the presence of God whome I call to witnes in this behalfe and pray thee also to call vpon for the saluation and reduction of all those that walke astray that it is not in the power of any one no not of all our Aduersaries that are in England to find in their owne Bible one only expresse Text I say one only I say in their owne Bible by which they cā possibly proue one only point of their false Doctrine without their vsuall art of adding diminishing chopping or changing it by some interpretation or other which yet should be to alter the Text it selfe and to employ mans fancy insteed of the pure word a thing by their owne Confession flatly forbidden vnto them protesting that the Word of God doth in such sort containe all that which is necessary to saluation that it is not lawfull neither for men nor Angells to adde diminish or alter ought therof and commanding their followers and adherents vtterly to renounce all Antiquity Custome Multitude Humane Wisedome Iudgement Decrees Edicts Counsailes Visions yea and Miracles themselues to the contrary THE TOVCH-STONE of the Reformed Ghospell Protestants affirme I. That there is not in the Church one that an infaillible Rule for vnderstāding the holy Scriptures and conseruing of Vnity in matters of Faith COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Rom. 12.6 Hauing then giftes differing according to the grace that is giuen to vs whether Prophecy that is interpretation according to the proportion or Rule of faith Whence we gather that Prophecy according to the Rule of faith is one of the giftes which God bestoweth on his Church Therefore there is in the Church one and that an infallible Rule for vnderstanding to the holy Scriptures Philip. 3.16 Neuertheles whereto we haue already attained let vs mind the same thing Loe how plainly the Apostle speaketh in this second place of a certaine Rule to be walked by cleerly presupposing that in matters of faith we can neuer be of the same mind vnles we walke by the same Rule Gal. 6.16 And as many as walke according to this Rule Peace be on them and mercy And 2. Cor. 10.15 Hauing hope when your faith is increased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our Rule aboundantly to preach the ghospell in the Regions beyond you and not to boast in another mans line Lo heere againe because that euery man is to direct and order his beliefe according to the doctrine of the Church therfore it is called by S. Paul both the Rule and Line of our holy Faith Againe 1. Cor. 11.16 But if any man seeme to be contentious we haue no such Custome nor the Churches of God Loe how S. Paul still pleadeth the Rule and Custome of the Church agaynst the contentious which if it could then by the sole prescription of twenty or thirty yeares and by the authority of so few Pastours stop the mouthes of new Sect-maysters what ought not the Custome of sixteene hundred yeares and the Decrees of so many hundred Pastours gayne of reasonable modest and humble men And heer I would haue it to be noted that this Analogy or Rule of Fayth besides the tytles already recited the holy Scripture in other places calleth by the name of Forme of Doctrine Rom. 6.17 A thing made ready to our hand 2. Cor. 10.16 The Depositum or Treasure committed to the Churches trust and euer most carefully to be kept by her 1. Tim. 6.20 And withall in the very selfe same places alwayes stileth that which is contrary to this Rule by the name of Disunion Discord Disobedience forsaking of our first vocation Diuision Contention Prophane and vayne babling Opposition of sciences c. Whence plainly appeareth how great the necessity is for euery Christian to keep this Rule the least breach wherof doth presently crack his Christian credit with the Church of God and with all good Christians See more Rom. 6.17 Gal. 1.6 Rom. 16.17 Actes 15.2 1. Tim. 6.20 Rom. 12.16 ¶ According to this very Rule the Ancient Fathers affirme the same S. Irenaeus l. 4. cap. 45. Tert. de praescrip And Vincent Lyr. in suo Commonitorio saith It is very needfull in regard of so many errors proceeding from the mis-interpretation of Scriptures that the Line of Propheticall and Apostolicall exposition should be directed according to the Rule of the Ecclesiasticall and Catholique sense Thus writeth this most worthy witnesse Tertul. praescrip adu haeres cap. 15. cap. 19. saith We do not admit our aduersaries to dispute out of Scripture till they can shew who their Ancestors were and from whom they receiued the Scriptures For the orderly course of doctrine requires that the first Question be whose the Scriptures are by right from whome and by whom and to whom the Forme of Christian Religion was deliuered Otherwise prescribe against him as a stranger c. Thus he Loe how these two last ancient Fathers lay hold off and vrge these two very termes Rule and Forme of Faith and Religion euen as before the Holy Scripture did from whēce doubtles they tooke the phrase And with very great reason for the knowledge of Tradition which is this Forme or Rule goes before the knowlege of the Scripture for the Rule must be first knowne before the thing ruled can be assuredly knowne as the Carpenter cannot knowe certainly that he hath measured his timber nor the Taylor that he hath measured his cloth aright except he first assuredly know that his measure be both true right but the Rule of Faith to wit the Summe of those points that euery Christian is bound expresly to know as deliuered to him from hand to hand is the knowledge of Tradition Protestants affirme II. That in matters of Fayth we must not rely vpon the Iudgment of the Church and of her Pastours but onely vpon the Written Word COntrary to the expres wordes of their owne Bible Mar. 23.2 The Scribes and the Pharises sit in Moyses seat all therfore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do In which wordes Christ not onely commandeth vs in matters of Faith to haue recourse to somwhat else besides the only written word to wit to the Pastours of the Church but biddeth vs moreouer to obey them and that not only in some principall matters but in all whatsoeuer without distinction or limitation Therfore in matters of fayth we are not tyed to rely only vpon the written Word Luc. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Heere againe Christ our Lord honoureth and giueth as much authority to the Preachers of the Word as he can possibly do to the word it selfe saying He that heareth you c. Matt. 16.19 Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall he loosed in heauen Where it is to be noted that he doth not say whosoeuer but
whatsoeuer giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that not onely the bondes of sins but as well all other knots and difficulties in matters of fayth are to be loosed by S. Peter and by the Pastours that succeed in the Church See more Deut. 17.8 Aggeus 2.11 2. Chron. 19.8 vnto the end 2. Thes 2.15 ¶ The holy Fathers that affirme the same are S. Gregory Naz. in orat excusat Tertul. lib. de praescrip aduersus haer S. Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. S. Aug. lib. 1. cont Cresc cap. 33. lib. cont Fund cap. 5. Vincent Lyr. in suo commonit And S. Anselme lib. de incar c. 1. writing to Pope Vrban saith thus vnto him Vnto no other is more rightly referred to be corrected whatsoeuer ariseth in the Church against the Catholique fayth c. They affirme III. That the Scriptures are easy to be vnderstood and that therefore none ought to be restrayned from reading of them COntrary to the expresse words of their owne Bible 2. Pet. 3.16 where S. Peter speaking of S. Pauls Epistles saith In which are some thinges hard to be vnderstood which they that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures vnto their owne destruction But all vnlearned Reformers do both read and are allowed to read those hard thinges yea the Booke of Apocalyps also yet harder without any restraint to man or woman which yet they vnderstand not therefore they wrest them as also other Scriptures to their owne destruction Actes 8.30 And Philip said Vnderstandest thou what thou readest And be said How can I except some man should guide me Where first may be noted that this Noble Eunuch freely confessed he could not vnderstand the Scriptures without an interpreter to expound them albeit he was a great and serious student in them and withall a holy and humble man as S. Hierome noteth of him Epist ad Paulin. de stud Scrip. and next that he sayth Except some man guide me So as he fled not to his priuate spirit nor yet to conferring of place with place as our Aduersaries do Therfore the Scriptures are not easy Luc. 24.25 27. Christ called two of his Disciples fooles and slow of hart c. And beginning at Moyses and all the Prophets he expounded vnto them in all the Scriptures the thinges concerning himselfe How then are the Scriptures so easily to be vnderstood of the vnlearned when Christs Disciples themselues could not vnderstand them till first they were expounded to them Reuelat. 5.1 c. The Angell speaking of the Booke sealed with seauen seales wept much because no man in heauen nor in earth was able to open the booke nether to looke theron A strange case to read in Scripture it selfe that the booke of Scripture should be shut with so many seales but much more strange that euen in S. Iohns and the Apostles time none could be found nether in heauen nor earth able to open the same nor to looke theron which euery Apprentice now a dayes without any difficulty will vndertake to doe See more 2. Pet. 1.20 Mat. 13.11 36. Luc. 24.45 1. Cor. 12.10 Luc. 8.10 54. Luc. 2. 50.2 Tim. 3.7 1. Iohn 4.6 Iohn 5.35 Psal 119.18 34 Reuel 51. c. ¶ The Holy Fathers that affirme the same are S. Irenaeus l. 2. cap. 47. Origen l. cont Cels S. Amb. epist 44. ad Constant where he calleth it A sea and depth of propheticall riddles S. Hier. in praefat comment in Ephes 5. And S. Aug. epist. 