to them nor worship them saith also thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven Image PRO. Our learned Bishop White hath answered for 〈◊〉 the Ground and Proposition of this argument saith he is falâ—e for worshipping of Images is forbidden as the principall object of that negative precept and as a thing Morally evill in his very kind but making them is forbidden onely when it is a meanes subservient to worship and because it may be separated both in his owne nature and in mans intention from that end and use therefore the one is simply forbidden and the othâ—r is onely prohibited when it becommeth a meanes or instrument to other for we mislike not pictures or Images for historicall use and ornament now this distinction and disparitie betweene making and woâ—shipping is comfirmed by the example of the â—razen Serpent made by Gods owne appointment for when the same was onely made and looked upon it was a Medicine when it was worshipped it bâ—came a poyson and was destroyed To proceedâ— the Church of Rome holds that the Saints raigning with Christ are to be worshipped and prayâ—d unto but this we hold is not warranted by Gods word but rather repugnant to it for we are commanded to invocate God in the name of Christ and our Saviour himselfe inviteth us to approach with confidence to the throne of his grace he is rich in mercie to such as call upon him and more compassionate better able and more willing to helpe us than any Saint or Angel and he is appointed by God to be our Intercessour We reade in the new Testament many examples of people which made supplication immediately unto Christ but not of one which made intercession to the Virgin Mary or to the blessed Saints or Angels And if any question with this our negative concluding from Scripture Saint Hierome upon occasion did the like saying we beleeve it not because we reade it not I will close up this point with that advise which Ignatius gave the Virgins of his time not to direct their prayers and supplications to Saints or Angâ—ls but to the Trinity onely O ye Virgins have Christ alone before your eyes and his Father in your Prayers being enlightned by the spirit Of Faith and Merit The Trent Councâ—l accurseth all such as say that a siâ—ner is justified by Faith onâ—ly or deny that the good workes of holy men doe truly Merit everlasting life our reformâ—d Churches hold that wee are accounted righteous bâ—fore God onely for the Merit of Iesus Christ applyed by Faithâ— and not for our workes or Merits And when we say that we are justified by Faith onely we doe not meane that the said justifying Faith is alone in man without true repentance hope charity and the feare of God for such a Faith is dead and cannot justifie Even as when we say that the eye onely seeth wee doe not meane that the eye severed from the head doth see but that it is the onely propâ—rtie of the eye to see Neither doth this Faith of Christ which is within us of it selfe justifie us or deserve our justâ—fication unto us for that were to account our selves to be justified by the vertue or dignity of something within our selves but the true meaning therâ—of is that although we heare Gods Word and beleeve it although wee have Faith Hope Charity Repentance and the fâ—are of God within us yet we must renounce the Merit of all our vertues and good deedes as farre too weake and unsufficient to deserve remission of our Sinnes and uâ— justification and therefore we must trust onely in Gods mercie and the Merits of our only Saviour and justiâ—ier Iesus Christ. Neverthelesse because Faith doth directly send us to Christ for our justification and that by Faith given us of God we embâ—ace the promise of Gods mercie and the remission of our Sinnes which thing none other of our vertues or workes properly doth therefore the Scripture useth to say that Faith without workes and the ancient Fathers of the Church to the same purpose that onely Faith doth justifie us Now for the Poynt of Merit it is neither agreeable to Scripture nor reason for we cannot Merit of him whom we gratifiâ— not we cannot gratifie a man with his owne now all our good is Gods already his gift his proprietie What have we that we have not received saith the Apostle not our Talent onely but the improvement also is his meere bounty there can be therefore no place for Merit PA. Wee hold the ancient Romane Faith PRO. That is not so as may appeare by these instances Saint Paul taught his Romanes that our Eleâ—â—ion is of Gods free grace and not ex operibus praevisis of workes fore-seene He taught that we are justified by Faith onely we conclude that we are justified by Faâ—th without the workâ—s of the Law which is all one as to say a man is justified by Faith onely He taught that eternall life is the gift of God and therefore not due to the Merit of workes that the good workes of the Regenerate are not of their owne condignitie meritorious nor such as can deserve heaven and the sufferings there expressed are Maâ—tyrdomes sanctified by grace He condemned Images though made to resemble the true God and taught that to bow the knee religiously to an Image or to worship any creature is meère Idolatry He taught that we must not pray unto any but unto God onely in whom we beleeve and therefore not to Saints or Angels since we beleeve not in them He taught that concupiscence is a Sinne even in the regenerate and Possevine the Iesuit confesseth that Saint Paul called it so but saith he we may not call it so He taught that the Imputed righteousnesse of Christ is that onely that maketh us just before God Thus taught Saint Paul thus the ancient Romanes beleeved from this Faith our latter Romanists are departed Here then let the Reader judge whether it be likely that Saint Paul who as Theodoret saith delivered doctrine of all sorts and very exactly handled the Points thereof should neverthelesse writing at large to the Romane Church not once mention those maine points wherein the life of Poperie consists namely the Popes Monarchical Iurisdiction Transubstantiation Communion in one kinde Service in an unknowne tongue Popes pardons Image worship and the like if the Church of Rome were then the same that now a dayes it is Now if these points mentioned were no Articles of Faith in the ancient Romane Church in Saint Pauls dayes when their Faith was spoken of throughout the whole world then they be not Articles of Faith at this day but onely Additions to the rule of Faith such as the corruption of the times hath patched up and pieced it withall for it is a ruled case in the Schooles that the body of Religion
Fulgentius speakes of the blessed Virgins helping all sucâ— women as â—lie unto her Answer The same Auâ—hor goes on thâ—ugh Bellarmine conceale it tellâ— us that the Virgin Mary whom he intitles the new Eve as Christ is called the new Adam restored all womankind as Christ did all mankind Shall we thâ—nk that the true Fulgentius a man of worth in his time would thus parâ— stakes beâ—wixt Christ Iesus and the Virgin Mary in that great work of our Redemption Surely this is some counâ—erfeit going under the name of Fulgentius And so I finde that the whole Homily is in the tenth Tome of Saint Austin's workes uâ—der the Title of the fifteeâ—th Sermon de Tempore And the Divines of Lovan found it ascribed unto Severianus in some Copies anâ— printâ—d amongst Fulgentius his woâ—kes so that it appeares to be but filius populi some bâ—â—e issue whose Father being meane and uâ—knowne yet the brat is layd at some honest mans doore Object Saint Leo would have us to make sute for the votes prayers and suffrages of the Saints speciâ—lly Saint Peters Answer Saint Leo goes no farther than this By his merits and prayers wee hope to finde assistance Besides he speakes of Intercession without any Invocation Object The Fathers in the Chalcedon Councell said Let the Martyr Flavianus pray for us Aâ—swer Flavianus a Catholike Bishop was murdered for an Hereticke by the Ephesin Latrocinie and Dioscarus his Faction the worthy Councell of Chalcedon loosed him afâ—er his death and honoured him as a Saint and Martyr insomuch that upon the mention of his name the Fathers there assembled made this joynt acclamation Flavianus lives after his death Let the Martyr pray for us Now this was votum non invocatio a wish and no direct invocation Or if they will reade it Martyr pro nobis orat the Martyr prayes for us to wit in geneall wee doe not denye it nor doth it helpe their cause By this we see what to thinke of the thirty Fathers Greek and Latine mustered up by Bellarmine for proofe of Saintly invocation they may as learned Winchester observes bee put into three rankes some of them being indeed true Fathers but not truely alleadged others truely alleadged but they bee not homines legales good men and true Fathers but counterfeits bearing their names others be true Fathers and truly alleadged but they speake not ad rem to the poynt in question To come to particulars there be seaven of the thirty who lived after the first five hundred yeares so that they are later and Post-nati unto Primitive antiquitie being out of the verge of the limited time and out of the compasse of the Churches puritie Damascen living about the yeare seven hundred and thirty and Theophylact surviving William the Conquerour some of them also be partiall as speaking to the poynt when it got some footing in the Church There be others to the number of eight who have put on the visour of antiquitie and would seeme ancient but are justly suspected to bee ranke counteâ—feits and men of yesterday in comparison Two or three of the Greeke Fathers are wrong cited by a false writ and a corrupt translation There be seven other of the witnâ—sses who speake not positively as Divines but like Poets Panegyrists Oratours with Figures Apostrâ—phe's and Prosopopeiae's in a Poeticall veine and Rhetoricall streine of this ranke is Nazianzen's Respice de caelo Hierome's Vale â— Paula Maximus his Itaque ô splendida virgo Nyssen his compâ—llation to Theodore the Martyr Coge chorum Martyrum Saint Victor his adestote Angeli and Paulinus and Prudentâ—us with thâ—ir Poetry The oâ—her sixe thaâ— remainâ— upon record speake not to the poynt they tâ—ll us indeed of the Saints inteâ—ceding for us to wit in genâ—rall but this inferreâ—h not our invocation of them They tell us also of some private mens opinion and the practâ—ce of soâ—â—e few but this doth not waâ—rant it to have beene the doctrine and practice of the Church Of Iusâ—ification by Faith Alâ—hough Faith onely justifie yet is not Faith alone or solitarie in the person justified even as the eye though it onely see yet it is nâ—t alone in the body but joyned with the rest of the members in like sort Faith aâ—d Charity where they are not both joyntly together there as Leo sayth they are both wanting Saint Augustine saith That Faith onely purifieth the â—eart Saint Chysostome often useth the selfe same forme of speâ—ch to wit tâ—at Faith onely justifieth Saint Augustine saith He is sinne and wee are justice not our owne but Gods not in our selves but in him as he is sinne not his owne but ours not in himsâ—lfe but in us so are wee made the juâ—tice of God in him as he is sinne in us to wit by Imputation And againe In the way oâ— Faith they are reckoned for no sinners and therfore are â—eputed Iust who have not their sinnes imputed to them This fâ—ee remissiâ—n of sinnes he elswhere notably describeth saying If God hath covered our sinnes he will not obsâ—rve them he will not thiâ—ke upon them to punish them he will â—ot take knowledge but ratâ—er pardon tâ—em It iâ— cleâ—re also out of Saint Austine that there is such impeâ—fect on in our woâ—ks as thaâ— they cannot justifie All our Righteousnesse saith he standeth raâ—her in the remission of our sinnes than in any perfection of justice and againe Woe be to the commendablest life we leade saith he if thou Lord setting thy mercie aside shoulâ—st â—xamine it but this is our comfort God dealeth graciously with us accepting our willing desires in sted of the worke done as Saint Paul saith 2 Cor. 8.12 and accordingly Saint Austine saith All the commandements of God are then esteemed to be done when as that is forgiven whatsoever is not done Of Merit Concerning Merits or the dignity of good workes equall to the Reward Saint Paul is against it saying That the suffâ—rings Martyrdomes of this preseâ—t time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall bâ—e revealed in us and both Hierome and Chrysostome alleadge this place against Merit Leo saith The measure of coelestiall gifts depends not upon thâ— quality of workes Saint Auâ—tine saiâ—h Thou shalt not receive eternall life for thy merit but onely for grace And they speake reason for hee that would merit or deserve any thing at another mans hand must of himselfe by his owne power doe something that the other had no former claime unto now our good workes inasmuch as they are good are Godâ— frâ—e gifts Wee are not sufficient to thinke any thing that is good 2 Cor. 3.5 It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed Philip. 2.1 And Man stands bound to God either in strict termes of law or by way of gratitude as his creature servant and
Ancients used the word Merit and so also they used the termes Indulgences Satisfaction Sacrifice aâ—d Penance but quite in another sense then the later Romanists doe the Fathers who use it tooke up the word as they found it in ordinary use and custome with men in those times not for to deserve which in our language implyeth Merit of condignity but to incurre to attaine impetrate obtaine and procure without any relation at all to the dignity either of the person or the worke thus Saint Bernard concerning children promoted to the Prelacie saith They were more glad they had escaped the rod than that they had merited that is obtayned the prâ—ferment Saint Augustine saith that hee and his fellowes for their good doings at the hands of the Dâ—natists In steed of thankes merited that is incurred the flames of hatred on the other side the same Fatheâ— affirmeth That Saint Paul for his persecutions and blasphemies merited that is found grace to bee named a vessell of election Saint Gregory hath a straine concerning the sinne of Adam which is sung in the Church of Rome at the blessing of the Taper O happy sinne that merited that is Found the favour to have such and so great a Redeemer In like sort by merits they did ordinarily signifie workes as appeares by that of Saint Bernard saying The merits of men are not such that for them eternall life should bee due of right for all merits are Gods gifts Neither did the ancient Church hold merit of Condignitie but resolved according to that of Leo The measure of celestiall gifts depends not upon the qualitie of works they were not of the Rhemists opinion That good works are meritorious and the very cause of salvation so farre that God should be unjust if he rendred not heaven for the same They were not so farre Iesuited as with Vasquez to hold that The good works of just persons are of themselves without any covenant and acceptation worthy of the reward of eternall life and have an equall value of condignitie to the obtaining of eternall glorie PA. You cannot denie but that prayer for the dead is ancient PRO. The manner now used is not ancient for they that of old prayed for the dead had not any reference to Purgatorie as Popish prayers are now adayes made It is true indeed that anciently they used Commemorations of the defunct neither mislike wee their manner of naming the deceased at the holy table in this sort they used a Commemoration of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Evangelists Martyrs and Confessours yea of Mary the mother of our Lord to whom it cannot be conceived that by prayer they did wish their deliverance out of Purgatorie sith no man ever thought tâ—em to be there but if they wished any thing it was the deliverance from the power of death which as yet tyrannized over one part of them the hastning of their resurâ—ection as also a joyful publike acquitall of them in that great day wherein they shall stand to bee judged before the judge of the quicke and dead that so having fully escaped from all the consequences of sin the last enemie being then destroyed and death swallowed up in victorie they might obtaine a perfect consummation and blisse both in body and soule according to the forme of our Churches Liturgie In the Commemoration of the faithfull departed retained as yet in the Romane missall there is used this Orizon O Lord grant unto them eternall rest and let everlasting light shine unto them and againe This oblation which we humbly offer unto thee for the Commemoration of the soules that sleepe in peace we beseech thee O Lord receive graciouslie and it is usuall in the Ambrosian and Gregorian Office and in the Romane missall to put in their Memento the names of such as sleepe in the sleepe of Peace omnium pausantium and to entreate for the spirits of those that are at rest Remember O Lord thy servants and hand maides which have gone before us with the Ensigne of Faith and sleepe in the sleepe of Peace now by Pausantium Pamelius understands such as sleepe and rest in the Lord. Where we may observe that the soules unto which Everlasting blisse was wished for were yet acknowledged