wrest Scripture your answere is nothing If any man obtrude adulterate money of his owne stamping If a man take the Kings coyne and beaâ—e it into a thinne lease cat pag. 30 in the Kings name let him suffer as a Malefactor but when the Kings currant coine is profered let no maâ— reiect it as base and vicious least hâ— himselfe bee impeached for a Traitor Where by the way note that yoâ— haue already contradicted your selâ—e Euen now all was chaffe in the Church of Rome now Gods truth is there how else can it be pretended how else can they colour ouer lyes with it The Reuerend Bishop proceedes Fundamentall truth is like the Maroâ—ean Wine which if it bee mixed with twenty times so much water holds his strength He is pleased to bee merry with the Bishop and tels him that his Comparison is pretty if it did hold water Your Vibanity Mr. Burton pag. 37. is pretty if your manners were as good But saith hee what if twenty times so much poyson be put to it c What will that hold poyson now which before would not hold water We grant it yet let me tell you that all the poyson in the world cannot be operatiue vpon the truth of God to alter the nature of it Popery is poyson but fundamentall Truth is an Antidote a little quantitie of Antidote that is soueraigne
not sufficient to proue them eyther no Church at all holding as they doe fundamentall truth or a Church not so farre forth sanctified as they hold the same Which wee hope shall appeare plainely and clearely to all CHAP. II. What we thinke of those that line in the Communion of the Church of Rome ALthough I thinke it more needefull for euery man in particular to worke out his owne saluation than to be curious to know the estates of others and apprehending the mercy of God to his owne soule to cry out Domine quis ego sum Lord Iohn 21. 21. who am I that thou shouldest regard me with such fauour rather than like Pâ—ter of Iohn to aske Domine hic autem quid Master what shall hee doe as being too sollicitous of others Neuerthelesse wee who enioy the liberty of the Gospell cannot haue a better occasion to magnifie the goodnesse of God than by remembring Egypt from whence wee are deliuered nor they who are yet detained in the house of Bondage than by seeing their danger to hasten thence Errour in Religion may be no lesse pernicious to the soules of men than sinfulnesse of life and therefore doth so farre forth without Repentance exclude from all possibility of saluation The state of the Church of Rome not only now but for many hundred yeares past hath beene such that the Religion thereof in many parts of it hath beene hereticall and erroneous both for opinion and practice And therefore though the condemnation of some were more tolerable than of others some being Authors others receiuers some Masters others Schollers yet to all without exception from the idiot and handy-crafts man to the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinals plagues were due to our forefathers though they did but erroneously practise what the guides heretically taught If the blinde leade the blinde both fall into the pit of destruction Wee see the danger they all were in from the greatest to the least But was there no way of escape That which I named before Repentance only Repentance may be eyther actuall or generall Actuall Repentance is necessary for all knowne faults for those which wee through ignorance admit a generall Repentance will finde place with God By M. Hooker his discourse of iustification vertue whereof as many as hold the foundation which is precious though they hold it but weakely and as it were with a slender threed although they frame many base and vnsuitable things vpon it things that cannot abide the tryall of the fire yet shall they passe the fiery triall and be saued which indeed haue builded themselues vpon the rocke which is the foundation of the Church Our Fathers then holding the foundation of Faith which for the present I assume I doubt not but God was mercifull to saue thousands of them liuing in Popish superstitions in as much as they sinned ignorantly Yet do we not hereupon make Ignorance the Mother of Deuotion as it is obiected by some because we make â—urtenâ— 7. Vials them nearer to saluation who are held in errour not knowing it than those which pertinaciously defend it being knowne whose very want of learning may by accâ—dent conduce 〈…〉 cum liteâ—â—â— in â—arathrâ—m 〈◊〉 to their eternall good and make a way for them to the mercy of God whiles the others are left without excuse Nor yet because wee hope that God might be mercifull to some that liued in times of errour and blindnesse which it were no impiety to thinke though we had no reason for it are we of opinion That a man may bee saued in any Religion which to Bâ—rtoâ— iâ—id haue named only is sufficient refutation But to conclude let none embolden themselues vpon the mercy of God exhibited to our Fathers there is not the same reason of them and of vs they sinned ignorantly but the truth is now layd before our eyes they might bee saued by a generall Repentance for vs actuall Repentance is needfull Now the voyce from Heauen sounds more shrill in our eares than euer it did Come out of Apoc. 18. 