and I know not where they haue placed hir They can not assigne vnto me any persons time or place wherein their Synagogue had a resplendent face and a laudable dilatation §. 2. The SECOND Consideration touching a visible Church free from any damnable errour The Protestants loosenesse and confusion in their description of the Church 1. I Considered Secondly that this VISIBLE Church can neuer be taynted vniuersally with any errour and specially if it be such as either expressly or implicitely indangereth the principles of saluation for in matters of the necessity of saith she is freed from the possibility of errour 2. Hence it is that i Part. 4. de Vnit. Grac. Considerat 6. Iohn Gerson a man highly * See afterward c. 3. § 3. num 4. c. aduanced by D. Field prescribeth this ensuing obseruation as an infallible rule VVhatsoeuer is determined by the Pope of Rome together with his generall Councell of the Church in matters appertayning vnto faith that is vndoubtedly true and to be receiued of all the world For this consideration is founded in the articles of our faith VVe belieue that there is an HOLY CATHOLIQVE CHVRCH which is exempted from errour in hir faith c. 3. As this position was credible with me for the Authours sake and he vpon D. Fields singular commendation so I was induced farther and more strongly perswaded to intertayn it by the certayn warrant of him who is TRVTH it self and promised his Spirit vnto the holy Apostles with assurance Io. 16.13 that he should lead them into all Truth 4. In quality it is Truth without errour In quantity it is All truth necessary and expedient for them or vs in this peregrinant estate For as this promise belonged then particularly vnto each Apostle so it belongeth now generally vnto the whole Church which being taken either in hir latitude as she is diffused ouer the world or in hir representation as she is collected into a lawfull Synod is priuiledged from errour in hir doctrinall determinations 5. And this was clearely imported vnto me in a sentence of S. 1. Timoth. 3.15 Paull vnto his beloued Timothy whom he instructed how he should behaue himself in the house of God which is the ground and PILLAR OF TRVTH 6. For howsoeuer it pleaseth D. k Pag. 199. The church of Ephesus hath erred damnably in faith Field to elude the grauity and power of this Scripture by restrayning the Apostles sense therein particularly vnto the Church of Ephesus which was committed vnto the Episcopall care of Timothy yet as many reasons did preuayle with me to reiect his exposition so I preferred the authority of S. l Commentâ—r ibid Ambrose saying that VVhereas the whole world is Gods the Church is sayd to be his howse of which vniuersall Church Damasus the Pope is Rectour at this day This Vniuersall Church is the Pillar of truth sustayning the edifice of faith 7. Herevpon l Prascripe cap. 28. Tertullian deriding the hereticks of his time esteemeth it a base and grosse conceipt in any man to suppose that the holy Ghost who was asked of the Father and sent by the Sonne to be the Teacher of TRVTH should neglect that office vnto which he was designed and that he should permitt the Church to vnderstand the Scriptures otherwise then he spake by the mouth of the Apostles And farther Is it probable saieth he that so many and so great Churches if they did erre should erre thus conformably into the same faith VARIASSE debuerat ERROR doctrinae Ecclesiarum Caeterùm quod apud multos VNVM inuenitur non est erratum sed TRADITVM Errour bringeth variety but where vnity is there is the truth Thus the Churches are many in number but one in faith diuided in place but ioyned in opinion 8. Mine earnest meditation in this point taught me to lament the confusion of our Protestants admitting innumerable sectaries into our vast and incongruous Church Fox in Act. Mon. See the 3. Conuers of EnglaÌ„d which is a very Chimaera thrust together and fashioned in specificall disproportions But this was our necessity hard necessity and not our choyce to make such a pitifull delineation of our Church For whereas we had not any certayn succession to deriue hir descent and petigree from the Ancients we were compelled in this respect to deale liberally like good fellowes and take sondry hereticks with incompatible factions into our society least by the same reason for which we exclude others we should exclude our selues also from the communion of the Church pag. 137. 9. Hence it is that D. Field laying the fundation of his Babell feareth not to say that the Churches of Russia Armenia Syria AEthiopia Greece c. are and continue parts of the TRVE CATHOLICK CHVRCH A position manifestly repugnant vnto Reason and Authority Vnto reason for if truth of doctrine be a Note of the Church as we defend how is that a true Catholick Church which impugneth the truth and how is that one Church which is distracted into many faiths Vnto authority for S. * de haeres in perorat See the 3. conuers of England Part. 2. chap. 10. num 10.15.16.17 c. Augustine doth constantly affirme that whosoeuer maintayneth any heresy registred or omitted by him in his Treatise he is not a CATHOLIQVE Christian and consequently no member of that Church wherein alone we haue the promise of saluation For as our * Fides in Christum faith in Christ must be TRVSTFVLL liuely and actiue by a speciall application of his merits vnto our selues so our * Fides de Christo faith of Christ must be TRVE syncere and absolute by a iust conformity vnto the will of God reuealed by him and propounded by his Church And therefore D. Fields * Part. 4. de vnit Graecorum considerat 4. Gerson intreating of peace and VNITY in the Church laboureth to draw all men into a communion of faith and iudgeth it a great folly in any man to conceiue that we may be saued in our particular sects and errours 10. When I had discouered by an earnest prosecution of this point how naturally and powerfully our ProtestaÌ„ticall * The Church may erre Diuers Churches though erring grosly in faith make vp one Catholick Church c. doctrines conuaigh men into Laodiceanisme and a carelesse neglect of vndefiled Religion whence Atheisme must necessarily ensue I resolued with hearty affection to vnite my self vnto that Church which is pure and single in Religion wheresoeuer I should deprehend the same For though I saw that the Protestants religion was false in some things yet I had great hesitation and doubt whether the Papists were true in all as S. * Confess lib. 6. cap. 1. Augustine spake sometime vnto his louing Mother I am now no Manichee nor yet a Catholick Christian And so mine estate as well as his might be resembled vnto the case of that patient * S.
THE FIRST MOTIVE OF T. H. MAISTER OF ARTS AND LATELY MINISTER TO SVSPECT THE INTEGRITY OF HIS Religion Which was DETECTION OF FALSEHOOD in D. Humfrey D. Field other learned Protestants touching the question of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead VVith his PARTICVLAR CONSIDERATIONS perswading him to embrace the Catholick doctrine in theis and other points * ⎠* An Appendix intituled TRY BEFORE YOV TRVST Wherein Some notable vntruths of D. Field and D. Morton are discouered Printed 1609. S. AVGVSTIN de vtilit credendi contra Manichaeos cap. 14. NVllis me video credidisse nisi populorum atque gentium confirmatae opinioni ac famae admodum celeberrimae hos autem populos Ecclesiae CATHOLICAE mysteria vsquequaque occupásse Cur non igitur apud cos potissimum diligentissimè requiram quid Christus praeceperit quorum authoritate commotus Christum aliquid vtile praecepisse iam credidi Túne mihi melius expositurus es quid ille dixerit Quem suisse aut esse non putarem si abs te mihi hoc commendaretur esse credendum Hoc ergo credidi vt dixi famae celebritate consensione vetustate roboratae Vos autem tam pauci tam turbulenti tam noui nemini dubium est quám nihil dignum authoritate praeferatis Quae igitur ista tantae dementia est Illis crede Christo esse credendum à no bis disce quid dixerit Cur obsecrote Nam si illi Catholici deficerent nec me quicquam docere possent multò faciliùs mihi persuaderem Christo non esse credendum quà m de illo cuiquam nisi ab jis per quos ei credidissem discendum TO THE PROTESTANT READER IT was my purpose to be silent vntill I was inforced to speake for the publick proceedinge against me hath drawen me vnto this publick defence and specially because it was by those persons whom I haue reuerenced from my heart and in that place which must alwayes challendge an interest in my poore vnworthy self Wherefore being inuited and compelled vnto this coursey I present vnto thee louing contreyman one MOTIVE of my chandge the first in order and with me very effectuall in waight Expect not any curious or ample discourse for I do here intend to deliuer onely such peculiar things as preuayled with me in the beginning rowsing me out of my lethargy in schisme and heresy prouoked me vnto a diligent inuestigation of the truth My other * Tâ—â— motiues shall remayn prisoners in my custody vnlesse the importunity of friends or malignity of aduersaries may perhapps extort their enlardgement from me against the proper inclination of my will Meane while accept this little schedule is it not a little one and thy soule shall liue Gen. 19 20 with kind affection And though I may require it as justice yet I will desire it as a fauour let not prejudice forestall thy judgement nor passion supplant thy reason Peruse diligently compare exactly and giue thy verdict vprightly in presence of the all-seing eye Then I doubt not but seeking thou shalt find and finding wilt confesse God was here Gen. 28.16 and I knew it not Thy deuoted contreyman Theophilus Hyggons THE GENERALL CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE DIVIDED INTO 2. BOOKES 1. In the First booke are expressed tvvo Reasons the one DOCTRINALL the other MORALL vvhich svvayed my vnderstanding povverfully to yeald firme assent vnto the Catholick faith touching Purgatory and Prayer for the dead 2. In the Second booke are layed forth certayn egregious falsehoods of D. Field D. Humfrey M. Rogers and others in their exceptions against the same THE PARTICVLAR CONTENTS IN EACH BOOKE IN THE FIRST BOOKE AND FIRST PART CONTAYNING THE DOCTRINALL REASON CHAP. 1. § 1. Purgatory prooued by the cleare authority of Scripture Matth. 12.32 § 2. The Fathers iudgements touching the sayd parcell of holy Scripture § 3. Three reasons which mooued me to follow the doctrinall expositions of the Fathers rather then of Caluin Luth. c. CHAP. 2. § 1. Of a triall by the Fathers Protestants in England condescend thereunto § 2. Prayer for the dead is an Apostolicall TraditioÌ„ by the testimony of the Fathers The same appeareth by the rules assigned by Protestants to know what is an Apostolicall Tradition § 3. Prayer for the dead Purgatory do mutually prooue each other § 4. The ancient Catholick Church vnto which the Protestants in England appeale did intend in hir Prayers and Oblations to relieue some soules departed and afflicted with temporall payn § 5. The collusion of D. Field in deliuering the purpose of the ancient Catholick Church in hir Prayers and Oblations for the dead § 6. Reasons perswading me rather to follow S. August the ancient Church then D. Field and his reformed Congregations IN THE SECOND PART OF THE FIRST BOOKE CONTAYNING THE MORALL REASON CHAP. 1. § 1. The PROVIDENCE of God preseruing a visible Church in all ages § 2. This visible Church is free from damnable errour The Protestants loosenesse and confusion in their delineation of the Church § 3. Protestants condemne Purgatory and Prayer for the dead as hereticall and blasphemous § 4. This doctrine was embraced by the vniuersall Church consequently is approoued by the singular PROVIDENCE of almighty God CHAP. 2. § 1. The base and impious condition of Aërius and Henricus who first impugned this doctrine § 2. The VVISEDOME of God appoynting fitt messengers to be Reformers of his Church doth excellently confirme this doctrine CHAP. 3. § 1. The nature and vse of Miracles by which God doth beare witnesse vnto some TRVTH A triple consideration of Miracles according to the triple distinction of the Church § 2. A miracle wrought by S. Bernard to the confusion of Henricus and his doctrines § 3. There is no exception against the sayd Miracle § 4. The sayd Miracle doth euidently conuince the Protestants in this and other poynts § 5 An exception of D. Field pretending that no particular defended by the Papists against Protestants vvas euer confirmed by Miracle is refelled by our Conuersion from Paganisme to Popery as it is termed and by the authority of Gerson whom D. Field hath magnified as one that desired the same Reformation long since which Protestants haue lately effected CHAP. 4. § 1. The grounds which I followed in the precedents are invincible § 2. The particulars therein are very cleare A direction for the Reader to iudge orderly substantially concerning the same A conclusion of the first Part with a Protestation vnto the Reader IN THE SECOND BOOKE AND FIRST PART CONTAYNING THE VNTRVTHS OF D. FIELD CHAP. 1. § 1. S. Gregory the 4. glorious Doctours of the Latine Church abused by D. Field in this doctrine of Purgatory Prayer for the dead § 2. S. Augustin the 4. glorious Doctours of the Latine Church abused by D. Field in this doctrine of Purgatory Prayer for the dead § 3. S. Hierome the 4. glorious Doctours of the Latine
Church abused by D. Field in this doctrine of Purgatory Prayer for the dead § 4. S. Ambrose the 4. glorious Doctours of the Latine Church abused by D. Field in this doctrine of Purgatory Prayer for the dead CHAP. 2. D. Field doth vniustly accuse CARD BELLARMINE of trifling and senselesse foolery in this matter Caluin doth truly confesse that the Protestats are opposite vnto Antiquity therein CHAP. 3. § 1. D. Field himself doth trifle and if it be iustice to repay him with his owne he committeth senselesse foolery in describing the heresy of Aërius whereof all Protestants are guilty consequētly are not Catholicks § 2. The contradiction vanity falsehood of Protestants some accusing some defending Aërius in his impugnation of Prayer and Oblation for the dead § 3. D. Field maketh a lamentable apology for the Protestants diuersity in their censures touching the aforesayd heresy The true and proper reason of their diuersity therein is assigned Their strandge and variable deportment toward the ancient Fathers CHAP. 4. A notable vntruth of D. Field in proposing the difference betwixt the Protestants and Papists in the question of Purgatory By which dealing he hath vtterly overthrowen his highly respected booke and brought eternall confusion vnto his Church IN THE SECOND PART OF THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. 1. § 1. M. Rogers abuseth Dionys Carthusian § 2. He brandeth S. Gregory with the name of a Papist and traduceth Eckius Temporall punishment inflicted after remission of the guilt of sinne CHAP. 2. sect 1. D. Humfrey doth singularly abuse a certayn testimony of S. Augustine The detectiō of which falsehood ministred the first occasion of my chandge § 2. An other of his vnfaithfull practises against the same Father c. AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER TOVCHING THE ORDER AND METHOD OF THIS TREATISE COurteous Reader though the beginning of my alienation from the Protestants did arise from the detection of some egregious falsehoods in D. Humfrey peruerting S. Augustine in D. Field traducing S. Ambrose vvhence I vvas excited to spend much time in searching out the doctrine of the ancient Church concerning PVRGATORY and PRAYER FOR THE DEAD yet I haue not alvvayes follovved that order precisely in this ensuing Treatise but for thy better direction and instruction I haue thought it expedient FIRST to lay forth the truth of this doctrine and SECONDLY to acquaynt thee vvith their falsehoods against the same THE FIRST BOOKE Wherein THE CATHOLICK DOCTRINE OF PVRGATORY AND PRAYER FOR THE DEAD IS CLEARELY prooued THE FIRST PART OF THE FIRST BOOKE CONTAYNING A DOCTRINALL REASON which perswaded me to intertayn the aforesayd doctrine CHAPTER I. The Reason taken from HOLY SCRIPTVRE to prooue PVRGATORY §. 1. The sense of the Euangelist S. Matthew Chap. 12. v. 32. 1. AMONGEST sondry testimonies of holy writt this one seemed in mine opinion to be of singular force viz. VVhosoeuer shall speake a word against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him in this world nor in the world to come For as this Text doth imply in the immediate sense thereof that the Sinne against the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgiuen so it doth imply farther a distinction of sinnes some whereof are remissible and some irremissible some are pardoned in this world and some in the world to come 2. This interpretation is founded vpon a speciall reason because S. a 3 2◠Marke intreating of the same matter saieth that blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgiuen non in aeternum and S. Matthew diuideth this space of eternity into seculum praesens seculum futurum the world present and the world to come as being two seuerall and distinct parts thereof so that the same thing is noted by each Euangelist but coniunctiuely in the one and distributiuely in the other 3. The Protestants deriue this text after an other manner and say that S. Matthew is to be expounded by S. Marke and so the intendment of this Scripture is precisely and meerely to shew that the great sinne being irremissible in an eminent degree shall neuer be forgiuen 4. But this simple glosse could yeald me no satisfaction For though it were the purpose of our Lord to declare that one sinne shall neuer be forgiuen yet he expresseth himself by such a distinction as doth manifestly inforce the remission of some sinnes in the future life And forasmuchas S. Matthew dealeth more copiously herein then S. Marke there is no reason why the first should be contracted by the second but rather it is necessary to enlardge the second by the first 5. Neither did it seeme a probable conceit vnto me though it be intertayned by many that our Sauiour did not make a partition of sinnes some to be remitted in this world and some in the next but vsed an exaggeration to shew the irremissibillity of one sinne as if I should say A barren woman shall not beare a child neither in this world nor in the world to come For though the WORD did speake b Io. 7.46 as neuer man spake in respect of Maiesty grauity and power yet he doth not so decline the accustomed manner of speach as that he would speake against the rules of prudency and morall vnderstanding as this speach is if it be sensed in this manner And who would not esteeme him to be a ridiculous and absurd Oratour that should say This woman shall not beare a child in this world neither in the world to come 6. Wherefore seing that the Protestants exposition is formed against discretion and that it is not warrantable by any other parcell of Scripture which is to be interpreted in this manner I was fearefull to be intangled by their collusions and because I would deale vnpartially in a matter of such consequence as this is I held a very indifferent course whereby I might not attribute any thing vnto mine owne iudgement nor yet detract from their estimation and therefore I remitted this point vnto the decision of the blessed Fathers knowing well that it is a precept of the Highest c Deut. 32.7 Aske the Fathers and they shall tell thee the Ancients and they shall shew thee and thus did D. Toby Matthew apply this Text d See D. Humfrey in resp ad 5. rat Edm. Campiani when he flourished in his concionall answere to remooue that disgrace which e Rat. 5. Edm. Campian had fastened vpon him and not vniustly as many men conceiue 7. Besides since it is the monition of S. f 1. Cor. 14.32 Paule that the Spiritts of Prophetts are subiect vnto the Prophetts the rule of equity doth prescribe that in the interpretation of holy writt the fewest should yeald vnto the most and the later vnto the former they also being more competent Iudges to determine a strife who neuer were Actours personally in the contention §. 2. The Fathers iudgement of this Scripture 1. I Was assured by D. g Of the Church pag. 170. Field that S.
