all Antiquitie from the Text it selfe if there bee brought no peruerse or preiudicate opinion against it to conclude whether thou wilt or no thou shalt beleeue it from the Popes owne Sentence and determination To this Church then lyeth an appeale from Scriptures from Councels from the Essentiall Church and for that cause Cardinall Bellarmine proclaimes it as the Popes Champion Bellar. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 17. Nos defendimus Wee maintaine that the Pope is simply and absolutely aboue the vniuersall Church and aboue Generall Councells and as great men sometimes loue to bee soothed vp in their greatnesse and are led with opinion of their Parasites to beleeue that for a trueth which is but a suggestion of falsehood so it came to passe touching the Popes power in these latter dayes they did so much atatribute to his Authoritie and Infallibilitie deriued from Peter that Cardinall Zabarella rightly obserued and ingenuously confessed They haue made the Popes beleeue Persuaserunt Pontificibus quod omnia possunt sic qd facerent quicquid liberet etiam illicitet sint plusquaÌ„ Deus Zabarella that they might doe all things whatsoeuer they listed yea notwithstanding they were things vnlawfull and thus saith he they haue made him more then God Bishop Begnius in the last Councell of Lateran speaking to Pope Leo cryes out in admiration of his Holinesse Ecce venit Leo Behold heere commeth a Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda the Root of Dauid Te Leo beatissime saluatoreÌ„ expectauimus apprehende scutum c Concil Later 5. Sess 6. in orat Begn ad Leon. 10. behold hee hath raised vp a Sauiour which shall deliuer the people of God from the hand of the destroyer Thou art hee O most blessed Leo whom we haue expected as a Sauiour take vp thy sword and buckler and arise in our defence And thus by degrees first Vox populi the common people by admiring his greatnesse then Bishops Cardinals by their flattering suggestions haue at last ascribed infallibilitie of Iudgement to his Authoritie which I am verily perswaded neuer Pope did beleeue in himselfe and hereby they haue aduanced him aboue Fathers aboue CouÌ„cels aboue the Church and now at last made him the whole Church in so much that some of his own side are not ashamed to professe Beard Mot. 6. vide in Iewel p. 49. that the Pope may dispense against the Apostles yea against the new Testament vpon good cause and also against all the precepts of the Old Syluester Prierias Master of the Popes palace goeth further hee giues vs to vnderstand that the authoritie of the Roman Church QuicuÌ„que noÌ„ innititur doctrinae Romanae ecclesiae ac Romani Pontificis tanquaÌ„ Regulae Dei infallibili à quâ etiam sacra Scriptura robur trahit et authoritatem hereticê° est Sylu. Prier contra Luther and of the Bishop of Rome is greater then the authoritie of Gods Word and therupon he concludes Whosoeuer leaneth not to the doctrine of the Roman Church and of the Bishop of Rome as vnto the infallible Rule of God of which Doctrine the holy Scripture taketh force and authoritie he is an heretike And for a further confirmation of this beliefe Gretzerus the Iesuite makes this conclusion Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus qd nobis Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri c. Def c. 1. l. 1. de Verbo Dei p. 16. Wee doe receiue and reuerence that onely for the Word of God which the Pope as supreame Master of the Christians and Iudge of all controversies doth determine in the Chaire of Peter Now if it happen that some Proselyte of a tender conscience should make some scruple whether the Pope ought to be heard and obeyed when hee is a murderer a Sorcerer and a wilfull subuerter of the truth as some Popes haue been Hosius their Doctour wisheth them not to trouble theÌ„selues with such idle curiosities Iudas ne sit an Petrus au Paulus Deus atteÌ„di non vult sed soluÌ„ hoc qd sedet in Cathedrâ Petri de cuius ore legem requirere iussus est Hoc soluÌ„ spectari vult Hos in Confess Petricouien ca. 29. God will neuer haue thee consider saith he whether the Pope bee a Iudas or a Peter or a Paul it is sufficient onely that he sitteth in Peters chaire that hee is an Apostle that he is Christs Ambassadour that he is the Angell of the Lord of Hostes from whose mouth thou art commanded to require the Law This thing onely Christ would haue thee to consider Againe admit a Councel a whole congregation of men should make a doubt whether the Pope may erre and by reason of that scruple would not readily obey him Cardinall Bellarmine by way of preuention Si autem Papa erraret praecipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona et virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiaÌ„ peccare Bell de Pont. li. 4. c. 5. giues them this lesson If the Pope should