death for vs which obedience both merited the remission of our sins and effectually wrought the righteousnes of the law For the deriuing whereof vnto vs two things must be done one on Gods behalfe another on our owne That which God doth is called imputation of Christs obedience to vs for the pardon of our sins and the making of our persons acceptable as if our selues had neuer sinned That which we do is beleeuing in Christ and so receiuing that which God offereth both which actions when they meet Gods offering Christ and our receiuing him the iustification of a sinner is then formally accomplished 39 The next terme is faith whereby we do not meane either a fleeting opinion of Gods fauour standing onely in imagination nor yet as our aduersaries define it onely an assent vnto all those things which God hath reuealed beleeuing them to be true but we hold it to be ouer and besides this * Nec fides excludit omnem dubitationem sed dubitationeÌ„ vincentem trahentem in oppositum credibilis Scot. 3. d. 23. an infallible knowledge and apprehension of Gods good will towards vs in particular whereby we apply the speciall promises of the Gospell to our owne selues the which knowledge we hold is obtained two wayes one is by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit that God doth now accept vs for his sons in Christ the other leading hereunto is by the reuelation of the Gospell promising iustification to all that do the things required therein whereto when we by the grace of God and a liuing faith performe them our conscience enlightened with the truth answereth We haue done them By this meanes we say a man may be able to beleeue Christ to be his Sauiour and so beleeuing he apprehendeth the promise and is iustified by his faith as by an instrument that is to say this his consent and obedient yeelding himselfe to beleeue Christ Iesus his Sauiour and his speciall promises is as it were the hand whereby a sinner must receiue Christs obedience for his iustification And if it be obicted that no man can thus beleeue because he knoweth not the wil of God or if he do beleeue thus he may deceiue himselfe I answer that it is in no mans power to attain to this knowledge of himself but as God reuealeth it and worketh it in vs by his word and Spirit infusing it secretly into our consciences by the preaching of the Gospell and our faith and obedience thereunto as a man heareth his friend telling him a secret in his eare wherein if one be diligent and faithfull it will worke three effects in him First it will humble him and shew him his misery and so driue him to Christ for helpe Secondly it will conuert his life and of a profane person make him a godly man Thirdly it will infuse and drop into him by degrees the feeling of Gods good will toward him and so inspire him with comfort from all which he may as infallibly by faith conclude his redemption as if his name were written in the Bible Which I declare by a similitude of a King who sending a pardon to fortie thousand rebels setteth not downe their names in particular but putteth in a condition that all they shall be pardoned that wil lay by their weapons and come to him the which he sendeth a herald to proclaime and the people hearing it do accordingly and thereby know infallibly they are pardoned and if any man would molest them because their name is not expresly written in the pardon they might contemne him and securely conclude their deliuerance from the condition that is expressed In the same maner do we apprehend our iustification by faith For all men being sinners against God he hath sent out the pardon of his Gospell not writing any mans name therein particularly but putting in a condition that so many as will be saued by Christ repent beleeue and obey him the which being published by preaching as soone as the elect heare they receiue and so know infallibly they are pardoned And if any man would molest them as the Papists for example do because their name is not expresly written in the Creed they might despise them and both against theirs and the diuels accusations securely conclude their saluation from the condition expressed thus He that repenteth and forsaketh his sinnes and beleeueth and obeyeth the Gospell vnfainedly shall be saued But I repent and forsake my sinnes I beleeue and obey vnfainedly Therefore I shal be saued The first proposition is expresly contained in the Scripture the second is the perpetuall and constant testimonie of the conscience in such as are called * The Schoolmen confesse they are conclusions of faith which arise from two premises the one wherof is immediatly reuealed in the Scripture the other deduâ—ed by good consequeÌ„ce or naturally knowne and added to that which is reuealed Greg. de Val. tom 3. pa 34. A. B. Medin in 1. 2. q 112. art 5. pag 627. The conclusion therefore must needs be true and cannot deceiue because it is extracted out of the word of God and perfected by the worke of his owne spirit in the conscience where all the generall propositions of the law and Gospel are applied If the second proposition be false as it is in all that abide in their wicked life and impenitencie and infidelitie there is no way but to amend and vse the meanes of reformation vntill the conscience may without error assume it This conclusion thus grounded is that faith that we meane when we say we are iustified by faith and it is so farre from giuing libertie to sinne and excluding a good life that you see a good life and the promise made thereunto are the premises that beget it yea of absolute necessitie they must reform themselues afore they haue it and perseuere in all good workes if they will maintaine it 40 The third terme is Onely whereby the meaning is not to debarre repentance and good workes but to exclude them from being either the righteousnesse that maketh vs accepted to eternall life or the meanes whereby that righteousnesse is applied to vs though they haue their vse and absolute necessitie otherwise repentance in preparing and making vs fit to be iustified by faith and afterward the same with good workes in the life of man For the elect are brought to glorie not by iustification alone but by vocation and sanctification also In the former we say our workes haue no roome at all in as much as it standeth in the clearing of a sinner from the law and the making of him perfectly iust in the sight of Gods iudgement which no mans works can do but only the obedience of Christ communicated to vs by faith In the two other they are required because it is the ordinance of God that if any man come and be in Christ he should repent and be a new creature walking not according to the flesh but
secreti regula Pastor erit Roma suis magna suis Brittannia normam Pandit in incertum ne rapiare caue Consilium Medici Pastoris consule vocem Iudicium certum PAGINA SACRA dabit Le. Asshaw ar A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE CONCERNING FAITH BY WHICH IS euidently declared how euery one that hath a desire to please God and a care to saue his soule the which should be the chiefe desire and care of euery Christian man ought to resolue and settle himselfe in all points questions and controuersies of faith The Answer IF the Discourse had performed what the Title promiseth you had bene beholding to the man that bestowed it on you the rather because the coÌ„trouersies of the present time haue changed the sweet Spring of our Church into a stormy Winter But seeing the author thereof vnder colour of directing you in the controuersies goeth about to make another Eue of you by seducing your minde from the simplicitie that is in Christ you haue little cause to thanke him and a Deut. 27.18 he lesse to reioyce in his labour For his reasons whereby he thinketh to declare his matter so euidently all tend to perswade you that the Pope of Rome b Gregorius decimus tertius filiorum ecclesiae pater amantissimus Camp rat 5. apud Posseu bibl l. 7. c. 21. his fast frieÌ„d c Nomine Ecclesiae intelligimus eius caput id est Romanum PontificeÌ„ Gregor de Valent. in Thom. tom 3. pag. 24. Venet. is this verie Rule that must resolue you in these points questions and controuersies of faith An vnreasonable position voyd of all indifferencie when common sense teacheth that he which is a partie cannot be iudge and d Niceph. Gregor hist lib 10. cap. vlt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which it selfe is a thing wauering and inconstant cannot be the Rule to discerne the right by What father e Luc. 11.11 saith Christ if his sonne aske him bread will giue him a stone or if he aske a fish will giue him a serpent yet thus the Iesuite hath dealt with you But f Epicharm the heathen mans counsell is good Be sober and suspicious and g 1. Thes 5.21 the Apostles better Trie all things and sticke to that which is good Neither must you hope to learne truth in the schoole of lies for they that seeke Christ among heretickes shall lose him § 1. First it is to be suppoâ—ed and set downe for a certaine ground that there is but one faith which whosoeuer wanteth cannot possibly please God nor consequently be saued since none are saued which do not please God This is proued out of S. Paule who in one place saith Vna fides Ethes 4 and in another Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Heb 11. The which two places make this sence in English Faith is but one and without faith it is impossible to please God Secondly this one faith without which we cannot please God must be infallible and most certaine because faith is the credite and inward assent of mind which we giue to the word of God the prime and first veritie which neither can deceiue nor be deceiued Fides saith the same S. Paule Rom. 10 ex auditu auditus per verbum Dei The sence of which words be that faith is bred in vs by hearing and yeelding assent to the word of Christ who is of God The Answer 1 Both these conclusions be true and you shall graunt them to be as himselfe calleth them certaine grounds wherein we all agree that there is but one faith wherein we can be saued and this faith must be infallible or certaine that is free from error and such as cannot deceiue vs beleeuing nothing that false is And this later is well proued Because faith is the assent of the mind that we giue to the word of God which word being the first truth neither can deceiue vs nor be deceiued it selfe This confirmation I say will serue meaning by the word of God the holy Scriptures for h Cyrill Hiero. fol. cat 4. the securitie of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the diuine Scriptures i 1. Cor. 4.6 that no man presume aboue that which is written 2 But if by the word of God which cannot deceiue nor be deceiued he meane also the Constitutions of his Church and the Popes Decrees which they call Traditions then his confirmation is naught and we reiect it because the words thereof will be resolued into this sence That our faith or religion to this end that it may be infallible must be grounded partly on Traditions and partly on the Scriptures and the certaintie thereof dependeth no lesse on the former then on the later a point which no wise man will graunt considering that such Traditions are so farre from securing our faith that directly they leade it into a verie sea of errors and vncertainties and being once admitted euery Friers dreame and base custome of the Romish Church shall be thrust vpon you for an article of religion necessarie to eternall life And I dare vndertake the Iesuit in this place by the word of God of Christ meaneth these verie Traditions so farre that put him to it and before he wil forgo them or hazard the least of his Papall Decrees you shall see him k Vide as quaÌ„ti ponderis sit ipsa traditio vt ex ipsa noui testamenti scripta omnia authoritatem acceperint quam qui non admiâ—tunt ab ipsis etiam canonicis scriptis excidat necesse est Traditio est scripturarum fundamentum In eo scripturas excellunt quod illae nisi traditione firmentur non subsistant hae vero etiam sine scriptis suaÌ„ obtineant firmitatem Caes Baron annal tom 1. an 53. nu 11. verie strangely speake of the Scriptures as the l Demades Eras apop man of Athens that thought his countreymen should not by striuing for heauen in the meane time venter to lose the earth Digression 1. Prouing that the Papists grounding the doctrine of faith on Traditions make them equall to the written word 3 For the Trent Councell m Sess 4. decret 1. decreed they should be receiued with the same reuerence and affection wherewith we receiue the Scripture it selfe Canus n Loc. l. 3. c. 3. saith Many things belong to Christian faith which are contained in the Scripture neither openly nor obscurely o Confess Petric c. 92. Hosius saith the greatest part of the Gospell is come to vs by tradition very little of it is committed to writing p De Purgat cap. 11. Peltanus that many verities lye hidden in the Church which if she would reueale we were bound to beleeue with the same faith wherwith we beleeue the things reuealed in the Scriptures q Vaux Canisius English catech c. 1. The Popish Catechismes teach that Faith is a certaine light wherwith whosoeuer is enlightened he firmely agreeth to all such things as
common heresie of his Romane church maketh the matter of the Scriptures obscuritie so dangerous I wil demaund of him by the way how our reasons to the contrary may be satisfied For first the Scripture it selfe in euident places calleth vs to it g Ioh. 5.39 Esa 8.20 bidding vs search it and seeke to it and h 2. Pet. 1.19 compareth it to a light shining in a darke place yea i Hebr. 12.5 to the voice of a father speaking to his children and when men vnderstand it not k 2. Cor. 3.15 it saith a vaile is laid ouer their hearts not ouer the scriptures and Christ l Ioh. 10.27 saith his sheepe heare his voice and m Luc. 16.29 the rich glutton was told that his brethren if they would escape damnation should heare Moses and the Prophets which had bin to no purpose if they could not haue vnderstood them when they heard them 4 Secondly he can name no one necessary article of our faith but the word teacheth it as plainly as himselfe can as that there is one God three persons a generall resurrection and iudgement that Iesus is the Sauiour of mankind c. Bellarmine n Illa omnia scripta esse quae sunt omnibus necessaria De verbo Dei l. 4. c. 11. saith All those things are written that are necessary to be knowne of all men o Scripturis nihil notius Ibid. l. 1. c. 2. neither is there any thing better knowne then the Scriptures so saith p Rock pa. 193. Et Contaren de potest Pont. pag. 227. Luce meâ—idiana illustrius ostensum puto ex diuinae sapientiae vocibus Saunders We haue most plaine Scripture in all points for the Catholicke faith And in all controuersies the Papists with whom we deale crie plaine euident manifest Scripture 5 Thirdly all other questions at the last are determined by the Scripture the Fathers expositions are examined by it and q Greg. Val. to 3. disp 1. q. 1. punct 1. the Church receiueth testimony from it so that the finall resolution of all things dependeth vpon it which could not be if of all other things it were not the best knowne for things are not tried by that which is obscurer but by that which is plainer 6 Last of al what meant the Fathers of the Primitiue church so much to report this perspicuitie for r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protrept pag. 25. Clemens Alexandrinus saith The word is not hid from any it is a common light that shineth to all men there is no obscuritie in it heare it you that be far off and heare it you that be nigh Austin Å¿ En arrat in Psal 8. saith God hath bowed downe the Scriptures euen to the capacitie of babes and sucklings that when proud men will not speake to their capacitie yet himselfe might Chrysostome and his scholler t Lib. 2. ep 5. Isidorus Pelusiota writeth the same u Homil. 1. in Mat. saith The Scriptures are easie to vnderstand and exposed to the capacitie of euery seruant and plow-man and widow and boy and him that is most vnwise x Hom. 3. de Laz. therefore God penned the Scriptures by the hands of Publicans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fishermen tent-makers shepheards neat-heards vnlearned men that none of the simple people might haue any excuse to keepe them from reading and that so they might be easie to be vnderstood of all men the artificer the housholder and widow woman and him that is most vnlearned yea the Apostles and Prophets as schoolemasters to all the world made their writings plaine and euident to all men so that euery man of himselfe onely by reading them might learne the things spoken therein Iustine Martyr a Dialog cum Tryphon pag. 213. grae commel saith Heare the words of the Scriptures which be so easie that it needs no exposition but onely to be rehearsed This was the perpetuall and constant iudgement of the auncient Church far from the Iesuites paradoxe that the Scriptures be so obscure and beyond the peoples capacitie that they can reape no instruction by them for the Fathers with one consent teach the contrary and yet you see the confidence of these new Romane diuines It is euident in it selfe b Bristo Mot. 48. saith one of them to any man not quite forsaken of God that the auncient Fathers make most plainly for vs c. The field is wonne c Campian rat 5. apud Posseâ— biblioth select l. 7. c. 21. saith another if once we come to the Fathers they are ours as fully as Pope Gregorie the thirteenth Their prisoners they may be but not their patrons either to erect them Seminaries as d Surius comment rerum in Orb. gest anno 1572. did Gregorie the thirteenth or to maintaine the doctrine which in those seminaries they learne and teach Digression 9. Declaring that the Papists haue reason to hold the Scriptures be obscure and hard because the articles of their religion be hardly or not at all to be found therein 7 And withall the Reader may here very opportunely be put in mind that these men haue good reason to beare the world in hand the Scriptures be very obscure because indeed the Popish religion is obscurely or not at all found therein that not the vnlearned onely but the skilfullest clearkes of their church haue much ado to find some points thereof and some they confesse cannot be found there at all And haue not these men good cause then to challenge it lustily of insufficiencie and obscuritie I haue touched alreadie the confession of Andradius that many points of their faith would reele and stagger if traditions stayed them not And that you may know the meaning of this confession to be not onely that they haue no expresse Scripture for them but also no collection from the Scripture Eckius e Enchirid. c. 4. writeth The Lutherans are dolts which will haue nothing beleeued but that which is expresse Scripture or can be proued out of the Scripture And Costerus the Iesuite f Enchird c. 1. hauing deuided Gods word into three parts that which himselfe writ as the tables of the law that which he commaunded others to write as the old and new Testament and that which he neither writ himselfe nor rehearsed to others but left it to them to do themselues as traditions the decrees of Popes and Councels c. concludeth that many things of faith are wanting in the two former neither would Christ haue his Church depend vpon them this latter saith he is the best Scripture the iudge of controuersies the expositor of the Bible and that whereupon we must wholly depend iust as Staphylus g § 2. nu 6. said before of the Colliars faith 8 Thus they sticke not to name diuers maine articles as for example h Tho. 3. q 25. art 4. Canis catech titul de praecep eccles nu 5. the worship of images
be as ready to obey is one thing but neither to be willing to learne nor when you heare the truth to be satisfied therewith is another The first of these may befall the particular Church c. § 26. Because a marke whereby a thing may and must be knowne must be more apparent and easie to be knowne to all those men which should by that marke seeke out and find that thing then the thing it selfe otherwise there should come no helpe by the marke to the knowledge of the thing But to know which is the true faith in all points at least to some sorts of men to wit the vnlearned is more hard then to know and assigne which companie of men be the true Church For to know which is the true faith in all particular points requireth learning whereby one may vnderstand the termes and state of the question besides iudgement to discusse and weigh prudently the sufficiencie of the authorities and reasons oâ— both parts that vpon this pondering of reasons they may prudently conclude which is the better part Moreouer they must haue a supernaturall light of God his Spirit whereby they may discerne and see those things which be aboue all naturall rules and reasons Ad haec quis idoneus Who can say that he is sufficiently furnished with these helpes or who can be infallibly sure that he hath all these in such sort as is requisite for obtaining by his owne industrie an infallible faith in al points And as for the vnlearned they must needes confesse that in diuerse mysteries of faith they do not so much as vnderstand the termes and state of the question and much lesse are they able sufficiently to examine the worth of euery reason neither are all such as can perswade themselues that they are singularly illuminated immediatly taught of God his Spirit neither if they did thus perswade themselues could they be infallibly sure that in this their perswasion they were not deceiued since it is certaine that some that most strongly in their owne conceit perswade themselues to be thus enlightened are in this their perswasion deceiued Now for to know which is the true Church and by giuing credite to it consequently which is the true faith there are not so many things required nor anie great difficultie as shall be declared For this is the direct way which Esay as did foretell cap. 35. should be in the time of Messias which he said should be so direct that euen fooles to wit simple and vnlearned men should not erre in it Haec erit vobis directa via saith he ita vt stulti non errent per eam The Answer 1 This is his first argument the summe whereof is concluded in this Syllogisme That which is the marke whereby to know a thing must be more apparent and easier to be knowne then the thing it selfe otherwise it helpeth vs not in finding out the thing But the true faith is not more apparent or easier to be knowne then the Church but contrary the Church is easier to be knowne then the true faith for to know the true faith there is required learning iudgement and supernaturall illumination which no man sufficiently hath but to know which is the true Church these things are not required for the Church is the direct way Esa 35.8 Therefore the true faith is not the marke of the Church To this I answer denying the second proposition and the confirmation thereof that it is harder to know which is the true faith then to assigne which company of men be the Church For faith is the cause of the Church that is to say this is the thing that maketh a people to be the Church of God when they beleeue the word of God and euery cause as it goeth before his effect so is it more apparent to our vnderstanding and better knowne to our iudgement then the effect Aristotle saith a Analy Poste cap. 2. Causes are both before their effects and better knowne and b Ibid. Metaph l. 1. c. 2. l. 2. c. 2. Plato in Thraet the true knowledge of things ariseth from the knowledge of their causes yea those things are simply first and best knowne which are furthest from our sence and nearest our vnderstanding and so the doctrine and beliefe of the Church must needes be easier to know then the Church it selfe because it cometh first to my vnderstanding and of necessitie I must see it afore I can tell whether the Church be there or not For though that company which is offered to me as the Church be more apparent to my sence yet haue I no certaintie that it is the Church or a companie so qualified vntil I know the faith thereof to be true I see indeed a company of men and heare much of their greatnesse but I am not sure they are the Church vnlesse I know they hold the true faith and so the knowledge of this leadeth me to the knowledge of that and the faith is easilier discerned then the Church 2 The Papists themselues haue a saying which if this Iesuite would receiue might determine this matter We see indeed that companie of men which is the Church c Lib. 3. de eccl c. 15. saith Bellarmine but we do not see that this companie is the true Church of Christ we beleeue it For that is the true Church which prâ—fesseth the faith of Christ but who doth euidently know this faith to be the faith of Christ we rather beleeue this by a firme and most assured faith In which words this Iesuites assumption is thus disproued That whereupon I beleeue the Church so to be is more apparent and easier to be knowne sooner to be seene then the church it selfe But vpon knowledge of the Churches faith I beleeue it to be the Church therefore the Churches faith is more apparent and sooner knowne then the Church it selfe Againe By faith we beleeue this to be the true Church and the profession thereof to be the truth but d Rom. 10.17 all faith cometh by hearing the word of God therefore by the meanes of hearing Gods word I beleeue this to be the true Church and so consequently the knowledge of Gods word cometh sooner and easilier to my vnderstanding then the knowledge of the Church 3 And though it were granted that in some cases the Church were easier to know then the faith yet as things depend betweene the Papists and vs the faith is easier to know then the Church for the question betweene them and vs is who hath the true Church In which triall it is the greatest folly in the world for either of vs to offer our selues to the world as the true Churches of Christ till first we haue proued our selues so to be by the doctrine that we professe and in vaine shall we attempt this if as the case standeth this doctrine be not easier and plainer then the Church This is the confession of the Iesuites
THE WAY TO THE TRVE CHVRCH wherein The principall Motiues perswading to Romanisme and Questions touching the nature and authoritie of the Church and Scriptures are familiarly disputed and driuen to their issues where this day they sticke betweene the Papists and vs Contriued into an Answer to a Popish Discourse concerning the Rule of Faith and the marks of the Church And published to admonish such as decline to Papistrie of the weake and vncertaine grounds whereupon they haue ventured their soules Directed to all that seeke for resolution and especially to his louing countrimen of Lancashire By IOHN WHITE Minister of Gods word at Eccles. For the finding out of the matter and questions handled there are three Tables two in the beginning and one in the end of the Booke ¶ De hoc inter nos Quaestio versatur vtrum apud Nos an apud Illos vera Ecclesia sit August de vnit Eccles cap. 2. LONDON Printed for IOHN BILL and WILLIAM BARRET 1608. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHERS IN GOD TOBIE THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF YORKE HIS GRACE Primate and Metropolitane of England and to GEORGE Lord Bishop of Chester his very good Lords WHen I first peÌ„ned this Treatise which now I offer to your Lordships I did it for mine owne priuate exercise and the satisfying of certaine friends that desired it Afterward seeing some hope that it might doe good abroad principally in the countrey where I dwell and desirous if it were possible to do any thing that might helpe the seduced out of their errors and confirme the rest in the truth I was easily perswaded to put it forth and the rather for that the questions handled touching THE AVTHORITIE AND SENCE OF THE SCRIPTVRE and SIGNES OF THE CHVRCH are the profitablest that can be stood vpon and such as I haue alway obserued our people commonliest vse and most desire to looke into not being able to apprehend the difference or iudge of the reasons in other questions but presuming that if by certain marks they could find which is the true Church there would remaine litle difficultie in the rest forsomuch as therein they should find the truth in euery controuersie 2 The proper cause why our aduersaries put this deuice into the peoples heads was to dazle their eyes and delude their sences with the name of THE CHVRCH that when they should find the word of God and all discourse against their opinions yet that name should amaze them while they might beleeue nothing vntill they were perswaded by other marks that it came from the CHVRCH And no doubt this is the a Apollodor Bibliothec. li. 2. Gorgons head that inchanteth and oppresseth them euen the learnedst of them all and holdeth them in bondage to their errors hauing a conceit that they wil heare nothing against the Church which they presuming to be the Papacy though it be but AN IMPOSTVME BRED IN THE CHVRCH or A DISEASE GROWING TO IT will go no further All their speech is of the Church no mention of the Scriptures or God their Father but their MOTHER THE CHVRCH Much like as b Solin poly hist c. 33. they write of certaine Aethiopians that by reason they vse no mariage but promiscuously companie together it cometh that the children onely follow the mother the fathers name is in no request but the mother goeth away with all the reputation Let their talke be listened and their bookes perused and it will appeare this authoritie of their Church is at the end of euery question and striketh the stroke as c Philostrat in imaginib one saith pleasantly of Aesops Fables that therein the Foxe is the chiefe stickler of all the company The beasts seldom meet but he is among them and beareth his part with the busiest 3 This matter is handled in this Booke betweene my aduersarie and me For though others haue done the same before me yet I haue done it in mine owne method The water is all one but the vessell wherein I haue brought it is my owne And it was the iudgement of d Trinit l. 1. c. 3. de Mendacio c. 6. Saint Austine that In places infected with heresie all men should write that had any facultie therein though it were but the same things in other words that all sorts of people among many bookes might light vpon some and the enemie in all places might find some to encounter him The Iesuites which are the Popes Ianizaries that guard his person and were brought in now at the last cast when the state of the Papacie was at a dead lift to support the waight of the maine battell haue pestered the land with their writings and filled the hands and pockets of all sorts of people with their papers yea fannes and feathers are lapped vp in them wherein it is admirable to see how presumptuously they take vpon them in disgracing our persons belying our doctrine and coining and defending strange opinions of their owne neuer heard of afore as if Chrysippus schoole had bred them e Diog. Laert. in Chrysip who vsed to make his boast that many times he wanted opinions to aduance but if once he had the opinion he neuer wanted arguments to defend it whose writings seeing they cannot be suppressed pitie but they were effectually answered The applause that ignorant and vnsetled minds giue them and the conquest that of late yeares they haue made of a few Libertines and discontented persons hath so fleshed them that it is incredible how they brag and sing like f Auentin Annal lib. 2. the clownes of Germany when they had expelled the Franks Mille Francos mille Sarmatas semel occidimus Mille mille mille mille mille Persas quaerimus But I dare boldly say it that if the maner how they haue preuailed be looked into g Praescript Tertullians speech will fall out to be true It is the weaknesse of some that giueth them the victory being able to do nothing when they encounter an able faith Discontent and vanitie of mind voide of the knowledge and faithfull practise of religion are good dispositions to heresie They liue Gentiles saith Cyprian and die heretickes h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dioâ— Laerâ— in Epicur Epicurus in his time with teaching pleasure and libertie filled the most houses and cities with his friends But if we looke what the motiues were that led them away and what the Iesuites said against vs I presume three verses in i Pâ—â—â—â—ol Plautus will answer them Quid ait quid narrat quaeso quid dicit tibi Nugas theatri verba quae in comoedijs Solent lenoni dici quae pueri sciunt 4 A singular misery no doubt and aboue all other to be lamented that mans mind so free so ready so able with those helpes that God hath left him to search out the truth yet should not be satisfied nor rest contented with heauen and earth or any other thing that God hath reuealed for the finding
there is why they should disdaine vs supposing we had lesse learning then we haue Irenaeus f L. 2. c. 45. hath a saying which I commend vnto them when they thinke they haue so much vantage of learning against vs It is better and more profitable to be simple and of small knowledge and by loue to approach neare God then to thinke themselues to know much and to be of high experience and in the meane while to be found blasphemers against God 11 We know no cause therefore why we should not constantly and cheerfully go forward with our profession and confirme our selues daily more and more therin against all the premises and oppositions of the Romane Church whatsoeuer First we haue the Scripture in manifest places free from all ambiguitie on our side secondly we haue the principles of religion contained in the Lords praiers the Creed and the ten Commandements that directly leadeth to euery point of our faith Which is the true reason why the Church of Rome forbiddeth the reading and exercise of these things to the people lest they should see so much Thirdly we haue the ancient fathers in expresse termes in all things that they held constantly certainly with one consent I do not deny but our aduersaries in some smaller points as Purgatory praier for the dead may make shew of some particular opinions in the fathers but vpon triall it will fall out they held theÌ„ waueringly doubtfully that no certainty can be set downe touching their resolute iudgement Whereas in the principall points touching the Scriptures iustification merit of workes images and all the rest they write most clearely with vs. Fourthly and which may perswade any man not drunken with his owne preiudice we haue the mercies of God to pleade for vs whereby our Church hath bene miraculously vpholden when they threatned God defended vs when they practised and expected our vtter ruine God disappointed them when they wrought all maner of treasons yet God deliuered vs. Fiftly and this is our further assurance that we haue done nothing against the Church of Rome but innumerable people in all ages wished it long ago What ceremony what doctrine what custome what one parcell of their superstition haue we refused but the world long since complained of it yea the learnedst men that were groned vnder the very burthens that we haue haue shaken off g Evetusto quoâ—am libro refert Illyric catolog test tom 2. p. 805. It is written of Gerson the Chauncellor of Paris who liued about one hundred yeares before Luther that the Sorbonists expulsed him the Vniuersitie and in his old age depriued him of all his d gnitiesâ— because as it is like he misliked diuers errors in the Church of Rome What time he betooke himselfe to teaching of schoole wherein his manner was daily to cause all his schollers the little children to ioyne with him in this short praier My God my maker haue mercy vpon thy miserable seruant Gerson It should seeme by this that he tooke small comfort in those times when forsaking all confidence in the glory of his Church he would call for mercy at the hands of God rather in the company of a few poore childreÌ„ then in the societie of such as were reputed the Doctors of the world And it may easily be thought Gerson saw more then he either loued or liked because the moderne Papists reiect his iudgement h Resp Card. Bellar. ad resolut Io. Gerson confute his writings and i Fra. Victoria relect 4. p. 138. say This Doctor in all things was an enemie to the Popes authoritie and with his heresie infected many others His opinion touching this matter little different from schisme Yea at this day they see more errors then they will reforme O God saith k Naucler pag. 499. one of their Historiographers what will become of our age when our vices are grown to that that they haue scarce left vs any place with God for mercy What couetousnesse is therein Priests what lust what ambition what idlenes what pompe what ignorance both of theÌ„selues and of Christian doctrine how little religion and fained rather then true God haue mercy on vs. 12 And hâ—â—â— omitting the way that is by triall of arguments I offer certaine externall markes and sensible tokens whereby the falshood of the Romane Church may be discouered the most resolute Papist that liueth moued to misdoubt his owne religion for it is vnpossible that these things following should be found in the true Church or practised by men of the right faith The first is their enmitie with the sacred Scriptures the word of God whereof I haue spoken in the 22. Digression of this booke For the words l Esa 8.20 of the Prophet are cleare To the Law to the Testimony if they speake not according to that word it is because there is no light in them And one of their practises against it whereby they haue depriued it froÌ„ being the totall rule hath left theÌ„ vtterly voide of all meanes to secure their faith by and to find the truth For the Church the fathers the Councels the Pope which is all they can pretend are yeelded by themselues to be subiect to error And how can that giue them assurance of their faith which it selfe is not assured from error The second is the very face and outward state and gouernment of their Church cleane contrary to the first antiquitie How vnlike is their Pope to Peter their Cardinals to the Apostles their Prelates to the ancient Bishops in state in ambition in intermedling This is noted at large by many among themselues Zabarella Cusanus Marsilius Occham Duarenus How vnlike is their priuate Masse halfe Communion Latin Seruice Image worship to the ancient Seruice of the Church of God If it were the true Church no continuance of time could thus haue altered it age changeth the colour of a mans haire and the sound of his voice but not his complexion or the shape of his bodie The third is that THERE IS NO POINT OF OVR FAITH BVT MANY LEARNED IN THEIR OWNE CHVRCH HOLD IT WITH VS AND NO POINT OF PAPISTRIE THAT WE HAVE REIECTED BVT SOME OF THEMSELVES HAVE MISLIKED IT AS WELL AS WE And this may be demonstrated in all the questions that are betweene vs and they know it and for that cause haue purged and razed the principall bookes of the elder Papists and some of them they haue vtterly forbidden In the bookes of latter Catholickes also m Index librorum prohib p. 25. §. 3. saith the Index which were written since the yeare 1515. if that which needeth correcting can be amended by taking away or adding of a few things let the correctors see it be done but otherwise let it be wholly razed out The fourth is that the most points of Papistrie are directly and at the first sight absurd and against common sence and the law of nature For who can conceiue
