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
and patience such as is fit to winne others with all long suffring and doctrine 2 Tim. 2.24.25 and 4.2 1 Tim. 5.1.2 and 3.3 Prot. Sir wee pray with vnderstanding in our English Letany from all blindnesse of heart from pride vainglory and hipocrisie from enuy hatred and malice and all vncharitablenes good Lord deliuer vs. Rom. It is a good prayer I would it were well liked and practised of you all Prot. You shall finde me not onely patient but exceeding pitifull and full of commiseration to you and to all other well-minded men that are seduced that be Errones onely and not Turbones as Lipsius distinguisheth them not wilfull but ready to yeeld to sound reason Iustus Lipsius Politic. and to the truth when it manifestly appeares such as be vere Candidi as I hope you bee But against those wicked seducers that wilfully persist to blindfould themselues and you by Pious fraudes as they call them and keepe you on their side for by-respects contrary to the truth laied open to their eies you must giue me leaue to vse iust indignation As we see the Prophets our Sauiour and his Apostles did Rom. Whomsoeuer you shall proue to be such I will ioyne with you in your lust indignation and abhorre them I account no fraud pious nor lawfull to doe euill that good may come of But by forgery and deceit to mis-lead simple soules from the truth in Religion I account most detestable Prot. If it please you then to alleadge your best and most solid reasons whereby you are moued to forsake our Church and embrace the now Roman Religion I will be willing to answer you Rom. I will doe it not of mine owne head but out of the best and learnedest Authors of our side Prot. And I will endeuour to answere out of the learnedest and most iudicious Authors of the Protestants and most especially out of our latest pithiest and substantiallest English writers referring you to the bookes themselues with notes of their Chapters Sections and Pages for your more thorow satisfaction and setling of your Iudgement with like allegations also of your owne best Authors when they doe as they doe often yeeld vs the truth A IVSTIFICATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND Demonstrating it to be a true Church of GOD affording all sufficient meanes to SALVATION CHAP. 1. The alleadged 1 antiquity of the Romish Church and newnesse of the Protestants Church 2 is shewed to be vaine for that the Protestants retain the ancient sauing faith and 3 onely weede out the super-seminated Tares 4 as Hezekias and other good Princes did in their times So that 5 these two Churches differ onely as fields well weeded and ouergrowne with weeds And 6 Protestants are not separated from the good things found in the Roman Church but from the Papacy which is a domineering faction in the Church 7 For the Doctrines whereof the ancient Martyrs suffered not but for the Doctrines which Protestants hold §. 1. Roman Catholicke IT is a sufficient notice to mislike and forsake the Protestants Church because it is new neuer seene nor heard of in the world in any Age or Countrey before Luthers time for wee know the true Church of Christ is ancient Bellar. de notis Ecclâ—s l. b. 4. c. 5. Gâ—eg de Valentâ—a Analysis fidei l. 6. c. 12. Costerus Enchirid cap. 2. §. convertat Campian ratâ—o 4 5 6 7. Doct Hil. reas 1. And all Roman Writers triumph in this Argument See B. White ag Fisher p. 115. Cal. inst l. 4. c. 2. §. 2. continued from our Sauiours owne time and such is the Church of Rome founded vpon the chiefe Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul manifestly traced throughout all Ages with an honourable and certaine succession of Bishops the successors of S. Peter All Tyrants Traitors Pagans Hereticks in vaine wrastling raging barking against it confirmed by all worthy Counsels the generall graue Senates of Gods highest Officers and Ministers vpon earth enriched with the Sermons and writings of all the sage learned and holy Doctors and Fathers made famous by all those millions of Saints with their holinesse Martyrs with their suffrings Confessors with their constancy the building of Churches Monasteries Colledges Vniuersities and by all excellent meanes made conspicuous and honourable to the whole world Is it likely is it possible that this Church so ancâ—ent so honourable so holy and glorious should all this while be false hereticall and now to bee forsaken and reiected and a new particular Church lately moulded and erected by Luther Melancton Caluin Beza and a few other obscure vpstarts should bee the only true Church to be imbraced or that the most gracious God would hide his sauing truth from the world fifteene hundred yeeres to the distruction and damnation of so many millions of soules and now at last reueale it to a few in a corner No Sir giue mee leaue herein to take the name of Antiquus to liue and dye in the old Religion and to refuse your new §. 