so farre foorth erre as to command vices and forbid vertues the Church were bound to beleeue that vices are good and vertues are euill vnlesse shee will sinne against her owne conscience Heere is an implicite faith commanded let the Popes doctrine bee true or false if the Romanists will resigne vp their senses and vnderstanding to this Vertuall Church which is the Pope they shall haue a Priest Cardinall for their Tutors but by their leaue they may make shipwracke of their faith by being their Disciples I proceed from an implicite faith to a blinâ— obedience and therein I will giue you a remarkeable example from another Schooleman who aboue all things doeth honour and commend a blinde obedience to the Church that is to the Pope Gregorie de Valentia tells vs of an Italian Merchant of Placentia who reasoned and resolued with himselfe in this manner I hold it is better to professe the Romane Religion Laurent disceptatio Theolog. pag. 5. then the Lutheran First because I can briefly learne the Roman faith for if I say what the Pope sayes and deny what the Pope denies and if he speake and I hearken vnto him this alone is sufficient for mee but if I should bee a Lutheran I must learne a Catechisme I must search the Scriptures which in trueth I cannot intend when I must look after the Ships of Italy and my Merchandise beyond the Seas You haue heard the reason why this Layman did dislike the Protestants Religion and what was the rule of his Roman faith now heare what iudgement this learned Schooleman giues concerning this Merchant DeuÌ„ nihil habiturum God saieth he will haue nothing to lay to the charge of this man at the dreadfull day of Iudgement To say nothing of this presumption I pray God that Pagans Infidels who knew not Christ arise not vp in Iudgment against them that teach such doctrine for whereas
sacras literas interpretari possint Alphonsus aduers Haeres lib. 1. cap. 4. whether one maâ— may bee a Pope and an heretike both together for I beleeue there is none so shameles a flatterer of the Pope that will graunt him that prerogatiue that hee can neuer erre nor bee deceiued in expouÌ„ding the scripture seeing it is well knowne that diuers Popes haue beene so palpably vnlearned that they haue beene vtterly ignorant of their Grammar and therefore how can they be able to expound the Scriptures 8. Lyra. Exhoc patet quod Ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis Ecclesiasticae vel saecularis quia multi Principes et suÌ„mi Pontifices inuenti sunt Apostataffe à Fide Lyra in Math. 6. Hereby it appeareth that the Church standeth not vpon men in consideration of their power or dignitie Ecclesiasticall or Temporall for many Princes and Popes haue prooued Apostata's and strayed from the Faith 9. Arboreus The Pope may erre in Fai h and he seemeth to me to bee in a foule errour that thinketh otherwise surely they doe but flatter the Bishop of Rome Papa infideÌ„ errare potest et tota mihi aberrare videtur qui alitèr sentit assentatur fanè Romano Pontifici qui faciunt eum immunem à lapsu hareseot schismatis Thesoph lib 4. cap. 32. that make him free from falling into Schisme or heresie Neque aliquem sua dignitas ab increpationibus tutuÌ„ reddit quae Petrum noÌ„ reddidit multosque alios eodem praditos gradu vt MarcelluÌ„ qd Diis libâ—sset vt Calestinum qd cuÌ„ Nestorio haretico sentiâ—et De Donat ConstaÌ„tini Persona quaelibet singularis de Ecclesia cuiusâ—unque dignitatis etiamsi Papalis circundata est infirmitate et deuiabilis est vt fallere possit falli Gerson de examinat doctr Consid 1. 10. Laurentius Valla No mans dignitie doth defend him from controulment for Peter was not so defended nor many others that were aduanced to that degree as Pope Marcellinus in that he offered sacrifices vnto Idols and Pope Caelestinus in that he agreed with the heretike Nestorius 11. Gerson Euery one of what degree soeuer in the Church although hee bee Pope himselfe is compassed with infirmities and subiect vnto errour and is in possibilitie of deceiuing and being deceiued 12. Erasmus Siverum est qd quidam asseuerant Romanum Pontificem errore iudicali noÌ„ posse vnquam errare quid opus generalibus Conciliis quid opus in ConciliuÌ„ accersere Iuris consultes ac theologos eruditos si pronuÌ„tian labi noÌ„ possit cur datê° est apellationi locus vet ad Synodum vel ad eundeÌ„ rectiê° edoctum postea quaÌ„ semel de causa proâ—uÌ„tiauit PontificeÌ„ quorsum attinet Academiaâ— in tractandis fidei quaestionibus distorquere cum ex vno Pontifice quod veruÌ„ est â—â—diro liceat Imò qui fit vt Pontificis huius decreta â—um illius pugnaÌ„ Decretis Eras Annot in 1 Cor. 7. If it bee true which some said that the Bishop of Rome can neuer erre Iudically what need Generall Councells why are men skilfull in the Lawes and learned in Diuinitie sent for to Councells