were receiued n Bern. Senens ser 51. c. 3. Another saith that Christ was incarnate more for the redemption of the blessed virgine then for all mankind besides Bozius o De sign eccl tom 1. pag. 679. 681. saith The victory obtained ouer the diuell is to be ascribed altogether to Christ himselfe but by Christ it must also principally be ascribed to the virgine Mary Seeing the blessed Virgine is the most noble part of the Church it is chiefly referred to her to be Heuab which signifieth the mother of the liuing namely because by the vertue of Christ Marie principally giueth eternall life to mankind and through her we increase in the faith and are multiplied in charitie and replenish heauen By the two Cherubins vpon the Arke were signified Christ and Marie through whom God is mercifull and heareth our prayers There must needs be something in the Church to answer those old ceremonies Wherefore in the Church there must needs be some woman who being blessed with Christs gift and merits may beare all men to God and by whom God may be mercifull to vs. But this that Galatinus writeth deserueth the noting he saith p De Arcan Cathol verit pag. 489. that FOR THE LOVE OF IESVS AND MARY GOD CREATED THE WORLD For the loue of the vndefiled Virgine who is the wisedome of the world God made heauen and earth and it was not onely made for her loue but also preserued for it could no way stand our deeds are so euill BVT THAT SHE BY PRAYING FOR VS MERCIFVLLY VPHOLDETH IT * Pag. 515. Adam following sinne incurred death but the glorious Virgine and her Sonne being no partakers of Adams sinne and altogether free from originall sinne of right were to be impassible and immortall But forsomuch as the death of Christ was needfull for the redemption of mankind therefore it was necessary that the body of Christ should be passible and mortall and so likewise the immaculate Virgine being to beare a Sonne passible and mortall which was to be one flesh with her and that could not naturally be if she were impassible and immortall therefore she was also necessarily mortall and so both the mother and the sonne died THE DEATH AND PASSION OF CHRIST AND THE HOLY VIRGIN WAS FOR THE REDEMPTION OF MANKIND It was impossible she should haue died afore the passion of her Sonne The second reason is that SHE ALSO MIGHT COME BETWEENE God and vs FOR THE REMISSION OF SINNE seeing all things must come betweene for the remission that came betweene when Adam did it Thus they ioyne the virgine Marie with Christ in the very worke of our redemption and ascribe to her no lesse then to him the execution of all Gods mercies toward vs. Brigit in her reuelations q Pag. 21. saith the virgin Mary told her that AS ADAM AND EVE SOLD THE WORLD FOR ONE APPLE * Filius meus ego redemimus mundum quasi cúm vno corde SO HER SONNE AND SHE REDEEMED THE WORLD WITH ONE HEART Thus they haue ioyned a creature with Christ and giuen his honour to another yea that honour of redeeming and sustaining the Church which no creature is capable of And this idolatry they haue committed not with the blessed Virgine alone who is blessed and honorable though not to be worshipped but her selfe worshipped him that was borne of her flesh r Lib. 3. saith Epiphanius but euen with the basest of their Saints that we may know in what vile account they hold Christ the Sauiour ſ Lib. Conform Francis pa. 304. They say he imprinted his fiue wounds vpon Francis of Assise the Frier as if he also were to suffer for the world and redeeme mankind and market t Posseuin bibl select p. 295. the verses of Tursellinus the Iesuite concerning the same Exue Franciscum tunica laceroque cucullo Qui Franciscus erat iam tibi Christus erit Francisci exuuiis si quâ licet indue Christum Iam Franciscus erit qui modò Christus erat Strip Francis from his coate and cowle all nak'd and you shall see He that euen Saint Francis was to Christ will turned be Againe put Francis coate and cowle on Christ and marke the lier He that euen now was Iesus Christ will Francis be the Frier The same conceit or a worse u Boz de sign eccles tom 2. pag. 200. is thus expressed by another Iesuit Fr. Bencius Sancte patrum spirans Christi exspirantis imago Tempore quam nullo deleat vlla dies Quas etenim fers ipse manus fers ipse pedesque Has tulit ille manus has tulit ille pedes Nec minus teli transfixum cuspide pectus Quale tibi patulo pectore vulnus biat Cuncta estis similes illum qui fortè verentur Reddere te saltem cur imitentur habent O holy Francis that of Christ dying vpon the tree The very breathing image art for euer so to be What hands thou bear'st what feet thou hast such hands such feet had he And such a wound wide in his brest as in thy brest we see In all things you are both alike that he which is ashamed Him t' imitate may follow him at least and not be blamed Out of all this the Reader must obserue what the Church of Rome ascribeth to Saints and how farre they intrude them into the office of Christ and then take a scantling thereby of the religion and iudge whether it be the Church of God that offereth this iniury to his Sonne 15 Let people therefore open their eyes and view the Papacie a title better how it hath incroched vpon heauen and earth that not the God of heauen or the states of the world or the consciences of men haue escaped the malice thereof but it is busily doing with them all the which me thinketh should moue them if no other thing could be obiected For what tyrannie and vsurpation is it thus to loade the world with their traditions and fill the Church with more then Iewish idolatry and superstition Moreouer what had the Councell of Trent to do now after 1500. yeares to make a new Creede and profession of faith which euen the people of their owne Church were neuer bound to before This is a point worth the looking at that the Bishop of Rome should take vpon him to adde twelue more articles to the Creed and to bind men by oath and confession to receiue them This sheweth him to be the same x 2. Thess 2.4 that sitteth in the Temple of God exalting himselfe aboue all that is God and his people to be in a miserable state that must haue the matter of their faith increased diminished and changed at his deuotion I will let downe this new Creed word for word that such as haue not seene it may consider thereof and see the new faith which the Pope hath taught his children Thus it lieth in the Popes y Bulla Pij 4. super
thought this a fit course Dionysius Alexandrinus h Niceph. l. 6. c. 8. said of himselfe that he vsed somtime to be occupied in reading the writings and treatises of heretickes though it something polluted his mind with touching their vncleane opinions because he reaped this profit therby that he might the easilier refell them and the more execrate detest them If any will take vpon him to confute me the lawes of Christian conference specially in the points of faith bind him 1. to do it temperately abstaining from railing and reproaching 2. perspicuously that I may certainly know his meaning 3. honestly that what I say be faithfully set downe and what I proue my sayings by be not dissembled For I affirm nothing that concerneth the cause but I proue it either in the text by reason or in the margent by authoritie which I would not haue dissembled or according to an vsuall trade taken vp of late among them traduced with taunts and outcries as if it were false alledged vntill it appeare to be so indeed Which if he performe I shall thinke my lot the better to haue met with so profitable an aduersarie And so wishing the good Reader that with loue to all men and reuerence to Gods truth and care to leade a sanctified life he would pursue the cause of religion I take my leaue beseeching our Lord Christ by the power of his spirit to make way for the truth in all our hearts Amen A Table of the seuerall matters and questions handled and disputed in this Booke The first number signifieth the Section noted with this marke §. The other following the first signifieth the numbers of that Section VVhere the number is but one there the whole Section is meant THe true faith is absolutely necessarie to saluation 1. 1. No part of our faith stands vpon tradition 1. 2. Infolded faith is not sufficient without knowledge 2. 1. 7. There is a Rule whereby the true faith may be knowne 3. 1. This Rule is not visible and knowne to all men without exception 3. 2. The properties belonging to the rule of faith 4. The Scriptures translated into English are the rule of faith and how 5. The true reason why Papists deny the Scriptures to be the rule 5. 7. 8. The Scripture ought to be translated into the mother tongue that the people may reade it 5. 9. Touching the certaintie and truth of our translations and how we know it 6. The last resolution of our faith is into the authoritie of the Scripture 6. 9. 10. Our English translation is purer then that which the Papists vse 6. 11. The obscuritie of the Scripture disableth it not from being the rule 7. 1. All matters needfull are plainly laid downe in the Scripture 7. 3. Why the Papists pretend the obscuritie of the Scripture 7. 7. Whence it is that the Scripture is obscure 8. 1. The Scripture is vnderstood by it selfe and how 8. 1 2 3. How we are assured of the true sence of the Scripture which is it among many sences 8. 7 8. The true cause why men erre in expounding the Scripture 8. 13. Our faith is built on the Scripture not on the Church 8. 17. The Scripture is perfect containing all things 9. How I know this Scripture to be the very word of God 9. 5. All things needfull are fully comprehended in the Scripture 9. 9. The Papists hold that the sence of the Scripture varieth with the time 9. 11. Againe touching the errors of men in expounding the Scripture 10. The place of 2. Tim. 3.16 proueth the all-sufficiencie of the Scripture 11. How priuat men priuat cōpanies may see the truth against a multitude 12. By the Church the Papists meane nothing but the Pope 13. 2. Whether and how the Church of God may erre 14. 1. Tim. 3.15 expounded how the Church is the pillar of truth 15. The Protestants do not say that the true Church at any time failed was not 17. 1. The state of the question touching the visiblenesse of the Church 17. 2. The Protestants say no more touching the inuisiblenesse of the Church then the Papists themselues in effect do 17. 3. The arguments are answered whereby the Church is proued to be alway visible 18. inde The true faith is a sufficient marke of the Church 24. 2. The arguments against this are answered 26. to 31. 1. Ioh. 4.1 proueth that it is lawfull to examine the teaching of the Church 31. One Holy Catholicke and Apostolicke are not the marks of the Church 32. What the vnitie of the Church properly is 33. 1. The Protestant Churches want not true vnitie 33. 2. Gods true Church in all ages hath had some contentions 33. 4. inde The Protestant Churches haue the true meanes of vnitie 34. 1. What kind of vnitie the Papists haue 34. 1. 2. The Church of Rome vseth the Scriptures most despitefully fiue wayes 35. 3. The present Roman Church is departed frō the ancient primitiue faith 35. 9. The Church of Rome wanteth vnitie and liueth in manifest contention demonstrated 35. 16. The Popes authority was not receiued of old as the foundation of vnity 36. 2. The very Papists themselues do not yeeld to the Popes determinations 36. 5. The Popes supremacie is no sufficient meanes to preserue vnitie 36. 10. The places of Mat. 16.18 Luk. 22.32 Ioh. 21.15 handled at large shewed to make nothing toward the Popes authoritie ouer the Church 36. 11. inde The Primitiue Church acknowledged not the Popes supremacy foure experiences 36. 26. The Pope may erre euen iudicially and be an hereticke 36. 32. It is vnpossible to proue that the hope is S. Peters true successor 36. 36. No certainty among the Papists how the Popes supremacy is proued 36. 39. A place of Cyprian alledged for the supremacie answered 37. 1 2. The Protestants Church is truly holy and how 38. 1. Certaine words of M. Luther expounded 38. 2. Outward holinesse no proper and essentiall marke of the Church 38. 3. The vnholines wickednes of the Roman Church demōstrated 38. 4. inde What Saints the Protestants haue in their Church 39. 1. Canonization of Saints by the Pope a ridiculous conceit 39. 2. 3. The doctrine of the Protestants induceth not to libertie 40. 1. inde Fasting how the Protestants and how the Papists vse it 40. 2. Auricular confession or shrift iustly reiected 40. 6. Necessitie of good workes taught and defended by the Protestants 40. 11. Touching the merit of workes 40. 12. Touching mans power in keeping the commandements 40. 18. Whether all the good workes we do be sinne 40. 22. The distinction of sinne into mortall and veniall 40. 26. Satisfaction how taught by the Protestants and how by the Papists 40. 28. A short view of long Pardons 40. 35. The doctrine of Iustification by Faith only expounded and defended 40. 37. Predestination how holden by the Protestants 40. 43. What is the roote of Contingencie 40. 44. Freewill and Gods
decree how reconciled together 40. 45. Touching Freewil and the determination thâ—reof by Gods prouidence 40. 46 Predestination not for works foreseene 40. 49. God is not the author of sinne The Papists in this point go as far as the Protestants 40. 50. Againe touching Freewil at large shewing all the questions in that point 40. 52. inde Wherein true holinesse standeth 41. 1. How good works become an infallible signe of true holinesse 41. Touching the certaintie of grace and saluation the point explicated 41. 5. The miracles of the ancient Church do the Papists at this day no good 42. 1. The ancient Monks were not like the moderne 42. 3. Touching miracles obiected by the Papists an answer 42. 4. inde Incredible miracles and ridiculous reported 42. 8. The abuses of Monks and Monasteries detected 42. 10. A proofe that the Protestants doctrine excludeth libertie of the flesh 43. 2. The Roman doctrine is an occasion of their sinfull liues 43. 3. Some points of Papistry named that inuite men to libertie 43. 5. inde The Roman faith a meere deuice inuented to maintaine ambition and couetousnesse 43. 7. The vniuersalitie of the Protestants Church is shewed and expounded 44. 1. inde Touching the ancient Fathers their authoritie and vsage with vs and the Papists compared 44. 4. inde Who are Fathers with the Papists and who All the Fathers 44. 9. The Pope vshers the Fathers 44. 11. The Papists are notorious for contemning all the ancient writers exemplified 44. 12. inde The Protestants answer to them that bid them shew their Church in all ages 45. 1. inde The Papists haue not the Church Catholicke either in time or place 46. The Romane Church hath forsaken her ancient faith 47. inde Transubstantiation a late deuice 47. 8. 9. The present Romane Church hath conuerted no countries to the true faith 48. 1. inde The Indies knew the true faith afore the Papists came there 48. 3. Touching the conuersion of England by Austin the Monke 49. How the Roman Church hath conuerted the Indies Spanish massacres 49. 5. inde The question When did the faith faile in the Roman Church answered and disputed 50. 4. inde The time maner of the coming in of some points in Papistry 50. 8. inde The resistance made in former times against the Papacy with a catalogue 50 18. inde An answer to some things obiected against the former catalogue 50. 40. Papistry came in secretly and by little and little expounded 51. 2. 3. Images notoriously resisted when they came in 51. 5. The Papists worship stocks and stones as well as the Gentiles 51. 6. inde Touching adoration of the Sacrament 51. 9. The maner of Christs presence in the Sacrament explicated as we hold it 51. 10. The Papists haue written most spitefully against the honour of the blessed Sacrament 51. 11. Succession is in our Church and of what kind it is 52. 1. The callings of Luther and our Bishops iustified and declared 52. 5. The Fathers commending the succession of the Roman church in their time doth not helpe it now 53. The places produced out of them are answered 53. 5. Ephes 4.11 alledged to proue outward succession answered 54. 2. 3. Externall succession of persons in one place is neither onely in the Romane Church nor there at all 55. 2. Seuen things obiected against the succession of Popes to shew it hath bene grosly interrupted 55. 4. inde Touching the credit of Anastasius booke of the Popes liues 55. 7. It is not knowne who succeeded Peter 55. 5. The sea of Rome hath bene long voide 55. 6. A woman was Pope 55. 7. Hereticks haue bene Popes and intruders and boyes 55. 8. 9. Popes haue bin made and cast out again at the willl of famous whores 55. 9. Popes for wickednesse more then monstrous 55. 9. Many Popes at one time and the right Pope not knowne 55. 10. The Fathers commendation of the Romane Church expounded 56. Imputations layd vpon the Protestants as if they had forsaken the Church answered 57. 1 2. Luther defended touching his departure from the Pope his writings his life his mariage and his death 57. 3. inde Monsters of lies deuised against Luther 57. 7. Luther an honester man then any Pope in his time and many more 57. 9. Againe the calling of our Ministers is defended 58. Touching the power of a Priest in remitting sinne and the sacrament of Penance 58. 4. inde Miracles not concurring with all extraordinary calling 59. 1. Extraordinary callings distinguished 59. 2. Luther needed no miracles and why 59. 3. All men haue not bene in loue with Papistry 60. The obiection that Luther made to himselfe when he departed from the Pope 61. 1. The Protestants haue not forsaken the high-beaten-way of the Catholicke Church 61. 2. Touching the saluation of our ancestors vnder the Papacie 61. 4. The Scriptuies are surer tokens of the truth then the Popish miracles 62. A briefe exhortation of the Author to his countrimen 63. A Table of the Digressions contained in this Booke with their Titles The number set before signifieth the number of the Digression The number following signifieth the §. vnder which it standeth 1. PRouing that the Papists grounding the doctrine of faith on traditions make them equall to the written word 1. 2. Shewing the infolded faith of the Papists and confuting the same as not entire 2. 3. Wherein by the Scriptures Fathers and reason and the Papists owne confession it is shewed that the Scripture is the rule of faith 5. 4. Containing the very cause why the Papists disable the Scripture so from being the rule 5. 5. Wherein against the Iesuits conceit secretly implied in his first conclusion it is shewed that the Scriptures ought to be translated into the mother tong and so read indifferently by the lay people of all sorts 5. 6. Declaring how the assurance of our faith is not built on the Churches authoritie but on the illumination of Gods Spirit shining in the Scripture it selfe 6. 7. Wherein the Trent-vulgar-Latine and our English translation are briefly compared together 6. 8. Shewing that the Scriptures are not so obscure but that they plainly determine all appoints of faith 7. 9. Declaring that the Papists haue reason to hold the Scriptures be obscure because the articles of their religion be hardly or not at all to be found therein 7. 10. Assigning the true cause of mens errors in expounding the Scriptures 8. 11. Prouing that the Scripture it selfe hath that outward authoritie wherupon our faith is built and not the Church 8. 12. Wherein it is shewed that the Scripture proueth it self to be the very word of God and receiueth not authoritie from the Church 9. 13. Shewing against the Iesuits assumption that all substantiall points of our faith are sufficiently determined in the Scriptures and the reason why the Papist call so fast for the authoritie of the Church 9. 14.
God hath set forth by his Church to be learnâ—d of vs whether they be written or not written Doctor Standish in r Cap. 6. probat 3. his booke against English Bibles crieth out Take from them the English damnable translations and let them learne the mysteries of God reuerently by heart and learne to giue as much credit to that which is not expressed as to that which is expressed in the Scripture Å¿ D. 40. Si Papa in Annot. margin The Canon law newly set out by Pope Gregorie the thirteenth saith that Men do with such reuerence respect the Apostolicall seate of Rome that they rather desire to know the ancient institution of Christian religion from the Popes mouth then from the holy Scripture and they onely inquire what is his pleasure and according to it they order their life and conuersation So that you see howsoeuer the Iesuite say our faith cannot apprehend a falshood because it assenteth onely to the word of God yet by the word of God he meaneth Romish Traditions as well as the Scripture and so maketh those things of equall truth with it and then beareth you in hand that the certaintie of your faith and religion dependeth on their infallibility as much as on the infallibilitie of the Scripture a point which I would easily graunt him if the question were of the Romish faith for I confesse it dependeth vpon Traditions more then on the written word so farre forth that as t Andrad Orthodox explicat lib. 2. quam traditionum authoritatem si tollas nutare iam vacillare videbuntur pag 80. a Doctor of his owne side speaketh Many points therof would reele and totter if they were not supported with the helpe of Traditions But against this let the iudgement of u Regul contract 95. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 502. Basil be noted by the way It is necessary and consonant to reason that euery man learne that which is needfull out of the Scriptures both for the fulnesse of godlinesse and lest they inure themselues to humane Traditions § 2. Thirdly the one and infallible faith without which we cannot please God must be also entire whole and sound in all points and it is not sufficient to saluation to beleeue stedfastly some points and not other some So saith Athanasius his Creed receiued of all Quicunque vult saluus esse c. Whosoeuer will be saued before all things it is needful that he hold the catholike faith which vnlesse euery one keepe entire and inuiolate without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly Againe to beleeue some points of faith and to denie others is heresie as not to beleeue anie point of faith at all is absolute infidelitie But it is certain euen out of Scripture that neither infidell nor heretick shall be saued For our Sauiour hath absolutely pronounced Qui non crediderit condemnabitur Marc. 16. And the Apostle S. Paule Gal. 5. putteth heresies among the workes of the flesh saying Manifesta sunt opera carnis quae sunt fornicatio fictae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in English heresies of all which he saith Qui talia agunt regnum Dei non consequentur Moreouer the reason why anie one point of faith is vnder paine of damnation to be beleeued by Christian diuine and infallible faith is because God almightie hath reuealed it and by his Church hath proposed it vnto vs and commanded it to be beleeued for otherwise they be not points of faith but of opinion or of some other kinde of knowledge Therefore all points of faith are vnder paine of damnation to be beleeued The Answer 1 This third conclusion toucheth a second propertie required in sauing faith and it must be granted him with the confirmation thereof in a true sence namely that we are bound to beleeue the points of saluation by obtaining a particular distinct knowledge of the same in our selues and so assenting to them that our faith may include an apprehension also and knowledge of the things beleeued as well as an assent to the proposition thereof If this be the Iesuites meaning in this place then I embrace it as the truth 2 But peraduenture his mind runs vpon a further matter which his Church teacheth about infolded faith and then you may note the grosse heresie that he thrusts vpon you in his smooth words For x Implicita fâ—des est credere secuÌ„dùm quod ecclesia credit Vnde noÌ„ omnis Christianus teneturillos articulos fidei scire explicitè sed tantùm clerici Iacob de Graf decis lib. 2. ca. 8. nu 16. the Iesuites and Schoolemen teach how the lay-people are not bound to know what the matters of their faith be y Fides meliùs per ignorantiaÌ„ quà m per notitiam definitur Bellar. de iust l. 1. c. 7. ignorance is better it sufficeth if they consent to the Churches faith whatsoeuer it be assuring themselues it beleeueth and knoweth all things necessary but what those things are they need not enquire thus excluding knowledge from the nature of religion and placing it in assent onely as sufficient to make it whole and entire This being a sottish conceit deuised for the nonce to suppresse knowledge yet marke how boldly these men presse it on vs with the style of an entire faith which I manifest further in the Digression following Digression 2. Shewing the infolded faith of the Papists and confuting the same as not entire 3 For howsoeuer the Church of Rome pretend this whole complete faith yet when the matter cometh to scanning she vtterly refuseth knowledge sendeth her children to schoole to the Collier of him to learne to beleeue as the Church beleeueth For first whereas z Mat. 22.29 Chrys ho 3. in Laz. prol hom in Rom. the ignorance of the Scriptures is the roote of all error and the cause of vnbeleefe a Index lib. prohib Reg. 4. the Church of Rome forbiddeth the reading of them among the people b Franc. Ouan Mogol breuilo in 4. sent D. 13. prop. 3. pretending the vulgar translations to be one principal cause of heresies and therefore c Linwood in constitut prouinc l. 5. titul de magistris cap. Quia when the law was in their owne hand they vtterly forbad them d Mart. Peres de trad pag. 44. One of them saith he thinketh verily it was the diuels inuention to permit the people to reade the Bible e Thyâ—rae de Demoniac cap. 21. th 257. Another writeth that he knew certaine men to be possessed of a diuell because being but husbandmen they were able to discourse of the Scriptures Thus theeues put out the candle that discouers them 4 Next f Nauarr. Manual cap. 11. nu 16. Iacob de Graff decis l. 4. cap. 24 nu 23. they make it heresie for a lay man to dispute in a point of faith and g Magin Geograph pag. 104. Linwood lib. 5. tit de Magist c. periculosa suffer no
bookes among them that examine their religion h Annot. on Act. 17. v. 11. The Rhemists say the hearers must not trie and iudge whether their teachers doctrine be true or no neither may they reiect that which they find not in the Scripture And this is also commonly defended by i Hosius de express Dei verb. Andrad defens Trident. l. 2. others And whereas k Prolegom cont Petrum à Sot Et Confess Wittenber cap. de sacr scriptur Brentius had written no lesse godly then truly that in the matters of our saluation we might not so cleaue to another mans opinion that we should embrace it without the approofe of our owne iudgement and it belongs to euery priuate man to iudge of the doctrine of religion and to discerne the truth from falshood l Bellarm. de verb. Dei lib. 3. c. 3. the Iesuites very scornefully reiect his saying 5 Thirdly they extoll ignorance to the skies and encourage their people to it m Rhem. annot â—n 1. Cor. 14. on Luk. 12. v. 11. They require no knowledge of the things we pray for but preferre ignorance nor yet abilitie to professe the particulars of our faith when possible we are to die in the defence of the same farre contrary to that which n 1. Pet. 3.15 the scripture so plainly teacheth And the rather to hearten the people in this blindnesse o Rhem. vpon 1. Ioh. 2. v. 20. they promise them a part in other mens gifts graces which haue knowledge p Conf. Petrie cap. 14. pag. 18. Hosius saith To know nothing is to know all things and ignorance in most things is best of all 6 This is the whole entire faith mentioned here in the Iesuites discourse whereby nothing is meant but the Colliars faith whereof q Apologie transtated by Staplet part 1. pag. 53. I spake and Staphylus writeth thus The Colliar being at the point of death and tempted of the diuell what his faith was answered I beleeue and die in the faith of Christs Church being againe demaunded what the faith of Christs Church was that faith said he that I beleeue in Thus the diuell getting no other answer was ouercome and put to flight By this faith of the Colliar euery vnlearned man may trie the spirits of men whether they be of God or no by this faith he may resist the diuell and iudge the true interpretation from the false and discerne the Catholicke from the hereticall minister the true doctrine from the forged I could scarce beleeue this to be their doctrine of entire faith vpon the report of so base a companion as Staphylus but when I saw the same conceit as grauely set foorth by r Hosius contra proleg Brentij lib. 3. pag. 146. Pigh hierarch lib. 1. cap. 5. Iacob de Graffijs decision part 1. lib. 1. cap. 26. nu 34. Antonin part 1. tit 5. c. 2. §. 1. skilfuller clearkes then he then I perceiued the Colliars faith was canonized for the Papists creed and the prouerb true that Like to like were the diuell and the colliar saue that it hath brought such a flood of ignorance vpon their people that Å¿ Imman Sa. aphor verbo Parochus pag. 298. a Doctor of their owne cries out vpon all the clergie for it Wo to our Parish Priests wo to our Bishops wo to our Prelates 7 And wo to them indeed from him that so plentifully in t Es 53.11 Ioh. 17.3 Ro. 10.14.17 Col. 3.16 Heb. 5.11 the Scriptures hath condemned this ignorance and in vaine did Christ u Ioh 5.39 commaund the people to search the Scriptures and x Rom. 15.4 Ioh 20.31 Paul and Iohn teach that whatsoeuer things are written were written for our learning and that we might beleeue if to assent to the Church without any knowledge thereof were a sound whole and an entire faith y Enarrat in Psalm 118. Hilary saith Many thinke the simplicitie of their faith shall suffice to accomplish their hope of eternall life as if the studie of innocencie according to the iudgement of the world needed not the precepts of heauenly doctrine It is written of z 2 Tim. 3.15 Timothy and a Basil Aschet prolog de iudic Dei Et epis 75. ad Neocaesar Basil that of children they were trained vp in the knowledge of the mysteries of religion And in the Primitiue Church b Iust Martyr apolog 2. Euse demonstrat euang l. 1. c. 6. Theod. de curand GraecoruÌ„ affect l. 5. the doctrines and seuerall points of religion were knowne and discoursed by the meanest of the people and c Chrysos hom 3. in Lazarum Orig in Num. hom 27. the Bishops exhorted them thereunto which practise declareth manifestly enough that in those dayes knowledge of the things beleeued was thought necessary to an entire faith though now the case be altered in the Church of Rome and the Iesuites owne reasons proue as much for d Thom. 22. qu. 1. art 10. 3. Athanasius creed is a rule of faith and therefore sheweth we are bound both to beleeue and know the things contained in it else he might as well haue pointed downe the Colliars creed Againe to what purpose should God propound all the points of our faith one as well as another vnlesse his will were that we should learne them all according to e Deut. 29.29 that of Moses Secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong to vs and to our children that we may do all the words of the law f In Ioh. tract 21. Austins saying is to be noted Some may obiect we do rashly in discussing and searching out the words of God but why are they vttered if they may not be knowne why haue they sounded if they may not be heard and why are they heard but that we should vnderstand them § 3. Fourthly as this one infallible entire faith is necessarie to the saluation of euery one as well the vnlearned as the learned so we must say that Almightie God Qui vult omnes homines saluos fieri ad cognitionem veritatis venire 1. Tim. 2. hath for proofe that this for his part is a true will prouided some certaine and infallible rule and meanes whereby euery man learned and vnlearned may sufficiently in all points questions or doubts of faith be infallibly instructed what is to be holden for true faith and that the onely cause why a man misseth of the true faith is that he doth not seeke and finde this infallible rule or hauing found it will not with an obedient mind captiuate his vnderstanding selfe-iudgement and contrarie opinion in obsequium Christi for the seruice of Christ and in all points yeeld infallible assent vnto it as euery Christian ought Credamus Deo saith S. Chrysostome hom 83. in Matth. nec repugnemus etiamsi sensui cogitationi nostrae absurdum videatur quod dicit Let vs beleeue God without
cap. 4. Cyril that euen those things which are very easie yet to heretickes be hard to vnderstand And r In Anchor Epiphanius If a man be not taught of God to beleeue the truth all things to him are vneuen crooked which yet are straite and not to be excepted against to such as haue obteyned learning vnderstanding Austin hauing in his books of Christan doctrine propounded the rule of faith whereby all matters of faith must be determined yet notwithstanding thus concludes Å¿ Prolog in lib. de doctrin Christ To such as vnderstand not what I write I answer they must not blame me if they conceiue not these things as if I shewed them with my finger the moone or a star which they would see being not very cleare and they haue not eyes to see my finger much lesse a star they must not be offended at me if they see it not so they who vnderstanding these my precepts cannot yet see the things which in the Scripture be darke let them cease to blame me and rather pray God to giue them eye sight For I may point with my finger but I cannot giue them eyes to see the things I point to § 5. All these being set downe for certaine grounds the question is what in particular may be assigned as an infallible rule sufficient in it selfe to instruct all sorts of men in all points of faith This question I resolue by putting downe and prouing these foure conclusions * Diligens attenta frequensque lectio tum meditatio collatio â—cripturarum omnium summa regula ad intelligendum mihi semper est visa Acosta apud Possen l. 2. c. 15. The first conclusion is that the Scriptures alone especially as translated into the English tongue cannot be this rule This I proue The Answer 1 This conclusion hath two parts First that the Scripture is not the rule which God hath left to instruct vs in the points of faith Next that if possible it were yet as we haue it traÌ„slated into English it cannot Whereto I answer that the doctrine of our Church is t Artic. 6. cap. The doctrine of holy Scripture Iewel apol part 2. cap 9. diuis 1. that the Scriptures comprehended in the canonical books of the old and new Testament is the rule of faith so far that whatsoeuer is not read therein or cannot be proued thereby is not to be accepted as any point of faith or needfull to be followed but by it all doctrines taught and the Churches practise must be examined and that reiected which is contrary to it vnder what title or pretence soeuer it come vnto vs. 2 And as for translations we say that the diuine truth which is the infallible word of God is alike conteined in all translations as the meanes to shew it vs and the vessels wherein it is presented to vs yet with this difference that the same is perfectly immediatly most absolutely in the originall Hebrew and Greeke all other translations being to be tryed by them And therefore * Sacrae Scripturae infallibilis per omnia authoritas integerrima in omnibus veritas non pendet ex omnimoda incorruptibilitate alicuius editionis sed eius incorruptibilitas omnimoda in corde Ecclesiae ita conseruatur vt cum opus suerit opportunè prouideat ipsosque codices corrigat emendet Dom. Bann in 1. part Tho. pag 72. we relie vpon translations but in a certaine manner and degree namely with this caution that we trie them by the originall and finding them to agree in the matter we hold the translation to be the same canonicall Scripture that the Greek and Hebrew is Thus we say that euery translation consenting with the originall is canonicall Scripture because the matter of it is the pure doctrine of the holy Ghost and this doctrine conteined in it is the rule we seeke for Otherwise in the rigor of speech we cannot call the English translation the rule no not yet the Greeke and Hebrew because all language and writing is but a symbole or declaration of the rule and a certaine forme or manner or meanes whereby it cometh to vs as things are conteyned in their words And so to conclude because the doctrine matter of the text is not made knowne to me but by the words language therefore I say the scripture translated into English is the rule of faith whereupon I relying haue not a humane but a diuine authoritie For euen as I beleeue a diuine truth although by humane voice in preaching it be conueyed to me so I enioy the infallible doctrine of the Scriptures immediatly inspired by the holy Ghost though by a humane translation it be manifested to me And this is our meaning when we call the Scriptures translated into English the rule Which being explaned I will put the Reader in mind of three points to be noted about this conclusion which I will handle in the three next Digressions one after another Digression 3. Wherein by the Scriptures Fathers Reason and the Papists owne confessions it is shewed that the Scripture is the rule of faith 3 And first let any man iudge by that which followeth if this conclusion be not contrary to the cleare euidence of truth and Diuinitie For the text in plaine words free from ambiguitie saith u 2. Tim. 3.15 The Scriptures are able to make vs wise to saluation through the faith that is in Christ Iesus and are profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute and perfect to euery good worke or as Salomon x Pro. 2.1.9 speaketh They will make a man vnderstand righteousnesse and iudgement and equity and euery good path y Esa 8.20 We must repaire to the law to the testimonie if any speak not according to that word there is no light in them z Mal. 4.4 Lu. 16.29 Remember the law of Moses my seruant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and iudgements a 2. Pet 1.19 We haue a more sure word of the Prophets whereunto we must take heede as to a light that shineth in a darke place till the day starre arise in our hearts b Luc. 1.4 Ioh. 5.39 20.31 These things are written that we might haue the certaintie of that whereof we are instructed and that we might beleeue in Iesus and in beleeuing haue life eternall c 1. Cor. 4 6. We may not presume aboue that which is written d Luc. 10.26 And when one asked Christ what he might do to be saued he referred him to the Scripture for his direction And so e Luc. 16 29. did Abraham answer the rich glutton They haue Moses and the Prophets And f Deut. 12.8.32 Pro. 30.5 Mat. 22.29 Gal. 1.8 Eph 2.20 Heb. 4.12 Ap. 22.18 infinite more testimonies be there to the same effect Now shall the Scripture be able to
