Monks of former ages giues the reason which occasioned the Romanists of these later times to stand vpon iustification of their Traditions About the time the Deuill was let loose that is to say a thousand yeeres after Christ certaine Monkes saith he for the vpholding of Pope Hildebrands faction desired other doctrines Alienas doctrinas appetunt magisteria humana institutionis inducunt Lib. de vnit Eccles p. 233. and brought in masteries of humane Institution and to preuent the knowledge of the truth they permitted not yong men in their Monasteries to studie the sauing knowledge of the Scriptures to the end Vt inde ingenium nutriatur siliquis daemoniorum qua sunt consuetudines humanarū Traditionū Ibid. p. 228. that their rude wit might bee nourished with the huskes of deuils which are the customs of humane Traditions that being accustomed to such filth they might not taste how sweet the Lord was This learned Author giues vs to vnderstand that the vnwritten doctrines in the Roman Church were but filth and huskes of Deuils which without doubt the heretiques of former ages had scattered and left behind them And thus the Priests and Fryars haue receiued the doctrine of Traditions from the Monks the Monkes from the heretikes and both ioyntly sympathize with the heretike Eutyches in the generall Councell of Chalcedon and make one and the same generall acclamation Concil Cha. Act. 1 Thus I haue receiued of my forefathers thus I haue beleeued in this faith I was baptized and signed in the same haue I liued till this day and in the same I wish to die I speake not this to decline the authoritie of Apostolique Traditions for I know well the same Apostle who tels the Scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation giues also this warning to the Church of Thessalonica stand fast 2. Thess 2.15 and hold the Traditions which yee haue been taught whether by word or our Epistle Here the Apostle calls his owne written Epistle a Tradition and for ought can appeare that which hee taught by word of mouth was but the word written for a man may teach one and the same doctrine diuers waies but what Protestant I pray did euer refuse to hold the traditions which Saint Paul and the rest of the Apostles taught by word of mouth Wee generally confesse that they were of equall authoritie with the Word written but who can tell vs what Traditions those were if they were not written We may grant without preiudice to our cause that Saint Paul deliuered more to the Thessalonians by word of mouth then was conteined in that Epistle although the words alleadged inforce no such thing for wee take not vpon vs to maintaine that the first Epistle to the Thessalonians contained all the doctrine to saluation but doth it therefore follow that he deliuered more vnto them then was contained in the whole Scriptures When Paul came to Thessalonica three Sabbath dayes saith the Text hee reasoned with them out of the Scriptures He taught them Acts 17.2 that it behooued Christ to suffer and rise againe from the dead and that Iesus was Christ and after that Acts 26.22 hee witnesseth both to small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Therfore whatsoeuer hee deliuered to the Thessalonians although it be not found in his written Epistle yet it must needs be contained in the holy Scriptures Againe if the Thessalonians had insisted onely vpon vnwritten Traditions yet the Apostle would by no meanes approoue of it for hee professeth that the Iewes of Beraea were more noble then those of Thessalonica and there he giues the reason for it Acts 17.11 In that they receiued the Word with all readinesse of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so And hence we haue an example of the vndoubted Traditions of the Apostles themselues which were examined by the touchstone of the Scriptures but no man can shew me that euer the Scriptures were examined by vnwritten Traditions We say therefore that all vnwritten Traditions which concerne the saluation of the beleeuer are either immediately or at least by sound inference deriued from the Scriptures and those also haue a manifest and perpetuall testimony of the Primitiue Church and the vniforme consent of succeeding Christians in all ages And whereas our adversaries charge vs that we likewise holde doctrinall Traditions which haue no foūdation in the Scriptures as namely the Canon of the Scriptures the keeping of the Sabbath the baptizing of Infants and the perpetuall Virginitie of the blessed Virgin it is sufficiently apparant that these things are also deriued from the Scriptures for as wee deny not that the Canon of the Scripture may bee tearmed a Tradition in a large sense yet wee say euen that Tradition is deriued also from the testimony of the Apostle Saint Paul yea and of Christ himselfe who witnesseth that whatsoeuer he spake was written in the Law in the Prophets the Psalmes vnder which none of the Apocryphall Books are contained Touching the Sabbath day wee hold the obseruation of it to bee perpetuall Acts 20.7 1. Cor. 16.2 Reue. 1.10 and vnchangeable because we find it noted in the Scriptures Touching baptisme of Infants Bellarmine himselfe prooues it first from the proportion betweene Baptisme and Circumcision secondly from two places of Scripture Iohn 3.5 Math. 19.14 Lastly concerning the perpetuall Virginitie of Marie although for the honour and sanctitie of that blessed Virgin wee beleeue it Index Biblicus in Regiis Biblus vocabulo Maria multis scripturae locis significari perpetuam virginitatem Maria ostendit yet this doctrine is not de necessitate but de pietate fidei it is more for pious credulitie then for necessitie and yet if we require Scripture for it the Fathers proue it out of the 44 of Ezech. 2. as Hierome sheweth in his Commentaries vpon that place Now if any man list to be contentious and demand of vs where it is written that the Sonne of God is of the same substance with the Father Where is it written that Christ is God and man subsisting in one person Where is it written that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne as well as from the Father or where is the word Trinitie to bee found written in the whole body of the Scripture If any man shall deny the truth of these things because they are not plainly in the same words deliuered in the Scriptures what can his question argue lesse then a plaine cauilling and shifting of a knowne truth for as Athanasius in the like case answered the Arrians touching the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the substance with the Father Athan. Ep. quod decreta Synodi Nicaenae cōgruis verbis sunt exposita Albeit the word bee not found in the Scriptures yet it hath the same meaning that the Scriptures intend and import the same with them
whose eares are intirely affected towards Religion And in like manner Saint Austen made the like answere Quia etsi fortassè nomen ipsum non inueniret res tamē ipsa inveniretur quid est enim contentiosius quá vbi de re cōstat certare de nomine Aug. Epist 174. Albeit the word perhaps be not found there yet the thing it selfe is found and what more friuolous quarrell is it then to contend about the word when there is a certaintie of the thing I will not require of our aduersaries to shew mee in the Scriptures the word of Transubstantiation of Masse of Supremacie and the like because they receiue them as Traditions which are not conteined in the Scriptures but on the other side if any Romanist will deny that the Articles of the Apostles Creed are not contained in the Scriptures and yet will shew me in expresse words I beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth or that the holy Catholike Church and Communion of Saints are the expresse wordes contained in the Scriptures I will subscribe to the Articles of the newe Romane Creed and allow all Papall Traditions for Apostolical For we doe not say that nothing is to bee beleeued de fide but what is written in the Scriptures in expresse termes but wee professe it must be directly or by necessary consequence deduced from the Scriptures It was the answere of Epiphanius to the disciples of Arius in the Primitiue Church Wee all of vs doe confesse the Father to be vnbegotten Epiphan haeres 69. nu 71. increate and it is surely an admirable saying but shew mee if you can where this saying is written for neither doeth the Law of Moses nor the Prophets nor yet the Apostles make any mention thereof If then we do piously acknowledge this saying though it were not written any where Idem haeres 75. who can find fault with vs though the word Coessentiall or Consubstantiall be not written As therefore we confesse the words Vnbegotten Increate Consubstantiall the word Trinitie and the like are not found in Scriptures so I thinke no Romanists will or can deny but that all those words are implyed in the Scripture or by necessary inference deduced from them To conclude therefore this second poynt and first Article of the Romane Creed since Papall Traditions haue no foundation in the Scripture nor are contained in any Apostolike author by our aduersaries confession since they want a continued succession from the Apostles time with vniuersalitie of Churches consent of Fathers since they are not resolued of a certaine and definite number of doctrinall Traditions which ought to be resolued in poynts of Faith Lastly since the Scriptures by the testimonies of both sides is the safest and furest rule for all beleeuers and since many Papall Traditions are different if not contrary to the Scriptures To follow vnknowne and vnwritten doctrines for knowne and written verities is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via deuia a wandring and By-way I proceed in the next place to the examination of the ancient Fathers whereby it shall appeare the Romish faith and doctrine as it wants Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie of Churches so likewise it is vtterly destitute of the consent of ancient Fathers SECT X. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to sifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them Cant. 1.7 and 6.1 TEll mee then O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest whither is thy beloued turned side that wee may seeke him with thee Shall wee seeke him in the Fathers Oh saith Campian If wee once name the Fathers Camp Rat. 5. the field is fought the wager is won on our side for they are all ours Yea saith Bristow In most matters of Controuersie they are so plain on our side Brist Mot. 14. that it cannot with any colour bee denied or called in question Yea Duraeus the Iesuit claimes a peculiar interest in the behalfe of the Roman Church Nos Patrū veri filii sumus Dur. coutr Whitak p. 125. 140. Wee onely are the true sonnes of the Fathers wee doe not cite them by the halues sometimes allowing one part of their doctrine sometimes reiecting another but we embrace them all And for confirmation of this assertion the Romanists in their Apologie or Petition of Lay Catholikes make this generall acclamation Apolog. or Pet. of Lay Cath. 1604. cap. 4. For one place of a Father sometimes ill cited sometimes falsified sometimes mutilated and sometimes wholly corrupted by Protestants we can produce a thousand not by patches and mammockes as they doe but whole pages whole chapters whole bookes and the vniforme consent of all the ancient Fathers and Catholique Church Thus the wicked Iewes claimed Abraham for their Father and thus the frantike Grecian claimed all the ships in Athens to bee his Thrasilaus when the poore man had least interest in them If Campian and his fellow Iesuites had been liuing in the dayes of the ancient Fathers surely they had been branded with the markes of heretikes for their false alarums for Carosus the Eutychian heretike although his claime reach not to all the Fathers Ego secundum expositionem trecentū octodecem Patrum sic credo c. Concil Chalc. Act. 4 p. 877. yet saith he according to the Exposition of three hundred and eighteene Fathers so I beleeue and in this faith was I baptized what should ye say more to mee I cannot tell And Dioscorus the heretike much like the Iesuit makes an open outcry in the Councell of Chalcedon Ego cum Patribus eiicior ego defendo Patrum dogmata ego horum habeo testimonia non simpliciter aut transitoriè sed in ipsorum libris expressum Concil Chalc. Act. 1. I haue the testimonies of the holy Fathers Athanasius Gregorie Cyril I varie not from them in any poynt I am throwne foorth and banished with the Fathers I defend the Fathers doctrine I haue their iudgement vttered not by chance or vnaduisedly but remaining expressed in their books Thus Paynims heretikes Iewes and Iesuits claime Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in Traditions and Fathers yea the heretikes did glory and vaunt of the Fathers in the two famous Councels of Nice and Chalcedon in the very presence of the Fathers themselues yea Pelagius the heretike when he disagreed from the doctrine of the Fathers like a true Romanist thought to aduance his owne heresie by magnifying the Faith of Ambrose an ancient Father Blessed St. Ambrose saith he that Bishop Pelag. lib. 3. de lib. Arbitrio q. in whose bookes the Roman faith especially appeareth who like a beautifull flower shined amongst the Latine Writers whose faith and most pure vnderstāding of the scriptures the enemy himselfe dares not reprehend This is the very practise of the Romane church in these daies They glory
