ministerie thereof may be a condition subordinate for the obtaining of that which is the rule As a Ioh. 4.29.39 the woman of Samaria was a good meanes to bring her countrimen to Christ that knew him not and yet their beleefe was not built on her b ver 42. but on that which she reuealed to them And c Ier. 6.16 God biddeth vs by his Prophet Stand by the wayes and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way though in the meane time the persons to be asked are our direction no further then while they point to the old way And the Prophet biddeth d Hag. 2.12 Aske the Priests concerning the law and saith e Mal. 2.7 The Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the Angell of the Lord of hoasts yet these Priests many times spake vntruly being deceiued themselues and deceiuing others And so may it happen to the Pastors of the Church 2 All which notwithstanding the Church abideth still the same that Saint Paul calleth it the pillar and ground of truth in that the truth is no where else to be found Which that I may shew the beter it is to be noted that f Iul. Pol. Onomast lib. 8. pag. 454. Scol Aristoph Nub. Rosin antiq Rom. l. 8 c. 2. Alex. ab Alexand. genial dierum l. 6. c. 23. in old time the Gentiles vsed to write their lawes in tables and so hang them vp on pillars of stone that the people might reade them as Proclamations are nailed to posts in market townes and somtime g Phauorin Hesych Lexic verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they whited the pillar and so wrote the lawes vpon it h Lexic decem Rhet. Harpocration saith they reared vp straight pillars of stone and so wrote their lawes vpon them And it was also an ordinary thing that they had other pillars like the Pasquill in Rome i Eustach Il. λ. Suid. verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereupon whosoeuer listed hung their Epigrams or libels that they would haue knowne Now the Apostle describing the Church likeneth it to one of these pillars whose vse was no more but to shew that which hung thereon it selfe not being the law but that whereupon the law was hung For so the true faith written in the tables of the Scripture whereunto the world will giue no testimonie is fastened to the Church as to a stately pillar and strong supporter that there it may be seene and holden out vnto vs. Hence the Iesuite can challenge no more but that the Church is vnto vs a witnesse and vpholder of the faith and alway preserueth it which we denie not but in the meane time he forgetteth that it is one thing to hold out the rule and another to be the rule it selfe and he that saith the Church is the supporter of truth doth not say withall that the Pastors can neuer erre or faile in deliuering any part thereof The Apostle saith the former but the Iesuite onely beside the text affirmeth the latter 3 This exposition must needs be granted for foure reasons first it is called the pillar of truth in no other sence then k Eph. 5.27 elsewhere it is called glorious without spot or blemish or blame but it is certaine that the puritie there mentioned is mingled with some imperfection therefore it is also certain this vpholding of the truth is not free froÌ„ all error Secondly Paul in this place sendeth not Timothy to learne of the Church which he should do if the Iesuits conceit were sound but l vers 14.15 wisheth him to teach the Church out of the Scriptures that so it might be the pillar of truth Thirdly that which the Apostle saith in these words is true of euery particular Church but of euery particular church it is not true that it caÌ„not erre for we see they may as did m Act. 20.30 Apoc. 2.4 this of Ephesus concerning which the Apostle saith here it is the pillar and ground of truth Fourthly if this place proue that the Church cannot erre in any thing but of it all men must learne the infallible truth then seeing o Bellar. de verbo Dei l. 3. c. 5. Greg. de ValeÌ„t coÌ„ment Theo. tom 3. disp 1. q. 1. assert 3. the Papists hold their Prelates and Pastors to be the Church I demand what is that which must teach them for the Church doth not seeing they are the Church themselues 4 Or if the Iesuite dote vpon his owne exposition then let him cal to mind how other Papists haue expounded before him p Staphyl Apol. part 1. Sâ—apl his translat pag 50. who say The Apostle calleth the Church the pillar and ground of truth signifying by the word ground the largenesse of Christendome by the word pillar the continuall smooth and not interrupted succession of the Apostles and their schollers vpon whoÌ„ all truth is builded Which exposition differing from this of the Iesuites may giue him occasion to looke better into the text and at least mistrust his collections therfrom till he haue conferred with his fellowes For vpon the reckoning it will fall out that vntill the Friers and Iesuites of late began to hammer the Scriptures there was neuer any that out of them would deliuer his conclusion but the contrary The Apostles writings are the pillars and supporters of our faith saith q Lib. 3. c. 1. Irenaeus The Gospell is the gound and stay of the Church saith r Lib. 3 c. 11. the same Irenaeus The truth is the pillar and ground of the Church saith Å¿ Hom. in hunc loc Chrysostome The diuine Scriptures must teach who hath the true Church These are the proofes these are the foundations these are the grounds of our cause saith t De vnit Eccl. cap. 16. Austin 5 The words of Austin alledged by the Iesuite are good but they had bene better if he had not left out the beginning for thus they lie u Contra. Crescon gram lib. 1. cap. 33. For somuch as the holy Scripture cannot deceiue vs let him who feareth lest the obscuritie of this question concerning the baptisme of the Donatists should deceiue him enquire that Churches iudgment of it which the holy Scripture without all doubtfulnes doth demoÌ„strate Wherin Aust saith not the church is the rule or the Church cannot erre but onely as the Iesuite himselfe noteth that the iudgement therof should be inquired His meaning is that in the question of rebaptizing because in Cresconius his suppositioÌ„ the Scripture said nothing of it such as were doubtful might ask the iudgmeÌ„t of the true Church there they should learn Cresconius to be in an error Wherein the Iesuit shal find vs to consent with Austin for doth he think we allow not the Church her ministery or that we silence her from bearing witnesse to the truth or that we turne away the people
to them but God did it by meanes of the Scriptures and faithfull professors that lay secretly hidden in the middest of the Papacie and when they saw the truth they needed no other outward allowance to preach then that which they had to preach the Gospell as the Iesuite will thinke that himselfe being baptized in the Church of England after the order thereof with intent that he should also professe that faith yet afterward falling to Papistry needeth no other baptisme but by vertue of it may vse the libertie of other Christians The very same we say of Luther and Caluins callings whereby they are freed from the imputations that Cyprian and Optatus lay vpon the Donatists For such as haue no lawfull admission are children indeed without a father and scholers without a maister and Bishops without succession or what the Iesuite will but these men had a calling else let vs see what will be said to that I haue answered § 53. This succession of Priests and Bishops continually from the Apostles which we haue and the Protestants want the ancient Fathers did much esteeme and vse as an argument partly to confound the heretickes of those dayes partly to confirme themselues to continue in the Catholicke Church prouing by the succession of Pastors succession of Apostolicall doctrine still to haue continued in the Church Hereupon S. Irenaeus lib. 3. ca. 3. saith Traditionem ab Apostolis annuntiatam hominibus fidem per successionem Episcoporum peruenientem vsque ad nos indicantes confundimus omnes eos qui quoquo modo vel per sui placentiam malam vel vanam gloriam vel per coecitatem colligunt praeterquam oportet Shewing the tradition from the Apostles and the faith preached vnto men coming vnto vs by succession of Bishops we confound all them who any way either through euill complacence of themselues or through vaine-glorie or through blindnesse and euill opinion do collect and conclude otherwise then they ought Hereupon also saith Tertullian writing against heretickes Edant origines suarum Ecclesiarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporū ista per successionem ab initio decurrentes vt primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis viris qui tamen cum Apostolis perseuerauerit authorem habuerit vel antecessorem Lib. de praescript Let them set forth the beginning of their Church let them vnfold or declare the order of Bishops so running from the beginning by succession that the first Bishop of their sect had some of the Apostles or Apostolicke men who perseuered with the Apostles for his author or predecessor Also S. Austine contra Epist Fundam c. 4. saith Tenet me in Ecclesia Catholica ab ipsa sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suas Dominus commendauit vsque ad praesentem Episcopum successio Sacerdotum The succession of Priests from the seate of S. Peter the Apostle to whom our Lord commended his sheepe to be fed vntill this present Bishop doth hold me in the Catholicke Church The same S. Austin Epist 105. doth dispute in the same maner In which Epistle he reckoneth vp all the Bishops of Rome vntill Anastasius who was in his time Bishop in S. Peters seate Cypr. lib. 1. Epist 6. Optat. lib. 2. cont Parmen The which argument those Fathers would neuer so much haue vrged if they had not thought that this succession was a sure marke of the true Church and that with this outward succession of Doctors and Pastors was alway infallibly conioyned the true doctrine of the Catholicke faith The Answer 1 