vsque ad consummationem seculi all the daies euen to the end of the world vnles the Church also be al the daies vntill the end of the world For if the Church for any time daies moneths or yeares doe cease to be Christ can not for those years moneths and daies be truely saied to be with his Church sith he can not be with that which is not and consequentely he can not be saied to haue fulfilled his promise wherein he saied he would be with his Church all the daies vntill the end of the world Secondly I proue the same out of an other promise or prophesie of our Sauior Christ to his Church wherein hee saith portae inferi non preualâ—bunt aduersus eam the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it For how was it true that the gates of hell shall not preuaile if they haue preuailed so much as vtterly to abolish the Church or at least to bannishe it quite out of the world for so long a time grauÌ„ting therefor which euery Christian must needes graunt that the prophesies and promises of our Sauiour are alwaies fullfilled and that they are vnfallibly true we may not doubte but that the Church hath euer beene since Christ his time shall neuer cease to be in the world Thirdly I may confirme the same out of other scriptures where the perpetuitie of the Church is either affirmed or promised of which kinde of testimonies being very many I will onely rehearse some few of the Church if we will beleue S. Austen his exposition it is saide Deuâ— fundauit eam in aeternum God hath established it for euer And of it signified by the name of the kingdome of Christ the prophet Daniel saieth Suscitabit Deus caeliregnum quod in aeternum non dissipabitur The God of heauen shall raise vp a kingdome which shal not be broken in peeces for euer As is also saide in S. Luke regni eius non erit sinis there shal be no ende of his kingedome Lastly I might coÌ„firme the same with the testimonie of the auncient Fathers Origen S. Chrysostome S. Bernard and especially of S. Austen who disputing against the Doâ—atistes saieth thus as rehearsing one of their speeches Sed illa Ecclesia quae fuit omnium gentium iam non est perijt That Church which was of all nations is not now it is perished Vnto which their speach he answereth O impudentem vocem Accounting it great impudencie to saye the Church is perished And in the same place he bringeth in the Church as speaking personally thus Quamdiu ero in hoc siculo annuncia mihi propter illos qui dicunt Fuit iam non est apostatauit perijt Ecclesia ad omnibus gentibus Et annunci auit nec vacua fuit vox ista Quis annunciauit mihi nisi ipsa via quando annunciauit ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus vsque ad consummationem seculi How long shall I be in this world tell me in regard of them who saye the Church indeede was but it is not now it is become apostata and is perished out of all nations And he tould me neither was this word in vaine who tould me but the way it selfe to witt Christ who faieth I am the way when did he tell Behold I am with you vntill the end of the world CHAP. XII That this Church which must be to vs the rule of faith as it must alwaies continue so it must also alwaies be visible NOVV hauing proued that the true Church of Christ must alwaies coÌ„tinue without interruptioÌ„ till the worlds end it remaineth that I shew also in what manner it is to continue to wit whether it shall alwaies be visible That is to say whether in all ages it was and shall be a company of men who may be seene and in some sort plainely knowne to be that company which men are to beleeue by faith to be the true Church of Christ or that it shal be sometime at least inuisible that no man can see those meÌ„ nor know them to be that company which we must beleeue to be the true Church of Christ. In which matter My Assertion is that the true Church of Christ of which the places of Scripture afore cited doe speake must alwaies bee visible This I proue First by that plaine Prophesie of Isaias in the 61. chapter Which chapter to be vnderstood of our Sauiour Christ his Church wee may gather out of S. Luke where our Sauiour himselfe citeth some words out of that chapter and expoundeth them to be fulfilled in himselfe the words of the Prophesie are these Faedus perpetuum feriam eis scietur in gentibus semen eorum Omnes qui viderint eos cognoscent illos quoniam isti sunt semen cui benedixit Dominus I will make a perpetuall couenant or league with them and their seede shall be knowne among nations all that shall see them shall know them that they are the seede which our Lord hath blessed How could he more plainely haue foretould the visiblenes of the Church Secondly our Sauiour hath ordained this his Church to bee the light of the world according as he saith vos estis lux mundi you are the light of the world and to be a rule or meanes by which all men at all times may come to the knowledge of that One infallible entire faith which is necessary to saluation as hath bin proued But how can it bee the light of the world if it selfe be inuisible nemo accendit lucernam ponit eam sub modio No man lighteth a candle when he hath done setteth it vnder a bushell where it cannot be seene And how can it bee a meanes by which at all times the infallible truth may bee made knowen to all sortes of men if it selfe at any time could not be knowne of men Or if you say that some times it could neither be knowne it selfe nor be a meanes by which the true faith might be made knowne then sith that I proued that it is a necessary meanes and so necessary that without it according to the ordinary course there is not sufficieÌ„t meanes prouided by almighty God to instruct all men infallibly in all points of faith Then I say men that liued at that time wanted necessary meanes wherby they might attaine to the knowledge of true faith and consequently whereby they might come to saluation which if it were so How is it vniuersally true which is vniuersally saide in Scripture Dâ—us vult omnes homines saluos fieri ad agnitionem veritatis venire God would haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth For how can he be saide to haue a true will to saue all men if he haue not at all times prouided meanes sufficient whereby all men may come to the knowledge of true faith and thereby by degrees to saluation Sith especially
A TREATISE OF FAITH WHERIN IS BRIEFELY AND PLANLY SHEWED A DIRECT WAY BY WHICH EVERY man may resolue and settle his minde in all doubtes questions or controuersies concerning matters of Faith Isa. 30. Haec est via ambulate in ea This is the way walke in it A. D. Permissu Superiorum 1605. A TABLE OR BRIEFE Summary of the whole Treatise Cap. 1. THat faith is absolutely necessary to saluation Cap. 2. That this faith is but one Cap. 3. That this one faith must be infallible Cap. 4. That this one infallible faith must be entire Cap. 5. That Almighty God hath prouided some sufficient meanes whereby all sorts of meÌ„ may at all times learne this one infallible and entire faith Cap. 6. What conditions or properties are requisite in this rule or meanes prouided by almighty God Cap. 7. That Scripture alone cannot bee this rule or meanes Cap. 8. That no naturall witte of man or humane learning either by interpreting Scripture or otherwise can bee this rule of faith Cap. 9. That priuate spirit cannot be this rule Cap. 10. That the doctrine or teaching of the true Church of Christ is the rule or meanes wherby al men must learne the true faith Cap. 11. That this true Church of Christ of which wee must learne the true faith is alwaies to continue without interruption vntill the worldes end Cap. 12. That this same Church must alwaies be visible Cap. 13. How we should discerne or know which company of men is this true visible Church of which wee must learne true faith Cap. 14. That those Notes or markes which heretikes assigne To wit true doctrine of faith and right vse of SacrameÌ„ts be not sufficient Cap. 15. That these foure Vna Sancta Catholica Apostolica One Holy Catholique Apostolique be good markes whereby men may discerne which is the true Church Cap. 16. That these foure markes agree only to the Romane Church That is to say 〈◊〉 that company of men which agreeâ—â— in professioÌ„ of faith with the Church of Rome § 1. That the Romane Church onelyâ— One § 2. That the Romane Church onely is Holy § 3. That the Romane Church is onely Catholique § 4. That the Romane Church is onelie Apostolique Cap. 17. The conclusion of the whole discourse Viz. That the Romane Church is the onely true Church of Christ of which all men must learne the one infallible entire faith which is necessary to saluation And that the Protestants Congregation cannot be this true Church THE PREFACE BEing moued by some friendes to conferre with one of indifferent good iudgement and of no ill disposition of nature though very earnest in that religioÌ„ which he did professe I was desirous to doe my best endeuours to let him plainly see that the Catholique Romaine faith was the onely right For which purpose I did chose to let passe disputes about particular pointes and in generall to shewe First that it is necessary to admitte an infallible authority in the true Catholique church by reason whereof euery one is to learne of it onely which is the true faith of Christ. Secondly that those onely which professe the Romaine faith are the true Catholique church The which hauinge proued I did consequently conclude that the faith beleife which the authoritie of the Romaine church doth commend vnto vs ought without doubt to be holden for the true faith Vpon which pointes when he had heard my discourse he desired me for his better remembrance to sette downe in writtinge what I had said The which I had first thought to haue done briefely and to haue imparted it onely to him but by some other frieÌ„des it was wished that I should haÌ„dle the matter more at large they inteÌ„dinge as it seemed that it might not onely doe good to him but to others also that should haue need of it aswell as he Of which sorte of men standinge in this need as I could not consideringe their miserable case but take great pittie so I was easily moued especially at my friendes request to be willinge to doe my endeuour which might be for their reliefe succour and to take any course which might turne to their helpe and profit Now of all other courses which haue beene and might be vndertaken that which in my speach I did choose as most expedient for him with whome I did conferre seemed best also for me to prosequute in this my writinge for the benefit of him and others and