119. cap. 21. saith The thinges of holy Scripture that I know not are many more then those that I know So S. Greg. hom 6. in Ezech. and many other Fathers confesse the same of themselues S. Denis Bishop of Corinth cited by Eusebius lib. 7. hist Ec. 20. saith Of this Booke of Scripture to wit this is my opinion that the matter therof is far more profoūd then my wit can reach vnto They affirme IV. That Apostolicall Traditions and ancient Customes of the Church not found in the written word are not to be receiued nor do oblige vs. COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible 2. Thes 2.15 Therfore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which yee haue bene taught whether by word or by our Epistle Hence it is cleere that some Traditiōs were deliuered to the Thessalonians by word of mouth and those of equal authority with what was written if not of more for the holy Ghost doth name them first as they were indeed the first in being yea it is certaine that before the new Testament was written the Apostles deliuered all by Tradition and word of mouth Therfore Apostolicall Traditions are to be receiued and do oblige vs. 2. Thes 3.6 Now I command you bretheren in the name of our Lord Iesus-Christ that yee withdraw your selues from euery brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he receiued of vs. Lo he saith not I counsell you but I command you But these men reiecting all Traditions walke disorderly therfore they breake the Apostles cōmandment Yea they stand not but are fallen they let goe what the word it selfe doth will them to hould and therfore in the name of our Lord Iesus-Christ let all good men withdraw themselues from them 1. Cor. 11.2 Now I praise you brethren that you remember me in all thinges and keepe the Traditions as I haue deliuered them vnto you But these reiect all Traditions therfore needes must S. Paul speake thus vnto them Now none of my brethren I dispraise you for that you forget me in all thinges and keepe not the Traditions as I haue deliuered them vnto you Lastly If nothing at all be to be belieued but only that which is left vs written wherein should the Church haue exercised herselfe from Adam to Moyses the space of two thousand six hundred yeares See more 1. Tim. 6.3.20 2. Tim. 1.13.2 Tim. 2.2 Iohn 20.30 21.25 16.12.1 Cor. 11.16.34.2 ep Iohn 12. 3. ep of S. Iohn 13. Actes 16.4 15.28 ¶ The Fathers that affirme the same are S. Irenaeus l. 3. c. 4. Origen in cap. 6. ad Rom. S. Damas l. 4. c. 17. S. Chrysost in 2. Thes 2. And S. Basil de Spiritu sancto saith Some thinges we haue from Scripture other thinges from the Apostles both which haue like force vnto Godlines S. Chrysost hom 4. in 2. Thes sayth If is a Tradition seeke thou no further They affirme V. That a man by his owne vnderstanding or Priuate spirit may rightly iudge interprete Scripture COntrary to the expersse wordes of their owne Bible 1. Cor. 12.8 c. To one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another the working of miracles to another Prophesie to another discerning of spirits to another kindes of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues but all these worketh that one and the selfe same spirit deuiding to euery man seuerally as
THE TOVCH-STONE of the Reformed Ghospell Wherin sundry chiefe Heads and Tenets of the Protestants Doctrine obiected by them commonly against the Catholicks are briefly refuted BY The expresse Texts of the Protestants owne Bible set forth and approued by the Church of England With the ancient Fathers Iudgments thereon in confirmation of the Catholike Doctrine The fourth Edition augmented Out of thy owne mouth will I Iudge thee Luc. 19.22 Permissu Superiorum 1634. TO THE CATHOLIQVE READER HEALTH AND ENCOVRAGEMENT in his Holy Fayth COurteous Reader before thou peruse this litle Booke I would intreate thee to reade these ensuing points very necessary to serue thy selfe of with fruit and profit 1. The first point is that in the Textes of Scriptures alledged throghout this Treatise it is not specified out of which English Bible the said passages are extracted for as much as this were ouer troublesome vnto thee sith England hath set forth within these few yeares past a great number of seuerall sorts of Bibles much differing one from another So that our Aduersaries to whome I wish from very hart as I do to thee that this litle Booke may prooue profitable haue not all one sort of Bibles themselues Notwithstanding know for certaine that they are all faithfully taken forth of the Bibles in quarto octauo printed at London by Robert Barker anno 1615. So as if by chance any one shall shew thee some other Bible wherein they be not set downe word for word as heere thou findest yet rest assured and out of doubt that thou shalt find them so written faithfully cited out of the foresaid Edition of Robert Barker set forth by his Maiesties speciall Commandement 2. The second point is That thou admire the spleÌ„dor of Truth the which is such and so passing bright that notwithstanding our Aduersaries mayne and serious endeauours to obscure the same by so many varieties of TranslatioÌ„s by such a number of grosse corruptions and falsifications yet neuertheles their condemnation is so expressely set downe in this their owne Bible and is so cleere to all the world that nothing els is needfull heerto but that thou know to reade and haue thine eyes to behold the same at the opening of this their Booke This cannot choose but be an exceeding comfort vnto Catholikes agaynst their Aduersaries concerning the vprightnes of their cause to offer to be tryed and to confound them by their owne Bible the Translation whereof notwithstanding doth in a number of places and particularly in many of those that are in question swarue and differ notoriously from the authenticall Latin and to the incredible disparagement darkning and obscuring of the Catholique cause Neuer did yet nor I presume dare our Aduersaries offer to giue the like aduantage vnto vs as to stand to be tried by our Translations and that in aboue fifty maine Heads and Points of Doctrine that are this day in controuersy between vs. 3. The third point is That when thou shalt vrge or alleadge any passage in fauour of thine owne faith and doctrine if any one returne their charge be it by way of recrimination and blaming of the Roman Church or by alleadging some obscure texts and those ill vnderstoode to counterpoyze such as are brought by thee do thou shew them amiably that this is not to proceed in due order nor to deale with thee as they ought in oposing a passage darke obscure to confund another that is most cleare and euident For example when we set before their eies these few words as cleare as the Sunne at Noone day Take eate this is my body this is my bloud which shall be shed for you c. Marc. 14.25 they will straight suppose to haue found another important place yea and to haue giuen vnto vs the ouerthrow if they presently do reply that our Sauiour saith in S. Iohn 6.63 The flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake vnto you they are spirit and they are life a passage far more obscure then that which is in question which affirmeth nothing lesse then that which they pretend to prooue therby For how absurd were it to say that the flesh of Christ profiteth nothing And if as they themselues say we must interpret one passage by another then doubtles it is better to explicate an obscure one by one that is clere then one that is cleere by a passage obscure and that one text giue place to many rather then many giue place to one 4. The fourth point is That if they shall reiect any of the passages which thou producest pretending the same to be Apocriphall know that to preuent this obiection no such Scriptures as they cal Apocriphall are here produced alone but that allwayes there goe accompanied with them others that be Canonicall euen by their owne confession and so far forth as Apocriphall Scriptures shall and do agree with Canonicall they themselues by their owne Rule are bound to receiue them Which will also stop their mouth in their common pretence of Conference of places for rarely hast thou heere lesse then three or foure seuerall passages cited at large besides references for the proofe of euery seuerall point All our Aduersaries put togeather being neuer able in their defence to do the like that is to produce so many in number so expresse and cleere and for so great a number of Controuersies as are heere disputed and couched in so litle a Treatise 5. The fift point is that if they shall contend with thee not about the wordes themselues as being cleere but about the sense and meaning of them for such places I say as may be subiect to this cauill thou shalt forthwith haue recourse vnto that which the Scriptures call The Rule of Faith to wit vnto the euer-constant and vniforme IudgemeÌ„t of the Church and Ancient Fathers who in euery age since Christ haue vnderstood the points in question in that sense which Catholiques do An example wherof thou maist lay downe before them out of that learned Treatise intituled The Summary of Controuersies debating the question of the Blessed Sacrament Which thou hauing done bid them do the like and thou wilt yield vnto them a thing which they can neuer do in their defence So as no man of reason will reiect this Rule grounded so cleerly in holy Scripture and preferre the priuate interpretation of some silly Cobler before S. Chrysostome of a Baker before S. Basill of some Tinker before Tertullian or of any Nouellist whatsoeuer before the iudgement of the Church and the whole streame of ancient Fathers This point therfore being â—â— important shall be the first which I will fortify and proue by the word of God in this present Treatise I meane this Rule and therfore in no wise forget allwayes to inuolue thine Aduersary within this Rule as often as he shall become so vnruly and thou shalt be sure to get the victory 6. The sixt last point is That I heere protest in
