A manifest promise of the spirit of god to continue for euer in the church 2. All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earthe Goinge therfore teache yee all nations teachinge them to obserue all thinges what soeuer I haue cōmaunded you Loe here commission to teache giuen to the Apostles and in them to all pastores 3. He that heareth you heareth me and he that dispiseth you dispiseth me Loe here obligation for others to heare and obaye that which they who haue the former commission shall teache 4. Behould I am with you all daies euen to the consūmation of the worlde Loe here the assurance of Christs asistance to his church and the lawfull pastores therof till the ende of the worlde who can now doubt of the infallibilitie of the doctrine of godes church 5. I will aske the father and he will giue you another Paraclet that is an aduocate or comforther that he may abyde with you for euer The spirit of truthe loe here the spirite of truthe promised to abide with the church for euer By warrant of which promised the first generall coūcell that euer was houlden which was at Hierusalem sayth thus Yt hath seemed good to the holy ghost and to vs to laye no further burthen vpon you then these necessarye thinges 6. In respect of the singuler priuiledges of the church and spetiallye of the infallibilitie it hath in doctrine sainct Paule callethe it the howse of god the church os the liuinge god the piller and grounde of truthe 7. He that will not heare the church let him be to thee as the Heathen and the publican Touchinge which pointe of the infallibilitie of the church sainct Augustine hath this excellent doctrine Althoughe Saith he no example is brought out of canonicall Scripture of this thinge Speakinge sf the validitie os Baptisme ministred by heretiques yet doe we followe the truth of the same Scriptures in this pointe whilst we do that which pleaseth the whole church which the auctoritie of the Scriptures doth cōmēd And because the holy Scripture cannot deceaue whosoeuer feareth to be deceaued by the obseurite of these questiones let him consult ther vpō with the church which without all doubt the Scripture doth shewe Protes Pos. The sense and meaninge of the holy Scriptures giuen or approued by the Catholique churche is not alwaies true nether are the definitiones and declarationes of faythe deliured by the same vnfallible truthes Here the reader may marke à strāge peruersitie or blindness in the Protestantes who graunt the gift of interpretinge the Scriptures to priuate beleeuers and yet deny it to the whole chuche THE FIFTH CONtrouersie of the marKes of the true Churche THe true Churche of god is but one This being not denyed by the Protestantes needethe no proofe The question is which of all those Churches which doe challenge vnto them selues the name of the Churche is that one true churche which doubt will easelie be cleared by the notes and markes fololwinge Vniuersalitie Catho Positions The true Churche of Christ is Catholique or vniuersall aswell in respect of place as of tyme That is the true church of Christ hath euer continued since his gloriouse ascention into heauen till this day and shall doe till the end of the world which is to be Catholique or vniuersall in respect of time And it hathe or shal be spred throughe all kingdomes and countries that are vnder heauen which is to be vniuersall or Catholique in respect of place Proofe in respect of place Aske of me and I will giue thee the gentiles for thin inheritance thy posessione the endes of the earthe By this promise of god to Christ S. Augustine conuīceth the Donatistes and in them the Protestātes that they haue not the true Chruche because theyrs is not vniuersall in such sorte as here is promised 2. He shall rule from sea to sea and from the riuer euen to the endes of the rounde worlde These Prophesies are clearely vnderstoode of the inheritance and kingdome that is the Churche of Christ as he is man Accordinge to which prophesies our sauiour saythe All power is giuen me in heauen and in earthe Goeinge therfore teache yee all nationes baptisinge them in the name of the father and of the sonn and of the holy ghost 3. You shall receiue the vertue of the holy Ghost comminge vppon you and you shall be witnesses vnto me in Hierusalem and in all Ieury and Samaria and euen to the vtmost of the earthe See Sainct Augustine Learned reader if thou pleas Proofe in respect of tyme. 1. In the dayes of those Kingdomes the god of heauen will rayse vp a Kingdome that shale not be dissipated for euer and this Kingdome shall not be deliuered to another people 2. And he shall reigne in the howse of Iacob for euer of his Kingdome there shall be no ende 3. Behould I am with you all dayes euen to the consummation of the world 4. Vppon this Rock will I build my Churche and the gates of hell shall not preuayle agaynst it A faithful sayinge Saith Sainct Athanas. and not à waueringe promise and the Church is an inuincible thinge althoughe hell it self should be moued The vniuersalitie of the church all christians profess to beleeueī the creed of the Apostles and of the first councell of Constantinople sayinge I beleeue the holy Catholique church protes pos The ttue Churche of Christ is not necessarily Catholique or vniuersall nether in respect of place nor tyme. This positione most