4. her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that yee receiue not of her plagues This then beeing premised I will come nearer to the matter in hand viz. Whether they say well who affirme the Church of Rome to bee no true Church and if the Church of Rome deny the foundation of Faith CHAP. III. What we vnderstand by Church here THis terme of Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ambiguous and of doubtfull sense none more The ambiguity of the word hath serued some as a fit cloake vnder which they might both shroud their sleights and impostures and likewise â—vâ—nt their deceitfull wares Thus our Aduersaries of the Church of Rome vse the name oâ— the Church like Gorgons head to affright the simple and bring them into subiection no otherwise than the Iewes of old cryed the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord who themselues of all others had most sacrilegiously polluted it And the Turkes at this day bragge of themselues that they are Muselmanni that is The only true beleeuers who hate euen to the very death Christ and Christian Religion Vnto others who delighted to find out the truth it hath giuen occasion more accurately to distinguish that they might neither enthrall themselues to euery company which boast themselues to bee the Church nor yet withdraw their due reuerence and obedience from the true Church when they haue found her out The word Ecclesia which signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church in the latitude of the sense thereof may be applyed to signifie any company or congregation any combination or faction whatsoeuer but strictly taken and as it is ordinarily vsed in Scripture by the Church we vnderstand Gods Company the Congregation of the faithfull men called forth and set apart from the â—est of the world which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports and become the Lords peculiar Now the Church which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords portion or houshold hath a double acceptation there is the Church inuisible and the visible Church The Saints in heauen which are the Church triumphant and the true beleeuers vpon earth which are the Church militant these together make vp the inuisible Church which we call inuisible because for one part of it those which are dead in the Lord and receiued into Abrahams bosome they are farre remote from our sense wee see them not The true beleeuers vpon earth which make the other part of the inuisible Church howsoeuer wee are conuersant amongst them and behold their persons yet whether they bee indeede such as to vs they seeme is more than we can know and that their names are written in the Booke of life is a thing past our discerning The visible Church comprehendeth all Christians as many as farre and neare throughout the whole world are baptized into the name of Christ and professe the same
Parts of the true visible Catholicke Church are Churches Nationall as England the Netherlands c. The parts of the Visible Church are eyther sound as the Orthodoxe and reformed Churches or vnsound and diseased as the Greeke Church the Churches of Italie Spaine France c. Members of the true visible Church are all persons baptized who haue not renounced their Baptisme but do still professe him to whom at the first they gaue vp their names To conclude what the nature of the Visible Church is we may conceiue by this exact definition of it that it is a Communitie or Societie of men sanctified Hooker his discourse of iustification through the profession of the truth which God hath taught the world by his Sonne Where by the way let it bee noted that by sanctification is to be vnderstood a separation or distinction from others not professing as they doe as the word is frequently taken in Scripture especially the Old Testament for true holinesse consisteth not in professing but in obeying the truth of Christ CHAP. IV. What we call a true Church TWo things there are which breede diuersities of opinions among men the one the many circumstances wherewithall matters disputable are beset which beeing Hooker lib. 1. Pâ—r. 11. seuerall cause men of