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A69038	The theatre of Catolique and Protestant religion diuided into twelue bookes. Wherein the zealous Catholike may plainelie see, the manifest truth, perspicuitie, euident foundations and demonstrations of the Catholique religion; together with the motiues and causes, why he should perseuer therin. ... Written by I.C. student in diuinitie.	I. C., student in divinity.; Copinger, John, b. 1571 or 2, attributed name.; Colleton, John, 1548-1635, attributed name.	1620 (1620)	STC 4284; ESTC S115632	314,600	666

which as it doth exceede all the heresies that euer were in ympietie of Doctrine and wickednes of life so it doth alsoe surpasse all Heretiques Infideles Turcks and Iewes in all bloody feates cruell exploites Babilonian confusion tragicall desigmentes diuelish purposes and plottes yea and strange inuented lawes newer heard of before with their most rigorous execution You see the fruite of heresie the complotters and compassers thereof the cheefe Architects of her detestable practise her effiminacye luxurious wantones her inducementes to all abhominable pleasures and licentious libertie her bloodie imbrumentes and lamentable tragedies in euerie countrie where shee was nourished and inuented which brought a masse of miserie and calamitie with it to those places that receaued her the shipwracke of whose opulente and aboundante fortunes can beare wittnesse thereof obstinate pride presumptuous and turbulent spirittes dislike and disdaininge of good order and sound discipline contempte and despising of authoritie curiositie and affectation of noueltie discontentment and disquietnes of mindes through ympatience of filthie luste and other malignante priuate humors which were neuer inspired by the spirite of God but by the suggestion of the diuill who was the cause thereof Of the miserable death and endes of such as deuised and defended the protestant Religion as also other heresies CHAPTER VII 1. THe first plotter of this heresie was Martine Luther Luthers death whose life as it was most wicked soe his ende was noe lesse miserable He after that he had surfeyted through one nightes gossopinge himselfe beinge fild intemperatlie vpp to the throate was found dead in the morninge with his wife and as it is suspected was choaked by her Henrye Zuthphan which was the first that brought Lutheranisme into Breame was afterwardes burned at Meldorphe in Thretmarsse Anno 1524. Hulderique Zuinglius an Apostate Priest in a furious skirmish beinge leader of the Tigurians whome he brought to that dolefull battle animatinge them to the combatte as surmountinge their aduersaries in multitude of souldiers were all ouerthrowen and he himselfe was found dead amoungest the dead carcases and was cast into the fire Zuinglius death Conrad in Theolog. Fox pag. 444. soe as he suffred a double death by fire and sworde Of whome the Epitaph was made thus Occul uit patrio bellator Zuinglius ense Et gressa est armis gens populosa suis Zuinglius the Warior was slaine in the fielde And the sword of his Countrie did pierce Genebrardus in Chron. 2. fol. 72. His side by many bloody batles fought His Country vnto ruine he brought Cōradus a Lutheran protestant writeth that God manifested his iudgmente vppon Caluine euen in this world whom he visited in the rodde of furie and punished him horribly before the dreadfull hower of his vnhappie death Caluins dreadfull death for saith he God by his powerfull hand did soe stricke this heretique that beinge in desperation blaspheminge and cursinge the name of God and calling vppon the diuills he yelded vpp his wicked ghoaste hauinge an vglye and filthie apostume in his priuie partes out of which there issued such a number of loathsome and stinckinge woormes Carolostadius his death Epistola de morte Carolastadi● Oecolāpadus death that not any could abide to come nere him this farre the said Author Carolastadius was slaine by the diuill as the ministers of Basill themselues doe witnesse Oecolampadius also a married Mounque of the order of S. Brigget and one of the firste and principalest Architectes of the protestante religion was founde slaine in his bedd by his wyues side and that by her or rather by the diuill himselfe Luth. lib. de Missa priuata as Luther thincketh The Duke of Saxonie and the Lantgraue of