preserue men from hurtes and snares out of the confidence of the fore-named beeing moved to worship them that they may obtaine some of the former thinges Whence it is also sayeth hee that they vowe obliedge themselues to vnder-goe Pilgrimages some to this and some to that Church according as they respect the Images beliâ—ving that this Image in such a place to bee of greater vertue than in another and to bee more famous for miracles and of greater power And if at anie time miracles bee wrought vpon men who haue recourse vnto them this is not by the vertue of the Images sâ—yeth hee but some-tymes by the operation of the Devill to deceaue such Idolatrous worshippers GOD so permitting and their infidelitie so deserving the same CHAPT. XIV The Noveltie of the doctrine of Merite HEEREIN the Romanistes are so grosse that BELLARMINE sayeth not onlie That good workes merite a rewarde for their owne worthinesse and condignitie but the Rhemistes adde also that they are so fullie worthy of eternall lyfe which GOD of His jâ—stice oweth to the workers of the same that GOD should bee vâ—just if Hee rendred not Heaven for them Yea the Iesuit Vasquez goeth so farre in prowde and open blasphemie that hee sayeth Seeing the workes of the righteous by their owne worthinesse merite eternall lyfe as an equall recompence and reward there is no neede of the interveaning of anie other merite of condignitie such as the merite of CHRIST that eternall lyfe should bee rendered vnto them To come to the confessed Noveltie of which prowde errour beside Scripture cleare in this poynt their owne Cassander telleth vs what was the constant and vniforme doctrine of the primitiue Church and ancient fathers therein saying Wherefore this doctrine is not to bee passed by which with a full consent all the ancient Fathers delyvere to wit that our whole confidence of the remission of our sinnes and the hope both of pardon and of lyfe eternall is to bee placed in the onelie mercie of GOD and merite of CHRIST Whence it is that their Waldensis sayeth I esteeme him a sounder divynâ— and more faythfull Catholicke sayeth hee and more agreeable to the Scriptures who simplie denyâ—th anie such merite and who granteth according to the Apoâ—tles and Scriptures manner of speach that simplie a man meriteth not the kingdome of Heaven but onelie that it is given him of the meere favour of GOD and will of the giver aâ— all the annâ—ient holie Fathers vnto the latter Schoole-men haue held and as the whole Church did professe accounting it an Heresie to profeâ—se the contrarie The trueth of which speach of these two fore-named may bee seene at length in the cleare testimonies of the Fathers themselues who showe how the godlie get eternall lyfe from GOD ratione pacti non facti or by reason not of our woâ—kes mâ—riting but his mercie promising Therefore sayde Augustine what-so-ever GOD hath promised Hee promised the same to these who were vnworthie that the reward might bee seene to bee promised not for the merite oâ— the worke but of freeâ—grace as the word it selfe importeth Which doctrine of trueth overthrowing merite was also professed of olde in the Churches of BRITANE as may bee seene in the order appoynted in the â—uncient Liturgie of Eâ—GLAND for visitat on of the sicke chiefelie in Anselâ—es time Arch-bishop of Canterburie Anno 1080 wherein the Priest sayeth to the sickâ— person Doest thou belieue to come to Glorie not by thy owne merites but by the vertue and merite of the Passion of the LORD IESVS CHRIST and that none can bee saved by his owne merits or by anie other meanes but by the merite of His Passion To which the sicke partie was taught to answere All this I belieue The contrarie of which doctrine mayntayned now by Româ—nistâ—s was also long agoe condemned by the whole Facultie of Divinitie at PARIS Anno 1354 as most Hereticall and Blasphemous in their sentence agaynst one Guidâ— an Augustine Friar by way of recantation prescrybed vnto him saying I saide against a Batchelour of the preaching Friars in my conference with him that a man meriteth eternall lyfe for the worthinesse of the worke that is so as if the same were not given vnto him there were wrong done vnto him which opinion I recant as False Hereticall and Blasphemous Therefore their owne Cardinâ—ll Bellarmine was forced to conclude saying Because of the vncertayntie of our owne vnrighteousnesse and the danger of vaine glorie it is most safe sayth hee to put our whole confidence in the onelie mercie of GOD and His onlie goodnesse An advertisement to the Reader THE Noveltie of this