cotrouerted betwixte them and the Catholiques yet is he not for all that to be excused from the proofe of those pointes vnless he will withall confess that in them the Protestantes haue no faith at all but onely a mere deniall of faith For faith beinge not a simple denying or not beleeuing but a possitiue assent and belief of such articles as are reueled vnto vs by God it hath possitiue groundes wherby it may and ought to be proued euen in those pointes which are negatiue And therfore as Catholiques doe proue theire faith in these negatiue pointes that onely faith doth not iustifie that we are not certayn of our iustification or saluation and the like so likewise are the Protestantes to proue theyr faith in these that there is no Purgatorie no reall presence no sacrifice of the Mass and the rest Vnless as is sayd before they will confess that they haue no faith in these pointes but onely a mere deniall of faith Haueinge thus aduertised thee good Reader of these fewe things I leaue thee to peruse the treatise it self desiringe thee to expect onely the bare positiones proued with the self text of holy Scripture and some fewe fathers without anie florishe of wordes at all The worke being such as doth rather resemble the bare bones of a great bodye tied together with dried Sinewes then a bodie throughly furnished with flesh and orher habiliments of friendly narure For which cause though to such as rather respect fashion then substance it may happ to appeare hideous yet to others of contrarie appetite for whose contentment it is speciallie intended it will not paraduenture be iudged altogether without forme THE FIRST CONTROuersie Of Holy Scriptures IT is Knowne that the Catholique Roman Church doth admitt more bookes and percells of holy Bible for Scripture then the Protestantes doe and consequently acknowledgeth a larger canon then they and yet notwithstanding shee teacheth Chatolique PositioÌ„ 1. That all such articles as by her and the Protestantes themselues are beleeued and holden for articles of faith are not so expressly contayned in holy Scriptures as out of them onely full proofe may be made therof Proofe The articles which the Protestantes doe beleeue to be of faith as well as Catholiques and yet are not contayned expresly in holy scriptures are many but wee will giue instance onely in a fewe 1 That there are three distincte personnes and one onely substance in god 2. That the secuÌ„de and third personns are of the same substance â—nd equall gloire with the first â— That the third personn proceedeth from the seconde and from the first 4. That there are two distinct and compleat natures in our sauiour Christ and but one onely personn 5. That there are in him two willes and two operations to witt of god and man about all which pointes haue been diuerse heresies as is well Knowne to the learned And thoughe all these articles haue most true ground and proofe in holy Scriptures yet are they not soe expressly contayned therin as they may be fully prooued by them alone One example shall serue for all To proue the sonn to be consubstantiall or of one substance with the father the Catholiques doe alledg and truly this testimonie I and the father are one yet because there are moe meanes of beinge one then in substance as namely to be of one will desire and affection of which sorte of vnitie specially the Arrianes did explicat this place alledging for them selues that testimonie I pray that they all may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that they also in vs may be one which cannot be vnderstood of vnitie in substance Therfore this testimonie without the interpretatioÌ„ of the Church which is the piller of truth doth not fully proue the father and the sonn to be one in substance The like may be sayd of the other articles here mentioned Catho posi 2. All such articles as are of faith and so holden by the ProtestaÌ„tes them selues are not contayned so much as indirectly or implicitly in holy Scriptures but onely so farr as the Scriptures contayne and testifie the auctoritie of the Church and traditions Proofe That all the Bookes of the Bible and euerie parte therof which are acknowledged for canonicall scripture ioynthy of Catholiques and Protestantes be such indeed That the most blessed mother of our Sauiour Christ continued perpetually a Virgin That it is lawfull for Cristians to eate strangled things and blood which were expresly forbidden them acts cap. 15. vers 20 are not so much as indirectly contayned in holy