How much soeuer the within named Fathers or any other stood vpō the outward succession of Bishops in their days yet that will do the Romane Church no good at this day The reason is because then none had succeeded but such as kept the Apostles faith which now is otherwise For many Popes since that time haue succeeded which haue bene hereticks as I haue shewed Digress 28. This difference betweene their times and ours must be diligently obserued that the fathers speeches concerning succession may be rightly vnderstood and the Papists arguments grounded on them may directly be answered For Irenaeus in the place quoted saith the Apostolicke tradition or doctrine and faith which they preached to men was come to them by succession of Bishops Whereby it appeareth they had not yet discouered that apostasie in Bishops thrones which afterward ensued but the true faith remained still which now in the Church of Rome it doth not Let our aduersaries therfore bring those times back againe and restore vs the Bishops that then succeeded and we will allow them the same argument of succession that the fathers made or else not For Hegesippus speaking of that time a Euseb hist l. 4. c. 22. saith that as the law and the Prophets and the Lord himselfe had taught so was it in euery succession and euery citie Now it is contrary as the Friers and Iesuites and the Pope himselfe haue deuised so is it in euery succession and euery citie of the Church of Rome Which is a manifest reason why the Fathers argument drawne fom succession cannot benefite the externall succession of Popes in that Church at this day 2 Againe they vsed succession as an argument to proue their Church but not in that manner that our aduersaries vse it to proue theirs For first the Iesuit would make vs beleeue that by the succession of Pastors the succession of Apostolicall doctrine is proued to continue yea he saith that with outward succession of doctors and Pastors was alway infallibly conioyned the true doctrine This the Fathers neuer said as shall appeare in my speciall answer to their words Neither would the Iesuite haue said it him self if he had remembred the Greek Churches which haue as lineall succession from Saint Mark and Saint Andrew as Rome hath from Saint Peter and yet b Can. loc l. 4. c. vlt. pag. 143. they are counted heretical Yea Bellarmine c Not. eccl c. 8. saith It is not necessarily gathered that the Church is alway there where there is succession which sheweth the Iesuits rashnes in his assertion For if the true faith were infallibly conioyned with the outward succession then it would necessarily follow that the true Church is alway there where succession is which Bellarmine denieth 3 But with succession of persons the Fathers alway ioyned succession of doctrine and by them both together confuted schismaticks Thus doth Irenaeus in the very words alledged and d L. 4. c. 43. in another place more fully We must saith he obey those elders which haue succession from the Apostles which with the succession of their Bishopricks haue receiued the certaine gift of truth as for the rest which want this principall succession we must suspect them Marke how he directeth you to embrace that succession which holdeth the doctrine also and refuse that which hath it not which had bin idle if the doctrine had bin so vnited to succession that it
all things is infallible which if it were granted yet were it too short to proue that therefore this Church were the rule of faith For euery infallible thing whose teaching is most true is not yet in the ordinance of God set apart to instruct vs. As the Angels of heauen for example are not the rule of our faith though a Fr. Suarez in Tho. to 1. disp 42. sect 1. they haue all the graces and glorie that a creature can haue and consequently the grace of infallibilitie Let this be noted in the first place 2 But yet the doctrine and teaching of the Church is not in all points infallible and most true neither meaning this doctrine not of the Scriptures but of the Churches ministery in propounding and following the same for in her ministery and manners she may and doth erre as shall appeare in my answer to the Iesuites reasons throughout this section But first the question must be made plaine For to say as he doth here and euery where in this question that the teaching of the vniuersall Catholick Church is infallible not subiect to error is an improper speech not incideÌ„t to the question because that Church comprehendeth all the triumphant Church in heauen which neither can be vsed neither do we charge it with error but confesse it to be b Ephes 5.27 glorious not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing All the question is of that part of the Catholick Church which dwelleth here on earth professing the name of Christ and liuing in warfare against the world and Satan called the Church militant Which so distinguished we hold to be subiect to error both in manners and doctrine And the Iesuite of necessitie by the vniuersall Church must vnderstand onely this part thereof because this part onely is apt to teach vs and hath ministerie in her hands or else he disputeth confusedly not distinguishing the termes of the question 3 This being noted now I come to the discourse which may all be concluded in this syllogisme that we may the better iudge of it That 1. vnto which Christ hath promised his owne presence and the presence of his spirit for euer to the worlds end 2. which hath commission from God to teach all nations 3. which all men are commaunded to heare in all things 4. they that heare it are warranted as if they heard Christ himselfe 5. they that heare it not are threatned as if they despised Christ himselfe that is free from error and the doctrine thereof in all things is infallible But such is the Church that concerning it Christ hath 1. promised 2. giuen commission 3. commanded 4. warranted and 5. threatned as is aforesaid Therefore the Church is free from error and the doctrine thereof in all things is infallible This is the summe of all this section whereto I answer by denying both propositions and the reason is for that they consist of Scripture falsly expounded and applyed and this my answer I set downe more particularly in that which followeth wherein I will examine euery text as it is alledged and make it plain that neuer a one of them proueth the conclusion 4 The first place is Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway to the worlds end But I answer 1. this was a personall promise made onely to the Apostles and so cannot be extended to all the Church if we will speake of the words properly according to their immediate sence 2. To whomsoeuer it belongeth the meaning is c Iansen concord Eâ—ang cap. 149. that howsoeuer his bodily presence ceassed yet his prouidence should neuer faile to preserue comfort them in all their troubles and helpe them in all their actions and by degrees so enlighten them also that they should not perish in their ignorance but be led forward to more perfection This must needes be granted to be all that is meant First because Christ is not absent from his people euery time they fall into an error but remaineth with them still for all that either forgiuing it or reforming it Secondly this promise notwithstanding yet afterward d Gal 2.11 vide August de Baptism cont Donat. l. 2. c. 1. de agon Christian c. 30. Thom. in ep ad Gal. c. 3. lect 3. Peter one to whom the promise was made erred against the truth of the Gospell and was therefore by Paul rebuked and resisted to his face which thing could not haue fallen out if this promise had exempted the Church from all error Thirdly if it priuiledge the whole Church from error because it is made to it then consequently it priuiledgeth the particular Churches Pastors and beleeuers therein because it is made to them likewise but experience sheweth these latter may erre and therefore the meaning must needs be as I haue said Fourthly e See §. it is a ruled case among the Papists that the Pope may erre which could not be if these words of Christ meant the Church of Rome and that infallible iudgment which the Iesuite talketh of As for his glosse vpon the words that Christ in them should promise his continuall presence not for a while then nor for a while now but for euer it is altogether either idle and inept For he can name no Protestant that euer thought Christ was at any time absent but we all constantly beleeue he alway was is and shall be with his Church to the end 5 The second and third places are much like the first Iohn 14.16 I will pray the Father saith Christ and he shall giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer And Iohn 16.13 When he is come which is the Spirit of truth he will leade you into all truth But I answer two things First these words are properly extended to the Apostles promising f Act. 2.4 that which was performed immediatly after Christs ascention and ought not to be stretched any further Which being so they conclude somewhat for them but little for the Church because euerie grace belongeth not to the Church in all ages that was giuen the Apostles Secondly applying them to the Church also the meaning is that the holy Ghost should neuer forsake it but perseuere in teaching it all truh which is simply necessary to saue it according as the Church is able to learne it which he doth by meanes of the Scripture though not at all times alike perfectly but so as he endueth it with all holines and yet many sins are found in it This interpretation must needs be allowed for three causes first the Apostle saith of himselfe and the Church g 1. Cor. 13.9 Now we know but in part and prophesie in part Which were not true if these words of Christ had secured the Church in all things and in euery truth for the part cometh short of the whole Secondly this promise belongeth as well to one Apostle as another yea h 1. Ioh 2.20 to all the faithfull as wel as to the
