admitted Acts 2 after one sermon of Saint Peter wherin he had taught the principall heads of faith in Christ in one day 3000 men were baptized who whithout doubt knew nothing else but those necessary things And therefore it is added that after baptisme they perseuered in the Doctrine of the Apostles that is they learned what yet they had not heard of Christian Misteries c. B. Vsher Sermon at Wanstâ—d pag. 32. See also his booke De Christianarum eccles successu statu cap. 1. § 15. This our Bishop Vsher agreeth vnto alledging the Apostles sermons to that purpose which treated onely of the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ vpon the receiuing whereof as of sufficient doctrine to make them Christians men were baptized And this he further confirmeth by the writings of Irenaeus and Tertullian and the Creeds receiued by the Church the Apostles Creed the Creed of Athanasius The Creed of the East Church See before cap. 1. sect 2. subject 1. §. 2. recited and confirmed for the beleefe of the whole Church in the Councells of Nice and Constantinople and the late Councell of Trent Whereof I haue spoken already § 5. D. Field of the Church booke 3. chap 4. Our Doctor Field doth more fully and perfectly describe those things that so neerely touch the very life and being of Christian Faith and Religion that euery one is bound particulaâ—ly and expresly to know and beleeue them vpon paine of eternall damnation He reduceth them to sixe principall heades First concerning God whom to know is eternall life we must beleeue and acknowledge the vnity of an infinite incomprehensible and eternall essence full of righteousnesse goodnesse mercy and trueth The Trinity of persons subsisting in the same essence the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost coessentiall coeternall and coequall the Father not created nor begotten the Sonne not created but begotten the holy Ghost not created nor begotten but proceeding Secondly we must know and beleeue that God made all things of nothing that in them he might manifest his wisdome power and goodnesse that he made men and Angels capable of supernaturall blessednesse consisting in the vision and enioying of himselfe that he gaue them abilities to attaine thereunto and lawes to guide them in the wayes that lead vnto it that nothing was made euill in the beginning that all euill entred into the world by the voluntary aversion of men and Angels from God their Creator that the sinne of Angels was not generall but that some fell and other continued in their first estate that the sinne of those Angels that fell is irremissible and their fall irrevocable that these are become deuils and spirits of errour seeking the destruction of the sonnes of men that by the misperswasion of these lying spirits the first man that euer was in the world fell from God by sinnefull disobedience and apostacy that the sinne of the first man is deriued to all his posterity not by imitation onely but by propagation and descent subiecting all to curse and malediction yet not without possibility and hope of mercifull deliuerance Thirdly we must beleeue that for the working of this deliuerance the Sonne of God assumed the nature of man into the vnity of his Diuine person so that he subsisteth in the nature of God and Man without all corruption confusion or conuersion of one of them into another that in the nature of man thus assumed he suffered death but being God could not be holden of it but rose againe and triumphantly ascended into heauen that he satisfied the wrath of his Father obtained for vs remission of sinnes past the grace of repentant conuersion and a new conuersation ioyned with assured hope desire and expectation of eternall happinesse Fourthly we must constantly beleeue that God doth call and gather to himselfe out of the manifold confusions of erring ignorant and wretched men whom hee pleaseth to be partakers of these precious benefits of eternall saluation the happy number and ioyfull society of whom we name the Church of God whether they were before or since the manifestation of Christ the Sonne of God in our flesh For both had the same faith hope and spirit of adoption whereby they were sealed vnto eternall life though there be a great difference in the degree and measure of knowledge and the excellency of the meanes which God hath vouchsafed the one more then the other Fiftly we must know and beleeue that for the publishing of this ioyfull deliuerance and the communicating of the benefits of the same the Sonne of God committed to those his followers whom he chose to bee witnesses of all things he did or suffered not onely the word of Reconciliation but also the dispensation of sacred and sacramentall assurances of his loue set meanes of his gracious working that those first messengeâ—s whom he sent with immediate commission were infallibly led into all truth and left vnto posterities that summe of Christian Doctrine that must for euer be the rule of our faith that these blessed messengers of so good and happy tidings departing hence left the Ministery of Reconciliation to those whom they appointed to succeed them in the worke so happily began by them Lastly we must know and be assuredly perswaded that seeing the renouation of our spirits and mindes is not perfect and the redemption of our bodies still remaining corruptible is not yet therefore God hath appointed a time when Christ shall returne againe raise vp the dead and giue eternall life to all that with repentant sorrow turne from their euill and wicked wayes while it is yet the accepted time and day of saluation and contrary wayes cast out into vtter darkenesse and into the fire that neuer shall be quenched all those that neglect despise so great saluation All these things and these onely doe directly concerne the matter of eternall saluation saith Doctor Field These things saith he make the rule of faith whereof a man cannot be ignorant and bee saued By these all the holy Fathers Bishops and Pastors of the Church measured and made their Sermons Commentaries and interpretations of Scripture This rule is deliuered by Tertullian Irenaeus Tertull. de praescriptionibus adversus hareticos adversus Praxcam Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 3. See here before cap. 1. sect 2. subsect 1. §. 2. and other of the Fathers and with addition of conclusions most easily clearely and vnavoydably deduced hence by Theodoret in his Epitome Dogmatum For a second sort of things there are that attend on these first as consequents deduced from them or some way appertaining to them such as a man being perswaded of these will see the necessary consequence and deduction of them from these if they be propounded vnto him As that there are two wills in Christ that there is no saluation remission of sinnes or hope of eternall life out of the Church c. In such second things clearely deduced from the first principles if a man
as in me lyeth firmely to be the true Church of Christ and the body of this State And I haue caried my selfe with that sincerity and singlenesse of heart that I may safely protest againe with S. Paul I speake the truth in Christ I lie not Rom. 9.1 c. my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost I renounce the hidden things of dishonesty not walking nor writing in craftinesse 2 Cor. 4.2 2.17 1.12 nor handling the word of God or diuine things decitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending my selfe to euery mans conscience in the sight and feare of God I am no Innouator inventer or fauourer of new things in Religion I search for the old and out of all kinde of Authors deduct allegations authorities consequences and reasons against the new I cut off extrauagant needlesse and endlesse questions priuate opinions both of these and former ages and comprehend the necessary points of Religion agreed vpon by the Scriptures Fathers and moderne diuines within their owne true limits I set downe the most substantiall points agreed vpon betwixt the Romans and vs and shew withall their vnnecessary additions and corruptions I search how corruptions came into the Church as they will doe into all societies of Men in continuance of time I shew how they were discouered opposed and reformation wished and sought for in all former ages and by what power policies and cunning they preuailed after Sathan was loosed I finde and shew the out-cries of historians and other learned men Emperours Princes Clergy and people yea of their owne writers against them all before Luthers time And all this while I shew the continuance of all necessary sauing doctrine in many other famous Churches beside the Church of Rome yea and within that Church also a sufficient visible number of many hundred thousands farre and wide spread in Countries and Nations and continewing till Luthers time which refused the gouernment errors and corruptions of the Papacy and taught the same substance of doctrine which Protestants now teach Yea the better part of the Church of Rome it selfe excepting onely the Papacy and the faction that maintained it held with great liberty the same most necessary points of Faith which we doe vntill by the Councell of Trent which was not a free end generall Councell but guided wholly by the Papall faction that liberty was taken away and the errors of the Papacy were imposed generally vpon all vnder paine of Anathema or depriuation of saluation Vpon due search of these and many other things