noÌ„ in Conciliis EpiscoporuÌ„ noÌ„ in literis quorum libet disputatorum non in signis prodigiis fallacibus quia etiam contra ista verbo Dom. praeparati et cautired diti sumus sed in praescripto Legis in Prophetarum praedictis in Psalmorum cantibus in ipsius Pastoris vocibus in EuangelistaruÌ„ praedicationibus et laboribus hoc est in omnibus Canonicis SanctoruÌ„ librorum authoritatibus Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. and vpon these they challenged that great Champion but heare what answere hee makes them Let the Donatists if they can shew their Church not in rumors and speeches of the men of Africa not in the Councels of their Bishops not in discourses of any Writers whatsoeuer not in signes and miracles that may bee forged for we are forewarned by Gods word and therefore fore-armed against those things but in the prescript of the Law in the prediction of the Prophets in the verses of the Psalmes in the voices of the Shepheard himselfe in the preaching and workes of the Euangelistes that is in all the Canonicall authorities of the sacred Scriptures If Saint Austen had been liuing in these dayes either he must haue retracted this Protestant doctrine or hee would haue beene reputed for an heretique for all these marks which were anciently maintained by the Donatists are proclaimed by our aduersaries to be visible characters of the true Church neither did this learned father require more of the Donatist then the Catholiques of those times were willing to performe on their parts and therfore hee bindes himselfe to the same conditions which hee required of his aduersaries and withall renders the reason of his demand Nec nos proptareà dicimus nobis credere oportere ad in Ecclesia Christi sumê° quia ipsam quaÌ„ tenemê° commendauit Mileuitanus Optatus vel Mediolanensis Ambrosius vel alii innumerabilis nostra communionis Episcopi aut quia nostrorum Collegarum Conciliis praedicata est aut quia per totum orbem in locis sanctis qua frequentat nostra communiâ—tantâ— mirabilia fiunt Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. Quia nec nos propterea dicimus c. Because wee our selues doe not say wee must therefore be beleeued for that wee are in the Church of Christ or else for that Optatus and Ambrose and infinite other Bishops of our Communion haue commended the Church which wee hold or because our Church hath bin published in the Councells of our Colleagues or because in all places of the world where our Communion is frequented there are so many miracles wrought This was the doctrine of Saint Austen and the ancient Fathers and this is ours they required no more of the Donatists but to lay apart all pretended titles and relie onely vpon the word of God we offer to the Romanists no lesse then to accept the same conditions vpon triall of that title and relie only vpon that word I must confesse I thinke a more speedy way might haue been found to haue giuen an answere to the Controuersies of that age for Saint Austen might haue poynted at the Church in the West which was then as conspicuous as the Sun at Noone day hee might haue answered them it was a Citie vpon a hill which was visible to all He might haue produced the Apostle for a witnesse that her faith was published throughout the whole world he might haue confuted them with sacred Councells and Doctrine of the ancient Fathers and confirmed his trueth with the death of constant Martyrs which sealed their doctrine with their blood in the testimonie of the true faith Certainely all these proofes were pregnant in his time and he might easily haue produced them in behalfe of his Church as our aduersaries in these dayes doe for theirs but hee left these brags to these latter times and sends them to the Law to the Testimonies to the word of Christ that speaketh better things then was possible for man to vtter Ne in Ecclesia errares ne quis tibi diceret Christus est qui non est Christê° aut Ecclesia est quae non est Ecclesia audi vocem Pastoris ostendit Ecclesiam ne quis te fallat in nomine Ecclesiae Aug. Psal 69. and to that end saith hee thou mightest not erre in the Church and lest any man should say this is Christ who is not Christ or this is the Church which is not the Church heare the voyce of the Shepheard hee hath shewed thee the Church that the name of the Church may not deceiue thee The summe and substance therefore of St. Austens doctrine was this that neither Bishops nor Councels nor Miracles nor rumors of the Catholique name doe demonstrate the Church of God to be Catholique for all these are common to heretiques as well as Catholiques but the holy Scriptures which beare the testimony of Iesus they onely carry the infallible markes of his trueth In Scripturis didicimê° Christum in Scripturis didicimus ecclesiam Aug. ep 166 and in them faith hee wee haue knowen Christ in them we haue knowen the Church Neither was this the opinion of Saint Austen only for Saint Hierom tels vs that in his dayes the Church was not gone out of her limits of the holy Scriptures Non est egressa de finibus suis id est de Scripturis sanctis Hier. lib. 1. c. 1. in Mich. and from thence the timber and materialls must bee taken with which the house of wisedome is to bee built And Saint Chrysostome as a wise Master-Builder in this house gaue this Caueat to the worke-men in after ages Chrys in opere imperfecto Hom. 49. It can no way be knowen which is the true Church nisi tantummodó per Scripturas but onely by the Scriptures Non enim per alios dispositionem salutis nostra cognouimê° quam per ees per quos euangelium peruenit ad nos quod quideÌ„ tuÌ„c praeconiauerunt posteà verò per Dei voluntateÌ„ in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum et ColumnaÌ„ fidei nostrae futurum Iâ—en advers haeres l. 3. c. 1. otherwise if they had regard to other things they should bee offended and perish and not vnderstand which is the true Church And lastly the learned Father Irenaeus assures vs Non per alios c. by no other haue wee knowne the way of our saluation but by them by whom the Gospel came to vs which verily they then preached and afterwards by the will of God deliuered the same to vs in the Scriptures to bee the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith Tell me then in this latter age and time of Controuersie wherein it is commonly voyced in our eares Loe heere is Christ and there is Christ this is the true Church and that is the true Church how shall the religious man which loueth trueth and seeketh comfort resolue himselfe to which Church shal he safely ioine himselfe when perhaps he wants the learning perhaps the leasure to looke
attentiue that the words of the dead may bee read and heard He lyeth voyd of life and feeling in his graue and his words preuaile Christ doth sit in heauen and is his Testament gainsaid Open it let vs reade we are brethren why doe we striue Let our mindes be pacified our Father hath not left vs without a Testament he that made the Testament is liuing for euer Hee doeth heare our words he doth know his owne words let vs reade why doe we striue SECT III. The Scripture according to the Iudgment of the ancient Fathers is the sole Iudge of Controuersies and Interpreter of it selfe BVsaeus the Iesuite knowing that the Scriptures were not such euident testimonies of the Roman faith Si non potes effugere vel disputationeÌ„ vel collationeÌ„ de rebus fidei cuÌ„ haeretico cui tameÌ„ de doctrinâ inferiorem non esse existimas primuÌ„ ab eo percuÌ„ctare vnde argumenta suav lit depromere coÌ„trà fideÌ„ Catholicam si respondeat vt solent ex scripturis diuinis oppone illi nul laÌ„vel incertaÌ„ ex Scripturis sperari victoria nisi prius constet veri sint possessores scripturae illi an nos vbi sit vera fides et potestas exponeÌ„di scripturas Busaeus in Panatio Tit. Haeres as his fellowes pretended by way of preuention giues this caueat to his disciples If you cannot auoyd disputation with an heretique touching poynts of faith although you finde you are able to match him yet first demand of him from whence hee will deriue his arguments against the Catholique faith if he answere as commonly they doe Out of the sacred Scriptures tell him there is no victory at least but vncertaine to be hoped for from them vnlesse it may appeare who hath best right to the Scriptures and to whom belongs authoritie to expound them By this Iesuites confession the poynts in controuersie are sub judice in question to which side the right of Scriptures doe belong and to whom authoritie to expound them and sooth to say the controuersies of this age are now brought to this narrow issue that our aduersaries are well content to trie their cause by Scriptures if the Reformed Churches would graunt them but this one poore request That they may be sole Iudges and Interpreters of the Scripture A request no doubt which in most mens vnderstanding will seeme vnreasonable that Christ and his Apostles should bee iudged by man or that a man should bee Plaintiffe and Iudge in his owne cause It was the constant profession of Saint Austen August lib. Confess 13. c. 23. Men spirituall whether they rule or bee ruled iudge according to the Spirit but they iudge not of the spirituall knowledge which shineth in the firmament of the Scriptures for it is not lawfull for any man to judge ouer so high authoritie for bee the man neuer so spirituall yet must hee be a doer not a Iudge of the Law And in the conclusion of the Chapter hee giues his speciall reason for it There a man is said to bee Iudge where he hath power and authority to correct He therefore who shall first dare to correct the scripture let that man by S Austens rule assume authoritie to iudge them and as touching that Tenet that a man should be Plaintiffe and Iudge in his owne cause it was a doctrine so different from the Primitiue Church that in the midst of heresies I say in the first and best ages wherin Saint Austen and Epiphanius mention aboue fourescore heresies euen then when the Fathers had greatest reason to stand vpon the priuiledge of their Church they neuer made answere like the Romanists You must heare the Church and our Church is that Catholique Church that is the sole Iudge of controuersies and according to our Interpretation whose right it is to iudge of the Scriptures it is so and so but on the contrary they made the Scriptures sole Iudges of their cause and withall professed the Text of Scripture was the truest Glosse in expounding of it selfe I speake not this as if our reueren'd Diuines did make the Scriptures sole Iudges of our cause excluding the testimonie of the Church for we haue a church as wel as they we haue churchmen as well versd in Scriptures and Fathers as themselues neither doe wee denie the authoritie of the Fathers which ioyntly agree in poynts of faith for the right expounding of the Scriptures onely wee say the Authour of the Word who best knew his owne meaning was best able to expound himselfe and in this manner the ancient Fathers as they grounded their Church vpon the Scriptures so likewise they referred backe the meaning of the Scriptures vnto the Authour of them as if hee that was Iudge of all men should bee iudged of none and such wee know is the wisdome and goodnesse of God Eaverò quae in mysteriis occultat nec ipsa eloquio superbo erigit quo non audeat accedere mens cardiuscula et in erudita quasi pauper ad diuitem sed inuitat omnes humili sermone quos noÌ„ soluÌ„ manifestâ pascat sed etiaÌ„ secretâ exerceat veritate hoc in promptis qd â—â—reconditis habens Aug. Ep. 3. that hee hath oftentimes hidde these things from the wise and learned which he hath reuealed vnto babes and sucklings and as for those things which it hideth in miseries saith Austen it lifteth them vp not with stately speech whereby an vnlearned minde should not presume to approach as a poore man to a rich but with a lowly speech inuiteth all men that it might not only feed them with manifest but also exercise with obscure trueth hauing that in manifest that it hath in obscure places and as concerning obscure places the same holy Father tells vs Illi verò qui ea quae in diuinislibris obscura sunt intueri nequiuerint arbitrentur se digitum quideÌ„ meuÌ„ ineuers posse sydera verò quibê° demoÌ„strandis intenditur videre no posse et illi ergo et isto me reproheÌ„dere desinant et lumen oculorum diuinitùs sibi praeberi depreceantur Aug. de doct Chris l. 1. Prolog that if they cannot see the things which are obscure and dark in the Scriptures the fault is in themselues not in the precepts as if I should poynt with my finger at a starre which they would gladly see and their eye-sight were so weake that although they did see my finger yet they could not see the starre at which I poynt let them cease to blame me and let them pray to God that hee will giue them eye-sight And in his foure Books of Christian Doctrine where he purposely treateth of expounding the Scriptures he plainely prooueth that the meaning of the Word is learned out of the Word and the obscure places are expounded by the manifest and heerein hee toucheth the freehold of the Romane Church Magnificè et salubritèr spiritê° sanctê° ita Scripturas sanctas modisi auit vt
that Pygmeis being put vpon Gyants shoulders doe see further then the Gyants themselues But Bishop Fisher doth more warily excuse it and with plausible reasons assure vs that Many things Nec cuiquaÌ„ obscuruÌ„ est quin posterioribê° inge niis multa sint tam ex Euangeliis quaÌ„ ex scripturis c. Roffeas Consur Assert Luther Art 18. as well in Gospells as in the rest of the Scriptures are now more exquisitely discussed by later wits and more clearely vnderstood then they haue been heretofore eyther by reason that the yee was not as then broken vnto the Ancients neither did their age suffice to weigh exactly that whole sea of Scriptures or because in this most large field of Scriptures euen after the most diligent reapers some eares will remaine to bee gathered as yet vntouched How forcible motiues these reasons may seeme to other men I will not heere dispute sure I am they are vaine excuses for Romane Bishops and Cardinals who are bound by their generall Councell and the Popes Bull to obey the Exposition of Fathers as an Article of their faith But admit these opinions should bee excused for the particular Tenets of some priuate men let vs see how faithfully the Popes Pastors of these latter times haue interpreted the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers Moses saith Whit. Durae â—s in Camp 9. Reason pag. 269. God made man after his Image Pope Adrian interpreteth therefore Images must bee set vp in Churches Saint Peter saith Behold De obed maior vnaÌ„ sanctaÌ„ c. here are two swoâ—ds Pope Boniface concludes Therefore the Pope hath power ouer the spirituall and the temporall Saint Matthew saith Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs Iewels Defence p â—2 Mr. Harding expounds it Fiet vnum ouile et vnê° Pastor quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest sâ—d dâ—â—liquo alio Ministroqâ—â— bresâ—t loco eius Ioh de Par sâ—de pot Reg Papati c. 30. therfore it is not lawfull for the vulgar people to reade the Scriptures Saint Iohn saith There shall bee one Fold and one Sheepherd Iohannes de Parisijs tels vs This place cannot bee expounded of Christ but must bee taken for some Minister ruling in his stead The Prophet Dauid saith Thou hast put all things vnder his feet Antoninus expounds it Anton. in sum part 