could not haue bin without it Now our aduersaries say otherwise 4 Secondly the Fathers insisted on the succession of other Churches as well as the Church of Rome which proueth manifestly that the succession which they assumed proueth not the Church of Rome to be the Church of God because it proueth not other Churches so to be Our aduersaries haue e Posseuin noc verbi Dei pag. 329. written that the ancient Fathers reckoned not vp the successors of other Bishops alike as they did the successors of the Romane chaire but this is an vntruth proceeding of desperation for Irenaeus in the chapter alledged mentioneth the Churches of Smyrna Ephesus Asia and in f L. 1. c. 3. another place the Churches of Germany Spaine France Egypt Lybia and others And Tertullian g Praescript referreth vs to Corinth Philippi Thessalonica Ephesus Rome Whereby it is plaine that if Rome be now the true Church because the Fathers mention the succession thereof then the Churches of Greece must be granted to be the true Church also because the Fathers mention their succession also which in Constantinople and Alexandria is preserued to this day But in that they reckon vp the succession of other Churches as well as of Rome it appeareth that they thought it was tied no more to Rome then to others 5 Out of all this that I haue said I answer to the places alledged And first to Irenaeus that he saith not simply he conuinced heretiks by shewing succession but by shewing the faith which successiuely had continued to his time and we are contented the Iesuite conuince vs so too if he can Tertullian biddeth hereticks if they can deduce the succession of their Churches and sectmasters which he might wel do although it would not follow thereupon that wheresoeuer outward succession were there should be also true doctrine And he had reason to make them this challenge for though euery company be not the true Church that hath outward succession yet they pretend themselues so to be therefore he prouoketh them to put the succession in triall and shew if they can that the first author of their sect was an Apostles successor This was a good trial then but now it is not when not onely new seas are erected but the successors in ancient thrones are corrupted Austine saith the succession of Bishops retained him in the Church of Rome And good reason when they succeded in faith as well as in sea If he were now aliue he would say otherwise when the succession such as it is remaineth without the faith it was not the succession alone that retained him but other motiues ioyned with it and mentioned in the same place which now are wanting So likewise h Ep. 165. in his epistle to Generosus he reckoneth vp the Bishops of Rome that had bin till his time not vsing their succession as an argument to proue it the true Church but naming those that had succeeded therein and perseuered in the truth which he then well might do but the Iesuit now cannot in as much as the Popes following declined from the faith of their ancestors Optatus mentioneth the Romane succession as Austin doth reckoning vp a catalogue of the Bishops that had bin in that sea till Siritius time to shew the Donatists that the Church was in other places as well as in Affrick and to admonish them that their Churches wanted succession also and not the true faith onely This is no aduantage to the Iesuites cause For as some hereticks want succession so all that haue it are not proued thereby to be true Catholicks for any thing that Austin or Optatus say That which Cyprian saith receiueth the same answer that I haue giuen to the rest § 54. The which to be conioyned may euidently be proued out of S. Paul himselfe Ephes 4. who saith that our Sauiour Dedit pastores doctores ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerij in edificationem corporis Christi donec occurramus omnes in vnitatem fidei agnitionis filij Dei in virum perfectum in mensuram aetatis plenitudinis Christi c. Signifying that Christ appointed these outward functions of Pastors in the Church to continue for the edification and perfection thereof vntill the worlds end especially for this purpose as is said in the same place vt non simus paruidi fluctuantes non circumferamur omni vento doctrinae that we may not be little ones wauering and caried away with euery wind of doctrine Therefore that this ordinance and intention of our Sauiour might haue the purposed effect he must prouide so to assist and direct these Pastours in teaching the true faith that the people their flocke may alwayes by hearing them be preserued from wauering in the ancient faith and from error of new doctrine the which cannot be vnlesse with succession of the Pastors lawfully succeeding be conioyned true doctrine in such sort that all true Pastors shall neuer vniuersally erre or faile to teach the ancient and Apostolicke doctrine For if they should thus vniuersally erre then all the people who do and ought like sheepe follow the voyce of their Pastors should also generally wauer and erre from true faith and be caried about with the wind of new doctrine contrarie to this purpose of almightie God expressed in this place by S. Paule Yea the whole Church which according to S. Gregorie Nazianzene orat de moderat in disput habend consisteth of sheepe and Pastors should vniuersally erre contrarie to diuerse expresse promises of our Sauiour Christ of which I haue spoken somewhat before Since therefore these promises cannot be false nor the purpose of almightie God faile it followeth that the people hearing their Pastors may also infallibly alway learne and continue in the true Apostolike faith consequently that these ordinary Pastors appointed by almightie God of purpose to instruct and confirme the people in true faith shall neuer at least vniuersally faile to teach the true faith And therefore the succession of this externall function of ordinarie Pastors must needs be conioyned with the succession of one and the same true holy Catholike and Apostolike faith The Answer 1 The Iesuite hauing said immediatly before that with the outward successiō was alway infallibly conioyned the true faith now proceedeth to proue it wherin you may easily conceiue he taketh a hard taske in hand because his owne Bellarmine confesseth the contrary a Not. eccl c. ◠It is not necessarily gathered that there is alway the Church where there is succession and the Greek Church at this day proueth it inuincibly against our aduersaries For they haue the succession as entire as Rome it selfe and yet b Bell. ib. §. Dico secundo argum Can. loc l. 4. c. vlt. the Papists thinke them not the Church of God because among diuerse errors they will not submit themselues to the Popes authoritie The Iesuit therefore hath vndertaken to proue that which the learnedst
secreti regula Pastor erit Roma suis magna suis Brittannia normam Pandit in incertum ne rapiare caue Consilium Medici Pastoris consule vocem Iudicium certum PAGINA SACRA dabit Le. Asshaw ar A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE CONCERNING FAITH BY WHICH IS euidently declared how euery one that hath a desire to please God and a care to saue his soule the which should be the chiefe desire and care of euery Christian man ought to resolue and settle himselfe in all points questions and controuersies of faith The Answer IF the Discourse had performed what the Title promiseth you had bene beholding to the man that bestowed it on you the rather because the coÌ„trouersies of the present time haue changed the sweet Spring of our Church into a stormy Winter But seeing the author thereof vnder colour of directing you in the controuersies goeth about to make another Eue of you by seducing your minde from the simplicitie that is in Christ you haue little cause to thanke him and a Deut. 27.18 he lesse to reioyce in his labour For his reasons whereby he thinketh to declare his matter so euidently all tend to perswade you that the Pope of Rome b Gregorius decimus tertius filiorum ecclesiae pater amantissimus Camp rat 5. apud Posseu bibl l. 7. c. 21. his fast frieÌ„d c Nomine Ecclesiae intelligimus eius caput id est Romanum PontificeÌ„ Gregor de Valent. in Thom. tom 3. pag. 24. Venet. is this verie Rule that must resolue you in these points questions and controuersies of faith An vnreasonable position voyd of all indifferencie when common sense teacheth that he which is a partie cannot be iudge and d Niceph. Gregor hist lib 10. cap. vlt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which it selfe is a thing wauering and inconstant cannot be the Rule to discerne the right by What father e Luc. 11.11 saith Christ if his sonne aske him bread will giue him a stone or if he aske a fish will giue him a serpent yet thus the Iesuite hath dealt with you But f Epicharm the heathen mans counsell is good Be sober and suspicious and g 1. Thes 5.21 the Apostles better Trie all things and sticke to that which is good Neither must you hope to learne truth in the schoole of lies for they that seeke Christ among heretickes shall lose him § 1. First it is to be suppoâ—ed and set downe for a certaine ground that there is but one faith which whosoeuer wanteth cannot possibly please God nor consequently be saued since none are saued which do not please God This is proued out of S. Paule who in one place saith Vna fides Ethes 4 and in another Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Heb 11. The which two places make this sence in English Faith is but one and without faith it is impossible to please God Secondly this one faith without which we cannot please God must be infallible and most certaine because faith is the credite and inward assent of mind which we giue to the word of God the prime and first veritie which neither can deceiue nor be deceiued Fides saith the same S. Paule Rom. 10 ex auditu auditus per verbum Dei The sence of which words be that faith is bred in vs by hearing and yeelding assent to the word