English translation A translation that taketh away from the text that addeth to the text that some tymes to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the Holy Ghost Also calling it A translation which is absurde and senslesse peruerting in very many places the meaning of the holy Ghost Not without cause therfore did his Maiestie affirme that he could neuer yet see a Bible well translated into English See the Sume c. vt supra The Catholicke translation acknovvledged for the best BEza saith of S. Hierome g in cap. 1. S. Lucae v. 1. The old interpreter saith he seemeth to haue intetpreted the holy bookes with marueilous sincerity and religion And in another place h Praef. noui test anni 1556. the vulgar translation I doe for the most part imbrace and preferre before all others M. D. Humfrey saith also of S. Hierome i de ratione interpretat lib. 1. pag. 74. The old interpreter saith he seemeth sufficieÌ„tly bent to follow the proprietie of wordes and he doth it in deed to carefully which notwithstanding I suppose him to haue done not of ignorance but out of religion and conscience k pag. 179. Which is no fault as M. Humfrey himselfe testifieth in the same place saying In Prophane writinges a man may rainge more freely and depart from the wordes in Canonicall Scripture no such licence is tolerable for it is not lawfull for man to alter the tongue of God These hee Carolus Molinaus l in Luc. 17. professeth to preferre the vulgar translation or edition before Erasmus Bucer Bullinger Brentius the Tigurine translation also before Iohn Caluin and all others That famous Protestant writer Conradus Pelicanus saith m in praefat in psalterium anni 15â—4 Wee find the vulgar edition of such excellencie learning and to agree with the Hebrew truth touching the sense that I doe not doubt but the greeke and Latin interpreter were most learned yea most pious and of a true Propheticall spirit M. Whitâ—ker hauing changed his former vehement stile else where against S. Hieromes translation saith in his answere to M. Reynoldes n pag. 214 S. Hierome I reuereÌ„ce Damasus the Pope I commend and the worke I coÌ„fesse to be godlie and profitable to the Church in his answere to M Bâ—uges c pag. 94 M. D. Cauell saith the vulgar translation was vsed in the Church one thousand and three hundreth yeares since and doubteth not to preferre it before all others In so much that wheras the English translations are manie and among themselues disagreeing he concludeth that of all those o pag 91. the appoued translation authorized by the Church of England is that which commeth nearest to the vulgar is commonly called the Bishops Bible o truth most strong Sacred and inuiolable p Austin coâ—â— Donâ—tist poâ— Collat cap. 24. more forceable as S Austine obserueth to wringe out confessioÌ„ then any rack or torment To conclude therfore although wee should graunt them to haue agreed vpon some one translation yet their disagreement in the sense therof is farre greater And as q pag 5â— M. D. Reynoldes saith in his coÌ„ference with M. Hart It is not the shew but the sense of wordes of Scripture that must decide controuersies And S Hierome saith r in Epist ad Talat The Ghospell is not in the word but in the sense not in the Barke but in the sappe not in the leaues of the wordes but in the roote of the meaning THE 12. ARTICLE The Church cannot nor ought not to haue erred SCRIPTVRE a Esale ca. 59.21 THis is my league with them saith the Lord my spirit which is in thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not departe out of thy mouth the mouth of thy seed the mouth of thy seedes seed saith the Lord froÌ„ hence forth for euer more b Ibid. ca. 60. verb. 1. l. 20. Whearas thou hast bene forsaken enuied and vnfrequented I will make thee saith God to arise into an euerlasting height so as thou shalt sucke the milke of other nations and the brestes of princes and thou shalt know that I thy God am thy Sauiour and defender thy sunne shall no more goe downe nor thy moone leese her light for our Lord shal be thy light which shall continue for euer c psal 88. verb. 37.38 his seede shall coÌ„tinue for euer his throne as the sunne in my sight and as the moone persite for euer d Daniel 2 44. But in the dayes of those kingdomes the God of heauen will rayse vp a kingdome that shall not be dissipated foreuer and it shall stand for euer And e cap. 7.14 his power is a power for euer which shall not be takeÌ„ away his kingdome which shall neuer be corrupted f Matth. 1618. And I say vnto thee that thou arte Peter and vpoÌ„ this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuail against her g Luc. 22.32 But I haue prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren h Iohn 14.16 And I will aske the Father and he will giue you another paraclete which shall remaine with you foreuer the spirit of truth i Ibid. c. 1613. But when that spirit of truth shall come he will teach you all truth k Iohn 17.9.11 â—aske not for the world but for those whome thou hast giueÌ„ me c. holy Father keepe them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me c. I do not aske for these onlie but for those also which shall beleeue in me by their word l Iohn 14.26 The holy Ghost whome the Father will send in my name he shal teach you all thinges m Mat. 28 20. And behold I am with you all dayes euen to the comsummation of the world n Tim. 3.15 The Church of the liuing God is a piller and fountion of truh o Luc. 1 3â— There shal be no end of his kingdome Heere wee must confesse either that these thinges shal be performed hereafter or haue bine already or god is to be accused of alye If you answere that they haue bine performed I demaund when yf you say in the Apostles tyme I demaund how it chauceth that neither then the knowledg of God true religion was altogether perfit and afterwardes in so short aspace vanished away which was promised to be eternall so aboundant that it should sucke the milk of other natioÌ„s that the sound or doctrine thereof should spread vnto all partes of the erath as indeed you all say earnestly maintayne the Messias which should plant this Church according to you is not yet come and consequenly our Sauiout was not the true Messias but that our Sauiour was the true Messias and did once plant his true Church you deny not that this Church cannot erre I haue proued that it hath not
by the testimonies of Fathers concerning which that I may answere freely and briefly what I think one little sentence of scripture is of more force with me then a thousand Fathers without scripture therfore you shall not expect that I do in particuler confute these errours M. Barlovv saith n in his defence of the aâ—â—icies of he Protestant relig on pag. 17â— This passeth most ryse amongst the Fathers who taking in inferis for Abraham bosome expound it that Christ went thither to conuey the Fathers deceased before his resurrection into the place where now they are LVTHERS DOCTRINE Luther at the first permitted and approued of intercession and prayer for the dead saying o Sermo in festo omnium sanctorum if it please thee to pray for the soules of thy parentes thou mayst doe this at whome c. praying in this manner Ah. God if the state of this soule be such that it may be succurred by our prayers O God be mercifull vnto it and help it Againe p Serm. super Euang. de diuite Laâ—aro the fourth question saith he is whether wee ought to pray for the Dead because there is no mention in the Ghospell of a middle state betweene Abrahames bosome and Hell for as much as being in Abrahames bosome they neede no prayers but being in Hell they can receaue no fruite from thence to which question wee must answere wee haue no precept from God that wee should pray for the Dead wherfore he doth not sinne that doth not pray for them no mortall man can offend in that which God neither hath nor would commaund But for as much as God hath not made knowne to vs what is the state of soules and wee are vncertayne how God dealeth with them so that wee neither can nor will make them sinners that pray for them for wee are certaine out of the Ghospell that many haue risen from the Dead whoe wee are forced to confesse that they haue not as yet receiued their last iudgment Ibid. it is no offence if thou pray for that soule yet let it be after that manner that thou leaue it vncertayne and say most mercifull God if the soule be in that state that it may be succurred holpen vouchsafe to be mercifull vnto it Againe q in exposit Euang in die Epiphâ—cy matth 3. hence is it that those fained soules did craue help by masses and such manner of trifles so that it is now come to passe that the Masse is growne to that abuse and