sundry wits to be of sundry iudgements the other the not conferring the opinions of those that dissent From whence it hath come to passe that many emulations and heart burnings haue bin noun shed betweene men otherwise learned and pious which afterwards by wise men interposing themselues and comparing the seuerall opinions haue beene happily layd asleepe and the opposites reconciled who after their opinions and assertions were compared together were found in words to differ but in sense and meaning to say the same thing and seemed rather to disagree than to do so indeed The like falleth out in this present controuersie Some haue affirmed and doe maintaine That the Church of Rome so farre forth as she hath the Sacraments and teacheth fundamentall truth is the true Church of Christ the Family of Iesus because they know it meerely impossible that these things should bee found any where without the Church Others beholding the mysterie of iniquitie which worketh in that Church and the many heresies and impieties where withall her doctrine is fraught haue denied the Church of Rome to bee a true Church and in regard of her many corruptions haue thought her hardly to deserue the name of a Church at Whitaâ—er â—e â—câ—leâ—â—a Cap. 1. all These assertions are seemingly repugnant and yet are easily reconciled the former opinion by a true Church vnderstanding a Church that hath those essentiall qualities which concurre to make vp the being of a Church and are as it were the forme of it which according to Philosophy giueth essence and distinction to euery thing though otherwise much deformed and vnsound the latter meaning thereby a Church sound and healthy including within the appellation of a true Church not onely the being simply but the well-being also and all that complement of excellencie and perfection which in this world the Church is capable of So that both sides confesse the Church of Rome to bee a true Church but neither of them that it is an Orthodoxe Church Mee thinkes I might here put a period vnto this discourse and proceede no faither but that the importunitie of some which hath caused me to begin this treatise calleth vpon me to goe forward and enforceth to sift the matter neerer yet who will not thus bee satisfied but as if the church of Rome were wholly and in euerie part Diabolicall and euerie Papist an Antichrist crie in the language of Edome Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground There is no saluattion for awy there euerie 7. Vials passim liuing soule therein perisheth they fight against God plead for Babylon whosoeuer they be that allow them the name of a Church for she hath altogether denied the faith nay cursed it is become worse than an infidell I say vnto them as Christ to his Disciples when their zeale or rather fury transported them Yee know not of what Luk 9. 55. manner of spirit yee are Therefore to giue full satisfaction As we esteeme him to bee a true man to whom the definition of a man Id qâ—â—d absolute de re quaque dicitur ad â—ei essentiam naturanque pertâ—â—â—â—â— quod vero 〈◊〉 id non est râ—i essentiale propâ—iâ— sed potius essentia accessio circumstâ—ntia â—umus lib Singulari de Ecclesia agreeth which is that hee is a liuing Creature endued with reason though otherwise hee bee sicke of a foule disease suppose the Leprosie yea the Plague which is not onely contagious but mortall likewise So we take the Church of Rome to bee a true Church and a part of the true Visible Catholicke Church so farre forth as the definition of the Church aboue giuen is compatible with her though otherwise shee bee miserably deformed and infected which wee haue more than once affirmed This attribute of truth then is to be vnderstood not Morally but Logically So a Thiefe though hee bee not an honest man is yet a true man notwithstanding Yet more fully The Church of Christ may be Musâ—ulus in Epist ad Galat. considered three wayes first Respectu electionis diuinae secondly Respectu obedientiae quam praestat Deo thirdly Respectu iuris Christi in Ecclesiam The Church in regard of diuine praedestination is inuisible as we haue shewed and therfore comes not within the present cause If we consider the Church in regard of her obedience and fealty which she performes towards God the Church of Rome is not the true Church of God she hath rebelled against him and transgressed his Lawes she hath added to his Word and must expect without Repentance that hee will adde to her plagues But in the third place though she be turned aside by her Idolatries and hath wandred from God through her Fornications yet hee hath not lost his right ouer her as ouer those Churches of Constantinople