informe vs to euerie good work to teach vs Christ crucified g 1. Cor. 2.2 and Paul desired to know no more to giue vs light in darknesse to beget our faith Shall we be reuoked from al other teachers to theÌ„ and finally is there no councell no comfort no doctrine no resolution needfull for vs but there it may be found and yet it cannot be the rule it is impious to thinke it blasphemous to say it The primitiue Church spake farre otherwise 4 And consider how the Iesuit can answer the places without tergiuersatioÌ„ h Ep. 80. â—d Eustat medicuÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 334 Basil saith Let the holy Scripture be arbitrator betweene vs and whosoeuer hold opinions consonant to those heauenly oracles let the truth be adiudged on their side Optatus disputing against a Donatist thus presseth him i Cont. ParmeÌ„ lib 5. We are saith he to enquire out some to be iudges betweene vs in these controuersies the Christians cannot because both sides cannot yeeld them and by parts taking the truth shal be hindred The iudge must be had from without our selues If a Pagan he knowes not the mysteries of Christianitie if a Iew he is an enemie to baptisme therefore vpon the earth no iudgement concerning this matter can be found * De coelo quaerendus est iudex et qui in tumulo quiescit tacitis de tabulis loquitur viuus voluÌ„tas eius velut in testamento sic in Euangelio inquiratur the iudge must be had from heauen but to what end should we knocke at heauen when here we haue one in the Gospell k Contra Hermog TertulliaÌ„ calleth the Scriptures the rule of faith And l Hom. 13. in 2. Cor. Chrysostome a most exquisite rule and exact squire and ballance to try all things by And m Orat. de iis qui adeuÌ„t Hicrosol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gregory Nyssen a straite and inflexible rule Austin n De bono viduit c. 1. tom 4. saith the Scripture pitcheth downe the rule of our faith And againe he o De. Nupt. concup ad Valer l 2. c. 33. saith This controuersie depending betweene vs requires a iudge let Christ therefore iudge and let the Apostle Paul iudge with him because Christ also speaketh in his Apostle And p Ep. 112. ad Paulin. againe If a matter be grounded on the cleare authority of the holy Scripture such I meane as the Church calleth canoniall it is to be beleeued without all doubt but as for other witnesses and testimonies vpoÌ„ whose credit any thing may be vrged vnto vs to beleeue it it is lawfull for thee either to credit or not to credit them according as thou shalt perceiue them of weight to deserue or not to deserue credit q De Error profan relig Arcana ProphetaruÌ„ veneranda paÌ„dantur ad sistat nobis sanctorum oraculorum fides pag. 61 Iulius Firmicus Let the mysteries of the Prophets be opened let the credit of the holy oracles stand by vs. r Ho. 1. in Ier. Origen We must of necessitie call the Scriptures to witnesse for our sences and interpretations without them are of no credit Å¿ De doctr Christ lib. 2. c. 9 Austin All points which concerne faith and good life are found in those things which are plainly set downe in Scripture t Ibid. c. 42. And whatsoeuer thing it be that a man learne out of the Scripture if it be hurtfull there it is condemned if it be profitable there it is found u Catech. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag 15. Cyril the Bishop of Ierusalem Concerning the holy and heauenly mysteries of faith we must not deliuer any thing though neuer so small without the holy Scripture neither may we be led away with probabilities and shew of words neither yet beleeue me barely saying these things vnto you vnlesse thou also receiue the demonstration thereof from the Scripture For the security of our faith ariseth from the demostration of the holy Scripture x Theod. â—â—it lib. 1. c. 7. pag. 2â—4 The Empereur Constantine in his speech to the Bishops of the Nicen Councel hath this memorable saying y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We haue the teaching of the holy Ghost written For the Euangelicall and Apostolicke bookes and the decrees of the old Prophets do euidently teach vs the things that are needfull to be knowne concerning God Therefore lâ—ying aside all contention let vs out of the diuine-inspired Scripture take the resolution of those things we seeke for Thus the ancient Church would neuer haue spoken if it had bene of the Iesuites mind that the Scriptures alone cannot be the rule to direct our faith 5 And very common sense may confirme their iudgement For if the written word be granted to be the rule in one point as z August de Trinit lib. 15. cap. vltim in the Trinitie for example who may deny it to be the rule in another seeing the rule is but one for all and the nature thereof is to be perfect as the Iesuit himselfe requireth Again what father what councell or Churches iudgement is so absolute what doctrine or exposition so likely a Act 17.11 Ioh. 5.39 but it is examined by the Scriptures And when the Papists haue said what they can they are constrayned to grant that all other authority is finally resolued into the authoritie of the Scripture these are the words of Gregory of Valence b Comment Theolog. in Thom. tom 3. disp 1 qu. 1. punct 1. pag. 31. If a man be asked why he beleeues for example that God is one in nature and three in person let him answer because God hath reuealed it If againe he be demanded how he knoweth that God hath reuealed it let him answer that indeed he knoweth it not euideÌ„tly but beleeueth it infallibly by faith and that vpon no other reuelatioÌ„ c bene tamen ob insallibâ—lem propositionem Ecclesiae tanquam conditionem but yet the infallible proposition of the Church as a condition requisite for the beleeuing it doth wel moue him theruÌ„to d Sirursus vnde cognoscat propositionem Ecclesiae esse infallibilems fimiliter dicat se clarè noÌ„ nosse credere tamen fide infallibili ob reuelationeÌ„ Scripturae testimonio perhibentis Ecclesiae cui reuelationi noÌ„ credit ob aliam reuelationem sed ob seipsam If again you aske And how doth he know the proposition of the Church to be infallible let him likewise say he knoweth it not euidently but beleeueth it infallibly because the Scripture hath reuealed it giuing testimony to the Church which reuelation he beleeues not vpon the credit of any other reuelation but for it selfe though hereunto the proposition of the Church as a requisite condition be needfull Let this speech of the Iesuite be well noted 6 Finally the euidence of this truth is such that it conuinceth the Papists themselues many
integritie of the text This distinction is a Relect. princip doctrin contriou 5. q. 3. art 3. pag. 525. D. Stapletons and therefore the Iesuite must admit it and it is the truth for no translation can fully expresse the idiom or propertie of the originall language and words and phrases may be defectiue and all secondary causes haue their impediments all which may in their kind be truly called errors and we deny not but our English translation and the Latin vulgar too is subiect to them but this hindereth not the truth of the matter nor the perfection of the text saith D. Stapleton 3 And therefore that which the Iesuite vrgeth against our translations is of no force because it proueth no error in matter but inwards onely as I haue said before for we graunt as he saith the Scripture was not written immediatly in English neither was the translator assisted by the holy Ghost in such sort that he could not erre in any point but being a man be might erre for he might erre in his owne worke which he did himselfe viz. in words and proprieties but in the matter contained which is Gods work he could not holding him to the originall Hebrew and Greeke which our translator did or at the least it was not vnpossible but he might truly and faithfully translate without any new inspiration though he were a man otherwise subiect to error because the originall might leade him and many other meanes might direct and admonish him and discouer his error else what will the Iesuit say when an ordinarie Pastor preacheth Gods word to the people For that which he deliuereth may be free from error and yet his voice is a humane worke and himselfe hath no immediate or infallible inspiration The very same reason is there of translations for a diuine work propounded by a humane meanes may be free from error which I further proue by Bellarmines owne confession who speaking of the vulgar Latin b Admittimus enim interpretem non esse prophetam errare potuisse tamen dicimus eum noÌ„ errasse in illa versione quam ecclesia probaâ—it De verbo Dei l. 2. c. 11. saith He admitteth the translator was no Prophet but subiect to error yet he could not erre in that translation which the Church allowed where he granteth that some translatioÌ„s done by a man subiect to error may yet be free if the Church allow it Now the Church hath allowed our English and we say ours is the true Church and therefore the translator though he were but a man did not erre Againe thus I reason if the Latin translator were freed from erring that is to say might erre but yet did not then our English translator may be freed likewise because he hath the same meanes for if the approbatioÌ„ of the church exempted him ours also hath the same approbation but that could not exempt him for it was extant and therefore was free from error if euer it were so at al c It began to be receiued about the time of Gregory the great who entred his Papacy in the yeare 590 saith Baron annal toÌ„ 2. an 231. nu 47. but was neuer declared to be authenticall till the Councell of Trent Sess 4. anno 1546. a thousand yeares or at the least some time afore the Church either allowed it for authenticall or could take notice of it And when the Councel of Trent did approue it it put no other truth into it then was there before but onely declared it to be true It followeth therefore that the translator was preserued from error by no other meanes and why might not the same direct ours also as namely the infallible and perpetuall veritie of the doctrine it selfe translated the direction of Gods spirit his owne diligence meanes skill faithfulnesse and the Churches carefull ouersight 4 The summe of all is this that our English Bible containeth two things the Doctrine and the Translation d 1. Tim 3.16 2. Pet. 2.20 The Doctrine was inspired of God written by men infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost and therefore is free from error and so coÌ„sequently the Scripture translated into English in respect of the matter is infallibly true because it was done by the immediate inspiration of the spirit of God The translation was done by the ministerie of the Church and industrie of certaine men who though they had no supernaturall inspiration or priuiledge from error yet we know infallibly they haue not erred in the matter by the same meanes whereby we know other truths and discerne other articles of Christian faith namely by the light of the doctrine translated the testimony of the spirit the ministery of the word the rules of art the knowledge of the tongues and such like 5 To that which the Iesuite faith out of Gregory Martin I answer that Martin hath said something against our translations but proued nothing Doctor Fulkes confutation of his discouery lieth yet vnanswered and long must do Martin cannot giue one instance of the sence corrupted his exceptions are childish if you reade his booke But as e De opt gen interpret ad Pammach Ierome said of some that vnskillfully reproued his translations so I may answer Martin and the Iesuite These and such like toyes are scored vp for our hainous faults Martin missed it farre as f Treatise of Renuntiat p. 156. some of his fellowes charge him producing the Councell of Trent against him when he allowed Recusants to go to Church with a Protestation He that was so short in his proofes at home might be as wide in his discoueries abroad And if the g Palaephat de Fabul non credent Lamia would haue pluckt his eyes out of his boxe and vsed them at home as well as he did abroad he might haue seene some errors also in his owne vulgar Latin whereof I will say something in the seuenth digression 6 His next reason is that the often change and variable translations do shew that some haue erred Whereto I answer two things First though it be granted that some haue erred yet hence it followeth not that all haue which is the point he must proue else he were as gond say nothing For we defend the Scriptures well and faithfully translated not this or that mans edition whereof our Church taketh no notice whether it be pure or no. It is sufficient for the veritie of our assertion that in the Church there be some translations faithfull and agreeing with the originall 7 Secondly we do not deny but our translations varie and haue bene altered according to h Posseuin biblioth select l. 2. cap. 8. inde Sixt. Senens biblioth Sanct. lib. 8. haeres 13. Bellar. de verb. Dei l. 2. cap. 8. Caesar Baron tom 2. an 231. Aug. de doctr Christ lib. 2. cap. 11. the example of the primitiue Church before vs. But this variety hath bin in the words and style and not in any materiall
preferred it before the originall Greek Hebrew which Å¿ Andrad defens Trident. fid lib. 4. Ioan. Isaac defens veritatis Hebr. aduers Lindan Molina in 1. Tho. q 27. art 1. disp 3. p. 399. Alponsus Mendoz. contâ—ou Theol. qu. 7 pa. 514. Sixt. Senens bib l. 8. haer 2. pag. 318. Do. Barn part 1. pag. 73. themselues cannot denie to be pure from all corruption and therefore in all sence it were likely we should haue the better translation which so religiously follow the originall I omit to produce examples of the seuerall additions detractions falsifications deprauations intollerable barbarismes of that vulgar Latin others haue done it sufficiently and the learned Papists complaine vpon it bitterly if they could tell how to helpe it but who may lift vp the heele against the Trent brat Thus writeth t de optim gen interpret l. 3. c. 1. 2. 4. 6. Idem Sixt. Senen bib sanc l. 8. in sine pag. 365. latè Dom. Bann in 1. part Tho. qu. 1 pag. 67. inde Lindan their own Bishop It hath monstrous corruptioÌ„s of all sorts scarce one copie can be found that hath one booke of Scripture vndefiled and whole Many points are translated too intricately and darkely some improperly and abusiuely some not so fully nor so well and truly sundry places thrust out from their plaine and naturall sence the translator possible was no Latinist but a smattering Grecian So that if our translation were as bad as the Iesuite or Gregorie Martin could haue said yet were we in as good a case as themselues For when they talke such wonders of their vulgar as for example u Bibl. Com. plut in praefat that it hangeth betweene the Greeke and Hebrew as Christ did betweene two theeues or as Posseuinus x Bibliothec. select lib. 2. ca. 10. speaketh It standeth as the pillar of truth and the hauen whereunto we must betake our selues from the waues of so many different translations I say these and such like maruels are told of it but to bring meÌ„ asleepe for many learned Papists can see no such thing in it § 7. Secondly they faile in the second condition * Aliqui existimaÌ„t Scripturas difficiliores esse quà m vt debeant laicoruÌ„ manibus conteri Sed aliter visum est patribus veteris noui testamenti Claud. EspeÌ„c com Tit. 2. 2. Tim. 3. For the Scriptures of themselues alone be obscure and vnknowne at least to vnlearned men who cannot reade them and therefore they alone in themselues cannot be a sufficient rule to instruct them in all points of faith as is plaine For locke vp an vnliterate man and a Bible together for a time in a studie and he will come foorth as ignorant in matters of faith as he went in if we adde no other meanes but the bare written word which he cannot reade to instruct him and yet vnlearned men may be saued and saued they cannot be without an entire infallible faith and this they cannot haue vnlesse there be some rule and infallible meanes prouided by almightie God accommodate to their capacitie to teach them this faith * The Apostles and Prophets made their writings so plaine and euident to al meÌ„ that euery man of himselfe onely by reading may learne the things spoken therein Chrysost hom 3. de Laz. and Scripture alone as is now proued cannot be a rule of it selfe accommodate to the capacitie of the vnlearned men or apt to instruct them sufficiently in all points of faith The Answer 1 Vnlearned men may be saued and saued they cannot be but by the true faith and this faith they cannot haue without the rule to teach it them all this is true but still the Scripture yea onely Scripture is that rule for any thing the Iesuite hath said in this place a Pro. 1.4 giuing sharpnesse of wit to the simple and to the child knowledge and vnderstanding 2 For his reason to proue it aboue the capacitie of the vnlearned because they cannot reade them nor profit by them without other helpes ioyned is a very shift and an idle cauill concluding as much against himselfe as vs in that the determination of his Romane church without some other meanes added will proue as obscure as the text of Scripture Therefore I answer there be certaine helpes to enable vs to vnderstand the necessitie and requisite condition wherof hinder not the plainnesse and easinesse of the rule as I shewed when b § 4. nu 2. I handled the properties thereof For the word of God c 2. Pet. 1.19 is a light to our wayes and d Heb. 12.5 speaketh to vs as to children in all points of faith and manners easily plainly familiarly but yet there is a necessary condition required that we heare and know this voice which the Iesuites man lockt vp in a studie doth not And will the Iesuite himselfe because a man neuer hearing of the Churches determination abideth still in ignorance giue me leaue to inferre hereupon that therefore the Church is not the rule and yet the reason is all one Againe there be certaine impediments some naturall as infancie vnlearnednesse some sinfull as ignorance pride frowardnesse which must be remoued afore we can heare the Scriptures as they must also afore we can heare the Church for which cause the Lord hath giuen vs e Rom. 10 14. Eph. 4.11 the ministery of his Pastors and other meanes so that if a man being lockt vp with a Bible returne forth as ignorant as he went in this proueth not that the Scripture is obscure but that the man heard it not and to him that heareth not plaine and obscure is all one For the Law of our land is the rule of Societie yet locke vp an vnlettered man and the Law booke for a time together in a study and he wil come forth againe as ignorant in matters of law as he went in if we admit no other meanes but let the booke be opened and the text read and then as f Hom. 3. de Laz. Chrysostome speaketh the most vnlearned man that is shall vnderstand The Carpenters squire is the rule to measure by yet a child can do nothing with it The Sunne is our comfortable light to see by yet we must open our eyes and apply the meanes In all arts as in the Mathematicks Law or Physicke the precepts are the rule whereby the truth of euery question may be tried yet the bookes must be opened and time must be spent in learning them And though the Iesuite do all he can to haue his Church the rule yet he must needs grant the determination thereof is neither knowne nor agreed vpon without much labour and when it speaketh most plainly yet infants deafe men and infidels heare it not Digression 8. Shewing that the Scriptures are not so obscure but that they plainly determine all points of faith 3 And because the Iesuite according to the
l. 11. c. 3. Ecclesiam esse regulam infallibileÌ„ proponendi explican li veritates fidei non potest reduci ad authoritateÌ„ ipsius Ecclesiae Hoc enim esset idem per idem confirmare sed necesse est reducere hunc assensum ad testimonium Spiritus sancti in â—linantis per â—umen fidei â—d â—oc credibile â—ccleâ—ia non â—otest errate Dom. Ban 22. q. 1. art 1 pag. 17. Austin be wel considered Moses that writ these things O God is gone to thee if he were now before me I would desire him to open them to me and I would heare him if he spake Hebrew I could not vnderstand him if he spake Latin I could know what he said but how should I know whether he spake the truth And if I did know it could I know it from him For within me in the inner parlour of my thought there is neither Hebrew nor Latin â—or Barbarian truth that could say Moses saith true that I should presently being certaine and confident say to him thy seruant thou sayest the truth Therefore seeing I cannot aske him I aske thee the truth by whose fulnesse he spake the truth thee O my God I beseech pardon my sin and which gauest him power to speake these things giue me also power to vnderstand them Austine would neuer haue enquired thus how he should know whether Moses spake the truth if he had thought the testimonie of the Church could secure vs he could not beleeue the Scripture vpon Moses word then much lesse could he beleeue it on the Churches Yea his words do wholy exclude the authoritie of Moses both totall and partiall 20 The Papists therefore are the patrons of Atheisme t Bellarm de effect Sacram. l. 2. c. 25. who teach that if we take away the authoritie of the present Church and of the Councell of Trent then the whole Christian faith may be called in question for the truth of all ancient Councels and of all points of faith depend vpon the authoritie of the present Church of Rome How much better said u De doctrin Christian l. 1. c. 37. Austin Our faith shall reele and totter if the authority of the Scriptures stand not fast Let these assertions of Papistry be well noted § 9. Thirdly they erre in the third condition For the Scriptures are not so vniuersall as the rule of faith had need to be For this rule ought to be so vniuersall that it may absolutely resolue and determine all points questions and doubts of faith which either haue bene or may hereafter fall in controuersie But the Scriptures alone are not thus vniuersall * Non inficiamur praecipua illa fidei dogmata ad saluteÌ„ omnibus necessaria perspicuè satis comprehendi in Scriptura Coster ench c. 1. For there be diuerse questions of faith and those also touching verie substantiall points which are not expresly set downe and determined in the Scripture As namely that those books which are generally holden for Scripture are euery one the true word of God For this in particular of euery booke holden for Scripture we shall not find expresly written in anie part of the Scripture This part therefore whereupon dependeth the certaintie of euery other point proued out of Scripture cannot be made infallibly sure vnto our vnderstanding or beliefe vnlesse we put some other infallible rule whereupon we may ground an infallible beliefe which infallible rule if we admit to assure vs that there is at all anie Scripture and that those bookes and no other are canonicall Scripture why should we not aswel admit it to assure vs infallibly which is the true sence and meaning in all points of the same Scripture The Answer 1 The Iesuits first exception against the Scripture was that it was too difficult now followeth his next that it containeth not all things needfull to be knowne Thus his argument may be concluded The rule must be vniuersall containing all points of faith But such is not the Scripture for many substantiall points are not expresly set downe therein Therefore it is not the rule Whereto I answer denying the assumption for euery point of faith and whatsoeuer else is needfull either to be knowne or done is contained in the scripture so far forth that there is no point question or doubt concerning faith but by the scriptures alone it may absolutely be determined For a 2. Tim. 3.15 it is profitable to teach to reproue to correct and to instruct in all righteousnesse that the child of God may be absolute being made perfect to all good workes 2 But the Iesuite saith there be diuers things not expresly set downe or determined reseruing this word expresly for a starting hole to creepe out at because they be not written word for word in so many syllables But I answer him three things first that the Popish diuinitie is that many points are contained in the Scripture neither thus expresly nor yet at all to be concluded thence by collection for else why make they that opposition betweene the scripture and tradition Secondly if this be his mind then he hath put more into the assumption then was in the proposition for the rule is not bound to containe all things thus expresly Thirdly that is expresly in the scripture which is there set downe either plainly in so many words as b De doctrin Christian l. 2. c. 9. Austine saith All things are that concerne our faith and manners or by analogie when it is necessarily implied in the text For c Alliaco 1. sen qu. 1. art 3. euery such conclusion is a theologicall discourse and hath his warrant from the text and so still the scripture containeth all things needfull 3 Against this the Iesuit hath one argument that it is no where written that these bookes of scripture that we haue are the true word of God Wherto I answer first though this were granted yet would it not follow that all points of faith are not contained in the scripture because in euery profession the principles are indemonstrable assented to without discourse and the scriptures are the principles of religion and therefore first we must grant them to be the very word of God and then say they are such as containe all points needfull to be knowne This then which the Iesuite requireth to be shewed out of the text it selfe is first to be supposed yea beleeued that it is the true word of God whereto we are perswaded by the heauenly light it selfe Secondly I wonder at the Iesuites confidence that dareth so boldly say that of euery booke holden for scripture we find it not expresly written that they are the true word of God for Saint Paul d 2. Tim. 3.16 saith expresly All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and Saint Peter e 2. Pet 1.20 Luc. 1.70 saith No prophecie in the Scripture is of priuate interpretation but the holy men of God spake as they were moued by
the Church and those latter also are certaine to vs else could they not make the other so and why is the Churches authority so absolutely vrged here by the Iesuit when yet in so many cases it may be spared That is not the sole thing that must assure vs without which we may otherwise be secured Digression 13. Shewing against the Iesuits assumption that all substantiall points of our faith are sufficiently determined in the Scripture and the reason why the Papists call for the Churches authoritie 9 Whereas the Iesuite obiecteth against the Scripture that many substantiall points of faith are not expresly contained in the Scriptures this is true of his Popish faith which is in them neither expresly nor by analogie saue that they haue an answer ready t Hosius de express Dei verb. pag. 38. That which pleaseth the Church of Rome is Gods expresse word But of the true faith of Christ u De doctrin Christ l. 2. c. 42. Austin saith Whatsoeuer a man learneth from without the Bible if it be hurtfull there it is condemned if it be profitable there it is found all things which may be learned elsewhere are found there more abundantly x Regul contract q. 95. Basil saith It is necessary and consonant to reason that euery man learne that which is needfull out of the holy Scripture both for the fulnesse of godlinesse and lest they inure themselues to humane traditions which words saith y Non videtur author harum quaestionum admittere traditiones non scriptas Bellar. de amiss grat lib. 1. c. 13 a Iesuite seeme to debarre traditions and the Church of Rome authorizeth the scripture but by traditioÌ„ z In Mat. hom 41. Chrysostome saith Whatsoeuer is required to saluation is all accomplished in the Scripture neither is there any thing wanting there that is needfull for mans saluation Isidorus Pelusiota his scholler a Lib. 1. epi. 369. biddeth we should refuse whatsoeuer is taught vnlesse it be contained in the volume of the Bible b Lib. 12. in Ioh. in illud â—â—ec auteÌ„ scripta sunt vt credatis Cyril Such things as the Apostles saw sufficient for our faith and manners are written that shining in true faith and good manners we might come to heauen by Christ c Comment in Hagg. c. 2. Hierome Whatsoeuer things man find and faine without the authoritie and testimonie of the Scripture as if they were from Apostolicall tradition are smitten by the sword of God d Lib. 3. c. 1. Irenaeus We haue not knowne the order of our saluation by meanes of any but those through whom the Gospell is come to vs the which Gospell they then preached and afterwards by the will of God deliuered to vs in the Scripture to be the foundation and pillar of our faith These places of the Fathers e Bellarm. de verb. Dei lib. 4. cap. 11. Gregor de Valent. anal fid by the confession of the Iesuits themselues shew that all things are written which be necessary for the saluation of all men And so you see the Iesuites rashnesse For if many substantiall points of faith be not set downe then some things necessary are wanting for euery substantiall point is necessary for all men 10 But yeeld the Iesuite that the Church shall be the rule we speake of to assure our conscience and then aske him who shall be this Church whereto he wil answer none but the Pope and his crew of Cardinals nay none but the Pope himself as I haue shewed alreadie and shall declare hereafter who if he leade thousands of people by troupes to hell eternally to be damned with himselfe there yet no man might presume to reproue him because he is iudged of no man f Dist 40. c. Si Papa saith the Canon law which the Iesuit will kindly take too if ye put him to it 11 And how will this Church expound the Scripture when you haue yeelded your self vnto her for no doubt she will discharge the office faithfully which she laboureth for so eagerly Let Cusanus the Cardinall tell you how for I hope he neuer recanted this point as g Stapl. counterbl l. 3. c. 36. pag. 358. they say he did another of greater truth thus he writeth h Epist 2 pag. 833. The Scripture is fitted to the time and variably vnderstood so that at one time it is expounded according to the fashion of the Church and when that fashioÌ„ is changed the sence of the Scripture is also changed i Epist 3 pag. 838. Againe when the Church changeth her iudgement God also changeth his k Epist 7. pag. 857. And no maruell seeing the letter of the Scripture is not of the essence of the Church if the practise of the Church at one time interprete the Scripture of this fashion and another time on that And let the Popes lawyers tell you that say l De translat episcopi c. Quanto in Gloss § Puâ—i The Pope hath a heauenly iudgement and maketh that to be the meaning which is none because in those things that he pleaseth to haue go forward his will is a law neither may any man say why do you so for he may dispense aboue all law So that this is the plaine English wherinto all the Iesuites doctrine concerning the authoritie of the Church is resolued and whatsoeuer any of them say yet their halting in the end cometh all to it and good reason for the Pope is a fast friend to the Romane Church c. § 10. Fourthly this rule of faith which we seeke for must be such that whosoeuer do find it and hauing found it will diligently attend vnto it obediently in all that it teacheth yeeld assent vnto it shall sufficiently in all points be instructed as touching matters of faith in such sort that none that yeeldeth this obedient assent in all points to the teaching thereof can fall into errour of faith But there be many that hauing found the Scripture do with an obedient mind diligently reade it and yeeld assent to euery sentence and word written in it acknowledging whatsoeuer it saith to be the word of God and yet are not sufficiently instructed but may and do sometimes grosly and obstinately erre in matters of faith as it is most euident since men of contrarie minds in religion do in maner aforesaid reade the Scriptures acknowledging them to be the word of God and yet continue opposite in opinion and so one of them in errour Therefore the Scripture alone is not that rule sufficient of it selfe to instruct euerie one in all points of faith The Answer 1 This is the Iesuites third argument against the scriptures and it is thus framed That which doth not instruct such as find it and obey it in all points of faith and preserue them from error is not the rule But the Scripture doth not instruct such as find it and obey it in all points of faith and
teach him the faith of Christ and this the Apostle saith the Scriptures are able to do By which word Able the other word Profitable must be expounded For the Apostle to manifest their abilitie produceth their profitablenesse which were no good argument if their profitablenesse were not complete Besides it cannot be denyed but all sufficient things are profitable and therefore hence it followeth by the rule of conuersion that therefore some profitable things are sufficient And so may the scripture be sufficient 3 Secondly he answereth They be profitable and sufficient because they commend vnto vs the Churches authoritie which is sufficient But this is a shift For 1. then they are not sâ—fficient in that they coÌ„mend no such authoritie to vs. 2. If this be a good answer theÌ„ so many books of the Bible be superfluous For this one place or b Hold the traditions the fifteenth verse of the second chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians for example were sufficient because according to the Iesuites exposition it commendeth to vs the authoritie of the Church which is able to instruct vs. 3. The text is euident that the profitablenesse thereof standeth in teaching reprouing correcting and instructing now if it stand in this wholly then the Iesuits conceit is excluded if but in part then let him shew what we need more for our saluation then doctrine reproofe correction and instruction 4. There was neuer any Papist in the world that durst alledge this text for the authoritie of the Church and yet granting the Iesuites exposition it should proue it inuincibly 5. The Church it selfe whereunto he saith the Scripture sendeth vs for our sufficient instruction receiueth her doctrine out of the Scriptures The Church saith c Tract 3. in 1. epist Ioh. Austin is our mother her brests are the two testaments of the Scripture whence she giueth her children milke Therfore they containe a sufficient doctrine because the Church giueth her children no other 6. Yea the Apostle saith they are able to make the man of God perfect that is the Pastor himselfe the Pope and Councell and all Now the Iesuite will not say they make these perfect by sending them to the Church because themselues are the Church yea the head and mouth of it 7. Finally it were intollerable folly to say that man teacheth me all good learning that I might be absolute and perfect yea maketh me wise to knowledge which onely as I go sheweth me the schoole where I learne these things yet the speech were as proper as the Apostles in this place supposing the Iesuites exposition to be true 4 The fathers and certaine Papists also the truth constraining them expound the place otherwise and say as we do d Hom. 9. Chrysostome writing on this place saith If any thing be needfull for vs to learne or to be ignorant of there in the Scripture we may haue it and he addeth that in these words Paul telleth Timothy Thou hast the Scriptures to teach thee in steed of me if thou desire to know any thing there thou maist learne it Which he could not haue said if he had not thought Timothy might learne as much out of the Scripture as Paul could teach him e De ration stud theolog lib. 1. cap. 3. Villavincentius a Papist confesseth The Scriptures and they alone are able to teach vs to saluation as the Apostle in the third chapter of his second Epistle to Timothy affirmeth saying all Scripture is inspired of God c. In which words the Apostle comprehendeth all things that are needfull to the saluation of man f Sum part 3. tit 18. c. 3. §. 3. Antoninus the Archbishop of Florence saith God hath spoken but once and that in the holy Scripture so fully to all doubts and cases and to all good workes that he needeth speake no more g Comment in 2. Tim. c. 3 in v. 15.16 Espencaeus writeth That if any thing be needfull either to be knowne or done the Scriptures teach the truth reproue the false reclaime from euill perswade to good Neither yet do they make a man good in some sort but perfect yea they can teach a man to saluation and h Sufficienter doctum reddere make him learned sufficiently § 12. The second conclusion is that no mans naturall wit and learning neither any companie of men neuer so learned onely as they are learned men not infallibly assisted by the holy Spirit can either by interpreting Scripture or otherwise be this infallible rule of Faith and consequently thoâ—e that for matters of faith rely either vpon their owne interpretation of Scripture or vpon the interpretation of other learned not assisted infallibly by the holy Ghost cannot haue an infallible faith This I proue Because all this wit and learning is humane naturall and fallible and therefore cannot be a rule or foundation whereupon to build a diuine supernaturall and infallible faith The third conclusion that no priuate man who perswadeth him selfe to be especially instructed by the Spirit can be this infallible rule of faith at least so farre forth as he teacheth or beleeueth contrarie to the receiued doctrine of the catholike Church this I proue first because S. Paul Gal. 1. saith Si quis vobis euangelizauerit praeter id quod accepistis anathema sit Pronouncing generally that whosoeuer teacheth contrarie to the receiued doctrine of the catholike Church should be held anathematized or accursed Secondly I proue the same because the rule of faith must be infallible plainly knowne and vniuersall as before hath bene proued But this priuate spirit is not such For neither the partie himselfe and much lesse any other can be infallibly sure that he in particular is taught by the holy Ghost For neither is there anie promise in Scripture to assure that he in particular is thus taught by the holy Ghost neither is his particular perswasion be it neuer so seeming strong able to giue infallible assurance thereof since diuerse now adayes perswade theÌ„selues to be thus taught by the Spirit and yet one of them teaching contrary to another and therefore some in these their perswasions must needs be deceiued And therefore who without testimonie of true miracle or some other infallible proofe dare arrogantly affirme that he onely is not deceiued since others that perswade themselues in the same maner that he doth are in this their perswasion sometime deceiued Moreouer suppose one assure himselfe to be taught by Gods Spirit immediatly in all things what is the true faith as it is not the maner of Almightie God to teach men immediatly by himselfe but rather as the Scripture telleth vs Fides ex auditu Rom. 10. and it is to be required ex ore sacerdotis and must be learned of Pastors and Doctors whom God hath put in his Church vt non circumferamur omni vento doctrinae But suppose I say one in priuate thinke himselfe to be immediatly taught of God how should he
