his heauenly Angels to witnes that notwithstanding you obtrude the invisibility of our church as a stumbling blocke to the ignorant notwithstaÌ„ding your great brags of an outward face of an eminent and glorious Romane Church yet your Trent faith and doctrine vvas far froÌ„ the knovvledge of Christ his Apostles nay more if any Iesuite or all the Iesuites aliue can proue your Roman Faith had Antiquity Vniuersalitie and Succession in al ages and that your Trent Articles were plainly commonly and continually taught receiued de Fide as Articles of Faith before Luther let all the Anathema's in your Trent Councel fall vpon my head And as touching the great noise and rumors of your Catholike Church if you wil consider and vveigh it vvith wisdom and moderation you shall find it wholly depends vpon tvvo doubtfull and vncertain coÌ„clusions viz. The Infallibilitie of the Pope and the Intention of the Priest These are but tvvo slender threds to vphold the Vniuersall faith of all Christians and therfore blame not vs if such things seeme harsh and vntunable in our eares that many millions of soules shold depend vpon the Infallibility of one man that man by your own supposall may draw vvith him innumerable soules to hell That man vvho hath the name and nature of Antichrist in his person in the one as he is against Christ and his doctrine in the other as he claimes to be Christs Vicar sit in his stead for the very name of Antichrist imports both Anti-Christ signifies Against Christ and to be in the place of Christ That man vpon vvhose forehead by the testimonies of learned Authors the vvord Mysterie Dr. Iames in his Epist Dedicatory of the Corruption of the Fathers c. the very mark of the Beast was sometimes writteÌ„ That man who is pointed at by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be that Antichrist by his habitation seated vpon seuen hills Reuel 17. That man who hath the character of the man of sin 2. Thess 2.4 which aduaÌ„ceth himselfe aboue all that are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 viz the Kings and Princes of the earth That man who hath published the doctrine of Deuils 1. Tim 4. by forbidding of meats and Marriage vnto Priestes Lastly that man whose Infallibility Conc. Flor. in Decret Eugenij whose Succession whose Orders whose Baptisme and Christianitie it selfe depends vpon the Intention of a silly Priest Bell de Iustif li 3. â— 8 of whose Intention none can be assured by your owne confessions It is not the great souÌ„d of a visible Church that must outface the truth for the emptiest vessels make the greatest souÌ„d neither is it the name of Catholike which you wholly appropriate to your selues sufficient to proue your Church Catholike nay more your pretences of Scriptures of Traditions of Fathers of Councels of an Infallible Church are but figge-leaues to couer the nakednesse of your nevv borne faith for it shall appeare by this small Treatise that your chiefest scriptures on which you build your Trent doctrine are Apocryphal your Traditions which you haue equalled to the Scriptures are Apostaticall your Fathers which you assume for Interpreters of the Scriptures are spurious and counterfet your Councels which depend vpoÌ„ the Infallibilitie of the Popes iudgment are erronious doubtful and your preteÌ„ded Catholike Church which is made the onely rule of Faith is neither a whole nor yet a sound member of the Catholike and Vniuersall Body This way therefore which you take is a cloke colour to darken truth by outward shewes and specious pretences and therefore Via Deuia a vvandring and By-way Neither is it your bitternesse and inuectiues against a Lay man shall make me silent in Gods cause for I say with Moses Num. 12.29 Would God al the Lords people could prophecie and I hope there will neuer be wanting a Mildab a Medab to assist Moses and Aaron that may bee able to vindicate Gods Honor and Truth ease our painful Pastors and Ministers which most laboriously performe the work of an Euangelist and conuert soules by preaching which yours peruert by Controuersies of Disputations I hope I say there wil be alwaies some who wil publish to the shame of your Romish Pastors the palpable ignorance of the Laitie who with an implicite faith inuolued obedience resigne vp their sight and senses to blind guides Let the Trueth of God and his Church flourish no rayling accusation of an Aduersary shall deterre mee from my seruice to his cause In the meane time I will appeale to your own consciences whether it bee Catholike doctrine or sauour of Christian Charitie which your Iesuites teach viz. Haereticos non magis audiendos esse etiamsi vera et sacris literis coÌ„sentanea dicant aut doceant quaÌ„ Diobolum Mald. in Math. 16.6 That the Reformed Churches are no more to be heard then the deuill himselfe although they speake trueth and agreeable to the Scriptures nay more I speak it with shame and griefe Discept Tâ—â—ol Sect. 2. the Pope at this day allowes the Talmud of the Iewes and yet prohibites the Books of Protestants Giue mee leaue therefore to speake to you as somtime S. Austen spake to the Donatists Aug. contr Petâ—l lib. 3. cap. 59. If you will be wise vnderstand the trueth it is well if otherwise it shall not grieue mee that I haue taken this paines for you for though your hearts returne not to the peace of the Church yet my peace shall returne to mee in the Church The cause is Gods the labour is mine if you wil reade it impartially and can shew me any error clearely faithfully and moderately I wil make a work of Retractations and professe openly with righteous Iob Iob 31.35 36. O that mine aduersary would write a Booke against mee I would take it vpon my shoulder and bind it as a Crowne vnto me H. L. The Contents Sect. 1. THe safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scriptures Pag. 1. Sect. 2. Our Aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered p. 16. Sect. 3. The Scripture according to the Iudgement of the ancient Fathers is the sole Iudge of Controuersies and Interpreter of it selfe p. 43. Sect. 4. Our Aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers p. 58 Sect. 5. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues p. 86 Sect. 6. Our Aduersaries pretences from the Authorities of Fathers and Councels to proue the Apocryphall Bookes Canonicall answered p. 122 Sect. 7. The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding
all men by the Apostles rule should be ready to giue an account of their Faith and must bee iudged by the Word of God this man by not knowing the Scriptures nor the articles of his faith but onely for intending his Merchandise with a blinde obedience and an implicite faith shal be free both from guilt and punishment and no doubt from this general beliefe of the Popes authoritie and infallibilitie the saying of Gregorie the 13. is verified D. 40 Si Papa in Annot. Men doe with such reuerence respest the Apostolicall See of Rome that they rather desire to know the ancient Institution of Christian Religion from the Popes owne mouth then from the holy Scriptures and they onely inquire what is his pleasure and accordingly they order their life and conversation He therefore that will appeale to the Bishop of Rome to Rome let him goe but woe to the Recusants of England other countreys remote from Rome which cannot heare the Church being so farre distant from him nay woe to them at Rome that liue in his Sea for how can they heare him if hee neuer preacheth But withall most miserable is the condition of the hearer notwithstanding he should preach for his owne Cardinall assures vs that if his Holinesse teach not the whole Church Bell lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. lib. 4. cap. 14. hee is in as much possibilitie to erre as Innocent the eight was when hee permitted the Norwegians to celebrate the Eucharist without wine Thus from the multitude of beleeuers which is the Essentiall Church we are sent to the Councell from the Councell which is the Representatiue Church wee are sent to the Pope which is the Virtuall and now at length being arriued at the Pope Consistory his Cardinal giues vs to vnderstand that a man may returne happily as wise as he went but withall intimate◠〈◊〉 vs that there are noâ— oracles â—o infallible doctrine to bee learned from his mouth vnlesse hee will first declare by publike decree that hee intends to preach to the Vniuersall Church Besides how the Vicar of Christ should bee the Spouse of Christ how a particular member of the Church should become a Vniuersall Head of the Church how Papa the Pope anciently a Father should become the Church which is alwayes a Mother it is a mysterie vnsearchable past finding out for sure I am if the Pope be the Church let them pretend whomsoeuer they will for their Father they can haue no Church except Pope Ioane for their Mother It remaineth then that in the next place wee examine the certaintie of that faith which must be learned from the Pope for if the Pope haue not Infallibilitie of Iudgement then is hee not that rule of faith then is he not that Church which is the pillar and ground of truth and consequently miserable is the condition of those poore Christians that relie vpon his opinion as vpon the infallible Doctrine of the Church and first I will proceed to the Popes Succession in doctrine and person compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the Popes of these later times that thereby wee may discerne whether the Popes Infallibilitie bee priuiledged by his Chaire or whether the ancient Roman faith bee successiuely deriued from the ancient Bishops of Rome to the Popes of these latter ages SECT XX. The Church which is finally resolued into the Pope wants both Personall and Doctrinall Succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of fact and matters of faith HOsius the Romanist tels vs for certaine Hos in CoÌ„fess Petricou c. 29. that if we reckon all the Popes that euer were from Peter vntill Iulius the third there neuer sate in his Chaire any Arrian any Donatist any Pelagian or any other that professed any manner of Heresie The reason of this as I conceiue is deliuered by Card. Cusanus Veritas adhaeret Cathedrae vniuersa Catholica Ecclesia ad Petri CathedraÌ„ conglobata à Christo nuÌ„quam recedit Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 2. The trueth cleaueth fast to Peters Chaire the whole vniuersall Catholike Church is rolled vp to Peters chaire shal neuer depart from Christ I wil not take vpon mee to examine the Pope in what Office in what religion in what piece of his life he hath succeeded Peter but that you may know howsoeuer the Popes faith is annexed to the Chaire hee hath errâ—â— and is subiect to error as â—e is Pope I will compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the faith of the later Popes and the later Popes Decrees and definitiue Sentences with their flat contradictions and contrary Decrees amongst themselues whereby it shall appeare that the later Popes haue not onely erred in disclaiming the decrees of their Predecessours but haue digressed wholly from the ancient Roman Bishops both in faith and manners and withall they want that Infallibilitie that personall and doctrinall Succession which they so much magnifie amongst themselues Anacletus Bishop of Rome in the yeere 103 decreed that after Consecration Dist 1. Episcopus 2. Peracta all present should communicate or else bee thrust out of the Church for so saith hee the Apostles did set downe and the holy Church of Rome obserueth On the contrary at this day it is made lawfull for the Priests to receiue alone the people onely gazing and looking on and withall Pope Iulius the fourth hath decreed in the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. Canon 8. Sess 22. If any shall say that Masses in which the Priest alone doeth communicate are vnlawfull and therefore ought to be abrogated let him be accursed Leo the Great Bishop of Rome in the yeere 440 speaks of the death of Martyrs in this maner Leo. Epist 81. Although the death of many Saints hath been pretious in the Lords sight yet the death of no innocent person hath beene the propitiation for the world that the righteous receiued crownes but gaue none that of the fortitude of the faithfull haue grown examples of patience not gifts of righteousnesse that their deaths as they were seuerall persons were seuerall to euery of themselues and that none of them by his death paid the debt of any other man because it is only our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all were crucified all dead all buried all raised againe from the dead On the contrarie Haec opinio reprobata est à Pâ—o 5. Pontifice et à Gregorio 13. Bel. de Indul. lib. 1 cap. 40. Pope Pius the 5 and Gregorie the 13 both condemned saith Bellarmine the Diuines of Lovaine and others who defended that the sufferings of the Saints cannot bee true satisfactions but that our punishments are remitted onely by the personall satisfactions of Christ Nay more saith he If the sufferings of Saints may not bee applied to vs to free vs from the punishment due for our sinnes lest they should seeme to bee our Redeemers then certainly wee our selues cannot
of the holy Ghost were wholly at the Popes command to breath onely where hee will haue him It is confessed on both sides that Christ is the Way and Trueth and by his word he hath prescribed a sure an infallible rule to find out the truth If the Scripture were but a partiall rule yet by Bellarmines owne confession it is the most certaine Scriptura â—egula credendi cerrissima tutissimaque est Bell. de Verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. and most safe rule of faith Now â—et vs see what is the most certaine rule of the Roman â—aith and on what assured meanes their proselytes may â—est satisfied and infallibly â—nstructed for the saluation â—f their soules Suarez the â—esuite tells vs It is the Catholike truth Veritas Catholica est Pontificem definientem ex Cathedrâ esse RegulaÌ„ Fidei quae errare non potest quaÌ„do aliquid authenticè proponit vniuersa Ecclesia tanquaÌ„ de fide c. Suarez de Tripl virt Theol. Sect. 8. disp 5. de reg pag. 214. Censeo esse rem de fide ceâ—taÌ„ Suar. ibid p. 214. that the Pope defining in his Chaire is the rule of Faith which cannot erre that is wheÌ„ he doth propose any thing authentically to the vniuersall Church to be beleeued 〈◊〉 a diuine faith and thus saith he all Catholike Doctors teach in these dayes and I thinke it 〈◊〉 be a thing certainly to be beleeued This Iesuit maintainâ—â— the Infallibility of the Pope yet speakes but as he thinks and withall tells vs It is thâ— Catholike doctrine of these times when as hee should haue prooued it by ancient Records that it was the Catholike doctrine of all ages For there is no man liuing let him be Papist oâ— Protestant if hee be a man of â—nderstanding but will holâ— it most requisite and absolutely necessary that the rule of faith should be declared by Christ and his Apostles by Catholike Traditions by Generall Councels by the consent of Fathers and the whole Christian world and certainly if the Popes Decrees conclusions be that rule of faith they ought to be confirmed by al those testimonies since on his judgment both Councels Bishops do depend but especially since the error of the Pope is adiudged to be the error of the Vniversall Church Againe he that deliuered what hee thought was the Catholike doctrine of these times touching the Popes Infallibility in generall tels vs of an other point at that time questionable viz. Whether it was to bee beleeued as an Article of faith Idem ibid. pag. 218. that the or that particular Pope were 〈◊〉 true Pope This doctrine saith he I taught at Rome affirmatiuely in the yeere 1585 but withall professeth that many at that time thought otherwise He that proclaimed it to the world that the Popes definitiue sentence in his chaire was the rule of Faith withall professeth that within these few yeeres it was not resolued whether this or that particular Pope might erre or no. And as it was obserued by a judicious and religious Gentleman M Noy of L. Inne for I shall gladly acknowledge any thing that I receiued froÌ„ any man this later question produced a new Quaere viz If the Pope were not a true Pope and Canonically elected then that person which worshipped a Saint canonized by that Pope commits flat Idolatry by reason the Saint wants his right Canonization for want of the Popes true and Canonicall election Many such doubts said he were mooued touching this Rule of Faith which neither the Iesuite was able to resolue nor the Church had as yet determined Hee that can but spell and put these things together would feare and tremble to think he hath no better assurance of his saluation then a doubtfull vncertaine questionable and vrresolued way to guide him into the paths of sauing knowledge And that the world may know the Rule of Faith which ought generally to bee receiued De Fide of all the faithfull is altogether doubtfull in the Roman church I haue summoned 12 of the Popes disciples to deliuer their seuerall opinions concerning the Popes Infallibilitie but how they concurre in witnessing the trueth of this Doctrine I leaue it to bee iudged Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. 1. Bellarmine It is probable that the Pope not onely as Pope cannot erre but as a priuate man cannot fall into Heresie or hold any obstinate opinion contrary to the Faith 2. Albertus Pigghius Piggh. de Eccle. Hier. lib. 6. c. 13. The Iudgement of the Pope is more certaine then the Iudgement of a Generall Councell or else the whole world 3. Hosius Hos lib. 2. cont Brent Bee the wickednesse of Popes neuer so great it can neuer hinder but that this promise of God shall euer be true The Popes shall shew thee the truth of Iudgement 4. Iohannes de Turrecremata Ioh. sum de Eccles lib. 2. cap. 112. It is better to rest vpon the sentence of the Pope which hee deliuers out of Iudgement then the opinions of whatsoeuer wise men in matters of Scripture for euen Caiphas was a High Priest and although hee was wicked yet hee prophecied truely 5. Siluester Prierias Whosoeuer leaneth not to the Doctrine of the Romane Church I'tier contr Lutherum and Bishop of Rome as vnto he Infallible rule of God of which doctrine the holy Scripture hath taken force and authoritie hee is an heretike Episc Bitont Conc. ex Rom. 1. cap 14. Romae habit 6. Cornelius Mus I must ingenuously confesse I would giue more credit to one Pope in matters of faith then to a thousand Augustines Hieromes or Gregories c. For I beleeue and know the chiefe Bishop in matters of faith cannot erre because the authoritie of the Church in determination of things belonging to faith is resident in that Bishop and so the errour of that Bishop should come to be the errour of the vniuersall Church Thus the great Mountaines were in labour and at last appeares Ridiculus Mus This man cares neither for Fathers nor Councells he knowes the Pope cannot erre and he is a man of experience You may beleeue him for hee was a Preacher at twelue yeeres old saith Sixtus Senensis but there are six more of the Popes sworne seruants they are Legales homines and craue audience hauing the said power and iurisdiction with the rest onely they say they cannot flatter they must and will speake the trueth in this howsoeuer the rest bee diuided from them and first concerning the first of the second ranke 7. Alphonsus de Castro We doubt not Non dubitamus an hareticum esse et Papam esse coire in vnuÌ„ possint Non enim credo esse aliquem adeò impudentem Papae assertatoreÌ„ vt ei tribuere hac velit vt nec errare nec interpretatione sacraruÌ„ literarum hallucinari possit cum constet plures Papas adeò illiteratos esse vt Grammaticam penitus ignorent qui fit vt
nihilo minùs Ecclesia Ioh. Rag. orat in Conc. Basil de CoÌ„mun sub vtraque specie it is the confession of Iohannes Ragusius in his Oration at the Councell of Basil Licet in Lege c. Although in the old time the visible Images of God yea and of his Saints were forbidden by the Law of God and no libertie was since granted either in the Old or New Testament to make any such yet the Church taught by the holy Spirit hath not onely permitted but decreed and ordained it Touching the Communion in both kinds it is the confession oâ— the Generall Councell of Constance Conc. Constant Sess 13. Conc. Trid. Sess 5. Can. 2. and the Councell of Trent Licet Christus c Although Christ did instituâ— the Sacrament in both kinds yet saith the Trent Councel he that shall say the Catholikâ— Church hath not altered it foâ— good causes or that they errâ— in so doing let him bee accursed These are speciall poinâ— with them and the denyaâ— of any of these make a maâ— heretike in the Church 〈◊〉 Rome yet by their owâ— confession are decreed wiâ—â— Non obstante Notwithstaâ—ding Christ and his Apostles taught the contrary Obserue then the difference betwixt the Gospell of Christ and the doctrine of the Roman Church the Spirit of God denounced a curse both against men and Angels that should teach any other doctrine then that they receiued from the Scriptures the Church of Rome pronounceth Anathema against all those that do not teach and beleeue the doctrine of their Church although it be different from the Scriptures I confesse the name of the Church is honourable and her credit singular but that which stickes with mee and as I conceiue is worthy of all mens obseruation the name of the Church which is so much magnified and adored of all Romanists and Romish Proselytes I say that Romane Church is neither vnderstood by the ignorant what it is neither is it resolued by the learned amongst them in certaine what is properly meant vnderstood by it First then we must know as the Church hath many parts to act Ecclesia Essentialis Representatiua Virtualis CoÌ„sistorialis Bell. de Eccles li. 3. c. 2. so likewise the Romanists make her of foure seuerall sorts The Essentiall Church and this saith Bellarmine is a company of men professing the same Christian Faith and Sacraments and acknowledging the Bishop of Rome to bee the chiefe Pastor and Vicar of Christ vpon the earth The Representatiue Church and this is an Assembly of Bishops in a generall Councell representing the whole bodie of the Church The Vertuall Church and this is the Bishop of Rome who is said to bee the chiefe Pastor of the whole Church and hath in himselfe eminently and vertually both truth and infallibilitie of iudgment and vpon whom dependeth all that certaintie of truth which is found in the whole Church The Confistoriall Church and this consisteth of the Pope and Cardinals and is termed by the Sâ—rbonists The Court of Rome Curia Romana Touching these seuerall acceptions of the Church there are seuerall and different opinions The Glosse vpon Gratian put the first question Quaero de quâ Ecclesiâ intelligas quoà hic dicitur quod non possit errare Res Ipsa congraegatio fideliuÌ„ hîc dicitur Ecclesia Causa 24. q. 1. c. A recta ConciliuÌ„ legitimuÌ„ omniuÌ„ consensu maximè propriè dici possit Ecclesia Bell de Conc. et Eccles l. 1. c. 18 Per EcclesiaÌ„ intelligimê° Pontif. Romanum qui pro teÌ„pore Ecclesia nauiculaÌ„ moderatur et EcclesiaÌ„ PapaÌ„ interpretantur non abnuo Desp ca. 10 lib. 3. de verbo Dei Greg. de Val. disp Theol. ToÌ„ 1. disp 1. q. c. Apud moder nos maximè importat hoc nomen Ecclesia quemadmodum hoc Ecclesia Rom. vrbis duduÌ„ obtinutt cuius ministri et Presidentes sunt Papa et Cardinales ipsius qui iam ex vsu quodam obtinuerunt dici Ecclesia Defens pacis part 2. cap. 2. Cerem li. 1 Sect 8 c. 6. and thus resolues it I would know what Church you vnderstand when you say It cannot erre I answere It is the congregation of the faithfull that is heere meant by the Church To the second Bellarmine replies A lawfull Councell by the most generall consent is most properly termed the Church To the third Gretzerus the Iesuite makes this confession I deny not but by the Church wee vnderstand the Bishop of Rome for the time being who guides the Ship of the militant Church and Gregory de Valentia by the Church wee meane her Head that is to say the Romane Bishop in whom resideth the full authoritie of the Church To the fourth Marsilius Patauinus giues his free assent that the name of the Church is of great consequence amongst the moderne Writers whose Ministers and Presidents are the Pope and Cardinalls which now by vse and custome haue at last obtained to bee called the Church and of this Church the Pope himselfe hath made this declaration Yee shall bee the Senatours of my citie and like vnto Kings the very hookes and stayes of the world vpon whom the very doore of the Church Militant must bee turned and ruled Now amidst these different opinions it must needes seem questionable to which of these Churches a poore ignorant soule who desires satisfaction in matters of Religion should addresse himselfe if hee require iudgement of the Essentiall Church there is little comfort and lesse assurance to be had from them for they consist most of the ignorant and common people and haue chiefest need of instruction themselues besides it is impossible to know the iudgment of all Christians who make the vniuersall Church in all or any particular poynts of Religion If he appeale to Councells their right calling is vncertaine their Decrees and Canons are doubtfull for many of them are adiudged by themselues erronious many spurious and counterfet If hee would consult with the Pope and Cardinals in their Consistorie it is a iourney too costly and tedious besides it will appeare they are subiect vnto errour It resteth then that we examine the infallibilitie of particular Churches and in particular that wee enquire whether the Roman church be that Church which wee are commanded to heare and obey by the authoritie of the Scriptures SECT XVIII The most common Plea of the Romanists drawne from the Infallibilitie Authoritie and Title of the Catholique Church is prooued to be false vaine and friuolous TO giue the Church of Rome her due let vs take a briefe suruay of her first foundation and let vs fee what priuiledge did ancienly belong vnto her and what authoritie shee claimeth at this day First the Apostle St. Paul in his Epistles to the Romans congratulates with them and sendeth them this greeting Rom. 1.7 To all that bee in Rome beloued of God called to be Saints hee testifieth further with prayer thanksgiuing Vers 8. that their Faith was
and Aquinas Bellarmine tells vs Bellarm. de Euch. lib. 5. cap. 15. They were not carefull of that which is now in question viz. the daily renewed reall sacrificing of Christ Touching Scotus their own Suarez tels vs Suar. in 3. Tho. Euch. disp 5. sect 2. he was to bee corrected for his opinion of the Sacrament Touching Durand Bellarmine professeth That saying of Durand is hereticall Bellar. de Euch. lib. 3. cap. 13. although hee is no heretike because hee is ready to submit to the iudgement of the Church Thus for want of that sure rule of faith which is squared by the Word of God both Priests and people rest doubtfull of the issue and their successe in controuersie 1 Cor. 14.8 and if the Trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe vnto the battell saith the Apostle It is no difficult matter to runne through all ages and all points in difference betwixt vs and to shew that many Priests and Bishops who liued and died members in the Roman Church taught different doctrine from the now Roman faith This way therefore is certainly vncertaine and this was easily discouered by their Superiors insomuch that Stapleton by way of preuention prescribeth this direction for the common people Non quid sed quid loquatur fidelis populus attendere debet Ordinarius Ecclesiae Doctor audiendus est non indicandus Stapl. princ fid doct contr 4 lib. 8. c. 5. 9. They must not intend what is spoken but attend to him that speaketh for hee is to be heard and not iudged And because through such blind obedience and implicit beliefe it might be thought a poore lay man will not bee able to render an account of his faith the Rhemists proclaime it for sound and Catholike doctrine that if an ignorant Papist be conuented before the Commissionere for his Religion he shall appeale onely to the Romane Church and his owne Church shall sufficiently warrant his beliefe Rhem. Annot in Luk. 12.11 He saith enough and defendeth himselfe sufficiently say they when hee answereth he is a Catholike man and that hee will liue and die in that Faith which the Catholique Church throughout all Christian Countreys hath and doeth teach and that his Church can giue a reason of all the things which they demaund of him How poore an Apologie he makes for his Religion that saith he is a Catholike and thinkes to be saued by another mans faith who doeth not vnderstand Saint Peter who is pretended to be the Popes predecessor taught the Catholiques of former ages an other lesson 1. Pet. 3.15 Be ready saith hee alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of that hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare But obserue the policie of the Church of Rome they pretend that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion and therefore say they it will be sufficient for the lay people to beleeue the Priest and to rest vpon the authoritie of the Church and for that purpose Bellarmine instructeth his Disciples that the learned must labour and search out the mysteries of Religion but the ignorant may sit and take their ease The oxen did plow and labour Roues arabāt et asinae pascebantur iuxta eos docet per boues significari homines doctos per asinas homines imperitos qui simplicitèr credentes in intelligētia maiorum acquiescunt Bell. lib. 1. de Iustif c. 7 saith Gregorie and the asses fed by them By the oxen saith the Cardinall are meant the learned Doctors of the Church by the asses are meant the ignorant people which out of simple beliefe rest satisfied in the vnderstanding of their Superiors I will not applie the Cardinalls illustration for I speak not this out of scorne and disgrace but out of shame and pitie to see the poore ignorant soule not onely abused in the name but in the nature of that thing which concernes the saluation of his soule Canus their owne Bishop of Canaries professeth openly that it was the custome of vnlearned men of Saracens of Pagans of Heretiques Canus loc Theol. lib. 12. cap. 4. to receiue the blind and senselesse opinions of their Sects without iudgement and examination And Espenceus tells vs Espenc in 2 Tim. 3. Num. 17. It was the Colliers faith who being demanded what hee beleeued made answere he beleeued what the Church beleeued and the Church beleeued what hee beleeued Is not this the practise of the church of Rome at this day Are they not fully perswaded that without deepe ignorance of the people it is not possible for their Church to stand doe they not in this point particularly vrge these the like Scriptures Obedience is better then sacrifice Heare the Church The Priests lips preserue knowledge and the like How fitly may I say prophetically doth St. Hierome reflect vpon the Priests of these latter times wherein they chase the people from the Scriptures and suffer them vtterly to know nothing Nolint discipulos ratione aiscutere sed se Praecursores sequi Hier. in Esay lib. 9 cap. 30. These men saith hee challenge vnto themselues such authoritie that whether they teach with the right hand or the left whether they teach good things or bad they will not haue their disciples with reason to examine their sayings but onely for to follow them being their leaders And certainly herein they much resemble the Iewes who as Lyra reporteth had that conceit of their great Rabbies in so much they made it their open profession Respōdendū est quicquid hoc modo proponitur etiamsi dicant dextrā esse sin strā Lyra in Deut. ca. 11. Whatsoeuer they say vnto vs we must needs receiue it yea although they tell vs the right hand is the left And this is the actiue authority the Bishop or Parish Priest doth exercise toward the people and this is the passiue obedience with an implicite faith the people submits vnto the Priest Giue me leaue therefore to speake vnto the Roman Bishop or Parish Priest in the words of St Austen the ancient Father Aug. contr Epist Manich c. 5. Athanas Tom 2 in Serm. contr eos qui iubent simplicitèr credere quae ipsi dicunt Vsque adeò me stultum putas c. Doest thou thinke mee such a foole without reason rendred I should beleeue what you would haue mee and what you dislike I should not beleeue Shall I beleeue without iudgement or reason shall I not inquire nor consider what is what may bee what is profitable what is decent what acceptable to God what sutable to Nature what agreeable to Truth Since then no humane authoritie can bee the Rule of faith since there can bee no certaintie no infallibilitie foūd in any particular Priest or Bishops for particular men may erre I will conclude with that safe and infallible rule which St. Chrysostome gaue to the Christians of his time Let vs not haue the opinions of