3. tit 22. c. 5. Haebr 2. Thou hast made all things subiect to the Pope the cattle of the field that is to say men liuing in the earth the fishes of the sea that is to say the soules in Purgatory the fowles of the ayre that is to say the soules of the blessed in heauen And lastly whereas our Sauiour Christ witnesseth of himselfe In Concil Later sub Leo 10. p. 671. All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth Stephen Archbishop of Patraca applyed it to Pope Leo the tenth in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope himselfe who thankfully accepted it and suffered it to bee published and printed and as it is rightly obserued by learned Du Moulin Pope Innocent the third in his Booke of the Mysteries of the Masse Buckler of faith pa. 30. the booke of sacred Ceremonies Durants Rationalls Tolet and Titleman and others do most ridiculously wrest the Scriptures altogether different from their right meaning and the Expositions of the Fathers as for instance The Scripture saith The Rocke was Christ therefore say they the Altar must bee of stone It is written I am the light of the world therfore Tapers must be set vpon the Altar It is written Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth therefore the Priest must kisse the Altar It is written Thou shalt see my back parts Exod. 33.23 therefore the Priest must turne his backe to the people It is written Laua me ampliús Psal 51. Wash mee againe therefore the Priest must wash his hands twise It is written Exod. 3.5 Put off thy shooes for this place is holy therefore the Bishop at Masse changeth his hose and shooes And lastly the Pope himselfe at the time of his coronation casteth certain copper money amongst the people vsing the words of Peter Siluer and gold haue I none but that which I haue I giue thee These and the like Expositions doe much resemble the strict order of Monkes who reading the words in Matthew Districtissimi MonachoruÌ„ simplicitèr intelligentes fecerunt sibi cruces ligneas easque sibi iugiter humeru circuÌ„ferentes c Ioh. de Polemar orat in CoÌ„cil Basil pag. 385. Hee that taketh not vp his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of mee made themselues woodden crosses and so carried them on their backes continually causing all the world to laugh at them for howsoeuer they may seeme to bee the expositions of some priuate spirits yet hee that makes oath in verbo Sacerdotis to receiue expound the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers and shall render such Expositions of the Text can bee no true Catholique Hieron 24. q 3. cap. Haeresis For whosoeuer doeth otherwise vnderstand the Scripture saith Hierome then the sense of the holy Ghost who is the Penman of the Scripture requires although hee hath not departed from the Church yet hee may bee tearmed an heretique But as the Fryar said wittily in his Sermon the trueth which hee preached was like holy water which euery one called for apace yet when the Sexton cast it on them they let it fall on their backs in like manner the Romanists seemingly call for the Scriptures they commonly vaunt that they expound and receiue them according to the vniforme consent of Fathers but as Vincentius Lyrinensis said of the heretiques of his time When they shall begin not onely to vtter those sayings Vbi caeperuÌ„t illas voces noÌ„ iam proferre sedetiam exponere non ad c. VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 36. but also to expound them then the bitternesse then the sowernesse and madnesse is perceiued then a new deuised poyson will be breathed out then are prophane Nouelties disclosed then may you see the bounds of the ancient Fathers to bee remooued the Catholique Faith to bee then butchered and the doctrine of the Church torne in pieces Pope Pius the fourth who first published the Articles of the Creed was not ignorant that the Scriptures must be farre fetched and hardly strayned to make them speake for the Trent doctrine hee well vnderstood that it was too generall and strict a tye vpon euery Masse Priest to receiue and interpret the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers knowing well that many Masse Priestes were vtterly ignorant of the Fathers and therefore to qualifie the rigour of that oath adioyned these words to the aforesaid Article Artic. 2. Also that sacred Scripture according to that sense which the Mother Church hath holden whose right is to iudge of the true sense and
we haue the Councell of Laodicca in the Primitiue Church generally receiued and aftewards confirmed by a general Councel since wee haue the consent of the ancient Fathers and the ample testimonies of Bishops and Cardinals and learned Writers in the bosome of the Roman Church who witnesse with vs the Antiquity and Vniuersality of our Canon in all ages I hope wee may with good reason reiect the Apocryphall Scriptures as often as they are produced against vs for Freewill for Purgatory for Prayer for the dead for Invocation of Saints for Worshipping of Angells and the like these things I say rightly considered and patiently heard on both sides I shall appeale to their owne learned Cardinall Cajetans confession who concludes for the antiquitie of our doctrine and the Vniuersalitie of the Iewes Canon Duas maximas vtilitates ex IudaeoruÌ„ obstinacia percipimê° altera est fides libroruÌ„ sacrorum Si enim omnes conuersi essent ad ChristuÌ„ putaret iam mundus Iudaeorum ad inuentioneÌ„ fuisse quod fuerit promissâ—s Messiis sed vbi inimici Christi Iudai perseuerant et testantur nullos alios apud Patres fuisse libros canonicè sacroâ—nisi istos Cajet CoÌ„ment in Rom c 11. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. with one and the same reason All Christians receiue a double benefit by the Apostacie and obstinacie of the Iewes one is to know which are the true bookes of the Olde Testament for if all the Iewes had beene converted to the faith of Christ then would the world haue suspected that the Iewes had invented those promises which are of Christ the Messias but now for as much as the Iewes are enemies vnto Christ they beare witnesse vnto vs that there are no bookes Canonicall but those onely which the Iewes themselues acknowledged to bee Canonicall To conclude therefore this first poynt since the Scripture is the most certaine and safest rule of Faith by our aduersaries owne confession since the Canonicall bookes of Scripture which are the onely rule of Faith are conteined in the Law in the Prophets and the Psalmes vnder all or any of which the Apocryphall bookes are not conteined I say to leaue this certaine and safe way and receiue Apocryphall additions to that Word Deut. 4.2 c. 12.32 Prou. 30.6 Reuel 22.18 when it is strictly forbidden by God himselfe Thou shalt not adde to this Word this is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way But because our aduersaries insist vpon an other ground viz. NoÌ„ aliundè nos habere Scripturam esse diuinaÌ„ et qui sunt libri sacri quaÌ„ ex Traditioniê° noÌ„ scriptis Bel. de verb. Dei lib. 4. c. 4. That by no other meanes wee can know the Scriptures to be diuine nor the bookes to bee holy and Canonicall but onely from vnwritten Tradition I will leaue them to their Apocryphall Scriptures and pursue them in their vnwritten traditions in the next place SECT VII The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them IT is the first Article of the Romane Creed to which all Bishops and Priests are sworne Bulla Pij 4. Art 1. I admit and embrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall Traditions and the other obseruations and constitutions of the Church What are meant by those Obseruations and Constitutions of the Church and how the Priests are bound to imbrace them The Councell of Trent declareth in this manner Necnon Traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mo res pertineÌ„tes pari pietutis affectu ac reuerentia suscipit veneratur Conc. Trid Sess 4. Decret 1. Traditions appertaining to faith and manners as if they were dictated by Christ himselfe with his owne mouth or by the holy spirit and preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholique Church the Councell receiueth with equall reuerence and religious affection as shee receiues the holy Striptures themselues Heere was the first alteration made touching the rule of Faith and from the Decree of this Councell Bellarmines doctrine began to take place Regula partialis noÌ„ totalis Bell. The Scripture is but a partiall not a totall rule of Faith for certainly till this time Traditions concerning faith and manners were neuer reputed of equall authoritie with the Scriptures nor a part of the Rule of Faith It was the Tenet of Aquinas and the later Schoolemen knew no other doctrine till the Councell of Trent Aquin. in 1. ad Tim. cap. 6. The doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is called Canonicall because it is the rule of our vnderstanding and therefore no man ought to teach otherwise But you shall obserue from and after this time the Romanists performed their oath Ex abundanti I may say more then enough Cardinall Baronius tells vs Tradition is the foundation of Scriptures Baron An. 58. n. 11. and excels them in this that the Scriptures cannot subsist vnlesse they bee strengthened by Traditions but Tradition hath strength enough without the Scriptures And that the world may know it is vsuall with our aduersaries not onely to equall their vnwritten Traditions but also to aduance them aboue the Scriptures let their sayings bee weighed by any indifferent man and it will appeare the Scriptures are of so little vse or esteeme with them as if they were not worthy to be named in poynts of controuersie betwixt vs. Lindan Panopl l. 1. c. 22. l. 5. c. 4. l. 1. c. 6. c. Traditions saith Lindan are the most certaine foundations of Faith the most sure ground of the sacred Scriptures the impenetrable buckler of Ajax the suppresser of all heresies On the other side the Scripture saith hee is a nose of waxe a dead and killing letter without life a meere shell without a kernell a leaden rule a wood of thieues a shop of heretiques and the like Costerus the Iesuite tels vs for certain It was neuer the minde of Christ either to commit his mysteries to parchment or that his Church should depend on paper writings but say the Rhemists Rhem. Test in 2. Thess 2. v. 19. Wee haue plaine Scriptures all the Fathers most euident reasons that wee must either beleeue Traditions or nothing at all nay more saith Costerus The excellencie of the vnwritten word doth far surpasse the Scriptures which the Apostles left vs in parchments Coster Euchrist cap. 1 pag. 44. the one is written by the finger of God the other by the penne of the Apostles the Scripture is a dead letter written in paper or parchment which may be razed or wrested at pleasure but Tradition is written in mens hearts which cannot be altered the Scripture is like a scabberd which will receiue any sword either leaden or woodden or brazen and suffereth it selfe to be drawen by any interpretation Tradition retaines the true
siue Purgatorii fiue IndulgentiaruÌ„ fides in Primitiuâ Ecclesia at que nunc est Roffen Aâ—t 18 p. 496. Touching Vniuersalitie It is the confession of Fisher their owne Bishop of Rochester Whosoeuer will reade the Commentaries of the ancient Greekes so farre as I see he shall finde very seldome mention of Purgatory or none at all and the Latins in the Westerne Church did not receiue the truth of this matter altogether but by little and little neither indeed was the faith either of Purgatorie or Indulgences so needfull in the Primitiue Church as now it is A strange confession of a learned Bishop that two principall Articles of Faith viz. Purgatorie and Indulgences were scarce knowne in the ancient Church nor yet very necessary to bee receiued at all times and of all persons Let it suffice many poynts of the now Romane Religion were vtterly vnknowne to the Greeke Church which in the first ages did wholly communicate with the ancient Romane Faith and therefore their Alphonsus à Castro thinkes it the best way to solue the poynt in question with this answere Vnus ex notissimis erroribus GraecoruÌ„ et ArmenoruÌ„ est quo docent nullum esse purgatoriuÌ„ locum quo animae ab hac luce migrantes purgentur à sordibus Alph. à Cas aduers haeres lib. 12. It is one of the most knowne errours of the Grecians and Armenians whereby they teach there is no place for Purgatorie where soules after this life are purged from their offences Touching Succession St. Chrysostome Gregorie Neocaesaria Olympiodorus and diuers ancient Fathers were vtterly ignorant of it and Saint Austen a Latine Father was so farre from receiuing it as a poynt of Faith that doubtingly hee professeth Tale aliquid etiam post haÌ„c vitaÌ„ fieri incredibile noÌ„ est et vtrù ita sâ— quaerâ— potest aut â—â—enâ—â—â—uâ—latere Aug. in Enchirid. ad Laurent cap. 69. It is not incredible that some such thing should bee after this life and whether it bee so or no it may beâ— a question and it may bee either found or bee hidden 〈◊〉 we all know and confesse that if Saint Austen and the Romane Church had receiued the doctrine of Purgatory in his dayes as it is now taught for an Article of Faith certainely hee would neuer haue told vs perhaps it is so it may be or it may not bee and it is a doubt whether there be any such place or no. And howsoeuer it is pretended that the Greeke Church at the Councell of Florence for peace sake was content to yeeld that the middle sort of soules were in a place of punishment but whether that were fire or darknesse and tempest or something else they would not contend yet I say if they had assented to this or the like doctrine it was 1400 yeeres after Christ and therefore most vnfit to be receiued for an Article of Faith but the truth is Marcus Bishop of Ephesus who was one of the Legats of the Patriarchs of Antioch Hierusalem would neuer consent to this Doctrine neither could the Greeke Church afterwards by any meanes bee drawne to yeeld to it Besides within two yeeres after Cardinall Cusanus and the Deputies of the Councell of Basil in the yeere 1438 doe sufficiently manifest the opinion of the Greek Church wherein the Grecians begin their disputation in this maner Mart. Crus in Turc Graec. p. 186 A Purgatory fire and a punishment by fire which is temporall and shall at last haue an end neither haue wee receiued from our Doctors neither doe wee know that the Church of the East dâ—eth maintaine it And from these and the like propositions they make this peremptory conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Sacran c. 2. For these reasons therefore neither haue wee hitherto affirmed any such thing neither will wee at all affirme it I may adde to these Testimonies the opinions of the Muscouites who affirme that there is no Purgatory but onely two receptacles for soules Heauen and Hell Againe the Cophites and the Abissines the Georgians and Armenians together with the Syrians and Caldeans that are subiect to the Patriarkes of Antioch and Babylon from Cyprus and Palestina vnto the East Indies neuer made discouery of the new found land of Purgatory This doctrine therefore wants the proper markes of the Romane Church viz. Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can bee no Article of faith no Apostolique Tradition as is pretended in the second poynt Priuate Masse wherein the Priest alone doth communicate without the people hath neither Antiquity Vniuersalitie nor Consent and consequently hath not the true markes of Romish Traditions Touching Antiquitie it is the confession of their owne Cochleus Coch. de sacrif Missae contra Musculum Anciently all the Priests and people did communicate together as appeareth by the Canons of the Apostles and writings of ancient Fathers Odo in Exposit Canonis And Odo Cameracensis professeth that in the Primitiue Church they neuer had Masses without the conuention of the people to communicate together Touching Vniuersalitie it is the confession of Iohannes Hoffmeistenus Cassand Consult de solit Miss pag. 906. The thing it selfe doeth speake and crie aloud both in the Greeke and Latin Church that not onely the sacrificing Priest but the other Priests and Deacons and the rest of the people or at least some part of the people did communicate together and how this custome ceased it is to bee wondred and it is to be endeauoured that this good custome may bee restored to the Church Touching Succession St. Chrysostome speaking to the lay people of his time Chrys in 2. Thessal Hom. 4. saith Neither doe we receiue more and you lesse of the holy table but we taste therof equally both together And St. Basil an other Greeke Father witnesseth the common vnion of Priests and people expressely in these words Liturg. Basilii All wee receiuing of one bread and one cup c. the Quire singeth the Communion and so they communicate together I will adde to these the confessions of their owne learned Authors Cardinall Bessarion a Greeke borne declareth the maner of the Communion in his time PrimuÌ„ consecrare deinde fraÌ„gere postea distribuere quod nos in praesenti facimê° Bessar de sacr Euch. An 1450. The very order of the things required first that we should consecrate or blesse bread next that we should breake it last of all that wee should diuide or deliuer it to the people which thing we Grecians doe at this present day And for a conclusion of this poynt Iustinian and Durand publikely declare and professe that in ancient times Iustin in 1. Cor 10. Durand Rat. 4 c. 53. diuers parts of one consecrated loafe were distributed to all the which the Greeke Church vseth at this day that by their Communion their vnion with Christ might bee more plainely expressed Thus Priuate Masse wants the requisite conditions of the Romane
Church viz. Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can bee no Catholike doctrine no Apostolique Tradition as is pretended in the third place The Communion in one kind is reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and receiued in the Roman Church for an Article of Faith yet this doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession Touching Antiquitie It is the confession of the Councell of Constance where the Cup was taken from the people that Christ did institute in both kinds Concil Const 1414. and the Primitiue Church did continue it to the faithfull in both kinds And Alphonsus à Castro tells vs Alphons à Castr cont â—aeres li. 6. that anciently for many ages the Communion in both kindes was vsed among all Catholiques Touching Vniuersalitie Cassander witnesseth Satis compertum est vniuersaleÌ„ Christi EcclesiaÌ„ mille ampliùs Cassand Consult de vtraque specie that the vniuersall Church at this day and the Romane Church for more then a thousand yeeres after Christ did exhibite the Sacrament in both kinds as it is most euident by innumerable testimonies both of Greeke and Latine Fathers Touching Succession In later ages Salmeron the Iesuite professeth Salmer Tract 35. It was the generall custome for lay people to communicate vnder both kinds as at this day it is vsed among the Grecians and was vsed in times past among the Corinthians and in Africa And Ieremie the Oecumenicall Patriarch returnes this answere to the defenders of the Faith in both kindes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patr. resp 1. c. 21. Dicitis you say that all ought to communicate vnder both kinds and you say well for we do so when we participate of the venerable mysteries Cassand Liturg. c. 11 p. 28. Franciscus Aluarez tells vs that in the kingdome of Prester Iohn they vse in their Church to make a cake of honey meale and oyle and powre wine into the cup and all that communicate of the body of Christ communicate also of the Cup. The Christians in Armenia Idem Liturg c. 14. p 32. after they haue communicated with bread in lieu of the cup by reason there is no wine in India they take dried grapes and put them into water and before the time they are to communicate they presse them and straine them and vse that liquor instead of wine This doctrine therefore wants the requisite conditions of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can be no Article of Faith no Apostolique Tradition as is presented in the fourth place Transubstantiation TRansubstantiation is reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and receiued in the Romane Church for an Article of Faith yet this doctrine if you respect the name or nature of it wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession In Primitiuâ Ecclesiâ de substaÌ„tia fidei erat corpus Christi sub speciebê° coÌ„tineri tamen non erat de fide substantiam panisin corpus Christi coÌ„uerti c. Io. Yribarne in 4. d. 11. q. 3. disp 42. Vnum addit Scotus quod minimeprobandum qd ante Lateranense CoÌ„cilium non fuisset dogma fidei Bell. li. 3. de Euch. c. 23. Touching Antiquitie It is the confession of learned Yribarne In the Primitiue Church it was beleeued for a poynt of faith that the body of Christ was contained vnder the formes of bread and wine but it was not beleeued as a matter of faith that after consecratition the substance of the bread was conuerted into the body of Christ And their learned Scotus professeth that before the Councell of Lateran which was twelue hundred yeeres after Christ Transubstantiation was not beleeued as a poynt of faith Touching Vniuersalitie Eusebius a Greek Father paraphrasing vpon the words of Christ The words which I speake vnto you are spirit and life deliuers this doctrine flat contrary to Transubstantiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb l. 3. Eccl. Theol. cont Marcel Ancyr M ss in Oxon. Bibli publicâ Doe not thinke that I speake of that flesh wherewith I am compassed as if you must eat of that neither imagine that I command you to drinke my sensible and bodily blood but vnderstand well the words which I haue spoken vnto you are spirit and life And Saint Chrisostom a principall member of the Greeke Church in his Epistle written to Caesarius hath these wordes Etiamsi natura panis in ipso permansit Chrys ad Caesarium Monachum As before the bread be sanctified we call it bread but when Gods grace hath sanctified it by the meanes of the Priest it is deliuered from the name of bread and is reputed worthy the name of the Lords body although the nature of the bread remaine still in it And to preuent that grosse opinion that after consecration there remaine onely the shewes and accidents of bread and wine Theodoret concludeth against the heretique with this Catholique doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod in Dial. 2. Inconf The mysticall signes after the consecration depart not from their owne nature for they remaine in their former substance Euphraemius Patriarch of Antioch giues his ioynt assent with vs flatly against the doctrine of Transubstantiation hee tells vs Ephrae de sacr Antio legibus lib. 1. in Phocij Biblioâ—hecâ Cod. 229. The Sacrament of the body of Christ doeth neither depart from his sensible substance and yet remaineth vndiuided from intelligible grace and Baptisme being wholly made spirituall and remaining one doth retaine the propertie of his sensible substance of water I meane and yet loseth not that which it is made This holy Father by comparing the Sacraments together doth demonstrate the faith of both and as hee prooues that in the Sacrament of Baptisme the substance of water still remaineth after consecration which both Papists and Protestants acknowledge in like maner saith he the substance of bread remaines in the Sacrament of the Eucharist after consecration which the Protestants confesse and the Papists deny To omit many other proofes touching the vniversalitie of our doctrine let Pope Gelasius bee heard for the Catholike doctrine of the Romane Church in his time Gelas cont Eutich An Image or similitude saith hee of the body and blood of Christ is celebrated in the action of the mysteries It is therefore apparant and euident enough that wee must hold the same opinion of Christ the Lord which we professe celebrate and receiue in his image that as those signes by the working of the holy Ghost passe into the diuine substance and yet remaine in the proprietie of their owne nature euen so that very principall mysterie it selfe whose force and trueth that Image assuredly representeth doeth demonstrate one whole and true Christ to continue the two natures of which he consisteth properly remaining And that wee might the bettter vnderstand what he meant by those wordes viz. The signes still abide in the proprietie of their owne nature hee expoundeth himselfe in these words which vtterly ouerthrow the doctrine of Transubstantiation Non desinit esse substantia vel
but to the Trinitie onely O yee Virgins saith hee in your prayers set Christ onely before your eyes Virgines solum ChristuÌ„ in precibus vestris antè oculos habete et PatreÌ„ illiê° illuminata à spiritu Ignat. ad Philadelph and his Father being enlightned by the Spirit And the Church of Rome being conscious of such an ancient Euidence against their Angel-worship in the Greeke Originall haue turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayers into Soules Ignat Lugd impress An. 1572. Touching Vniuersalitic Iraeneus Bishop of Lyons tels vs that in his dayes the Church per vniuersum mundum Ecclesia per vniuersum mundum nec Inuocationibê° Angelicis facit aliquid nec c. Iren. l. 2. c. 57. throughout the whole world doth nothing by Inuocations of Angels nor by Incantations nor any wicked curiositie but decently comely and manifestly directeth her prayers to God which hath made all and calls vpon the Name of our Lord Iesus And Tertullian a learned Father in the Church of Africa makes this open profession of his faith Quacunque hominis Caesaris vota sunt haec ab alio orare non possum quaÌ„ à quo scio me consequaturuÌ„ quoniam et ipse est qui soâ— praestaâ—â— et ego famulus eius qui euÌ„ soluÌ„ obseruo In Apol. ca. 30. Whatsoeuer are the wishes of man or Prince these things I can aske of no other then of him from whom I know I shall obtaine them because hee alone it is who performeth these things and I am his seruant who depend vpon him alone Touching Succession In Origens time this Trent faith was vnknowne for when Celsus the Philosopher began to play the Romanists and said of Angels They belong to God and in that respect wee are to put our trust in them and make oblations to them according to the Lawes and pray vnto them and that they may bee fauourable vnto vs. Origen makes him this answere Origen li. 8 contr CelsuÌ„ Away with Celsus his counsell saying Wee must pray to Angels let vs not so much as affoord any little audience to it For we must pray to him alone who is God ouer all and wee must pray to the Word of God his onely begotten and the first borne of all creatures and wee must intreat him that hee as high Priest would present our prayer when it is come to him vnto his God and our God and vnto his Father and the Father of them that frame their life according to the word of God In the succeeding Age the ancient Councell of Laodicea decreed Conc. Laodic Can 36. Wee ought not to leaue the Church of God and invocate Angels And the Roman Church being likewise conscious of this Euidence against their Invocation of Angels haue turned Angelos into Angulos saying Merlin fol. 68. Edit 1530 Crabbe fol. 226 Edit 1538. Wee must not leaue the Church of God and haue recourse to Angles or corners This Councell was called in the yeere 364 in Laodicea a capitall Citie in Phrygia where this Angel-worship was frequent wherein they had Oratories Chappels to pray to St. Michael the chiefe Captain of Gods hoste among them This Canon of the Councell Photius doeth note to haue been made against the Angelites Phot. Nomocanon tit 12. c. 9. Aug. de haeres cap. 39. those heretiques that were inclined to the worship of Angels And Theodoret a Greeke Father more particularly makes twice mention of this Canon and declares the meaning of it in these words Theod. in Colos 3. in Col. 2. Whatsoeuer yee doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God and the Father by him The Synode of Laodicea also following this rule and desiring to heale that old disease made a law that they should not pray vnto Angels nor forsake our Lord Iesus Christ. Cardinall Baronius is not well pleased with Theodoret for deliuering his opinion touching the sense of that councell Ex hic videas TheodoretuÌ„ haud foelicitèr eius paâ—e dictum sit assecutum esse Pauli verborum sensum Baron An. Tom. 1. An. 60. By this you may see saith he that Theodoret did not well vnderstand the meaning of Saint Pauls wordes But that which is most obseruable the pretence which the heretiques made in those dayes for their Angel-worship is the chiefe reason alleadged for their doctrine of faith by the Romanists in these times Ambr. in Rom. cap. 