he will Where the Apostle in expresse words opposeth refelleth this vnsauory doctrine teaching that the gift of prophecying or truly to interpret the holy Scripture is not giuen to all the faithfull but to some only in particular yea he presupposeth that one may haue the gift euen to worke miracles and yet may want the gift truly to interpret the word of God Therfore a man by his owne priuat spirit cannot righly interprete Scripture 2. Pet. 1.20 Knowing this first that no Prophesy of the Scripture is of any priuat interpretation for the Prophesy came not in old time in the margent or at any time by the will of man but holy men of God speake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Loc how clearly the Apostle taketh this faculty authority from a priuate and prophane man restrayning the same to a company and society of men and those also of some speciall note for their sanctity and holines assuring vs that they spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost 1. Iohn 4. Beloued belieue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God By which wordes we are taught that the spirits of others are to be examined whether they proceed from God or not but this Caueat cannot be vnderstood of the spirit of the whole Church sith then it would follow that there should be none left to try the said spirit of the Church euery particular man being included therin If then it be to be meant of priuate men as needes it must it followeth that a priuat spirit cānot be this Iudge sith it selfe is to vndergoe the iudgment and examination of some other ¶ The Fathers that affirme the same are S. Aug. epist 162. l. de Baptismo cap. 18. ad Epictetum S. Basil epist 78. S. Amb. epist 32. S. Leo epist 53. S. Hier. lib. cont Luciferianos Vincent Lyr. cont prophan heres nouitates Yea Martin Luther himselfe the Protestants great Grand-Father saith lib. de potest Papae We are not certaine of any priuat person whether he hath the reuelation of the Father or no but that the Church hath it we ought not to doubt VI. That S. Peters faith hath fayled COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Luc. 22.31.32 Simon behould Sathan hath desired to haue you that he may sift you as wheate but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith fayle not Loe Sathan required to sift them all the Apostles but our Lord heere prayed for Peter only that his faith principally might not fayle Therfore S. Peters faith hath not failed Mat. 16.18 And I say vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my Church and the gats of hell shall not preuayle against it But had S. Peters faith fayled the gates of hell had long ago no doubt preuailed Mat. 23.2 The Scribes and the Pharisies sit in Moyses seat all therfore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do How could Christ bid the people of the old law do all whatsoeuer he should bid them by those that sate in Moyses Chaire if they could erre But God hath no lesse preserued the truth of Christian Religion in the chaire of S. Peter which is in the new Law answerable to that of Moyses in the old Therfore neither S. Peters Fayth nor Chayre hath fayled Iohn 11.49.51 speaking of Caiphas the High Priest saith And this be spake not of himselfe but being High Priest that yeare he prophesied that Iesus should die for that nation Lo how in this most wicked time of the Sinagogue the very Dregges and outcast of that disobedient people yet speaking forth of that Chaire which Christ had commanded to be heard and obeyed touching mattters of fayth they answere truly and their chiefe Bishops prophesy ¶ S. Leo ser 3. de assump sua affirmeth the same The danger was common to all the Apostles but our Lord tooke speciall care of Peter that the state of all the rest might be more sure if the Head were inuincible VII That the Church can erre and hath erred COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Isa 59 21. As for me this is my Couenant vnto them saith the Lord. My spirit that is vpon thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of thy seedes seed from hence forth and for euer Therfore the Church cannot erre Ioan. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall giue you another Comforter that he may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth But the Apostles themselues aboad not for euer therfore this is to be vnderstood of the perpetuall aboad of the spirit of Truch with their Successors Mat. 18.17 And if he neglect to heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and a Publican Whence is clearly to be gathered that the Church in her Censure cannot erre Isa 35.8 And a high way shal be there and a way and it shall be called the way of Holines the vncleane shall not passe ouer it but it shall be for those the way faring men though fooles shall not erre ther in How far deceiued then are many simple soules who do affirme that the whole Church and all holy men that euer haue bene therein for these thousand yeares how wise soeuer haue all erred Ephes 5.27 That he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thinge but that it should be holy and without blemish Note well these wordes without spot wrinkle any blemish and tell me now if it be possible that reading this thou canst euer belieue that she hath euer taught such horrible blasphemies abhominations as at this day she is charged with See more Iohn 16.13 Ephes 5.27 Isay 9.7 Ezech 37.26 Luc. 22.32 Mat. 23.3 1. Pet. 2.9 Iohn 17.17 1. Cor. 11.25 Psal 101.23.29 Ephes 2.10 Ihon 10.16 Acts. 4.32 Ephes 4.5.11 Luc. 10.16 Deut. 17.8 Ierem. 3.15 Malac. 2.7 Mat. 16.18 Acts. 15.28 2. Cor. 13.8 1. Tim. 3.15 ¶ The Fathers affirme the same expressely S. Aug. cont Crescon lib. 1. cap. 3. Also vpon the 1◠8. Psal the place beginneth Ne auferas de ore meo verbum veritatis vsquequaque S. Cypr. epist. 55. ad Cornel. num 3. S. Ireneus lib. 3. cap. 4. with many others VIII That the Church hath bene bidden and inuisible COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Mat. 5.14.15 Yee are the light of the world a Citty that is set on a hill cannot be hid Neither do men light a candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a candlestick and it giueth light to all that are in the house But the Catholique Church is such a light such a candle and such a Citty built vpon Christ as vpon a mountaine therfore hath not nor cannot be hidden nor is inuisible Mat. 18.17 Tell the Church
if he neglect to heare thee but if he neglect to heare the Church let him be vnto thee as a Heathen man and a Publican But it were a very hard case to be condemned for a Heathen for not telling or hearing a Church which hath so closely layne hid that no man could heare see feele or vnderstand it for a thousand yeares 2. Cor. 4.3 But if our Ghospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost Loe the censure of S. Paul vpon all such as affirme that the Church or her Ghospell can be hid Isa 2.2 And it shall come to passe in the last dayes that the mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountaynes and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it In hundred of places do the Prophecies make mētiō of this Kingdome of Christ as Dan. 7.14 Mich. 4.7 c. which should be all in vaine if this his kingdome could be inuisible for a prophecy must be of things which may be seene and perceiued by our senses otherwise euery man might be a Prophet and fortell of thinges to come which if they should not come to passe he might answere that they had come to passe in very deed as he had prophecied but that they were inuisible to the world Loe the visible absurdities of this inuisible Church See more Psal 27.8 Rom. 10.14 1. Cor. 11.19 Psalm 19.3.4 Isa 60.20 Acts. 20.28 Isa 61.9 ¶ The Fathers commonly affirme the same Origen hom 30. in Matt. The Church is full of light euen from the east to the west S. Chrysostom hom 4. in 6. of Isa It is easier for the sunne to be extinguished then the Church to be darkned S. Aug. tract in Ioan. calleth those blind that do not see so great a mountaine Also S. Cyp. de vnitate Ecclesiae They maintayne IX That the Church was not alwayes to remaine Catholique or Vniuersall and that the Church of Rome is not such a Church COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Psalm 2.8 Aske of me and I shall giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession And Luc. 1.33 He shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shal be no end But none of these promises haue beene any where els so much verified as in the Church of Rome therfore both the church hath bene alwayes vniuersall and the Church of Rome only such a Church Colos 1.3 c. We giue thankes to God for you c. since we heard your faith c. for the hope which is laid vp for you in heauen wherof yee heard before in the word of the truth of the ghospell which is come vnto you as it is in al the world and bringeth forth fruit as is doth also in you since the day you heard of it and knewe the grace of God in truth But no Faith or Ghospell hath or is so dilated in all the world nor hath fructified and growne for so we read as the faith of the Roman Church hath done as appeareth more plainely by this which followeth Rom. 1.8 First I thanke my God through Iesus-Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world Where in expresse termes S. Paul calleth the fayth of the whole world or Catholique Faith the faith of the Romans that is of the Church of Rome Therefore the Church of Rome and no other is truly and indeed such a church See more Colos 1.23 Gen. 22.18 Mat 24.46 Acts 1.8 Dan. 2.35 Luc. 24.47 Psal 46.9 Psal 72.8 we 7◠Marc. 6.20 Ezech. 