cleerely against holy Scripturs must the Protestantes defende and proue yf they will proue and defende they re Churche to be the true Churche of god and consequentlye theyr religione to be true Visibilitie Catho pos The true Churche of god ys visible and apparant both to the faithfull beleeuers that are in it and to heretiques and those that are out of it Proof 1. A Citie cannot be hid situated vpon à mountayne He put his tabernacle in the Sunn S. Augustine proueth our positione by these textes say inge The true churche is hid to no man whence is that which he our sauiour Sayth in the Gospell A Citie sett vppon à mountane cannot be hidd And therfore is it sayd in the Psalme hee hathe put his tabernacle in the sunn that is in manifest 2. In the latter dayes the mountayne of the howse of our lorde shall be prepared in the top pof mountaynes and it shal be eleuated aboue the little hilles and all nationes shall flowe vnto it 3. Men doe not light à Candell and. put it vnder a bushell but Vpon à Candlesticke To these textes doth S. Augustine allude when he saythe what ells am I to saye then that they are blinde that doe not see so great à mountayne that shutt they re eyes against the lampe sett vppon the candlesticke 4. If thy brother offende against thee
tell the churche therfore must it of necessitie be apparent and visible 5. The Churche consistethe of Pastores and sheepe Superiors or rulers and subiectes And he gaue some Apostles and some Prophetes and other some Euangelistes other some pastores and Doctores Are all Appostles are all Prophetes are all Doctores But superiores and subiectes must be Knowne to one another as also Pastores and they re sheepe Therfore must the Churche of necessitie be visible and apparent Protestantes posit The true Church of god is not necessarily visible nor apparent ether to the faithfull beleeuers that are in it or to heretiques and those that are out of it This position must the Protestantes also proue and defend though directly against the holy Scriptures vnless they will confess their church not to be the true Church as if the Scriptures be true it cannot be seeinge that before Luther it ether was not at all or was inuisible and therfore no true church of Christ Catholique Positi The true church of Christ can neuer want à lawfull personall succession of Pastors from her first institution till the end of the world Proofe 1. And he gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and othersome Euangelistes and othersome pastores and Doctores To the consummation of the saintes vnto the worke of the ministerie vnto the edifyinge of the bodye of Christ Vntill we meete all in the vnitie of faythe Loe here Pastores giuen for the Churche till all meete in vnite of faythe which is till the ende of the worde 2. Goinge teache all nationes baptiseinge them in the name of the Father c. and behoulde I am with you all dayes euen to the consummation of the worlde Loe here Christ promiseth to be with the pastores of the Churche whom he sendethe all dayes till the ende therfore there shall alwayes be pastores 3 For thy Fathers there are borne sonnes to thee thou shalt make them princes ouer all the earthe Vnderstoode by S. Augustine of the successione of pastores in the churche Sayinge The Apostles begott thee ô Christian Churche they were sent they preached they are thy fathers But could they bee alwayes corporally with vs could any of them tarye here till this tyme could they tarie till the time yet to come But was therfore the Churche left desolate by theyr departure God forbidd For thy fathers sonnsare borne to thee what is this for thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee The Aposstles were seÌ„t fathers inplace of the Aposstles sonnes are borne to the Bishoppes are appointed For whence were the Bishoppes borne that are att this daye in the worlde the church her selfe callethe them fathers shee begate them and appoynted them in the seates of the fathers Doe not therfore think thyself desolate O ChristiaÌ„ church because thou seest not Peter seest not Paule for thou seest not them by whome thou wast borne but of thyn issue fatherhoode is spronge to thee For thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee thou shalt make them princes ouer all the earthe This is the Catholique church Her children are made princes ouer all the earthe her sonnes are constituted for fathers lett them acknowledge this that are cut of let them come to the vnitie be they brought into the temple of the kinge Thus S. Augustin prote pos The true church of Christe may be without a lawfull personnall succession of Pastores This position they must alsoe proué or ells theyr church cannot be anie true churche For they cannot shew any Pastores of theyr religion before Luther to whom he succeeded Catho pos This lawfull succession of Pastores in gods churche is not withovt consecration and authenticall mission or sendinge by an ordinarye power residing in the churche Proofe 1. when they S. S. Paule and Barnabas had ordayned to them Priestes in eueri churche and had prayed with fastinge they commended them to our lord in whom they beleeued 2. Nether doth any man take the honoure of priesthoode to himself but he that is called of god as Aaron Note that if Luther CaluiÌ„ and Beza with the rest who say they are called of