VIA DEVIA THE BY-WAY Mis-leading the weake and vnstable into dangerous paths of Error by colourable shewes of Apocryphall Scriptures vnwritten Traditions doubtfull Fathers ambiguous Councells and pretended Catholike Church Discouered By HVMFREY LYNDE Knight Scriptura Regula credendi certissima tutissimáque est Bell de Verb. Dei 40 1 cap 2. LONDON Printed by Aug. M. for ROB. MILBOVRNE and are to be sold at his Shop at the Grayhound in Pauls Churchyard 1630. TO THE INGENVOVS AND Moderat Romanists of this Kingdome H. L. Wisheth the knowledge of the Safe way that leadeth to eternall Happinesse CHristian is my name and Catholique is my Sirname the one I challenge from my Baptisme in Christs Church the other from my profession of All sauing Truâ—th in Gods Word If you question this my right or claime I will produce my Euidence out of ancient and vndoubted Records and ioyne Issue with you vpon the marks of your owne Church Antiquitie Vniuersalitie Succession and if I prooue not the Faith which I professe to bee Ancient and Catholike I will neither refuse the name nor punishment due to Heresie As touching the Visibilitie of our Church I haue answered your Iesuites Challenge by the Title of Via Tuta the Safe Way wherein I haue appealed to the best learned of your owne side both for the Antiquitie of our Religion and the Noueltie of your owne If you require further satisfaction in this point read peruse the Articles of our Church tell me without a preiudicate opinion if our Church was not Ancient Visible long before Luthers dayes Our 22. Bookes of Canonicall Scripture were they not published and receiued in all ages before Luther Our three Creeds The Apostles Nicene Athanatius Creed were they not anciently beleeued and generally receiued in the Church before Luther Our Liturgie and Book of Common Prayer was it not the same for substaÌ„ce which was taught and professed in the bosome of the Romane Church before Luther Our two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper were they not instituted by Christ were they not published and receiued in all ages before Luther These are the Foundations of our Church and all these in despight of malice it selfe must bee acknowledged by our aduersaries that they are taught by vs and were vniuersally receiued long before Luthers dayes And as touching the particular tenets of our Church opposite to your Trent Creed our spirituall receiuing of Christ by faith onely whereby wee are made truely and really partakers of Christs body crucified is agreeable to all Christian Confessions and taught by all antiquitie before Luther Our publique Communion of Priest with people had Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in the best and first ages Bel. de Missa lib. 2. ca. 9 10. by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Our Prayer and Seruice in a knowne tongue was publiquely deliuered and anciently taught by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Bell de verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 16. Our Communion in both kinds was instituted by Christ and continued in the Primitiue Churches by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Idem de Euch. lib. 4 cap. 24. Nay more the Psalmes of Dauid which vvee sing and some of you blasphemously tearme Geneua Iigges were in ancient vse amongst the common people long before Luther In Bethlem where Christ vvas borne turne whither thou wilt saith Hierome the Husbandman holding his Plough Hier. in 1. Epist 17. ad Marcel continually singeth Alleluia the Mower when hee sweateth and is wearie refresheth himselfe with Psalmes the Gardiner as hee dresseth his Vine with his hooke hath some piece of Dauid in his mouth These I say are the chiefe principles of our Religion these vvee holde vnder the Charter of the great King and all these by the testimonies of our aduersaries themselues were publikely known and generally practised long before Luthers dayes Doe you looke for an outvvard Forme of a glorious and Visible Church in obscure ages Doe you looke for A Citie vpon a Hill in the darke night of errour and ignorance I appeale to your ovvn consciences to vvhat purpose were the prophecies of Christ and his Apostles that the Church should flie into the wildernesse and lie hid there that Faith should not bee found on the earth that the time will come when they will not suffer wholsome doctrine but shal be giuen to Legends fables that some should giue heed to the spirit of errour and doctrine of Deuills that after a thousand yeeres Sathan should be let loose and deceiue the foure quarters of the earth were all these things foretold that it might bee fulfilled what was spoken are the thousand yeeres long since expired and yet shall vve thinke that none of these prophesies are accomplished Admit the man of Sinne bee not reuealed yet the Mysterie of iniquitie began to vvorke in the Apostles time and the Euangelist tells vs the tares vvhich the thiefe fovved in the night had almost choaked the good corne and lest there might be some expectation of a great multitude which shold assume the Title of an eminent and glorious Church our Sauiour himselfe by way of preuention cals his Church by the name of A little flocke Luke 12.32 as if a small number were the ancient Character of the true Church The malignaÌ„t Church hath many heretikes and hypocrites which indeed make a great noyse for a visible Church when as those wicked persons saith Austen although they seeme to bee in the Church August de Bapt. lib. 6. cap. 3. yet they appertaine not to the true Church That many are called is the Church visible that few are chosen is the Church inuisible Neither doe vvee hereby make two churches when we consider this Church after a two fold maner Bellar. de Eccles li. 3. cap. 15. In the Church something is beleeued some thing is seene we see that company of men which is the Church but that this coÌ„pany is the true Church we do not see it but beleeue it this is Bellarmines confession this is ours Againe looke back and take a briefe Suruey of the Church in seuerall ages It began with two in Paradise there remained in the flood but eight persons in that number there vvas an accursed Cham. In Sodome not ten persons nay scarce three righteous to be found there was but one Ioshua and Caleb of many thousands that entred the land of Canaan In the fiery trial but three children at the comming of Christ there was Simeon and Anna Ioseph and Mary Zacharie and Elizabeth and not many more knowne to bee sincere professours of Gods Trueth in the Church of Hierusalem In the Colledge of the Apostles there were but twelue and one was the sonne of perdition In the time of persecution for three hundred yeres after Christ Eusebius tels vs Euseb lib. 8 cap 2. the Church was ouerwhelmed to the ground and the Pastors of the Churches hid themselues heere
there In the ages following for 300 yeeres more the Arrian heresie so infected the Church that the ship of the Church was almost sunke Hieron ad Lucif saith Hierome If therfore in the first and best ages the Church was much darkned and obscured what splendor and visibility should we expect in these latter dayes wherein the deuill is let loose seeking to deceiue if it were possible the very Elect themselues Let it suffice as God himselfe first planted his church in Eden with two so he hath watred it in the Garden of his Spouse with the increase of many best knowne vnto himselfe and hath promised a continuall preseruation of it where two or three are gathered together in his Name and according to this Rule which our aduersaries cannot deny vve haue at this day a Church in Spaine in Italie in the East and West Indies in euery place where the Inquisition reigneth although the outward face of the Church doe not visibly appeare Your Church of Rome is too too visible in this Kingdome although you haue not toleration of publike Exercise nor is your Idol of the Masse set vp in the Temple which our good God and gracious King forbid I speake not this in any sort to decline the visibility of our Church for the Church is like the Moone which hath often waxings waynings and vvee know the Moone at full and and the Moone at the waine is one and the same Moone although not alike conspicuous It was a Quaere in the dayes of Salomon Who can finde a vertuous woman August de Tempore Serm 217. but saith Austen in that hee said who can find her shewed the difficultie not the impossibitie of finding her and this woman was the Church He that made that question was the wisest among men and he that expoūded his meaning knew well how to distinguish the right woman from the counterfet yet both agree in this that the true Church was not easie to be discerned Saint Iohn tels vs this woman tooke her flight into the wildernesse and there shee was fed If the Apostle had foretold the place as well as her flight happily shee had beene pursued and found of many but the place vvas a desart obscure and vnfrequented and therfore known to few and for certain she was found of some for otherwise shee had not bin fed In vaine I must confesse had Christ cōmaunded vs to tell the Church if there had been no Church to heare and his precept had bin needlesse to bid vs heare the Church if there had been no Church to speak yet hee that warned vs to heare the Church forwarned vs that after his departure Grieuous wolues would enter into the church and speak peruerse things Acts 20.29 He that taught his Disciples to obserue to doe according to all the Scribes and Pharisies should teach thē enters this caue at against their false glosses Math. 23.3 Beware of the leauen of the Pharisies He that said Blindnes in part was hapned to Israel told vs also that the Church of Rome if she did not continue in her goodnes Rom. 11.22 shee should also be cut off And it is observable the same Church of Ierusalem which the Prophet Dauid called the Citie of God Psal 48.19 was termed an Harlot by the Prophet Isay in his time and that Temple which Solomon termed a House of Prayer in his dayes 1 Kin. 8.20 was afterward by Christ called a den of theeues Math. 21.14 the one shewed what the Church was the other how it was altered yet both agree they were one the same church The Christian church was neuer brought to a lower ebbe then was the Iewish Synagogue at the coming of Christ yet a man at that time might haue seen Simeon and Zachary Ioseph and Mary Anna Elizabeth the true seruāts of Christ standing together with the Sadduces in the same Temple which might wel be accounted as the house of Saints in regard of the one so a den of theeues in respect of the other If therefore wee haue corrected the errours of the Romane church as Christ whipt the theeues and money changers out of the Tēple we doe not hereby make a new Church but renew that house of Prayer and restore it to the ancient and true seruice of Christ If we had left our Mother when we first found her sick shee might haue iustly taxed vs of disobediēce and want of dutie towards her but when the Priest saw her and passed by when the Leuite looked on her and forsook her Luther and Caluin perform'd the office of the good Samaritan they came neere vnto her and saw her and tooke care to cure her wounded soule and frō that time her children became Physicians to heale not parents to beget a new Church To heale a sore to purge a sick and diseased body is not to make a new body but to renew it and restore it to his former health let me giue you but one familiar example of your owne in this latter age Saint Francis established the Order of Frāciscans and they according to the meaning of their first Founders did for a long time follow the Institution of their first Orders afterwards when certaine errors and corruptions had crept in amōg them they separated themselues frō the rest and were called the Recollects Vpon this occasion a suit was cōmenced to decide whether the Recollects or the other Franciscans did adhere to the true orders of S. Frācis After examination deliberation had the Recollects were found to adhere to the ancient Institutions of their Order and therevpon Iudgement was published on their behalfe and they were afterwards called the Reformed Franciscans Such is the state of the Reformed Churches at this day the true Church was first planted and established by Christ and his Apostles continued sound in Head members for many ages afterwards whē error and superstition had crept in and gotten the vpper hand there were certain Recollects which complained of the corruptions and errours which had sprūg vp in the Roman church wherupon after mature deliberation had of the true doctrine of Christ and his Apostles publication was made in the behalf of the Recollects that they were found to adhere to the ancient Institutions of Christ and his Apostles and from and after that time they were called the Reformed Churches Will you bring a Quo Warranto and examine for what cause and by what authority the Protestants haue reformed the errours of your Church I will tell you in briefe If for no other cause yet for this alone because you are taught to eate your God Mariana and kill your King they might iustly seeke a reformation in doctrine and maners but the trueth is 1. Iohn 4.1 there were false Prophets gone out into the world and for that cause Christ gaue his commission to try the spirits whether they were of God and accordingly they proceeded to examination of
the doctrine of the Scriptures by Fathers couÌ„cels and after publication of witnesses they receiued vvarranty froÌ„ the ancieÌ„t Bish of Rome and your owne famous Councell of Trent the one commending that doctrine to the Christians of their daies which we now profess the other commanding a reformation in the RomaÌ„ church of such errours in faith maners as we condemne I will giue you instances in both Your worship of Images which you receiue as an article of faith for feare of Idolatry we haue reformed if you require warranty from the Romane Church Gregory Bishop of Rome proclaimes it to the Christians of his time Greg lib. 9. Epist 9. Let the children of the Church bee called together taught by the testimonies of holy scriptures that nothing made with hands may bee worshipped Your doctrine of Transubstantiation which you haue decreed for an Article of Faith we haue reformed if you expect warrantie from the Roman church Gelasius Bish of Rome published and professed our doctrine flat coÌ„trary to the faith of Transubst In the Sacrament is celebrated an image Gelas cont Eutych Nestor or resemblance of the body bloud of Christ and there ceaseth not to be the substance and nature of bread and wine Your halfe CoÌ„munion we haue reformed if you require warranty from the Roman Church Iulius Bish of Rome speaking of the deliuering to the people a sop dipt in vvine for the vvhole Communion tels vs De Consecrat Dist cum omne In Christs institution there is recited the deliuering of the bread by it selfe the cup by it selfe lest inordinate and peruerse deuices weaken the soundnesse of our faith These are fundamental points agreeable to the tenets of our Church and are warraÌ„ted to vs by the ancient Bishops of Rome themselues and if the Popes doctrine be infallible in points of faith which you teach and professe without doubt they may bee sufficient warranties for you to allow this Reformation I wil come neerer vnto you descend from the ancient Bishops of Rome to your late CouÌ„cell of Trent which intended wished a Reformation in faith and manners euen of those things which we haue reformed your Prayer Seruice in an vnknowne tongue we haue restored to the vnderstanding of the hearer if you expect warrantie from your ovvne Church your Councell of Trent although they reformed not this doctrine yet for the better satisfactioÌ„ and instruction of the ignorant lest say they the sheepe of Christ should thirst Conc. Trid. Sess 22. c. 8. the children craue bread and none should bee ready to giue it them it was decreed that the Priests Pastors should frequently expound and declare the mysterie of that vnknowne Seruice to the people Your superstitious ceremonies of many lights and candles and your certaine number of Masses vve haue reformed If you expect warranty froÌ„ your own Church QuarundaÌ„ verò MissaruÌ„ et CandelaruÌ„ certuÌ„ numeruÌ„ qui magis à superstitioso cultu quaÌ„ à veraÌ„ Religione inueÌ„tus est omninò ab Ecclesia remoueant Idem cap. 9. your Councell of Trent confesseth They were first inuented rather out of superstitious deuotion then true religion and therfore say they let theÌ„ be altogether remooued froÌ„ the Church Your Indulgences which are made an article of Faith we haue reformed if you expect warranty from your ovvn Church you may answere with the Fathers of the Trent CouÌ„cell Quastorum abusus vt coruÌ„ emendationi spes nulla relicta videatur c. The Popes Officers in collecting money for Indulgences gaue a scandall to all faithfull Christians which might seeme to be without hope of Reformation and therfore we haue reformed theÌ„ Ab Ecclesiis verò Musicas eas vbi siue organo siue cantus lascivuÌ„ aut impurum aliquid miscetur Your lasciuious wanton songs which are mingled with your Church Musicke vve haue reformed if you expect warrantie from your own church your owne CouÌ„cel complained of it and wished it might be reformed and they giue the reason for it Vt Domus Dei verè domus orationis esse videatur Idem ibid. That the House of God may appeare to bee the house of prayer Your Superstition your Idolatrie your Couetousness which you confesse to haue crept into the Masse by the error of time and wickednesse of men vve haue reformed if you require warrantie from your own church Ordinarii locoruÌ„ Episcopi ea omnia prohibere atque è medio tollere sedulò curent ac teneantur quae vel auaritia idoloruÌ„ seruitus vel superstitio induxit IdeÌ„ Can. 9. your CouÌ„cell decreed That the Ordinary should bee very carefull to remoue all those things which either couetousnes or worship of idols or superstition had brought in Lastly your priuate Masse we haue reformed and restored to the Communion of Priest and people if you expect warrantie from your own Church Anacletus and Calixtus both Bishops of Rome decreed that after Consecration all present should coÌ„municate Dist 1. Episcopus 2. Peracta or else bee thrust out of the Church And your late Councell of Trent although they reformed not this doctrine yet Optaret quideÌ„ sacrosancta Synodus The CouÌ„cell could wish that the people might coÌ„municat with the Priest and there they giue the reason for it Because it would be more fruitful and more profitable Sess 22. c. 6. If therefore we haue changed your Sacrifice into a Sacrament your carnal and grosse eating of Christ into a spirituall receiuing by faith your half Communion into the whole Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ your priuate Masse into the publike communion of Priest and people your adoration of Images into the true worship of God in spirit and truth your prayer and seruice in an vnknown tongue into the vulgar laÌ„guage to be vnderstood of the coÌ„moÌ„ people your lasciuious wanton songs into Dauids Psalmes we haue don nothing herein but what the Apostles what the holy Fathers what the ancient Bish of Rome taught in the first best ages and what your grand CouÌ„cell of Trent intended and wished to be reformed in this latter age Nay more since your Councell hath made seuerall Decrees for Reformation The Councel of Trent began An 1545 and ended Ann. 1563. Bell. Chro. pa. 121. 123. since they can neither plead vvant of Authority nor vvant of time during the liues of â—ight Popes and eighteen yeres continuance why they did not proceed put in execution those Decrees I hope wee shal deserue the greater thaÌ„ks from your Popes and Cardinalls for rectifying those abuses which they themselues condemned and from their owne Decrees and faire preteÌ„ces may iustly arrogate to our selues that honorable Title of Reformed Churches Giue me leaue therefore by way of counter-challenge to your Iesuit to vse the words of sobernes truth Where was your Church Trent doctrine before Luther for I call God and
most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them p. 144 Sect. 8. The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church p. 167 Sect. 9. The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By way p. 245 Sect. 10. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the Testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to fifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them p. 280 Sect. 11. The most substantiall poynts of Romaine Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers p. 307 Sect. 12. Saint Augustine in particular is much disparaged by the Romanists and for instance in many seuerall poynts of moment wherein hee professedly concurreth with vs is expressely reiected by them p. 335 Sect. 13. Saint Gregorie pretended to be the Founder of the Romane Religion in England by sending Austen the Monke for conversion of this nation in his vndoubted writings directly opposeth the Romish Faith in the maine poynts thereof p. 347 Sect. 14. Councels which are so highly extold and opposed against vs were neither called by lawfull authoritie or to the right ends as is confessed by the ingenuous Romanists p. 370 Sect. 15. Councells which our Aduersaries pretend as a chiefe Bulwark of their faith giue no support at all to the Romish Religion as it is proued by particular obiections made against seuerall Councels in all ages by the Romanists themselues p. 386 Sect. 16. The Councell of Trent which is the maine Pillar and last resolution of the Roman faith is of small or no credit at all because it was neither lawfully called nor free nor generall nor generally receiued by the Romanists themselues p. 420 Sect. 17. In the Roman Church which our aduersaries so highly extoll aboue the Scriptures there is neither safetie nor certaintie whether they vnderstand the Essentiall or Representatiue or the Virtuall or the Consistoriall Church p. 452 Sect. 18. The most common Plea of the Romanists drawne from the Infallibilitie Authoritie and Title of the Catholike Church is proued to bee false vaine and friuolous p. 468 Sect. 19. The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie among themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church p. 496 Sect. 20. The Church is finally resolued into the Pope who wants both Personall and Doctrinall succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of Fact and matters of Faith p. 513 Sect. 21. The infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement which is made the Rule of Faith to determine all Controuersies is not yet determined by the learned Romanistes amongst themselues p. 545 Sect. 22. The Church vpon which the learned Romanists ground their Faith is no other then the Pope and the Church vpon which the vnlearned Romanists doe relie is no other then their Parish Priest p. 572 Sect. 23. Eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no certaine Note of the true Church but the contrary rather as it is prooued by instances from Adam to Christ p. 592 Sect 24. The Latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is pâ—ooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall decreed a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther p. 610 Sect. 25. The aforenamed corruptions and most remarkable declination of the Church of Rome in the later ages was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. p. 666 Sect. 26. The Conclusion of this Treatise shewing in sundrie particulars the certaintie and safetie of the Protestant and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romish Way p. 675 VIA DEVIA THE BY-VVAY SECT I. The safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scripture WHen the Donatists in the most flourishing times of Christian Religion arrogantly and presumptuously appropriated the Catholique and Vniuersall Church to their haereticall and particular faction St. Austen encountring them Quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus an inverbis nostris eaÌ„ qua situri an in verbis capitis sui Dom. nostri Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eam quaerere debemus quia veritas est nouit corpus suuÌ„ Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 2. states the poynt of Controuersie in this maner The question is where the Church should bee what then shall we doe shall wee seeke it in our owne wordes or in the words of our Lord Iesus In my iudgement we ought rather to seeke the Church in his owne words for that he is the truth and knoweth his owne body You haue heard the question propounded and answered by the Oracle of that age Such is the difference at this day betwixt the Church of Rome and vs and I heartily wish wee might ioine issue with them vpon the like tearmes and both agree with one vnanimous consent to seeke the Church of God in the word of God then should wee be gathered as sheep to one sheep-fold and the weake in faith should be receiued not to doubtfull disputations but to the reading of the Scriptures and they that now question the Visibilitie of our Church before Luther would first examine the infallibilitie of their owne by the Touchstone of the Gospell and the rather because it is agreed on both sides that whatsoeuer Church professeth that faith and doctrine which Christ and his Apostles taught in the first age the same Church and doctrine hath continued more or lesse visible in all ages But to returne to the Donatists Cant. 1.7 When Christ in the Canticles demanded of his Spouse where she rested Meridie at Noone-day the Donatists concluded Christs question with their owne answere that the Church did rest Meridie and that was in the South from this ground excluded all other Churches but their owne in the South of Africk The Donatists claime was seemingly deriued from the authoritie of the Scriptures for Donatus and Austen heretique and Catholique both vrge the Scriptures but obserue the difference Saint Austen puts the whole issue of his cause vpon the Scripture the Donatists claimed their doctrine by the publique voyces of the Africans they assumed to themselues the title of the Catholike Church they magnified the Councels of their Bishops they gloried in their frequent though fained miracles these were the principall grounds of their Church Remotis ergo omnibus talibus Ecclesiam suaÌ„ demonstrant si possunt non in sermonibus rumoribus Afrorum