Hesse which were the cheefe promotors and Patrons of lutheranisme were in battell vanquished by Charles the fifte depriued of their dominions and kepte in prison by him many yeares The Prince of Condye The prince of Condys death and the admirall of France which were the Patrones of the secte of Caluine or hugnottes in that Countrye were alsoe vanquished and ouerthrowen in the field with their kinge after many other ouerthrowes and slaughter of their adherentes the one I meane Condie was slaine in the battell of Iarnan the other was kild in a triumph at Paris his carcase beinge caste from the topp of a high howse his necke beinge broken and his body torne was drawen by a rope through the streates and hanged not much vnlike to Iezabell where also the Prince Montgomery was beheaded beinge a great defender of Caluinisme 2. The death of such in Englād as were ●atrons of Protestancie The same miserable end they tasted alsoe that were the patrones of this wicked ghospell in England as Queene Anne Bullen Thomas Cromell the Duke of Somersett and Thomas Cranmer Bishopp of Canterburie The first was accused arraigned and conuicted of a filthie incest her supposed Father beinge the iudge thereof and by his sentence putt to death who was so besotted of her filthie loue The next was condemned and putt to death for heresie and high treason by kinge Henry the eighte vnto whom he yealded himselfe both soule and bod●e before by the lawe he made himselfe videlicet whosoeuer should be cast into the tower he should be put to death without examination Fox act and monuments 563. whome he called the wall and defense of the protestant Chruch The third which was the Duke of Somersett beinge vncle vnto kinge Edward his vicar generall in all ecclesiasticall causes and protector and as it were kinge of the whole Realme was depriued of all auctoritie and publiquelie beheadded The last which was Cranmer after abiuringe his wicked heresie at Oxford by Queene Marie Robert Barnes Thomas Gerrard William Ierom beinge the first cheefe instruments that Kinge Henry the 8. had to perswade the people touching the kinges supremacie in ecclesiasticall causes were by the said kinge Henrye burned afterwards and the said Barnes beinge there at the stake and the flame readie to lay hould vppon him said these words By our meanes the kinge was made absolute kinge of England whereas before he was but halfe a kinge and for our paynes this is the rewarde wee haue Anno Domini 1540. Prince of Aurengs death 3. The Prince of Aurenge that was the author and enginer thereof in flanders was slaine with a pistole in his newe wyues lappe by Balthazer Gerard. Ludouicus Nalconius brother to the said Prince and the cheefe author of the rebellion of the said lowe Countries in the battle of Mokens which he lost the Spaniardes hauinge gotten the victory was burned in a little cottage aliue whether he fledd for safeguard In that battle also his Brother Henry perished as his brother Adolphus did perishe a little before in Frislād William Lumenus the Earle of Mansfil after defilinge his murtheringe hands with the cruell death of many religious persons priests and Catholiques in Holland and Zeland and

for a man as meate drinke or sleepe and said moreouer that if a married woman would not render the coniugall debpte of matrimonie Lib. ae vita coniug serm de matrimonio that the husband should not spare his maide The like filthie lust but farre more detestable was the occesion of Caluine his heresie For it is well knowē as may appeare by the iudiciall actes and recordes of Nouodiū Bolsecus in vita Calu. cap. 5. Iul. Brig pag. 59. that he was condemned of the filthie sinne of the flesh against nature had it not beene for the intreatie of the bishop there which obtayned that his punishmente should be turned vnto a hoate burninge iron on his backe he should haue bene altogether burnt Iohn Witcliffe for that he was depriued of his personnage in Oxforde for his vitious misdemenor began his heresie Arrius because Alexander was preferred to the Archbishopricke of Alexandria before him Nicep de pen. l. 5. c. gaue occasion of the Arrian heresie against the deitie of Christe Mōtanus for that he was denyed the primacy of Asia which he soughte verie earnestlie troubled the Church with newe heresies as Nicephorus wyttnesseth de penitentia l●b 