to rest in Peace and consequently not to be disquieted with any Purgatorie torment So that the thing which the Church anciently aymed at in her supplications for the dead was not to ease or release the soules out of Purgatorie but that the whole man not the soule separated onely might find mercie of the Lord in that day as sometime Saint Paul prayed for Onesiphorus even whiles Onesiphorus was yet alive Besides they desired a joyfull Resurrection as appeares by severall passages and Liturgies by the Aegyptian Liturgie attributed to Cyril Bishop of Alexandria where we find this Orizon Raise up their bodies in the day which thou hast appointed according to thy promises which are true and cannot lye And that of Saint Ambrose for Gratian and Valentinian the Emperours I doe beseech thee most high God that thou wouldst raise up againe those deere young men with a speedie resurrection that thou mayst recompence this untimely course of this present life with a timely resurrection As also in Grimoldus his Sacramentarie Almighty and everlasting God vouchsafe to place the body and the soule and the spirit of thy servant N. in the bosomes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob that when the day of thine acknowledgement shall come thou mayst command them to be raised up among thy Saints and thine Elect. The like is found in the Agend of the dead already mentioned PA. Invocation of Saints was anciently used PRO. I answer that though in respect of later times Prayer to Saints and some other of our adversaries Tenets may seeme ancient and gray-headed yet in respect of the first three or foure hundred yeares next after Christ they are not of that ancient standing now the true triall of antiquitie is to be takâ—n from the first and purest agâ—s for as Tertullian telleth us That is most true which is most ancient that most ancient which was from the beginning that from the beginning which froÌ„ the Apostles so that which at fiâ—st was delivered to the Saints is truest and the good seed was first sowne and after that came the tares Besides what though some poynts in Poperie were of a thousand yeareâ— standing it is not time that can make a lye to be truth antiquitie without truth is but antiquitas erroris an ancient errour and there is no pâ—aescripâ—ion of time can hold plea against God and his truth Neither yet can you prescribe for divers Tenetâ—â— Scotus that was termed the Subtile Doctor telleth us that before the Councel of Lateran which was not till the yeare 1215 Transubstantiation was not believed as a poynt of Faith This did Bellarmine observe as
comparison of God for as Iob saith he charged his Angels with folly Iob 4.18 Yea the heavens are not cleane in his sight Iob 15.15 So that Wickliffes comparison was very fit when he said the Saints were but like troubled waters and them remote and a farre off in respect of God who is the pure well-spring and at hand for as the Psalmist saith The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him yea all such as call upon him faithfully Of Iustification and Merits Chemninitius hath collected a number of sayings out of the Fathers and Schoolemen for proofe of Iustification by faith onely and amongst the rest for this fourteenth Century he produceth the testimonie of Nicholas Lyra. Wickliffe also taught that Salvationâ— that the merit of Christ is able by it selfe to redeeme all mankind from Hell and that this sufficiencie is to be understood without any other cause concurring PAP Master Brereley saith that the Doctrine of Iustification by onely faith was unknowne to Wickliffe Prot. Apol. Tract 2. cap. 2. sect 4. subdivision 2. PROT. By that which hath beene alleadged it appeares it was knowne to him but what if it were not so fully knowne to him Wickliffe was a long time kept in the mist of popery so that he could not by and by discerne the truth in all points we blame him not for that he saw no more we blesse God for it that he saw so much as he did specially in this darke time of the papacie PAP Walden saith that Wickliffe defended Humane Merits PROT. The same Friar saith that the Wiclevists overthrew the point of freewill if they tooke away freewill how held they humane merits D. Iames shewes out of Wickliffes workes that he refuted the doctrine of merit specially in his Commentaries upon the Psalmes where hee beareth downe those proud Pharisees which said that God did not all for them but thinke that their merits helpeth He taught that we are all sinners not onely from our mothers wombe but in our mothers wombe so that we cannot so much as thinke a good thought unlesse Iesu the Angel of the great Councell send it nor performe a good worke unlesse it be properly his good workes His mercie comes before us that wee receive grace and followeth us helping and keeping us in grace he concludes that it is good onely to trust in God was this man a Pelagian Frier Walden would make men beleeve he was one Howsoever there be other of our Countriemen Bradwardine Occham and Holcot men of speciall note in this age who speake excellently in this point Bradwardine in his defence of the cause of God against the Pelagians of his time disputeth this point at large shewing that Merit is not the cause of everlasting reward and that when the Scriptures and Doctors doe affirme that God will reward the good for their good merits or workes Propter did not signifie the cause properly but improperly either the cause of knowing it or the order or the disposition of the subject thereunto Occham saith No act done in puris naturalibus or proceeding from any created cause whatsoever can be meritorious but by the free promise and acceptation of God Holcot saith that our workes have this worth or value in them not naturally as if there were so great goodnesse in the nature or substance of the merit that everlasting life should be due unto itâ— but legallie in regard of Gods ordinance and appointment even as a little peece of copper of it owne nature or naturall value is not worth so much as a loafe of bread but by the ordinance and institution of the Prince it is worth so much Richard Fitzraufe afterward Archbishop oâ— Armagh in Ireland saith that the reward is rendred not for the condignitie of the worke but for the promise and so for the justice of the rewarder Gregorius Ariminensis concludeth peremptorily that no Act of man though issuing from never so great charitie meriteth of condignitie from God either eternall life or yet any other reward whether eternall or temporall and he giveth his reason out of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.7 quoniam quilibet talis actus est donum dei juxta illud Apostoli 1 Cor. 4. because every such act is Gods gift every such worke is the gift of God and what hast thou that thou hast not received and if thou hast recâ—ived it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Durand also is most resolute in this point that which is conferred rather out of the liberalitie of the giver than out of the due of the worke doth not fall within the compasse of merit of Condignitie strictly and properly taken But whatsoever we receive of God whether it be grace or glory whether temporall or spirituall good whatsoever good worke we have before done for it yet we râ—ceive the same rather out of Gods liberalitie than out of â—he debt or due of tâ—e worke Therefore nothing at all falleth within the compasse of Merit of Condignitie so taken And the cause hereof is saith he because both that which we are and that which we have whether they bee good acts or good habits or the use of them is wholy in us by Gods liberalitie freely giving and preserving the same Now because none is bound by his owne free gift to give more but the receiver rather is more bound to him that giveth therefore by the good habits and by the good acts or uses which God hath given us God is not bound to us by any debt of Iustice to give any thing more so as if he did not give it he should be unjust but we are rather bound to God And to thinke or say the contrary is rashnesse or blasphemie and yet the Rhemists in their Annotations upon the sixth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes and the tenth verse goe very farre in the contrary THE FIFTEENTH CENTVRIE From the yeare of Grace 1400. to 1500. The Benefit of Printing PAPIST WWhat say you of this fifteenth Age PROT. In this Age knowledge increased by the meanes of Printing which was found out at Strasburg in Germany by one Iohn Guttenburg And indeed the benefit of Printing was great for hereby the languages were divâ—lged bookes were farre easilier now dispersed than formerly the Manuscripts could be and learning and good letters were generally communicated Besides that in this Age God raised up divers Worthies who by their confessions writings and martyrdome witnessed the truth of the Gospell as namely Iohn Husse and Hierome of Prague PA. Were Hus and Hierome men of learning and a godly life and withall were they Martyrs as you would seeme to make them PRO. Indeed they bitterly inveighed against the ambition pride covetousnesse and negligence of the Clergie they urged the necessitie of oftner preaching then was usuall in those times and desired to have the Communion in both kinds according
acts of pietie and devotion without these frivolous Additions Gabriel Biel in his Lectures upon the Canon of the Masse saith That the Saints in Heaven by their naturall knowledge which is the knowledge of things in their proper kinde know no Prayers of ours that are here upon earth neither mentall nor vocall by reason of the immoderate distance that is betwixt us and them Secondly That it is no part of their essentiall beatitude that they should see our prayers or our other actions in the eternall word and thirdly That it is not altogether certaine whether it doe appertaine to their accidentall felicity to see our Prayers At length he concludeth That it may seeme Probable that although it doe not follow necessarily upon the Saints beatitude that they should heare our Prayers of congruitie yet it may seeme probable that God revealeth unto them all those suits which men present unto them By this we see that for the maine Gabriel concludeth that the Saints with God doe not by any power of their owne by any naturall or evening knowledge whatsoever understand our prayers mentall or vocall they and we are dâ—sparted so farre asunder as there can not bee that relation betweene us so that wee might haply call and they not bee Idonei auditores not at hand to heare us Now as learned Master Mountague now Lord Bishop of Chichester saith The Saints their naturall or evening knowledge onely is that which wee must trust unto as being a lonely in their power to use and to dispose and of ordinary dispensation In a word Peter Lombard saith It is not incredible that the soules of Saints heare the prayers of the suppliants Biel saith as we have heard That it is not certaine but it may seeme probable that God reveleth unto Saints all those suits which men present unto them here is nothing but probability and uncertainâ—y nothing whereon to ground our praying to Saints Of Iustification and Merits Trithemius the Abbot who lived in this age complaines that Aristotle and the heathen Philosophers were oftner alleadged in the Pulpit than Saint Peter and Saint Paul and therefore hee disswades his friend Kymolanus from too much study of profane sciences Let us saith hee seeke after true and heavenly wisedome which consisteth in faith onely in our Lord Iesus Christ working by love Cardinall Cusanus in a treatise of his De pace fidei brings in Dialogue-wise Saint Peter and Saint Paul instructing the severall nations of the world Greekes and Arabians the French and the Almanies Tartarians and Armenians and there in that conference hee laboureth to bring them to an agreement In pace fidei in the unity of faith and amongst other things he proves at large That wee are justified only by faith in Christ and not by any merit of our owne workes The doctriâ—e of free Iustification is excellently handled by Savonarola in his meditations upon the fiftieth Psalme which Possevine acknowledgeth to be composed by him whiles hee was in durance the day before hee was led to the stake Vpon occasion of those woâ—ds of the Psalmist They gat not the land in possâ—ssion through their owne sword neither was it their oâ—ne arme that helped them but thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them Psalm 4â— ver 3.4 â—e sweetly commâ—nteth on this sort Thou â—avâ—uredst them that iâ— they were not saved by their owne merits or workes lâ—st they should glory thâ—â—ein but even because of thy goâ—d will and pleâ—sure Vpon occasion of that Petition of the Lords prayer Forgive as our trespasses hee renounceth all merit of his owne workes and professeth in the words of the Pâ—ophet Esay That all our righteousnesse is as the rags of a menstruous woman Picus Mirandula treating on the same Petition saith it is certaine that wee are not saved for our owne merits but by the onely meâ—cy of our God Gerson taught that wee are not justified by the perfection of any inherent qualitie that all our inherent righteousnesse is imperfect yea that it is like the polluted rags of a menstruous woman that it cannot endure the triall of Gods severe judgement even Esay himselfe with the rest became vile in his owne eyes and pronounceth this lowly confession all our righteousnesse is as filthy rags The Cardinall of Cambray proveth by many reasons and authorities of Scripâ—uâ—e That no act of ours from how great charity soever it proceed can merit eternall life of condignity And whereas God is said to give the kingdome of hâ—aven for good merits or good workes the Cardinall for clearing hereof delivereth us this distinction That the word Propter or for is not to be taken Causally as if good workes were the efficient cause of the reward as fire is the cause of heate but improperly and by way of consequence noting thâ— order of oâ—e thing following oâ— another signifying that the reward is given after the good worke and not but after it yet noâ— for it so that a meritorious act is said to be a cause in respect of the rewâ—rd as Causa sine quâ— non also is said to be a caâ—se though it be no cause properly Thomas Walden professeth plainely his dislike of that saying That a man by his merits is worthy of the kingdome of heaven of this grace or that glory hoâ—sâ—ever certaine schoole-men that they might so spâ—ake had invented the termes of Condignity and Congruity But I repute him saith he the sounder Divine the more faithfull Catholike and more consonant with the holy Scriptures who doth simply deny such merit and with the qualification of the Apostle and of the Scriptures confesseth that simply no man meriteth the kingdome of heaven but by the grace of God or will of the Giver as all the former Saints untill the late Schoole-men and the Vniversall Church hath written Out of which words of Waldens wee may further observe saith the learned and Right Reverend Doctor Vsher Arch-bishop of Armagâ— both the time when and the persons by whom this innovation was made in these later dayes of the Church namely that the late Schoole-men were they that corrupted the ancient doctrine of the Church and to that end devised their new termes of the merit of Congruity and Condignity Paulus Burgensis expounding those words of David Psal. 36.5 Thy mercy O Lord is in heaven or reacheth unto the heavens writeth thus No man according to the common Law can merit by condignity the glory of heaven Whence the Apostle saith in the 8. to the Romans that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall be revealed in us And so it is manifest that in heaven most of all the mercy of God shineth forth in the blessed I will close up this point as also this age with that memorable