Romish multitude and though their persons were not the rule yet when they followed that which is the rule we beleeued them § 13. The fourth and last conclusion of this question is that this infallible rule which we ought obediently to follow in all points of faith is the doctrine and teaching faith and beliefe of the true Church This I proue Because to this agree all the conditions which I said to be requisite in the rule of faith First this is a thing infallible as shal be proued Secondly it is a thing easie to be knowne Thirdly it is such a thing as may vniuersally resolue and determine vs in all questions and doubts and instruct all sorts of men in all points of faith And consequently whosoeuer will obediently yeeld assent to this rule in all points as we all professe in our Creed saying Credo Ecclesiam catholicam shall not erre in anie point That these three conditions of the rule of faith agree to the doctrine and teaching of the vniuersall or catholike Church I proue The Answer 1 We would not stand with the Iesuite about this conclusion but freely grant it if no more were meant thereby then the words make shew of that the doctrine and faith of the vniuersall Church is the rule of faith For that doctrine is onely the contents of the Scripture which we yeeld to be the rule For a In 1. Ep. Ioh. tract 3. Austin saith Our mother the Church giueth her children milk out of her two brests the old and new Testament But he hath a further reach and meaneth a higher matter First that the Churches word and authoritie is the rule without referring the same to the Scripture Secondly that the Church of Rome is this true and vniuersall Church Thirdly that all the authoritie and efficacy therof is in the Pope alone This is the plaine English of the conclusion howsoeuer the words be faire and cleanely and the Iesuite defending it must shew all the properties of the rule to appertaine to the present Church and Pope of Rome or else he doth but trifle and spend time Digression 16. Shewing how the Papists pretending at euerie word the Catholicke Church meane nothing thereby but the Popes determination 2 First howsoeuer these words be tollerable the doctrine teaching faith and beliefe of the true Church is the infallible rule in all points to be followed yet the Popish meaning is absurd that whatsoeuer the Church teacheth though it be not contained in the Bible must be accepted as matter of faith and that vpon her owne authoritie Yet thus they hold as I haue b Digress 1. c. 6.9 shewed and may further be perceiued by the Iesuites words in this section Whosoeuer will yeeld assent to the Church in all points as we professe in our Creed saying I beleeue the Catholicke Church shall not erre in any point Which words of the Creed meaning no more but c Ruffin expos Symbo that we beleeue there is one holy Catholicke Church whereof our selues are members he expoundeth of yeelding assent in all points to it which exposition may be further vnderstood by that which d Staplet def eccles potest adu Whitak l. 1. cap 9. Rhem. annot 1. Tim. 3.15 Bristo dem 44. other Papists say more fully I beleeue the Catholicke Church the literall sence whereof is that thou beleeuest whatsoeuer the Catholicke Church holdeth and teacheth are to be beleeued Which exposition is a glosse beside the text And yet this is tollerable in comparison of the next 3 For hauing deuolued all power ouer to the Church in the next place they define this Church to be the Romane company For e Mot. 12. in marg Bristo saith The Romane Church is the Catholicke Church and f Annot. Rom. 1 8. idem B. roÌ„ Annal. tom 1. an 58. nu 49. See Posseu bibl select lib. 4. c. 13. â— Interdum quoqueâ—aud sâ—â—iâ— the Rhemists The Catholicke and Romane faith is all one Wherein their meaning is to win authoritie to the Romish faction perswading men there is no saluation but in that religion and making roome for themselues in all those places of Scripture which commend vnto vs the Catholicke Church of Christ Which is a iest so grosse that it deserueth to be smiled at rather then confuted And yet it stayeth not here neither but goeth a degree further which me thinketh is a note aboue éla 4 For as they take all authoritie and sufficiency from the Scripture and giue it the Church so all the Churches authoritie they giue to the Pope So saith Gregory of Valence g Dispuâ— theo tom 3 â—isp 1. â—u 1. punct 1. p. 24. Item Cater 22 q. 1. art 9. 10. Dom. Ban ibid. apud D. Tho nam Pro eodem omnino reputatur authoritas Ecclesiae vniuersalis authoritas concilij authoritas sum mi pontificis By the Church we meane her head that is to say the Romane Bishop h Analys fidei pag. 136. In whom resideth that full authoritie of the Church when he pleaseth to determine matters of faith whether he do it with a Councell or without Thomas saith i 22. q 1. art 10. The making of a new Creed belongeth to the Pope as all other things do which belong to the whole Church k 22. qu 1 â— art 2.3 Yea the whole authoritie of the vniuersall Church abideth in him l Defens fid Triâ—ent lib. 2. Andradius saith All power to interpret the Scripture and reueale the hidden mysteries of our religioÌ„ is giuen from heauen to the Popes and their Councels Yea m Decis aur cas part 2 l. 2. c 7 nu 40 saith Graffius The common opinion is he may do it without them And so n De Christ l. 2 c. 28. saith Bellarmine Himselfe without any Councell may decree matters of faith And o Sum Syluest verbo fides nu 2. Syluester The power of the Catholicke Church remaineth all in him And p De Planctu Eccl. lib. 1. artic 6. Aluarus Pelagius We are bound to stand to his iudgement alone rather then to the iudgement of all the world beside And the canon Law saith q In Sext. extt. Ioh. 22 tit 14 c. cum inter in gloss It were heresie to thinke our Lord God the Pope might not decree as he doth r Dist 19. in Canonicis glos ibid. Yea his rescripts and decretall Epistles are canonicall Scripture Stapleton Å¿ Praefat. Princip fidei doctrinal saith The foundation of our religion is of necessitie placed vpon the authoritie of this mans teaching in which we heare God himselfe speaking And finally the Iesuite himselfe t §. hereafter saith All Catholicke men must necessarily submit their iudgement and opinions either in expounding the Scripture or otherwise to the censure of the Apostolicke seate and God hath bound his Church to heare the chiefe Pastor in all points By all which we see what is
that Moses taught wherein onely they might be followed and no further u Lib. 3 in Mat. cap. 23. Ferus saith that Christs commandement Obserue and do whatsoeuer they bid you bound them not to obserue all the decrees of the Pharises but so farre forth as they agreed with the law in like sort he said to the Apostles and their successors He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me but Matthew had set downe before that he charged them to preach the Gospell whereby it appeareth that the Apostles must be heard but so farre forth as they be Apostles that is as they do Christs message and teach the things which Christ commandeth but if they teach other things or contrary to Christ then are they no more Apostles but seducers and not to be heard Which exposition of Ferus a Papist excludeth you see the Iesuites collection for the infalliblenesse of all the Prelates doctrine and giueth the people libertie to examine it by the Gospell 9 Neither did any of the auncient Fathers vnderstand the place otherwise for Austine in x Ep. 165. ad Generos the place alledged onely affirmeth two things first that in the Church of Rome there had bene a continuall succession of Bishops from Peter to Anastasius who then liued which he saith because the Donatist in his epistle to Generosus had pretended a certaine succession of Bishops from Donatus the beginner of that sect and to satisfie him that if succession were to be stood vpon then there might a succession of better likelihood be brought against him Secondly he affirmeth that in all this Romane succession there had bene neuer a Donatist and though there had yet should the people of God incurre no danger thereby because Christ hath forewarned them of euill ouerseers that they follow their teaching and not their doing In all which discourse what one word is there whereby it may be gathered that Austine thought as the Iesuite doth that in all points we must do according to the doctrine of the Prelates or that the Church and Bishops of Rome can erre in nothing for the succession mentioned implieth no such matter for any thing that Austine saith And the other words Our Lord hath prouided for his Church by saying of euill Prelates Do what they say but not what they do can shew no other meaning in him then was in Christ and how Christ meant them I haue alreadie set downe the summe whereof is that no Christian man forsake the vnitie of the Church for the Pastors euill life but that still they heare them and follow them as long as they teach out of the chaire that is according to the doctrine of Moses and Peter from which the Romish Church is departed long ago So that those words Do what they teach being referred to the former they sit in Moses chaire must be expounded ioyntly with them Do what they teach out of the chaire which being granted how followeth it from hence that therefore the teachers can erre in nothing 10 The last place is Math. 18.17 If he refuse to heare the Church let him be vnto thee as a heathen and a publican Which words the Iesuite saith containe a threatning against such as do not in all things follow the Church y Bellarm. de verbo Dei l. 3. c. 5. Eman. Sa. Not. Mat. 18.17 meaning the Pastors of the Church Whereunto I answer two things first it followeth not that the Church cannot erre because we are bidden to heare it for so we are commaunded to z Rom. 13.1 obey magistrates and yet they may commaund things vnlawfull and a Act. 4.19 Dan. 3.18 6.10 in such a case they must not be obeyed It was a law to the Iewes that b Deut. 17.8 in matters of weight they should repaire to the Priest and do according to that which he should iudge without declining from it yet Vriah and Annas and Caiaphas were not of infallible iudgement Therefore the meaning is that we must obediently heare the Church and yeeld vnto it not simply in all things but conditionally as long as it speaketh things agreeable to the word of God as was answered to the former places Secondly the things properly which Christ here mentioneth and wherein he biddeth vs heare the Church are not determinations of faith but Church-censures and admonitions wherein it is cleare the true Church of Christ may sometime misse it and be admonished by her children notwithstanding this threatning of Christ as when c Ioh. 9.3 4. the Iewes excommunicated him that was borne blind and d Niceph. l. 12. c. 33. the East and West Churches censured one another about the keeping of Easter For e Hieron comment in Math. c. 16. ignorant Bishops and Elders sometimes take vp the seueritie of Pharises condemning the innocent and acquiting the guiltie Pope Innocent saith in f Decretal Greg. lib. 5. de sententia excom cap. 28. A nobis est saepe the Canon law Gods iudgement alway leaneth vpon the truth which neither deceiueth vs nor is deceiued it selfe But the Churches iudgement oftentimes followeth opinion which many times falleth out both to deceiue vs and to be deceiued it selfe Whereby it cometh to passe sometime that he is loosed in the Church who is bound with God and he loosed with God who is wrapt in the Churches censure Vpon which words g Super 5. de sententia excom à Nobis 2. Panormitane writing saith A generall Councell representing the whole Church may very well erre in excommunicating him that should not be excommunicate Whereby we see the Church may erre in her censures notwithstāding these words of Christ And if in censures then let the Iesuit yeeld a sound reason why not as wel in points of faith or else confesse the words of Christ to be meant as I haue said § 15. Worthily therefore doth S. Paul call this Church Columna firmamentum veritatis 1. Tim. 3. the pillar and ground of truth Also S. Austin in lib. contra Cresc giueth this generall aduice Quisquis falli metuit huius obscuritate quaestionis Ecclesiam de illa consulat quam sine vlla ambiguitate Scriptura sancta demonstrat Whosoeuer is afraid to be deceiued with the obscuritie of this question let him require the iudgement of the Church which without ambiguitie the holy Scripture doth demonstrate By which words he sheweth vs that the way not to be deceiued in an obscure question is to aske and follow the iudgement of the Church The Answer 1 There is no man denieth but it is a good way not to be deceiued in an obscure question to aske and follow the iudgement of the Church so it be the true Church which the Romane companie is not But yet neither is it the onely way as I haue touched alreadie nor if it be doth it hence follow that therefore it selfe is the rule and free from all blemish of error because the
know which is the true Church of Christ can know it no wayes but onely by the Scriptures because all those things which belong to Christ in truth the heresies also haue in schisme Therefore if any man would know which is the true Church of Christ how shall he know it in so great confusion of likenesse but by the Scriptures onely For this cause the Lord knowing the confusion of things that should happen in the latter dayes commaundeth that such Christians as will receiue assurance of faith shall flie to no other thing but to the Scriptures else if they looke to other matters they shall be offended and they shall perish not knowing which is the true Church Againe vpon these words By their fruits ye shall know them a In c. 7. Math. he saith A mans fruite is the confession of faith and his workes are the conuersation of his life therefore if thou see a Christian man straightway consider that if his confession agree with the Scripture then he is a true Christian but if it be not as Christ commanded then is he a false Christian for Christ hath referred the triall of a Christian not to the name but to the confession c. Saint Austin hath left written an excellent booke against the Donatists who pretended as the Papists now do that the Church was onely among them wherein he handleth this question at large how the true Church may be knowne and by what markes Thus he writeth in b Liber con tâ— PetilianuÌ„ Donatist Epistol seu de vnitate Ecclesiae c. 2. that booke The question betweene vs and the Donatists is where is the Church What therfore shall we do shall we seeke it in our owne words or in the words of her head our Lord Iesu Christ I thinke we ought to seeke it rather in his words who is the truth and best knoweth his owne body c Cap. 3. Let not these speeches be heard among vs This I say and this thou saiest but let vs heare These things saith the Lord. There are certaine bookes of God vnto whose authoritie we both consent we both beleeue we both stand there let vs seeke the Church there let vs trie our cause Let those things therefore be remoued from vs which we bring one against another not out of the holy Canonicall bookes but aliunde Because I will not haue the holy Church demonstrated by mans teaching but by the holy oracles of God d Cap. 16. therefore setting aside all such matters let them shew foorth the Church if they can not by the speeches and rumors of the Africans not in the Councels of their Bishops not in the writings of euery disputer not in signes and false miracles because Gods word hath prepared and made vs readie against these things but let them declare it out of the prescript of the law the prediction of the Prophets the songs of the Psalmes the words of the Pastor himselfe I enquire the Church it selfe where it should be which hearing the words of Christ and doing them buildeth vpon the rocke let him then shew me the Church and let him so shew it that he say not this is true because I say it or because my fellowes haue said it or those our Bishops or this is true because Donatus or Pontius or some other hath done such or such miracles or because men pray and are heard at the monuments of our dead or because such and such things haue happened there or because such a brother or such a sister of ours hath seene such a vision or had such a dreame let these things be remoued either as the deuices of lyers or as no better then the miracles of deceitfull spirits for either they are not true which are reported or if heretickes haue any wonders done among them it standeth vs in hand to beware the more But whether they haue the Church or not let them declare onely by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures These be the instructions these be the foundations these be the supporters of our cause By all which discourse it appeareth that Austin thought the true faith was the note of the true Church or else to what purpose should he so earnestly reuoke the Donatists froÌ„ all other courses to the tryall of the canonicall Scriptures if he had not bene of mind that the faith alone consenting with them had bene the infallible signe of the Church as he speaketh also in e Epist 166. another place In the Scriptures haue we learned Christ in the Scriptures haue we learned the Church § 25. I proue it because by true faith either is meant true faith onely in some points or in all it is not a good marke to say that is the true Church which teacheth the true faith in some points onely for all heretickes teach truth in some points and though it be proper to the true Church to be so guided by the holy Ghost that it teach the infallible truth in all points as before hath bene proued yet this is not a good marke whereby all sorts of men may and ought to come to know which is the true Church of which if they will be saued they must needs learne an infallible faith The Answer 1 We do not think euery company to be the true Church that holdeth onely some points of the true faith for all heretickes teach the truth in some things and yet we deny them to be the Church of God but f Act. 4.12 1. Cor. 3.11 Eph. 2.19 it is requisite that the foundation be holden that is to say all such truths deliuered as are necessary for all mens saluation and such heresies auoyded as destroy the foundation which kind of teaching is an infallible note whereby all Churches and professions may be tryed and we meane it when we say the faith is a marke of the Church 2 Neither yet do we thinke as the Iesuite speaketh that any visible church teacheth this truth so infallibly that it erreth in nothing we thinke and g §. 14. 15. I haue shewed the contrary for this befalleth the Church that it may be ignorant of many truthes for a time it may hold the faith sometime more sometime lesse purely it may build hay and wood vpon the foundation it may be infected with the errors and heresies of some therein and some articles lying in the very foundation may be beleeued not so clearely as h Mark 16 14. Luc. 24 5.11.12.21.25.37 Ioh. 20.25 the resurrection of Christ was for a time not well vnderstood which things though they befall the Church the holy Ghost teaching it but by degrees yet is not the faith thereby taken from it but abideth â—ufficient to giue testimony of saluation to all that will follow it And this is confirmed by the confession of our aduersaries themselues who say i Bell. de Not. Eccl. c. 2. that to erre and yet to be ready to learne and when you haue learned to
certaine order and respect either to other as a school-master and his teaching so that the one proueth and declareth the other as causes and effects vse to do In which kind of prouing the order is that first the effect sheweth the cause it being ordinarie that a cause cannot be assured so to be but by the effect which it produceth and offereth vnto vs as a schoole-master is not knowne certainly so to be but by his teaching And if among many bad you would find a good one to whom you might commit your children this cannot be done but by hearing and examining his maner of teaching in which case though the man be a necessarie meanes whereby you learne his teaching yet the teaching it selfe is the marke whereby you know him to be such a man and distinguish him frâ—m all others And euen as the tree beareth his fruite and we seeke the tree principally for this end that by it as by a necessary meanes we may find the fruite and yet the fruite it sheweth vs is the onely marke that it is such a tree and if it be denied or doubted the tasting of the fruite wil proue it and distinguish it from all the trees in the ground beside So likewise as he saith the Church expoundeth the faith vnto vs and we seeke the Church principally for this end that by it as by the meanes we may learne the truth and yet this truth which it sheweth vs may be the marke to assure vs it is such a Church and to distinguish it from all other Churches in the world Therefore for the Church to teach the faith and the faith to be a note of the Church are not opposite but onely diuers and so may both be true as a light vpon a watch-tower in the darke night may be the onely marke whereby to find the tower and yet the tower it self holdeth out the light and sheweth it and is the meanes that the traueller seeth it § 28. Thirdly true faith is a thing included in the true Church and as it were inclosed in her bellie as S. August speakâ—th Psal 57. vpon these words Errauerunt ab vtero loquuti sunt falsa In ventre Ecclesiae saith he veritas manet quisquis ab hoc ventre separatus fuerit necesse est vt falsa loquatur Therefore like as if a man had gold in his bellie we must first find the man before we can come to the gold it selfe so we must first by other markes find out the true Church which hath this gold of true faith hidden in her bellie before we come to see this gold in it selfe since especially we cannot see it vnlesse she open her mouth and deliuer it neither can we being borne spiritually blind certâ—nly know it to be true and not counterfetted gold but by giuing credite to her testimonie of it according as S. Augustine saith Euangelio non crederem nisi me Ecclesiae authoritas commoueret lib. 9. Epist cap. 3. For if we had not the testimonie of the Church hâ—w should we be infallibly sure that there were any Gospell at all or how could we know that those bookes which beare title of the Gospell according to S Matthew Marke Luke Iohn were true canonicall Scriptures rather then those of Nicodemus and S. Thomas bearing the same name and title of the Gospell The Answer 1 This is his third reason and may be concluded thus That which is included in the Church is no mark of the Church But the true faith is included in the Church Ergo. The second proposition whereof that faith is a thing included in the Church and as it were inclosed in her belly is true and he hath well affirmed it out of Austine but yet it is worth the enquiring to demand how he wil reconcile himself herein with his fellowes For a Bellar. de not â—ccl c 2. a Iesuite writeth that true doctrine and pure from all error may be in the false Church for if this be so then is he not certaine that the true faith is inclosed in the true Church and he must needs speake vntruths which is deuided from the belly of the Church For mine owne part I think that Bellarmine lieth but yet it becomes not the Iesuit thus to crosse him and then in b §. 35. the next discourse so highly to extoll their vnitie 2 But the first proposition that because it is included in the Church and the Church teacheth it therefore it can be no marke of the Church is denied because true faith is inclosed in the Church not obscurely as gold is in a mans belly so as c Ioseph de bello Iud. l. 6. c. 15. we reade the Iewes vsed to swallow it thereby to hide it from their enemies but as a candle in a lanterne or a light in his watch-tower discouering both it selfe and the place that holdeth it which gold in a mans belly cannot do And therefore as a light standing in the window in a darke night is a good mark to find the house though otherwise it be included in the houâ—â— so the true faith being included in the bosome of the Church not as gold that is buried in a mans bowels but as a candle standing in a lanterne by it owne light can guide vs infallibly to the Church d 1. Tim. 3.15 Apoc. 1.20 Pro. 6.23 which is Gods house enlightened by his truth Neither did S. Austine in the words alledged thinke the contrary as may appeare by that which followeth within twentie lines after By the face of truth I know Christ the truth it selfe by the face of truth I know the Church partaker of the truth Which words shew plainly that S. Austine thought the Church was to be knowne by the truth which it contained as by it owne fauour and proper countenance as children are knowne one from another by their owne countenance and complexion which shineth in their faces And though the Church by opening her mouth deliuer vs this truth yet is she found by no marke but by this truth it selfe as a darke house is found by no meanes but by the light contained therein though it selfe by opening the window deliuer vs this light and the firmament is seene by the light of the Sunne though it selfe hold out the Sunne vnto vs. 3 Thus far then we agree that the Church containeth the light of the truth in her bosome and that she openeth her mouth and deliuereth this truth vnto vs but that by other markes we must find out the Church afore we can see this truth is the Iesuites conceit And so is the rest that followeth concerning our knowledge of the Gospell vpon the Churches testimonie for I haue shewed e §. 9. Digr 12. before that the Scriptures and the Sunne are both knowne by their owne light and the Church teacheth the Gospel by her ministery but proueth it not by her authoritie Neither did S. Austine meane otherwise f Lib. contra epist fundam c.
5 when he said I would not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the Church did moue me For though the testimonie of the Church by reason of mens infirmitie afore they beleeue be requisite to draw them on to consent to the Scriptures as children afore they can go hold themselues by the side of a stoole and so learne to go yet is not the credite of the Church or authority of men the thing whereby we know and distinguish the Scripture from other writings but the authoritie of Gods spirit is it that by the help of the Church worketh faith in vs. Digression 19. Touching the place of S. August cont epist. fundam cap. 5. and the matter which the Papists gather from it 4 The Papists haue a principle among them that the Scriptures receiue all their authoritie from the Church meaning thereby g Rhem. Gal. 6.2 that they are not knowne to be true neither are Christians bound to receiue them without the attestation of the Church h Ioan. de Turrecr suê‘ dist 9. Noli meis nu 4. Which testimonie declareth vnto vs which be the Scriptures and which not i Baron annal tom 1. an 53. nu 11. so that by the tradition of the Church all the Gospel receiueth his authority and is built therupon as vpon a foundatioÌ„ and cannot subsist without it Yea k Bosius de sign eccl tom 2 pag. 439. some of them write that the Scripture is not to be reckoned among such * Principia principles as before all things are to be credited but it is proued confirmed by the church * Quasi per quoddam principium as by a certain principle which hath autority to reiect allow Scripture And l D. Standish Treat of the Script c. 6. probat 3. a countriman of ours hath left written that in three points the authoritie of the Church is aboue the authoritie of the Scripture The second is for that the Church receiued the Gospel of Luke and Marke and did reiect the Gospels made by his high Apostles Thomas and Bartlemew The which speeches of theirs when the Papists haue expounded how they can yet this will be the vpshot that in all discourses concerning religion the last resolution of our faith shall be into the Churches authoritie 5 For confirmation whereof they bring you see this of Austine I would not haue beleeued the Gospel vnlesse the Churches authority moued me In which words he speaketh of the time past afore he was conuerted and according to the phrase of his countrey putteth the preterimperfect tense for the preterpluperfect tense meaning thus I had not now beleeued the Gospell and bene a Christian but that the Church by her reasons perswaded me thereunto speaking onely of the practise of Christians who by their perswasions conuert many to the Gospell And that he speaketh of the time pâ—st when he was an vnbeleeuer it is plain not onely by viewing the place but by the testimonie of a learned Papist m Can loc l. 2. c. 8. pag. 34. who saith Austine had to do with a Manichee who would haue a certaine Gospell of his owne without controuersie admitted therefore Austine asketh what they will do if they chance to meet with one * Qui ne Euangelio quidem credat which beleeueth not the Gospell and by what arguments they will draw him into their opinion n Certè se affirmat non aliter potuisse adduci vt Euangeliâ—m amplectâ—retâ—â— quà m Ecclesiae authoritate victum Verily he affirmeth that â—e for his part could not otherwise be drawne to embrace the Gospel but being ouercome with the authorie of the Church therefore he doth not teach that the credite of the Gospell is founded on the Churches authoritie Whereby it is plaine that Austine propoundeth himselfe as an instance of one that beleeueth not which he could not be when he wrote this but by speaking of the time past And though it were throughly proued that he spake of himselfe being a Christian and in that estate said he would not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the Church moued him yet were it not proued hereby that he meant the present Church as it runneth from time to time or the Church of Rome or any other place as it now standeth For if some Papists misse it not he meant the Church which was in the Apostles times which saw Christs miracles and heard his preaching Durand o 3. d. 24. q. 1. in litera o. saith That which is spoken concerning the approbation of the Scripture by the Church is meant onely of that Church which was in the Apostles time Of the same mind are p Dried de var. dogm l. 4. c. 4. Gers de vita anima Occham dial l. 1. part 1. c 4. others whereby he may see that Austine giueth a kind of authoritie to the Church but it is not that Church which should serue his turne Neither is the authoritie giuen large enough to reach the Popish conceit or the Iesuites conclusion if we had not the testimony of the Church we could not be infallibly sure that there were any Gospell at all nor know these bookes to be Scripture for Canus a Doctor of his owne q Vbi supra confesseth I do not beleeue that the Euangelist saith true because the Church telleth me he saith true but because God hath reuealed it And r Triplicat incho 〈◊〉 uers Whitak in Admon Stapleton The inward testimonie of the spirit is so effectuall for the beleeuing of any point of faith that by it alone any matter may be beleeued though the Church hold her peace or be neuer heard And Å¿ Comment theol tom 3. pag. 31 Gregorie of Valence The reuelation of the Scripture is beleeued not vpon the credit of any other reuelation but for it selfe And t qâ—â— Sent. 1 q. 1. art 3. pag 50. liâ—eta C. â—â—ce Greg. Arimin prolog n sent q. 1. art 3. pag. 4. Cardinall Cameracensis The verities contained in the Canon of the Bible onely are the principles and foundation of Diuinitie and receiue not their authority by other things whereby they may be demonstrated And therefore this testimonie of Austine proueth not that he beleeued the Gospel through the Churches authoritie as by a Theologicall principle whereby the Gospel might be proued true but onely as it were by a cause mouing him to credite it as if he should say I would not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the holinesse of the Church or Christs miracles did moue me In which saying though some cause of his beleeuing the Gosp ll be assigned yet u Compare this wâ—â— the place of Bozius alledged in the beginning of this Digress letter a. no former principle is touched whose credite might be the cause why the Gospell should be beleeued These speeches of our very aduersaries which the truth it selfe hath wroong from them deserue to be obserued the more because
Conc. Trid. Sicid commen Innocen Gentil pag. 132. 135 158. c. the safe conduct that was giuen out for them as it was long afore it could be obtained so it had a clause that it should appertaine to none but such as would repent and returne to the bosome of the Romane Church which sheweth that it was a very ieast to mocke the world withall and the libertie granted by the same would haue proued no better to the Protestants then that which the Councell of Constance gaue Hus and Hierome o Vide Paralip ad hist Abb. Vrsperg pag. 396. Pogh Floren. ep ad Aretin who neuer went home againe but contrary to all truth and right were vnmercifully murthered by the Councell Now p Panorm extra de iureiurando Ego N. the law saith that he which hath securitie granted him to come hath also security to returne for he cometh not securely that may not safely returne againe 6 Secondly all the Bishops were sworne to vphold the Papacie that it may appeare they came prepared to do that they did The oath is set downe in the q Ego N. de iureiurand in decret Greg. 9. Decretals I N. Bishop from this day forward wil be faithful to S. Peter and to the holy Church of Rome and to my Lord the Pope and his successors The Papacie of the Romane Church and the rules of the holy fathers will I help defend and hold against all men so helpe me God and his holy Gospels Now r Papatâ—â— id est principatum taÌ„ in spiritualibus quam in teÌ„poralibus Dic regulas id est canones summorum Pontificum c. Panorm vbi supra this Papacie is a principalitie in things both temporall and spirituall and these rules are the Canons of the Pope and other Doctors allowed by the Church of Rome So that this Councell iudged before it heard nay they would not heare but came euery man prepared to condemne and therefore Å¿ Such as were Catharinus Dom. à Soto Cornelius Mus Salapusius Ciconia Fontidonius Baptista Fornerius and others whereof reade Innocent Gentill exameÌ„ at euery Sessions they had certaine sermons preached by Friers tending to nothing but railing against the Protestants and inciting the Councell against them Whereunto they added another policie by spreading t Innocen Gentill pag. 32. Boz de sign eccles lib. 18. cap. 3. reports of one Abdisu that should be Patriarke of the Assyrians and was come to Rome to acknowledge the Popes supremacie and religion with many admirable particulars all which newes was spred for the nonce to fill mens minds with a conceit and liking of that which they meant in the Councell to decree The which partialitie and cunning when the Princes of Europe saw u See Illyr Protest cont coÌ„cil Innocent Gentill pag. 28 31. 96. 98. 110. they sent their protestations against the Councell as vnsufficient to reforme religion namely the Emperor Charles the French King the Kings of England and Denmark the States of Heluetia and others 7 Thirdly in trying the controuersies they examined not by the Scriptures onely but by traditions x Sess 4. also which afore that time no man was bound to beleeue and that which was worse there did nothing passe till the Pope with his Consistory at home had scene it and whatsoeuer he fancied that was decreed for which purpose there went continuall posts betweene Trent and Rome and while the Doctors pro forma tantùm were disputing at Trent the Pope was ingrossing the Canons at Rome which being returned in packets were solemnly published in the Councel And thus they measured sometime with a wrong rule and sometime with no rule at all And though they had measured with the right rule yet they did it not rightly for that they applied not the doctrine to the rule but bent the rule to their owne doctrine turning the Scripture violently to serue their opinions For in the fourth Session they decreed that no man should giue any other exposition of Scripture then such as might agree with the doctrine of the Church of Rome Now that doctrine was the thing that should be examined and the Scripture was the rule that it should be examined by and therefore they wrested the rule to their opinions 8 So that if it were not lawfull to examine the teaching of the Church as the Iesuite holdeth yet this example of the Trent Councell may teach him that at least it is lawfull to trie whether the Church proceed aright in teaching as many Papists vpon experience of these dealings no doubt haue not bin afraid to examine things pretended to be already concluded by Councels else that Church is in a miserable plight that will yeeld vs no reason of her faith but her owne bare word and much doubteth her selfe that will suffer none to trie her teaching by so euen a rule as is the Scripture and all Papists her children are in worse case then y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vita Aristoph praefixa Scholiis he that was iudged to be the son of Philip of Aegina only because his mother said so for they must not onely beleeue God is their father because she telleth them so but they must take her word too that Christ is her husband contrary to a notorious suspition that hath long gone of her and would be better cleared then by her bare word z Nos iustitiam nostram ecclesiae sponsae nostrae nolentes negligere saith Boniface 8. de immunit eccle c. quoniam in sexto ibid. de elect c. vbi periculum § caeterumque condemned by Bernard epist 237. that she is the Popes concubine and hath had many children by him out of lawfull wedlocke § 32. The markes be especially those foure which are gathered out of Scripture and expresly set downe as properties of the Church in the Constantinopolitane Creed which is receiued commonly of all and inserted euen in the Protestants Communion booke Vna Sancta Catholica Apostolica One Holy Catholike Apostolike By all which if I had leisure I might shew at large how that the Romane Church that is to say that companie which communicateth and agreeth in profession of faith with the Church of Rome is the onely true Church and that the Protestants that is to say that company which from Luthers time hitherward haue opposed themselues against the Romane Church neither all nor anie particular sect of them can be the true Church for the Romane Church onely is truly One Holy Catholike and Apostolike whereas the Protestants either want all or at the least some of these properties The Answer 1 The Constantinopolitane Creed and the sacred Scripture teach these foure to be qualities abiding in the Church and certaine adiuncts belonging thereunto but not that they are the markes whereby to find it For we call that a Marke whereby the thing questioned is vndoubtedly brought to our knowledge which these foure in the question of the
