would to God the forme of beleeuing were fetched from the Primitiue Church Thus saith Staâ—pulensis By which rule iustified by our Aduersaries we conclude that the holy Church of God need not receiue or beleeue any of those things following to wit Purgatory Inuocation of Saints departed worshipping of Images Auricular confession the Popes pardons Transubstantiation the Masse to be truely and properly a propitiatory sacrifice to be offered both for the quicke and the dead the Sacrament without Communicants and Communion vnder one kinde without the Cup to be sufficient for Lay people reseruation of the Sacrament and eleuation thereof to be worshipped and circumgestation in Procession for pompe and adoration Matrimony and extreme Vnction to be properly Sacraments of the New Testament and to conferre grace single life necessary to be imposed vpon the Clergy All which and more your Iesuite Azorius reckons for Traditions vnwritten p Azorius Institutionum lib 8. cap. 4. §. 3. seq Also that the Church of Rome is head of all â—hurches and that all Christians must fetch their Faith their Orders and iurisdiction from it that the Bishop thereof cannot erre in matters of faith or interpreting the Scriptures See more of this point Rainold Hart confer chap. 5. diuision 1. pag. 184 c. And chap. 8. divis 1. pag. 462. c. The Scriptures teach no such thing and therefore we need not beleeue it 5 We being constant to the former rule for the sufficiency of the Scriptures in matters of faith and good life further admit of some kind of Trad tions to wit first Doctrinall traditions agreeing with the Scriptures or thence truly deducted q Many Fathers call the whole Word of God which by some holy men guided by Gods Spirit was let downe in writing and by them also others deliuered to the people by liuely voyce A tradition which the Church must preseruâ— and also the forme of wholesome words Creeds Catechismes c. thence deducted 2 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 6 17. See Rain Hart. c. 8. d. 1. p 466 467. So the baptisme of Infants if not coÌ„manded in plaine words yet plainly deducted from Scripture Gen. 17.12 13. Col. 2.11 1â— Act. 2.38 39. Luke 18.16 Mar. 10.16 Mat. 19.14 18 14. 1 Cor. 7.14 Mat. 28.19 The doctrine of the Trinity the equality of three Diuine persons in one substance and the distinction by incommunicable proprieties Gen. 1.1 26. Mat. 3.16 Iob. 1.32 Mat. 17 5 28.29 2. Cor. 13.13 1 Iâ—b 5.7 Psal 2.7 Heb. â— 3 5. 7.3 Col. 1.15 The proceeding of the holy Gâ—ost from the Father and the Son as from one beginning and one spiration from all eternity Ioh. 14.26 15.26 16.13 14. Rom. 8.9 Secondly rituall traditions for order and decency left to the disposition of the Church being not of Diuine but of positiue and humane right r 1 Cor. 14.40 11.2 Acts 15 â—0 So they be not childish or trifling nor accounted parts of Gods worship nor with opinion of merit nor burthensome for their mâ—ltitude Å¿ Of the multitude S. Augustine complained in his time Epist 119. ad â—anuar c. 19. See D. Ram. Hart c. 8. div 4. p. 599. seq The first of these no man allowes and commends more then we and the second kind wee retaine and vse with reuerence such as are profitable and comely in our times and countries without condemning other Churches differing from ours in such matters as we find Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine did Aug. Epist 188. But a third kind of Traditions obtruded for Articles of Religion grounds of Faith and part of Gods worship neither contained expresly in Gods word nor thence deducted by any sound inference and yet receiued by the Councell of Trent Sess 4. with the same authority and reuerence that the holy Scriptures are receiued those we gainesay as things derogating to the verity sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures And herein your Romish Writers deale fraudulenly against vs and deceiue the world for they alleadge the Fathers speaking of the first kind of Traditions as if they spake of all whereas indeed they write very strongly and sharply against this third kind which wee refuse Bishop Vsher in his booke against the Jrish Iesuite pag. 36. seq alleadgeth a whole Iury of ancient Fathers testifying the sufficiency of the Scriptures for matters of Faith Tertullian Origen Hippolitus the Martyr Athanasius Ambrose Hilary Basil Gregory Nissen Jerom Augustine Cyril Theodoret. So that the Traditions which they vrge we alow and those that we deny they write sharpely against The Fathers say your Rom sh are not of the Protestants Church because they vrge Traditions but wee say more truely The Fathers are not of the Romish Church because they teach the Scripture is sufficient and needs no Traditions to supply their defect as the Romish teach When Bellarmine and your other Doctors are pressed with the authority of the Fathers they are compelled to yeelâ— vnto vs the sufficiency of the Scriptures as I alleadged artic 4. but obserue their vnconstancy lest they should ouerthrow thereby the manifold doctrines held by their Church that haue no ground in the Scriptures they are faine to maintaine also vnwritten Traditions to bee the grounds of those Doctrines See more of this point in Mr. Perkins Reformed Catholicke the 7 point B. Morton Apol. Cathol part 2. lib. 1. cap. 32. seq And Protestants Appeal lib. 2. cap. 25. D. Field of the Church Booke B. Vsher in his answer to the Irish Iesuite Rainolds and Hart confer chap. 5. diuision 1. pag. 190. 6 We receiue and beleeue also the three Creeds The Apostles the Nicene and that of Athanasius t These are in our Bookes of publicke prayer and booke of Articles of anno 1562 art 8 and subscribed vnto by all Ministers and the foure generall Councels of the Primitiue Church as good formes of true Christian Doctrine deductions and explications of Scripture u Acknowleeged by King Iames in his Praemonitiâ—n to all Christian Monarâ—s p. 35. and by our Acts of Parliament You receiue the same also but you adde a thirteenth article decreed to be an article of Faith thirteene hundred yeares after Christ by a thirteenth Apostle Pope Boniface the eight x Boniface 8. liued an 13â—â— his Decree runs thus Subesse Romano Pontâ—fici omni humanae creaturae declaramus dicimus desinimus pronunciamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis Thus Boniface 8 in extrauag de majoritate obedientia cap. vnam santaâ— That it is necessary to saluation to be subiect to the Bishop of Rome which is neither in the Scriptures ancient Creeds nor ancient Fathers nor can be thence deducted And you haue further also dately added 12 new Articles by the authority of Pope Pius 4. anno 1564 raised out of the Councell of Trent and added to the Nicene Creed to be receiued with oath as the true Catholicke Faith to bee
the Eunuch who embraced the Old Testament Acts 8 28-35-37 c. And by Saint Peter to Cornelius and his company who had before receiued the Religion of the Iewes Acts. 10.2 22 35 43. And by Saint Paul Acts 13.14 16 -32 -38 39. c. The Apostles receiuing the Conuerts to Baptisme vpon adding to their former knowledge these few principles of true Faith in Christ Iesus and good life shewed that in their Iudgement they wanted no essentiall thing necessary for the making of them true members of the Church and perfect Christians or as our Catechisme calles them members of Christ Children of God and inheritors of the Kingdome of Heauen and that if God should take them out of this world in their first entrance into these principall grounds of saluation without further knowledge or practise yet vndoubtedly they should die sufficient Christans and in the state of Grace §. 6. Conformable to the Apostles practise the Christians of the Primitiue Church baptized those that were Catechized in the grounds of sauing doctrine as the essentiall points of Religion that constitute a Christian as appeareth by Irenaeus and Tertullian See Irenaeus and Tertullian cited before chap. 1. sect 2. sub 1. §. 