which heere I deliuer vnto thee in the Scriptures Fathers Histories and all kinde of Authors of either Religion I haue by the grace of God attained to that perfect knowledge and assurance of the Verity Antiquity and Sufficiency of the Protestants doctrine to good life in this world and eternall saluation in the world to come that any mortall man can desire to haue and am as willing if God haue so decreed iâ— expedient and the times desire it to suffer for it as the holy Martyrs were for this same Religion in the Primitiue Church not writing any thing in substance which I will not willingly seale with my blood This is it deare Christian Reader which I present vnto thy view in this worke being a Summe or Abridgement of many great volumnes written on both sides vpon these points and thus briefly deliuered for thy greater case in reading and perfecter iudging of Truth and Errour Sincerity and Corruption Antiquity and Nouelty To answer all the Romish bookes lately come abroad in great numbers punctually following their owne method had beene an endlesse labour both to Writers and Readers and therefore for my part I thought better to gather their principall motiues and reasons out of the chiefest of their bookes and separating them into seuerall Chapters to giue them their full answer in their proper places so answering many bookes in one Among the store of all other Allegations I haue most willingly and commonly referred the Reader to the late Writers of our owne Nation and that especially for these Reasons First for the excellency of our Authors surpassing others both in multiplicity of reading profundity of Iudgement and sincerity of affection in deliuering the truth As we finde in our learned Bishops Iewel Abbots Bilson Morton Vsher Downham Hall White Andrew c. And our Doctors Fulke Raynolds Whitakers Field Favour White Prideaux c. And other Diuines Master Foxe Perkins Hooker and many other whose worthy labours I doe heartily commend to the diligent reading of our English men The Romish affected very well know that those English which haue fled from vs and written on their side haue in shew of wit and learning gone beyond not onely all former but all other of this Age So that Bellarmine takes most out of them in the points whereof they haue written as Sanders Allen Stapleton c. And therefore let no man contemne their owne Countreymens wits and learning but acknowledge their worth and make high account of their learned labours Secondly to shew that I bring no new thing of my selfe but what is fully confirmed by our most approued writers and that I also thankfully remember and honour them Per quos profecerim Thirdly to shew the vnity of the Writers of our Church from the beginning of the Reformation to this time contrary to the Romish slanders which charge vs with continuall varying from our selues Fourthly to shew to our English men especially where they may read in our learned English Writers more fully of the points which I deliuer briefly for their better instruction and satisfaction Fiftly because my selfe am aged and not fit by reason of the encreasing weakenesse of my body and memory hereafter if any flourishing busie wits list to oppose to manage this cause without much disparagement to it and to my selfe I thought good to alleadge many worthy Diuines now liuing that they might take vpon them the defence of their owne writings by me alleadged or impose it vpon others more able in body then my selfe Further I confesse that it much troubled me that I could not make my booke shorter without either making it too obscure and vn-intelligible or else cutting off much matter fit to giue the fuller satisfaction For by this length of it I doubt it will become tedious to many to reade it thorow and cary away the matter in their memory But I haue helped this Inconuenience as much as I could 1 by distinguishing the whole matter into Chapters euery Chapter being as it were a seuerall Treatise by it selfe which may be read alone without reference to the rest And 2 by dividing the Chapters if they be long into Sections and sometimes also the Sections into Subsections and Paragraphes marked thus § setting downe the summes of the Chapters and Sectâ—ons in the beginning and before them for the quicker finding or refinding of the matters therein contained and the easier view and
authenticke 4 Of the word written being the sure ground of faith 5 Of Traditions 6 The three Creedes Page 74 76 Paragraph § 7 Of Gods worship in Spirit and Truth Page 77 Paragraph § 8 Of prayer in a knowen tongue 9 And to God alone 77 10 Of Christ our Mediator 11 Of Saints praying for vs. 12 Of honour due to Saints departed Page 78 Paragraph 13 Of Iustification by Christs merits Page 79 Paragraph 14 Of mans inherent righteousnes sanctification Page 79 Paragraph 15 Of contrition confession satisfaction and vivification c. Page 79 Paragraph 16 Of such good workes as God hath prescribed Page 81 Paragraph 17 Of freewill Page 81 Paragraph 18 That workes done by grace please God and are rewarded of him Page 82 Paragraph 19 Of two Sacraments seales and conduits of iustifying grace Page 82 Paragraph 20 That to the well prepared Receiuers God giues as well the iustifying and sanctifying grace as the outward elements Page 82 Paragraph 21 That the worthy Communicant really partaketh Christs Body and Blood Page 82 Paragraph 22 Of heauen for the blessed hell for the damned Page 83 Paragraph 23 Of Christs satisfaction for our sinnes Page 83 Paragraph 24 That we ought to pray for al the members of Christs militant Church vpon earth Page 83 Paragraph § 2 The Protestants doctrine in generall iustified by two Cardinals Contarene and Campeggio and our Liturgy by Pope Pius 4. Page 83 Paragraph § 3 But the Popes reach further at an earthy Church kingdome prooued Page 85 Paragraph § 4 And they challenge a supremacy ouer all Christians and Churches in the world Page 89 Paragraph § 5 More specially ouer the Clergy exempting them from being subiects to Princes either for bodily punishments or goods Page 90 Paragraph § 6 Yea a supremacy ouer all Christian Princes and their states to depose dispose and transpose them and to absolue subiects from their Allegeance to rebell c. hence comes treasons c. Page 92 Paragraph § 7 To dissolue bonds oathes and leagues Page 95 Paragraph § 8 To giue dispensations to contract matrimony in degrees by Gods lawes forbidden to dissolue lawful matrim Page 96 Paragraph § 9 And other dispensations and exemptions from lawes Page 99 CHAP. 6. Paragraph Of policies to maintaine the Popes Princedome and wealth Page 102 Paragraph § 1 Depriuing men of the light of the Scriptures Page 102 Paragraph § 2 And of ordinary orderly preachings in stead whereof the Pope set vp ambulatory preachers Monkes and Friers to preach what was good for his state without controule of Church-Ministers Officers or Bishops Page 103 Paragraph § 3 Schoolemens too-much subtilty and philosophy filled mens heads darkned and corrupted wholesome Theology Page 109 Paragraph § 4 Jesuites and their originall after Luthers time noted their Seminaries emissions faculties insinuations and most politicke imployments Page 110 Paragraph § 5 Cardinals a most powerfull and politicke inuention Page 114 Paragraph § 6 Prouision for men and women of all sorts high and low by Monasteries to susteine and satisfie all humours Page 118 Paragraph § 7 Auricular confession discouering many secrets and finding humours fit for all imployments c. Page 120 Paragraph § 8 Her policies to get wealth Page 121 Paragraph § 9 Purgatory a rich thing Page 122 Paragraph § 10 So are indulgences or pardons Page 122 Paragraph § 11 And Iubiles Page 123 Paragraph § 12 Corruptions of Doctrine touching merits and Iustification c. Page 125 Paragraph § 13 Things hallowed by the pope Page 126 Paragraph § 14 Extraordinary exactions most grieuous to Nations most rich to the pope Page 126 The second Booke Chap. 1. THe first Chapter is a discourse of the visibility of the Church and fully answereth that common question of the Romists where was the Protestants Church before Luthers time This Chapter is large and for better satisfaction and perspicuity is diuided into foure sections The first section sheweth how visible the true Church ought to be Page 136 The second sheweth that the Protestants Church hath euermore been so visible as the true Church ought to be For it was the same in all necessary doctrine first with the Primitiue Church and afterwards also with the Greeke and Easterne Churches 149 The third section sheweth the Waldenses were of the same Religion which the Protestants maintaine and deliuereth a sufficient historicall discourse of the Waldenses 155 The fourth section sheweth that our Church and the Church of Rome was all one in substance till Luthers time For euen till then the Church of Rome continued to bee the true Church of God excepting the Popacy and the maintainers thereof which was rather a sore or a faction in the Church then any true or sound part thereof 195 Chap. 1. These principall Sections are also subdiuided into Subsections and those into smaller Paragraphes noted thus § Sect. 1. subsect 1. So the first Section which sheweth How visible the true Church ought to be hath two Subsections The first Subsection Paragraph § 1 Sheweth an obiected description of the excellency of the Church and a necessity of the perpetuall succession and visibility thereof Page 136 Paragraph § 2 That for a