Protestants into * 9. are noted by Bellarm de Euchar. l. 1. c. 8. You shall find 84. noted by Claud. de Sainct in lib. de Euchar. Repetit 1. cap. 10. many interpretations but the word it self was confirmed by a * 3. LateraÌ„ generall Councell not inuenting a new faith for the whole Church past and present consented therein by an audacious decree but expressing the old by a significant name For it is iudiciously obserued by h Part. 1. Serm. pro viago Regis Rom. secuÌ„da parte principali direct 3. Gerson against the innouatioÌ„s of VVickliffe and Husse that in the Church we must keepe a certayn forme of speach and that it is an euill liberty to speake erroneously and amisse Wherefore as the holy Councell of Nice did wisely restrayn all men to acknowledge the word Homousia so the Catholiks in the Ariminian Councell saw too late the great inconuenience in leauing men vnto a liberty of speach in this behalf For the world did sigh as S. i contra Lucifer Hierome saith and wondered to see it self become an Arrian not by any hereticall decree as M. k Cathol doctrine of the Church of England pag. 114. Roger's doth vntruly insinuate but by permitting such a freedome as we Protestants affect viz. to define as we see cause in matters of faith according vnto the Scriptures whence they we gayn aduantadge to erect our owne fancies §. 4. The Ancient Catholick Church in hir Prayers for the dead in hir Oblations c. did intend precisely to relieue soules afflicted temporally in a penall estate 1. VVHen I had thus deriued prayer for the dead by a perpetual line froÌ„ the holy Apostles I proceeded farther to examine the purpose inteÌ„dmeÌ„t of the Catholick Church in this religious act for I could not coÌ„tent my self with this simple glosse of l Tom. 1. Epicher de Canouâ— Missa Zuinglius viz If it be so as Augustine and Chrysostome affirme that prayer for the dead is referred vnto the Apostles I think that the Apostles did onely permitt it vnto the infirmity of some Christians c. 2. This seemed vnto me an heathenish euasion and iniurious vnto the syncerity of the Apostles Besides was Aërius the onely man filled with the spirit to impugne this thing which suffered no contradiction vnto his time Wherefore hauing many reasons to amandate Zuinglius with his black admonitour I repayred vnto them who were of more candid and honourable disposition And here I singled foorth two Fathers the one of the Greek Church the other of the Latin esteeming this a sure and conuenable meanes to leade me into a solid apprehension of the truth 3. The FIRST was S. m Cateches mystagog 5. Cyrill Arch-bishopp of Hierusalem who in his instructions of the people whom he was carefull to informe herein according to the simplicity of the Catholick faith hath this ponderous and effectuall senteÌ„ce When we offer vp the Sacrifice commonly knowen by the name of Masse a thing which should not be ingrate vnto vs Englishmen See Beda in his Eccles histor lib. 1. c. 26. forasmuch as it was a part of that Christian faith which we receiued in our first conuersion we make mention of all them who are fallen asleepe before vs. First of the Patriarchs Apostles and Martyrs that God by their intercession may receiue our prayers Then we pray for our deceased Fathers and Bishoppes and finally for all men departed amongst vs viz. in the * See S. August de cura pro mort c. 4. Catholick communioÌ„ For we belieue that this is a very great helpe for the soules of them in whose behalf we offer that holy and fearefull Sacrifice which is layed vpon the Altar 4. A powerable testimony But he goeth yet farther and saieth VVe offer vp Christ once slayn for our sinnes that so we may make him who is most kind to be * A propitiatory Sacrifice propitious and mercifull vnto the quick and dead This is one of those deadly heresies as M. n de Antichristo pag. 254. Powell is pleased to affirme which was deuised by the Pope himself and a parcell of his Anti-christian doctrine 5. But as Vincentius Lirinensis testifieth of himself Contra haeres in praefâ—t that he came forth noÌ„ tam Authoris praesumptione quà m Relatoris fide rather by the fidelity of a relatour then by the presumption of an authour so this Catholick Archbishopp a professed and zealous enimy of all hereticks as his owne * Catech. 6. circa med c. sayings may witnesse vnto vs propounded this doctrine vnto his owne flock whose saluation was deare vnto him not by his peculiar authority as being a father of his children but by the warrant of hir whose sonne he was and which is pia mater communis as S. o de curaÌ„ pro mort cap. 4. Augustine speaketh the pious common Mother of vs all and prayeth for all the departed by a generall commemoration 6. For this cause he saieth WE offer WE pray c. intending hereby to expresse the custome of the Vniuersall Church whose doctrine was famous renowned in this behalf And though we Protestants do often venditate the priuate conceipts of some vayle them vnder the preteÌ„se of a general coÌ„sent viz. WE say thus WE think thus So D. Morâ—on in Cathol Apol. Part. 1. lib. 1. in quaest ac descensu Christi ad inferos pretendeth thus WE coÌ„fesse that Christ weÌ„t truly into hell viz. in soule as Bellarmine himself doth teach c. Many such false protestatioÌ„s are vsed by him by D. Field and others As for the vanity of D. Morton herein it is abundantly refuted by that which M. Rogers himself deliuereth in his Cathol doct pa. 16. WE do thus c. which is a meere toy for the very nature and fundation of our Religion is such that as euery one conceiueth by his spirit so he is in trauayle to bring forth his owne Church yet S. Cyrill and the religious Fathers were more respectiue in their words waighing them in the ballance of a good conscience and a sober heart 7. Wherefore addressing my thoughts vnto a serious meditation of theis things I beganne more sensibly to discouer how vainely and foolishly I had bene terrified by the spectrical names of Popery Papists and the like the late inuentioÌ„s of an apostatical Friar inasmuch as the best the wisest the most learned Fathers did speake and write and practise directly herein as the Papists Catholicks for popery being translated out of S. * Sainted by M. Powell de Antich pa. 68. Luthers language signifieth the Catholick religion do speake and write and practise at this day 8. The SECOND Father was S. Augustine I was desirous to seeke after no more because I was assured that I could find no better vnto whom I did appeale as vnto the best and most faithfull witnesse of antiquity For so he is approoued by Iohn
pitifull coÌ„ceipts Wherefore I directed my thoughts vto theis 4. considerations which here ensue FIRST that it is a vanity in vs Protestants sometimes to * So doth D. Field here and Zanch. de Natura Dei l. 4. c. 4. and others accept this Liturgy as composed by S. Chrysostome and sometimes to * So doth M. Iewell M. Powell de Antichr p. 235. reiect it for our owne aduantadge because we can not iustly insist vpon the testimony of any Authour by way of proof which we our selues deny to be deliuered by him For though it hath force against him that admitteth it yet it is of no efficacy for him that refuseth it SECONDLY that S. * Iuuetur mortuus noÌ„ lachrymis sed prâ—cibus c. Hom. 41. in epist 1. ad Cor. Chrysostome did pray and exhorted others to pray for the soules of the dead and therefore in all probability his Liturgy and his doctrine do conspire substantially in this issue THIRDLY I found that when the Church offered the Sacrifice of our Lords body for the Apostles Martyrs c. it was by way of * See Gabriel Biel lect 85. in Can. Missae thanskgiuing not of petition and this was confirmed vnto me by the testimony of S. Augustine viz. The faithfull do know by the instruction of the Church that we pray not for Martyrs as we pray for other men that is to say the Martyrs are recognized by vs as Citizens of the heauenly kingdome but we pray for others as being yet in temporall payn or at least conceiued to be so by vs and thus to witt respectiuely vnto this end we make our supplications vnto God in their behalf Farther as it is not absurdly deliuered saieth l Parte 1. lect 2. super Marcum See Biel. in the aforesaid place Gerson by the learned Diuines that there is an addition or increase of accidentall felicity in the Saints so it is not inconuenient if in this respect also we recommend them vnto God in our deuotions 3. FOVRTHLY though D. Field in his greater wisedome then integrity doth conceale it and so the Tempter made his assault vpon our Sauiour cast thy self downe headlong for it is written Matth. 4. He shall geue his Angells chardge ouer thee that thou dash not thy foote against a stone but he omitted a principall poynt viz. that they may keepe thee in all thy wayes yet S. Chrysostome in the same Liturgy doth playnely refute his pretensed exposition of prayer for the dead For thus he saieth By the supplication of theis Patriarchs Apostles c. haue respect vnto vs o Lord If D. Field will stand vnto this Liturgy to gather the sense of Antiquity by it he must admitt also such an exaltation of the blessed Virgin as will hardly staÌ„d with his liking and he addeth immediately Remember all the faithfull departed who sleepe in the hope of resurrection and make them to be at rest where the light of thy countenance is seene 4. Thus S. Augustine and S. Chrysostome if their sayings be fully related and truly waighed do hold a iust correspondency herein and each of them in the essentiall point doth follow the instruction of the same Church Wherefore though * Contra Henric. 8. Luther did basely esteeme of a thousand Augustines and Cyprians if they were repugnant vnto his iudgement in the Scripture yet I saw necessary reasons why I should preferr one Augustine before ten thousand Luthers Fields and all such as are exorbitantly caried against the streame and course of the ancient Catholick Church §. 6. Reasons which mooued me rather to belieue and to follow S. Augustine herein and the Catholick Church in his time then D. Field and his reformed Churches A conclusion of the first Part with an admonition to all Caluinian Readers 1. VVHen I had brought my discourse vnto this effect as you haue already seene I considered seriously in my priuate meditations that whereas we Protestants make a glorious shew of Antiquity D. Field pag. 47. assumeth that he will prooue the Papists NOTES of Antiquity c. to be really the same with ours Vniuersality Succession c. to iustify our Religion thereby it would prooue a most ridiculous suggestion if in this particular it self we hold not conformity with the ancient Catholick Church Here also by the way I remembred that S. * heres 53. Augustine registring the heresies of Aërius in the number whereof is his derision of Prayer and Oblation for the dead concludeth in the peroration of his treatise that whosoeuer maintayneth any of the precedent opinions he is not a Catholick Christian 2. How nerely this censure appertayneth vnto vs Protestants the * See booke 2. Part. 1 chap. 2. sequele will declare Meane while it may please you to obserue with me how plausibly and artificially D. Field demeaneth himself to escape the pressure of that difficulty which is to heauy for him to beare It is most certayn saieth m pag. 98. he that many particular men extended the meaning of theis prayers for the dead * viz. then he hath deliuered before See §. 5. num 1. farther and out of their priuate errours and fancies vsed such prayers for the dead as the Romanists themselues I think dare not iustify And so it is true that many of the Fathers were led into errour in this matter of Prayer for the dead and not all as if the whole Church had FALLEN FROM THE TRVTH as Bellarmine * See book 2. Part. 1. chap. 3. falfely imputeth vnto Caluin who saieth no such thing 3. Now forasmuch as M. Doctour doth clearely insinuate that such Fathers as extended this religious duty prayer for the dead beyond the narrow compasse which is assigned by n Insi l. 3. c. 5. Caluin and o pag. 98. 139. himself did follow a priuate errour and fancy herein and that they did fall away from the truth I was desirous to know without Lies Obscuritie and Circuitions the best Sanctuaries of our euill cause either from D. Field or from any discreete Protestant in Christendome howbeit I may contract my speach and say in Europe for our new faith hath scarce peeped out of hir confines whether S. Cyrill of Hierusalem concurring absolutely with the Papists in this point See before §. 4. and whether S. Augustine conspiring with him and whether S. p lib. 1. de diuin offic c. 18. Isidore consenting with them both Vnlesse the Catholick Church did belieue that sinnes are remitted vnto the faithfull after this life she would not offer the Sacrifice vnto God for their soules finally whether all others ioyning with them herein fell away from the truth or not And if they did I was desirous to see what one man there was besides Aërian hereticks in whom the truth was visibly preserued 4. Here I gaue my self vnto a long and earnest meditation remembring a renowned sentence of S. epist. 118. Augustine