so many masses and vigiles are said for the dead as this misery and abomination cannot be sufficiently deplored and lamented CALVINS DOCTRINE r lib. 3. cap. 5 ¶ 10. When saith he the aduersaries obiect to me that to pray for the dead was an vse receaued one thousand and three hundred yeeres since certaynly any man but of meane wit may easily know that whatsoeuer is read concerning this in the auncient Fathers is attributed to publick custome and the foolishnes of the common people they were I confesse also led into errour to wit in so much that in considerate beliefe is wont to depriue mens myndes of iudgment c. Augustine relateth in his bookes of confession that Monica his mother did earnestly intreat him that shee might be remembred at the aulrer in celebrating the mysteries forsooth an old wiues desire which the sonne doth performe not according to the rule of Scripture but for affection will haue it approued of by others but his booke written by him of the care of the dead hath so many doubtinges as through it owne couldnes it ought worthily to extinguish the heat of foolish zeal in any one that shall desire to be a patrone of the dead Againe Å¿ Ibid. ¶ â— That which they alleadge out of the history of the Machabees concerning Iudas Machabeus I think it not worth answeare least I seeme to account that worke in the Catalogue of holy bookes althouh Austine receaued it for canonicall And a little after he saith That fact of Iudas Machabeus was not without superstition and a preposterous zeal An old condemned Heresie â— Epiph. haeresi 75. August li. de haeresibus c. â—â— The Aerian Heretickes taught that wee ought neither to pray nor offer Sacrifice for the dead witnes THE 28. ARTICLE Ecclesiasticall Tradition THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE Concerning the word of God parte of it is written and parte is not written the written is called the holy Scripture or commonly the Bible The not written is called Apostolicall or ecclesiasticall tradition because it coÌ„temneth Scripture in it selfe doth deliuer it by voice also because the church the piller and foundation of truth doth deliuer it to posteritie from hand to hand SCRIPTVRE a Ecclesiasticâ—â— 8.11 Let not the narration of the auncients escape thee for they learned of their Fathers because of them thou shalt learne vnderstanding and in tyme of necessitie to giue answeare b Deut. 32. v. 7. Remember the old dayes thinke vpon euery generation aske thy Father and he will declare to thee thy elders and they will tell thee c 1. Cor. 11.34 cap. 10 v. 16. And the rest I will dispose when I shall come which catholickes vnderstand to be certayne ceremonies that he ordayned in the church which are no where written d 2. Thessa 2.15 Therfore Brethren stand and hold the tradictioÌ„s which you haue learned whether it be by word or by our epistle Hebr. 13. v. 7. Remember your prelates whoe haue spoken the word of God to you the end of whose conuersation beholding imitate their faith f 2. Iohn v. 12 See also 3. Iohn v. 13.14 Haueing moe thinges to write vnto you I would not by paper and inke for I hope that I shal be with you and speake mouth to mouth See also Io. cap. 16. v. 12. FATHERS g apud Eusebium lib. 3. hist c. 36. S Ignatius anno 100. doth exhort all to sticke to the traditions of the Apostles which traditions saith Eusebius he doth affirme that he himselfe hath lest behind for the more securitie h cap. 1 Eccl. Hierarch S. Dionysius Areopagita anno 80. saith these our first captaynes of the priestly office did deliuer the chiefest and substantiall thinges by their institutions partly written and partly not written S Ireneus anno 106. saith i lib. 3. cap 4. what if there should ryse a contention about some smale question ought wee not to haue recourse vnto the most auncient churches wherin the Apostles were conuersant and receaue from them concerning this present questioÌ„ what is certayne and playne But what if the Apostles had not left vs the Scriptures should wee not follow the order of tradition which they deliuered to them to whom they committed the churches to vvhich order of tradition many nations of the Barbarians doe assent and agree and some of them that doe beleeue in Christ hauing their saluation written in their
sentence Deut. 12.31 for my case being like to that of Moyses I dare say with Moyses and our very enemies are iudges It is agreed vpon betwixt vs both how necessarie a poynt our saluation is being for all eternity and therefore I will saue labour to cite scripture in proofe of that which is by neither part denied but in vaine is the scope and end of a thing granted if wee differre in the meanes to attayne it the meanes I assure my selfe you will say is the word of God which I deny not but let vs not thinke the Ghospell to be in the wordes of the scripture but in the sense not in the out side but in the inside or marrow not in the leaues of the wordes but in the sapp pith or root of reason other wyse euen the Deuill himselfe speaketh Scripture cap 1â— 1â— and all heresies according to that of Ezechiel make vnto them selues pillowes which they may lae vnder the elbow of euerie age and to guâ—y you a tast hereof for this matter concerning my soule nerely I haue bestowed some diligent search herein consider with me I pray you how of auncient tyme the old hereticke Marcion found meanes to reiect both Moyses and all the Prophets and what did he pretend cap. 10.7 Surelie Scripture to witt that of Sainct Iohn hovv many soeuer haue come before me are theeues and robbers the Armenians also taught that the whole femal sex of women should be wholy extinct and that vvee should all ryse in the last iudgment in the state of man and what vvas their ground cap. â— 13 Scripture also to witt that to the Ephesians vntill vvee all meet in the vnitie of faith and knovvledge of the sonn of God into a perfect man The Mainchers also proued our Sauiour to be this materiall sunne vvhich vvee dayly see with our eyes and what colour had they scripture also Iohn 8.12 to vvitt where our Sauiour saith I am the light of the vvorld how did the Waldenses proue that euen a lavvfull iudge or Magistrate could not put to death the greatest Malefactour that vvas Exod. 20.13 by scripture Thou shalt not Kill by Scripture also the Circumcellians held that euery Christian might not only murther his fellovv but lay violent hands vpon himselfe for say they it is vvritten Iohn 12.25 he that hateth his life in this vvorld doth keepe it to lyfe euer lasting Thus out of these few to omitt many moe wee see how all heretiques like serpentes in imitation of that old serpent the Deuill who came with scripture euen to our Sauiour himselfe do lurks vnder the tree of knowledge I mean the scripture that so they may more cunningly conueigh their deadly poyson and surely though these examples of auncient tymes were sufficient to teach euery man humility seeing as a prudent man doth well obserue he that will need be his ovvne Scholler hath commonly a fooll to his master yet wantes there not neither sufficient occasion euen in our tymes to be carefull in this so waighty a businesse for how shall I thinke the protestantes in these dayes to agree vpon the true sense of scripture when they cannot a gree about the translation it selfe which must be the grownd where vpon they worke by which dissention also they shew themselues to haue descended in doctrine from these old heretiques in the primitiue church For doth the protestant beleeue the scriptures not to be receaued so fully and wholy as the Catholicke or as it pleaseth him papist doth but rather certayne chapters and bookes which seeme to him or rather indeed to this braine sicke phansie not so a greable to the purity of the ghospell to be cutt of and excluded the number of holy writt the same did the Carpocratians Seuerians and Manichees who condemned all the old testament as a thing fayned from an euill beginning aâ—d yet certainlie not without scripture as you may set in the example of Marcion first produced In lyke manner Cerdon denyed all the Euangelistes except S. Luke Cerinthus all except S. Mathevv the Seuerians also tooke away the Actes of the Apostles and with the Ebionites all the epistles of S. Paul the Alogians likewise esteemed the Apocalypse of S. Iohn for an inuention of Cerinthas Now that you are one with these at least in this point of mayming scripture is manifest for do not the most excellent of your whole clergy and first publishers of your ghospell Zuinglius Oecolampadius Illiricus and the Magdeburgenses exclude many of the Apostles epistles from all communione of holy scripture vnder pretence of examining it by