thousand yeares and more our Church was all one with the Roman notwithstanding some growing corruâ—tions Page 138 Paragraph § 3 After that coruptions grew intollerable in the Roman Church yet many mâ—sliked them and held the truth Page 138 Paragraph § 4 The whole Catholicke Church can neuer be visible to men at once but parts of it may and must Page 139 Paragraph § 5 The promises of purity and eternall life doe not belong to all the Called but to the Few chosen whose true faith to men is invisible though their persons and profession be visible Page 140 Paragraph § 6 And so much Bellarmine and many other Romanists yeeld Page 141 Subsect 2 The second subsection 143 Paragraph § 1 Some promises of God concerne the outward spreading of the Church and some the inward Graces Page 143 Paragraph § 2 The outward spreading and glorious visibility is not at all times alike Page 144 Paragraph § 3 So Saint Ambrose and Saint Austen teach by comparing the Church to the Moone Page 145 Paragraph § 4 Many Fathers and Romish Doctors say that in the time of Antichrist the Church will be obscure and hardly visible Page 145 Paragraph § 5 Which say Valentinianus and many Fathers was fulfilled in the Arrians time Page 146 Paragraph § 6 The Iesuite Valentinianus grants as much invisâ—bility of the Church as the Protestants desire Page 147 Paragraph § 7 Obseruations out of his grant Page 148 Chap. 1. Sect. 2. subsect 1 The second section shewing that the Protestant Church hath euermore been so visible as the Church of Christ ought to be hath two subsections Paragraph The first subsection concerning the first times Page 149 Paragraph § 1 Sheweth that the Protestants labour sincerely to teach the same doctrine which the Scriptures and
8. pag. 815. And with other Lawes Constitutions Councels and Ordinances he playeth fast and loose as he list Take for example that which is written in the end of the history of the Councell of Trent When much debating had beene betweene the Pope and the Cardinals whether his Holinesse should confirme the Councell or no because through the importunity of Princes and some learned Diuines many Decrees had passed for reformat on of diuers things whereby the dignity and profits of the Papacy and Court of Rome would bee much impaired at last Cardinall Amulius told the pope Since he could not possibly auoyd the calling and celebrating of the Councell so much desired by the clamour of the world he must now either quickly confirme it to satisfie the world or else Princes and States would vse other meanes by nationall Councells or by another generall Councell to satisfie themselues But now by confirming all and giuing as much quicke execution as was possible the pope might stay and quiet the humour of the world for the present and afterwards by vnsensible and vnresistable degrees by his dispensations he might bring all to the same estate wherein it was before without seeming to violate the decrees of the Councell and this policy tooke effect and so both frustrate the good reformation entended by the Decrees and also gulled the world and all the Princes and Prelates paines and turned all to the profit of the Pope his Court and Cardinalls Whereby it plainly appeares The popes faction aymeth not at the good of the Church or Christian Common-wealthes but onely at their owne wealth and greatnesse and hereby appeares also the great power and iniquity of the Popes dispensations Antiquus Whatsoeuer they aime at I am resolued that many of these things cannot be of God they are certainly the faults of men and abuses practised vnder colour of Religion I cannot I will not defend them But I doe much wonder how not being of God they should be so generally receiued beleeued to be of God and so long continued and not rather long since driuen out of the world by Princes and People Antiquissimus Sir if ye knew and considered the policies and power which haue been vsed to bring them in and maintaine them your wonder would cease Antiquus I pray you make me acquainted with them Antiquissimus Some of the principall and most obuious I will but my wit cannot sound the bottomlesse depth of the Mystery of Iniquity Antiquus A taste thereof shall content me CHAP. 6. Of policies to maintaine the Popes Princedome and Wealth 1 Depriuing men of the light of the Scriptures And 2 of their ordinary preachings and setting vp ambulatery Monkes and Pryars to preach without controule of Church Ministers and Officers 3 Schoolemens too much subtilty and Philosophy darkning and corrupting Diuinity 4 Iesuites their originall noted their Seminaries their Emissions faculties insinuations and imploiments 5 Cardinals 6 Prouision for men and women of all sorts by Monasteries c. 7 Auricular confession 8 Other policies to gather wealth 9 Purgatory a rich thing 10 So are Indulgences or Pardons 11 Jubilies 12 Corruptions of doctrine touching merits and Justification c. 13 Things hallowed by the Pope 14 Extraordinary exactions §. 1. THe Popes principall meanes to make the people his owne were 1 to keepe the Diuine Scriptures from them by which else they might discerne his vniustifiable policies Psal 119.105 and 19.7 8. For Gods Word is the light and lanthorne of Christians which S. Paul would haue to dwell plentifully among them Col. 3.16 and S. Peter would haue Babes in Christ to desire the sincere milke of the Word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 which is able to make them wise in the points of faith 2 Tim. 3.15 and perfectly furnished vnto all good workes verse 17. Chrysost serm 2. de Lazaro S. Chrysostome as doe many other Fathers also exhorts all people Lay-men especially Tradesmen Carpenters c. to get them Bibles more carefully then any other tooles of their occupation and the more they dealt in the world and met with temptations il examples and occasions of sinne so much more carefully to reade the Scriptures for direction and armour against them Christ himselfe commandeth Search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 and saith Matth. 22.29 Doe ye not erre not knowing the Scriptures So that herein They are Anti-Pauls and Peters Anti-chrysostomes and Anti-Christs that teach and practise the contrary Matth. 5 15. hiding the light of Gods Word vnder their Latin bushels from the vnlatined people in Gods house yea and from the Latined too vnder great penalties except they be licenced Surely as this is a meanes to obscure the truth and lead men as Captiues blind-fold whether they list * 2 Tim. 2.26 so it is a signe they loue not the truth but are euill men and hate the light lest their deeds should be reproued Ioh. 3.20 §. 2. But it was not sufficient to take from men the true light except there be added also a false light to misguide them for mens mindes being naturally desirous of knowledge and giuen to deuotion must haue that hunger satisfied and quieted either by truth or appearance Their second policy was therefore 2 To put downe the ordinary Pastors and Preachers or to take a course that they are discouraged disabled grow vnlearned and vnfit to preach and set vp others For Saint Paul appointed Bishops to ordaine Presbyters * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1.5 in euery City and Towne to wit such as dwell among the people might best know the wants sinnes capacities of their owne people See Tit. 5 6 7 c. 1 Tim 3.2 c. and 5.22 Acts 20.17 18. and apply their teaching the best way to informe reforme and winne them and such as being fixed in their places might best be called to account by the Bishop either for life or doctrine This was Gods excellent meanes to preserue sound doctrine and sincere holy liues of Ministers But when the Popes ambition and couetousnesse grew so great that they were not content with Christs heauenly Kingdome but would super-adde vnto it an earthly kingdome and make of Christs militant Church and Church triumphant vpon earth a visible Church Monarchy as Doctor Sanders entitles it ouer-topping all other Kingdomes of ciuill Princes Kings and Emperours and draw out of all Countries the Wealth and Treasure of the world to maintaine it Then the Ministers and Preachers of Christs ordaining would not serue their turne but would rather oppose And therefore it was the popes best policy to disgrace and disable them and to finde out and set vp others fitter for their purpose to preach in all places of the world by the authority and priuiledge of the Popes onely and wholly exempted from the Bishops iurisdictions and from all controule of other Ministers or Officers whatsoeuer So that these new Preachers meerely depending vpon the pope and maintained by