and other parts who long agoe embraced Mahumetisme in stead of Christian Religion Christ hath still Title to the Church of Rome as a Prince vnto his Subiects that are become Rebels whom vpon their Repentance and Amendment he receiueth not as aliens and strangers but as his owne naturall Subiects CHAP. V. What the Foundation of Faith is THe Foundation of our Faith implyeth two things First the generall ground whereupon wee rest when we doe bâ—leeue And thus the fundamentall writings of the Prophets Euangelists and Apostles are the foundation of our Faith Therefore St. Paul telleth vs that the Church of God is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets â—phe â— 20. More peculiarly the Christian Church is said by St. Iohn to be built vpon twelue foundations and in them Apoc. 21. 14. the names of the twelue Apostles O
this â—endeth Those irreproueable laâ—ours which the present age admireth and posteritie shall rather â—nuie than equall That admirable facultie wherewithall the Author of â—uerie good gift hath blessed our most heauenly Prelate aboue all the â—onnes of men all is blowne away with a puffe as if it were nothing but froth and to what end but to eleuate his authorite and by bringing his â—erson into dis-esteeme to eneruate â—is writings This is the artifice wherwithall some men at once doe thrust out others and worke themselues into the estimation of the common people But if Wit and Rhetorick be banished what shall succeed in the stead thereof why sound reason and substantiall demonstration Buâ— are these incompatible or is it noâ— Rhetorique argumentatiue as well â— Logick did not Zeno compare Logiâ— to the fist and Rhetorique to the opeâ— hand the one a more strict the other indeed a more apert way â— reasoning and by so much doth Rhetorique the Queene of humane anâ— excell Logicke by how much thâ— open hand is a more elegant form than the shut Hee was some bodâ— â—aâ—rentius 〈◊〉 that thought hee could conuinâ— of error most of the Philosopherâ— for that they wanted Elegancie â— speech Ac mea quidem sententia saiâ— Praâ—at ad lib. 4. 〈◊〉 he si quis ad scribendum in Thedogia accedat parui refort an aliquaâ— aliam facultatem affer at an non niâ—â— enim fere catera conferunt at qui ignarus cloquentiae est hunc indignum â—rorsus qui de Theologia loquatur existimo et certè sols eloquentes columnae Ecclesiae sunt etiam vt ab Apostolis vsque repetas inter quos mihi Paulus nulla alia re eminere quam eloquentia videtur In my opinion if a man come to write in Diuinitie it greatly mattereth not whether hee bring any other facultie or no but if hee bee not Eloquent â—aur Valla. ib. 〈…〉 aâ—ter loqu◠〈◊〉 cogitationes suas liteâ—iâ— mandat in Theologia praesertim â—mpudentissimus est siid conâ—â—â—â—â— sacere se art insamsamus quanquam 〈◊〉 est qui nolâ—te leganter facunde dicere quod cum 〈◊〉 non continâ—iâ— videri volunâ— vt sunt pâ—rueâ—â—â— nâ—lâ—â— aut 〈…〉 debere sic 〈◊〉 he is vnworthy to speake thereof for they are Eloquent men which are the pillars of the Church if wee looke backe to the verie Apostles amongst whom St. Paul excelleth in Eloquence And againe To presume to write Diuinitie without eloquence is impudencie and if it be purposely done madnesse although there is no man but would expresse his conceipts in clegancie of speech which because some cannot attain vnto they pretend such is their peruersenesse that they will not or indeed that they ought not so to speake Let vs then see what discourse that is which hath in it neither finenesse nor wit nor Rhetorique But you will say wee shalâ— haue sound reason and demonstratiue proofe in steed thereof So we hearâ— tell But I assure thee Reader if thou weigh it iudiciously thou wilâ— finde but a little wooll for this greaâ— cry and as the Prouerb saith Pro thesauro carbones in stead â—â— treasure coales and some of them so hot that they burne our fingers iâ— we touch them CHAP. III. Mr. Burtons Argument answered touching the Markes of a true CHVRCH TO come to the disputation iâ— selfe I finde but onely one passage which is like an Argument for the rest that wee may see how good â—n Orator he is in causa Iudiciaâ—â— hee amplifies before hee proues and to shew vs his skill in Logicke he proues that which is granted him inueighing against the impieties of the Church of Rome wherein so long as he speakes the words of soberâ—esse and truth no man will bee his Aduersarie and shewing how iniurious their Doctrines are to the Foundation of our Faith by consequent ouerthrowing it which is nothing to the purpose His onely Argument which hee produceth is delâ—uered in this forme A true visible 7. Vialls p. 34. Church hath the true