the rule of the deuyne worde Certainly they can by no meanes dissemble it in the epistles of S. Iohn Iude Iames and S. Paul to the Hebrevves which in this my compendium were to longe to proue at large but to come yet more nere you Do not also your later Doctoures in this especially imitate these their predecessours yes most exactly as heere is sufficiently confirmed In the fourth disputation had with F. Campian the Iesuit in the tower of London your Doctoures did expresly censure these bookes by the authority only of fower or siue to be Apocriphall to witt the booke of vvisdome Syrach Iudith Toby the 4. bookes of Esdras Baruch Ecclesiasticus Hester and the Machabees in the new testament the ghospell of S. Luke S. Paul to the Hebrevves the second epistle of S. Peter the tvvoe last epistles of S. Iohn S. Iames and the Apocalypse Luther also calls the epistle of S. Iames a strawen epistle and of no truth and not worthy the spirit of an Apostle All which compared together your Doctours in this opinion of paring scripture cannot but drinke of the same cuppe with those old condemned heretiques But after seeing their folly and that they could by no means defend what thus rashly they had enterprized by often mutation and change they came to that text which you now haue but yet euen to this day with what dubitation this is done and correction or rather to speake truth corruption their often impressions doe manifestly testifie and I thinke you are not ignorant how many seuerall translations there haue beene within these few yeeres I can remember thee since my first acquaintance with London which mutabilitie plainly argueth they are those fond builders of whome our Sauiour maketh mention are shaken with euery blast because they build not vpon the rocke which is the church The piller and firmament of truth 1. Tim. 3.15 But vpon the shallow sandes of their owne vnsetled braines and this I speake not of my selfe but by the testimony of themselues which you may see more conuenient and at large hereafter yet it shall not be discomodious if in the meane tyme wee examine one of their chiefest linguists in England M. Broughton therfore in his epistle to the Lordes of the councell desireth them to procure speedily a new translation because that saith he vvhich is
Caluin and M. Whitaker say q Cal. inst pr. at Geneua 1450. c. 8. de fide f. 37 â—8 M â—â—hit de Eccl. coâ—â— Bellar p â—81 285 M â—uike agâ—â—nst Heâ—â— Sand c. p. 5 9 5 6 560. The Church can neuer want Pastours and Doctours And certainly there can be no Pastour with out some knowne flocke M Fuike saith That Christ will suffer no particuler Church to continue with out a seruant to ouer see it that Pastours and Doctors must be in the Church till the end of the world euen from Christes tyme to Luthers age M. Sparke saith r in his answere to M. Iohn Albines pag. 11. The Church of Christ hath alwayes had and shall haue to the end successiuely in all ages in one place or other such as haue shewed the truth fully vnto others and haue shined as lightes in their dayes set vpon a Candlesticke M Fuike saith againe Å¿ in his answer to a counterfait Catholike p. 100. truth cannot be continued in the world but by ministery Also in t pag. 845. Certayne propositions and principles disputed in the vniuersitie of Geneua it is concluded that the ministerie is an assentiall marke of the true Church M. Deering saith v vpon the epist to the Hebrewes ca. 3 lectur 15. and 16. Salvation springeth in preaching of the Ghospell and is shutt vp a gaine with ceassing of it And a little further he saith Take away preaching you take away faith for which he citeth many scriptures And M. Fulk saith yet x vbi supra pag 11 92 That these Church Pastours at least some of them shall alwayes resist all false opinions Euen with open reprehension Also M. Dâ—ering saith y vbi sâ—pra c. 2. v. 12. lect 10 3. lect 12. The Religion being of God no feare of man shall keepe them backe because as M. Deering saith that were to keepe the honour of God for Cornets and solitary places for as the Apostle prescribeth y Rom. 19.10 z with the hart aman belieueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth confesseth to saluation a See Beza in his sermons vpoÌ„ the Cantiâ—les Englished p. 79. 80. Our Puritan Aduersaries acknowledge and teach that there must be Pastours and Doctors to the end of the world for the administration of the word and Sacramentes b 1 Cor. 11.29 For wee are thereby to shew the Lordes death till hee come M. Whitaker saith speaking to this end of the administration of the word and Sacramentes c contra Dureum l. 3. pag. 249. and That being present they constitute a Church and being abseÌ„t do subuert it d 260. And that they are essentiall notes of the true Church e in his synopsis p. 75 69. whit gift in his defeÌ„ce c. p. 81. M. Couell in his exam c. p. 21. say ye same Hip. in Method Theolog. p. 548 557. Pol. in part Theolog p â—04 Keck insistem Theolog p 408. M. Willet saith likewise of them These markes a cannot be absent from the Church and it is no longer a true Church then it hath these markes for saith he the only absence of them doth make a nullity of the Church Hiperius and Amandus Polandus affirme that these notes are needfull to distinguish the true Church froÌ„ the false that meÌ„ carefull of their saluation may know where the true Church is and to which company chiefly they ought to adioyne themselues Bartholomaus Keckermannus saith the Church of the new testament ought alwayes to be sensible and manifest by notes and externall forme that the other Gentiles which are yet without the Church may know vnto what Church to adioyne themselues which Esâ—y foretold of the Church of the new testament in most excellent wordes saying f Esay c. 61. v. 9. They shall know their seed in the Gentiles and their budd in the middes of peoples all that shall see them shall know them that these are the seed which the Lord hath blessed M. Henoth Clapham after many proofes alledged by himself from the scriptures and otherwise concludeth saying g in his soueraigne remedy against schisme pag 18. and 17. Not only all auncients euer held the Churches euer visibility but also all learned men of our age And againe Contrary to all scriptures they affirme that there hath bene no vibisility of the Church for former hundreth yeares which position is against psalm 72.3.17 and Esay 59.21 And againe h Matth. c. 24. v. 23.24.26 Our Sauiour for bides saith he all going out vnto such desert and Corner Ghospellers Caluin sayth i Instit l. 4 c. 2. sect That saluation or entrie into life is in or by this visible church And againe k q. 22. This benefit so wit of remission of sinnes is so proper vnto the church that wee cannot other wise enioy it but by remaining in the communion of it therfore let euery of vs thinke this to be his dutie not to seeke for remissioÌ„ of his sins elswhere but where the Lord hath appointed it to wit in the visible church These Caluin yet further he saith l â— 10. So great accompt doth the Lord make of the communion of his church that he shall be held a traiterous turne coate and forsaker of religion whosoeuer disobediently alienates himself from the Christian society whence it followeth that the departing from the church is the denying of God and Christ and therefore so much the more must wee be ware of such kind of disagreement or breach of faith neither can there be a more heinous crime imagined then which sacrilegiously to violate that wedlocke which the only be gotten sonne of God vouchsafed to contract with vs. These hee Melanchthon saith m in Concil Theolog Part. 2. pag. 293. and 344. It must needes be that wee confesse a visible church And againe what meaneth this monstrous assertion which denieth there is any visible church M D. Hamfrey saith n in Iesuitismi part â— rat 3. pag 140 It is made manifest wee doe not place the church in the aire but one the earth that wee coÌ„fesse the church to be a towne seated vp a o Matt. 5. hill which cannot be hidd p Esay 2. The high mountayne of the howse of God higher then all hils vnto which all nations shall fly c. therfore why doe they so earnestly labour to proue what was neuer denied by vs c. And againe q pag. 141. The church is visible by the exercises of pietie which are seene of all in the church for whilst the ministers teach others do learne they administer the Sacramentes these laity communicate c he which seeth not this is more blind then a mole she is visible because her signes are excellent and manifest c r pag. 242. secret a boades are not the Christian conuocation c because this communion of Saintes is an open testification of Christianitie M.