If hee pronouncing cannot erre wherfore lyeth there any Appeale from the Pope to a Councell or to the Pope himselfe being better informed To what purposes are so many Vniuersities troubled with handling questions of Faith when truth may be had from his mouth Nay how commeth it to passe that one Popes Decrees are found contrary to an other The learned Romanists are all vowed seruants to the Pope but they giue not vp their verdict concerning the Popes Infallibilitie by reason they agree not in certaine amongst themselues and the reason as I conceiue of this their disagreement is the want of good euidence and pregnant testimonies giuen to the Inquest in the Popes behalfe for it is obserued by a Reuerend D. Feilds Append. to the 3. Book c. 26 p. 340. Diuine That the Infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement was so farre from being a thing resolued of in the Church of God before our time that Stapleton confesseth of these times It is yet no matter of Faith but of opinion onely because so many famous renowned diuines haue euer holden the contrary as Gerson Almaine Occam almost all the Parisians all they that thought the Councell to be aboue the Pope Adrianus Sextus Durandus Alphonsus à Castro and many moe And it was likewise published declared within these two hundred yeres by their owne generall and graund Councell of Basil Vniuersalis Ecclesia sape obedientiam Romanis Pontificibê° subtraxit Marcellino Anastatio Liberio Iohanni 12. Benedicto 9. Benedicto 13. Iohanni 23 Certum est PapaÌ„errare posse sape experti sumus et legimus Papam errasse Epi. Synod CoÌ„cil Basil that the vniuersall Church did oftentimes withdraw her obedience from the Romane Bishops as namely from Marcellinus Anastasius Liberius Iohn the twelfth Benedict the ninth Benedict the thirteenth and Iohn the 23 and there the reason is giuen because it is certaine the Pope may erre and this say they wee haue read and seene by experience These things being aduisedly heard and considered I haue again consulted with the Foreman of the Inquest who would haue it piously to bee beleeued that the Pope cannot erre what should become of those that yeelde obedience to the Pope when he may erre and teach false doctrine or how shall a troubled mind learne the Law from his mouth when he neuer preacheth To this the Cardinall replies Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 5. It is not materiall whether you heare the Pope or no when as there are Teachers in your owne Parish who may informe you And thus from the Essentiall Church to the Councell from the Councell to the Consistorie of Cardinalls from the Consistorie to the Pope from the Pope wee are sent at last to the Bishop or Priest of the Parish this is Via Dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way and this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way SECT XXII The Church vpon which the learned Romanists ground their Faith is no other then the Pope and the Church vpon which the vnlearned Romanists do relie is no other then their Parish Priest TOllet the Iesuite obseruing that difference of opinions might breed some distraction in the Church and scruples in the minds of the ignorant resolues with what safetie the Romish Proselytes may relie vpon their Priests doctrine Si rusticus circa articulos credat suo Episcopo propoueÌ„ti aliquod dogma haereticuÌ„ meretur in credendo licet sit error quia tenetur credere donec ei constet esse contra Ecclesiam Toll de Instruct Sacerd lib. 4. cap 3. If one beleeue saith hee his Bishop or Prelate preach contrarie to the Faith thinking that it is so beleeued by the Church such a one shall not onely not sinne but also in beleeuing that falshood shall
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
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
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
Lind. lib. 2. Strom. c. 2. c. they are dead characters a killing letter without life a matter of contention a wood of theeues a shop of heretiques imperfect doubtfull fall of perplexities not to be permitted to the common people Laicis lectioneÌ„ scripturarum permittere esset sanctuÌ„ dare canibus Margaritas antè porcos proiicere Hos de express verbo Dei for this were all one saith Hosius as to giue that which is holy vnto dogges and cast pearles before swine Nay more Cardinall Bellarmine assures vs that the people will not onely reape no benefit but detriment by reading them for they would easily take occasion to erre both in manners and doctrine Populus non solum non caperet fructum ex Scripturis sed etiaÌ„ caperet detrimentum Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 2 cap. 15. Bell. ibid. And for confirmation of his assertion among other proofes he giues this instance If an ignorant lay-man should reade of the adultery of