who saieth that to call any thing in question which is frequented by the vniuersall Church insolentissimae est insaniae it is the part of most insolent madnesse Which sentence applying it self clearely vnto my purpose inforced me to conclude that either S. Augustine was a prodigious asse in his cariadge of this matter or els that we Protestants are insolently mad who partly in the violēt streame of passion renounce the instruction of the vniuersall Church herein and partly by sinister interpretatiōs deriue it against hir knowen intention expressed so abundantly by hir chiefest Doctours Consuetudo est optima legis interpres and perpetuated so eminently by a continuall succession 5. Wherefore retiring my thoughts a little and drawing them from their former meditations I beganne to speake thus feelingly vnto my soule Canst thou desire testimonies more graue then theis in respect of the Authours more perspicuous in words or more effectuall in waight Where doth S. Augustine contradict this relation or who did euer contradict him therein Is Doctour Field a better witnesse and more to be respected in this decision then S. AVGVSTINE who being greatly experienced in the customes of the Vniuersall Church hath in his maturity of iudgement left vnto thee a fayre and euident prescriptiō in this behalf neuer reuersed by himself nor impugned by others hauing also the voyce of all ages both in doctrine and practise for its corroboration and strength Truly if it were so that in his ignorance or malice or some other obliquity and defect he had exceeded the purpose of the Catholick Church herein it is very probable that this errour could not escape him vnespied in all his diligent Retractations And if he were so vnhappy that he had no friēd to informe him for his amendment yet he could not be so happy as that no enimy should note it for his disgrace 6. Now therefore dearely beloued contreyman tell me I pray thee tell me in the vprightnesse of thy conscience and in the presence of him who searcheth the heart and reynes to whose direction guydance and instruction could I in this case committ a poore afflicted soule which I should endeauour to saue with care since Christ died for it in loue and whom could I follow herein with more alacrity and confidence S. AVGVSTINE or D. FIELD with all the troupe of Lutherans Caluinists Protestants Puritans or others howsoeuer they are distinguished in name or diuided in opinion 7. I saw antiquity in the first nouelty in the second I saw fidelity in the first * See the second Booke Part. 1. vnfaithfulnesse in the second I saw profound learning in the first very commendable also but yet much inferiour in the second And though I perceyued that his owne booke doth iustly afford that censure against him which is deliuered against Nestorius by a worthy q Vincent Lirinens cap. 16. Authour viz. Plussēper admirationis in illo quà m vtilitatis plus famae quam experientia fuit yet I will rather say that the * Bellarmine is no wayes matchable with Caluin and others in piety or learning though he weare a Cardinalls hart cōparisō which r pag. 149. he is pleased to make betwixt C. Bellarm. M. Caluin hath a more due proportion betwixt S. August and himself 8. Finally I considered that none of the Fathers resisted the first herein but who doth assist the secōd The doctrin of the first is now cōfirmed by the practise of that Church which we phrase a Popish Antichristian Synagogue c. but the reformed Congregation of D. Field hath no resemblance of theis things For though ſ Contra Campian pag. 262. D. Humfrey in his rhetoricall flourishes doth pretend that in our Colledges we retayn the ancient cōmendation of the dead yet I noted that the differences are many and chiefly theis three First in respect of the PLACE for the ancient commendation of the dead was at the * In precibus Sacerdotis quae Domino Deo ad eius ALTARE funduntur locū suum habet commendatio mortuorum S. Aug. de cura pro mort cap. 1. Altar but we haue none Secōdly in respect of the ACTION for it was in the holy Sacrifice but we contemne it Thirdly in respect of the INTENTION for it was to relieue the soules of the dead but we disclayme this doctrine Besides since our Zuinglian Communion is such a naked and contemptible feast as t See his Confess Luther himself abhorred and his disciple Conradus did tremble to behold for they had a more religious estimation of our Lords Supper then the Sacramentaries who deride the LVTHERANS because they absurdly and superstitiously attribute a sanctifying virtue vnto the * Hoc est Corpus meum words of Christ as it pleaseth u Decad. 5. Serm. 6. H. Bullinger to speake I was desirous to vnderstand how a piece of bread and a draught of wine may haue any power validity for theis purposes vnto which the holy * See S. Au. de Ciuit. Dei l. 22. c. 8. how one of his Priests offering the sacrifice of our Lords Body in the house of a lay person deliuered his family from the vexation of vncleane Spirits Fathers did often referr the sacred Oblation in the diuine Sacrifice of the MASSE or how our Zuinglian Communion can be a reuerend and dreadfull mystery such as wherein the holy Angels humble themselues vnto our common Lord by the offering whereof the mercy of God is intreated for the Soules of some men deceased in Charity and in the Catholick faith For I must professe that a serious consideration of theis things wrought a deepe impression in my heart 9. This was the summe of my DOCTRINALL REASON branched as you haue seene into two Parts that is to say deriued partly from Scripture and partly from Tradition in both which I followed the impeachable resolution of Antiquity and with it I must either stand or fall It is my comfort though it were sometimes my grief to see that as Dagon fell on his face before the Arke 1. Reg. 5. so Protestancy suffereth vtter confusion when it is presented before the Tribunall of the ancient Church I deliuer this assertion faithfully and iustly I speake the truth in Christ I ly not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost I haue tasted the wines of Caluin and Augustine I haue digested both I haue iudged of both and out of some experience which I haue had of both I am bold to assure you louing contreymen who spend your pretious time and exercise your noble witts in many froathy volumes that if you will repayr discreetely and conscionably vnto the blessed Fathers you shall draw better wine at the latter end then at the beginning Then you will clearely discerne See before § 1. num 3. whether Doctour Humfrey had any reason to impute Phrensy vnto his Romanists or not then you will ingenuously confesse with the penitent Donatists
* See S. August epist. 48. and say Nesciebamus hîc esse veritatem nec eam discere volebamus c. We knew not that the truth was here neither would we learne it But thankes be vnto God who hath taken away our feare and taught vs by experience how vayn and empty those suggestions are which lying fame hath cast out against his Church c. The end of the first Part. THE SECOND PART OF THE FIRST BOOKE CONTAYNING A MORALL REASON which perswaded me to intertayn the Catholick doctrine of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead CHAP. I. The PROVIDENCE of God in preseruing a visible Church free from any damnable errour doth confirme the doctrine of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead §. 1. The FIRST Consideration touching a visible Church I Considered First that God hath promised vnto vs a perpetuity of his Church both by his Sonne and Seruants For thus saieth his onely begotten Matth. 2◠20 I am with you alwayes vnto the end of the world 2. A comfortable saying ô Sauiour Iesus I not in body but in Spirit AM yea I will be also but * Before Abraham I am Ioh. 8.58 thus I expresse my self because I am eternall and immutable WITH YOV not in your persons onely but in your succession for euer and not inuisibly by grace alone but visibly also in a syncere profession of the truth ALWAYES VNTO THE END OF THE WORLD my Church shall endure throughout all generations Thus the promise of God made vnto Dauid historically concerning his seed Psal 88. c. is referred mystically vnto Christ in whose seed to witt his Church it is must be absolutely performed 3. I had yet a farther assurance from God by his Seruants Ephes 4.11 For thus saieth S. Paule He Christ hath giuen vs Apostles Prophets Euangelists men of extraordinary vocation in the beginning Pastours and Doctours men of ordinary vocation to the end for the consummation of the Saints for the worke of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ VNTILL we all meete in the vnity of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God into a perfect man into the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ 4. This Text of holy Scripture I knew to be diuersly and preposterously sensed as well by the * M. Cartwright against D. Whitgift Presbyterians against the Formalists as by the * D. Soteliffe against D. Kellisō Protestants against Cath. The first exclude Archbish. the second by the same reasō exclude the Pope But I secured my self in the true and genuine interpretation thereof which did infallibly and clearely demonstrate vnto me theis two poynts First that the Church of Christ must perpetually subsist without decay Secondly that it must be visibly extant without obscurity and concealement For how can Pastours preach the ghospell and administer the holy Sacraments where people are not assembled to that purpose and gathered into a society of faith 5. As for the example of Eliah I alwayes esteemed it a lamentable suggestion in this case For his complaint * 3. Reg. 19. I am left alone extendeth onely vnto the kingdome of ISRAELL wherein he then conuersed and wherein he with many others was persecuted by Iezabell vnder Ahab hir infortunate husband But at the same time the law was read the Sacrifice was offered pure Religion was professed and protected in the kingdome of IVDAH vnder Iosaphat a blessed Prince * 3. Reg. 22.43 walking in the good wayes of Asa his father This Iosaphat suruiued vnto the * 4. Reg. 3.2 coronation of Ioram the yonger sonne of Ahab and so the example of Eliah can not be of any force to defend the opinion of many Protestants concerning the inuisibility of the Church 6. Wherefore seing how D. Apolog. Cathol part 1. lib. 1. c. 14. Morton doth still reinforce this poynt though cleared sufficiently by sondry Catholicks euen in the confession of a learned Protestant in England from whose mouth I receiued this instruction many yeares ago as though the aforesaid complaint of Eliah pertayned likewise vnto the kingdome of Iudah I did often and greatly wonder that such a man against his owne conscience should deale so fraudulently in this behalf For first he saieth that Lombard doth giue this exposition viz. When the daughter of Ahab was married vnto * The sonne of Iosaphat The yōger sonne of Ahab was called lord likewise Ioram the king of Iudah then all the Iewes seemed to be Idolaters so that Eliah thought himself to be left alone and vpon this authority of Lombard the Doctour buildeth his exception against the former answere Now is this I beseech you an ingenious and honest deportment in the Doctour thus to presse the authority of Lombard whom he knew to be singularly mistaken herein and to err most playnely against the historical euidence of sacred Scripture Secondly the Doctour is pleased to colour and cloake the said exposition of Lombard with the name of S. Ambrose and for this purpose he frameth his quotation in the margent thus Lombard in Rom. cap. 11. EX AMBROSIO But I found that as S. Ambrose hath not one syllable to iustify this exposition in the least degree so Peter Lombard himself doth not assume it frō him nor once vse his name therein howbeit both before and after he gleaneth vp some sentences from that excellent Father Is this a faithfull course in a Minister of simple truth 7. Renouncing the opinion of our Inuisibilists as an impious and contemptible fancy I embraced a position of h pag. 19. c. D. Field which though it be mingled with some corruptions and vntruths in his discourse yet in it self it is very effectuall syncere The Church can not be inuisible in respect of Profession and this Profession is knowen euen vnto the profane and wicked of the world Agayn It can not be but that they Apply this rule to the Protestanticall Churches who are of the TRVE Church must by profession of the TRVTH make themselues knowen in such sort that by their profession and practise they may be discerned from other men 8. For this cause S. Augustine saieth in a playn and familiar kind of speach See the 3. Conuersiōs of Englād Part. 2. chap. 1. throughout digito ostendimus Ecclesiam we shew forth the Church with our fingers in this place and in that here she is conspicuous and thus she hath descended vnto vs by a fayr and spectable succession 9. Non sic Protestantes non sic as for the Protestants it is not so with them their Church was hatched in corners and inclosed long in Cymmerian darcknesse Wherefore as the good sinfull woman complayned mournfully saying Ioh. 20.13 They haue taken away my Lord and I know not where they haue layed him so I was inforced to take vp a iust complaynt against all nouelizing hereticks and say They haue taken away the Church of my Lord
suspition of their integrity because S. Cyrill Archbishopp of Hierusalem gaue me this infallible prescription t Cateches 4. Hereticks hide the venime of their opinions grato nomine Christi vnder the acceptable name of Christ And as the dignity the glory the exaltation of Christ is the marke whereat they all preteÌ„d to shoote so they will take their ayme from holy Scripture alone Cap. 37. and as Lirinensis doth well obserue they spice and sprinkle their heresies with innumerable sentences of the word §. 4. The FOVRTH consideration touching the lardge diffusion of this doctrine receiued by the vniuersall Church VVhence it followeth that either Gods PROVIDENCE hath fayled and that he hath not performed his promise or that this doctrine of Purgatory is not erroneous 1. I Considered Fourthly that this doctrine of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead things of mutuall dependency hath bene spread ouer the face of the * See before pag. 16. 