2. Protestant This is indeed the generall enchantment whereby those that compasse Sea and Land to make Romish Proselytes doe bewitch the vnwary and were it true it were able to draw all the world to become Roman-Catholicks But I pray you marke my counter-charme shewing the vntruth and weaknesse of your assertion We of the Church of England doe professe and protest that we are of that a All our learned Bishops Docâ—ors and Preachers beat vpon this point B. Iewel Arch. Abbot B. Abbot B. Bilson B. Andrewes B. Carlton B. Barlow B. Morton B. Vsher B. Downan B. White B. Hall D. â—ulk D. Whitacres D. Field D. White B. Bot. D. utclis D. Favour Mr. Perkins and inâ—umerable others true ancient Church of Christ which you describe b â—ee Fâ—eld Church lib. 3. cap. 6. c. that we hold entirely and soundly all that sauing Doctrine which the blessed Sonne of God brought into the world and his Apostles taught wrote in the holy Scriptures and which the ancient holy Fathers of the Primitiue Church held with great vnity and vniuersality for many ages §. 3. c This is shewâ—d chap. 5. sect â— Booke 2. chap. 2. §. 6. chap. 4. sect 2. And we reiect nothing but the corruptions errours and abuses that haue crept into the Church in later times and from small beginnings haue growne at last to be great and vntollerable those onely we haue refused and haue reformed our particular Churches in diuers Kingdomes and Nations as neare as we could to the fashion of the first true pure and vncorrupt Churches retaining all the Doctrines of the Church of Rome which we found to be Catholicke or agreeable to the faith of the whole Church in all times and places d See D. White against Fisher pag. 68. But Doctrines not Catholicke being neither Primitiue belonging to the ancient Church nor generally receiued by the whole Church either at this day nor in any other age
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
and dutifulnesse he much pâ—ttied them r Hist Wald. book 2. cap. 8. And one Guerin an aduocate was hanged for falsely informing the King against them But the Ecclesiastickes persecuted and massacred them cruelly Ibid. cap. 4. In this Kings time the VValdenses sent two of their Pastors one George Morell of Frassiniers in Dauphine the other Peter Masson of Burgundy to the Protestant Ministers to wit to Oecolampadius Minister at Basse to Capito and Martin Bucer at Strasburg and to Berthaud Haller at Berne to conferre with them about some points of Religion where they found so great agreement in their faith with equall mislikes of the Romish corruptions that they much reioyced and praised God that had continued them and their fathers in the truth of that doctrine aboue foure hundred yeeres in in the middest of many troubles as they write The letters passing betweene them are to be seene in the History Å¿ Ibid. cap. 8. lib. 1. cap. 6. The like letters passed betwixt Preachers of the VValdenses and Calvin t To be seene among Calvins Epistles Epist 250. I hope I haue satisfied you concerning these VValdenses first that they were fully of our Religion u Sâ—bsection 3. subsect 1. Secondly that they were in great numbers and made great visible Churches x Subsect 2. Thirdly that they were spread in diuers Countries y Subsect 3. Fourthly that they continued from the time of your great Revolt from the purity of Religion vnto the late and more publike Reformation by M. Luther z Subsect 4. Antiquus Indeed you haue said very much both for the Greeke or East Church that it held your faith and so continueth and also for these Separatists the VValdenses in the West But you * Section 2. subsect 2. mentioned a third part that many continuing in outward communion with the Church of Rome were yet truely of your Faith and Religion let me heare what you say of that part and you shall haue my reply against them all Section 4. § 1. The Church of Rome excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof continued to be the Church of God vntill Luthers time proued by many Protestant Diuines § 2. Their Reasons § 3. But now then the state of that Church is much altered since the new light in Luthers time and since fully discouering the corruptions thereof § 4. And since the great alteration made by the Councell of Trent Antiquissimus I say first that I haue already alledged a great number liuing in community with Papists in outward Ceremonies which yet in substance of Religion were ours and not yours as the followers of Wiclifes doctrine and other teachers in all Countries which were innumerable as may appeare by my former Relation many of them being persecuted for it and many other knowne among themselues but concealing themselues from theâ—r persecutors §. 