5. cap. 15. Aerius alsoe for beinge denyed of a Bishopricke fell into Arianisme and afterwardes inuented himselfe a newe heresie which was that wee ought not pray for the dead 2. Henry the eighte as Iohn Foxe a greate puritan in England doth wyttnes Fox in historia pa. 512. edit 1 all the world knoweth to be true for his diuorce made from Queene Catherine his wyfe was by the Bishoppe of Rome excommunicated who beinge sore exasperated therby assembled a parlamente by which he brought to passe that he banished the Popes authoritie out of England made himselfe head of the Church thus far Iohn Foxes owne wordes Hollin in descrip Brita l. 1● cap. 7. For it is certainly knowen that from the conuersion of England by S. Augustine duringe soe many hundred yeares vnto Kinge Henry the 8. as all English historiographers and ministers themselues doe acknowledge the Catholicke or papisticall religion as it pleaseth them to tearme it did florish in England that the cheefe pointe thereof was that the Pope was iudge moderatour and cheefe Pastor aswell of the English Church as of all other Churches of the Christians in Ecclesiasticall matters which Catholicke faith the said Kinge Henry defended the space of xx yeares as longe as he liued with his lawfull married wife aswell against domesticall heretickes that were his subiects by all penall statutes and exquisit torments at alsoe against forraine hereticks by a most learned booke in the defense of the 7. Sacraments which booke I haue in myne owne custodie for which he was ennobled and honored by Pope Leo the tenth with the title of defēder of the Catholicke faith which was neuer giuen to any kinge in the worlde before which he receaued as Foxe saies with great ioy for when it came to the kinge beinge then at Greene wich he went to his chapel accompanied with manny nobles Ambassadors Cardinall Wolsey said Masse the Earle of Essex brought the basen of water the duke of Suffolke gaue the assay the duke of Norfolke held the towell the Heraldes with their company began their accustomed cryes prononcinge Fox anno 1528. fol. 441. Henricus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae defensor Fidei Dominus Hiberniae And amongest his other magnificent titles he lefte to this day this title to his posterity as is well knowen to the world Neyther only with bookes but alsoe with his victorious and inuincible armes did he defende the Catholike Romane faith and the dignitie thereof for the which he foughte againste sundrie princes and their confederates as againste Lodowicke the 12. kinge of France and Iames the 4. kinge of Scottes though married to his sister Who beinge vanquished and his great armie ouerthrowen by the Earle of Surrie in England and the said kinge himselfe being slaine in the battle for that he was excommunicated was not suffred to be buried in any Christian graue Also he sent his Armie by sea to ioyne with the Spaniardes againste the kinge of France to assaulte France in the frontiers of Spaine by the powerfull force of the English Iohn Albertus the kinge of Nauare was driuen altogether out of the kingdome beinge excomunicated by the Pope which Spaine doth possesse at this daye Did not the said kinge within fewe yeares after send an Armie into Italie against the Emperor Charles the first in the defence of Clement the 7. then Pope And notwithstanding he was his great frinde and his Nephewe for that Queene Cathrine was his Aunte yet through the filthie concupiscence by which he was besotted and blinded to marrye Anna Bul●ene and soe to be diuorced from his lawfull marryed wife he turned all thinges topsie turuie reiected the Popes authoritie which he before aswell by Gods lawes the holy scriptures as by the fathers and Councells of the Church defended and soe by a parlament of one Realme or kingdome he disanulled and abrogated that which was established by soe manny generall parleaments and generall Councells of all Christendome yea by Christe himselfe and by all such as trulye beleeued in him And for not yealding vnto his desire herein manny religious and constant Martyrs offred their liues and their bloode amoungest whome was the lighte of England that most sacred Martyr and learned diuine Iohn Fisher Bishopp of Rochester Sr. Thomas More Lord Chancelor of England of these sorte of people our Sauiour wished vs to