17. vniuersall Church both Greek and Latin 2. For though I was informed by our u D Field pag. 99. D. Abbot against D. Bishopp Part. 1. M. Rogers Cath. doctr pag. 120. c. principall Authours that the Greekes neuer intertayned this doctrine yet I found that their suggestion was vntrue inasmuch as the writings of the * See afterward Booke 2. Chap. 1. §. â—2 num 6. Ancient Greeks and the practise of the whole Church including them in that generallity did testify the contrary vnto me in most abundant manner And if any prejudice could accrew vnto this doctrine because it is denied by some men in the Greek Church a greater inconuenience by the Force of the same reason must ensue vnto the doctrine of the Procession of the holy Ghost from the FATHER and the SONNE because this is more generally and earnestly impugned their heresy also herein being such if we belieue the Creed of Athanasius which is accepted by our * English Church Artic. Relig 8. though sometimes ill expounded as excludeth men from the possibility of saluation 3. But whereas my learned Authours do extend the deniall of Purgatory generally vnto the Greeks they erre not knowing See the CeÌ„sure of the Orientall Church or els dissembling the truth For Ieremiah the Patriarch of Constantinople in his rescript vnto the Lutherans deliuereth clearely that the Greek Church prayeth for the dead with intention to relieue some soules afflicted with temporall payn and for a more copious explication of his mind he remitteth them vnto an w De fidel desunct oration of S. Iohn DamasceÌ„ wherein this matter is lardgely handled For he testifieth that in the vnbloudy Sacrifice the Catholick and Apostolick Church maketh a memoriall of the dead Why to relieue their soules Agayn God grant me so to fashion my life that I may not stand in exigence of theis helpes after death But if my lyfe be intercepted and cutt of before I can fulfill my duty God grant that my friends may intreat his mercy on my behalf And thus S. Chrysostome the diuine Preacher speaketh in theis golden words If in thy life-time thou hast not so exactly composed thy soule as thou oughtest giue commandement vnto thy friends to transmitt their helpe vnto thee by almes and oblations 4. Wherefore I conceiued that howsoeuer some Greekes did not or do not admitt the doctrine of Purgatory precisely vnder this * Quis nid haereticus negare audehit TransubstaÌ„t Pracess Sp. SaÌ„cti a P. F. Purgator quia apud priscos sub talibus NOMINIBVS non commemorantur Alfons à castro contra beres l. 8. titde Indulgent name with some other circumstances yet the Church of Greece generally doth retayn the thing it self And this was farther illustrated vnto me by the confession of the Greekes themselues in the Florentine Councell for it appeareth by their publick protestation that they agreed fully with the Romane Church in the essentiall doctrine hereof howbeit they dissented from hir in some points which are not absolutely pertayning vnto the necessity of faith 5. Now concerning such as haue denied this doctrine as well in nature as in name in substance as in circumstance I noted a great difference in the manner and course and reason of their deniall For some denied it Secondarily and by way of inference that is to say by reason of a precedent errour Thus the Armenians certayn Greekes haue bene devolued into a foolish imagination to conceiue that the soule hath no sense of ioy nor payn vntill hir reunion with the body and hence it followeth necessarily that there is no Purgatory after death Some haue denied it Primarily and simply that is to say not in regard of any precedent errour inferring this deniall but directly and precisely in regard of the thing it self Thus onely our Aërians Henricians VValdensians and finally we Protestants issuing from such Progenitours haue reiected this doctrine by a violent separation of our selues from the visible society of the Church 6. But forasmuch as theis Henricians and VValdensians in whom we glory and Catholicks do not enuy vs this honour were sometimes members as truly and really connexed vnto the Papists as any other men and fell away afterward from their communion as VVickliff also did I intertayned my self a while in this consideration viz. Since there was a time yea many hundred yeares when no VVickleuian no VValdensian or Henrician did appeare who did then deny Purgatory who did then oppose himself against this heresy this damnable and blasphemous doctrine as we call it for many generations Wherefore as Tertullian doth excellently say There was a time when such Praescript cap 30. and such heresies were not knowen Vbi tunc Marcion vbi tunc Valentinianus c. where was Marcion and where was Valentinian then It is manifest that they themselues were sometime no hereticks but that they obserued the Catholick Religion c. So I spake in my secrete thoughts and sayd there was a time when our opinions were not knowen where was Henricus or VValdo then It is manifest that they themselues were sometime no impugners of this doctrine but that they did meekely and dutifully obserue it as a part of the true and Catholick Religion 7. I proceeded yet a little farther and considered that we Protestants could not possibly assigne so much as the shaddow of any one man our Henricians and VValdensians excepted denying or doubting of Purgatory who was not hereticall in some other doctrine euen such as we our selues confesse to bring very great and eminent danger vnto saluation And what aduantadge or defence could I take from any heretick to secure my self in such a case For if any man did please me in denying Purgatory yet he did displease me also by some odious and hatefull opinion wherewith he was infected and then I could not find out any true and Catholick Church vnlesse I would distill it mystically out of sondry persons and compound their simples into one body of
a due reformation he should not designe honourable and condigne Instruments for such an excellent purpose 2. Where is the difficulty and impediment in this case Is it in his Prescience that he cannot foresee what is to come or is it in his Power that he cannot effectuate what he desireth Not in the First for I haue his owne testimony by the mouth of Samuell his prophet saying 1. Reg. 13.14 QVAESIVIT c. God hath sought a man according vnto his heart to witt Dauid his seruant What he sought he found and yet he found no good thing in Dauid which was not his owne gift Not in the SecoÌ„d for I am ascertayned by the Forerunner of my Lord Luc. 3.2 POTENS c. God is able euen of theis stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham 3. And if Caesar could say in the pride of his mortall heart Inueniam aut faciam viam either I shall find a way or I will make one did it not concerne the VVisedome of God to speake no more of his Prouidence which we Protestants haue already destroyed by inforcing a damnable errour vpon his vniuersall Church either to finde out some man already indued with conuenient gifts or els to prepare some in case none were yet adorned by him to vndertake such a royall and incomparable work of REFORMATION 4. For how can I suppose or once imagin without iniury vnto my Lord expectation of his reuendge that any base and detestable Caitifs falling away from the sweete communion of the Church into accursed heresies and being therevpon the Prophetts of hell should then also and neuer before be stirred vp and excited by God to redresse his Church the Pillar Firmament of truth Is it probable nay is it possible that they who remayned not in the duty of hir Sonnes should be aduanced vnto the dignity of hir Fathers Are men actually inspired by God and by the Diuell to impugne and to defend hir to destroy and to maintayn hir to infect and to preserue hir Were hir sworne enimies more tender of hir good then hir best friends and were vile Rebells more respectiue of Gods honour then his dearest Seruants 5. You that haue the common instinct of morall reason and the ordinary light of humane vnderstanding iudge I pray you iudge vnpartially in this case Luther thou art the scourdge of God c. See Sir Th. More coÌ„tra Luth. de Sacram. whether such disastrous Reformers as Henricus Aërius and the like were not rather ministers to execute the Iustice of God then counsellours to promulgate his will and whether he doth not rather correct then direct punish then prescribe by such men It was a tyranny in Mezentius to bind liuing men vnto dead carcasses But the VVisedome of God doth assure me that he will not tythe liuing body of his Church vnto the dead and putrified members thereof 6. The consideration of which poynt was of great power and efficacy in my heart to make me disclayme and abandon the proceedings of our GREAT Reformer M. Luther in whom there was no true resemblance of a pious and diuine Spirit Witnesse his furious declamations against Zuinglius and all Sacramentaries the Patriarch and Brethren of our ghospell his rude and vnsaintlike inuectiues against King Henry the eight his hereticall and grieuous assertions his contemptuous * This is peremptorily denied by D. Abbot against D. Hill pag. 307 with a marginall reference vnto VVhitak answ to Camp But VVhitak in his answ 10 Raindas c 7. being better aduised in this matter maketh some confession thereof howbeit he interlaceth dishonest euasions and grosse vntruths reiection of some Canonicall Scriptures his beastly and vnchristian positions his light and vayn imaginations his familiar conuersation with Diuells All which and many more odious things are extant in his owne workes things incredible vnto such as do not yet know them and fearfull vnto such as haue experience therein * Iuueâ—al Felicia tempora quae te Moribus opponant habeat iam Roma pudorem O happy times that brought thee forth to thunder out complaynt Now Rome may blush to see hir self opposd by such a Saint 7. But I will omitt the work of our late Reformation transacted by this boysterous Friar and returne vnto my other reforming gentlemen with whom I made this brief conclusion 9. The admirable WISEDOME of God doth confirme and ought to establish me in the doctrine of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead inasmuch as the first aduersaries thereof were desperately affected against his Truth and exercised open hostility against his Church There is an Aërius and an Henricus here is an Augustine and a Bernard the first deny it follow their peculiar imaginations the second affirme it rely vpon the conformable iudgement of the Catholick Church choose now whom thou wilt follow in this case and with which of theis thou wilt aduenture the eternity of thy soule 9. Shall I answere and say I respect not what the first or second haue deliuered but what the Scripture it self hath taught herein A poore euasion for the Scripture is clearely against me in this poynt and I can not gainsay it vnlesse I will come forth with a non obstante of mine owne sense and yet I am bound in all humility to subordinate my vnderstanding vnto the instruction of my Superiours But if in pride and insolency as S. * Furiosus mente clatus opinione c. See EpiphaÌ„ haer 75. The same censure belongeth vnto the rest Aërius Henricus Luther and others haue done I should preferr mine owne iudgement before the learned Fathers and renounce that due and conuenient subiection which I should haue toward the ancient Catholick Church she that must and shall iudge me and all my Protestanticall Doctours oh what monsters of opinion might I conceiue and what certainty of truth can I bring forth Truly as Aaron formed many pretious iewells into the similitude of a calf Exod. 32.4 so I might haply fashion vnto my self many foolish conceipts by casting the pretious word of God into the mould of my priuate and misguided fancy CHAP. III. The TRVTH of God hath confirmed this doctrine by a renowned Miracle An exception of Protestants refelled §. 1. The nature and Vse of Miracles 1. I Considered first that as a Miracle is a Diuine work in its nature because it can not be wrought without the speciall concurrency of Gods power so in its vse it is a Diuine testimonie because it hath a reference vnto some truth and principally when it is exhibited vnto that purpose for it procureth an inward conuiction of the vnderstanding A mystery is secret hidden and so it differeth from a miracle in respect of the VSE though it agree with it in the NATVRE thereof by an outward demonstration vnto the sense In which respect I may truly say that a Miracle is the broad Seale of Heauen affixed vnto some writing or euidence of
Berengarius in a Synod at Rome o Admonit vltaâ—d We stphilum yet Iohn Caluin protesteth that he doth and will follow Berengarius in his opinion and it is cleare that our English Church concurreth with them both which brought many FRIVOLOVS reasons the very same which we now produce and alleadge at this day against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar deliuereth his mind herein fully and saieth that VVe ought to belieue this truth Transubstantiation and to giue creditt vnto Gods word without any pledges or depositions as Miracles are But if any man will desire theis things for his assurance he may haue a thousand and a thousand persons of most holy life and profound knowledge who haue testified this truth vnto death by a thousand and a thousand * Some are remeÌ„bred by Claud. de Sainct de Euchar. Also by Bellarm. de Euchar. l. 3. cap. â— MIRACLES 10. Wherefore being thus incompassed on euery side and hauing no possibility to escape the pressure of this difficulty nor to withstand the singular and effectuall power of this euidence for one of the greatest mysteries of popish Religion is now confirmed by many Miracles euen in Gersons testimony which I was bound to admitt because as his Person deserueth high respect so it deserueth farr greater with them that will so graciously applaud him I was forced either to disclayme D. Fields booke or to renounce my Protestanticall belief but yet the later seemed a more reasonable course because that Religion can not be good which is so falsely and absurdly defended by him and all the chiefest Authours that euer applied their paynes vnto this seruice 11. What remayned now but that I should conclude with S. AVGVSTINE the * D. Field greatest Diuine which euer liued since the Apostles time and the * Caluin best witnesse of Antiquity and say with p De vtilit credones cap. 17. him Since we behold such a speciall assistance of God such progresse and such fruict shall we doubt to hide ourselues within the lapp of * Not of Donatists Aërians Berengarians Lutherans c. that Church which hath obtayned the height of authority partly by the iudgement of the people partly by the grauity of Councells partly by the Maiesty of MIRACLES and is descended by the succession of Bishoppes in the APOSTOLIQVE Seate of S. Peter at Rome a poynt which * Velenus Funccius c. See Bellarm de Pontifice Rom. l. 2. c. 2. 4. c. some men filled with a spiritt of contradiction deny without honesty witt or learning frustrà circumlatrantibus haereticis the hereticks barking round about in vayn 12. Let your owne consciences kind Readers make a secret application of theis things in the closett of your hearts Which that you may more easily and effectually do I shall intreat you to cast back your eyes of consideration with me and to reflect vpon the premisses ingenious Academicks as it becommeth men that rather haue a care to see the truth then a desire to impugne the same CHAP. IIII. A Reflexion vpon the premisses contayned in this booke §. 