his reply pag. 110. 106. Melanchthon and M. Iuell The Second that all ciuil dominioÌ„ was forbidden to the clergie The third that the preaching of the worde is free for all meÌ„ in all places The fourth that open crimes are in no wyse to be suffered for auoiding of greater euill So evidently also did the Bohemians in all other poyntes of saith imbrace the Catholicke Doctrine Heere it is manifest that these were first no Protestantes wherin our Aduersaire could place his euer visible church besides being thus as they afferme called to the preaching of the worde extraordinarily they were as learned Protestantes write to confirme their new doctrine by signes and Miracles And for this cause M. Henoch r Soueraigne remedye gainst Scisme pa. 25. Clanpham reprehended Broune in that he took vpon him an extraordinary calling and wanted miracles Luther did Admonish to this end sayng Å¿ in loc coÌ„ class 4. c. 20. Pag. â—8 search whither they can proue their vocation for God hath not any tyme sent any man vnlesse called by man or declared by signes no not his only sonne And againe he saith t tom 5. Ion. Germ. fol. 498. from whence comest thou who sent thee c where are the signes that thou arâ— sent by men where are the miracles that should testifie that thou art sent from God v Adu Anabpt l. 3. c. 7. Bullinger saith to the Anabaptistes yf you say you haue like the Apostles a peculiare vocation proue it by signes and miracles as they did c. but this you will neuer do therfore your vocation is of no whorth yea it is pernicious to the church of Christ See also this saying alleadged to this end by M. Tho Bell in his x Regiment of the church z pag. 137. Neither can Luther or any of our aduersaries proue their owne vocation by this lawfull and absolute testimonie of signes and miracles wherfore this so confessed probation may fitly serue a gainst themselues as for any ordinary mission certenly they can shew none at least to preach false Doctrine or contrary to that which gaue them authoritie But perceauing their weake groundes for their visible church they fly with tooth and nayle to an inuisible church though quite contrary to all scripture and what they hadd formerly taught The Protestantes inuisible Church M. Parkins saith a vpon the crede pag. 400. in his reformed Caholick pa. 1229 and pag â—07 wee say that before the dayes of Luther for many hundreth yeares an vniuersall Apostasie ouer spread the whole face of the earth and that our church was not then visible to the world And he giueth the reason saying During the space of Nine hundreth yeares the Papish heresie spread it selfe ouer the whole earth M. Fulke saith b In his answere to a counterfaite Cath. pag. 16. M. Nappe vpon the Reuelations pag. 145. col 5. pag 191. 161 col â— pag. 106 2 7 2 â—ebast in epist de abrogaÌ„dis in vniuersum omnibus statutis Ecclesiasticis The church remained inuisible a longe season after Anno Domini 607. M. Iohn Napper saith That the Pope and his clergie hath possessed the outward visible Church of Christians 1260. yeares Gods true Church most certainly abiding so long tyme latent and inuisible Sebastianus FraÌ„cus affirmeth that for certen through the worke of Antichrist the externall church together with the faith and Sacramentes vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these thousand fower hundreth yeeres the church hath bene no where externall and visible M. Bround saith c Vpon ye Reue. fol. 110. That the church was trodden downe and oppressed by the Papacy euen from Siluesters tyme vnto these tymes which he collecteth to be 1260. yeares M Iewell saith The truth was vnknowne at that tyme and vnheard of when Martyn Luther and Zuinglius first came vnto the knowledge and preaching of the Ghospell Bucer saith c Vpon ye Reue. fol. 110. c Luther is the first Apostle to vs of the reformed Doctrine Conradus Schlusselburge saith d fol. 12â— M. Iewell Apol. part 4. c. 4. diuis 2 and in his defence An. 1572 pag. 426. Bucer in ep An. â—6 ad Episcopum Iter. Ferd. Schluss in Theolog. Cal. l 2. fol. 1 0. Mil. in Aug confess explicat art 7. de Eccl. pag. 1. 7. 138. It is impudencie to say that many learned men in Germanie before Luther did hold the Doctrine of the Ghospell Georgius Milius saith if there had bene right belieuers that went before Luther in his office c there had bene no neede of a Lutheran reformation therfore saith he wee say that Luther was tayled vp by Gods speciall appointment and extraordinarily Benedict Margonstern saith f tract de Ecclesia pag 145 Luther in Epist ad Argentinenses An. 1525 It is ridiculous to thinke that in the tyme before Luther any man had the purity of Doctrine that Luther should receaue it from theÌ„ and not they from Luther Considering saith he it is manifest to the whole Christian world that before Luthers tyme all churches were ouerwhelmed with more then Chymerian darknes and that Luther was diuinely raysed vp to discouer the same and to restore the light of true doctrine in so much that Luther saith wee dare boast that Christ was first published by vs. The examples of Elias maketh wholy for vs and against our Aduersaries and is therfore by them either ignorantly mistaken g 3. Kinges c. 19. or wilfully misapplyed for it is euident that feering the face h v. 2.3 of Iezabell wife to A-Aâ—â—ab who sought his Life he lay there vpoÌ„ secret in a caue vpon mount i Horeb in the wildernes at the tyme of his forsaid complayning that he was lest a lone the which he then vttered not generally but in regard only of that countrey of Israel which was the kingdome of Achab wherin he then astraunger lay secret as appeareth most plainly in that God himself accordingly answeared his complaint with like respect to that only countrey saying as is obiected I haue left to me in Israel seuen thousand c. k 3. Kinges 18.13 one hundreth whereof Elias himself had then before speciall notice giuen as also that in those verie tymes the church did greatly florish in the other next adioyning Kingdome of Iuda and was as then to him there both knowne and visible vnder twoe good kinges l 3. Reg. 22.41.44 Asa and Iosaphat whoe raigned euen in the tyme of Achab. At which tyme the number of the faithfull was there so exceeding great that the m 2. ChroÌ„ 14 8.9 17.14 c. souldiours only were numbred to many hundreth thousandes examine this well and I doubt not but the obiection is solued Vpon due consideration of the foresaid premisses how iustly may wee thence take occasion to forewarne seuen in the very wordes of that auncient and holy father Vincentius Lyrinensis whoe liued in
great a space betweene the body of Christ and the bread and wine in the Supper as there is betweene the earth and the highest heauens to witt that the body of Christ is no where but in that one certayne and determinate pleace of heauen The same also saith v de re Sacramentaria q. 6 Beza in expresse wordes in the some of his doctrine Secundly Caluin teacheth that the signes and body of Christ although in place they differre very much yet they are so conioyned to gether not only touching the signe in that one is a token of the other but also because together with the signe God doth truly giue vs the verie bodie and blood of Christ wherby our soules are indeed nourished vnto life euerlasting This Caluin hath in all the places aboue noted And also saith yet further x vpon the 26. Matth. That in the supper the body of Christ is truly giuen vs that it may be a wholesome food vnto our soules that is our soules are fed with the substance of Christes body that wee may truly become one with him And a little after therfore saith he an emptie and bare signe is not set before vs but such as receaue this promise by faith are truly made partakers of the body and blood of our lord Againe he teacheth that to eat the flesh of Christ is not only to belieue but also to be made truly partaker of his flesh y lib. 4. inst cap. 17. ¶ 5. For saith he as not the beholding but eating of bread is required vnto the nourishment of our body so it is necessarie that our soule be truly and fully made partaker of Christ Againe z ¶ 32. in the holy supper he commaundeth me vnder the signes or formes of bread and wine to receaue his body and blood I nothing doubt but he doth truly giue it and I truly receaue it these Caluin But because this secund seemeth contrarie to the first for how can the body of Christ be truly giuen to vs with the bread and be present in the supper if this body be only in the highest heauen and the bread only on earth therfore he addeth this third saying a Ibib. ¶ 7. there remaineth nothing saith he but that I breake out into admiration of that mysâ—erie which certenly neither mynd by thinking nor tongue by explicating is sufficient to expresse And againe b ¶ 10. But although it seeme incredible that in so great v distance of place the flesh of