prowde errour beeing dâ—scovered yet lest with the vaile of the Word MERITE oft vsed in Antiquitie they should crafâ—ilie palliate the Noveltie of their doctrine of merite their owne Vega in his booke written in defence and for the vnderstanding of the Councell of Trenâ— and wherein hee was a chiefe Disputer plainlie confesseth saying I am not ignorant that the word merâ—te is vsed ost-tymes sayeth hee where there is no meaning of deserving eyther by condignitie or congruitie And therefore wee finde that sometimes improperlie iâ—simplie signifieth to oâ—tayne favour without doing eyther good or evill as where Ambrose sayeth That Iohn the Baptist in his birth obtayned so great a favour as to bee the fore-runner of CHRIST the wordes beeing tantam gratiam nascendo meruit Sometimes also it is put for obtayning favour quyte contraâ—ie to deserving as where Pope Gregorie speaking of PAVL'S conversion sayeth When hee was labouring to extinguish the Name of our Redeemer on earth hee obtayned that favour to heare His wordes from Heaven where the wordes are Verba de coelo meruit audire And sometimes it signifieth generallie workes whether good or evill as Aug. Epist 46 and sometimes speciallie good workes yet excluding all worthinesse in them to merite eternall lyfe as where Bernard sayeth Neyther are mens good workes of such worth that for their merite eternall lyfe should bee due vnto them or that GOD should doe wrong except Hee gaue the same for them where the wordes are Neque eniâ— sunt talia hominum merita c. and which speach of Bernand's is diametralie opposit in ipsis terminâ—â— to that prowde assertion of the Rhemistes who say that GOD should bee vnjust and doe wrong if Hee rendred not Heaven for them CHAPTER XV The Noveltie of Pvâ— GATORIE FIrst then if wee aske their owne Bishop of Rochester and great Champion against Luther whether this new Article which avarice hath hatched ignorance doeth foster and fire and â—aggoâ— maintaineth was knowne of olde or believed by the primitiue Church hee will tell vs saying It was not so necessarie to belieue Purgatorie in the primitiue Church And if wee aske him farder to wit how long it was before eyther Purgatorie or indulgences which depende vpon it was knowne or receaved by
trueth and her former estate when shee was once the faythfull Citie it beeing our duetie as sayeth Lyrinensis to receaue true teachers with the Church but not with false teachers in the Church to desert the true fayth of the Church and embrace Novelties For if anie man follow him sayeth Ignatius who haue departed form the trueth hee shall never inherite the Kingdome of GOD and hee who departeth not from a teacher of lies shall bee condemned to Hell fire for neyther must wee depart from them who are godlie teachers nor must wee haue fellowship with these who are wicked Let her therefore with Ephesus returne to her first loue renounce her Whoredomes quyte her Erroures reject her Novelâ—ies forsake her Idolatries and from Babell turne Bethâ—ll else wee solemnlie protest that wee would haue cured Babell but shee would not and as LYRINâ—Nâ—IS speaketh That our care is heereby to reduce the seduced multitude of the woâ—ld stricken with the cruell tempest of repentiue Heresie from new broached errour to the auncient fayth from the phrenesie of Noveltie to their wonâ—ed health and from the blindnesse of former darknesse to the primitiue light of most sacred Trueth that so GOD may haue 〈◊〉 ie the Church her luster Satan an over-throwe BABELL a downe-fall the Saynctes may haue joye and Veritie the victorie AMEN Glorie to Him who giveth abilitie to the faynt increaseth strength in them who haue no might ISAIAH 40. 29. AN APPENDIX To this Treatise Of the Noveltie of Poperie Clearlie showing next The antiquitie of the Protestant Religion HAving thus singled out Poperie from the profession of true Christian Religion as Chaffe from the Corne or Popple rather from the good Wheat and having showne the Noveltie thereof as of a disease which hath overtaken a bodie which was sound and healthfull at first but lyke BABELL had neede of cure at last it will not bee amisse to set downe the points of the true Christian Religion which is that onlie Auncient Catholicke and Apostolicke Fayth Which was once sayeth S. IVDE delyvered to the Saynctes and which in all the positiue poyntes thereof wee at this day contende for and professe and wherein also our verie adversaries doe not dissent from vs Which thing doeth serue 1. to show the great advantage that wee haue of them heerein to wit that what are the positiue