Images are not to be adored Now all this is to be found even totidem veâ—bis in the selfe same termes in the Fatâ—ers text and yet the Index of Spaine published by Cardinâ—ll Quiroga and reprinted at Samur by the honour of the French Gentilitie the Lord of Plessis comes in and gives these Faâ—hers a strong purge commaunding all the sentences above named to bee blotted out of the Fathers Indices or Tables In like sort hath another Index of Spaine printed at Madrill reprinted by Turretine and still preserved and kept in the Archivis or Treasurie of Monuments in the â—ublike Libraâ—y at Oxford dealt with the Index or Table of S. Austin and Athanasius as by these few instances may appeare Blot out say the Spanish Inquisitors these words out of Saint Austins Index to wit Whâ—n God crowneth our meritâ—s that is good deeds hee crowneth nothing else but his owne gifts and The Saints are to bee honoured for imitation not to bee adored for Religion as also out of Athanasius Index that God onely is to bee worshipped that the creature is not to adore the creature Now all these must bee rased out notwithstanding they bee the selfe-same words which these Father 's used in the Text Now this is no good dealing since these Tables and Indices tâ—uely gathered out of the Fathers Workes might have served for a hand to poynt at the chiefest Sentences in each Auâ—hour but they have either remooved or turned the hand aside to the great hiâ—derance of those which upon a sudden occasion are to see what such a Father saith to such a point and have not the leasure to peruse over the whole booke PA. We have not purged the Fathers Text but only the Index PRO. You have put out the very Text it selfe out of Saint Cyâ—ill whose words are Now this faith which is the gift and grace of God is sufficient to purge not onely them which find themselves somewhat ill but those also that are dangerously diseased Now all this is commanded to be blotted out by the expurgatory Index of Spaine Neither can it be justly replied that these words are put out of Cyril as not being the Authors words or not truely translated by our men for they bee Cyrils owne words faithfully translated and the copie agreeth with the Originall yea this golden sentence thus rased is still to bee found in Cyrils Workes set foâ—th by your owne man Gentian Hervet Neither yet hath Gods Booke escaped your fingeâ—s witnesse the Bible set forth by your owne men there wee reade in the Text Levit. 26. chap. according to your translation Thou shalt not make to thy selfe an Idoll and graven thing your Index saith Blot this out of the margâ—nt that graven things are forbidden Againe the Text saith 1. King 7.3 Prepare your hearts to the Lord and serve him onely your Index saith Blot out this glosse that wee must serve God onely Besides Christ is noted to bee the sacrifice for our sinnes now these words Christ is the sacrifice for our sinnes must bee dashed out In like sort they have blotted out these words in Vatablus Annotations They that beleeve in God shall be saved and they that beleeve not shall perish Now if these sayings alleadged be to be found in the Fathers and Scriptures not onely in the same sense but totidem verbis in the same termes why doe they then blot them out of the Fathers Indices or the Margents and Concordances of the Bible they might as well raze them out of the very Text of Fathers and Scripture but this they durst not openly attempt and therefore under hand they wound both Scripture and Fathers through the sides of their Expugatorie and Prohibitorie Tables PA. Your men have published Parsons Resolutions and Granadoes Meditations and therein have changed and altered divers sentences PRO. Some private men amongst us have dealt so with some late Writers but withall they professed that they had changed and altered their words thereby to shew that with a little helpe your bookes such as doe tend to godlinesse of life might lawfully bee râ—ad of us now what you did you did it secretly and under hand whereas ours dealt plainly and openly Besides you have altered and changed the writings of the Ancient at your pleasure and then would make the World belâ—eve you have onely corrected the faults of the Print or some such matter Now as you worke by your Expurgatory Indices so doe you also by your other tricke of Prohibitorie whereof you make this use that in case upon the evidence given in by good Authors the verdict bee like to goe on our side then you bring a Prohibitionâ— and remove the matter to be tried by Tradition But it is no wonder you prohibit our Writers for you have forbid Gods Booke and called it into the Inquisition Forbidding the having or reading of any part of the Bible in the vulgar Tongue tho it be set forth by Catholikes and howsoever you winke at the matter where you cannot helpe it yet in countries generally Popish as in Spaine and elsewhere The Bible and each part thereof in the vulgar tongue is utterly prohibited as your owne Iesuit witnesseth And this have divers felt with us in Queene Maries dayes and of late Iohn Murrey a Merchant of Aberden in Scotland who having a New Testament in the ship was accused by the Serchers brought before the Inquisition and lost both his goods and life for it To close up this point you have laboured to roote out all memory of our Professors for example sake Is King Edward the sixth stiled and that worthily A Prince of admirable towardnesse Is Fredericke Duke of Saxonie tearmed Christianissimus Princeps A most Christian Prince this commendation of King Edward must be left out in the next impression so must the Dukes title of Christian Prince and thus they deale with our Writers Is Melanchâ—on tearmed A man famous for all kind of learning and Bucer sirnamed the Divine doth Beatus Rhenanus in his notes upon Tertullian call Pelicane A man of admirable learning and holinesse of life All these Epithets and Titles the Romish Inquisitors have commanded to be blotted out Yea whereas Oecolampadius and Doctor Humfrey of Oxford have taken good paines in translating some parts of Cyrils Works they aâ—e but slenderly rewarded for Possevine saith that by all meanes their names must bee razed out of those Translations And another Iesuite tells us that Our names must not be suffered to stand upon Record nor Protestant Writers once so much as to bee named either in their owne Workes or others unlesse it bee per contemptum by way of scorne and reproach and yet you bid us name our men PA. Wee have purged some bookes but not corrupted the Scriptures PRO. Your Trent Councell makes Traditions of equall credit and to be embraced with the like godly
signifying mysteryâ— rei veritas the truth of the thing as it is opposed to significans mysterium a signifying mystery simply excludes the reality of the thing for it is all one as if he had sayd that it is there onely in a signifying mystery as also in saying it is there suo modo after a sort onely he implieth that it is not there truely or in the truth of the thing visibly or invisibly So that these words of Gratian drawne from Saint Austin and Prosper seconded by the Glosse and inserted into the body of the Cannon law confirmed by Pope Gregorie the thirteenth make strongly against the reall presence of Christ's body under the Accidents of Bread and Wine as my learned friend Master Doctor Featly made it appeare in his first dayes Conference with Master Musket touching Transubstantiation Besides there were divers in this age who employed both their tongues and their pennes in defence of this truth Zacharias Chrysopolitanus saith that there were some perhaps many but hardly to bee discerned and noted that thought still as Berengarius did whom they then condemned scorning not a little the â—olly of them that say the appearing accidents of Bread and Wine after the conversion doe hang in the ayre or that the sences are deceived Rupertus saith It is not to be concealed that there are diverse though hardly to be discerned and noted which are of opinion and defend the same both by word and writing that the Fathers under the Law did eate and drinke the very Bread and Wine which wee receive in the Sacrament of the Altar And hee saith they grounded their opinion upon that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.3.4 They did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spiritual rock that followed them and the rocke was Christ. and the same Rupert addeth that the Church tollerated this diversity of opinion touching the sacrament of the Eucharist for so he saith in his seaventh booke whence we may observe that forsomuch as the Fathers under the Law did eate of the same Christ in Manna that we doe in the Sacrament of the Supper and yet did not nor could not eate him carnally who was not then borne nor had flesh we also in our Sacrament can have no such fleshly communication with Christ as some imagine And whereas Bellarmine replyes that the Fathers received the same among themselves but not the same with us Christians he is controlled by Saint Austine who saith it was the same which we eate the corporall food indeed was diverse but the spirituall meate was the same they eate of the same spirituall meate Of Images and Prayer to Saint Nicetas Choniates a Greeke historian reports in the life and reigne of Isaac Angelus one of the Easterne Emperours that when Fredericke Emperour of the West made an expedition into Palestina the Armenians did gladly receive the Almaines because among the Almaines and Armenians the worshipping of Images was forbidden alike Claudius Sâ—yssell and Claudius Coussord both which wrote against the Waldenses reckon up this among the Waldensian errours that they denyed the placing of Images in Churches or worshipping of them Gratian saith that question is mooved whether the deceased doe know what the living heere on earth doe and withall he addeth how that the Prophet in the person of the afflicted Israelites saith Abraham our father is ignorant of us and Israell knoweth us not Esay 63 16. and hâ—rein Gratian followed Saint Austine who maketh the same inference upon that place of Scripture Gratians resolution in this point is farther layd downe by the Glosse in those termes Gratian mooveth a certaine incident question whether the dead know the things that are done in this world by the living and he answereth that they doe not and this he proveth by the authority of Esay viz. Esay 63.16 the Master of the Sentences saith It is not incredible that the soules of the Saints that delight in the secrets of Gods countenance in beholding the same see things that are done in the world below Hugo de Sancto victore leaveth it doubtfull whether the Saints doe heare our prayers or not and rejecteth that saying of Gregorie brought to prove that they doe qui videt videntem omnia videt omnia hee that seeth him who seeth all things seeth all things hee confesseth ingenuously saying I presume not to determin this matter â—arther than thus that they see so much as it pleaseth him whom they see and in whom they see what soever they see and he saith it is a hard taske to decide these points and withall thus debateth the matter Yea but thou wilt reply If they heare me not I doe but waste words in vâ—ine in making intercession unto them that doe neither heare â—nor understand Be it so Saints heare not the words of those that call unto them well nor is it pertinent to their blessed estate to be made acquainted with what is done on earth admit that they doe not heare at all doth not God therefore heare If he heare thee why art thou sollicitous then what they heare and how much they heare seeing it is most certaine that God heareth unto whom thou prayest he seeth thy humility and will reward thy pietie and devotion so that in effect Hugo makes it not any materiall thing or of necessity to pray unto Saints Rupertus upon those Words of our Saviour Whatsoever ye shall aske the Father in my Name he will give it yoâ— Iohn 16.22 saâ—th that it is the wholesome custome and Rule of the Catholicke Church to direct her prayers to God the Father through Iesus Christ our Lord because there is no other way nor passage but by him and againe we need no other chariot save onely the name of Iesus to carry and convey our prayers into heaven Claudius Seyssel saith the Waldenses held that it was in vaine to pray to the Saints and that it was superstition for to worship and adore them Of Faith and Merit SAint Bernard beleeved Iustification by Faith alone saying Let him beleeve in thee who justifiest the ungodly and being justified by Faith onely he shall have peace with God Rupertus saith that the obstinate Iew sleights the Faith of Iesus Christ which alone is able to justifie him and seekes to be saved by his owne workes Rupertus saith that God hath freely called us by the ministery of his Word unto the state of Salvation and justified us by the gracious pardon of our sinnes not upon any precedent merits of ours Saint Bernard likewise held as we have showne that our workes doe not merit condignely and herein he is most direct and punctuall The merits of men are not such saith he as that eternall life is due to them of right or as if God should doe wrong if he did not yeeld the same unto them
were held as you say not by the best members of the Church but by a domineering faction therein how came it that the prevailing faction suffered others to dissent from them in judgement Answer So long as men yeelded outward obedience to the Church-ceremonies without scandall in other things they were suffered to abound in their owne sense so that they submitted themsâ—lves to the obedience of the Church of Rome Besides the Church of Râ—me had not so strictly defined those Tenets in any Councel before as afterwards they did in the Councel of Tâ—ent PA. Our name Catholicke is ancient your Protestant name came not in till after Luther Besides it is a scandalous thing for your Church to derive authoritie from Wickliffâ— Husse Luther and Calvin PRO. Indeed the name Protestant began upon the protâ—sting of the Elector and Laâ—d grave against the Edict howsoever the Faith is ancient though the name bee not and yet if you stand upon names wee are called Christians and into that name were wee Baptized and that is anciâ—nter than your Roman catholicke Now you are called Catholickes but it is with an aliâs or addition Roman-Caâ—holickes as much as to say Particular Vniversall the part is the whole one Citty the woâ—ld and it is your selves that terme you Catholickes Now if one Papist call another so it is but as if one Mule should claw another The Hagarens boldly usurped the name of Sarazens although they were only the brood that sprang from the wombe of Hagar the hand-maid of Sara The Papists by this terme Catholicke worke upon simple people arguing from the one to the other as if all the priviledges of the Catholicke Church belonged to the Romane but we tell them as Optatus did the Donatists who pinned up the Church in a corner of Africke as the Romanists now conâ—ine her to their See that Their Church is Quasi Ecclesia in some sort a Church but not the Catholicke Church but an unsound member thereof We doe not derive our Church from any other than the Primitive Catholicke and Apoâ—tolickâ— Chuâ—ch The Lord is not farre from every â—â—e of us for we are also his off spring Christ Iesus is the top of our kiâ—ne and Religion the stocke Your Pedegre mâ—y be drawne in part from some of the ancient Hereâ—iâ—kes in â—espect of your Invocaâ—ion of Sainâ—s and Angelsâ— you are a kinne at least by the halfe bloud to the Angelici Who as Saint Austâ—ne saith were inclined to the worship of Angels and were from thence as Isidore noteth Called Angelici because they did worship Angelâ— By your Hyperdalâ—a and wâ—â—ship given to the blessed Virgin you shew your selves allied to the Collyridian Hereâ—ikes whom Epiphanius termes Idolaters now thâ—y were called Collyridians from the Collyrides or Cakes which at a certaine time of the yeare they used to offer unto the blessed Virgin sacrificing to her as to the Qâ—eene of heavâ—n By your doctrine of merit and workes of supererogâ—tion you resemble the Pelagians or Catharists Isidore notes it for a propertie of the Catharists or ancient Puritans To glory of their merits Thomas Waldâ—n saith It was a branch of the Pelagian heresie to â—old that according to the measure of meritorious workes God will reward a man so meriâ—ing Now the Rhemists a sprig of this branch mainâ—aine That they doe woâ—ke by their owne freewill and thereby deserve their salvation as also that Good workes are meritorious and the very cause of salvatâ—on so farre that God should be unjust if he rendred not hâ—aven for the same Now concerning the names of Wicklâ—ffe and Husse Luther and Calvin wherewith you pressâ—uâ— you shâ—ll not hereby drive us from holding that with them which thâ—y held of God for though wee rejoyce not in names drawnâ— from men but in the name of Christians into the which we are bapâ—ized yet wee know no great harme by them nor you we thinke set slaunders apaâ—t why we shâ—uld bee ashamed of them more than oâ—r Fathers were of Caecilian of whom the Dâ—natists câ—lled thâ—m Caeciâ—ianists but had they beene as evill almost as their enemies report them from which impâ—tations they are alrâ—aâ—y cleared anâ— theiâ— doctâ—ine â—ixâ— with lâ—â—ven as was the Phâ—risees yet Saint Paul hath tauâ—ht us to acknowledge our selves even Pâ—â—â—iseâ—s iâ— need be not onely Lutherans or Waldensâ—s in that the Pharisees taught a truth of Christian faith to wit the Resurrection of the dead In a word we esteeme of Calvin and Luther and the rest of the first Reformers as worthy men but wee make them not Lords over our faith PA. What thinke you of our fore-fathers that lived and died in the time of Poperie as you call it they were of our Religion PRO. I thinke charitably of them that they might bee saved for many of them were well meaning men and wanting meanes of better instruction they were carried with the sway of the times and as Saint Paul saith 1. Tim. 1.13 Did it ignorantly like those two hundred 2. Sam. 15.11 who in simplicity of heart followed Absalon knowing nothing of his treason and rebellion intended they knew not the depth and mysterie of poperie not their Merit of condignity nor their severall sorts of adoration their Latria Dulia and Hyperdulia Indeed the Scriptures and Church-service were lockt up in an unknowne tongue and yet even in the depth of Poperie as appeares by a Councell held at Clyffe and also by a Provinciall Constitution of Iohn Peckam Arch-bishop of Canterbury The Priests were enjoyned to teach the people the heads of Christian faith and Religion and namely to expound unto them the Creed the ten Commandements and the Sacraments and that vulgariter that is as the Glosse there saith in the vulgar and mother tongue to wit in English to the native English and in French to the French-borne so that even in those daâ—ker times there was a measure of explicite faith required at the hands of Lay-people and they were to be trained up in the knowledge of those Credendorum so farre as the Letter of the Creed might leade them and Faciendorum such as the Decalogue appointed them and Petendorum comprised in the Lords prayer and Recipiendorum tendred in the Sacraments It is Lyrae's conceit that when Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 14.19 Hee had ratâ—er in the Church speake five words with his undeâ—standing then ten thousand in a strange tongue that those five words were those Agenda and Credenda which concerne our faith and manners as also those Vitanda Timenda and Speranda which the Pastors were to declare unto the people Besides there were divers parcels of the Creed concerning Christ and namely touching his Incarnation Passion his Resurrection and Ascension that were wont to be represented to their memories and meditations in the severall Festivities and Holy-dayes which the Church solemnized Besides wee hope the better for that they erred in points of