1. We haue recourse say they to Angels and Saints with deuotion and humilitie that by their intercession God may be more fauorable vnto vs. Now Saint Ambrose complaines that the Heathen Idolaters to couer their shame for their neglecting of God were wont to vse this miserable excuse that by these they might goe to God as by Officers wee goe to the King But heare what answere hee makes to the vanitie of such worshippers Ambr. ad Rom. ca. 1. Goe to is any man so mad or so vnmindfull of his saluation as to giue the Kings honour to an Officer For therefore doe men goe to the King by Tribunes or Officers because the King is but a man and knoweth not to whem to commit the state of the Common wealth but to procure the fauour of God from whom nothing is hid for hee knoweth the workes of all men wee need no spokesman but a deuout mind for wheresoeuer such a one shall speake vnto him hee will answere him But of all the Fathers Saint Chrysostome is most plentifull in refuting this pretended reason of Intercession by Saints and Angels Chrysost Serm. 7. de Paenitent When thou hast need to sue vnto men saith hee thou art forced first to deale with doore-keepers and to intreate parasites and flatterers and to goe a long way But with God there is no such matter without an Intercessor he is intreated without money without cost he yeeldeth to the prayer Lastly for an example hee sets before vs the woman of Canaan Chrys in dimissione Chananaeae tom 5. Edit Sauil. p. 195. Shee intreateth not sames saith hee shee beseecheth not Iohn neither doth shee come to Peter but breake through the whole company of them saying I haue no need of a Mediator but taking repentance with me for a spokesman I come to the Fountaine it selfe For this cause did he descend for this cause did he take flesh that I might haue the boldnesse to speake vnto him I haue no need of a Mediatour haue thou mercy vpon me It is true that about this time Inuocation of Saints was practised by some particular persons but neuer till this later age receiued for an Article of faith Gregorie Nazianzene was one of the first who called vnto rather then called vpon the spirits of dead men in his Invectiues which hee wrote against Iulian the Emperor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes this Invocation Heare O thou soule of Great Constantine
Vers 16.17 All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good workes So that if you regard the authoritie of the written word it came from God by inspiration if the vse of it it teacheth correcteth improueth if the end and perfection of it that the man of God might bee throughly furnished to euery good work Now whatsoeuer is so profitable vnto all these ends to make a man wise vnto saluation must needs bee sufficient of it selfe and the rather because there is nothing can bee wished for either to soundnesse and sinceritie of Faith or to integritie and godlinesse of life that is to mans perfection the way of saluation which the Scripture giuen by inspiration of God doeth not teach the faithfull seruants of Christ nay more if that which is written bee not sufficient by the beliefe whereof we may attaine to eternall life without doubt Saint Iohn the beloued Disciple of Christ would neuer haue told vs Iohn 20 31. These things are written that wee may beleeue and beleeuing we may haue eternall life I proceed to the examination of the ancient Fathers that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. orat cont Gen. in init Sufficiebat quideÌ„ credentibê° Dei sermo qui in aures nostras Euangelistae testimonie-traÌ„sfusus est quid enim in eodem SacrameÌ„to salutis humanae non continetur aut quid fit qd reliquuÌ„ est aut obseurum Plena sunt omnia vt à pleno et perfecto facta Hil. de Trin. l. 2 Tert. contr Hermo c. 22 that written Word may be established Athanasius the holy Father tells vs The holy Scriptures giuen by inspiration of God are of themselues sufficient to the discouery of the truth And as concerning the fulnesse of all truth which is reuealed in the Scriptures Saint Hillary assures vs that in his dayes The word of God did suffice the beleeuers yea saith he what is there concerning mans saluation that is not conteined in the Word of the Evangelist What doth it want What is there obscure in it All things there are full and perfect And Tertullian himselfe professeth that hee honoureth the fulnes of the Scriptures and denounceth a woe to Hermogenes the heretike if hee take ought from those things which are written or addeth to them And Saint Cyrill more expressely Non omnia qua Dominus fecit conscriptâ— sunt sed qua scribentes sufficere puturunt tam ad mores quam ad dogmata vt rectâ fide et operibus et virtute rutilantes ad regnum coeloruÌ„ perveniamus Cyr. in Ioh. li. 12 c. 68. In iis quae apertè in Scripturâ posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae coÌ„ueninient fidem moresque viuendi Aug. de doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. All things saith he which Christ did are not written but those things are written which the Writers thought sufficient as well touching conuersation as Doctrine that shining with right faith and vertuous workes wee may attaine to the Kingdome of Heauen And Saint Austen giues his consent with the rest of the holy and ancient Fathers that In those things which are layd downe plainely in the Scriptures all those things are found which appertaine to Faith and direction of life And thus by the testimonies of the blessed Apostles and the consent of holy Fathers we haue certaintie we haue safetie wee haue assurance wee haue all sufficiencie in the Scriptures Surely the ancient Fathers did little dreame that the precious stones and timber on which the Church of Rome was first built should bee repayred in her decaying age with strawe and stubble of vnwritten doctrines and vnknowne Traditions Saint Cyprian that blessed Martyr was so farre from allowing Ecclesiasticall Traditions for a poynt of Faith that hee makes this Quaere Whence is this Tradition Vnde ista Traditio vtrumne de Dominica c ea enim facienda esse qua scripta sunt Deus testatur Cypr Epist 74. ad PoÌ„p is it deriued from the Lords authoritie or from the precepts of the Apostles for God willeth vs to doe those things which are written But this quaere is so distasted by Bellarmine that to this short demand hee returnes this sharpe answere Respondâ—o Cyprianum haec scripsisse euÌ„ errorem suum tuerâ— veilet ideò si more errantium tunc ratiocinaretur c. Bâ—◠〈◊〉 vet Dei li 4. ca. 11. Cyprian spake this when hee thought to defend his owne errour and therefore it is no maruell if hee erred in so reasoning yet wee may see what time and errours haue brought to passe those authorities of Scripture which the heretiques pretended for their vnwritten Traditions in the ancient Church are the very same which the Romanists at this day assume in behalfe of their Traditions Irenaeus tels vs that in his time the heretiques complained Iren. l. 3. c. 2 that they who were ignorant of Traditions could not find the trueth in the Scriptures for the truth was not deliuered by writing but by word of mouth And for proofe of their assertion they cite the words of Saint Paul We speake wisedome amongst them that be perfect 1. Cor. 2. Bellarmine alledgeth in this very Text Bell. de ver Dei l. 4. c. 8. to proue that many mysteries require silence that it is vnmeet they should be explained by the Scriptures and therefore are onely learned by Traditions Tertullian tells vs that the heretiques confessed indeed Tertul. de praescip advers haeres cap. 25. that the Apostles were ignorant of nothing but they say the Apostles reuealed not all things vnto all men And for proofe they cite the Word written O Timothy keepe that which is committed to thy trust In like manner Saint Austen tels vs that All foolish heretiques doe seeke to colour their deuices by the pretext of this Gospell Aug. in Ioh. Tract 97. 96. I haue yet many things to say vnto you but ye cannot beare them now But saith hee seeing Christ himselfe hath been silent of those things who of vs can say they are these and these or if hee dare say it how doth hee prooue it These and the like places are cited by Bellarmine and the Romanists Bell de vervo Dei li. 4. cap. 5. for the honour and authoritie of their vnwritten Traditions nay more they are vrged with such eagernesse in defence of their doctrine that some of them publikely professed Si Paulus ille Tharsensis c. Fauour Antiq pag. 275 If that same Paul of Tharsus the chiefe instrument of diuine Philosophie should condemne any Traditions of the Catholike Roman Church I would confidently prescribe him abandon him pronounce Anathema with direfull execrations against this Saul Waltram Bishop of Naumburg a principall member of the Romane Church and conuersant amongst the
in the name of the Fathers as if they were the true children only heires of their doctrine when as in truth their chiefest points of faith were scarse known much lesse beleeued de fide in their dayes Neither do I conceiue that the Romanists doe thus vaunt of the Fathers because they are fauorable to their cause but because they knowe the common people can learne nothing of the Fathers but what they heare and vnderstand from the report of their owne Priests Looke vpon the practise of the greatest champions in the Roman church doth not Andradius Card. Bellarmine and Card. Caietan contrary to the Article of the Roman Creed decline the Exposition of the ancient Fathers Doth not Cardinall Baronius professe that the Church of Rome doth not alwayes follow the consent of Fathers Doth not their owne Lyra witnes that the sayings of the holy Fathers are not of so great authoritie Nam dicta Sanctorum Patrum noÌ„ sunt tantae authoritatis quin liceat contrarium tenere in t is quae per Scripturas non determinaÌ„tur Lyra. in Math. 1. but that it is lawfull to hold the contrary to them in those things which are not determined by the Scriptures Doeth not their Bishop Canus acknowledge that the ancient Fathers sometimes erre and against the ordinary course of Nature bring forth a monster Canus loc Theol lib. 7 c. 3 n. 7. Nay more doe not their own Diuines at Doway make this publike declaration Cum igitur in Catholicis veteribê° aliis plurimos feramê° errores extenuemê° excusemus excogitato commento persaepe negemus coÌ„modum iis sensum affingamus cuÌ„ opponuntur in disputationibê° aut in confictionibus cum aduersariis Ind. Expur Belgiâ— p. 5. Edit Antw. An 1. 1571. We beare with many errours in the old Catholike Writers wee extenuate them wee excuse them and by inuenting some deuised shift we oftentimes deny them and faine some commodious sense for them when they are obiected in disputations or conflicts with our aduersaries If therefore the best learned Romanists sometimes excuse them somtimes decline them sometimes condemne them shall we think the Fathers are all theirs I appeale to their owne confessions First touching the words of Christ Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church Maldonat the Iesuite makes this confession The meaning of these words viz. Mald. in Math. 16.19 p. 352. That the Rocke is Christ seemes not to mee to bee the true meaning which all the Fathers thinke to be so whom euer I remember to haue read Hillary excepted In like maner touching the words Whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shall be loosed in Heauen c. he makes this publike profession I will not interpret Idem Ibid. that this which is heere spoken to Peter is spoken also in the same sense to the other Apostles although I see all Interpreters to be of that mind Communis sententia TheologoruÌ„ admittit simplicitèr merituÌ„ de coÌ„digno quae senteÌ„tia verissima est Bell. de Iustif l. 5. c. 16 Origen onely excepted Will you haue instances without exception It is the common sentence of all Diuines sayeth Bellarmine simply to admit merit of condignitie which sentence is most true Yet their owne Fryar Walden protested confidently Sicut omnes sancti priores vsque ad recentes Catholicos communis scripsit Ecclesia Wal. Tom. 3 de Sacram. tit 1. cap. 7. that he was the sounder Diuine and more faithfull Catholike who doth simply denie such merit as all the former Saints that is all the ancient Fathers and the vniuersall Church vntil the late Schoolemen haue written Againe it is the generall vote of the later Romanists that the words This is my body are the very formall and efficient cause of Transubstantiation yet their owne Archb. of Caesarea witnesseth Christoph li. 1. pa. 115. that all the orthodox Fathers both Greek and Latin teach that Consecration is made by Christs prayer and benediction and not by those words This is my body Lastly it is the generall Tenet of the Roman Church at this day that the blessed Virgin was conceiued without original sinne in so much as Bellarmine professeth Inter Catholices non sunt numerandi Bell. de Amissa gra l. 4. c. 15 they are not to be numbred amongst Catholikes that thinke the contrary and yet their owne Bishop Canus witnesseth with vs that Sansti omnes Sancti omnes vno ore asseueraruÌ„t beatam virgineÌ„ in peccato originali conceptam fuisse Canus loc Theol lib. 7 c. 1 n. 1. n. 3. All the holy Fathers vno ore with one consent affirme the blessed virgin to haue been conceiued in originall sinne The Fathers then by their good leaue are not all theirs in some capital points by their own confessions they are none of theirs nay they are reputed no good Catholiques by their own Tenets that teach not contrary to the Vniforme consent of Fathers I proceed to the examinanation of more witnesses in the fundamentall poynts of their Roman faith Touching the Communion in one kind Patres Primitiua Ecclesia populum à CoÌ„munione calicis non prohibebant nos arcemê° Aene. Syl. Epist 130. it is the confession of Aeneas Syluius The Fathers in the Primitiue Church did not forbid the people to drinke of the Cup but wee driue them from it Touching the doctrine of Transubstantiation it is the confession of Card. Cusanus Certaine of the ancient Fathers are found of this mind Cusan exercit lib. 6. that the bread in the Sacrament is not transubstantiated nor changed in nature Touching Priuate Masse it is the confession of Cardinall Bellarmine Bell. de Missa lib. 2. c. 9. There is no expresse testimony amongst the ancient Fathers but it may be gathered by coniectures Touching Prayer Seruice in an vnknown tongue it is the confession of Cassander Cassand Liturg. cap. 28. The Canonicall Prayers and especially the words of Consecration the ancient Fathers did so read it that all the people might vnderstand and say Amen Touching Adoration of Images it is the confession of Massonus a learned Papist E Bibliothecâ Papirii Massoni â—â—eius libellis de picturis et imaginibus There is no example in Scriptures or Fathers for Adoration of Images they ought to bee taken for ornament to please the sight not to instruct the people Touching Indulgences and Pardons it is the confession of Cardinall Caietan There is no authoritie of Scriptures or Fathers Caiet opusc 16. c. 1. Greeke or Latine that bring them to our knowledge Touching Purgatory it is the confession of Fisher Bishop of Rochester Roff Art 18. contra Lutherum Of Purgatory there is very little or no mention amongst the ancient Fathers Touching the number of seuen Sacraments it is Bellarmines confession Bell. de effect Sacrament lib. 2. cap. 24. The Protestants ought not to require of vs to shew the