Consider the Doctrine of the Fathers §. 4. B. Vsher grau quaest cap. 6. §. 5. and of your owne learnedest men speaking especially of the time of Sathan let loose c Aug. epist 80. aâ— Hesychium Saint Augustine saith Ecclesiam non appâ—rituram impijs tunc persecutoribus vltra modum saeuientibus The Church shall not appeare the impious persecutors then beyond measure raging d Greg. in Iob lib. 9. cap. 29. Gregory The Church as one weakned with old age will scarce bring forth children by preaching e Sermâ—n dâ— consummatione mundi Antichristo edit Coloâ— 1603. pag. 219 Ephraim Syrus Men will earnestly enquire whether the Word of God be any where vpon earth and it will be answered No where f Soto in 4. Sâ—nt dist 40. q. 1 â—rt 1. Dominicus à Soto your great schooleman saith That faith will be extinguished in the world and vnder the leading of Antichrist the City of God will be ouerthrowne And of preaching the Word of God your g Aquin. Comment in cap. 9. Apocal. Aquinas saith At first when Antichrist is borne before he haue enlarged his power there will be preaching but after he is in his greatest domination then preaching he meaneth preaching of the truth will be particular and not as now generall nor so solemne as now And before Aquinas This wrote h Apud Vsher ibid. Valent. post lit t. Vsher ib. §. 7. Joachimus Abbas Florensis The whole Church of the Saints will be hidden for so the Elect of God will bee wise for themselues that they will not presume to preach publikely the darkenesse preuailing not that they will cease to encourage and exhort the faithfull more secretly but because they will not dare to preach openly §. 5. Haply you will appropriate this to be the last times of Antichrist which your Doctors hold to be very short but your Valentinianus extends it to other former times and applies it to the times of the Arrian Heresie Of which i Nazian initio Orat. 25. ad Arianos Nazianzen writes thus Where are they now that obiect pouerty vnto vs and insolently brag of their riches which define the Church by multitude and scorne the little flocke whereof k See Hilar. contra Aurent Bâ—sil â—pist 70 71. Vitam Aâ—tonij inter oâ—â—ra Atâ—anâ—â—ij other Fathers say l Vâ—ncen◠〈◊〉 commâ—â—iâ—oâ—â— that almost the whole world was shooken with the cruell tempest of that sudden heresie 〈◊〉 Bâ—câ—â—ri 〈…〉 so that it defiled not onely the parts of the East and West but entangled also the South and North and the Ilands with the perfidiousnesse thereof n Hieronymus contra Luciferianos So that the whole world groaned and wondered that it was become Arrian But the o Athanasius epist ad solitariam vitam agentes godly true followers of Christ as that great Prophet Elias were hidden and thrust themselues into holes and dennes of the earth or continued wandring in the Wildernesse For p Basil epist 69. auoyding the houses of prayer which were then become schooles of impiety they were compelled to lift vp their hands to the Lord in deserts and q Vincent Lirin in commonitorio the greatest part being thrust out and banished from the Cities were among the deserts holes sauage Beasts and rockes with hunger thirst nakednesse afflicted worne and wasted And r Basil epist 17. when they suffered the same things that their Fathers suffered yet they were not thought to suffer for Christ because their persecutors also were called by the name of Christians Thus was it with the true Christians in the Arians times thus with the Church of God in the middletimes after Sathans loosing thus with the Protestants in those later times all persecuted by them that called themselues Christians and Catholicks and held the chiefest places in the Christian world And such was the paucity and obscurity of Christians in the Arians times that S. Å¿ Basil ib. Basil cryes out An Ecclesias suas prorsus reliquit dominus Hath God verily forsaken his Church Is it now the last houre and doth the defection or departure thus take beginning that now henceforth that man of sinne that sonne of perdition may be reuealed c. But let vs heare the very words of your owne learned Iesuite t Greg. de Val. Analysis fidei lib. 6. cap. 4. probatione 4. §. Iam vero §. 6. Gregory de valentia who grants as much as we desire Now to refute the cauils of Sectaries saith he Note we doe not say The Church is alwayes alike conspicuous or alwayes alike easie to be discerned For we know it is sometimes tossed with the waues of Errours Schismes Persecutions so that to the vnskilfull not wisely esteeming the reasons of Times and Circumstances of things it is hard to be knowen Which then specially happened when the perfidiousnesse of the Arians domineerd well neere in all the world For at that time wrote Saint Ierom that the ship of the Church was almost ouerwhelmed And Hilary admonished in many words that the Church at that time was not to be sought Jn tectis exteriori pompa sed potius in carceribus speluncis not in houses or Temples and outward pompe but rather in prisons and caues Therefore we deny not but that it is harder to discerne the Church one time then another But this we affirme that it may alwayes be knowne of them that weigh things wisely For in that very time when it seemed to be hid compared with the times foregoing it might be perceiued that the Church was not with the multitude of Innovators but rather with those few who followed that which the ancient Fathers of the Church and all the faithfull held with great consent and long continuance Thus writes Gregory of Valence §. 7. Out of which testimony I obserue 1 That he excludes the perpetuall and vn-interrupted glory of the Church as not necessary nor any marke of the Church as you and many of your side make it 2 He grants that the Church may be in a few and not alwayes in the great multitudes 3 It may be onely in secret places prisons dennes and caues and not be found in temples and houses 4 It may be hard to be discerned and knowne 5 It is discerned and knowne not to euery one but to them that weigh things wisely 6 It is not with Innovators such as bring in nouelties or new doctrines but with them that hold what the ancient Church and Fathers held with great consent and long continuance This note makes wholly for the Protestants who reform the Church according to the first and best times and against the Church of Rome which hath brought in the worshipping of Images the Popes supremacy halfe Communions priuate Masses sale of Pardons and other things vnknowne to the Fathers and the Primitiue Church Antiquus Of these things we shall consider hereafter §. 2. The
figura est ergo Therefore it is a figuratiue speech And hee defines Sacraments to be o Contra Maximinum lib. 3. cap. 22. Sacramenta sunt signa aliud existentia aliud significantia signes being one thing and signifying another And of this Sacrament he saith p In psal 98. Non hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis bibituri illum sanguinem quem fusuri sunt qui me crucisigent Sacramentum aliquod commendavi vobis You shall not eat this body which you see nor drinke this blood which they will shed which crucifie me I commend a certaine Sacrament thereof vnto you And he often beats vpon this that though wicked men doe eat the signe and Sacrament yet none but the worthy receiuers doe eat rem Sacramenti the very Body of Christ q Serm. 11. de verbis Apostoli And Manducabant illi Panem dominum Iudas panem domini contra dominum illi vitam ille paenam r Tract 59. in Iohannem See also Tract in Ioan. 11. 13. 26. De civ Dei lib. 21. cap. 25. De Doctp christiana lib. 3. cap. 9. epist 23. ad Bonifacium epist 57. De Trinitate lib. 3. cap. 10. Contra Adimantum cap. 12. Contra Faustum lib. 20. cap. 21. alibi passim He held two Sacraments of the new Testament onely Å¿ Epistola 118. Libro 3. de doctrina Christiana cap. 9. Baptisme and the Lords Supper Calvin t Calvin Instit lib. 4. cap. 17. § 28. Peter Martyr and the rest of the Protestants count Saint Augustine wholly theirs as did Berengarius before them by Bellarmines confession u Bellar. de Euchar. lib. 2. cap. 24. initio Saint Augustine condemnes Image-worship Follow not saith he x De moribus ecclesiae lib. 2. cap. 34. De civ Dei lib. 8. cap. 27. See Vines comment vpon it the company of ignorant men who in true Religion are superstitious worshippers of Sepulchres and pictures which customes the Church condemneth and daily laboureth to correct And hee saith y De fide symbolo cap. 7. Contra Adimantum cap. 13. It is great wickednesse to place the Image of God in Churches And that to worship the Prototypon sampler or thing resembled by an Image resembling it as the Heathen excused their Idolatry is an absurd servile and carnall thing z De doctr Christiana lib. 3. cap. 7 8 9. See in psal 113 epist 49. And hee writes against Pilgrimages for Religion Serm. 3. De Martyribus Of Purgatory a thing which came to be imagined in his dayes in some places a Encherid cap. 69. de octo quaest Dulciâ—ij qu. 1. De side oâ—er cap. 16. De civ Dei lâ—b 21. cap. 26. hee doubteth whether there be any such place or no but in many places hee giueth sound reasons to ouerthrow it The Catholicke Faith saith he b Contra Pelag. Hypogn lib. 5. resting vpon Diuine authority beleeues the first place the Kingdome of Heauen and the second Hell a third we are wholly ignorant of Yea wee shall find in the Scriptures that it is not c De pecc merit remiss lib. 1. cap. 27. lib. 24. De civ Dei c. 15. serm 232. de tempt There is no middle place he must needs be with the Diuell that is not with Christ d De verbis Apostoli serm 18. There are two habitations after death Vna in igne aeterno altera in regno aeterno And c Homil. 