1. Of the grounds which I followed in this discourse 1. FIRST I considered that the grounds and authorities vpon which I buylded my discourse were so cleare and solid that no witt could dissolue or impeach their strength For if I accepted the Fathers they did conuince me if I reiected them my folly would be great and my dispute vncertayn And thus I saw that the iudgement of q Ret. 5. Edm Campian must necessarily take place viz. AEternam causae maculam coguntur Protestantes inurere siue recusent patres siue deposcant nam in altero fugam adornant in altero suffocantur Which points I prosecuted yet farther though briefly in this manner 2. If I ACCEPT the Fathers to be be my Iudges as they are Churches VVitnesses I haue the face of all Antiquity confronting me and speciallly S. Augustine whom for some iust respects I do specially esteeme Was he a Protestant and a Papist then two different Religions are compatible in one soule whence must ensue as great a strife Genes 25.22.23 and colluctation as Rebecca felt in hir womb when two Nations contended in hir body Or was he a Protestant and not a Papist why then is he so perspicuous against me in this matter Or was he a Papist and not a Protestant why then do we so triumph and glory in his name Or finally was he neither Papist nor Protestant Then both theis Religions in all probability are false and then perhapps none is true Thus from an vncertainty men runne into a nullity of faith and so the end of heresy is Atheisme because there can be no other issue vnto which it doth finally propend And verily who doth not conceiue vpon due ponderation that if the CATHOLICK Religion being so spectable in dignity so continued in succession so enlardged in diffusion and so eminent in all respects should notwithstanding seeme false or dubious by reason of some cauillations framed against it by hir enimies it will rather come to passe that no Religion should be true then that the Protestants faith which hath such a late entrance such base founders such vncertayn grounds such infinite diuisions should be more credible and probable then the said CATHOLICK belief 3. I proceed Since I was so powerfully expugned by the Fathers as you haue seene how could I elude the grauity of their testimonies which pressed and oppressed me on euery side Should I Alexander-like cutt the knott insunder with violence which I could neuer vntye with skill 4. There remayned one principall shift for me but yet it was of no value or substance For though later ages speake more copiously in this particular and in many others then the former yet I saw that it was by way of explication not innouation of declaration not alteration of exposition not addition c. For it is an excelleÌ„t prescription which Lirinensis deliuereth in this case viz. Fides habet profectum 1 Cap. 29.30 non permutationem faith hath a progresse or increase but without any chandge Matters of Ceremony are in their nature indifferent and in their vse dispensable and herein no priuate man may prescribe vnto the wisedome of the Church or limit hir power Matters of Doctrine haue their inlardgement and amplification but yet so as that no other fundation be layed then the same which we receiued in the beginning Thus Pelagians may not complayn if the doctrine of Grace were more clearely illustrated by S. Augustine then euer it was discussed before Thus the Arrians may not complayn if the doctrine of Homousia were more fully explicated by the Fathers of Nice then euer it was vnfolded vntill that time Thus also we Protestants cannot iustly complayn if the Catholick doctrine in this particular were more abundantly expressed by S. Augustine and by succeding ages then euer it was resolued vnto his dayes Lirinens Intelligatur
See afterward Part. 2. chap. 1. §. 2. For all Papists are of this opinion viz. that no sinnes but veniall onely shall be expiated in Purgatory fire Secondly the imputation of POPERY fastened vpon him from whom we English-men receiued our first instruction in the faith This was a good motiue vnto me to embrace Popery as passionate Sir Martin Luther phraseth the Catholick Religion whom I might more justly call a foule mouthed dogg then b Against D. Bishopp Part. 1. D. Abbott bestoweth this homely courtesy vpon a very learned * T. W. Priest since we were translated immediately from Paganisme vnto this belief by the wonderfull and gracious operation of almighty God Thirdly his confession of S. Gregories judgement concerning the remission of some sinnes after this life which D. Field would infrindge as you see by misinforcing his testimony against his euident purpose in that * Lib. 4. dial 39. place and his resolution elswhere 8. For in his exposition of the penitentiall Psalmes he deliuereth in * Psal 1. 3. in the beginning of each two seuerall places and strengtheneth himself in the first with the authority of S. AVGVSTINE whom he there expressly nameth that some men passe into heauen by the fire of purgation and are expiated thereby in the future life Could I desire a more copious satisfaction in the truth of this matter Or could I wish a more abundant redargution of D. Fields falsehood in traducing the Testaments of the dead for so their works are to establish that doctrine which they did wholly disclayme 9. Now a word or two concerning S. Bernard whom he coupleth very plausibly with S. Gregory as you may see to inferr a conclusion against that faith which they both professed I turned vnto the place in S. Bernard which truly can by no meanes admitt such an interpretation as M. Doctor doth colourably pretend For it is not the meaning of S. Bernard to deny that God doth at any time inflict a temporall payn after the remission of the guilt of sinne because this position were extreamely repugnant vnto Scriptures and Fathers and Reason as I shall briefly declare * Part. 2. chap. 1. §. 2. afterward and vnto the very condition of the Sacrament of Pennance it self wherein S. Bernard knew right well that sinne is remitted and yet all future punishment is not thereby taken away This was the conforme doctrine of the Catholicks in his time and who is so meanely skilled in S. Bernards faith as to conceiue that he would oppugne a matter of such sublimity and so correspondently intertayned by the Church 10. But the truth is this S. Bernard perswadeth men to flye from the contagion of sinne the effect whereof is such that as by naturall death it seuereth the soule from the body so by spirituall death it sundreth God from the soule And as sinne brought forth punishment so the cessation from sinne preuenteth punishment because no punishment doth follow where no sinne is gone before What then doth no effect of sinne remayn where the guylt of sinne is remitted S. Bernard * He esteemeth death it self to be a punishment of sinne as you may see by the sequele denieth it and therefore shewing in what sense he there intendeth that VVhen ALL sinne shall be * Prorsus D. Field himself coÌ„fesseth pag. 98. that Death tyrannizeth ouer the body c. Serm. in â—bitu Huberti VVHOLLY taken out of the way then shall no effect of it remayn he subnecteth this sentence in his sweet and diuine manner viz. Happy is our expectation and blessed is our hope whose Resurrection shall be much more glorious then our first estate of creation before our fall forasmuch as neither sinne nor punishment neither euill nor scourdge shall raigne or dwell or haue possibility to raigne or dwell either in our bodies or soules 11. To conclude it may please you to read and to ponderate this one little saying of S. Bernard by which you may take an estimate of his iudgement in theis matters My brethren while you think to auoyd a very small punishment in this world you incurr a greater in the next For you must vnderstand that you shall pay an hundred fold in * In purgabilibus locis Purgatory for those things which you neglect in this life 12. I know most kind Readers that you meruayle no lesse now then I did by what art D. Field can distill his Church out of the writings of theis worthy and learned men or how their authorities may be honestly alleadged to prooue that Papists are nothing els but a faction in the Church forasmuch as those Authors generally whom he produceth in his glorious Appendix are really interessed in that faction and enimies of our Protestanticall Church Wherefore I did now sufficiently vnderstand that we Protestants assuming the name of Israell vnto our selues and imputing the name of Philistims vnto the Papists could not iustify our affectation therein by any better resemblance then this viz. As the poore 1. Sam. 13.19.20 distressed Israelites were constrayned to repayr vnto the Philistims for the sharpening of their dulled tooles so we miserable Protestants hauing no better meanes are inforced to go vnto the Papists to procure some weapons for our defence from them which we turne vngratefully and vniustly against their owne bowells §. 2. S. AVGVSTINE abused by D. Field 1. YOu haue * Pag. 13. seene the goodly pretense of D. Field assuring you that the Protestants honour and reuerence the Fathers much more then the Papists do Which venditation if it did proceede from a syncere heart then D. Field should not stand in need of his inflexions and corruptions to sustayn his cause with their disgrace and much lesse with infaming the greatest of them all in this manner which I will here represent vnto your Christian view 2. The Romish manner of praying for the dead saith c Pag. 99. he hath no certayn testimony of Antiquity for NO MAN euer thought of Purgatory TILL Augustine to auoyd a worse errour did DOVBTINGLY runne into it d And none before that is false after whom e And not all that is false many in the Latin Church embraced the same opinion but the * See befor pag. 54. Greek Church neuer receiued it to this day 3. He is yet more seuere vnto S. Augustine vnto the Papists and vnto this doctrine saying that f Pag. 79. Augustine doubtfully broached that opinion which gaue occasion to the Papists of their HERESY touching Purgatory This imputation of heresy doth cleaue as strongly vnto the Fathers whom he pretendeth to honour and reuerence as vnto any Papist at this day for what should I speake of g Part. 4. Serm. de defunct in Querelâ defunct GERSONS heresy in this point whom he honoureth and reuerenceth so farr as to intitle him a * Pag. 85. worthy guide of Gods Church c. 4. Now though I obserued many
howres he lay in the graue c. we may conjecture we cannot determine we haue semblable reasons but no inuincible proofes 6. Wherefore D. Field hath not propounded vnto vs the difference betwixt the Protestants and Catholicks but that difference alone which is meerely betwixt the Catholicks themselues who teach most consonantly vniformely and perpetually that there is a Purgatory and that there is a temporall payn inflicted in the future life Thus they grant the thing it self and presuppose it as * Poster Analytic Aristotle sayth that Subiectum must be praecognitum the subiect must be foreknowen and admitted before we will demonstrate any thing vpon the same and then afterward they dispute concerning other accidentall points such as are here remembred by D. Field And what is this but the liberty of Schooles which may well consist with the purity of Religion It is an exercise of witt without destruction of faith The Sunne delighteth to runne his course as a Giant Psal 18.6 and yet he neuer exceedeth his annuall or diurnall confines for he knoweth his rising Psal 103.19 and his going downe Likewise the Catholicks may liberally expatiate in theis poynts prouided alwayes that they contayne themselues within the obedience of the Church and the compasse of approoued truth Otherwise 2. Reg. 2.37 as it was death for Shemei to transgresse the precinct assigned vnto him by Salomon so it is at their perill if they go beyond the limitts which the spouse of the wisest Salomon hath prescribed in this case 7. But we Protestants for whom D. Field hath aduocated in this businesse deale herein after an other manner for we first deny that there is any Purgatory or temporall payn in a future estate we damne it as blasphemous hereticall and Antichristian doctrine then consequently and necessarily we deny the place the time the instrument c. Which are certain accidentall secondary and subsequent respects For in our disputes with the Catholicks we propose not the question thus VVhether some soules suffer in corporall fire tormented there by Diuells an hundred yeares c. for this is the difference amongst themselues onely but VVhether there be any Purgatory or temporall payn of soules or not As for example if any man should demand VVhether in the contrey of VTOPIA the soyle be fertile the situation pleasant and the ayre healthfull I would preuent him and say Sir there is no such contrey and therefore your demands of the fertility pleasure and healthfulnesse are superfiuous and to no purpose 8. Thus I was now sufficiently instructed to perceiue that though D. Field doth glory in theis positions viz. The things wherevpon the difference groweth betwixt vs and the Romish faction were neuer receiued generally by the Church and * See his ep dedicat the things which Papists now publish as articles of faith PVRGATORY is in that number were not the Doctrines of that Church wherein they and WE viz. VValdensians Albigensians Lutherans c. who were sometime actuall and true members of the Romane Church liued together in one * That is to say whē our Fathers Wickliff Luther c. were Papists not separated from the visible cōmunion of the Romane Church communion yet he doth miserably collude herein against his owne conscience which in so principall an Authour throwing downe his gauntlet of defiance in such manner is a very lamentable case 9. For where is that man in the time of the aforesaid communion who denied Purgatory or shewed any doubtfulnesse therein against the essentiall doctrine in which the true difference betwxit the Papists and Protestants doth stand most eminently at this day I did employ much time I searched into the volumes of antiquity I neglected no meanes to gayn all possible satisfaction in this thing and yet I could not find so much as the shaddow of any one man See before pag. 54. c. how Purgatory hath bene denied and by whom by whom this particular was impugned vnlesse he were in the number of such as departed from the visible society of the Church 10 Thus necessity compelled me to inferr that D. Field hath disabled his owne booke and ouerthrowen his Church Papists may triumph in the victory which their chiefest enimies haue wrought in their behalf yea they may joyfully applaud the excellency of their cause which inforceth hir greatest aduersaries to prostitute themselues vnto such base and dishonest courses Confess l. 5. c. 7. 11. Finally therefore as S. Augustine was in despayre to receiue contentment from any Manichee when Faustus the most renowned in that sect yealded no sufficient answere vnto his doubts so now I could not expect a fayr Magis desperab am de cateris corū doctoribus quando in multis quae me mouebant it a ille nomitus apparuit and just resolution from any professour of our ghospell when D. FIELD himself inferiour to no Diuine in England for which cause he was selected by the Archbishopp to treatise of that * Of the CHVRCH subject which is the very center and circumference in all religious disputes appeared so vntrue and so meane in this particular of Purgatory and prayer for the dead which we deride and contemne as a foolish detestable impious opinion and voyd of any reasonable defence To conclude here I tooke an argument first à Personis and sayd if D. FIELD deale thus what conceipt shall I intertayn of all other Professours Secondly à Rebus and considered if D. Field deale thus in THIS MATTER what shall I conceiue of his deportment in all other things Truly I haue necessary reasons to perswade me that the cause being very bad will discredit all hir Patrones but the Patrones being neuer so good can not by any meanes support their cause The end of the first Part. THE SECOND PART CONCERNING SOME FALSEHOODS AND CORRVPTIONS OF M. ROGERS AND D. HVMFREY in the question of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead CHAP. I. of M. ROGERS I Had iust reasons to esteeme highly of this mans work FIRST the Subiect of it to witt the Articles of Religion approoued by the Bishopps 1162. Clergy of our kingdome in which respect the booke is adorned with this resplendent title The faith doctrine and religion professed and protected in the realme of England and in the dominions of the same SECONDLY the quality of the Authour who is a Chaplayn vnto the Archbishop and conuersant in our Ecclesiasticall affayres For so he testifieth of himself in his * num 37. epistle dedicatory vnto his Lord and Maister saying Yeares haue made mine haires gray much reading and experience in theologicall conflicts and combats haue bettered my judgement c THIRDLY the speciall approbation of this booke viz. Perused and by lawfull authority of the Church of England allowed to be publick §. 1. Dionysius Carthusianus abused by M. Rogers Pag. 121. 1. PApists agree not amongst themselues sayth M. Rogers about the time which