THE PROTESTANTS EVIDENCE TAKEN OVT OF GOOD â—â—â—ORDS Shewing that for Fifteene hundred yeares next after CHRIST divers worthy â—uides of Gods Church have in sundry weightie poynts of Religion taught as the Church of England now doth DISTRIBVTED INTO SEVERALL CENTVRIES and opened By SIMON BIRCKBEK Bachelor in Divinitie sometime Fellow of Queenes Colledge in Oxford and now Minister of Gods Word 〈◊〉 Gilling in RICHMONDSHIRE LONDON Printed for Robert Milbourne and are to bee sold at the Signe of the Grayhound in Pauls Church-yard 1635. TO THE RIGHT WORshiâ—full HVâ—FREY VVHARTOâ— of Gillingwood Esquire Receiver Generall of his Majesties Râ—vâ—nues within the Arch-Deaconry of Richmond the Bishopricke of Durham and Northumberlaâ—d my mâ—ch respected Patron Gâ—ace and Peace bee multiplied Sir THe free accesse which you made mee for the exercise of my Ministerie within your donation what time besides other Sutors you had a sonne of your owne whose sufficiencie of Gifts might have anti-dated his yeares and made him capable of greater Preferment had God been pleased to have continued his life hath so farre engaged mee unto you that I have laid hold on the first oportunitie whereby I might manifest my thankefulnesse unto you which I could not better expresse than by Dedicating this Treatise to your Name and Memory beseeching God that as hee hath hitherto done great things for you and given you a Benjamins portion above your brethren so hee would still continue his favours to you and yours and blesse you both in your owne person and in your fruitfull promising off-spring Now if this Treatise seeme not no sutable a Present either to your yeares or disposition which call you indeed rather to a poynt of Devotion than Disputation the truth is it is a Controversall Treatise yet it is withall a just and Defensive War which I have undertaken rather for the clearing of our owne cast than the infesting of others and the end I aime at is to discover the truth and guide others therein And I know it would please you at the heart to see such as have gone astray reduced into the old way which the Prophet calls the Good way If any shall reape benefit by this Worke and thanke the Authour for his paines I shall foorthwith take them up and bestow them whâ—re they are due namely next under God upon your selfe upon whose Gleabe these first Fruits of mine grew and are now in such sort as you see gathered into this Store-house and sequestred into severall Centuries for the Churches use and benefit by one of her meanest Proctors but Your much bounden Kinsman and Beneficiary SIMON BIRCKBEK TO THE READER CHristian Reader this Treatise was first occasioned and afterwards composed in maner as followeth The Prophet Hosea saith of Ephraim that hee had mixt himselfe among the people that Ephraim was as a Cake on the hearth not turned baked on the one side and raw upon the other that is in poynt of Religion was partly a Iew and partly a Gentile It was my lot to fall upon a Charge which like Ephraim was part Protestant part Papall and the one side questioned with the other Where their Religion was before Luther Whereunto I addressed such answere as I thought might satisfie the weake and represse the clamourous but the matter growing to farther debate it occasioned me to draw a Catalogue of our Professors Now it fell out that about the same time M Doctor â—eâ—â—ly one who is excâ—llently verst in Controversies had with good successe stood up in this quarrell with Iesuit Fisher. I acquainted him therefore with the businesse and he gave mee the right hand of Fellowship encouraging me to go on with my Catalogue but I found it too hard a taske for me though I had good helps from others namely from the wel-furnished Libraries of my much respected friends Master D. Potter the worthy and learned Provost of Queenes Colledg in Oxford and Mr. W. Richardson Minister of Gods Word at Borough Church in Westmerland a very learned and revereâ—d Divine also my good neighbour M. Nathaniel Hawksworth to procure such Records as might prescribe for 1500 yeares together so that it caused me travell as far as Oxford there to visit those famous private and publike Libraries where I became an eye-witnesse of divers parcels of Evidence wherof I made use in this Treatise And now haviâ—g my materialls about mee I thoughâ— my selfe tollerablie furnisht for the Worke and yet if I had had â—he whole Bodleian-Vaticane Library about me I might sometime have bin at a stand if I had not had some Living Librarie to consult withall Whereupon having to deale with a companie of subtill Adversaries like the sonnes of Zerviah of whom David complained that they were too hard for him and lest the truth and the Churches Cause might seeme to suffer through my weaknesse I repaired by entercourse of Letters to my learned Counsell Mr. Dr. Featly and hee I thanke him was readie to resolve me when I was in doubt and to direct mee yea and correct mee also when I was at default and indeed I was well pleased with the Obeliskes and dashes of his pen for as Salomon saith The wounds of a lover are faithfull I have used the helpe of Ancient and Moderne Writers forreine and domestick and namely the Reverend and learned Bishops and Doctors of our Church insomuch as I may say in Samsons language That if I had not ploughed with their Heifer I had not so easily unfolded divers Popish Riddles I have dealt faithfully in the businesse not wresting nor wittingly misalleadging any Authours testimonie nor yet sleightly proposing the Adversaries Argument for that had beene to have set up a shaw-fowle of mine owne framing and then have battered it in pieces with mine owne Ordnaâ—ce but I have done as the Israelites who went downe to the Philistims to sharpen their tooles I have set as keene an edge on the Adversaries Arguments as Bellarmines Parsons or Brereleyes Forge could afford I confâ—sse the Worke is larger than I either desired or expected but it could not well bee otherwise and speake fully to a thousand yeares and a halfe and withall cleere the Evidence as it went from the Exceptions of the Adversary I have also been long about it and so my worthy Doctor tells mee but withall hee puts mee in hope it may prove like the Cypresse tree which though it bee long a growing yet whâ—n once it is growen up to a tree the shade of it sâ—rves for an harbour to the child unborne the issue hereof I leave to GOD. This onely I may truely say of this Worke It hath stood mee to some charges and cost mee much paines and travell Al which were it an hundred times more than it is I should thinke well bestowed if the Church of God and my Charge profit by me and the Christian Reader pray for me S. B. Cataloguâ— Testium Veritatis OR A Catalogue of
they do meane the Pope for the time being Now to this height the Pope came under pretence of the Churches government the Churches discipline racking the spirituall censure to a civill punishment by the Church solemnities in crowning Emperors by his Excommunications Absolutions and Dispensations he rose to his greatnesse of state by the doctrine of workes meritorious Iubilees Pardons and Indulgences hee maintained his State And now I come to shew out of good Authors that in nine severall weighty poynts of Religion the best guides of Gods Church for the space of 1500 yeares have taught as the Church of England doth THE FIRST CENTVRIE From the first yeare of Grace unto the yeare One Hundred Christ Iesus and his Apostles the Protestants Founders PAPIST WHom doe you name in this first Age that taught the Protestant Faith PROTESTANT I name our blessed Saviour Christ Iesus and his Apostles Saint Paul and his Schollers Titus and Timothie together with the Churches which they planted as that of the Romanes Corinthians and the rest These I name for our first Founders and top of our kin as also Ioseph of Arimathea that buried Christs body a speciall Benefactor to the Religion planted in this land These taught for substance and in the positive grounds of religion as we doe in our Articles Liturgies Homilies and Apologies by publike authoritie established in our Church of England Besides these there were but few Writers in this age whose undoubted Works have come to our hands yet for instance sake I name that blessed Martyr of Christ Ignatius Bishop of Antioch who for the name of Iesus was sentenced to bee dâ—voured of wild beasts which hee patiently indured saying I am the Wheat or graine to bee ground with the teeth of beasts that I may be pure Bread for my Masters tooth let fire rackes pulleys yea and all the torments of Hell come on mee so I may winne Christ. Here also according to the Roman Register I might place Dionysius Areopagita whom they usually place in this first Age as if hee were that Denys mentioned in the Actes whereas indeed hee is a post natus and in all likelihood lived about the fourth Age and not in this first for Denys saith That the Christians had solemne Temples like the Iewes and the Chancell severed with such and such sanctification from the rest of the Church whereas the Christians in this fiâ—st age made their assemblies to prayer both in such private places and with such simplicitie as the Apostles did and as the times of persecution suffered them Againe Denys tells us that when hee wrote Monkes were risen and they of credit in the Churches and many Ceremonies to hallow them whereas in the Apostles time when the true Dionysius lived Monkes were not heard of yea Chrysostome saith That when Paul wrote his Epistle to the Hebrewes there was not then so much as any footstep of a Monke PA. I challenge Saint Denys for ours hee was as our Rhemists say all for the Catholikes PRO. Take him as he is and as he comes to our hands hee is not wholly yours but in some things cleane contrary to you as namely in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wherein you vary from us most Besides hee hath not your sole receiving of the Priest nor ministring under one kind to them who receive nor Exhortations Lessons Prayers in a tongue which the people understand not he hath not your Invocation of Saints noâ— adoration of creatures nor sacrificing of Christ to God nor praying for the soules in purgatory so that in things of substance and not of ceremony onely he is ours and not yours as I hope will appeare by his Writings for we will for the time suppose him to be a Father of this first age although the bookes which beare Saint Denys his name seeme to bee written in the fourth or fifth age after Christ. PAP Can you proove that Christ and his Apostles taught as you doe PRO. Wee have cleare testimonies of Scripture which appoint Gods people to receive the blessed Cup in the Sacrament and to be present at such a divine service as themselves understand wee have expresse command forbidding Image-worship against Invocation of Saints it is said that Abraham knoweth us not and Isaac is ignorant of us and the blessed Angel refused all religious honour and Adoration Likewise against Merit of workes and workes of Super-erogation it is said that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall bee revealed in us and that wee are unproâ—itable servants when we have done all that was commanded us we have but done that which was our dutie to doe and the like PA. You alleadge Scripture and so doe wee yea in some things the Scripture is plaine for us as where it is said This is my Bodie PRO. What though it make for you in shew so doth it for the Anabaptists where it is said that the Christians had all things common you will not hence inferre that because in such an extremitie their charitie for the reliefe of others made things common concerning the use that therefore we should have no property in the goods that God hath given us It is not the shew and semblance of words but the sense thereof that imports the truth Saint Paul sayes of his Corinths Ye are the body of Christ yet not meaning any Transubstantiation of substance but hâ—reof anon in his due place PA. The Scriptures make not for you but as you have translated them PRO. For any point we hold we referre our selves to the Originalls yea wee say further let the indifferent Christian Reader who hath but tollerable understanding of the Latine Tongue compare our English translations with those which your owne men Pagnine Arias Montanus and others have published and they will finde but little countenance for Poperie and namely for Communion in one kind and Service in a strange Tongue which as is already proved hath bene decreed directly contrary to Gods expresse word but let us come to the particulars Of the Scriptures sufficiency and Canon The Church of England holds that Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation so that theâ—e is no doctrine necessary for our everlasting salvation but that is or may bee drawne out of that Fountaine of truth as being either expressely therein contained or such as by sound inference may bee deduced from thence and this is witnessed by Saint Paul saying that they are able to make us wise unto salvation that the man of God may bee perfited and throughly furnished unto all good workes which they should not bee able to doe if they contained not a perfect doctrine of all such poynts of faith as we are bound to bâ—leeve and duties to bee practised And if it be said that S. Paul speakes of the man of God such an one as
sonne to doe him the uttermost of his service My good deeds saith Austin are thy ordinances and thy gifts my evill onesâ— are my sinnes and thy judgements Theodoret saith The Crownes doe excell the Fights the rewards are not to be comparâ—d with the labours for the labour is small and the gaine great that is hoped for and therefore tâ—e Apostle called those things that are looked for not wages but glory Rom. 8.18 not wages but grace Rom. 6.23 The same Theodoret saith That things eternall doe not answer temporâ—ll labours in equall poyze Saint Hierome saith If wee consider our owne merits we must despaire And againe When the day of judgement or death shall come all hands shall faile because no worke shall bee found worthy of the justice of God Saint Chrysostome speakes very pathetically Etsi millies moriamur Although saith hee wee die a thousand deaths although wee did performe all vertuous actions yet should wee come short by farre of rendring any thing worthy of those honours which are conferred upon us by God Indeed the Lord rewards good workes but this is out of his bounty free favour and grace and not as of desert Rom. 4.4 In giving the Crowne of Immortality as our reward God crowneth not our merits but his owne gifts and when God crowneth our merits that is good deeds hee crowneth nothing else but his own gifts saith Saint Augustine So that God indeed is become our debtour not by our deservingâ— but by his owne gracious promise God is faithfull who hath made himselfe our debtour saith Austin not by receiving any thing from us but by promising so great things to us whatsoever he promised hee promised to them that were unworthy In a word though hee give heaven propter promissum for his promise sake and because hee will bee as good as his word yet it is not propter commissum for any performance of ours This was the doctrine of old but the Rhemists have taken out a new lesson saying That good works are meritorious and the very cause of salvation so farre that God should be unjust if hee rendred not heaven for the same Now by this that hath beene alleadged the Reader may perceive that besides diverse other worthies of these times S. Augustine the honor of this Age agreeth with us in diverse weighty poynts of religion as also in the matter of Gods free grace and justification insomuch as Sixtus Senensis saith Whil'st Saint Austin doth contend earnestly against the Pelagians for the defence of divine grace he doth seeme to fall into another pit and sometimes attributeth too little to Free-will And Stapleton saith tâ—at Austin haply in his disputation against the Pelagians went beyond all goâ—d measure PA. Saint Austin prayed for the dead to wit for his mother Monica desiring God not to