5. when we are passed out of this world no satisfaction remaineth And f Epist 80. wherein euery man 's owne last day finds him therein the worlds last day will hold him For such as in this day euery one dies such in that day hee shall be iudged Againe g Epist 54. there is no other place then in this life to correct our manners for after this life euery one shall haue that which in this life he sought to himselfe For h De verbis Dom. serm 37. Christus suscipiendo paenam non suscipiendo culpam culpaÌ„ delevet panam Christ by taking vpon him our punishment and not taking our sin hath put away both our sin punishment He that holds these things cannot hold Purgatory In briefe therefore In all these former points And furthermore against Free-will and for Gods grace against Mans merits and iustification by our inherent righteousnesse and for Iustification by Gods free mercy and Christs merits onely for the doctrine of faith and good workes for prayer to God alone and by the onely Mediator Iesus Christ against the adoration and inuocation of Angels and Saints departed and other the most necessary and profitable points of Theologie Saint Augustine was no Papist but wholly and entirely of the Protestants Religion §. .7 Antiquus How can this possibly be so when you see our Catholickes doe continually cite Saint Augustine Chrysostome and the rest of the Fathers for confirmation of their doctrine and against yours Antiquissimus They may first cite bookes vnder the names of the Fathers which the Fathers neuer wrote secondly they may corrupt the Fathers putting in or out words or phrases to alter their sense and speake contrary to their meaning thirdly they may by glosses and interpretations wrest the sentences which they finde in them to meane otherwise then they intended and fourthly they may alter the state of the questions betwixt vs and then alleadge the Fathers against their owne fancies not against our Doctrine And by these meanes they may cite and multiply the Fathers names in shew against vs but in truth nothing to the purpose And thus they doe First they alledge many bookes and writings which were not written by those holy learned Fathers whose names they beare For examples Our Bishop Jewell propounding 27 Articles which the Church of Rome holdeth at this day for confirmation of any one of which if any man liuing could shew him any sufficient sentence of any old Catholicke Doctor Father or generall Councell c. within 600 yeeres after Christ he would yeeld and subscribe See Casaubon Prolegom §. Spectare ad Master Harding vndertaking to answer alledged for ancient Doctors and Fathers The Constituions Apostolicall of Clemens Abdias Dionysius Areopagita The decretall Epistles of ancient Popes Amphilochius and such like which are all censured by their owne learned men for counterfeit writings vniustly attributed to the Reuerend Authors whose names they beare Obserue them well Clements Apostolicke Constitutions are cited also by the Rhemists a Rhemes Test annot in Luc. 4.1 to proue Lent Fast to bee as ancient as the Apostles times and by Bellarmine b Bellar. lib. 1. de clericis c. 12. for the antiquity of Ecclesiasticall Orders Also c See Bellarmines seuerall Treatises of these things for vowes of continency for prayer for the dead for holy water for reseruation of the Sacrament for mixing Wine and Water
question is not of the truth of the presence but of the manner whether it be to the teeth or belly which he in a manner denies or to the soule and faith of the Receiuer So also d Bellarm. De Purgat lib. 1. cap 6. Bellarmine for the proofe of Purgatory alleadgeth a number of Fathers as Ambrose Hilary Origen Basil Lactansius Jerom but farre from the purpose of the question and quite beside their meaning for they spake of the fire at the end of the world as e Sixtus Senens Bibl. lib. 5. Annot 171. Sixtus Senensis saith and Bellarmine cites them for the fire of Purgatory before the end f Bellarâ—ib Hee cites many other Fathers also to proue Purgatory because they commended prayer for the dead though he well knew that proceeded from an g Sâ—arez in 3. pa t â—â—ome qu. 59. art 6. disp 57. §. 1. pag. 1159. errour which they held that mens soules were not iudged till the last day nor rewarded or punished but reserued in some secret receptacles vnto the vniuersall Iudgement Which opinion is as contrary to Purgatory to confirme which he alleadgeth them as it is to the truth and therefore they are guilefully alleadged beside their meaning Antiquus These practises of alleadging counterfeit bookâ—s vnder the reuerend names of ancient holy Fathers of corrupting the genuine writings of the Fathers and of auoyding or peruerting their true meaning by any sophisticall interpretations and of producing them in shew to the purpose but indeed beside the purpose and the true question and by all or any of these meanes to seeke the victory by obscuring the truth are things to my heart and soule odious and abhominable Neither should I beleeue that euer any such thing was done by Men that professe Religion but I should thinke it rather a malicious slander deuised by their aduersaries if I had not seene manifest proofe of all by their owne bookes layed open before mine eyes But to let passe my iust griefe of this for the present I must adde that CHAP. 3. Of the differences of the Fathers and Protestants and of their contentions § 1. Many Fathers are confessed by all sides to haue held some erronious opinions which none are boun◠〈◊〉 receiue and yet in the substance of Religion were good Catholicke Christians and our predecessors 2 Many differences also are noted among Romish Doctors which yet hinder them not from being all accounted Catholickes 3 The differences among Protestants are nothing so great or many as those afore noted of the Fathers and the Romish The especiall one about Christs presence in the Sacrament is much lesse then it seemeth 4 The Popes vnwillingnesse to reforme manifest abuses by the way of generall Councels was the cause of all differences in Reformed Churches 5 The Protestants contentions for Gods cause as they take it are nothing so hote or troublesome as the contentions of many ancient holy Fathers haue beene about smaller matters §. 1. Antiquus YEt I cannot thinke but in the vndoubted and vncorrupted writings of the Fathers you find many things differing from the Doctrine of Protestants It cannot be otherwise for the Protestants differ among themselues the English from the German the German from the French one Nation from another and in euery Nation one company from another It is possible the Fathers may disagree from them all but to agree with them all that agree not among themselues it is impossible Besides the Protestants disagreements are so great with such bitter contentions and virulent writing one against another that they shew themselues not to be of the Church of God which is a City at vnity in it selfe and consists of men more mortifyed in their affections I tell you truely these disagreements and contentions do mightily alienate mens affections from your Religion Antiquissimus Your obiection hath three parts 1 Differences of the Fathers from vs 2 Differences among our selues 3 The hot contentions of Protestants for these differences Let me answer them in order First I doe ingenuously confesse that the Fathers do in many things differ from vs and no whit lesse from you Though they were very Reuerend learned holy men yet still they were men and had their errours and imperfections Your owne men first discouered them as Cham did his Fathers nakednesse and told his brethren Gen. 9. and we cannot hide them though wee gladly would and with Sem and Japhet turne our backs on theÌ„ neither is it now expedient when you so much vilifie the Scriptures and magnifie the Fathers beyond their right and seeke to draw the tryall of the truth of Religion rather then the Riuelets of Fathers and Histories then from the Fountaine of the Scriptures We must therfore tell you more necessarily theÌ„ willingly what your own men haue said of the Fathers slips and errours wherein not onely we but themselues are constrained for the truthes sake to forsake them And yet both wee and they account the same Fathers our predecessors for the other necessary points of sauing faith which they soundly held neither doe we any way doubt but that they are blessed Saints in Heauen Baron an 118. n. 2. Senous Bibl. lib. 5. amos 233. 1 Your Cardinall Baronius and Sixtus Senensis reckon vp many Fathers that held the Millenary errour to wit Papias the scholler of Iohn the Apostle Evangelist Apollinarius Irenaeus Tertullianus Victorinus Lactantius Seuerus Sulpitius Justin Martyr many other Catholike Fathers being deceiued by Papias Bish of Hierapolis a man much reuerenced for opinion of his Holinesse and learning Baron ib. n. 5. c. n. 2. citing Eusebius but yet homo ingenij pertenuis saith Eusebius who taught it as a tradition receiued from the Apostles and grounded vpon Revel 20. v. 4 5. The matter was this That there should be two Resurrections the first of the godly to liue with Christ a thousand yeeres on earth in all worldly happinesse before the wicked should awake out of the sleepe of death and after that thousand yeeres the second Resurrection of the wicked should be to eternall death and the godly should ascend to eternall life Baron an 373. n. 14. This errour continued almost two hundred yeeres after it began before it was condemned for an heresie and was held by so many Church-men of great account and Martyrs that Saint Augustine and Ierom did very modestly dissent saith Senensis ib. Concil Carthag in Cypriani operib 2 Saint Cyprian held that such as were baptized by heretickes should be rebaptized and so determined with a whole Councell of African Bishops Contrary to the African Bishops in the time of Aurelius and contrary to Cornelius Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Italian Bishops And yet was Cyprian alwayes counted a Saint a true member of the Church an holy Martyr Bellar. de confir lib. 2. cap. 7. §. respond ad 1. Aug. cont 2. ep Pelag. lib. 4. c. 8. Aug.
