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
that the Pope can do more then God can do for God cannot lye saith the Apostle Howsoeuer the Pope in this is much beholding to this Cardinall for without this exception of sinne the Pope could not haue beene Antichrist since hee must bee The man of Sinne. Neither is this man different in opinion from his fellow Romanists for Cornelius Bitonto pronounced openly in the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. sub Paulo 3. Orat. Cornel. Ep. Bitont Who will so vniustly weigh things but he will say the Pope is the light that commeth into the world Thus the Cardinal hath equalled him with God the Father excepto peccato and the Bishop hath giuen him the proper attribute of Christ and that an Infallibilitie might be granted him Salmeron the Iesuite proclaimes it for a certaine trueth Tom. 1. prolog 9. princ 5. Can. 1. c. 1. ad Hier. The Lord promised his Spirit to Christs Vicar and the successor of Peter and by his authoritie hee determines all matters of Faith So that from these seuerall assertions wee may confidently affirme that either the Pope hath the Office of the holy Ghost giuen him to leade him into all truth Reuel 13.5 7. or certainly There was giuen vnto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies to make warre with the Saints and to ouercome them First therefore let vs examine vpon what ground the Popes infallibilitie may be prooued and whether it bee receiued as a doubtfull opinion or as an Article of faith Touching the first according to their seuerall fancies Non Cathedra facit SacerdoreÌ„ sed Sacerdos CathedraÌ„ Chrysost the Romanists haue deuised seuerall reasons some pretend that the truth is annexed to the Chaire as if Christ had prayed for his Tribunals Courts Consistories others deriue it from the example of Caiphas who being High Priest by vertue of his office rightly prophecied of Christ and consequently QuaÌ„do Deus voluit etiaÌ„ matuÌ„ immentum rationabilitèr loquutuÌ„ est Nec ideò admoniti sunt homines in deliberationibê° suis etiam Asinina expectare consilia Aug Epist 58. the Pope cannot faile in Iudgement A wittie argument no doubt and available for the Deuill himselfe for by the same reason the Deuil may conclude that he hath also the Spirit of God for he testified of Christ I know thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God Now the Apostle doth witnesse accordingly that No man can say the Lord Iesus but in the spirit of trueth 1 Cor. 12. He therfore that shall reade in the 11. of Iohn that Caiphas did not speake of himselfe but as High Priest was guided by the spirit of prophesie let him take his answere from Saint Matthew Math. 26. that Caiphas himselfe the very same yeere being high Priest did publikely and Iudicially pronounce our Sauiour a blasphemer and I thinke none will say that this iudgement of his proceeded froÌ„ the holy Ghost vnlesse he wil say when the Pope speaketh the truth he doth it vnawares like Caiphas when his heart and purpose was bent to ouerthrow the truth There are others that coÌ„fesse the Pope may erre as man but not as Pope as if his Manhood his Popedome had two capacities and were in two distinct persons Plato a heathen Philosopher did note it as a thing ridiculous that one in his dayes did maintaine Plato de Repub. lib. â—â—thuasm A Magistrate could not erre as Magistrate nor Prince as Prince And their owne Alphonsus à Castro scoffes at the Dominicans Eos non vereri coram â—opulo iactare et dicere qui semel habitum illius Ordinis susceperit non posse in fide errare deficere Alph. lib 1. de haeres cap 9. for that they were wont to brag before the people that those which haue once vsed the habit of their Order could not erre nor faile in faith Shall we say then that this new Diuinitie was learned from some old Philosopher or that the Pope is chosen out of the Order of Dominicans which haue the gift of Infallibilitie Glaber Rodolphus who was liuing in the time of Benedict the Ninth tells vs that Benedict was chosen Pope at ten yeeres olde shall wee say then that this child had infallibilitie and could not erre or must wee beleeue the Trueth was annexed to his Chaire and that he was able to guide the whole Church and direct a whole Councell when hee knew not the principles of Religion Againe what shal we say of hereticall and wicked Popes who haue neither Faith nor Religion If we peruse the Councell of Basil Eugenium contemptorem sacroruÌ„ Canonum pacis et veritatis Ecclesiae Dei perturbatorem notorium c. Conc Basil Sess 34. Baron ann 985. n 1. we shall find Pope Eugenius condemned and deposed for a despiser of the holy Canons a Symonist a forsworne man a man incorrigible a schismatike a man fallen from the faith and a wilfull heretique Boniface the seuenth saith Baronius was a verie villaine a Church-robber a sauage thiefe the cruell murderer of two Popes and the invader of Peters Chaire Iohn the 13 was accused and detected in a Synode of Bishops Sigon reg Ital lib. 7. ann 963. for murders adulteries incests periuries and other vices of all sorts Alexander the sixth Mach. de Princ c. 18. gaue his mind to nothing but villeny and fraud Mart. Pol. ann 986. Platin. in Syluest 2. whereby to deceiue men Syluester the second leauing his Monastery betooke himselfe wholly to the Deuil by whose helpe hee gate the Popedome vpon condition that after his death he should be the deuils both body and soule Must wee beleeue these Popes were guided by the holy Spirit and led into all truth that the trueth was annexed to their Chaire and not to their Persons must wee acknowledge for what vertue wee know not that these Bishops were the Virtuall and totall Church were these the right successors of Peter in faith and doctrine or shall we say they erred as men but not as Popes they erred in their Pallace but not in their Consistorie they erred in matters of fact but not in matters of Faith These things are so groundlesse in themselues that they rather deserue laughter then an answer Aliud stans Aliud sedens they are riddles without sense that a man not a Pope in a stoole not in the Chaire in a company not in a Councel may failâ— and not erre wander but not goe astray misse the trueth but not doe amisse Cardinal Cusanus was so far from the beliefe of this new doctrine that hee ieasted at Pope Eugenius and vnder that pretext derided the Infallibilitie of the Pope Quomodo potest Papa Eugenius dicere hoc veruÌ„ esse si ipse velit et non alitèr Cusan de Concord Cath. lib. 2. cap. 29. How can Pope Eugenius saith heâ— tell this is true if he will haue it so and not otherwise as though the inspiration
erred in Doctrine when they thought the Kingdome of Christ to be earthly and not heauenly Actes 1.6 for When they were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel They did Imagine his Kingdome to bee like the Kingdomes of this world presently to come not after to be looked for proper to Israel not common to all Nations by vertue of the Promises Nay more when they had receiued the Holy Ghost in a greater measure from heauen Peter saith the Text went not the right way to the Gospell Galat. 2 14. Iohn would haue worshiped an Angell once or twice Reu. 19.10 22.8 The Apostles and Brethren who were in Iudea thought that the Word of God was not to be Preached to the Gentiles Acts 11.2 These Examples doe sufficienty witnesse that the Elect and Chosen of God may take a fall but fall away they cannot and their errors in doctrine and manners foretell a possibilitie of failing and consequently an obscuritie in the true Church and heereupon their owne Panormitan concludes Possibile est quod vera fides remanerâ—t in vno solo atque ita veruÌ„ est dicere quod fides non deficit in Ecclesia Hoc patuit post passionem Christi nâ—m fides remaÌ„serat tantuÌ„ in beata virgine Extr. do Elect. Significast Alb. It is possible that the faith of Christ may remaine in one alone and so it is true to say Faith failed not in the Church this thing appeared in Christs passion for then Faith remained only in the blessed Virgin And with him consenteth Nicholaus Clemangis The Church saith he may by Gods gracâ— maine in a woman alone as it is reported to haue remained in the blessed Virgin at the time of Christs Passion In sâ—la potest muliercula per gratiaÌ„ manere Ecclesia sicut in sola Virgine teÌ„pore passionis mansiffe fertur Clemang super Mat. generalis Concil Thus in the Colledge of Christ there were but twelue and scarce twelue in the Councell among the Iewes there was but one Iosepth of Arimathea that stood for Christ there was but one Gamaliel in the Councell of the Pharises that stood for the Apostles So that the number of true beleeuers was but small which did visibly appeare euen at that time when the Church was most glorious and therefore Eminent and perpetuall visibility is no certaine Note of the true Church Ann. 100. to 200. In tâ—â— second Age Egesippus tels vs Quod ad ea usque tempora Ecclesia pura incorrupta permanserit Virgo in locis obsuris caliginosis c. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 16. The Church remained a pure Virgine vnto Traians time which was 110 yeeres after Christ for saith he such as indeauored to corrupt the perfect Rule and sound Preaching of the Word if there were any such did hide themselues in secret and obscure places but after the sacred company of the Apostles was come to an end and that the generation was wholly spent which by speciall fauour had heard with their eares the heauenly wisedome of the Sonne of God then the conspiracie of detestable errour through the deceit of such as deliuered strange doctrine tooke rooting and because that none of the Apostles suruiued they published boldly with all might possible the doctrine of falsehood and impugned the manifest and knowne truth In the third Age Ann 200. to 300. there arose a great contention about the keeping of Easter when as Victor Bishop of Rome went about to Excommunicate all the Churches of Asia from their CoÌ„munion as not sauouring aright And at this time the heresie of Artemon who affirmed Christ to be a meere man daily increased Those heretikes saith Eusebius were many Euseb lib. 5 ca. 25. and they corrupted the holy and ancient Scriptures without any reuerence they reiected the Canon of the ancient Faith they were ignorant of Christ not searching what the holy Scriptures affirmed And St. Cyprian makes a grieuous complaint of the Apostacie in his time from the Christian Faith as appeares by diuers passages in his booke De Lapsis In the fourth Age Ann. 300. to 400. Eusebius testifies as an eye witnesse Wee saw the Church ouerwhelmed to the ground Sacras aedes precibus dicatas è sublimi in solum fundamentis ipsis conquassatis deiectas diuinas sanctas Scripturas medio foro in rogum impositas Ecclesiarum Pastores hos in latebras hic illic se cum ignominia abdentei illos non sine dedecore prehensos et ab hosti bus ludibrio expositos oculis nostris aspeximus c. Euseb lib. 8. cap. 2. yea the very foundations themselues digged vp the holy and sacred Scriptures burnt to ashes in the open Market place the Pastors of Churches some shamefully hid themselues here and there some others were ignominiously taken and derided of their enemies and thus it was commanded by Proclamation by the Emperour Dioclesian the Churches should be razed to the ground the holy Scriptures should bee abolished and the Pastors throughout all Parishes should bee imprisoned Heere we see the Church was driuen into straights and corners till the time of Constantine the Great the first Christian Emperour about 300 yeeres after Christ but you shall likewise obserue that no sooner did this good Emperour appeare as an eminent part of the visible Church but Arrius the grand Heretique sowed his wicked Heresies Ingemuit totus orbis et ArrianuÌ„ se esse miratus est Hier aduers Luciferium which Like a Canker so spread it selfe that the Shippe of the Church saith Hierom was almost suncke and the whole world groaned and wondred at it selfe that it was become Arrian And with this holy Father agreeth the complaint of Vincencius Lyrinensis Vincent Lyrin c 6. The poyson of the Arrians did not infect a little portion but in a manner the whole world insomuch that all the Latine Bishops partly by force and partly by cunning were intrapped and had a kind of myst cast before their eyes And when the Arrians did vaunt of the multitude of beleeuers as if Amplitude and Splendor had been certaine markes of the true Church Gregorie Nazianzene makes this Quaere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian in Orat 11. ad Arrianos Where are those men which define the Church by a multitude and despise the little flocke And as touching the perpetuall and eminent visibility of the church it was so farre from his knowledge that hee professeth by reason of the scarcitie of true beleeuers in his Church They were often termed the Arke of Noah Persaepe Arca Neê vocati sumus vt qui soli orbis vniuersi diluvium effugissemus Greg Nazian orat 12. as those who onely were escaped drowning in the flood In like manner when Constantius an Arrian Emperor had obiected the multitude of his Arrian side and the paucitie of Catholike Professors on the
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
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
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
all men by the Apostles rule should be ready to giue an account of their Faith and must bee iudged by the Word of God this man by not knowing the Scriptures nor the articles of his faith but onely for intending his Merchandise with a blinde obedience and an implicite faith shal be free both from guilt and punishment and no doubt from this general beliefe of the Popes authoritie and infallibilitie the saying of Gregorie the 13. is verified D. 40 Si Papa in Annot. Men doe with such reuerence respest the Apostolicall See of Rome that they rather desire to know the ancient Institution of Christian Religion from the Popes owne mouth then from the holy Scriptures and they onely inquire what is his pleasure and accordingly they order their life and conversation He therefore that will appeale to the Bishop of Rome to Rome let him goe but woe to the Recusants of England other countreys remote from Rome which cannot heare the Church being so farre distant from him nay woe to them at Rome that liue in his Sea for how can they heare him if hee neuer preacheth But withall most miserable is the condition of the hearer notwithstanding he should preach for his owne Cardinall assures vs that if his Holinesse teach not the whole Church Bell lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. lib. 4. cap. 14. hee is in as much possibilitie to erre as Innocent the eight was when hee permitted the Norwegians to celebrate the Eucharist without wine Thus from the multitude of beleeuers which is the Essentiall Church we are sent to the Councell from the Councell which is the Representatiue Church wee are sent to the Pope which is the Virtuall and now at length being arriued at the Pope Consistory his Cardinal giues vs to vnderstand that a man may returne happily as wise as he went but withall intimate◠〈◊〉 vs that there are noâ— oracles â—o infallible doctrine to bee learned from his mouth vnlesse hee will first declare by publike decree that hee intends to preach to the Vniuersall Church Besides how the Vicar of Christ should bee the Spouse of Christ how a particular member of the Church should become a Vniuersall Head of the Church how Papa the Pope anciently a Father should become the Church which is alwayes a Mother it is a mysterie vnsearchable past finding out for sure I am if the Pope be the Church let them pretend whomsoeuer they will for their Father they can haue no Church except Pope Ioane for their Mother It remaineth then that in the next place wee examine the certaintie of that faith which must be learned from the Pope for if the Pope haue not Infallibilitie of Iudgement then is hee not that rule of faith then is he not that Church which is the pillar and ground of truth and consequently miserable is the condition of those poore Christians that relie vpon his opinion as vpon the infallible Doctrine of the Church and first I will proceed to the Popes Succession in doctrine and person compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the Popes of these later times that thereby wee may discerne whether the Popes Infallibilitie bee priuiledged by his Chaire or whether the ancient Roman faith bee successiuely deriued from the ancient Bishops of Rome to the Popes of these latter ages SECT XX. The Church which is finally resolued into the Pope wants both Personall and Doctrinall Succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of fact and matters of faith HOsius the Romanist tels vs for certaine Hos in CoÌ„fess Petricou c. 29. that if we reckon all the Popes that euer were from Peter vntill Iulius the third there neuer sate in his Chaire any Arrian any Donatist any Pelagian or any other that professed any manner of Heresie The reason of this as I conceiue is deliuered by Card. Cusanus Veritas adhaeret Cathedrae vniuersa Catholica Ecclesia ad Petri CathedraÌ„ conglobata à Christo nuÌ„quam recedit Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 2. The trueth cleaueth fast to Peters Chaire the whole vniuersall Catholike Church is rolled vp to Peters chaire shal neuer depart from Christ I wil not take vpon mee to examine the Pope in what Office in what religion in what piece of his life he hath succeeded Peter but that you may know howsoeuer the Popes faith is annexed to the Chaire hee hath errâ—â— and is subiect to error as â—e is Pope I will compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the faith of the later Popes and the later Popes Decrees and definitiue Sentences with their flat contradictions and contrary Decrees amongst themselues whereby it shall appeare that the later Popes haue not onely erred in disclaiming the decrees of their Predecessours but haue digressed wholly from the ancient Roman Bishops both in faith and manners and withall they want that Infallibilitie that personall and doctrinall Succession which they so much magnifie amongst themselues Anacletus Bishop of Rome in the yeere 103 decreed that after Consecration Dist 1. Episcopus 2. Peracta all present should communicate or else bee thrust out of the Church for so saith hee the Apostles did set downe and the holy Church of Rome obserueth On the contrary at this day it is made lawfull for the Priests to receiue alone the people onely gazing and looking on and withall Pope Iulius the fourth hath decreed in the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. Canon 8. Sess 22. If any shall say that Masses in which the Priest alone doeth communicate are vnlawfull and therefore ought to be abrogated let him be accursed Leo the Great Bishop of Rome in the yeere 440 speaks of the death of Martyrs in this maner Leo. Epist 81. Although the death of many Saints hath been pretious in the Lords sight yet the death of no innocent person hath beene the propitiation for the world that the righteous receiued crownes but gaue none that of the fortitude of the faithfull haue grown examples of patience not gifts of righteousnesse that their deaths as they were seuerall persons were seuerall to euery of themselues and that none of them by his death paid the debt of any other man because it is only our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all were crucified all dead all buried all raised againe from the dead On the contrarie Haec opinio reprobata est à Pâ—o 5. Pontifice et à Gregorio 13. Bel. de Indul. lib. 1 cap. 40. Pope Pius the 5 and Gregorie the 13 both condemned saith Bellarmine the Diuines of Lovaine and others who defended that the sufferings of the Saints cannot bee true satisfactions but that our punishments are remitted onely by the personall satisfactions of Christ Nay more saith he If the sufferings of Saints may not bee applied to vs to free vs from the punishment due for our sinnes lest they should seeme to bee our Redeemers then certainly wee our selues cannot