Church performe not For first themselues are declared and proued by another thing as the Iesuit himselfe vnawares granteth in that he saith they are gathered out of the Scripture and articles of our faith which is all one as if he freely confessed the word of God when all is done is the thing whereby the Church must be found and the true faith contained therein is knowne sooner and better then the Church which is not assured to vs till those things be found therein which agree with the Scripture and articles of faith This must be noted because hauing in the eight former sections wearied himselfe with striuing against vs and vsed much diligence to perswade that the true faith is no competent marke to discerne the Church by yet now of his owne accord he cometh home to vs and in his first words submitteth himself to that which before he gainsaid and so freely reuoketh all his former arguments 2 Next they are not so much as properties of the Church neither and therefore the vnlikeliest of a thousand to be marks thereof For a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phauoâ—in leâ—ic they are not alwayes inseparably and incommunicably found therein that is such as at all times remaine in the Church alone and in euery part thereof For in the beginning it wanted antiquitie and succession and in the progresse it hath sometime bene without vnitie and vniuersalitie and at all times the false Church hath made so faire shew of all foure that no man could distinguish them but by retiring to the doctrine For Chrysostome b Hom. 49. in Math. op imperf writeth thus All those things which belong to the Church of Christ in truth the heresies may also haue in schisme they haue Churches and the * The booke not the doctrine sacred Scriptures yea Bishops and other degrees of Clergie baptisme the Eucharist and all other things yea * A pretence of Christ as Math. 24.5.23 Christ himself So that if any one will know which is Christs true Church he shal not be able in such a confusion to do it but onely by the Scriptures And of vnitie S. Basil c Aschet prooem de iudicio Dei saith He found much vnitie among all other professions onely in the Church of God he obserued great strife and vehemâ—nt dissention and the Pastors themselues distracted with all contrarietie of mindes and opinions Of succession Nazianzen d De laude Athan saith This is properly succession to succeed in godlinesse for he that professeth the same faith is also partaker of the same succession and he that holdeth a contrary faith must be reputed contrary to the successioÌ„ And e D. 40. Non est facile the Canon law They are not the children of the Saints which occupie their roomes but which do their works Of holinesse f Vbi supra Chrysostome saith In former times one might haue knowne Christs Church by her manners when the conuersation of the Christians either all or many was holy but now Christians are either as bad or worse then hereticks or Gentiles and there is more continency found among them though it be in schisme then among Christians And againe g Hom. 4. in Math. Whatsoeuer kind of holinesse the seruants of God haue in truth the seruants of Satan may haue in likenes for the diuel hath his that be meeke and huÌ„ble that be chast and giue almes that fast and do euery good deed which God hath appointed for the saluation of mankind and these formes of godlines hath the diuell brought in to seduce vs that a confusion being made betweene good and counterfet simple men which know not the difference betweene goodnes in deed and goodnes in shew while they seeke the goods seruants of God might light vpon the diuels seducements 3 And therefore allowing the Iesuite what leisure he will though otherwise any reader may perceiue he tooke himself leisure enough that penned this discourse and though briefly in shew yet in summe and effect hath couched whatsoeuer is extant in any Papist written concerning the matters questioned but yet giuing him a longer day he cannot by these markes make it infallibly sure that his Romane Catholicke is the Church of God and this himselfe knoweth in his owne conscience For Bellarmine h De not Eccl. cap. 3. speaking of these very markes confesseth They make it not euidently true that it is the Church but euidently probable whereby it appeareth that the Iesuite for all his set countenance yet knoweth well enough these his markes bring probabilitie but no certaintie And I am sure all Papists of learning will grant they are no markes at all but when they concurre with true faith whereas they say expresly i Greg. de Valent comment Theol. tom 3. disp 1. qu. 1. punct 7. §. 18. that among whomsoeuer the truth of doctrine and Sacraments are holden * Ex ijs constare veram Ecclesiam thereby it is knowne the Church is there And therefore the Iesuite may shew his skill in fitting his fowre markes to his Romane Church and remouing them from ours but he shall neuer come directly to the point vntill he try vs by the Scriptures and thereby sufficiently proue that which is easilie said we are not the Church of God but a company standing in oppositioÌ„ since Luthers time diuided into particular sects § 33. First the Protestants Church is not perfectly one or vniforme in dogmaticall points of faith but varieth according to the varietie of times and persons now holding one thing then another the learned men thereof are so much at iarre in matters of faith that it is hard to find three in all points of one opinion The Answer 1 The Papists themselues acknowledge a Luc. Pinel Thes Vademont Thes 83. that the vnity of the Church consisteth in this that the members thereof beleeue the same things vse the same worship of God and retaine the same sacraments but the Scriptures more fully teach vs how it is one First because b Ephes 4.4 it is from one beginning which is the holy Ghost who as one soule quickeneth and moueth all the members Next c Eph. 4.15 it hath but one head which is Christ And thirdly d Eph. 4.5 Rom. 12.5 it is but one body and one societie partaking the same doctrine sacraments worship of God The which vnitie if the Iesuit can shew to be waÌ„ting among vs good reason the game be his but for the doing herof it is not enough to say we varie vnlesse he can make true demonstration that the variance is in faith and this faith is changed with times and persons the which according to the custome of his sect he saith confidently but sheweth not whereas we for our purgation name e A booke so called to be bought in euery shop and containing the confessions of all the seuerall Protestant Churches in Europe the Harmony of confessions wherin
8. c. 22 Zosim l. 5. Socr l. 6. c. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 262. The Cathedrall Church at Constantinople with the Senate house were set on fire burned to the ground in the pursuit of reuenge The people were robbed of their Pastors and the Pastors themselues persecuted each other and pursued their people most vnmercifully Caesar Baronius beginning to intreate of this contention z Annal tom 5 An. 400. nu 51. hath these words A shamefull contention in the Church the lamentable narration wherof I now take in hand wherein shall be described the bickering and cursed persecution not of Gentile against Christians or heretickes against Catholickes or wicked men against good and iust men but which is monstrous and prodigious of Saints and holy men one against another The which words make it plaine that this contention was among Gods owne children in the true Church The like is written of the Bishops in the Councell of Nice a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozo l. 1 c. 17. accusing one another to the Emperour as soone as they were assembled of whose iarres that famous speech of Constantine made vnto them vpon that occasion giueth witnesse wherin among many other things b Soz. ibid. Niceph l 8. c. 16. idem in Conc. â—y â—apud Niceph l 8. c. 50. Euseb vit CoÌ„stant l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he telleth them that he thinketh this worse then all the euils to be vttered that he seeth the Church of God dissenting by contentions and contrary opinions Yea Sozomen c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 1. c. 16. saith The contrarietie of opinions among the learned at that time was so scandalous that it turned many from embracing the Christian religion So likewise in a Councell holden at Constantinople for the deposing of Nazianzen he thus admonisheth the Bishops d Vita Nazian praefixa operibus eius Graecè editis Basil It is a shame ô my fellow Pastors of the sacred flocke of Christ and not befitting you if while you teach others peace your selues fall to warre and how shall you perswade others to vnitie your selues being at variance In the second Councell of Ephesus Flauianus the Bishop of Constantinople was deposed e Liberat. breu c. 12. Niceph. l. 14. c. 47. pitifully murthered f Euagr. l. 1. c. 10 Niceph. l. 14. c. 47. with him were also deposed Eusebius Dorilaeus Ibas Theodoret Domnus Daniel Aquilinus and Irenaeus all Catholicke Bishops and this was not done by the faction of Dioscorus alone g Baro. An. 449 nu 97. 98. 105. but by the Catholicke Bishops themselues all which saith Baronius Consented both to the restoring of Eutyches and deposing of Flauianus and the rest There was in this contentious Councell aboue 132. Bishops whereof the foure Patriarkes beside the Popes Deputie were part yea it was an Oecumenicall Councell lawfully assembled of Catholicke Bishops yet through the conueiance of cunning aduersaries they were set one against another For the godly men of those times had secret enemies grieuous wolues in sheeps clothing who tooke all occasions to abuse their simplicity and set them at variance among themselues For so do men vse h Sozo l. 6. c. 4. saith an old historie speaking of this matter as long as strangers wrong them to hold together but when they are deliuered frâ—m outward troubles then they fall out among themselues Thus the policie of the Arrians kindled those contentions that among the Catholickes brake out in the cause of Athanasius and by strange deuices nourished them wherby they drew godly Bishops into their faction against the truth as i Haer 68. Epiphanius noteth of the Meletians * Primas fereÌ„tes tum in pietate tuÌ„ in vita Meletiani qui summam iustitiam veritatis demonstrabaÌ„t Godly men that being mingled with the Arrians though they abode in the true faith yet were they not free from some contagion which they gathered in that societiâ— and one part hereof was k Atha orat 1. contr Arrian their standing with others against Athanasius This was it that bred the troubles among the Bishops in the Councels of Seleucia Syrmium Antioch Tirus Lampsacum Ariminum and many other wherin euermore something was practised euen by Bishops of the true faith against their fellow Bishops and the faith it selfe The Councell of Ariminum is famous for this wherein there were aboue 400. Bishops of the West all Catholicke l Athan. de Synod but 50. or therabouts that were Arrians and yet they relented from the faith of the Nicen Councel towards Arrianisme and gaue occasion of infinite broiles in the Church afterward by their inconstancie 5 And long before this Saint Cyprian lamented Church-contentions and m L. 4. Ep. 4. thinketh God sent the persecutions of his time for no other cause These euils saith he had not come vpon the brethren if they had bin linked together in brotherly concord And a little after the persecution of Iulian was ouer the stories n Sozo l. 6. c 4. Niceph. l. 10. c. 40. tell how the Church-gouernours againe moued questions and disputations about the dogmaticall points of faith And Eusebius beginning to intreate of the bloody persecution which the Church suffered vnder Diocletian saith the contentions of the learned therein was the cause o Lib. 8. hist c. 1 these are his words They also saith he which seemed to be our Pastors casting off the rule of piety inflamed themselues with mutuall contentions each against other they increased nothing but strife threats enuy and quarels euerie man with all tyranny pursuing his ambition Neither did the persecution ensuing stay this dissention but as soone as euer peace came to the Church they fell to it againe p Euseb vit Constan l. 3. Gela. CyzeceÌ„ Act conc Nic. l. 2 c. 7. 8. that the good Emperour which brought this peace had much ado with all his authoritie to appease them wherupon Basil the great maketh this sorowfull complaint In other arts and sciences q Aschet proae de iudic Dei p. â—89 Graec. The like complaint made by the Emperour Theodosius of the Catholicke Bishops in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Ephes pag. 235. saith he I haue seene much concord among the professors thereof onely in the Church of God I haue obserued so much diuision and so exceeding great dissention of many both among themselues and against the holy Scriptures and that which is most horrible the Bishops themselues haue stood in such difference among themselues both of mind and opinion and contrary to the commandements of Christ haue vsed such contrarietie that thereby the Church of God hath bene vnmercifully drawn in sunder and his flocke troubled without all care and pitie A heauy complaint and such as chargeth the Church with a foule blemish euen as foule euery way as that wherewith the Iesuite and the rest of our enemies this day vpbraid the Church
the qq of the Armenians Armachanus against the Friers Marsilius and Occham against the Popes supremacie the Iesuits and Secular priests of late among vs one against another Catharinus against Caietan of whom a Loc. l. 2. c. 11. Canus againe giueth this censure He was a little too busie in carping at others and marked not that himselfe while he reprehended Caietan did many times and fowlly erre This Caietan though he were b Reuerendiss Thomae de Vio Caie S. Ro. Eccl Card. Theol. doctoris absolu tissimi The title set before his comments vpon Tho. reputed the most absolute and profound Doctor of his time c As appeareth by his opusc ad diuersorum quaesita much sought vnto for resolution of difficult questions yet afterward d Andrad defens Trid. l. 2. they suspected him to haue bene a Lutheran e Suaâ— to 3. d. 60 s 1. And this appeareth by coÌ„paring the new print of his commentaries vpon Tho. with the old edition printed at Venice An. 1523. and Pius Quintus caused a number of things to be put out of his bookes in a new impression that a man may know they are not all of one opinion So Catharinus and Soto haue written vehemently against each other and there is not one of the elder Papists such as were Pighius Gropper Bayus Peresius Cassander Hosius Almaine and the rest who in their time some three or foure score yeares since were the best pillars in the Church of Rome and taught the doctrine thereof as it was then held but now the Iesuits scornfully cast them off and confute them Who knoweth not f De grat l. 1. c. 3. saith Bellarmine that Pighius in many points was miserably seduced by reading Caluins bookes And of Gropper and the other Diuines of Collen he g De iustif l. 3. cap. 3. saith Their bookes haue need of the Churches censure in the same manner do they that are yet liuing deale one by another For nothing is more common in the bookes of Stapleton Bellarmine Gregory of Valentia Suarez Vasquez Molina Baronius and other moderne writers then to confute one anothers opinion and to determine in the questions depending as variably as euer did the schoolemen 18 And if any thinke I wrong them by reporting these things vntruly of them I demand why haue they razed purged so many of their books which were their owne Doctors why haue they put out that which they writ and put in what they writ not and so printed their bookes new ouer that now you cannot find in the new print those things which themselues printed in the old Thus they haue serued Caietan Gratian with his glosse Ferus Polydore Ludouicus Vines h See index lib. prohib and the indices expurg of all sorts Iun. Hispan Louan Posseuin apparat sacer tomis 2. and whom not if he had written neuer so little against the streame of the present time The Diuines of the holy inquisition i Biblio l. 2. c. 8. saith Posseuinus a busie meddler in all mens writings haue commanded certaine things to be razed out of Andreas Mazius his comments which sauoured of heresie And of Iansenius his Harmonie vpon the Gospels he k Lib. 2. c. 18. saith Many things are in it not allowed by learned men which with little ado might be supplyed or taken away Therfore it is plaine that among the learned of that side there is some opposition or else they would neuer geld one anothers bookes thus 19 And it is no sufficient answer to say The difference is not in dogmaticall points of faith but onely in matters not defined by the Church for it is in all the points of their religion wherein they differ from vs and wherin Papistry properly consisteth the certaine truth wherof is determined in the Scriptures and therefore it is against vnitie to disagree therein whether the Pope and his Councels determine of them or no. Besides it is a point of Atheism to say l Dico hactenus nihil esse in hac controuersia ab Ecclesia definituÌ„ ideoque sententiam nostrum non esse de side â— Fr. Suar. to 2. d. 3. l. 6. they are not matters of faith vnlesse the Church of Rome haue defined theÌ„ m Occham tract 2. part 2. c. 10 inde Anâ—otâ—ers for what God reuealed in his word and may be knowne thereby bindeth vs of it owne nature and though the Church haue power to propound matter of faith out of the Scripture and for the ending of controuersies to giue testimony with the truth yet hath it no authoritie to change the nature of things or to put any more veritie into them then was before In which regard the contentions of our aduersaries touch the faith in that they striue about things determined by the word of God and agree in nothing wherein they dissent from vs for in the same things wherin they differ from vs they also dissent one from another This I will shew in some few examples such and so many onely as the present opportunitie will permit and is fit for this place 20 First they agree not about the Popes supremacie For Ferus n Sixt. Senens biblioth l. 6. annot 72. taught against his dominion and principality in temporall things o Comment in Mat. l. 3 in c. 16. preaching that Christ gaue him the keyes not of the kingdomes of the earth but of the kingdome of heauen not any earthly power to giue take away or alienate kingdomes but authoritie to bind and loose c. And Marsilius p Defens pac part 2. c. 18. saith That vniustly yea besides and contrary to the demonstration of Diuinitie humanitie he ascribeth to himselfe fulnesse of power ouer Prince community or any singular person And Durand q De modo celeb concil queÌ„ refert Catolog test idem Gerson quem ita refert Fr. Victo relect 4. de pot Pap. Concil pag. 138. holdeth the Supremacie of the Romane Church should be declared and distinguished by the Ecclesiasticall and secular lawes neither ought the Pope to be called the Bishop of the vniuersall Church because Gregory hath forbidden it And it is a common opinion that a Councell is aboue him And Almayn r Qu. in Vesp pag. 133. saith It is not necessary we beleeue things determined by him And Cusanus Å¿ Concord l. 2. c. 12. saith that through vse and custome of his subiects obeying him he hath at this day gotten a great deale beyond the ancient sacred Canons Secondly touching prayer in an vnknowne tongue t Christ instruct pag 212. Contarenus a Cardinall saith The prayers that men vnderstand not want the fruite which they should reape if they vnderstood them for they might both specially intend their mind to God for the obtaining euen in speciall of that which with their mouth they begge and also through the pious sence of their prayer vttered they should
Marsilius Some that they haue their inherence in the quantitie this is the opinion of Thomas Bonauenture Soto Egidius Suarez and others Some that they abide with that existence which they had in the bread and wine before consecration this is the opinion of Dominicus Bannes Some that the body of Christ sustaineth them by his presence this is the opinion of Palacio Another question is how the accidents remaining after consecration haue power to nourish and whereof it is that worms or such like corruptiō is ingendred in the hoast Some say the matter hereof is made of the ayre that is round about the formes this is the opinion of some mentioned by Thomas Aquine Some that the substance of bread and wine returneth againe and from it proceedeth this nutrition or generation this is the opinion of Innocent Bonauenture and Alexander Some that of the quantity remaining the matter of the thing bred or nourished is ingendred whereinto the bread would haue turned if it had remained this is the opinon of Aquine Some that the accidents receiue possibility to be changed into this matter this is the opinion of Richard Some that when the accidents begin to corrupt there returneth a substance againe not the former substance of bread but a new that was neuer before whereof this nourishment and corruption ariseth this is the opinion of Scot Durand Biel and others Some that these generations nourishments and passions in the Sacrament are not at all being either meere apparitiōs or things miraculously created of God this was the opinion of Algerus Guitmundus and Frier Walden Such like are their questions and opinions throughout al Diuinitie too odious to mention But what vnitie call you this first to cut Diuinity into such shreds and questions and then to agree no better in determining Fidem minutis dissecant ambagibus vt quisque lingua est nequior Soluunt ligantque quaestionum vincula per Syllogismos plectiles Vae captiosis Sycophantarum strophis vae versipelli astutiae Nodos tenaces recta rumpit regula infesta discertantibus Iccirco mundi stulta delegit Deus vt concidant Sophistica Prudent Apotheos hymn in Infidel 22 Or if all this be not sufficient to conuince them you shall heare what some of themselues confesse and haue freely cōplained euen in their sermons concerning this matter that we may know them to be of a Ouid. metam l. 3. Cadmus kind or b Lucian Con. uiu the Lapithes beginning with merriments and ending with frayes that the smart of their wounds giuen each other maketh them complaine For Cornelius Mus at the Councell of Trent c Orat. ad Trid Concil 3. Dominic Aduent preached Immortall God how proudly are the anciēt monuments of our faith vexed with our contentious striuing wherby now the world is ouerturnd How peruersly is Gods word either set at nought or māgled or wrested or inuerted How rashly do our selues that we may seeme to know somthing somtime set at nought the vniform consent of all ages Is not that feruent loue to the common wealth toward one another perished whereby in times past all Christians ô sweet and deare name were called brethren Preaching is turned into contention And Diez a Iesuite d Ph. Diez cōc quadrupl Rom 3. Dominic 4. post Epiph. conc 2. p. 804. complaineth What shall we say touching the contradictions which abide in the ship of the Church it selfe For truly though the tempests without so sharply assault it yet they themselues which are within very often fall at contention one with another O holy Church of God I see thee not onely assailed by heretickes without but within thy selfe also I behold euen among Christians so many contentions strifes and quarels that it is miserable to speake it much more to see it Thus f Esa 19.2 God setteth the Egyptians together by the eares that they may fight euery man against his brother and against his friend and giueth them ouer as g Iudg. 7.22 the enemies of his Church to sheath their sword in their fellowes sides and it cannot be otherwise because as h In Euseb l. 5. c. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one said of the Manichees hauing chosen opinions not hanging together they cannot but disagree among themselues And when the language of such as would build Babel was confounded they vnderstood not each other but when one called for morter his fellow would reach him a bricke and when he cried for stone fall to remouing of ladders § 36. And no maruell because they acknowledge one chiefe Pastor appointed ouer them to wit the successour of S. Peter to whose definitiue sentence in all matters they wholly submit themselues knowing that to S. Peter and his successours Christ promised the Keyes of the kingdome of heauen and that he would vpon him and his successours as vpon a sure rocke build his Church Mat. 16. Knowing also that Christ our Sauiour did especially pray for S. Peter Luc. 22 and his successours that their faith should not faile at least so farre as to teach the Church a false faith to the intent that they might alwayes be able to confirme their brethren if at anie time they should faile in their doctrine of faith knowing lastly that to S. Peter and his successors Christ gaue most ample authority ouer his vniuersal church saying Pasce oues meas Ioh. 21. that is to say Rule or gouerne as chiefe Pastor vnder me all my flocke all those that will be called my sheepe giuing him charge to feed them with the food of true doctrine of faith and consequently binding them to receiue obediently this food at his hands and consequently againe tying himselfe so to assist him with the guiding of the holy Ghost that he and his successors should alwayes propose vnto them the food of true faith neuer should teach them ex cathedra any thing contrarie to true faith since if he should not thus assist but should permit them to teach the Church errors in faith his Church which he hath bound to heare his chiefe Pastor in all points might contrarie to his promise Mat. 16. Mat. 23. Luc. 10. erre nay by him should be bound to erre which without blasphemie cannot be said All Catholicke learned men therefore knowing this do acknowledge that the definitiue sentence of this chiefe Pastor must needes be alwayes an infallible and vndoubted truth and that therefore they may safely yea they must necessarily submit all their iudgements and opinions either in interpreting the Scriptures or otherwise to the censure of this Apostolike seate which while they do as they must alway do if they will be accounted Catholike men and will not either cast out themselues or be cast out by the sentence of this chiefe shepheard or Pastor out of the companie of the Catholike Church how is it possible that one should dissent from another in matters of faith or at least obstinately as heretikes do erre in any point of
it is agreed between vs u Bell. vbi sup c. 12. §. Thomas Caietanus that the whole power of the keyes is contained in binding and loosing x Alexand. 4. q. 79. p. 316. 317. Mag. 4. d. 18. Dura 4. d. 18 q. 1. Ouand breuilo qu. in 4. d. 18 pro 16. Sylu. verbo clauis nu 1. Rosell verbo clauis nu 1. and defined thereby so that to be the rocke or to haue the keyes supposeth or includeth no more then to haue authoritie to bind and loose which authoritie is expresly giuen in the 18. of Math. verse 18. to all the Apostles and the selfe same words touching binding and loosing are there vsed that Christ vsed before to Peter yea y Iansen concord c. 72. RheÌ„ vpon Mat. 18.18 the Papists themselues confesse that all the fathers of the Church thinke that as before to Peter so in these words to the other Apostles and their successours our Lord gaue the power of Binding and loosing Again in Ioh 20.21 our Sauiour after his resurrection breathed vpon his disciples and said to them all As my Father sent me so I send you receiue the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained where the ceremony of breathing vpon them seemeth to giue them all a like portion and power of the spirit and his words As my Father sent me so I send you to imply that he sent all with equall authoritie no mans iurisdiction flowing from Peter to him but euery mans coming immediatly and alike from Christ that sent them But the last words whose sinnes ye remit or retaine they are remitted and retained signifie the same that he had said before of binding and loosing and so consequently giue them all the power included in the rocke or keyes for z Ema Sa. Iansen vpon Io. 20.21 Bella. de Ro. Pont. l. 1. c. 12. §. Dices si non in this place is giuen what Mat. 18 was promised Thus all the power of the rocke and keyes is included in binding loosing remitting and retaining and authoritie to do this is giuen to all the Apostles as much as to Peter and yet the Iesuite by meanes of the rocke and keyes thinketh Peter is made chiefe aboue them all Let him and his partakers vntie this knot say directly what they thinke at the argument Peter had no more power giuen him a Planus sensus illorum verborum tibi dabo claues quodcunque solueris c. iste est vt primò promittatur authoritas seu potestas de signata per claues deinde actiones siue officiuÌ„ explicetur per illa vocabula Soluere Ligare ita vt omnino sit idem Soluere aperire ligare claudere Bell. vbi supra §. verùm haec then that which is contained in the keyes mentioned Mat. 16. But all the Apostles had this power giuen them for binding and loosing remitting and retaining include the whole function of the keyes therefore Peter had no more then the rest of the Apostles And if they answer that Peters iurisdiction ouer them was giuen Iohn 20. when Christ bad him feed his sheepe let the zealousest Papist that is lay aside wrangling and say bona fide why is the text of Matthew 16. touching the keyes and rocke vsed then to proue his Primacy if it giue him nothing beyond his fellowes and why go they not directly to worke vrging the 20. of Iohn and letting the rocke and keyes alone as making nothing for them 13 This that I haue answered is also the iudgement of ancient Doctors in that with one consent they all expound the rocke whereupon Christ said he would build his Church b August de verb. Dom. Ser. 13. in Ioan. tract 120. Hilar de trin l. 2. 6. Ambr coÌ„ment in Eph 2. v. 20. Chrys hom 55. in Mat. Basil homil de poenit Emissen hom in natal Pet. Andotâ—ers either of Christ himselfe or of the faith and confession that Peter held whereupon it followeth that they could not thinke those words gaue Peter any more then the rest c De vnit Eccl. Cyprian saith Verily the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was indued with equall fellowship both of honour and authoritie but the beginning proceedeth from vnity that the Church might be shewed to be one d Aduers Iouin l. 1. Hierome saith All the Apostles receiued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the strength of the Church was stablished equally vpon them all e In Math. 16. Theophylact saith Although it was said to Peter onely I will giue the keyes to thee yet were they also granted all the Apostles When Where he said whose sins ye remit they are remitted f In Math. 16. Anselm saith It is to be noted that this power was not giuen alone to Peter but as Peter answered one for all so in Peter be gaue this power to all My purpose is not to heape much together out of the fathers but by a few places to shew the reader how and in what maner they vsed to speak concerning this matter There are diuers great Papists also who confesse the same whose names I haue set downe in g Digress 30. nu 41. another place 14 The next place of Luc. 22. I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not therfore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren I confes was spoken to Peter in regard of the sin whereinto more weake then all his brethren he fell shortly after yet notwithstanding it coÌ„taineth nothing which our Sauior meant not to the rest For as he prayed for him so he prayed for all Iohn 17.11.15.17.20 and the contents of his prayer was that their faith should not faile and the very office of Apostleship whereto he called them bound them to strengthen their brethren as h Gal. 2.11 Paul did Peter by reprouing him and made them i Gal. 2.9 pillars and k Eph. 2.20 Apoc. 21.14 foundations wherupon the world being built should recouer strength in which regard our Sauior telleth them they must be l Mat. 5.13.14 the salt and light of the earth m Mat. 28.19 and biddeth them go teach all nations which is as much as he saith to Peter in this place touching the strengthening of his brethren Besides n Plerique patres rectè intelliguÌ„t hanc Christi orationeÌ„ etiam pertinere ad totam Ecclesiam Iansen coÌ„cord c. 133. the Papists cannot deny but this prayer of Christ belongeth to all the Church which it could not if it had bene meant for the making of Peter Prince and head of his brethren whose prerogatiues I hope they vse not so liberally to impart to the whole Church and indeed the ancient writers vse this text indifferently to proue the perseuerance of the elect in faith which were no good kind of reasoning if Christ therein had meant none but Peter 15 The
the rocke of Christ and his faith c In Mat. 16. Lyra of whom d L. 4. Biblioth sanct they say that for expounding the Scriptures he had not his match and e In Mat. 16. the interlineary Glosse and f Ibid. Burgensis do all thus g Concord l. 2. c. 18. 13. Cusanus followeth Saint Austins exposition set downe immediatly before h In d. 19 ita Dom. § â—t super hanc petram The Glosse vpon Gratian saith He cannot thinke that by the rocke our Lord pointed at any other thing then the words which Peter answered him when he said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God because vpon that article of faith the Church is built therfore God founded the Church vpon himselfe Marsilius i Defens pacis part 2. ca. 28. saith Vpon this rocke that is vpon Christ in whom thou beleeuest for Peter as long as he liued might erre and sinne by the libertie of his will and such a one could not be the foundation of the Church Petrus de Alliaco Chancellour of Paris and a Cardinall k RecoÌ„mendat sacrâ—â— Scripturae pag 269. writeth thus We must enquire what is the rocke whereupon the Church of Christ was to be built notwithstanding it seemeth not that by the rocke Peter should be vnderstood but Christ for who may establish the firmitie of the Church in Peters infirmitie whereof aske the maide that kept the doore and let her answer at whose speech as Gregorie saith while he feared death he denied the life Therefore seeing Peter had wauered and his Vicar is not firmely grounded l Cumque iam discrepent de summo Petri sacerdotio Pontifices litigeÌ„t de summo Pontificio sacerdotes seeing the Popes differ about Peters high priesthood and the Priests agree not about the Popes high bishopricke who dareth presume to say that any man of what holinesse or worthinesse soeuer whether Priest or high Bishop whether Peter or Peters Vicar or any other but Christ himselfe is the foundation of the Christian Church Christ therefore vpon himselfe as vpon a most steadie foundation established his Church against the Church of the diuell and vpon this firme rock he steadily confirmed Peter himselfe saying of him the sentence premised Vpon this rocke will I build 17 Thus it appeareth that our Sauiour saying Vpon this rock I will build my Church meant thereby no more but that he would ground it vpon the true faith of Christ that whosoeuer would desire to be ioyned to this Church should beleeue the same things that Peter then professed or else perish for euer And the words are thus to be expounded Thou art Peter thy name is Stone and thou hast professed a profession like thy name answering the nature of that whereby thou art called and therefore thy name is stone or rocke and the profession thou hast made is like it for thereupon I will build my Church and they which hold it shall neuer be moued This is farre from giuing Peter and the Pope any primacie and yet this is all the fathers obserued and as much we see as the discreeter sort of Papists haue collected And it is no matter though in the language that Christ spake the same word be vsed for Peter and the Rocke thus Thou art Cephah and vpon this Cephah I will build or if in the Greeke vsed by the Euangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie one thing to wit a rocke or stone as if Christ should say thou art rocke and vpon this rocke I will build for in the first place the word is vsed properly to signifie Peters name in the second appellatiuely to lay downe the nature of his profession which the Papists might haue obserued from m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phauor Lexic Phauorinus Camers their owne Bishop out of whose Lexicon they borrowed their speculation concerning the synonymie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 18 To the other part of the text concerning the keyes I answer that neither do they proue Saint Peter or the Pope to be chiefe Pastor to whose definitiue sentence all the Church must be subiect but that he had the ministery of the Gospell committed to him with the other Apostles which ministery is signified by the keyes in this respect because mankind through the fall of our first parents lay plunged in the miserable bondage of sinne and Satan vtterly shut out of heauen vntill it pleased our merciful God to reueale the Gospel by preaching whereof the mind of man being enlightned the fetters of spiritual darknesse begin to fall from him and he riseth into the knowledge of Gods will so that by beleeuing in Christ he is set at libertie from the prison of sinne and condemnation and the doore of grace and life is opened to him This is done by the ministerie of the Gospell n Esa 49.9 whose nature is to say to the prisoners go forth and to them that sit in darknesse shew your selues and as o Esa 61.1 a key to open the prison doore to them that are bound and to bring liberty to captiues or if men loue darknesse better then light then hath God put p Ioh. 15.22 2. Cor. 2.16 Apoc. 11.6 an effectuall power into it to shut vp against them the kingdome of heauen and to straine them harder q Pro. 5.22 with the cords of their sinnes that they might perish This ministery being executed partly by preaching and sacraments partly by Church censures is called the keyes by reason of the likenesse thereunto and described by binding and loosing in regard of the effect 19 This exposition must needs be granted first because it sufficiently expresseth the vse and effect of keyes which is onely to let in and out or at the least that is the proper vse thereof Next r Shewed before nu 12. this is all that is meant by binding and loosing and binding and loosing containeth whatsoeuer is signified by the keyes Thirdly the Papists that most stifly defend the primacie yet confesse that all the Apostles receiued the keyes equally with Peter The promise of Christ concerning the keyes appertained not onely to Peter but was transmitted to all the Apostles Å¿ Concil ColoÌ„ sub Adulph an 1549. § Sextum medium saith Adolfus the Archbishop of Colen and his Councell t Surius comment an 1547. a man so addicted to the popish religion and carefull to restore it that he was thought meet to succeed Hermannus whom the Pope thrust out Cusanus u Concord li. 2. c. 13. saith Nothing was spoken to Peter but that which was said to the rest for as it was said to Peter whatsouer thou shalt bind so was it said to the rest whatsoeuer ye shall bind and though it were said to Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I wil build yet by the rocke we vnderstand Christ whom he confessed Thus they
are driuen to yeeld the keyes to all the Apostles as well as to Peter and yet they thinke he alone had the primacie which sheweth clearly that the keyes containe it not Fourthly they which expound the power of the keyes to shew what they containe mention therein no more but as I haue answered The Councell of Colen vnder Hermannus x Bell. de poen l. 1 c. 1. penned by Gropper y Defens of the Cens whom the Papists cal the rare man of our age proceedeth thus z Enchir. concil Colon. de sacr confess But what keyes Christ when he departed hence left the Apostles and their successors in the Church that is to be explicated And truly this is plain that he committed to them his owne keyes and no other euen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen as himselfe said to Peter Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in heauen These keyes the Fathers deuided into the key of order and the key of iurisdiction And againe each key into the key of knowledge and of power The key of order is the power of priestly ministery which containeth power to preach the Gospell consecrate the bodie of Christ remit and retaine sinnes and to minister the sacraments The key of iurisdiction is power to restraine the faultie this is that power of excommunicating such as offend openly and absoluing them againe In which explanation of the power mentioned in the keyes we see nothing touched but onely the ministery of the word and Sacraments and the execution of discipline But Marsilius a Defens part 2 c. 6. speaketh more fully that the authoritie of the keyes according to Saint Austin and Hierom is that iudiciarie power that standeth in dispensing the word sacraments and discipline although the opinion and title of the fulnesse of power which the Bishop of Rome ascribeth to himselfe tooke his beginning from these words Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whatsoeuer you shall bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen 20 The second text alledged is Luk. 22.32 where Christ saith to Peter I haue praid for thee that thy faith faile not and thou being conuerted strengthen thy brethrē which the Iesuit expoundeth as if our Sauiour had specially prayed for S. Peter and the Pope that their faith should not faile at least so farre as to teach the Church a false faith to the intent they might alway be able to confirme their brethren if at any time they should faile in the doctrine of faith which all Catholicke men knowing do confesse the Popes definitiue sentence to be always an infallible truth and thereupon submit themselues thereunto and so liue in vnitie But this exposition is soone confuted for first here is no mention of the Pope but of Peter onely whereby it is plaine that no certaintie can be concluded out of the words for any but for the Apostles onely or if they reach to any besides Peter then according to the opinion of the most iudicious Papists the Church is it and not the Pope So saith b Qu. Vesper d. 3. art 3. prob 1. lit G. Cameracensis That which in Scripture is promised to the whole must not be attributed to any part but alway to hold the true faith and neuer to erre against it is promised by Christ to the whole company of beleeuers alone It is plaine therefore that Christ promised Peter his faith should not faile vnderstanding it not of his personall faith but of the generall faith of Gods Church committed to his regiment And Frier Walden c Doctr. fid l. ◠c. 19. saith Peter bare the type of the Church not of the particular Romane Church but of the vniuersall Church not gathered together in a generall Councell but dispersed through the world from Christ to our times Of the same mind are d Concord l. ◠c. 11. Cusanus and e Defen part 2. c. 28. Marsilius So that in the iudgement of foure of the learnedst among our aduersaries the purpose of Christ was not by this text to indow Peter or the Pope but the whole Catholick Church and so accordingly the right of gouernment and freedome from erring should remaine not in the Pope but in the vniuersall Church cleane cōtrary to that which the Iesuit here supposeth 21 Secondly the direct and immediate purpose of Christ in these words is to forewarne Peter of the sinne whereinto he fell afterward by denying him and the meaning is that though Satan desired thereby to destroy him yet he had prayed that his faith might not by the temptation be vtterly extinguished admonishing him that as by his fall he would weaken his brethren the members of the Church so by the example of his true conuersion he should strengthen them againe vnderstanding this faith for which he prayed not of Peters teaching or directing the Church in doctrine but of the habit of faith abiding in his heart whereby he beleeued in Christ and confessed his name and f Confirmandi vocabulo authoritatem in docendo significari saith Greg. de Valen. to 3. pag 197. e. by strengthening his brethren not that he should be supreame head ouer his fellow Apostles but that g Esto a his poenitentiae exemplar ne desperent Theophyl Infirmiores fiatres exemplo tuae poenitentiae comforta ne de venia desperēt Gloss by the exāple of his repentance experience of Gods mercy to him in his infirmitie he should encourage all people against temptation This exposition is proued to be true because first there is no word in the text importing either all infalliblenesse of faith or any authoritie ouer the other Apostles See h Comment in Luc. 22. saith Caietan how Christ biddeth Peter account the Apostles not his subiects but his brethren see how he putteth him in office not to rule ouer them but to confirme them in faith hope and charitie Secondly the words going immediatly before forbid all absolute power of one ouer another The Kings of the nations beare rule and exercise authoritie ouer them but it shall not be so among you Thirdly Bellarmine acknowledgeth i Ex quibus priuilegiis primsi fortasse non manauit ad posteros De Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 3. § Alterum priuilegium Quoad prima non agit Petri successorē Boz de sign eccl tom 2. l. 18. c. vlt. pag. 594. that to persist alway in the faith without falling from it is a prerogatiue that possible is not deriued from Peter to the Pope which being so it followeth that the Iesuites exposition is false and no Papist can be certain that by vertue of this text the Pope can teach no error any more then he is assored he cannot erre himselfe but it is cleare he may erre himselfe and all Papists yeeld it therefore it is also vncertaine whether he be enabled to teach the Church so that in teaching he