beware Act. 20 the Apostle alsoe saith woulues shall enter after my departure and shall not spare the flocke Rom. 16. Therfore in another place he requested vs to marke and knowe what people they be that raise dissentions and scandalls in the Churche and doe teach otherwise then wee haue alreadye receaued and to fly from them Heb. 4. Iohn 4. He alsoe exhorted vs that wee should not be lead away with mutable and strange doctrine S. Iohn alsoe wished vs not to beleeue euerie spiritt but that wee should trye whether they be of God 3. But the doctrine of Luther cannot by any triall be founde true so that as Christ saith Iohn 7. my doctrine is not myne but my fathers which did send me soe Luther may say his doctrine is not his but his fathers the diuell that did send him Luth. lib. de Missa Ang. to G lenens Ger 10. 7. wittēb 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 14. whom he boasted to haue suggested vnto him arguments to ouerthrowe priest-hoode and sacrifice that by that meanes he should ouerthrowe and confounde the true worshipp of the true God for God as the Apostle saith is the God of peace and charitie not of dissention For whosoeuer procures sectes and diuision betwixt brethren saith the prophett is a diuell When therfore by Luthers meanes wee see so manny sectes against Godds Churche wee must

though he haue neuer soe much knowledge being the author of separation deuision and schisme sith there is noe greater token of charitie then vnanimitie Quiae multitudo c. Because the multitude of such as beleeue ought to be one harte and one soule and soe one languadge comon to them all especiallie in the seruice of the church and administration of the sacraments for confusion of tounges haue hindred the worke of the Tower of Babilon and before that confusion there was but one languadge and soe before your heresie and diuersitie of religion the church of God was terravnius labij sermonem eorundem of one lip of one speech and as there was but one God adored of all soe there was but one faith embraced and professed by all one administration of the sacraments and one order of ceremonies amoungest all There was vnitie of beleefe withoute deuision of sects simplicitie without duplicitie pietie of religion without impietie of heresie one pastor and one flock the execrable and dreadfull blasphemies and heresies of this wicked age were not heard of all were called christians and not Euangelistes nor Apostles nor Lutherans nor Caluinistes nor Hugonotts nor Geues nor Adamitts nor Anabaptistes nor Papistes children were obedient to their Parents the sheepe did acknowledge their Pastors the lasciuious and pratlinge woman was not a Mistres of the scriptures the pope was not called antechriste his authoritie was not called in question The church was feared and obeied of her subiects against which there was noe rebellion or insurrection of carnall filthie incestuous and abhominable Apostates men were of honest simple disposition without contention or debate touchinge their religion euerie one referringe himselfe to the catholick church whose faith and meritts was communicated and diffused to al her blessed members They had noe newe ghospell but that which was dictated by the holie ghoaste and deliuered by the Apostles to the Church and which the Churche proposed to the faithfull to beleeue And now since they had diuersitie of tounges they haue also had diuersitie of faith and diuersitie of heresies 4. But to aunswere more fullie this obiection the catholique churche doth not forbid any one to praye in any tounge he thinkes good priuately to himself although in the publique and comon seruice thereof shee would haue the comon languadge to be practised obserued to preuent confusion of tounges and corruption both of wordes and sense And as in the Church of God there is one sacrifice one order of ceremonies and administration of the sacraments soe wee haue but one languadge comon to all church men For if you goe to Spaine or America or to any other cōtry you shall haue the common languadge by which you may vnderstand them and they you Otherwise if in one church there were fortie different languadges you must haue fortie portuses and fortie Masse-bookes and soe in the like case wee must haue infinitt bookes and portuses and infinite Masse-bookes which cannot be without