necke shall we therefore giue sentence of death inevitable against all these Fathers in the Greeke Church which being mis-perswaded died in the errour of freewill He addeth in the Margen Error conuicted and afterwards maintained is more then errour For though the opinion be still the same yet the men are not the same after that the truth is plainly taught them This cleareth these Fathers from heresie but not from error Out of these premises you may conclude these Consequents 1 It is vniust for the Romish Doctors to binde vs to the Fathers opinions when themselues refuse them 2 It is not reasonable to make the Fathers tenets rules of our Doctrine when it is confessed on all hands that the Fathers haue in many things erred Bellar. lib. 3. de verbo Dei cap. 19. §. dices quid ergo Bellarmine saith who can deny that many of the ancient Fathers had the gift of interpreting in great excellency and that they were spiriuall and yet it is manifest that some of the chiefest of them haue slipped in some things non leuiter not lightly Rossensis in responsione ad prooemium Lutheri veritate septima in fine fol. 10. 11. Bishop Fisher answering Luthers obiection That the ancient Fathers haue sometimes erred saith This doe not I deny they haue erred sometimes and they were suffered to erre that we might know they were but men 3 It is not onely vniust and vnreasonable but vnpossible to make vs in all things agree with the Fathers who doe not in all things agree among themselues When Saint Austen confutes Cyprian for rebaptization Irenaeus and Tertulâ—ian differ in the time of Christs suffering some Fathers against freewill before grace some for it c How is it possible to agree with them all Aug. lib. 2. contra Crescomium gram cap. 30. Ego Cypriani autoritate non teneor sed ejus dictum ex Scripturae autoritate considero quodque cum ea congruit cum ejus laâ—de recipto qd non cum cius pace respuo 4 Therefore there is a necessity to trie the Fathers doubtfull tenets by some superiour and vndouted rule and that rule the Fathers selues say is the holy Scripture inspired by God and therefore infallible examine all doctrines by that rule hold what agrees to that and refuse that which disagrees Thus did Saint Augustine by Cyprians writings I am not bound with the authority of Cyprian saith hee but I weigh his sayings by the authority of the Scriptures and what agrees to them with his due praise I receiue what agrees not with his good leaue I refuse And thus would Augustine haue men doe with his writings Aug. de trinitate lib. 3 cap. 1. Sane cum in omnibus literis meis non solum pium lectorem sed etiam liberum correctorem desiderem multo maxime in his c. sicut lectorem meum nolo mihi esse deditum ita correctorem nolo sibi Jlle me non amet amplius quam catholicam fidem iste se non amet amplius quam catholicam veâ—tatem Sicut illi dico Noli meis literis quasi scripturis canonicis inservire sed in illis quod no credâ—bas cum inveneris incunctanter crede in istis autem ad certum non habebas nisi certum intellexeris noli firmiter retinere Ita illi dico Noli meas literas ex tua opinione vel contentione sed ex divina lectione vel inconcussa ratione corrigere In all my writings saith he I desire not onely a pious Reader but a free Corrector as a Reader not wholly yeelding to me so a Corrector not yeelding to his owne affections not louing me more then the Catholicke faith nor louing himselfe more then the Catholicke truth As I say to him Bee not subiect to my writings as to the Canonicall Scriptures But in those when thou findest what thou beleeuest not beleeue without delay in those what thou thoughtest not certaine except thou vnderstand to be certaine doe not firmely hold so I say to him correct not my writings by thine owne opinion or contention but by the holy Scripture and sound reason §. 2. Antiquus You haue said enough to cleare you for differing from the Fathers in some things now cleare your Protestants if you can of the great scandall of differences among themselues Antiquissimus This was your late second obiection which you may partly answer by that which wee haue said of the Fathers for if the different opinions of the Fathers in some points hindred not their vnion in substance of the saith and their being members of all the same Church why should the like or lesser differences now among the Protestants hinder their vnion in substance of the same faith and their being members all of the same Church both among themselues and with the Fathers You see differences among the Fathers that touched not the foundation life and soule of Christianity brake not their vnity still they were all of one Church and of one faith in the most necessary substance thereof In which respect also we truely say they were our Predecessors and of the same Church whereof we are notwithanding our differences and theirs in other lesser points your new-Catholikes also challenge them to be theirs notwithstanding many differences betwixt them But of this point more fully hereafter For the present I will shew you a number of great and many of them for ought I see endlesse differences among your owne Doctors and yet you account them all Catholickes and of one Religion Archb. Abbot against D. Hill reason 3. §. 11. 1 In Peter Lombard a prince of the Schoolemen called by that honourable name of Master of the Sentences for searching and iudiciously deliuering the Sentences and doctrine of the Fathers so farre as he could see in them In him I say the Diuines of Paris haue noted 26 errors in quibus Magister non tenetur wherein the schollers of Rome must not hold with him These errors are added to his foure bookes of sentences to warne the trauellers through his bookes of his rockes and sands 2 Those foure bookes of Sentences alone may shew the great and numberlesse variety of opinions which he reciteth in most points of doctrine and yet all the Authors of them Catholickes The like may be said of Thomas Aquinas his summes See D. Hall The Peace of Rome 3 The latter bookes of Controuersies written by the Iesuites Bellarmine Gregory de Valentia Azorius Suarez and other their large writers doe as ordinarily confute men of their owne side as they confute Protestants Yea oftentimes I finde in Suarez fiue columnes against their owne Doctors for one against ours Yet these confuted Doctors are still Catholicks with them Archb. Abbot ibid. 4 The whole Nation of the Dominican Fryers following the Thomists doe hold that the Virgin Mary was conceiued in originall sinne the whole Nation of the Franciscans hold the contrary Concil Basil session 36.