13.3 Math. 28.19 Actes 1.8 All which places are to be vnderstood not that the whole world should be Catholique at one and the same tyme but that the whole should be conuerted to Christ at sundry times and that it should comprehend a greater part of the world then any Sect of heretikes should euer do and this is the true sense of being Catholike or Vniuersall ¶ And to follow still our former Rule heare the Fathers that affirme the same S. Cypr. ep 57. writing to Cornelius Pope of Rome sayth Whilst with you there is one mind and one voyce the whole Church is confessed to be the Roman Church S. Aug. de vnitat Eccles cap. 4. sayth Who so dissent from the body of Christ which is the Church that they do not communicate with all the whole corps of Christendome certayne it is that they are not in the Catholike Church S. Hierome in his Apologie against Ruffinus and in other places saith that it is all one to say the Roman Fayth and the Catholike Fayth Agayne S. Aug. vpon the Psal 45. we 44. but much more excellently in ep 161. ad Honorat The place beginneth Dignare ergo rescribere nobis As also cont lit Petil. l. 2. cap. 16. The Reformers hold X. That the Churches Vnity is not necessary in all points of faith COntrary to the expres wordes of their owne Bible Ephes 4.5 One Lord one Faith one Baptisme Therfore Vnity is necessary in all points of faith The reason is for that the Church being a Congregation of the faithfull one Faith is necessary to make one Church but our Aduersaries differ in matters of faith therfore they haue not the Vnity requisit to one Church Iames 2.10 Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all And euen so is it in our faith for who so denieth one article denieth all Acts 4.32 And the multitude of them that belieued were of one hart and of one soule And againe 1. Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Iesus-Christ that yee all speake the same thing and that there be no diuisions among you but that yee be perfectly ioyned together in the same mind and in the same iudgement But our aduersaries will needs ioyne with vs in vnity of the Church yea and with others also who differ from them in matters of faith But this as you see cannot be See more Ierem. 32.29 Can. 2.6 Psal 67.7 Mat. 12.25 Marc. 3.24 Luc. 11.17 Mat. 18.19 Ephes 2.14.15.16.18.22 Ephes 5.27 Philip. 3.16 Philip. 1.26.27 Galat 59. 1.8 Colos 3.15 Iohn 17.11.2 Cor. 13.11 Psal 121.3 ¶ And lastly to checke by our common Rule the breakers of this Vnity and Rule S. Aug. cited by the Manuduc p. 134. saith In Cathedra vnitatis posuit Deus doctrinam veritatis In the chaire of Vnity God hath placed the doctrine of verity As also cont ep Par. l. 3. cap. 5. The place beginneth Qui non vult sedere S. Cyprian lib de vnitate Eccles num 3. saith This vnity of the Church he that holdeth not doth he thinke he holdeth the faith S. Hilary lib. ad Constantium Augustum and many others XI That S. Peter was not ordained by Christ the first Head or Chiefe amongst the Apostles and that amongst the
twelue none was greater or lesser then other COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Mat. 10.2 Now the names of the twelue Apostles are these The first Simon who is called Peter All the Euangelists doe put Peter in the first place and wicked Iudas in the last And wherfore this but because the one was first in dignity and worthiest of the rest and contrariwise the other last worst and vnworthiest of al his fellowes Againe why as Peter is called First are not the rest called Second Third c. but to shew therby that they did not therfore call Peter First because he occurred first to be named but because he was the First both in dignity and authority whom therfore they all number First and call the First Mat. 16.18 And I say also vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Wordes clearly insinuating S. Peters Supremacy in the Church of God for according to the Greeke and Syriack text as our Doctors note these words Thou art Peter sound thus Thou art a rocke and vpon this rocke I will build my Church So that to say that Peter is the rocke of the Church is as much as to call him Chiefe or Head of the Church Neither without especiall mystery did our Lord impose vpon him this new name the name of Peter a Rocke or Stone being one of the most excellent names of Iesus-Christ who is many times in holy Scripture tearmed by the name of a Rocke or Stone as Psal 117.22 Isa 28.6 Dan. 2.34 Mat. 21.42 Rom. 9.33 So that this Soueraigne and absolute Pastour of the Church did communicate this new name vnto his Vicar to represent the more liuely the supreme authority which he would giue vnto him ouer his flocke And not that Christ sayth not I haue built or I do build but I will build the Church being built vpon himselfe from his Incarnation so as these wordes referred to Christ as our Reformers vse to do do not well agree to the building of the Church vpon Christ as head thereof for the time to come but do most fitly agree to S. Peter as Head thereof for the time to come Matt. 16.19 And I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen c. By these wordes also no lesse then by the former is clearly signified S. Perers Supremacy For none hath the gouernment or commandement of the keyes of any Towne or Citty but the Prince Gouernour or Magistrats of the same And that soueraigne Power is signified by the Keyes is likewise proued by that of our Sauiour Christ I haue the keyes of hell and of death Apoc. 1.18 As also by the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth Now adde to this that hath bene sayd the correspondency of the wordes of our Sauiour to S. Peter with the wordes of S. Peter agayne to him and how cleare will this doctrine appeare For when our Lord asked his disciples Matt. 16.15 Whome say yee that I am he demaunded not how they called his name which was Iesus for that they knew full well before but what his quality office and dignity was And S. Peter answering Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Iesus tould him not his Name which was Simon but gaue him another name and such a one as likewise signifyed the office quality and dignity that he bestowed vpon him saying Thou art Cephas or Petrus that is to say Rocke or Peter Therefore he ordayned him Head c. 1. Cor 3.4.22 For while one sayth I am of Paul I am of Apollo I of Cephas I of Christ c. Loe how from those he would haue esteemed lesser he ascendeth to those whome he would haue esteemed greather and placeth Peter next to Christ Luc. 22.31.32 And the Lord sayd Simon Simon c. when thou art conuerted strengthen we read confirme thy brethren Now what other thing is it for Peter to strengthen or confirme his brethren but to practise and exercise his greatnes ouer them For he that doth strengthen or confirme others is the greater and they who are strengthened or confirmed are made therby inferiour to him who doth strengthen or confirme them Luc. 22.26 He that is greatest amongst you let him be as the younger and he that is chiefe as he that doth serue Where the wordes He that is greatest is chiefe do euidently shew that amongst the twelue one was greater then another and was so accounted euen by Christ himselfe Iohn 21.15.16.17 Iesus said to Simon Peter Simon louest thou me more then these Feede my lambes feed my sheep where the Greeke hath in the second place for feed gouerne or rule Hence it followeth that either the Apostles were not accounted to be in the flock of Christ or else they were subiect to S. Peter as to their head when Christ commanded him to feed or gouerne not only his lambes to wit the lay people but his sheep also to wit the Apostles and Pastours themselues for besides lambes sheep there is nothing in the Church of God Againe if S. Peter loued our Lord more then al his fellow-Apostles did it followeth necessarily that he receiueth more power to feed then all the rest did For it cannot be conceiued that he is willed to loue more then to feed but he loueth more then others therfore he is willed to feed more then the others and consequently to be head of the others Mat. 12.25.26 Euery kingdome deuided against it selfe is brought to desolation And if Sathan cast out Sathan c. Sathan therefore hath a Kingdome whereof he is the Chiefe If then there be not only a visible Head of the Church triumphant in heauen but also a visible head euen in Hell why not a visible head also on Earth See more Psal 18.42 Psal 45.16 we 46. Marc. 2.16 Actes 1.13 Luc. 1.33.2 Cor. 11.5 ¶ The holy Fathers do commonly affirme the same Theophilactus 23. Luc. calleth Peter Prince of the Disciples Eusebius in Chron. calleth him the First Bishop of Christians S. Cyril of Hier. cat 2. Prince and most excellent of all the Apostles S. Chrysost ho. 55. in Mat. Pastour and Head of the Church Euthym. in cap. vlt. Ioan. Maister of the whole world S. Leo epist 89. Head and chiefe of the Apostles They hold XII That a woman may be Head or supreme Gouernesse of the Church in all causes as the late Queene Elizabeth was COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible â—1 Tim. 2.11.12 Let the woman learne in silence with all subiection But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to vsurpe authority ouer the man Therfore a woman cannot be Head of the Church 1. Cor. 14.34 Let women hould their peace in the Churches for it is not permitted theÌ„ to speake but to be subiect as also the Law saith Therfore c. ¶ I produce no Fathers