by the application of Saints merits and that priuate satisfactions which were left to the discretion of euery Bishop were transferred wholly to the power of the Pope and so receiued de Fide as an article of faith as it is now vsed in the Romane Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimonie are oftentimes called by the name of Sacraments let him spare the labour I will confesse it But let him proue the poynt in question that al those Sacraments were instituted by Christ in the new Testament and that there are neither more nor lesse then seuen termed by the name of Sacraments and those onely were properly so called and that number of seuen was receiued de fide as an Article of faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that St. Peter had a primacie of Order amongst the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome had the first place amongst other Bishops let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that Peter had iurisdiction ouer the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome was helde Christs Vicar generall and Head of the Vniuersall Church and that such his power and Supremacie was receiued de fide as an article of faith as it is now taught in the Roman Church and I will subscribe Lastly he that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that out of the Cath. church there is no saluation let him spare the labor I will cōfesse it but let him proue that the present Roman Church is that Catholike Church as it is decreed de fide by their last Article of their Creed and I will subscribe Thus briefly I haue giuen you my poore opinion how to examine the Trent Faith and doctrine whereby you may easily discouer the vanitie of those men who challenge an interest in all the Fathers in behalfe of their Religion and certainly if this rule bee rightly obserued and pursued by any indifferent Iudge he shal finde there is not greater distance in the times then difference in their doctrine This is so well knowne to the best learned on their side that when wee charge them that they haue created new Articles of Faith vnknowne to the first and best ages by way of preuention they giue this solution that true it is many poynts of doctrine were not explicitè reuealed and publikely declared as Articles of faith in the dayes of the ancient Fathers because no heretikes did then oppose them but say they they were implicitè obscurely secretly reseruedly knowne and receiued of the Ancients with an implicit faith by which confession their later errour will bee greater then the first for as one way they would seemingly auoyd the creating of new Articles of faith so by acknowledgement of an implicit faith they ouerthrow by consequence the Visibilitie of their Church for if the Church of Rome had but an implicite beliefe in those things which are now publikely declared without doubt the Church at that time was not visible in the faith it was not like a Citie vpon a hill knowne and conspicuous to all persons and thereupon the grand poynt of Visibilitie which they so much magnifie among themselues will easily be called in question For a conclusion of this poynt I will giue you but one instance whereby you may the better iudge of the rest Looke vpon the learned Treatise of the right Reuerend Bishop of Meath now Primate of Armach wherein the iudgement of the ancient Fathers An Answer to a challenge made by a Iesuite in Ireland 1624. touching seuerall poynts of controuersie is faithfully deliuered in our behalfe what Reply might wee thinke could bee made by our aduersaries to those Authorities so rightly produced Behold a Iesuite by Order W. Malone by name A Reply to Mr. Vshers answere hath made a Reply wherein hee hath produced in number many more authorities of Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Church and Trent Doctrine The encounter being made the end of the victory may seeme doubtfull for the Fathers are produced by both contending parties and seemingly they adhere to both sides as if they made both for Papist and Protestant in one and the same substantiall poynts of doctrine The reason being examined it will appeare the Fathers do not vary from themselues nor from vs in poynts of faith but the Iesuite produceth Authorities impertinent to the poynt in question As for instance in the first Article of Traditions Our Reuerend Bishop tels the Iesuite by way of preuention B Vsher cap. Traditions p. 35. that Traditions of all sorts are not promiscuously strucke at by vs but such vnwritten traditions which are obtruded for Articles of Religion As for example It is the first part of the Article of the Roman Creed I admit and imbrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiesticall Traditions To this first part of the article the reformed Churches doe subscribe but the other Obseruances and Constitutions of the Church which is the latter part of the Article we thinke it great reason to gainesay for vnder the pretence of other Obseruances the Church of Rome doeth vphold her priuate Masse her Latine Seruice her halfe Communion her Inuocation of Saints her worship of Images the like all which are admitted for part of Gods worship and accepted by them for Apostolike Traditions when as in truth they are flat contrary to the doctrine of the written Word The question then is not whether the doctrine deliuered by Christ or his Apostles by word of mouth were of equall authoritie with the Word written for this neuer any Protestant denied but whether the vnwritten Doctrine now taught in the Romane Church were deliuered by Christ and his Apostles whether their Ecclesiastical Obseruations and Constitutions now vsed bee of equall authoritie with the written Word whether their Papal Traditions were alwayes or euer admitted into the rule of faith and lastly whether the Scriptures are not sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuer without the helpe of those Traditions Let these questions bee rightly propounded in our behalfe and the multitude of the Iesuites authorities will fall to ground of themselues for what Father hath hee produced to proue that the Papall Traditions now receiued de fide in the Church of Rome were deliuered by word of mouth by the Apostles what Father hath hee cited to prooue that the Constitutions of their Church had a constant and continuall succession from the time of the Apostles as Articles of faith ought to haue what Fa her hath he vrged that admitted doctrinall Traditions vnwritten into the Rule of faith Lastly what ancient Father hath hee truely alleadged that denies the Scriptures to bee sufficient for all beleeuers without the helpe of Romish Traditions It were no difficult matter as I conceiue to giue a full answer to the Iesuits replie in the right stating of the Questions wherby it might easily appeare that hee
and his associates haue taken great paines to little purpose but I submit my opinion to the iudgment of the learned proceed from the Fathers in generall to particulars wherin I wil instance in two principall Lights of the Westerne Church St. Austen and St. Gregory the one Bishop of Hippo the other Bishop of Rome whereby you shal plainly discerne how the later Popes and Bishops doe differ from the former and how these two Fathers of the Church concurre expresly with the doctrine professed in the Reformed Churches different from the Roman SECT XII Saint Austen in particular is much disparaged by the Romanists and for instance in many seuerall poynts of moment wherein he professedly concurreth with vs is expresly reiected by them TOrrensis the Iesuite hath abbreuiated all St. Austens workes and published them in honour of his Church by the name of Augustiniana Confessio Austens Confession Brerely the Priest hath contracted his doctrine into a lesser modell and more particularly applyed it to the Roman faith by the name of Saint Austens Religion as if Saint Austen and the Romanists did professe one and the same Religion made one and the same confession of their faith To say little of their great brags of this holy Father I will giue you but one instance and so descend into particulars Is Author est Augustinus vt eius sententia si vel nulla scriptura nulla ratione nullis aliis authoribus probaretur sola personae reuerentia satis magna authoritatem meretur Mal. in Ioh. 6. num 68. Maldonat the Iesuite tels vs that Saint Austen is an Author of that esteeme that his opinion were it neither proued by â—cripture nor reason nor any other Author yet the sole reuerence of his person deserues sufficient authoritie of it selfe Here is an ample testimony touching the great light of the westerne Church but look we backe to the Iesuits proceeding in that very Tract vpon the same Chap. within six foregoing Verses of the same Text where he giues this free full approbation of this learned Father and finding that S. Austens Exposition of an other Scripture did disagree from the Romane Church Non nego me huim interpretationis authorem nemineÌ„ habere sed hanc eò magis probo quaÌ„ illaÌ„ alteraÌ„ Augustini caeteraâ—uÌ„alioqui probatissimam quòd haec cuÌ„ Caluinistarum sensu magis pugnat Mald. in Ioh. 6 n 62. and accord wholly with the Protestant faith instantly as it were with the same breath cryes out against him I confesse I haue no author for my Exposition but I rather allow it then that of Austens although his of the rest be most probable because this of mine doeth more crosse the sense of the Caluinists I will descend into particulars and notwithstanding our aduersaries great brags of St. Austen I will giue you instances in many principal poynts of doctrine wherein they plainely intimate by their owne confessions he is wholly ours 1. Touching the proofe of Purgatory whereas Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 3. The fire shall trie euery mans worke of what sort it is for the day shall declare it Aug. de fide oper c. 16 St. Austen interprets by this fire is meant the fire of tribulation in this world Bell de Pur. lib. 1. cap. 5. but this opinion of his we haue reiected saith Bellarmine 2. Saint Austen saith When Peter receiued the keyes hee represented the holy Church § Quarto Aug. Tract in Ioh. 50. and therefore the power of the keyes was not giuen to Peter onely Albertus Pigghius is a witnesse against him that hee is the onely man De Augustino possem dicere quod vnus homo fuerit hâc in re nec firmitèr secum nec cuÌ„ aliis consentiens Hier. Eccles lib 6 cap. 4. who in this poynt neither agreeth constantly with himselfe nor with others 3. Saint Austen saith by the daily sacrifice spoken of in the Prophet Malachie is meant the prayers and praises of Saints Azorius makes answere Aug. lib. 2 contr lit cap â—6 Reliquum veteruÌ„ PatruÌ„ coetum atponimê° et Concil Tridentini testimonium Azor. Instit Moral part 1. l. â—0 c. 11. Aug contr Adim c. 12. Iewel Art 12 pa 346. Wee oppose against him the generall consent of other Fathers and the testimonie of the Councell of Trent 4. St. Austen saith Christ spake these words This is my body when hee gaue a signe of his body Master Hardin makes answere that St. Austen fighting against the Mâ—nichees oftentimes vseth not his owne sense and meaning but those things which by some means howsoeuer it were might seeme to giue him aduantage against them so as he might put them to the worst 5. St. Austen saith Those words of Saint Luke August de Consens Evang lib. 3. cap. 1. I will not hencefoorth drinke of the fruit of the Vine are to be vnderstood of the Sacramentall Cup and consequently the fruit of the vine was wine in substance after consecration Dico Augustinum non expendisse hunc locum diligenter Bellar. de Eâ—ch li. 1. cap 11. Bellarmine is a witnesse against him that hee did not well consider of that text which appeares by this that hee passed it ouer lightly 6. Saint Austen saith The Israelites eate of the same spirituall meate Aug in Ioh. Tract 26. but not the same corporall which wee eate for they eate Manna wee an other meat but both the same spirituall meat Maldonat confesseth this is the doctrine of the Caluinists Hoc dicopersua um me habereâ— D. AugustinuÌ„ si nostrâ fuisset aetate longè alitèr censurum Mâ—ld in Ioh. 6. n. 50. but saith he I am verily perswaded that if Austen had been liuing in these dayes and had seene the Calutnists so interpret Saint Paul he would haue beene of an other mind especially being such an vtter enemy to heretikes 7. Saint Austen saith Sine fide etiaÌ„ quae videÌ„tur bona opera in peccata vertuntur Aug. contr duas Ep. Pelag. ad Bonif l. 3. c. 5. Non sequeÌ„da illa opinio quam TridentinuÌ„ Concilium nuper merito damnauit omnia infidelium opera esse peccata quaÌ„uis maximuÌ„ authorem DiuuÌ„ AugustinuÌ„ habuisse videatur Mald. Com. in Math. 7.18 The workes which are done without faith though they seeme good are turned into sinne Maldonat answers Wee may not defend that opinion which the Councell of Trent did of late iustly condemne although the great Father S. Austen seeme to be of that opinion 8. Saint Austen saith He crowneth thee Coronat te quia dona sua coronat non merita tua Aug. in Psal 10â— Bish in his Refor of a Cathol deformed because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits M. Bishop protesteth that Saint Austen was too wise to let any such foolish sentence to passe his pen. 9. Saint Austen saith I know certaine worshippers of Tombes and Pictures August de Mor. Eccles li. 1. c. 34. Bell.