great inconuenience and I pray you which way can an Irish man saie Masse or mattens who hath no printe in his Countrie to printe those bookes in Irishe I am sure the protestant printer at Dublin would not printe Masse-bookes in the Irish tounge or if the Irishe or English had gon to Spaine or other Countries he could neuer saye or heare Masse and exercise the rites of his religion if it could not be don but in his owne languadge Therfore blessed is that order that taketh awaie this disordered confusion and inconuenience of these sond heretiques 5. As for priuate prayers you should not charge her for her blessed doctors in all ages haue replenished the world with infinite books of prayers of deuotion and pietie in all languadges which haue wrought such maruelous effects and strange conuersions of notorious sinners such contempt of wordlie honor such despisinge of all wordlie vanitie such heroicall resolutions in mens hartes such collections for releeuinge the poore and the distressed and such an ardent loue to our Sauiour Creator and Redeemer as the like was neuer brought to passe nor neuer shal be by any of Luther or Caluines followers Who can be ignorant of the most godlie prayers of S. Augustine and all the fathers of the churche S. Gregorie S. Bernard S. Fulgentius S. Thomas S. Bona●enture S. Anselme and in our owne age ●hose of Dionis Carthusianus Laurentius ●urius Stella and Loartes translated into all vulgar tounges with infinite others which were to longe to rehearse But I cannot passe with silence that most famous renowmed reuerend and religious father Lewis de Granada whose godlie works of deuotion and prayers are translated into seuerall tounges I neuer hearde of anie booke of deuotion or religion sett forth by any of these sectaries any way comparable vnto his whose workes and bookes serue only to ouerthrowe deuotion pietie prayer and religion I haue seene many godly bookes violated and defiled by them It is strange then that you will picke out a certaine languadge for prayers and yet banishe awaie all kinde of prayers sauinge the wanton Psalmes of Geneua corrupted by your false translatiō wherein you praie to keepe vs from Pope Turcke and Papistrie yea I my selfe haue seene a supplication exhibited to the last Queene and to the parleament house wherein it was auerred that it was not lawfull for christians to saie our Lordes prayer To conclude therfore deuout prayers doe proceede from the ardent loue of God which is diffused into our soules by the holy ghoaste which is giuen vnto vs and inwardlie doth dwell and lodge in vs Rom. 8. by which wee saie and crie out Abba pater our father and by which wee prostrate our selues with our sighinge hartes and dolefull groanes before the throne of the almightie God and by which wee enioye his familiar and blessed presence Whether the Church vniuersall can be charged with errors contrarie to the first institution of the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist CHAPTER I. 1. THe church of Christ did neuer alter the matter and forme of any of her sacraments much lesse of this beinge the greatest of the rest in which Christ hath shewed his wonderfull great loue vnto the church his only spouse in feedinge and sanctifiinge the soules of her children with his owne pretious bodie and blood that beinge fedd by Christe shee may be purified and clensed by him in that fearfull and dreadful Hoast which doth exceede the capacitie of any earthlie vnderstandinge Of this wonderfull loue of Christe it was said by Isaias Quid est what is it that I ought to doe vnto my vineard and haue not don it meaninge therby that in th●●●●●ament he manifested the bowells of his charitie Isa 5. Chrys homil 61. ad populum Antiochenū and loue towardes his churche which loue is magnified by S. Iohn Chrisostome sayinge Nam parentes quidem alijs saepè filios tradent alendos c. For parents doe often deliuer their children to