erre he can hardly be saued A third sort of things there are which are not so clearely deduced froÌ„ those first indubitate principles as namely concerning the place of the Fathers rest before the comming of our Sauiour Christ concerning the locall descending of Christ into the hell of the damned c. Of this third sort a man may be ignorant and erre in them without danger of damnation if errour be not ioyned with pertinacy §. 6. The like doctrine doth our Bishop Vsher deliuer B. Vsher Sermon at Wansled pag. 33. 1 Cor. 3.12 in words of analogy to Saint Pauls similitude of building Some build vpon this foundation gold Siluer pretious Stones Wood Hay Stubble Some saith he proceed from one degree of wholesome Knowledge vnto another increasing their maine stocke by the addition of those other sacred truthes that are reuealed in the word of God and these build vpon the foundation gold and siluer and pretious stones Others retaine the pretious foundation but lay base matter vpon it wood hay stubble and such other either vnprofitable or more dangerous stuffe and others goe so farre that they ouerthrow the very foundation it selfe The first of these be wise the second foolish the third madde builders When day of triall commeth the first mans worke shall abide Ibid. v. 14 15. and hee himselfe shall receiue a reward the second shall lose his worke but not himselfe The third shall lose both himselfe and his worke together And as in buildings there is great difference to bee made betwixt such parts as are more contiguous to the foundation and such as be remoter off So the doctrines or conclusions neerely conioyned to the first principles of Religion and grate vpon the foundation may more establish or endanger the building then those that come not neere the foundation and therefore the nearer they are to the foundation the more important be the truthes and the more perilous be the errours And againe the farther they are remoued off the lesse necessary is the knowledge of such verities and the swaruing from the truth lesse dangerous §. 7. Out of all this we may deduce these consequents First to these fundamentall points which are absolutely necessary to saluation the vnity of faith is to be restrained and beyond them not to be extended So that such as hold diuersity of opinions in other points of lesse moment not crossing these may still be of one faith or Church and heires of saluation as long as they hold the true foundation Secondly by this rule the ancient Fathers are cleared to be sound Christians This we haue shewed in the former chapter For though many of them as is aforesaid held the millenary errour many held that the soules of iust men shall not see God till the resurrection many that the very Deuils should not be tormented in hell till the Iudgement Many taught free-will before Grace Some taught the Omnipresence and Omniscience of Saints departed Cyprian and many more held rebaptization necessary for such as were baptized by Heretickes Saint Augustine and the greatest part of the Curch for sixe hundred yeeres held a necessity of the Eucharist to Infants and in many other things they differed one from another and from the Church in the aftertimes See D. Field Church book 3. chap. 5. § All these Yet because they all entirely and stedfastly held all the necessary fundamentall principles which these errours did not infringe neither held they these errours obstinately or incorrigibly but onely for want of better information they were certainely of the same Church and Relâ—gion whereof we are and whereof all are that hold the same principles vnweakned by any other Thirdly the lâ—ke is to be said of the Waldenses though many of those smaller errours were true which as I haue shewed before were falsely imputed vnto them Fourthly the same may be said also of our Fathers that liued in the Communion of the Church of Rome before Luthers time and bâ—fore the Councell of Trent Their holding and professing thâ—se necessary fundamentall points as I haue shewed before * See before chap. 1. sect 4. per tot was sufficient to make them true Christians if in life and death they shewed the power and vertue thereof and maintained not obstinately any grosse points that infringed the foundation Fiftly the same may be also said of all the Churches in the world where the ancient foundations are retained B. Vshers serm at Wansted pag. 43. The Greeke Armenian Aeâ—hiopian Russian c. For if we should take a generall view of them all putting by the points wherein they differ one from another and gathering into one body the rest of the Articles wherein they all did generally agree wee should finde that in those propositions which without all controuersie are vniuersally receiued in the whole Christian world so much truth is contained as being ioyned with holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man to euerlasting saluation B. Vsher ib. D. Field church book 3. chap. 5. This is Bishop Vshers opinion and Doctor Fields of these Churches Section 3. § 1. Obiection If holding the foundation will serue then we may safely obtaine saluation in the Church of Rome § 2. Answer The Curch of Rome holds many things which by consequent destroyes the Foundation by master Hookers Iudgement § 3. Obiection This crosseth what was said before That many before Luthers time might be saued in the Roman Church Answ no for they liued in those errors of ignorance not obstinacy and not knowing any dangerous consequence of them § 4. Such men by particular repentance of sinnes knowne and generall repentance of vnknowne might by Gods mercy be saued § 5. Obseruations hereof § 6. Other learned Protestants ioyne in opinion with master Hooker §. 1. Antiquus If this be so then to omit other Churches I see no reason but wee may well and safely continue in the Roman Church and therein receiue saluation because as you haue said and it appeares by Azorius and all the schoole-diuines that Church holdes the Foundation which is by your owne confession sufficient to saluation though she hath added many otheâ— things not necessary absolutely to saluation yet profitable for the fuller seruice of God beauty of the Church and pious life §. 2. Antiquissimus If shee added none but such things wee should account them not onely tollerable but commendable But wee charge her with addition of such doctrines and practises as being obstinately pursued spoile and ouerthrow the Foundation which shee professeth to hold Whereof heare one man Mr. Richard Hooker a man of great account for learning Iudgement and moderation who vsed very carefully to waigh in the ballance of impartiall discretion all the words sentences and phrases which he wrote and whose workes haue been already sixetimes printed without any alteration Hookers Discourse of Iustification § 17. Hee grants that the Church of Rome holds the foundation in profession but
principall argument to proue that you Protestants haue no Church at all because you haue no Priests or true Ministers sent and authorized by the Lord. In vrging whereof giue me leaue somewhat to enlarge my selfe Antiquissimus Say what you will I hope to giue you a sufficient and satisfactory answer Antiquus First there can be no Church without true Ministers to teach the holy Doctrine to performe the holy seruice of God and to minister the Sacraments vnto Gods people and bring them to saluation a Ephes 4.8 c. And therefore when our Sauiour ascended into heauen he gaue all necessary gifts vnto men making Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors Teachers for the worke of the Ministery gathering and perfecting of the Saints and edifying of the Church to continue by succession to the end of the world b Jb. verse 13. That all might be kept from errour and vnited in the Truth These are the Lords Ambassadors c 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. planters waterers husbandmen builders yea co-adjutors and workers-together-with God d 1 Cor 3.6 9 Secondly therefore these Ministers must be furnished by the Lord with two things 1 With authority to meddle with this holy seruice 2 with power effectually to performe those ancient acts of gracious efficacy belonging to their office as teaching of true sauing doctrine forgiuing of sinnes and administring the admirable holy Sacraments which no man of any other ranke can doe and which they onely can doe who are sent of God and furnished with his authority and power and with whom God effectually worketh To which end the Sacrament of Order giuen to Priests by the hands of Gods officers imprints a Character in the Receiuer e Bellar. de sacraÌ„ in genere lib. 2. cap. 19. § propositio sexta § prop. tertia in sine that wheresoeuer it is God is present * By Couenant or promise ex pacto and concurreth to the producing of supernaturall effects which he doth not where his Character is wanting Therefore when Christ sent his Apostles with this Commission As my Father sent mee euen so send J you f Ioh. 20.21 c. He breathed on them and said Receiue yee the Holy Ghost whose sinnes soeuer yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose soeuer sinnes yee retaine they are retained Where he gaue them both Commission and power to performe it And in the end of Saint Matthewes Gospell g Matth. 28 18 19 20. first mentioning his vnbounded power both in heauen and earth he sends his Apostles to teach and bring the world into his subiection adding that he would be with them to the end of the world to wit with their persons while they liue and with their successors while the world lasteth with his power and effectuall working with them So that Christ must send and he must furnish with gifts and power And no man taketh to himselfe this office or honour but he that is called of God as was Aaron h Heb. 5.4 Thirdly then As the Father sent the Sonne and the Sonne his Apostles i Ioh 20.21 so the Apostles k Bellar. De notis ecclesiae lib. 4. cap. 8. afterwards chose and ordained other Bishops and gaue them the like power to ordaine others both Bishops and inferiour Priests and Deacons as Timothy at Ephesus Titus in Creet l As appeareth by the Epistles to Tim Tit. By this meanes all true Bishops and Priests haue their succession and ordination from hand to hand from the very Apostles And none are to be accounted true Bishops that were not ordained by the imposition of hands of former true Bishops and they by other former and so vpwards ascending to the very Apostles to Christ Iesus from whoÌ„ they must deriue their authority and power for all workes of the Ministery Therefore Saint Ierom saith m Hieroâ—ym contra Luciferianos Ecclesia non est qua non habet sacerdotem It can bee no Church that hath no Ministery And Saint Cyprian that the Church is nothing else but n Cypr. Plebs Episcopo adunata lib. 4. ep 10. citat à Possevino bibl select lib. 6. cap. 31. ad interrog 4. D. Field Church lib. 3. cap. 39. People vnited to the Bishop And Tertullian further o Tertull. lib. De praescript Bellar. quo supra Let Heretickes shew the originall of their Churches and runne ouer the order of their Bishops comming downe by succession from the beginning so that their first Bishop had some Apostle or Apostolicke man for his author and Predecessor For thus the Church of the Romans reckons Clement ordained by Saint Peter And Saint Cyprian saith p Cypr. lib. 1. ep 4. ad Magnum Nouatianus is not in the Church neither can bee accounted a Bishop who contemning the Apostolicke tradition succeedeth no man but is ordained of himselfe The like haue many other Fathers alleadged by Bellarmine q Bellar. quo supra And by the Canons of the Apostles and many ancient Councels r So Bellarm. sheweth lâ—o citato D. Field lib. 3. cap. 39. lib. 5 cap. 36. A Bishop must receiue his Consecration by three Bishops at the least which were formerly consecrated in like manner And all inferious Ministers must receiue orders of such a Bishop or else they are not Canonicall Lawfull nor to be receiued They that come in other wayes then by this doore are theeues and robbers Å¿ Iohn 10.8.9 10. All this describing and prouing the nature succession and ordination of true Bishops and inferiour Ministers is the first proposition or major of my Argument Then comes my Assumption or minor proposition thus But the Protestant Ministers are not such 1 Kings 20.11 namely their Bishops were not consecrated by three Bishops so formerly consecrated as abouesaid neither did their inferiour Ministers receiue their orders from true Bishops The conclusion will necessarily follow Ergo the Protestant Ministers are no true Ministers of the true Church And consequently they haue no true Church among them An argument inuinsible vnanswerable Sect. 2. Antiquissimus Good Sir triumph not before the victory let not him that putteth on his harnesse boast himselfe as hee that putteth it off It is your mens fashion first to confirme that with glorious words and arguments which we sticke not at as you haue done your Major to make the world beleeue it seemes that we denyed all that which you so busily and so brauely proue and so to make vs odious And your other fashion is as ill to leaue the maine matter in controuersie vtterly vnproued as here your Minor thinking to carry it away with out facing and great words This is a charming and bewitching of the credulous world without all truth and honesty As I shall make it plainly appeare For why else doe your Rabbins so generally declaime against vs and neuer proue it Your 1 Bristow Motiue 21. Bristow 2 Harding confut Apol.