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
VIA DEVIA THE BY-WAY Mis-leading the weake and vnstable into dangerous paths of Error by colourable shewes of Apocryphall Scriptures vnwritten Traditions doubtfull Fathers ambiguous Councells and pretended Catholike Church Discouered By HVMFREY LYNDE Knight Scriptura Regula credendi certissima tutissimáque est Bell de Verb. Dei 40 1 cap 2. LONDON Printed by Aug. M. for ROB. MILBOVRNE and are to be sold at his Shop at the Grayhound in Pauls Churchyard 1630. TO THE INGENVOVS AND Moderat Romanists of this Kingdome H. L. Wisheth the knowledge of the Safe way that leadeth to eternall Happinesse CHristian is my name and Catholique is my Sirname the one I challenge from my Baptisme in Christs Church the other from my profession of All sauing Truâ—th in Gods Word If you question this my right or claime I will produce my Euidence out of ancient and vndoubted Records and ioyne Issue with you vpon the marks of your owne Church Antiquitie Vniuersalitie Succession and if I prooue not the Faith which I professe to bee Ancient and Catholike I will neither refuse the name nor punishment due to Heresie As touching the Visibilitie of our Church I haue answered your Iesuites Challenge by the Title of Via Tuta the Safe Way wherein I haue appealed to the best learned of your owne side both for the Antiquitie of our Religion and the Noueltie of your owne If you require further satisfaction in this point read peruse the Articles of our Church tell me without a preiudicate opinion if our Church was not Ancient Visible long before Luthers dayes Our 22. Bookes of Canonicall Scripture were they not published and receiued in all ages before Luther Our three Creeds The Apostles Nicene Athanatius Creed were they not anciently beleeued and generally receiued in the Church before Luther Our Liturgie and Book of Common Prayer was it not the same for substaÌ„ce which was taught and professed in the bosome of the Romane Church before Luther Our two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper were they not instituted by Christ were they not published and receiued in all ages before Luther These are the Foundations of our Church and all these in despight of malice it selfe must bee acknowledged by our aduersaries that they are taught by vs and were vniuersally receiued long before Luthers dayes And as touching the particular tenets of our Church opposite to your Trent Creed our spirituall receiuing of Christ by faith onely whereby wee are made truely and really partakers of Christs body crucified is agreeable to all Christian Confessions and taught by all antiquitie before Luther Our publique Communion of Priest with people had Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in the best and first ages Bel. de Missa lib. 2. ca. 9 10. by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Our Prayer and Seruice in a knowne tongue was publiquely deliuered and anciently taught by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Bell de verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 16. Our Communion in both kinds was instituted by Christ and continued in the Primitiue Churches by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Idem de Euch. lib. 4 cap. 24. Nay more the Psalmes of Dauid which vvee sing and some of you blasphemously tearme Geneua Iigges were in ancient vse amongst the common people long before Luther In Bethlem where Christ vvas borne turne whither thou wilt saith Hierome the Husbandman holding his Plough Hier. in 1. Epist 17. ad Marcel continually singeth Alleluia the Mower when hee sweateth and is wearie refresheth himselfe with Psalmes the Gardiner as hee dresseth his Vine with his hooke hath some piece of Dauid in his mouth These I say are the chiefe principles of our Religion these vvee holde vnder the Charter of the great King and all these by the testimonies of our aduersaries themselues were publikely known and generally practised long before Luthers dayes Doe you looke for an outvvard Forme of a glorious and Visible Church in obscure ages Doe you looke for A Citie vpon a Hill in the darke night of errour and ignorance I appeale to your ovvn consciences to vvhat purpose were the prophecies of Christ and his Apostles that the Church should flie into the wildernesse and lie hid there that Faith should not bee found on the earth that the time will come when they will not suffer wholsome doctrine but shal be giuen to Legends fables that some should giue heed to the spirit of errour and doctrine of Deuills that after a thousand yeeres Sathan should be let loose and deceiue the foure quarters of the earth were all these things foretold that it might bee fulfilled what was spoken are the thousand yeeres long since expired and yet shall vve thinke that none of these prophesies are accomplished Admit the man of Sinne bee not reuealed yet the Mysterie of iniquitie began to vvorke in the Apostles time and the Euangelist tells vs the tares vvhich the thiefe fovved in the night had almost choaked the good corne and lest there might be some expectation of a great multitude which shold assume the Title of an eminent and glorious Church our Sauiour himselfe by way of preuention cals his Church by the name of A little flocke Luke 12.32 as if a small number were the ancient Character of the true Church The malignaÌ„t Church hath many heretikes and hypocrites which indeed make a great noyse for a visible Church when as those wicked persons saith Austen although they seeme to bee in the Church August de Bapt. lib. 6. cap. 3. yet they appertaine not to the true Church That many are called is the Church visible that few are chosen is the Church inuisible Neither doe vvee hereby make two churches when we consider this Church after a two fold maner Bellar. de Eccles li. 3. cap. 15. In the Church something is beleeued some thing is seene we see that company of men which is the Church but that this coÌ„pany is the true Church we do not see it but beleeue it this is Bellarmines confession this is ours Againe looke back and take a briefe Suruey of the Church in seuerall ages It began with two in Paradise there remained in the flood but eight persons in that number there vvas an accursed Cham. In Sodome not ten persons nay scarce three righteous to be found there was but one Ioshua and Caleb of many thousands that entred the land of Canaan In the fiery trial but three children at the comming of Christ there was Simeon and Anna Ioseph and Mary Zacharie and Elizabeth and not many more knowne to bee sincere professours of Gods Trueth in the Church of Hierusalem In the Colledge of the Apostles there were but twelue and one was the sonne of perdition In the time of persecution for three hundred yeres after Christ Eusebius tels vs Euseb lib. 8 cap 2. the Church was ouerwhelmed to the ground and the Pastors of the Churches hid themselues heere
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
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
most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them p. 144 Sect. 8. The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church p. 167 Sect. 9. The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By way p. 245 Sect. 10. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the Testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to fifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them p. 280 Sect. 11. The most substantiall poynts of Romaine 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 p. 307 Sect. 12. Saint Augustine in particular is much disparaged by the Romanists and for instance in many seuerall poynts of moment wherein hee professedly concurreth with vs is expressely reiected by them p. 335 Sect. 13. Saint Gregorie pretended to be the Founder of the Romane Religion in England by sending Austen the Monke for conversion of this nation in his vndoubted writings directly opposeth the Romish Faith in the maine poynts thereof p. 347 Sect. 14. Councels which are so highly extold and opposed against vs were neither called by lawfull authoritie or to the right ends as is confessed by the ingenuous Romanists p. 370 Sect. 15. Councells which our Aduersaries pretend as a chiefe Bulwark of their faith giue no support at all to the Romish Religion as it is proued by particular obiections made against seuerall Councels in all ages by the Romanists themselues p. 386 Sect. 16. The Councell of Trent which is the maine Pillar and last resolution of the Roman faith is of small or no credit at all because it was neither lawfully called nor free nor generall nor generally receiued by the Romanists themselues p. 420 Sect. 17. In the Roman 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 Virtuall or the Consistoriall Church p. 452 Sect. 18. The most common Plea of the Romanists drawne from the Infallibilitie Authoritie and Title of the Catholike Church is proued to bee false vaine and friuolous p. 468 Sect. 19. The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie among themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church p. 496 Sect. 20. The Church is finally resolued into the Pope who wants both Personall and Doctrinall succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of Fact and matters of Faith p. 513 Sect. 21. The infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement which is made the Rule of Faith to determine all Controuersies is not yet determined by the learned Romanistes amongst themselues p. 545 Sect. 22. The Church vpon which the learned Romanists ground their Faith is no other then the Pope and the Church vpon which the vnlearned Romanists doe relie is no other then their Parish Priest p. 572 Sect. 23. Eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no certaine Note of the true Church but the contrary rather as it is prooued by instances from Adam to Christ p. 592 Sect 24. The Latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is pâ—ooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall decreed a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther p. 610 Sect. 25. 