2. whom I alleadged before and by the Creeds which were ordayned as Badges of Christians and differences of true beleeuers froÌ„ either vnbeleeuers or hereticks The Westerne Churches vsed in their Baptisme that short form of confession comoÌ„nlly called the Apostles Creed which in the more ancient times was breefer then now it is as our Learned Bishop Vsher hath punctually obserued B. Vsher serm at Wansted p. 28. The mention of the Fathers being Maker of Heauen and Earth the Sonnes death and descending into Hell and the Commuion of Saints being wholly omitted happily as not necessary for all men to know as Suarez saith or sufficiently implied in other articles or knowen by the light of reason and so not making difference betwixt Christians and heathen these reasons some for one point some for another But being in time made for better explication so full as it is now the whole Westerne Church hath long receiued as a badge of their Faith distinguishing the Beleeuer from the vnbeleeuer The Eastern Church vsed in Baptisme a larger Creed Vsher ib. p. 30. Euseb ep apud Socrat l. 1. hist cap. 8. al. 5. Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 12. the same or very little different from that we call the Nicene Creed because the greatest part thereof was repeated and confirmed in the Nicene Councell to which it was presented by Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea with this Preamble As we haue receiued from the Bishops that were before vs both at our first Catechising and when we receiued Baptisme and as we haue learned from the holy scriptures and as we haue both beleeued and taught when we entred into the Ministery and in our Bishoprick it selfe so beleeuing at this present also we declare this our Faith vnto you To this the Nicene Fathers added a more cleare explication of the Deity of the Sonne against the Arrians which then troubled the Church professing him to be begotten not made and to be of one substance with the Father The second generall Councell assembled 56 yeares after at Constantinople approuing all the former added also something concerning the holy Ghost which then was oppugned by the Macedonian Heretickes The same Fathers also then added the Articles concerning the Catholicke Church and the priuiledges thereunto belonging The Roman Church after the dayes of Charles the Great added the Article of Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne And the late Councell of Trent recommended it vnto vs Concil Trident. seff 3. as That principle in which all that professe the faith of Christ doe necessarily agree and the firme and onely foundation against which the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile And by which alone our Fathers sometimes drew Infidels to the faith ouercame Heretickes and confirmed the faithfull Such are the words of the Trent Councell So that in this Creed they confesse That onely foundation and principle of faith is to be found in the vnity whereof all Christians must necessarilly agree Section 2. § 1. The rule enlarged and approued in this Age. § 2 By Azorius out of the School-diuines in 14 Articles § 3. Some obseruations and censures of those 14 Articles § 4. The rule set downe by Bellarmine more briefly § 5. By D. Field farre more sufficiently in 6 Articles with his iudgement of the deductions therefrom euident or obscure § 6. B. Vshers distinction of superstructions vpon the foundation § 7. Consequents of this doctrine §. 1. But because we see this foundation of faith hath from the Apostles times continually been enâ—â—ged by reason of errours and heresies arising in sâ—â—erall Ages let vs search a little further how the most Iudâ—cious men doâ— bound it in these our dayes §. 2. Azorius the Iesuite deliuers the vnanimous consent of all the Roman Diuines in 14 Articles Azorius Institu tionum moralium part 1. lib. 8. cap 5. § At iuxta ibid § tertio quaeritur seq whereof seuen concerne the Diuine nature and seuen concerne the humane all which are to be beleeued explicitè with distinct vnderstanding of all men Of the first seuen there is taught in the First That God is in Nature and Substance eternall infinite immense and in maiesty highest euery where not onely in power might and efficacy but also in deed and truely present who hath power of life and death is the supreme Lord of all things who can with his becke and at his pleasure doe all things which he will who knoweth seeth careth for and moderateth all things Secondly The first person in nature and diuine substance to wit The Father is the beginning of two diuine persons and therefore the begetter of the Sonne and breather of the Holy Spirit vnbegotten subsisting of himselfe and by himselfe not receiuing and hauing his essence of another Third The second person in the Diuine nature is true God begotten of the Father onely from all eternity the naturall Sonne of God consubstantiall and equall to him in all things the onely Word and expresse Image of the Father most perfectly representing and expressing him Fourth The third person in the diuine Nature the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne from all eternity is true God coaeternall to them both coâ—quall and consubstantiall and to be worshâ—pped with the same faith and with equall seruice and honour Fifth God is the creator of all things who by his onely becke and word out of nothing produced all things visible and inuisible or the whole frame of the worlâ— in the beginning of time and hauing produced them preserues directs cares for and gouernes them with great goodnesse and wisdome And as he is the creator of all things from whom all things be ng made of nothing did in time proceed so he is the end of all
Sacra Scriptura est Regula credendâ— certissima tutissimaque saith Bellarmine i Bellar. de verbo Dei l. 1. c. 2. § quare cuÌ„ The Scripture is the most certaine and safe rule of Faith and Spiritus dominatur in conscientijs fidelium The holy Spirit rules in the faithfuls consciences making them all to submit to the word of God and though disioyned in Nations Lawes and Languages yet still to consent in the substantiall points of reformed Religion and constantly to suffer for them in persecution which vnity is not wrought by any Kingdome inter nos among vs such as the Pope assumeth but by Christs Kingdome intra nos within vs ruling our hearts by his Word and Spirit which Kingdome hee saith is not of this world but meerely spirituall and diuine §. 3. But now as if Gods truth stood need of our shadowed lies to maintaine it or that humane policy could deuise better means for the gouernment of Gods Church then either he by his own prouidence hath prescribed or the Ancient Primitiue Church practised or else which is the truth because there are some newer doctrines and practises to be maintained neither imposed by God nor able to stand of themselues we forsooth must deuise to set vp a man as blinde and corrupt as our selues and attribute vnto him infallibility in iudgment and vnbounded iurisdiction in gouernment which neither Scripture Fathers nor any reason doth giue him and by him we must suffer our selues to bee ledde blindefold in a conceit of greater peace and vnity than the Truth and Gods Spirit at first afforded which is a meere dreame and not onely a carnall but a most deceiuable policy and no better than the Priests of Antichrist may plot in being content to yeeld themselues to the whole guiding of their wicked Master and attribute vnto him infallibility of iudgement without ground or reason §. 4. That the Popes infallibility and iurisdiction haue no ground in the Scriptures or Fathers I haue shewed before with many reasons against them both Now since you vrge the profit thereof I will shew you the vnprofitablenesse and the intollerable inconuenience thereof to the Church Princes and Common-wealthes Antâ—q If you can doe so you shall goe beyond my expectation Antiquis I haue done it in part already See before book 1. cap. 5. §. 3 5 c. when I shewed you how the Popes earthly kingdome erected and maintained by many vniustifiable practises and polices spoyleth Christs heauenly Kingdome and robbeth earthly kingdomes of wealth peace comfort and many other blessings as by exempting all the Clergy both their persons goods and lands from the gouernment right or maintenance of secular Princes and Magistrates By making the Pope superiour to Emperours and Kings to depose them and dispose of their Kingdomes to others if he thinke it good for the Church and to that end freeing subiects from their sworne fidelity and arming them against their Soueraignes A doctrine fruitfull of treasons and rebellions Ib. sect 7. By dispensing and dissoluing oathes couenants and leagues and all other bonds and sinewes of humane society peace and security Ib. sect 8 9. By dispensing with Gods Lawes in matrimoniall causes and in other matters of great moment Ib. cap. 6. per totum As also by many hurtfull policies to maintaine this power depriuing Gods people of Gods word and authorizing Monks and Friers to preach where they list without controule of Bishops corrupting diuinity by Schoolmens subtilties Iesuits Statists and Incendiaries and many other deuices to draw to their faction the Wealth and Soueraignty of the word Meditate and consider well of that which then I declared and you will be satisfied that a number of things in the Papacy practised are most vnprofitable to the Church and vntollerable to Princes and Common-wealths §. 