poynts of our Religion therein they agree with vs and cannot say but the same is the trueth but in all the former poyntes of Poperie which they doe professe wee justlie disagree from them because of the proven Noveltie thereof and disagreement from the Word of GOD Next this shall serue to answere two ordinarie and customable questions of theirs to wit 1. whereby they aske where was our Religion befor Luther and 2. what became of the soules of our fore-fathers who dyed before the reformation First then this Catholicke antiquitie of our doctrine wee shall proue GOD willing by the playne inâ—uction onelie of the positiue poyntes thereof wherein as is sayde our verie Adversaries the Romanists themselues doe agree First therefore concerning the Scriptures wee say according to Scripture that they are the sure and safe rule of fayth and so sayeth Bellarmine Bell. l. 1. de verbâ— c. 2. with vs The Scripture is the rule of our fayth most sure and most safe sayeth hee 2. Wee say that all doctrines of fayth and manners which are simplie necessarie for all men are playnlie set downe in Scripture and so doeth Bellarmine professe Bell. l. 4. de verbo c. 11. vltimo that as this was the doctrine of Augustine so it is true of the doctrines of fayth sayeth hee which are simplie necessarie for all men to salvation 3. Next to the word to come to the Sacramentes wee say that Baptisme and the LORD'S Supper are the two proper Sacramentes instituted by CHRIST vnto our salvation Bell. l. 2. de effectâ— sacrâ— c. 24â— and this Bellarmine also confesseth saying Of Baptisme and the LORD'S Supper there is no question at all 4. Wee say that in the Lords Supper the bodie and blood of CHRIST is present not onelie in a signe or figure but truelie and reallie yet spirituallie and mysticallie Bell. l. â— de Euchar c. 20. §. 30. vegula and so doeth Bellarmine confesse as Bernard teacheth in his sermon of S. Martine where hee sayeth That in the Sacrament is exâ—ibite vnto vs the true substance of Christs flesh but yet spirituallie not carnallie sayth he 5. From the word and Sacraments to come to the Church we say that the Rocke whereon the same is built Bell. l. 1. de Rom. pont â— 10. is CHRIST and so granteth Bellarmine saying No man doubteth but Christ is that Rocke 6. As Hee is the Rocke and Foundation wee say in lyke-manner that Hee is the onelie Head and King of His Church and so sayeth Bellarmine Bell l. 2. de Rom. pont c. 31. Onelie Christ is the head of all the Churches and all others vnder Him are not heads nor Princes thereof 7. As Hee is onelie King so is Hee the high Priest thereof whose righteousnesse and sufferinges in our justification is made ours so that wee may offer vp the same vnto the Father as ours for the remission of our sinnes and so sayeth Bellarmine That Christ is called our righteousnesse Bell. l. 2 de â—ustif â— 10. bâ—cause Hee hath satisfied the Father for vs and so gifteth vnto vs 〈◊〉 satisfaction sayeth hee and communicateth it to vs when Hee justifieth vs that it may bee called our satisfaction and righteousnesse and this way it is not absurde for anie man to say that Christs righteousnesse and merites are imputed to vs sayeth hee seeing they are so given and applyed to vs as if wee our selues had made satisfaction to GOD 8 Wee say that good workes are necessarie to salvation as Bellarmine acknowledgeth Bell. l. 4. de justif. c. 1. saying Calâ—in and Luther doe teach That good workes are to bee done and in some sort are necessarie ††Ephes. 2. 10. seeing they affirme that it is not true fayth which bringeth not foorth good workes and so saye the Romanistes jumping heerein with vs 9. Yet notwithstanding that wee affirme them to bee necessarie wee saye That to obtayne salvation it is the onelie safe way to put our whole confidence in the onelie mercie of GOD and merites of CHRIST onelie and so sayeth Bellarmine For the vncertayntie of our owne righteousnesse Bell l. 5. de â—ustif c. 7. and danger of vaine glorie sayeth hee it is safest to repose our whole confidence in the onelie mercie and free favour of GOD 10. Lyke-wyse for religious worship wee say that the holie Trinitie is to bee so worshipped and to GOD onelie wee should pray as the authour and giver of all good thinges Bell. l. 1. de Sâ—nct c. 20. and so sayeth Bellarmine That this most divyne excellencie is to bee worshipped and