Dauid of the incest of Thamar of the lyes of Iudith and many such like things conteined in the Scriptures either it would cause him to imitate their examples or hee would thinke them to bee lying inuentions or being not able to resolue them would be in danger to beleeue nothing at all These the like examples which in trueth concerne the liues and manners of men not the doctrine are registred by the will and mercie of that good God to preuent despaire in others who may vnhappily fall into the like sinnes and yet that no man might presume to commit the like sinnes by their examples hee who reades of the adultery of Dauid shall read likewise of the punishment allotted to his sinnes and hee that reads the particular examples of Thamar and Iudith shall finde such seuere and fearefull iudgements in generall denounced against those sins that he shal haue little cause or comfort to follow their examples in such particulars but from hence rather we may obserue the sinceritie of the Pen-men of the holy Ghost who impartially set downe the vices of the best men and greatest Patriarkes as well as their vertues and by this declaration of the sinnes of the regenerate and best seruants of Christ wee are taught to humble our selues and to flie to our Sauiour for mercie and grace that euery tongue may confesse to thee O God Thou onely art holy And certainely from hence I meane from these the like examples Saint Austen Saint Hierom and the ancient Fathers confuted the Pelagian Heretikes who with Bellarmine and his associates maintained the perfection of righteousnesse in this life But admit these and many such like places were hard to be vnderstood in Scriptures Est fluuius planê° et altus in quo agnus ambulet et elephas natet Greg. ad Leand. praef Ioh. cap. 4. yet there is milke for babes as well as stronger meate for stronger men there is depth saith Gregorie for the Elephant to swimme and shallow fords for the lambe to wade in Hee that gaue a heart and wisedome to the Apostles to preach that heauenly word opened the heart of Lydia a poore ignorant woman to vnderstand it and for that purpose saith Chrysostome the Spirit of God hath so ordered and disposed the Scriptures Chrys in Conc. 3. de Lazaro that Publicanes and Fishers and Tent-makers and Shepheards Apostles and vnlearned men should be saued by those bookes and to that ende no ignorant man should pretend obscuritie for his excuse it is ordained that the labourer and seruant the widow woman and the most vnlearned man by hearing them should reape some benefit Nay more saith he to whom are the Scriptures obscure who is there that heareth the words Blessed are the meek Blessed are the merciful Blessed are the pure in heart and the like that shall need an Expositor Besides the words the Miracles the Histories they are knowne and euident to all and lastly he concludes that the difficultie and obscuritie of the Scriptures which the Romanists pretend at this day Is but a vaile and pretext to cloake idlenesse Praetextê° est et causatio pigritiaeque velamentuÌ„ Chrysost Nos libeÌ„â—èr fâ—emur tuÌ„c teÌ„poris Laicos in Scripturarum lectione fuisse versatos Azor. Tom. 1. Moral li. 8 cap 26 Ita prouidit dulcis paternemineÌ„ esse tam rudeÌ„ et imperitum quin si humilitèr legat multa illie vtilia veraque intelligat neminem tam doctuÌ„ quin illic multo plura ignoret quaÌ„ sciat Aâ— of l. 2 de Christo Reuel c. â— This doctrine was so frequent generall among the Ancients in the Primitiue church that Azorius the Iesuite is inforced to confesse We willingly grant that in those dayes the lay people were conuersant in the reading of the Scriptures And if we looke vpon the lay persons of their times Acosta his fellow Iesuite ingenuously professeth that Our gracious God hath so prouided in holy Writ that there is none so rude and ignorant but by reading the Scriptures in humility may vnderstand many things both profitable and true as likewise there is none so learned but hee may still bee ignorant of more then he knowes nay more saith hee I haue seene some men vtterly vnlearned Vidi viros prorsus illiteratos c. Idem cap. 5. and scarce knowing Latin haue gathered out of the Scriptures such profound knowledge that I haue wondred at them But the spirituall man iudgeth all things Heere is a free confession and a faire euidence from two learned Iesuites the one testifieth that the scriptures were vsually read by the Lay people in the Primitiue Church the other witnesseth of his owne knowledge that an ignorant man hath receiued great benefit and likewise that great profite may redound to the people by reading them in these daies But put the case a Lay man should not vnderstand those things which are contained in the Scriptures notwithstanding ex ipsà Lectione out of the very reading of them there will arise great