senteÌ„ce is or ought to be guided therfore not the Iudge himselfe that pronounceth sentence For in all Courts Common-wealths or publique Tribunals besides the written Law or outward euidence by which verdict is giuen some speaking-Iudge or other Magistrate is requisite who as the liuely rule or square of Iustice to vse Aristotles words ought to expound and deliuer the true meaning of the law so much more in the Church of God which is a Kingdom a Citty a Campe well ordred Arist l. 5. Etb. l. 4. Polit. Plat. l. de repub de lege Read Philo Iud. l. de legat ad CaiuÌ„ prope finem the like must needs be graunted especially seeing Plato writeth That good Gouernours are more to be regarded accounted of then good lawes because a good law without a good Iudge which may execute it is a dead law but a good Iudge without a written law is both to himselfe and others a liuely law The reason heereof is manifest because it belongeth to the Iudge who may decide and end debates 1. To heare vnderstand and compare togeather the arguments of the parties in strife 2. By explayning the true sense and meaning of the law to deliuer a definitiue sentence agreable therunto 3. To compell and inforce the contentious to accept and obey his censure But this neyther Scripture nor any written law can performe Therefore some other intelligent authenticall publike Arbiter is likewise necessary 5. M. Whitaker our Protestant-writer and Hunnius a Lutheran Doctor both agree That the holy Ghost as speaking VVhitak cont 1. q. 5. cap. 8. Hunnius in act Col. Ratis sâ—sâ— 9. in Scripture or the voice of God as vttered therin is this publike and soueraygne Iudge Very vainely very idly The voyce of God as speaking in Scripture is no way distinguished from the Scripture no more then the commaundement of the King promulgated in his law is any way different from the law Therfore as besides the King speaking in his law eyther himselfe speaking in a more liuely manner or some other Iudge is requisite to satisfy the doubts which arise of the law so besids the holy Ghost speaking precisely by Scripture eyther himselfe speaking in a more distinct and publicke fashion or some other infallible Iudge is necessary to end the controuersies which arise Hunnius ibidem Reyn. c. 2. diuis 2. p. 63. 64. out of Scripture Hunnius addeth That the Scripture it selfe or the voyce of God deliuered by learned Ministers and expounders of the word By them sayth Reynoldes who haue in vnder Christ committed vnto them is at least a sufficient and competent Iudge As vainely as idly as before 6. For who are they to whom Christ hath giuen this commissioÌ„ of Iudgmet They are as M Reynolds subnecteth Reyn. loâ—o citato of two sorts The one priuate the other publike Priuate all the faythfull and Spirituall Publike the assemblies of Pastours and Elders Of these I reason thus Eyther he alloweth both or one of these sortes supreme soueraigne infallible authority to decide debates and expound the word without further appeale and so admitteth another Iudge besids Scripture or he assigneth them not the Soueraignty of Iudgment as himselfe and all other Protestants define but the ministery of interpreting the written will and sentence of the Iudge And so maketh the Church a maymed wauoring imperfect Common-wealth without any iudiciall visible and publike Tribunall without any profitable meanes of setling peace in tyme of discord For seeing these Ministers neyther in priuate nor publike are as they confesse so assisted alwayes by the holy Ghost but that they may being men subiect to errour sometymes propound their owne dreames insteed of Gods vndoubted truthes who shall determine whether the voyce of Christ or sentence of our Iudge be truly deliuered by them or no a Rein. c. 2. diuis â— pag. 64. The written will or letter of Scripture It cannot speake or declare her Iudgment b VVhitaker cont 5. q. 5. c. 9. 13. The diligent Reader and conferrer of places He may both read conferre amisse c Hunn in act Col. Ratis ses 9 The pious Magistrate and executioner of Iustice May not he both execute and commaund an errour d Sutclif in his answere to the sixth c. of his Suruey A Generall Councell proceding according to Gods word And who shall iudge when it proceedeth according to his word The parties who contend and stand in debate Then they must be plaintiffs and Iudges both And whilest ech of them swayeth on his owne side what end of strife What decision of truth Such as Lawyers such as Attournyes make in behalf of their clients who would neuer end their Plea vnlesse some vmpire were appointed to arbitrate the cause Now to go forward 7. The Iudge of Controuersyes ought to be infallible because it must breed a certaine and infallible assurance as M. Whitaker agreeth with vs in doubts of VVhitak cont 1 q. 5. cap. 8. â— 