Scriptures otherwaies then is mentioned in our position But this being more amply proued in that which followeth of traditions this which wee haue sayd already shall suffice for the present The Positions which the Protestantes in this question are to proue be these ProtestaÌ„t position 1 All articles of faith are so expressy contayned in scripture as out of them onely full proofe may be made therof 2. All articles of faith are at least so contayned in holy scriptures as with out anie testimonie or auctoririe of the Church or traditions they may thence be plainlie and distinctly deduced TE SECOND CONtrouersie of Traditiones Catholique Positions 1. THe holy Apostles deliuered by worde of mouth moe thinges to be beleeued and obserued by the Church then ether they found written or wrot them selues And these thinges are vsually called traditiones Proofe 1. Haueing moe things to write vnto you would not by paper and â—â—â—e for I hope shall be with you and speake mouth to â—outhe 2. And the rest I will dispose when I â—ome where the holy Apostle euidently sheweth that he reserued something more to be ordayned by worde then he wrote 3. The Apostles were commaunded to teache all nationes to obserue all things which our sauiour had commavnded which doubtless they fulfilled but they were not commaunded in anie place to write all the same nether doth it appeare by anie Scripture that they did write all thinges which they taught men to beleeue and obserue This is à demoÌ„stration that they taught more then they wrote if nothing be to be beleeued but what is contayned in holy Scripture 4. They taught Baptisme giuen to infants to be good and lawfull or ells the Anabaptistes are not heretiques for rebaptising them 5. They taught the sonday to be solemnised and the Iewes Sabbathe to be left without all solemnitie though most strictly commaÌ„ded by god to be solemnised as an euerlasting couenaÌ„t 6. They deliuered and taught the creed by worde and not in writing which from they re tyme till now hath continued in the church by tradition onely 7. They taught Baptisme ministered by heretiques to be good and therfore S. Augustin speakinge therof saith Manie things which are not founde in the Apostles writinges nor in latter councells yet because they are obserued by the whole church are beleeued to be deliuered and recommended
by none but by theÌ„ Agayne he sayth There are many thinges which the whole church doth hold and therfore are well beleeued to be commaunded by the Apostles albeit they be not found written Catholique positi The Catholique church doth ought to beleeue those things which the Apostles deliuered onely by worde without writinge in the same degree of faith with those which are written Note that the proofes of this position doth also proue thother going à fore Proofe 1. Therfore Brethren stand and hold the traditions which you haue learned whether it be by worde or by our epistle S. Basile saith I account it Apostolique to continue firmly in vnwritten traditions and alledgeth this place of S. Paule S. Chrisostome cited by Fulke himself saith thus Hereof it is manifest that they the Apostles deliuered not all by Epistles but many things without letters and the one is of as great credit as the other Therfore we think the tradition of the church to be worthie of credit It is à tradition inquire no more 2. O Timothee keepe the deposituÌ„ That is that which is comitted to thy trust not certes by writinge For litle or nothinge writren of the new testament was knowne to Timothee then See à large discourse herevpon in Vincentius lirenensis 3. But if anie man seeme to be contentious wee haue no such custome nor the church of god where S. Paule alledgeth the custome of the church as à sufficient disproofe of anie practise why not therfore for the proofe of anie The things which thou hast hearde of me by many witnesses these commende to faithfull men which shall be fitt to teach others also loe no word here of writing but of hearing teaching by worde of mouthe Nowe haueinge proued by Scripture it self and euident instances that many thinges are to be beleeued that are not directly contayned in Scripture it appeareth à sensless thinge to demaunde direct proofe of euerie thinge we beleeue out of Scripture Protestants Positi The holy Apostles deliuered not by word of mouth moethings to be beleeued and obserued by the church theÌ„ theyether founde written or wrote them selues And therfore are there no traditions to be holden or beleeued 2. The