5. But to satisfie the more thorowly I will shew you some examples Hildebrand who as Onuphrius saith first set vp the Popes princedome made himselfe Pope by help of the Diuell so he was accused by a Synod a Trithem chroÌ„ Hirsaugiens an 1081. Auentin annal Boior l. 5. Marian chroÌ„ l. 3. an 1081 c of 30. Bishops of Italy France and Germany and by the ayd of armed men with some few of the Clergy and furthered by the great riches of Maud a powerful Gentlewoman of Italy his familiar friend without either the b Carlt. iurisd cap. 7. §. 103. Benno Naucler generat 36. This story I collect out of those histories and our learned men K. Iames BB Iewel Morton Carlton Bilson Vshâ—â— c. Emperours consent or the Cardinals hee called his name Gregory the seuenth Being now warme in the Popes Chayre he cites the Emperour Henry the fourth anno 1076. to appeare and answere in a Synod at Rome to crimes obiected against him vpon paine of present deposition Henry cals a Synod at Wormes where all the Teutonick Bishops except the Saxons renounce Hildebrand from being Pope and to their decree the German and French Bishops and most of the Italian Bishops assembling at Papia subscribed taking their oathes neuer to obey him more as Pope With this decree Caesar sends his letters to Hildebrand renouncing him and pronouncing him deposed from the Popedome The letters and deposition were deliuered in a Synod at Rome whereupon Ioannes Portuensis episcopus rushed vp and cried out Capiatur let him bee taken at which word the Prefect of the City and souldiers were at point to take and slay him in the Church But he stoutly catching vp a sword and calling vpon the name of Peter Prince of the Apostles with solemne words cursed the Emperour depriued him of his Empire absolued all Christians from their oath of fidelity made vnto him and forbade them to obey him as King And this was the first time that euer any Emperour or King was pronounced deposed by the Pope and subiects set free from their Alleagiance as c See Onuphrius cited before Booke 1. cap. 4. §. 9 10. Vrspergens fol. 226. B. Carlton Iurisd c. 7. §. 105. Malmsburiensis hist in Willm primo Angl. Reg. Otho Frising in vita Henrici 4. l. 4. c. 31. B. Vsher De Eccles succes cap. 5. §. 6. Onuphrius and many other historians say This Emperor Henry saith Vrspergensis was valiant and fought 62. set battles in number surpassing M. Marcellus and Iulius Caesar of whom the one fought 30. the other 50. This fact of Hildebrand opened all mens mouthes with outcries against him calling him Antichrist and that by deuising fables corrupting histories abusing Scriptures through his headlong ambition hee sought the rule of the world vnder the title of Christ and played the rauening wolfe in sheepes cloathing spoyling all religious piety raysing warres seditions rapes murders periuries and all euils Thus cryed the world saith Auentine Meane season Hildebrand prosecuting the deposition of Henry stirred vp the Saxons against him offring to make them Kings of the whole West besides
interuallo a great Way behind them in the manner not in the matter of their writing I know it vnfit for me yea vnfit for a Christian and I hate it in my heart to bean Author or Inuenter of new opinions of Religon We must learne of S. Iude Iude v. 3. onely earnestly to contend for the faith which was once that is first deliuered to the Saints Therefore the Materials of my building I create not but fetch them from the Garden of Eden the holy Scriptures and the large Forests and rich Quarries of others but the choice of all the Timber and Stone the squaring ioyning forme and frame of the worke is mine which I haue set together without any impairing of the strength or beauty I hope of any peece Such graue and holy Authors words as vndeniable witnesses add waight and authority to my discourse more then from my selfe it could haue and it will be a great ease to the Readers as Iudges to haue the whole pleadings abridged and laid in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or short view before them with the witnesses names annexed to euery Article whom they may more fully examine vpon euery occasion This I haue aymed at how neere I haue come vnto the marke I must leaue to others to Iudge The first part of this worke I now publish which concerneth the generall exceptions against our Reformed Church which I hope I fully cleare and satisfie in this small Volumne The second part which handleth the particular doctrines controuerted I am compelled to put off to another time Those my labours I am bold or rather indeed I am bound to dedicate vnto your Honour 1 As to my most bountifull Patron furnishing me with increase of meanes both to liue in better sort without want and thereby without contempt and especially to furnish me with many vsefulll bookes of all kindes and sides in perusing examining and extracting the quintessence whereof is my daily labour and my greatest worldly contentment The honour and fruits whereof are due debts vnto your bounty 2 As to our Reuerend Bishop and generall Father of the Clergy in this your Diocesse of Lincolne appointed according to the order of christs Apostles deliuered in Scripture a As appâ—â—reth by the subscriâ—tions of the second Epistle to Timothy in the Originall Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To Timotheus ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians And the like to Titus ordained the first Bishop of the Cretians And by the Text Tit. 1.5 cap. 2. cap. 3.1 2 8 9 10 c. To gouerne part of Gods Church not onely for the b Ordination Tit. 1.5 1 tim 4.14 5.21 2â— 2 tim 2.2 Ordination of Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in euery Congregation but also for c Iurisdiction 1 Tim. 1.3 4.11 5. per tot 6.3 4 5 20. 2 tim 2.14 tit 1.10 11 13. 3.10 c. Iurisdiction or power or ouer-fight that they teach found doctrine and liue without scandall 3 As to a most eminent and excellent builder of Gods Spirituall house by your diuine wisdome learning preaching and writing 4 And yet further To the most Noble and famous builder of Gods externall and visible houses by your d The beautifull Chappell at Lincolne Colledge in Oxford a magnificent Library at S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge the mother and â—â—rse-place of of his learning another at Westminster his Dignity built and furnished by his cost as also another at Lincoln his Bishopricke with store of excellent bookes Founding also â—ew Fellowes and other Students with yeerely maintenance for euer in Cambridge with many other workes of Piety and abundant charity Oxford Westminster Lincoln Leicester and other places materiall buildings enriching beautifying and amplifying Churches and Colledges with Chappels Libraries Fellowships and Schollerships in both the Vniuersities and else where and furnishing them with the most excellent and necessary bookes that can bee gotten Which With other your most pious and Noble works draw the hearts and tongues of all men which I can heare mention your name to glorifie God for you and you for glorifying God and our Church and Nation with such worthy Monuments of your Piety Cost and Labours In regard of all these I could not hold my hart would breake if I did not in some sort vent the fulnesse thereof and honor your Bounty your Fatherhood your spirituall Graces and your materiall magnificall Beneficence by the best meanes I can with this dedication of my poore labours And let me adde that which all men will easily conceiue 5 To receiue honour from you by prescribing your much honoured name before my labors And finally as in these many respects I am bold and bound So 6 I doe most willingly and humbly offer my labours to your Fatherhood to be viewed Iudged approued or censured by your graue Wisedome Learning Piety and Authority For the continuance and encrease whereof and of all your temporall and eternall happinesse I shall dayly pray as becommeth Your Lordships much bounden ANTHONY CADE To the Reader