Christ should so penetrate as to be meat for vs let vs remember how farre the secret virtue of the holy ghost doth exceed our vnderstanding and how foolish a thinge it is to measure his immensitie or wonderfullnes by our capacitie therefore what our vnderstanding doth not comprehend let faith conceaue that the spirit doth truly vnite what is disioyned by distance of place Againe c ¶ 32. Moreouer saith he if any aske of me the manner how he shall not be ashamed to confesse that it is a secret more high then either by witt can be comprehended or wordes declared The like hath Beza d de Sacramentis q 9. But saith he neuerthelesse wee confesse that the mysterie of God is incomprehensible wherby it cometh to passe that the same which is and remaneth in heauen and no other where is truly communitated vnto vs who are now on earth and no other where But because Caluin perceaued this his mysterie to be incredible and to inuolue a most manifest contradiction he addeth that the very body of Christ did not descend but a certen substantiall force deriued vnto vs from the flesh of Christ by his spirit as a certeyn Channell or conduit for thus he speaketh e lib. 4. instit cap. 17. ¶ 12. The bond saith he of that coniunction is the spirit of Christ by whose fastining wee are coupled together and as a certeyne conduit by which what soeuer Christ himself both is and hath is deriued vnto vs. Againe I freely confesse that I reiect the mixture of Christes flesh with our soule or transfusion as they teach because it sufficeth vs that Christ doth from the substance of flesh breath life into our soules yea power out his owne life into vs although his verie flesh doe not enter into vs. Againe Å¿ ¶ 13. Wee must saith he frame such a presence of Christ in the supper as may neither adioyne him to the element of bread nor include him in the bread or any wayes inclose him c. least something should be affixed to his body nor agreable to mans nature which is done when it is said to be infinite or in many places at once Also certenly that which wee teach hath nothing in it wherby to giue offence to any vnlesse to a few ages when that ignorance of Sophisters did raigne in the Church and the cleare light and manifest truth was oppressed with barbarisme Againe g ¶ 15. 29. Let this therfore be establissed for certayn that the flesh of Christ is not truly giuen vnto vs in the supper for food vnlesse the true substance of the externall signe did signifie as much But as one errour riseth out of an other that place of Hieremia is so foolishly wrested to prooue transubstantiation that a man May be ashamed to relate it c. yet so also thought many of the Fathers but what as if their ignorance were not rather to be pardoned and shâ—me concealed then impudencie to be added wherby to feare them yet still in hostile manner to contend with the true sense of the Prophet These Caluin An old condemned Heresie by the primitiue Church This was in tyme past the heresie of the Sacramentaries Synodo 7. act 6. tom 3. S. Theodoret Dialog qui dicetur impatibilis that the Eucharist or lords supper was not the true flesh of Christ but only a figure and image of the body of Christ The same many ages before reporteth S. Theodoretus out of S. Ignatius disciple to S. Iohn Moreouer there were others who not denying the veritie of Christes body in the Eucharist denied not withstand that the body of Christ did remayne in the Eucharist if it were kept vntill the next day whome S. Cyrill therfore saith that they were madd S. Cyrill in epistola ad Calosyrium Episcopum Whereas it is obiected that the sixth chapter of S. Iohn doth not treat of the Eucharist I proue the contrarie very manifestly that it doth specially treat of it The question therfore is not whether the whole chapter perteine vnto this matter for the contrarie is manifest as in a great part therof mention is made of the miracle of bread faithl and incarnation the controuersie therfore is only of these wordes The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world c. almost to the end Almost all the heretickes of these tymes denie these wordes to perteine to the Sacrament of the Eucharist
Areopagita to be the disciple of S. Paul and author of the heauenly or ecclesiasticall Hierarchie Luther saith c tom 2. wittemberg 1562. de captiu Babyl fol. 84. But thou wilt say saith Luther what say you to Dionysius who numbreth six Sacramentes c. I answere saith he I know this man only of the auncient Fathers to stand for the number of seuen Sacramentes although omitting matrimonie he graunt six only the same affirmeth M. D. Humfrey vbi supra c. pag. 519. M. Whitaker saith d de Sacra Scriptura pag. 655. I doe acknowledg that Dionysius is in many places a great patrone of traditions Concerning Hermes of whom mention is made by e Rom. 16 4. S. Pauâ— Hamelmanus saith f de trad Apost col 254. line 5â— and col 7â—0 l. 25. That impure booke of the pastour or of Hermes gâ—ue a good beginning to Popery which saith he the Fathers did esteeme for ecclesiasticall for in tymes past that booke of Hermes called the Pastour i Origenes li. 1. de principijs c. was numbred in the number of ecclesiasticall bookes the same confesseth g in Hooker l. 5. pag â—4 M. Hooker our countrey man in soe much as Hamelmanus saith h Hamel col 273. line 18 col 255. li 42 that book of the pastour saith he seemeth to be receaued by Irenaeus Clemeni and Origen and other Fathers but especially by Irenaeus Finally this booke saith k Hamel col 252. sine and 253. init and 254 line 8. see from col 250. Haâ— layeth the ground worke of Purgatory prayer for the dead merit and iustification of workes of professed Chastity in ministers of fasting from certayne meates c. Abraham l Abr. Scult in medulla Theolog c. pag. 467. post med Scultetus saith it mainteneth free will monasticall life and solitude and Purgatory see this more at large and most perspicuous in the Protestants Apology for the Roman Church fol. 125. 126. THE 41. ARTICLE To shevv no beginning of a Doctrine is an infallible token that it is and proceedeth from the Apostles a in his defence against M. Cartwryght pag. 51. M. Whitgift lord Archbishop of Canterbury doth most learnedly and truly vrge this generall rule or proofe of Apostolicke Doctrine saying for as much as the originall and beginning of these names Metropolitan Archbishop c. such is their antiquity cannot be found so far as I haue read it is to be supposed they haue their originall from the Apostles them selues for as I remember b S. Austine epist 118. S. Austine hath the same rule in proofe of this rule he saith yet further c vbi supra pag. 352. It is of credit saith he with the wryters of our tyme namely with Zuinglius Caluin and Gualter and surely I thinke no learned man doth dissent from them M. Cartvvryght answereth to this rule d Ibid. that therby a window is openned to bringe in all popery agayne for I appeall saith he to the iudgment of all men if this be not to bring in Popery againe to allow of S. Austins sayng c. So euidently doe our learned aduersaries and the apparant probability of this rule approued also and allowed by e M. D. Field confirme and proue our fore said Catholicke religion wherto wee were soe many ages since conuerted to be not new or secondary since the Apostles tymes but truly primitiue and vndoubtedly Apostolyke that f in whit in resp ad Camp rat 7. pag 101. M. Whitaker confesseth that the tymes of the Roman Churches chaunge cannot easily be told g M Powell in his consideration of Papistes supplication pag. 43. M. Gabriell Povvell beinge prouoked that if our Catholicke Doctrine be an errour then to tell vs when this errour came in and who was the Author of it c. answereth Wee cannot tell by whome or at what tyme the enimy did sow it c. Neither indeed do wee know who was the first author of euery one of your blasphemous opinions c. In libro Apologetico c. pag 192. 