Catholique church ought not to beleeue those thinge which the Apostles deliuered onely by worde of mouth without writinge in the same degree of faithe with those which are written THE THIRD CON trouersie of the difficultie to vnderstand the Scriptures Catho positiones 1 All places of holy scripture conteyninge articles of fayth the obstinate misbeleife wherof is Damnable are not easâ—â— to be vnderstoode but requiâ—â— some rule to be interpreted by Proofe 1. Philipp sayd to the Eunucâ— whom he founde readinge thâ— Prophet Esay Trow est thou thâ—â— thou vnderstandest the things which thou readest who sayde how can vnless some man shewe me 2. Our Sauiour accordingly â—pened the vnderstaÌ„dinge of his Apostles that they might vnderstand the Scriptures see therfore what à speciall grace it is to â—nderstand the Scriptures in there true sense and meaninge In the which the Epistles of sainct Paule are certayne thinges hard to be vnderstoode which the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the 〈◊〉 of the Scriptures to theyr owne perâ—â—ione Sainct Hierome explicatinge â—â—e text now cited out of the actes concludeth thus These thinges haue I breifly touched as the limitts of an Epistle would permitt that thou mayest vnderstande that with out a guide and teacher thou canst not enter the pathe of holy Scriptures which is easie to conceaue seeinge as he notethe in the same place no trade nor mechanicall art is learned with out à maister Certes it is not onely an heresie but à meere frensie to saye that all scriptures conteyninge poyntes of faythe necessary to be beleeued are easie to be vnderstoode of priuat beleeuers sithence all heresies whatsoeuer haue bene begoÌ„n and maynteyned for want of true vnderstandinge of holy scriptures wherof Vincentius Lirenensis sayth thus Some man may peraduenture aske foâ— asmuch as the canon of the scriptures 〈◊〉 perfect and in all pointes very sufficient in it self what neede is ther tâ— ioyne therunto the authoritie of the ecclesiasticall vnderstandinge For this cause surely for that all take not the holy scriptures in one and the same sense because of the deepness therof bâ—â— the sayinges therof some interpret one way and some another way soe thaâ— tbere may almost as manye senses bâ— picked out of it as there be men Foâ— Nouatian doth expound it one waye and Sabellius another waye otherwise Arrius Eunomius Macedonius other wayes Photinus Apolinaris Priscillianus otherwayes Iouinian Pelagius Celestius lastly otherwayes Nestorius Thus far that auÌ„cieÌ„t father to whom we may ad otherwais wicliffe Luther Caluin Anabaptistes with the rest and this most truely seing of these fewe wordes This is my Bodye there are found aboue 80. diuers senses besides the Catholique â—ense and meaninge S. Augustine also auoucheth the samesayinge For no other reason are heresies made but because men not rightly vnderstandinge the Scriptures doe obstinatly affirme they re owne opiniones against the truthe of them Catho pos 2. Priuate personnes though true beieeuershaue not the spirit of interpretinge the holy Scripture in the true sense and meaninge of the same Proofe 1. No prophecie of scripture is made by priuate interpretation 2. The lippes of the Priest shall keepe knowledg and the lawe they shal require of his mouthe be cause he is the Angell that is the messeÌ„ger of the lord of hostes loe here the office of interpretinge the lawes of god giuen to priestes and not assured to euerie faythfull person 3. Vpon the Chaire of Moyses haue sitten scribes and Pharisies all thinges therfore whatsoeuer they shall saye to you obserue yee and doe yee loe here à commaunde to heare the prelates pastoures of the church and no man lefte to followe his owne fantasie in matters of faythe and manners Protestantes PositioÌ„ 1. All places of holy Scripture â—onteininge articles of faith the obstinate misbelief wherof is daÌ„nable are easie to be vnd er stood therfore require not anie rule to be interpreted by 2. Priuat persounes that are true beleeuers haue the Spirit and gift of interpretinge the holy Scripture in the true sense and meainge therof THE FOVRTH CONtrouersie Of the infallibilitie of the churche Catho pos THe sense and meaninge of holy Scriptures giuen or aproued by the holy Catholique church is vnfallibly true as are also the definitiones and declarationes of faithe deliuered by the same and euery one is bounde vpon his damnatioÌ„ not to reiect the iudgment therof Proofe 1. My spirit that is in thee and my wordes that I haue put in thy mouthe shall not departe out of thy mouthe and out of the mouthe of thy seede and out of the mouthe of thy seedes seede sayth our lord for this present and for euer