holinesse and sanctitie of life Admit many things are hard to bee vnderstood in the Scriptures which neuer any Protestant denyed yet saith Hierome Hiero. in Epist ad Paulinum there is the Booke of Genesis most plaine for euery mans vnderstanding therein you may see the creation of the World the beginning of Mankind the confusion of Languages plainely described and as touching the booke of Iob there you may learne a patterne for Patience and there you may see the Resurrection plainly deciphered Magna vtilitatis est ipsa obscuritas eloquioruÌ„ Dei quia exereet sensum vt fatigatione ditatetur c. Greg. lib. 1. Hom. 6. in Ezek. nay more The obscuritie of the Scripture is very profitable saith Gregory for it doth exercise the senses whereby one may vnderstand that which otherwise hee would be ignorant of for if the sacred Scriptures were easie and familiar in all places they would be neglected which obscure places by study and industry being
locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidia detergeret Nihil enim fere de illis obscuritatibus eruitur qdâ—â—on planissimè dictuÌ„ alibi reperitur Aug. de doct Chris lib. 2. â—a 6. for saith hee In this great plentie of Scriptures wee are fed with plaine things and exercised with obscure those driue away hunger these contempt the holy Ghost hauing tempred them so of purpose and then he concludeth with the Tenet of our church There is scarce any thing drawn out of these obscure places which hath not been spoken quod non planissimè most plainely some other where Neither was this the opinion of this learned Father only but it was the confession of S Ambrose Multa obscuritas in Scripturis propheticis â—â—d siâ—â— anu â—â—â—aÌ„ meÌ„â—â—â—ā◠〈◊〉 a scrâ— tuâ—aruÌ„ â—â—aÌ„â—eâ— qua sunt occulta diligentèr examines paulatim incipies rationeÌ„ colligere dictoruÌ„ et operietur tibi Non ab alio sed à verbo Dei Amb. in Psal 118. Serm. 8. There is much obscurity in the Scriptures but withall if thou knocke at the doore with the hand of thy vnderstanding thou shalt gather by little and little the reason of that which is there spoken and the doore shall bee opened vnto thee non ab alio sed à verbo Dei and that by no other but by the Word of God it selfe And with these Doctors of the Latin Church agreeth the Greeke Fathers Behold saith Basil and heare the Scripture expounding it selfe Basil HexaÌ„ Hom. 4. Yea saith he what things be or seeme to bee couertly spoken in some places of holy Scripture Quae ambigua sunt tectè dicta esse in quibusdaÌ„ diuinae scripturae locis videntuâ— ab aliis locis manifestis declaraÌ„tur IdeÌ„ quaest coÌ„p Expl. quaest 267. Ad ipsuÌ„ diuina Script scopuÌ„ incedamus quaeseipsam interpretatur quaÌ„uis sacra Scriptura cum nos tale quiddaÌ„ docere vult seipsaÌ„ exponit et auditoreÌ„ errare non sinit Chrys HoÌ„ 13. in Gen. Chrys in 1. Thes HoÌ„ 7. SiquideÌ„ empturê° vesteÌ„ quaÌ„uis artis Textoriae imperitê° sis haec verba non dicis Nescio emere illudunt mihi sed facis omnia vt discas fac illa quae facienda et rectâ ratione quaere à Deo et ille tibi omnino reueâ—abit IdeÌ„ Homil. 33. in Act. the same are expounded by other plaine places elsewhere And saith Chrysostome Let vs follow the scope of the holy Scripture in interpreting of it selfe when it teacheth some hard thing it expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the hearer to erre Let vs not feare therefore saith hee to put our selues with full saile into the sea of Scriptures because wee shall be sure to find the Word of God for our Pilot. And lastly as it were forestalling that Popish opinion that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore not to be read by the vulgar people hee elegantly incites a Gentile to the reading of the Scripture by a familiar and common reason When thou buyest a garment though thou haue no skill in weauing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they will deceiue mee but thou dost vse all meanes to learne how to know it doe therefore those things which are to bee done seeke all those things of God and hee altogether will reaueale it vnto thee So that if any doubt or difference happened in the Primitiue church amongst the true beleeuing Christians they referred the determination of it to the Inquest of Christ his 12 Apostles and they onely were made the sole Iudges of the question And that wee might know this Protestant doctrine continued for many ages in the Church Pope Clement the first almost sixe hundred yeeres since professed it for the Catholike doctrine of his time Integra firma regula veritatis ex Scripturis Dist 37. cap 14. that a man must take the sense of truth from the Scripture it selfe seeing that euery man may haue the full and firme rule of faith and truth in the Scriptures If we descend froÌ„ the Pope to the great Councell of Basil it was