cannot erre because the words of the text are no plainer for the one then for the other For as it saith strengthen thy brethren so it saith also thy faith shall not faile yet the Popes faith may faile therefore he may also faile in strengthening his brethren if this faith and strengthening be vnderstood as the Iesuite conceiteth 22 The last place is Ioh. 21.17 where Christ biddeth Peter Feed my sheepe Out of which words the Iesuite concludeth that Christ gaue him and the Pope most ample authoritie ouer the vniuersall Church to rule it as chiefe Pastor vnder him tying himselfe so to assist him that he should neuer teach any thing è cathedra contrary to the truth and binding all the world to obey his iudgement The whâ—ch conclusions how violently they are wrested from the text let any man iudge * Note and sure it is worth the Readers labour and wil recompence any paines he can take herein to make a stand and but view whether the words be able to support so mightie conclusions as are built vpon them For this is the onely foundation that the Papists haue for the supremacie And albeit in their disputations by word and writing they pretend many texts beside as the Iesuite in this discourse doth yet you shall find when they come to canuasing they alway retire to this as to their hold and finding no other able to maintaine them hither they runne for exposition of all the rest and here they insult like souldiers which beaten out of the field come blustering one vpon anothers necke for haste into their castle But what is there here to proue the primacie which is holden to be k Pontifici in persona bâ—ati Petri terreni simul coelestis imperij iura Deus ipse commisit Extrau Ioh. 22. tit 5. c. Si frattum the fulnesse of power ouer all the kingdomes of heauen and earth or as l Greg. Valent. tom 3. pag. 184. a Iesuite describeth it such a commaund as all faithfull men in both courts internall and externall are bound to obey in all things touching manners or faith or the worship of God 23 For first I haue shewed but a little before that whatsoeuer is commaunded in these words * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil pag. â—27 belongeth to all the Apostles and confirmed the same with the confession of some learned Papists wherupon it necessarily followeth that Peter hereby had not the supremacie in question giuen him Next supposing our Sauiour had a meaning to giue Peter such a matter yet what word is there that saith as the Iesuite doth he gaue it his successor likewise For Peter might haue that which his successor hath not as the gift of miracles for example Yea I can demonstrate against all exception that although it were graunted Peter had authoritie ouer all the Apostles yet the Pope had not because he is lesse then an Apostle and the case being put m Peter died an 69. S. Iohn an 101. Baron ann 69. nu 1. ann 101. nu 2 that Peter died 32. yeares afore Saint Iohn let the resolutest Papist aline say whether it were likely that Linus or Clemens the Bishops of Rome should be aboue S. Iohn to rule or direct him If he say they were men are in danger to fall into the chincough with laughing if he say they were not then the supremacie fancied died with Peter and Christ gaue his successor none of it when he said to Peter Feed my sheepe Thirdly the words themselues Feed my sheep import no more but that he should be diligent in ouerseeing the flock of Christ committed to the generall care of him and his fellow Apostles as is proued by this that the people to be taught are ordinarily called n Cant 1.7 Iâ—h 10 16. the fold o Ezech 34.2 Act 20 28. the flocke p Psal 77 20. Ioh. 10.11 the sheepe of Christ and q Ier. 3.15 preaching to them is called feeding and r Eph. 4.11 the preachers Pastors The which words if they be racked to signifie ruling as the Pope claimeth with fulnesse of power then others were made Popes as well as Peter For Å¿ Act. 10.18 1. Pet. 5.1 Ezech. 3 4. Ier. 3 15. all pastors are commaunded to feed the stocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made them ouerseers and they reproued that feed not Feeding therefore signifieth no more but to preach the Gospell and to giue good example as Cusanus t Concord l 2. c. 13. expoundeth it and before him u Defens part 2 c 28. Marsilius two learned Papists who vtterly disallow this exposition of the Iesuites and thinke this text proueth not the Supremacy 24 The last part of my answer is that although it were granted the texts alledged pertaine to Peter alone and containe the Primacy in question yet can the Pope reape no benefit thereby because we deny him to be Saint Peters successour the which point seeing the Iesuite hath onely assumed and not proued therefore neither will I touch it any further here but referre my selfe ouer to the 29. Digression where the reader shall plainely see vpon what silly grounds the Popes succession is beleeued the which notwithstanding is a point of such consequence that if it be not throughly proued all Popery will be void and without foundation at the first sight in that all arguments made for it of what sort soeuer are at the last resolued into the Popes authoritie and this authoritie is confessed to depend vpon his succeeding Peter as vpon the beginning and foundation thereof 25 Thus we see the vnitie of Papists is auouched vpon grounds meerely false the Pope neither succeeding Peter nor Peter being aboue the other Apostles in infalliblenesse of faith or power of gouernment All the Iesuites conclusions therefore that the Church hath alway submitted her selfe to the Popes definitiue sentence that the Pope caÌ„not erre that it is his office to direct all good Catholickes that the Church should erre yea be bound to erre if he might fall into error I say these and the like conclusions scattered all ouer his discourse are vanitie for the disproofe whereof the euent of things and experience of all ages is sufficient without any more ado which giue plentifull testimony that he is neither free from error not receiued as supreme iudge nor admitted as the head of vnity but contrariwise in all ages he hath bene detected of error yea resisted iudged condemned and deposed for heresie The discourse whereof I put ouer to the Digressions following that the reader may haue some light concerning this matter Digression 27. Shewing that the Church Primitiue acknowledged not the Popes Primacy 26 This I will demonstrate onely by foure experiences of those times First that whereas there were foure or fiue Patriarks among whoÌ„ for the better gouernment all the Churches of the world were deuided the other three were made equall by the Church-gouernment and practise of
not holy because not onely most of their men be euidently more wicked then in old time before their coming as those can tell that haue seene both and is confessed by Luther himselfe who in Postill super Euangel Dom. primae Aduentus saith thus Sunt nunc homines magis vindictae cupidi magis auari magis ab omni misericordia remoti magis immodesti indisciplinati multoque deteriores quà m fuerunt in Papatu Men are now more reuengefull more couetous more vnmercifull more immodest and vnruly and much worse then when they were Papists The like testimonie is giuen by Smidelinus another of their Doctors Conc. 4. super cap. 21. Lucae which for breuitie I omit The Answer 1 For answer to this the Protestants haue two things to say First that it is false their men be more wicked then the Papists in old time were the which is proued by comparing them together and let that comparison giue the triall in the next Digression And whereas the Iesuite saith They can tell that haue seene both I answer this is true and therefore let vs referre our selues to their reports which by and by shal be set downe And in the meane time it is probable the Papists in old time were such as they be now which if they were I am contented our liues be layed together and compared For the present experience that we haue this day in England touching Papists and their conuersations will acquit vs though their outrage and confusion be such and haue wrought vs that sorow that we can take small pleasure in recounting it Their treasons against the State more then montâ—â—us practising the very desolation of the kingdome by strange conspiracies vnnaturall inuasions barbarous murders vnutterable mischiefes we make account were wickednesse enough to depriue them of the name and reputation of holinesse but this is not all they that liue in these parts among people popishly addicted liue in the middest of Sodome And let it be obserued if all disorders be not rifest in those parts among vs where the people is most Pope-holy other parishes where the Gospell hath bene taught being reduced to ciuilitie and the rest that swarme with Priests and Recusants remaining sauage and barbarous that no Christian man may endure their manners And for mine owne part hauing spent much of my time among them this I haue found that in all excesse of sinne Papists haue bene the ringleaders in riotous companies in drunken meetings in seditious assemblies and practises in profaning the Sabboth in quarels and braules in stage-playes greenes ales and all heathenish customes the common people of that sort generally buried in sinne swearing more then can be expressed vncleannesse drunkennesse perfidiousnesse vile and odious their families vntaught and dissolute their behauiour fierce and full of all contumely iniurie inhumanitie full of slanderous reports wilde lookes and all vnchristian vsage towards any not of their owne religion that I dare be bold to say we may all cast our caps at them for atheisme and all that naught is the which I would not haue touched because some wil mislike it but that the Iesuits words They can tell that haue seene both vrge me to it and hauing seen it with mine owne eyes and smarted a long time vnder it I thought it would be to the glory of God and confusion of Papistrie to let the truth be knowne and to admonish the Priests lurking in the countrey if they will needs make the world Romane Catholicke yet that they teach it more ciuilitie withall 2 His next reason to proue our Church vnholy is the confession of Luther and Smideline And do not the Prophets and Apostles complaine as much against the Church in their times which yet was the true Church of God What age or people or Church was euer yet so holy but the preachers thereof found matter of reproofe in it I but Luther saith Men are now much worse then when they were Papists he saith so indeed but he addeth withall that the cause hereof is for that men receiue not the doctrine of Christ therefore God in his anger giueth them vp to their owne sinnes wherein he chargeth not the true beleeuers of our faith but onely such hypocrites as made a shew without sinceritie The very like complaint is in Chrysostome of the Church in his time But now saith a Op. impers in Math. hom 49. he Christians are become either such as heretickes and Pagans be or worse yea and their conuersation of life though it be in schisme is with more continencie from sinne then among the Christians Here Chrysostome saith the Christians are worse then Pagans as Luther saith they are worse then Papists and yet the Iesuite dareth not conclude that therefore the Pagans and not the Christians were the true Church For hypocrites are alway mingled with the Saints as chaffe is with the wheate and by their sinne bring a shew of euill vpon the whole Church and is imputed vnto it But Saint Augustine answereth this obiection better then I can which if our aduersaries would marke this complaint of our vnholinesse were soone at an end And now b Epist 161. saith he the faults of euill men are cast in our teeth not ours neither but other mens and they also in part vnknowne the which if we did see to be true and present before our eyes and sparing the cockle for the wheate sake did tolerate in regard of vnitie he would thinke vs not onely worthy of no reproofe but of great praise And Ierome is of minde the sinnes of the Church are no vantage to heretickes thus he saith c Ep. 78. Are you therefore no heretickes if some vpon your report haue thought vs sinners The same thing we answer the Papists 3 Secondly we say that if all were true which is obiected and we as bad as the Iesuite conceiteth yet were not this sufficient to proue vs the false Church For what d De praescrip saith Tertullian Do men vse to try the faith by the persons or the persons by the faith And Saint Augustine hath a whole e Epist 137. Epistle written of purpose to confute them that laboured to make the Church odious by obiecting the faults of such as liued therein In that Epâ—stle he hath these words Obiect nothing against heretickes but onely that they are not Catholicke lest ye be like vnto them who hauing nothing wherewithall to defend their cause fall to gathering vp the faults of men that when they cannot charge the truth it selfe they may yet bring into hatred those that preach it And what Catholicke man f Apol. contra Ruâ—fin l. 3. saith Ierome in the disputation of sects did euer obiect the faults of life against his aduersary with whom he disputed Yea the Papists themselues being pinched with this kinde of reasoning and tasting the inconuenience thereof by reason their owne liues are worse then any begin to disclaime it that you may see
according to the spirit Neither when we say faith onely do we thinke that the faith whereby we are iustified is alone and without loue and works any more then he that saith the heate onely of the fire burneth meaneth thereby that the heate is without light but we hold that iustifying faith is alway accompanied with workes as the Sunne is with his light and trees with their fruite and causes with their effects though the workes themselues iustifie not but being the effects of iustification haue their proper vse to sanctifie vs which is a condition in his due time and order necessarily required to saue vs as well as iustification because as I said God bringeth no man to glory by iustifying him alone but by sanctifying him also for whom he electeth them he calleth and iustifieth and sanctifieth both 41 And this is it we meane by saying our sinnes are not imputed or we are iustified by faith onely whereat as often as our aduersaries wonder they should be put in mind of that which Erasmus told them long since This word Only which now adayes they shout at so in Luther is reuerently heard and read in the writings of the Fathers For Saint Ambrose t Comment 1. Cor. 1. saith This is the worke of God that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued WITHOVT WORKES FREELY BY GRACE ONELY receiuing the pardon of his sinnes Chrysostome u Hom. 7. Rom. 3. saith But what is the law of faith Euen to be saued by grace here the Apostle sheweth the goodnesse of God who not onely saueth vs but also iustifieth and glorifieth vs vsing no workes hereunto but requiring FAITH ONELY Basil x Hom. de humil saith This is true and perfect reioycing in God when a man is not lifted vp with his owne righteousnesse but knoweth himselfe to be void of true righteousnesse and to be iustified by FAITH ONELY in Christ Comment 2. Eph. Theodoret y saith We haue not beleeued of our owne accord but being called we came and being come he exacteth not puritie and innocencie of life at our hands but by FAITH ONELY he forgaue our sinnes Bernard z Cant. ser 22. saith Whosoeuer is touched with his sinnes and hungreth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in God that iustifieth sinners and being iustified by FAITH ONELY he shall haue peace with God Thus the Fathers in their time spake according to a Rom. 3.28 4 5. Gal. 2.16 the Scriptures whereupon we ground our selues whose words can no way be so wrested but they will yeeld our very opinion and plainly shew that in this point they held the same thing that we do 42 And out of all question our aduersaries themselues in times past haue thought it the truth For Aquinas hath left b Rom. 3. lect 4. Gal. 3. lect 4. written that workes be not the cause why a man is iust before God but rather they are the execution and manifestation of his iustice for no man is iustified by workes but by the HABIT OF FAITH infused yea IVSTIFICATION IS DONE BY FAITH ONLY And c Iac. 2. the ordinary Glosse Abraham was not iustified by the workes he did but by FAITH ONELY his oblation being a worke of his faith and a testimonie of his righteousnesse But Gropper with the Diuines of Colen d Antididagm pag. 29. speake more fully that By the faith of Gods word working in vs contrition and repentance and other workes of preuenting grace we are iustified as by a certaine preparatiue and disposing cause but by faith whereby without doubt we firmly beleeue our sins to be forgiuen for Christ we are IVSTIFIED AS BY THE APPREHENDING CAVSE So God iustifieth vs by a double righteousnesse as by formall and essentiall causes whereof one and the chiefe is the perfect righteousnes of Christ not as it is out of vs in him but as and when the same being apprehended by faith is imputed to vs for righteousnesse And this imputed iustice of Christ is the chiefe and speciall cause of our iustification whereunto we are principally to rely and trust 43 And thus we see the Protestants doctrine of onely faith and the not imputing our sinnes vnto vs was thought sound diuinitie among our aduersaries themselues till within these threescore yeares that the Trent Councell began to looke asquint at it which was no maruel for it is an ordinary thing that a man marrying a latter wife looketh strangely on his owne children had by a former yea giueth his land from them to their yonger brethren though once the time were when he was of another mind And so no wonder if the Church of Rome now begin to turne away her louing countenance from her former faith when she hath about her so many brats of latter opinions begotten by the Friers and Iesuites her new louers that would haue no nay Otherwise faith onely is a doctrine that might haue inherited her mothers lands euen this day in Rome had she not in her widowhood played the wanton And yet seeing in auncient times it was holden in the dayes of the Church of Romes first husband our aduersaries for reuerence of their schooles and credit of the Doctors should handle the matter as gently as might be and not so intemperatly reuile their mothers elder sonne calling it as this Iesuit doth a doctrine drawing men to leudnesse or as e Rom. 3.22 the Rhemists do a new no-iustice a fantasticall apprehension nor as f Whright art 9. another doth a Solifidian portion nor as g Apolog. ep sect 8. another doth a desolation of order a doctrine against a common wealth because such foule words as these will touch the Scripture it selfe and all the ancient Fathers and many Romane Catholickes as well as vs and they that are so lauish of their tongue in vsing them if they take not good heed may chance to haue his hap that threw a stone at a dog and vnawares hit his step-mother Digression 41. Intreating of Predestination and Free-will as the Protestants hold them and shewing that their doctrine concerning these points doth neither make God the author of sinne nor leade men to be carelesse of their liues nor inferre any absolute necessitie constraining vs that we cannot do otherwise then we do 43 In the last place he mentioneth our doctrine touching Predestination and Freewill as if thereby we led men to be carelesse in their actions because as this Iesuit vrgeth it God hauing predestinate all things mans free will is lost thereby that he cannot do otherwise then he doth but God himselfe is the author of sinne Wherein he sheweth his vnsatiable desire of contention and that besides h Pâ—â— 30.15 the graue the barren wombe the earth and the fire which neuer say I haue enough there is a fifth thing as vnsatiable as they the contentious spirit of an aduersarie neuer satisfied with lying and contradiction For let them say directly what is the point they mislike
doubt it for reuelation and miracle I am sure he can shew none because the miracles of his Legend which is all he can pleade concerne not him that neuer had them and yet he thinketh his holinesse and the holinesse of his people is a good marke of the Catholicke Church It is false therefore that he saith No man by his outward workes without miracle can be certaine he hath faith or charitie For c 1. Ioh. 3.7 Saint Iohn saith He that doth righteousnesse is righteous as God is righteous And Saint Iames d Iac. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works And our blessed Sauiour e Mat. 7.16 By their fruites ye shal know them f Luc. 6 43. It is not a good tree that bringeth forth euill fruite nor an euill tree that bringeth forth good fruite For men gather not figs of thornes nor grapes of thistles A good man out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill And if charitie cannot be proued to be present by our workes because it is a thing hidden secretly within vs then no cause can be proued or knowne by the effects and no physitian can know the inward state of the bodie by the outward signes which were absurd And the word of God calling vpō vs g Mat. 5.16 to let our light so shine afore mē that they may see our good workes and h 2. Pet. 1.10 bidding vs thereby to make our election sure and promising an abundant entrance into Christs kingdome to all that follow vertue temperance patience c. should deceiue vs if when we had taken paines in so doing we could not be assured that our workes arise from faith without which faith no worke were good nor could minister any argument of our saluation to vs. 4 Our workes therefore being not founded on mens traditions as popish workes are nor directed to a false end but done according to the direction of the word and for the glory of God in the faith of Iesus Christ without any opinion of perfection either to iustifie vs or to merit or satisfie thereby are good workes and infallibly secure the doers that they haue true charitie and are the true Saints of God though they haue no miracles nor other reuelation then this of Gods spirit renewing them For of such workes our aduersaries themselues say i Tho. lect 4. in Gal. 3. They are the execution and manifestation of our righteousnes Yea the Diuines of Colen affirme expresly against that which the Iesuite here saith k Antididag Colon. pag 30. that we rely not principally vpon our inherent righteousnesse because it is vnperfect but thereby as by a certaine inward experiment we are certified of the remission of our sins who feele and proue in our selues such a renouation of our spirit and that the perfect iustice of Christ is imputed to vs and that so Christ by faith dwelleth in vs. In which words affirming the experiment and certificat that Gods children haue within them and the feeling of their renouatiō and Christ dwelling in them by faith all which they say ariseth from their workes they make it plaine how false and friuolous it is that the Iesuite assumeth that no man without reuelation or miracles can infallibly know whether he haue true faith and loue or not And I will make it yet plainer in the Digression following Digression 43. Prouing that Gods children without miracles or extraordinary reuelation may be and are infallibly assured that they haue grace and are in the state of saluation 5 For to the place of Eccles 9.1 I answer first the Iesuite hath misalledged it For the Hebrew is thus No man knoweth loue or hatred all things are before him And I care not though his Trent-vulgar-latine be as he alledgeth it for the Hebrew is the onely authenticall text and not the Latin whereof themselues haue a base conceit though the Councell of Trent haue canonized it For Dominicus Bannez l In 1. par The. q. 1. art 8. dub 4 reporteth that since this decree there are not wanting many great men in the Church of Rome that take vpon them to correct and censure it and say the interpreter missed it fouly in many things And himselfe is of the same mind and acknowledgeth that being at last conuinced by his owne experience he iudgeth the Hebrew text vncorrupt What vanitie therefore is it in our aduersaries to alledge a translation which themselues despise as corrupt and vicious Secondly to the words I answer that Salomon doth not say that No man can simply know the loue or hatred of God to him but in a compound sence that No man can know it by the outward euents of this life the which hindereth not but it may be knowne by the testimonie of Gods spirit renewing vs as Catharinus himselfe a Papist expoundeth it and this is it that we say m Rom. 5.5 Gal. 4.6 Gods loue is shed in our hearts and made knowne to vs by the holy Ghost 6 To the place of Prou. 20.9 I say briefly that it proueth euidently against the Iesuit that no man can keepe Gods commandements because he cannot make his heart cleane from sinne but it toucheth not the assurance of grace because grace is and infallibly knowne to be where the heart beginneth to be cleansed though yet as it neuer shal be in this life it be not perfectly cleane For we are not assured that charitie and faith dwell in vs by this that our hearts are perfectly cleane for then the text had bene against vs but by this that they are free from hypocrisie and begin to be cleansed and dayly increase therein 7 The manner how we know we haue grace and shall be saued is by the meanes of the holy Ghost whose worke it is to assure vs the which he doth first by producing in vs the effects of sauing grace and predestination which is the constant reforming of our life within and without Whereupon it followeth that he which giueth himselfe effectually and stedfastly to a godly life may infallibly be secured thereby of his saluatiō because God whose promises are infallible n Rom. 8.13 Heb. 5.9 hath vowed saluation to all such Next by infusing or inspiring into vs the motion of assurance and by inclining our heart to giue consent to the promises of the Gospell The which inspiration is a supernaturall work of God created in vs by the outward meanes of the word and the inward operation of his Spirit consisting in a certaine knowledge and feeling that we haue of Gods good pleasure toward vs when once we truly beleeue And as the eye in seeing hath a certaine propertie annexed that it knoweth it seeth so faith and grace in whom soeuer it is hath this condition that it knoweth it selfe to be such and it not onely
worketh outwardly the things that are good but by a reciprocall aspect it seeth it selfe and yeeldeth assurance to the subiect In which sence Saint Austin o De trinit l. 13 c. 1. saith Euery man if he haue faith seeth it in his heart or seeth it not if he haue none And again p Lib. 8. c. 8. He that loueth his brother knoweth the charitie wherewith he loueth him better then he knoweth his brother whom he loueth 8 This is proued by the saying of Saint Paul q Rom. 8.15 We haue receiued not the spirit of bondage to feare any more but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father and the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Whereunto it is ridiculous to answer that this testimonie which God giueth vnto vs by his spirit is but coniecturall that is to say such as stirreth vp our vnderstanding onely vpon probable coniectures to beleeue which yet are subiect to error For so Gods spirit should manifestly deceiue vs and the spirit of bondage to feare should remaine still and his spirit should teach vs to cry Father when we are not his children and finally in giuing testimony be subiect to the same fallibilitie that ours is The same Apostle r 2. Cor. 13.5 saith Proue your selues whether you are in the faith examine your selues know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates To what purpose should men examine themselues if they can find no infallible certaintie for they might reply againe we haue tried our selues and find Christ to be in vs by faith and charitie but we are neuer the neare we may be reprobates for all this and thy preaching hath done vs no good for the Papists tell vs our knowledge is but coniecturall and our examination cannot secure vs from feare or error which were absurd Againe he saith Å¿ Eph. 1.13 After ye beleeued the Gospell ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise and Saint Iohn t 1. Ioh. 3.19 We know that we are of the truth and before him we shal make our hearts confident u 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit x 5.13 I haue written vnto you that beleeue that ye may know ye haue eternal life This sealing sheweth that the elect haue the very marke of God vpon them whereby they are infallibly distinguished from the world and the knowledge thereof which is attributed to them declareth that they see the seale and so consequently cannot be deceiued as he that seeth his seale vpon his goods thereby infallibly and not by coniecture onely knoweth them to be his owne But saying we know we haue the truth we dwell in him we haue eternall life we make our hearts confident he sheweth plainly how false it is that faith and loue cannot be knowne to be present without reuelation For all this he saith we know by that which is written and if we knew it but morally and probably without full assurance then we should be confident euen by Gods owne appointment in that which might deceiue vs. Againe Stapleton y De Iustificat l. 9. c. 13. in marg confesseth that Saint Paul pronounceth the same certaintie of other mens saluation that he doth of his owne and therefore we may haue assurance of grace and perseuerance as well as he had for z 1. Cor. 7.40 Rom. 8.38 2. Tim. 4.8 in diuers places he sheweth that he was assured of Gods spirit and grace and eternall life 9 You shall heare what the ancient Fathers say touching this matter a Hom. 17. pag. 248. Macarius saith Although they are not as yet entred into the whole inheritance prepared for them in the world to come yet through the earnest which they now receiue they are as certaine of it as if they were already crowned and raigning Neither do they thinke it strange that they shal thus raigne together with Christ by reason of the abundance and confidence of the spirit And why so Euen because being yet in the flesh they haue the tast of the sweetnes and the efficacie of the power thereof The diuell couered the soule of man with a darke veile but afterward cometh grace and putteth off that veile wholly whereby hereafter the soule is purified and made able with purenesse to behold the glory of true light and the true Sunne of righteousnesse as it were lightening in his heart Saint Austine b In Psal 149. post med saith There is a kind of glorying in the conscience when thou knowest thy faith is sincere thy hope certaine thy loue without dissembling Saint Austine therefore tooke it for granted that these things might be knowne Hierome not the ordinary doctor of that name but a Greeke writer c De baptism pag. 3. saith that as a woman with child feeleth the springing thereof in her wombe within her so the baptized by the ioy and comfort and reioycing which is wrought in the heart know that the spirit of God dwelleth in them the which they receiued in their baptisme Gregorie the Bishop of Rome d Dial l. 1. c. 1. saith The minde filled with Gods spirit hath her most euident signes euen vertue and humilitie the which if they perfectly meete in the mind then it is plaine they giue testimony that the holy Ghost is present Bernard e Epist 107. saith Who is iust but he that returneth loue to God who hath loued him The which is done when the spirit by faith reuealeth to a man the eternall purpose of God concerning his future saluation Which reuelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace whereby the deeds of the flesh are mortified and the man prepared to the kingdome of heauen Let these speeches of the ancient be well looked into and it will appeare they contain all that I haue affirmed touching the certainty of grace and saluation 10 And to what purpose do our aduersaries take such paines and deuise such shifts to answer them They say these and such like places proue there is a certaintie on Gods behalfe but not on ours as if God reuealing his certaintie to vs did not thereby create in vs the like as when a man looketh his face in a glasse he imprinteth in the glasse the same forme that is in his face They say we haue an experimentall or morall knowledge but not an infallible certaintie not assurance of faith and such like This they answer and their friends sit down contented with it whereas notwithstanding when they haue wrangled what they can they say the very same that I haue layd downe and if their words shew it not I am content you beleeue me no more For first touching the discerning of our selues whether we be in grace f Altisiod sum l. 3. pag. 165. Alexan. 3. part pag. 254. the eldest and best learned Schoolmen that I
haue seen affirme we may know it by our good desire comfort of minde and good workes Scotus g 3 d. 23. pag. 46 saith As I beleeue God is three in person and one in essence so do I also beleeue my selfe to haue faith infused whereby I beleeue this Dominicus Bannes h In Tho. 22. p. 359. c. saith Euery one that beleeueth seeth that he doth beleeue And i 1. 2. q. 112. art 5. Medina with whō he and k Caiet ib. Ban. vbi supra others consent saith A Christian man by the infallible certaintie of faith which cannot be deceiued certainly knoweth himselfe to haue supernaturall faith Vega l Refert Greg. de Valent to 2. pag. 957. saith Some spirituall men may be so certaine that they are in grace that this their assurance shal be free frō all feare and staggering m Dom. Soto apol c. 2. Others hold that a man may attaine to that certaintie of his owne grace that he may without all doubting be as sure thereof as he is that there is a citie called Rome And some hold n Catharin assert apolog the very certaintie of faith as we teach and define it Next touching the remission of sinnes and eternall life they say o Medin vbi supra pag. 630. I would haue euery beleeuer certainly to hope he shal obtaine eternall life Doctor Stapleton p De iustifie pag. 341. saith We leaue not a sinner hanging in the middest of wauering doubtfulnesse but we place him in good and firme hope when once his conscience witnesseth with him that he hath truly repented I grant indeed that some of these disallow the certaintie of faith in this case and admit a man onely to hope but this is but contention about words and they had as good haue said Faith confidence or trust as hope but for the preiudice of their stomacks For q Stapl. l. 9. c. 11 de iustif Dom. Ban. 22. q 18. art 4. they confesse the certaintie of hope is not any doubtfulnesse wauering one while to this side another while to that as a man thinketh himselfe sometime accepted of God and sometime not but it is a certaintie in the will of him that hopeth both firme and assured excluding all doubtfulnesse touching remission of sinnes The which in effect is as much as we say and full opposite to the Iesuites assertion Againe seeing r Medin p. 627. themselues grant that all conclusions are the conclusions of faith which arise from one proposition contained in the Scripture and another by good consequence added vnto it why should they denie this to be a conclusion of faith My sinnes are forgiuen me For the first proposition is expresse Scripture He that repenteth is pardoned The next assumed to it is euidently knowne in the conscience But I repent The conclusion therefore is of faith Therefore I am forgiuen or such like For no man knoweth he hath faith or any grace but by such and the same discourse that this is The euidence of which reasons haue driuen some Papists to allow vs the name also as wel as the thing For I shewed euen now that Catharinus at the Councell of Trent defended our very assertion that the child of God by the certaintie of faith knoweth himselfe to be in the state of grace The like is written by the ſ Enchirid. Christian instit in Concil Colon pag. 139. Diuines of Colen It is true and required for a mans iustification that he certainly beleeue not onely in generall that such as are truly penitent shal obtaine forgiuenes by Christ but also that the man himselfe which beleeueth shall be forgiuen through faith in Christ And againe This is true that no mans sins are forgiuen him vnlesse he beleeue that he hath obtained forgiuenes through Christ And a Frier in the time of the Councell of Trent u Refert Innocent Gentill exam Concil Trident. preached thus before the Councell Let man saith he abhorring the vaine confidence of his own worthines depend wholly on Gods mercy Let him make account that God as a most louing father is present with him frō whom let him alway expect things ioyfull and happie and let him neuer suffer that perswasion to be striken out of his minde though the difficulties be infinite which the world the flesh and the diuell procure thereby to leade vs from the confidence of God and his most religious seruice Wherefore they do not wander in the maze of doubtfulnesse which through Christ haue obtained righteousnesse but in the securitie of their minde and peace of their conscience and ioy of their heart being taught by the Spirit which testifieth with them that they are the sonnes of God they crie Abba Father 11 Why striue they then so bitterly against vs in this title and why do they racke torment the consciences of men by telling them that without miracle it cannot be known who standeth in grace when vanquisht by the truth they are forced in the end to eare their owne words and confesse it may be knowne by the testimonie of Gods Spirit within vs You shall see the peeuishnesse that is among them I will x Bart. Medina vbi supra pag. 630. saith one of them allow euery faithfull man to hope certenly that he shall obtaine eternall life but to be confident therein with the Lutheran confidence I vtterly forbid him Marke the vanitie and stomacke of our aduersaries they will allow vs to be certaine and confident and we require no more but not with the Lutheran confidence they will communicate with the doctrine vpon a little parly but they wil first giue it a new name to make it Roman-Catholike Luther belike did them some shrewd turne that they would endure his termes no longer in their church They seeme to be in the same taking with him u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the man in y Suidas was toward his Cat for eating vp his Partridge he loued his bird well as the Pope did his crowne and therefore the Cat that deuoured it must looke to dwell no longer in his house but be packing § 42. But hitherto it was neuer heard that almightie God did by miracle or any such certaine way giue testimonie that either Luther or Caluin or anie of their fellowes had this true holinesse or that they were Saints Whereas it hath pleased him to giue testimonie by miracles of the holinesse of diuerse that professed the Romane faith as of S. Benedict S. Anthonie S. Greg. Thaumaturgus S. Bernard S. Francis diuers others who all professed the Romane faith and diuerse of them were religious men and founders of religious orders which Protestants reiect and seeke by all means to disgrace The Answer 1 The first part of this is answered before sect 39. num 1. where I haue shewed how and in what maner God giueth testimonie that we are his Saints and our workes holy whither I referre the Reader The