Markes of a true Visible Church namely pure and sound Doctrine and the Sacraments administred according to Christ his holy institution but these Markes are not to bee found vpon the Church of Rome therefore shee is no true Church This Argument he professeth to take Ibid. from the Doctrine of the Church of England if the Homilies containe any part thereof If Mr. Burton doe doubt of that wee can succour him with the nineteenth Article of Religion the vnquestionable doctrine of our Church where the same words are For answer whereunto we professe that wee esteeme these tokens such genuine Markes of the true Church of God that the more apparant they are in her the more glorious shee is in his sight and the more perfect in respect of her selfe And herewithall wee iustly defend ouâ—selues against the whole Antichristian Band that so long as wee haue that Doctrine which Christ and hiâ— Apostles deliuered vnto his Church purely taught amongst vs and the holy Sacraments rightly administred it is not the want of their vnwritten rotten traditions vnwritten truthes vntrue writings which can take away from vs the Appellation of a true Church Yet we know that these markes are not so essentiall to the true Church that so soone as vnsound Doctrine is mingled with the truth of Gods Word and the Sacraments vnduely administred that which was a Church should cease to bee one The Children of Israel did abide many dayes without a Sacrifice and Ephod c. yet then Hos 3. 4. did not God cease to bee their God nor they to bee his Church The Perkins Cases of Conscience Booke 2. Chap. c. quest 1. Sacrament of Baptisme saith one of note in the lawfull vse thereof is a note whereby the true Church of God is dâ—scerned and distinguished from the false Church not that the Church of God cannot bee a Church without the Sacrament for it may want Baptisme for a time and yet remaine a true Church as well as the Church of the Iewes in ancient times wanted Circumcision for the space of forty yeares Iosh 5. 6. and yet ceased not to bee a true Church and loued of God Thus he Besides wee are giuen to vnderstand See Rogers on the nineteenth Article prop. 8 by the authorized Commentary vpon the Confession of our Church that although the Church of England make these the Markes of the Visible Church yet doth she not so strictly tye the Church to the signes articulate as if all were excluded the Church which doe not rightly participate of the Word and Sacraments for it may fall out that they may bee corrupted as in the times of blindenesse and superstition or intermitted as in persecution Thus this Argument alledged concludes affirmatiuely Wheresoeuer Gods Word is purely preached and the Sacraments duely administred there is a true Church but not negatiuely Wheresoeuer these are not found in such sort as were to be desired there is no
haue beene too prolixe already for which my ensuing breuity shall make amends CHAP. XIII Our last Argument from the iudgement of the Learned ALthough wee iudge what wee haue already deliuered in this cause to bee abundantly sufficient and our arguments such as will not readily bee answered yet because wee would not bee thought to hold that which no one learned or godly hath done before vs and that it may appeare that if to say the Church of Rome is a true Church be to fauour Popery the greatest Aduersaries that euer that Church had haue beene fauourers thereof with whom they must bee content to absolue or condemne vs it shall not be grieuous to vs to alledge the Testimonies of a few whereby it shall appeare that the best learned in our profession are of this iudgement We heard something by the way before of Caluius opinion we shall finde that he is still the same I suppose saith hee that in the Papacie some Church remaineth Calu. Epist 104. a Church crazed or if you will broken quite in peeces forlerne mishapen yet a Church Againe Semisepultus illie Instit lib. 4. cap. 2. Sect. 12. iacet Christus obrutum Euangelium There is Christ halfe buried the Gospell ouerwhelmed with humane traditions I deny her not the name of a Morn de Eccles Church saith another no more than to a man the name of a man as long as he liueth what sickenesse soeuer he hath Heare another of as deepe iudgment as any in our Church I acknowledge Zanch. Praefat. de Relig. the Church of Rome euen at this present day for a Church of Christ such a Church as Israel vnder Ieroboam yet a Church Marke his reason Euery man seeth except hee willingly hoodwincke himselfe that as alwaies so now the Church of Rome holdeth firmly and stedfastly the Doctrine of truth concerning Christ and baptizeth in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost confesseth and auoucheth Christ for the onely Redeemer of the world and the Iudge that shall sit vpon quicke and dead receiuing true beleeuers into endlesse ioy faithlesse and godlesse men being cast with Sathan his Angels into flames vnquenchable Heare another In hunc modum iudicium facimus de Ecclesiâ in quâ est Papatus â—unius 〈…〉 de 〈◊〉 Deus vocat cam c. This is our iudgement concerning that Church in which the Papecie is God calleth her c. Exparte Dei vocatur adhuc Hammi Populus méus Ruchama misericordiam consequuta quae verissimè enparte suâ Lo-Hammi non Populus meus Lo-Ruchama non assequuta misericordiam potest appellari vt apud Hoseam Prophetam legimus On Gods part sbe is yet called Hammi my People and Ruchama one that hath obtained mercy who for her owne part by reason of her disobedience may truely bee said to be Lo-hammi not my People and Lo-Ruchama one that hath not obtained mercy as wee reade in the Prophet Hosea At ista Ecclesia nihil non habet corruptum Fateor sed quòd Diuiâ—â— habet omnia in Scripturis à Deo est quòd corrupta habet omnia ab ipâ—â est quòd diuina habet omnia Ecclesia est quòd eadem habet corrupta omniâ— Ecclesia corrupta est But that Church hath nothing which is not corrupted I grant it but that shee hath all Diuine truth contained in the Scriptures it is from God that that truth is corrupted is from her selfe in that shee hath all diuine truth she is a Church in that she hath corrupted it shee is a corrupt Church Ecclesia non tollitâ—r corruptione nisi totali vt loquuntur quam vocant interitum Ecclesiam non tollit partialis corâ—â—â—tio sed infâ—â—mat Ecclesia Romana omnia habâ—t corrupta sed non omninò haec non interitus est sed pâ—â—tialis corruptio eius dicanda est The being of a Church is not taken away by corruption vnlesse it be totall as they speake which is the destruction of it Corruption in part doth not destroy the Church but weakens it The Romish Church hath all things corrupted but not altogether c. Let vs come nearer home Though M. Hooker his discourse of Iustificatâ—on the Church of Rome haue played the Harlot worse than euer did Israel yet are they not as now the Synagogue of the Iewes which plainly deny Christ Iesus quite and cleane excluded from the New Couenant Vtrobique Catholica Tortuâ—a Torti pag. 367. fidei professio qua ipsa in professionè non mutamus in quibus nobiscum estis in multis enim nobiscum estis With you and with vs is the profession of the Catholicke faith in which profession we alter not that wherein you agree with vs for in many things we agree Voâ—â—erè cum â—ulta apud vâ—s reâ—iqua sint adâ—uc de Cathotholicae fâ—dei dâ—â—mâ—â—ibus quanquam non nihil sermentata membra quidâ—â— Catholiâ—ae etsi non sâ—na membrâ—dice â—â—uâ—â—inemus pag. 40 saith the late Reuerend Bishop of Winchester And againe Seeing â—hat with you there yet remaine some opinions of the Catholicke faith howbeit somewhat sowred with Popish leauen we are content to account you members though vnsound members of the Catholicke Church Hear another who neuer yet was so much as suspected to fauour Popery Wee must distinguish the Papacy from â— Vsher in a Sermon of the Vniuersalitie of the Church of Christ before the King at Wansted pag. 13. the Church wherein it is as the Apostle doth Antichrist from the Temple of God wherein he fitteth The Foundation vpon which the Church standeth is that common Faith in the vnitie whereof all Christians doe generally accord Vpon this Old Foundation Antichrist raiseth vp his new buildings and layeth vpon it not hay and stubble only but far more vile and pernicious matter c. And after Poperie it selfe is nothing pag. â—6 â—lse but the botch and plague of the Church c. And againe If you demand where pag 30. was Gods Temple all this while the answer is at hand There where Antichrist sate Where was Christs People Euen vnder Antichrists Priests And yet this is no iustification at all either of Antichrist or of his Priests but a manifestation of Gods great power who is able to vphold his Church euen there where Sathans Throne is Reuel 2. 13. And sundry other witnesses might be produced which I had not leasure or opportunitie to enquire into In the meane while I would gladly seâ— the Testimony of but one in estimation for his learning amongst vs that euer affirmed the Church of Rome to deny the foundation of Faith directly The Verdict which the Church of England passeth vpon them is this The Church of Rome hath erred not onely in their liuing and Article 19. manner of Ceremonies but also in matters of Faith but that shee hath denyed the Faith and is become worsâ— than an Infidell I cannot finde to haue beene at any