the sicke person to send for the priests which should annoile him and praie for him those that S. Paule called Priests afterward he called Bishoppes but it is manifest that none can be a Bishopp without he were a Prieste a Bishopp beinge a degree aboue priest-hoode if therfore in the newe testament there be Priests selected from the people they ought to sacrifice and offer S. Hebr. 5. Paule saith euerie high priest taken from amonge men is appointed for men in those things that pertaine to God that he maie offer giftes and sacrifices for sinnes Therfore besides the bloodie sacrifice of Christe vpon the crosse there must be a sensible and a common sacrifice instituted of God and that soe noble as euerie one cannott offer the same Clemens lib. 1 cōst apost c. 1. 13 Clemens saith Post assumptionē Christi nos oblato secundum eius ordinationem sacrificio puro incruento constituimus Episcopos presbiteros diaconos numero septem wee after the assumption of Christe accordinge to his institution haue appointed Bishopps Priests Deacons in nomber seuen for this pure and vnbloodie sacrifice S. Hierom saith if it be commaunded to the laie people to abstaine from their wyues for prayer Heir resp ad Titum how shoulde wee thincke of the Bishoppe which is ordained to offer this vnspotted sacrifice aswell for his owne sinnes as for the people S. Cyrill of Hierusalem calleth the Masse a spirituall sacrifice by reason of the bodie of Christe which is spiritualized by the diuinitie and is spirituall in deede though not in substance yet in qualitie and manner of existence Cyrill ca. 4. myst Anacletus ep c. 2. Sother de consecr dist Anacletus commaundeth Bishoppes and priests not to sacrifice without wittnesse to assist them Sother Pope commaundeth two at leaste to be present because the Prieste saith Dominus vobiscum orate pro m● Euaristus willeth that the places wherin Masses should be said be consecrated and that alters should be sacred by chrisme Pius the first telleth how that Eutropia hauinge giuen her howse to the poore he celebrated Masse with the said poore Christians Clemens the first Ep. 3. forbiddeth to saie Masse but where the Bishopp will assigne S. Gregor l. 7. regist epist 63 ●oui 2. Isid lib. 1. de o●ijs cap. 15. Gregorie did write vnto the Bishopp of Syracusa and Isidorus that S. Peter did institute the order of the Masse and it seemeth saith O●igines to pertaine to him onlie to offer continuall sacrifice who deuoted himselfe to continuall chastitie orig lib. 1. contra celsu● And in the 8. booke of the constitutiōs of the Apostles as S. Clement dothe affirme Clement const 8. E●odius was made Bishoppe of Antioche by S. Peter and afterward Ignatius by S. Paule 14. This sacrifice as it hathe many names in holy scripture soe it is expressed of the old fathers with many significant tearmes Dauid called it the sacrifice of praise Psal 49. Psal 4. the sacrifice of iustice a waie to see the saluation of God of Daniell it is called Iuge sacrificium Mala●h 1. Luc. 1. Matt. 5. Iud lib. 4. cap. 34. 1. cap. 5. 1. Cor. 10. Heb. 10. Act. 2. Cle. Const Apost l. 8. cap. vlt. Dionys Areop cap. 3. de caelest Hier. the daylie and continuall sacrifice a pure oblation of Malachias the sacrifice of Iuda and Hierusalem the bloody lambe of S. Luke of S. Mathewe the oblation that should be offered at the altar of the Apostle it is tearmed our pasche the table of our Lorde of S. Luc the fraction or breakinge of the bread and also in a liturgie of S. Andrewe it is called a lambe sayinge I offer daylie a lambe vnto God which when it shal be eaten it shall remayne whole and sounde The councell of Nice calles it the lambe that takes awaie the sinnes of the worlde S. Clement calls it the pure and vnbloodie sacrifice S. Dionysius the oblation of the liuely hoaste S. Martialis a sacrifice and a cleane oblation Ireneus the newe oblation of the newe testament S. Cyprian a trew perfecte sacrifice S. Athasius an vnbloodie immolation Eusebius Cesar and S. Chrysostome a dreadfull terrible and euerlastinge sacrifice most honnorable others call it a singuler sacrifice excellinge all the sacrifices that euer were Others a true vnbloodie vnspotted perfect hoast our daylie sacrifice our Lorde his lambe S. Aug. the sacrifice of our price and redemption the sacrifice of our mediator S. Gregorie calls it the healthsome hoaste the hoast of oblation others call it the sacrifice of christians c. with many such pithetons and last of all S. Paule calles it Consummatio Sacramentorum the accomplishinge of the Sacramentes 15. Besides traditions of the Apostles decrees of all generall councells authoritie of all the fathers and holie doctors and the common and vniuersall practise both of the greeke and latine churche many