of Christ who is of God The Answer 1 Both these conclusions be true and you shall graunt them to be as himselfe calleth them certaine grounds wherein we all agree that there is but one faith wherein we can be saued and this faith must be infallible or certaine that is free from error and such as cannot deceiue vs beleeuing nothing that false is And this later is well proued Because faith is the assent of the mind that we giue to the word of God which word being the first truth neither can deceiue vs nor be deceiued it selfe This confirmation I say will serue meaning by the word of God the holy Scriptures for h Cyrill Hiero. fol. cat 4. the securitie of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the diuine Scriptures i 1. Cor. 4.6 that no man presume aboue that which is written 2 But if by the word of God which cannot deceiue nor be deceiued he meane also the Constitutions of his Church and the Popes Decrees which they call Traditions then his confirmation is naught and we reiect it because the words thereof will be resolued into this sence That our faith or religion to this end that it may be infallible must be grounded partly on Traditions and partly on the Scriptures and the certaintie thereof dependeth no lesse on the former then on the later a point which no wise man will graunt considering that such Traditions are so farre from securing our faith that directly they leade it into a verie sea of errors and vncertainties and being once admitted euery Friers dreame and base custome of the Romish Church shall be thrust vpon you for an article of religion necessarie to eternall life And I dare vndertake the Iesuit in this place by the word of God of Christ meaneth these verie Traditions so farre that put him to it and before he wil forgo them or hazard the least of his Papall Decrees you shall see him k Vide as quaÌ„ti ponderis sit ipsa traditio vt ex ipsa noui testamenti scripta omnia authoritatem acceperint quam qui non admiâ—tunt ab ipsis etiam canonicis scriptis excidat necesse est Traditio est scripturarum fundamentum In eo scripturas excellunt quod illae nisi traditione firmentur non subsistant hae vero etiam sine scriptis suaÌ„ obtineant firmitatem Caes Baron annal tom 1. an 53. nu 11. verie strangely speake of the Scriptures as the l Demades Eras apop man of Athens that thought his countreymen should not by striuing for heauen in the meane time venter to lose the earth Digression 1. Prouing that the Papists grounding the doctrine of faith on Traditions make them equall to the written word 3 For the Trent Councell m Sess 4. decret 1. decreed they should be receiued with the same reuerence and affection wherewith we receiue the Scripture it selfe Canus n Loc. l. 3. c. 3. saith Many things belong to Christian faith which are contained in the Scripture neither openly nor obscurely o Confess Petric c. 92. Hosius saith the greatest part of the Gospell is come to vs by tradition very little of it is committed to writing p De Purgat cap. 11. Peltanus that many verities lye hidden in the Church which if she would reueale we were bound to beleeue with the same faith wherwith we beleeue the things reuealed in the Scriptures q Vaux Canisius English catech c. 1. The Popish Catechismes teach that Faith is a certaine light wherwith whosoeuer is enlightened he firmely agreeth to all such things as
teach him the faith of Christ and this the Apostle saith the Scriptures are able to do By which word Able the other word Profitable must be expounded For the Apostle to manifest their abilitie produceth their profitablenesse which were no good argument if their profitablenesse were not complete Besides it cannot be denyed but all sufficient things are profitable and therefore hence it followeth by the rule of conuersion that therefore some profitable things are sufficient And so may the scripture be sufficient 3 Secondly he answereth They be profitable and sufficient because they commend vnto vs the Churches authoritie which is sufficient But this is a shift For 1. then they are not sâ—fficient in that they coÌ„mend no such authoritie to vs. 2. If this be a good answer theÌ„ so many books of the Bible be superfluous For this one place or b Hold the traditions the fifteenth verse of the second chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians for example were sufficient because according to the Iesuites exposition it commendeth to vs the authoritie of the Church which is able to instruct vs. 3. The text is euident that the profitablenesse thereof standeth in teaching reprouing correcting and instructing now if it stand in this wholly then the Iesuits conceit is excluded if but in part then let him shew what we need more for our saluation then doctrine reproofe correction and instruction 4. There was neuer any Papist in the world that durst alledge this text for the authoritie of the Church and yet granting the Iesuites exposition it should proue it inuincibly 5. The Church it selfe whereunto he saith the Scripture sendeth vs for our sufficient instruction receiueth her doctrine out of the Scriptures The Church saith c Tract 3. in 1. epist Ioh. Austin is our mother her brests are the two testaments of the Scripture whence she giueth her children milke Therfore they containe a sufficient doctrine because the Church giueth her children no other 6. Yea the Apostle saith they are able to make the man of God perfect that is the Pastor himselfe the Pope and Councell and all Now the Iesuite will not say they make these perfect by sending them to the Church because themselues are the Church yea the head and mouth of it 7. Finally it were intollerable folly to say that man teacheth me all good learning that I might be absolute and perfect yea maketh me wise to knowledge which onely as I go sheweth me the schoole where I learne these things yet the speech were as proper as the Apostles in this place supposing the Iesuites exposition to be true 4 The fathers and certaine Papists also the truth constraining them expound the place otherwise and say as we do d Hom. 9. Chrysostome writing on this place saith If any thing be needfull for vs to learne or to be ignorant of there in the Scripture we may haue it and he addeth that in these words Paul telleth Timothy Thou hast the Scriptures to teach thee in steed of me if thou desire to know any thing there thou maist learne it Which he could not haue said if he had not thought Timothy might learne as much out of the Scripture as Paul could teach him e De ration stud theolog lib. 1. cap. 3. Villavincentius a Papist confesseth The Scriptures and they alone are able to teach vs to saluation as the Apostle in the third chapter of his second Epistle to Timothy affirmeth saying all Scripture is inspired of God c. In which words the Apostle comprehendeth all things that are needfull to the saluation of man f Sum part 3. tit 18. c. 3. §. 3. Antoninus the Archbishop of Florence saith God hath spoken but once and that in the holy Scripture so fully to all doubts and cases and to all good workes that he needeth speake no more g Comment in 2. Tim. c. 3 in v. 15.16 Espencaeus writeth That if any thing be needfull either to be knowne or done the Scriptures teach the truth reproue the false reclaime from euill perswade to good Neither yet do they make a man good in some sort but perfect yea they can teach a man to saluation and h Sufficienter doctum reddere make him learned sufficiently § 12. The second conclusion is that no mans naturall wit and learning neither any companie of men neuer so learned onely as they are learned men not infallibly assisted by the holy Spirit can either by interpreting Scripture or otherwise be this infallible rule of Faith and consequently thoâ—e that for matters of faith rely either vpon their owne interpretation of Scripture or vpon the interpretation of other learned not assisted infallibly by the holy Ghost cannot haue an infallible faith This I proue Because all this wit and learning is humane naturall and fallible and therefore cannot be a rule or foundation whereupon to build a diuine supernaturall and infallible faith The third conclusion that no priuate man who perswadeth him selfe to be especially instructed by the Spirit can be this infallible rule of faith at least so farre forth as he teacheth or beleeueth contrarie to the receiued doctrine of the catholike Church this I proue first because S. Paul Gal. 1. saith Si quis vobis euangelizauerit praeter id quod accepistis anathema sit Pronouncing generally that whosoeuer teacheth contrarie to the receiued doctrine of the catholike Church should be held anathematized or accursed Secondly I proue the same because the rule of faith must be infallible plainly knowne and vniuersall as before hath bene proued But this priuate spirit is not such For neither the partie himselfe and much lesse any other can be infallibly sure that he in particular is taught by the holy Ghost For neither is there anie promise in Scripture to assure that he in particular is thus taught by the holy Ghost neither is his particular perswasion be it neuer so seeming strong able to giue infallible assurance thereof since diuerse now adayes perswade theÌ„selues to be thus taught by the Spirit and yet one of them teaching contrary to another and therefore some in these their perswasions must needs be deceiued And therefore who without testimonie of true miracle or some other infallible proofe dare arrogantly affirme that he onely is not deceiued since others that perswade themselues in the same maner that he doth are in this their perswasion sometime deceiued Moreouer suppose one assure himselfe to be taught by Gods Spirit immediatly in all things what is the true faith as it is not the maner of Almightie God to teach men immediatly by himselfe but rather as the Scripture telleth vs Fides ex auditu Rom. 10. and it is to be required ex ore sacerdotis and must be learned of Pastors and Doctors whom God hath put in his Church vt non circumferamur omni vento doctrinae But suppose I say one in priuate thinke himselfe to be immediatly taught of God how should he