3. c. 11. fayth but albeit the Scriptures be so in themselues yet in respect of vs they are fallible they may be erroneously printed corruptly translated falsly suborned not well expounded not rightly vnderstood And although the voice and doctrine of the Church may be somety me fallible in respect of vs as one obiected against this argument An obiectioÌ„ made against the Church solued because a particular pastour may deliuer vnto the people his own phantasies for the Churches decrees he may perswade them and they may giue credit vnto him that his priuat assertions are the generall and Catholike doctrines that they were taught by the auncient church and that many miracles haue bin wrought in confirmatioÌ„ of them yet here is a notable disparity between this and that fallibility for this proceedeth not from the repaire to our iudge either true or so taken but from a falsifier and wrong relatour of the iudges sentence that immediatly commeth from appealing to their true reputed iudge This happeneth to the ignorant only or Catecumens who begin to belieue to others the Catholike tenent in necessary poynts is so generally known as they cannot be deluded That to the learned also and most expect in matters of religion for such they are who often misconster wrongfully expound the holy scriptures This may easily be discouered and auoided by conference with other pastours by perusing the Churches decrees or hearing the oracle of her voice which can manifestly explaine herself and disproue those forged relations That can hardly be espied more hardly be auoyded because priuat interpreters by conferring reasoning and disputing the case without submission to the Church are often tymes more confirmed strengthned in their erroneous expositions neither can the Scripture open her own meaning and condemne their false constructions Our danger therfore of being deceaned is litle or nothing to be feared their 's very pernicious and irremediable 8. The Iudge of Controuersies
Traditions Both false depositions both wrongfully imposed crimes A wrongfull crime it is that we traduce the Scriptures as vnperfect We graunt with Vincentius Lyrinensis Vincen. Lyâ—â—nen cap. 2. that the Canon of Scripture is perfect a perfect light and lanterne to our feet a perfect rule and direction of sayth if as he noteth the line of Propheticall and Apostolical interpretation be leuelled according to the square of the Ecclesiastical and Catholike sense As great a wrong that we cleaue to humane and vncertaine Traditions We anker on such as are diuine certaine and infallible authentically warranted by the rules himselfe approueth to descend from Christ or the Church his holy and vndoubted Spouse 17. A like wrongfull crime M. Sparkes fastneth vpon Sparks p. 82. 83. vs when he sayth That we preferre the authority of the Church the wife before Christ the husband that we make the written word of God inferiour in authority to the Church and to haue his Canonicall credit from thence Sure you are as Salomon censureth a guilfull witnesse who furnish your cause Prouerb cap. 14. Testis fidelis non mentitur Profert mendaciâ—â— dolosus testis Io. 4 3. Reg. 3. with such shamefull lyes When many belieued in Christ induced by the speach of the Samaritan woman was her authority prefeâ—â—ed before Christ When King Salomon decreed the infant for which the two harlots contended to belong to her whose bowells were moued at the sentence of his death did he make her therby the mother of the child or declare her to be the mother who was the mother indeed So when we imbrace Gods written word by the externall approbation and testimony of the Church answerable to that of S. Augustine Ego Euangelio non crederem c. I would not belieue the Ghospell vnles the authority of the Church moued me thereunto we extoll not the Aug con ep Fund cap. 5. voice of the Spouse before the voyce of Christ. Nor the Church when it defyneth any booke to be Canonicall Scripture doth giue it thereby diuine and Canonicall credit Bils part 4. pag â—81 Rem cont 1. pag. 619 6â—9 Field l. 4 Stapleton cont 5. de poâ— Eccles quaest â— but commaundeth that to be receaued by others as Canonicall which hath in itselfe Canonicall authority 18. Lastly our Aduersaryes arme themselues with the weapons of the Fathers and M. Bilson marshalleth six togeather in a rancke S. Athanasius S. Chrysostome S. Cyrill S. Ambrose S. Augustine and Vincentius who conformably mantaine the sufficiency of Scripture in all necessary points of fayth Many other to the like purpose are alleadged by M. Reynolds and M. Field To all which I answere First that the Scripture is taught to containe all things necessary to saluation as the vniuersal ground Cyril l. 12. c. vltimo Chrys ho. 3. in 2. Thes 2. Vincent aduersus prophan hae nouit c. 2. Bafil ep 80 Cyril de rect fide ad Regi Hieron in Psal 86. Aug. l 3. con lit Petil Tert. lib. cont haer Athan. l. cont Gent. Aug. l. 2. cap. 9. Rein in his conf c. 2. diuis 2. Aug. l. 10. de Gen. ad lit c. 23. Bils 4. par p. 582. 