Scriptures yet there is no small authority of the VNIVERSALL CHVRCH which shineth in this custome for in the prayers of the Priest which he powreth forth to God at his Altar the COMMENDATION of the dead hath its place 4. Heere three things occurred vnto my ponderation FIRST that S. Augustine doth iustify prayer for the dead by the Canonicall Scripture for so the bookes of the Machabees are recognized by a †3. Carthag ca. 47. Councell wherein S. Augustine himself was present and * ca. 50. subscribed thereunto VVherefore in his ceÌ„sure the Sacrifice for the dead was firmely established by the testimony of sacred writ and this being so how can it be true that Augustine could not plead this authority in defence therof And if he did plead it why doth D. Humfrey pretend the contrary in this place 5. SECONDLY S. Augustine maketh mention here of the OLD Scripture wherby he intimateth that in the NEVV Testament some reliefe for the dead is either plainly expressed or sufficiently †see before pag. â— c. deduced from thence THIRDLY S. Augustine adioyneth the Church vnto the Scripture because there is impeachable soueraignty in the VNIVERSALL Church therfore he saith that if other proofes were wanting in this matter yet this alone may satisfie giue contentment vnto her obsequious Children Which plea seemed vnto me so full of equity that without insolency and madnesse both which must ineuitably fall vpon D. Humfrey and his Church I saw no possibility to decline the same §. 2. An other of his vnfaithfull practises against S. Augustine SAint Augustine maketh mention in the former sentence of a COMMENDATION of the dead from which word the Doctour taketh an aduantage to shew Pag. 262. See before pag 38. that in your Colledges you now retayn this pious custome of the ancient Church But he deludeth you with ambguity of speach For the commendation whereof S. Augustine speaketh is referred vnto the SOVLES of the dead which in the sacred Mysteries were specially recommended vnto our Lord but the commendation of your Founders in your Colledges is a memory of their names which you celebrate with commemoration of their liberality whereby your studies are maintayned And this is not to conforme your selues vnto antiquity nor to execute the testaments of your honourable Founders 2. This noble figment in the Doctour is presently attended with a more eminent deprauation For though Paulinus firmely belieuing according to the instruction of the Catholick Church that great vtility ensueth vnto the dead by the prayers of the liuing desireth an explication of that scripture which sayeth 2. Cor. 5.10 VVe shall all stand before the Tribunall of Christ and euery man shall receiue according to that which he hath done in this life whether it be good or euill and though S. Augustine yealdeth this resolution viz. Ibid. according to the quality of this life men receiue helpe after their decease c. yet D. Humfrey supressing both theis poynts flourisheth in his vnprofitable rhetorick and handleth the matter artificially to make a credulous Reader belieue that S. Augustine himself doth conuell the vse of Prayer for the dead by the testimony of this Scripture 3. The detection of theis vnfaithfull courses which till this time mine ey saw not neither did my heart once suspect did conduct me occasionally vnto the truth Ita ille qui multis laqueus mortis extitit meum quo captus eram relaxare jam ceperat nec volens S. Aug. CoÌ„f. l. 5. c. 7. de FAVSTO nec sciens sayeth S. Augustine of a man happy in name but vnhappy in deed and the like I may justly pronounce in my successe thus he that was the snare of death vnto many beganne to lose the snare wherewith I was intangled and this he did though neither by his will nor knowledge FINIS The correction of the principall faults passed onely in some copies P signifieth the page L the line M the margent P. 5. l. 15. reade Beda p. 8. l. 19. leaue out scio and reade Veteres abusi sunt c. p. 10. l. 32. reade witt p. 17. 19. 21. 23. 25-27 in the title Chap. 2. p. 21. m. 116. in stead of 114. p. 26. l. 4. elswhere p. 32. l. 7. vnto p. 34. l. vlt. extended p. 45. m. § 5. num 8. in stead of § 3. n. 4. p. 51. l. 17 incomparable p. 52. m. from the infection c. p. 61. l. 20. sayeth p. â—5 m. Rainolds p. 72. l. 12. conuent p. 75. l. 27. after censure add theis words as a thing not to be exercised against any professour of the ghospell p. 76. l. 2. from l. 28. vnmatchable l. 32. Church p. 78. l. 9 taught that p. 82. l. 3. retreat p. 87. l. 26. are the Churches p. 90. l. 5. without l. 12. ghospell p. 91. 14. Wherefore p. 112. l. vlt. Church p. 120. l. 15. with p. 121. m. ad literam p. 122. l. 4. place the parenthesis after him p. 123. l. 16. exempt him from p. 125. l. 16. dishonourable p. 130. l. vlt. PRAYER p. 134. l. 21. construction p. 149. l. 21 Diuines p. 151. l. 10. testimonies l. 28. intercourse A BRIEF PLAYN AND effectuall instruction concerning Purgatory and Prayer for the dead COurteous Reader the intended breuity of my discourse did not permitt me so to inforce Booke 1. Part. 1. Cha. 2. §. 4. nuÌ„ 16. and to illustrate the testimony of S. AVGVSTINE in this matter as I had conceiued nor as the dignity thereof doth justly require and especially for their sake who either in regard of their weaknesse cannot or in regard of their negligence care not or in regard of their peruersenesse will not see the cleare and irrefragable truth VVherefore hauing a little remnant of vacant paper I haue thought good to employ it vnto this profitable end assuring my self that euery Reader may informe his vnderstanding and settle his conscience herein by the waight and euidence of theis THREE ensuing propositions The FIRST proposition 1 THere was alwayes and now is and euer shall be a CATHOLICK Church which is free from any The Protestants accompt this doctrine of Purgatory c. to be damnable damnable errour This assertion is very often deliuered by S. Augustine and the very same though not precisely in theis words is yealded by Pag. 203. D. Field in the name of his Church The SECOND proposition 2. THe instruction of this Church is the last and finall judgement wherein all men may and must rely as in the PROPOVNDER of truth This assertion is strengthened by sondry testimonies of the Fathers and In his ep dedic D. Field approoueth it saying that men desirous of satisfaction must diligently search out the true Church and Therefore it must be knowen therefore it must be visible rest in hir judgement c. In which respect he sayeth that Pag. 193. if the reprehension of Aërius touching PRAYER FOR THE DEAD be vnderstood to
The particular euidences are his seuerall opinions in the matters of faith which are controuersed betwixt the Catholicks and Protestants at this day As for example GERSON belieued the doctrine of (i) See before pag. â—5 Transubstantiation which D. Field abhorreth * pag. 171. saying that it doth imply sondry consequences of horrible impieties GERSON was a patrone of the (k) Part. 4. serm 2. de defunct c Masse which Luther hated as impious and wicked and was so * See Serarius de Lutheri Magistro instructed by the arguments of the Diuell with both whom D. Field (l) pag. 192. doth absolutely conspire in this issue GERSON was resolute in the doctrine of (m) See before pag. 108. Purgatory which D. Field hath pronounced to be an * pag. 79. heresy of the Papists 3. If I would proceed vnto other particularities as namely Inuocation of Saints Indulgences Communion vnder one kind c I might fill many pages in laying forth the irreconciliable differences betwixt D. Field and this worthy guide of Gods Church But I will pretermitt the rest and come to the supreame difference vnto which all other points are subordinate and inferiour as I conceiue that is to say the soueraigne primacy of the Romane Bishopp in whom 4. principalities concurre For he is a Diocesan in one precinct an Archbishopp in one Prouince a Patriarch in one part of the world finally the chief Pastour of all in which administration he succeedeth vnto S. Peter as holy (n) de considerat l. 2. Bernard doth excellently speake Thou Eugenius art he to whom the keyes are deliuered and to whom the sheepe are commended There are other Ianitours of heauen and other Pastours of the flock but thou much more gloriously then they by how much thou doest obtayn each name more eminently then the rest They haue their flocks assigned vnto them euery bishopp his peculiar chardge but all are credited vnto thee and all are one flock vnto thee who art one pastour of all for thou art the pastour not onely of the sheepe but of the pastours themselues Doest thou aske me how I prooue it By the word of our Lord. For to whom I say not of 〈◊〉 the Bishoppes but of the Apostles are all the sheepe so absolutely and so indifferently committed If thou loue me PETER feede my sheepe What sheepe The people of this or that city of this region or of that kingdome No but my sheepe sayth he and who doth not * Cunctis Euangelium scientibus liquet quòd voce Dominicâ sancto onmium Apostolorum principi Petro totius Ecclesiae cura commissa est sayth S. Gregor Registr epist. l. 4. c. 76. plainely see that our Lord did not here designe some but assigne all vnto his care There is no exception where there is no distinction c. So he 4. Behold now also two very effectuall testimonies of Gerson to the same purpose FIRST (o) Part. 1. de Auferibâ— Papae coÌ„siderat 8. The formes of ciuill gouernment are subiect vnto mutability and alteration but it is otherwise in the Church For hir gouernment is MONARCHICALL and is so appoynted by the institution of our Lord. If any man will violate this sacred ordinance and persist obstinately in his contempt he is to be iudged an heretick as Martinus of Padua and some others consorting with his fancy Likewise prescribing many directions to compose the differences betwixt the Greek and Latin Church he premiseth this consideration as a fundamentall poynt viz. (p) Part. 4. de Vnit. GraecoruÌ„ Considerat 3. There must be one head in earth vnto which all men must be vnited For though God himself who in the second Person assumed our nature be the principall and essentiall head yet he hath constituted a vicarian head to be his deputy amongst vs for the administration of his Church for the preseruation of vnity for the communication of the faith vnto all the members thereof c. Which head we call the POPE and OVR HOLY FATHER c. If any man either in malice or folly disturbe this vnion he is a schismatick As we must employ our diligence to procure vnity so we must endeauour to bring all men vnto the obedience of one head 5. Here Gerson declareth himself truly to be a worthy Guide of Gods Church and a singular enimy of the Protestanticall Reformation which hath conuelled and dissipated this ground and principle of vnity by impugning the supremacy of the Pope Wherefore as the (p) In his Suruay pag. 140 Lord Archb. of Cant. had good reason in his experience to say those Churches that haue followed the humour of BIZA in the abolishing of their Bishoppes and Archbishopps may they not iustly wish that he had neuer bene borne So there is greater reason vpon more lamentable experience to say those Churches that haue followed the intemperate humour of LVTHER in abolishing the soueraigne Bishopp may they not iustly wish that he had neuer bene borne For the sects factions and diuisions which haue ensued vpon this breach are in number many in quality odious and there is no certayn end vnto which they finally incline Which euills are well expressed by the Authour of them all (q) Luth. in Galat. c. 5. 15. The concord of the Church being once violated there is neither measure nor end of dissensions VVhen Aphrick was subuerted by the Manichees then succeeded the Donatists who contending also amongst themselues were parted into three sects Likewise in our time first the SACRAMENTARIES fell away from vs then the ANABAPTISTS and neither of theis agree together Thus one sect breedeth more and each condemneth the other 6. But if we would reflect vpon the true cause hereof thou ô Luther thou art the cause of theis perturbations for thou hast taken away the meanes of vnity by displacing the head of the Church in whom it should be eminently preserued as Gerson that worthy guide doth grauely and wisely teach Wherefore let any man of conscience and discretion examine the truth and substance of D. Fields assertion saying (r) Pag. 179. it is the pride of Antichrist the Pope that hath made all the breaches in the Christian world and would haue layd all waste if God had not preserued a remnant Of whom Lutherans Sacramentaries and the like 7. I come vnto a SECOND proposition deliuered by the sayd worthy guide of Gods Church (Å¿) Gers Part. 4. Contra bullam mendicant If you demand whether a man may be saued though he reiect the true * Martin 5. Pope I answere he may if ignorance excuse him and if he haue a good will or a mind prepared to yeald obedience when the truth shall be explaned vnto him for then he departeth not from Christ the essentiall head and from his ordinance viz. THERE MVST BE ONE POPE IN THE VNIVERSALL CHVRCH To which effect as I conceiue certayn penitent Nouatians did confesse and (t) Lib. 3. ep 11.