c Caiet 22. pag 144. Tolet. Sum p. 700. Graff part 1. p. 349. As that prisoners may breake the iayle and vse what meanes they can to escape though they be lawfully committed A point well practised by Priests in England That d Tolet. Sum. pag. 548. children may marry without consent of parents e Greg. à Val. tom 3. p. 1090. That parents cursing or banning their owne children sinne but venially as long as they do it without deliberation f Tolet. p. 583. That women or seruants scolding or rayling one at another sinne not g Tolet. p. 540. That it is lawfull on the Sabboth day to follow fuites trauell hunt dance keepe faires and such like This is it that hath made Papists the most notorious Sabboth breakers that liue Infinite other doctrines of this sort might be added but I will end with that which a h Coâ—nel Agripp de van c. 64. Papist himselfe saith of Shrift because the Iesuite standeth so confidently for the holinesse of it and offereth it for so soueraigne a medicine I could saith he by many examples fresh in memorie shew how fit this shriuing is for baudry for Priests Monkes and Nunnes haue this speciall prerogatiue that vnder pretence of religion they may go vp and downe when and whither they will vnder colour of confession talke with any woman whom they oftentimes entertaine but homely And thus closely they go to the Stewes rauish virgins and widowes yea many times which my selfe haue seene and knowne runne away with mens wiues and carrie them to their fellowes And thus whose soules they should win to God their bodies they sacrifice to the diuell 7 By this you may see what doctrine lieth in the Church of Rome veiled with the title of the Catholicke faith whereby their hypocrisie is noted that so blasphemously haue charged the truth of Christ which we professe with libertie And whosoeuer shall attentiuely consider the whole course of Papistry I meane the doctrine and gouernment both in the Church of Rome with the rising and progresse thereof and the manner of aduancing it forward shall finde it to be nothing else but a very iest wittily deuised to delude the world and in euery point prouiding for the satisfying of the ambition couetousnesse and sensualitie of such as should haue the greatest stroke in that Church And let any man make the triall compare one part of the religion with another marking the coherence and how one point issueth out of another and the policies whereby the world is inhibited to listen to it and they shall easily perceiue it driueth all at this to make the Pope and his clergy absolute Lords of the world and of all the greatnesse and pleasures therein For the effecting whereof it was an easie matter for them to set learned men aworke and with faire rewards to make them shew their wit in perswading men which they haue done in all ages accordingly but neuer better then now of late by the Iesuites Hence it is that in the course of Poperie you see the Pope himselfe Lord of all his clergie aboue the temporalty his Bishops the peers of Princes i See Palmer Floren. Chron. ann 1334. touching the wealth of Iohn 22. his treasurie richer then any in the world beside the consciences of men at his deuotion their substance obedience and very lookes at his command and to effect this first he slideth into the consciences of men vnder the faire pretence of being Saint Peters successor then he blindeth their eyes by taking away the Scriptures and preaching and stoppeth their eares by disswading them from hearing any but himselfe Then he plotteth them a religion fitting mens carnall affection euery way the greatest part whereof standeth in easing them from taking any pains in spiritual things which of all other are most burthensome to flesh and blood They must indeed serue God if they should say otherwise no man would beleeue them but there be wayes to dispense and to turne the spirituall seruice into corporall which is easier And sinners must haue Gods pardon or they cannot be saued but the dispensation thereof is committed with the keyes to Christs vicar who hath power to release them by applying the sacraments of the Altar and Penance to their sinnes Nothing in all the religion but it standeth them in good stead Their Latin seruice and praiers to blindfold men for seeing the fraude The massing pompe and Church musicke to delite the senses the images and relickes and Pilgrimages to bring in their offerings the shrift to discouer the secret inclinations of people which would serue theÌ„ for a thousand purposes whereof this was one that therby the Pope knew the counsels of kings and secrets of euery state and wrought vpon them Their fasting dayes and prohibition of mariage to some persons to draw mony for dispensations Their merits to make men franke toward religious houses their purgatory to supply the Popes kitchin Their holidaies to please youth and renew their offerings their pardons to deliuer men from the feare of sinne and to draw money when they would And the stirre they keepe with writing and pleading in their schooles and abroade about religion is lest the world should thinke they haue no religion § 44. Thirdly the Protestants Church is not Catholicke that is to say vniuersall neither in Time nor in Place for it came vp but of late and is but in few places of Christendome Neither in points of doctrine for it consisteth chiefly of Negatiues that is to say in denying of diuerse points of doctrine which haue bene held for truth in all former ages by the ancient Fathers as appeareth by the Chronicles made by the Magdeburgenses the Protestants owne Doctors who confesse in their Centuries that the Fathers held this and that which they denie The Answer 1 That our Church came vp of late the Iesuite saith but sheweth not as the Iewes a Ioh 8.57 said to Christ Thou art not yet fiftie yeares old and hast thou seene Abraham And b Nunc dogma nobis Christianum nascitur post euolutos mille demum consules Prud. Peristep hym 10. the Gentiles to the Christians that Now after I know not how many thousand yeares their religion was sprong vp But against his speech I reply two things First that our faith is in all points the same that is contained in the Scripture and so consequently of the same antiquitie and therfore all they that say it came vp but of late should first proue it contrary to the word of God or else hold their peace SecoÌ„dly as it agreeth with the Scriptures so hath it had in all ages those which haue professed it as I haue shewed c Sect. 17. digr 17. already and more distinctly will shew in the fiftieth section In the meane time let it suffice for this place which our aduersaries themselues vnawares haue written The first is Bristo who d Mot. pref
Catholicke Church professeth that mortall men are to worship God not by images and Angels but by Christ the Lord. Epiphanius x L. 3. aduerâ—us haeret saith the virgin Mary was a virgin and honorable but not giuen for vs to worship but her selfe worshipped him that tooke flesh of her Finally many learned Papists are of our side in this point For y Peres de trad part 3. some condemne all diuine adoration giuen vnto them z Gers compend Theol. praecep 1. Holk in Sap. lect 157. b. Some condemne all worship whatsoeuer euen the bowing before them a Polyd. inuent l 6. c. 13. Some acknowledge that all the ancient fathers condeÌ„ned theÌ„ b Duran ration l. 1. c. 3. n. 4. Cathar tract de cult imag Polyd ibid. Some thinke their vse to be dangerous And they which haue gone furthest in defending them yet confesse d Can. 6. Nilus primat that they which teach they may be worshipped with diuine honour are constrained to vse such nice distinctions as neither themselues nor the people vnderstand and if they conceiue them yet they cannot but erre in doing it c Peres vbi supra Bell de imag c. 22. 6 Sixtly touching the supremacy For d Can. 6. Nilus primat the Councell of Nice appointed bounds and limits as well for the Popes iurisdiction as for other Bishops and the Councels e Act. 16. of Chalcedon and f Sext. Synod iâ— Tâ—ull can 36. Constantinople make the B. of Constantinople equall in all things that concerne authoritie and iurisdiction with the Bishop of Rome And g Cusan conce l. 2 c 12. Maâ—sil defen pac part 2. c. 18. Duaren de benefic l. 3. c. 2. some Papists do not deny but the Popes Primacy is much larger then it was in the Primitiue Church wherein they say the truth For the Councels of h Cap. 9. Chalcedon i Cap. 105. Affricke k Can. 22 Mileui and l Synod 8. can 26. Constantinople forbid all appeales to him from forren places yea that of Affricke reiected his claime and writ vnto him that he should forbeare the taking vpon him any such preheminence Lest say they the smokie pompe of the world be brought into Christs Church and Gregory who himselfe was Pope of Rome m Regist l. 6. ep 194. writeth that he dares confidently say he is the forerunner of Antichrist in his pride whosoeuer he be that calleth himselfe the vniuersall Bishop or desireth so to be called because he putteth himself before others For at that time n Harmenop epit sacr cano tit 7. de Synod the name of vniuersall was forbidden all the Patriarkes as it signified the chiefe aboue the rest And 1000. yeares after Christ it was thought o Glab Rodolf quem refert taxat Baro. an 996. n. 24. that although the Bishop of the Romane Church for the dignitie of the Apostolicke sea were more reuerenced then the rest yet it was not lawfull for him in any thing to go beyond the tenour of the Canons For as euery Bishop in his owne sea vniformly beareth the image of our Sauiour so generally it befitteth none busily to do any thing in anothers diocesse And when the Pope but 500. yeares since practised against the Emperour as now he doth against kings p Sigeb chron pag. 129. ann 1088. the stories noted it as nouelty and heresie that Priests should teach the people to yeeld no subiection to euill Princes and should absolue them from sinne and periury that practised against them whereas now q Decretal Greg. 9. de Maior obed c. Solitae Extrauag Commun c. Vnam sanctaÌ„ de maior obed the authoritie to depose and molest Princes and absolue subiects from their obedience is made one of the principall parts of the supremacy And touching his temporalties which he now possesseth the stories haue obserued how by fraud and treason he cousened secular Princes of them from time to time as occasion serued And so his whole Primacy gat in by steps into the Church and yet r Turrecrem tract 73. qu. è Tho. q. 5. they would make vs beleeue the deniall thereof were heresie 7 In the seuenth place I name the communion in one kind For the Church of Rome vseth and defendeth it contrary to Å¿ Cyrill catech mystag 5. Liturg Marc pag. 62. Constitur Clement pag. 145. graec ordo Rom. pag. 23. all antiquitie and the very forme of their owne Lyturgies For the most ancient Liturgies that they haue shew how the people receiued the wine as well as bread And Caietan t 3. part Thom. qu 80. art 12. q. 3. faith This custome indured long in the Church and that they had ministring cups for the nonce to serue the people with wine And I thinke no Papist will deny this And some u Ouand 4 p. 221. say It were better if this custome were renewed againe 8 Lastly I name transubstantiation For x Censur Colo. pag. 267. our aduersaries say The true Church hath alway taught that as soone as the Priest hath pronounced the words of consecration the former substance of bread wine is changed into the body blood of Christ so that no other substance remaines but only Christs body and blood the accidents by a supernaturall power abiding without a subiect The which how false it is appeareth by the word of God y Luc. 22.18 1. Cor. 10.16 11.26 calling it bread the fruit of the vine after the blessing and z Luc. â—2 20 saying of the cup in the same forme of words that is vsed of the bread This cup is the new Testament in my blood and teaching that without bread there can be no sacrament and that Christ had a body of the same nature that ours is which cannot be without his dimensions in many places at once And it is plaine that herein they haue altered the faith of the ancient fathers For Saint Austin a De Doctr. Christ l. 3. c. 16. saith These words vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the son of man and drinke his blood are a figure coÌ„manding vs to partake the passion of Christ and profitably to remember that his flesh was crucified for vs. Chrysostom b Ad Caesar Monach. saith The bread before it be sanctified we call bread but when the diuine grace sanctifieth it it is deliuered from the name of bread and is thought worthy the name of the Lords body though the nature of bread remaine still Gelasius a Bishop of Rome c De duabus nat Christi saith The bread and wine passe into the substance of the body and blood of Christ yet so as the nature of bread wine ceasseth not they are turned into the diuine substance yet the bread wine remain still in the property of their nature Theodoret saith d Dial. immuta Our Sauior in deliuering the sacrament called his body bread and
might be here in the sacrament yet it was not in the beginning so manifestly beleeued as concerning this conuersion o D. 11. q. 3. §. Quantum ergo ad istum But principally this seemeth to moue vs to hold transubstantiation because concerning the sacramēts we are to hold as the Church of Rome doth where in the margin it is noted that our faith as concerning this sacrament is onely by reason of the Churches determination And he p §. Ad argumenta pro prima addeth We must say the Church in the Creed of the Lateran Councell vnder Innocent the third which beginneth with these words FIRMITER CREDIMVS declared this sence concerning transubstantiation to belong to the veritie of our faith And if you demand why would the Church make choise of so difficult a sence of this article whē the words of the Scripture This is my body might be vpholden after an easie sence and in appearance more true I say the Scriptures were expounded by the same spirit that made them and so it is to be supposed that the Catholicke Church expounded them by the same spirit whereby the faith was deliuered vs namely being taught by the spirit of truth and therefore it chose this sence because it was true q Canon lect 41. Biels words are to the same effect Which sheweth the point was neither holden nor knowne vniuersally in the Church before the Lateran Councell and that then it began to be receiued as a matter of our faith And yet since that time these men enquiring so boldly into the congruēcie of the opinion and casting so many dangers about it they shew plainly that they mistrust the proceeding of the Councell though they may not disclaime it Durand r 4. d. 11. q. 1. saith It is great rashnesse to thinke the body of Christ by his diuine power cannot be in the sacrament vnlesse the bread be conuerted into it But if this way which supposeth the bread to remaine still were true de facto many doubts which meet vs about the sacrament holding that the substance of bread remaineth not were dissolued But forsomuch as this way must not de facto be holden since the Church hath determined the contrary which is presumed not to erre in such matters therefore I answer the arguments made to the contrary holding the other part which saith the bread is changed Would our aduersaries thus backwardly come into the opinion if they had seene it to haue bene holden in all ages before in the Church or is it not rather an infallible signe that it was brought into the Church by the strength of some mens conceits without all warrant either of Scripture or fathers the want whereof so dazled those that imbraced it that they could see no reason for it but are all glad to lay it vpon the necke of a silly Pope in his Lateran Coūcell Besides ſ Scot. 4. d 11. q. 3. Bell Euchar. l. 3. c. 23. they confesse There is no Scriptare to inforce it vnlesse ye bring the Church of Romes exposition that is to say the Popes authoritie in whom t Turrect tract 73. quest q. 49. they thinke the power of the vniuersall Church in determining matters of faith principally resides if not alone u 3. part q. 75. art 1. p. 153. Caietan laieth downe diuers opinions holden among the Schoolemen touching the conuersion neuer a one whereof reacheth the transubstantiation and disallowing such as expounded Christs words This is my body metaphorically he saith his reason is because the Church hath vnderstood them properly I say the Church saith he because in the Gospell there is nothing that compelleth vs to vnderstand them properly headdeth that the conuersion of the bread into Christs body we haue receiued of the Church Now put all this together that we beleeue transubstantiation vpon the authoritie of the Church and this Church was Pope Innocent in the Councell of Lateran before which time there was no certaintie nor necessitie of beleeuing it and the Councell might haue chosen another sence of Christs words more easie and in all appearance more true for there is no Scripture sufficient to conuince it and the contrary were liable to fewer difficulties let this I say be put together and it will plainly shew that this point came in contrary to that which was vniuersally holden in the ancient Church because things vniuersally holden were certainly knowne and expresly beleeued without all this ado § 48. Let him shew also what countrey there is or hath bene where Christian faith either was first planted or continued where some at least haue not holden the Romane faith as we can shew them diuerse places especially in the Indies Iaponia and China countreys where theirs is scarce heard of The Answer 1 This is answered before sect 46. nu 2. where I shewed that when countries were first conuerted frō Paganism which was for the most part in the Primitiue Church the present Romane faith was not knowne but the Church of Rome in those daies professed the same that we do and consequently the nations conuerted by it and professing the faith thereof were conuerted to our religion and professed it For the Iesuite deceiueth himselfe with the name of Romane faith wherewith in the beginning all nations indeed vnder heauen communicated but then it was not the same that now it is as I haue plainly demonstrated in the former sect digress 49. And although since the change many nations haue still retained the same faith with it yet that iustifieth not the faith because the said faith growing on by steps and peecemeale was a generall apostasie and the mysterie of iniquitie working throughout the whole Church so that of necessitie there must be some in all places to follow it As when a generall rebellion groweth throughout a kingdome the rebels haue partakers in euerie towne and yet the possession is not proued theirs by that but onely the greatnesse and strength of the rebelling faction is shewed The Papacy that is to say the Roman faith in as much as it differeth from vs is not imagined by vs to be in another Church distinct in place and countries from the true Church of Christ but we affirme it to be a contagion raigning in the middest of the Church of Christ it self and spreading throughout the parts therof wheresoeuer and annoying the whole body like a leprosie in which disease though all the parts be affected yet the inward and vitall parts retaine their operation and still worke to expell the leprosie which at the length they do In this case the man is possessed indeed with a vile contagion but yet the man remaineth there still though the contagion be not the man And the contagion possesseth euery part of him some more some lesse being vniuersally spread ouer the body and yet hereby it is not proued to be the true nature and sound constitution of the bodie but a preuailing humor and when
things first that if religion were among the Brittans and extinguished no where but in Kent where Austine arriued then he conuerted not the land but one poore countrey in it and must be called no longer the Apostle of England but the Apostle of Kent which compasse I thinke our ambitious aduersaries wil not be content with because it is too narrow for their turnes Next m Three conuers part 1. c. 11 n. 4 the busiest aduersaries that we haue in this matter say all the land was conuerted about that time For Austine conuerted the kingdomes of Kent the East Saxons and all the rest were conuerted within lesse then threescore yeares after being seuen States in all The which narration ascribeth the same want of the true faith to all the land that in the obiection is layd to Kent alone Whence it followeth that the faith was not extinct in Kent because it was remaining still in the other six kingdoms The which to be true appeareth by Bede who n L. 1. c. 8.17.21 writeth that afore Austins coming the Brittans were troubled with Arrianisme and Pelagianisme but Germanus Lupus and Seuerus three French Bishops deliuered them Whereby it is plainly proued that the whole land was not conuerted by Austine but had the faith long before he came Thirdly touching Kent it selfe where Austine arriued ouer and besides that it cannot be proued to haue wanted the faith any more then the rest of the land did Bede o L. 1. c. 25.26 saith that the Queene thereof was a French woman called Bertha a good Christian and had a Christian Bishop euen at that time when Austine came p L. 2. c. 2. And he addeth further that when he arriued he found diuers Brittan Bishops and learned men with a Monasterie at Bangor all which were Christians and refused Austine for his pride which they found in him contrarie to Christs humilitie And touching the Brittans our aduersaries q Three conuers par 1. c. 9. n. 1. write that from king Lucius time vntil the comming of Austine which was foure hundred yeares and more they did not alter their faith but it remained among them when he entred for r Lib. 1. c. 17. Bede saith that when a certaine Bishops sonne broached the heresie of Pelagius in the land yet the people would not receiue it Which constraineth vs to thinke that Austine brought not the faith into the land with him but found it there whē he came His errand as it may probably be thought was about the planting of certaine ceremonies and the dealing with our countreymen about the obseruation of Easter and ſ Cassand ordo Rom. praefat Gregory that sent him about that time was busie in changing the Liturgies vsed in these Western parts and did change them and thrust his new ones vpon all the places he could It may be this was a part of the Monkes businesse into Kent 3 And as the Iesuite vntruly ascribeth the conuersion of England to the Monke so hath he as absurdly written that the Protestants religion was vnhatched for I know not how many hundred yeares after Which he would not haue said but that Papists are famous for their aduentures For before the conquest t Homil. Saxonic A Elfrici Aelfricus an Archbishop of Canterburie caused the people of the land to be taught the same doctrine touching the sacrament that we hold and u H. Huntingd. l. 7. Fab. chron the Priests were maried as now they be and x Bed l. 1. c. 1. the Scriptures were vsed in the mother tongue And after the conquest liued Iohn Wickliffe and the Lollards who held the same faith that we do and suffered persecution for it 4 That which he saith of other countries conuerted by meanes of such as were members of the Romane Church proueth not Papistrie to be either auncient or vniuersall For the three first authors in the places alledged speake of the time within the first fiue hundred yeares when the Church of Rome was of our religion and that which they report is not of any whom the Bishop of Rome sent or procured to conuert the countries but this y Socr. l. 1. c. 19.20 Soz. l. 2 c. 24 that Frumentius being sent by Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria conuerted the Indians z Niceph. l. 14. c. 40. and a captiue woman conuerted the Iberians and a sort of Iewes in Creet were conuerted by the inhabitants and the Burgundians instructed by a French Bishop In all which there is neither mention of the Church of Rome nor of the present faith now professed therein but our aduersaries thinke that whatsoeuer is found in antiquitie concerning the auncient Church of Rome should belong to them wherein they finde themselues deceiued as often as the matter is put to triall and this one example may shew it for allowing all these countries to haue bin conuerted by such as were members of the Church of Rome yet this was a thousand years ago when that Church was the same that ours is and so the conuersions were wrought by persons adhering to the Protestants faith The three last authors Platina Eneas and Baronius are Papists liuing one of them at this day the other within the memory of our fathers and therefore I regard not what they writ touching this question because we haue more auncient records against them And yet whatsoeuer they haue written the present Romane faith is not iustified thereby For hereticks may conuert nations to heresie as a Oros hist l. 7. c. 19. the Arrians and b Cedren compend pag. 347. Mahomet haue done Therefore it is necessary that first they proue their faith to be agreeable with the word of God by comparing them together afore they boast of their conuersions Digression 50. Of the conuersion of the Indies to the Romane faith by the Iesuites 5 But that which he vrgeth concerning the Indies must be a little further looked into For c Epist Indic Bellar. not eccl c. 12. Hard. confut apol p. 18. our aduersaries make much ado and tell wonders of their miracles and conuersions there But marke the words of Franciscus Victoria their owne writer It doth not d Relect. 5. pag. 200. saith he sufficiently appeare to me that the Christian faith hath hitherto bene so offered and preached to the Indies that they should vnder the pain of sinne be bound to beleeue it This I say because they are not bound to beleeue vnlesse the faith be propounded to them with probable perswasion But miracles or signes I heare of none nor examples of life so religious nay the contrary I heare of many scandals and villanies and many impieties Whence it appeareth that the Christian religion hath not bene preached to them conueniently nor godlily The which how true it is you may perceiue by that which followeth concerning the prodigious crueltie of the Spaniards and impious behauiour of the Priests in those countries euer since their first
erre he sitteth in the temple of God and beareth rule farre and neare 34 After 1250. to 1300 I name Å¿ Magd. Cent. 13. c. 5. Gulielmus de S. Amore. withstanding the Friers and their abuses t Crantz Metrop l. 8. c. 16. Refert Illyr Catal. The Preachers in Sweden that publickly taught the Pope and his Bishops to be heretickes u Panor de Iudicijs c. Nouit ille Naucler vol. 2. gen 45. Dante 's the Florentine wrote in a booke that the Empire descended not from the Pope for the which cause after his death they condemned him of heresie About the same time also liued Gulielmus Altisiodorensis an auncient schoolman in whose Summes are found many things confuted that then were coming in and maintained by others the which because I haue partly obserued throughout this my answer by alledging him against the Iesuite I will not now stand to produce 35 After 1300. to 1350 I name Marsilius Patauinus that writ against the Popes supremacie x Defensor pacis in which booke is to be seene the confutation of all such reasons as were made to proue him the head of the Church I name Occham the school-man y Beside his owne workes see Sleid. comment l. 2. Auent annal l. 7. p. 628 Naucl. vol. 2. gen 45. p. 1003. who exceeding vehemently writ against the Popes authoritie ouer Kings a great article of the Romane faith this day in England and Councels z Trithem de Scriptor he told the Emperour that if he would defend him with the sword he again would defend him with the word And as he resisted the Primacie so did he confute many errors now holden by the Church of Rome and confirmeth that which is our faith in not a few points as may be seene in his booke vpon the Sentences I name Gregorius Ariminensis who in his booke vpon the Sentences hath diligently confuted that which is now holden by the church of Rome touching Predestination Originall sinne Freewill the merit of workes and other matters a Illyr catal tom 2. pag. 797. The same time the Vniuersitie of Paris condemned the Popes pardons 36 After 1350. to 1400 I name Aluarus Pelagius who wrote a booke b De Planctu ecclesiae of the lamentation of the Church wherein he reproueth diuers abuses of his time c Fox acts and mon. pag. 38â— And Mountziger who in the Vniuersitie of Vlms openly disputed against Transubstantiation and adoration of the Sacrament I name Michael Cesenas d Illyr catal tom 2. who said the Pope was Antichrist and Rome Babylon and held there were two Churches one of the wicked wherein the Pope raigned which was a florishing Church the other of the godly an afflicted Church and he complained that the truth was almost extinguished The same time also liued Iohn Wickliffe and infinite more with him in England whom in that time they called Lolards resisting Papistry to the shedding of their bloud 37 After 1400. to 1450 I name againe the Lolards in England as Puruey Badby Thorp Browne Beuerly and the rest that were persecuted at that time I name Chaucer who expresly e Plowmans tale writ the Pope and his Clergie to be Antichrist The same time Nilus wrote his booke against Purgatory and the Popes supremacie and Iohn Hus Ierome of Prage and the Churches in Bohemia notoriously resisted the Papacie f Naucler vol. 2 gen 47. p. 1033. Their doctrine was the same with that of the Waldenses 38 After 1450. to 1500 I name Sauonarola the Florentine g Bucholch chronol Naucler vol. 2. gen 51. Illyr catal tom 2. p. 890. who preached that the time was come wherein God would renew his Church that the Church needed reformation he affirmed that the Pope taught not the doctrine of Christ he maintained the communion vnder both kinds and held against traditions iustification by workes and the Popes supremacie The same time Wesselus Groningensis and Ioannes de Vesalia were famous for holding against merits freewill traditions pardons shrift fasting dayes pilgrimages extreme vnction confirmation and the primacie In England also and Bohemia liued those which followed the doctrine of Wickliffe and Hus continuing the same till Luther 39 And when 1500. yeares were expired arose Luther Zuinglius Tindall and diuers others whom God raised vp to call his people out of Babylon who you see were not the first that misliked the Papacie many in all ages grudging at it before them and the reformation which they brought in was wished for and desired long before 40 And touching the catalogue that I haue set downe I warne the Reader of two things Note first that I haue not set downe all either that liued or are recorded in the seuerall ages nominated but onely some few for example to answer the Iesuites demaund by which few you may easily gather there were many more when so learned men neuer vse to want partakers howsoeuer the tyrannie and oppression of their aduerse part may keepe them vnder Next my meaning is not to iustifie euery one that I haue named to haue bene free from error and a ful Protestant in euery point though many were so in euery point fundamentall but onely to shew that the Papacie in all ages was resisted as it came forward which the Iesuite denieth If it be replied that these persons were hereticks condemned by the Church I answer first the Iesuite biddeth vs name who resisted Rome were all asleepe none to obserue the change c. and I name these whereunto it is no sufficient answer to say they were heretickes because it vpholdeth not the question and one hereticke may be able to detect another and the Iesuite should not make his chalenge so broade as to say No mention is made in any story of such an alteration Next it cannot be proued that these were heretickes For one part of them is the Greeke Church another part is some ancient Diuines of their owne Church a third part is such as the Romane Church persecuted The second are sound and lawfull witnesses being the true Church of God to this day though polluted with some errors The second though Papists in many points yet shew against al exception those points wherein they were no Papists to haue bene no part of the Catholicke faith so called in their time for then they would not haue resisted them but embrace them as they do all the rest The third part I grant the Church of Rome then persecuted and now calleth hereticks but that is the question whether they or their persecutors were the essentiall parts of the Church this must be decided by the Scriptures onely For our aduersaries say they are the true Church and proue it by their antiquitie without resistance both which we deny shewing the contrary in the precedent catologue which catologue when they will disproue againe by replying the men contained therein were condemned for heretickes by the Romane
to them but God did it by meanes of the Scriptures and faithfull professors that lay secretly hidden in the middest of the Papacie and when they saw the truth they needed no other outward allowance to preach then that which they had to preach the Gospell as the Iesuite will thinke that himselfe being baptized in the Church of England after the order thereof with intent that he should also professe that faith yet afterward falling to Papistry needeth no other baptisme but by vertue of it may vse the libertie of other Christians The very same we say of Luther and Caluins callings whereby they are freed from the imputations that Cyprian and Optatus lay vpon the Donatists For such as haue no lawfull admission are children indeed without a father and scholers without a maister and Bishops without succession or what the Iesuite will but these men had a calling else let vs see what will be said to that I haue answered § 53. This succession of Priests and Bishops continually from the Apostles which we haue and the Protestants want the ancient Fathers did much esteeme and vse as an argument partly to confound the heretickes of those dayes partly to confirme themselues to continue in the Catholicke Church prouing by the succession of Pastors succession of Apostolicall doctrine still to haue continued in the Church Hereupon S. Irenaeus lib. 3. ca. 3. saith Traditionem ab Apostolis annuntiatam hominibus fidem per successionem Episcoporum peruenientem vsque ad nos indicantes confundimus omnes eos qui quoquo modo vel per sui placentiam malam vel vanam gloriam vel per coecitatem colligunt praeterquam oportet Shewing the tradition from the Apostles and the faith preached vnto men coming vnto vs by succession of Bishops we confound all them who any way either through euill complacence of themselues or through vaine-glorie or through blindnesse and euill opinion do collect and conclude otherwise then they ought Hereupon also saith Tertullian writing against heretickes Edant origines suarum Ecclesiarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporū ista per successionem ab initio decurrentes vt primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis viris qui tamen cum Apostolis perseuerauerit authorem habuerit vel antecessorem Lib. de praescript Let them set forth the beginning of their Church let them vnfold or declare the order of Bishops so running from the beginning by succession that the first Bishop of their sect had some of the Apostles or Apostolicke men who perseuered with the Apostles for his author or predecessor Also S. Austine contra Epist Fundam c. 4. saith Tenet me in Ecclesia Catholica ab ipsa sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suas Dominus commendauit vsque ad praesentem Episcopum successio Sacerdotum The succession of Priests from the seate of S. Peter the Apostle to whom our Lord commended his sheepe to be fed vntill this present Bishop doth hold me in the Catholicke Church The same S. Austin Epist 105. doth dispute in the same maner In which Epistle he reckoneth vp all the Bishops of Rome vntill Anastasius who was in his time Bishop in S. Peters seate Cypr. lib. 1. Epist 6. Optat. lib. 2. cont Parmen The which argument those Fathers would neuer so much haue vrged if they had not thought that this succession was a sure marke of the true Church and that with this outward succession of Doctors and Pastors was alway infallibly conioyned the true doctrine of the Catholicke faith The Answer 1 How much soeuer the within named Fathers or any other stood vpō the outward succession of Bishops in their days yet that will do the Romane Church no good at this day The reason is because then none had succeeded but such as kept the Apostles faith which now is otherwise For many Popes since that time haue succeeded which haue bene hereticks as I haue shewed Digress 28. This difference betweene their times and ours must be diligently obserued that the fathers speeches concerning succession may be rightly vnderstood and the Papists arguments grounded on them may directly be answered For Irenaeus in the place quoted saith the Apostolicke tradition or doctrine and faith which they preached to men was come to them by succession of Bishops Whereby it appeareth they had not yet discouered that apostasie in Bishops thrones which afterward ensued but the true faith remained still which now in the Church of Rome it doth not Let our aduersaries therfore bring those times back againe and restore vs the Bishops that then succeeded and we will allow them the same argument of succession that the fathers made or else not For Hegesippus speaking of that time a Euseb hist l. 4. c. 22. saith that as the law and the Prophets and the Lord himselfe had taught so was it in euery succession and euery citie Now it is contrary as the Friers and Iesuites and the Pope himselfe haue deuised so is it in euery succession and euery citie of the Church of Rome Which is a manifest reason why the Fathers argument drawne fom succession cannot benefite the externall succession of Popes in that Church at this day 2 Againe they vsed succession as an argument to proue their Church but not in that manner that our aduersaries vse it to proue theirs For first the Iesuit would make vs beleeue that by the succession of Pastors the succession of Apostolicall doctrine is proued to continue yea he saith that with outward succession of doctors and Pastors was alway infallibly conioyned the true doctrine This the Fathers neuer said as shall appeare in my speciall answer to their words Neither would the Iesuite haue said it him self if he had remembred the Greek Churches which haue as lineall succession from Saint Mark and Saint Andrew as Rome hath from Saint Peter and yet b Can. loc l. 4. c. vlt. pag. 143. they are counted heretical Yea Bellarmine c Not. eccl c. 8. saith It is not necessarily gathered that the Church is alway there where there is succession which sheweth the Iesuits rashnes in his assertion For if the true faith were infallibly conioyned with the outward succession then it would necessarily follow that the true Church is alway there where succession is which Bellarmine denieth 3 But with succession of persons the Fathers alway ioyned succession of doctrine and by them both together confuted schismaticks Thus doth Irenaeus in the very words alledged and d L. 4. c. 43. in another place more fully We must saith he obey those elders which haue succession from the Apostles which with the succession of their Bishopricks haue receiued the certaine gift of truth as for the rest which want this principall succession we must suspect them Marke how he directeth you to embrace that succession which holdeth the doctrine also and refuse that which hath it not which had bin idle if the doctrine had bin so vnited to succession that it