enter into judgement with her PRO. What though hee did so the Examples of Christians which sometimes slip into superstition are no rule for to ordâ—r our life or devotion thereby Besides if hee prayed for eternall rest and remission of sinnes to his deceased mother this was not for that hee doubted shee injoyed them not or that he feared shee indured any Purgatory paines but hee sued for the continuation accomplishment and manifestation thereof at the generall resurrection Yea even then when he prayed so hee saith hee believes that the Lord had granted his request to wit that his mother was out of paine and that God had forgiven her her sinnes Which argueth that it was rather a wish than a Prayer proceeding more out of affection to her than any necessity to helpe her by his Prayers who was then as he perswaded himselfe in a blessed estate so that howsoever Saint Austin at first made a kind of prayer for his mother yet a little after as it were repressing himselfe he saith he believeth that shee is in a blessed state The Letters of Charles the great unto our Off a King of Mercia are yet extant wherein he wisheth That intercessions should be made for Pope Adrian then lately deceased not having any doubt at all saith he but that his blessed soule is at rest but that wee may shew our faithfulnesse and love to our most deare friend In a word Saint Austin's prayer was not as Popish prayers now a dayes are made with reference to Purgatory and therefore it makes nothing against us PAP Did not Saint Austine hold Purgatory PRO. That some such thing should be after this life it is not saith he incredâ—ble and whether it be so it may be iâ—quired and either be found or remaine hidden In another place he leaveth it uncertaine Whether onely in this life men suffer or whether there follow some such temporall judgements after this life so that Saint Austine saith it is not incredible and it may be disputed whether it bee so and perhaps it is so words of doubting and not of asleveration but in other places he gives such reasons as overthrow it The Catholike Faith saith he resting upon divine authority believes the first place the kingdome of heaven and the second hell a third wee are wholly ignorant of yea wee shall finde in the Scriptures that it is not Neither speakes he onely of places eternall that are to continue for ever besides he there purposely disputes against Limbus Pucrorum and rejects all temporary places not acknowledging any other third place and elsewhere he saith There is no middle place hee must needes bee with the devill that is not with Christ and againe Where every man 's owne last day finds him therein the world's last day wâ—ll hold him Thus farre Saint Austine according to the Scriptures which acknowledges but two sorts of people Children of the kingdome and children of the wicked faithfull and unfaithfull Mâ—th 13.38 And accordingly two places after this life Heaven and Hell Luke 16.23 Mark 16.16 Neither doth the Scripâ—ure any where mention any temporary fire after this life the fire it speakes of is everlasting and unquenchable and so doth Austine take it and as for that fiâ—e which Saint Paul mentions It is not a Purgatory but a Probatorie fire PA. Master Brerely hath set forth Saint Austines Religion agreeble to ours PRO. The Learned on our side have confuted him and have prooved out of Saint Austines undoubted writings that he agreed with the Church of England in the maine poynts of Faith and Doctrine And so I come from Fathers to Councels and first to the sixth African Councel held at Carthage and another at Milevis both which denied Appeales to Rome Now the case was this Apiarius a Priest of Africa was for his scandalous life excommunicated by Vrban his Diocâ—san and by an African Synod Apiarius thus censured fled to Pope Zozimus who restored him to his place absolved him this he did pretending that some Canon of the Nicen Councell had established Appeales
the Scriptures Sufficiencie and Canon Iustus Orgelitanus compares the Scriptures to Davids Tower wherein hang a thousand shields and all the targets of the strong men it being furnished with all sorts of armour to encounter Satan and his Instruments withall Saint Bede records of the successors of Colum-kille the great Saint of Ireland That they observed only those workes of pietie and chastitie which they could learne in the propheticall evangelicall and apostolicall writings and these they esteemed as their chiefe riches according to that of Columbanus Sint tibi divitiae divinae dogmata legis Iunilius an African Bishop treating of the Canonicaâ—l bookes and having said that some account Tobie with others Canonicall he puts the question and then resolves it Why are not these bookes inserted amongst the Canonicall Scriptures and he names amongst other Tobie Esdra Iudith and the second of the Maccabees Because saith he The Iewes did make a difference of them as Saint Hierome and others witnesse Of Communion under both kinds and number of Sacraments Hinemar in the life of Rhemigius Archbishop of Rhemes who converted King Clovis of France to the Christian faith reports that the Archbishop gave a Chalice for the peoples use with this Motto Hauriat hinc populus vitam de sanguine sacro Injecto aeternus quem fudit vulnere Christus Rhemigius domino reddit sua vota sacerdos Rhemigius Priest that gave this cup Prayeth that in it the people sup And still draw life from flowing blood Out of Christs side as of a flood Hee saith not Hauriat hinc Clerus but populus not Let the Priest but let the people drinke of this ministeriall Cup as Cassander cals it The Divines of this Age as others of former times acknowledged onely two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Of the Eucharist Fulgentius speaking of the Eucharist saith In this sacrifice there is a thankesgiving and remembrance of the flesh which hee offered and the blood which Christ shed for us and this sacrifice of bread and wine was offered throughout the whole Catholike Church Here Fulgentius mentions a Sacrifice not proper and propitiatorie for the quick and dead but Eucharisticall and Commemorative of prayse and thankesgiving a lively memoriall and representation of the Sacrifice offered on the Crosse. The words alleadged are found amongst S. Austines workes but Bellarmine saith Many father them on Fulgentius and that Bertram citeth these words under his name and so indeed I find it howsoever were it Austin or Fulgentius the Master or the Scholler so they taught and so wee learned both from them and others namely Primasius Ambrose and Chrysostome who by way of correction say Wee offer the same sacrifice or rather the remembrance thereof Besides the same Fulgentius saith They receive the onely Sonne of God Of Images and Prayer to Saints Fulgentius saith That as in the first Precept the worship of one God is manifestly commanded so the faithfull are utterly forbidden to yeeld the service of Adoration to any creature Dracontius in his booke of the Creation saith It is Gods pleasure Esse nihil prorsus se praeter ubiquè rogandum That nothing beside himselfe should every where be prayed unto Of Faith and Merit Primasius saith that We are freely justified by faith only and not by workes Fulgentius saith From this our originall corruption not any power of nature or letter of the Law but faith onely in Iesus Christ doth free us Now this saving faith though it never goe alone yet may there be some gift of God which it alone is able to reach unto as Columbanus also implyeth in that verse Sola fides fidei donâ— ditabitur almo Concerning Merit Fulgentius saith Our glorificacation is not unjustly called grace not onely because God doth bestow his owne gifts upon his owne gifts but also because the grace of Gods reward doth so much there abound as that it exceedeth incomparably and unspeakably all the merit of the will and worke of man though good and given from God and That this is wholesome doctrine to challenge nothing to our selves in any good we doe And Iustus Orgelitanus saith Wee must thanke the Stocke Christ Iesus if any good fruit grow on our branches Cassiodore saith That Gods vocation goes before our merit not â—inding us worthy but accepting us for such The Councell of Orange hath notably decreed against the Semi-pelagians There are many good things saith the Councell done in man which man doth not but man doth no good things which God doth not make man to doe This also doe wee wholsomely professe and believe that in every good worke wee doe not begin and are holpen afterwards by the mercy of God but hee first of all no good merits of ours going before inspireth into us both faith and the love of him which place Binnius hath corrupted reading for nullis multis many good workes going before surely this was none of his good workes to corrupt the Councell Now also was held the fifâ—h Generall Councell at Constantinople Anno 553. Called by the Emperour Iustinian and not by the Pope This Councell confirmed the decrees of the former and withall according to the former Canons decreed That the See of Constantinople should have equal dignity with the See of old Rome Vnto these forraine testimonies we may joyne some of our owne namely the Britaines about the yeare five hundred ninetie sixe what time as Gregory the Great sent Austin the Monke into England PAP It was our Gregory and his Austin that first converted your Iland PRO. It was converted long before Austins comming even in the first Age of the Church as is already showne Besides at his comming there were in Britaine seven Bishops with other learned men professing and teaching the Christian faith and above two thousand Monks in the Monastery of Bangor All living with the labour of their hands Yea Geffrey of Monmouth speaking of Cornwaile and the Westerne parts saith In a part of the Britaines Christianity yet flourished the which being received in the dayes of Eleutherius in the yeare 179. Never fayled amongst them so that Austin was not our first Converter PA. You say the Britaine 's held the Christian faith how then differed they from our Austin PRO. They differed both in Ceremonies and Substantiall doctrine namely in not acknowledging the Popes Supremacie which is now a grand Article of the Romane Faith for whereas Austine came with a kind of Legantine power from the Pope and for the execution of this Commission not unknowne to the Ilanders used both prayers and threats to move them to conformity with the Romane Church at least for their manner of baptizing and keeping of Easter but they told him plainely that They would not yeeld to any of his motions nor acknowledge him for their Arch bishop yea
joyne in the worthy participation of Christs body and bloud Omnes all the people as well as the Priests Isidore saith These be thâ— Sacraments to wit Baptisme and Chrysme and the body and bloud of Christ. Now with Baptisme he joynes Chrysme because their manner was to annoint those who were baptized Of the Eucharist Isidore saith Bread because it strengtheneth the body is therefore called Christs body and wine because it worketh bloud in the flesh it hath therefore relation to the bloud of Christ but these two being sanctified by the Holy Ghost are changed into a Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ. He saith Christ called bread his body to wit Sacramentally a signe a Sacrament of his body and not Substantially he saith Bread is changed into a Sacrament of Christs body which notes a Sacramentall Conversion and not Substantiall he saith Bread strengthens mans body bread Substantially and not Accidentallie so that it is not the roundnesse or figure of bread that strengthens mans body nor the colour of wine that is turned into bloud Hesychius saith We eate this food by receiving the memorie of his Passion not of his Glory but of his Passion the same Author saith Our mysterie is both bread and flâ—sh to wit bread in substance and indeed and Christs body not in substance but in a mystery Of Images and Prayer to Saints Gregorie allowed onely an Historicall use of Images otherwise he speakes positively that The worshipping of Images is by all meanes to bee avoided and though hee misliked the breaking of them yet he commended those that forbad the adoration of them yea he commands the people to Kneele and bow downe to the omnipotent Trinitie onely and therefore not too or before an Image And Cassander saith that Gregorie therein declared the judgement of the Romane Church to wit that Images are kept not to be adored and worshipped but that the ignorant by beholding those Pictures might as by written records be put in mind of what hath beene formerly done and be thereupon stirred up to Pietie Concerning Prayer as wee finde in Gregorie very rarely any prayer to Saints so unto the Virgine Mary not any one Which we may conceive he would not have omitted if he had believed as divers Papists maintaine That she is a Savioresse a Mediatresse That as Assuerus offered halfe of his kingdome to Queene Esther so Christ reserving the kingdome of Iustice to himselfe hath granted the other moitie the kingdome of mercie to his mother PA. Was not Invocation of Saints used in the Church-service in Saint Gregories dayes PRO. Be it so that some such devotions were used in his time yet in the ancient Missals there is no such forme to be found In them indeed the Saints names in their Anniversarie solemnities and Holydayes were remembred and put into their Memento but they were not praied unto men praied only to God that he would give them grace to follow their examples and make them partakers of that happinesse which those blessed ones already enjoyed and at that time when this alteration began and that the Gregorian forme tooke place the Invocation was not brought into the Liturgie and publike prayers of the Church in Direct forme but men prayed still unto God onely though desiring him the rather to respect them for that not onely their brethren on earth but they also that are in heaven cease not to pray for them neither is there any other forme of prayer found in the missall but in the Sequences and Litanies onely saith Learned Doctor Field Gregorie indeeed added some things to the Canon the Alle-lujah the Kyrie Eleâ—son Lord have mercie upon us the Orizon Diâ—sque nostros in pace disponas Give peace in our times O Lord together with other Collects But I doe not find either in Cassander or Pamelius their Liturgies that Gregorie brought in any direct forme of Prayer to Saints Afterwardâ— Nocherus the Abbot who lived about the yeaâ—e eight hundred and fifty composed the Sequences and so when the ancient Missalls were abandoned it is no marvaile if Invocation of Saints stept up in their place Lastly the forme and manner of Saintly Invocation used about the yeare 600 in Saint Gregories dayes differeth extreamely from that which was used by Papals in later times as may appeare by these instances following The Hymne of Thomas Becket runnes thus in the Salisbury Primer Tu per Thomae sanguinem Quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere Quò Thomas ascendit By the bloud of Thomas Which for thee he did spend Make us thither O Christ to climbe Whither Thomas did ascend To the blessed Virgin they pray Maria mater gratiae Mater misericordiae Tu nos ab hoste protege Et horâ mortis suscipe Mary mother of heavens grace Mother where mercie hath chiefe place From cruel Foe our soules defend And them receive when life shall end The Crosse is likewise devoutly saluted in this manner O Crux ave spes unica Hoc passionis tempore Auge pijs justitiam Reisque dona veniam All Haile O Crosse our onely hope In this time of the passion Encrease thou justice to the godly And give to sinners pardon Of Faith and Merits Hesychius saith The grace of God is given onely of mercie and favour and is embraced and received by onely Faith Gregorie held not justification by inherent righteousnesse for speaking even of the second justification hee teacheth that we are justified before God freely by grace Our just advocate saith he will in judgement defend us for just if so bee wee know and accuse our selves to bee unrighteous and unjust He confesseth That all our righteousnesse is manifestly proved to be unrighteousnesse if once it bee strictly examined according to justice Hee accounts a mans best actions imperfect and unable to abide the Iudges triall unlesse hee weigh them by the scale of his mercie Isidore saith it was noted a propertie in the Catherists or ancient Puritans to glorie of their merits Gregorie held not Merit of Condignitie but appealed to the court of Mâ—cie saying I grow on to eternall life not by the merit of my works but by the pardon of my sinnes presuming to obtaine that by the onely mercie of God which I dare not hope for by my owne deserts and hereof as also of the imperfâ—ction of our works he gives a good reason saying that the evill that is in us is simply evill but the good that we thinke we have it is not absolutely pure and simply good So that how much soever we travaile in good works we never attaine to true puritie but onely imitate it And this may suffice to shew what religion Saint Gregorie professed other testimonies may be seene in Master Panks Collectanea out of Saint Gregorie and Saint Bernard shewing that in most fundamentall poynts they are ours PA.