this for foure reasons First because it is very briefe compendious and consequeÌ„tly such as euery one might haue leisure and should not be much weary to reade it Secondly because it standinge onely vpon few but most certaine conclusions and groundes is free from many cauils of the captions which more ample discourses are subiect vnto Thirdly because the matter handled in it is not very high nor hard but common easy plaine and such as may be vnderstoode of any who hauing but a reasonable witte or vnderstanding will carefully reade it as the importance of the matter requireth with iudgment deliberation which is chiefe with praier to God and a resolute good will to follow that which he shall finde to be right Fourthly because these few plaine pointes which are here sett downe include all other and whosoeuer shall by the help of Gods grace and the force of these or other reasons yeeld assent to the pointes proued in this discourse must by coÌ„sequence without farther disputing or difficultie yeeld to all particular pointes which the aforesaid church commeÌ„deth for pointes of faith and wil be moued to settle himselfe in the stedfast belefe of all For if he once admitte that there 〈…〉 Church or company of meÌ„ on earth infallibly taught by the holy gost what is the true faith in all pointes and that this church is by Gods appointemeÌ„t to teach all men in al matters of faith which is the infallible trueth and further that this Church which is thus taught and must teach vs is no other but that visible company which professeth the Romaine faith then he shall not neede to straine his wittes in studying or to wast wordes in wrangling about particuler pointes of controuersies or to vse any such trouble some and vncertaine meanes to finde out the trueth but may easely and most certainely be instructed in all by onely enquiring and finding out which all sortes of men may easely doe what is generally holden by the Church for truth in all particuler pointes whereof they doubt Of which pointes also If they be desirous they may haue sufficient authoritie and reason yeelded by the learned of the same Church though they should not so desire reason to be yeelded that without reason be giuen they would not beleeue at all or as grounding their faith vppon the reason giuen sith Christian beleife ought onely to be grounded vpoÌ„ the authority of God speakinge by the mouth of the church who ought to be beleeued in all matters without giuing
they can perswade thēselues to haue that faith which is necessarie to saluation sith they will not admitt the authoritie and doctrine of this Church of which onely they ought to learne this faith or how they can as some of them doe challenge to themselues the title of the true Church sith their companie hath neuer one of the foure markes which by common consent of all must needes be acknowledged for the true markes of the Church how can their congregation be the true Church which neither is One because it hath no meanes to keepe vnitie nor Holy because neither was there euer any man of it which by miracle or any other euident testimony can be proued to haue beene truely holy neither is their doctrine such as those that must purely obserue it do without faile thereby become holy nor Catholique because it teacheth not all truths that haue beene held by the vniuersal Church in former times but denieth many of them neither is it spred ouer all the Christian world but being deuided into diuers sectes euery particular secte is contained in some corner of the world neither hath it beene in all times euer since Christ but sproung vp of late the first founder being Martin Luther an Apostata a man after his Apostasie from his professed religious order knowen both by his writings wordes deedes manner of death to haue beene a notable ill liuer nor Apostolique because the preachers thereof can not deriue their Pedegree lineally without interruption from any Apostle but are forced to beginne their line if they will haue any from Luther Caluin or some latter How can they then bragge that they haue the true holy Catholique and Aphstolique faith sith this is not found in any companie that differeth in doctrine from the onely true holy Catholique and Apostolique Church For if it be true which Saint Austen faith that in ventre Ecclesiae veritas manet the truth remaineth in the bellie of the Church it is impossible that those who are disioined by difference of beleefe from that companie which is knowen to bee the true Church should haue the true faith For true faith as before hath bene proued is but one wherefore hee that differreth in beleefe from them which haue the true faith either he must haue a false faith or no faith at all Againe one can not haue true faith vnles he first heare it according to the ordinarie rule of Saint Paule saying Fides ex auditu faith cōmeth of hearing but how can one heare true doctrine of faith sine praedicante without one to preach truely vnto him how shold one preach truely at least in all points nisi mittatur vnles he be sent and consequently assisted by the Spiritt of God now how should wee know that Luther or Caluin or any other that will leape out of the Church and leaue that company wherein is vndoubted succession and by succession lawfull missiō or sending from God how should we I say know that these men teaching a new and contrary doctrine were indeede sent of God Nay certainely wee may be most sure that they were not sent of God For sith Almightie God hath by his Sonne planted a Church vpon earth which Church hee would haue alwaies continue vntill the worldes end hath placed in it a visible succession of lawful ordinary pastours whom hee will with the assistance of himselfe and his holy Spirit so guide that they shall neuer vniuersally faile to teach the true faith and to preserue the people from errours wee are not now to expect any to bee sent from God to instruct the people but such onely as come in this ordinary manner by lawfull succession order and calling according as Saint Paule saith Nec quisquā sumit sibi honorem sed qui vocatur à Deo tanquam Aaron Neither doth any man take to himselfe the honour but hee that is called of God as Aaron was to wit visibly and with peculiar consecration as we read in Leuiticus cap. 8. to which accordeth that which wee read 2. Paralipp cap. 26. where Azarias said to king Ozias Non est tui officij Ozia vt adoleas incensum Domino sed Sacerdotum hoc est filiorum Aaron qui consecrati sunt ad huiusmodi ministerium egredere de Sanctuario c. It is not thy office O Ozias to offer incense to our Lord but it is the office of Priests to witte of the sonnes of Aaron who are consecrated to this function or ministerie goe out of the Sanctuarie Which bidding when Ozias contēned would not obey he was presently stricken with a leprosie and then being terrified feeling the punishment inflicted by our Lord he hastened away as in the same place is declared By which places we may learne that it doth not belong to any one to doe priestly functions as to offer incēse or sacrifice to God or take vpon thē the auctoritie to preach and instruct the people but onely to Priests called visibly and cōsecrated for this peculiar purpose as Aaron and his children were For though the Priesthood of the Pastors of the new law be not Aaronicall yet it agreeth with the Priesthood of Aaron according to Saint Paule his saying in the foresaid place in this that those that come to it must not take the honour of themselues but must be called vnto it of God as Aaron was to wit visibly by peculiar cōsecration In which ordinary manner whosoeuer commeth he may be truely called Pastor ovium a Pastor of Christs flocke because intrat per ostium he entereth in by the doore to wit by Christ himselfe who first visibly called consecrated and sent immediatelie the Apostles and the Apostles by authority receaued from him did visiblie by imposition of handes call consecrate and send others and those in like manner others from time to time without interruption vntill these present men who now are Priestes of the Catholique Romane Church These therefore enter in by Christ who is the doore and therefore these be true Pastours and whosoeuer entereth not thus in at the doore but cōmeth in another way our Sauiour telleth vs how we should account of him when he saith Qui non intrat per ostium in ouile ouium sed ascendit aliunde ille fur est latro he that entreth not in by the doore into the sheep-fold but ascēdeth by some other way he is a theefe a robber who commeth not to feede the sheepe but to steale kill and destroy them So that we haue not I say to expect any to be sent of God to feed vs with the food of true doctrine of faith but such only as come in this ordinary maner as it is certaine that Luther Caluin when they left their former profession and tooke vpon them to preach this new faith did not come visibly called cōsecrated sent for this purpose by any lawful authority according to the ordinary manner or