Luther 5. That the Bishop of Româ— may erre and hath erred the sixt generall Councell helde at Constantinople of 289. Bishops anâ— the seaventh generall Councelâ— assembled at Nice declared thiâ— in the person of Honoriuâ— witâ— sundrie latter Romane Doctoures authoâ—rity of Scripture whether I referrâ— the Reader long before Luther 6. That the Bishop of Rome had no supremacie over the whole Church as Vniversall Bishop thereof nor yet anâ—e other S. Cyprian and their owne Pope Gâ—egorie the first hath at length mayntayned long before Luther 7. That publicke Prayers or anie other divyne Service in the Church should not bee sayde in a tongue vnknowne to the people beside S. PAVLL Ambrose Chrysostome Seduliuâ— and Haymo taught clearlie long before Luther 8. That GOD onelie is to bee prayed vnto and neyther Sainct nor Angell Ignatiuâ— Martyr Oriâ—gen and others delyvered long before Luther 9. That no Images are to bee anie wayes worshipped the Councell of Eliberis Augustine and Pope Gregorie himselfe with dyverse others declared long before Luther 10. That no Reliques of Saincts or Martyres are to bee adored S. Cyrill and Ierome did teach long before Luther 11. Agaynst free-will or the indifferencie thereof in the estate of corruption eyther to good or evill the Councell of Orange opposed it selfe with Augustine Prosper and Bernard and dyverse others long before Luther 12. That wee are not justified before GOD by our owne works or inherent righteousnesse Ambrose Bernard and manie moe mayntayned long before Luther 13. That none is able in this lyfe to keepe GOD'S Lawe perfectlie let bee to supererogate Lactaentius Firmianus Ierome and sundrie others haue testified long before Luther 14. That no man is able by his owne workes to merite eternall lyfe S. Basill Augustine Bernard and manie moe haue clearlie demonstrate long before Luther 15. That there is no Purgatorie or place where the soules of the godlie goe vnto after this lyfe but onelie Heaven Cyrill Gregorie Nazianzen and dyverse others haue taught vs long before Luther 16. Agaynst the absolute necessitie of the Baptisme of Infants Augustine Bernard and others haue instructed vs long before Luther 17. That there is no Transsubstantiation in the Sacrament of the LORD'S Supper Ireneus Theodoret Pope Gelasius Bertram and sundrie others haue clearlie declared long before Luther 18. That the Cup should not bee with-holden from the people Ignatius Iustine Martyr and Chrysostome taught and as the Councell of Constance granteth the primitiue Church practised yea as Cassander showeth vs the whole Romane Church mayntayned and practised for the space of a thousand yeares long before Luther 19. That in the Masse there is no proper propâ—tiatorie sacrifice for the quicke and the dead Chrysostome Eusebius Ambrose with manie others even of their owne latter Doctoures as Lombard and Aquinas haue taught vs long before Luther And if they inquyre fâ—rder of anie people before Luther who professed as wee doe and opposed these doctrines of Poperie which wee this day oppose wee name to them the Waldenses as they tearme them of whom their owne Raynerus Raynerus Lib. contra Waldensis c. 4. testifieth That there were in everie countrey of them and that they lived righteouslie and believed all thinges aright concerning GOD and helde all the Articles contayned in the Creede onelie that they spake agaynst the Church of Rome Thua nus l. 6. Hist. de doc. trin Waldensin Fasciâ— Temp. in vita Innoc 3. to wit her corruptions the particulars where-of their owne Thuanuâ— declareth to bee these That they spake agaynst Purgatorie the Sacrifice of the Masse the worshipping of Sayncts and Soule-Masses c. And therefore against whom Innocent the third caused preach a Crusado every where for their extirpation as their owne Charter Monke the Author of Fasciculuâ— Temporum doeth testifie And tho they would say that yet these doctrines of ours wherein wee oppose them and they dissent from vs were not generallie receaved not had a perpetuall succession of Pastours professing the same ever expreslie and from the beginning wee may justlie answere that this was because these doctrines of Poperie which they now mayntayne lyke the Tares did not peepe out at first after their sowing nor were they receaved in the Westerne Church generallie to bee believed till of latter tymes as hath beene alreadie proven in the detection of the Noveltie of the whole poyntes of Poperie more than the Pharisees leaven and traditions which our SAVIOVR opposed were in the Iewes Synagogue As lyke-wyse themselues clearlie confesse That the present Romane Church Stapleton in defens authorit Eccles. l. 1. c. 2. sect. 5. hath at this day receaved some doctrines of fayth which shee helde not of olde as Stapleton and others with him