Apostles if it reach to the Church so that if that be the sence which the Iesuite setteth downe then all the Apostles had equall priuiledges from error with Peter and particular Churches and men should be as infallible as the whole Church it selfe which I am sure the Iesuite will not grant Thirdly Saint Austine i Tract 96. in Ioh. tom 9. expoundeth the words as I do He shall teach or leade you into all truth this I think cannot be fulfilled in any mans mind in this life for who is he liuing in this bodie so corrupt and loading the soule that can know all truth when the Apostle saith we know but in part But forasmuch as by the holy Ghost it cometh to passe whose earnest we haue receiued that hereafter we may come to the fulnesse it self whereof the same Apostle saith then shall we see him face to face and now I know but in part but then I shall know as I am knowne not that which shall be in this lâ—fe onely but all that which shall befall vs till the perfection come the Lord by the loue of his spirit hath promised saying He shall teach you all truth As for the Iesuites exposition that he may remaine with you for euer not onely for sixe hundred yeares it smelleth either of his malice or ignorance For which of vs euer yet said the holy Ghost departed from the Church after sixe hundred yeares Let the Papists deale sincerely and leaue their coyning 6 The fourth place is Math. 28.19 Go teach all nations Whereto I answer first these words were spoken to the Apostles onely and not to that which the Iesuite calleth the Catholike Church Now I grant their teaching was infallible and all men were bound to heare it for they taught that which afterward they writ in the Scripture yet so they taught and with such commission that k Act 17.11 the people are commended which examined their teaching by the Scriptures Secondly we grant the Pastors of the Church in all ages haue commission to teach likewise but that proueth not all their teaching to be alway infallible because naturall corruption hanging on them they may faile in that which is committed to them Neither is this any inconuenience binding vs sometime to beleeue that which is false for the bond hath a limitatioÌ„ that we heare them so farre as they teach agreeable with the scriptures and no further and by those scriptures we may relieue our selues if they chance to teach falsly 7 The fift place is Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me Which words were spoken to the Apostles all whose teaching and writing was true infallibly and therefore were sufficient warrant to the hearers to accept it But being applied to the Church and ordinary Pastors therein l Ferus lib. 3 in Math. cap. 23. they must be vnderstood with this caution if they hold them to the instructions that Christ giueth them if they come in the name of Christ deliuering his words truly and consonant to the scripture for such are to be heard as Christ himselfe else m 1. Ioh. 4.1 1. Cor. 14.32 we must trie the spirits and iudge of the Prophets This place therefore being to be vnderstood conditionally proueth not that which the Iesuite concludeth absolutely and vniuersally 8 The sixt place is Math. 23.2 The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses chaire all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do Which words I grant must be vnderstood of the Ministers of the Gospel that succeed the Apostles as wel as of the Pharises that sate in Moses chaire therefore I answer three things 1. I mislike it not that he compareth the Priests and Bishops of his Church to the Scribes and Pharises 2. By Moses chaire is meant neither outward succession nor iudiciall authoritie but the profession of Moses law 3. n Si quae cuÌ„que dixerint nobis ea facere iubemur cur alio loco Christus cauere voluit à feâ—mento Pharisaeorum cur rursum eorum traditiones exemplo etiam proprio coÌ„temnere docuit aliquid ergo doctrinae propriae puritati euangelij admiscere possunt in quo non solùm non sunt audiendi sed sunt etiam refutandi Id ergo prae cauit Christus ne plebs malis docentium exemplis ad contemptionem verae doctrinae inducatur Nunc ergo quae dixetint nobis Pharisaei eadem facere iubet Christus cum super Cathediam Mosis federint hoc est legem enarrauerint docucrint proposuerint Can. loc l. 5. c. 4. Our Sauior doth not simply commaund the people to obey the Pharisees in all points of their doctrine or teach them that their locall succession did priuiledge them from error but onely that they should not for their euill life be offended at that which they might at any time teach well because though their life were wicked yet that which they taught out of Moses chaire that is to say according to Moses law must be followed Now this was far from enioyning them in all points to do according to the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharises as I proue by foure reasons first o Iansen concord euang cap. 120. Em. Sa. notat in Math. 23. v. 3. the Popish expositors say this place bindeth vs not to obey them if they teach that which is euill for that is to teach against the chaire Which exposition granteth we are not bound to heare them in all points without limitation as p Ecce sine limitatione aliqua Martin Peres de tradit part 3. pag. 328. a Popish Bishop speaketh with the Iesuite and supposeth they may teach vntruly in some points Secondly if I may refuse them in some points then hence it followeth vnanswerably that there is another rule whereby I may be directed in hearing for else how should a man be able to distinguish those points wherein he must follow his teachers from those wherein he must not Thirdly the Pharisees taught many errors and blasphemies both q Math. 5.20 25.3 23.13 against the law of Moses and r Marc. 14.64 Ioh 7.48 8 13. 9.22.24 19.7.15 against the diuinitie of Christ in which regard our Sauiour bad his disciples Å¿ Mat. 26.6.12 to beware of the leauen of the Pharises which was their doctrine Wherein he had gainsaid himselfe if by Moses chaire he had meant any thing but the prescript of the law or by those words had commaunded vs in all points to do according to the Prelates doctrine for then the Iewes must not haue honored parents nor loued their enemies nor beleeued in Christ because the Pharises taught against these things Lastly t Gloss in Mat. 23.2 Nicol. Gorr ibid. Arias Mâ—ntâ—n elucid ibid. the Papists themselues expounding the place write that to sit in Moses chaire is to teach according to the doctrine and rule of Moses law and to commaund things agreeable thereunto that is to say true doctrine and the same
not to the cleargie but to the people And the reason added why they should trie the spirits maketh it plaine who the parties be that should trie them for many false Prophets are gone out they must trie the spirits that are in danger to be seduced by false Prophets and such are the people and therefore they must examine them as Christ saith a Math. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets by their fruites that is by their doctrine ye shall know them and yet they cannot be knowne by their doctrine vnlesse it be first examined And Saint Basil b Eth. definit 72. pag. 432. Graec. Bas saith It behoueth the hearers which are learned in the Scriptures to examine the things which are spoken by their teachers and receiuing those things which are consonant with the Scriptures to refuse the contrary 2 And whereas the Iesuite auoucheth his conceit by a text of Ephes 4.11 wherein it is said that Christ hath left to his Church Pastors and Doctors that henceforth we be no more children wauering and caried about with euery wind of doctrine the Apostle saith not that our Pastors were giuen vs that henceforth we should no more trie the spirits but for the worke of the ministery for the gathering together of the Saints for the building of the body of Christ all which dutie of theirs is much furthered when the people vnder them trie all things and hold that which is good and by examining their teaching find them to be Doctors of the truth And if Saint Paul had misliked this then the men of Beroea had not bene c Act. 17.11 commended by the spirit of God for examining his doctrine neither would he haue d Heb. 5.14 warned the Hebrewes that through long custome they should haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill And to reply that they discerne it because the Church telleth them what it is is too grosse for they cannot tel whether the Church say true or no till they haue examined what it saith 3 In the second place he answereth that the spirits which must be tried are not the spirits of the Church which are of God but onely such spirits of which we may doubt whether they be of God or no then the which he could haue spoken nothing more vnaduisedly because if it be lawfull to trie such spirits as are suspitious or false then is it also lawfull to proue the true for two contrary spirits be relatiues so that we cannot proue the one to be false but we must needs withal proue the other to be true Againe when we doubt whether the spirit be of God then we are not certaine and if the false spirit be not certainly false then neither is the true spirit certainly true in my vnderstanding till I haue tried it Moreouer there is nothing so true in it selfe but it may be doubtfull to vs till we haue tried it and therefore the purest spirits are not exempt from examination specially considering that it is no iniury to the truth which loueth to be sifted if ye proue it by his word e Ioh. 18.37 that was borne to beare witnesse to the truth and the more ye trie it the clearer it is neither can it be grieuance to the spirit of God who f 1. Thess 5.21 calleth vpon vs to trie all things and hold that which is good and biddeth vs haue our