noÌ„ in Conciliis EpiscoporuÌ„ noÌ„ in literis quorum libet disputatorum non in signis prodigiis fallacibus quia etiam contra ista verbo Dom. praeparati et cautired diti sumus sed in praescripto Legis in Prophetarum praedictis in Psalmorum cantibus in ipsius Pastoris vocibus in EuangelistaruÌ„ praedicationibus et laboribus hoc est in omnibus Canonicis SanctoruÌ„ librorum authoritatibus Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. and vpon these they challenged that great Champion but heare what answere hee makes them Let the Donatists if they can shew their Church not in rumors and speeches of the men of Africa not in the Councels of their Bishops not in discourses of any Writers whatsoeuer not in signes and miracles that may bee forged for we are forewarned by Gods word and therefore fore-armed against those things but in the prescript of the Law in the prediction of the Prophets in the verses of the Psalmes in the voices of the Shepheard himselfe in the preaching and workes of the Euangelistes that is in all the Canonicall authorities of the sacred Scriptures If Saint Austen had been liuing in these dayes either he must haue retracted this Protestant doctrine or hee would haue beene reputed for an heretique for all these marks which were anciently maintained by the Donatists are proclaimed by our aduersaries to be visible characters of the true Church neither did this learned father require more of the Donatist then the Catholiques of those times were willing to performe on their parts and therfore hee bindes himselfe to the same conditions which hee required of his aduersaries and withall renders the reason of his demand Nec nos proptareà dicimus nobis credere oportere ad in Ecclesia Christi sumê° quia ipsam quaÌ„ tenemê° commendauit Mileuitanus Optatus vel Mediolanensis Ambrosius vel alii innumerabilis nostra communionis Episcopi aut quia nostrorum Collegarum Conciliis praedicata est aut quia per totum orbem in locis sanctis qua frequentat nostra communiâ—tantâ— mirabilia fiunt Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. Quia nec nos propterea dicimus c. Because wee our selues doe not say wee must therefore be beleeued for that wee are in the Church of Christ or else for that Optatus and Ambrose and infinite other Bishops of our Communion haue commended the Church which wee hold or because our Church hath bin published in the Councells of our Colleagues or because in all places of the world where our Communion is frequented there are so many miracles wrought This was the doctrine of Saint Austen and the ancient Fathers and this is ours they required no more of the Donatists but to lay apart all pretended titles and relie onely vpon the word of God we offer to the Romanists no lesse then to accept the same conditions vpon triall of that title and relie only vpon that word I must confesse I thinke a more speedy way might haue been found to haue giuen an answere to the Controuersies of that age for Saint Austen might haue poynted at the Church in the West which was then as conspicuous as the Sun at Noone day hee might haue answered them it was a Citie vpon a hill which was visible to all He might haue produced the Apostle for a witnesse that her faith was published throughout the whole world he might haue confuted them with sacred Councells and Doctrine of the ancient Fathers and confirmed his trueth with the death of constant Martyrs which sealed their doctrine with their blood in the testimonie of the true faith Certainely all these proofes were pregnant in his time and he might easily haue produced them in behalfe of his Church as our aduersaries in these dayes doe for theirs but hee left these brags to these latter times and sends them to the Law to the Testimonies to the word of Christ that speaketh better things then was possible for man to vtter Ne in Ecclesia errares ne quis tibi diceret Christus est qui non est Christê° aut Ecclesia est quae non est Ecclesia audi vocem Pastoris ostendit Ecclesiam ne quis te fallat in nomine Ecclesiae Aug. Psal 69. and to that end saith hee thou mightest not erre in the Church and lest any man should say this is Christ who is not Christ or this is the Church which is not the Church heare the voyce of the Shepheard hee hath shewed thee the Church that the name of the Church may not deceiue thee The summe and substance therefore of St. Austens doctrine was this that neither Bishops nor Councels nor Miracles nor rumors of the Catholique name doe demonstrate the Church of God to be Catholique for all these are common to heretiques as well as Catholiques but the holy Scriptures which beare the testimony of Iesus they onely carry the infallible markes of his trueth In Scripturis didicimê° Christum in Scripturis didicimus ecclesiam Aug. ep 166 and in them faith hee wee haue knowen Christ in them we haue knowen the Church Neither was this the opinion of Saint Austen only for Saint Hierom tels vs that in his dayes the Church was not gone out of her limits of the holy Scriptures Non est egressa de finibus suis id est de Scripturis sanctis Hier. lib. 1. c. 1. in Mich. and from thence the timber and materialls must bee taken with which the house of wisedome is to bee built And Saint Chrysostome as a wise Master-Builder in this house gaue this Caueat to the worke-men in after ages Chrys in opere imperfecto Hom. 49. It can no way be knowen which is the true Church nisi tantummodó per Scripturas but onely by the Scriptures Non enim per alios dispositionem salutis nostra cognouimê° quam per ees per quos euangelium peruenit ad nos quod quideÌ„ tuÌ„c praeconiauerunt posteà verò per Dei voluntateÌ„ in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum et ColumnaÌ„ fidei nostrae futurum Iâ—en advers haeres l. 3. c. 1. otherwise if they had regard to other things they should bee offended and perish and not vnderstand which is the true Church And lastly the learned Father Irenaeus assures vs Non per alios c. by no other haue wee knowne the way of our saluation but by them by whom the Gospel came to vs which verily they then preached and afterwards by the will of God deliuered the same to vs in the Scriptures to bee the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith Tell me then in this latter age and time of Controuersie wherein it is commonly voyced in our eares Loe heere is Christ and there is Christ this is the true Church and that is the true Church how shall the religious man which loueth trueth and seeketh comfort resolue himselfe to which Church shal he safely ioine himselfe when perhaps he wants the learning perhaps the leasure to looke
locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidia detergeret Nihil enim fere de illis obscuritatibus eruitur qdâ—â—on planissimè dictuÌ„ alibi reperitur Aug. de doct Chris lib. 2. â—a 6. for saith hee In this great plentie of Scriptures wee are fed with plaine things and exercised with obscure those driue away hunger these contempt the holy Ghost hauing tempred them so of purpose and then he concludeth with the Tenet of our church There is scarce any thing drawn out of these obscure places which hath not been spoken quod non planissimè most plainely some other where Neither was this the opinion of this learned Father only but it was the confession of S Ambrose Multa obscuritas in Scripturis propheticis â—â—d siâ—â— anu â—â—â—aÌ„ meÌ„â—â—â—ā◠〈◊〉 a scrâ— tuâ—aruÌ„ â—â—aÌ„â—eâ— qua sunt occulta diligentèr examines paulatim incipies rationeÌ„ colligere dictoruÌ„ et operietur tibi Non ab alio sed à verbo Dei Amb. in Psal 118. Serm. 8. There is much obscurity in the Scriptures but withall if thou knocke at the doore with the hand of thy vnderstanding thou shalt gather by little and little the reason of that which is there spoken and the doore shall bee opened vnto thee non ab alio sed à verbo Dei and that by no other but by the Word of God it selfe And with these Doctors of the Latin Church agreeth the Greeke Fathers Behold saith Basil and heare the Scripture expounding it selfe Basil HexaÌ„ Hom. 4. Yea saith he what things be or seeme to bee couertly spoken in some places of holy Scripture Quae ambigua sunt tectè dicta esse in quibusdaÌ„ diuinae scripturae locis videntuâ— ab aliis locis manifestis declaraÌ„tur IdeÌ„ quaest coÌ„p Expl. quaest 267. Ad ipsuÌ„ diuina Script scopuÌ„ incedamus quaeseipsam interpretatur quaÌ„uis sacra Scriptura cum nos tale quiddaÌ„ docere vult seipsaÌ„ exponit et auditoreÌ„ errare non sinit Chrys HoÌ„ 13. in Gen. Chrys in 1. Thes HoÌ„ 7. SiquideÌ„ empturê° vesteÌ„ quaÌ„uis artis Textoriae imperitê° sis haec verba non dicis Nescio emere illudunt mihi sed facis omnia vt discas fac illa quae facienda et rectâ ratione quaere à Deo et ille tibi omnino reueâ—abit IdeÌ„ Homil. 33. in Act. the same are expounded by other plaine places elsewhere And saith Chrysostome Let vs follow the scope of the holy Scripture in interpreting of it selfe when it teacheth some hard thing it expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the hearer to erre Let vs not feare therefore saith hee to put our selues with full saile into the sea of Scriptures because wee shall be sure to find the Word of God for our Pilot. And lastly as it were forestalling that Popish opinion that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore not to be read by the vulgar people hee elegantly incites a Gentile to the reading of the Scripture by a familiar and common reason When thou buyest a garment though thou haue no skill in weauing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they will deceiue mee but thou dost vse all meanes to learne how to know it doe therefore those things which are to bee done seeke all those things of God and hee altogether will reaueale it vnto thee So that if any doubt or difference happened in the Primitiue church amongst the true beleeuing Christians they referred the determination of it to the Inquest of Christ his 12 Apostles and they onely were made the sole Iudges of the question And that wee might know this Protestant doctrine continued for many ages in the Church Pope Clement the first almost sixe hundred yeeres since professed it for the Catholike doctrine of his time Integra firma regula veritatis ex Scripturis Dist 37. cap 14. that a man must take the sense of truth from the Scripture it selfe seeing that euery man may haue the full and firme rule of faith and truth in the Scriptures If we descend froÌ„ the Pope to the great Councell of Basil it was the general vote of many B. and Cardinalls and confirmed likewise by the Pope himselfe The Diuine Law or holy Scripture the practise of Christ of his Apostles Lex diuina praxu Christi Apostolica et Ecclesia primitina vnâ cum CoÌ„ciliis Doctoribusque fundantibê° se veracitèr in eadeÌ„ pro verissimo et indifferente Iudice in hoc Basiliensi Consilia admittatur Conc. Basil Sess 4. and the Primitiue Church together with Councels and Doctors grounding themselues truely vpon the Scriptures shall bee admitted for the most true and indifferent Iudge in the Councell of Basil The resolution of the ancient Father Optatus in the question betwixt the Catholiques and the heretiques whether one should bee twise baptized may serue for a proofe and a full conclusion of the premisses You say it is lawfull wee say it is not lawfull betweene yours it is lawfull and ours it is not lawfull the peoples soules doe doubt and wauer De coelo quaerendus est Index sed vt quid pulsamus ad coelum cum habemus in Euangelio Testamentum Opt. lib. 5. contr Parmen Donat. let none beleeue you nor vs wee are all contending parties Iudges must be sought for if Christians they cannot be giuen on both sides for truth is hindred by affections A Iudge without must bee sought for if a Paynim hee cannot know the Christian mysteries if a Iew hee is an enemie to Christian Baptisme no iudgement therfore of this matter can bee found on earth a Iudge in heauen must bee sought for But why knocke we at heauen when wee haue the Testament of Christ in the Gospell And thus I haue briefly shewed you the deputed Iudges and Interpreters of the Scripture in the Primitiue Church now let vs obserue by what Rule the Scriptures are expounded in the Roman Church SECT IIII. Our aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers Bulla Pij quarti Art 2. IT is an Article of the Romame Creed published by Pope Pius the fourth and by the oath their Foreman hath taken all Priestes and I suites are sworne Not to receiue or interpret the Scriptures but according to the vnifoâ—me consent of Fathers It is a large and faire promise and deliuered vpon oath and for my part if the church of Rome can make good the vniforme consent of Fathers for all their twelue newe Articles of Faith which hath been often promised but neuer as yet by any one performed I shall willingly listen to their interpretation and preferre it before any priuate or latter Exposition It was the profession of our late King of famous memory Apolog. for the oath of Alleag pa. 36. What euer the Fathers of the first foure hundred yeeres did with one vnanime consent agree vpon to be beleeued
that Pygmeis being put vpon Gyants shoulders doe see further then the Gyants themselues But Bishop Fisher doth more warily excuse it and with plausible reasons assure vs that Many things Nec cuiquaÌ„ obscuruÌ„ est quin posterioribê° inge niis multa sint tam ex Euangeliis quaÌ„ ex scripturis c. Roffeas Consur Assert Luther Art 18. as well in Gospells as in the rest of the Scriptures are now more exquisitely discussed by later wits and more clearely vnderstood then they haue been heretofore eyther by reason that the yee was not as then broken vnto the Ancients neither did their age suffice to weigh exactly that whole sea of Scriptures or because in this most large field of Scriptures euen after the most diligent reapers some eares will remaine to bee gathered as yet vntouched How forcible motiues these reasons may seeme to other men I will not heere dispute sure I am they are vaine excuses for Romane Bishops and Cardinals who are bound by their generall Councell and the Popes Bull to obey the Exposition of Fathers as an Article of their faith But admit these opinions should bee excused for the particular Tenets of some priuate men let vs see how faithfully the Popes Pastors of these latter times haue interpreted the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers Moses saith Whit. Durae â—s in Camp 9. Reason pag. 269. God made man after his Image Pope Adrian interpreteth therefore Images must bee set vp in Churches Saint Peter saith Behold De obed maior vnaÌ„ sanctaÌ„ c. here are two swoâ—ds Pope Boniface concludes Therefore the Pope hath power ouer the spirituall and the temporall Saint Matthew saith Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs Iewels Defence p â—2 Mr. Harding expounds it Fiet vnum ouile et vnê° Pastor quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest sâ—d dâ—â—liquo alio Ministroqâ—â— bresâ—t loco eius Ioh de Par sâ—de pot Reg Papati c. 30. therfore it is not lawfull for the vulgar people to reade the Scriptures Saint Iohn saith There shall bee one Fold and one Sheepherd Iohannes de Parisijs tels vs This place cannot bee expounded of Christ but must bee taken for some Minister ruling in his stead The Prophet Dauid saith Thou hast put all things vnder his feet Antoninus expounds it Anton. in sum part 3. tit 22. c. 5. Haebr 2. Thou hast made all things subiect to the Pope the cattle of the field that is to say men liuing in the earth the fishes of the sea that is to say the soules in Purgatory the fowles of the ayre that is to say the soules of the blessed in heauen And lastly whereas our Sauiour Christ witnesseth of himselfe In Concil Later sub Leo 10. p. 671. All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth Stephen Archbishop of Patraca applyed it to Pope Leo the tenth in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope himselfe who thankfully accepted it and suffered it to bee published and printed and as it is rightly obserued by learned Du Moulin Pope Innocent the third in his Booke of the Mysteries of the Masse Buckler of faith pa. 30. the booke of sacred Ceremonies Durants Rationalls Tolet and Titleman and others do most ridiculously wrest the Scriptures altogether different from their right meaning and the Expositions of the Fathers as for instance The Scripture saith The Rocke was Christ therefore say they the Altar must bee of stone It is written I am the light of the world therfore Tapers must be set vpon the Altar It is written Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth therefore the Priest must kisse the Altar It is written Thou shalt see my back parts Exod. 33.23 therefore the Priest must turne his backe to the people It is written Laua me ampliús Psal 51. Wash mee againe therefore the Priest must wash his hands twise It is written Exod. 3.5 Put off thy shooes for this place is holy therefore the Bishop at Masse changeth his hose and shooes And lastly the Pope himselfe at the time of his coronation casteth certain copper money amongst the people vsing the words of Peter Siluer and gold haue I none but that which I haue I giue thee These and the like Expositions doe much resemble the strict order of Monkes who reading the words in Matthew Districtissimi MonachoruÌ„ simplicitèr intelligentes fecerunt sibi cruces ligneas easque sibi iugiter humeru circuÌ„ferentes c Ioh. de Polemar orat in CoÌ„cil Basil pag. 385. Hee that taketh not vp his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of mee made themselues woodden crosses and so carried them on their backes continually causing all the world to laugh at them for howsoeuer they may seeme to bee the expositions of some priuate spirits yet hee that makes oath in verbo Sacerdotis to receiue expound the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers and shall render such Expositions of the Text can bee no true Catholique Hieron 24. q 3. cap. Haeresis For whosoeuer doeth otherwise vnderstand the Scripture saith Hierome then the sense of the holy Ghost who is the Penman of the Scripture requires although hee hath not departed from the Church yet hee may bee tearmed an heretique But as the Fryar said wittily in his Sermon the trueth which hee preached was like holy water which euery one called for apace yet when the Sexton cast it on them they let it fall on their backs in like manner the Romanists seemingly call for the Scriptures they commonly vaunt that they expound and receiue them according to the vniforme consent of Fathers but as Vincentius Lyrinensis said of the heretiques of his time When they shall begin not onely to vtter those sayings Vbi caeperuÌ„t illas voces noÌ„ iam proferre sedetiam exponere non ad c. VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 36. but also to expound them then the bitternesse then the sowernesse and madnesse is perceiued then a new deuised poyson will be breathed out then are prophane Nouelties disclosed then may you see the bounds of the ancient Fathers to bee remooued the Catholique Faith to bee then butchered and the doctrine of the Church torne in pieces Pope Pius the fourth who first published the Articles of the Creed was not ignorant that the Scriptures must be farre fetched and hardly strayned to make them speake for the Trent doctrine hee well vnderstood that it was too generall and strict a tye vpon euery Masse Priest to receiue and interpret the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers knowing well that many Masse Priestes were vtterly ignorant of the Fathers and therefore to qualifie the rigour of that oath adioyned these words to the aforesaid Article Artic. 2. Also that sacred Scripture according to that sense which the Mother Church hath holden whose right is to iudge of the true sense and
interpretation of holy Scripture I doe admit so that by the latter part of the Article they allow the Fathers to bee interpreters of the Scriptures and by the first part they make themselues sole interpreters of the Fathers to which addition an ignorant Priest will sweare with a mentall reseruation that he doeth not receiue nor expound the Scripture but with the vniforme consent of Fathers that is according to the sense and iudgment of the Roman church for it is not to bee doubted but the Church will allow of that sense which is most agreeable to that doctrine and of that interpretation although it bee farre different from the Ancients which is most consonant to their Religion and the rather I incline to this opinion for that Cardinall Hosius doth protest it for a vniversall and Catholike doctrine of his Church Si quis habet interpretationeÌ„ Ecclesia Romana de loco aliquo Scriptura etiamsi nec sciat nec intelligat an quomodo cuÌ„ Scriptura verbis conueniat tamen habet ipsissimum verbuÌ„ Dei. Hos de expresso verb. Dei If a man haue the Interpretation of the Church of Rome of any place of Scripture hee hath the very words of God though he neither know nor vnderstand whether and how it agreeth with the words of Scripture Now if it happen that those which are better instructed by comparing of Scriptures and Fathers doe make a doubt of some place of Scripture which the Church teacheth different from the Fathers Cardinall Cusanus by way of preuention giues him to vnderstand Non est miruÌ„ si praxis Ecclesiae vno tempore interpretetur Scripturam vno modo et alio teÌ„pore alio modo naÌ„ intellectê° currit cum praxi intellectus enim qui cuÌ„ praxi coÌ„currit est spiritus vinificans sequuntur ergo scripturae ecclesiam et non è conuerso Nich. Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 7. that there is Fides Temporum a faith that followeth the time Neither is it any maruell saith hee though the practise of the Church expound the Scripture at one time one way and at an other time another way for the vnderstanding or sense of the Scripture runneth with the practise and that sense so agreeing with the practise is the quickening Spirit and therefore the Scriptures follow the Church but contrariwise the Church followeth not the Scriptures This learned Romanist tells vs it is no wonder that the Scripture is at diuers times diuersly expounded hee tells vs the Scripture attends the Churches pleasure and lastly which is most true hee professeth the Romish Church followeth not the Scripture but the times That this Cardinall speaketh truth I think no Protestant doth make a question but that you may be witnes also of the practise of these times you shall obserue how fitly these men haue applyed the Scripture to their Church whereas it is said to Peter in a vision Arise In voto Baronij contrà Venetos kill and eate Cardinall Baronius being Interpreter will tell you The Pope is Peter and the Venetians are the meate which must bee killed and deuoured In like manner whereas Saint Paul saith Haereticum deuitâ Auoyd an heretique the sillie Fryar applies it to times and persons with this Exposition Erasm Encom Moriae Haereticum de-vitâ tolle kill the heretique meaning the Protestant and in this manner according to the times the sense runneth with the practise or at leastwise I am sure this practise runneth with these times Thus then you haue Fides Ecclesia an Exposition of Scriptures according to the Article of the Romish Creed and Fides tempâ—rum an Exposition sutable to the times and their owne doctrine If therefore we appeale to Scriptures they account them dumbe Iudges without the Exposition of their Church if we require an Exposition with the consent of Fathers they tell vs we must admit that sense which the Church holdeth whose right is to iudge of the true sense of Scriptures If wee shew them that their Expositions are senselesse and disagreeing from the Ancients they tell vs the Scriptures may receiue different Expositions according to the times And thus they make the Scriptures sound like Bells according to their fancies and violate their oath with a Saluo Iure sauing a right to the sense and meaning of their owne Church This way therefore is Via Deuia a Wandring and By-way It resteth in the last and chiefest place to obserue the difference bewixt the Church of Rome and vs touching the intire Canon of Scriptures for without doubt this is the onely and infallible rule of faith and there is a curse denounced by God himselfe against all those that adde to his word Deut. 4.2 Reu. 22.18 or diminish ought from it It shall appeare therefore by many pregnant and infallible testimonies of our aduersaries themselues that the Canon of Scripture which we professe and beleeue was the same which was taught and declared by Christ and his Apostles in the first age the same which was published generally receiued by the ancient Fathers in succeeding ages the same which continued in the bosome of the Romane Church in all ages till the dayes of Luther SECT V. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues IT was the complaint of Campian the Iesuite that the ancient Canon of Scripture was altered at the comming of Luther and thereupon as a man inraged against the Lutherans Camp Rat. 1. hee makes this open out-crie What incensed Luthers whelps to put out of the true Canon of Scripture Tobias Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Maccabees Desperation for by these heauenly oracles they are expressely conuinced as often as they dispute against the defence of Angels as often as they dispute against Freewill as often as they dispute against Praying for the dead as often as they dispute against Praying to the Saints Surely if this Romanist had beene as reall in his proofes as he was vaine glorious in his speeches he had gone beyond all the Romish Proselytes of our age for neuer man made greater flourishes with poorer proofes for it shall appeare that wee haue published no other Canon of Scripture then Christ and his Apostles taught and receiued no other then the ancient Fathers declared to be diuinely Canonicall and those onely Canonicall none other then the learned Doctors and Professors intirely preserued in the bosome of the Roman Church in all ages so that if any curse be denounced against vs for renouncing doctrines of faith deduced from Apocryphall Scriptures I say it shall appeare by the same Decree they haue layd an Anathâ—ma vpon Christ and his Apostles and haue cursed the ancient Fathers and the principall members of their owne Church In the first age to Ann. 100. First then wee must obserue Rom. 3.2 Factique sunt Iudaei depositarii et custodes
siue Purgatorii fiue IndulgentiaruÌ„ fides in Primitiuâ Ecclesia at que nunc est Roffen Aâ—t 18 p. 496. Touching Vniuersalitie It is the confession of Fisher their owne Bishop of Rochester Whosoeuer will reade the Commentaries of the ancient Greekes so farre as I see he shall finde very seldome mention of Purgatory or none at all and the Latins in the Westerne Church did not receiue the truth of this matter altogether but by little and little neither indeed was the faith either of Purgatorie or Indulgences so needfull in the Primitiue Church as now it is A strange confession of a learned Bishop that two principall Articles of Faith viz. Purgatorie and Indulgences were scarce knowne in the ancient Church nor yet very necessary to bee receiued at all times and of all persons Let it suffice many poynts of the now Romane Religion were vtterly vnknowne to the Greeke Church which in the first ages did wholly communicate with the ancient Romane Faith and therefore their Alphonsus à Castro thinkes it the best way to solue the poynt in question with this answere Vnus ex notissimis erroribus GraecoruÌ„ et ArmenoruÌ„ est quo docent nullum esse purgatoriuÌ„ locum quo animae ab hac luce migrantes purgentur à sordibus Alph. à Cas aduers haeres lib. 12. It is one of the most knowne errours of the Grecians and Armenians whereby they teach there is no place for Purgatorie where soules after this life are purged from their offences Touching Succession St. Chrysostome Gregorie Neocaesaria Olympiodorus and diuers ancient Fathers were vtterly ignorant of it and Saint Austen a Latine Father was so farre from receiuing it as a poynt of Faith that doubtingly hee professeth Tale aliquid etiam post haÌ„c vitaÌ„ fieri incredibile noÌ„ est et vtrù ita sâ— quaerâ— potest aut â—â—enâ—â—â—uâ—latere Aug. in Enchirid. ad Laurent cap. 69. It is not incredible that some such thing should bee after this life and whether it bee so or no it may beâ— a question and it may bee either found or bee hidden 〈◊〉 we all know and confesse that if Saint Austen and the Romane Church had receiued the doctrine of Purgatory in his dayes as it is now taught for an Article of Faith certainely hee would neuer haue told vs perhaps it is so it may be or it may not bee and it is a doubt whether there be any such place or no. And howsoeuer it is pretended that the Greeke Church at the Councell of Florence for peace sake was content to yeeld that the middle sort of soules were in a place of punishment but whether that were fire or darknesse and tempest or something else they would not contend yet I say if they had assented to this or the like doctrine it was 1400 yeeres after Christ and therefore most vnfit to be receiued for an Article of Faith but the truth is Marcus Bishop of Ephesus who was one of the Legats of the Patriarchs of Antioch Hierusalem would neuer consent to this Doctrine neither could the Greeke Church afterwards by any meanes bee drawne to yeeld to it Besides within two yeeres after Cardinall Cusanus and the Deputies of the Councell of Basil in the yeere 1438 doe sufficiently manifest the opinion of the Greek Church wherein the Grecians begin their disputation in this maner Mart. Crus in Turc Graec. p. 186 A Purgatory fire and a punishment by fire which is temporall and shall at last haue an end neither haue wee receiued from our Doctors neither doe wee know that the Church of the East dâ—eth maintaine it And from these and the like propositions they make this peremptory conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Sacran c. 2. For these reasons therefore neither haue wee hitherto affirmed any such thing neither will wee at all affirme it I may adde to these Testimonies the opinions of the Muscouites who affirme that there is no Purgatory but onely two receptacles for soules Heauen and Hell Againe the Cophites and the Abissines the Georgians and Armenians together with the Syrians and Caldeans that are subiect to the Patriarkes of Antioch and Babylon from Cyprus and Palestina vnto the East Indies neuer made discouery of the new found land of Purgatory This doctrine therefore wants the proper markes of the Romane Church viz. Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can bee no Article of faith no Apostolique Tradition as is pretended in the second poynt Priuate Masse wherein the Priest alone doth communicate without the people hath neither Antiquity Vniuersalitie nor Consent and consequently hath not the true markes of Romish Traditions Touching Antiquitie it is the confession of their owne Cochleus Coch. de sacrif Missae contra Musculum Anciently all the Priests and people did communicate together as appeareth by the Canons of the Apostles and writings of ancient Fathers Odo in Exposit Canonis And Odo Cameracensis professeth that in the Primitiue Church they neuer had Masses without the conuention of the people to communicate together Touching Vniuersalitie it is the confession of Iohannes Hoffmeistenus Cassand Consult de solit Miss pag. 906. The thing it selfe doeth speake and crie aloud both in the Greeke and Latin Church that not onely the sacrificing Priest but the other Priests and Deacons and the rest of the people or at least some part of the people did communicate together and how this custome ceased it is to bee wondred and it is to be endeauoured that this good custome may bee restored to the Church Touching Succession St. Chrysostome speaking to the lay people of his time Chrys in 2. Thessal Hom. 4. saith Neither doe we receiue more and you lesse of the holy table but we taste therof equally both together And St. Basil an other Greeke Father witnesseth the common vnion of Priests and people expressely in these words Liturg. Basilii All wee receiuing of one bread and one cup c. the Quire singeth the Communion and so they communicate together I will adde to these the confessions of their owne learned Authors Cardinall Bessarion a Greeke borne declareth the maner of the Communion in his time PrimuÌ„ consecrare deinde fraÌ„gere postea distribuere quod nos in praesenti facimê° Bessar de sacr Euch. An 1450. The very order of the things required first that we should consecrate or blesse bread next that we should breake it last of all that wee should diuide or deliuer it to the people which thing we Grecians doe at this present day And for a conclusion of this poynt Iustinian and Durand publikely declare and professe that in ancient times Iustin in 1. Cor 10. Durand Rat. 4 c. 53. diuers parts of one consecrated loafe were distributed to all the which the Greeke Church vseth at this day that by their Communion their vnion with Christ might bee more plainely expressed Thus Priuate Masse wants the requisite conditions of the Romane