any reason The which briefe compendious resolutioÌ„ of faith whosoeuer will as euery one may securely and as in the discourse following shall bee declared must necessarily embrace beside the ease he shall also reape this commoditie that cutting of all occasions of needlesse and fruitelesse doubtes questions and disputes concerning matters of faith wherein vnsettled mindes spend their time and spirit hee shall haue good leisure and better likinge then ordinarily such vnquiet mindes can haue to emploie his endeuoures more fruitfully otherwaies to witte in building vpon the firme foundation of stedfast faith the gould pretious stones of Gods loue and other vertues in practise whereof consisteth that good life which maketh a man become the liuing temple of almightie God the which temple Gods spirit will not only visitte with holy inspirations blessings oftentimes in this life but he will also inhabite and dwell continually in it both by grace here and by glory in the other most happy and euerlasting life A TREATISE OF FAITH CHAP. I. That true faith is absolutely necessarie to saluation WHosoeuer hath a true desire to please God an earnest care to saue his owne soule the which should bee the chiefest desire and care of euery Christian man must first resolue and settle himselfe in a sound beliefe of matters of faith holding it for a most assured ground That there is a faith which whosoeuer wanteth cannot possibly please God nor consequently be saued sith none are saued that do not please God This ground is set downe by S. Paul himselfe who saith Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo without faith it is vnpossible to please God The same is confirmed by S. Augustine who saith Constat neminem ad veram posse peruenire beatitudinem nisi Dâ—o placeat Deo neminem placere posse nisi per fidem Fides namque est bonorum omnium fundamentum Fides est humanae salutis initium Sine hac nemo ad siliorum Dei consortium peruenire potest quia sine ipsa nec in hoc seculo quisquam iustificationis consequitur gratiam nec in futuro vitam possidebit aeternam It is certaine that none can come to true happines vnlesse he please God and that none can please God but by faith For faith is the foundation of all good things Faith is the beginning of mans saluation Without this none can come to the fellowship of the children of God because without this neither doth any in this world obtaine the grace of iustification neither shall he in the next possesse eternall life Thus faith S. Austen And the same might bee confirmed out of other Scriptures and Fathers but that the matter is cleare enough onely this I will adde that when the Scriptures do require faith as a thing absolutely necessary to saluatioÌ„ the common tradition of councells and Fathers do interpret not only that there is a positiue precept of faith for if it were but a positiue precept ignorance might excuse in some case but that at least some kinde of faith is necessaria necessitate medij that is to say is ordained as a necessary meanes without which no man can attaine saluation in any case and that in this matter Si quis ignorat ignorabitur If any man by ignorance doe not know he shall not be knowne as S. Paule speaketh CHAP. II. That this faith necessary to saluation is but one THis faith which I haue shewed to be so absolutely necessary to saluation is but One only This is plainly proued out of S. Paule who saith Vnus Dominus vna fides vnum baptisma signifying that like as there is but one Lord one Baptisme so there is but One faith The same is confirmed with the auctoritie of the ancient Fathers Nisi vna est saith S. Leo. Fides non est dicente apostolo vnus Dominus vna fides vnum baptisma Vnlesse it be one it is not faith sith the Apostle saith one Lord one faith one Baptisme Omni studio saith S. Hierome Laborandum est primùm occurrere in fidei vnitatem We must labour with all diligence first to meete in the vnity of faith Hanc fidem saith Irenaeus ecclesia in vniuersum mundum disseminata diligenter custodit quasi vnam domum inhabitans similiter credit ijs quasi vnam animam habens vnum cor consonanter haec praedicat docet tradit quasi vnum possidens os Nâ— quamuis in mundo dissimiles sint loquelae tames virtus traditionis vna eadem est This faith the Church spreade ouer the vvhole world doth diligently keep as dwelling in one house and doth belieue in one like manner those things to witt which are proposed for pointes of faith as hauing one soule and one heart and doth preach and teach and deliuer by tradition those things after one vniforme manner as possessing one mouth For although there be diuers and different languages in the world yet the vertue of tradition is One and the same Thus saith this Father By whose words we may vnderstand not onely that there is but one faith but also how it is saide to bee one which might seeme not to be one considering there are so many points or articles which we beleeue by our faith and so many seuerall men who haue in them this faith yet One saith this Father it is because the whole Church doth beleeue those pointes in one like manner That is to say because the beliefe of one man is in all pointes like and nothing different from the beliefe of another or because euery faithful maÌ„ beleeueth euery point or article for one and the like cause or formall reason to witt because God hath reuealed it and deliuered it to vs by his Catholike Church to be beleeued For which reason euery one should beleeue whatsoeuer hee belieueth as a point of Christian faith CHAP. III. That this one faith necessary to saluation is infallible THIS one faith without which we cannot be saued must be infallible most certaine This is cleare because faith is that credite or inward assent of minde which we giue to that which God who is the prime or first veritie which neither can deceiue nor be deceiued hath reuealed vnto vs by meanes of the preachinge or teachinge of the true church as we may gather out of S. Paule when he saieth Quomodo credent ei quem non audierunt quomodo andient sine praedicante quomodo praedicabunt nisimittantur c. ergo fides ex auditu auditus autem per verbum Christi The sense of which wordes is that sith we can not beleeue vnles we heare nor heare vnles some lawfully sent do preach vnto vs faith is bredde in vs by hearing and yeelding assent or credite to the worde of Christ made knowen vnto vs by the preachinge of the true Church which onely is lawfully sent of God wherefore like as the worde of Christ being God
Scripture as it is the manner of euerie sect maister to confirme his errour with words of Scripture yea the Diuell himselfe doth sometime for his purpose alledge words of Scripture Wherefore there is no reason wherby wee may bee assured that such men haue the Spirit of God but we may finde many reasons to conuince that they haue not this Spirit And to omitte for breuity sake the seeking out of any other euen the singularity or priuatenes of their spirit is sufficient not onely to moue vs to suspect it but also to condemne it and to assure vs that it cannot bee the Spirit of truth as is very well signified by S. Augustine who saith Veritas tua Domine nec mea est nec illius sed omnium quos ad eius communionem publicè vocas terribiliter admonens nos ne eam habere velimus priuatam ne priuemur ea Nam quisquis id quod tu ad fruendum omnibus proponis sibi propriè vendicat suum esse vult quod omnium est à communi propellitur ad sua id est à veritate ad mendacium Thy truth O Lord is neither proper to mee nor him but common to all whom thou dost publiquely call to the common partaking of its warning vs terribly to take heede that wee will not haue it priuate to our selfe least we be depriued of it For whosoeuer doth challenge that to himselfe priuately which thou dost propose publiquely to be enioyed of all and will haue that his owne which is common to all he is driuen from the common to this owne that is to say from the truth to a lie CHAP. X. That the doctrine and teaching of the true Church is the rule of faith THE fourth Conclusion is that this infallible rule which euery one ought to follow in all points of faith is the Doctrine and teaching of the true Church or coÌ„pany of the true faithfull of Christ. This I proue by this reason If our Sauiour Christ hath promised to any coÌ„panie of men the presence of himselfe and the assistance of his holy spiritt of purpose to instructe teach them all trueth giuing withall peculiar charge commission to them to teache all natioÌ„s and to preache to euery creature giuing also warrant to all that they may safely heare them giuing also commandement whereby he bindeth all to doe in all thinges according to their saying and threatning greatly those who will not heare and beleeue them then certainely the doctrine teaching of these men is in all pointes most true and infallible such as if the other conditions required in the rule of faith be not as they are not wanting may well be proposed to all sortes as an assured ground whereupoÌ„ they may safely build an infallible Christian faith For looke what our Sauiour Christ hath promised must needes be performed and whatsoeuer he warranteth or commandeth may safely without danger of errour be done nay must of necessity be done especially wheÌ„ he threatneth those and will not doe it and consequently if he haue promised to sende his holy spirit to teach any company of men all trueth it is not to be doubted but that he sendeth this his holy spirit and by it teacheth them all trueth sith the teaching of this spirit is vnfallible we are not to doubt but that this company is in all pointes infallâ—bly taught the trueth If also the same our Sauiour gaue warrant and commandement that they should teach vs that we should heare them and doe in all thinges according to their saying we may not likwise doubt but that they shall be able to teache all sortes of men in all pointes the infallible trueth and that all sortes of men may if they will learne of that company what in all pointes is the infallible trueth For otherwise by this generall commaundement of hearing them and doing according to their saying we should be bouÌ„de sometime to heare beleeue an vntruth and to doe that which were not vpright and good which without blasphemy to Christ his veritie goodnes can no way be thought But so it is that Christ our Sauiour hath in holy Scripture promised giuen commission warranted commaunded and threatened in manner aforesaide Therefore we can not doubt but that their is a certaine company the which is called the true Church of Christ which both is in all pointes of faith infallibly taught by the holy spirit and is likewise to teach all sortes of men in all pointes of faith what is the infallible trueth and therefore the teaching of this companie may well be assigned and proposed to all men as an vndoubted sufficient rule of faith The promise of our Sauiour Christ we haue first in the Gospell of S. Mathew ego â—obiscum sum omnibus diebus vsque ad coÌ„sumâ—ationem seculi I am with you al the daies vntill the ende of the world in which wordes is promised the continuall presence of Christ himselfe who is veritas the trueth it selfe with his Church not for a while then or for a while now but all the daies vntill the end of the world Secondly we haue an other promise in the gospell of S. Iohn Ego rogabo patrem alium paraclitum dabit vobis vt maneat vobiscum in aeterâ—um spiritum veritatis I will aske my father and he will giue you an other paraelite the spirit of trueth that he may remaine with you not only for 600. yeares but for euer And againe in the same S. Iohn to shew vs for what purpose he would haue his holy Spirite remaine among vs for euer he saith Paraclitus quaÌ„â—ittet pater in nomine mâ—o ille vos docebit omâ—â—a suggeret vobis omnia quaecunque dixero vobis the paraclite whom my Father will sende in my name shall teach you all things shal put you in mind of al things whatsoeuer I shall say vnto you And againe Cum venerit ille spiritus veritatis docebit vâ—s omneÌ„ veritateÌ„ WheÌ„ that spirit of truth shall come hee shall teach you all truth The charge and commission is plaine in S. Mathew cuntes docete omnes gentes Going teach all nations And in S. Marke euntes in mundum vniuersum praedicate Euangelium omni creaturae Going into the whole world preach the Gospell to euery creature The warrant we haue in S Luke Qui vos audit me audit Hee that heareth you heareth mee By which wordes appeareth plainely that our Sauiour Christ would haue vs to heare and giue credit to his Church no lesse then to himselfe The commandemeÌ„t is expressed in S. Mathew Super Cathedram MoysisederuÌ„t Scribae Pharisaei Omnia ergo quaecunque dixeriâ—t vobis seritate facite The Scribes Pharisies haue sitten vpon the chaire of Moses All things therfore whatsoeuer they shall say vnto you obserue and doe Out of which words we may gather that wee are bound in all pointes