583. Field in appen 2. p. §. 8. Aug. l. 4. c. 24. Dio. l. Eâ—c bier c. vlt. Orig. in 12. Leuit. bom 8. in cap. 6. epist ad Rom. seed or roote from which whatsoeuer we belieue may either mediately or immediatly be gatheted as S. Cyril and S. Chrysostome auouch Secondly as it teacheth and directeth vs to the authority of the Church and doctrine of her Pastours by which euery point is of may be particulerly and clearely explained Thus Vincentius and others are to be interpreted Thirdly it is affirmed to containe all thinges and that nothing besides the Scripture is to be admitted to wit no priuate customes or particuler Traditions not agreeable or repugnant to the writen word as S. Basil S. Cyrill S. Hierome S. Augustines meaning is in his booke against Petilian Fourthly the Fathers often acknowledge the sufficiency of Scripture to conclude euen in plaine and expresse wordes certaine maine principles of our fayth as that God created all thinges of nothing of which Tertullian against Hermogenes That Christ is the true God That Idolls are not God of which Athanasius writeth Or they teach it clearely comprehends the chiefe articles of our Creed and ten Commandments of which S. Augustine only speaketh in his booke of Christian doctrine so often quoted by M. Reynolds 19. Besides which many other things are necessary to be imbraced as by Fathers Reason and Scripture I haue already conuinced and therfore will close vp my whole discourse with one or two sentences of S. Augustine and Origen S. Augustine sayth The custome of the Church in baptizing Infants is not at all to be belieued vnles it were an Apostolicall Tradition M. Bilson and M. Field haue no other shift to trauerse the euidence of this place then by accusing it of some secret corruption But what was he corrupted also in his booke of Baptisme against the Donatists where he repeateth it againe Was Dionysius was Origen corrupted too who sayth The Church receaued a Tradition from the Apostles to minister Baptisme also to Infants Was this other passage of S. Augustine corrupted likewise Aug. de Bap. con Donat. l. 5â— c. 23. It is an article of faith to belieue this Baptisme to be valide Orig. in c. 3. ad Tit. teste Pamphilo in Apol. prâ— Orig. of the validity of Baptisme ministred by Heretikes The Apostles commanded nothing hereof yet the custome which was opposed herein against Cyprian is to bebelieued to proceed from their Tradition euen as many things be which the whole Church holdeth and are therfore well belieued to be commanded of the Apostles although they be not written I may then conclude with Origen He is an Heretike who professeth himself to beleiue in Christ yet belieueth otherwise of the truth of Christian fayth then the definition of Ecclesiastic all Tradition containeth 20. Notwithstanding to reproue our Aduersaries and satisfy all indifferent Readers that we fly not to the succour of Traditions for want of proofes out of holy writ I will vphold the right of our cause in euery ensuing Controuersy as I promised in my Preface by the irreprouable testimonies of Gods written word THE THIRD CONTROVERSY WHEREIN The Reall Presence is maintayned against D. Bilson and D. Sparkes CHAP. I. AS the vnspeakable riches of Gods infinite loue in no mystery of our fayth appeareth more bountâ—full then in the true and reall Fresence of Christs sacred Body conteyned in the holy Eucharist so the vnsatiable malice of our deadly enemy no where more hatefully bewrayeth it selfe then in seeking to abolish this most blessed dreadfull and admirable Sacrament For besids the Armenians Messalians Grecians and Aquarians Althons de Cast l. 9. adu haer v Eucharist Aug. de haer Epiph haer 26. whose errours
interpretation then that which I haue mentioned vnles a man would bend his wits and force his quill of purpose to misconstrue his meaning THE NINTEENTH CONTROVERSY DECLARETH How Fayth alone doth not iustify against D. Whitaker D. Feild D. Abbot and all Sectaryes CHAP. I. THAT we may not stumble at the beginning Châ—nitiuâ— in 1. part examinaâ— Con iâ— Trid. Calu. l. 30 instit c. ◠§. 9. Fulk in c. 13. 