his realm was subject to the Court of Rome or the Pope and that he had that libertie in his realme that the Emperour had in his Empire Anselme therefore was accused of high treason and being still desirous to goe to Rome the King told him That if hee would promise and sweare neither to goe nor Appeale to Rome for any affaires whatsoever he should then well and peaceably enjoy his Bishopricke if not that it should be free for him to passe the Seas but never to returne as the Monke of Saint Albans reports the matter Now also there arose great contention about the carnall presence of Christ in the Sacrament under Pope Victor and Nicholas the second Hildebrand being the brand that kindled it making Berengarius subscribe to their Tenet That all the faithfull in the Sacrament doe really teare with their teeth the body of Christ which position neverthelesse in these dayes is with them accounted hereticall And to say the truth they really teare the body of Christ who by their ambition doe miserably teare in pieces the Church of Christ. Now to proceede there lived in this Age Fulbertus bishop of Chartres Anselme of Laon Author of the Interlineall Glosse Theophylact Archbishop of the Bulgarians a great follower of Chrysostome and indeed his Epitomizer or Abbreviator and our Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury a man of speciall note in this Age. For as the Monke of Malmsbury reports in the Councel at Barre when the Greekes disputed against Pope Vrban so eagerly against the procession of the Holy Ghost that the Pope was at a Non plus remembring himselfe that Anselme was in the Councel he cried aloud before the whole Councel Pater Magister Anselme ubi es Oh my Father and Master Anselme where are you come now and defend your Mother the Church and when theâ— brought him in presence among them Pope Vrban said Includamus hunc in orbe nostro quasi alterius orbis papam Let us inclose him in our Circle as the Pope of the other world Now also lived Oecumenius Radulphus Ardens and Berengarius And now let us see what these good men and â—â—ue Catholâ—cke witnesses can say to the matter in quâ—stion Of the Scriptures suâ—ficiencie and Canon Saâ—nt Paul saith of the Scriptures that They are able to make us wise unto salvation that the man of God may bee peâ—fited thorowly furnished unto all good workes That the man of God saith Oâ—cumenius may bee not onely partaker after a vulgar manner of every good worke but perfect and compleate by the doctrine of the Scripâ—uâ—e And Anselme in his Commentarie upon this place saith They are able to make thee sufficiently learned to obtaine eternall salvation Petrus Cluniacensis Abbot of Clugin abutting on these times for he was saith Bellarmine of the same standing with Saint Bernard who was borne in this Age â—ut flourished about the yeare 1130 after the recitall of the canonicall bookes saith that There are besides the Authenticall bookes â—ixe others not to be rejected as namely Iudith Tobias Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Maccabees which though they attaine not tâ— the high dignitie of the former yet they are received of the Church as containing necessary and profitable doctrine Of Communion under both and number of Sacraments Theophylact sharply reproves those who delighted in drinking alone and quaffing by themselves saying to such How dost thou take thy cup alone considering that the dreadfull Chalice is alike delivered unto all The Normans saith Mathew Paris thâ— morning before they fought with Harald strengthned themselves with the body and bloud of Christ. Hildebert B. of Mans â—â—lates and approves that Canon of the Councel of Brachara which condemneth the delivering of the bread sopt in the wine to the Laitie for the whole CoÌ„munion It is the manner saith Hildebert in your monasteries to give the Sacramentall bread to none but dipt in the wine which custome we find is not taken either from the Lords institution nor out of authencall constitutions Now they that misliked the receiving of the bread dipt in wine how would they have beene pleased with a dry feast for of the two it is better to receive the bread dipt in wine than the bread and no wine at all Fulbertus shewes us the way of Christian Religion Is to believe the Trinitie and veritie of the Deitie and to know the cause of his Baptisme and in whom duo vitae Sacramenta the two Sacraments of our life are contained Anselme mentions but two Sacraments common to us under the Gospâ—l as the other were to the Iewes under the law they two and we two two and no more Of the Eucharist In the year 1608 there were published at Paris certaine works of Fulbertus pertaining as wel to the refuting of the heresies of this time for so saith the Inscription as to the clearing of the history of the French Among these things that appertain to the confutatioâ—â—f the heresies of this time there is one specially fol. 168. laid down in these words Vnlesse saith Christ ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud ye shall not have life in you he seemeth to command an outrage or wickednesse It is therefore a figure will the Heretick say requiring us only to communicate with the Lords passion and sweetly and profitably to lay up in our memory that his flâ—sh was crucified wounded for us He that put in these words Dicet Haereticus thought he had notably met with the Hereticks of this time but was not aware that therby he made S. Austin an Hereticke for company for the words alleadged are S. Austins de doctrinâ Christianâ lib. 3. cap. 16. Which some belike having put the publisher in mind of he was glad to put this among his Errata to confesse that these two words Dicet Haereticus were not to be found in the Manuscript copie which he had from Pâ—tavius buâ— telleth us not what we are to think of him that for the countenancing of the Popish cause ventured so shamefully to abuse S. Austin as both the learned Archbishop of Armagh Doctor Vsher and Master Moulin have observed PA. Here is much a doe about a mistake of two words saith our Iâ—suit Maloune PRO. There hath been much a doe ere this about one word the word Deipara whether the blessed Virgin Maâ—y were to be called the mother of God or no great difference raised in the Church touching the Sacrament and all about three prepositions Trans Con and Sub and the greatest stirre that ever was in Gods Church was about one letter it was but one little Iota whilst the Arriansâ—eld â—eld Christ to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the like substance with the Father but denied him to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consubstantiall of the same substance with the Father Besides was it
put a stole about his necke such as Priests use to weare and having his head feete and shoulders bare he led him by the sayd stole and made him goe nine times about the grave of the deceased Fryer scourging him with rods which the Legat had in his hand as long as he went about the sayd Sepulcher the Earle to get himselfe out of the Legats hand went to Rome and was there absolved by the Pope upon his returne the Legat refused to restore him but renewed the excommunication against him not as being guilty of the death of the sayd Monke but because he had not driven the Albigenses out of his Country as he was bound by promise The Earle seeing the Legats dealing strengthneth himselfe with his Allies and Confederates and so they fell to open hostility Lewis the sonne of Philippus Augustus was signed with the crosse on his military Cassocke and strongly beseiged Avignion one of the Earles chiefe Citties swearing that he would not depart thence till hee had taken the Towne but he was glad to goe aside to anâ— Abby not farre distant to avoyde the Pestilence whereon hee shortly after dyed the Legat the more easily to winne the Cittie kept secret the Kings death and despairing to prevaile by force attempted to doe it by fraud He cunningly perswaded the Citty to send unto him twelve of their Cittizens to conferre upon some good conditions giving them his oath for their safe returne protesting and swearing that he prolonged the seige for no other end but for the good of their soules but whâ—n the gates were opened to receive them so returning his army rushed in and tâ—oke the gate and finally the Citty contrary to his oath given Thus the Cittie of Avignion which could not be taken in three monethes seige and assault by the power of the King of France was easily taken by the fraud and perjury of the Popes Legat. Mathew Paris the Monke of Saint Albanes tells us what others thought of these proceedings it seemed unto many a great wrong saith he to trouble a faithfull Christian thus who earnestly entreated the Legat to examine the faith of his people and if any Citty held out against the Catholike faith he would make them give satisfaction and be punished as the Church should thinke fit and for himselfe he offered to give an account of his faith but as Mathew Paris saith the Legat nothing at all regarded these offers but sleigted them nothing would satisfie him unlesse the Earle would reâ—igne and quit claime his lands and his territories pro se haeredibus suis for himselfe and his Heyres for ever and accordingly they were given to Simon Montfort for service done and to be done to the Church PAP You must shew the continuance of your Waldenses as well as their numbers and multitude but that I thinke you cannot doe for now it seemeth they were rooted out PROT. Indeed that was strongly attempted Saint Dominick spent ten yeeres amongst the Tholousians and he and Didacus a Spanish B. marched against the Land of the Albigenses the Fryers Preached the Inquisitours ploted the Princes warred against them and the Popes they accursed their persons and interdicted their lands tolli tamen non poterant saith Paulus Aemylius and yet for all that the Pope could doe they could not be suppressed and yet the Pope condemned both the Humiliati and the poore men of Lyons for so they nicknamed them Iohn de Serres in his Inventory of the Historie of France tells us out of a Manuscript that as the Pope would have continued his persecution against them and that the Marshall de la Foy so called for that he was as it were the cheefe champion of the immortall warre decreed against the Albingenses prepared for a new sâ—arch to roote out the remainders Lewis would not allow of it saying that they must perswade them by reason and not constraine them by force whereby many families were preserved in these provinces By this wee see some reason given of their preservation and continuanceâ— and Thuanus a noble and unpartiall historian sometime president of the Court of Parliament in France directs us to the place of their aboade and habitation Though the Waldenses saith Thuanus were tossed from post to pillar as they say yet there were ever some found who in their severall courses have revived and renewed their doctrine buried as it were for a season and such were Iohn Wickliffe in England Iohn Hus in Bohemia Ierome of Prague and in our dayes Martin Luther so that reliquiae eorum the remnant and remainder of their doctrine and profession began to be kindly entertained and countenanced by many at Martin Luthers comming specially towards the Alpes and the provinces thereunto adjoyning The same Authour saith that after the Waldenses were overcome by force of armes they retired into Provence and towards the Alpes and in those plaâ—s they sought out some shelter for their life and profession of doctrine some of them went into Calabria where they continewed a long time even unto the dayes of Pope Pius the fourth anno 1560 some of them went into Germany and Bohemia and there set up their rest others of them came Westward into Brittaine and there tooke Sanctuary and harbour and â—here I leave them and come to Saint Bernard In this age â—lourished that devout Father Saint Bernard who in divers maine points of Religion held with us He beleeved Iustification by faith alone saying Let him beleeve in thee who justifiest the ungodly â—eiâ—g justified â—y faith only he shall haue peâ—ce with God He disclaimed Iustification by workes for he accounted no better of mens best actions as they proceed from man than of a menstruous cloath according to that of the Prophet All our righteousnesse is as filthy clouts Indeed he held good workes to bee the meanes by but not the causes why to be the Kings Highâ—way to eternall life but not to be any proper cause of salvation Now the high way is not the cause that makes a man come to his journeyes end the way is but the meanes the motion is the cause He left his owne Inherent and layd hold on Christs righteousnesse imputed to us saying What shall I sing of mine owne righteousnesse No Lord I will remember thy righteousnesse alone for that is mine too thou art made unto me of God righteousnesse should I feare that it will not serve us both It is not a short Cloake such as cannot cover two thy large everlasting mercie shall fully cover both thee and me in me it covers a multitude of sinnes in thee Lord what can it cover but the treasures of pietie and riches of bounty Concerning free will Saint Bernard reporteth that whiles he commended Gods free grace which prevented promoted and as he hoped would perfect the good worke begun in him some that stood by râ—plyed what is it
then that you doe what reward can you looke for if God doe all and these and such like Pelagian speeches of some Monkes occasioned him to write his treatise of Grace and free will wherein he denying such freewill as many Popish schoolemen teach ascribes the whole originall power of good in the consent of the will unto grace saying That the good which we doe is not partly Gods but it is to be ascribed wholly unto God He disclaimed humane satisfactions saying Who will murmure and say we labour too much fast too much since we are unable to dâ—scharge the thousandth nay not the least part of our debts He held that man was unable to keepe the Law in perfection according to Gods Commandements Neither saith he was the commander ignorant that the weight of the Commandement exceeded mans strength but he judged it to be profitable thereby to put them in mind of their owne insufficiencie so that God by commanding things impossible to us did not thereby make man a transgressour but humbled him to the intent that we receiving the Law and feeling our owne wants might call to heaven and the Lord might helpe us And to the same purpose he elsewhere saith God hath therefore commanded his precepts to be observed exceedingly or to the full that we beholding our imperfection and falling short and finding that we are unable to fulfill that which we ought may fly to his mercy He held certainety of Salvation saying that a just man by the testimonie of the Holy Spirit within him may be assured of grace Bernard likewise held that our workes doe not merit condignely and herein he is most direct and punctuall against all Popish merit-mongers Dangerous saith he is the dwelling of them that trust in their owne merits dangerous bâ—causâ— ruinous And This is the whole merit of man if he put all his trust in him who saveth the whole man Againe the merits of men are not such saith he as that eternall life is due to them of right or as if â—od should doe wrong if he did not yeeld the same unto them and he giveth a reason hereof because all merits are Gods gifts and so man is rather a debter to God for them than God to men for what are all merits to so â—reat a glory Indeed he elsewhere telleth us of his merits but they be Christs and these we doe willingly embrace with Saint Bernard and apply them to our selves his words are these Therefore my merit is the mercy of the Lord I