DEare Christian Reader whatsoeuer or of what Religion soeuer thou art if there be any of these three things truly rooted in thy heart either the care of Gods Glory or the saluation of thy soule or the loue of thy Country with the peace strength happinesse and flourishing estate thereof as I hope all these three are conioyned in thee by them all of them or any of them I humbly and heartily entreat thee to reade not with prejudice but with an honest and good heart with indifferency patience aduisednesse and with continuall waighing considering and examining the things which I haue with great labour and diligence gathered and heere set before thee Rom 9.1 c. I doe protest before God as Saint Paul did for the Hebrewes that I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart for my deare brethren English people that are seduced and withdrawen from the sincerity of the Gospell and my hearts desire and praier to God is and my endeuours both by example of life and holy doctrine Rom. 10.1 c. continually tend that way that they might be saued eternally and in this world liue comfortably and happily For I beare them record the greatest number of them that they haue a zeale of God but not according to knowledge And it may bee many of their seducers are themselues first seduced by the cunning of their greatest Rabbines who yet the most of them know full well and very often confesse in their writings as I shall manifestly shew in handling the chiefe points controuerted betwixt vs that Protestants hold the truth and themselues haue swarned from pure Antiquity In tender commiseration therefore and yerning bowels of compassion vnto the seduced I haue vndertaken this great labour with neglect of my selfe my health and state to doe good to their soules and good to my Country by vniting them so far
as in me lyeth firmely to be the true Church of Christ and the body of this State And I haue caried my selfe with that sincerity and singlenesse of heart that I may safely protest againe with S. Paul I speake the truth in Christ I lie not Rom. 9.1 c. my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost I renounce the hidden things of dishonesty not walking nor writing in craftinesse 2 Cor. 4.2 2.17 1.12 nor handling the word of God or diuine things decitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending my selfe to euery mans conscience in the sight and feare of God I am no Innouator inventer or fauourer of new things in Religion I search for the old and out of all kinde of Authors deduct allegations authorities consequences and reasons against the new I cut off extrauagant needlesse and endlesse questions priuate opinions both of these and former ages and comprehend the necessary points of Religion agreed vpon by the Scriptures Fathers and moderne diuines within their owne true limits I set downe the most substantiall points agreed vpon betwixt the Romans and vs and shew withall their vnnecessary additions and corruptions I search how corruptions came into the Church as they will doe into all societies of Men in continuance of time I shew how they were discouered opposed and reformation wished and sought for in all former ages and by what power policies and cunning they preuailed after Sathan was loosed I finde and shew the out-cries of historians and other learned men Emperours Princes Clergy and people yea of their owne writers against them all before Luthers time And all this while I shew the continuance of all necessary sauing doctrine in many other famous Churches beside the Church of Rome yea and within that Church also a sufficient visible number of many hundred thousands farre and wide spread in Countries and Nations and continewing till Luthers time which refused the gouernment errors and corruptions of the Papacy and taught the same substance of doctrine which Protestants now teach Yea the better part of the Church of Rome it selfe excepting onely the Papacy and the faction that maintained it held with great liberty the same most necessary points of Faith which we doe vntill by the Councell of Trent which was not a free end generall Councell but guided wholly by the Papall faction that liberty was taken away and the errors of the Papacy were imposed generally vpon all vnder paine of Anathema or depriuation of saluation Vpon due search of these and many other things which heere I deliuer vnto thee in the Scriptures Fathers Histories and all kinde of Authors of either Religion I haue by the grace of God attained to that perfect knowledge and assurance of the Verity Antiquity and Sufficiency of the Protestants doctrine to good life in this world and eternall saluation in the world to come that any mortall man can desire to haue and am as willing if God haue so decreed iâ— expedient and the times desire it to suffer for it as the holy Martyrs were for this same Religion in the Primitiue Church not writing any thing in substance which I will not willingly seale with my blood This is it deare Christian Reader which I present vnto thy view in this worke being a Summe or Abridgement of many great volumnes written on both sides vpon these points and thus briefly deliuered for thy greater case in reading and perfecter iudging of Truth and Errour Sincerity and Corruption Antiquity and Nouelty To answer all the Romish bookes lately come abroad in great numbers punctually following their owne method had beene an endlesse labour both to Writers and Readers and therefore for my part I thought better to gather their principall motiues and reasons out of the chiefest of their bookes and separating them into seuerall Chapters to giue them their full answer in their proper places so answering many bookes in one Among the store of all other Allegations I haue most willingly and commonly referred the Reader to the late Writers of our owne Nation and that especially for these Reasons First for the excellency of our Authors surpassing others both in multiplicity of reading profundity of Iudgement and sincerity of affection in deliuering the truth As we finde in our learned Bishops Iewel Abbots Bilson Morton Vsher Downham Hall White Andrew c. And our Doctors Fulke Raynolds Whitakers Field Favour White Prideaux c. And other Diuines Master Foxe Perkins Hooker and many other whose worthy labours I doe heartily commend to the diligent reading of our English men The Romish affected very well know that those English which haue fled from vs and written on their side haue in shew of wit and learning gone beyond not onely all former but all other of this Age So that Bellarmine takes most out of them in the points whereof they haue written as Sanders Allen Stapleton c. And therefore let no man contemne their owne Countreymens wits and learning but acknowledge their worth and make high account of their learned labours Secondly to shew that I bring no new thing of my selfe but what is fully confirmed by our most approued writers and that I also thankfully remember and honour them Per quos profecerim Thirdly to shew the vnity of the Writers of our Church from the beginning of the Reformation to this time contrary to the Romish slanders which charge vs with continuall varying from our selues Fourthly to shew to our English men especially where they may read in our learned English Writers more fully of the points which I deliuer briefly for their better instruction and satisfaction Fiftly because my selfe am aged and not fit by reason of the encreasing weakenesse of my body and memory hereafter if any flourishing busie wits list to oppose to manage this cause without much disparagement to it and to my selfe I thought good to alleadge many worthy Diuines now liuing that they might take vpon them the defence of their owne writings by me alleadged or impose it vpon others more able in body then my selfe Further I confesse that it much troubled me that I could not make my booke shorter without either making it too obscure and vn-intelligible or else cutting off much matter fit to giue the fuller satisfaction For by this length of it I doubt it will become tedious to many to reade it thorow and cary away the matter in their memory But I haue helped this Inconuenience as much as I could 1 by distinguishing the whole matter into Chapters euery Chapter being as it were a seuerall Treatise by it selfe which may be read alone without reference to the rest And 2 by dividing the Chapters if they be long into Sections and sometimes also the Sections into Subsections and Paragraphes marked thus § setting downe the summes of the Chapters and Sectâ—ons in the beginning and before them for the quicker finding or refinding of the matters therein contained and the easier view and