the general vote of many B. and Cardinalls and confirmed likewise by the Pope himselfe The Diuine Law or holy Scripture the practise of Christ of his Apostles Lex diuina praxu Christi Apostolica et Ecclesia primitina vnâ cum CoÌ„ciliis Doctoribusque fundantibê° se veracitèr in eadeÌ„ pro verissimo et indifferente Iudice in hoc Basiliensi Consilia admittatur Conc. Basil Sess 4. and the Primitiue Church together with Councels and Doctors grounding themselues truely vpon the Scriptures shall bee admitted for the most true and indifferent Iudge in the Councell of Basil The resolution of the ancient Father Optatus in the question betwixt the Catholiques and the heretiques whether one should bee twise baptized may serue for a proofe and a full conclusion of the premisses You say it is lawfull wee say it is not lawfull betweene yours it is lawfull and ours it is not lawfull the peoples soules doe doubt and wauer De coelo quaerendus est Index sed vt quid pulsamus ad coelum cum habemus in Euangelio Testamentum Opt. lib. 5. contr Parmen Donat. let none beleeue you nor vs wee are all contending parties Iudges must be sought for if Christians they cannot be giuen on both sides for truth is hindred by affections A Iudge without must bee sought for if a Paynim hee cannot know the Christian mysteries if a Iew hee is an enemie to Christian Baptisme no iudgement therfore of this matter can bee found on earth a Iudge in heauen must bee sought for But why knocke we at heauen when wee haue the Testament of Christ in the Gospell And thus I haue briefly shewed you the deputed Iudges and Interpreters of the Scripture in the Primitiue Church now let vs obserue by what Rule the Scriptures are expounded in the Roman Church SECT IIII. Our aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers Bulla Pij quarti Art 2. IT is an Article of the Romame Creed published by Pope Pius the fourth and by the oath their Foreman hath taken all Priestes and I suites are sworne Not to receiue or interpret the Scriptures but according to the vnifoâ—me consent of Fathers It is a large and faire promise and deliuered vpon oath and for my part if the church of Rome can make good the vniforme consent of Fathers for all their twelue newe Articles of Faith which hath been often promised but neuer as yet by any one performed I shall willingly listen to their interpretation and preferre it before any priuate or latter Exposition It was the profession of our late King of famous memory Apolog. for the oath of Alleag pa. 36. What euer the Fathers of the first foure hundred yeeres did with one vnanime consent agree vpon to be beleeued
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
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.
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
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
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
and Aquinas Bellarmine tells vs Bellarm. de Euch. lib. 5. cap. 15. They were not carefull of that which is now in question viz. the daily renewed reall sacrificing of Christ Touching Scotus their own Suarez tels vs Suar. in 3. Tho. Euch. disp 5. sect 2. he was to bee corrected for his opinion of the Sacrament Touching Durand Bellarmine professeth That saying of Durand is hereticall Bellar. de Euch. lib. 3. cap. 13. although hee is no heretike because hee is ready to submit to the iudgement of the Church Thus for want of that sure rule of faith which is squared by the Word of God both Priests and people rest doubtfull of the issue and their successe in controuersie 1 Cor. 14.8 and if the Trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe vnto the battell saith the Apostle It is no difficult matter to runne through all ages and all points in difference betwixt vs and to shew that many Priests and Bishops who liued and died members in the Roman Church taught different doctrine from the now Roman faith This way therefore is certainly vncertaine and this was easily discouered by their Superiors insomuch that Stapleton by way of preuention prescribeth this direction for the common people Non quid sed quid loquatur fidelis populus attendere debet Ordinarius Ecclesiae Doctor audiendus est non indicandus Stapl. princ fid doct contr 4 lib. 8. c. 5. 