193. Ioannes Regius being likwyse vrged to shew wherin the Roman Church hath chaunged her faith and not able to giue any one particuler example therof he be taketh him self to this extreame boldnes answering But last of all saith he if it were true that the Roman Church had neuer chaunged any thing in her religioÌ„ shall it therefor presently follow it is the true Church Out of all which is necessarily deduced that according to M. Whitgiftes foresaid rule and assertion whatsoeuer opynion is not knowne to haue begun since the Apostles tyme the same is not new or secondary but receaued it 's originall from the Apostles them selues as ours The Roman religion hath beene proued to haue done THE 42. ARTICLE True Miracles make a strong argument for the true faith and that the fore said faith vvherevnto the English vvere conuerted vvas confirmed by such miracles AS in the nonage or infancie of the Church our Sauiour did make manifest the truth of his Apostles Doctrine by vndoubted miracles to serue as signes of their Apostleship 2. Cor. 12.12 Marc. c. 16. v. 20. and to that end confirmed the word with signes following it so likewyse this virtue or power of Miracles did not cease but as our Aduersaries confesse alwayes shyne in the Church the necessity therof being one and the same in all succeeding ages to the conuersion of the heathen contemning the Scriptures are nothing moued with the miracles therin mentioned Wheras our Sauiour saith Iohn 14. v. 12. Hee that belieueth in me the workes that I do shall hee do and greater In the marginall notes of the English bible printed anno 1576. it is there vpon said This is referred to the whole body of the Church in whome this virtue doth shine for euer therfore they are not now to cease as some Protestantes affirme S. Irenaeus and S. Austine say S. Irenaeus lib 2. c. 18. S. Austine de ciuitate Doâ— lib. 22. cap. 1. Why say they are not those miracles which you preach to haue bene done now done certenly I might say they were necessarie before the world did belieue for this end that the world might belieue And a little after now also they are done in his name Miracles are through out the whole course of Scriptures both acknowledged and vrged Acknowledged in Exod. 8 19 and 3 of kinges 17 24 and cap. 18 19 and 4 of kinges 5 15 Matth. 14 25 33 and cap. 27 54 Iohn 2 23 and 3 2 and 4 53 and 9 30 and 11 45 Act. 4 14 16 and 9 35 Vrged Exodus 7 17 and 16 12 Num. 16 28 Iosue 10 16 and 3 of kinges 13 3 5 and 18 24 38 and 20 23 28 and 4 of kinges 20 8 9 10 Matth. 9 6 Marcke 2 10 Iohn 14 11 and 15 14 and 20 30 31. Yea Miracles were to our a Sauiour himself a greater
testimonie then S. Iohn 25. v. 36. Iohn Baptist. In Comm. Catech. pag. 21. To answere the objection of false miracles Vrsinus saith Those miracles whereof the enimies of the Church boast are such as not changing the order of nature may be done by the deceates of men or Diuells c. But the miracles where with God hath adorned his Church are workes either beside or against the order of nature and secundary causes and therfore they are not done but by diuyne power b Hist l. 2. c. 2. S. Bede and our Chronicles witnesse that S. Austine to proue his Doctrine wrought a miracle in restoring sight to one that was blind Which kind of miracle c Hem. in his exposit of the â—4 Psal Englished part 1. c. 6 Bede vbi supra Holinshead Chronicle the last edition vol. 1. l 5 c. 21. pag. 102. l 51 Bede Hist l. 1 c. 26 Hol. pag. 110. l. 60. M. Fox â—ct and mon. anno 1576. pag. 117. S. Bede lib. 2 c. â— Hemâ—â—gius acknowledgeth for most certeyne At which the Christian Brittans being present they were specially moued there with d S. Bede saith of the king that belieuing through the sight of many miracles he was baptized the same saith Holinâ—head vbi supra M. Fox saith They were in those tymes so certenly knowne that as S. Bede reporteth it was written in the Epitaph vpon his tombe that he was assisted by God in doing of miracles See the same in Stowes Chronocle dedicated to the lord Archbishop of Canterbury printed 1592. pag. 66. e Gregorius l. 7. epist 30. Iâ—dict 1. S. Gregory himself reporteth to Eulogious Archbishop of Alexandria saying know then that where as the English nation c. remained hitherto in infidelity I did by the help of your prayers c. send vnto that nation Austins a Monke of my Monasterie to preach to them c. and now letters are come to vs both of his health and of his worke that he hath in hand and surely either he or they that were sent ouer with him worke so many miracles in that land as they may seeme therin to imitate the power and miracles of the Apostles them selues f In his letter dated 602 See also Holinshead vbi supra pag. 192. line 25. S. Bede l. 1. c. 31 and Hol. 102. line 10. c. M. Fox a and moâ— anno 1576. pag 117 M. Godwine in his Catolog of Bish. of England pag 4 Bedel l. 2. c. 12. Fox act and mon. 1576. pag. 121 122. Hol. last edition vol. 1 pag. 108. 109. line 29. 30. c. Fox in his alphabet table of his act and mon 1576. at the word miracle lib. de vita mal cent 12. col 1633. line 39. Also he doth specially write vnto S. Austine touching miracles done by him aduising him not to glory in them but rather to consider that God gaue him that gift for the weale and good of those vnto whome he was sent c. This letter of Gregories is exstant in S. Bede and mentioned by Holinshead vbi supra in so much that M. Fox and M. Godvvin both learned Protestantes do also mention and acknowledge the miracles then wrought by Austine through Gods hand Also S. Bede M. Fox and Holinshead doe make speciall mention of the miraculous conuersion of Edvvin king of the worthumbers which happenned som six and twenty yeares after Austines foresaid coming into England which M. Fox doubteth not to place in his Catalogue of true miracles As concerning the miracles of Malachias Archbishop of Ireland and the Popes Legate no meaner a witnes then S. Bernard his very familiare friend saith of them in generall In what kind of old miracles saith he did not Malachias excell he wanted not Prophecie not reuelation not the gift of healinge and to conclude not raysing of the Dead This is also mentioned and acknowledged by the Centuristes In the booke intituled A report of the kingdome of Congo a region of Africke printed anno 1597. by M. Abraham Hartvvell seruant to the lord Archbishop of Canterbury by him dedicated to his lord l. 1. c. 1. mention is made of the discouery of that kingdome anno 1587. by Odoardo Lopaz and of the conuersion therof to the Christian faith l. 2. c. 2. and of the great and vndoubted miracles shewed by God in the presence of a whole army c. 3. In so much that M. Hartvvell in his epistle there to the reader about the midest confesseth that this conuersion of Congo was accomplished by massing priestes after the Romish manner and this action saith he which tendeth to the honour of God shall it be concealed and not committed to memory because it was performed by Popish priestes and Popish means God forbid In lyke manner M. Iohn Pory Lately of Goneuill and Catus Colledg in Cambridg in the Geographicall History of Africa by him published anno 1600. acknowldegeth and mentioneth the said miracles pag. 410. and commendeth M. Hartvvell for publishing his foresaid treatyse pag. 413. Rerum in Oriente gestinarum commentarius fol. 2. anno 15 41. pag 6. dated in Aprill 15. 56. Also it appeareth in a book intituled as in the margent That Franciscus Xauerius a Iesuit set for ward in his iourney from Lysbone to the East India for the conuersion of that nation and that the king of Portugall hearing of the great miracles that were by them there wrought sent forth his commission to his vice-Roy there to take examination therof vpon oath vpon execution whereof and certificate ther vpon accordingly made it did appeare that Zauerius in testimony and proofe of the Christian faith by him then preached and tought fol. 8. cured miraculously the dumbe the lame the deafe and with his worde healed the sicke fol. 9. and raysed sundry dead persons to life and after his death the graue being opeÌ„ned wher in his dead body for a tyme had lame buried fol 14. anno 1552. to the end his naked bones might be carried from theÌ„ce to Goa they found his body not only vnconsumed but also yeelding forth fragrant smells from whence they carried it to Goa and placed it there in the Church of S. Paul where yet to this day saith the coÌ„mentary it remaineth free from corruption witnes wherof saith that treatise are all the in habitantes of that Citty and trauaylers that repayre thither the truth hereof for matter of fact is so probable that M. Whitaker dare not in his answere there to altogether rest in deniall of it lib. de Ecclesia contra Bellarmine pag. 35â— pag. 354. but saith let not Bellarmine thinke that I doe altogether contemne these miracles I answere it may be that there haue bene such miracles in the Popish gouerment and perchance now there are the Diuell might saith he preserue for a tyme the body of Xauerius vncorrupt and yeelding forth sweet smells Heere he doth not so much deny these miracles as