is the man that deliuers it If a Priest therefore teach it be it true be it false take it as Gods Oracle 2 Thess 2.4 What can Antichrist doe more wheÌ„ he sits in the Temple of God as God exalts himselfe aboue God but disgrace Gods Word set vp his owne make Gods Word speake what he list both it and the sense of it shall receiue authority from him His Lawes his Iudgement his Agents shall be receiued without examination And the holy Word of God which should be the rule of all true faith and good actions shall lose his place of leading and follow the Popes fancy By these grounds meanes and shifts all the seeking for reformation at the Popes and Romish Prelates hands was vtterly auoyded And the Roman Church as now it stands is the multitude of such onely as magnifie admire and adore the plenitude of Papall power and infallibility of iudgement and are so farre from Reformation of errours and corruptions formerly cryed against and by many of themselues confessed that they decree them now to be good impose them now as De fide points of faith and doctrines of the Church yea and persecute with curses fire and sword the discouerers reprouers and reformers thereof So that there was no possibility left to good and godly Princes and States and to true-hearted godly learned men but either against their knowledge and conscience to liue slaues to the vnsupportable tyranny and corruptions of the Pope or else to reforme these abuses euery one in their owne Countries and if the whole field of the Church could not be purged and dressed yet euery one to weed out of their owne Lanâ—s and Furlongs the Tares and filth that choked the good Corne. Thus I haue shewed you that errours and corruptions had crept into the once pure and famous Church of Rome and that they were noted and cryed out vpon by many Historians Learned men Bishops Doctors Princes and People and Reformation sought for many Ages before it could he performed And that neither Luther nor any other learned men nor Princes euer intended to erect a new Church but by reforming of the Abuses crept in to reduce the Church to her ancient purity Whereupon the Protestant Churches are truly called The Reformed Churches Antiquus Well sir shew me now the true difference betwixt your new reformed Churches and the Church of Rome as now it is How farre they agree and wherein they differ in some principall points Antiquissimus I will and the rather because some rayling Rabsaches of your side impudently say and print that The Protestants haue no Faith no Hope A namelesse Author be like ashamed to set to his name beginning his booke with these words The Protestants haue no Faith c. no Charitie no Repentance no Iustification no Church no Altar no Sacrifice no Priest no Religion no Christ I hope to make it apparant that we hold all the points of Faith necessary and sufficient to good life on earth and saluation in heauen and that you confesse wee hold them truely because you hold the same and we onely refuse your later needlesse and vnsound additions there unto CHAP. 5. The principall points of Doctrine wherin the Romish and the Reformed Churches agree and wherein they differ Protestants refuse the popes earthly Kingdome and maintaine Christs heauenly 1 A note of the chief-points of Christian Doctrine wherin the Protestants and Romanists fully agree shewing also the Romish additions therevnto 2 The Protestants doctrine in generall iustified by Cardinall Contarene Cardinall Campeggio and our Liturgy by Pope Pius 4. 3 But the Popes reach further at an earthly Church-kingdome and fourthly challenge a supremacy ouer all Christians and Churches in the world 5 More specially ouer the Cleargy exempting them from being subiects to Princes 6 Yea ouer all Christian princes and their states to depose dispose and transpose them and to absolue subiects from their alleageance to rebell c. 7 To dissolue Oathes Bonds and Leagues 8 To giue dispensations to contract or dissolue Matrimony 9 And other dispensations and exemptions from Lawes §. 1. Antiquissimus 1 WEe beleeue a Articles of the yeare 1562 art 1. one true God inuisible incorporeall immortall infinite in wisedome power goodnesse maker preseruer and gouernour of all things and that in the vnity of this God-head there be 3 persons of one substance coequall in wisedome goodnesse power eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost You beleeue the same But your exalting and adoring the Blessed Virgin whom we honour and reuerence so farre as we may any the most excellent creature in such sort as you entitle her a Goddesse b Lâ—…siâ—…s oftâ—…n â—…alâ—…er D am a 〈◊〉 siâ— in his 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 where the 〈…〉 and â—…tice Queene of Heauen c So Hortul aâ—i ae 117. b such wa tâ—e hâ—resie oâ— the Câ—llâ— dâ—â—â—s Vpip â—an â—er 79. and of the world d â—o Hort anime 154 b and make the like prayers to her as you doe to God e You call her soâ—ne Loâ—d her Lady him Sauiour her saluatrix him Mediator her Mediatresse him King hâ—r Quâ—enâ— him God her Goddesse As appeares in many of your prayers as saâ—â—â— Râ—gâ—â—â— â—â—ter misericordiae vita dulcedo salue And consolatio desolatorâ—m via eâ—â—antium sâ—â—as oâ—â—â—m in te sperantium In Offiâ—io B. Mariae Reformato iussu Fij 5. edito And in the Ladies Psalter wherin the words of honour and prayers are turned from God to hâ—r in places innumerable Psal 50. misâ—rere mei domina mundaâ—e ab â—â—â—ibus iniquitatibus meâ—s essâ—nde gratiam tuam super me Psal 89. Domina resugium faâ—ta es noâ—â—s in cuncâ—â— nâ—cessitatibus nostris Psal 2. protegat nos dextra tua mater dei euen with authority and command ouer her Sonne f As their owne Cassander confesseth consult art 21. they make Christ raigning in heauen yet subiect to his Motâ—er Monstra te esse Matrem In Bâ—eviâ—r Rom. officio B. Mariae reformat And Matris iâ—â—e impeâ—a Redemptori Missal Parisiens Dâ—reus to Whitaker fol. 352. saith This is not against Religion and as a partaker of the gouernment of his Kingdome g They assigne Iustice to Christ and Mercy to the Virgin As Gabriâ—â—l Bâ—eâ— in exposit Canoâ— Missae lect 80. saith Confuâ—imus primò ad b atissimam Virginâ—m caelorum reginam cui Rex Regum Pater caelestis dimidium â—egni sui dedit post Pater caelâ—stis cum hâ—beat institiam misericordiam tanqâ—am potioâ—a regni sui bona iustitiâ— sibâ— retenta misericordiam Matri Virgini concessit The like is written by many other of their learned men viri celebrâ—s saith Cassander consult art 21. The great learnâ—d â—esuite Gregorius de Valentia often sets Christ after his mother thus Gloriâ— deo B Virgâ—nâ— Mariâ— Doâ—inae nostiae Item Iesu Christo At the end of his Treatises De satisfact De Jdo olat De
the pope fauoured the Fryers and curbed the Vniuersities priuiledges §. 5. See Vsherabidem During this contention at Paris The Fryers forged a new Gospell fitter it seemes for their purpose then Christs Gospell and called it the Gospell of the Holy Ghost and the euerlasting Gospell Evangelium aeternum labouring to make men beleeue it was more perfect better and worthier then the Gospell of Christ as the Sunne was more perfect then the Mooue and the kernell of a Nut better then the shell and that Christs Gospell should then cease and this should come in the roome of it and continue for euer And this Gospell continued 55 yeares without any open reprehension of the Church of Rome and at length was set forth to be openly read and expounded in the Vniuersity of Paris anno 1255. But it was opposed by some Parisian Doctors Gulielmus de Sancto amore O do de Duaco Nicholaus de Barro and Christianus Belluacensis who wrote against it and shewed the monstrous impieties and blasphemies of it After much contention finally the matter was brought before the pope anno 1256. who with aduice of his Cardinals tooke order that this Gospell and all the copies thereof should be secretly burned and not openly reprehended for disgracing their Orders and also that the Parisians bookes written against it should be publikely burned The popes Decree for this purpose is inserted in Bishop Vshers booke De successione Ecclesiarum cap. 9. § 28. Where also the whole story is set downe somewhat largely collected out of many approued Historians there cited ibid. § 20. seq By this story appeareth the little conscience these seeming holy Fryers made of the truth of their teaching §. 