is confessed by ingenious Romanists ECckius the Romanist tells vs the authoritie of Councells is of that consequence Tollatur Cōciliorum authoritas et omnia in Ecclesia erunt ambigua dubia pendentia incert◠nā omnes mox redibūt haereses Ecck. Ench. Art de Concil that if they should be taken away All things would become ambiguous doubtfull wauering vncertaine and all heresies would reuiue againe And that the Romish proselyts might knowe what obedience ought to be giuen to Councels Gregory de Valentia giues them this caueat Si Synodus Episcopalis aut cōmunis cōsensus plurium Theologorū statueret aliquam propositionem esse propositā ab Ecclesia vt de fide tunc talis teneretur c. Valent. in Tom. 3. disp 1. q. 2. punct 5. If you finde but an Episcopall Synod or consent of diuers Diuines onely affirming such a doctrine to bee the sentence of the Church you are bound to beleeue it though it be a lie Pardon me if I beleeue them not for our aduersaries giue iust cause of suspition when their chiefest respect tends to the honour of Traditions of Fathers of Councels and the sacred Word is made a by-word of Obscuritie and Insufficiencie I speake not this as if our Church did decline the authoritie of Councells for wee professe that Generall Councels are the representatiue Body and as it were a little Modell of the whole Church We approoue the first foure Generall Councells confirmed by our Church Eliz. 1. Whitak Rat. 4. vers Camp and Acts of Parliament wee acknowledge with reuerend Whitakers The name of Councels is honorable their credit singular and their authority of great esteeme nay more wee testifie with learned Bellarmine Bell de Eccles Cōcil li. 1. c. 10 in Initio that Generall Councells are very profitable and in some sort necessary for the suppressing of heresies yet saith hee they are not absolutely and simply necessary and of this I am easily perswaded for this reason First because the Primitiue Church for the first three hundred yeres had no Generall Councells and yet perished not Againe as the Church during those three hundred yeeres continued safe without generall Councells so without doubt it might haue continued three hundred yeres more and againe six hundred yeeres after that and so likewise a thousand yeeres more for in those first times there were many heresies many schismes many vices abuses all which notwithstanding they wanted the assistance of generall Councells could not indanger the Catholike Church But admit that Councels were simply necessarie which Bellarmine denies yet their calling must be answerable to their beginning and therefore let vs first inquire by what authoritie they were first called and obserue how the Commission hath beene executed from time to time by warrantie of the first Author We reade in the booke of Numbers Num. 10.1 2. that the Lord commanded Moses to make two Trumpets of siluer that hee might vse them for calling of the Assembly Moses according to Gods Law did assemble the people and saith the Text Deut. 33.5 Moses was king in Iesurum when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel gathered together Moses then had Ius Regale a Regall power although in proprietie of speech hee were no King and by this Regall power hee assembled the people and this authoritie was executed by him as by a King This right was assumed after him by King Dauid by king Solomon by king Iosiah by king Iehoshaphat and so from Moses to the Maccabees they all practised the same power of calling assemblies as Kings Princes and there was none of Gods Prophets I say not any one that either opposed or prohibited these assemblies At the comming of Christ this commission was renewed but not altered there was no new order for calling them other then had bin taken in the old Law assoon as kings receiued the Christian faith they executed the same power of the Trumpets which was first granted to Moses The first Councel of Nice it was the first and best Generall Assembly that was summoned in the Christian world after the Apostles time and this was called by the Emperor Constantine the Great The 2d. generall Councell at Constantinople was called by the Emperor Theodosius the elder The third at Ephesus by the Emperor Theodosius the younger The fourth at Chalcedon by the Emperor Valentinian and Martian These foure generall Councels are likened by Gregorie to the foure Euangelists and these had their right calling by Kings and Emperours and not by the Bishop of Rome If wee looke vpon particular Councels it will appeare they were likewise called by Kings and Princes in their seuerall dominions for many ages The first Councell of Arles was called by Constantine the Great The Councell of Aquileia was called by the Emperors Valentinian and Theodosius The first of Orleance by king Clodoueus the second of Orleance by Chidelbert the French King and this maner of calling assemblies by Kings and Emperors continued from Moses to Constantine and from Constantine to Arnulphus aboue 2400. yeeres for otherwise if this new assertion must take place The Pope must call Councels the first foure Generall Councells which all Christians had in such reuerence not one of them is a lawfull Councell nay saith our Reuerend and learned B. Andrewes D. Andrews in his Sermon of calling Assemblies The Church of Christ hath to this day neuer a General Councell Vnâ liturâ with one wipe wee dash them out all wee haue neuer a one no not one And that you may know it is not the testimonie of the Protestants alone Cardinall Cusanus doth witnesse with vs Cusan Cōcord Cath. lib. 3. ca. 13. 16. that all the Generall Councels to the eight inclusiuely were all called by the Emperours and that wee may iustly charge the Pope of Vsurpation both in calling and assuming a preheminence of place and dignitie in Councels Semper inuenio Imperatores et Iudices suos cum Senatu Primatum habuisse officiū Praesidentia per interloquutiones et ex consēnsu Synod◠sine mandato conclusiones et iudicia fecisse Cusan de Con. lib. 3. c. 16. the Cardinall makes this confession I euermore finde that the Emperors and their Iudges with the Senate had the gouernement and Office of Presidence by hearing and conferring of matters and that they made Conclusions and Iudgements with the consent of the Councel and without any further Commission Those men therefore that are so earnest in calling vpon vs for Councells should first shew vs the lawfull calling of their assemblies If Demetrius and his fellowe craftsmen will assemble together of their owne heads and keepe a shouting and crying for the great Diana of their Religion this rowt will prooue a ryot and is punishable by the Lawes of God and man away therefore with this confusion away with Demetrius assemblies If Pope Innocent the Third will assemble in his owne name contrary
our aduersaries makes nothing for their purpose for if Cyprian say that Infidelitie cannot come to the Romans whose faith was praised by the Apostles mouth then can none of the people of Rome erre because the faith of them all was praised by the Apostles mouth but the trueth is this holy Father speakes not there of matters of faith nor of the stabilitie of the Romane Church although most Romanists so translate it and apply it but of the tumultuous and disorderly courses of certain lewd persons who being censured by the Bishops of Africa fled to the Bishop of Rome for protection of their cause and therupon vpbraideth them that they came to Rome with lyes and tales which could finde no admittance nor harbour there Nauigare audent et à schismaticis et profanis literas ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est adquos persidia non potest habere accessum Cypr. lib. 1. Epist 3. when as they might wel vnderstand that the Romans were men whose Faith was commended by the Apostle Et ad quos perfidia non potest habere accessum vnto whom perfidiousnesse could haue no accesse that is they would giue no eare to their perfidious and calumnious suggestioÌ„s This therefore I must needs say is vnfaithfulnesse and perfidiousnes in the Church of Rome wilfully to misapply those things which make nothing for them I proceed from the infallibilitie of the Church to the authoritie of it wherein you shall likewise obserue the Romanists doe insist especially vpon that knowne confession of St. Austen Ego vero Evangelio noÌ„ credereÌ„ nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae coÌ„moueret authoritas Aug. contr Ep. Fund cap. 5. I should not haue beleeued the Gospell except the Authoritie of the Church had mooued mee thereunto But I pray what doe these words concerne the Roman Church why should they bee applied rather to the Roman then to his owne Church in Africa or our Chuch in England for hee speakes not of the Roman Church or any particular Church but of the Church indefinitly Moreouer their owne Canus professeth Canus loc Theol. lib. 2. cap. 8. that St. Austen had to doe with a Manichee who would haue a certaine Gospell of his owne admitted without further dispute In this case saith he St. Austen puts the question What if you finde one which doeth not beleeue the Gospell what motiue would you vse to such a one to bring him to your beliefe I for my part saith hee should not haue beene brought to imbrace the Gospell if the Churches authoritie had not swayed with me 〈…〉 reâ— Cyâ— Epiâ— And from hence also Bishop Canus drawes this sound conclusion The faith of the Gospel is not founded vpon the authority of the Church This Exposition of their Romanist is agreeable to our belielfe for wee professe that the first outward motiue to bring men to the knowledge of the Scriptures is the authoritie of Gods Church Hooker Eccles Polit. lib. 3. If I beleeue the Gospell saith Hooker yet is Reason of singular good vse for that it confirmeth me in this my beliefe the more If I doe beleeue as yet neuerthelesse to bring mee to the number of beleeuers except reason did somewhat helpe and were an instrument which God doeth vse to such purposes what should it boot to dispute with infidels and godlesse persons for their conversion and perswasion in that poynt Hee therefore that shall conclude from St. Austens doctrine which he professed in the name of an heretike let him receiue his answer from the same Father when he makes his confession as a true Catholike Ex veritatis ore agnosoo Ecclesiam participem veritatis Aug. in Psal 57. By the mouth of God which is the trueth I know the Church of God which is partaker of the trueth But as it happeneth sometimes that hee who hath fallen into the hands of an vnskilfull Physician is loath afterwards to commit himself euen to a good one Aug. lib. 6. Confess c. 4 So was it in the state of my soule saith Austen which could not bee healed by beleeuing and for feare of beleeuing false things it refused to be cured by true ones And in the Chapter following whilest hee was yet a Manichee hee makes this humble confession Thou Lord Idem Confess l. 6 c. 5. didst perswade mee thus I say not that they were blameable who beleeued thy Bookes which thou hast grounded by such authoritie throughout almost all the nations of the earth but that they indeed were blameable who beleeued them not and that no â—are was to bee giuen to any if peraduenture they should say to mee How dost thou know that these Bookes were imparted to mankind by the Spirit of that one God who is true in himselfe and most true when hee speaketh to vs for that is the very thing it selfe which is especially to bee beleeued Thus St. Austen the Catholique interprets Austen the Heretique After his conversion to the trueth the blessed Spirit did perswade him that there was no eare to bee giuen to those men which made such doubts and questions as are dayly made in the Church of Rome viz. How doe you know the Scriptures to bee the Word of God but as the Samaritans beleeued that Christ was the promised Sauiour vpon the report of a woman yet afterwards when they heard him themselues they professed they beleeued him for his owne sake and not for the womans report So likewise this holy Father first conferred with flesh and blood as the most knowne familiar meanes to introduce a sauing knowledge but after hee had receiued the Spirit and word of trueth he like the Samaritans beleeued the Gospel not for the Churches sake but for Christs own authoritie and his Gospels sake The Authoritie of the Church is rightly compared to a Key which openeth the dore of entrance into the knowledge of the Scripture now when a man hath entred viewed the house and by viewing it likes it and vpon liking resolues vnchangeably to dwell there hee doeth not set vp his resolution vpon the key that let him in but vpon the goodnesse and commodiousnes which he sees in the house I omit diuers Expositions of the learned Romanists touching this saying of Austen Durand l. 3 Dist 24 q. 1 Diedo de Eccl. Script dogm lib. 4. c. 4. Geâ—s de vita spir Animae lect 2. Coroll 7. Durand Driedo and Gerson tell vs That those words of Saint Austen had relation to the Primitiue Church which both saw Christs person and his miracles heard his doctrine Aquinas saith Augustinus de Ecclesia vt causa praeponente non vt fundamento fidei loquitur A quin. in 2 2. quaest 2. art 7. that St. Austen spake of the Church as an ouer-ruling cause but not as a foundation of Faith And for a conclusion of this poynt The minde of the faithfull beleeuer doth not rest in the