doctrina cum nostra consonat Ecclesia Patr. resp 2. in init resp 1. p. 148. We giue thankes to God the Authour of all grace and wee reioyce with many others but especially in this that in many things your doctrine is agreeable to our Church And certainly we likewise haue great cause to reioyce in our owne behalfe and theirs that the Greeke Church hath continued the truth of our doctrine in all ages which plainely shewes the Antiquitie and Visibilitie of our Church in the affirmatiue poynts which we maintaine and the Noueltie of the Romane in those Negatiue opinions which we condemne If we looke beyond Luther we shall easily discerne that the Muscouites Armenians Egyptians Aethiopians and diuers other countreys and Nations all members of the Greeke Church taught our Doctrine from the Apostles time to ours This is so true an Euidence in our behalfe that Bellarmine as it were in disdaine of the Churches Bell. de ver Dei l 2. ca. vlt. in fine makes this answere We are no more moued with the examples of Muscouites Armenians Egyptians and Aethiopians then with the examples of Lutherans or Anabaptists and Caluinists for they are either heretiques or Schismatiques So that all Churches be they neuer so Catholique and ancient if they subscribe not to the now Romane Faith are eyther schismaticall or hereticall But let these men obserue what Rules they list let them brag of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession let them reiect the confessions of all Christian Churches but their owne yet shal they neuer be able to proue those vnwritten Traditions Apostolique and of equall authority with the Scriptures which contrary the doctrine of the Apostles or by consequence ouerthrowe the foundation of the written Word If the Apostle teach vs to pray with the spirit 1. Cor. 14. and to pray with the vnderstanding also how can prayer in an vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding be prooued a Tradition Apostolicall If the Apostle teach vs by the written Word that the Communion in both kinds extend to all beleeuers by the general words of Christ Drinke yee all of this How can the Communion in one kinde bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolical which imposeth the contrary on the Non Conficient Priest and the lay people Drinke ye none of this If the holy Spirit dictate by the mouth of an Apostle Search the Scriptures how can that doctrine be said to bee Apostolicall which inioynes the contrary to the lay people Search not the Scriptures If the written Word proclaime it for an Apostolike doctrine Vtrumque est maluÌ„ et nubere et vri imò â—eius est nubere quic quid reclameÌ„t aduersarii c. Bell. de Monach l. 2. c. 30. It is better marrie then burne how can that vnwritten Word bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall which teacheth the contrary It is better for a Priest to burne then marry If an Angel from heauen proclaime of the reall presence of Christs body He is risen he is not heere and the Apostle declares it for an Article of beliefe The Heauens containe him till his second comming How can the corporall and reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament be a Tradition Apostolicall which affirmeth that Christs body is conteined in the heauens and in a Pix at one and the same time If the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ be a common vnion of Priest and people and by the Apostles written Word Wee are all partakers of one Bread and one Cup how can Priuate Masse bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall wherein the Priest receiues the Bread and Cup alone without the people If God himselfe forbid by his Morall Law the worshipping of Images and the same Lawe stood in force with Christ and his Apostles how can that doctrine be made a poynt of Faith and termed a Tradition Apostolicall which on the contrary giues adoration to Images Lastly if an Angel from heauen forbids the worshipping of Angels by a particular instance in himselfe Worship not mee for I am thy fellow seruant How can it be reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and an Article of Faith Art 8. that the Saints reigning with Christ are to bee worshipped and prayed vnto These Papal Traditions vnwritten are different if not flatly opposite to the Word written and therefore I will say with Tertullian who answered the heretiques in his dayes Tert. praesc advers haeres c. 32. Their very doctrine it selfe being compared with the Apostolike by the diuersity and contrarietie thereof will pronounce that it had neither any Apostle for an Authour nor any man Apostolique Now if any Romanist shall take that poore exception and say their Tenets are not flat contrary to the Scriptures let him take his answere from Saint Chrysostome Non dixit si contraria annutiauerint aut si totuÌ„ Euangelium sub verterint sed si vel pauluÌ„ EuaÌ„gelizauerint prarer EuangeliuÌ„ qd accepistis etiaÌ„si quidvis labefactauerint Anathema sint Chrys in Galat. c. 1 Aug. in Ioh. Tra. 98 Saint Paul teacheth not saith hee if any man preach contrary to the Gospell or ouerthrow the whole Gospell but if they preach any little thing besides the Gospell hee hath receiued if hee ouerthrow any thing whatsoeuer it be let him be accursed I say therefore if this or the like vnwritten Traditions bee found praeterquà m or contraquà m either besides or contrary to the Scriptures as certainly most of their Traditions are I say it is impossible to reconcile them for Apostolike Traditions and consequently more absurd to equall them with the Scriptures and make them a partiall rule of faith for Although saith Tertullian Tertul. de praescâ— c. 26. the Apostles did deliuer some things vnto their domesticall friends as I may call them yet wee must not beleeue that they deliuered any such things as should bring in another rule of Faith different and repugnant to that which they generally propounded in publique as though they had preached one Lord in the Church another in their lodging To leaue therefore a certainty for an vncertaintie to forsake the written Word which is the safest and surest rule of beliefe for vnwritten Traditions which haue neither Antiquitie for their leader nor Vniuersality for their assurance nor Succession for their euidence this I say is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way SECT IX The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By-way I Confesse it for a trueth that in the first ages of the world the Ancients had the knowledge of God without writing and their memories by reason of their long liues were Registers instead of Bookes but afterwards when God had taken the posteritie of Iacob to bee his peculiar people the liues of men were shortned and therefore hee gaue them their lawes in writing which
writing was so true and perfect Non desunt aliqui Catholicorum qui negant nullū fuisse Traditionē non scriptā apud Iudaeos Bell. de verbo Dei non scrip l. 4. c. 8 that some Romanists confesse the Iewes had nothing pertaining to the knowledge and seruice of God that was not written And as in the creation of the world before the Sun was made the light was sustained and spread abroad by the incomprehensible power of God yet after the Sun was created God conueied the whole light of the world into the body of the Sun so that though the Moone and Starres should giue light yet they should shine with no other light but what they receiued from the Sunne Euen so in the constituti-of the Church howsoeuer God at first preserued and continued the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation from himselfe to some chosen men by whose ministerie hee would haue the same communicated to the rest yet when hee gaue his word in writing he conueyed into the bodie of the Scriptures the whole light of his Church so that albeit there should be Pastors Teachers therin to shine as starres to giue light to others yet they should giue no other light but what by the beames of the written Law was cast vpon them And that wee might haue good warranty for the written Word God himselfe shewed the first way by his owne example who with his owne finger wrote the Decalogue in tables of stone and saith Moses The Tables was the worke of God Exod. 32.16 and the writing was the writing of God vpon the Tables And as God was the first Author of writing in the old Law so our Sauiour Christ God and Man taught the same lesson by his owne example and direction in the New For when the Disciples wrote saith Austen what Christ shewed and said vnto them Cum illi scripserunt qua ille ostendit et dixit nequaquā dicendum est quod ipse nō scripserit c. Aug. de consens Euangel lib. 1. c. 35. it is not to be said that he did not write because the members wrought that which they learned by the inditing of the Head For whatsoeuer he would haue vs to reade of the things which he did and said he gaue in charge to them as his hands to write the same And thus one and the same Spirit that prescribed the old Law to Moses gaue also expresse charge to the Evangelist Saint Iohn Scribe Reuel 1.11.19 write these things And lastly the reason of this writing Saint Luke renders to Theophilus Luke 1.4 That thou mightst know the certaintie of those things wherein thou hast beene instructed Now as things written are of longer continuance and better assurance whereby we haue the certaintie of our faith and doctrine so likewise by that certainty we inioy the more safetie and for that cause the Apostle Saint Paul tells the Philippians that which hee deliuered by word of mouth being present Phil. 3.1 To write the same things saith he to me it is not grieuous but for you it is safe And this may be a good comfort for all beleeuing Protestants that wee haue these two benefits of the written Word by the doctrine of two Apostles Certaintie and Saftie Scriptura Regula credendi certissima tutissimaque est Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2 Euseb li. 2. cap. 14. This doctrine was rightly obserued and earnestly pursued by the true beleeuers in the Primitiue Church in so much as it is obserued by Eusebius that the faithfull who had heard the preaching of Saint Peter not thinking that sufficient nor contented with the doctrine of that diuine preaching vnwritten most earnestly intreated Marke that hee would leaue them in writing the Commentaries or records of the doctrine which they had deliuered vnto them br word and ceased not till they had perswaded him thereto Now it is reported saith hee when the Apostle vnderstood this to haue beene done by the reuelation of the holy Ghost he ioyed much in the desire of those men by his authority warranted this Gospel in writing to the reading of the Church Here was a memorable example both for the Certaintie and Safetie of the Christian Faith the faithfull heare the Word of God yet fearing the vncertaintie of that which might bee deliuered vpon report from hand to hand they intreat Marke the Scholler and follower of Peter that hee would commit the same to writing this was performed accordingly and Saint Peter ioyed in the performance of it and withall testified by his approbation that their good motion proceeded from the Holy Ghost In like manner you shall obserue as the Apostle St. Paul wrote those things which he deliuerd by word of mouth to the Philippians so likewise hee deliuers the same things to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.3 which hee receiued according to the Scriptures And from hence wil arise a third benefit which is the grand point in question The Scriptures are alone sufficient without the helpe of Traditions for that which Saint Paul hath testified of the Church at Corinth and Philippi the same Nicephorus expresseth more particularly in these words Niceph. Eccles Hist lib. 2. ca. 34. What Saint Paul being present taught by word of mouth amongst the Corinthians Ephesians Galathians Colossians Philippians Thessalonians Iewes Romans and many other persons whereunto the holy Ghost sent him and whom hee begate in the faith of Christ the same things in his absence bee compendiously reuoketh into their memory by his Epistles written vnto them If therefore St. Paul set downe in his Epistles all that doctrine which hee deliuered by word of mouth to those seuerall Churches withall taught that doctrine which he receiued according to the Scriptures it will follow of necessitie that all things necessary to saluation are contained in the Scriptures for hee witnessed of himselfe I haue not shunned to declare all the Councell of God Acts 20.27 Let vs appeale to him touching the sufficiencie of the Scriptures First hee exhorts Timothy 2. Tim. 3.14 to continue in those things which hee had learned and had been assured of neither doth he tell him hee was assured of Traditions but plainly expresseth in that place his meaning of the Holy Scriptures and that it might appeare the Scriptures were not denyed by the Apostles to children and ignorant persons as it is now vsed in the Church of Rome hee testifieth in his behalfe that from a child hee had knowen the holy Scriptures Verse 15. and that it might yet further appeare the Scriptures were sufficient for his sauing knowledge without the helpe of Traditions he protesteth to him Ibidem that they were able to make him wise vnto saluation And lastly lest it might bee thought a particular instruction to Timothie alone and not to the rest of the faithfull he proclaimes the written Word as a generall rule and conclusion for all beleeuers
Vers 16.17 All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good workes So that if you regard the authoritie of the written word it came from God by inspiration if the vse of it it teacheth correcteth improueth if the end and perfection of it that the man of God might bee throughly furnished to euery good work Now whatsoeuer is so profitable vnto all these ends to make a man wise vnto saluation must needs bee sufficient of it selfe and the rather because there is nothing can bee wished for either to soundnesse and sinceritie of Faith or to integritie and godlinesse of life that is to mans perfection the way of saluation which the Scripture giuen by inspiration of God doeth not teach the faithfull seruants of Christ nay more if that which is written bee not sufficient by the beliefe whereof we may attaine to eternall life without doubt Saint Iohn the beloued Disciple of Christ would neuer haue told vs Iohn 20 31. These things are written that wee may beleeue and beleeuing we may haue eternall life I proceed to the examination of the ancient Fathers that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. orat cont Gen. in init Sufficiebat quideÌ„ credentibê° Dei sermo qui in aures nostras Euangelistae testimonie-traÌ„sfusus est quid enim in eodem SacrameÌ„to salutis humanae non continetur aut quid fit qd reliquuÌ„ est aut obseurum Plena sunt omnia vt à pleno et perfecto facta Hil. de Trin. l. 2 Tert. contr Hermo c. 22 that written Word may be established Athanasius the holy Father tells vs The holy Scriptures giuen by inspiration of God are of themselues sufficient to the discouery of the truth And as concerning the fulnesse of all truth which is reuealed in the Scriptures Saint Hillary assures vs that in his dayes The word of God did suffice the beleeuers yea saith he what is there concerning mans saluation that is not conteined in the Word of the Evangelist What doth it want What is there obscure in it All things there are full and perfect And Tertullian himselfe professeth that hee honoureth the fulnes of the Scriptures and denounceth a woe to Hermogenes the heretike if hee take ought from those things which are written or addeth to them And Saint Cyrill more expressely Non omnia qua Dominus fecit conscriptâ— sunt sed qua scribentes sufficere puturunt tam ad mores quam ad dogmata vt rectâ fide et operibus et virtute rutilantes ad regnum coeloruÌ„ perveniamus Cyr. in Ioh. li. 12 c. 68. In iis quae apertè in Scripturâ posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae coÌ„ueninient fidem moresque viuendi Aug. de doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. All things saith he which Christ did are not written but those things are written which the Writers thought sufficient as well touching conuersation as Doctrine that shining with right faith and vertuous workes wee may attaine to the Kingdome of Heauen And Saint Austen giues his consent with the rest of the holy and ancient Fathers that In those things which are layd downe plainely in the Scriptures all those things are found which appertaine to Faith and direction of life And thus by the testimonies of the blessed Apostles and the consent of holy Fathers we haue certaintie we haue safetie wee haue assurance wee haue all sufficiencie in the Scriptures Surely the ancient Fathers did little dreame that the precious stones and timber on which the Church of Rome was first built should bee repayred in her decaying age with strawe and stubble of vnwritten doctrines and vnknowne Traditions Saint Cyprian that blessed Martyr was so farre from allowing Ecclesiasticall Traditions for a poynt of Faith that hee makes this Quaere Whence is this Tradition Vnde ista Traditio vtrumne de Dominica c ea enim facienda esse qua scripta sunt Deus testatur Cypr Epist 74. ad PoÌ„p is it deriued from the Lords authoritie or from the precepts of the Apostles for God willeth vs to doe those things which are written But this quaere is so distasted by Bellarmine that to this short demand hee returnes this sharpe answere Respondâ—o Cyprianum haec scripsisse euÌ„ errorem suum tuerâ— veilet ideò si more errantium tunc ratiocinaretur c. Bâ—◠〈◊〉 vet Dei li 4. ca. 11. Cyprian spake this when hee thought to defend his owne errour and therefore it is no maruell if hee erred in so reasoning yet wee may see what time and errours haue brought to passe those authorities of Scripture which the heretiques pretended for their vnwritten Traditions in the ancient Church are the very same which the Romanists at this day assume in behalfe of their Traditions Irenaeus tels vs that in his time the heretiques complained Iren. l. 3. c. 2 that they who were ignorant of Traditions could not find the trueth in the Scriptures for the truth was not deliuered by writing but by word of mouth And for proofe of their assertion they cite the words of Saint Paul We speake wisedome amongst them that be perfect 1. Cor. 2. Bellarmine alledgeth in this very Text Bell. de ver Dei l. 4. c. 8. to proue that many mysteries require silence that it is vnmeet they should be explained by the Scriptures and therefore are onely learned by Traditions Tertullian tells vs that the heretiques confessed indeed Tertul. de praescip advers haeres cap. 25. that the Apostles were ignorant of nothing but they say the Apostles reuealed not all things vnto all men And for proofe they cite the Word written O Timothy keepe that which is committed to thy trust In like manner Saint Austen tels vs that All foolish heretiques doe seeke to colour their deuices by the pretext of this Gospell Aug. in Ioh. Tract 97. 96. I haue yet many things to say vnto you but ye cannot beare them now But saith hee seeing Christ himselfe hath been silent of those things who of vs can say they are these and these or if hee dare say it how doth hee prooue it These and the like places are cited by Bellarmine and the Romanists Bell de vervo Dei li. 4. cap. 5. for the honour and authoritie of their vnwritten Traditions nay more they are vrged with such eagernesse in defence of their doctrine that some of them publikely professed Si Paulus ille Tharsensis c. Fauour Antiq pag. 275 If that same Paul of Tharsus the chiefe instrument of diuine Philosophie should condemne any Traditions of the Catholike Roman Church I would confidently prescribe him abandon him pronounce Anathema with direfull execrations against this Saul Waltram Bishop of Naumburg a principall member of the Romane Church and conuersant amongst the
scrip Eccles. ann 290. Gregorie Nyssen his eight Bookes De Philosophia are cited by Bellarmine for Free-will yet in his Catalogue aforesaid he confesseth they seeme not to be the bookes of Gregory Nyssen Lactantius Verses are cited by Bellarmine for Adoration of the Crosse and yet he confesseth elsewhere that it is doubted whether Lactantius were the Author Bell. li 1. de ver Dei ca. 14. Nec librum illum esse Augustini vt erudit fatentur Bell. de Mis lib. 2. c. 12. Ad locum Saint Austen is cited ad Orosium by Bellarmine to prooue Ecclesiasticus Canonicall Scripture but elsewhere when he is obiected in our behalfe in that Tract hee answeres it is not Saint Austens worke as learned men confesse Iustin Martyr Bell lib de Bap c. 25. Idem lib. de Confir c. 5. Idem lib. de Euch. c. 2. Idem lib. 1. de Sanct. 1. 4 § 3. his Questions are alleadged by Bellarmine for Vnction in baptisme for the Sacrament of Confirmation for Transubstantiation but elsewhere hee declareth them to be the work of some new Authour and not the workes of Iustin Martyr Origen in his Homilies on the Gospels Lib. 2. de Euch. c. 8. lib 3. de paenit ca 7. is cited by Bellarmine for the Reall presence and his Homilies on the Psalmes he cites for Auricular confession In lib. de Script Eccles yet the one he disclaimeth as none of Origens the other he freely confesseth it is doubted of who is the Author Cassianus is cited by Bellarmine for an ancient Author Bell de Iustif l. 1. c. 13 for the poynt of Iustification Idē de bon oper cap. 2. lib. 2. and set times of fasting yet elsewhere hee acknowledgeth the booke for Apocryphall and counterfet Bell li. 6. de lib. arb ca. 4 § accedat and condemned in a Roman Councell vnder Pope Gelasius Bell li. 2. de Pont. c. 14. Eusebius his third Epistle is cited by Bellarmine for the Supremacie yet he professeth elsewhere Idem de Confirm lib. 2. c. 7. it is not certaine who is the Author thereof Hee that shall reade these and many such like authorities of pretended Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Religion might at first sight happily bee induced to beleeue that all or most of the ancient Doctors of the Church belong to them when as in truth our aduersaries vse them but as Merchants vse their Counters sometimes they stand with them for pence sometimes for pounds as they bee next and readiest at hand to make vp their account Thus one while they muster vp their forces by multitudes of authorities as if they would make that good by number which they want in weight Sometimes they condemne them as counterfet sometimes they purge them as if they were full of corruptions according to seuerall occasions they haue their seuerall deuices to produce them or auoyd them at their pleasure Si conficta historia non est vllius authoritatis Bell. lib. 2. de Pont. cap. 9. whereas if they bee counterfeit as they are confessed to bee they are of no authoritie if Catholique and Orthodoxe they make nothing for the points in Controuersie as shall bee presented in the next place SECT XI The most substantiall poynts of Roman Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers NEither are these men content to challenge a right to all the Fathers although they confesse they are not all orthodox and true Fathers but they likewise charge vs that Sebast Flash in profess Cath. we make no more account of them then wee doe of the Turkes Alcaron or Aesops Fables Nay saith Bristow it is well known to such as heare the Protestants Sermons Bristow Mot. 14. or bee in place to heare them talke boldly and familiarly among themselues are not afrayd to confesse plainely that the Fathers are all Papists A strange and senselesse fiction deuised by these men when not onely our learned Diuines but the vulgar people are all eye-witnesses that the Booke written by the Iewel of our age is published in all the Churches of our kingdom whose challenge for the principall points of our Religion is made good and will euer remaine vnanswerable out of the Writings and Authorities of the ancient Fathers But admit some Protestants were so ignorant or senselesse as to say priuately All the Fathers were Papists what stupiditie then may we think it in the chiefe Pastors of the Romane Church which by their publike writings and open confession acknowledge the principall poynts of Controuersie yea their chiefe Articles of Faith were vnknowne to the ancient Fathers We confesse it for a truth that the ancient Fathers St. Austen S. Ambrose St. Hierome and the rest were learned men they were Instruments of Grace and Mercy we read them we reuerence them we giue God thankes for them but withall wee learne this lesson frō them Wee weigh not the writings of men August ad Fortunat. Epist 111. bee they neuer so worthy and Catholique as wee weigh the Canonicall Scriptures but yeelding that reuerence that is due vnto them Wee may mislike and refuse something in their writings if we find they haue thought otherwise then the trueth may beare and such saith Austen am I in the writings of others and such I would wish others to be in mine Saint Austen thought it no preiudice to the Romane Church nor disparagement to his own learning to haue his writings examined by the rule of Scripture Nay more saith he that which in my bookes thou thinkest to bee vndoubtedly true Quod certū non habebis nisi certum intellexeris noli firmè retinere Aug in Proae lib 3. de Trinit vnlesse thou perceiue it to bee true indeed hold it not resolutely St. Ambrose was so farre from wishing Prince or people to rely vpon his doctrine that by way of preuention hee writes to Gratian the Emperour Nolo argumento eredas sancte Imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus c. Ambros de Fide ad Grat l 1 c. 4 Beleeue not O Emperour our Arguments and our Disputations let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophets let vs aske Christ. Now admit a doubtfull Recusant at this day repaire for instruction to a Romish Priest or Bishop will he answer him with Austen Examine my doctrine by the rule of Scripture and if you find it not agreeable to that Word hold it not resolutely or will he answer him with Ambrose Heare not my arguments beleeue not vs that are the professed Priests and Pastors of the Church but read the Scriptures consult with the Oracles of God let Christ the Head of the Church resolue the doubts and controuersies of Religion Surely nothing is more to bee wished for by vs nothing is lesse to be hoped for from them True it is that St.