irrefragable and approued reasons there are to confirme the infallible trueth of this blessed sacrifice For Christ is a Prieste for euer and by his death deserued to haue the order of euerlastinge priest-hoode and therfore an euerlastinge sacrifice for this sacrifice cannot be euerlastinge either for the oblation once offered vpon the crosse or for the oblation once offered at his last supper but it is eternall and euerlastinge by the sacrifice which daylie in all the worlde he offereth by his Priests and ministers euen vnto the daie of iudgmente And soe Oecumenus saith that Christe is a Prieste foreuer not for his passion but in respecte of this presente sacrifice Oecum ni Cathena Psal 109. by which that great Priest doth offer sacrifice Theophilast Eusebius Caesar in lib. de demonstratione Euangelica Haimo in epistola ad Heb. and many other fathers say that Christ is the high prieste or the great priest accordinge to S. Paule or the greatest bishoppe accordinge to all and not Metaphorically but properly therfore he oughte to haue inferior Priests vnder him that shoulde also offer otherwise he shoulde not be called the greateste for a supreame order or power hath a relation to an inferior The perfecte priest-hoode of Christe ought to take away the impefect priest-hoode of the old lawe and as he instituted a newe lawe so he ought also to institute a newe priest-hoode for euerie lawe oughte to haue his Priesthood which should interprete the law as it is said by Malachias aske the lawe of the Prieste Malac. 7. Deut. 9 the lippes of the Priests shall keepe wisdome and as it is said in Deut. if there be any harde or doubtfull question betwixte stocke and stocke c. goe your waies to the Priests and whatsoeuer they shall comaunde yow to doe doe it and as he tooke awaie the olde lawe so he tooke also the olde Priesthoode and as two lawes cannot consist soe two priest-hoodes cannot remaine Libr. 1. Mac. c 1 Radix peccati the of-springe of mischeefe Antiochus that he

Ierusalem but the vniuersall church cannot erre therfore the generall councells cannot erre For Atha S. Epipha Euseb S. August doe call the generall councells the congregation of the whole world and the consent of the vniuersall churche All such places of scripture as doe proue that the Pope cannot err in the definition of faith proues also that the generall or nationall councell assembled by his authority cannot erre Also such places of scripture as proues and teaches that wee ought to reuerence Bishopps as Pastors to heare them as maisters followe them as captaines he that heareth yow heareth me c. obey your rulers be subiect vnto them and imbrace their doctrine with many such places all which doe argue that they cannot deceaue vs or if they doe wee may attribut the blame to our Sauiour that bids vs to obey them and imbrace their doctrine Atha epi. Epist. Epiph heres 77 Aug. 162. Nemo ca. de summa trinit fide catho Gela ep ad Episc Sardinia 5. This same is proued by the fathers that the difinition of a generall councell is the last iudgment of the church from which there is noe appellation as Athana and Epiphanius and others with S. Augustine doe affirme and soe Leo the Pope requested the Emperor Martianus saying that the definition of the generall councell should neuer be brought in question which the said Martianus established by lawe The same also Gelasius the Pope decreed in the councell of Ephesus circa finem and in the councell of Calchedon Act 5. Canone vlt. Moreouer the fathers and all councells doe teach that they are excomunicated and ought to be countted heretiques that doe not rest themselues vpon generall councells and therfore all generall councells doe pronoūce Anathema I meane the sore censure of excommunication against such as doe contradict the finall decree of generall councells as Athanasius doth wittnesse of the coūcell of Nice Athan in epist ad Episcopos Afri●ae S. Gr●gor Nazianz. in epistola priori ad Clidoniū Leo epist ad Anat●lium and soe it is in all other councells Grego Nazianz. doth write when the Apolinaristes denied that they were not heretiques and that they were receaued in a catholique councell said let them shewe this and wee wil be contented S. Leo writinge to the emperor or Leon said they ought not to be accounted catholique that doe resiste the councell of Calcedon And