wits exercised to discerne betweene good and euill 4 And his conclusion that when it is certaine the spirit is of God then we must no longer doubtfully examine it but obediently accept it saith very well for g 2. Tim. 3.7 the Apostle rebuketh such as are alway learning and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth but he forgetteth that so it neuer is till we haue tried it and therefore we may first examine it that afterwards we may be certaine and obedient And though it be most certaine that the spirit of the true Church is of God yet hence it followeth not that we must seeke this Church by other markes and not by her teaching for those other markes which the Iesuite meaneth are of God too as well as the teaching is and yet he will allow them to be examined And first to examine and trie and then obediently to beleeue are not contrary but subordinate and the one the way to the other And Christ was of God yet h Ioh 5.39 he bad men search the Scripture for his triall and all we being naturally the heires of vnbeleefe cannot haue this certaintie in our selues till the discourse of Gods word haue created it in vs. And if there were nothing else to leade vs yet the experience which we haue had of the Church of Romes dealing were sufficient to warne vs that we neuer giue ouer Saint Iohns lesson Beleeue not euery spirit but trie them whether they be of God Digression 20. Concerning the proceeding of the Councell of Trent in the determining matters of faith 5 For the Papists i Bone Deuâ— quae gentium varietas qui delectus episcoporum totius orbis qui reguÌ„ rerum publicarum splâ—ndor quae medulla theologorum quae sanctitas quae lacrymae quae iciâ—niâ— qui flores academici quae linguae quanâ—a subtilitas quantus labor quam insinita lectio quantae virtutaÌ„ studiorum diuitâ— t aug â—stuÌ„ illâ—d sacraâ—ium impleueruntâ— Posseuin biblioth pag 4â—2 commend their Trent Councell to the skies perswading themselues this very Church was there whose bare authoritie should leade vs and yet marke what course it tooke in the triall of religion For first none was admitted to haue any voice there but onely such as were fast to the Papacie and not all such neither if they were not pliable enough in euery matter to the Popes mind for some were remoued out of the Councell and sent away because they began to speake something freely and to make sure work there were more Bishops of Italy then of all the world beside who might ouer-rule the rest if need required of which matter k Claud. Espencae in epist ad Tit. c. 1. a Popish Bishop confesseth This is that Helena which of late ruled all at Trident besides l Innocen Gen tillet examen Concil Triden pag. 32. Nota quod holie multi sunt Episcopi sine administratione episcopatuum vt sunt isti qui vulgariter appellantur Nullatenenses Panor de offic ordin c. quoniam there were some that had the titles of Archbishops as Vpsalensis Armachanus which yet had neither church nor Diocesse but were created to fil vp the number m Id pag. 251. and wheÌ„ yet vpon a time the Pope wanted voices to sway the matter he sent a fresh supply of forty Bishops newly made as euery base towne in Italy hath his Bishop And when the Protestant Diuines required audience they could not be admitted vpon any equall termes but n Illyr protest contra Concil Trid Fabric recus
with an eternall night Yet nothing will stay our aduersaries from boasting of their Monks for all this but their holinesse at euery turne must be cast in the Protestants teeth So e Trithem in Bened. Apolog. epist pag 83. they haue a solemne brag that the only order of Bennet hath yeelded them twenty kings and Emperors aboue a hundred great Princes eighteen Popes 200. Cardinals 1600. Archbishops 4000. Bishops 15700. Abbots 15600. canonized Saints such arrogant brags as this haue giuen vs occasion to enquire after the manners of votaries more then else we would haue done And our good hap is that what we say that waye is verbatim the report of their owne writers and the experience of all among vs that liued when Abbeys stood § 43. The second difference is that the doctrine it selfe which the Protestants teach induceth men to libertie consequently to leud life Whereas the doctrine of the Romane Church both expresly forbiddeth all vice and prescribeth lawes and rules contrarie to libertie and loosenesse of life and lastly containeth most soueraigne meanes to incite a man to all perfect vertue and holinesse of life As for example it teacheth that notwithstanding the prescience or predestination of God man hath free will wherewith being aided by Gods grace which is readie for all that with humble deuout and perseuerant prayer will aske for it he may auoid sinne and embrace vertue And it teacheth that Gods commandements be neither impossible nor hard but the yoke of Christ is sweete and his burden with the helpe of his grace light It teacheth that as a man may by grace auoid sinne if he will and easily keepe Gods commandements and by doing good workes liue well so these good workes are pleasant and acceptable vnto God and such for which God will giue to all that do perseuerantly do them exceeding grace euerlasting reward in heauen And contrarie that for neglecting good deeds or which is worse doing sinfull deeds God hath prepared intollerable and endlesse paines in hell It prescribeth men to fast and to pray and to vse other meanes to keepe the flesh subiect to the spirit and the spirit to God It maintaineth confession of sinnes to a Priest as commanded by our Sauiour in the Gospell which both is a great bridle to withdraw men from vice as experience teacheth and a speciall meanes whereby the Pastor of the Church knowing the inward conscience of their flockes may better apply fit remedies to their spirituall diseases and prescribe to euery one fit exercises for their practise and progresse in vertue Finally the profession of this Church is such that euen simple Protestants when they see a Catholicke do any thing amisse will ordinarily say You should not do thus So that these that sinne in this Church cannot anie way ascribe their sinnes to anie defect or peruersitie of the doctrine of the Church but must needes acknowledge them to proceed from their owne frailtie or malice contrarie to the teaching of the Church and sometime euen against their owne conscience actuall knowledge Wherefore notwithstanding that there be some sinfull persons in the Romane Church yet it may be called Holy both because the doctrine and profession thereof leadeth of it selfe to Holinesse and consequently is Holy and also because there be many holy persons or Saints in it of which as of the better and worthie and principall part it may well and is termed Holy as a tree which hauing some branches that haue life though others be dead yet of those as of the better and more respected part is absolutely said to be aliue which if we could not outwardly perceiue to haue any branches aliue we would absolutely affirme to be dead and not aliue The Answer 1 Here you see this Iesuit preferreth the holinesse of his Church before ours because it floweth from their doctrine which ours he saith doth not Wherein I blame his memory that a §. 24. hauing before denied the doctrine to be a marke of the Church and made holinesse the marke in stead thereof yet now he cannot proue his holinesse but by the doctrine For saith he it is according to the doctrine Wherein he forgetteth himselfe much for if he cannot proue his holinesse nor distinguish it from the holinesse of a false Church as he conceiteth ours to be but by the doctrine then the doctrine is better knowne and more apparent and consequently a better mark by b §. 26. his owne rules The like error he committeth in his three others markes vnitie antiquitie and succession or else let vs see how he will shift himselfe 2 Next he forgetteth himselfe againe where he saith the Protestants doctrine induceth men to libertie and lewdnesse For I haue shewed before that our aduersaries confesse we absolutely bind men to a godly life Stapletons c De iustifie pag 334. words are these Euen the Protestant themselues albeit they distinguish sanctification and new obedience from our formall righteousnesse whereby we are iustified that it should be no essentiall part thereof yet they teach that it must certainly and infallibly be present to all Gods children as an inseparable companion of iustifying faith as the proper note of Gods children Let the Iesuite looke vpon this and bridle the libertie of his tongue For can the teaching of sanctification and obedience induce men to liberty and lewdnesse yea when it is required to be present certainly and infallibly to all that will be counted the children of God And whereas notwithstanding they reply that the consequence of our doctrine leadeth men to libertie I demand how can the consequence of this point do it which Stapleton acknowledgeth we teach concerning sanctification for it bindeth thē in all their life to auoid sin vpō paine of condēnation Whence it followeth that neither can the consequence of any other point we teach do it or intend it of it owne nature because the force and reason of this floweth into them all But if any man will peruert that we teach as d Mat. 5.17 our blessed Sauiour and his e Rom. 6.1 15. Apostles teaching was peruerted in the like case and receiue with the left hand what we offer with the right f Apoc. 22.11 Let him that is filthie be more filthie and let such libertines and our peruerse aduersaries go together for Gods truth must not be shaped as the Church of Rome hath shaped it to qualifie such humors It is sufficient that our doctrine in it self and the preaching thereof containe obedience and debarre the contrary which it doth as I haue demonstrated in all the points that this Iesuite excepted against in the fortieth section and yet further will do 3 For it is vntrue that this Iesuite saith The doctrine of his Romane Church is against all vice and that no mans sinnes can be ascribed to it for euen the points which he reckoneth freewill ablenesse to keepe the law the merit of mens works fasting