sinne that men commit c. then they shall confesse their sinne which they haue done c. And that this is not vnderstood to be confessed to God in heauen but also to his Priest on earth the whole Chapter from verse 12. vnto the end doth clearly testify Adde heerto that he saith not they shall confesse their sinnes to wit in generall but their sinne to wit in particular See more Marc. 1.4 Iames. 5.16 Mat. 18.18 Mat. 17.14 ¶ See the holy Fathers that affirme the same S. Iraeneus l. 1. cap. 9. Tertull. l. de poenitentia where he reprehendeth some who for human shamfastnes neglected to goe to Confession It is written of S. Ambrose that he himselfe sate to heare Confessions Amb. ex Paulino S. Clement S. Peters successor speakes wonderfull pithily to this purpose Epist ad fratr Dom. But of all others Origen is most plaine for this point l. 3. Periar S. Chrysost l. 3. de sacerd hom 85. in Ioan. S. Aug. cited as before S. Amb. orat in muliere peccatrice saith Confesse freely to the priest the hidden secrets of thy soule XVI That Pardons and Indulgences were not in the Apostles times COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible 2. Cor. 2.10 To whome yee forgiue any thing I forgiue also for if I forgaue any thing to whome I forgaue it for your sake forgaue I it in the person of Christ The Corinthian aforesaid was excommunicated and put to pennance by the Apostle as plainly appeareth 1. Cor. 5.3 and heere in 2. Cor. 2. cited aboue he giueth order for his pardon A playne proofe of the Apostles power there of binding heere of loosing there of punishing heere of pardoning Therfore pardons were in vse in the Apostles times 2. Cor. 2.6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment or Censure which was inflicted of many Whence it is cleare that it lyeth in the hands of the spirituall Magistrates to measure the tyme of such punishment or pennance imposed See more Matt. 18.18 and Mat. 16.19 ¶ As also the Fathers that affirme the same Tertul. lib. ad Mart. cap. 1.5 S. Cyp. lib. 3. ep 15. and serm de lapsis Concil Lateran Can. 62. The decrees of Innocentius 3. and 4. de paenitent and remis cap Quod autem S. Amb. l. 1. de poenit cap. 2. the place beginneth Dominus per ius S. Aug. ep 75. ad Auxil Episcop The place beginneth Spiritalis poena S. Chrysost l. 3. de sacerdot the place beginneth Si rex aliquis Lastly Pope Vrban the 2. granted a plenary Indulgence to such as went vnto the Holy Warre They Protestants hold XVII That the actions and passions of the Saintes do serue for nothing to the Church COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Colos 1.24 I now reioyce in my sufferings for you and fill vp that which is behind we reade wanting of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church Hence hath the groūd bene alwayes taken of Indulgences but much more principally from the superaboundant merits of Iesus-Christ There the actions passions of the Saintes do serue for something to the Church Philip. 2.30 Because for the worke of Christ he was nigh vnto death not regarding his life to supply your lacke of seruice towards me Contrary also to an article of our Creed I belieue the Communion of Saintes For to what purpose belieue we this if their actions and passions may not be imparted to vs nor serue to any purpose to the Church See more Psal 119.63 we 118. 1. Cor. 12.12.2 Cor. 11.28 Psal 53. we 52. 9.2 Mac. 15.16 Mat 17.3 Luc. 9.30.31 Mat. 27.52 Apoc. 5.8 Gen. 26.5 48.16 Exod. 32.13 Iob. 5.1 Hier. 15.1 Isa 37.35 Marc. 14.36 Luc. 8.44 Acts 5.15 All these passages contayne actions or prayers of the Church triumphant for the militant or patient or for both I care not which they graunt and yet one they must needes confesse ¶ See the Fathers that affirme the same S. Aug. lib. de cura pro mort cap. 1. The place beginneth Etsinusquam And againe the same Saint in the same booke the place beginneth Prouisus sepeliendis S. Maximus ser de sanctis Octauio Aduentio the place beginneth Cuncti martyres S. Bede hist Eccles Angliae l. 3. cap. 19. the place beginneth Furseus S. Aug. in Psal 61. the place beginneth Vnus enim homo as also S. Anselme vpon the same Psalme XVIII That no man can do workes of Supererogation COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Mat. 19.21 If thou wilt be persect go and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and follow me Hence it plainely appeareth that man by the assistance of Gods grace may do some thinges counselled which are of more perfection then the thinges commanded and these we call Workes of Supererogation 1. Cor. 7.25 Now concerning virgins I haue no commandement of the Lord yet I giue my iudgment we read Counsell as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull And v. 38. He that giueth her in mariage doth wel but he that giueth her not in mariage doth better To do that which is counselled is not necessary because one may neuerthelesse be saued but he who omitteth what is commanded vnles he do pennance cannot escape eternall paines Mat. 19.12 There be Eunuches which haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauen he that is able to receiue it we read take it let him receiue it But this cannot properly be said of precepts as S. Aug. noteth vpon this place ser 61. de temp for of precepts it is not said Keep them who is able but keep them absolutly See more Luc. 10.25.1 Cor. 7.1 Reuel 4.3 Actes 2.44 Actes 4.34 ¶ And the holy Fathers affirme the same S. Amb. l. de viduis Origen in c. 15. ad Rom. Those things which we do ouer and aboue our duty Euseb 1. Demonstrat cap. 8. S. Chrysost hom 8. de act poenit Blame not our Lord he commandeth nothing impossible yea many do more then they are commanded S. Greg. Nissen 15. Moral cap. 5. XIX That by the fall of Adam we haue all lost our Freewill and that it is not in our owne power to choose good but only euill COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible 1. Cor. 37. He that standeth stedfaist in his hart hauing no necessity but hath power ouer his owne will and hath so decreed in his hart that he will keep his virgin doth well But if a man haue not freedome of will as well to the one as to the other why doth the holy Ghost Prou. 23.26 require of vs to giue him our hart if we cannot consent but vnto euill Therfore it is in our power to choose good or euill Iohn 1.11.12 He came vnto his owne and his owne receiued him not but as many as receiued him to them gaue he power to become
it vnto them and they to others all of them call it our Lords Body Finally against their true and reall receiuing of Christ by faith I say Either the soule ascendeth to heauen there to feed on Christ by fayth which Caluin confesseth or els Christ descendeth to earth to feed the same Not the first for so the vnglorified soule of man should be in two places at once which yet they deny euen to the glorified body of Iesus-Christ Not the second for so Christ should be in two places at once whom yet they say that the Heauens must contayne till the day of iudgement Acts 3. ¶ See Fathers that affirme the same S. Ignat. in ep ad Smyr S. Iustin Apol. 2. ad Antoninum S. Cyprian serm 4. de lapsis S. Amb. lib 4. de Sacram. saith It is bread before the words of the Sacrament but after c. of bread it is made the flesh of Christ S. Remigius saith The flesh which the Word of God tooke in the Virgins wombe and the bread consecrated in the Church are one body XL. That we ought to receiue vnder both kindes and that one alone sufficeth not COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Iohn 6.51 If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread which I will giue is my flesh Loe euerlasting life is attributed by our Lord himselfe to the eating only vnder ohe kind Therfore one alone doth suffice Luc. 24.30.8.35 Christ at Emaus communicated his two Disciples vnder one kind Both S. Augustine and Theophilact expound this place of the B. Sacrament lib. de consens euang cap. 35. S. Chrysost hom 17. operis imperfecti S. Thomas of Aquin and many others But they will alleadge to the contrary that of S. Iohn Vnles you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you The answere hereto is very easy which is that the coniunction and is there taken disiunctiuely insteed of or as is learnedly obserued by Doctor Kellison in his Reply to M. Sutclisse pag. 189. Againe Christ in those words teacheth vs the precept and not the manner of the precept that is to say he commandeth vs to receiue his body and his bloud without determining whether vnder one kind or vnder both as the Councell of Trent declareth For he that said Vnles you eate the flesp of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shal not haue life in you hath also said If any one eate of this bread he shall liue for euer And he that said He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting hath also said The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world He that said Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him hath likewise said He that eateth this bread shall liue foreuer Therefore one alone doth suffice See more Act. 2.42 XLI That there is not in the Church a true and proper Sacrifice and that the Masse is not this Sacrifice COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Malachy 1.11 From the rising of the sunne euen to the going downe of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentils and in euery place Incense shall be offered to my Name and a pure offering But this Sacrifice or pure Offering cannot be vnderstood of Christ vpon the Crosse as they would haue it which was offered only once and in once place and then also not among the Gentils nor yet can be euer iterated therfore neither is nor can be other then the dayly Sacrifice of the Masse Psal 110. we 109. 