am not poore in merit so long as he is not poore in mercie and if the mercies of the Lord be many my merits also are many otherwise S. Bernard renounced al confidence of his owne merit reposing his soule on that imputative Iustice which is without man even the merit of Christ as in that al-sufficient satisfaction saying I am not worthy I confesse neither can I by my owne merits obtaine the kingdome of heaven but rest upon that interest which I have in the merits of Christs passion Now what could be spoken more Protestant-like and yet thus spake Bernard of himselfe And in this sweete meditation the devout Father closed his life as the reporter thereof hath left recorded Now besides these Articles already mentioned which are weighty ones Bernard was no universall Tâ—ent Papist neither held he divers points which your Trent Counsell hath established for foundamentall and namely the doctrine of Transubstantiation of which he is altogether silent even there where he was likeliest to treate of it if he had then knowne it for Catholike doctrine yea he there delivereth that which makes against it He taught also that the Eucharist was a commemorative sacrifice onely insomuch as alleadging those words Do this in remembrance of me he menâ—ioneth no reall sacrifice of â—hrists body and blood such as is made in the Masse but a thankefull remembrance of his death and passion Indeed S. Bâ—rnard in that Sermon of the Lords Supper if it be his for Bellarmie saith it is nothing like S. Bernards sâ—ile speakes of the Priests holding his God and reaching him forth to others as also of touching God with their hand with their mouth and hearing him speake unto them Now as the Priest heareth Christ speake unto him so he holdeth Châ—ist in his hand but the Priest heareth not Christ speake verily and indeed but in a certaine peculiar manner and forme of speech therefore he holds not Christ in his hand really and indeed but after a sort for a straine of Rhetoricall amamplification he is sayd to hold God that holdeth any thing specially pertaining to God Besides hee held the sufficiencie of the Scriptures without Traditions for writing unto a Covent of Abbots he requireth such a Councell wherein the traditions of men are not obstinately defended but which doth diligently and humbly enquire what is the good and perfect will of God and elsewhere hee saith that the Word of God is all in all He held habituall Concupiscence to be a sinne saying That kinde of sin which so often troubles us I meane our concupiscence and evill desires ought indeed to be repressed Besides he never taught adoration of Images hee held not the precise number of seaven Sacraments he stood against the opinion of the immaculate conception of the blessed Virgin Marie and the like Tenets which be Articles of Faith with you In a word he plainely confessed that the Roman Church was degenerate from the auncient religion And this may suffise to shew what religion S. Bernard professed if any man desire to see more testimonies he may finde them in Master Pankes Collectanea out of Saint Gregorie the Great and S. Bernard the devout shewing that in most foundamentall points they are ours PAP Well but I challenge Saint Bernard for one of our side PROT. I have showne already that he was ours on the surer side he was indeed a Monke and in some things superstitious and no mervaile since he lived in a later age above a thousand yeares after Christ what time as errours crept into the Church which hee might sucke in from the age wherein he lived neverthelesse he was sound in the principall points of Religion for other things wee defend him not since as your owne Proverbe goes Bernardus non vidit omnia even holy Bernard had his blemishes Yet since he held the foundation of Iustification by Faith onely in Christ and disclaimed his owne merits though otherwise his hay and stubble of praying to Saints and such like stuffe as cannot endure the fire of the Holy Ghosts triall doe burne and consume yet since he kept close to the foundation wee doubt not but his soule is safe and rests with the Lord God pardoning his errours and ignorances which he being carryed with the streame of the time tooke up as they were delivered to him without scanning or
the Eucharist which Christ had bequeathed unto them then the Bohemians much affected with this ill dealing Assâ—mbled themselves together neere unto Thabor Castle and there to the number of thirtie thousand having three hundred tables erected in the fields for that purpose they received the Eucharist in both kinds PA. Master Brerely saith The Hussites rose up in armes and were seditious and Father Parsons saith That Zisca was a rebell against his king VVenceslaus PRO. The Reverend and laborius Deane of Exceter Master Sutcliffe saith That the crime of rebellion is rather to be imputed to the Romish Clergie and their adherents For Subinco the Archbishop of Prague stirred up Sigismund against the king as Sylvius testifieth Hist. Bohem. c. 35. And that king was taken prisoner first by his Barons next by his brother Sigismund as is testified in the same Historie c. 34. Whereas the warres of Ziscay were rather against strangers than others and hapned after the Coâ—ncel of Constance and the kings death And againe Being forced by the perâ—idiousnesse of the Pope and his complices he tooke armes for his owne necessarie dâ—fence and the protection of the innocent so that he dâ—fended his poore countreymen against the invasion of strangers And thus farre master Surcliffe And so I come to speake of such other worthies as God raised up in this Age whose Testimonies we shall have occasion to produce as namâ—ly Peter de Alliacâ— Cardinal of Cambrey Iohn Gâ—rson Chaâ—cellour of Paris Paulus Burgensis Alphonsus Tostatus Bishop of Avila Thomas Walden the Englishman Nicholas Clemangtes Archdeacon of Bayeux in France Dionysâ—us Carthusianus Cardinal Bessarion Cardinal Cusanus Trithâ—mâ—us Abbot of Spanheim Wesselus Preacher at Wormes Hierome Savonarola a Dominican of Florence Gabriel Biel Iohn and Francis Picus Earles of Mirandula Laurentius Valla a Patrâ—cian or Senatour at Rome Baptista Mantuan the Poet and Historian Iohn Gerson was a good man and one that much desired the Reformation of things amisse he was present at the Councel of Constance and for speaking freely therein agâ—inst the Disorders of the Romane Church he was deprived of his goods and dignities by the Pope and expulsed the Vniversitie by thâ— Sorhonists it is recorded of him that being thus deprived of his goods and dignities he beâ—ooke himselfe to teaching of Schoole wherein his manner was daily to cause all his Schollers â—he little children to joyne with him in this short Prayâ—r My God my maker have mercie upon thy miserâ—blâ— servant Gerson Iohn de Serres in his Inventory of France in the life of Charles the seaventh saith that Gersâ—n retuâ—ning from Basil died for griefe at Lyons and in the third part of Gersons workes I find this Epitaph made on him aemula turba fugat Ast hunc dum fugeret fovit Germania felix Fit tibi Lugdunum posterior requies That is The envious multitude doe make him â—ly But flying he finds râ—st in Germany And after this at Lyons Touching the power of the Pope in disposing the affaires of Princes and their States Gerson saiâ—h it was given unto him by such as flattered him and told him That as there is no power but of God so there is none whether Temporall or Ecclesiasticall Imperiall or Regall but from the Pope in whose thigh Christ hath written King of Kings and Lord of Lords of whose Power to dispute is Sacrilegious boldnesse to whom no man may say Sir why doe you so though he alâ—er overturne waste and confound all States Let me be judged a lyar saith he if these things be not found written by them that seeme wise in their owne eyes and if some Popes have not given credit to such lying and flattering words yea he saith That in imitation of Lucifer they will be adored and worshipped as gods not enduring whatsoever they doe that any one should aske them why they doe so they neither feare God nor reverence men Gerson denied the infallibilitie of the Popes judgement and taught That he was subject to errour and that in case of errour or other scandalous misdemeanour he may be judicially deposed and to this purpose hee wrote a treatise De auferibilitate Papae That the Pope might be safely taken away from the Church and yet no danger follow of it Gerson sheweth that all sinnes Even they that seeme least and lightest are by nature mortall Touching Indulgences or pardons whether the power of the Keyes extend onâ—ly to such as are on earth or to them also that are in Purgatorie the opinions of men saith Gerson are contrarie and uncertaine but howsoever this hee pronounceth confidently That onely Christ can give such Pardons for thousands of dayes and yeeres as many Popes assume to thâ—mselves power to grant So that in Gersons time it was not resolved whether the power of the Keyes extended onely to such as are on earth or to them also that are in Purgatorie yet hee sayth it might bee favourably construed that they reached to them in Puâ—gatorie at least Indirâ—ctly Concerning their Priests and Votaries hee saith That their Cels and Nunneries were like Brothel-houses and common stewes Gerson seeing there was small hope of reformation by a Generall Councell wisheth that severall kingdomes and Provinces would reforme and redresse things amisse and accordingly the severall parts of Christendome in the West as the Churches of England Scotland France and Germany have made reformation PA Gerson was present at the Councell of Constance and there preached against the Articles of Wickliffe and the Bohemians if Wickliffe make for you Gerson doth not for Gerson condemned Wickliffes opinions PRO. Gerson preached against such Articles as Were brought to the Councell of Constance by the English and Bohemians now those Articles were many of them impious in such sort as they were proposed by them that brought them as that God must obey the dâ—vill that Kings or Bishops if they fall into mortall sinne cease to be Kings or Bishops any longer and that all they doe is meerely void Whereas Wickliffe never delivered any such thing nor had any such impious conceiâ— as they sought to fasten on him neither is it to be marvelled at that impious things were falsely and slaunderously imputed to him seeing wee are wronged in like sort at this day For Campian is not ashamed to write That wee hold God to be the Author of sin and that all sinnes are equall in Gods sight and Bristow saith That Protestants are bound to avoid all good workes which tenets wee utterly disclaime and detest and many things no doubt were writâ—en by Wickliffe and Husse and others in a good and godly sense which as they are wrested by their adversaries were hereticall and damnable So then Gerson might condemâ—e as impâ—ous sâ—me posiâ—ions falsely imputed to Wickliffe not knowing but that they were his and dislike other that indeed were his as not delivered in such sort and such forme
saying of Ernestus Arch-bishop of Magdeburg lying on his death-bed some five yeares befoâ—e Luther shewed himselfe It is witnessed by Clement Schaâ— Chaplaine to the said Arch-bishop and one who was present at his death that a Frier Minor used this speech to the Archbishop Take a good heart most worthy Prince wee communicate to your excellencie all the good workes not onely of our selves but our whole order of Frier Minors and therefore doubt not but you receiving them shall appeare before the tribunall Seate of God righteous and blessed Whereunto the Arch-bishop replyed By no meanes will I trust upon my owne workes or yours but the workes of Christ Iesus alone shall suffice upon them will I repose my selfe THE SIXTEENTH CENTVRIE From the yeare of Grace 1500. to 1600. Of Martin Luther PAPIST WHat say you of this sixteenth Age PROTESTANT We are now by Gods assistance come to the period of time which was agreed upon in the beginning of our conference to wit to the dayes of Martin Luther for about the yeare of Grace 1517 hee beganne to teach and Preach against Indulgences And withall I have produced a Catalogue of our professours unto this present sixteenth Centurie PA. Stay your selfe you must saith Master Brerely show us your professours during the twentie yeares next before Luther PRO. It is done already for besides our English Martyrs we have produced Trithemius the Abbot and Savonarola both which lived within the time mentioned and held with us the Article of free Iustification and Savonarola howsoever the matter be otherwise coloured was burnt for Religion in the yeare 1498. Besides there have beene in all Ages and in the time mentioned such as held the substantiall Articles of our Religion both in the Roman and Greeke Church and by name the Grecians in common with us have openly denyed the Popes Supremacie Purgatorie private Masses Sacrifices for the dead and defended the lawfulnesse of Priests marriage Likewise in this Westerne part of the world the Schollers of Wickliffe called Lollards in England the Taboâ—ites in Bohemia and Waldenses in France maintained the same doctrine in substance with our moderne Protestants as appeareth by a Confession of the Waldensian Faith set forth about the yeare of Grace 1508 which was within the time prefixed Neither did these whom we have produced dissemble their Religion but made open profession thereof by their Writings Confessions and Martyrdomes as also their just Apologies are extant to cleere them from the Adversaries imputation PA. I thought Luther had beene the first founder of your Religion for there bee some of your men who call him the first Apostle of the reformed doctrine PRO. Luther broached not a new Religion he onely drained and refined it from the Lees and dregs of superstition he did not forme or found a new Church which was not in being but onely reformed and purged that which he found from the soilâ— of errours and disorders When Hilkiah the Priest in Iosiah's time found out the booke of God he was thereby a meanes to bring to light what the wicked proceedings of Manasses Amon and others had for a season smothered and so did Luther he was the instrument whom God used for the farther enlightning his Church and yet hereupon it no more followeth that he was the first that preached our Religion than upon the former that Hiâ—kiah first preached the Law The Protestants Church by Luthers meanes began no otherwise in Germanie than health begins to be in a body that was formerly sicke and overcharged and now recovered So that in respect of doctrine necessary to salvation the Church in her Firme members as Saint Austine speakes was the same before Luther and afterwards and it began to be by his meanes onely according to a greaâ—er measure of knowledge and freedome from such corruptions as formerly like ill humours oppressed it and oveâ—charged it The Proâ—estants Church then is the same with all good and sound Christians that lived before them and succeedeth the sound members of the visible Chuâ—ch that kept the life of true Religion in the substantiall matters of Faith and Godlinesse though otherwise those times were daâ—kened with a thicke mist of errours Now whereas some call Luther the first Apostle of the reformed doctrine they did not therâ—by intend that he was the fiâ—st that ever preached the dâ—ctrine of the râ—formed Churches for they could not be ignorant that after Christ and his Apostles and the Fathers of the first five Ages Bertram and Aâ—lfricke and Berenger Peter Bruis and Henry of Tholouse Dulcinus and Anâ—ldus and Lollardus Wickliffe Husse Hierome of Pragâ—e and others stood for the same truth which we professe but their meaning was that Luther was the first who in their Age and memorie publickly and succesfully set on foot a generall reformation of the Church in these Westerne parts And thus in a tollerable sense Luther may bee called the first Apostle of the Reformation though not simply the first that preached the Protestants doctrine Americus Vesputius is reported to have discovered the West Indies or America and withall beares the name thereof and yet Christopher Columbus discovered it before him Bishop Iewell saith that in Luthers dayes in the midst of the darknesse of that Age there first began to shine some glimmeâ—ing beame of truth his meaning is not that the truth was then first revealed but that by Luthers mâ—anes it was manifested in a fuller measure and degree of lâ—ght and knowledge than it was in the fâ—rmer and daâ—ker times of Poperie yea he giveth pâ—rticular instance of true professours that were before Luther namely Saint Hilarie Gregory Bernard Pauperes de Lugduno the â—ishops of Greece and Asia as also Valla Marsilius Petrarch Savonarola and others PA. Did Luther himselfe acknowledge he had any predecessors or fore-runners PRO. I answer with my worthy and learned friend Doctor Featly that Luther acknowledged the Waldenses termâ—d fratres Pigardi as appeares by his Preface before the Waldension Confession I found saith hee in these men a miracle almost unheard of in the Popish Church to wit that these men leaving the doctrines of men to the utmost of their endeavour meditated in the Law of God day and night and were very ready and skilfull in the Scriptures whereas in the Papacie the greatest Clerkes uâ—terly neglected the Scriptures I could not but congratulate both them and us that wee were together brought into one sheepfold Of Iohn Husse and Hiâ—rome of Prague he saith They burned Iohn Husse and Hierome both Catholike men they being themselves Heretikes and Apostates and in his third Preface hee saith hee hath heard from men of credit that Maximilian the Emperour was wont to say of Iohn Husse Alas alas they did that good man wrong And Erasmus Roterodam in the first bookes which hee printed lying yet by me writeth That Husse indeed was condemned and burned but not convicted PA. To