of his owne side know and confesse to be false But that is ordinary 2 And as his assertion is insolent so he proueth it as weakly though I must confesse he hath verbatim borrowed his discourse from c Greg. Valent. tom 3 d. 1. q. 1. punct 7. §. 25. as learned a Iesuite as euer Iesuited But I answer two things First that no man denieth but the succession of true doctrine and communication which the true Church of God is vnseparably annexed with the succession of Pastors lawfully succeeding I say not the outward succession of Pastors but the true succession of Pastors lawfully succeeding the which are the Iesuites owne words whereto if our aduersaries will hold them and require no more they shall be yeelded vnto and I wil grant the same to be sufficiently proued by the text of Eph. 4. But this neither confuteth vs nor iustifieth the Church of Rome It confuteth not vs because d §. 52. per totam I haue shewed the teachers of our faith do lawfully succeed so alway haue done though not outwardly and visibly to the world And it iustifieth not the Church of Rome forasmuch as the ordinarie Pastors therein succeed not lawfully They succeed in a sort externally sitting in the seats where sometime the Apostles and their successors did but they succeed not lawfully as I will shew in the next section or any other way then the Greecians now do or then the Pharises high Priests did in our Sauiors time when they refused him denying him to be the Sonne of God requiring a murtherer to be giuen vnto thē the which they could not haue done if the Iesuites assertion were true that the faith of Gods Church is infallibly conioyned with the outward succession For they had the outward succession from Aaron lineally without interruption and yet if the people had obeyed them in all things they had led them into an vniuersall error no lesse then the reiecting of the Sonne of God Now if onely lawfull succession haue the truth abiding with it and that is lawfull which succeedeth principally in doctrine retaining the ancient faith as well as the place and externall shew which our aduersaries dare not deny and Tertullian affirmeth e Praescrip c 32 where he saith the Churches that conspire with the Apostles in the same faith are reputed no lesse Apostolicall for the consanguinitie of the doctrine if I say this lawfull succession onely haue the true faith going with it let them say freely and without collusion to what purpose should they pleade their externall succession to iustifie their faith before they haue pleaded their faith to iustifie their succession which when they haue done and they can do it no way but by the Scripture the Protestants will neuer except against their succession but imbrace it And what vanitie is it to obiect against vs that we want outward succession when that succession which is to be stood vpon consisteth not in the circumstances of place and shew but in the retaining of the true faith which may be done without interruption when the outward shew of places and persons is interrupted 3 Secondly I answer further to the text alledged and to all his discourse thereupon granting first that the ministerie of Pastors is the ordinance of God Secondly to continue in his Church for euer Thirdly for the teaching of his people Fourthly in such sort that they shall neuer vniuersally erre or faile to teach the ancient and Apostolicke doctrine Fiftly whereupon the people are bound to heare them And hence it followeth that sixtly where such Pastors succeede the true faith is alway conioyned This is granted But then our aduerries should consider that such Pastors furnished with these promises do not alway succeed openly or in one place without interruption of the externall succession but they may arise and successiuely continue when the world seeth them not or seeing them driueth them from the Episcopall seas that they shal be constrained to teach the Church in secret S. Paul saith Pastors and Doctors shall succeed and succeeding teach the true faith but he saith not all that haue outward succession hold the true faith neither is there any thing in his words that proueth this succession to be of that nature which our aduersaries require Now the question betweene vs is not whether there be a perpetuall succession of Pastors in the Church of Christ that infallibly teach his truth for we deny not that but whether these Pastors be onely they that continue in one place one after another outwardly and visibly at all times to all the world whether Pastors succeeding in this maner be so priuiledged that they cannot erre which we deny and in al Saint Pauls discourse there is not a word against vs because whatsoeuer he saith may be vpholden in that kind of succession that I haue described Againe our English Bishops this day succeed lineally in their places from the first Apostles of our land will the Iesuit therefore grant we are the true Church he will not though indeed we be because they haue changed that which the precedent Bishops held for the true faith the which being thus obiected ouerthroweth himself for now you see that with Pastors succeeding the true faith is not alway ioyned for one may succeed that will change the ancient doctrine which the Iesuite thinketh our English Bishops haue done though they haue not that which is most ancient but we proue against all exception their Italian Popes haue as I haue shewed Digress 49. 51. 52. § 55. But as I haue said before and by many Catholicke writers hath bene proued at large in the Romane Church onely is this lawfull vninterrupted succession of ordinarie Pastors found therfore the Romane Church and those that communicate agree with it is the true Apostolike Church and hath in it alway taught the true Apostolike faith The Answer 1 Lawfull succession is when the persons succeed in doctrine as well as in place which in the Romane Church at this day they do not inasmuch as they are departed from the ancient faith to their owne heresies And this is the principall cause why we deny that which the Iesuite saith here touching the Romane succession 2 We do not deny but they haue a ranke of Bishops whether interrupted or no I will shew in the Digression following externally sitting in Rome one after another but we deny lawfull succession to stand in this And we deny againe that this is found onely there and no where else for it is found in the Greeke Church also at this day as appeareth by e Legat. eccl Alexand. apud Baron annal tom 6. in fine the letters which the Patriarke of Alexandria sent to the Pope about 15. yeares since wherin he stiles himselfe thus Gabriel by the grace of God the seruant of the seat of Saint Marke in the citie of Alexandria in Aegypt and all other places ioyning to him and bordering
reports of railing Papists touching him may be aduertised of the credit thereof when this was set abroad long before his death i Lonicer theatrum p. 246. A horrible miracle such as was neuer heard of before that God who for euer is to be praised in the fowle death of Martin Luther damned in body and soule shewed for the glory of Christ and the amendment and comfort of the godly When Martin Luther fell into his disease he desired the body of our Lord Iesus to be communicated to him which hauing receiued he died soone after And when he saw his end approch he desired that his bodie might be layd on the altar and worshipped with diuine honors But God willing at the length to make an end of horrible errors by a huge miracle warned the people to desist frō the impietie that Luther had brought in For his body being layed in the graue on the sudden such a tumult and terror arose as if the foundation of the earth had bene shaken Whereupon they that were present at the funerall grew amazed with feare and lifting vp their eyes saw the holy hoast hanging in the aire Wherefore with great deuotion they tooke it and layed it in a holy place which being done this hellish noise was heard no more The next night after was heard a noise and cracking about Luthers tombe much louder then before which waked all that were in the citie out of their sleepe trembling and almost dead for feare Wherefore in the morning opening the sepulcher where Luthers detestable body was layed they found neither body nor bones nor clothes but a stinke of brimstone coming out of the graue had welnigh killed all the standers by By the which miracle many being terrified reformed their liues to the honour of the Christian faith and the glory of Iesus Christ This merry conceit being spread ouer Italy at length a copie came to Luthers hands which hauing perused he writ these words vnder I Martin Luther by this my hand writing confesse testifie that vpon the 21. of March I receiued this fiction concerning my death as it was full of malice and madnes and I read it with a glad mind and a chearful countenance but yet detested this blasphemie whereby a stinking lie is fathered on the diuine maiestie of God As concerning the rest I cannot but reioyce and laugh at the diuels malice wherewith he and his rout the Pope and his complices pursue me And God conuert them from this diuellish malice But if this my prayer be for the sinne that is vnto death that it cannot be heard then God graunt they may fill vp the measure of their sinne and with such lying libels as this let them delight themselues one with another to the full Hitherto the libell with Luthers answer whereby it appeareth of how shall credit the Papists reports are touching Luther and what the practise of the Romane Church is against the persons of all that embrace not her errors and the Iesuite is admonished hereby that Luthers life and death reported by his enemies is no indifferent motiue why any man should mislike the Protestants religion the more for it For this report is made the more incredible because it walked abroade afore he was dead and the Reader may the easilier beleeue that I say because within our owne memory the like was done by Caluin and Beza in their life time 9 But what needed the Iesuite labour thus to discredit vs by Luthers manner of death and euill life For supposing he were culpable in some things yet he might be a Saint in comparison of diuers Popes who are of greater regard in the Romish Church then he could be in ours For the world neuer bare such monsters as the Popes haue bin that were a man desirous to represent the most cōplete villanie that could be imagined his next way were to make the picture of a Pope whose transcendent wickednesse is not our report as Luthers life is theirs but the constant narration of his owne subiects the Papists themselues They write of Syluester the second that m Martin Polo an 1007. Platin. in Silu 2. Fasci temp ann 1004. being a Monk he forsooke his monastery and giuing himself to the diuell followed him and did homage to him that all things might prosper according to his mind which thing the diuell promised him And so by bribery he obtained the Archbishopricks of Rhemes and Rauenna and at last the Popedom also by the help of the diuel vpon this condition that after his death he should be his body and soule In the end as he was saying Masse by the noise of diuels about him he vnderstood he should die whereupon confessing his sinne before the people he desired all the members of his body wherewith he had serued the diuell to be cut off and the trunke of his bodie to be layd in a wagon and buried where the horse would draw it And Caesar Baronius that laboureth to excuse him n An 991. nu 7. yet confesseth that he forsooke his monastery and became a courtier and in talking babling slandering detracting flatterie and doublenesse of mind being made to deceiue he outwent all men Touching Boniface the seuenth o Baron anu 985. n. 1. they write that he was a very villaine and a church robber a sauage theefe the cruel murderer of two Popes the inuader of Peters chaire that had not so much as a haire of a Pope but were to be reckoned among the ransackers and spoilers of their countrey such as were Sylla and Catiline which were not comparable to this theefe that murdered two Popes Haue you heard a man thus set forth as the Pope is here by his owne Cardinall yet he is no body to Iohn the twelfth whom p Platin. in Ioā 13. Naucler an 956. the stories call a monster of a man q Platin. in Ioan. 13. one from his youth vp defiled with all vice and turpitude more giuen to hunting then praier when he could tend it for lechery r Sigon reg Ital l. 7. an 963. accused and detected before the Emperour in a Synode of Bishops of murthers adulteries incests periuries and other vices of all sorts ſ Onuph annot Plat. an Ioan 8. Luitpran d. l 6. c. 6. 7. quem refert Baron an 963. His whores that he kept are named Reynera a widow Stephana his fathers concubine and her sister Ioan Anne and diuers others He turned the Pallace of Lateran into a stewes He would forcibly rauish wiues widowes maids that came from other places to Rome on pilgrimage the fame whereof made them afraid to come He would giue them Saint Peters golden challices and crosses for a reward He vsed hunting openly and dicing and drinking At dice he would call vpon the diuell to helpe him drinke healths to the diuell set mens houses on fire reuell it vp and downe the citie in armour He ordained a Deacon in his stable among his
the power of ordaining belongeth not to iurisdiction but to order as they call it The which point will serue to auoid all that the Iesuite hath said in this section though we should say no more 3 The Texts of Scripture obiected are easily answered To that of Heb. 5. I say it requireth no more but that the partie be called of God which Luther was as we know by his labour and the fruite of it though Luther had also a lawfull outward calling as I haue shewed Sect. 52. num 5. For the Apostle speaketh of Christ who yet had none of the peculiar consecration mentioned by the Iesuite but onely a calling from God otherwise testified All the other places receiue the same answer For they mention nothing but a lawfull entrance into the ministerie containing no one sillable that bindeth to such an externall kind of succession as our aduersaries call for Whereupon I conclude that Luther and Caluin and all our ordinarie Pastours came in by the doore and satisfied the whole ordinance of God touching a lawfull calling For inwardly God enabled them and opened their eyes to see the Romane corruptions and outwardly they were created Pastors and teachers of Diuinity in the Churches where they liued and where they preached the magistrate authorized the people allowed them which is sufficient vnlesse the doctrine they taught could be disproued And if anie other outward ceremonie or custome were wanting which is vsed in the Church of Rome or hath bene vsed in the purer Church in former ages we care not for that but are readie to maintaine that all circumstances considered no such custome or ceremonie is simply and by the law of God or absolutely necessarie Digression 55. Shewing how vncertaine and contrary the Papists are among themselues touching the power of Priesthood in remitting sinnes and concerning the first institution of Shrift where it began 4 The Iesuite alledging the words of Christ mentioned Ioh. 20.22 to shew the necessitie of coming in by a lawfull calling by the way glozeth two things vpon them that deserue to be noted First that thereby the power to absolue from sins was giuen the Apostles so consequently to all Priests Which I will shew to be but a new opinion and of no certaintie that the reader may see the Church of Rome is not at one with her selfe touching the principallest points of her faith and no man can be certaine of anie thing that the Iesuite saith for these be his words To the Apostles was giuen power to absolue from sinnes But Fra. Victoria d Relect 1. de potest eccles sect 3. saith There be many Catholike authors which to the power of Orders do not simply attribute the remission of sins or collation of grace or any effect truly spirituall at all For they say mortall sinnes can neuer be forgiuen but by contrition and that by the power of the keyes sinnes are neuer forgiuen or the first grace conferred Wherein he hath truly reported of many great and ancient Schoolemen For so thought e Lib. 4. d. 18. the Maister of Sentences And Maior f 4 d. 14. q. 2. concl 3. saith The sacrament of Penance doth no way blot out sinne adding that the Doctors hold this commonly g Mich. AygnaÌ„ Bonon in Ps 31 Bononiensis demaunding whether a Priest can remit sinne by the power of the keyes answereth that the keyes are taken three wayes First for the principall authoritie simply and so they belong to God onely Next for authoritie not simply principall but precellent and so they belong to Iesus Christ onely Thirdly for authoritie neither principall nor precellent but ministeriall onely and thus the Pope and his successors haue the keyes as Christ said to Peter I will giue thee the keyes By this ministeriall power he meanes the same that Peter Lombard whoÌ„ he alledgeth followeth doth h Mag. lib. 4. d. 18. Ouand 4. d. 18. pro. 26. who is now reiected for holding that the key worketh not any absolution from the sinne but onely declareth the partie to be absolued But i Altisiod part 4. tract 6. cap. 8. q. 2. Alexand. part 4. q. 80. m. 1 ad 3. Occh. 4. q 8. lit q. Gabr. 4. d. 14. q. 2. lit d. n. most ancient Schoolemen follow him Occham saith I answer according to the Maister that Priests bind and loose because they declare men to be bound and loosed 5 The which exposition being the truth as it ouerthroweth the present conceit holden touching the Priests absolution that it is a iudiciall act effecting grace and iustifying a sinner whether contrite or not contrite that is not materiall to the Priests authoritie so it ineuitably destroyeth the Sacrament of Penance For this supposed power to remit and retaine sinne is the foundation of that Sacrament For therefore it is beleeued to be a Sacrament because the Scripture mentioneth the remitting of sinnes by the power of the keyes which power being no more but onely to declare them to be remitted by true contrition without conferring anie grace to the partie the Sacrament is destroyed for want of conferring grace properly and so there is no argument in the Scripture that Penance is a Sacrament 6 Againe the Iesuite saith that the Apostles had power to absolue from sin and the people a commandement to confesse their sinnes giuen in those words of Iohn thereby affirming his supposed Sacrament to be instituted by Christ and in those verie words wherein he falleth againe into the former difficulties and worse For in the 40. Section he said the Protestants denying Penance and Satisfaction to be needfull go against that of Iohn Baptist Do workes worthy of penance and that of our Sauiour Mat. 4. Do penance Which cannot be so if Penance were not ordained before Christs resurrection for howsoeuer he will thinke the deniall of Penance is against the Scripture yet if it were not ordained till Christ was risen he is debarred from saying we do against the words of Iohn Baptist Christ Mat. 4. because those words command no Penance or if they do then it was not instituted in Iohn 20. after Christs resurrection Let the Iesuite choose which he will 7 The truth is our aduersaries and the Church whereof they are though they make much ado with this sacrament because it is the net that taketh all their prouision yet can they not tell either when or where it was instituted or who commanded it You heare what the Iesuite saith that Christ did it in the 20. Chapter of S. Iohn which is I grant the currant opinion among the Iesuites since the Councell of Trent but in former times it was not so afore these men the Paracelsians of the text tooke it in hand Now k Ouand 4. d. 16 pro. 15. faith a late Frier out of the Tridentine Councell prouing the necessity of confession by discoâ—rse out of the authoritie of Iohn 20 we haue this to be the germane sence of that
thence haue giuen testimony to vs who remain behinde that they are safely arriued there you I say are vnwise that will leaue this way to aduenture the liues not of your bodies but of your soules in a path found out by your selues neuer tracked before In which whosoeuer haue gone yet God knoweth what is become of them since we neuer had letter or miracle or euident token or any word from them to assure vs that they passed safely that way I may account you most vnwise men that will aduenture such a pretious iewell as your soule is to be transported by such an vncertaine and most dangerous way I must needs think that since there is but one way and that the way of the Catholike Church is a sure and approued way you are very vnwise that leaue it The Answer 1 They are vnwise that leaue the way of the Catholicke Church they are no wiser but the very same that follow the way of the Romane Church the reason is because the Roman is not the Catholick Church And therfore we that haue left it and the waies thereof that we might trauell towards the heauenly Ierusalem reioyce in the goodnesse of God that hath called vs to this mercy and daily craue of his heauenly maiestie that he will continue vs therein to our liues end though Papists cal vs to follow them Whose miracles as a Digress 44. I haue shewed giue no testimony that any man in the Popish religion euer came to heauen The miracles of Christ and of his Apostles and of the Primitiue Church belong not to them but vs in that our faith is the same that theirs was that did them The rest contained in the Legends and Indian Newes which are all that Papists can properly challenge are the delusions of Satan and forgeries of men And so the diuell and the Frier playing the Carriers loded their packe-horse with such stuffe and because the Pope paied them well for the deuice they made silly Papists such as the Iesuite is beleeue they came from their friends in heauen This therefore is no sure way to finde the truth vnlesse it be certain that these miracles were sent indeed and then as certaine that they which sent them died in the present Popish religion 2 As for our selues we are not so destitute of letters and tokens as the Iesuite pretendeth sent vs not from men that are departed but from God that gaue them entertainment whose certificate to vs is b 2. Pet. 1 1◠more worth then all the miracles of the world because he sent it vs by his owne Sonne that best could tell who arriued in his fathers house And these letters are the Scriptures God our King c Hom. 39. saith Macarius hath sent the diuine Scriptures as it were letters vnto vs. And Saint Austin saith d Enarr Psal 90. conc 2. These are the letters which are come to vs frō that Citie whither like Pilgrims we are trauelling So that as long as by these Scriptures we can iustifie our faith we haue letters from heauen sufficient to assure vs that all which embrace and obey the faith we professe are safely arriued in the kingdome of heauen This is the reason why the Pope forbiddeth his people the reading of them lest thereby they should know so much and knowing it should forsake him and his lying miracles § 63. I must thinke that since the Catholicke Church is as I haue proued the light of the world and rule of faith the pillar and ground of the truth that you leauing it leaue the light and therefore walke in darkenesse forsaking the true faith and therefore are misled in the mist of incredulity into the wildernesse of misbeliefe Finally hauing lost the sure ground of truth fall into the ditch of many absurdities must needs be drowned in the pit of innumerable errors And erring thus from the way the veritie the life which is Christ residing according to his promise in the Catholicke Church must needs vnlesse you will returne to the secure way of the same Catholicke Church incurre your owne perdition death and endlesse damnation of body and soule from the which sweet Iesus deliuer vs all to the honour and perpetuall praise of his name Amen Laus Deo beatae virgini Mariae The Answer 1 The Church of Rome is not the Catholike Church but the seate of Antichrist and therfore what danger soeuer there be in forsaking the Catholicke yet there is none in refusing the Romane Church Nay t 2. Cor. 6.17 Apoc. 18.4 all such as will be saued must forsake it And they that will abide therein shall find by experience at the last that all the inconueniences which the Iesuite saith belong to such as leaue the Catholicke Church will fall vpon them And therefore blessed be God the Father of lights who hath restored among vs the publicke ministery of the Gospel for the calling of his people out of the damned errors of the Romane Sea into his owne Church And let the earth reioyce and euery child of God therein and giue him thankes who hath made the light of his Church to breake out when the tyranny of the Church of Rome had thought to haue smothered it in eternall darkenesse and with the innumerable errors that it bred to haue seduced misled and drowned it for euer wherby mankinde should haue incurred perdition death and endlesse damnation of body and soule And let my deare countrimen know among whom vnto whom I write these things and for whose sake I will expose my selfe to the vndiscreet fury of seducers and many seduced refusing no paines or dutie that may tend to the enlightning of their conscience and confirming of the vndoubted faith of Iesus Christ wherof I am called to be the meanest preacher that liueth among them LET THEM I SAY AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF OVR LAND WHOM THESE HAPPY DAIES HAVE RECLAIMED FROM THE CHVRCH OF ROME COVNT THIS THEIR CHIEFEST HAPPINES AND WE ARE IT AS THEIR CROWNE that God hath thus made them partakers of his Gospell when the other side euen vnder their eyes lie plunged in ignorance of mind error of faith and vilenesse of conuersation so horrible and prodigious that it needeth teares to bewaile it rather then a pen to report it In recompence wherof let them be CONSTANT AND FAITHFVLL to the end and continue in the things that they haue learned making no question but our faith which could bring so visible a reformation of manners into our countrey so certaine knowledge so vnspeakeable comfort into our minde which could bring the light of Gods owne word the maiesty of elder times the reuerent countenance of the first antiquitie and the perpetuall testimony of our aduersaries themselues for her iustification wil saue their soules if they will obey it For want of which obedience they may and shall perish eternally when the faith it selfe is in no fault And let them LABOVR WITH LOVE AND
in the sence of the Scripture nu 4 7. Digress 10. How a man may be certaine which is the right sence n. 7 8 12. Why many vnderstand not the Scripture Digress 10. and 14. and § 10.1 How the easinesse of the Scripture is proued 8.16 They haue the outward authoritie wherupon our faith is built Digress 11. how we know them to be Gods word Digress 11. and 12. They coÌ„taine all things needfull 9.1 The Papists say the sence of the Scripture altereth with the time 9.11 Horrible behauiour of the Papists gainst the Scriptures Digress 22. Shrift See Auricular confession Sinne. How God willeth it 40.50 Our vprising from sin is by grace our owne will not disposing thereunto 40.63 The Papists haue no certainty what power the Priest hath in remitting sinne Digress 55. We do not say all that we do is sin Digress 37. Our doctrine touching the sinfulnes cleauing to our good workes maketh not men carelesse 40.25 Sinne mortall and venial an vntrue distinction Digress 38. How the Papists hold it ib. They agree not in it ibid. Succession Wherein true succession standeth 52.1 3. How the Protestants doctrine hath succeeded 52.4 How the father 's insisted vpon succession 53. and 56. It is no note of the Church 54.1 True faith how ioyned with succession and how not 54.2 The Succession of the Romane Church proueth it not the true Church 55 2. The Greekes haue as good succession as the Romanes ibid. The Romish Church hath no true outward succession Digress 53. Such succession as the Papists meane is not needfull 58 2. Supremacy of the Pope against the first antiquitie 35.10 47.6 The Papists agree not in it 35.20 The Popes Supremacy dependeth on a point that can neuer be proued 36.24 The Primitiue Church acknowledged it not Digress 27. Phocas gaue it to Boniface 36.31 When it began ouer Bishops and kings 50.9 T TEmptation may be ouercome without Gods grace as the Papists vntruly say 40.58 Traditions made equall to Scripture 1.3 Yea preferred before it 1.2 In marg k. and 5.8 Translation of the Scripture forbidden by the Church of Rome 1.3 How translations are Gods word it selfe and the rule of faith 5.2 and how our faith relieth on them ibid The Scripture ought to be translated and read of all Digress 5. The Papists disdaine this 5.11 How our English translations may be called erronious and how not 6.2 How we know our English translation to be the infallible word of God 6.3 8. The amending or changing of our translation is no discredit to it 6.6 The Hebrew and Greeke originals are free from error 6.11 Transubstantiation a new doctrine 35.12 and 47.8 The Papists haue no certaintie of it 47.9 Treasury of the Church whence pardon arise not agreed vpon what it should be 40 34. Trent Councell what kind of Councell and the proceeding thereof Digress 20. V VAcancies of the Roman Sea 55.6 Veniall sinne what 40 â—6 Some Papists deny any sinne to be venial num 27. How done away ibid. Visiblenes of the Church See Church Vnitie of the Church wherein it properly consisteth 33.1 The true Church may be without outward vnitie n. 2. It is soÌ„time grieuously violated in the Church Digress 21. No vnitie in the Romane Church 35.1 Digress 24. What kind of vnitie the Papists haue in their Church 35.2 Vniuersalitie of the Church how to be expounded 44.2 Vniuersalitie of the Romish Church disproued 46.2 Our faith is vniuerâ—â—â—l in Time Place and Doctrine 44. Vprising from sinne is by Grace without the disposing of the will thereto 40.63 Vulgar translation of the Bible which the Papists vse canonized by the Trent Councell 6.11 Exceedingly corrupt Digress 7. W WAfers when brought into the Sacrament 50.31 Waldenses and their opinions 50.32 Woman Pope 55.7 Word of God See Scriptures The Papists by Gods word meane Traditions as wel as the writteÌ„ word 1.3 Workes See Good works and Merit and Satisfaction The Church of Rome ioyneth our workes with Christs merits iointly to satisfie therewith 40.29 GOod Reader it may fall out that in the margent of this booke specially some faults are escaped in the printing by mistaking or misplacing the figures other parts of the quotation Which is no maruel in quotations of this nature where many figures go together And I my selfe being aboue 100. miles from the presse that I could not helpe it Neuerthelesse I will maintaine the quotation for substance to be true though the Printer may haue mistaken it and learned men that will take so much pains may find that which I intend I doubt not by their owne knowledge of the place if the numbers of the quotation deceiue them I know not whether there be any such defects yet or noâ— but this I admonish because the Papists if they find an error in the printing of one of our bookes vse to exclame as if an article of our faith were razed out neuer remembring the like casualties of their own It is one thing if I haue wilfully forged or falsified a place and another thing if the Printer onely haue mistaken the quotation The latter may be but the former is not as I will be ready to satisfie any that will charge me with it FINIS
third text Feed my sheepe Iohn 21. belongeth likewise to all the Apostles For though in that place those words be directed to Peter yet therein our Sauiour did but apply a general commandement to him and put him in mind of a dutie that was common to all For what were the rest of the Apostles Peters sheepe and not rather the people of the world to whoÌ„ he was to preach according to the ordinary opposition that is betweene Pastors and their flockes Or doth feeding suppose any more then preaching the Gospell to all nations which euery Apostle was bidden do And though it should yet Christ saith to all As my Father sent me so I send you and it is like the Father sent his Sonne to feed the sheepe without any subiection to another o Ier. 3.15 Act. 20.28 1. Pet. 5.1 And Pastors inferior to the Apostles are authorised to feed the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made them ouerseers They are all Pastors p De Vnit. Eccl. saith Cyprian but the flocke is one which with one consent is fed by all the Apostles Moreouer the fathers out of this text proue that euery Pastor in the Church ought to be diligent in feeding the flocke committed to him which is an argument that they thought these words were meant to more then Peter Saint Austin q Tract 121. in Ioh. saith They which feed the sheepe of Christ with this minde to haue them their owne and not Christs are conuinced thereby that they loue not Christ and against them this speech of Christ if thou louest me feed my sheep is to be vrged Chrysostome r De Sacerd. lib. 2. saith Our Sauiour at that time intended to teach both Peter and vs how deare his Church is to him that so by this meanes we also with all our heart might take vpon vs the cure and charge of the same Church And the practise of Saint Paul reprouing Peter at Antioch sheweth euidently that euery Apostle had equall authoritie to feede not onely the flock but one another else Paul might not haue rebuked him as he did And though our aduersaries sticke reasonable well to this text and are loath to giue the Apostles any share therein with Peter yet are they not all so resolute but that some of them confesse flatly as much as I answer Cusanus Å¿ Concord l. 2. c. 13. saith If Christ said to Peter Feed my sheepe yet it is manifest that feeding is by word and example So also according to Saint Austin in his exposition vpon that place the same commandement was giuen to all there where it is said Go into all the world and preach c. there is found nothing said to Peter that importeth any power Therefore we say truly that all the Apostles in power were equall with Peter the like t Defens pacis part 2. c. 28. saith Marsilius That Christ committing the office of feeding to Peter spake to him in the person of all the Apostles which maner of speaking he testifieth to haue vsed in that he saith what I say to one I say to all And albeit the rest will not grant thus much yet it followeth euidently and vnanswerably of that which they do grant For u Baro. an 34. n. 201. Rhem. Mat. 16.19 they yeeld that no more is giuen Peter here then was promised in Mat 16. where the keyes are mentioned but I haue shewed and no Papist can deny that all the Apostles were equall in the keyes and that those words concerned Peter no more then the other disciples So that it must needes be wilfull obstinacie to say still that these words feed my sheep were meant to none but Peter And let this suffice for the first issue betweene vs. 16 The next part of my answer is that to whom soeuer any of the texts alledged were directed yet none of them intendeth that which the Iesuite assumeth for he saith that to S. Peter and his successors Christ promised the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and that he would vpon him and his successors as vpon a sure rocke build his Church meaning thereby the common conceit of the Papists that Christ in these words gaue Saint Peter and the Pope the fulnesse of power and gouernement ouer the vniuersall Church wherein the Iesuite wilfully misreporteth the text For there is no mention there of Pope or successor but onely of Peter and the Apostles it was his fancie to Rome that put in the Pope And how he is deceiued herein you may perceiue by this that x Caiet tract de instit Pontific c. 13. § Ad huius rei euidentiam the Papists acknowledge the succession of the Pope had not his beginning from Christ and the Gospell but from the death of Peter at Rome which being true then whatsoeuer he said to Peter yet he gaue nothing to the Pope for if he had his institution into the Papacie had bin by the Gospell and the fact of Christ which the Papists dare not say Againe Christ said not to Peter that vpon him he would build his Church but thou art Peter and vpon this rocks I will build it meaning as y Serm 13. de verbis Domini Saint Augustine expoundeth vpon this rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this rocke which thou hast knowne saying thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God will I build my Church I will build thee vpon me not me vpon thee For the rocke was Christ whereupon Peter himselfe was built sith no man can lay any other foundation then that which is layd alreadie which is Iesus Christ And z De trinit l. 4. pag. 106. Cyril saith I thinke that by the rocke Christ meant nothing else but the vnmoueable faith of his disciple wherein the Church is founded and stayed from falling And Hilarie a De trinit l. 2. The building of the Church is vpon this rocke of confession this faith is the foundation of the Church by reason of this faith hell gates preuaile not against her b Hom. in nat S. Petri. going vnder the name of Eusâ—bius Emisenuâ— but Baronius saith the author of those homilies is Eucherius Lugdunensis annal tom 6. ann 441. nu 5. Eucherius saith Let vs see what this is I will build my Church vpon this rocke vpon this rocke which euen now thou laydst to be the foundation of faith vpon this rocke whiâ—h euen now thou taughtest saying Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God vpon this rocke and vpon this faith will I build my Church whereunto the Apostle agreeing saith Other foundation can no man lay but that which is laid Iesus Christ as if he should say there is no other foundation but that rocke which Peter layd for a foundation when he said thou art Christ Yea many learned Papists also refuse this new exposition of the Iesuites and well saw the words could not beare it and therefore after the example of the fathers expound