to do according to the doctrine of the Prelates of the Catholike Church yea although it should happen that their liues were not laudable but bad For although our Sauiour in this place doth only in expresse wordes make mention of the chaire of Moses in which the Priests of the old Law did sit yet he is to be vnderstood to speake also of the chaire of S. Peter his owne Vicegerent in which the Priestes of the new Law doe succeed And this à fâ—rtiori because we haue greater reason to thinke that our Sauiour inteÌ„ded in his doctrine to giue rules to the Priests and people of his new Law which was presently to begin and to continue till the worldes end then only to giue documents to those of the old Law considering he knew that it should so shortly cease Wherefore the ancient fathers do vnderstand that place to bee meant of the Priestes of the new Law and namely S. Augustine who saith thus In illum ordinem Episcoporum qui ducitur ab ipso petro ad Anastasium qui nunc in eadem Cathedra sedet etiamsi quisquam traditor per illatempora subrepsâ—sset nihil praeiudicaret Ecclesie innocentibus Christianis quibus prouidens Dominus ait de praepositis malis quae dicunt facite quae faciunt facere nolite Into that order of Bishoppes which is deriued from S. Peter himself vnto Anastasius who now sitteth vpoÌ„ the same chair although some traytor had crept in in those times he should nothing hurt the Church and the innocent Christians for whome our Lord prouiding saith of euill Prelates what they say do what they do do not The threates we may gather First out of S. Luke when our Sauiour faith Qui vos spernit me spernit Hee that despiseth you despiseth me Signifying that look what sinne it were not to heare but to despise our Sauiour Christ himselfe that wee should account it the same to despise not to giue eare and credit to the Catholike Church Insinuating therby that the like punishment is to be expected for the saide contempte Secondly in S. Mathew the same our Sauiour expressely saith Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibi sicut Ethnicus publicanus If he wil not heare the Church let him be to thee like an Ethnicke and a Publican Finally in S. Marke after hee had giuen charge coÌ„mission to preach the Gospell to euery creature hee pronounceth this threate to those that will not beleeue saying Qui non crediderit condemnabitur hee that will not beleeue shall be condemned Thus you see our Sauiour Christ hath promised to his Church the continuall presence of himselfe and of his holy Spirit to teach that coÌ„pany all truth Wherof followeth that it is infallibly taught al truth Moreouer hee hath giuen charge and commission to that Church to teach vs and hath warranted and commanded vs in all pointes to heare and do according to the saying of this Church which proueth that it appertaineth to this Church to instruct vs in all pointes of faith and that we ought to learne of it in all matters of religion what is the fallible truth consequently that the doctrine of this Church is the rule of faith Worthily therefore doth S. Paule call this Church columnam firmamentum veritatis The pillar and ground of truth Worthily also saith S Austen Scripturarum à nobis tenetur veritas cum id facimus quod vniuersae placet Ecclesiae quam earundem scripturarum commendat authoritas vt quoniam scriptura sancta fallere non potest quisquis falli â—etuit huius obscuritate questionis ecclesiam de illa consulat quam sine vlla ambiguitate scriptura sancta demonstrat The truth of the Scriptures is holden of vs when wee doe that which pleaseth the vniuersall or whole Church the which is commended by the authority of the Scriptures themselues that because the holy Scripture cannot deceiue whosoeuer feareth to bee deceiued with the obscurity of this question let him require the iudgement of the church which without any ambiguity the holy Scripture doth demonstrate by which wordes hee sheweth plainely that the sentence of the Church is of infallible and vndoubted truth that the way not to bee deceiued in an obscure question is to aske and follow the iudgement of the Church Wherefore worthily also do we all say Credo Ecclesiam CatholicaÌ„ I beleeue the Catholike Church worthily also may I conclude that neither Scripture alone nor naturall witte and learning nor priuate spirit nor any other thing but onely the teaching of the true Church of Christ is that ordinarie meanes which Almighty God hath prouided whereby all men may learne that one infallible entire faith which I proued to be necessary to saluation CHAP. XI That the Church whose doctrine must bee to vs the rule of faith must alwaies continue without interruption from Christ his time till the worldes end COnsidering what had bene proued in the former Chapter about the infallible authorite of the doctrine of the true Church I hope no Christian will denie but that so longe as this Church doth continew we haue of it a sure pillar and a firme foundation whereupon we may safely build our beleefe For either a maÌ„ must denie that euer our Sauior did make any such promise gaue such charge and commission left any such warrant sett forth such a commaundement or thundred out any such threates as before is rehearsed which were to denie the scriptures which scriptures are generally receiued by all Christians no otherwise theÌ„ as they are the vndoubted worde of God or els he must wrest the interpretation thereof both from that which the wordes of themselues naturally yeeld also from the common sense and vnderstanding either of al or the most learned and almost of the vnlearned also of the whole Christian world or els he shal be forced to confesse that which not I but S. Paule hath saied ecclesia est columna firmamentum veritatis the Church is the pillar and ground of trueth Onely it may perchaunce seeme to some of those that doe at this day oppose themselues against the authoritie of the Church that this was true for S. Paules time and perhaps for some 3.4.5 or 6. hundred yeares after but not to be presumed vpon in latter times and namely when Luther began his reformation as they tearme it or now a dayes Against these men I set downe this assertion The true Church of Christ which the forenamed testimonies of Scripture do commend was and is to continew without interruption till the worldes end This I proue First out of the very wordes of those promises which I cited out of S. Mathew S. Iohn For how can Christ our Sauiour or his holy Spirit be with his Church in such sort as there is promised to witt till the worldes end and for euer and especially as is saied in S. Matthew omnibus diebus
fruites of Christs Passion are inclosed in it and the meanes of saluation and to escape eternall damnation are only found in it The Church therefore is visible at all times For at all times that Prophesie of Isaias must be true wherin our Lord speaketh thus to the Church Aperientur portae tuae iugiter die ac nocte non claudentur vt afferatur ad te fortitudo gentium reges earum adducantur Gens enim regnum quod non seruierit tibi peribit Thy gates shal be continually opened day and night they shall not be shut that the strength of nations and the kings therof may be brought vnto thee for the nation and kingdome which shall not serue thee shall perish Sixtly the only reason and ground by which heretiques hold the Church to be inuisible is because they imagine the Church to consist onely of the elect or onely of the good But this is a false ground as appeareth by the name of Church in Greeke Ecclesia which euen by the etymology of the word doth signifie the company of men called now sure it is that moe are called then elected as our Sauiour saith multi vocati pauci electi Againe this ground is shewed to be false by those parables in which the Church is compared to a floare wherein wheate and chaffe are mixed And to a mariage to which came good and bad And to a net wherin are gathered al sorts of fishes good and bad And to ten Virgins wherof fiue were foolish and excluded from the celestial marriage This ground is also shewed to be false out of S. Paule who commandeth the Corinthians to expell an incestuous person out of the Church Ergo before this expulsion there was such a person in the Church and therefore the Church doth not consist only of those that be good Lastly the ancient Fathers did teach that the Church is visible Origen saith Ecclesia plena est fulgore ab oriente vsque ad occidentem The Church is full of brightness from the East to the West Ecclesia saith S. Cyprian Domini luce perfusa radios suos per orbem spargit The Church being bright with the light of our Lord doth spreade her beames throughout the world Facilius est saith S. Chrysostome solem extingui quà m ecclesiam obscurari It is more easy that the Sunne should be extinguished then that the Church should be obscured that is to say darkened and quite without light S. Augustine also alluding to or rather expounding those words of our Sauiour Non potest ciuitas abscondi supra montem posita Saith Ecclesia supra montem constituta abscondi nō potest The Church being built vpon a mountaine cannot be hid And againe in another place he saith Quid amplius dicturus sum quà m caecos qui tam magnū montem non vident qui contra lucernam in cādelabro positam oculos claudunt What shall I say more but that they are blind who doe not see so great a mountaine who shut their eyes at the candle sette vpon the candle-sticke CHAP. XIII How we should discerne and know which is the true visible Church of Christ. HITHERTO I haue shewed that the rule of faith which all men ought to seeke that by it they may learne true faith is the doctrine of the Church of Christ and that this Church doth continue and is alwaies visible that is to say such as may be found out and knowne Now the greatest question