6. or of corrupting Gods Word or abrogating it or of teaching any thing that might serue for their purpose And these were the worthy men whom the Jnnocent pope made choyce of to vphold not Christs Church but the Papacy authorizing them to preach where and what they list without controule of any man for the maintenance thereof 3 And not onely to preach but to exercise the authority and power of a most cruell Inquisition Hos prosternamus deleamusque said Dominicâ— to Francis in vita Deminici yea made them the chiefe Inquisitors to search out and deliuer vp to death all those that gaine-said and withstood without yeelding vnto the Doctrine and gouernment of the Pope although otherwise they liued neuer so holily iustly and quietly which bloody office they executed with all diligence and cruelty §. 3. 4 About the same time also and out of their Schoole arose another Euill of vnprofitable and idle Sententiaries Questionists Summists Quodlibetists and such like 1 Tim. 6.4 fit men to corrupt the simplicity of the Gospell and fill mens heads with darke thorny and brawling disputes to languish about questions 2 Tim. 2 23. and strife of words and by too much subtilty making plaine things obscure losing the pith marrow and kernell of true Theology 1 Tim. 6.20 and bringing true sauing knowledge of good life to prophane and vaine ianglings and oppositions of science falsely so called For now was Theology made conformable to their rules of Philosophy and must haue no other sense then their fore-conceiued opinions allowed it and all other senses must be shifted of by subtile distinctions Viues in his notes vpon S. Augustine de civ Dei The Schoolemen saith Lodovicus Viues through ignorance of tongues haue not onely marred and smoothered a Lib. 3. cap. 31. all other Arts but b Lib 3. cap. 13. lib. 19. c. 12. Diuinity too and and haue c Lib. 11. c. 11. 14. Lib. 13. cap. 1. lib. 18. cap. 1. lib. 20. cap. 16. lib. 21 cap. 7. As D. Rainolds hath collected them in the Preface to his Conference with Mr. Hart. But these places are now purged out by Index Expurg in the later Prints prophaned it with their curiosity their vanity their folly their rashnesse in mouing and defining questions As Aristotelians rather then Christians and Heathen Philosophers then Schollers of the holy Ghost §. 4. When M. Luther had reproued the great abuse of Pardons Concil Trid sess 21. c. 9. anno 1517. and that so iustly that shortly after the Fathers of the Trent Councell vtterly abolished the pardoners as vntollerably scandalous to Christian people and thereby iustified Luthers beginning and proceeding Ignatius Loiola a Spaniard lately before a Courtier and a Souldier and now disabled by a wound in one of his legges thought vpon a better remedy against the enemies of the Popes soueraignty Genebrard lib. 4. chron then had been deuised before and in the yeare 1521. began a new order of Iesuites he obserued as he trauelled in many Countries and Vniuersities such rules and orders as best fitted his purpose Possevin Bibl. select lib. 1. cap. 38. and hauing ioyned ten other choice men to himselfe came to Rome anno 1540. to get his order confirmed by the Pope and by meanes of Cardinall Contarenus Massaeus Iesuita lib 2. c. 1 â— vit Ignatij Loiola offered the forme of his new order to the Pope wherein he had to the three vowes of other orders super added a fourth vow that the Iesuites should willingly and readily goe into any Countrey of Christians or Infidels whethersoeuer the Pope would send them for the affaires of Religion This the Pope greatly liked saying it would proue a notable helpe to the afflicted state of the Church Ribadeneira vit Igâ—at lib. 2. c. 18. Thus writes Mâ—ssaeus the Iesuite and another Iesuite Ribadineira saith God by singular prouidence sent Jgnatius to helpe his Church now when it was ready to fall They say Satan sent Luther and God sent the Iesuites to withstand him We say the contrary But let it be iudged by the purport of their Doctrine who came from God â—nd who from the enemy They that teach disloyalty and rebellion against Kings and leade their people into Conspiracies and Treasons against States and Kingdomes to let all other points passe vntouched for the present let them be branded for the Emissaries of Satan This order then was first confirmed by Paul Azor. Institut moral lib. 13. cap. 7. 3. 1540 and againe 1543. and by Julius 3. 1550. also by Pius 5. 1565. and 1571. and lastly by Gregory 13. 1584. as Azorius the Iesuit writeth and sets downe the Confirmation at large But this order of Iesuites neuer came to the height till Gregory 13 his time when Claudius de Aqua viva was made their Generall Possevin Bibl. select l. 1. c. 39. Then was a proiect laide to build Colledges and Seminaries to traine vp yong men and make them fit instruments to maintaine the Papacy and Romish Church To that end sundry choice men were brought from diuers Countries Ioannes Azorius from Spaine Iasper Gonzales from Portugall Jacobus Tyrius from France Petrus Buseus from Austria Antonius
was driuen out Notwithstanding within a few dayes after to appeale the tumults of people he was recalled Socrates lib. 6. cap. 16. placed agâ—ine in his Bishopricke restored to preaching and so continued a while but not without tumults wherein many were wounded and many killed And when hee was banished againe the Cathedrall Church at Constantinople with the Senate hâ—use were set on fire and burned to the ground in the pursuit of reuenge Baronius beginning the story of this contention Baron tomo 5. anno 400. nu 51. saith thus I take in hand a great and lamentable narration of strife and direfull persecution not of Gentiles against Christians nor heretickes against Catholickes nor of wicked men against good and iust but which is monstrous and prodigious euen of Saints and holy men one against another Ninthly Socrates lib. 7. cap. 33. D. Fâ—eld church lib 5 cap 33. â—pâ—end 1 part pag 116 117 118. c D Hall Columbâ— Noe pag. 44. In the first Councell of Ephesus being the third generall Councell there arose great contâ—ntions bâ—twixt Cyril of Alexan ria and Iohn Bishop of Antioch two Patriarkes either of them thundring Anathematismes againâ—t other and depriuing each othâ—r of their Churches Theodores vnhappily thrust his sickle into Iohns haruest against whom at the â—nstigation of Euoptius Cyrillus grieuously inueighed Theodoret accused Cyrill of Apollinarisme and Cyrill accused Theodoret of N storianisme And this fury spred so farre that it drew almost the Christian world into sides So that when afterwards Theodoret would haue come into the Chalcedon Synod the Aegyptian and other reuerend Bishops cryed If we receiue Theodoret we cast out Cyril the Canons cast out Theodoret God abhorres him This was done in the first action of the Chalcedon Councell and againe in the eight action the Bishops crying out openly he is an Hereticke he is a Nâ—storiâ—n away with the Hereticke Yet when the matter was fully knowen and that Theodoret had willingly subscribed to the Orthodoxe Creedes and to Leo's Epistles The whole Synoâ— cryed with one vâ—yce Theodoret is worthy of his Ecclesiasticall Sea let the Church receiue her Catholike Pastor Antiquus Your discourse hath â— t me into a mixture of griefe and â—oâ— Griefe that any of the holy ancient Fathers haue held any errours at all and that there were such bitter contentions among them Ioy that seeing there were such they are not hid from me For that will make me more moderate in thinking of them though reuerently as holy men yet still as men subiect to humane infirmities and not in all things to make their sayings rules of my faith or their doings patâ—ernes of my life but altogether to make the most holy perfect infallible and vnstained word of God the guides of both and it shall make me also more wise in esteeming men now liuing reuerently for the graces of God which I see in them notwithstanding their humane fraâ—lties such as I perceiue the best Saints of God haue had But yet I see not any sufficient rule to leade mee to Iudge how you can challenge the Fathers to be of your Religion more then the Romans may challenge them to be of theirs I perceiue well they diffâ—red from both in many things wherein you both refuse them Antiquissimus You make that vse of my discourse that I wish For the Rule to direct your iudgement I haue pointed at it often and now I will briefely and as fully as I can lay it open vnto you CHAP. 4. Of the Rule to iudge the soundnesse and purity of all Christians and Churches by This Chapter hath foure Sections The first Section of the Rule vsed in the Primitiue Church The second of the Rule enlarged and approued in this Age The third of Obiections arising from the former discourses and their answeres The fourth of the necessity of Preaching still to them that hold the Rule The first Section § 1. The Rule in generall § 2. Opened by distinctions of the foundation of Religion § 3. A necessity to haue a short rule drawne out of the Scriptures § 4. This rule is described by Saint Paul § 5. The practise of it by the Apostles who onely deliuered the most necessary fundamentall points to the Iewes and then baptized them § 6. The like practise vsed by the following Primitiue Church to their Catechumeni before Baptisme §. 