declare and for which not-with-standing they can not assigne a perpetuall succession of Pastors at all tymes professing the same AN ANSWERE To that other common and customable Question of the Romanistes Whereby they aske what became of the soules of all our Predecessoures who died in the tyme of Poperie before the Reformation WHerevnto it may bee answered that in Paganismâ— indeede there was nothing could saue nor no word of grace but in the most ignorant and corrupt tyme of Poperie there was ever so much light and knowledge to bee had of the mysterie of redemption and principles of fayth lyke good Golde mixed with drosse and good Seede tho growing amongst Tares that who-so-ever of our fore-fathers did adjoyne themselues to the common ensigne of the Christian name and had the knowledge of the common Articles of fayth in the vnitie whereof all doe agree and vpon the sole profession whereof admission hath evâ—r beene by Baptisme into the Church of CHRIST and with this meane measure of saving and sound knowledge whosoever joyned an holie and righteous lyfe and speciallie died relying onelie for salvation on the merites of CHRIST as allmost all did these I say in a safe and holie simplicitie contenting themselues in those tymes with the former measure of knowledge and beeing ignorant of the manie erroures of Poperie which make vp the mysterie of iniquitie died wee hope charitablie vnder the mercie of GOD and are saved eternallie Neyther was it to bee accounted a small happinesse to them that that by that invincible ignorance wherein they were detayned wanting the meanes of farder knowledge and which was then counted the mother of devotion they were fred from the guiltinesse of these erroures which otherwayes might haue proven so prejudiciall to their soules so that their sober simplicitie contenting themselues with the common principles of Christian Religion and not suffered to dyâ—e into the bottome of such mysteries as are indeede the deepnesse of Satan was to them a happie sort of ignorance lyke Adams not knowing of evill in his estate of Innocencie which thereafter hee too well knew But as for them who now liue in the time of the light of the Gospell when these foggie mistes are dispelled which arose
Her teachers venting that which was concredit to them not invented by them which they receaved not excogitate and not anie brood of their owne ingyne but the bread of heavenlie doctrine which is not of private vsurpation but of publicke deliverie or traditioÌ„ brought to them not broached by them wherein they should not bee Authors but keepers not instituters but observers not leaders but followers teaching the same thinges to others by word which themselues had from the Apostles by WRIT So that tho they speake after a new manner of speaking or expression yet they should speake no new thing for matter observing that as in the growth of our bodies there is no increase of new members in number but augmentation of the same in measure So in the Churches knowledge that the growth there-of should bee in the same doctrine of Fayth alreadie delyvered but no new Article of doctrine afterward to bee broached For preventing whereof therefore did that holie Apostle lyke BONARGI or a sonne of Thunder throwe that dreadfull Thunderbolt agaynst all Novelists saying Tho we or an Angell from Heaven preach vnto you {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} beside that which wee haue preached let him bee accursed So that it did not suffice sayeth Lyriâ—ensis for keeping sound that doctrine of Fayth which was once delivered to make mention of man altho it were peter Andrew Iohn or all the companie of the Apostles except that hee comprehended in lyke-manner the verie excellencie of Angelicall powers And which speach of the Apostles Augustine explayneth thus If wee or an Angell from Heaven preach vnto you anie thing concerning Fayth and Lyfe besides that which yee haue receaved in the Legall and Evangelicall Scriptures sayeth hee let him bee accursed limiting so what the Apostle preached in the matter of Fayth or manners within the pale of the written word and leaving no place therein to vnwritten traditions Thus it beeing cleare that the true Religion is onelie most Ancient and that the most Ancient Religion lykewyse is onelie most true as having it whole Origen from CHRIST and His Apostles and from that warrand of holie Scripture which they haue left behinde them which made Tertullâ—an to say Doubtlesse that is to bee helde sayeth hee which the Church hath receaved from the Apostles and the Apostles from