Hierome in the question betwixt him and St. Austen whether St. Paul reprooued Peter colourably or in earnest alleadgeth seuen Fathers against St. Austen and withall desires him to giue him leaue to erre with seuen Fathers But what answere maketh Austen He appeales to St. Paul Ipse mihi pro his omnibê° et suprà hos omnes Apostolus Paulus occurrit ad ipsum confugio ad ipsum ab omnibus qui aliter sentiuÌ„t literaruÌ„ tractaetoribus prouoco Aug. Ep. 19. and saith he Instead of all and aboue all I haue Paul the Apostle to him doe I runne to him I appeale from all Writers that think otherwise Here wee see seuen principall members of the Church against the meaning of one Apostle and yet all they were not able to remooue St. Austen from that one authoritie which was preualent against all and I thinke it cannot be denied but that this Father went the right way to the Gospel Againe when hee was pressed by Cresconius a Gramarian with a testimony out of Cyprian hee returnes this answere I am not bound to bee tyed to that Epistle because I doe not account of Cyprians Epistles as of the Canonicall Scriptures Ego Epistola huius authoritate noÌ„ teneor quia c. Aug. contr Cres lib. 2. c. 32. but I examine them by the Canonicall Scriptures and what I find in them agreeable to that word I receiue it with commendations what I finde to disagree from it with his good leaue I leaue it This was the account the ancient Fathers made of their owne writings and their fellow Bishops euen at that time when the Church was most visible and when the Fathers were in chiefest estimation in the Christian world I speake not these things as if there were lesse hope to find the truth in the writings of the ancient Fathers then in new and vpstart opinions of some priuate spirits It is the voice of God and Nature Aske thy father Deut. 32.7 and he will shew thee thine ancients and they shall tell thee and herein we are obedient children and according to our dutie Leu. 19.23 Wee rise vp before the hoarie head and honour the person of the aged We agree with the Fathers wherein they agree with the Scriptures and with themselues and if in some particular poynts wee dissent from some particular Fathers yet it is in those things which want vniuersalitie and consent or are doubtfully vttered or are deliuered as priuate opinions and not as Articles of Faith wee follow the Anciens as Leaders not as Masters for their writings are no rules of faith Scriptae Patrum non sunt regulae fidei nec habent authoritatem obligandi Bell. de CoÌ„cil author lib. 2. c. 12. neither haue they authoritie to binde This is Bellarmines confession this is ours And that the world may know our aduersaries haue no such cause as they pretend to bragge of the authorities of the Fathers let any Protestant or Romanist examine the substantiall poynts of Controuersie as they are now published Bulla Pij 4. and decreed by the Popes Bull and Councell of Trent let them I say obserue the questions as they are now stated with Anathemas for Articles of faith compare them with the doctrines of the ancient Fathers and they shall easily discerne that our aduersaries oftentimes obtrude the Tenets of particular persons for the generall consent of Fathers and produce doubtful opinions to proue Articles of faith for I dare confidently avow that in all fundamentall poynts of difference either they want Antiquitie to supply their first ages or Vniuersalitie to make good the consent of Christian Churches or vnitie of opinions to proue their Trent Articles of beliefe And for tbe better manifestation of this my assertion I will giue you instance in the principall poynts of the Roman faith and doctrine that by comparing the doctrine of the Fathers in the first place with the Tenets of the Romanists in the later it shall appeare that the Northerne and Southerne Poles shall sooner meet together then their opinions standing as they doe can be reconciled Hee therefore that will take vpon him to proue out of the ancient Fathers that Christ is really present in the Sacrament to all faithfull Communicants let him spare the labour I will confesse it for wee acknowledge that Christ is really present both spiritually by faith and effectually by grace conferred vpon all worthy receiuers But let him proue that Christs body is substantially corporally and carnally in the SacrameÌ„t vnder the accidents of bread and wine and that Reprobates and creatures void of reason much more of faith may really partake of his flesh and blood as is now taught and beleeued de fide in the Roman Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the Sacramentall bread and cup were carried home to mens houses in the time of persecution and sometime priuately receiued let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him shew me that priuate Masses that is the receiuing of the Eucharist by the Priest alone without a competent number of Communicants was the pulique practise of the ancient Church as it is now vsed in the Romane and I will subscribe Het at will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the consecrated bread was somtimes giuen without the cup to sicke folkes to impotent and abstenious persons let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that the Fathers did generally forbid the Lay people and the communicating Priest to partake of the Sacramentall cup and that the bread alone was adiudged sufficient without the Cup as it is now receiued in the Roman Church De fide as an Article of Faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Prayers and Seruice in the Roman Church was commonly taught and practised in the Latin tongue let him spare the labour I will confesse it for it was the common and knowne language of the Latin Church but let him shew mee that Prayers and Seruice was deliuered in a tongue vnknowne and not vnderstood of the common people as it is now vsed and receiued with Anathema in the Roman church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Images were allowed for memory for history for ornament let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him prooue that they were allowed by the Fathers for publique and priuate veneration or religious worship and that such worship was established as a doctrine of Faith as it is now vsed in the Roman Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the Bishop of Rome and all other Bishops had power to dispence with the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Penance by Pardons and Indulgences let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that those Indulgences were the treasure of the Church
by the application of Saints merits and that priuate satisfactions which were left to the discretion of euery Bishop were transferred wholly to the power of the Pope and so receiued de Fide as an article of faith as it is now vsed in the Romane Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimonie are oftentimes called by the name of Sacraments let him spare the labour I will confesse it But let him proue the poynt in question that al those Sacraments were instituted by Christ in the new Testament and that there are neither more nor lesse then seuen termed by the name of Sacraments and those onely were properly so called and that number of seuen was receiued de fide as an Article of faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that St. Peter had a primacie of Order amongst the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome had the first place amongst other Bishops let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that Peter had iurisdiction ouer the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome was helde Christs Vicar generall and Head of the Vniuersall Church and that such his power and Supremacie was receiued de fide as an article of faith as it is now taught in the Roman Church and I will subscribe Lastly he that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that out of the Cath. church there is no saluation let him spare the labor I will cōfesse it but let him proue that the present Roman Church is that Catholike Church as it is decreed de fide by their last Article of their Creed and I will subscribe Thus briefly I haue giuen you my poore opinion how to examine the Trent Faith and doctrine whereby you may easily discouer the vanitie of those men who challenge an interest in all the Fathers in behalfe of their Religion and certainly if this rule bee rightly obserued and pursued by any indifferent Iudge he shal finde there is not greater distance in the times then difference in their doctrine This is so well knowne to the best learned on their side that when wee charge them that they haue created new Articles of Faith vnknowne to the first and best ages by way of preuention they giue this solution that true it is many poynts of doctrine were not explicitè reuealed and publikely declared as Articles of faith in the dayes of the ancient Fathers because no heretikes did then oppose them but say they they were implicitè obscurely secretly reseruedly knowne and receiued of the Ancients with an implicit faith by which confession their later errour will bee greater then the first for as one way they would seemingly auoyd the creating of new Articles of faith so by acknowledgement of an implicit faith they ouerthrow by consequence the Visibilitie of their Church for if the Church of Rome had but an implicite beliefe in those things which are now publikely declared without doubt the Church at that time was not visible in the faith it was not like a Citie vpon a hill knowne and conspicuous to all persons and thereupon the grand poynt of Visibilitie which they so much magnifie among themselues will easily be called in question For a conclusion of this poynt I will giue you but one instance whereby you may the better iudge of the rest Looke vpon the learned Treatise of the right Reuerend Bishop of Meath now Primate of Armach wherein the iudgement of the ancient Fathers An Answer to a challenge made by a Iesuite in Ireland 1624. touching seuerall poynts of controuersie is faithfully deliuered in our behalfe what Reply might wee thinke could bee made by our aduersaries to those Authorities so rightly produced Behold a Iesuite by Order W. Malone by name A Reply to Mr. Vshers answere hath made a Reply wherein hee hath produced in number many more authorities of Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Church and Trent Doctrine The encounter being made the end of the victory may seeme doubtfull for the Fathers are produced by both contending parties and seemingly they adhere to both sides as if they made both for Papist and Protestant in one and the same substantiall poynts of doctrine The reason being examined it will appeare the Fathers do not vary from themselues nor from vs in poynts of faith but the Iesuite produceth Authorities impertinent to the poynt in question As for instance in the first Article of Traditions Our Reuerend Bishop tels the Iesuite by way of preuention B Vsher cap. Traditions p. 35. that Traditions of all sorts are not promiscuously strucke at by vs but such vnwritten traditions which are obtruded for Articles of Religion As for example It is the first part of the Article of the Roman Creed I admit and imbrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiesticall Traditions To this first part of the article the reformed Churches doe subscribe but the other Obseruances and Constitutions of the Church which is the latter part of the Article we thinke it great reason to gainesay for vnder the pretence of other Obseruances the Church of Rome doeth vphold her priuate Masse her Latine Seruice her halfe Communion her Inuocation of Saints her worship of Images the like all which are admitted for part of Gods worship and accepted by them for Apostolike Traditions when as in truth they are flat contrary to the doctrine of the written Word The question then is not whether the doctrine deliuered by Christ or his Apostles by word of mouth were of equall authoritie with the Word written for this neuer any Protestant denied but whether the vnwritten Doctrine now taught in the Romane Church were deliuered by Christ and his Apostles whether their Ecclesiastical Obseruations and Constitutions now vsed bee of equall authoritie with the written Word whether their Papal Traditions were alwayes or euer admitted into the rule of faith and lastly whether the Scriptures are not sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuer without the helpe of those Traditions Let these questions bee rightly propounded in our behalfe and the multitude of the Iesuites authorities will fall to ground of themselues for what Father hath hee produced to proue that the Papall Traditions now receiued de fide in the Church of Rome were deliuered by word of mouth by the Apostles what Father hath hee cited to prooue that the Constitutions of their Church had a constant and continuall succession from the time of the Apostles as Articles of faith ought to haue what Fa her hath he vrged that admitted doctrinall Traditions vnwritten into the Rule of faith Lastly what ancient Father hath hee truely alleadged that denies the Scriptures to bee sufficient for all beleeuers without the helpe of Romish Traditions It were no difficult matter as I conceiue to giue a full answer to the Iesuits replie in the right stating of the Questions wherby it might easily appeare that hee
doctrine so likewise there was speciall care taken and caution giuen Ne quum aâ—atui quo â—llius Maiestati praeiudâ—â—ium vlluÌ„ fieret si quis in hoc peccat Concilio pellatur Valer. in vita Marcel 2 Canus loc Theol. li 12 c. 12. § Extat that whosoeuer should speake against the Maiestie of the Pope should be banished the Councell We haue examples of both in this kinde Cornelius Bishop of Bitonto professed openly in the Councell that Christ in his last Supper did not offer vp his reall body and blood but the Trent Fathers because it was contrary to the Roman Faith condemned and exploded him Paulus Vergerius was but suspected for a Lutheran Sleid. comment li. 21. yet thereupon the Pope comanded him to depart the Councell Guilielmus Venetus a Dominican would prooue the Councell of Constance was aboue the Pope Valer. in vita Marcel 2. because the Councell did depose him but hee was thought too lauish of his tongue and therefore was banished the Councell The Bishop of Chioza professed in the Councell Craken p. 158. that hee disliked the Decree which made Traditions equall with the Scriptures but he was expelled the Councell And as touching the Popes Holinesse when a zealous and good Bishop had declared Molin CoÌ„sil de Trid. Conc. nu 22 that God in the Scriptures was termed Holy and therefore it was honour sufficient for the Pope to bee called Holy and not most Holy the Bishop was sent from Trent to Rome there the Pope grieuously handled him for this capitall offence Neither doe I denie that there was safe conduct promised as well to the Lutherans as to those which were vowed creatures to the Pope and his doctrine but saith Fabritius the learned Princes of Germany were kept so farre from the Castle of Disputation that they could not bee suffered to approach to the entrie of it Fateor extensioneÌ„ c. I grant saith he there was libertie extended to other Nations but withall it is added that the same forme of liberty should appertaine to none others but only to them that would repent and returne to the bosome of the Church If we look vpon the Tenour of the conduct we shal find it was very doubtfull and in trueth it might well bee thought strange that a free and Generall Councell of all sorts of Christians which should meet for Gods glory and Christian peace should come in feare and danger of their owne safetie for say they History of Trent lib. 4 p. 341. 343. Engl. The holy Synod as much as it can grants publike faith and full securitie that is safe conduct but saith the Historie the Protestants thought the forme of the safe conduct very captious because as well in the Decree as in the Tenor there was this clause of reseruation As much as it can when as no man demandeth of an other that which is not in his power to grant To let passe the like Conduct giuen to Hierome of Prague and Iohn Husse at the Councel of Constance can they prooue that there was free libertie of speech granted as it is in all publike Consultations Was there open conference and dispute allowed about the controuersies of Religion was the Scripture appointed to be Iudge or the plea being against the Pope ought the Pope to be plaintife and Iudge in his owne cause I confesse the Electors and Princes of Germanie being assembled at Newburg in the Popes name and by the Popes Legats were summoned to the Councel but withall they returned this answere Mirari se c. Epist ReruÌ„ gest sub Ferd. ann 1561. apud Scard They wondred vpon what grouÌ„d or reason the Pope should bee so bold how he durst proclaime a Councell to them and call them to Trent And there they giue this reason for it Because it was neither lawfull Craken p. 156. nor agreeable to Diuine or Human equitie that the Pope should supply the place of a Iudge when as both the dissention and ruine of the Church proceeded from himselfe Thus if wee consider this Councels calling it was by vsurpation not of ancient right If we respect the nature of it as it was Generall many Kings and Princes were so farre from allowing it that they made protestation againâ—â— it if we obserue the number of Bishops in their aâ—semblie when the greateâ—â— points of controuersie weâ— handled and resolued there were but fiftie three If we looke vpon the free accesse it was doubtfull and limited to certaine conditions And lastly if wee respect a free conference Historie of Trent lib. 2 p. 126. The Pope made knowne by his Legats that the Iudges were tyed to him by oath whereas the plea being against the Pope and his doctrine he himselfe ought not to bee Iudge I conceiue it was but a harsh proceeding that how many or how great soeuer the differences were concerning Religion yet there could bee no dispute nor yet admittance to the Councell but by an inforced protestation vowed obedience to the Pope and his doctrine insomuch their owne Thuanus giues vs to vnderstand that the fault was not in the Protestants for notwithstanding they conceiued their Conduct was not safe yet they came to the Councell and desired the Popes Legat to haue libertie to dispute and being made knowne that the Protestants were ready to make good their confessions which at that time they exhibited to the Councell The Trent Fathers were greatly offended Thua hist Tom 1. li. 9. ann 1552. neither could the Protestants haue answer to their confessions and therefore they desired leaue to be gone which being easily granted them they commended their cause to the Emperours Oratour and so departed from the Councell I will giue you a short and generall view of the actions in this Councell Andraeas Dudithius an Ambassadour sent to this Councell from the State and Cleargie of Hungarie a man highly fauoured by Ferdinand and Maximilian the second and a knowne Actor in this assembly giues the substance of their proceedings in few words very remarkable and worthy of all mens reading What good saith he could be done in that Councell Andr. Dudith in Epist ad Maximil 2. CaesareÌ„ de Calice Sacerdotum Coniugio which onely numbred but neuer considered the weightinesse of any opinion if either the cause or reason might haue made the encounter or if a few assistants had but sided with vs the day had been ours albeit the enemy was very strong but when only number fought the field in which wee fell short of them though our cause was neuer so good we could not come off with victorie to euery one of vs the Pope was able to oppose one hundred of his owne and if a hundred seemed but a few hèe could suddenly raise a thousand and send them to helpe their fellow Labourers so that you might daily see seruile poore Bishops for the most part young men and almost beardlesse wasted with
lusts hasten to Trent hyred and procured by the Pope to speake as hee would haue them vnlearned men they were and simple but for their impudencie and audacitie of much vse assoone as these had accesse to the Popes flatterers then did iniquitie reioyce to haue the vpper hand neither might any thing bee decreed but what made for them who made it their onely Religion to maintaine their Popes power and ryot One graue and learned man there was Bishop of Granado which could not away with such basenesse he as no sound Catholike what with feare and threatnings and what with intreatie was brought by the Councel to allow that which in heart hee disavowed In briefe it came to that issue by the dishonestie of them that were made and ordained for that purpose that the Councell seemed to consist not of Bishops but of shadowes not of men but of Images which like the statues of Daedalus had no motion from themselues but were carried vpon other mens shoulders The Bishops for the most part were hyrelings who like a paire of countrey bag-pipes vnlesse they were still blowne could make no musicke The holy Ghost had not to doe with that Councell wherein was nothing but worldly wisedome and that was wholly spent in propagating the Popes immoderate and shamefull Lordlinesse from whom as from an other Delphos they did wait for Oracles and from him in a Carriers clokebag was the holy Ghost sent of which they so much brag to sit at the sterne of their Councells and quod admodum ridiculum est which is most ridiculous when there fell good store of raine the holy Ghost could not come vnto theÌ„ before the floods were abated so it fell out that the spirit was not carried vpon the waters as wee reade in Genesis but besides them O strange and monstrous madnesse the Bishop like the people No act or Decree of theirs could be established vnles the Pope were made the first Author of that Decree How truely this learned Bishop hath deciphered the state and condition of that Councell I leaue to euery mans iudgement sure I am whilest many there carried the businesse with craft and ambition in those things which appertaine to Gods glory there was more attributed to the Councell of man then to the grace of God Adde to these testimonies the protestation of Francis the French King who was so farre from approuing the Decrees of the Councell Rex pubicè in co conueÌ„tu protestatus se illud neque pro â—ecumenico neque pro legitimo habere sed pro priuato coÌ„uentu c. Innoc Gent Trid. Sess 12. Hist of Trent lib. 4. p 319. Engl. that hee openly proclaimed that for his part he neither held it for a Generall nor yet for a lawfull Councell but for a priuate Conuenticle assembled for the ends of some priuate men and that neither hee nor his subiects were bound to obey it and that hee would haue this his Protestation inrolled amongst the Decrees of that Councell Adde to this the Protestation of all the Reformed Churches and diuers Christian Nations who at this day vtterly disavow the Trent doctrine Adde to this the protestation of the Ambassador to Charles the fifth Illyr in Protest cont Conc. Trident. who made his declaration in like manner I Iames Hurtado Mendoza in the name of the most mighty prince my lord Charles the Romane Emperour by his especiall commission and in the name of the Empire all other his Realmes and Dominions doe protest that the Legats and Bishops which are at Bonenia for the most part bound to your Holinesse wholly hanging vpon your beck haue no authoritie to make Lawes in cause of Reformation of Religion and maners I forbeare to speake more largely of the politike proceedings and the doctrine of Faith created and declared in this Councell The History of Trent published An. 1629. the former is accurately handled by the Historie of Trent and the later is fully confuted by our learned Chemnitius Chemnitij examen Conc. Trid. and as touching CouÌ„cels in generall let it suffice wee haue the testimonie of Cardinal Cusanus Multu Concilia ritè conuocatu errasse legimus Cusan Concord Cath. lib. 2 c. 3. In fidei definitionibus errasse etiaÌ„ vniuersalia sanctouÌ„ Patrum Concilia comperimus Pig Hier. Eccle. lib. 6. c. 13. Many plenarie Councells rightly called haue erred as we know by experience Let it suffice their own Albertus Pigghius giues his assent with vs that In matters of Faith Generall Councels haue erred as namely the Councell of Ariminum the second Councell of Ephesus both were generall and both doe witnesse that Generall Councells lawfully called may erre Let it suffice Panormitan their chiefest Canonist and Proctor for Pope Eugenius affirmeth plainly A Councell may erre as otherwise a Councell hath erred Panorm de Elect Electi potestate §. significasti about marriage to be contracted betwixt the rauisher and the rauished and the saying of Hierom as being of the sounder opinion was afterwards preferred before the Decree of the Councell And to preuent that common obiection of the Romanists that the Church would faile in faith if Councels should erre hee giues this full solution to the question Non obstat Idem Ibid. It hindreth vs little if it bee said a Councell cannot erre because Christ prayed for his Church that it should not faile For though a Generall Councell represent the whole vniuersall Church yet to speake trueth the vniuersall is not there precisely but by representation because the vniuersall Church consisteth of all the faithfull and this is the Church which cannot erre whereby it is not impossible but the true faith of Christ may continue in onely one person Therefore the Church is not said to faile nor to erre if the true faith remaine in any one And that no man might presume to relie in matters of faith either vpon Fathers or Councels St. Austen deliuers it for a safe and sure rule Aug lib. 2. de Baptist contr Donat c. 3. Whatsoeuer is found written in Scriptures may neither be doubted nor disputed whether it be true or right but the writings of Bishops may not onely bee disputed but corrected by Bishops that are more learned then themselues or by Councels and Nationall Councels by Plenary or Generall and euen Generall Councels may bee amended by the later My conclusion therefore shall be this Since the true Acts and Canons of Councels which make against the Supremacie against Inuocation of Saint against Images and the like are adiudged spurious and counterfet On the contrary since diuers Canons and Decrees are deuised for aduantage of their cause and namely to prooue their Reall Presence their Sacrament of Confirmation their Sacrament of Extreame Vnction the Popes Supremacie and the like which authorities are meerely forged and counterfet since the Bookes of Councells being negligently kept doe abound with many errours by the testimonies of our learned