soe he writes the like to Anatolius and S. Basil writes that they ought to be suspected of heresie Basil ep 78. that doe cal in question the determination of the councell of Nice S. Augustine did excuse S. Cyprian of heresie Aug. li. 1. de bap ca. 18. because noe generall councell defined any thinge to the contrary towchinge the baptisme of heretiques Also S. Gregorie pronounced excommmunicatiō against all that would not receaue the decree of generall councells Greg. li. 1. epist 24. Constantine the great in his epistle to the churches Apud Euseb l. 3. de vit Const Atha ep ad Episc Africanos Cyrill l. 1. de trinit Leo epist 53. ad Anatoliū 54 ad Martianū ep 37. ad Leonē Au● Gre. lib. 1. ep 14 Nice epist ad Michaelē Ambros epist 32. called the decree of the councell of Nice celestiall preceptes Athanasius also said that the decree of the church was the diuine precept which should remaine for euer S. Cyrill calles it the diuine iuste and holie oracle S. Leo saith that the Canons thereof were ordained by the holie ghoast and that the councell of Calcedon was assembled by the holy spiritt S. Gregorie also saith that he reuerenceth the first 4. generall councells as the 4. Euangelistes Nicholaus the first also saith that the decrees of generall councells are inspired by the holy ghoast S. Ambrose doth affirme that wee should rather die than wee should departe from the definitions of generall councells I will saith he followe the decree of the councell of Nice from the which neither death not sword shall separat me S. Hillarie suffred banishment for the faith of the councell of Nice Hilar. in fine lib de Synod Victor in libris trib de per●ec Vandalic Hier. lib. cont Luciferanos Victor Africanus describeth many worthy martires which suffred for the decree and definition of the faith sett downe and explicated in the councell of Nice S. Hierom also speakinge of Athanasius and S. Hillarie and other holy confessors saie How could they doe any thinge against the councell of Nice for the which they suffred banishment 6. This is proued by reason for first if the generall coūcells should err ther should be noe certaine or setled iudgment in the church by which controuersie should be determined and descided and by which the vnitie and concord of the church should be preserued for which generall councells were ordained Secondly if there were not an infallible iudgment of these generall councells then the Arians had not bene condemned for heretiques for sayinge the councell of Nice did erre nor Macedonius for an heretique for sayinge the councell of Chalcedon did err nor Nestorius for an heretick for sayinge the councell of Ephesus did err nor Eutiches for sayinge the councell of Chalcedon did erre Thirdly wee should haue noe certaintie of many bookes of the holie scriptures as of S. Paule to the Hebrewes the 2. epistle of S. Peter the third of S. Iohn S. Iames his epistle S. Iude and the Apocalipes they beinge called in question vntill the trueth of them was made knowen by generall councells That the catolique church in those thing shee doth propound to the christians to beleeue whether they be contained in the Scriptures or not cannot erre CHAPTER II. THis is proued by scripture Ad Tim. 3 Ephes 5. Apoca 21 Psal 79. Isa 2. Matt. 13. 1. Cor 12. Ephe. 1. for that the church of Christe is the firmament and piller of truethe the spouse of Christe the holly cittie a fruitfull vineyarde a highe mountaine a direct way the only do●e the kingdome of heauen the bodie of Christe and multitude vnto whome the holie ghoaste is promised is gouerned of Christe beinge her head and of the holy ghoast beinge her soule as it is sett downe by S. Paule saying Ephe. 4. He gaue him as a head aboue euerie church which is his bodie And in another place he said one head and one spirite and he said as the husbād is the head of the wife soe also Christ is the head of his church for if the church had bene impeached of error that imputation should be saide on Christe and the holie ghoaste therfore Christ did instruct her by his said holie spirite sayinge the spirite of trueth shall teach yow all trueth Ioh. 16. Againe wee are bounde vnder paine of excommunication to beleue the church in all things as may appeare by S. Math. If he will not heare the church Matt. 18. let him be vnto you as an ethnick and a