mot 45. saith The truth is that some there haue bene in many ages in some points of the Protestants opinion in so much that scarce any peece or article there is of our whole faith but by one or other first or last it hath bene called in question and that with such liking for the time that they haue all in a manner drawne after them great heards of followers I know Bristo meaneth they were hereticks that in all ages did this but that can he neuer proue yet in the meane time belike he saw some that were of the Protestants faith before of late The second is Reynerius that liued three hundred yeares ago who discoursing of the Waldenses a people for substance of the Protestants religion e Refert Illyric catal tom 2. p. 543. saith They are in all the cities of Lombardy and Prouince and other countries and kingdomes They haue many followers and dispute publickely we haue numbred fortie Churches of theirs and ten schooles in Parish No sect hath continued so long some say it hath bene since the time of Syluester some since the Apostles and there is almost no country wherein it spreadeth not They haue great shew of pietie liuing vprightly before men and beleeuing all things aright concerning God and all the articles in the Creed onely they hate and blaspheme the Church of Rome c. In this testimonie of Reynerius you may see our Church was Catholicke both in place and persons and time and doctrine and that the Church of Rome was resisted and the religion thereof refused afore Luther The true cause why it was not so frequent and publicke as now it is either in place or persons was the persecution of the Pope and the generall corruption of the Papacie which as a leprosie infected and as a mist obscured welnigh all places and persons that sometimes not the true beleeuers themselues such I meane as are come to our knowledge were void of error in euery point though they firmly held the foundatiō as these Waldenses did And if it pleased God in processe of time to giue more libertie to the persons and more puritie to the doctrine what iust occasion is this to say we are not all one Church when the true faith of Christ is not alwayes alike visibly and purely professed Minutius Felix f Octau pa. 401. saith Why are we vnthankfull and why enuie we if the truth of God hath grown ripe in our age let vs enioy our good and let superstition be bridled and wickednes expiated and true religion maintained 2 The next point that our Church is but in few places of Christendome is both false and impertinent First impertinent for if it were so yet were it no hindrance to the note of vniuersalitie For Gods Church vnder the law was shut vp within the narrow bounds of Iudaea and g Digr 17. nu 31 the Papists say theirs in the dayes of their supposed Antichrist shall be openly seene but in few places and h Dried dogm eccl l. 4. c. 2 par 2. Bellar. not eccl c. 7. confesse it is not required to the vniuersalitie of the Church that of necessitie there be at all times in euery countrey some beleeuers it sufficeth if there be successiuely Whence it followeth that if only one prouince did retaine the true faith yet should it truly and properly be called the Catholicke Church as long as it might be shewed that it were the same which it was at other times in other places of the world the which we can shew of our Church how small soeuer the compasse thereof may fall out to be at some time Next it is false for there is no place in Christendome but there are some of our religion therein as not onely experience but our aduersaries owne reports beare witnesse wherein they i Boz sign eccl l. 19. c. 1. Bell. de Rom. Pont. praefat li. 3. c. 21. item de verb. Dei praefat habit in Gymn Rom. complaine how our heresie so heretickes style it possesseth many and large prouinces England Scotland Denmark Norwey Sweden Germanie Pole Boheme Hungary Prussia Lituania Liuonia whereto they may adde France and the Low countries yea Italy and Spaine it selfe where the barbarous Inquisition dayly findeth the profession of our religion euen at their doores 3 The third point that our Church is not Catholick in doctrine neither is as ill proued as the former For negatiue doctrine so farre as it is euil standeth not in denying some points which the fathers held but in denying that which they held according to the Scriptures and which they taught and maintained to be certain and necessary matter of faith deliuered in the Scriptures wherein neither we nor the Centuries euer refused them Neither haue we denied any one point which they held in all ages for the truth as our aduersaries haue For though the Centuries reiect this and that which the Father 's held yet they deny neither this nor that which was holden for the truth in all ages as appeareth by their historie wherein they shew the succession of our faith in all ages and note how it was many times corrupted and mistaken euen by some of the ancient Fathers which is all for substance that the Magdeburgenses can be charged with wherein they haue neither denied the doctrine of the Catholicke Church nor offered the Fathers any wrong to say they had some errors as all men haue and themselues confesse which gaue occasion to others to erre likewise which errors the Centuries sometimes more then was cause noting they did not thereby notwithstanding accuse the whole Church of error because euery thing was not the Churches doctrine that some particular men therein held and what they noted of some particular Fathers must not be stretched to be meant against them all as their censuring somtimes ouermuch of many together for some things written against the truth must not be expounded to be the deniall of all they held beside for if it be and the Centuries be thus censured let this Iesuite say directly without shrinking why doth k Cathar tract de concep virg Suar. to 2. disp 3 sect 6. the Church of Rome hold the virgin Marie was conceiued without sinne l Capreol 3. d. 3. Ban. par 1. p. 75. Paul Cortes in sent which all the Fathers with one consent deny Let them looke my demaund in the face that thinke it heresie to deny the Fathers yea all the fathers consenting in one Digression 47. Of the authoritie of the ancient Fathers in matters of our faith and religion Wherein it is shewed what we ascribe to them and how farre forth we depend vpon them And the practise of our aduersaries in contemning eluding and refusing both them and their owne writers is plainly discouered 4 But this is a point that must be further looked into and not suffered to passe away thus Our aduersaries neuer make an end of boasting of the Fathers and by
the Apostles time increased by the heresie and ignorance and superstition of some that dayly corrupted e Euseb hist l. 3. c. 32. l. 4. c. 22. Niceph. l. 4. c. 7. the truth For the stories remember vs of a saying of Hegesippus that the Church continued a virgin vndefiled as long as the Apostles liued but when that generation was passed the conspiracie of wicked heresie through the seducement of those which taught other doctrine tooke beginning But hereof f Act. 20.28 Phil. 3.18 the Apostles gaue warning euen with teares and g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil ep 70. the ancient Fathers complained that we may see the Papacie to haue bene resisted when it was yet in the Cockatrice egge 21 After 600. yeares were expired that the seuerall points of the true faith began one after another to be more grosly corrupted and changed by the Church of Rome in the first fiftie I name h Alphons v. imago Serenus the bishop of Marsils in France who brake the Images that began to be set vp in his Diocesse And Gregory the Bishop of Rome i L. 4. ep 32.34.38.39 resisting the supremacie and k Plat. Bonif. 3. the whole Greeke Church complaining when Phocas had first conferred it on Boniface 22 After 650. to 700 I name the sixt generall Councell l Sext. Syn. Can. 13. decreeing the mariage of Priests against the Church of Rome labouring to restraine it m Carranz in Can. 82. and forbidding to make the holy Ghost in the likenesse of a Doue n Concil Bracar 3. c. 1. The Councell holden in Portugall where the cup is appointed to be ministred to the people in the Sacrament against the practise of some that vsed to dip the bread and so giue it which was one beginning of the halfe Communion 23 After 700. to 750 I name o Synod c. 138. Zon. tom 3. pag. 84. the generall Councell of Constantinople vnder Leo Isaurus against Images p Illyric catal test tom 1. pag. 633. and Clemens Scotus and Adelbartus who preached against the supremacie traditions images in the defence of Priests mariage also against Purgatory and Masses for the dead and were therfore persecuted by Zachary the Pope which is the reason why in some histories they are so hardly censured 24 After 750. to 800 I name q Zon. tom 3. pag. 88. Synod c. 141. the Councell of Constantinople vnder Constantinus Copronymus and r Rhegino chro l. 2. of Franckford vnder Charles the great against images and the booke yet extant that he caused to be made against the second Nicene Councell with another set forth by Ludouicus his sonne to the same effect both which are to be seene at this day 25 After 800. to 850 I name Ioannes Scotus a great learned man Å¿ Danae resp de Euchar. l. 1. c. 1. who resisting the reall presence which in that time some priuate men began to set on foote was therefore murdered The same time Bertram also writ against it whose booke is extant Trâ—heinius t Catal. script saith of him that he was a man very skilfull in the Scriptures exceedingly learned and of a holy life u Ionas Aurel. de cult imag Claudius the Bishop of Towers in France resisted Images worship of Saints and pilgrimage x Anast vit Pont. in Serg. 2. Lotharius the Emperour reduced the Pope