a speeche directed to S. Peter and to no other of the Apostles containing charge to feede as a shepherde doth his sheepe all christes flok whithout exceptioÌ„ so vnderstood by S. CipriaÌ„ sayinge To Peter our lord after his resurrection sayde feede my sheepe and builded his churche vpon him alone and to him he gaue charge of feeding his sehepe By S. Chrisostome he gaue him S. Peter the primacie gouernment of the churche thrughe the whol world which is aboue all he sheweth him to haue loued our lord more theÌ„ All the Apostles sayinge Peter louest thou me more theÌ„ these Our sauiour sayth to S Peter Thou art Peter vpon this rock wilâ— I builde my churche Note that accordinge to the Greke Siriake text these wordes sound thus thou art a rocke and vpon this rocke I wil builde my churche which is also the true seÌ„se of the vulgare latiÌ„ Here did our sauiour christmanifestly promise to S. Peter souerayntie ouer his churche For the foundation is to à buildinge the same that the heade or prince is in a kingdome or common wealth Thus doth S. Epiphanius vnderstand these wordes sayinge Our lord him selfe hath constituted him S. Peter the first of his Apostles the firme rocke vpon which the churche of god is built To these wordes also manifestly alludeth the holy generall councell of Calcedon in the sentence of coÌ„demnatione against Dioscorus sayinge Leo the most holy blessed Archebishope of great and auÌ„cient Rome by vs and by this preseÌ„t holi synode together with the thrise most blessed and all prayse worthye S. Peter whoe ys the Rock and very topp of the Catholique Churche he which is the foundatione of true faithe hathe spoyled him Dioscorus of all episcopall dignitie Our sauiour sayth to S. Peter I will giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen wher is also most clerely signified S. Peter his preheminence in godes churche For none hath the gouernement or commaundemeÌ„t of the Keyes of any towne or citie but the prince or gouernour of the same that soueraygne power is signified by the Keyes it is proued by that of our sauiour Christe I haue the keyes of death and hell That is the rule and prower ouer deathe and hell And agayn Hee that hath the Keye of Dauide he that shuteth and noe man openeth S. Peter practised the authoritie of supreame pastoure in declaringe Iudas to haue fallen from his Apostleship and proposinge another to be chosen in his roome Peter risinge vp in the midest of the brethereÌ„ sayd as foloweth S. Chrisostome vnderstaÌ„dinge it so saythe How feruent is he how he acknowledgethe the flocke committed by christ how he is prince of this company and in euery place begineth the first to speak His supremicie was acknowledged by S. Paule goeinge to Hierusalem to see him Then after three yeares I came to Hierusalem to see Peter S. Chrisostome vnderstandeth it so sayinge Peter was the mouthe of the Apostles prince and topp of that companye therfore also Paule goethe vp to see him beside the others Catho pos â— The Pope or Bishope of Rome is the law full and lineall successoure of S. Peter in that charge and office which our sauioure gaue vnto S. Peter ouer his churche militant Proofe The power which our sauioure gaue to S. Peter ouer his churche militante was giuen him as likewise the power giuen to other Apostles to the consuÌ„mation of the saintes to the edifâ—nge of the bodye of Christ vntill we all meete in the vnitie of saith knowledge of the sonn of god as S. Paule testifiethe and therfore to continue in the churche soe longe as the churche is to continue which is also prooued by that Vpon this Rocke will I build my churche and by that feed my sheepe for so longe as the buildinge of the churche coÌ„tinueth or the flock of christe is to be fed which will be to the end of the world so long must the rock wherupon the churche is built and the pastours who must feede the shepe continue But this cannot be in S. Peters personn therfore in his successoures see S. Augustin his wordes before in that positione that the true churche can neuer want a lawfull personnall successione of pastores vpon these wordes of the psalme 44. For thy fathers are borne sonnes to thee And S Chriso who saith why did oure lord shed his blood surely to redeeme those sheepe the cure wherof he commited to Peter aÌ„d also to his successoures