4. The Lord hath sworne and will not repent Thou art a Priest foreuer after the order of Melchisedech But Melchisedechs Sacrifice was made in bread and wine therefote it must either be granted that our Sauiour doth now sacrifice yea and euer shall in bread and wine aboue in Heauen which were absurd to say or els that this is meant of the Sacrifice of the Masse wheron the Eternity of his Priesthood doth depend on earth Nor can this be in a spirituall sort only for that would not make him a Priest of any certaine order as Melchisedech was Luc. 22.19 This is my body which is giuen for you Which wordes do plainly proue not only that Christs body is truly present but withall so present as that it is giuen offered or sacrificed for vs. For Christ sayth not which is giuen to you broken to you or shed to you but for you Which clearly sheweth it to be a sacrifice it being euident that one would neuer say of the Sacrament in the quality of a Sacrament that it is giuen for man but to man that it to say that a man receiueth it and contrary wise of a Sacrifice that it is offered not to man but for man See more Heb. 7.15.16.17 Heb. 8.1.3 Heb. 9.11 ¶ The Fathers that affirme the same are S. Clement Apost const lib. 6. cap. 23. who calleth it A reasonable vnblouly and mysticall Sacrifice S. Aug. A singular or most excellent sacrifice lib. 1. cont aduers leg and prophet cap. 18.19 S. Chrysost hom in Psal 95. The mysticall table a pure and vnbloudy host a heauenly and most reuerend Sacrifice Isichius in Leuit cap. 4. sayth that Christ preuenting his enemies first sacrificed himselfe in his mysticall supper and afterwards on the Crosse S. Greg. Nissen orat 4. de Resurrectione prouing that our Sauiour gaue his body and bloud in sacrifice for vs in his last supper sayth excellently That a man cannot eate the sheepe vnles the slaughter goe before and yet auerreth this to haue been done by Christ in his last supper XLII That Sacrament all Vnction is not to be vsed to the sicke COntrary to the expresse words of their owne Bible Iames 5.14 Is any sick among you Let him call for the Elders of the Churth and let them pray ouer him anointing him with oyle in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith shall saue the sick and the Lord shall rayse him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shall be forgiuen him Hardly is there any Sacrament wherof the matter the minister and the effect are more expresly specified in all the Scripture then of this The forme is the prayer Let them pray ouer him The matter the oyle Anoynting him with oyle The minister a Priest or Elder of the Church Let him call for the Elders of the Church The primary effect is the forgiuenes of sinnes and the secondary the easing of the sick in body saying And the Lord shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shal be forgiuen him Therfore Sacramentall Vnction is to be vsed to the sicke Marc. 6.13 And they annointed with oyle many that were sicke and healed them Where it is cleare that the Apostles themselues put in practice this holy vnctiō Which Beza confesseth in his Annotations saying that
it was a Symbole of admirable and supernatural vertue And had he not reason so to say For oyle of it selfe could not be naturally the Antidote of all diseases and albeit it were yet the Apostles were not sent to practice phisick but to preach the ghospell Yea it were a thing both ridiculous and impious to make them Triaclers Druggers or Paracelsians Marc. 16.18 They shall lay handes on the sicke and they shall recouer But first our Reformers are no true Priests Secondly they lay not their handes vpon the sick Thirdly they annoint them not with oyle in the name of the Lord as S. Iames willeth Let them say the truth then and shame the diuell are not they sick in their wits who will oppose so plaine Scriptures ¶ See the Fathers that affirme the same Origen hom 2. in Leuit. S. Chrysost lib. 3. de sacerd S. Aug. in Speculo serm 215. de temp Venerable Bede in 6. Marc. 5. Iac. with many others XLIII That no interiour Grace is giuen by imposition of handes in holy Orders And that ordinary Vocation and Mission of Pastours is not necessary in the Church COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible 1. Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift we read grace that is in thee which was giuen thee by Prophesy with the laying on the hands of the Presbitery Loe how playne it is that holy Orders doe giue grace Doctour Kellison handling this question touching the mission of the Reformers proueth learnedly in his Reply pag. 7. 44. that this foundation being disproued the whole frame of their Church and Religion falleth yea that they haue neither true faith nor worship of God and his reason is this If faith depend of hearing hearing of preaching preaching and administration of Sacraments of ministers and preachers and preachers ministers of their mission where there is no mission as they haue none there can be no true fayth nor lawfull administration of Sacraments and consequently no Religion Therfore vocation is necessary in the Church 1. Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir vp the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands Loe how playne the holy Scripture is against them But they reply that laying on of hands is not needfull to them who haue already in them the spirit of God and inward annointing of the holy Ghost To which very question Theodoret maketh answere that God commanded Moyses Numb 27. to lay his hands vpon Iosue wheras by the testimony of God himselfe Iosue had already in him the spirit of God S. Paul althogh he were called immediatly from heauen yet was afterward sent with laying on of hands Acts 13.3 Heb. 5.4 And no man taketh this honour vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heere our Aduersaries reply agayne that Aaron had no externall vocation But this is easily solued for Aaron was the first of his Order and therefore could not haue his calling by succession and whose case is farre vnlike to our Reformers vnles they will confesse also that they are the first or their order wherein they shall be easily belieued See more Act. 13.2 Tim. 1.6.1 Tim. 5.22.2 Tim. 1.8 Nūb. 27.23 ¶ See also the Fathers S. Aug. lib. 4. quaest super Num. S. Cypr. ep ad Magnum Optat. Mileuit the place beginneth Ne quis miretur Tertull. in praescript The place beginneth Edant origines XLVI That Priests and other Religious persons who haue vowed their chastity to God may freely marry notwithstanding their vow COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Deut. 23.22 When thou shalt vow a vow vnto the Lord thy God thou shalt not slack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and it would be sinne in thee but if thou shalt forbeare to vow it shall be no sinne in thee Out of which wordes two thinges are clearly proued The one that it is both lawfull and laudable to make vowes The other that Vowes being once made do bind where otherwise there was no oblagation before Therfore such as haue vowed Chastity may not nor ought not afterwards attempt to marry which if they do they break their Vow 1. Tim. 5.11.12 But the younger widdowes refuse for when they haue begun to wax wanton against Christ they will marry hauing damnation because they haue cast off their first fayth All the auncient Fathers that write vpon this place expound these words of the Apostle of the vow of Chastity or of the faith and promise made to Christ to liue continently as is abundantly proued in the Rhemes Testament vpon this place 1. Tim. 5.15 For some are already turned aside after Sathan Loe to marry after the vow of chastity once made is heere termed by the Apostle himselfe turning aside after Sathan And herupon it is that we call the Religious that after marry as Luther Bucher Peter Martyr and the rest of that lasciuious rabble Apostata's Gods adulterers incestuous sacrilegious and like See more Psal 66.16 Numb 6.2.18 Iosue 21.26 Ierem. 35.18 Eccles 5.3 Act. 21.23 ¶ See also the Fathers in confirmation heerof S. Aug. lib. de bono viduit cap. 9. S. Athanasius lib. de virginitat S. Epiphanius haeref 48. S. Hier. cont Iouin lib. 1. cap. 7. What is it to breake their first faith saith S. Aug They vowed and performed not in Psal 75. The place beginneth Quid est primam fidem c. XLV That fasting and abstinence from certaine meates is not grounded on holy Scripture nor causeth any spirituall good COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Ierem 35.5 And I set before the sonnes of the house of the Rechabits pots full of wine and wine-cups and I said vnto them drinke yee wine But they said we will drinke no wine for Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our Father commanded vs saying Yee shall drinke no wine neither yee nor your sonnes for euer Thus haue we obeyed Ionadab our Father in all that he hath charged vs. Therfore fasting is grounded in holy scripture Luc. 1.15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drinke neither wine nor stronge drinke Loe abstinence not only foretould but also prescribed by the Angell which plainly proueth that it was both a worthy thing and also an act of Religion in S. Iohn Baptist as it was in the Nazarites and Rechabits afore-mentioned Actes 13.3 And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their handes on them they sent them away Hence the Church of God hath sufficient ground and warrant for the vsing and prescribing of publique fastes which was not fasting from sinne as our Reformers forsooth pretend for such fasting they were euer bound to keep and that at such times or seasons as the Church pleased to prescribe as in Lent or the like and not when euery man lists or the toy takes him in the head as Aerius and other Hereticks did teach testified