to the obedience of the Empire for which cause he sent three Archbishops twentie Bishops and diuers noble men to Rome who disputed against him and confuted him 26 After 850. to 900 I name Volutianus a Bishop that wrote to Nicolas the first in the defence of Priests mariage y Ep. Nicol ad Michael Michael the Emperour and Phorius the Patriarke of Constantinople resisting the Popes supremacie z Anast in Nicol 1. as also did the Bishop of Rauenna 27 After 900. to 950 and so forward such abuses were noted in the Church of Rome that a Fascic temp pag. 68. an ancient historie mentioning the same complaineth Alas alas Lord God how is gold obscured and the colour changed What offences do we reade to haue happened about these times euen in the holy Apostolicke seate which hitherto with such zeale thou preseruedst What contentions emulations sects enuies ambitions intrusions persecutions O the worst time that euer was wherein the holy failed and truths are diminished from the sonnes of men To the same effect b An. 912. nu 8. writeth Baronius What was then the face of the holy Romane Church how filthy was it when potent and withall base whores bare all the sway at Rome at whose lust seas were changed Bishops were bestowed and that which is horrible to heare and not to be vttered their louers were thrust into Saint Peters chaire In such times as these were the Reader may easily thinke there was matter enough in the Romane Church that deserued resistance As c Osbern vit S. Odonis quem refert Fox in Martyrol pag. 1039. certaine of the English Clergie maintained the Sacrament to be onely a figure of the bodie and bloud of Christ against the reall presence then increasing 28 After 950. to 1000 we haue d Sigon Reg. Ital. l. 7. an 963. Otho the great that deposed Iohn the Pope and assumed into his hands the nominating and making of Popes hereafter which was a manifest resistance made against the growth of the Primacie e Homil. Saxon Aelfr Aelfricus the Archbishop of Canterbury that preached and published his homilies against the reall presence coming in And I name f Refert Baron an 992. nu 22. Arnulphus who in a Synode holden at Rhemes noted the Pope to be Antichrist O Rome saith he to be lamented which to our ancestors yeeldedst shining lights of Fathers in our time sendest monstrous darknes which in the age to come shall be infamous What ô ye reuerend fathers what I say thinke ye him to be which sitteth thus in a loftie throne in purple robes and glittering gold Certainly if he be voide of charitie lifted and puffed vp onely with knowledge he is Antichrist sitting in the temple of God and shewing himselfe as if he were God but if he want both charitie and knowledge then is he an idol and to seeke to him for answer is to enquire of the marble stones 29 After 1000. to 1050 I name Rodulfus Ardeus preaching against g Homil. Dominic in Sept. 18. Dominic post Trin. ho. 1. merits and h 18. Dom Trin. hom 2. abilitie to keepe the law i His l. 2. c. 4. queÌ„ refert Baron Glaber Rodulphus that wrote how the Bishop of Rome should haue nothing to do in another mans Diocesse the which he also saith was the opinion of all the Prelates in France k Baron an 100 4. nu 5. Leuthericus an Archbishop in France denying the reall presence 30 After 1050. to 1100 I name l D.
Paule in the foresaid place that those that come to it must not take the honor to themselues but must be called vnto it as Aaron was to wit visibly and by peculiar consecration and must come to it in this ordinarie maner which our Sauiour termed to enter in by the doore Ioh. 10. to wit by Christ who visibly sent his Apostles saying Euntes docete omnes gentes baptizantes eos c. Matth. vlt. and Ioh. 20. vsing a peculiar ceremonie Qui sufflauit in eos he breathed vpon them saying Accipite Spiritum sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis quorum retinueritis retenta sunt and are not forgiuen them By which words visibly was giuen to the Apostles both power to absolue from sinnes and a vertuall commandement to the people to make confession to them of all their mortall sinne since without this confession they could not tell what to remit and when to retaine sinnes The which Apostles being thus visibly by our Sauiour called consecrated and sent did visibly by imposition of hands ordeine others their successors and these others from time to time without interruption vntill this present men who now are Priests and Pastors in the Catholicke Romane Church These therefore I say enter in by Christ the doore and therefore are true Pastors and whosoeuer entreth in anie other way our Sauiour in the same place hath told vs how to account of them where he saith Qui non intrat per ostium in ouile ouium sed ascendit aliunde fur est latro who cometh not to feed the sheepe but to steale kil and destroy them So that we haue not to expect any to be sent of God to teach and instruct vs in faith but such as come in this ordinary maner as it is certain Luther and Caluin did not come The Answer 1 In this place the Iesuite to shew we haue not the Church excepteth against our Pastors and particularly against Luther and Caluin as if they had no lawfull calling to preach as they did And indeed it is a certaine truth that all true Pastors in the Church of God taking vpon them to instruct his people must haue a calling thereunto and be sent of God as the texts alledged do well proue Heb. 5.4 2. Chron. 26.18 Mat. 28.19 Ioh. 10.1 and 20.22 And if anie man leape out of the Church forsaking that company wherein lawful succession vndoubtedly is and with the succession lawfull sending froÌ„ God he must be reputed a hireling that cometh to destroy For this is the touchstone whereby true teachers are discerned and the contrarie discouered And by this we know the Pastors of our Church against whom the Iesuite excepteth to be legitimate For the God of heauen sent them and when they came they leaped not out of the Church otherwise then the wheate doth out of the chaffe when it is winnowed neither did they teach anie thing that was new or contrarie to the Church but continued and reformed the ancient doctrine which the Papacie in the Church had corrupted And let the reader remember which I haue often answered in this booke that the Popish religion and abuses of all sorts in processe of time grew as a leprosie vpon the Church and as I may say incorporated themselues therewith by reason whereof things good euill were mingled together Gods word with mans traditions the true Sacraments with mans errors and the externall calling of Ministers with foule corruptions in which case Luther and our teachers renouncing the said errors traditions and corruptions and retaining the rest cannot be said to haue gone out of the Church but to remaine perfectly in it still because that which they left was not vniuocally of the church but only in conceit was reputed so In the Church of Rome knowne by that name and in no other in these Westerne parts were the true Scriptures Sacraments Callings and Successions euery part of true faith and necessarie doctrine but these things were not the Papacie against which we go the Papacie was and is that which ouer and besides was by degrees added to them And therefore our Pastors leapt not out of the Church which alwayes goeth with the truth but out of the Papacie and preaching by vertue of that externall mission which they receiued in the Papacie they had the vndoubted commission of Christ whereto they had right And euen as when a faire poole of water becometh in time corrupted weedes grow the mudde increaseth and frogs creepe into it the owner thereof cutteth a channell and leauing the corruption drawes the water to another place and so occupieth it without danger and the frogs remaining must not complaine the water is theirs because the pit wherein they remaine is it that first ingendred it no more may the Papacy accuse vs for going out of the church of Rome as long as we left nothing behind vs but the frogs and weedes and that which was the ancient water before they came we are whose growing vpon vs was the cause that we separated although they succeeded in the Church as the weeds and frogs did in the poole 2 The Iesuite obiecteth that God hath planted a Church to endure in all ages wherein he will haue a visible succession of teachers preserued from failing in the true faith therefore none are sent of God but such as come in this ordinarie maner called and succeeding visibly and with peculiar consecration which Christ termeth entring in by the doore The Antecedent whereof is false For though Gods ordinance be that he haue a Church and teachers therein in all ages succeeding one another and standing in the truth yet he hath made no law that this succession shall be visible or with peculiar consecration as the Iesuite meaneth them For by visible he vnderstandeth conspicuous at al times to all the world which is a foolish assertioÌ„ a § 17. And so forward to the 24. confuted in it owne place where he disputed it It is sufficient that the succession of the Pastors in the Church be visible to the children of the Church And by peculiar consecration b Dom. Bann he meaneth the Popish ceremonie of Orders which is a priuate inuention of the later times and the proper corruption that grew to the outward ordination and calling of Ministers which God appointed Let these false definitioâ—s be remoued and the succession and calling and consecration be expounded as God meant them when he said they should alway be in the Church and our Pastors haue them as I haue answered c §. 52. n. 5. §. 53. and so forward before Yea our verie aduersaries denie not but a man may be a lawfull Minister though a Bishop neuer consecrated him and whereas the common opinion in the Church of Rome is that a Bishop differeth not from a Priest in order but in iurisdiction onely hence it followeth vnauoidably that iure diuino a simple priest in some cases may ordaine because