god as Aaron can shewe the like proofes of they re calling that Aaron did and besides the externall consecratioÌ„ which he also had notwithstanding his internall callinge of god they shal be beleeued to haue godes caling Tough Aaron being the first of his order and therfore could not haue his callinge by succession his case is farr vnlike to our newe maysters vnless they will coÌ„fess a truthe and saye that they are also the first of their order wherin they shal be beleeued and therby conuinced not to be preachers of Christ but of themselues because they haue no mission from him but come of them selues beinge sent by none 3. Howe shall they beliue him whom they haue not hard And howe shall they heare without a preacher But howe shall they preach vnless they be sent Amen Amen I saye vnto you he that entereth not by the dore that is by the ordinarie waye into the fould of the sheepe but climethe vp another way he is a theefe and a robber But hee that enterethe by the Dore is the Pastore of the sheepe The Prophets prophesie lyes in my name I haue not sent them I haue not sent these Prophets yet they rann with many such like wherby it appeareth that we are not to beleeue euerie one that preteÌ„deth to come from god vnless they shew their mission and coÌ„missioÌ„ To which purpose heare this notable saying of the auncient Ireneus It behoâ—uethe to obaie those priestes that are in the churche those who haue the succession from the Apostles as we haue shewed who together with Episcopalitie haue receiued accordinge to the will of the father the assured certayne gift of truthe But to suspect the rest that stande of from the originall succession in what place soeuer the are assembled ether as heretiqueâ— and of bad doctrine as makeinge schisme and as highe mynded and pleasinge themselues and of S. Cypriane If the church was with Cornelius whâ— succeeded the Bishope Fabiane and whome beside the honoure of Preisthoâ—â— our lord glorified with martyrdomeâ— Nouatian is not in the church nor caâ— he be esteemed à Bishope who dispising euangelicall and apostolicall tradition succeeding to none is sprongâ— out from himselfe For nether can 〈◊〉 haue or houlde by any meanes the churche who is not ordered in the churche Protestantes Pos. The lawfull succession of Pastores in gods churche may be with out consecration and authenticall mission or sending by any ordinarie power residing in the churche THE SIXTHE CONtrouersie of the supremicie of S. Peter and of the Pope or Bishope of Rome Catho Positions 1 SAint Peter was by our sauiour Christ constituted supreme head and souraigne Bishope or Pastoure ouer his whole churche militant Proofe 1. Our sauiour sayd to S. Peter Symon of Ihon louest thou me Feede my sheepe
honoure due to the cros may be sayd of anie other holy image Protestantes position 1. The images of holy personnes may not without idolatrie or other inconuenience be made placed in churches oratories or places of prayer 2. The images of holy personnes may not or ought not to be honored reuerenced or worshiped THE ELEVENTHE Controuersie Of Purgatorie Catholique position AFter this life there is a purgatorie or place where the soules of the faythfull departinge out of this world Ī the state of grace are detayned vntill they be wholly purged from all guilt and payne due vnto sinn Proofe 1. Hee that shall speake against the holy ghost it shall not be forgiuen him nether in this world nor in the world to come Hence it is manifest that some sinnes are forgiuen in the world to come not in heauen whither no sinner entereth nor in hell where there is no remission therfore in a third place which is Purgatorie S. Augustin aludinge to this place expresly sayth that some sinnes are remitted in the next world 2. Bee att agrement with thy aduersarie betymes whilest thou art in the way with him lest perhappes thy aduersarie deliuer thee to the iudg and the Iudge deliuer thee to the officers and thou be cast into prisone Amen I saye to thee thou shalt not goe from thence till thou repaye the last farthinge To these wordes S. Cyprian alludinge Sayth Another thinge it is for him that is in prison not to goe out til he hath payde the last farthinge another thinge presently to receaue rewarde of faythe and Vertue another thinge beinge by longe payne tormented to be clensed and purged by longe fire 3. The worke of eueire one shal be manifest for the day of our lorde will declare because it shal be reuealed in fire and the worke of euerie one of what kinde it is the fire shall trye Vf anie mans worke burae he shall suffer detriment but hee himselfe shal be saued yet soe as by fire S. Augustine Vnderstandeth this place of Purgatorie sayinge yf they did build vpon the foundation gold siluer and pretions stones they should be secure from both fyres not onely from that euerlasting which shall torment the impiouse eternally but also from that which shall amende them that shal be Saued by fire For it is sayd hee shal be safe yet soe as by fyer Catholique Positions The soules in Purgatorie are holpen by the prayers Sacrifices and other workes of pietie done for them by the faithfull liuinge in this world And therfore is it à good worke to praye for them Proofe Otherwise what sh. il they doe that are baptised for the dead yf the dead rise not agayne at all why also are they baptised for them By baptisme here is vnderstoode all corporall afflictione and chastisement vndertaken for the departed in like manner as it is vnderstoode by our sauiour when he say the with the baptisme wher with Iam Baptised shall yee be baptised 2. And Iudas makeinge a gatheringe he sent 12000. Drachmes of Siluer to Hierusalem for sacrifice to be offred for sinne well and religiouslye thinking of the resurrection for vnless he hoped that they that were slayne should rise agayne it should seeme super stuouse and vayne to pray for the dead it is therfore a holy and healthfull cogitation to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from sinnes For the iudgment of the churche in before S. Augustines tyme lett the industrius reader see the confessione of Chemnitius in his examen where he vndertaketh to dispute against S. Augustine and S. Chrisostome of purgatoire prayer for the dead Protestant position 1. After his life there is no purgatorie or place where the soules of the faithfull departed in the state of grace are purged ether from guilt or payn of sinn 2. The sowles in purgatorie are not holpen by the prayers and other workes of pietie done for them by the faithful liueinge in this worlde And therfore it is att least in vayne to pray for them THE XII CONTROuersie of the Sacraments Catholique position THere are seauen Sacramēts of the newe lawe properly so called That is seauen visible or sensible signes ordayned or instituted by our sauiour Christ wherby grace is giuen to those that worthely receaue thē The protestantes doe confess that Baptisme and the Eucharist are properly sacramentes therfore are wee onely to proue the other fiue Note that as nether baptisme nor the Eucharist are in any place of holy scripture called or said to be sacramentes and yet because they are visible or sensible signes and ceremonies giueing grace as the catholique churche beleeuethe or signifyinge the same as the protestās teache they haue euer in gods churche euen by the confession of our aduersaries beene truly called and esteemed sacramentes soe likewise all other externall and sensible signes or ceremonies proued by scriptures to haue the like effecte and haue beene called and esteemed of the auncient churche sacramentes ought also of the protestātes to be acknowledged for such nether are they to require any other proofe for the other sacraments then they are able to produce for these two And albeyt the protestantes confess with the Catholiques that Baptisme and the holy Eucharist are Properlie sacramentes yet doe they deny diuers thinges pertayninge to them which the Catholique churche tacheth which are therefore to be spoken of before we proceede to the proofe of the other sacramentes OF THE NECESSItie of Baptisme Catholique position It is necessary for euerie mans saluation that he be baptised Proofe A Men I say to thee vnless a man be borne agayne of water and the spirit the cannot enterinto the kingdome of god S. Augustine numbereth amongest other heresies of Pelagius this that he promised eternall bliss though without the kingdome of god to infantes without Baptisme Protestant position It is not necessarie for any mans saluation that he bee baptised OF THE CEREMOnies of Baptisme Catholique position THe exorcismes and other ceremonies vsed by the Catholique churche in Baptisme haue example in the holy scripture and are agreable there vnto Proofe And takeinge him from the multitude apart he put his fingers into his eares and spitting touched his tounge And lookeinge vp to heauen he groaned and sayd to him ephpheta which is he thou opened Sainct Ambros testifiethe these ceremonies to haue bine vsed in his tyme. Protestant position The exorcismes and other ceremonies vsed by the churche in Baptisme are disagreable to holy scripture OF THE HOLY EVchariste or most blessed Sacrament of the Aulter Catholique Positions IN the holy Eucharist the true body and blood of our sauiour Christ is truly really and substantially and not in figure only Proofe Take yee and eate This is my body Drinke yee all of this For this is my blood of the newe testamēt which shal be shed for many vnto remission of sinnes Agayne This is my
by the helping and healing spirit 4. which is a scripture or writing made in our hartes Being manifested that you are the epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written not with inke but with the spirit of the liuing god not in tables of stone but in the hart where vnto S. Augustine alluding saythe By the grace wherby we are freely iustified iustice which was blotted out by sinn is written in the interriour man renued 5. which is powered out abundantly vpon vs he hath saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holy ghost whom he hath powered vpon vs abundantly by Iesus Christ our sauiour 6. which is powered forthe in our hartes And hope confoundeth not because the charitie of god is powered forthe in our hartes by the holy ghost which is giuen to vs. wherupon S. Augustin saythe the charitie of god is sayd to be powered forth in our hartes not that by which he loueth vs but that by which he maketh vs louers of hiÌ„ as the iustice of god is sayd that wherby we are made iust by his gift And not to be ouer prolix in this point which maketh vs the. temple of god A newe creature makethe vs pertakers of his