by S. Aug. haeres 53. Mat. 17.21 Howbeit this kind of deuills goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Loe the great force of prayer and fasting able to expell the very deuill Therfore it causeth great spirituall good See more Ioel. 2.12 Mat. 6.16 Mat. 9.15.29 Toby 12.8 Luc. 2.37 Act. 14.22 2. Cor. 11.27 2. Cor. 6.5 Numb 30.14 1. Tim. 4.3 ¶ And the Fathers S. Ignat. ad Philip. S. Basil orat de Ieiunio S. Chrysost orat in sanct Lauacrum hom 1. in Gen. S. Amb. ser 4. S. Hier. in cap. 18. Isa and many others XLVI That Iesus-Christ descended not into hell nor deliuered thence the soules of the Fathers COntrary to the expresse words of their owne Bible 1. Ephes 4.8 When he ascended vpon high he led Captiuity captiue in their margent or a multitude of captiues and gaue gifts vnto men Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth These freed Captiues to be the soules of the glorified no man in his right wits will say Nor the soules of the damned for so the deuils should be brought againe into heauen therefore they were the soules of the Fathers which Christ deliuered out of Limbus Actes 2.27 Because thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption These very wordes S. Aug. applieth to the proofe of a third place and saith Who but an Infided will deny Christ to haue descended into Hell Epist 99. ad Euod 1. Pet. 3.18.19 Being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the spirit by which also he went and preached vnto the spirits in prison Now to vnderstand by the word prison heauen there is no sense sith it is called the seate of God and not the prison of God To vnderstand it of the wicked Caluin himselfe opposeth this opinion and maintayneth that S. Peter speaketh of the good which were knowne from the dayes of Noe. Adde heerto that this doctrine destroyeth an article of our Creed Therefore Christ descended into hell Heb. 11.38.39.40 And these all hauing obtained a good testimony through faith receiued not the promise to wit of Heauen God hauing prouided some better thing for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect to wit in their perfect complete glory Whence it followeth necessarily that they must needes grant another place distinct as well from the Heauen of the saued as from the Hell of the damned wherin these holy soules were detayned Mat. 12.40 For as Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the Sonne of man be three dayes three nights in the hart of the earth But how I pray is this Figure fulfilled if Christ were not as many dayes and nightes in the heart of the earth as Ionas was who was not in the whales belly in body only but also in soule Whence it followeth that either Christs holy soule was three dayes and three nights in the hart of the earth as well as his body or that this place of Scripture is either false or vnfulfilled But this were most absurd to say Mat. 27.52.53 And the graues were opend and many bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of the graues after his resurrection and went into the holy Citty and appeared vnto many Vnderstood by S. Ignatius Bishop of Antioch of Limbus Patrum writing to the Cittizens of Trallis thus Many arose with our Lord for the Scripture saith that many of the bodies that slept arose with our Lord. He descended alone but returned with a multitude Zachary 9.11 As for thee also by the bloud of thy Couenant I haue sent we read let forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherin is no water Both S. Hierome and S. Cyril vnderstand this pit to be meant of Limbus Patrum And with very great reason for how absurd were it to say that the damned haue their share in the bloud of the Couenant Or that they are let forth of their infernall pit Or that they may be said to be thy prisoners that is Christs but rather the prisoners of the diuell Yea where I pray to speake properly hath Christ had any prisoners at all which he hath let forth if not out of this place Therfore either Christ let forth prisoners our of Limbus Patrum or this place likewise as the former is either false or not yet fulfilled Like vnto this is that of 1. Samuel 2.6 The Lord killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth downe to the graue we read hell and bringeth vp we read back againe Loe how plaine and conforme the faith of that old Church was is to this of ours bringeth downe to hell and bringeth backe againe which hardly in any cleare sense can be auerred if Limbus Patrum be denyed As for the word Graue which they erroneously haue added insteed of Hell to diminish the force of so plaine a place why do they not aswell foist the same into their Creed insteed of Hell as heere they haue done and say Was crucified dead and buried he descended into the graue How absurd this is who doth not see See more Osee 6.3 Psal 16.10.2 Pet. 3.19 Zach. 9.11 Rō 10.6 Eccles 24.45 Ps 23.7 Genes 37.35 ¶ See also the Fathers that affirme the same S. Hier. in 4. ad Ephes S. Greg. lib. 13. Moral cap. 20. S. Aug. in Psal 37. v. 1. The place beginneth Futurū est enim XLVII That there is no Purgatory fire or other prison wher in sinnes may be satisfied for after this life COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible 1. Cor. 3.13.15 The fire shall try euery mans worke of what sort it is If any mans worke shal be burnt he shall suffer losse but he himselfe shall be saued yet so as by fire S. Augustine writing vpon the 37. Psalme and drawing these very wordes of the Apostle into his discourse sayth Because it is said he himselfe shall be safe that fire is therfore contemned Yea verily though safe by fire yet that fire shall be more grieuous then whatsoeuer a man can suffer in this life Thus he Therfore there is a Purgatory fire wherein sinnes may be satisfied for after his life Iohn 11.22 But I know that euen now whatsoeuer thou wilt aske of God God will giue it thee S. Martha the sister of S. Mary Magdalen belieued that our Lord whom then she held only for a holy man or Prophet and not for the Sonne of God could obtaine of God something profitable to her brother Lazarus who was deceased For hauing said Lord if thou hadst bene heere my brother had not bene dead she presently added But I know that euen now whatsoeuer thou wilt aske of God God will giue it thee Which speach she could neuer haue vsed in any good sense if she had not learned this doctrine of the Sinagogue who offered sacrifices almes and prayers for the departed and vnles she had
That no man hath seene God in any forme and that therefore his Picture or Image cannot be made COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Gen. 3.8 where God appeared vnto Adam walking in the garden of Paradise in a corporall forme And Gen. 28.12.13 to Iacob standing aboue the ladder whereon the Angells ascended and descended For we must know that it is only the outward shape and forme of the thing which is expressed eyther in this or the like Image and not the inward substance thereof which is not possible for any Painter or Caruer to expresse which though it expresse not all that is therein yet that which it expresseth is a truth and thus may God be expressed to vs. Yea why may not God be expressed in the same forme manner wherein he hath manifested himselfe to mortall eyes Therfore his Picture or Image may be made Exod. 33.11 God appeared spake vnto Moyses face to face as one man speaketh to another To the Prophet Isay 6.1.5 Sitting vpon a throne To Daniel 7.9 Sitting wearing garments and hauing haire on his head like pure woll How then can any wise man doubt but that that thing may be lawfully set forth or expressed in an outward Image which necessarily must be conceiued by an inward 1. Kinges we 3. 22.19 I saw the Lord sitting on his throne and all the host of heauen standing by him on his right hand and on his left But perhaps they will say that God commandeth vs to heare his word and the Histories which speake of his apparitions but not to paint them I answere that seeing we learne by our eyes as well as by our eares there is no reason why that may not be painted before our eyes which may be preached to our eares Againe seeing we may find the aforesaid Visions and Histories in the Bible why may we not as well see them painted in pictures as written in a booke of white paper LI. That blessing or signing with the signe of the Crosse is not founded in holy Scripture COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Reuelat 7.3 Where one Angell sayd to foure other Angels Hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees till we haue sealed we read signed the seruants of our God in their foreheads Againe Marc. 10.16 And he tooke them vp in his armes put his handes vpon them and blessed them Therefore signing and blessing is founded in holy Scripture Luc. 24.50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany and he lift vp his handes and blessed them Therfore c. ¶ See the Fathers that affirme the same Dionys Areopagita cap. 4.5.6 Eccles Hier. Tertul. lib. de corona milit Origen in Exod. cap. 5. hom 6.5 S. Cyril Cat. 1. S. Basil lib. de spir sanct cap. 37. S. Chrysost hom 55. in Mat. cap. 16. LII That Concupiscence remayning after Baptisme is truly and properly sinne though not imputed to the faithfull COntrary to the expresse words of their owne Bible Iames 1. 14.15 But euery one is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and entised Then when lust hath conceaued it bringeth forth Sinne and Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Heere 4. thinges are distinguished Concupiscence that is a power of couering prone to euill and her 3. motions Suggestion Delectation and Consent Now Concupiscence and her first motion S. Iames doth not call Synne but a Temptation to Sinne. Delight but not fully deliberate he calleth Sinne but not mortall the which only Consent causeth ¶ See in confirmation heerof S. Cyril l. 4. in Ioan. e. 51. S. Austine l. 5. cont Iulian. c. 3. 