aduersaries I say to seeke for the knowledge of infallible Trueth or to search for the soundnesse of true sauing faith in Generall or Prouinciall Councells is but Via Dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way It resteth for our Aduersaries last and best refuge to flye to the Sanctuarie of their Church for in trueth whatsoeuer pretence is made of Scriptures of Fathers of Councells yet if there bee sent out a Melius inquirendum for the Authour of their newe Creed and Trent doctrine they must returne a Non est inuentus and seeke him onely in the Church SECT XVII In the Romane Church which our Aduersaries so highly extoll aboue the Scriptures there is neither safetie nor certaintie whether they vnderstand the Essentiall or Representatiue or the Vertuall or the Consistoriall Church CAmpian the Iesuite who formerly made his claime to all Fathers and Councels now in the name of the Church insults against the Protestants in this manner Audito nomine Ecclesiae hostis expalluit Campian Rat 3. So soone as the Aduersarie heard the Church named he waxed wan and pale Indeed I confesse it would terrifie a religious and sober minded man to heare such daily blasphemies vttered against the Maiestie of Gods word and to sound out nothing but the honour and authoritie of the Church who can but wax wan and pale out of pitty charity to heare the Church named and see that she hath kept the name only and lost her wonted nature who can but waxe wan and pale to see her spoiled and bereft of her Iewels treasurie of the sacred Scriptures and retaine onely the caskets and boxes the bare name of a Church where those Iewels lay Looke vpon the best learned of the Roman Church and tell me if they will not astonish a true beleeuing Christian and make him change his countenance to heare such odious comparisons betwixt the Scriptures and the Church In altiori genere viz in genere causae efficientis atque adeò aliquâ ex parte formalis Stapl Relect contro 4 q. 4. ar 3. 9. 3. ar 1. The Church saith Stapleton is an infallible foundation of faith in a higher kind then the Scripture for the Scripture is but a foundation in testimonie and matter to be beleeued but the Church is the efficient cause of Faith and in some sort the very formall In Relect. princ fid dog cont 4. q. 5. nay more if both of them bee properly considered and compared together the Church is a more noble subiect then the Scripture Eam Ecclesia authoritateÌ„ esse quia et scripturas quoque ipsas laxaÌ„di et consignaÌ„difacultateÌ„ c Idem Princip Anal. Pio sensupieque dici potest scripturas si de stituantur ecclesiae authoritate non plus valere quaÌ„ Acsopi fabulas Hos li. 3. de autho sacr Scripturae yea the Church hath such authoritie that shee may set at libertie or seale vp the Scriptures themselues yea saith Hosius a man may speake it in a good a godly sense the Scriptures are of no more account without the authority of the Church then Aesops fables Neither let this seeme strange that the Romanists insist principally vpon the authoritie of the Church for he that shall looke back and obserue how the sacred Scriptures are condemned of Obscuritie and Insufficiencie he that will consider how the holy Fathers are censured and reiected by them as counterfet or erronious he that shall note the Decrees and Canon of Councells condemned as spurious or superfluous these things I say considered it is no maruell our aduersaries flie to the Roman Church Dicitis praecepto Christi obediendum esse primo loâ—o deinde ecclesiae et si aliter praeceperit Ecclesia quam Christus noÌ„ Ecclesia sed Christo obedie oduÌ„ esse certè in hoc est omnium praesumptionuÌ„ initiuÌ„ quaÌ„do iudicant particulares suuÌ„ sensum indiuinis praeceptis coÌ„formâ—areÌ„ quaÌ„ vniuersa Ecclesiae Nich. Cusa ad Proem Epist 2. and for this speciall cause aduance the name of the Church aboue all Cardinall Cusanus by way of obiection puts the question to the Bohemians whether they were better obey the Word of God or the Church You say wee must first obey Christs Commandements and afterwards the Church and if the Church command vs to doe otherwise then Christ commandeth wee must obey Christ and not the Church It is true that the Protestants rightly propose that question which without all question cannot otherwise bee resolued but heare what answere hee makes them Verily herein standeth the beginning of all presumption when particular men thinke their owne iudgement to bee more agreeable to Gods commandements DicetuÌ„ forsitan quomodò mutubuntur pracepta Christi authoritate Ecclesia vt tuÌ„c sint obligatoria quando Ecclesia placu erit Dico nulla esse Christi pracepta nisi quae per Ecclesiam protalibus accepta sint Mutato iudicio Ecclesiae mutatuÌ„ est Dei IudiciuÌ„ Idem Epist 3. then the iudgement of the vniuersall Church nay hee puts the question further Perhaps you will say How shall Christes commandements be changed by the authoritie of the Church that they shall binde vs when the Church shall thinke it good I tell thee saith hee there is nothing to bee taken for Christs commandements vnlesse it bee to bee so allowed of the Church when the Church hath once changed her iudgement Gods iudgement is likewise changed Cardinall Hosius giues his consent with Cardinall Cusanus and morâ— plainly resolues the question in few words Quod Ecclesia docet expressum Deiverbum est et quod contra sensum et consensum Ecclesia docetur expressum Diaboli verbum est Hos de expresso verbo Dei Whatsoeuer the Church teacheth is the expresse word of God and whatsoeuer is taught against the sensâ— and meaning of the Church 〈◊〉 the expresse word of the Deuill To say nothing of the doctrine of Deuils viz. the forbidding of Meats and Marriage foretold by the Apostle and now fulfilled in the Church of Rome I will giue you an instance or two in the word of God and the doctrine of the Romane Church that you may the better discerne whether the Church changing her iudgment there be any variablenesse or shadow of turning with Christ and whether the doctrine of the Roman church bee not expressely against the Word of God Etsi Apostolus lingua intellectâ preces velit celebrari tamen sanctaÌ„ EcclesiaÌ„ iustissimis de causis coÌ„tra statuisse Bened. Mont. in 1. Cor. 14. Touching Prayer in an vnknowne tongue it is the confession of Benedict Montanus a Parisian Doctor Etsi Apostolus c. Although the Apostle thought good to haue Prayer in a knowne tongue yet the Church vpon good causes hath decreed the contrarie Touching Adoration of Images Licet in lege veteri prohibita fuissent lege diuinâ imagines visibiles nedum ipsius Dei
spoken of throughout the whole world nay more he makes an earnest request to God that he might see the members of that Church and impart Spirituall gifts vnto them to the ende they might be established These testimonies of the Apostle were speciall Caracters of an eminent glorious Church although in truth there is not so much as this name of a Church giuen to the Romans in all the Scriptures The church at Babylon elected 2. Pet. 5.13 vnlesse they will allow the Church at Babylon to bee the Church of Rome and heere was a probable assurance of continued stability and perseuerance in the Faith in all Ages but behold the same Apostle which did so much glory in behalfe of their Catholique Faith which gaue God thankes for them which without doubt prayed for the continuance of that Faith Verse 9. For God is my witnesse saith he without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my Prayers As if hee had foreseene by the spirit of Prophesie they would glory in their owne worth and merits shortly after in his eleuenth Chapter of the same Epistle giues them this speciall Caueat Be not high minded but feare and withall giues a speciall reason of that Caueat For if God spared not the naturall branches take heede also lest hee spare not thee behold therefore the bountifulnesse and seueritie of God towards them that haue fallen seueritie but towards thee goodnesse if thou continune in his goodnesse otherwise also thou shalt bee cut off This Doctrine of the Apostle doth trench so farre into the present estate of the Church of Rome that the Rhemists forbeare their Annotations vpon this place for the truth is these last words Thou also shalt bee cut off Doe plainely intimate that the Church of Rome from the time of the Apostles had a possibilitie of falling and consequently was but a particular Church for so it befell the Church of Ierusalem and much more saith the Apostle may it befall the Church of Rome Let vs compare the testimonies and promises in behalf of the Roman Church with other particular and famous Churches in the time of the Apostles and see whether those promises did more largely extend to the faith of the Roman Church then to other Churches St. Paul writing to the Thessalonians termes them by the name of the Church he giues this large testimonie in their behalfe Thess 1.8 From you sounded out the word of the Lord not onely in Macedonia and Achaia but your faith which is toward God is gone forth into all places that wee haue no need to speake any thing yea more hee giues them a kinde of assurance for the perpetuitie of their faith The Lord is faithfull 2. Thess 3 3 and will establish you and keepe you from all euill yet this Church is fallen away and hath lost her first faith The Ephesians are termed by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church of the liuing God the Pillar ground of truth And for this Church the Apostle makes this confession Ephes 3.14 16. I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to bee strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man yet we see this Church which was the ground and pillar of truth and for which the Apostle earnestly prayed for is rased to the ground and vtterly fallen from the truth The Corinthians are tearmed by Saint Paul 1. Cor. 1.2 The Church of God called to be Saints And this Church is farther witnessed by the same Apostle that shee was rich in all things through Christ in all kinds of speech and knowledge and that shee was not destitute of any gift yea he deliuers confident in behalfe of that Church that God would establish them vnto the end euen the day of the Lord Iesus Christ yet soone after some of them denied the Resurrection they fell from the truth and are now subiect to the Turke If then the Church of the Thessalonians of the Ephesians of the Corinthians touching the outward face and visibilitie of the locall Churches if they are all fallen notwithstanding such faire testimonies and large promises in their behalfe which also were accomplished in the Elect what stabilitie could the Church of Rome promise to her selfe which had not so much as the name of a Church but was threatned vpon the breach of a condition that they also should bee cut off Whether the condition be broken or no I will not heere dispute but this I may safely say If the Iewes being the Lords peculiar people and the naturall branches were broken off how much more the Church of Rome being but a wilde Oliue branch might bee cut off from the faith of Christ No doubt the Spirit of God foresaw that the Romanist would glory in the name of the Church and aduance that name aboue his word and therefore the word of God gaue not so much as a name of a Church nor promise of infallibility perseuerance vnto it but a speciall caueat to put them in mind not to be high minded I say therefore to the Romanist as St. Hierom sometimes said to Pammachius and Oceanus Quisquis es assertor novorum dogmatuÌ„ quaese te vt parcas Romanis auribê° parcas fidei quae Apostolico ore laudae tur cur post quadi ingeÌ„tos annos docere nos niteris quod antea nesciuimê° cur profers in medium qd Paulus Petrê° edere noluerunt vsque ad huÌ„c lâ—eÌ„ siâ—e istâ doctâ—inâ nund Christianus fuit Hieron ad Pammach OceanuÌ„ Thou who art a maintainer of newe doctrine whatsoeuer thou bee I pray thee spare the Romane eares spare the Faith that is commended by the Apostles mouth why goest thou about now after 400 yeeres I may say 1400 to teach vs that Faith which wee before neuer knew Why bringest thou forth that thing that Peter and Paul neuer vttered Euermore vntill this day the Christian world hath beene without this Doctrine But obserue the cunning of our Aduersaries they doe as much glory of the Apostles testimonie that the Romane Faith was published through the world as if the ancient and the now Romane faith were all one And to prooue an infallible Succession in their doctrine they pretend that St. Cyprian a blessed Martyr did witnesse to the world that the Romane Church could not erre and consequently the Trent doctrine is the ancient faith of Christ and his Apostles St. Cyprian saith M. Bishop tells vs that Perfidiousnesse and falsehood in matters of Faith can haue no accesse to the Church of Rome so that by the Apostles confession they challenge an eminent Visibilitie and by this ancient Fathers testimonie they claime an assured stabilitie in matters of Faith If these things were true I should craue pardon of Cyprian not to beleeue him because the Apostle teacheth mee to beleeue the contrary but the trueth is this testimony so often alledged by
our aduersaries makes nothing for their purpose for if Cyprian say that Infidelitie cannot come to the Romans whose faith was praised by the Apostles mouth then can none of the people of Rome erre because the faith of them all was praised by the Apostles mouth but the trueth is this holy Father speakes not there of matters of faith nor of the stabilitie of the Romane Church although most Romanists so translate it and apply it but of the tumultuous and disorderly courses of certain lewd persons who being censured by the Bishops of Africa fled to the Bishop of Rome for protection of their cause and therupon vpbraideth them that they came to Rome with lyes and tales which could finde no admittance nor harbour there Nauigare audent et à schismaticis et profanis literas ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est adquos persidia non potest habere accessum Cypr. lib. 1. Epist 3. when as they might wel vnderstand that the Romans were men whose Faith was commended by the Apostle Et ad quos perfidia non potest habere accessum vnto whom perfidiousnesse could haue no accesse that is they would giue no eare to their perfidious and calumnious suggestioÌ„s This therefore I must needs say is vnfaithfulnesse and perfidiousnes in the Church of Rome wilfully to misapply those things which make nothing for them I proceed from the infallibilitie of the Church to the authoritie of it wherein you shall likewise obserue the Romanists doe insist especially vpon that knowne confession of St. Austen Ego vero Evangelio noÌ„ credereÌ„ nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae coÌ„moueret authoritas Aug. contr Ep. Fund cap. 5. I should not haue beleeued the Gospell except the Authoritie of the Church had mooued mee thereunto But I pray what doe these words concerne the Roman Church why should they bee applied rather to the Roman then to his owne Church in Africa or our Chuch in England for hee speakes not of the Roman Church or any particular Church but of the Church indefinitly Moreouer their owne Canus professeth Canus loc Theol. lib. 2. cap. 8. that St. Austen had to doe with a Manichee who would haue a certaine Gospell of his owne admitted without further dispute In this case saith he St. Austen puts the question What if you finde one which doeth not beleeue the Gospell what motiue would you vse to such a one to bring him to your beliefe I for my part saith hee should not haue beene brought to imbrace the Gospell if the Churches authoritie had not swayed with me 〈…〉 reâ— Cyâ— Epiâ— And from hence also Bishop Canus drawes this sound conclusion The faith of the Gospel is not founded vpon the authority of the Church This Exposition of their Romanist is agreeable to our belielfe for wee professe that the first outward motiue to bring men to the knowledge of the Scriptures is the authoritie of Gods Church Hooker Eccles Polit. lib. 3. If I beleeue the Gospell saith Hooker yet is Reason of singular good vse for that it confirmeth me in this my beliefe the more If I doe beleeue as yet neuerthelesse to bring mee to the number of beleeuers except reason did somewhat helpe and were an instrument which God doeth vse to such purposes what should it boot to dispute with infidels and godlesse persons for their conversion and perswasion in that poynt Hee therefore that shall conclude from St. Austens doctrine which he professed in the name of an heretike let him receiue his answer from the same Father when he makes his confession as a true Catholike Ex veritatis ore agnosoo Ecclesiam participem veritatis Aug. in Psal 57. By the mouth of God which is the trueth I know the Church of God which is partaker of the trueth But as it happeneth sometimes that hee who hath fallen into the hands of an vnskilfull Physician is loath afterwards to commit himself euen to a good one Aug. lib. 6. Confess c. 4 So was it in the state of my soule saith Austen which could not bee healed by beleeuing and for feare of beleeuing false things it refused to be cured by true ones And in the Chapter following whilest hee was yet a Manichee hee makes this humble confession Thou Lord Idem Confess l. 6 c. 5. didst perswade mee thus I say not that they were blameable who beleeued thy Bookes which thou hast grounded by such authoritie throughout almost all the nations of the earth but that they indeed were blameable who beleeued them not and that no â—are was to bee giuen to any if peraduenture they should say to mee How dost thou know that these Bookes were imparted to mankind by the Spirit of that one God who is true in himselfe and most true when hee speaketh to vs for that is the very thing it selfe which is especially to bee beleeued Thus St. Austen the Catholique interprets Austen the Heretique After his conversion to the trueth the blessed Spirit did perswade him that there was no eare to bee giuen to those men which made such doubts and questions as are dayly made in the Church of Rome viz. How doe you know the Scriptures to bee the Word of God but as the Samaritans beleeued that Christ was the promised Sauiour vpon the report of a woman yet afterwards when they heard him themselues they professed they beleeued him for his owne sake and not for the womans report So likewise this holy Father first conferred with flesh and blood as the most knowne familiar meanes to introduce a sauing knowledge but after hee had receiued the Spirit and word of trueth he like the Samaritans beleeued the Gospel not for the Churches sake but for Christs own authoritie and his Gospels sake The Authoritie of the Church is rightly compared to a Key which openeth the dore of entrance into the knowledge of the Scripture now when a man hath entred viewed the house and by viewing it likes it and vpon liking resolues vnchangeably to dwell there hee doeth not set vp his resolution vpon the key that let him in but vpon the goodnesse and commodiousnes which he sees in the house I omit diuers Expositions of the learned Romanists touching this saying of Austen Durand l. 3 Dist 24 q. 1 Diedo de Eccl. Script dogm lib. 4. c. 4. Geâ—s de vita spir Animae lect 2. Coroll 7. Durand Driedo and Gerson tell vs That those words of Saint Austen had relation to the Primitiue Church which both saw Christs person and his miracles heard his doctrine Aquinas saith Augustinus de Ecclesia vt causa praeponente non vt fundamento fidei loquitur A quin. in 2 2. quaest 2. art 7. that St. Austen spake of the Church as an ouer-ruling cause but not as a foundation of Faith And for a conclusion of this poynt The minde of the faithfull beleeuer doth not rest in the
iudgement of the Church for saith Stapleton Although the Church by reason of her Ministerie and Mastership receiued of God Stapl. lib. 3. de author Scrip. c. 12. doth cause vs to beleeue yet the reason wherefore wee beleeue is not the Church but God speaking within vs and witnessing his trueth vnto vs by his holy Spirit Thus briefly touching the authoritie of the Church now I proceed to our aduersaries claim touching the Vniuersalitie of it Lessius the Iesuite tells vs The Church of Rome Sola Ecclesia Romana eique adhaerens multitudo Ecclesia Catholica c. Less in Consult Consid 6. and that Church onely and the multitude adhering to it is the Catholique Church the Religion of this Church is Catholique the faith is Catholique the doctrine is Catholique and their followers are tearmed Catholikes What is properly vnderstood by the Catholike Church St. Austen deliuers in these words Non haec aut illa It is not this Church Toto orbe diffusa Aug. de rudibus Catech c. 20. or that Church but the Church dispersed throughout the whole world Maiores nostri Catholicā nominarunt vt ex ipso nomine ostenderent quia per totum est Aug de Vnit Eccles cap. 2. and from hence Our Ancestours named the Church Catholique that by that name they might demonstrate the Vniuersall If then the Church of Rome can prooue their Church Vniuersall there would be an end of all controuersies for we professe our selues to bee members of the vniuersall Church wee say that Church can neither erre totally nor finally and wee willingly grant that out of that Church there is no saluation But certainly this last Tenet doeth strongly euince that the Roman Church is not Vniuersall for Saint Stephen and St. Iames and others suffered Martyrdome and were saued in the Church of Hierusalem and in the Church of Antioch before the Church of Rome was euer heard of and they were all members of the vniuersall Church But let the Church of Rome claime what title or prerogatiue she list shee is in danger to fall vpon a Rocke for if shee confesse that shee is a particular Church shee stands subiect vnto errour if shee assume the title of Vniuersall she is altogether invisible for Vniuersale sentitur non videtur That which is Vniuersall is vnderstood not seene It is the Article of our Creed I beleeue the Catholique Church and Hoc enim veracitèr dicitur credi quod non potest videri Greg. Dial. 4. c. 4. that is truely said to bee beleeued which is inuisible saith Gregorie And that the world may know the Romanists are Nominals such as vaunt of the name of Catholikes as the Donatists did in the Primitiue Church when they want the nature of the thing it selfe their owne Waldensis who well vnderstood how to make a difference betwixt the particular Roman and the Vniuersal Catholike Church tels vs Wald. de doctr Fidei lib. 2. art 2. cap. 19. The Church whose faith neuer faileth according to the promise made to Peter is not any particular Church as the Church of Africa nor the particular Romane Church but the Vniuersall Church not gathered together in a Generall Councell which hath sometimes erred but it is the Catholique Church dispersed through the whole world from the Baptisme of Christ vnto our times which doeth hold and maintaine the true Faith and faithfull testimony of Iesus Neither was this the particular opinion of one priuate man but many Bishops and learned Doctors did professe publikely in the Councell of Ferara Quacunque facultate Romana Eccles praedita sit vniuersali Ecclesiae inferior sit Concil Ferar Sess 10 With whatsoeuer power the Church of Rome is indued yet it is inferiour to the Vniuersall Church And if wee require a cloud of witnesses behold both Princes and Cardinalls and Bishops in the great Councell of Basil resolued and declared Ecclesia Romana non est vniuersa sed est de vniuersalitate corporis mystici Concil Basil in Appendice That the Church of Rome is not Vniversall but a part of that vniversall mystical body of Christ as appeareth by Gregorie Therefore for as much as it is a member of the said body it is not neither can it be the Head of the same body since there is a difference betwixt Head and members Thus if wee looke for Infallibilitie it is not found in the Romane Church If wee looke for the Authoritie of the Church it is inferiour to the Scriptures vnlesse they say the Scripture is vnder the Church as some say the Sunne is vnder a cloud when it is aboue it If wee looke for Vniuersalitie the Romane Church is but a member and no sound member of the Vniuersall Let vs therefore examine in particular where or in whome wee shall finde this Church which doeth assume those great and glorious Titles to her selfe SECT XIX The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie amongst themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church SAint Matthew tels vs that our Sauiour Christ gaue charge to Saint Peter as well as to the rest of his Disciples that if any dissention did happen which they could not well reconcile among themselues they should tell the Church If Saint Peter himselfe was commaunded to tell the Church and the Pope bee St. Peters Successor it would somewhat trouble a doubtful Recusant how to vnderstand and beleeue the Pope for the Church for if Christ had taken Peter for the Church it is not probable hee would haue bid him tell the Church for that had beene all one as to bid the Church tell the Church Yes Postremò dicere Ecclesiae id est sibi ipsi Bel. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 19. saith Bellarmine the Pope ought to tell it to the Church that is to himselfe I take not vpon me to answer this learned Cardinall but I dare avowe that this Exposition of Scripture is not according to the Article of his faith with the vniforme consent of Fathers Howbeit by this solution of Dic Ecclesiae wee are informed where and in whom wee may finde the Romane Church Gretzerus the Iesuite puts the question touching the Pope and returnes his answere in this manner Ais tertio interpretátur Ecclesiam Papā non abnuo quid tum Gretz def c. 10. l. 31. de verbo Dei Thou saiest they interpret the Church the Pope I graunt it what then yet wee may doubt of his sentence for how can wee bee certaine that he erres not Yes saith hee from these sayings I will giue thee the keyes c. The gates of Hell shall not preuaile c. Whatsoeuer thou bindest shall bee bound c. But who shall iudge of the sense of these places How shall I know those things are spoken of the Pope From Ecclesiasticall Tradition from the consent of our Elders from the Suffrage of