is the day wherein we may see warres seditions tumults which haue followed vpon my doctrine To conclude admire with me the fury Tom. 1. pag. 364. b. and insolency of his implacable spiritt Whereas thou sayest ô Spalatine that my * The Elector of Saxony Prince will not suffer me to write against the Archbishopp of Mentz least this might disturbe the common peace c. quin te potiùs Principem ipsum perdam omnem creaturam which is such a raging speach as if the Authour had bene a Beare spoyled of hir whelpes 11. But was Zuinglius possessed with the same distemperature also His counsell was dangerous but this words are smooth Lib. 4. epist fol. 186. where he perswadeth the Ghospellers of Vlmes and Memming to renounce their obedience vnto the Romane Empire and to roote the name thereof out of Germany to the vttermost of their ability and power 12. As for Iohn Caluin his expulsion of the Bishopp from his iust authority temporall and spirituall ouer the City of Geneua may be an example for euer how peaceable the fift Gospell is which beginneth by craft and goeth on by fury to attayn vnto its end and purpose The treasonable complotments in that place See P. R. Ibid. the dangerous propositions hatched and allowed in that Sion as some men call it are recognized for all ages 13. Thus much I haue thought it expedient to intimate vnto you though very briefly that you may not be any longer blinded by the golden and fayre pretenses of them who neuer cease to exclaime against the Papists as meÌ„ wholly imbued with lewd assertions preiudiciall vnto their King and contrey Finally therefore vpon due consideration of the premises I doubt not but you will easily discerne how impertinent and how empty the suggestion of D. Field is in the first particular and by this you may learne to be suspicious of the rest which now come orderly vnto their seuerall examination 14. Concerning the SECOND particular I say briefly that though Maister D. Field would deriue the hatred vpon others by concealing Gersons forwardnesse and alacrity in the condemnation of Wickliffe Husse c and would lay it vpon those men in the Councell against whom Gerson taketh his exceptions for other things yet as you haue already seene this VVorthy guide himself did prouoke and instigate the Councell against their heresies and he did enkindle his audience against the same according to the place which he sustayned there and the gift wherewith he was indued Now is it not a maruaylous contradiction in your iudgement that Gerson should wish your Reformation be a worthy guide of Gods Church and yet that Husse also should suffer in the cause of Christ against Antichrist Alas good Sir what certainty of truth can you expect from them who thus inuolue you and themselues in such paradoxes as are impossible and ridiculous euen in the light of nature and vnto morall reason 15 Concerning the THIRD particular I shall informe you of a double collusion which the learned Doctour hath notoriously affected therein First he extenuaâ—eth the turbulent and impious positions of VVickliffe and Husse saying that they SEEMED to derogate from the Clergy c. But if their positions of this nature were now in force D. Field and all his Clergy might wring their hands for woe and lament the time which brought forth such monstrous opinions As for example It is against the holy Scripture that Ecclesiasticall men should haue possessions Agayn See Concil Constant Seâ—â— 8. in Artic. VVickl Temporall Lords may at their pleasure take away temporall goods from the Church c. Farther Tithes are pure almes and the parishioners for the sinnes of their prelates may take them away as their will To conclude It is against the rule of Christ to enrich the Clergy The Emperour and secular Lords were seduced by the Diuell Act. MoÌ„ in the history of VVickl to endow the Church with temporall goods c. What censure hath Iohn Fox passed vpon theis exorbitant humours Perhapps saith he some blemishes may be noted in his assertions And if he haue blemishes c. See the pitifull cariadge of this man for though the matters be most odious and apparant yet he commeth in with his mitigation and hesitation to take away the infamy of VVickliffe which cleaueth fast vnto him and vnto his disciples as the leprosy vnto Gehezai and vnto his posterity for euer I will end therefore with Melancthon In Apolog. tit de human tradit and say with him planè furebat Wickliffus c. Wickliffe was stark mad when he denied that Priests might retayn any thing in proper vnto themselues 16. The second vanity of the Doctour in the aforesayd particular is a singular demonstration of his vnfaithfull mind For as he diminisheth the folly of VVickliffe in one poynt so he concealeth his impiety in the rest and would make a simple Reader beleeue that the positions of VVickliffe against the Clergy were the onely or principall matters which drew some men in the Councell to proceede against him with greater malice then reason 17. But you may perceiue by the * Concil Const c. Fox Act. Mon. Powell de Antichr pag. 20. and others Pag. 77. Catalogue of Wickliffes opinions that the poynts wherein he dissented from Gerson as they are many so they are capitall yea such as do necessarily exclude one of them from the participation of heauen Why do I name Gerson onely I must enlardge my stile and say that VVickliffe dissented therein from the whole Christian world For whereas D. Field informeth vs out of Gerson that certayn matters concerning the Popes power were defined in the Councell of Constance by the vniuersall consent of the whole Christian world I may most iustly assume the like in this case concerning all the opinions of VVickliffe either embraced or renounced by your Church I might here take good occasion to discusse many things but the opportunity is not so conuenient wherefore I will knitt vp this poynt with a double consideration The first appertayneth vnto the ingenious and learned Academicks whose dignity honour and liuelyhood must suffer a necessary dissipation if way were giuen vnto the fury of VVickliffe and of his truest disciples Concil CoÌ„stant sess 8. in artic Wickl 29. Vniuersities studies colledges degrees and maistershipps in the same are brought in by vayn Gentility and they profitt the Church as much as the Diuell himself 18. This is the verdict of your dearest Father and were they not your brethren also who affirmed that the Papists buylt Seminaries to aduance the kingdome of the Diuell See D. Bancrofts Suruay pag. 232. Let other men conceiue as they see cause for mine owne part I am resolued with confidence that they and VVickliffe did seeke the ruine of the Church by the inspiration of the Diuell and that the followers of their impiety shall be partakers of his payn
then enacted by the Church to regulate such exorbitancies as were incurred by the second What Councells what constitutions what sanctions did he or could he propose vnto himself Wherefore since Gersons lawes are such as â—end vnto the castigation and suppression of VVickliffians Hussites and all other sectaries proseminated from such fathers it followeth clearely that Luther hath performed the contrary vnto his designement and consequently that D. Field hath deliuered a vast vntruth not onely vnto his owne iust disreputation but vnto the certayn euident ineuitable ruine and subuersion of his Church 27. Here also the wise and ingenious Reader may obserue the great disparicy betwixt the Catholicks and Protestants in their courses The first prooceed in legitimate manner against the second by virtue of Canonicall and Ecclesiasticall processe The second proceed against the first by lawes temporall and by Parliamentary decrees The first proceed against the second directly and without circuitions as guilty of schisme and heresy and to this effect they bring forth the ancient and the moderne constitutions of sacred Councells Oecumenicall Nationall Prouinciall c. The second proceed against the first really and meerely for their Religion it self but vnder the name of treason and disobedience and such like pretenses Which preposterous order of vniust iustice doth irrefutably conuince the Protestants of heresy and impiety against the Catholick faith For doth not euery man indued with any measure of vnderstanding conceiue that the Church of God the pillar of truth as it hath and must preserue the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ pure and immaculate from the contagion of heresy or els there was no Catholick Church and then there is no Christ no God no hell no heauen no immortality no retribution so it is and was furnished and strengthened with proper lawes for the due correction of hereticks and for the extirpation of their errours I say that to suppose the contrary it is a senselesse imagination and to affirme the contrary it were an Atheisticall position Reflect now I pray you vpon your owne Congregation she that hath inuested hir self with the glorious title of the CATHOLICK Church Where are hir ancient Ecclesiasticall lawes hir Canons hir constitutions wherewith she is armed and assisted to proceed against the Papists whose heresies you exclayme against with violence supporting your mighty accusations with slender proofes But I returne vnto the farther prosecution of D. Fields vntruths for theis things are manifest vnto all men and need not any copious explication 28. Whereas it pleaseth the learned Doctour to say that it was not possible but some diuersiâ—y should grow betwixt Luther Zwinglius c while one knew not what an other did this excuse also is too short to couer the turpitude of their dissensions For you see that the lawes which were of force in Gersons time had bene an infallible rule to preserue conformity in their procedings if their intention had bene sutable vnto his prescription in this behalf But theis immoderate Reformers intertayning no such rule for their direction VVord and Spirit was the burthen of their song were necessarily distracted in their actions while they followed the variable illuminations of their vncertayn fancies 29. Let me proceed yet a little farther to consider the inordinate and distempered passion of theis men They rejected lawes as you see because they attempted a lawlesse action and this is sufficiently prooued vnto you by the graue authority of Gerson a WORTHY GVIDE of Gods Church Now also you may behold their pride temerity and singular precipitation for this shall be prooued vnto you by D. Field himself who hath accused them by his owne defence saying one knew not nor expected to know what an other did Why did they not know were they disterminated by sea and had they not meanes of accesse each vnto the other Was there a great * Luk. 16.26 chaos betwixt them so that they could not haue passadge and transmeation from Zuâ—ick vnto Wittemberg and from VVittemberg vnto Zurick No man be he of meane capacity will suffer himself to be abused with this pretense 30. But did they not expect to know what an other did It is an argument of their folly and insolency who in a matter of such consequence as from the first plantation of Christianity can admitt no example to parallele it by innumerable degrees would not consult nor retayn familiar intercourse in so important affayres 31. I must now addresse my self vnto the playn narration of this matter wherein the learned Doctour hath trifled with you all this while and concealed the truth from your knowledge by his false paradoxicall and impertinent sugestions For you must vnderstand that all Sacramentaries in which number you are fell away from Luther and departed from the communion of his Church Do you require my proof The demonstrations are many and irrefragable but I will content my self with the protestations of them whose authority is free from all exceptions Let Bullâ—nger know sayth * Recognit propheticae Apostolica doctrinae c. pag. 10. Brentius a venerable old man in M. Iewells verdict that from the beginning since the Zwinglians departed from vs that is to say from the true doctrine I was not a clandestine but an open aduersary of their impious opinion concerning the supper of the Lord c. 32. What need I drink of the riuers when the fountayn it self is so neere at hand Behold therefore the constant asseueration of M. LVTHER the third Eliah the Germayn Prophet a true Euangelist a singular Apostle the great Reformer the man of God the flying Angell c. for this and much more is spoken of him by your ghospellers who * Tom. 3. in Genes cap. 41. sayth that now the refined doctrine of the ghospell hath gayned many who where oppressed by the tyrany of Antichrist but yet withall the Anabaptists the †See before pag. 6. SACRAMENTARIES and other fanaticall men are gone out from vs c. They were not of vs though for a time they were with vs they sought their owne glory and estimation 33. Agayn There is no wickednesse sayth * Tom. 2.345 he not cruelty which Zwinglius layeth not vnto my chardge so that the Papists mine enimies do not teare me as those my friends who without vs and before vs were nothing and durst not stirr one iote but now being puffed vp with our victory they turne their force against vs. Theis perturbations in the ghospell which he beganne and preached alone without any copartner as * See Iustus Caluinus in apolog pag. 78 himself doth often witnesse did work great affliction and vexation within his bones yea they did excruciate and torment his soule as †See locos com Luth. part 5. pag. 36. he complayneth euen vnto the extreame danger of his faith Howbeit resumpsi animum dixi c. I tooke couradge agayn and sayd theis things are done without my fault therefore let the authours
vexe themselues and not I. Verily I will attempt by all meanes possible to cure theis euills but if I can not do it yet I will not be consumed with grief If one Munzer one Carolostadius one ZWINGLIVS be not sufficient for the Diuell excitet plures Zwinglius was raised by the Diuell to afflict the Church let him raise vp more 34. This is the perpetuall stile of Luther against the Sacramentaries whom he damneth vnto the lake of fire and brimstome as obstinate and malitious hereticks fallen away from his Church by apostaticall defection And here you may see how the nature of heresy is alwayes variable and vncertayn as Tertullian obserued long ago Praescript c. 4â— saying Hereticks differ amongst themselues while the scholler doth modulate at his pleasure that which he receiued as the Maister did compose at his pleasure that which he deliuered The progresse of the thing doth acknowledge the condition of it and the manner of its beginning The Valentinians and Martâ—onites may chandge their faith at their owne arbitrement as well as Valentine and Marcion themselues Denique penitùs inspectae haereses omnes in multis cum authoribus suis dissentientes deprehenduntur c. 35. Thus I haue truly discouered vnto you the deportment of your pretensed Reformers the crime and cause of whose implacable dissentions D. Field would vnconscionably deriue vpon the Papists by abusing the authority of Gerson whereas it is most euident that theis men sought not the end at which Gerson aymed nor followed the meanes which he prescribed but as Luther did boysterously impugne the Catholick Church so Zwinglius and all the troupe of Sacramentaries fell away seditiously and factiously from his society and communion And so much concerning the SECOND passadge 36. In the THIRD passadge there are some memorable poynts as namely the Doctour doth confesse freely and plainely that Gerson Grosthead c. 3. Reg. 2 2â— were of the TRVE CHVRCH But here I may say of D. Field as Salomon pronounced of Adoniah his brother contra animam suam locutus est Adonias verbum hoc against his life and the life of his Church hath D. Field spoken this word For was not Gerson and likewise Grosthead a member really and essentially of the Romane or POPISH Church The precedents may testify for the first and the * §. 4. sequele shall witnesse for the second wherefore I must inferr necessarily that the Popish Church was the TRVE CHVRCH in their time and that it is so at this day because it still continueth the same Finally as Wickliffe Husse c. were not of the true Church because they were not of the same Church with GERSON so the Protestants are not members of the true Church because they are excluded from the society of the Church of Rome which is the * See S. Cyprian l. 4. ep 8. roote and mother of the Catholick Church For in that See seÌ„per Apostolicae cathedrae viguit principatus as †epist 162. S. Augustine himself doth witnesse 37. A second poynt iâ— this Gerson Grosthead c. gaue testimony vnto the work which WE haue done What we LVTHER and ZWINGLIVS You know that the SACRAMENTARIES are exiled out of the fellowshippe of Luthers Church contra artic Louan thesi 27. Censemus serio c. We think seriously sayth Luther that all Zwinglians and Sacramentaries are hereticks and aliens from the Church of God Which seuere and true sentence of the great Apostle himself a Synod of Lutherans hath established by a solemne decree Epitome Colloq Maulbrunae Anno 1564. pag. 82. viz. Zwinglianis nullum locuÌ„ in Ecelesiâ concedimus c. we grant the Zwinglians no place in the Church To what purpose then serueth this particle of extension VVE haue done c But I will admitt that you and the Lutherans are of one Church howbeit I must absolutely and confidently deny that you or they or both haue the testimony of GERSON for the approbation of your worke and this is so copiously declared already that I need not alleadge new proofes noâ— reinforce the old 38. Thirdly it pleaseth M. Doctour to aduance Gerson Grosthead c. with the resplendent title of BEST men that liued in the corrupt state of the Church Truly they were so good that Luther your great Reformer was dirt and dongue to speake of him in * See before pag. 146 his owne phrases in comparison of their excellent demeanure and they shined as gold in respect of his ignoble conuersation And yet was he sweete Saint peculiarly inspired aboue them all 39. I am weary and I feare troublesome vnto you also in the prosecution of theis lamentable deuices but I am now come vnto the last and FOVRTH passadge wherewith I will briefly conclude this whole matter and then proceed vnto some farther issue 40. In this passadge there are 2 poynts which do specially require your very deliberate ponderation FIRST you shall there find that Cameracensis Picus Sauanarola GERSON he is the principall man and innumerable others for so the learned Doctour amplifieth his vanities were the WORTHY GVIDES OF * therefore the Protestants Church is not Gods Church GODS CHVRCH But what Church I pray you did they guide administer and direct That Church whereof the Protestants are members No for they detested your opinions That whereof the Papists are members Yea for they were firmely vnited vnto the Church of Rome and vnto the Pastour of that See and therefore hereticks and proud Romanists and Antichristian Vassals sworne to take the foames of the child of perdition and Vassals of the man of sinne c. all which hobgoblin-termes the Doctour hath congested vpon such men as now retayn the very same faith which Gerson constantly professed and are knitt vnto that Church which he humbly obayed And yet is a Gerson also a WORTHY GVIDE OF GODS CHVRCH You may remember that D. Field and hiâ— Church doth willingly admitt a triall of your cause by the testimony of the Fathers See before booke 1. Part. 1 chap 2. § 1. num 4. c. Do you admire that venditation and wonder at that assertion when Gerson himself shall be made a worthy guide of the Church c I leaue it vnto your ingenuity and wisedome since it doth import your eternity to consider what truth what solidity what assurance you or I or any other may expect at theis mens hands for the information of our vnderstandings the satisfaction of our doubts the direction of our soules in the way of secure and certayn peace 41. The SECOND particular is this It appeareth by that which we haue already deliuered touching that matter how nothing is done in our Reformation which theis men Gerson Grosthead c. long before thought not necessary to be done But where is that deliuered and how doth that appeare I know that the Doctour hath pitifully mangled some sentences and notably depraued the intention of GERSON