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. p. 666 Sect. 26. 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 p. 675 VIA DEVIA THE BY-VVAY SECT I. The safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scripture WHen the Donatists in the most flourishing times of Christian Religion arrogantly and presumptuously appropriated the Catholique and Vniuersall Church to their haereticall and particular faction St. Austen encountring them Quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus an inverbis nostris eaÌ„ qua situri an in verbis capitis sui Dom. nostri Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eam quaerere debemus quia veritas est nouit corpus suuÌ„ Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 2. states the poynt of Controuersie in this maner The question is where the Church should bee what then shall we doe shall wee seeke it in our owne wordes or in the words of our Lord Iesus In my iudgement we ought rather to seeke the Church in his owne words for that he is the truth and knoweth his owne body You haue heard the question propounded and answered by the Oracle of that age Such is the difference at this day betwixt the Church of Rome and vs and I heartily wish wee might ioine issue with them vpon the like tearmes and both agree with one vnanimous consent to seeke the Church of God in the word of God then should wee be gathered as sheep to one sheep-fold and the weake in faith should be receiued not to doubtfull disputations but to the reading of the Scriptures and they that now question the Visibilitie of our Church before Luther would first examine the infallibilitie of their owne by the Touchstone of the Gospell and the rather because it is agreed on both sides that whatsoeuer Church professeth that faith and doctrine which Christ and his Apostles taught in the first age the same Church and doctrine hath continued more or lesse visible in all ages But to returne to the Donatists Cant. 1.7 When Christ in the Canticles demanded of his Spouse where she rested Meridie at Noone-day the Donatists concluded Christs question with their owne answere that the Church did rest Meridie and that was in the South from this ground excluded all other Churches but their owne in the South of Africk The Donatists claime was seemingly deriued from the authoritie of the Scriptures for Donatus and Austen heretique and Catholique both vrge the Scriptures but obserue the difference Saint Austen puts the whole issue of his cause vpon the Scripture the Donatists claimed their doctrine by the publique voyces of the Africans they assumed to themselues the title of the Catholike Church they magnified the Councels of their Bishops they gloried in their frequent though fained miracles these were the principall grounds of their Church Remotis ergo omnibus talibus Ecclesiam suaÌ„ demonstrant si possunt non in sermonibus rumoribus Afrorum
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
doctrina cum nostra consonat Ecclesia Patr. resp 2. in init resp 1. p. 148. We giue thankes to God the Authour of all grace and wee reioyce with many others but especially in this that in many things your doctrine is agreeable to our Church And certainly we likewise haue great cause to reioyce in our owne behalfe and theirs that the Greeke Church hath continued the truth of our doctrine in all ages which plainely shewes the Antiquitie and Visibilitie of our Church in the affirmatiue poynts which we maintaine and the Noueltie of the Romane in those Negatiue opinions which we condemne If we looke beyond Luther we shall easily discerne that the Muscouites Armenians Egyptians Aethiopians and diuers other countreys and Nations all members of the Greeke Church taught our Doctrine from the Apostles time to ours This is so true an Euidence in our behalfe that Bellarmine as it were in disdaine of the Churches Bell. de ver Dei l 2. ca. vlt. in fine makes this answere We are no more moued with the examples of Muscouites Armenians Egyptians and Aethiopians then with the examples of Lutherans or Anabaptists and Caluinists for they are either heretiques or Schismatiques So that all Churches be they neuer so Catholique and ancient if they subscribe not to the now Romane Faith are eyther schismaticall or hereticall But let these men obserue what Rules they list let them brag of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession let them reiect the confessions of all Christian Churches but their owne yet shal they neuer be able to proue those vnwritten Traditions Apostolique and of equall authority with the Scriptures which contrary the doctrine of the Apostles or by consequence ouerthrowe the foundation of the written Word If the Apostle teach vs to pray with the spirit 1. Cor. 14. and to pray with the vnderstanding also how can prayer in an vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding be prooued a Tradition Apostolicall If the Apostle teach vs by the written Word that the Communion in both kinds extend to all beleeuers by the general words of Christ Drinke yee all of this How can the Communion in one kinde bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolical which imposeth the contrary on the Non Conficient Priest and the lay people Drinke ye none of this If the holy Spirit dictate by the mouth of an Apostle Search the Scriptures how can that doctrine be said to bee Apostolicall which inioynes the contrary to the lay people Search not the Scriptures If the written Word proclaime it for an Apostolike doctrine Vtrumque est maluÌ„ et nubere et vri imò â—eius est nubere quic quid reclameÌ„t aduersarii c. Bell. de Monach l. 2. c. 30. It is better marrie then burne how can that vnwritten Word bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall which teacheth the contrary It is better for a Priest to burne then marry If an Angel from heauen proclaime of the reall presence of Christs body He is risen he is not heere and the Apostle declares it for an Article of beliefe The Heauens containe him till his second comming How can the corporall and reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament be a Tradition Apostolicall which affirmeth that Christs body is conteined in the heauens and in a Pix at one and the same time If the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ be a common vnion of Priest and people and by the Apostles written Word Wee are all partakers of one Bread and one Cup how can Priuate Masse bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall wherein the Priest receiues the Bread and Cup alone without the people If God himselfe forbid by his Morall Law the worshipping of Images and the same Lawe stood in force with Christ and his Apostles how can that doctrine be made a poynt of Faith and termed a Tradition Apostolicall which on the contrary giues adoration to Images Lastly if an Angel from heauen forbids the worshipping of Angels by a particular instance in himselfe Worship not mee for I am thy fellow seruant How can it be reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and an Article of Faith Art 8. that the Saints reigning with Christ are to bee worshipped and prayed vnto These Papal Traditions vnwritten are different if not flatly opposite to the Word written and therefore I will say with Tertullian who answered the heretiques in his dayes Tert. praesc advers haeres c. 32. Their very doctrine it selfe being compared with the Apostolike by the diuersity and contrarietie thereof will pronounce that it had neither any Apostle for an Authour nor any man Apostolique Now if any Romanist shall take that poore exception and say their Tenets are not flat contrary to the Scriptures let him take his answere from Saint Chrysostome Non dixit si contraria annutiauerint aut si totuÌ„ Euangelium sub verterint sed si vel pauluÌ„ EuaÌ„gelizauerint prarer EuangeliuÌ„ qd accepistis etiaÌ„si quidvis labefactauerint Anathema sint Chrys in Galat. c. 1 Aug. in Ioh. Tra. 98 Saint Paul teacheth not saith hee if any man preach contrary to the Gospell or ouerthrow the whole Gospell but if they preach any little thing besides the Gospell hee hath receiued if hee ouerthrow any thing whatsoeuer it be let him be accursed I say therefore if this or the like vnwritten Traditions bee found praeterquà m or contraquà m either besides or contrary to the Scriptures as certainly most of their Traditions are I say it is impossible to reconcile them for Apostolike Traditions and consequently more absurd to equall them with the Scriptures and make them a partiall rule of faith for Although saith Tertullian Tertul. de praescâ— c. 26. the Apostles did deliuer some things vnto their domesticall friends as I may call them yet wee must not beleeue that they deliuered any such things as should bring in another rule of Faith different and repugnant to that which they generally propounded in publique as though they had preached one Lord in the Church another in their lodging To leaue therefore a certainty for an vncertaintie to forsake the written Word which is the safest and surest rule of beliefe for vnwritten Traditions which haue neither Antiquitie for their leader nor Vniuersality for their assurance nor Succession for their euidence this I say is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way SECT IX The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By-way I Confesse it for a trueth that in the first ages of the world the Ancients had the knowledge of God without writing and their memories by reason of their long liues were Registers instead of Bookes but afterwards when God had taken the posteritie of Iacob to bee his peculiar people the liues of men were shortned and therefore hee gaue them their lawes in writing which
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
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.