1. ad Cor. sect 5 Perkins in his reform Cath. f. 7â— nor post away in vaine before I go further I will truly lay down the state of this question as it is controuerted defended on both sides Protestants distinguish three sorts of fayth 1. The historicall fayth as they tearm it by which they belieue the history of the Bible 2. The guift of fayth to worke miracles of which S. Paul If I should haue all fayth so as I could remoue mountaines c. 3. The sayth and affiance in the diuine promises of God So that the truth and veracity of God is the proper obiect of the first his power of the second his mercy and goodnes of the third Which later fayth they subdeuide againe into Abbot inhis defence cap 4. fol. 453. VVhitak l. 1. aduers Duraeum two members or branches into a generall beliefe that God will faythfully accomplish all his promises will graunt remission of sinnes to all true beleeuers and into a particuler and speciall fayth whereby euery Protestant perswadeth and assureth himselfe that his sinnes by the mercy of God in Christ be forgiuen him And in this speciall affiance and firme perswasion all Sectaryes place their iustifying fayth from whence Charity and good workes according to them only flow as fruits and necessary sequels accompanying their beliefe Thus they 2. We on the other side defend that Charity and good workes are not only fruits or signes but the life or Ephes 4. v. 5. Cyril ca Greg. Nazian or at â—ltim in sanctum lauacrum Aug. in Enchirid. c. 2. 5. 7. 8. l. 2. conduas epist Pelag. c. 5. Leo serm â—1 de Epiphan Fulg. l. de side ad Petrum in prolog Hebr. â—1 v. â— Gaâ— Vâ—s â—â— 1. â— disp â—10 â— 7. substance of iustification Likewise we deny that counterfeit diuision of seuerall fayths which they deuise and imbrace with holy Scriptures one dogmaticall and Catholik Fayth by which we belieue the Ghospell of Christ the articles of our Creed and whatsoeuer in this kind the vniuersall Church proposeth vnto vs. For as there is but one formall motiue or subiect of beliefe to wit the prime verity or diuine auctority obscurely reueiling the histories of the Bible the power of working miracles the promises of God and whatsoeuer els So there is but one true and Theologicall vertue of fayth which with most constant assent beleeueth them all one Lord one Fayth one Baptisme And to this one sole fayth not to the peculiar perswasion of Sectaryes is ascrybed by S. Cyrill Patriarch of Hierusalem by S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Augustine S. Leo and S. Fulgentius the whole force of iustification which in any part of sacred Writ is attributed vnto Fayth Wherefore although we hold that this Theological Fayth be the beginning foundation of our spiritual building for be that commeth to God must beleeue that he is Though it be also the roote from whence the life of grace doth somtyme spring by stirring vp and exciting the affections of the will to loue good and detest sinne yet it doth not fully engender that sparke of life it doth neither wholy dispose to the fauour of God as I haue already proued nor intierely sanctify and make vs iust as I shall now demonstrate Math. 25. v. 11. Matth. 7. v. 22. Ioan. 12. v. 42. 43. Matth. 22. v. 11. 3. The foolish Virgins who cryed Lord Lord open vnto vs had fayth and beleeued in him whome they inuocated The false Prophets beleeued who wrought miracles in the name of Christ. The Princes of the Iewes who loued the glory of men more then the glory of God yet as the Scripture sayth they belieued in Christ The guest who was found at the marriage feast without his wedding garment he belieued also for by fayth he yielded to the calling came into the house VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum in his aÌ„swere to 1. reason of M. Campian Abbot in his defence c. 4. Orig. tract 32. in Matth. Hilar. can 27. Hier. ep ad Demetr Theoph. Euthy in cum locuÌ„ August tract 54. in Ioan. August tract 53. in Ioan. Beliar. de iustif l. 1. c. 15. of God and yet none of these were iustifyed therefore Fayth alone is not sufficient to iuftification M. Whitaker M. Abbot and the rest will answere that These had not a true but a faygned dead and idle fayth dead and idle we coÌ„fesse it was yet true and vnfaygned in respect of the essence and nature of Fayth for the Euangelist speaking of the Iewish Princes vseth the same word crediderunt they beleeued in Christ as he doth when he discourseth of them who beleeued indeed which would breed intollerable ambiguity doubtfullnes in expounding of holy Scripture if he were not to be vnderstood of true beliefe Secondly the ancieÌ„t Fathers interprete al these places of true and vnfaygned Fayth Origen S. Hilary S. Hierome the first affirming the foolish Virgins to be excluded from their bride-grome not for want of true fayth but for want of good workes S. Hierome Theophilact and Euthymius the second of the false Prophets attributing to their fayth the inuocation they made Lord Lord haue not we prophefied in thy name and intimating thereby that fayth alone is not inough to saluation S. Augustine expoundeth the third place likwise of true fayth comparing the fayth of those Princes with the true Fayth of such as openly confessed the name of Christ Affirming that if they also had proceeded and gone forward in that entrance of beliefe they might by profiting haue ouercome the loue of humane glory But that Fayth as Cardinal Bellarmine wel argueth which by profiting could vanquish the affection of vaine glory was true fayth otherwise that Fayth had Tertul. l. de resurrec carnis Orig. Chryso in hunc loc Ambr. ser 14. de naâ—ali Hieron Gregor Theoph. Euthy in â—um locuÌ„ Maldon in cap. 22. Matth. Iacob ep cap. 2. v. 14. 