is sith there are diuers companies of them that beleeue in Christ euery one of which challenge to themselues the title of the true Church how euery man may come to know assuredly and in particuler which company is indeed the true visible Church of Christ whose doctrine we must in all points beleeue and follow To this question I answere that euery company which hath the name of Christiās or which challeng to thēselues the name of the Church are not alwaies the true Church For of heretiques we may well say as S. Austen doth non quia ecclesia Christi videntur habere nomen idcirco pertinent ad eius consecrationem They doe not therefore pertaine to the consecration of the Church of Christ because they seeme to cary the name of the Church of Christ. For as the same S. Austen saith in another place heretiques are only whited ouer with the name of Christians When indeed Si haeretici sunt as Tertullian saith Christiani esse non possunt If they be heretiques they cannot be true Christians The reason whereof the same Tertullian insinuateth to be because they follow 〈◊〉 that faith which came from Christ to his Apostles and Disciples and which was deliuered by them from hand to hand to our forefathers and so to vs but they follow that faith which they chose to themselues of which election or choise the name of heretike heresie did arise The way therefore to discerne which is the true Church is first to set downe which be the certaine markes by which all men may easily know the Church then to examine to whom these markes do agree The which that I may the better performe in the chapters following here I thinke good first briefely to note what belongeth to the nature of a good and sufficient marke Note therefore that two things are required in euery sufficiēt marke The first is that it be not common to many but proper and only agreeing to the thing whereof it is a marke As for example it is no good marke whereby to know any particuler mā to say he hath two hands or two eares because this is common to many and therefore no sufficient note or marke wherby one may be distinguished or knowne from all other But a marke whereby we may discerne one speciall man from all other must be some one thing or moe which he hath and others haue not As if he were longer larger or fairer thē the rest or if some others were as long and other some as faire yet none were long faire both but only he The second thing required in a good marke is that it be more apparant and easie to be knowne then the thing For example If I were to describe and make knowne a certaine man who were otherwise vnknowne I must not thinke it sufficient to giue the definition of his essence or to assigne the secret disposition of his hart liuer and other inward partes which are commonly harder to be knowne thē the man himselfe But I must declare some apparant thing in his face hands or some outward part of his body or in his voice apparell behauiour or such like which agreeing onely to that man and being easie to be knowne may be a meanes to make vs know the man we seeke for Wherefore when we will assigne some good markes by which all sortes of men may in some sort discerne which particular cōpany of men
praedicabunt nisi mittantur How shall they beleeue him whom they haue not heard how shall they heare without a preacher how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent Therefore the true Church which only hath preachers truely sent of God must first be found out that by it we may heare and know which is the true faith Therefore of the two the true Church is rather a marke whereby we may know the true preaching and consequently the true doctrine of faith then contrary that as heretiques say the doctrine should be a marke whereby all men must know which is the true Church Thirdly true faith is included in the true Church and as it were enclosed in her belly as S. Austen saith vpon those words of the Psalme Errauerunt ab vtero â—â—quuâ—i sunt falsa In ventre ecclesiae saith he veritas manet quisquis ab hoc ventre separatus fuerit necesse est vt falsa loquatur Truth remaineth in the belly of the Church whosoeuer is seperated to wit by difference in doctrine froÌ„ this belly of the Church must needs speake false Therfore like as if a man had golde in his belly we must first find the man before we can come to see the golde it selfe so we must first by other markes find out the true Church which hath the gold of true faith hidden in her belly before we come to see the gold of true faith it selfe Sith especially we cannot see it vnlesse shee open her mouth and deliuer it vnto vs that we cannot being spiritually blind certainely know it to be true not counterfeite but by giuing credit to her testimony of it According as the same S. Austen saith Euangelio non crederem nisi me ecclesiae authoritas commoueret I should not beleeue the Gospell it selfe vnlesse I were moued by the authority of the Church For if we had not the testimony of the Church how should we haue bin infallibly sure that there were any Gospel at all or how should wee haue knowne that those bookes which beare title of the Gospell according to S. Mathew Marke Luke and Iohn Are true Canonicall Scripture rather then those bookes which are writen in the name of Nicodemus and S. Thomas bearing the same title or inscription of Gospell Fourthly if the true doctrine of faith in all particuler pointes must bee fore knowne as a marke whereby to know the true Church then contrary to that which hath bin proued the authority of the Church should not be a necessarie meanes whereby men must come to the knowledge of the true faith For if before wee come to know which is the true Church we must by other meanes haue knowne which is the true faith what neede then is there for getting true faith already had to seeke or bring in the authority of the same Church Fiftly If before we giue absolute and vndoubted credit to the true Church we must examine and iudge whether euery particuler point of doctrine which it holdeth be the truth with authority to accept that only which we like or which seemeth in our conceipt right and conformable to Scripture to reiect whatsoeuer wee mislike or which in our priuate iudgement seemeth not so right and coÌ„formable then we make our selues examiners and Iudges ouer the Church consequently we preferre our liking or disliking our iudgement and censure of the interpretation sense of Scripture before the iudgement and censure of the Church of God But it is absurd both in reason and religion to preferre the iudgment of any priuate man be he neuer so witty and learned or neuer so strongly perswaded in his owne mind that he is taught by the Spirit before the iudgement definitiue sentence of the Church of God the which is a company of men many of which both are alwaies haue bin vertuous wise and learned which is chiefe is such a company as according to the absolute and infallible promises of our Sauiour hath vndoubtedly the holy Spirit among them guiding them and teaching them all truth and not permitting them to erre as before hath beene proued But you may perhaps say that in Scripture we are willed not to beleeue euery spirit but to try spirits whether they bee of God or no and that therefore we must examine and try the spirit of the Church by looking into euery particuler point of doctrine which it teacheth I answere That in that place of Scripture it is not meant that it belongeth to euery particuler man to try all spirits but in generall the Scripture giueth the Church warning not to accept euery one that boasteth himselfe to haue the Spirit and willeth that they should trie those spirits not that euery simple or priuate man should take vpon him to trie them but that those of the Church to whom the office of trying spirits doth appertaine to wit the Doctors and Pastors which almighty God hath put in his Church of purpose Vt non circumferaâ—ur omni vento doctrinae that we may not be caried away with euery wind of doctrine and Vt non simus paruuli fluctuantes that we may not be litle ones wauering with euery blast of those that boast themselues to be singulerly taught by the Spirit So that this trying of spirits is only meant of those spirits of which men may well doubt whether they be of God or no theÌ„ also this trial beloÌ„geth to the Pastors of the Church But when it is certaine that the spirit is of God we neither need nor ought doubtfully to examine or presuÌ„ptuously to iudge of it but submitting obediently the iudgement of our owne sense and reason wee must beleeue the teaching of it in euery point Now it is most certaine that the Spirit of the true visible Church is of God as out of holie Scripture hath bin most euidently proued And therefore our only care should be to seeke out those markes by which all men may know which particuler coÌ„pany of meÌ„ is the true Church of Christ whose doctrine we neither need nor lawfully may examine and try in doubtfull manner but must obediently and vndoubtfully in all points beleeue as the only assured and infallible truth CHAP. XV. That these foure properties Vna Sancta Catholica Apostolica that is to saie One Holy Catholique Apostolique are good markes by which men may know which is the true Church SITH our Sauiour Christ hath thought good to plant a visible Church vpon earth which he would haue to continue vntill the worlds end for this speciall inâ—ent and purpose that all men in all ages by meanes of it may learne the doctrine of the true faith the true worship of God the right vse of the Sacraments the holesome lawes of good life and generally all good thinges that appertaine to the glorie of God and the saluatioÌ„ of our soules wee haue not any reason to doubte but that the same our Sauiour for the exceeding loue which of his part