9. They must not intend what is spoken but attend to him that speaketh for hee is to be heard and not iudged And because through such blind obedience and implicit beliefe it might be thought a poore lay man will not bee able to render an account of his faith the Rhemists proclaime it for sound and Catholike doctrine that if an ignorant Papist be conuented before the Commissionere for his Religion he shall appeale onely to the Romane Church and his owne Church shall sufficiently warrant his beliefe Rhem. Annot in Luk. 12.11 He saith enough and defendeth himselfe sufficiently say they when hee answereth he is a Catholike man and that hee will liue and die in that Faith which the Catholique Church throughout all Christian Countreys hath and doeth teach and that his Church can giue a reason of all the things which they demaund of him How poore an Apologie he makes for his Religion that saith he is a Catholike and thinkes to be saued by another mans faith who doeth not vnderstand Saint Peter who is pretended to be the Popes predecessor taught the Catholiques of former ages an other lesson 1. Pet. 3.15 Be ready saith hee alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of that hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare But obserue the policie of the Church of Rome they pretend that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion and therefore say they it will be sufficient for the lay people to beleeue the Priest and to rest vpon the authoritie of the Church and for that purpose Bellarmine instructeth his Disciples that the learned must labour and search out the mysteries of Religion but the ignorant may sit and take their ease The oxen did plow and labour Roues arabāt et asinae pascebantur iuxta eos docet per boues significari homines doctos per asinas homines imperitos qui simplicitèr credentes in intelligētia maiorum acquiescunt Bell. lib. 1. de Iustif c. 7 saith Gregorie and the asses fed by them By the oxen saith the Cardinall are meant the learned Doctors of the Church by the asses are meant the ignorant people which out of simple beliefe rest satisfied in the vnderstanding of their Superiors I will not applie the Cardinalls illustration for I speak not this out of scorne and disgrace but out of shame and pitie to see the poore ignorant soule not onely abused in the name but in the nature of that thing which concernes the saluation of his soule Canus their owne Bishop of Canaries professeth openly that it was the custome of vnlearned men of Saracens of Pagans of Heretiques Canus loc Theol. lib. 12. cap. 4. to receiue the blind and senselesse opinions of their Sects without iudgement and examination And Espenceus tells vs Espenc in 2 Tim. 3. Num. 17. It was the Colliers faith who being demanded what hee beleeued made answere he beleeued what the Church beleeued and the Church beleeued what hee beleeued Is not this the practise of the church of Rome at this day Are they not fully perswaded that without deepe ignorance of the people it is not possible for their Church to stand doe they not in this point particularly vrge these the like Scriptures Obedience is better then sacrifice Heare the Church The Priests lips preserue knowledge and the like How fitly may I say prophetically doth St. Hierome reflect vpon the Priests of these latter times wherein they chase the people from the Scriptures and suffer them vtterly to know nothing Nolint discipulos ratione aiscutere sed se Praecursores sequi Hier. in Esay lib. 9 cap. 30. These men saith hee challenge vnto themselues such authoritie that whether they teach with the right hand or the left whether they teach good things or bad they will not haue their disciples with reason to examine their sayings but onely for to follow them being their leaders And certainly herein they much resemble the Iewes who as Lyra reporteth had that conceit of their great Rabbies in so much they made it their open profession Respōdendū est quicquid hoc modo proponitur etiamsi dicant dextrā esse sin strā Lyra in Deut. ca. 11. Whatsoeuer they say vnto vs we must needs receiue it yea although they tell vs the right hand is the left And this is the actiue authority the Bishop or Parish Priest doth exercise toward the people and this is the passiue obedience with an implicite faith the people submits vnto the Priest Giue me leaue therefore to speake vnto the Roman Bishop or Parish Priest in the words of St Austen the ancient Father Aug. contr Epist Manich c. 5. Athanas Tom 2 in Serm. contr eos qui iubent simplicitèr credere quae ipsi dicunt Vsque adeò me stultum putas c. Doest thou thinke mee such a foole without reason rendred I should beleeue what you would haue mee and what you dislike I should not beleeue Shall I beleeue without iudgement or reason shall I not inquire nor consider what is what may bee what is profitable what is decent what acceptable to God what sutable to Nature what agreeable to Truth Since then no humane authoritie can bee the Rule of faith since there can bee no certaintie no infallibilitie foūd in any particular Priest or Bishops for particular men may erre I will conclude with that safe and infallible rule which St. Chrysostome gaue to the Christians of his time Let vs not haue the opinions of
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
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