his heauenly Angels to witnes that notwithstanding you obtrude the invisibility of our church as a stumbling blocke to the ignorant notwithstaÌ„ding your great brags of an outward face of an eminent and glorious Romane Church yet your Trent faith and doctrine vvas far froÌ„ the knovvledge of Christ his Apostles nay more if any Iesuite or all the Iesuites aliue can proue your Roman Faith had Antiquity Vniuersalitie and Succession in al ages and that your Trent Articles were plainly commonly and continually taught receiued de Fide as Articles of Faith before Luther let all the Anathema's in your Trent Councel fall vpon my head And as touching the great noise and rumors of your Catholike Church if you wil consider and vveigh it vvith wisdom and moderation you shall find it wholly depends vpon tvvo doubtfull and vncertain coÌ„clusions viz. The Infallibilitie of the Pope and the Intention of the Priest These are but tvvo slender threds to vphold the Vniuersall faith of all Christians and therfore blame not vs if such things seeme harsh and vntunable in our eares that many millions of soules shold depend vpon the Infallibility of one man that man by your own supposall may draw vvith him innumerable soules to hell That man vvho hath the name and nature of Antichrist in his person in the one as he is against Christ and his doctrine in the other as he claimes to be Christs Vicar sit in his stead for the very name of Antichrist imports both Anti-Christ signifies Against Christ and to be in the place of Christ That man vpon vvhose forehead by the testimonies of learned Authors the vvord Mysterie Dr. Iames in his Epist Dedicatory of the Corruption of the Fathers c. the very mark of the Beast was sometimes writteÌ„ That man who is pointed at by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be that Antichrist by his habitation seated vpon seuen hills Reuel 17. That man who hath the character of the man of sin 2. Thess 2.4 which aduaÌ„ceth himselfe aboue all that are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 viz the Kings and Princes of the earth That man who hath published the doctrine of Deuils 1. Tim 4. by forbidding of meats and Marriage vnto Priestes Lastly that man whose Infallibility Conc. Flor. in Decret Eugenij whose Succession whose Orders whose Baptisme and Christianitie it selfe depends vpon the Intention of a silly Priest Bell de Iustif li 3. â— 8 of whose Intention none can be assured by your owne confessions It is not the great souÌ„d of a visible Church that must outface the truth for the emptiest vessels make the greatest souÌ„d neither is it the name of Catholike which you wholly appropriate to your selues sufficient to proue your Church Catholike nay more your pretences of Scriptures of Traditions of Fathers of Councels of an Infallible Church are but figge-leaues to couer the nakednesse of your nevv borne faith for it shall appeare by this small Treatise that your chiefest scriptures on which you build your Trent doctrine are Apocryphal your Traditions which you haue equalled to the Scriptures are Apostaticall your Fathers which you assume for Interpreters of the Scriptures are spurious and counterfet your Councels which depend vpoÌ„ the Infallibilitie of the Popes iudgment are erronious doubtful and your preteÌ„ded Catholike Church which is made the onely rule of Faith is neither a whole nor yet a sound member of the Catholike and Vniuersall Body This way therefore which you take is a cloke colour to darken truth by outward shewes and specious pretences and therefore Via Deuia a vvandring and By-way Neither is it your bitternesse and inuectiues against a Lay man shall make me silent in Gods cause for I say with Moses Num. 12.29 Would God al the Lords people could prophecie and I hope there will neuer be wanting a Mildab a Medab to assist Moses and Aaron that may bee able to vindicate Gods Honor and Truth ease our painful Pastors and Ministers which most laboriously performe the work of an Euangelist and conuert soules by preaching which yours peruert by Controuersies of Disputations I hope I say there wil be alwaies some who wil publish to the shame of your Romish Pastors the palpable ignorance of the Laitie who with an implicite faith inuolued obedience resigne vp their sight and senses to blind guides Let the Trueth of God and his Church flourish no rayling accusation of an Aduersary shall deterre mee from my seruice to his cause In the meane time I will appeale to your own consciences whether it bee Catholike doctrine or sauour of Christian Charitie which your Iesuites teach viz. Haereticos non magis audiendos esse etiamsi vera et sacris literis coÌ„sentanea dicant aut doceant quaÌ„ Diobolum Mald. in Math. 16.6 That the Reformed Churches are no more to be heard then the deuill himselfe although they speake trueth and agreeable to the Scriptures nay more I speak it with shame and griefe Discept Tâ—â—ol Sect. 2. the Pope at this day allowes the Talmud of the Iewes and yet prohibites the Books of Protestants Giue mee leaue therefore to speake to you as somtime S. Austen spake to the Donatists Aug. contr Petâ—l lib. 3. cap. 59. If you will be wise vnderstand the trueth it is well if otherwise it shall not grieue mee that I haue taken this paines for you for though your hearts returne not to the peace of the Church yet my peace shall returne to mee in the Church The cause is Gods the labour is mine if you wil reade it impartially and can shew me any error clearely faithfully and moderately I wil make a work of Retractations and professe openly with righteous Iob Iob 31.35 36. O that mine aduersary would write a Booke against mee I would take it vpon my shoulder and bind it as a Crowne vnto me H. L. The Contents Sect. 1. THe safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scriptures Pag. 1. Sect. 2. Our Aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered p. 16. Sect. 3. The Scripture according to the Iudgement of the ancient Fathers is the sole Iudge of Controuersies and Interpreter of it selfe p. 43. Sect. 4. Our Aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers p. 58 Sect. 5. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues p. 86 Sect. 6. Our Aduersaries pretences from the Authorities of Fathers and Councels to proue the Apocryphall Bookes Canonicall answered p. 122 Sect. 7. The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding
most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them p. 144 Sect. 8. The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church p. 167 Sect. 9. The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By way p. 245 Sect. 10. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the Testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to fifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them p. 280 Sect. 11. The most substantiall poynts of Romaine Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers p. 307 Sect. 12. Saint Augustine in particular is much disparaged by the Romanists and for instance in many seuerall poynts of moment wherein hee professedly concurreth with vs is expressely reiected by them p. 335 Sect. 13. Saint Gregorie pretended to be the Founder of the Romane Religion in England by sending Austen the Monke for conversion of this nation in his vndoubted writings directly opposeth the Romish Faith in the maine poynts thereof p. 347 Sect. 14. Councels which are so highly extold and opposed against vs were neither called by lawfull authoritie or to the right ends as is confessed by the ingenuous Romanists p. 370 Sect. 15. Councells which our Aduersaries pretend as a chiefe Bulwark of their faith giue no support at all to the Romish Religion as it is proued by particular obiections made against seuerall Councels in all ages by the Romanists themselues p. 386 Sect. 16. The Councell of Trent which is the maine Pillar and last resolution of the Roman faith is of small or no credit at all because it was neither lawfully called nor free nor generall nor generally receiued by the Romanists themselues p. 420 Sect. 17. In the Roman Church which our aduersaries so highly extoll aboue the Scriptures there is neither safetie nor certaintie whether they vnderstand the Essentiall or Representatiue or the Virtuall or the Consistoriall Church p. 452 Sect. 18. The most common Plea of the Romanists drawne from the Infallibilitie Authoritie and Title of the Catholike Church is proued to bee false vaine and friuolous p. 468 Sect. 19. The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie among themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church p. 496 Sect. 20. The Church is finally resolued into the Pope who wants both Personall and Doctrinall succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of Fact and matters of Faith p. 513 Sect. 21. The infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement which is made the Rule of Faith to determine all Controuersies is not yet determined by the learned Romanistes amongst themselues p. 545 Sect. 22. The Church vpon which the learned Romanists ground their Faith is no other then the Pope and the Church vpon which the vnlearned Romanists doe relie is no other then their Parish Priest p. 572 Sect. 23. Eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no certaine Note of the true Church but the contrary rather as it is prooued by instances from Adam to Christ p. 592 Sect 24. The Latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is pâ—ooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall decreed a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther p. 610 Sect. 25. The aforenamed corruptions and most remarkable declination of the Church of Rome in the later ages was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. p. 666 Sect. 26. The Conclusion of this Treatise shewing in sundrie particulars the certaintie and safetie of the Protestant and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romish Way p. 675 VIA DEVIA THE BY-VVAY SECT I. The safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scripture WHen the Donatists in the most flourishing times of Christian Religion arrogantly and presumptuously appropriated the Catholique and Vniuersall Church to their haereticall and particular faction St. Austen encountring them Quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus an inverbis nostris eaÌ„ qua situri an in verbis capitis sui Dom. nostri Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eam quaerere debemus quia veritas est nouit corpus suuÌ„ Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 2. states the poynt of Controuersie in this maner The question is where the Church should bee what then shall we doe shall wee seeke it in our owne wordes or in the words of our Lord Iesus In my iudgement we ought rather to seeke the Church in his owne words for that he is the truth and knoweth his owne body You haue heard the question propounded and answered by the Oracle of that age Such is the difference at this day betwixt the Church of Rome and vs and I heartily wish wee might ioine issue with them vpon the like tearmes and both agree with one vnanimous consent to seeke the Church of God in the word of God then should wee be gathered as sheep to one sheep-fold and the weake in faith should be receiued not to doubtfull disputations but to the reading of the Scriptures and they that now question the Visibilitie of our Church before Luther would first examine the infallibilitie of their owne by the Touchstone of the Gospell and the rather because it is agreed on both sides that whatsoeuer Church professeth that faith and doctrine which Christ and his Apostles taught in the first age the same Church and doctrine hath continued more or lesse visible in all ages But to returne to the Donatists Cant. 1.7 When Christ in the Canticles demanded of his Spouse where she rested Meridie at Noone-day the Donatists concluded Christs question with their owne answere that the Church did rest Meridie and that was in the South from this ground excluded all other Churches but their owne in the South of Africk The Donatists claime was seemingly deriued from the authoritie of the Scriptures for Donatus and Austen heretique and Catholique both vrge the Scriptures but obserue the difference Saint Austen puts the whole issue of his cause vpon the Scripture the Donatists claimed their doctrine by the publique voyces of the Africans they assumed to themselues the title of the Catholike Church they magnified the Councels of their Bishops they gloried in their frequent though fained miracles these were the principall grounds of their Church Remotis ergo omnibus talibus Ecclesiam suaÌ„ demonstrant si possunt non in sermonibus rumoribus Afrorum