lusts hasten to Trent hyred and procured by the Pope to speake as hee would haue them vnlearned men they were and simple but for their impudencie and audacitie of much vse assoone as these had accesse to the Popes flatterers then did iniquitie reioyce to haue the vpper hand neither might any thing bee decreed but what made for them who made it their onely Religion to maintaine their Popes power and ryot One graue and learned man there was Bishop of Granado which could not away with such basenesse he as no sound Catholike what with feare and threatnings and what with intreatie was brought by the Councel to allow that which in heart hee disavowed In briefe it came to that issue by the dishonestie of them that were made and ordained for that purpose that the Councell seemed to consist not of Bishops but of shadowes not of men but of Images which like the statues of Daedalus had no motion from themselues but were carried vpon other mens shoulders The Bishops for the most part were hyrelings who like a paire of countrey bag-pipes vnlesse they were still blowne could make no musicke The holy Ghost had not to doe with that Councell wherein was nothing but worldly wisedome and that was wholly spent in propagating the Popes immoderate and shamefull Lordlinesse from whom as from an other Delphos they did wait for Oracles and from him in a Carriers clokebag was the holy Ghost sent of which they so much brag to sit at the sterne of their Councells and quod admodum ridiculum est which is most ridiculous when there fell good store of raine the holy Ghost could not come vnto theÌ„ before the floods were abated so it fell out that the spirit was not carried vpon the waters as wee reade in Genesis but besides them O strange and monstrous madnesse the Bishop like the people No act or Decree of theirs could be established vnles the Pope were made the first Author of that Decree How truely this learned Bishop hath deciphered the state and condition of that Councell I leaue to euery mans iudgement sure I am whilest many there carried the businesse with craft and ambition in those things which appertaine to Gods glory there was more attributed to the Councell of man then to the grace of God Adde to these testimonies the protestation of Francis the French King who was so farre from approuing the Decrees of the Councell Rex pubicè in co conueÌ„tu protestatus se illud neque pro â—ecumenico neque pro legitimo habere sed pro priuato coÌ„uentu c. Innoc Gent Trid. Sess 12. Hist of Trent lib. 4. p 319. Engl. that hee openly proclaimed that for his part he neither held it for a Generall nor yet for a lawfull Councell but for a priuate Conuenticle assembled for the ends of some priuate men and that neither hee nor his subiects were bound to obey it and that hee would haue this his Protestation inrolled amongst the Decrees of that Councell Adde to this the Protestation of all the Reformed Churches and diuers Christian Nations who at this day vtterly disavow the Trent doctrine Adde to this the protestation of the Ambassador to Charles the fifth Illyr in Protest cont Conc. Trident. who made his declaration in like manner I Iames Hurtado Mendoza in the name of the most mighty prince my lord Charles the Romane Emperour by his especiall commission and in the name of the Empire all other his Realmes and Dominions doe protest that the Legats and Bishops which are at Bonenia for the most part bound to your Holinesse wholly hanging vpon your beck haue no authoritie to make Lawes in cause of Reformation of Religion and maners I forbeare to speake more largely of the politike proceedings and the doctrine of Faith created and declared in this Councell The History of Trent published An. 1629. the former is accurately handled by the Historie of Trent and the later is fully confuted by our learned Chemnitius Chemnitij examen Conc. Trid. and as touching CouÌ„cels in generall let it suffice wee haue the testimonie of Cardinal Cusanus Multu Concilia ritè conuocatu errasse legimus Cusan Concord Cath. lib. 2 c. 3. In fidei definitionibus errasse etiaÌ„ vniuersalia sanctouÌ„ Patrum Concilia comperimus Pig Hier. Eccle. lib. 6. c. 13. Many plenarie Councells rightly called haue erred as we know by experience Let it suffice their own Albertus Pigghius giues his assent with vs that In matters of Faith Generall Councels haue erred as namely the Councell of Ariminum the second Councell of Ephesus both were generall and both doe witnesse that Generall Councells lawfully called may erre Let it suffice Panormitan their chiefest Canonist and Proctor for Pope Eugenius affirmeth plainly A Councell may erre as otherwise a Councell hath erred Panorm de Elect Electi potestate §. significasti about marriage to be contracted betwixt the rauisher and the rauished and the saying of Hierom as being of the sounder opinion was afterwards preferred before the Decree of the Councell And to preuent that common obiection of the Romanists that the Church would faile in faith if Councels should erre hee giues this full solution to the question Non obstat Idem Ibid. It hindreth vs little if it bee said a Councell cannot erre because Christ prayed for his Church that it should not faile For though a Generall Councell represent the whole vniuersall Church yet to speake trueth the vniuersall is not there precisely but by representation because the vniuersall Church consisteth of all the faithfull and this is the Church which cannot erre whereby it is not impossible but the true faith of Christ may continue in onely one person Therefore the Church is not said to faile nor to erre if the true faith remaine in any one And that no man might presume to relie in matters of faith either vpon Fathers or Councels St. Austen deliuers it for a safe and sure rule Aug lib. 2. de Baptist contr Donat c. 3. Whatsoeuer is found written in Scriptures may neither be doubted nor disputed whether it be true or right but the writings of Bishops may not onely bee disputed but corrected by Bishops that are more learned then themselues or by Councels and Nationall Councels by Plenary or Generall and euen Generall Councels may bee amended by the later My conclusion therefore shall be this Since the true Acts and Canons of Councels which make against the Supremacie against Inuocation of Saint against Images and the like are adiudged spurious and counterfet On the contrary since diuers Canons and Decrees are deuised for aduantage of their cause and namely to prooue their Reall Presence their Sacrament of Confirmation their Sacrament of Extreame Vnction the Popes Supremacie and the like which authorities are meerely forged and counterfet since the Bookes of Councells being negligently kept doe abound with many errours by the testimonies of our learned
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
nihilo minùs Ecclesia Ioh. Rag. orat in Conc. Basil de CoÌ„mun sub vtraque specie it is the confession of Iohannes Ragusius in his Oration at the Councell of Basil Licet in Lege c. Although in the old time the visible Images of God yea and of his Saints were forbidden by the Law of God and no libertie was since granted either in the Old or New Testament to make any such yet the Church taught by the holy Spirit hath not onely permitted but decreed and ordained it Touching the Communion in both kinds it is the confession oâ— the Generall Councell of Constance Conc. Constant Sess 13. Conc. Trid. Sess 5. Can. 2. and the Councell of Trent Licet Christus c Although Christ did instituâ— the Sacrament in both kinds yet saith the Trent Councel he that shall say the Catholikâ— Church hath not altered it foâ— good causes or that they errâ— in so doing let him bee accursed These are speciall poinâ— with them and the denyaâ— of any of these make a maâ— heretike in the Church 〈◊〉 Rome yet by their owâ— confession are decreed wiâ—â— Non obstante Notwithstaâ—ding Christ and his Apostles taught the contrary Obserue then the difference betwixt the Gospell of Christ and the doctrine of the Roman Church the Spirit of God denounced a curse both against men and Angels that should teach any other doctrine then that they receiued from the Scriptures the Church of Rome pronounceth Anathema against all those that do not teach and beleeue the doctrine of their Church although it be different from the Scriptures I confesse the name of the Church is honourable and her credit singular but that which stickes with mee and as I conceiue is worthy of all mens obseruation the name of the Church which is so much magnified and adored of all Romanists and Romish Proselytes I say that Romane Church is neither vnderstood by the ignorant what it is neither is it resolued by the learned amongst them in certaine what is properly meant vnderstood by it First then we must know as the Church hath many parts to act Ecclesia Essentialis Representatiua Virtualis CoÌ„sistorialis Bell. de Eccles li. 3. c. 2. so likewise the Romanists make her of foure seuerall sorts The Essentiall Church and this saith Bellarmine is a company of men professing the same Christian Faith and Sacraments and acknowledging the Bishop of Rome to bee the chiefe Pastor and Vicar of Christ vpon the earth The Representatiue Church and this is an Assembly of Bishops in a generall Councell representing the whole bodie of the Church The Vertuall Church and this is the Bishop of Rome who is said to bee the chiefe Pastor of the whole Church and hath in himselfe eminently and vertually both truth and infallibilitie of iudgment and vpon whom dependeth all that certaintie of truth which is found in the whole Church The Confistoriall Church and this consisteth of the Pope and Cardinals and is termed by the Sâ—rbonists The Court of Rome Curia Romana Touching these seuerall acceptions of the Church there are seuerall and different opinions The Glosse vpon Gratian put the first question Quaero de quâ Ecclesiâ intelligas quoà hic dicitur