17. 14. Augu. de â—â—de opâ—rib c. 14. VVhitak l. 1. aduers Duraeum in his aÌ„swere to 1. reason of M. Ca â—pian VVitak vbi supra Fulk in c. 2. Ioan. sect 9. Abbot c. 4. f. 476. 477. not profited but another arriuing to perfection that had fayled Lastly that he who wanted his wedding garment beleeued also aright is insinuated by Tertullian Origen S. Hierome S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Gregory Theophilact and Euthymius who conformably teach that he was cast into outward darknes not for any defect of fayth but for want of
things spoken if to Luc. 10. v. 16. Matth. 18. v. 17. all be graunted the spirit of Prophesy If members must iudge of their heades and people examine their Pastours doctrine 10. In fine to rippe vp the bowells and breake the very sinewes of this answere in pieces the inward Spirit which moueth the Collatour in the exposition of Gods word may be caused three seuerall wayes 1. God may inspire it 2. The Diuell suggest it 3. The discourse of reason gather and collect it Now aread me this doubt you that ground your fayth hereon how do you know the perswasion you follow to be an inspiratioÌ„ 2. Cor. 1â— vers 14 from God a suggestion of Satan or a discourse of reason The Diuell may transfigure himselfe into an Angell of light many falshoods as the Philosopher teacheth may seeme more probable then truthes Diuers haue beene vndoubtedly perswaded that the spirit of God guided them aright when they were ignorantly missed by the spirit of deceit wherein if you belieue not me belieue a iudicious learned ProtestaÌ„t belieue M. Hooker a famous writer of your owne who hath published these wordes in print Such as are readiest to cite for one thing fiue hundred Hook in his 2. Book sess 7. fol â—18 sentences of holy Scriptur what warrant haue they that any one of theÌ„ doth meane the thing for which it is alleadged Is not their surest ground most commonly eyther some probable coniecture of their owne or the iudgment of others taking those Scriptures as they do which notwithstanding to meane otherwise then they take them it is not still altogeather impossible So that now and then they ground themselues on humane authority euen when they most pretend diuine Who could say more against the vanity of our Sectaries against their obstinate arrogancy in expounding the word by their owne priuate sense and iudgmeÌ„t for if amongst fiue hundred sentences they haue no warrant for one to meane the thing for which it is alledged Yf now and then they ground themselues on humane authority euen when they most pretend diuine by the pretence no doubt and direction of the spirit what notes doth he or his mates assigne what marks do they propose to discerne the Diuine spirit of God from the humane spirit of man or illusion of the Diuell 11. Marrie some Protestants prescribe the Analogie of Scripture That the spirit ought to be tried by Canon of holy writ which is nothing els then to allow the circle so often hissed out of schooles by the spirit to interpret the Scripture and by the Scripture to discerne the spirit Nothing els then to make a faire shew where no hope can be had of escape For either I vnderstand before the sense of the Scripture to which I iudge my spirit agreable or vnderstand it not Suppose I vnderstand it in vaine is the instruction of the spirit Suppose I know it not how shall I iudge of the conformity of my spirit to that which I do not my selfe conceaue Others therfore teach That the spirit needeth not the touch stone of Scripture but may by it self be descried as black from white light from darknesse If this be so why are we commaunded Not to trust euery Spirit when none can deceaue vs Why is it â— Ioan. 4. v. 1. IbideÌ„ sayd Trie the Spirits when they need no triall How falleth it out so many mistake the spirit of truth How is our sight so dimmed that we cannot perceaue the distinction of spirits the darke night from the clearest day 12. We for example beleeue with Protestants the Councell of Nice we beleeue the mystery of the holy Trinity the Incarnation of Christ and with the same spirit which they count erroneous we beleeue the CouÌ„cell of Lateran of Florence the Reall presence the Sacrifice of the masse neither can we see any difference in this our spirit Not we perchance but you the sharp-sighted eagles who soare so high as to gaze on the sunne you no doubt can bewray the different markes Aske