diuine nature wherby wee put vpon vs Christ. which is a pleadg of our inheritance and the. seede of god aâ—ydâ—ge in vs with other such like lett now the indifferent reader iudge whether this grace wherof all these things are sayd is not truly with in vs but being in our sauiouâ— Christ is but onely imputed to vs. Catholique position It is not onely faythe that worketh in vs remission of sinnes the adoption of the children of god or to saye the same in other wordes it is not onely faythe that doth iustifie vs. Proofe 1. If I should haue all faythe so that I could remoue mountâ—ynes and haue not charitie I am nothinge wher vpon S Augustine excellently saythe what 〈◊〉 man would say Prophecie is nothing These thinges are not nothing but whâ—lst I haue these greate thinges yf I haue not charitie I aÌ„ nothing these are great thinges and I haue great thinges and I am nothinge yf I haue not charitie by which these greate thinges doe profitt me If I haue not charâ—tâ—e these thinges may be in me note these wordes but they can not â—rofitt me 2. Now there remayne faythe hope charitie these three but the greatest of these is charitie Therfore doubtless doth it saue iustifi rather then fayth 3. wilt thou knowe O Vayne man that faythe with out workes is idle yf idle therfore it alone doth not iustifie 4. Doe you see that by workes a man is iustified and not by faythe onely 5. For euen as the body without the Spirit is dead soe also faythe with out wotkes is dead 6. In Christ Iesus nether circoncision auaylethe ought nor prepuce but fayth working by charitie 7. The ende of the precept is charitie from a pure hart and a good conscience a fayth not fayned The ende that is the accomplishment and perfection of the lawe or commaundement being charitie certes with out it we cannot be iust nor iustified Goe yee away from me you cursed into eternall fier c. for I was hungrye and you gaue me not to eate Hee doth not blame them sayth S. Augustine that they did not beliue in him but because they did not good workes If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements I see not sayth S. Augustine why Christ should say yf thou wilt haue life euerlastinge keepe the commandements yf whith out obseruinge them by onely fayth one might be saved Protestantes positions 1. Iustification is onely the remission of synn with out renouation of spirit or interioure sanctification 2. By iustification sinn is onely couered or not imputed and not whashed or quite taken away 3. Concupiscence of it self and with out the consent of the will is properly a synn 4. Synners are instified by the onely imbutation of Christ his iustice and not by anie internall grace or iustice receaued or inherent with in them 5. It is onely fayth that iustifiethe Catholique position True faythe or iustice once had may be lost Proofe 1. For they vpon the rocke such as when they heare whith ioye receaue the word and these haue noe rootes because for a tyme the beleeue and in time of temptation they reuoult 2. Haueing faythe and good conscience which certayne repelling haue made shipwrake about the faythe 3. The roote of all euills is conetousness which certayne desiering haue erred froÌ„ the faythe 4. They went out from vs but they were not of vs not because they dissembled iustice but because they perseuered not in iustice sayth S. Augustine de correp gratia cap. 9. Protestantes Position True faythe or iustice once had can neuer be lost Catholique Position whith out particuler reuelation no man in particuler is so certayne of his iustification or saluation that he may not iustly feare the contrarie Proofe 1. Thou by faythe doest stand be not to hihgly wise but feare 2. I am not guiltie in conscience of anie thing but I am not iustified herein but he that iudgethe me is our lord 3. I chastise my body and bring it into seruitude lest perhappes when I haue preached to others my self become reprobate 4. He that thinketh himself to staÌ„d lett him take heed lest he fall Man knoweth not whether he be worthie of loue or hatred but all things are reserued vncertayn for the tyme to come wherefore S. Augustine saythe thus what one amonge the faythfull soe longe as he liueth in this mortallitie can presume that he is of the number of the predestinate For it is needfull that this should be hidden here where hautiness is soe to be taken heede of that euen soe great an Apostle was to be buffited by the Angell of satan lest he should be puffed vpp Protestantes position Euerie faithfull beliuer ought to be soe assured of his iustification or saluation that he should be with out feare of the contrarie THE 14. CONTROuersie Of good workes Catholique position GOod workes done in the state of grace are meritorious of life euerlasting Proofe 1. Come yee blessed of my father possess the kingdoÌ„e prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and you gaue me to eate I was a thirst and you gaue me to drinke c. Come yee blessed of mi father saythe S. Augustine receaue receaue what a kindome For what I was hungrye and you gaue me to eate what is so cheape what soe earthly as to giue bread to the hungrye so much is the kingdome of heauen worthe 2. I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the faythe concerning the rest there is laid vp for me â— crowne of iustice which our lord will render to me