CHRIST and CHRIST hath receaved from GOD It followeth necessarilie that that Religion or Doctrine what-so-ever that wanteth this Antiquitie and is of later invention is neither true nor Catholicke The first propertie of Catholicisme beeing that of time to wit which hath beene ever and from the beginning taught in the Church therefore sayeth the fore-named Vincentius Lyrinensis In the Catholicke Church a speciall care must bee had that wee holde that which was ever everie where and by all believed so that that Doctrine which is deficient in the verie first poynt to wit the vniversalitie of tyme and was not semper or ever in GOD'S Church but whereof it may bee sayde as our Saviour sayeth of the Iewish Bills of Divorce From the beginning it was not so the same is no wayes sound and Catholicke Doctrine but lyke that later Supersemination of Tares after the good Seede in the LORD'S Field neyther is anie person who professeth the same verus genuinus Catholicus a true and vpright Catholicke but on the contrarie a giddie and prophane Novelist whose lust as it were of prophane and new hatcht Curiositie sayeth the same Father can not contayne it selfe within the chaste limites of sacred and vncorrupt Antiquite CHAPT. II. The Noveltie of Poperie instanced in 14 particular poyntes of Erronious Doctrine THis challenge then of Noveltie and consequentlie of an vnjust vsurpation of the name of Catholickes wee justlie lay to the charge of the Romanistes of these tymes which the better that wee may cleare and confirme wee shall instance the same first in 14 particular poyntes of Doctrine as making vp a sufficient Dittie the Noveltie where-of severallie next shall bee God willing proven by the witnessing of their owne mouthes vt ex ore suo judicetur servus nequam or by the vndenyable recordes of venerable Antiquitie The Poynts are these that follow THat beside Scripture there are sundry doctrinall vnwritten traditions which men are bouÌ„d no lesse to reverence and belieue than GOD'S written Word and as Articles of Fayth vnder payne of damnation That people should not bee permitted to reade the holie Scriptures That beside CHRIST the Church is also built vpon the Bishop of Rome as S. Peter's successour so that hee is both the foundation and head there-of as vniversall Bishop That by vertue of the same prerogatiue hee is over and aboue all the members there-of even in temporall thinges That Prayer in the Church should or may bee in an vnknowne Tongue That beside prayer to GOD wee may lawfullie lyke-wyse pray both to Sayncts and Angels That beside the worshipping of GOD wee may also worship Images Reliques and such lyke with a Religious Adoration That beside CHRIST'S meriting our good workes are also meritorious causes of the Kingdome of Heaven so that GOD were vnjust if for their condignitie Hee bestowed not the same vpon vs That beside Hell and Heaven there is a third place also after death for the soules in Purgatorie That beside CHRIST'S satisfaction there are also satisfactions of the Saynctes whereof with the sufferings of CHRIST is made vp the Churches Treasure of indulgences That beside Baprisme and the LORD'S Supper there are also fiue other Sacramentes of the Gospell properlie so called That the Bodie and Blood of CHRIST is not onelie truelie and reallie present in the Sacrament of the Supper but lykewyse that the verie visible Elements are transubstantiate into the verie substance of CHRISTS Bodie and Blood That the Cup in the Communion should not bee permitted or given to the people That beside CHRIST'S Sacrifice of Himselfe once vpon the Crosse forever there is also a daylie proper propitiatorie and reall sacrificing of Him vpon the Altar for the quicke and the dead and this is the sacrifice of the Masse CHAPT. III. Of the Noveltie then first of the doctrine of vnwritten traditions whereon the mayne bodie of Poperie is built altogether THE first vrgers then of vnwritten Traditions in the Christian Church wee finde to haue beene some Heretickes who arose in IRENEVS dayes Anno 180 of whom hee wryteth thus When they are convinced by the Scriptures they fall out into the accusation of the Scriptures sayth hee as if they were not rightlie alleadged or of authoritie of themselues and because they are ambiguouslie set downe and that the trueth can not bee found out of them by those who knoweth not Tradition which was not delyvered by writ but by word for which cause Paull himselfe sayde Wee speake wisedome amongst these that are perfect In which wordes is not onelie set downe what Armour onelie the Orthodox