1. B. Vsher B. White Mr. Ric. Hocker But now I say further with D. Field Luther Calvin Beza Morney Melanchthon Bucer Mr. Deering Bishop Carlton and many other learned Protestants that setting aside the pope and Cardinals and their Hierarchy with the maintainers thereof which I account no part of the Church but a domineering faction tyrannizing ouer the Church the Church of Rome consisting of the rest which were innumerable continued to be the Church of God and in substance all one with vs vntill Luthers time Thus teacheth Doctor Field Of the Church Booke 3. chapter 6. And in the 8 chapter he addeth although we doe acknowledge Wiclife Hus Jerom of Prage and the like to haue been the worthy seruants of God and holy Martyrs and Confessors suffering for the cause of Christ against Antichrist yea we doe not thinke that the Church was found onely in them or that there were no other appearance or succession of the Church and Ministery as Stapleton and other of that faction falsely impute vnto vs. For we most firmely beleeue all the Churches in the world wherein our Fathers liued and dyed to haue beene the true Churches of God in which vndoubtedly saluation was to be found and that they which taught embraced and beleeued those damnable errours which the Romanists now defend against vs were a faction onely in the Churches as were they that denyed the Resurrection vrged Circumcision and despised the Apostles of Christ in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia This matter D. Field prosecuteth there and also in the Appendix to the fift booke part 3 pag. 7. Luther is also alleadged by Bellarmine De not is Ecclesiae cap. 16. out of his booke against the Anabaptists we confesse saith Luther that vnder the Papacy there was much good yea all Christian good and it came thence vnto vs the true Scriptures two true Sacraments true keyes for remission of sinnes true office of preaching true Catechisme as are the Lords Prayer the tenne Commandements the Articles of Faith Yea I say moreouer that vnder the papacy was true Christianity yea the very kernell of Christianity Calvin in his fourth booke of Jnstitutions chap. 2. § 11. saith That God suffered not his Church to perish in France Italy Germany Spaine and England hauing made his Couenant with them but it continued there through effectuall Baptisme and other remainders though for mens ingratitude he suffered the building to be much wasted rent and torne Beza in his questions saith The Church was vnder the papacy but the papacy was not the Church Master Perkins hath the like in his Exposition of the Creed pag. 405. edit Cambridge 1596. Morney in his Treatise of the Church chapt 9. In the later end deliuereth the same That vnder the papacy was the Church and Flocke of Christ but gouerned partly by hirelings partly by wolues and that Antichrist held it by the throat the people were of the Christian Common-wealth but the pope with his faction a Catiline to set it on fire whom Cicero fitly calleth a plague and not a part of the Common-wealth borne Ex luxu reipublicae as an impostume or disease is no part of the body but a corruption bringing dammage and death Bucer and Melancthon teach the same Mr. Edward Deering in his Lectures preached in Pauls Church in London vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes Lecture 23. pag. 374. hath these words In this was the great goodnesse of God that in time to come his children might assuredly know hee reserued to himselfe a Church euen in the middest of all desolation and that hee called them by his word and confirmed by his Sacraments euen as at this day For seeing there could be no sinne so great but faith in Jesus Christ scattereth it all away it was impossible that the man of sinne doth not so much adulterate either the Word of God but that it should be to the faithfull a Gospell of saluation or else the Sacramenta of God but that they should be pledges of eternall life to those that did beleeue And a little after God of his infinite
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
vntollerable in the Church of God Since all this you haue deliuered with such plentifull and pregnant proofes as I haue nothing for the present to say against them I must needs thankfully confesse that they sway much with me yet will I not be rash to resolue vpon a sudden without further meditation and consultation with men of better iudgement than my selfe but I promise you if you at our next meeting can as well satisfie me in the particular points of Doctrine as you haue now presently in these generall obiections I shall be very inclinable with all due reuerence to returne vnto your Church Antiquis Deare friend I pray God blesse your meditations and consultations I haue told you the truth from my heart so farre as my reading and iudgement could direct me Quaere doctiores Inuenies praesumptiores Seeke more learned you shall haply finde them that will presume more of their learning as Saint Augustine said such as will seeke rather the victory than the Truth I am old past my climactericall yeere as they call the yeere 63. other men may haue death at their backes I haue him alwayes before my face I was neuer dissembler and least of all now hauing one foot in the graue Meditate vpon that I haue said and especially reade the holy Scriptures the Cloud and Pillar to guide you to the land of Promise the Light and Lanterne to your feet quicke and liuely in operation to moue your heart And when you are either to reade meditate or conferre first shut your selfe in your Closet or priuate Chamber there fall downe humbly vpon your knees and pray the most gracious God to illuminate your minde and make pliable your heart for true diuine faith For all your reading and conference study and