saith of vs they indeed set forth their Churches very gloriously c. they report out of Irenaeus sect 3. Tertullian Origen Augustine and others how highly they esteemed this succession Considering saith he it was a matter out of all doubt that from the beginnig euen vntill that tyme nothing was changed in doctrine the foresaid holy Doctors tooke in argument that which was sufficient for the ouer throwing of all new errours to witt In his institutions in freÌ„ch printed at Geneua by Conradus â—adius anno 2562. that they viz. heretickes oppugned the doctrine which euen from the very Apostles theÌ„selues had bine inuiolable and with one coÌ„sent retayned Againe It was a thing notorious saith he with out doubt that after the Apostles age vntill those forsaid tymes no chaung was made â—n Doctrine neither in Rome nor many other citties So plainly do our learned aduersaries coÌ„fesse that no chaÌ„g of faith was made by the Roman church from the Apostles age vnto the tymes after S. Austine c. being as I said 400. yeeres after Christ To proue that to charge heretickes with the succession of Roman Bishops meintayning alwayes one and the same faith was the practise and custome of those auncient Fathers is a labour saued being already so liberally confessed but for better satisfaction receaue this one saying of S. Hierome in Apolog. 2 Adu Ruffinum demaunding of Ruffinus saying how doth he call his faith that which the Roman church teacheth if he answere the Roman then wee are Catholickes The church being thus acknowledged to haue continued the first 400. yeares after Christ in all purity it shal be easie to proue that from thence vnto the six hundreth yeere the tyme when the Roman church should fall the same doctrine was lykewise continued and so receaued by Gregory the first then Pope of Rome and by him brought and receaued by vs and vnto this day still retayned This I say is made euident by our learned aduersaries hauing already confessed that sundry euen of the chiefest articles of our faith as the Reale presence sacrifice freewill c. as is already in particuler handled so to conclude where as they say the church of Rome fell but they cannot tell when is very absurd when as yet ther was neuer any other heresie or memorable acte whatsoeuer either ecclesiasticall or temporall but they caÌ„ decypher all circumstances as the dissent of the Greeke church from the Roman but not the Roman from the primitiue Vincentius Lyrinensis saith l. Aduer haer cap. 34. certenly there was neuer yet any heresie but it was knowne to be gine vnder some certeyn name in a certeyn place and at a certeyn tyme in his consider of Papistes supplications pag 43. But for the Roman Catholicke religion now professed M. Powell saith he cannot tell by whome or at what tyme the enemy did sow it THE 46. ARTICLE The Catholicke or Roman faith novv taught is acknovvledged by protestantes for sufficient vnto saluation 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 â—â—7 〈…〉 in his epist printed ouer 〈…〉 5â— M. Baro in his 4. sermoÌ„s and 2. questions dâ—puted ad cloruÌ„ c. Ser 3 p. 44. M. Hooker l. 5 de eccles Pol. pag. 111. 130. M. Bunny in his treatise of pacification 〈◊〉 18. pag. 109. and 113. M D Some as he is cyted pag. 164 182. 17â— A Protestant preacher preaching at Peterborrovv at the funerall of one who dyed a professed Papist viz the Queene of Scotts he prayed that his soule and the soules of all there present might be with the soule of the Dead Papist M. D. Baro. saith I dare not deny the name of Christians to the Romanists sith the more learned wâ—yter do acknowledge the church of Rome to be the church of God M. Hooker saith The church of Rome is to be reputed a part of the hâ—wse of God a lymne of the visible church of Christ Yea wee gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus Christ M Bunny lykewise saith of Catholickes and protestantes neither of vs saith he may iustly accompt the other to be none of the church of God yea wee are no seuerall church from them nor they from vs. M D. Some in his defence against M. Penâ—y the Puritan and refâ—tation of many absurdities c. in M Pâ—nâ— treatise saith The Papists are not altogether aliens from Gods couenant as I haue shewed before for in the iudgment of all learned men and all â—eâ—ormed churches there is in Popery a church a ministery a true Christ c. if you thinke saith he that all the Popish sort which died in the Popish church are damned you thinke absurdly and dissent from the iudgment of the learned protestantes M. D. Field saith wee doubt not but the church M. D Field de Eccles lib 3. cap. 46. line pag. 182. wherin the Bishop of Rome with more then Lucifer lyke pryde exalted himself was notwithstanding the true church of Christ that it held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ and by force or vertue thereof did conuert many from errour c. M. D. M. Morton in his treatise of the kingdome of Israel and of the church pagâ— 94. Peter Mar. in his epist annexed to his coÌ„m places in English pag. 153. M. D. Couell as he is cyâ—â—d pag 77 Thomas Morton affirmeth in expresse wordes that Papistes are to be accounted of the church of God because saith he they hold the foundation of ths ghospell which is faith in Christ Iesus the sonne of God and Sauiour of the world Peter Martyr desired at the conference had at Poysy betvvene the Catholickes and the protestantes that they should not for diuersity of opinion breake brotherly charity or call one the other heretickes Lastly M. D. Couell in his defence of M. Hookers fiue bookes of Ecclesiasticall Policy published by authority dedicated to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury defendeth this opinion at large and concludeth saying wee affirme that they of the church of Rome are a part of the church of Christ and that such as liue and dye in that church may not withstaÌ„ding be saued pag. 61. In so much as he doubteth not to charge the Puritans with ignorance for their contrary opinion THE 47. ARTICLE A testimonie from the enemie is of greatest accompt FOr as much as our learned aduersaries do affirme that it is a great peece of worke to conuince the aduersary from himself for a more full satisfaction wee thinke it not a misse to make vse of this argument also de Eccles l. 3 c 47. initio pag. 182. M. D. Field therfore saith The next note wherby Bellarmine endeauoreth to proue the Romish sinagogue to be the true church of God is our owne confession Surely if he can proue that wee confesse it to be the church he needeth not vse any other argumentes de Eccles controu 2. quaest 5. cap 24. pag. 366. M. D. Whitaker saith the argument must
needs bestrong which is taken from the confession of the aduersaries for the confession of the aduersaries against themselues is effectuall And truly saith he I do acknowledge that the truth inforceth testimony from her enemies contra Donatist post collat cap. 24 in his comm places part 2 pag 329. S. Austine saith That truth is more forceable to wring out confession then any rack or torment Peter Martyr saith doubtlesse amonge all testimonies that testimonie is of greatest accompt which is testifyed by the enemies Heere you see that to th end there be no means left vnsought wherby to make this our so weighty a case cleare Deut. 32.31 Esay 19.2.3 Esdras ca. 4.41 wee haue made euen our ennimies iudges bringe forth as the Prophet saith the Egiptians against the Egiptians for certenly as it is written truth is great and preuaileth THE 48. ARTICLE Of the purity or rather arrogancy of the church of England pag. 146. M. Iacob in his defence of the treatise of Christs sufferings printed 1600. saith This is the profit that comes by ordinary slaunting with the Fathers c if in this case wee were to looke after any man surely wee haue more cause to regarde our late faithfull teachers rather then those of ould who being equall with the best of them in any of the excellent graces of Gods spirit c. M. Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury in his defence and briefe comparison of the protestant Bishops of our tyme with the Bishops of the primitiue church faith pag 472 The Doctrine taught and professed by our Bishops at this day is much more perfect sound then commonly it was in any age after the Apostles tymes Againe pag 473. surely saith he you are not able to reckoÌ„ in any age since the Apostles tyme any company of Bishops that caught and held so perfect and sound a doctrine in all poynts as the Bishops of England do at this day c. And in the truth of doctrine our Bishops be not only comparable with the old Bishops but in many degrees to be preferred before them Beza saith I haue bene accustomed to say in epist Theolog. epist 1 pag. 5 and not without cause as I take it that whylest I compare those very tymes next vnto the Apostles with our tymes they had theÌ„ more conscience and lesse knowledge and on the other side wee haue now more knowledge and lesse conscience in praefat in nou test dicat principi Condicuâ— This is my opinion saith he c. In so much as he affirmeth that Caluin did far exceed all the auncient and later wryters in interpreting the scriptures with varietie of wordes and alleaging of reasons All which is directly against M. Bancroft Bishop of Canterburie pag. 37â— in the suruey of the pretended holy discipline where he saith for M. Caluin and M. Beza I do thinke of them as their writings deserue but yet I thinke better of the auncient Fathers pag. 64. I must saith he confesse it Also the more aduised See Chemnitius in his examen CoÌ„cil Trident. part pag. 74. 