Sacra Scriptura est Regula credendâ— certissima tutissimaque saith Bellarmine i Bellar. de verbo Dei l. 1. c. 2. § quare cuÌ„ The Scripture is the most certaine and safe rule of Faith and Spiritus dominatur in conscientijs fidelium The holy Spirit rules in the faithfuls consciences making them all to submit to the word of God and though disioyned in Nations Lawes and Languages yet still to consent in the substantiall points of reformed Religion and constantly to suffer for them in persecution which vnity is not wrought by any Kingdome inter nos among vs such as the Pope assumeth but by Christs Kingdome intra nos within vs ruling our hearts by his Word and Spirit which Kingdome hee saith is not of this world but meerely spirituall and diuine §. 3. But now as if Gods truth stood need of our shadowed lies to maintaine it or that humane policy could deuise better means for the gouernment of Gods Church then either he by his own prouidence hath prescribed or the Ancient Primitiue Church practised or else which is the truth because there are some newer doctrines and practises to be maintained neither imposed by God nor able to stand of themselues we forsooth must deuise to set vp a man as blinde and corrupt as our selues and attribute vnto him infallibility in iudgment and vnbounded iurisdiction in gouernment which neither Scripture Fathers nor any reason doth giue him and by him we must suffer our selues to bee ledde blindefold in a conceit of greater peace and vnity than the Truth and Gods Spirit at first afforded which is a meere dreame and not onely a carnall but a most deceiuable policy and no better than the Priests of Antichrist may plot in being content to yeeld themselues to the whole guiding of their wicked Master and attribute vnto him infallibility of iudgement without ground or reason §. 4. That the Popes infallibility and iurisdiction haue no ground in the Scriptures or Fathers I haue shewed before with many reasons against them both Now since you vrge the profit thereof I will shew you the vnprofitablenesse and the intollerable inconuenience thereof to the Church Princes and Common-wealthes Antâ—q If you can doe so you shall goe beyond my expectation Antiquis I haue done it in part already See before book 1. cap. 5. §. 3 5 c. when I shewed you how the Popes earthly kingdome erected and maintained by many vniustifiable practises and polices spoyleth Christs heauenly Kingdome and robbeth earthly kingdomes of wealth peace comfort and many other blessings as by exempting all the Clergy both their persons goods and lands from the gouernment right or maintenance of secular Princes and Magistrates By making the Pope superiour to Emperours and Kings to depose them and dispose of their Kingdomes to others if he thinke it good for the Church and to that end freeing subiects from their sworne fidelity and arming them against their Soueraignes A doctrine fruitfull of treasons and rebellions Ib. sect 7. By dispensing and dissoluing oathes couenants and leagues and all other bonds and sinewes of humane society peace and security Ib. sect 8 9. By dispensing with Gods Lawes in matrimoniall causes and in other matters of great moment Ib. cap. 6. per totum As also by many hurtfull policies to maintaine this power depriuing Gods people of Gods word and authorizing Monks and Friers to preach where they list without controule of Bishops corrupting diuinity by Schoolmens subtilties Iesuits Statists and Incendiaries and many other deuices to draw to their faction the Wealth and Soueraignty of the word Meditate and consider well of that which then I declared and you will be satisfied that a number of things in the Papacy practised are most vnprofitable to the Church and vntollerable to Princes and Common-wealths §. 5. But to satisfie the more thorowly I will shew you some examples Hildebrand who as Onuphrius saith first set vp the Popes princedome made himselfe Pope by help of the Diuell so he was accused by a Synod a Trithem chroÌ„ Hirsaugiens an 1081. Auentin annal Boior l. 5. Marian chroÌ„ l. 3. an 1081 c of 30. Bishops of Italy France and Germany and by the ayd of armed men with some few of the Clergy and furthered by the great riches of Maud a powerful Gentlewoman of Italy his familiar friend without either the b Carlt. iurisd cap. 7. §. 103. Benno Naucler generat 36. This story I collect out of those histories and our learned men K. Iames BB Iewel Morton Carlton Bilson Vshâ—â— c. Emperours consent or the Cardinals hee called his name Gregory the seuenth Being now warme in the Popes Chayre he cites the Emperour Henry the fourth anno 1076. to appeare and answere in a Synod at Rome to crimes obiected against him vpon paine of present deposition Henry cals a Synod at Wormes where all the Teutonick Bishops except the Saxons renounce Hildebrand from being Pope and to their decree the German and French Bishops and most of the Italian Bishops assembling at Papia subscribed taking their oathes neuer to obey him more as Pope With this decree Caesar sends his letters to Hildebrand renouncing him and pronouncing him deposed from the Popedome The letters and deposition were deliuered in a Synod at Rome whereupon Ioannes Portuensis episcopus rushed vp and cried out Capiatur let him bee taken at which word the Prefect of the City and souldiers were at point to take and slay him in the Church But he stoutly catching vp a sword and calling vpon the name of Peter Prince of the Apostles with solemne words cursed the Emperour depriued him of his Empire absolued all Christians from their oath of fidelity made vnto him and forbade them to obey him as King And this was the first time that euer any Emperour or King was pronounced deposed by the Pope and subiects set free from their Alleagiance as c See Onuphrius cited before Booke 1. cap. 4. §. 9 10. Vrspergens fol. 226. B. Carlton Iurisd c. 7. §. 105. Malmsburiensis hist in Willm primo Angl. Reg. Otho Frising in vita Henrici 4. l. 4. c. 31. B. Vsher De Eccles succes cap. 5. §. 6. Onuphrius and many other historians say This Emperor Henry saith Vrspergensis was valiant and fought 62. set battles in number surpassing M. Marcellus and Iulius Caesar of whom the one fought 30. the other 50. This fact of Hildebrand opened all mens mouthes with outcries against him calling him Antichrist and that by deuising fables corrupting histories abusing Scriptures through his headlong ambition hee sought the rule of the world vnder the title of Christ and played the rauening wolfe in sheepes cloathing spoyling all religious piety raysing warres seditions rapes murders periuries and all euils Thus cryed the world saith Auentine Meane season Hildebrand prosecuting the deposition of Henry stirred vp the Saxons against him offring to make them Kings of the whole West besides