5. where he calleth Concupiscence not Sinne but the punishment of sinne besides the whole streame of Fathers LIII That Bishops and Priestes are not bound to liue a single life but may lawfully marry wiues COntrary to the words of their owne Bible Exod. 19.22 And let the Priests which come neere to the Lord sanctify themselues lest the Lord breake forth vpon them we read strike them Those also that were to eat the Paschal Lambe were commanded to haue their Loynes guirt Exod. 12.11 that is as S. Gregory expoundeth obseruing Continency hom 22. in Euangel In the New Testament S. Paul teacheth that a Bishop must be giuen to hospitality gentle sober iust Chast 1. Tim. 3. where insteed of the word Chast the Protestants in their later Editions translate of good behauiour therby to elude their state of liuing without wiues Also 2. Tim. 3.4 Thou therefore endure hardnes as a good souldier of Iesus-Christ No man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier Which all the Fathers do vnderstand of liuing a single life and not to be entangled with wiues ¶ See Concil 2. Carthag can 2. Where it is expressely decreed that all Bishops Priests Deacons and those that handle the Sacraments be keepers of Chastity and to abstaine themselues euen from wiues S. Hieron l. 1. cont Iouin Apol. ad Pamach c. 3. Origen hom 23. in Num. Epiphan haer 59. Ambr. in 2. Tim. 3. and others LIIII That the publique seruice of the Church ought not to be said but in a language that all the people may vnderstand COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Luc. 1.8 And it came to passe that while he executed the Priests office before God in the order of his course according to the custome of the Priests office his lot was to burne Incense in the Temple of the Lord and the whole multitude of people were praying without at the time of Incense Where it is to be noted 1. That this was then the common custome 2. All the people were without and the Priest within how then did they vnderstand him Therfore the publique seruice of the Church may be so said as all the people vnderstand it not Leuit. 16.17 And there shal be no man in the Tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an attonement in the holy place vntill he come out haue made an attonement for himselfe and for his househould and for all the Congregation of Israel Therefore c. I shal not need to produce the authorities of Fathers for this point when the as practise of the whole Christian world for these many hundred yeares together hath byn directly contrary to our Reformers heerin against which to dispute as S. Aug sayth were insolent madnes See to Rhe. Test. pag. 46. But against this they will obiect out of Scripture this their probablest place 1. Cor. 14.16 When thou shalt blesse with the spirit how shall he that occupyeth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giuing of thankes seeing he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest For thou verily giuest thankes but the other is not edifyed Heer to I answere that there be two kindes of prayer or giuing of thankes in the Church The one
Priuate which euery man sayes by himselfe alone The other Publique which the Priest sayth in the name and person of the whole Church As concerning priuate prayer no Catholique denies but it is very expedient that euery man pray in his owne tongue to the end he may vnderstand what he sayes But for the Publike praiers of the Church it is not necessary that the common people vnderstand them because it is not they who pray but the Priest in the name of the whole Church For as it was inough for the people of the old Law to know and vnderstand that in such a Sacrifice consisted the worship of God although they had not so cleare an vnderstanding of euery thing that was done therein as hath bene said euen so in the new Law when the people assist at the sacrifice of the Masse acknowledging thereby that God is worshipped and that it is instituted for the remembrāce of Christs death and passion although they vnderstand not the Latin tongue yet are they not destitute of the vtiltty and fruit therof besides the help of the Godly Ceremonies therein which do instruct them in the whole And indeed this place by them alledged serueth nothing to the purpose but rather agaynst them seeing it proues that the common seruice of the Church was not then in a tongue which euery man vnderstood but in another language which was not so common vnto all For S. Paul saying How shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at the giuing of thanks seeing be vnderstandeth not what thou sayest shewes that such giuing of thankes was not accustomed to be made in the vulgar tongue and requires or rather supposes that in the seruice of the church there should be some other to supply the place of the vnlearned that is one that should haue further vnderstanding of that tongue in which the seruice of the Church is said But had the Seruice bene in the vulgar tongue there needed no man to haue supplied the place of the Idior that vnderstandeth not So that S. Paul shewes most clearly that such seruice was not exercised in a vulgar tongue but in another which was not common to the whole people such as the Latin tongue is now in England as also throughout the whole East and yet was not in the contrary extreme that is to say wholy strange or vtterly barbarous And seeing our Aduersaires haue this place continually in their mouthes and thereby deceyue the simple people I would haue them to know that this text of S. Paul is greatly peruerted by the Reformers themselues For whereas the Greeke and Latin text hath He who supplies the place of an Idiot how shall he say Amen the Ministers of Geneua in many of their Bibles haue turned the same most deceitfully and maliciously thus He that is an idiot how shall he say Amen As if there were no differēce betwixt an Idiot he who supplyes the place of an Idiot Moreouer the thankesgiuing to which S. Paul sayth Amen should be answered is not at all practised in many of our Reformed Churches where neyther Idiots nor those that supply the place of Idiots do answere Amen as S. Paul willeth seeing they haue altered Amen into So be it which is plainly repugnant to his meaning as also to the practice of the whole Church For they can not say for their excuse that S. Paul wrote to those who spake in the Hebrue tongue for Amen is Hebrue since he wrote to the Corinthians who had their publike seruice in Greek and not in Hebrue A mayne argument that the word Amen ought to be retayned in all languages as it hitherto hath euer been amongst all Christians before the dayes of our Reformers in so much that the most learned S. Augustin writeth that it is not lawfull to turne Amen into any other vulgar language without the scandall of the whole Church Aug. epist 118. 2. de Doct. c. 20. To conclude I cannot but much meruaile at the simplicity of the common people who notwithstanding the great light of their reformed Ghospell see not the loosenesse and vanity of this their Leaders cauill For neyther the maysters or schollers are so senselesse I hope as to say that their own seruice consisting partly of the Psalmes of Dauid the hardest part of all the Bible and partly of lessons taken out of the old and new Testament is vnderstood of all the people present thereat since the greatest Diuines that euer were durst neuer say so much of themselues How wrongfully then do they wrangle with vs about this matter But perhaps they will say that thogh the simple people vnderstand not the hard places contayned in the psalmes and Seruice yet to their great comfort they vnderstand at least some part thereof euen so say we of our Masse and of our simple people who assist therat And so conclude as I began in the title of this Booke By thyne owne mouth I iudge thee naughty seruant A TABLE OF THE CONTROVERSIES handed in this Booke 1. COncerning the Rule of Faith Pag. 14. 2. Of the Iudge of Controuersies in matters of Faith pag. 21. 3. That the Holy Scripture is not easy to be vnderstood pag. 24. 4. Of Apostolicall Traditions Customes of the Church p. 29. 5. Whether one may iudge and interprete holy Scripture by his Priuate Spirit pag. 33. 6. Whether S. Peters Faith haue failed pag. 37. 7. Whether the Church can erre or hath erred pag. 39. 8. Of the inuisibility of the Church pag. 43. 9. Of the Vniuersality of the Church pag. 46. 10. Of the Vnity of the Church pag. 50. 11. Of S. Peters Headship p. 53. 12. Whether a secular Man or Woman may be head of the Church pag. 62. 13. Whether the Pope be Anti-christ pag. 66. 14. Whether none but God can forgiue sinnes pag. 69. 15. Whether Confession ought to be made vnto a Priest pag. 72. 16. Of Pardons or Indulgences pag. 75. 17. Whether the Actions and Sufferings of Saintes be profitable to the Church pag. 77. 18. Of workes of Supererogation pag. 80. 19. Of Freewill Whether lost by the fall of Adam pag. 82. 20. Of the Possibility of keeping Gods Commandments pag. 87. 21. Whether faith alone without workes iustifieth pag. 91. 22. Whether Good workes be meritorious pag. 94. 23. Whether faith once had may be lost pag. 97. 24. Whether God haue ineuitably decreed who shal be damned who saued pag. 99. 25. Whether euery one ought to assure himselfe of his saluation pag. 101. 26. Whether euery one haue an Angell Guardian pag. 104. 27. Whether Angells pray for men on Earth pag. 106. 28. Whether men may pray vnto them pag. 108. 29. Whether Angells can helpe men or Earth pag. 111. 30. Whether Saints deceased haue appeared to men on Earth pag. 113. 31. Whether they know what passeth heere on earth pag. 114. 32. Whether Saints pray for vs. pag. 118. 33. Whether we may alledge their merits in our behalfe p. 122. 34. Whether we may pray vnto them pag. 126. 35. Whether Reliques of Saints may be honoured pag. 130. 36. Of the blessing or hallowing of Creatures pag. 133. 37. Whether Children may be saued without Baptisme pag. 136. 38. Of the Sacrament of Confirmation pag. 138. 39. Whether Christs body be truly in the Sacrament of the Altar pag. 140. 40. Whether we ought so receaue vnder both kindes pag. 145. 41. Whether the Masse be a Sacrifice pag. 148. 42. Of Extreme-Vnctiō pag. 152. 43. Of Holy Orders and Ordinary Vocation and mission of Pastours in the Church pag. 155. 44. Of Vowes pag. 158. 45. Of fasting and abstinēce from certayne meates pag. 161. 46. Of Limbus Patrum and whether Christ descēded into Hell pag. 164. 47. Of Purgatory pag. 171. 48. Whether Images may be lawfully made pag. 178. 49. Of the worship of Images pag. 182. 50. Of making the picture of God the Father pag. 193. 51. Of the signe of the Crosse p. 196. 52. Whether Concupisence after Baptisme be sinne pag. 197. 53. Whether Bishops and Priests may lawfully marry pag. 199. 54. Of seruice in the Church in an vnknown tongue pag. 201. FINIS