Now that the Bishope of Rome is the lawfull and lineall successoure of S. Peter is as authentically and euidently proued as that Lewis the 13. of France is lineall successoure to Hughe Capet or his maiestié of Ingland to wiliam the coÌ„querour S. Ireneus Optatus S. Epiphanius and S. Augustin doe deriue the successione of the bishopes of Rome from S. Peter vntill the bishopes that liued â— theyr tymes Besides Eusebius or S. Hierosme Prosper and all such as haue written the cronicles of ecclesiasticall affayres doe not omitt to continue the Bishopes of Rome vntill theyr owne dayes And soe wel is this successione knowne that M. Fulke sayethe wee can coumpt it on our fingares And S. Augustine doubteth not to saye that the succession of preistes from the seat of Peter to whom our lorde after his resurrection commended his sheepe to be fed vntil that present Bishopp held him within the lapp of the churche Protes pos 1. S. Peter was not by our sauiour our Christ constituted supreme head and soureygne pastoure or Bishop ouer his churche militant 2. The Pope or Bishope of Rome is not lawfull and lineall successoure to S. Peter in that charge and office which our sauiour gaue to S. Peter ouer his churche militante THE SEAVENTH Controuersie of the honoure due vnto the holy Angells and Saintes in heauen Catho pos 1. TO the holy Angelles and saintes in heauen is due more then ciuil honoure and reuerence Proofe 1. To mee thy frendes ô god are exceedingly honorable loe here Dauid beinge â—inge auowethe that the frendes of god are greatly to be honoured by him Certes not with ciuill honoures for suche he ought not to them he beinge kinge and the frendes of god beinge all those that doe the thinges he coÌ„mauÌ„deth as our sauiour testifiethe of what condition or degree soeuer 2. where this Gospell shal be preached in the whole worlde that also which shee hath done shal be toulde for a memorie of her Loe here an exeeding honoure decreed by our sauiour him self to S. Marie Magdaleyne where is to be noted that this is coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be done in memorie of her in like manner of speeche as our sauiour commaunded the holy misteries to be celebrated in memorie of him 3. Iosue beinge in the feild of the citie of hiericho saw a man staÌ„dinge against him how
of mere mercie and grace the incestu ouse corinthiane of the rest of his Pennance which with out the same pardone he was bouÌ„de to haue performed though his sinn was already forgiuen him Protestant Positions 1. Pennance consistinge of contrition confession and satisfaction of the penitent and absolution of the preist is not truly properly à Sacrament of the newe lawe 2. It is not necessarie for the penitent to confess all his synnes or that coÌ„fession is not necessarie for obtayniÌ„g remissioÌ„ of our synnes 3. The guilt of the synn being pardonned there remainethe no temporall payne to be suffered or other satisfaction to be made ther in this life or in the next â— The temporall payne reâ—ayning cannot be redeemed â—y anie workes nor are there â—nie satisfactorie workes â— workes done for Satisfaction â—or synn or for the payne due to â—t doe derogate from the satifaction of our Sauiours passion â— There is not in the churche of Christ anie power to giue indulgence or graunte pardon of anie parte of the the temporall payne or pennance to be performed after the guilt of the synn be pardoned and remitted OF HOLY ORders Catholique position HOly orders wherby power is giuen both to consecrate the true body of Christ as the catholique church doth beliue also to minister other Sacraments in the churche which is the mysticall body of Christ to exercise other ecclesiasticall functiones is truly and properly a Sacrament of the newe lawe Proofe Holy order is giuen by a visible or sensible signe with the effect of grace therfore properly a Sacrament Proofe 1. Neglect not the grace that is in thee which is giuen thee by prophecie with imposition of the handes of preisthoode â—gayne 2. I admonishe thee that thou resuseitate he grace of god which is in thee by the â—mposition of my handes Further. 