1. THe Rule to Iudge all Christians and Churches by is this They that hold the same fundamentall points of Christian Religion which doe sufficiently constitute the Church of Christ and hold no other opinions wittingly and obstinately that ouerthrow any of these fundamentall points they are vndoubtedly of the same true Church and Religion §. 2. For the vnderstanding of this Rule note 1 Saint Paul distinguisheth betwixt the foundation and that which is built vpon the foundation 1 Cor. 3.10 As a wise Master-builder I haue laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon The word Foundation is taken two wayes First for the principall thing which is to be beleeued and wherupon our saluation is builded that is Iesus Christ as Saint Paul saith there verse 11. Other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Iesus Christ Acts 4.12 There is no saluation in any other there is none other name vnder heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued 1 Tim. 3.16 This is the great mystery of godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh c. This was Saint Peters confession Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Vpon which confession as Saint Augustine and Chrysostome expound it Christ said he would build his Church and the gates of Hell should not preuaile against it Secondly the word Foundation is taken for the Doctrine of the Scriptures which teach saluation onely by Iesus Christ as Ephes 2.20 The house that is the houshold or Church of God is built vpon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe the chiefe Corner stone And so the Apostles are called twelue foundations Reuel 21.14 to wit in respect of their doctrine whereby they laid the foundation of the Church and of mens saluation by Iesus Christ §. 3. 2 Although the whole Scripture and euery thing therein contained or from it necessarily deduced be a fit obiect for faith to apprehend Yet that all Christians should thorowly conceiue and vniformely professe them all is not to be hoped B. Vsher Serm. at Wansted pag 22. nor in any Age hath beene found As we haue manifestly proued * In the former Chapter Variety of Iudgements in some points of lesser moment which are not plainely deliuered in the Scriptures may be tollerated and must not dissolue the vnity which all must hold in the fundamentall principles Heauen was not prepared for deepe Clerkes onely which vnderstood all or for such as neuer differed in any opinion 1 Cor. 132 12. but euen for such also as knew but in part and saw through a
to whom all things are referred Sixt. God is the giuer of all righteousnesse holines and grace He forgiueth sinnes and restoreth sinners by the grace of adoption to his fauour and friendship Seuenth God is the bestower of eternall glory and heauenly felâ—city in whom the highest happinesse of blessed soules consisteth Of the other seauen Articles concerning the humane Nature The First sheweth that the Sonne of God for our sakes debased himselfe from Heauâ—n to these inferior parts descended and assumed the humâ—ne Nature and coupled it to himselfe with a maruelous knot and bond in such sort that after that coniunction there was one person of both subsisting in two Natures diuine and humane and therefore in time he was conceiued without Father of an vncorrupt Virgin the power of the holy Ghost so working in her that the word was made flesh and God Man The Second sheweth the same Sonne of God taking humane Nature of the vndefiled Virgin was borne into the world in such sort that Many was at once the Mother of God and a pure V rgin The Third sheweth how Chriâ—â— our Lord did most excellently performe the office of teaching working miracles died and made his end vnder Pilate the Iudge and President and vnder him endured an vniust condemnation and suffered the most shamefull kinde of punishment of the crosse and sustayned the most bitter death for vs and refused not buriall offered vnto him in another Mans sepulcher The Fourth article teacheth how Christ after he had died vpon the crosse descended in his soule into * Or the lower parts inferoâ— hell both that he might shew himselfâ— conquerour of death and Diuells and also the dâ—liuerer of the Fathers there detayned and in his body he lay three dayes in the sepulcher The Fifth professeth that Christ the third day returning conquerâ—nâ— from the lower parts to lâ—fe immortall and full of glory by his owne force and power did rise from the dead The Sixt sheweth how Christ hauing performed the worke of Mans redemption the fortieth day after his resurrection by his owne power ascended into heauen that in his humane Nature he might be exalted aboue all things and he aboue all might be chiefly worshipped of all who sits in heauen at the right hand of the power of God and as God exercising equall power with the Father and shining with diuine Maiesty The Seuenth article setteth out the last Iudgement day when Christ in his humane Flesh shall descend againe from the highest heauen and performing the office of the terrible Iudge of the whole earth shall openly render vnto euery one according as he hath done in his body whether it be good or euill before whose tribunall all men both good and euill shall stand whether that day of Iudgement finde them yet aliue in the flesh or dead before These 14 articles I haue set downe at large and in the full wordes of Azorius not that I approue euery word and point therin but to shew what is the generall doctrine of the present Roman Church what and how much is necessary for euery man to know and to beleeue explicitè to his saluation Note he is said to beleeue explicitè who assenteth to any thing that is told him or which he conceiueth in his thought and hee beleeueth implicitè which beleeueth any thing in generality and in that thing beleeueth many other things which are contained in it as when a man beleeueth all things which the Church beleeueth Azor ib. cap. 6. in calce Thus saith Azorius out of Gabriel the Schoolman §. 3. Abundant in superfluis deficiunt in necessarijs Beâ—â— sâ—prâ— l tâ—k See â—ellar in thâ—t chapter at large First These Articles vpon due consideration will bee found to haue two faults they containe too much and too little Too much for all things in them are not taught in the Scriptures as namely that of the fourth Article of the Humanity that Christ descended into hell to deliuer the Fathers there detained as by Bellarmines confession and the ancient Fathers testimonies they should be Costerus â—uchir cap. 1. pag. 49. § Caterum Costerus the Iesuite saith also that the chiefe heads of faith necessary for all Christians to know and to beleeue vnto saluation are plainly enough contained in the Apostles writings Secondly these Articles also containe too little for here want somethings that are deliuered in the Apostles Creed which Creed was ordained for the necessary instruction of all Christians and called Symbolum a badge or signe to dâ—stinguish Christians from Infidels and wicked people Axor ib. cap. 5. § Postremo obâ—â—tes There were indeed three Symboles or Creedes receiued in the Church for briefe comprehensions of the publicke necessary doctrines thereof for all Christ ans to know and professe the Apostlâ—s Creed the Nâ—cene and Athanasius his Creed which three do not containe diuers doctrines but rather one and the same faith set forth more largely oâ— briefly â—n more or fewer words more cleerely and distinctly to confute heresies as they sprung vp in the Church In these Creedes we are taught that there is one holy Catholicke Church and Communion of Saints c. which in these fourteene Articles are not mentioned Thirdly Besides some other things which the Romanists account very necessary Articles of their faith as that of transubstantiation that of Purgatory that of the Popes supremacy which they haue wholly left out as they haue done also the worshipping of Images Inuocation of Saints Prayer for the dead and generally all other things almost which wee refuse shewing thereby and so much gratifying vs that in their own iudgement these things are not necessary for ordinary Christians to beleeue to saluation Fourthly and the view of these Articles may confirme any man in the sufficiency of the Protestants Religion because they stedfastly beleeue excepting that one clause of one of them all these Articles which the Romanists themselues say are sufficient for saluation Neither doe the Protestants hold any thing at all that crosseth them §. 