meditation can worke no more than humane faith builded vpoÌ„ humane testimonies which may prepare good entrance and introduction to diuine faith which must afterwards bee fully wrought confirmed and sealed by the holy Ghost all our planting and watring is nothing without this The testimony of the Church of histories of former ages which yet onely the Romish pretend to relie vpon and call vs thereunto and wherein we proue our selues superiors and which are the greatest assurances that mans wit or humane meanes can afford yet are farre short of begetting the Faith that assureth of the Truth and saueth either them or vs without the diuine working and assurance of the holy Ghost whose guidance and heauenly influence seeke for by seruent and diligent prayer And so I commend you to Gods grace FINIS An Appendix Christian Reader after J had sent this booke to the Printer there came to my hands a worthy learned booke of Doctor Morton Bishop of Couentry and Liechfield entituled The grand Imposture of the now Church of Rome which J commend vnto thy diligent reading for thy yet-fuller satisfaction in that main point There thou shalt see many of those Histories which I haue alledged briefly especially in my later Chapters more largely discoursed thorowly vrged against all possibility of contradiction And now for a peroration or conclusion beside my former proofes J offer vnto thee these three waighty considerations to meditate vpon I. Of the excellent benefit of pure Primitiue Religion II. Of the euils of false or corrupted Religion III. Of the great blessings of the Reformation thereof Thinke not thy time lost nor thy labour long in reading them CHristian Religion I. Of the excellent benefit of pure Primitiue Religion when the excellency of it was once knowne was embraced as the greatest benefit that euer came vnto Mankind because it not onely brought men out of darkenesse into light to the knowledge of the true God and of themselues and of the most comfortable meanes of their saluation but also because it trained vp men in all things profitable for this present life and made a second heauen vpon earth That City Countrey and Nation was found to prosper in wealth peace honesty diligence in euery Calling faithfulnesse among men sobriety in themselues obedience to Magistrates and all kind of goodnesse where it was receiued and where both people and Gouernours feared God and serued him as he had prescribed â—â—â—y 11.6 For it wrought a wonderfull blessed change in all true beleeuers hearts farre beyond all Lawes and Ordinances of Man Of Wolues they became Lambes of Vultures Doues of Leopards Kids of Aspes and Cockatrices Innocents and Children of Barbarous Sauage and rude people they became ciuill deuout iust cleane peaceable and holy All vices rooted out all vertues planted in their hearts and practised in their liues Whereupon followed peace loue vnity prosperity and felicity in the Christian world Pliny lib. 10. Epist 97. citat à Baronio anno 1â—4 num 3. Pliny certified the Emperour that vpon his thorow-search and full knowledge of Christians he found them strongly bound together by Sacraments or oathes not to do any wicked thing But not to commit these robberies murders deceit or deny any things committed to their trust or keeping c. Baron tom 2. an 195. nu 21. Euseb Praeparat Evangel lib. 6. cap. â— Baronius cites Bardezanus Syrus giuing this testimony to the Christians that in whatsoeuer City or Countrey they liued Persia Media Parthia Aegypt or other barbarous Nations they quite changed the nature and qualities of men to forsake and abandon theit old wilde vniust beastly customes and become iust chaste honest charitable suffering people And although some Emperours and Princes for a time persecuted Christians vpon misinformation that they were enemies to their state and dignity and a rebellious kinde of people yet in time they found the contrary and fauoured them aboue all others Tertul. ad Scapulam liber pag. 162 163. Tertullian writing to Scapula the President tels him A Christian is no mans enemy much lesse enemy to the Emperour whom Christians know to be ordayned by their God and they are compelled by their Religion to loue reuerence and honor him and to seeke his safety with the safety of the whole Empire And therfore they professe say Colimus Jmperatorem sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit vt homineÌ„ à deo secundum quicquid est a deo consequutum solo deo minorem We honour and obey the Emperour so farre as is lawfull for vs and needfull for him that is as a man next vnder God and hauing obtained of God whatsoeuer he is being inferiour to God alone Origen testifies that the Church of God was euer calme and quiet at Athens though the Athenians were turbulent and seditious So also at Corinth Alexandria Origen contra Celsum lib. 3. Baron tom 2. an 1â—5 n. 2. and euery where the Church was farre more excellent then the best composed Common-wealth Gregory the great Bishop of Rome Greg lib. 7. epist 8 cited by Kâ—ng Iames Remonstr pag. 137. Apolog. for the oath of Allegiance pag. 94. 600 yeares after Christs birth professeth that