quod non possit errare Res Ipsa congraegatio fideliuÌ„ hîc dicitur Ecclesia Causa 24. q. 1. c. A recta ConciliuÌ„ legitimuÌ„ omniuÌ„ consensu maximè propriè dici possit Ecclesia Bell de Conc. et Eccles l. 1. c. 18 Per EcclesiaÌ„ intelligimê° Pontif. Romanum qui pro teÌ„pore Ecclesia nauiculaÌ„ moderatur et EcclesiaÌ„ PapaÌ„ interpretantur non abnuo Desp ca. 10 lib. 3. de verbo Dei Greg. de Val. disp Theol. ToÌ„ 1. disp 1. q. c. Apud moder nos maximè importat hoc nomen Ecclesia quemadmodum hoc Ecclesia Rom. vrbis duduÌ„ obtinutt cuius ministri et Presidentes sunt Papa et Cardinales ipsius qui iam ex vsu quodam obtinuerunt dici Ecclesia Defens pacis part 2. cap. 2. Cerem li. 1 Sect 8 c. 6. and thus resolues it I would know what Church you vnderstand when you say It cannot erre I answere It is the congregation of the faithfull that is heere meant by the Church To the second Bellarmine replies A lawfull Councell by the most generall consent is most properly termed the Church To the third Gretzerus the Iesuite makes this confession I deny not but by the Church wee vnderstand the Bishop of Rome for the time being who guides the Ship of the militant Church and Gregory de Valentia by the Church wee meane her Head that is to say the Romane Bishop in whom resideth the full authoritie of the Church To the fourth Marsilius Patauinus giues his free assent that the name of the Church is of great consequence amongst the moderne Writers whose Ministers and Presidents are the Pope and Cardinalls which now by vse and custome haue at last obtained to bee called the Church and of this Church the Pope himselfe hath made this declaration Yee shall bee the Senatours of my citie and like vnto Kings the very hookes and stayes of the world vpon whom the very doore of the Church Militant must bee turned and ruled Now amidst these different opinions it must needes seem questionable to which of these Churches a poore ignorant soule who desires satisfaction in matters of Religion should addresse himselfe if hee require iudgement of the Essentiall Church there is little comfort and lesse assurance to be had from them for they consist most of the ignorant and common people and haue chiefest need of instruction themselues besides it is impossible to know the iudgment of all Christians who make the vniuersall Church in all or any particular poynts of Religion If he appeale to Councells their right calling is vncertaine their Decrees and Canons are doubtfull for many of them are adiudged by themselues erronious many spurious and counterfet If hee would consult with the Pope and Cardinals in their Consistorie it is a iourney too costly and tedious besides it will appeare they are subiect vnto errour It resteth then that we examine the infallibilitie of particular Churches and in particular that wee enquire whether the Roman church be that Church which wee are commanded to heare and obey by the authoritie of the Scriptures SECT XVIII The most common Plea of the Romanists drawne from the Infallibilitie Authoritie and Title of the Catholique Church is prooued to be false vaine and friuolous TO giue the Church of Rome her due let vs take a briefe suruay of her first foundation and let vs fee what priuiledge did ancienly belong vnto her and what authoritie shee claimeth at this day First the Apostle St. Paul in his Epistles to the Romans congratulates with them and sendeth them this greeting Rom. 1.7 To all that bee in Rome beloued of God called to be Saints hee testifieth further with prayer thanksgiuing Vers 8. that their Faith was
iudgement of the Church for saith Stapleton Although the Church by reason of her Ministerie and Mastership receiued of God Stapl. lib. 3. de author Scrip. c. 12. doth cause vs to beleeue yet the reason wherefore wee beleeue is not the Church but God speaking within vs and witnessing his trueth vnto vs by his holy Spirit Thus briefly touching the authoritie of the Church now I proceed to our aduersaries claim touching the Vniuersalitie of it Lessius the Iesuite tells vs The Church of Rome Sola Ecclesia Romana eique adhaerens multitudo Ecclesia Catholica c. Less in Consult Consid 6. and that Church onely and the multitude adhering to it is the Catholique Church the Religion of this Church is Catholique the faith is Catholique the doctrine is Catholique and their followers are tearmed Catholikes What is properly vnderstood by the Catholike Church St. Austen deliuers in these words Non haec aut illa It is not this Church Toto orbe diffusa Aug. de rudibus Catech c. 20. or that Church but the Church dispersed throughout the whole world Maiores nostri Catholicā nominarunt vt ex ipso nomine ostenderent quia per totum est Aug de Vnit Eccles cap. 2. and from hence Our Ancestours named the Church Catholique that by that name they might demonstrate the Vniuersall If then the Church of Rome can prooue their Church Vniuersall there would be an end of all controuersies for we professe our selues to bee members of the vniuersall Church wee say that Church can neither erre totally nor finally and wee willingly grant that out of that Church there is no saluation But certainly this last Tenet doeth strongly euince that the Roman Church is not Vniuersall for Saint Stephen and St. Iames and others suffered Martyrdome and were saued in the Church of Hierusalem and in the Church of Antioch before the Church of Rome was euer heard of and they were all members of the vniuersall Church But let the Church of Rome claime what title or prerogatiue she list shee is in danger to fall vpon a Rocke for if shee confesse that shee is a particular Church shee stands subiect vnto errour if shee assume the title of Vniuersall she is altogether invisible for Vniuersale sentitur non videtur That which is Vniuersall is vnderstood not seene It is the Article of our Creed I beleeue the Catholique Church and Hoc enim veracitèr dicitur credi quod non potest videri Greg. Dial. 4. c. 4. that is truely said to bee beleeued which is inuisible saith Gregorie And that the world may know the Romanists are Nominals such as vaunt of the name of Catholikes as the Donatists did in the Primitiue Church when they want the nature of the thing it selfe their owne Waldensis who well vnderstood how to make a difference betwixt the particular Roman and the Vniuersal Catholike Church tels vs Wald. de doctr Fidei lib. 2. art 2. cap. 19. The Church whose faith neuer faileth according to the promise made to Peter is not any particular Church as the Church of Africa nor the particular Romane Church but the Vniuersall Church not gathered together in a Generall Councell which hath sometimes erred but it is the Catholique Church dispersed through the whole world from the Baptisme of Christ vnto our times which doeth hold and maintaine the true Faith and faithfull testimony of Iesus Neither was this the particular opinion of one priuate man but many Bishops and learned Doctors did professe publikely in the Councell of Ferara Quacunque facultate Romana Eccles praedita sit vniuersali Ecclesiae inferior sit Concil Ferar Sess 10 With whatsoeuer power the Church of Rome is indued yet it is inferiour to the Vniuersall Church And if wee require a cloud of witnesses behold both Princes and Cardinalls and Bishops in the great Councell of Basil resolued and declared Ecclesia Romana non est vniuersa sed est de vniuersalitate corporis mystici Concil Basil in Appendice That the Church of Rome is not Vniversall but a part of that vniversall mystical body of Christ as appeareth by Gregorie Therefore for as much as it is a member of the said body it is not neither can it be the Head of the same body since there is a difference betwixt Head and members Thus if wee looke for Infallibilitie it is not found in the Romane Church If wee looke for the Authoritie of the Church it is inferiour to the Scriptures vnlesse they say the Scripture is vnder the Church as some say the Sunne is vnder a cloud when it is aboue it If wee looke for Vniuersalitie the Romane Church is but a member and no sound member of the Vniuersall Let vs therefore examine in particular where or in whome wee shall finde this Church which doeth assume those great and glorious Titles to her selfe SECT XIX The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie amongst themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church SAint Matthew tels vs that our Sauiour Christ gaue charge to Saint Peter as well as to the rest of his Disciples that if any dissention did happen which they could not well reconcile among themselues they should tell the Church If Saint Peter himselfe was commaunded to tell the Church and the Pope bee St. Peters Successor it would somewhat trouble a doubtful Recusant how to vnderstand and beleeue the Pope for the Church for if Christ had taken Peter for the Church it is not probable hee would haue bid him tell the Church for that had beene all one as to bid the Church tell the Church Yes Postremò dicere Ecclesiae id est sibi ipsi Bel. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 19. saith Bellarmine the Pope ought to tell it to the Church that is to himselfe I take not vpon me to answer this learned Cardinall but I dare avowe that this Exposition of Scripture is not according to the Article of his faith with the vniforme consent of Fathers Howbeit by this solution of Dic Ecclesiae wee are informed where and in whom wee may finde the Romane Church Gretzerus the Iesuite puts the question touching the Pope and returnes his answere in this manner Ais tertio interpretátur Ecclesiam Papā non abnuo quid tum Gretz def c. 10. l. 31. de verbo Dei Thou saiest they interpret the Church the Pope I graunt it what then yet wee may doubt of his sentence for how can wee bee certaine that he erres not Yes saith hee from these sayings I will giue thee the keyes c. The gates of Hell shall not preuaile c. Whatsoeuer thou bindest shall bee bound c. But who shall iudge of the sense of these places How shall I know those things are spoken of the Pope From Ecclesiasticall Tradition from the consent of our Elders from the Suffrage of