4. But Bellarmine touching vpoÌ„ this point Bellar. De verbo Dei lib. 4. c. 11. initio in answering to Irenaeus and diuers other Fathers that say The Apostles wrote all that they preached saith more briefely There are some things simply necessary for all men to saluation as the knowledge of the Articles of the Apostles Creed and of the ten Commandements and of some Sacraments other things are not so necessary that without the manifest knowledge faith and profession of them a man cannot be saued if so be that hee haue a ready will to receiue and beleeue them when they shall be lawfully propounded vnto him by the Church And this distinction saith he is gathered from hence that without the knowledge and faith of the Mysteries of the first kinde no man of a ripe Age is admitted to Baptisme but without the knowledge and Faith at least explicit of the latter men were ordinarily
powre abroad his gifts into the whole body that the Church might stand vpon Peters firmnesse King Iames Remonstrance pag. 163. English 1 Cor. 2.15 In these latter times they haue found out more texts but no whit better for their purpose then these Our learned King Iames in his Remonstrance to the Cardinall Peron reciteth some of the chiefest Saint Paul saith The spirituall man discerneth all things ergo they gather the Pope must be Iudge of all men and matters Mat. 28.18 Mat. 8.31 Mat. 21.2 Christ said All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth ergo to his Vicar The Diuels said If thou cast vs out send vs into the heard of swine and Christ said to his Disciples Ye shall find an Asses colt bound loose him and bring him to me This sheweth that Christ disposed of temporall things ergo so must his Vicar Ioh. 21.15 Act. 10.13 Iesus not onely commanded Peter to feed his sheepe but also said Arise kill and eate therefore saith Baronius Duplex est Petri officium vnum pascere alterum occidedere Peter had two offices one to feed another to kill Belike Peter is now come to the top of the house and entred vpon his second office to kill and deuoure Ier. 1.10 God said to Ieremy I haue establishd thee ouer Nations and kingdomes to wit to preach Gods promises and threatnings Luk. 22.38 Mat. 26.52 Molina Iesuita lib. de iure tract 2 disp 29. and Peter said to Christ See here are two swords and Christ answered It is sufficient not too many Also Christ said to Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath ergo the Pope hath power ouer Nations and Kingdomes and two swords one spirituall the other temporall Psal 45.16 It is said Psal 45. In stead of thy fathers thou shalt haue children whom thou shalt make Princes in all lands Ioh. 12.32 1. Cor. 6.3 Christ said If I were lift vp from the earth I will draw all things vnto me and Saint Paul Know yee not that we Paul and the Corinthians c. shall iudge the Angels how much more the things that pertaine vnto this life Vpon these places the Papall monarchy for temporall causes hath beene built in these latter ages As in former time Pope Boniface the eight Extrauag vnam sanctam grapling and tugging with Philip the Fayre built his temporall power vpon this that In the beginning God created heauen and earth Antiq. I am very sorrowfull to see the sacred Scriptures so vainly alleadged by men accounted holy wise and learned I cannot iustifie them Bellarm. de iustif l. 3. c. 8. initio Bellarmines rule condemnes them when he saith that All we are bound to beleeue with certainety of Faith must be contained in Gods word in plaine words or else euidently deducted from thence by good consequence of Reason But for this great point I speake my conscience here is neither euident words nor scarce any shew of consequence §. 10. Antiquis But for the contrary See K. Iames Praemonition pag. 47. you shall finde in the Scripture both euident words and manifest consequence The Scripture is plaine that the words Tibi tibi dabo claues in effect are spoken in the plurall number in another place Mat. 18.18 Whatsoeuer yee shall binder loose in earth shall be bound and loosed in heauen whereby the very power of the keyes is giuen to all the Apostles And the words Pasce oues vsed to Peter were meant to all the Apostles as may bee confirmed by a Cloud of witnesses both of Ancients and euen of late Popish writers yea and diuerse Cardinals Otherwise how could Paul direct the Church of Corinth to excommunicate the incestuous person cum spiritu suo whereas he should then haue said cum spiritu Petri as our gracious King Iames gathereth adding also that all the Apostles vsed their censures in Christs name neuer speaking of his Vicar that Peter in all the Apostles meetings sate amongst them as one of their number that when letters were sent from the Councell Acts 15.22 23. the style was It seemed good to the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church c. without mention of the Head thereof that Saint Paul blameth the Corinthians for that some said they were of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas some of Christ which he would not haue done if Cephas that is Peter had beene Christs Vicar and head of the Catholike Faith that Saint Paul compareth or rather preferreth himselfe before Peter Galat. 2. which had beene rudely done had he thought Peter his Head Such reasons alleadgeth our iudicious King See also before sect 6. to which might bee added also that Saint Peter was compelled to giue account of his doings to the rest of the Apostles who contended and contested with him about them Acts 11. I hope these Allegations are farre more pregnant against the Supremacy of Saint Peter then the Romists are for it §. 11. Antiq. Yet the ancient Fathers vnderstand the Scriptures so These Fathers are thus alledged by Mr Hart Conference with D. Raynolds cap. 5 diuision 3. p. 217 out of Stapleton priu do l. 6. c. 13 Raynolds ib. pag. 2â—1 that they gaue S. Peter most honorable titles S. Austen saith The Primacy of the Apostles is conspicuous preeminent with excelleÌ„t grace in Peter Chrysostom calleth him the mouth of the Apostles the chief the top of the Company Theodoret the Prince of the Apostles which title is giuen him by all Antiquity Others ad out of Epiphanius The highest of the Apostles Austen the head president the first of them And Cyprian saith The Lord did chuse Peter first haply hee meant his first Apostle not his first Disciple for Audrew was first a Disciple and followed Christ as Saint Ambrose obserueth And Saint Ierom saith Peter was of so great authority that St. Paul went to visit him as himselfe writeth Gal. 2. and Ierom saith also that Peter was chosen one among the twelue to the intent that a head being appointed occasion of Schisme might be taken away Of such sayings as these the Fathers bookes are full Antiquis Doth not Doctor a See Raynolds Hart ibid cap. 5. diuis 3. Raynolds there answer you soundly and fully which you may reade there at large the briefe substance whereof is this that all the Fathers sayings touch onely three prerogatiues the first of Authority the second of Primacy the third of Principality but all far short of the Supremacy which the Pope now claymeth 1 The authority mentioned by Saint Ierom is onely Credit and Estimation for so Ierom expresseth his owne meaning Saint Paul went vp to Ierusalem to conferre of the Gospel with them that were esteemed that is with Peter and other Apostles to wit with Iames Peter and Iohn who were esteemed to be Pillars Gal. 2.2.9 for his conference with Apostles of such authority or estimation might adde some credit authority and estimation to