all Antiquitie from the Text it selfe if there bee brought no peruerse or preiudicate opinion against it to conclude whether thou wilt or no thou shalt beleeue it from the Popes owne Sentence and determination To this Church then lyeth an appeale from Scriptures from Councels from the Essentiall Church and for that cause Cardinall Bellarmine proclaimes it as the Popes Champion Bellar. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 17. Nos defendimus Wee maintaine that the Pope is simply and absolutely aboue the vniuersall Church and aboue Generall Councells and as great men sometimes loue to bee soothed vp in their greatnesse and are led with opinion of their Parasites to beleeue that for a trueth which is but a suggestion of falsehood so it came to passe touching the Popes power in these latter dayes they did so much atatribute to his Authoritie and Infallibilitie deriued from Peter that Cardinall Zabarella rightly obserued and ingenuously confessed They haue made the Popes beleeue Persuaserunt Pontificibus quod omnia possunt sic qd facerent quicquid liberet etiam illicitet sint plusquaÌ„ Deus Zabarella that they might doe all things whatsoeuer they listed yea notwithstanding they were things vnlawfull and thus saith he they haue made him more then God Bishop Begnius in the last Councell of Lateran speaking to Pope Leo cryes out in admiration of his Holinesse Ecce venit Leo Behold heere commeth a Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda the Root of Dauid Te Leo beatissime saluatoreÌ„ expectauimus apprehende scutum c Concil Later 5. Sess 6. in orat Begn ad Leon. 10. behold hee hath raised vp a Sauiour which shall deliuer the people of God from the hand of the destroyer Thou art hee O most blessed Leo whom we haue expected as a Sauiour take vp thy sword and buckler and arise in our defence And thus by degrees first Vox populi the common people by admiring his greatnesse then Bishops Cardinals by their flattering suggestions haue at last ascribed infallibilitie of Iudgement to his Authoritie which I am verily perswaded neuer Pope did beleeue in himselfe and hereby they haue aduanced him aboue Fathers aboue CouÌ„cels aboue the Church and now at last made him the whole Church in so much that some of his own side are not ashamed to professe Beard Mot. 6. vide in Iewel p. 49. that the Pope may dispense against the Apostles yea against the new Testament vpon good cause and also against all the precepts of the Old Syluester Prierias Master of the Popes palace goeth further hee giues vs to vnderstand that the authoritie of the Roman Church QuicuÌ„que noÌ„ innititur doctrinae Romanae ecclesiae ac Romani Pontificis tanquaÌ„ Regulae Dei infallibili à quâ etiam sacra Scriptura robur trahit et authoritatem hereticê° est Sylu. Prier contra Luther and of the Bishop of Rome is greater then the authoritie of Gods Word and therupon he concludes Whosoeuer leaneth not to the doctrine of the Roman Church and of the Bishop of Rome as vnto the infallible Rule of God of which Doctrine the holy Scripture taketh force and authoritie he is an heretike And for a further confirmation of this beliefe Gretzerus the Iesuite makes this conclusion Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus qd nobis Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri c. Def c. 1. l. 1. de Verbo Dei p. 16. Wee doe receiue and reuerence that onely for the Word of God which the Pope as supreame Master of the Christians and Iudge of all controversies doth determine in the Chaire of Peter Now if it happen that some Proselyte of a tender conscience should make some scruple whether the Pope ought to be heard and obeyed when hee is a murderer a Sorcerer and a wilfull subuerter of the truth as some Popes haue been Hosius their Doctour wisheth them not to trouble theÌ„selues with such idle curiosities Iudas ne sit an Petrus au Paulus Deus atteÌ„di non vult sed soluÌ„ hoc qd sedet in Cathedrâ Petri de cuius ore legem requirere iussus est Hoc soluÌ„ spectari vult Hos in Confess Petricouien ca. 29. God will neuer haue thee consider saith he whether the Pope bee a Iudas or a Peter or a Paul it is sufficient onely that he sitteth in Peters chaire that hee is an Apostle that he is Christs Ambassadour that he is the Angell of the Lord of Hostes from whose mouth thou art commanded to require the Law This thing onely Christ would haue thee to consider Againe admit a Councel a whole congregation of men should make a doubt whether the Pope may erre and by reason of that scruple would not readily obey him Cardinall Bellarmine by way of preuention Si autem Papa erraret praecipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona et virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiaÌ„ peccare Bell de Pont. li. 4. c. 5. giues them this lesson If the Pope should so farre foorth erre as to command vices and forbid vertues the Church were bound to beleeue that vices are good and vertues are euill vnlesse shee will sinne against her owne conscience Heere is an implicite faith commanded let the Popes doctrine bee true or false if the Romanists will resigne vp their senses and vnderstanding to this Vertuall Church which is the Pope they shall haue a Priest Cardinall for their Tutors but by their leaue they may make shipwracke of their faith by being their Disciples I proceed from an implicite faith to a blinâ— obedience and therein I will giue you a remarkeable example from another Schooleman who aboue all things doeth honour and commend a blinde obedience to the Church that is to the Pope Gregorie de Valentia tells vs of an Italian Merchant of Placentia who reasoned and resolued with himselfe in this manner I hold it is better to professe the Romane Religion Laurent disceptatio Theolog. pag. 5. then the Lutheran First because I can briefly learne the Roman faith for if I say what the Pope sayes and deny what the Pope denies and if he speake and I hearken vnto him this alone is sufficient for mee but if I should bee a Lutheran I must learne a Catechisme I must search the Scriptures which in trueth I cannot intend when I must look after the Ships of Italy and my Merchandise beyond the Seas You haue heard the reason why this Layman did dislike the Protestants Religion and what was the rule of his Roman faith now heare what iudgement this learned Schooleman giues concerning this Merchant DeuÌ„ nihil habiturum God saieth he will haue nothing to lay to the charge of this man at the dreadfull day of Iudgement To say nothing of this presumption I pray God that Pagans Infidels who knew not Christ arise not vp in Iudgment against them that teach such doctrine for whereas
many but let vs search the things themselues for if it bee not absurd for vs not to beleeue and giue credit to others in receiuing of moneys but that we will reckon and tell it after them why doe wee in matters of greater moment simply and in good faith follow the opinions of other men especially seeing wee haue the most exact ballance square and rule of diuine Scriptures for the auouching of any authoritie Obsecro et oro vos omnes vt relinqua tis quidnaÌ„ huic vel illi videatur dâ—que his à Scripturis haec omnia in quirite Chrys Homil. 13. in 2. C. l. I request therefore and beseech you all to leaue forsake what seemeth good to this or that particular man and of these matters search yee all things by the Scriptures And thus briefly I proceed from the doctrine of Papal Infallibility vnto the grand point of the Visibility of the Church SECT XXIII Eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no certaine Note of the true Church but the contrary rather as is prooued by Instances from Adam to Christ. THe Materials which hitherto haue beene brought haue beene imployed onely to the laying the foundation of the Church wherin I must confesse I haue been somewhat long and yet not without reason for wee all know that a good foundation being once layd the whole frame stands the more sure Now as Foundations are not verie conspicuous till the building be reared higher so likewise in succeeding Ages when the whole building was coupled together and became a glorious Temple in the Lord yet eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie was no sure Note of the true Church as shall appeare both by particular instances from the time of Adam to the comming of Christ as also by the testimonies of learned Romanists who in part were witnesses of a latencie and obscuritie in their owne Church I speake not this to decline the Visibilitie of the Church for their own Ioachim Abbot above 400 yeeres since tells vs Ann. 1195. Ioach. Abbot in Reu. p. 2. that The whole Congregation of Saints shall bee hidden for so shall the Elect of God being wise be wise vnto themselues so that they shall not presume to practise openly because that darkenesse shall prevaile not that they shall leaue to animate and exhort the faithfull in secret but because they dare not aduenture to preach Publique by And Bonauenture another Schooleman who liued in the Age following Ann. 1260. giues the reason how such obscuritie may befall the true Church insomuch as it can hardly bee discerned by the true members amongst themselues Bonauent lib. 1. Dist 1 The Church saith hee may bee hindred from our sight three manner of wayes First Propter defectum organi for want of a fit organ if the eyes of our bodie or minde be wanting Secondly Propter defectum voluntatis for want of will when our affections are so depriued that we will not see it though it bee visible Thirdly Propter defectuÌ„ luminis for want of light So in the time of Persecution and Arrianisme it did not then visibly appeare Now if our Aduersaries would reflect upon themselues and examine their owne thoughts they should find that either their affections are wandring or their will wanting or their opinions forestalled or else it would proue no such hard matter for them to discouer an ouerspreading Schisme in their owne Church with a long and grieuous Persecution in ours which caused this obscuritie This did Gregorie de Valentia well perceiue and thereupon he aduised his Proselytes to bee wary and quick sighted Diligenter animaduerti debet non sic accipienduÌ„ esse quod dicimê° Ecclesiam esse semper conspicuaÌ„ quasi velimus eaÌ„ omni tempore dignosci posse aequè facilè Nouimus enim c. Greg. de Val Annot fid lib. 6. cap 4. in discouering and finding out the true Church For saith hee when we say the Church is alwaies conspicuous this must not bee taken as though wee thought this might at every season be alike easily discerned for wee knowe that sometimes it is tossed with the waues of Errors Schismes and Persecutions that to such as are vnskilfull and doe not discreetly weigh the circumstances of things times it shall bee very hard to bee knowne That this doctrine may the better appeare let vs looke backe to the first Ages and wee shall see in what state the Church began and how it continued in changes and alterations and became more and lesse visible in all Ages till the dayes of Christ and his Apostles Before the Law we finde in Adam with whom the Church began that being in Paradise full of the blessings of God and hauing a Freewill to all good lost at once both himselfe and it And as the power of his will and the faculties of his Vnderstanding were ecclipsed by his fall Aliquando in solo Abel Ecclesia erat et expugnatê° est â— fratrema lo et perdito Cain â—li quando in solo Henoch Ecclesia erat et traÌ„slatus est ab iniquis aliquando in sola domo NoeÌ„ ecclesia erat et pertulit omnes qui diluuio perierunt et sola arca natauit in stuctibus euasit ad ficcumi aliquaÌ„do in solo AbrahaÌ„ ecclesia erat es quanto pertulit ab iniquis nouimê° in solo filio fratris eius Loth et in domo eius in Sodomis Ecclesia erat et per tulit Sodomorum inâ—quitates August in Psal 128. in not regarding the voice of God So did his fall foretell that the best Churces in their most flourishing State had a possibilitie of falling into darkenesse and obscuritie if they neglected the Word of GOD. Now we must knowe as this number was small at the beginning so it was subiect to Persecution The Church saith Austen was sometimes onely in Abel and he was slaine by his wicked brother Kayne sometimes it was solely in Henoch and hee was translated from the vngodly sometimes it was in the sole house of Noah and hee swomme in the waues sometimes in Abraham and his family and he suffered of the wicked sometimes it remained in sole Lot and his house and he was vexed by the Sodomites Againe the Church was vnder a cloud when Tobias went alone to Hierusalem and serued God and all the rest worshipped the Calfe in Nepthali The Church doubtles was vnder a cloud in the time of Achas Manasses 2 Chron. 34 31. when those Kings made the Temple to bee shut vp when Vrias the High Priest placed a a Pagan Altar in the Temple The Church doubtles was vnder a cloud when the good King Iosias called for a Reformation 2 Chron. 29 6 7. and made a couenant to performe the words which were found in the House of the Lord so that there was many times a cloud of errors that darkned the true Church when there wanted a cloud of witnesses to testifie her truth In the kingdome of Israel vnder Ahab
other Pope Liberius returneth the Emperour this answere Non referre numeruÌ„ esse magnuÌ„ aut paruum Nam c. Salm tract 23. in verba Luc. It mattereth not whether the true professors be more or fewer for the Church of the Iewes was once reduced to the number of three Now there is no man will deny but there were many excellent and famous lights of the Church in this Age yet by reason of Persecutions it was so much darkened and obscured that the holy Father Athanasius who had a fellow-feeling of the persecuted members in the Church puts the Question and resolues it Quae nunc Ecclesia libere adorat siquideÌ„ si pia est periculosa subiacet si alicubi pii et Christi studiosi vt magnus ille Propheta Elias absconduntur Athan ad solit vitaÌ„ agentes What Church doth now freely serue Christ For if it be godly it is exposed to dangers if there be in many places faithfull seruants of Christ as in all places there be many they like the great Prophet Elias are secret and hide themselues in dennes and caues of the earth or wandring vp and downe remaine in the wildernesse And without doubt the latencie and obscuritie of the true Church was such MoÌ„tes mihi et sylua et lacê° et carceres et voragines suÌ„t tutiores Hillaâ— cont Auxent that St. Hillarie professeth at that time it was not to bee sought in houses I rather reckon saith hee hills and woods and prisons to bee places of more safetie for in those either the Prophets abiding of their owne accord or forced thither by violence prophesie by the Spirit of God And from these few instances it may plainely appeare that eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no sure and certaine Caracter of the true Church Ann. 400. to 500. In the fift Age St. Austen tels the Church was like a Citie vpon a Hill Ipsa est enim ouis quae perierat ipse Pastor mons est ouis ergò in humeris eius ciuitas est in moÌ„te Aug Serm. de Tempore 218. but that Citie vpon the hill saith he was the sheepe which was lost and went astray and the shepheard is the hill and the Sheepe vpon his shoulders is the Citie vpon the hill And thus the true meÌ„bers of the Church may wander like stray sheepe till the Shepheard finde them and bring them home to the company of the faithfull Moreouer he that termed the Church a Citie vpon a hill in his time well vnderstood that it was not visible at all times that is to say in a great mist or in the night time yea on the contrary he tels vs Epist ad Vincent Epist 80. ad Hesych Enarrt in Psal 10. De Bapt. coÌ„t Donat. lib. 6. c 4. The Church shal be sometimes obscured and the cloudes of offence may shadow it Somtimes it shall not appeare by reason of the vnmeasurable rage of vngodly persecutors Sometimes it is like the Moone and may bee hidde yea so obscured that the members thereof shall not know one an other And howsoeuer in St Austens time the Church was very glorious and flourishing yet vnder correction of better iudgements I doe conceiue he did extoll the visibility of the Church because the Donatists at that time did appropriate the Church wholly to their own Faction excluding all other Churches but their owne in the South of Africke For the trueth is by reason of the multitude of Heretikes at that time preuailing it could not chuse but bee much darkened and obscured when as himselfe makes mention of fourescore and eight seuerall heresies in the Church Aug. de Vnit Eccles ca. 2. 16. Besides both Austen and Chrysostome who were liuing in this age tell vs That the Heretikes did so abound in multitude and they had such outward marks of the trueth in Traditions in Fathers in Councels in Miracles vnder the very name and Title of the Catholike Church in outward shew and semblance of the true Church that there was no way left to find the true Church Nisi tantuÌ„modo per Scripturas Chrys Homil 24. but only by the Scriptures And Saint Chrysostom alluding to the desolation in the Temple in the latter dayes aduiseth his profelytes Idem in 1. Cor. Hom. 36. to flie to the mountaines of the Scriptures And as touching the Discipline of the Church hee complaines that Shee was like a woman which had quite lost her modestie and did beare certaine badges and tokens of her former felicitie and being vtterly bereft of her treasure kept the emptie caskets and boxes of the precious things shee had before And although in this age the Church since the Apostles time was most flourishing yet it was not so conspicuous as any earthly Kingdome Bell de Eccles lib 3. cap. 13. as Bellarmine would haue it for at this time St. Hierome likewise complained of an Hereticall tempest rising in the countries of the East Haretica in his prouinciis exorta tempestas naueÌ„ plenaÌ„ blasphemiaruÌ„ intulit portui et Romanae fidâ—i purissimum fonteÌ„ coeno luiÌ„osa promiscuêre vestigiae Hier. ad Princip Marc. Epit. Tom. 1. carried a ship of blasphemies into the hauen of Rome and vncleane feet did mingle with mud the most pure fountaine of the Roman faith yea he tels vs further The faith of the Apostles was violated in most things the Priests and people were drawne into the same consent and the Bishop of Rome was abused by simplicitie and Marcella a poore widdow did first openly resist it And this may briefly serue to shew that in the first and best ages eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie was no sure and certaine note of the true Church In the sixt Age Ann. 500. to 600. Pope Vigilius secretly fauoured Seuerus and Anthemius two Heretiques who refused the faith established in the great Councell of Chalcedon Liberatus who was liuing at the same time giues vs to vnderstand of his writing to the Heretikes in this maner I signifie to you Liberati Breuiarium cap. 22. that I haue held and doe hold the very same faith which you also do hold No man must know that I write these things vnto you but your wisedome must thinke it best to haue mee in suspition before all others that I may with more ease worke and bring that to passe which I haue begun Pontificale in vita Vigilij This Vigilius if wee may beleeue their owne Pontifical was a false witnes against his predecessor Pope Syluerius he sought vndue means to remooue him and to place himselfe he kept him in prison and sterued him for hunger he gaue a great summe of money to procure the Popedome to himselfe Hee killed his owne Notary he killed a young man being a widowes sonne and of these and other crimes being accused before the Emperour hee caused him to bee drawne by the necke round about the Citie of Constantinople and cast into prison
Church of Rome which of long time did reuolt from Christ secretly was neere revolting from him openly And in the Raigne of Henry the first Ann. 1100. inseratur The Church of Leodium sends forth this complaint In time past I was wont to Interpret Fulke in Rhem. Testam p 892. that Peter by Babylon did signifie Rome because at that time it was confused with Idolatrie and filthynesse but now my sorrow doth interpret vnto mee Plerique omnes boni iuâ—i aperti ingenuâ— simplices tum imperiuÌ„ Antichristi coepisse quod ea quae Christê° seruator no fleâ— tot antè annos praecixerat euenisse teÌ„pore cernebant c. Auent de Tyrannide Pontificis that Peter calling the Church together in Babylon foresaw by the Spirit of Prophecie that confusion of dissention wherwith the Church at this day is rent in peeces And saith Sigebert All good men and iust and honest and ingenious men held that the Kingdome of Antichrist was then begunne because they saw the accomplishment of those things which our Sauiour had so long time foretold In the twelfe Age Ann. 1100. to 1200. Honorius of Authun in France openly cries out Verte te ad ciues Babiloniae et vide veni hâ—c ad supercilii montes vt cuncta possis cernere aed ficia damnatae ciuitatis verte te ad CleruÌ„ et in uenies ibi Bestia tentortum Dei seruitiuÌ„ negliguÌ„t sacerdotium per inunditiam postuunt populum per simulationeÌ„ seducunt omnes Scripturas ad salâ—teÌ„ pertinentes ab dicant c. Honor. August in Dialog de Praedest lib. Arbitr Mat. Paris in Hent 3. Turne thee to the Citizens of Babylon and see what they are ascend to the toppe of the Mountaine from whence thou mayest behold all the buildings of that damned Citie consider the principall persons there and thou shalt find the Sea of the Beast In the Cleargie thou shalt find the Beasts Tent for they neglect the seruice of God pollute his Priesthood seduce his people reiect all the Scriptures which belong vnto Saluation And Mathew Paris describeth the state of the Church of England vnder Gregory and Innocent In those dayes Faith waxed cold and scarsely seemed to sparkle being almost brought to ashes Religion is become base and vile and the Daughter of Sion is a bold faced Harlot without shame He further complaines that the Monkes and Fryars of that Age did wholly neglect the Preaching of Gods Word and for that cause he pretends there was a deuised Epistle sent from Hell to the holy Fraternities Math. Paris in Will Conquer Wherein Sathan and all the company of Hell did s nd thankes to the whole Ecclesiastical Order that wheras in nothing they were wanting to their owne pleasures they suffered by their neglect of Preaching such a number of soules vnder them to go to hell Lat. abbots Bishops p. 383. as no Ages past had seene the like And Robertus Gallus reputed a famous Preacher in those times amongst certaine visions of his owne shewes vs That in those dayes there was scarse any bloud or life remaining in the members of the Church when as the Doctrin which is the soule and life of the Church OrabaÌ„ flexis genibus erecta facie ad coeluÌ„ iuxta Altare Sancti Iacobi Parisiis c Robertus Gallus was altered and decayed I did pray saith hee on my knees with my face towards heauen neere to the Altar at St. Iames at Paris on the right hand and I saw in the ayre before me the body of the onely high Priest clad in white Silken robes and his backe was towards the East with his hands lifted up towards the West Morney Myst of Iniqu pa. 401 or 434. as Priests vsually stand while they say Masse I did not see his head and beholding wishly whether he were altogether without a head or no I saw his head leane and withered as if it had bene all of wood and the Spirit of the Lord said this signifieth the state of the Roman Church Ann. 1200. to 1300. In the thirteenth Age Grosted Bishop of Lincolne complained of many errors in the Church Innocent 4. in Math. Paris in Henr. 3.844 847. 848. and sought for a reformation and for that cause we may read in Mathew Paris the Pope resolued to Excommunicate and accurse him but this Bishop withstood the Popes Bulles and for his courage in that good cause was termed Romanorum malleus the Hammer of the Roman Church neither did hee oppose those abuses alone but the Cardinalls at that time withstood the Pope in his behalfe affirmed that the things wherewith hee charged the Pope were most true and thereupon they answered the Pope it was not safe for him so to proceede lest a tumult should follow especially say they seeing it is knowne there must bee a departure from vs and a forsaking of the Roman See Petrarch who well vnderstood the Doctrine of those times in his Latine Epistles which are full of wisdome and grauitie tells them Noui expertus c. I speake of my knowledge Noui expertus vt nulla ibi pietas nulla charitas nulla fides nulla Dei reuerentia in the Pope and his followers there is neither Faith godlinesse nor Truth the Popes Chaire is the Chaire of lying that is a defection a reuolt an apostacie of people which vnder the Standard of Christ rebell against Christ and fight for Satan they esteeme the Gospell for a Fable and the promises of the life to come for lyes About the same time Michael Cecenas Generall of the Order of Franciscans affirming the different opinions of different Members in the same Church Mich Cecenas contr Tyrannid Papae proclaimeth There were two Churches the one of the wicked sort flourishing in which the Pope raigned the other of godly and good men and this Church he presecuted In the fourteenth Age Ann. 1300. to 1400. Occham a learned Schooleman makes this complaint Alas the time of which the blessed Apostle prophecied when men will not suffer wholesome doctrine c. This Prophecie is altogether fulfilled in our dayes for behold there are many that peruert the holy Scriptures deny the sayings of the holy Fathers reiect the Canon of the Church molest persecute and bring into bondage and without mercy torment and afflict euen vnto death them that defend the trueth so that wee may rightly say of our times Occham procl com err Iohan. 22. that which Daniel long since pronounced Iniquitie is gone from Babylon from the Elders and Iudges which seemed to gouerne and rule the people for many that should bee Pillars in the Church of God and defend the trueth euen vnto blood cast themselues headlong into the pit of Heresies Ann. 1400. to 1500. In the fifteenth Age Gerson the Chancellour of Paris bids you open your eyes Gers declarat defect virorum and see if the Houses of
to shew that there was a kind of necessitie for the latencie obscuritie of the true Church especially in the later ages because it was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. SECT XXV The aforenamed corruptions and most remarkable declination of the Church of Rome in the later ages was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. AS the complainants haue made knowne vnto vs that there was an Apostasie a falling away from the trueth in the later ages so likewise you shall obserue that they told nothing of the defection in the Church which was not foretold by Christ and his Apostles at that time when the Mysterie of Iniquitie began to worke whereby you shall see the one foretels the other answers the Apostles spake of errours and heresies that were to come the complainants tell you of errours and heresies that in their dayes were come vt impleretur that whatsoeuer was foretold might bee accomplished Now that the Church of Rome hath fallen frō her first puritie that she is that Church at which the Prophecies long since pointed and is now fallen that the Pope is that Man of Sin that sits in the Temple of God which was forespoken and that there is not neither can bee any other Church to which the Prophesies can fitly agree I wil compare the Romish Doctrine with those Prophesies that her Tenets in the Church may appeare to the Euidence of things foretold and her doctrine may appeare to be the accomplished Reuelation of St. Iohns Reuelation First then let vs examine by way of question and answer Whether the Church of God hath not fallen from her first sinceritie more or lesse in all ages How comes it to passe that the Pope of Rome assumes to himselfe the fulnes of power and is aduanced aboue the kings of the earth which are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 It was foretold The Man of Sinne shall be reuealed which is an Aduersary ◠Thess 2.3 4. and is exalted aboue all that is called God and that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God How comes it to passe that there are such lying wonders and false miracles wrought in the Church of Rome in these latter times It was foretold Math. 13 14 The sonne of perdition shal be reuealed whose comming is by the effectuall working of Satan 2 Thess 2 9 with all power and signes lying wonders How comes it to passe that the Shepheard of the flocke is become the wolfe and the chiefe Pastors teach peruerse doctrine to make Proselytes of their owne It was foretold After my departure Acts 20.29 grieuous wolues shall enter in among you not sparing the flocke and shall speake peruerse things to draw Disciples after them How comes it to passe that the common people are giuen to beleeue fables and reade Legends in stead of Scriptures It was foretold 2 Tim. 4.1 The time will come when they will not suffer holesome doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lustes get them a heape of Teachers and shall turne their eares from the trueth and shall be giuen to Fables How comes it to passe that the Church of Rome makes a distinctiō of meats and forbids Marriage vnto Priests It was foretold In the later times some shall depart from the faith 1 Tim. 4.1 and giue heed to the spirit of errour and doctrine of Deuils forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats How comes it to passe that Indulgences and Pardons are granted for mony and made the treasure of the Church It was foretold There shall be false teachers among 〈◊〉 by whom the way of trueth shall be euill spoken of 2 Pet. 2.3 and through couetousnesse shall with fained words make merchandise of you Reu. 18.3 How comes it to passe that the number of the faithfull are so few that at all times they cannot easily be discerned It was foretold Luk. 18.8 When the Sonne of man commeth he shall not find faith vpon the earth 2 Thess 2.3 Againe The day shall not come except there bee a falling away first and that man of Sinne be reuealed How comes it to passe that the Deuil hath seduced the people in these latter aages It was foretold When a thousand yeeres are expired Reuel 20.7 Satan shall bee loosed out of his prison and shall goe to deceiue the people in the foure quarters of the earth How comes it to passe that the Church of God which is tearmed a Citie vpon a hill should bee obscured and scarcely discerned in these latter ages It was foretold Reuel 12.6 The woman fled into the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that they should feed her there How comes it to passe that in the time of peace and securitie errours were brought in by the enemy of the Gospel It was foretold While the husbandman slept Math. 13.25 there came the enemie and sowed the tares among the wheat and the enemy was the Deuill Lastly how comes it to passe that we haue made a departure from the Church of Rome Vt impleretur that it might bee fulfilled which was spoken Reue. 18.4 Goe out of her my people that yee be not partaker of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues And certainly all these sayings are come to passe that not one jott of his word should passe not fulfilled so that wee see not any things fulfilled in the Church of Rome which were not foretold neither was any thing foretold but in the fulnesse of time shall bee accomplished SECT XXVI The Conclusion of this Treatise shewing in sundrie particulars the certaintie and safetie of the Protestant and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romish Way THe Philosopher tels vs that Trueth and Falshood are neere neighbours the outmost postes of their doores are both alike yet their way is contrary for the one leadeth vnto life the other vnto death If we shal inquire further how to distinguish the house of Truth from the house of Errour hee giues this Character The doore of Falshood is painted and beautifully adorned but the doore of Trueth is plaine and homely and heereby it appeares that many times men are deceiued and mistake the doore and goe into Errours house when they seeke the Trueth These two wayes I haue briefly suruayed and distinguished by two seuerall Titles The Safe way an◠The By way The one like the house of Trueth is plaine and naked and knowne only by the Scriptures and this is Via Tuta a certaine Safe way The other like the house of Falsehood is adorned with specious shewes and colourable pretences of Traditions of Fathers of Coūcels of a pompous outside of an eminent and glorious Church and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Let vs looke back and take a short view of the