performe an act meritorious The beliefe then of the Romish doctrine doeth not consist altogether in the trueth of it but in the faith of the beleeuer for let it be true or false if it bee receiued with an affected ignorance and a blinde obedience the partie shall be safe as it were by fire that is as they elegantly vnderstand it shall goe through the fire of Purgatory to heauen Cardinall Cusanus hath giuen his voice with Cardinal Tollet that it is the safest and surest way to relie vpon the Priest as Ruler of the people without further inquirie of the trueth and thereupon he cries out with admiration as if hee would astonish his Disciples with the name of the Church QuaÌ„ firma est aedificatio Ecclesiae quia nemo decipi potest etiam per maluÌ„ praesidentem Si dixeris Domine obediui tibi in praeposito hoc tibi sufficiet ad salutem tu enim per obedientiam quam facis praeposito queÌ„ Ecclesia â—olerat decipi nequis etiaÌ„si praeceperit alia quaÌ„ debuit praesumit enim ecclesia de illa sententia cui si tu obedieris magna erit meâ—ces tuâ— Obedeenâ—â—â—t â—tur irrâ—â—tionalis est coâ— suâ—mâ—ta obedientia et per fectissima scil quando obeditur sine inquisitione rationis sicut tumentuÌ„ obedit domino suo Cusan Exist lib. 2. lib. 6. O how strong is the building of the Church for no man can be deceiued no not by an euill Bishop if thou say vnto God O Lord I haue obeyed thee in my Bishop this shall suffice thee vnto saluation for thou canst not bee deceiued by thy obedience that thou yeeldest to the Bishop whom the Church suffereth although hee commaund thee other things then he ought to doe for the Church presumeth his sentence to bee good which sentence if thou obey thy reward shall bee great Obedience therefore without reason is a full and perfect obedience that is when thou obeyest without inquiring of reason as a horse is obedient to his Master The Bishop or Priest then is the man we must obey and beleeue for his lips preserue knowledge his tongue will tell no lies but what if hee faile in his doctrine what if hee erre in his opinion are we sure he doeth euer deliuer the constant Tenet of his Church Admit then Saint Bernard were aliue and if a poore ignorant soule should come vnto him and demand of him whether hee thinke it possible for a man to keepe the Commandements will he say that a man may keep them for the Church teacheth so Bernard in Can. Serm. 50. when as he himself confidently affirmeth Therin thou shalt yeeld vnto vs that the Commaundements neither haue been fulfilled by any man in this life nor indeed can bee Admit that Thomas Aquinas were aliue and one of his disciples should desire to be resolued what worship to giue an Image would he tell him it must be worshipped with Dulia an inferiour honour when as himselfe protesteth Quod eâdeÌ„ reuerentia exhibeatur Imagini Christi vt ipsi Christo Aquin. p. 3. q. 25. art 3. that the Image of Christ is to bee honoured with the same honour that Christ himselfe is Admit that Cardinal Caietan were aliue and one should desire to know whether the Bookes of Macabees were canonical Scriptures would hee teach they were Canonicall when his fellow Canus professeth Canus li. 2. loc Theol. cap. 11. hee was so farre from teaching it that hee maintained the contrary Looke vpon the grand fundamental point of Transubstantiation if a Romanist will consult with the Priests and Bishops of these late ages it will appeare there could be no certaintie for an ignorant lay man to build his faith vpon the resolution of his Priest or Prelate As for instance in this particular poynt If a lay Papist had required satisfaction of Bishop Fisher Whether the doctrine of Transubstantiation was grouÌ„ded vpon the authoritie of the Scripture it is presumed he would haue answered according to his owne writing Roffens contr Capt. BabylonicaÌ„ c. 10. N. 8. O. Non potest per vllam Scripturam probare It cannot bee proued by any place of Scripture If hee had appealed from the Bishop to a Court of Cardinals Cardinall de Aliaco would haue told him Patet quod ille modê° sit possibilis nec repugnat rationi nec authoritati Bibliae c. Pet. de Alliac in 4. Sent. q. 6. Art 1. Caier in 3. part q. 79. Art 1. The maner which supposeth the substance of bread to remaine is possible neither is it contrary to reason nor the authoritie of the Scriptures Card. Caietan would haue told him That part which the Gospell hath not expressed wee haue receiued expresly from the Church viz. the conuersion of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ Card. Bellarmine would haue told him It is not altogether improbable that there is no expresse place of Scripture to prooue it Bellar. de Euch. lib. 3. cap. 23. and it may iustly bee doubted whether the Text bee cleare enough to inforce it Againe admit an ignorant lay man would require the iudgement of particular Priests in former ages Bertram a Priest would haue told him Bertr of the body and blood of Christ ann 1623. In respect of the substance of the creatures looke whatsoeuer they were before Consecration they are euen the same after Bellar. de Euch. l. 5. c. 15. Peter Lombard and Aquinas would haue told him that the Sacrament of the Altar was a commemoratiue sacrifice because it communicated the effects of the real killing of Christ Ante Lateranense CoÌ„cilium non fuit dogma fidei Scot. in 4. Sent. dist 11. q. 3. Scotus would haue told him Transubstantiation was not beleeued as a point of faith before the Councel of Lateran about 400 yeeres agoe Durand would haue told him The materiall part of the consecrated bread was not conuerted Durand 4. d. 11. q. 1. Bell. de Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 13. All these were Priests and members of the Romane Church they were Defenders of the Roman Faith in their times they declared by their Writings and Instructions to the people that doctrine which was altogether different if not flatly opposite to the Tenet of the now Roman Church And from hence it will follow that either the Roman Church doth want that Vnitie in poynts of Faith which they so much magnifie amongst themselues or otherwise it is an vnstable and a doubtfull way to relie vpon the instructions of his Bishop or Priest for the assurance of his right beliefe Moreouer that the Cardinals Bishops maintained a different doctrine from their owne Church it will appeare by the seuerall confessions confutations of their own Church-men Touching Bertram Bellar. de Script Eccles Tom. 7 p 121. Bellarmine saith Paschasius Ratbertus liuing at that time wrote a booke against him and confuted his errour Touching Peter Lombard
other Pope Liberius returneth the Emperour this answere Non referre numeruÌ„ esse magnuÌ„ aut paruum Nam c. Salm tract 23. in verba Luc. It mattereth not whether the true professors be more or fewer for the Church of the Iewes was once reduced to the number of three Now there is no man will deny but there were many excellent and famous lights of the Church in this Age yet by reason of Persecutions it was so much darkened and obscured that the holy Father Athanasius who had a fellow-feeling of the persecuted members in the Church puts the Question and resolues it Quae nunc Ecclesia libere adorat siquideÌ„ si pia est periculosa subiacet si alicubi pii et Christi studiosi vt magnus ille Propheta Elias absconduntur Athan ad solit vitaÌ„ agentes What Church doth now freely serue Christ For if it be godly it is exposed to dangers if there be in many places faithfull seruants of Christ as in all places there be many they like the great Prophet Elias are secret and hide themselues in dennes and caues of the earth or wandring vp and downe remaine in the wildernesse And without doubt the latencie and obscuritie of the true Church was such MoÌ„tes mihi et sylua et lacê° et carceres et voragines suÌ„t tutiores Hillaâ— cont Auxent that St. Hillarie professeth at that time it was not to bee sought in houses I rather reckon saith hee hills and woods and prisons to bee places of more safetie for in those either the Prophets abiding of their owne accord or forced thither by violence prophesie by the Spirit of God And from these few instances it may plainely appeare that eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no sure and certaine Caracter of the true Church Ann. 400. to 500. In the fift Age St. Austen tels the Church was like a Citie vpon a Hill Ipsa est enim ouis quae perierat ipse Pastor mons est ouis ergò in humeris eius ciuitas est in moÌ„te Aug Serm. de Tempore 218. but that Citie vpon the hill saith he was the sheepe which was lost and went astray and the shepheard is the hill and the Sheepe vpon his shoulders is the Citie vpon the hill And thus the true meÌ„bers of the Church may wander like stray sheepe till the Shepheard finde them and bring them home to the company of the faithfull Moreouer he that termed the Church a Citie vpon a hill in his time well vnderstood that it was not visible at all times that is to say in a great mist or in the night time yea on the contrary he tels vs Epist ad Vincent Epist 80. ad Hesych Enarrt in Psal 10. De Bapt. coÌ„t Donat. lib. 6. c 4. The Church shal be sometimes obscured and the cloudes of offence may shadow it Somtimes it shall not appeare by reason of the vnmeasurable rage of vngodly persecutors Sometimes it is like the Moone and may bee hidde yea so obscured that the members thereof shall not know one an other And howsoeuer in St Austens time the Church was very glorious and flourishing yet vnder correction of better iudgements I doe conceiue he did extoll the visibility of the Church because the Donatists at that time did appropriate the Church wholly to their own Faction excluding all other Churches but their owne in the South of Africke For the trueth is by reason of the multitude of Heretikes at that time preuailing it could not chuse but bee much darkened and obscured when as himselfe makes mention of fourescore and eight seuerall heresies in the Church Aug. de Vnit Eccles ca. 2. 