and differed from you so that they cannot belong to the same Church PRO. Concerning Wickliffâ— Husse and the rest if they have any of them borne record to the truth and resisted any innovation of corrupt Teachers in their times even to blood they are justly to be termed Martyrs yea albeit they saw not all corruptions but in some were themselves carried away with the streame of error Else if because they erred in some things they be no Martyrs or because we dissent from them in some things we are not of the same Church both you and we must quit all claime to Saint Cyprian Iustin Martyr and many more whom we count our ancients and predecessors and bereave them also of the honour of martyrdome which so long they have enjoyed Irenaus and Iustin Martyr held the error of the Millenaries Cyprian many others held Rebaptization necessary for such as were baptized by heretikes S Austin and the greatest part of the Church for sixe hundred yeares held a necessitie of the Eucharist to Infants and in other things differed one from another and from the Church in the aftertimes correcting their errors yet because they all entirely and stedfâ—stly held all the necessary fundamentall principles which these errors did not infringe neither held they these errors obstinatly but only for want of better information they were of the same Church and Religion whereof we are S. Austin saith There be some things in which the most Learned and best Defenders of the Catholike Rule the bond of faith preserved do sometimes not agree among themselves and one in some one thing saith righter than anoher Now if the different opinions of the Fathers in some points hindred not their union in substance of the faith and their being members all of the same Church why should the like or lesser differences now among the Protestants hinder their union in substance of the same faith and their being members all of the same Chuch both among themselves and with the Fathers yea but Wickliffe and Husse with others mentioned in our Catalogue they erred in point of faith it is true but yet their error was not joyned with pertinacy they errâ—d not incorrigibly buâ— for want of better information they erred in that doctrine of faith wherein the truth was not fully scanned declared and confirmed by a Plenary Councell as S. Austin speaketh had it beene we may well thinke the very same of all those holy men which Austin most charitably saith of Saint Cyprian Without doubt they would have yeelded to the truth being manifested unto them by the authority of the whole Church Object We are at vnity but your Protestants are at ods and namely your Lutherans and Calvinists in the point of the Sacrament the one holding Consubstantiation and the other opposing it Answer The Protestants especially we of the Church of England are at unity as appeares by the Harmony of our confessions as also by our joynt subscriptions to the Articles of Râ—ligion established And for the point mentioned the difference is nothing so great as you would have it thought for as the moâ—t learned and judicious Zanchius observeth and our Doctor Field out of him In all necessary points both the parties agree and dissent in one unnecessary which by right understanding one another might easily be compounded Both sides saith Zanchius doe agree that the elements of bread and wine are not abolished in their substance but onely changed in their use which is not onely to signifie but also to exhibit and communicate unto us the very body and blood of Christ with all the gracious working and fruits thereof Both parties agree that the very body and blood of Christ are truely present in the Sacrament and by the faithfull truely and really received Thus farre all parties agree that is in the whole necessary and sufficient substance of the doctrine of this Sacrament for the other matter wherein they differ de modo of the manner how Christ is present in the Sacrament seeing it is not expressed in the Scriptures in the judgement of Zanchius it might well be omitted and they themselves confesse when they have gone as farre as they can to determine it still it is ineffable and not possible to be fully understood It is enough for us saith the same Zanchius to beleeve the body and blood are there though how and in what manner wee cannot define So then in this maine controversie betweene them about Consubstantiation which as Zanchius saith did afterwards occasion that other of ubiquity in both these controversies the main truth on both sides is out of controversie that Christ is really truly exhibited to each faithfull Communicant and that in his whole person he is every where the doubt is onely in the manner how he is in the Symbols and how in heaven and earth Now for other ods amongst us they be but in Ceremonies or at worst in points of no absolute consequence whereas the differences amongst Papists concerne the life of Religion They differ concerning the Supreame authoritie of the Church whether it be in the Pope or in the Generall Councel The Councels of Constance and Basil determined that a Generall Councel was above the Pope the Councel of Florence decreed the Pope to be above a Generall Councel They differ concerning the manner of the conception of the Virgin Mary The Dominican Friers following the Thomists hold that she was conceived in Originall sinne the Franciscans hold the contrary The moderne Popes disâ—gree with the ancient concerning the dignitie of universall Bishop adoration of Images Transubstantiation Communion in both kinds and the Merit of good workes as is already showne in the fifth and seaventh Centurie of this treatise So cleere is it that some doctrines of the later Roman Church were opposed by the ancient Roman Bishops thâ—mselves to wit adoration of Images as also the dignity and title of universal Bishop by Gregorie the Great coÌ„munion in one kind â— as also the merit of good works by Leo the first TransubstantiatioÌ„ by Gelasius the first Besides the Iesuits and Dominicans differ at this day concerning the weighty point of Free-will and Grace The truth is the Popish Faith varieth not onely with their persons but according to time and place so that they can exchange their tenets upon occasion advance or cry downe their opinions at their pleasure as may best serve for their advantage For as Azorius the Iesuit saith It falls out often that that which was not the common opinion a few yeares since now is And that which is the common opinion of Divines in one Country is not so in another As in Spaine and Italy it is the common opinion that Latreia or divine worship is due to the Crosse which in France and Germaâ—y is not so but some inferior kind of worship due thereunto And Navarrus the Casuist sayes
by the Romists such as indeede could not in truth with any possibilitie fall into the imagination or fancie of any man much lesse bee doctrinally or dogmatically delivered Besides many of the books and writings of Wickliffe and Husse are extant wherein are found no such doctrines as Papists have charged them with but rather the contrary So that we hope there is no indifferent person will regard their slanders for even at this day when things are in present view and action they calumniate the persons and falsifie the doctrine of our professours as grossely as ever Pagans traduced the Primitive Christians for instance sake they give it out that we hold that God regardeth not our good works whereas we beleeve that Good works are necessary to salvation and Works are said to be necessary for us unto salvation to wit not as a cause of our salvation but as a meane or way without which wee come not unto it as a Consequent following Iustification wherewith Regeneration is unseparably joyned In like sort they gave out that Beza recanted his Religion before his death whereas he lived to confute this shamelesse lye and with his owne hand wrote a tract which he called Beza Redivivus Beza Revived Thus also of late have they dealt with that Reverend zealous and learned Prelate Doctor King late Bishop of London giving it out in their idle Pamphlets that hee was reconciled to the Church of Rome which is unanswerably proved to bee a grosse lye for towards his death hee received the holy Sacrament at the hands of his Chapleine Doctor Cluet Arch-deacon of Middle-sex he received it together with his wife children and family whom he had invited to accompany him to that Feast whereof hee protested in the presence and hearing of divers personages of good note that his soule had greatly longed to eate that last Supper and to performe that last Christian duty before he left them and having received the Sacrament he gave thanks to God in all their hearing that he had lived to finish that blessed worke for so himselfe did call it And then drawing neerer to his end â—e expresly caused his Chapleine then his Ghostly Father to reade the Confession and absolution according to the ordinarie forme of Common prayer appointed in our Liâ—urgie Did this worthy Prelate now dye a Papist who to his last breath communicated with the Church of Eâ—gland Besides whereas Preston the Priest was given out to be the man that reconciled the Bishop to the See of Rome Preston as appeareth by his Examination and Answer taken before divers honourable Commissioners protested before God and upon his conscience as he should answer at the dreadfull day of Iudgement that the said Bishop of London did never confesse himselfe unto him nor ever received Sacramentall absolution at his hands nor was ever by him reconciled to the Church of Rome neither did renounce before him the Religion professed and established in the Church of England Yea he added farther that as he hoped to be saved by Christ Iesus he to his knowledge was never in company where the said Doctor King late Lord Bishop of London was neither did he ever receive letter from him nor did write letter unto him neither did he ever to his knowledge see the said Bishop in any place whatsoever nor could have knowne him from another man Object You have singled out some testimonies of Fathers Schoole-men and others and alleadged them on your owne behalfe as if they had thereby beene of your Religion whereas they be our witnesses and speake more fully for us than for your side Answer According to the Rule in law Testem queâ— quis inducit pro se teâ—etur recipere contra se you have produced them for your owne ends and now in reason you cannot disallow them when they are alleadged by us so that you must give us leave to examine your men upon crosse Interrogatories Besides one may be a materiall witnesse who speaks home to two or three Interrogatories although he cannot depose to all the rest It is no part of our meaning to take the scantling of our ancestors Religion from some single testimonies wherein they either agree with or dissent from us but fâ—om the maine body of the substantiall points of doctrine which are controverted betwixt us at this day Neither make wee any such simple collection Such a man held such a point with us therefore he was a Protestant no more then we allow them to frame the like Such a man in such or such a particular agreed with the nâ—w Church of Rome therefore he was a Papist For it followeth no more than this an Aethiopian or Tauny-moore is white in part namely in his teeth therefore he is white all over But our care hath beene that since In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established Deut. 19.15 and thaâ— as Hieâ—ome saith One single witnesse were it Cato himsâ—lfe is not so much to bee credited to joyne together the severall testimonieâ— oâ— such worthies as lived in the same age presuming that what some of note delivered and the same not opposed by their contemporaries that that is to bee supposed to have beene the doctrine commonly received in those countries and at that time Vpon these and the like considerations the Reader may bee pleased to rest satisfied with such passages as have beene produced on our behalfe though not so thronged and full in every age inasmuch as divers of our Ancestors have not left unto us sufficient evidence whereby it might appeare what they held in divers particulars Besides that there bee divers testimonies suppressed so as we can hardly come by them as namely in Faber Stapulensis his Preface to the Evangelists there is a notable place touching the Scriptures Suficiencie the words are these The Scripture sufficeth and is the onely Rule of eternall life whatsoever agâ—eeth not to it is not so necessary as superfluous The Primitive Church knew no other Rule but the Gospel no other Scope but Christ no other Worship than was due to the Individuall Trinity I would to God the forme of beleeving were fetched from the Primitive Church Thus saith Stapulâ—nsis Now this whole passagâ— is appointed by the Expurgatory Index of Spaine to be lâ—fâ— ouâ— in their later editions and yet by good hap I met with this passage in an edition aâ— Basâ—lâ— as also in anothâ—r at Colen An. 1541. In like sort I â—â—nd alleadged out of Luâ—ovicus Vives his Commentaries upon Saint Augustine dâ— Civitate Dei these passages following touching the Canon of the Scripture and the practised Adoration of Images in his time namely the same Vives saith that The storie of Susanna of Bel and the Dragon are not Canonicall Scripture he saith also that Saints are esteemed and worshipped by many as were the Gods among the Gentiles These places I carefully sought for in the severall editions of S. Austin