3. Then they fasting and praying and imposing handes vpon them dismissed them S. Ambrose vpon the wordes before cited out of the first to Timothee 4. sayth thus The imposition of handes is mysticall wordes where with the elect is confirmed to this worke receauing auctoritie his conscience bearing witnes that he may be bould in our lorde steede to offer sacrifice to god M. Bilson proueth by the auctoritie of Caluin holy orders or creating ministers as he tearmeth it to be a Sacrament which Caluin doth not only affirme but proue if the other cite him truly by these reasones because it is a visible signe with grace Protestans positions Holy orders wherby power iâ— giueÌ„ to minister other SacrameÌ„tâ— and exercise other ecclesiasticall functiones is not properly truly a Sacrament of the newe lawe OF EXTREAME vnctione THe anoylinge of the sicke with the forme of wordes ioyned ther with vsed in the Catholique Roman churche is truly and properly a Sacrament of the newe lawe Proofe It is a sensible signe with the effect of inuisible grace therfore properly a Sacrament Proofe 1. Is anie man sicke amonge you let him bring in the priestes of the churche and let them praye ouer him anoyleing â—im with oyle in the name of our lord Loe here the externall signe And â—he prayers of fayth shall saue the sick â—nd our lord shall lift him vp and if hee â—e in sinnes thei shall be remitted to him Loe here the internall grace of which S. Chrisostome saythe â—hus They to witt preistes haue auctoritie to forgiue sinnes not only when they regenerate vs but after wardes also For is anie sick amonge you â—aith the Apostle let him bringe in the Preistes c. Protestantes position The anoyleinge of the sick with the forme of wordes adioyned vsed in the Romane churche is not properly a Sacrament of the newe lawe OF MATRImonie MAtrimonie contracted betwixte christianes is not a bare ciuill contract but truly properly a SacrameÌ„t of the newe lawe Proofe It is a Symbole or signe of a holy thing with the effect of grace therfore a Sacrament For this cause shall man leaue his father mother shall cleaue to his wife they shal be two in one fleshe This is a great Sacrament I speake in Christ in the churche Note that Catholique auctores vrge not this worde Sacrament to proue that matrimonie is properly a SacrameÌ„t but to proue it a holy signe or a signe of a holy thing and therfore not a mere ciuill contract and this doth the text euidently importe declareing that the ioining together of maÌ„ woman as it is vsed in Christ his church is a Symbole or signe of the inseparable vnione aÌ„mitie of Christ his churche The effect of grace in this Sacrament is also shewed by the same wordes For matrimonie is not onely a signe of the vnione of Christe and the churche in conformitie of nature but also by spirituall charitie wher with Christ loued his churche gouerneth it holily the church doth inseperably adhere vnto Christ by faythe hope charitie and is subiect to him by obedieÌ„ce which spirituall vnione mariage cannot signifie vnles there be betwixt man and wife a spirituall vnione of mindes beside the ciuil contract and therfore the Apostle doth warne that husbandes should loue they re wiues as Christ doth his churche and that wiues should obaye they re husbandes as 〈◊〉 churche doth Christ S. Augustine to omit other fathers saythe thus of this Sacrament In the mariage of our people meaninge Christianes the holiness of the Sacrament is of more worthâ— theÌ„ the fertilitie of the wombe Agayne The good of mariage in all nationeâ— and men is in the cause of procreation and fayth of chastitie but for as muâ—â— as pertaynethe the people of god it is 〈◊〉 in the holines of the Sacrament which places besides others manifestly shewe that he speakethe of a Sacrament properly for els these sayinges were not true Protestant Position Matrimonie contracted betwixt Christianes is but a bare ciuill contract and not anie Sacrament properlye OF THE EFFECT OF the Sacraments Catholique Position 1. THe Sacrament of Baptisme as it is a Sacrament of the â—ewe lawe therfore all the SacrameÌ„ts of the newe lawe giueth grace ex opere operato or of the worke it self or is the true cause of grace in those that receaue it worthilie which is to giue grace ex opere operato or of the worke wrought and is not onely a signe or a seale of godes good will to vs or a bare meanes to stir fayth vp in vs as the preaching of the Gospell is Proofe 1. Vnless man be borne agayne of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of god Loe here our regeneration ascribed to Baptism as to a true cause 2. Doe pennance and be euerie one of 〈◊〉 baptised in the nâ—me of Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 remissioÌ„ of your sinnes Loehere remission of sinnes atributed to baptisme as to a true cause as yf one should saye take medecin for your health The like or more