whose eares are intirely affected towards Religion And in like manner Saint Austen made the like answere Quia etsi fortassè nomen ipsum non inueniret res tamē ipsa inveniretur quid est enim contentiosius quá vbi de re cōstat certare de nomine Aug. Epist 174. Albeit the word perhaps be not found there yet the thing it selfe is found and what more friuolous quarrell is it then to contend about the word when there is a certaintie of the thing I will not require of our aduersaries to shew mee in the Scriptures the word of Transubstantiation of Masse of Supremacie and the like because they receiue them as Traditions which are not conteined in the Scriptures but on the other side if any Romanist will deny that the Articles of the Apostles Creed are not contained in the Scriptures and yet will shew me in expresse words I beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth or that the holy Catholike Church and Communion of Saints are the expresse wordes contained in the Scriptures I will subscribe to the Articles of the newe Romane Creed and allow all Papall Traditions for Apostolical For we doe not say that nothing is to bee beleeued de fide but what is written in the Scriptures in expresse termes but wee professe it must be directly or by necessary consequence deduced from the Scriptures It was the answere of Epiphanius to the disciples of Arius in the Primitiue Church Wee all of vs doe confesse the Father to be vnbegotten Epiphan haeres 69. nu 71. increate and it is surely an admirable saying but shew mee if you can where this saying is written for neither doeth the Law of Moses nor the Prophets nor yet the Apostles make any mention thereof If then we do piously acknowledge this saying though it were not written any where Idem haeres 75. who can find fault with vs though the word Coessentiall or Consubstantiall be not written As therefore we confesse the words Vnbegotten Increate Consubstantiall the word Trinitie and the like are not found in Scriptures so I thinke no Romanists will or can deny but that all those words are implyed in the Scripture or by necessary inference deduced from them To conclude therefore this second poynt and first Article of the Romane Creed since Papall Traditions haue no foundation in the Scripture nor are contained in any Apostolike author by our aduersaries confession since they want a continued succession from the Apostles time with vniuersalitie of Churches consent of Fathers since they are not resolued of a certaine and definite number of doctrinall Traditions which ought to be resolued in poynts of Faith Lastly since the Scriptures by the testimonies of both sides is the safest and furest rule for all beleeuers and since many Papall Traditions are different if not contrary to the Scriptures To follow vnknowne and vnwritten doctrines for knowne and written verities is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via deuia a wandring and By-way I proceed in the next place to the examination of the ancient Fathers whereby it shall appeare the Romish faith and doctrine as it wants Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie of Churches so likewise it is vtterly destitute of the consent of ancient Fathers SECT X. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to sifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them Cant. 1.7 and 6.1 TEll mee then O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest whither is thy beloued turned side that wee may seeke him with thee Shall wee seeke him in the Fathers Oh saith Campian If wee once name the Fathers Camp Rat. 5. the field is fought the wager is won on our side for they are all ours Yea saith Bristow In most matters of Controuersie they are so plain on our side Brist Mot. 14. that it cannot with any colour bee denied or called in question Yea Duraeus the Iesuit claimes a peculiar interest in the behalfe of the Roman Church Nos Patrū veri filii sumus Dur. coutr Whitak p. 125. 140. Wee onely are the true sonnes of the Fathers wee doe not cite them by the halues sometimes allowing one part of their doctrine sometimes reiecting another but we embrace them all And for confirmation of this assertion the Romanists in their Apologie or Petition of Lay Catholikes make this generall acclamation Apolog. or Pet. of Lay Cath. 1604. cap. 4. For one place of a Father sometimes ill cited sometimes falsified sometimes mutilated and sometimes wholly corrupted by Protestants we can produce a thousand not by patches and mammockes as they doe but whole pages whole chapters whole bookes and the vniforme consent of all the ancient Fathers and Catholique Church Thus the wicked Iewes claimed Abraham for their Father and thus the frantike Grecian claimed all the ships in Athens to bee his Thrasilaus when the poore man had least interest in them If Campian and his fellow Iesuites had been liuing in the dayes of the ancient Fathers surely they had been branded with the markes of heretikes for their false alarums for Carosus the Eutychian heretike although his claime reach not to all the Fathers Ego secundum expositionem trecentū octodecem Patrum sic credo c. Concil Chalc. Act. 4 p. 877. yet saith he according to the Exposition of three hundred and eighteene Fathers so I beleeue and in this faith was I baptized what should ye say more to mee I cannot tell And Dioscorus the heretike much like the Iesuit makes an open outcry in the Councell of Chalcedon Ego cum Patribus eiicior ego defendo Patrum dogmata ego horum habeo testimonia non simpliciter aut transitoriè sed in ipsorum libris expressum Concil Chalc. Act. 1. I haue the testimonies of the holy Fathers Athanasius Gregorie Cyril I varie not from them in any poynt I am throwne foorth and banished with the Fathers I defend the Fathers doctrine I haue their iudgement vttered not by chance or vnaduisedly but remaining expressed in their books Thus Paynims heretikes Iewes and Iesuits claime Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in Traditions and Fathers yea the heretikes did glory and vaunt of the Fathers in the two famous Councels of Nice and Chalcedon in the very presence of the Fathers themselues yea Pelagius the heretike when he disagreed from the doctrine of the Fathers like a true Romanist thought to aduance his owne heresie by magnifying the Faith of Ambrose an ancient Father Blessed St. Ambrose saith he that Bishop Pelag. lib. 3. de lib. Arbitrio q. in whose bookes the Roman faith especially appeareth who like a beautifull flower shined amongst the Latine Writers whose faith and most pure vnderstāding of the scriptures the enemy himselfe dares not reprehend This is the very practise of the Romane church in these daies They glory
in the name of the Fathers as if they were the true children only heires of their doctrine when as in truth their chiefest points of faith were scarse known much lesse beleeued de fide in their dayes Neither do I conceiue that the Romanists doe thus vaunt of the Fathers because they are fauorable to their cause but because they knowe the common people can learne nothing of the Fathers but what they heare and vnderstand from the report of their owne Priests Looke vpon the practise of the greatest champions in the Roman church doth not Andradius Card. Bellarmine and Card. Caietan contrary to the Article of the Roman Creed decline the Exposition of the ancient Fathers Doth not Cardinall Baronius professe that the Church of Rome doth not alwayes follow the consent of Fathers Doth not their owne Lyra witnes that the sayings of the holy Fathers are not of so great authoritie Nam dicta Sanctorum Patrum noÌ„ sunt tantae authoritatis quin liceat contrarium tenere in t is quae per Scripturas non determinaÌ„tur Lyra. in Math. 1. but that it is lawfull to hold the contrary to them in those things which are not determined by the Scriptures Doeth not their Bishop Canus acknowledge that the ancient Fathers sometimes erre and against the ordinary course of Nature bring forth a monster Canus loc Theol lib. 7 c. 3 n. 7. Nay more doe not their own Diuines at Doway make this publike declaration Cum igitur in Catholicis veteribê° aliis plurimos feramê° errores extenuemê° excusemus excogitato commento persaepe negemus coÌ„modum iis sensum affingamus cuÌ„ opponuntur in disputationibê° aut in confictionibus cum aduersariis Ind. Expur Belgiâ— p. 5. Edit Antw. An 1. 1571. We beare with many errours in the old Catholike Writers wee extenuate them wee excuse them and by inuenting some deuised shift we oftentimes deny them and faine some commodious sense for them when they are obiected in disputations or conflicts with our aduersaries If therefore the best learned Romanists sometimes excuse them somtimes decline them sometimes condemne them shall we think the Fathers are all theirs I appeale to their owne confessions First touching the words of Christ Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church Maldonat the Iesuite makes this confession The meaning of these words viz. Mald. in Math. 16.19 p. 352. That the Rocke is Christ seemes not to mee to bee the true meaning which all the Fathers thinke to be so whom euer I remember to haue read Hillary excepted In like maner touching the words Whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shall be loosed in Heauen c. he makes this publike profession I will not interpret Idem Ibid. that this which is heere spoken to Peter is spoken also in the same sense to the other Apostles although I see all Interpreters to be of that mind Communis sententia TheologoruÌ„ admittit simplicitèr merituÌ„ de coÌ„digno quae senteÌ„tia verissima est Bell. de Iustif l. 5. c. 16 Origen onely excepted Will you haue instances without exception It is the common sentence of all Diuines sayeth Bellarmine simply to admit merit of condignitie which sentence is most true Yet their owne Fryar Walden protested confidently Sicut omnes sancti priores vsque ad recentes Catholicos communis scripsit Ecclesia Wal. Tom. 3 de Sacram. tit 1. cap. 7. that he was the sounder Diuine and more faithfull Catholike who doth simply denie such merit as all the former Saints that is all the ancient Fathers and the vniuersall Church vntil the late Schoolemen haue written Againe it is the generall vote of the later Romanists that the words This is my body are the very formall and efficient cause of Transubstantiation yet their owne Archb. of Caesarea witnesseth Christoph li. 1. pa. 115. that all the orthodox Fathers both Greek and Latin teach that Consecration is made by Christs prayer and benediction and not by those words This is my body Lastly it is the generall Tenet of the Roman Church at this day that the blessed Virgin was conceiued without original sinne in so much as Bellarmine professeth Inter Catholices non sunt numerandi Bell. de Amissa gra l. 4. c. 15 they are not to be numbred amongst Catholikes that thinke the contrary and yet their owne Bishop Canus witnesseth with vs that Sansti omnes Sancti omnes vno ore asseueraruÌ„t beatam virgineÌ„ in peccato originali conceptam fuisse Canus loc Theol lib. 7 c. 1 n. 1. n. 3. All the holy Fathers vno ore with one consent affirme the blessed virgin to haue been conceiued in originall sinne The Fathers then by their good leaue are not all theirs in some capital points by their own confessions they are none of theirs nay they are reputed no good Catholiques by their own Tenets that teach not contrary to the Vniforme consent of Fathers I proceed to the examinanation of more witnesses in the fundamentall poynts of their Roman faith Touching the Communion in one kind Patres Primitiua Ecclesia populum à CoÌ„munione calicis non prohibebant nos arcemê° Aene. Syl. Epist 130. it is the confession of Aeneas Syluius The Fathers in the Primitiue Church did not forbid the people to drinke of the Cup but wee driue them from it Touching the doctrine of Transubstantiation it is the confession of Card. Cusanus Certaine of the ancient Fathers are found of this mind Cusan exercit lib. 6. that the bread in the Sacrament is not transubstantiated nor changed in nature Touching Priuate Masse it is the confession of Cardinall Bellarmine Bell. de Missa lib. 2. c. 9. There is no expresse testimony amongst the ancient Fathers but it may be gathered by coniectures Touching Prayer Seruice in an vnknown tongue it is the confession of Cassander Cassand Liturg. cap. 28. The Canonicall Prayers and especially the words of Consecration the ancient Fathers did so read it that all the people might vnderstand and say Amen Touching Adoration of Images it is the confession of Massonus a learned Papist E Bibliothecâ Papirii Massoni â—â—eius libellis de picturis et imaginibus There is no example in Scriptures or Fathers for Adoration of Images they ought to bee taken for ornament to please the sight not to instruct the people Touching Indulgences and Pardons it is the confession of Cardinall Caietan There is no authoritie of Scriptures or Fathers Caiet opusc 16. c. 1. Greeke or Latine that bring them to our knowledge Touching Purgatory it is the confession of Fisher Bishop of Rochester Roff Art 18. contra Lutherum Of Purgatory there is very little or no mention amongst the ancient Fathers Touching the number of seuen Sacraments it is Bellarmines confession Bell. de effect Sacrament lib. 2. cap. 24. The Protestants ought not to require of vs to shew the
sacras literas interpretari possint Alphonsus aduers Haeres lib. 1. cap. 4. whether one maâ— may bee a Pope and an heretike both together for I beleeue there is none so shameles a flatterer of the Pope that will graunt him that prerogatiue that hee can neuer erre nor bee deceiued in expouÌ„ding the scripture seeing it is well knowne that diuers Popes haue beene so palpably vnlearned that they haue beene vtterly ignorant of their Grammar and therefore how can they be able to expound the Scriptures 8. Lyra. Exhoc patet quod Ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis Ecclesiasticae vel saecularis quia multi Principes et suÌ„mi Pontifices inuenti sunt Apostataffe à Fide Lyra in Math. 6. Hereby it appeareth that the Church standeth not vpon men in consideration of their power or dignitie Ecclesiasticall or Temporall for many Princes and Popes haue prooued Apostata's and strayed from the Faith 9. Arboreus The Pope may erre in Fai h and he seemeth to me to bee in a foule errour that thinketh otherwise surely they doe but flatter the Bishop of Rome Papa infideÌ„ errare potest et tota mihi aberrare videtur qui alitèr sentit assentatur fanè Romano Pontifici qui faciunt eum immunem à lapsu hareseot schismatis Thesoph lib 4. cap. 32. that make him free from falling into Schisme or heresie Neque aliquem sua dignitas ab increpationibus tutuÌ„ reddit quae Petrum noÌ„ reddidit multosque alios eodem praditos gradu vt MarcelluÌ„ qd Diis libâ—sset vt Calestinum qd cuÌ„ Nestorio haretico sentiâ—et De Donat ConstaÌ„tini Persona quaelibet singularis de Ecclesia cuiusâ—unque dignitatis etiamsi Papalis circundata est infirmitate et deuiabilis est vt fallere possit falli Gerson de examinat doctr Consid 1. 10. Laurentius Valla No mans dignitie doth defend him from controulment for Peter was not so defended nor many others that were aduanced to that degree as Pope Marcellinus in that he offered sacrifices vnto Idols and Pope Caelestinus in that he agreed with the heretike Nestorius 11. Gerson Euery one of what degree soeuer in the Church although hee bee Pope himselfe is compassed with infirmities and subiect vnto errour and is in possibilitie of deceiuing and being deceiued 12. Erasmus Siverum est qd quidam asseuerant Romanum Pontificem errore iudicali noÌ„ posse vnquam errare quid opus generalibus Conciliis quid opus in ConciliuÌ„ accersere Iuris consultes ac theologos eruditos si pronuÌ„tian labi noÌ„ possit cur datê° est apellationi locus vet ad Synodum vel ad eundeÌ„ rectiê° edoctum postea quaÌ„ semel de causa proâ—uÌ„tiauit PontificeÌ„ quorsum attinet Academiaâ— in tractandis fidei quaestionibus distorquere cum ex vno Pontifice quod veruÌ„ est â—â—diro liceat Imò qui fit vt Pontificis huius decreta â—um illius pugnaÌ„ Decretis Eras Annot in 1 Cor. 7. If it bee true which some said that the Bishop of Rome can neuer erre Iudically what need Generall Councells why are men skilfull in the Lawes and learned in Diuinitie sent for to Councells If hee pronouncing cannot erre wherfore lyeth there any Appeale from the Pope to a Councell or to the Pope himselfe being better informed To what purposes are so many Vniuersities troubled with handling questions of Faith when truth may be had from his mouth Nay how commeth it to passe that one Popes Decrees are found contrary to an other The learned Romanists are all vowed seruants to the Pope but they giue not vp their verdict concerning the Popes Infallibilitie by reason they agree not in certaine amongst themselues and the reason as I conceiue of this their disagreement is the want of good euidence and pregnant testimonies giuen to the Inquest in the Popes behalfe for it is obserued by a Reuerend D. Feilds Append. to the 3. Book c. 26 p. 340. Diuine That the Infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement was so farre from being a thing resolued of in the Church of God before our time that Stapleton confesseth of these times It is yet no matter of Faith but of opinion onely because so many famous renowned diuines haue euer holden the contrary as Gerson Almaine Occam almost all the Parisians all they that thought the Councell to be aboue the Pope Adrianus Sextus Durandus Alphonsus à Castro and many moe And it was likewise published declared within these two hundred yeres by their owne generall and graund Councell of Basil Vniuersalis Ecclesia sape obedientiam Romanis Pontificibê° subtraxit Marcellino Anastatio Liberio Iohanni 12. Benedicto 9. Benedicto 13. Iohanni 23 Certum est PapaÌ„errare posse sape experti sumus et legimus Papam errasse Epi. Synod CoÌ„cil Basil that the vniuersall Church did oftentimes withdraw her obedience from the Romane Bishops as namely from Marcellinus Anastasius Liberius Iohn the twelfth Benedict the ninth Benedict the thirteenth and Iohn the 23 and there the reason is giuen because it is certaine the Pope may erre and this say they wee haue read and seene by experience These things being aduisedly heard and considered I haue again consulted with the Foreman of the Inquest who would haue it piously to bee beleeued that the Pope cannot erre what should become of those that yeelde obedience to the Pope when he may erre and teach false doctrine or how shall a troubled mind learne the Law from his mouth when he neuer preacheth To this the Cardinall replies Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 5. It is not materiall whether you heare the Pope or no when as there are Teachers in your owne Parish who may informe you And thus from the Essentiall Church to the Councell from the Councell to the Consistorie of Cardinalls from the Consistorie to the Pope from the Pope wee are sent at last to the Bishop or Priest of the Parish this is Via Dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way and this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way SECT XXII The Church vpon which the learned Romanists ground their Faith is no other then the Pope and the Church vpon which the vnlearned Romanists do relie is no other then their Parish Priest TOllet the Iesuite obseruing that difference of opinions might breed some distraction in the Church and scruples in the minds of the ignorant resolues with what safetie the Romish Proselytes may relie vpon their Priests doctrine Si rusticus circa articulos credat suo Episcopo propoueÌ„ti aliquod dogma haereticuÌ„ meretur in credendo licet sit error quia tenetur credere donec ei constet esse contra Ecclesiam Toll de Instruct Sacerd lib. 4. cap 3. If one beleeue saith hee his Bishop or Prelate preach contrarie to the Faith thinking that it is so beleeued by the Church such a one shall not onely not sinne but also in beleeuing that falshood shall
performe an act meritorious The beliefe then of the Romish doctrine doeth not consist altogether in the trueth of it but in the faith of the beleeuer for let it be true or false if it bee receiued with an affected ignorance and a blinde obedience the partie shall be safe as it were by fire that is as they elegantly vnderstand it shall goe through the fire of Purgatory to heauen Cardinall Cusanus hath giuen his voice with Cardinal Tollet that it is the safest and surest way to relie vpon the Priest as Ruler of the people without further inquirie of the trueth and thereupon he cries out with admiration as if hee would astonish his Disciples with the name of the Church QuaÌ„ firma est aedificatio Ecclesiae quia nemo decipi potest etiam per maluÌ„ praesidentem Si dixeris Domine obediui tibi in praeposito hoc tibi sufficiet ad salutem tu enim per obedientiam quam facis praeposito queÌ„ Ecclesia â—olerat decipi nequis etiaÌ„si praeceperit alia quaÌ„ debuit praesumit enim ecclesia de illa sententia cui si tu obedieris magna erit meâ—ces tuâ— Obedeenâ—â—â—t â—tur irrâ—â—tionalis est coâ— suâ—mâ—ta obedientia et per fectissima scil quando obeditur sine inquisitione rationis sicut tumentuÌ„ obedit domino suo Cusan Exist lib. 2. lib. 6. O how strong is the building of the Church for no man can be deceiued no not by an euill Bishop if thou say vnto God O Lord I haue obeyed thee in my Bishop this shall suffice thee vnto saluation for thou canst not bee deceiued by thy obedience that thou yeeldest to the Bishop whom the Church suffereth although hee commaund thee other things then he ought to doe for the Church presumeth his sentence to bee good which sentence if thou obey thy reward shall bee great Obedience therefore without reason is a full and perfect obedience that is when thou obeyest without inquiring of reason as a horse is obedient to his Master The Bishop or Priest then is the man we must obey and beleeue for his lips preserue knowledge his tongue will tell no lies but what if hee faile in his doctrine what if hee erre in his opinion are we sure he doeth euer deliuer the constant Tenet of his Church Admit then Saint Bernard were aliue and if a poore ignorant soule should come vnto him and demand of him whether hee thinke it possible for a man to keepe the Commandements will he say that a man may keep them for the Church teacheth so Bernard in Can. Serm. 50. when as he himself confidently affirmeth Therin thou shalt yeeld vnto vs that the Commaundements neither haue been fulfilled by any man in this life nor indeed can bee Admit that Thomas Aquinas were aliue and one of his disciples should desire to be resolued what worship to giue an Image would he tell him it must be worshipped with Dulia an inferiour honour when as himselfe protesteth Quod eâdeÌ„ reuerentia exhibeatur Imagini Christi vt ipsi Christo Aquin. p. 3. q. 25. art 3. that the Image of Christ is to bee honoured with the same honour that Christ himselfe is Admit that Cardinal Caietan were aliue and one should desire to know whether the Bookes of Macabees were canonical Scriptures would hee teach they were Canonicall when his fellow Canus professeth Canus li. 2. loc Theol. cap. 11. hee was so farre from teaching it that hee maintained the contrary Looke vpon the grand fundamental point of Transubstantiation if a Romanist will consult with the Priests and Bishops of these late ages it will appeare there could be no certaintie for an ignorant lay man to build his faith vpon the resolution of his Priest or Prelate As for instance in this particular poynt If a lay Papist had required satisfaction of Bishop Fisher Whether the doctrine of Transubstantiation was grouÌ„ded vpon the authoritie of the Scripture it is presumed he would haue answered according to his owne writing Roffens contr Capt. BabylonicaÌ„ c. 10. N. 8. O. Non potest per vllam Scripturam probare It cannot bee proued by any place of Scripture If hee had appealed from the Bishop to a Court of Cardinals Cardinall de Aliaco would haue told him Patet quod ille modê° sit possibilis nec repugnat rationi nec authoritati Bibliae c. Pet. de Alliac in 4. Sent. q. 6. Art 1. Caier in 3. part q. 79. Art 1. The maner which supposeth the substance of bread to remaine is possible neither is it contrary to reason nor the authoritie of the Scriptures Card. Caietan would haue told him That part which the Gospell hath not expressed wee haue receiued expresly from the Church viz. the conuersion of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ Card. Bellarmine would haue told him It is not altogether improbable that there is no expresse place of Scripture to prooue it Bellar. de Euch. lib. 3. cap. 23. and it may iustly bee doubted whether the Text bee cleare enough to inforce it Againe admit an ignorant lay man would require the iudgement of particular Priests in former ages Bertram a Priest would haue told him Bertr of the body and blood of Christ ann 1623. In respect of the substance of the creatures looke whatsoeuer they were before Consecration they are euen the same after Bellar. de Euch. l. 5. c. 15. Peter Lombard and Aquinas would haue told him that the Sacrament of the Altar was a commemoratiue sacrifice because it communicated the effects of the real killing of Christ Ante Lateranense CoÌ„cilium non fuit dogma fidei Scot. in 4. Sent. dist 11. q. 3. Scotus would haue told him Transubstantiation was not beleeued as a point of faith before the Councel of Lateran about 400 yeeres agoe Durand would haue told him The materiall part of the consecrated bread was not conuerted Durand 4. d. 11. q. 1. Bell. de Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 13. All these were Priests and members of the Romane Church they were Defenders of the Roman Faith in their times they declared by their Writings and Instructions to the people that doctrine which was altogether different if not flatly opposite to the Tenet of the now Roman Church And from hence it will follow that either the Roman Church doth want that Vnitie in poynts of Faith which they so much magnifie amongst themselues or otherwise it is an vnstable and a doubtfull way to relie vpon the instructions of his Bishop or Priest for the assurance of his right beliefe Moreouer that the Cardinals Bishops maintained a different doctrine from their owne Church it will appeare by the seuerall confessions confutations of their own Church-men Touching Bertram Bellar. de Script Eccles Tom. 7 p 121. Bellarmine saith Paschasius Ratbertus liuing at that time wrote a booke against him and confuted his errour Touching Peter Lombard