not only not humble himselfe like a litle one submitting himselfe to euery humane creature for Gods sake but doth proudly oppose himselfe against the vniuersall Church it self whom God hath willed and commanded vs to heare no otherwise then himselfe For wanting this humility consequently the grace of God which is denied to the proud giuen to the humble there is no doubt but that howsoeuer such a man seemeth in his outward behauiour hee can haue no true sanctity within him the which true sanctity failing inwardly it is hard for him to beare himselfe so but that sometime or other by one occasion or other he shall euen outwardly manifest this his inward waÌ„t as in these our daies heretiques commonly do in such apparant manner that it is no hard matter to discerne that they be not as some of theÌ„ would haue the Church defined a company of Saints The true Church is proued also to be Catholique that is to say vniuersall first in time by most plaine prophesies promises of scripture as I haue already shewed in the eleauenth chapter vnto which here I will only adde those words of Isaias Hoc faedus meum cum eis dicit Dominus spiritus meus qui est in te verba mea quae posui in ore tuo non recedent de ore tuo de ore seminis tui de ore seminis seminis tui dicit Dominus amodo vsque in sempiternum This is my couenant with them saith our Lord my Spirit which is in thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart from thy mouth and from the mouth of thy seede and from the mouth of the seede of thy seede saith our Lord from hence forth for euer It may also be easily proued to be vniuersal in respect of place by these plaine testimonies of holy Scripture Conuertenâ—â—r ad Dominum vniuersi fines terrae all the â—ounds of the earth shall be conuerted to 〈◊〉 Lord. Dominabitur à mari vsque admare 〈◊〉 à flumine vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum He to wit Christ shall rule and haue dominion from sea to sea from the flood â—ntill the furthermost limits of the earth Omnes gentes seruient ei All nations shall serue him Vpon all which places and some other see S. Austen in his exposition of the Psalmes and among other things which he speaketh to the purpose note his interpretation of those words à slumiâ—â— vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum VVhich words saith he doth signifie that the dominion of Christ began à slumine Iordano from the flood of Iordan where he being baptized was made manifest by the descending of the holy Ghost and the sound of his Fathers voice from whence hee began to choose his Disciples and from hence saith he Doctrina oius incipiâ—â—s dilatatur vsque ad terminos orbis terrae cum praedicatur Euangelium regni in vniuerso orbe in testimonium omnibus gentibus tunc veniâ—â— finis His doctrine beginning is dilated or spread abroad vnto the furthest parts of the earth when the Gospell of the kingdome is preached ouer the whole world for a testimony to all nations after which done the end of the world shall come See also the same S. Austen in his booke de vnitate Ecclesiae especially in the ninth and tenth chapter where he citeth and vrgeth that place of Saint Luke where our Sauiour saith Necesse est impleri omnia quae scripta sunt in lege Prophetis Psalmis de me c. quoniam sic scriptum est sic oportebit Christum pati resurgere à mortuis predicari in nomine eius poenitentiam remissionem peccatorum in omnes gentes incipientibus ab Ierosolima It is needfull that all things should be fulfilled which are writen of me in the Law the Prophets and Psalmes c. for so it is written and so it was needfull that Christ should suffer rise againe from the dead the third day and that penance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name throughout all nations beginning from Hierusalem By which place and diuers others he sheweth plainely that the true Church of Christ cannot be contained in a corner of the world but must be vniuersall that is diffused and spread throughout the whole world as the same S. Austen beside his other proofes gathered out of the very name Catholica the which name saith he was imposed on the Church by our forefathers vt ex ipso nomine ostenderent â—â—ia per totum est secunduÌ„ totum enim Catholon â—race dicitur That by the very name â—hey might shew that the Church is throughout the whole world For saith he the word Catholon in Greeke wherevpon Catholique is deriued signifyeth a thing which is generall or agreeing to the whole But we must note here that when we â—aye the true Church is Catholique or â—â—ffused throughout the whole world it is ment that at least by succession of time it hath beene or shal be dilated more and more in euery natioÌ„ till it haue gone throughout the whole world Moreouer it is tearmed Catholique not onely because it shal be spred ouer the whol world in processe of time but also because euen in euery age it hath beene and shal be alwaies in very many nations and indeede in euery nation where any Christian religion is which is in a sort to be spred ouer the whole world This doth S. Austen in his booke de vnitate Ecclesiae most diligently proue out of the Scriptures themselues The effect of his argument is this The Church must be such as it is described in Scripture But in Scripture it is described to beginne at Ierusalem and to procede into al Iewrie to goe forward into Samaria and to streatch it selfe further further vsque ad vltimum terrae euen vnto the vttermost of the earth And saieth hee the seede of the Gospell once sowen in the fielde of the world fructificat crescit doth not vniuersally or for the most part perish but fructifie and grow or encrease in omni mundo in the whole world doth coÌ„tinue to grow or encrease vsque ad messem vntill the haruest of the consummation of the world as our Sauiour signifieth the which consummation wil be when this seede is come to the full grouth praedicabitur Euangelium in vniuerso mundo in testimonium omnibus gentibus saieth our Sauiour tunc veniet consummatio the Gospell shal be preached in the whole world for a testimonie to all nations and then the consummation shall come This is Saint Austens discourse by which he proueth that the true Church of Christ is not contained in a corner of 〈◊〉 world but must be dilated and spred 〈◊〉 a sort ouer the whole world On the contrary side the congregatioÌ„ 〈◊〉 Heretiques is not Catholique neither in
〈◊〉 nor place And first for time it is eâ—â—dent because true doctrine was first â—â—eached and beleeued as the good seede â—as first sowen in the fielde afterward 〈◊〉 cockle that is false doctrine was ouer â—â—wed S. Paule did for three yeares space â—â—ith the Ephesians the true doctrine of â—â—ith and had coÌ„uersed among them like 〈◊〉 lambe seruiens Domino cum omni humilitaâ—â— seruing our Lord with all humility but â—fter his departure he saide he knew that â—â—â—enous wolues would enter in among â—â—em not sparing the flocke and that eueÌ„ 〈◊〉 of their owne companie there would 〈◊〉 viri loquentes peruersa vt abducant disciâ—â—is post se men speaking peruerse things â—â—at they may leade away disciples after â—â—emselues And as this happened at â—â—â—esus so doubtles in all other places â—here there hath beene any alteration of Christian doctrine first the true faith was â—anted by some Apostle or Apostolique â—an and afterward the contrarie was â—â—ought in by some speaking peruerse things therby leading away disciples after theÌ„selues So that it is certaine that no Heresie is so ancient as the true faith neither is any one of them of so long continuance for the time to come as S. Paule signifieth when hauing described Heretiques of the latter daies he addeth Sed vltra non proficient insipientia enim eorum manifesta erit omnibus but they shall prosper no further for their follie shal be manifest to all The same doth S. Austen aptly expresse expounding those wordes of the Psalme Ad nihilum deuenient tanquam aqua decurrens Non vos terreant sratres saieth he quidam fluuij qui dicuntur torrentes hyemalibus aquis implentur nolite timere post paululum transit decurrit aqua ad tempus perstrepit moâ— cessabit diu stare non possunt Multae Haerese iam emortuae sunt c. My brethren let not certaine floodes called landebrookes terrifie you they are filled with winter waters feare them not after a while the water doth passe runne downe for a time it maketh a noise but it will cease by and by those floodes can not stand long Many Heresies are now alreadie dead c. Now if we will haue respect of place it is certaine that no Heresie is by processe of time to spread it selfe absolutely ouer the whole world as I haue proued that the true Church shall doe and the reason hereof may bee assigned because as Saint Austen saieth diu stare non possunt they can not continue so long as were needefull to gett them so vniuersally spred ouer the whole world especially considering that as S. Paule saieth when they haue continued a while Insipientia earum manifesta fit omnibus their folishenes is made manifest to all and so no meruaile si vltra non proficiant if they prosper not nor make no further progresse Neither ordinarily in any one age is Heresie so vniuersall in place as the true Catholique religioÌ„ but for the most part it is contained in one or two couÌ„tries as it were in a corner of the world So that of heretiques we may well say as S. Austen doth that they are those which say Ecce hic est Christus ecce illic Beholde Christ is here beholde he is there that is to say the true doctrine of Christ is only truely preached in this countrie or that country of which kind of people our Sauiour giueth vs warning and biddeth vs saying nolite credere beleeue them not We may well say also of these as the same S. Austen doth Quaecunque congregatio cuiuslibet Haeresis in angulis sedet concubina est non matrona Whatsoeuer congregation of what Heresie soeuer sitteth in corners that is to say is but in few prouinces in the rest of the Christian world either is not at all or at least is not manifestly knowen to be is a concubine not a matrone to wit it is not the spouse of Christ nor the lawfull mother of the children of God Wherefore sith there is this difference betwixt heresie and true Christian religion that as the same S. Austen saith Singulae Haereses in multis geÌ„tibus vbi Ecclesia est non inueniuntur Ecclesia autem quae vbique est etiam vbi illae sunt inuenitur Heresies are not found in many nations where the Church is but the Church which is euery where is found in those natioÌ„s where Heresies are This difference I say being betwixt Heresie and the true religion we need not doubt but that to be Catholique or vniuersally receiued in the Christian world especially at all times is a note of the truth And that therefore the companie which professeth the faith which at all times and in a sort in all places hath bin receiued of Christians is vndoubtedly the true Church of Christ. Lastly the true Church is also Apostolique that is to say such as hath her foundation from the Apostles according to â—hat saying of the Apostle S. Paule Non estis hospites aduenae sed estis ciues sanctorum domestici Dei superaedificati supra fundameÌ„tâ—m Apostolorum Prophetarum ipso summo â—â—gulari lapide Christo Iesu. You are not straungers and forreiners but you are citizens of the saincts and the domesticals of God built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christ himselfe being the highest corner stone This we may gather out of that which is alreadie saide For if the apostles were they which were appointed by our Sauior to be vnder him the fouÌ„ders of his Church which by their preaching beganne at Ierusalem and from thence by them and those that receiued auctority from them tanquam viâ—is crescendo vbique diffusa est as Saint Austen speaketh like a vine by growing was spred abroad euery where being thus first planted and spred abroad was afterwards by the ministerie of lawfully succeeding pastours and doctors continued without interruption till now and shal be also so continued till the worldes end there is no doubt but that this companie descending thus lineally from the Apostles depending of them as their lawfull progenitours and being built vpon them as after Christ himselfe vpoÌ„ principall foundations may well bee called Apostolique that is to saye such as deriue their pedegree from no other authour or founder latter then the Apostles themselues All this doth Tertullian briefely but pithely comprehend in this short senteÌ„ce Apostoli apud vnam-quamque ciuitatem ecclesias condiderunt ab his autem ciuitatibus seu ecclesijs ab Apostolis constitutis traducem fidei semina doctrinae caeterae exinde ecclesiae mutuatae sunt quotidie mutuantur vt ecclesiae fiant ac per hoc ipsae Apostolicae deputabuntur vt soboles Apostolicarum ecclesiarum The Apostles to wit either immediately by themselues or by meanes of others founded Churches at euery Citty from which cities or Churches being thus founded by the Apostles other
was vniuersally receiued for a veritie of the Catholique Church The which if any man will take vpon him to gainesaye let him shew and proue if he can what pointe of doctrine the Romaine Church doth denie or holde contrarie to that which by the Church was vniuersally held before As we can shew diuers pointes that the Protestants so hold or denie Let him I say shew and proue by setting downe the point of doctrine the authour the time the place what companie did oppose themselues against it and who they were that did continew as the true Church must still continew in the profession of the former faith lineally without interruption till these our daies as we caÌ„ shew and proue against them Let him also shewe what countrie there is or hath beene where Christian faith either was first planted or afterwards continued where some at least haue not holden the Romaine faith As we can shew euen at this day diuers places where there religioÌ„ is scarse heard of especially in the Indian Iaponian and China countries which were not long since first coÌ„uerted to the Christian faith onely by those who were membres oâ— the Romaine Church chiefly by Iesuiteâ— sent thither by the auctoritie of the Pope And to goe no further then our dearâ— countrie England Wee shall finde in thâ— Cronicles that it was conuerted by Auâ—ustine a Monke sent by S. Gregory the Pope and that it continued in that faith without knowledge of the Protestants religion which then and for diuers huÌ„dred yeares after was neuer heard of as being then â—nhatched The like record of other countries conuerted by meanes of those onely who either were directely sent by â—he Pope or Bishop of Rome or at least communicated and agreed in profession of â—aith with him we may finde in other hiâ—tories Lastly let him shew some space of time in which the Romaine Church was â—ot since Christ and his Apostles time or 〈◊〉 which it was not visible and knowen As wee can shew them many hundred â—eares in which theirs was not at all Let â—im I say therfore shew proue which â—euer any yet did or can proue that euer â—he Romaine Church did either faile to be 〈◊〉 to be visible or being still visible when â—he profession of the ancient faith which 〈◊〉 receiued from the Apostles did faile in 〈◊〉 and when and by whom the profession â—f a new faith began in it As we can shew â—hen where by whome this new no â—ith of theirs began Certaine it is that once the Romaine Church had the true faith was a true Church to wit when S. Paule writ to the Romanes saying vestra fides annunciatur in vniuerso orbe your faith is renowmed in the whole world When therefore I pray you as the learned and renowned M. Campian vrgeth when I saye did Rome chaunge the beleefe and profession of faith which once it had Quo tempore quo Pontifice qua via qua vi quibus incrementis vrbem orbem religio peruasit aliena Quas voces quas turbas quae lamenta ea res progenuit Omnes orbe reliquo sopiti sunt dum Roma Roma inquam noua Sacramenta nouum sacrificium nouum religionis dogma procuderet Nullus extitit Historicus neque Latinus neque Graecus neque remotus neque citimus qui rem tantam vel obscure iaceret in commentarios At what time vnder what Pope what way with what violence or force with what augmentation or encrease did a strainge religion ouerflow the cittie and the whole world What speaches or rumours what tumults or troubles what lamentations at least did it breed was all the rest of the world a sleepe when Rome the Imperial and mother cittie whose matters for the most part are open to the view of the whole world when Rome I say did coine new Sacraments a new sacrifice a new doctrine of faith and religion Was there neuer one Historiographer neither Latin nor Greeke neither farre off nor neere who would at least obscurely cast into his commentaries such a notable matter as this is Certainely it is not possible if such a thing as this had happened but that it should haue beene resisted or at least recorded by some For suppose it were true which Protestants imagine that some points of the faith and religion which Rome professeth at this day were as contrary to that which was in it when Saint Paule commended â—he Romane faith as blacke to white darkenesse to light or so absurde as were now Iudaisme or Paganisme as one of their Historiographers accounteth it worse saying that indeede Augustine the Monke conuerted the Saxons from Paganisme but as the prouerbe saith saith hee bringing them out of Gods blessing into the warme Sunne Suppose I say this were true Then I would demaund if it were possible that any Prince in any Christian cittie and much more that the Pope in Rome the mother cittie could at this day bring in any notable obsurde rite of Iewish or Paganish religion for example to offer vp an Oxe in sacrifice or to worship a Cow as God and not only to practise it priuately in his owne Chappell but to get it publiquely practised and preached in all Churches not onely of that cittie but also in all the rest of the Christian world and that none should in Christian zeale continually oppose themselues that no Bishop should preach no Doctor write against this horrible innouation of faith and the author thereof that none should haue constancy to suffer martyrdome which Christians haue bin alwaies most ready to endure rather then to yeelde to a profession and practise so contrary to their ancient faith that there should be no true harted Christians who would speake of it or at least lament it nor no Historiographer that would so much as make obscure mention of it Could all be so a sleepe that they could not note or so cold and negligent in matters concerning their soules good as generally without any care to yeeld vnto it Noe certainely though there were no promise of Christ his owne continuall presence no assurance of the infallible assistance of his holy Spirit Yet it is not possible that such a grosse errour should arise among Christians and ouerwhelme the whole world without some resistance The Bishops and Pastors could not bee so simple or so vnmindfull of their duty but they would first note such an euident contrariety to the ancient and vniuersally receiued faith and noting it they would doubtlesse with common coÌ„sent resist contradict and finally according to Saint Paule his rule accurse it If therefore this could not happen now nor euer heretofore was heard that any such absurd errour or heresie did or could arise without noting or resisting what reason can any man haue to say that this hath happened at Rome not being able to alledge any writter that did note the thing the person the time and what oppositioÌ„ was made and
without interruption euen from the Apostle Saint Peter vnto Clement the eight the Bishop of Rome which liueth at this daie The which succession from the Apostles which we haue and the Protestants want the ancient fathers did much esteeme and vsed it as an argument partly co confound the Heretiques partly to confirme themselues in the vnitie of the Catholique Church So doth Irenaeus who saith Traditionem ab Apostolis annunciatam hominibus fidem per successiones episcoporum peruenientem vsque ad nos indicantes confundimus omnes illos qui quoquo modo vel per sui placentiam malam vel per vanam gloriam vel per caecitatem malam sententiam praeterquà m oportet colligunt Shewing the tradition from the Apostles and the faith coÌ„ming vnto vs by succession of Bishops we confounde all them who any way through euill coÌ„placence of themselues or vaine glorie or through peruerse opinion doe collect and coÌ„clude otherwise then they ought So also doth Saint Austen who saith Tenet me in Ecclesia Catholica â—b ipsa Sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suas Dominus commendauit vsque ad praesenâ—â—â— Episcopum successio Sacerdotum The succession of Priests from the very seate of Peter the Apostle to whome our Lord commended his sheepe to be fedde vntill this present Bishop doth hold me in the Catholique Church See the same Saint Austen Epist. 150. Optatus l. 2. cont Parmen Saint Epiphan Haer. 275. Saint Cyprian l. 1. epist. 