64. and sober protestantes to vse their owne wordes doubt not but that the primitiue church receaued from the Apostles and Apostolicall men not only the text of scripture but also the right and true sense thereof And that wee are greatly confirmed in the true and sound sense of scripture by the testimonie of the auncient church In the confessions of Bohemia in the Harmony of confessions pag. 406. It is confessed that the auncient church is the true and best mistresse of posteritie which going before leadeth vs the way Sarauia saith The holy ghost which doth sit ouer in defenâ— and his president in the church tract de diuersis ministrorum gradibus pag. â— is the true interpreter of the scriptures of him therfore ought the true interpretation be sought and for as much as he cannot be coÌ„trary to himself which is ouer the church and hath gouerned it by Bishops now to reiect them is not a greable to truth in defens Apologiae printed anno 1573. pag. 35. M. Ievvell saith The primitiue church which was vnder the Apostles and Martyrs hath euermore bine accompted the puriest of all others without exception THE 49. ARTICLE Of Heretickes impudencie Imprimis Luther tom 5. ad Gal. cap. 1. fol 299. MArtin Luther hauing a scholler to dispute against his aduersaries in this manner did encourage him The argument saith he of the Papists me thinks is very probable and strong that is the church did thus thinke and teach it so many yeares all the Doctours of the primitiue church most holy men did also iudge it to be thus and so taught it what art thou saith he that dare disagree from all these But afterward heare Luther himself against these when Sathan saith he doth vrge this matter confidently say whether Cyprian Augustine Ambrose or S. Peter Paul Iohn yea an Angel from heauen teach otherwyse not withstanding this I know for certayn that I do not persuade humane but deuyne thinkes for this I may speake with confidence let therbe the church with Austine and other Doctours also S. Peter Paul Iohn yea an Angel from heauen which doth teach a contrary not withstanding my doctrine is such that it doth illustrate the glory of God only Peter was chief of the Apostles and taught with out the word of God These Luther Againe where he bids adew to all fathers lib. de fâ—â— 1â— arbitrio councells deuines Schools Bishops the consent of all ages and Christian people saith in this manner wee receaue all scripture saith he but so that the authority of interpreting it be in our power what wee interpret the holy ghost doth teach what others do bring although they be great although they be many it coms from the spirit of the Diuell and a wicked mynd Againe Luther perceauing that place of S. Paul Rom. â— vvee thinke a man to be iustified by faith and not by the vvorkes of the lavv not sufficient to proue iustification by faith did add this particle only and when he was admonished of it thus he answered tom 5. fol 141. 144. so I will so I commaund it let my will stand for a reason c. Luther will haue it so and saith he is a Doctour aboue all Doctours And a little after he concludeth moreouer saith he this word only ought to remaine in my testament although all Papists runne made at it and it greeueth me saith he that I haue not added these twoe wordes without all workes and lawes Againe in his booke against king Henry 8. he speaketh thus The word of God saith he is aboue althinges the deuyne maiestie maketh for me so that I nothing care if there be a thousand Austines a thousand Cyprians and a thousand Henries against me If I am no Prophet saith he yet I am sure the word of God doth stand for me I
Priestes In Colloquijs Mensal fol. 241. tom 5. Germ. fol. 241. Monkes Nunnes Princes Lordes the whole would withall diuells I say shall permitt it and moreouer they shall haue hell fier ouer their heads and I will giue them no thanks for their payns let this be my instinct from the holy ghost of Doctor Luther and my true and holy ghospell Death of Luther Cochleus in vita Lutheri Luther was taken away by a subdayn death for when he had bine ioyfull and well at a rich supper and by his merry conceites had prouoked his frinds to much laughter that same very night he dyed Death of Zuinglius Oecolompadius Gualter saith In Apologia pro Zulnglio c. fol. 32. Zuinglius dyed in warre against Catholickes and armed in the field and these our excellent censurers saith he doubt not to pronounce Zuinglius himself to be dead in sinne and therfore the sonne of Hell And a little after at Basil Cochleus in Actis Lutheri 1531. his spirituall brother Oecolampadius being well at night when he went to bed was found the newt morning dead by his wyfe Also Andreas Corolostadius was slaine by the diuell as the ministers of Basil write in an epistle which they published of his death Death of Caluin Conradus Schlusselburge a Lutheran superintendent of the Diocesse of Ruceburge Io Theolog. Caluinista l. 2. fol. 72. and generall ouerseer and coÌ„troller of the ad ioyning Churches of Megaplensis saith God in the rod of his fury visiting Caluing did horribly punish him before the fearfull hour of his vnhappy death for he so strocke this hereticke so he tearmeth him in regard of his Doctrine concerning the Sacrament and that God is the author of sinne with his mighty hand that eating both himself and all his Bolsecus Cochlaeus alij oculares testes 2. Machab. 9 5.9.10 and Act. 12.23 detesting God and the day of his birth despairing with horrible blasphemies against the Saints and calling vpon the Diuell so breathed out his soule he dyed saith Conradus being consumed by lyce and wormes a kind of death wherwith God doth often stricke the wicked as he did Antiochius in the Machabes and Herod in the Actes of the Apostles increasing in a most loath some vlcer about his priuie partes so as none present could indure the stenche The thinges are obiected to Caluin by publyke writing in which also horrible thinges are declared concerning his lasciuiousnes his sundry abhominable vices and Sodomiticall lustes For which last he was by the magistrate at Noyon vnder whome he liued branded on the shoulder with a hoate burning iron wherevnto as yet I see no sound or cleare answere Heere Deare Mother I haue made a summarie Collection of what soeuer I could imagine to make for your Satisfaction in this so weightie a matter as the happines of your owne with the soules of your whole family and friendes for all eternity not dilating or making any application of the least article but rather leauing all to your discret iudgment to comment vpon so plaine euident and perspicuous atext where you may as the darknes of Egypt euen feele the truth with your hand This course I haue the rather imbraced to avoyde tediousnes in so copious a matter and where that sentence of our Sauiour may most aptly be applyed Luke 19. V. â—2 By thyne owne mouth I iudge thee O naughtie seruant Our earnest prayer and whole deuotion night and day for a good successe Amen But for your last farwell take this sentence of S. Augustine vpon the Fathers and Doctours of the primitiue Church Lib. 2 contra Iulianum Those Bishops saith he were learned graue holy most earnest defenders of the faith and truth against all tatling vanities in whose senteÌ„ce learning libertie c. thou can'st not despise any thinge Ibidem Again The auncient Fathers saith he sought not friendshippe either with vs or you nor yet were at enmytie with either of vs with vs or you they were not offended neither vs nor you did they pittie but what they found in the Church that they held what they had learned that they taught what themselues had learned of their fore Fathers thesame they deliuered to their Children These that best most worthy learned As Cal. c. in the 3. troâ—tysc confesse and sincere witnes of all Antiquity yet that euer was since the Apostles tymes or is lyke to follow after him S. Austine wherby you may collect that these Fathers aught only what they had from tyme to tyme from the Apostles yea Christ himself contrariwyse yours the Phansie of their owne brainsicke inuention neuer heard of before I mean in frameing a religion of so many old condemned heresies composed into one neuer before held by any one particuler person Deere Mother Brethren and Sisters with the rest my good frinds once more I humbly take my leaue of you heseeching you all to make some good vse of these my paynes for vndoubtedly if they turne not to your good they will much dommage you and that through your owne default for what saith our Sauiour if I had not come and spoken vnto them Iohn 15 2â— they should not haue sinned but now they haue no excuse for theire sinne So plain is this matter made vnto you wherfore I pray let not me be a meanes to increase your sinne and consequently your future torment Far Well FINIS