16. Besides both Austen and Chrysostome who were liuing in this age tell vs That the Heretikes did so abound in multitude and they had such outward marks of the trueth in Traditions in Fathers in Councels in Miracles vnder the very name and Title of the Catholike Church in outward shew and semblance of the true Church that there was no way left to find the true Church Nisi tantuÌ„modo per Scripturas Chrys Homil 24. but only by the Scriptures And Saint Chrysostom alluding to the desolation in the Temple in the latter dayes aduiseth his profelytes Idem in 1. Cor. Hom. 36. to flie to the mountaines of the Scriptures And as touching the Discipline of the Church hee complaines that Shee was like a woman which had quite lost her modestie and did beare certaine badges and tokens of her former felicitie and being vtterly bereft of her treasure kept the emptie caskets and boxes of the precious things shee had before And although in this age the Church since the Apostles time was most flourishing yet it was not so conspicuous as any earthly Kingdome Bell de Eccles lib 3. cap. 13. as Bellarmine would haue it for at this time St. Hierome likewise complained of an Hereticall tempest rising in the countries of the East Haretica in his prouinciis exorta tempestas naueÌ„ plenaÌ„ blasphemiaruÌ„ intulit portui et Romanae fidâ—i purissimum fonteÌ„ coeno luiÌ„osa promiscuêre vestigiae Hier. ad Princip Marc. Epit. Tom. 1. carried a ship of blasphemies into the hauen of Rome and vncleane feet did mingle with mud the most pure fountaine of the Roman faith yea he tels vs further The faith of the Apostles was violated in most things the Priests and people were drawne into the same consent and the Bishop of Rome was abused by simplicitie and Marcella a poore widdow did first openly resist it And this may briefly serue to shew that in the first and best ages eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie was no sure and certaine note of the true Church In the sixt Age Ann. 500. to 600. Pope Vigilius secretly fauoured Seuerus and Anthemius two Heretiques who refused the faith established in the great Councell of Chalcedon Liberatus who was liuing at the same time giues vs to vnderstand of his writing to the Heretikes in this maner I signifie to you Liberati Breuiarium cap. 22. that I haue held and doe hold the very same faith which you also do hold No man must know that I write these things vnto you but your wisedome must thinke it best to haue mee in suspition before all others that I may with more ease worke and bring that to passe which I haue begun Pontificale in vita Vigilij This Vigilius if wee may beleeue their owne Pontifical was a false witnes against his predecessor Pope Syluerius he sought vndue means to remooue him and to place himselfe he kept him in prison and sterued him for hunger he gaue a great summe of money to procure the Popedome to himselfe Hee killed his owne Notary he killed a young man being a widowes sonne and of these and other crimes being accused before the Emperour hee caused him to bee drawne by the necke round about the Citie of Constantinople and cast into prison
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
Church of Rome which of long time did reuolt from Christ secretly was neere revolting from him openly And in the Raigne of Henry the first Ann. 1100. inseratur The Church of Leodium sends forth this complaint In time past I was wont to Interpret Fulke in Rhem. Testam p 892. that Peter by Babylon did signifie Rome because at that time it was confused with Idolatrie and filthynesse but now my sorrow doth interpret vnto mee Plerique omnes boni iuâ—i aperti ingenuâ— simplices tum imperiuÌ„ Antichristi coepisse quod ea quae Christê° seruator no fleâ— tot antè annos praecixerat euenisse teÌ„pore cernebant c. Auent de Tyrannide Pontificis that Peter calling the Church together in Babylon foresaw by the Spirit of Prophecie that confusion of dissention wherwith the Church at this day is rent in peeces And saith Sigebert All good men and iust and honest and ingenious men held that the Kingdome of Antichrist was then begunne because they saw the accomplishment of those things which our Sauiour had so long time foretold In the twelfe Age Ann. 1100. to 1200. Honorius of Authun in France openly cries out Verte te ad ciues Babiloniae et vide veni hâ—c ad supercilii montes vt cuncta possis cernere aed ficia damnatae ciuitatis verte te ad CleruÌ„ et in uenies ibi Bestia tentortum Dei seruitiuÌ„ negliguÌ„t sacerdotium per inunditiam postuunt populum per simulationeÌ„ seducunt omnes Scripturas ad salâ—teÌ„ pertinentes ab dicant c. Honor. August in Dialog de Praedest lib. Arbitr Mat. Paris in Hent 3. Turne thee to the Citizens of Babylon and see what they are ascend to the toppe of the Mountaine from whence thou mayest behold all the buildings of that damned Citie consider the principall persons there and thou shalt find the Sea of the Beast In the Cleargie thou shalt find the Beasts Tent for they neglect the seruice of God pollute his Priesthood seduce his people reiect all the Scriptures which belong vnto Saluation And Mathew Paris describeth the state of the Church of England vnder Gregory and Innocent In those dayes Faith waxed cold and scarsely seemed to sparkle being almost brought to ashes Religion is become base and vile and the Daughter of Sion is a bold faced Harlot without shame He further complaines that the Monkes and Fryars of that Age did wholly neglect the Preaching of Gods Word and for that cause he pretends there was a deuised Epistle sent from Hell to the holy Fraternities Math. Paris in Will Conquer Wherein Sathan and all the company of Hell did s nd thankes to the whole Ecclesiastical Order that wheras in nothing they were wanting to their owne pleasures they suffered by their neglect of Preaching such a number of soules vnder them to go to hell Lat. abbots Bishops p. 383. as no Ages past had seene the like And Robertus Gallus reputed a famous Preacher in those times amongst certaine visions of his owne shewes vs That in those dayes there was scarse any bloud or life remaining in the members of the Church when as the Doctrin which is the soule and life of the Church OrabaÌ„ flexis genibus erecta facie ad coeluÌ„ iuxta Altare Sancti Iacobi Parisiis c Robertus Gallus was altered and decayed I did pray saith hee on my knees with my face towards heauen neere to the Altar at St. Iames at Paris on the right hand and I saw in the ayre before me the body of the onely high Priest clad in white Silken robes and his backe was towards the East with his hands lifted up towards the West Morney Myst of Iniqu pa. 401 or 434. as Priests vsually stand while they say Masse I did not see his head and beholding wishly whether he were altogether without a head or no I saw his head leane and withered as if it had bene all of wood and the Spirit of the Lord said this signifieth the state of the Roman Church Ann. 1200. to 1300. In the thirteenth Age Grosted Bishop of Lincolne complained of many errors in the Church Innocent 4. in Math. Paris in Henr. 3.844 847. 848. and sought for a reformation and for that cause we may read in Mathew Paris the Pope resolued to Excommunicate and accurse him but this Bishop withstood the Popes Bulles and for his courage in that good cause was termed Romanorum malleus the Hammer of the Roman Church neither did hee oppose those abuses alone but the Cardinalls at that time withstood the Pope in his behalfe affirmed that the things wherewith hee charged the Pope were most true and thereupon they answered the Pope it was not safe for him so to proceede lest a tumult should follow especially say they seeing it is knowne there must bee a departure from vs and a forsaking of the Roman See Petrarch who well vnderstood the Doctrine of those times in his Latine Epistles which are full of wisdome and grauitie tells them Noui expertus c. I speake of my knowledge Noui expertus vt nulla ibi pietas nulla charitas nulla fides nulla Dei reuerentia in the Pope and his followers there is neither Faith godlinesse nor Truth the Popes Chaire is the Chaire of lying that is a defection a reuolt an apostacie of people which vnder the Standard of Christ rebell against Christ and fight for Satan they esteeme the Gospell for a Fable and the promises of the life to come for lyes About the same time Michael Cecenas Generall of the Order of Franciscans affirming the different opinions of different Members in the same Church Mich Cecenas contr Tyrannid Papae proclaimeth There were two Churches the one of the wicked sort flourishing in which the Pope raigned the other of godly and good men and this Church he presecuted In the fourteenth Age Ann. 1300. to 1400. Occham a learned Schooleman makes this complaint Alas the time of which the blessed Apostle prophecied when men will not suffer wholesome doctrine c. This Prophecie is altogether fulfilled in our dayes for behold there are many that peruert the holy Scriptures deny the sayings of the holy Fathers reiect the Canon of the Church molest persecute and bring into bondage and without mercy torment and afflict euen vnto death them that defend the trueth so that wee may rightly say of our times Occham procl com err Iohan. 22. that which Daniel long since pronounced Iniquitie is gone from Babylon from the Elders and Iudges which seemed to gouerne and rule the people for many that should bee Pillars in the Church of God and defend the trueth euen vnto blood cast themselues headlong into the pit of Heresies Ann. 1400. to 1500. In the fifteenth Age Gerson the Chancellour of Paris bids you open your eyes Gers declarat defect virorum and see if the Houses of