doth neuer loose grace also and consequently he doth neuer sinne mortally because a mortall sinne excludeth * grace inherent grace from the soule And this I will prooue vnto you by D. Field who †pag. 176. accusing the Papists to be liers of the worst memories whence it is saith he that euery secōd page in their writings if not euery second line pag. 147. is a refutation of the first doth perplexe himself about this matter very strāgely within the compasse of a few lines and inuolueth himself in manifest contradictions 4. For first he saith that the Elect notwithstanding any degree of sinne they runne into retayn that GRACE which can and will procure pardon for all their offences In which respect also he sayeth that the reprobate haue no GRACE in them which may cry vnto God for remission and hence it commeth to passe that all sinne is veniall vnto the one and all is mortall vnto the other But see how within 3. or 4. lines he contradicteth this assertion saying All sinnes that against the holy Ghost excepted are veniall ex euentu that is to say such as may be and oftentimes are forgiuen through the mercifull goodnesse of God though there be NOTHING in the parties offending while they are in such state of sinne that either can or doth cry for pardon Who are they vnto whom God vouch safeth this goodnesse Surely the elect for D. Field sayth that in other men who are strangers from the life of God as he speaketh all sinnes are mortall and not remitted for want of Grace which may cry vnto God for pardon Well then in the elect oftentimes there is * therefore no Grace NOTHING that can or doth cry vnto God for pardon and yet the elect also do still retayn that GRACE which can and will procure pardon for all their offences Is not this a reall contradiction Again he * lin 37. sayeth We confesse that all sinnes not done with full consent may stand with grace wherefore it followeth by the cōtrary that all sinnes done with full consent exclude grace Now since it is manifest that many elect after grace receiued do sinne with full Consent for such was Dauids case it is cleare likewise 2. Sam. 11. that they fall from grace which is restored vnto them afterward as †de corrept grat c. 7. S. Augustine doth excellently discourse and Catholicks concurr with his opinion 4. I conclude this passadge with the publick testimony of your Church * Artic. Relig 16. After we haue receiued the holy ghost we may depart from * if they loose their faith also then Caluin sayth falsely that true faith can NEVER be lost If they do not loose i◠thē Caluin saith falsely that true faith can not be separated from GRACE grace giuen and by the grace of God we may rise agayn Whereby it is playn against D. Field that the elect do not retayn grace in them notwithstanding any degree of sinne but they fall not from that grace of God by which they are infallibly destinated vnto saluation and therefore vnto a newnesse of life also which is necessary vnto this end 5. Thus much for S. Augustine The sentence of †Rat. 10. Campian is cited in theis words Nisi Diui è coelo deturbentur cadere ego nunquam potero and here your Doctour pretendeth that Campian euen as Caluin himself did belieue constantly that he could neuer fall from faith but was certayn of his saluation Which if it were so then iudge of the soundnesse of your Deuinity according to the principles whereof Campian a resolute Papist and opposite vnto your Religion might be infallibly secure of his saluation and the like all sectaries may as many do apply vnto themselues with a supposed certainty of perseuerance But as F. Campian doth * Rat. 8. Age somuiet hocised vnde c. post medisi· elswhere particularly reprooue this conceipt and taxeth your Caluin precisely for the same so in †in the cōclusion of his tenth Reason this place he is farr from that imagination howsoeuer it pleaseth D. Morton to propose his wordes by the halfe to peruert his meaning in the whole For that blessed Martyr hauing yealded a reason of his confidence which he deriueth from all kinds of witnesses in heauen earth and hell it self non diffiteor sayth he animatus sum incensus ad conflictum IN QVO nisi Diui de coelo deturbentur superbus Lucifer coelum recuperet cadere nunquam potero 6. Now I remitt me vnto your ingenuity and conscience whether D. Morton did not with voluntary and determinate malice as I sayd before abridge the sentence and violate the intention of Campian to deceiue the Reader with sciens fallit and against his knowledge For what doth F. Campian affirme but onely this since I haue theis testimonies of my religion it is not possible that relying thereupon I should euer causâ cadere be vanquished in that combatt which I do seriously desire 7. This may be a sufficient instruction for you and by it alone you may perceiue whether his heart be single and syncere in his impugnation of the Catholick faith which he laboureth to extinguish by theis miserable inuentions But it will flourish much more euen for his sake God of his infinite mercy will either mollify his affection or cohibit his purpose And now kind Maister S. I might ease my self and you from any more payn in this kind if one more vast vntruth then all the rest did not compell me to proceed yet a little farther the master being of great importance and for many respects not to be passed ouer in silence CHAP. 2. D. Mortons vntruth concerning the article of Christ his descent into Hell §. 1. The necessity and waight of this article 1. AMongst sondry difficulties which did sometimes afflict my conscience when I was a brother of your society this was not the least viz. What is that which doth properly and entirely make a man to be a member of your Church so that precisely for defect thereof he ceaseth absolutely from being of that communion In which argument though * booke 1. chap. 7. 8. c. D. Field hath bestowed his diligence and payne yet he is so full of perplexity and vncertainty that I could neuer settle my conscience firmely and vnmooueably in his dubious and enigmaticall resolutions †in his Reply Booke 2. chap. 6. num 11. D. Kellison hath lately proposed this question vnto D. Sutcliffe and though he hath handled it briefly yet he hath performed his designement with such facility and such grauity so appositely and so punctually that any man would be mooued thereby to pity and commiserate your chaos and Babylonian confusion 2. But this position with me is an impregnable bulwark of my Religion viz. Whosoeuer doth pertinaciously reiect any poynt of faith accepted by publick consent of the CATH Church he is
an HERETICK and no member of hir communion For which consideration I am as tenderly affected in this article as in any other of my Creed esteeming my self obliged thereunto for two respects FIRST because the essentiall truth thereof is clearely reuealed vnto me by God both in his word written and by Apostolicall Tradition In his word written for what can be more perspicuous then this saying * Act. 2.27 Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell c. By Apostolicall Tradition for what can be more playn then this article He descended into hell That the common Creed is an Apostolicall Tradition your chiefest writer H. †de PedeÌ„pt Zanch us doth confesse and as I conceiue * pag. 238. D. Field dissenteth not from his iudgement therein What †de Antichr pag. 48. M. Powell or his proud Peacock or some precipitate Spiritts imagine to the contrary I am not to regard But if this Creed be an Apostolicall Tradition then it is * See D. Fields rule which I haue cited before Booke 1. part 1. c. 2. §. 2. num 3. equall vnto the written word of God euen for that cause For it proceedeth from diuine inspiration and so it hath sufficient authority of it self Wherefore it was not respectiuely decreed by your †Artic. Relig 8. Bishopps that this Creed ought throughly to be receiued BECAVSE it may be prooued by most certayn warrants of holy Scripture 3. SECONDLY I am mooued by the authority of the Church For who sayth * epist 99. S. Augustine denieth that Christ descended into hell vnlesse he be an INFIDELL And for the sense of this article †Tract 78. in Ioh. he hath this cleare resolution Who is he that was not left in hell Christ Iesus but in his SOVLE onely Who is he that lay in the graue Christ Iesus but in his FLESH onely For the NATVRALL vnion of his body and soule was dissolued but not the HYPOSTATICALL vnion of either with his Person 4. This truth being so potent and perspicuous I aske you now what reason haue you for any part of your faith if you haue not assurance in this And if you fall from this See Luthers saying before pag. 40. what certainty haue you in any other poynt Therefore it importeth your Church to shew a due conformity in this article of the Creed Finally you may remember that S. Athanasius in his Creed which your †Artic. Relig 8. Church pretendeth to admitt throughly c. hauing premised this denunciatioÌ„ Whosoeuer keepeth not the Catholick faith entire and inuiolate without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly doth afterward subnect this article of Christ his descent into hell as parcell of that CATHOLICK faith §. 2. D. Mortons pretense of his Churches vnity in this poynt is clearely refuted 1. NOw see your Doctours syncerity who may call God to reuendge it vpon his soule if he deceyue any man with his knowledge First he citeth the opinion of * l. 4. de Christo cap. 15. Bellarmine in theis wordes Opinio Catholica haec est CHRISTVM VERE SECVNDVM ESSENTIAM FVISSE IN INFERNO As much as to say Christ in his soule substaÌ„tially did descend into hell Then he addeth Hanc vestram sententiam NOS quoque iuxià cum Augustana confessione libentissimè profitemur non tamen quatenus vestram sed quatenus veram WE also together with the Augustane confession do most willingly professe this opinion c. 2. It is well that he left out the Scottish French Belgian and Heluetian confessions for he knoweth that the true Caluinists are hereticks in this behalf And this is an incuitable conclusion because they do obstinately and wilfully reiect the true and Catholick opinion and so defending an opinion CONTRARY vnto CATHOLICK verity they can not be exempted from the crime of heresy which casteth them into a damnable estate But I beseech you do YOV that is to say your Church of England most willingly professe this Catholick opinion Alas that your Apologist hath so iustly called God to reuendge this falsehood vpon his soule let him intreate our Lord to pardon that prouocation of his iudgement and in the meane time I will demonstrate his falsehood by foure euidences FIRST if YOV be of this opinion as he pretendeth why are your Bibles infected with this absurd Translation Act. 2.27 some say life or person some body or carrasse Thou wilt not leaue my soule in graue Is this to submitt your sense vnto the Scripture or is it not rather to draw it vnto your preiudicate opinion This is to measure the yard by the cloth and thus while you should be faithfull Translatours you become corrupt Interpreters of the Scripture SECONDLY why was your Church so distracted in this matter vpon the Sermon and Treatise of D. Bilson How came it to passe that D. Rainolds his Caluinian resolution in this matter was confuted by M Perks and why did M. VVillet the Synopticall Theologue as he is phrased by †in his epist prefixed before the booke of ConfereÌ„ce at Hampton Court D. Barlow oppose himself against M. Perks his answere Why do your Ministers publiquely in Sermons and in print impugne this true and Catholick opinion THIRDLY Why is no Minister punished for his repugnancy vnto this truth which is of greater consequence then crosse cap surplice or any ceremonious thing or whatsoeuer institution of your Church for which many haue suffered depriuation of their liuings FOVRTHLY the testimony of M. Rogers whose booke hath a speciall approbation as you may see * pag. 160. before will conuince D. Morton of notorious falsehood For though his purpose was to deliuer the †that is the title of all his pages Catholick doctrine of YOVR Church yet when * pag. 16. he commeth vnto this article he sayth that in the interpretation of it there is not that consent which were to be wished some holding one opinion thereof and some an other Wherefore yealding no certayn doctrine but leauing men vnto their choyce he addeth TILL we know the natiue and vndoubted * Faith coÌ„sisteth not in the words but in the sense sense of this article c. 3. If this be not a sensible conuiction of M. Doctours singular vntruth I must confesse that I haue done him iniury and will be ready to make any satisfaction that he can reasonably demand Meane while he must giue me leaue to detect an other of his excellent sleights and then I will referr him vnto his best thoughts As it was a notable vanity in him to affirme that YOV do willingly embrace the Catholick opinion in this article so that is a delicate collusion which ensueth within the compasse of three lines viz. à VOBIS c. WE in England differ from YOV Papists concerning the place vnto which Christ descended For WE say that he descended vnto the hell of the damned but YOV say that he descended onely ad limbum Patrum the region of the Fathers 4. The authour cited by him is * Theomach l. 7. c. 1. Feuardentius whose opinion he imputeth here as generally vnto the Papists as he applied the other vnto your English Church But forasmuch as M. Doctour doth continually deale with BELLARMINE and in the words immediately precedent alleadged him particularly also in this matter as you †num 1. see why did he now pretermitt him and select an other I will shew you the reason for Bellarmine himself in the very next chapter is of a contrary opinion vnto that which M. Doctour deriueth generally vpon the Papists What piety then or humanity was in this preposterous deuise 5. Know you therefore FIRST that the opinion which he here imputeth vnto VS without exception is as falsely attributed vnto all Catholicks as the other vnto YOVR English Church SECONDLY that your difference is in the substantiall sense and meaning of this article but our difference is a scholasticall disceptation in a matter of greater or lesser probability which being a doubt not resolued by the Church may be indifferently accepted by hir children without breach of charity or violation of faith 6. Thus I haue giuen you a little signification of those many vntruths which I haue obserued in this Doctour If it consist not with his credit or profitt to yeald yet it concerneth you to beware of his Sirenicall incantations Your benefitt shall be my reward if not so yet this schedule may be a token of my loue and be you well assured that either by following my counsayle TRY BEFORE YOV TRVST you shall preuent an heauy doome or by neglecting it you shall increase your iudgement FINIS A TABLE OF THE GENERALL CONTENTS IN THE FIRST PART CHAP. 1. § 1. GERSONS testimony alleadged by D. Field to iustify the pretensed REFORMATION § 2. It is impossible that GERSON could wish or tolerate this REFORMATION § 3. A detection of D. Fields vntruths in citing the testimonyes of GERSON § 4. The name and authority of GROSTHEAD abused by D. Field to the same effect CHAP. 2. § 1. D. Fields vntrue suggestion concerning the vnity of Lutherans and Caluinists is refuted Their difference touching Vbiquity the Sacrament § 2. D. Fields excuse of their litigation is refelled They neither haue nor can haue any conclusion of peace CHAP. 3. § 1. D. Field deuiseth criminations against Bellarmine § 2. His inciuility toward the CARDINALL whose excellent parts are briefly noted IN THE SECOND PART CHAP. 1. § 1. D. Mortons vntruth in defence of Luther § 2. His vntruth in protection of Caluin CHAP. 2. § 1. Of the article concerning Christ his descent into hell § 2. D. Morton doth vntruly pretend the vnity of his English Church in the sense thereof The PARTICVLAR contents are many which I referr vnto the diligence of the courteous Reader THE CORRECTION OF FAVLTES PASSED IN SOME COPIES P. signifieth page I line M. mâ—â—gent p. 10. l. 40. reade the same p. 12. â—â— num 15. p. 22. l â— proceed p. 26. l. 6. brimtione p. 60. l. 27 â—â—dery p. 44 l. 15. 〈◊〉 p. â—5 l 4. improbation 12. l. â—â—ist 17. 〈◊〉 p. 48. l. 1â— Iudes p. 5â—â—â— with any p. â—â— l. 8. his stile and sayd pag. 58. l. 15 what 〈◊〉 p. 59. l. 22. your p. 64. l. 26. â—â—clâ—sastiâ—