6. S. Athanas. Orat. 2. contra Arrianos who pronounceth them to be Heretiques qui â—â—unde quà m à tota successione Cathedrae Ecclesiasticae origineÌ„ fidei suae deducunt who deriue the beginning of their faith from any other ground then from the whole succession of Ecclesiasticall chaire And this saith he is eximium admirabile argumentum ad haereticam sectam explorandam an excellent and admirable argument wherby we may espie out and discerne an hereticall sect The which argument these Fathers would neuer haue vrged and extolled so much if they had not thought that this succession was an vndoubted good marke of the Church and that with this lawfull vninterrupted Apostolicall succession of Doctors and Pastors the true Apostolique faith and doctrine was alwaies conioyned The which to be conioyned we may easily proue out of Saint Paule himselfe who saith Dedit Pastores Doctores ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerij in aedificationem Corporis Christi donec occurramus omnes in vnitatem fidei agnitionis Filij Dei in virum perfectum in mensuram aetatis plenitudinis Christi Signifying that Christ our Sauiour hath appointed these outward functions of Pastors and Doctors in the Church to continue vntill the worlds end for the edification and perfection thereof and especially for this purpose vt non simus paruuli fluctuantes circumferamur omni vento doctrinae that we may not be little ones wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine Wherefore that this ordinance and appointment of Pastours and Doctors in the Church made by our Sauiour Christ may not bee frustrate of the effect intended by him wee must needes say that he hath decreed so to assist and direct these Pastours in teaching the doctrine of faith that the people their flocke may alwaies by their meanes bee preserued from wauering in the ancient faith and from being carried about with euery wind of new doctrine The which cannot be vnlesse with succession of Pastors be alwaies conioyned succession in true doctrine at least in such sort that all the Pastors cannot at any time vniuersally erre or faile to teach the ancient Apostolique faith For if they should thus vniuersally erre then all the people who doe and ought like sheepe follow the voice of their Pastour should also generally erre so the whole Church which according to Saint Gregorie Nazianzene consisteth of sheepe and Pastors should contrary to diuers promises of our Sauiour vniuersally erre So that we may be sure that the Ordinary Pastors shall neuer be so forsaken of the promised Spirit of truth that all shall generally erre and teach errors in faith or that there shall not be at all times some sufficient company of lawfull succeeding Pastors adhering to the succession of S. Peter who was by our Sauiour appointed chiefe Pastor of whom we may learne the truth and by whom we may alwaies be confirmed and continued in the true ancient faith and preserued from being carried about with the winde of vpstart errour The which being so it followeth that the true Apostolique doctrine is inseperably conioyned with the succession of lawfull Pastors especically of the Apostolique sea of Rome Wherefore we may against all Heretiques of our time as the auncient Fathers did against Heretikes of their time vrge this argument of succession especially of the Apostolicall succession of the Bishoppes of Rome We may say to them as Saint Augustine saith to the Donatistes Numerare Sacerdotes ab ipsa sede Petri in illâ— ordine Patrum quis cui successit videte Number the Priestes from the seate it selfe of Peter and in that Order or rowe of Fathers see which succeeded which Wee may say with Irenaeus Hac ordinatione et successione Episcoporum traditio Apostolorum ad nos peruenit est plenissima ostensio vnam eandem fidem esse quae ab Apostolis vsque nunc confirmata est By this orderly succession of Bishoppes the tradition of the Apostles hath come vnto vs and it is a most full demonstration that the faith which from the Apostles is confirmed euen vntill now is one and the same We may tell them with Tertullian Nos communicaâ—us cum ecclesijs Apostolicis quod nulla aduersa doctrina facit hoc est testimonium veritatis We doe communicate with the Apostolique Churches which no contrarie doctrine doth and this is a testimony of the truth CHAP. XVII The Conclusion of the whole discourse NOVV to make an end considering all this which I haue said and proued to wit that there is but one infallible entire faith the which is necessary to saluation to all sorts of men the which faith euery one must learne by some knowen infallible and vniuersall rule accomodate to the capacity of euery one the which rule cannot be any other but the doctrine and teaching of the true Church the which Church is alwaies to continue visible vntill the worlds end and is to bee knowen by these foure markes Vna Sancta Catholica Apostolica One Holy Catholique Apostolique the which markes agree only to the Roman Church that is to say to that company which doth communicate and agree in profession of faith with the Church of Rome whereupon followeth that this Church or company is the onely true Church of which euery one must learne that faith which is necessary to saluatioÌ„ CoÌ„sidering I say al this I would demand of the ProtestaÌ„ts how
thinke that you are vnwise who pretending to trauaile toward the happy kingdome of heauen and to goe to that glorious citty the heauenly Ierusalem will leaue the beaten street in which al those haue walked that euer heretofore weÌ„t thither who by miracles sometimes as it were by letters sent from thence haue giuen testimony to vs that remaine behinde that they are safelie arriued there You I say are vnwise that will leaue this way and will aduenture the liues not onely of your bodies but of your soules in a path found out of late by your selues neuer â—racked before in which whosoeuer haue yet gone God knoweth what is become of them sith we neuer had letter of miracle or any other euident token or euer heard any word froÌ„ theÌ„ to assure vs that they safely passed that way me thinkes I may account you most vnwise men that will aduenture such a pretious Iewell as your soule is to bee transported by such an vncertaine and dangerous waie I must needes thinke that sith there is but one right waie and that the way of the Catholique Church is a sure and approued safe waie you are very vnaduised who with the aduenture of the irreparable losse of your dearest and peerlesse treasure your soule will leaue this safe and secure way to seeke out a new vncertaine and perillous waie I must needes thinke sith the Catholique Româ—ne Church is as I haue proued the light of the world the rule of faith the pillar and sure ground of truth that you leauing it leaue the light and therefore walke in darkenesse forsaking it forsake the direct path of true faith and therefore are misse-led in the myst of incredulitie into the wildernes of misbeleefe finally that you hauing thus lost the sure ground of truth doe fall into the mierie ditcâ—â—e of many absurdities and must needes be drowned in the pitt of innumerable errours and erring thus from the waie the veritie and the life which iâ— Christ Iesus residing according to his promise in the Catholique Church must needes vnles you will which I hartely wishe returne to the vnitie of the same Church incurre your owne perdition death and damnatioÌ„ of body and soule from which sweet Iesus deliuer you and vs all to the honour and perpetuall praise of his holy name AMEN Laus Deo Heb 11. Ser. 38. de Tempore (a) Ro. 2. Galat. 3. Ephes. 2. (b) CoÌ„c Milea Can. 4. Concil Trid. sess 6. c. 7.8 Iren. l. 5. cap. 29. Chrysost. Hom. 32. in Ioan. Sermone de Fide Char. Cirill Alex. in Ioan. lib. 4. 1. Cor. 14 Ephes. 4. Ser. 4. in Natiu Dom. In cap. 4. ad Eph. Lib. 1. c. 3 Rom. 10. Ser. de Fidei confessione Hom. 12. in epist ad Hebraeos Hom. 83. in Matth. (a) Luc. 10. (b) 1. Thes. 2. Mar. c. 16. Math. 28. Ioan. 3. In the Greeke text aires es Gal. 5. Athanas. in Simb Teste theodoreto lib. 4. eccles histor c. 1â— Gregor Nazianz. tract de Fide 1. Tim. 2. 1. Tim. 2. 1. Tim. 4. 2. Pet. 3. Aug. lib. de Sp. lib. c. 33. Prosper lit 2. de vocat gent. cap. 23.25.28 D. Ambros Ser. 8. in Psal. 118. Iren. l. 4. cap. 71. Lib. de vtil credendi 1. Cor. 2. Lib. de vtilitate credendi cap. 4. Ibidem Aug. l. 5. de bapt donat cap. 23. Basil. lib. de Sp. cap. 29. Epiph. haer 61. Rom. 3. 1. Cor. 2. Ibidem Ibidem Gal. 1. 2. Cor. 11 2. Iohn 4. 2. Cor. 2. 1. Iohn 4. Collat. 61. c. 11. Rom. 10. Mal. 5. Matth. 7 Iacobi 4. Lib. 3. de bapt donatist cap. 19. Ep. 222. Tract 18. in Ioanes Matth. 4. Lib. 12. Confess cap. 25. Mat. c. 28 Ioan. 14. Ioan. 14. Ioan. 16. Math. 28 Mar. 16. Luc. 10. Math. 23. Epist. 165. Luc. 10. Math. 18. Mar. 16. 1. Tim. 3. Lib. 1. Crescon cap. 33. 1. Tim. 3. Matth. cap. 28. Math. 16 Psal. 47. Dan. 2. Luc. 1. In Psalm 101. Conc. 2. Ibidem Isâ— â— 61 Luc. 4. Isa. 61. Math. 5. â— Tim. 2. Math. 10. Luc. 9. Rom. 10. Math. 18. Oratione de moderat in disput habenda Matth. 7. Isa. 60. Math. 20. Math. 3. Math. 23. Math. 13. Math. 25. â— Cor. 5. Hom. 30. in math Lib. de Vnitate Ecclesiae Lib. 4. in cap. 6. Isa. Lib. 3. ep parm cap. 4. Tract 2. in epist. Ioan. Lib. ep parm cap. 7. Lib. de prescript Taller bigger Tall. Tall. Lib. 3. de bapt donat cap. 19. Lib. 3. Faust. cap. 13. Isa. c. 35. 1. Cor. 2. Rom. 10. In Ps. 53. Lib. Ep. Fund cap. 5. 1. Ioh. 4. Eph. 4 Isa. c. 61. Lib. Ep. Fund cap 4. The first marke Vna proued out of Scripture Cant c. 6 Cypr. l. de vnitate Ecclesiae Aug. l. 6. in Ioan. Ioh. c. 1â— Rom 12. 1. Cor. 10 Ioh. 17. Lib. de Prescript Ibidem The second marke Sancta 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 5. Hebr. 10. Mat. 18. 1. Pet. 2. Luc. 10. Iac. 4. The third marke Catholica Isa. c. 59. Psal. 21. Psal. 71. Ibidem Aug in Psal. 71. Luc. 24. Aug. 1. de Vtilitate Ecclesiae Act. c. 1. Collos. 1. Mat. 13. Mat. 24. Act. 20. Ibidem 2. Tim. 3. Aug. in Psal. 57. 2. Tim. 3. Aug. l. de Vnitate Ecclesiae cap. 3. Mat. 24. Aug. l. 4. de Simb cap. 10. Aug. l. de Vnitate Ecclesiae cap. 3. Ephes. 2. Act. 1. Act. 2. Aug. l. de Pastor cap. 8. Lib. de prescript Lib. de prescript Lib. 2. Iouin S. Hier. in cap. 4 ad Ephes. Math. 16. Luc. 22. Chrysost. lib. 2. de Sacerdotio S. Leo Ser. 2. de anniuers assumpt suae ad Pontif. Ioan. 21. (a) Luke 10. Mat. 23. Mat. 16. Ioh. 16. Cypr. lib. 4. Epist. 9 Lib. 1. Epist. 3. In postilla super Euang dom primae aduentus Conc. 4. super cap. 21. Luc. Mat. 7. Cant. 1. â— Cor. 13 â— Tim. 1. Eccles. â— Prou. â—â— See Staphil in absoluâ— respons Cochlae in actis Lutheri Aâ— 152â— Bolseâ— iâ— vita Caluin c. 13 Luther lib. de capt Bab. Philip in Apol. art 5 27. 1. Ioh. 5. Mat. 11. Philip. cap. 2. See the History of Saint Bede lib. 1. cap. 23. Rom. 1. In ration redditis acadaem â—a 7. Hollinshead in the description of Britany fol. 11. Gall. 1. Lib. de Prescript Ioh. 14. Ioh. 16. Epist. ad Argent an Dom. 1525. Lib. parm Lib. 3. c. 3 Et Epist. Fundamenti c. 4. Athanas. orat 2. Arrian Ephes. 4. Ibidem Orat. de moderatione in disput habendo Ioh. 2â— Aug. in Psa. cont partem Donati Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 3. Lib. de Prescript See Prateolus verbo Lutherani In Ps. 53. Rom. 10. Heb. c. 5. â— Paral. cap. 26. Ioh. 10. Ibidem 1. Tim. 4. Ioh. 10. Ioh. 10. Ioh. â—5 Mat. 23. Gal. 1. 2. contra Iulian. Epist. 2. In Praef. Li. de abrog Missae priuaâ—â—â— ad fratâ—es Aug. Ordin in caenoo Wittenberg