then the Lutheran what cloudes of darknesse he discouereth in the spirit of defiance he hath with the Caluinist from the bright beames of light which ioyntly shine in poynts of their agreement he answereth None at all Aske the Caluinist what foggie mist he espieth in his spirit of variance from the Lutheran he answereth none at all Aske the diuine spirited Protestant Aske the Puritan the like question The Protestant contendeth that the spirit which causeth him to dissent from the Puritan is the spirit of light the illustration of the Holy Ghost The Puritan protesteth the same of his And wheras the one must needs be a Satanicall illusion sith it wholy crosseth and contradicteth the other who seeth not that the spirit of truth cannot by it self be discerned from the spirit of deceit no not by the grand-maisters themselues and boasters of the spirit 13. When our Ghospellers are thus beaten out of all their forts or strong holds of succour when they are conuinced that neither Scripture alone nor perusall of places nor examination of Greeke Hebrew fountains nor prayer to God with the direction of the priuate spirit can safely conduct them to the true knowledge and Rein. â— 2. diuis 2. p. 62. 〈◊〉 in act Col. Ratis ses 14. p. 1â—2 Vvhâ—taker desa Scrip. Controu 1. q 4. c 4. q. 5. â— 8. Ioan. â—o v. 17. 1. Cor. 2. v. 15. sense of Scripture will you heare their last and most desperate refuge Listen and learne to detest their fraud Albeit say they these former helpes be not alwayes effectuall to the reprobate or wicked sinner yet they are sufficient inough to the elect of God If the Lord sayth Reynolds take delight in vs he will bring vs to the food of life he will giue vs the bread of our soules and make vs learned in the Scriptures For it is written quoth Hunnius Whitaker My sheep heare my voyce and The spirituall man iudgeth all things O yee children of darknesse O yee enemyes of light How long will yee seeke these cloudy euasions How long will yee runne from one maze of obscurity into another As from search of Scripture to secret prayer from secret prayer to priuate spirit from priuate spirit to hidden grace And how shall I learne who is endued with this celestiall grace in whome God is pleased How shall I know the spirituall man or sheep of Christ Eccles 9. v. â— Salomon sayd No man can tell whether he be worthy of loue or hatred S. Paul I am guilty of nothing yet in this I am not iustified But thou more wise then Salomon more illuminated then 1. Cor. 4. v. 4. S. Paul describe me the markes shew me the badge and cognizance of Christ that I may see whether I am a sheep of his flocke or no. Thou sayst if I had a strong feruent fayth if I belieued aright I should be infallibly acertainted of
Gods present grace and eternall fauour And who I pray hath this feruent fayth He that imbraceth the reformed Ghospell O rounds O circles Are you not ashamed stil to trace this endles Labyrinth Calu. in argumento Epist l. â— Inst c. 8. anno 1554. Luther in prolog Epist. Rogers in his book to the Kings Maiesty I desire to know how I might belieue aright how I might be sure to heare my shepheards voyce and you at length resolue me if I be a sheep of your fold and belieue as you do I shall belieue aright and be sure to heare his voyce A feat of Sophistry tooto common amongst you yet such a feat as with slender skill may be defeated 14. Caluin your Ring-leader approued and partly broached your reformed Ghospell he was a sheep of Christ who reading the epistle of S. Paul to the Hebrewes the epistle of S. Iames heard in them the voyce of Christ the voyce of God And Luther your fore-father what was he a goat of Sathan who perusing the same epistles heard no such voice nothing but dry and dusty stuffe nothing worthy an Apostolicall spirit Our English Protestants are sheep of Christ who reuerence the whole vulgar translation of their Bible as the pure word of God The Millenary Plaintiffes what are they All goats of Sathan who lament therein many false corruptions in matters of fayth as M. Rogers testifyeth in his booke dedicated to this Maiesty Not to speake of the Precisians the Protestants among themselues are all no doubt sheep of Christ How heare they then the voice of their Pastour One in this sort another in that quite opposite to the former One heareth Christ a Biâ—â—on in his suruey of Christs sufferings pa. 650. 651. c. descended into hell another He b Vviâ—let in his book intituled Lymbomasâ—ix descended not One The c Field l. 1. of the Church Church to be alwayes visible another sometymes d VVillet in his Synopfis p. 48. all protestants generally inuisible One gathereth out of Gods words two e Melancâ—hon in lo. commun Sacraments another f Caluin l. 4. inst c. 19. Tree another g Melancth in locis editis an 36. an 52. foure c. One affirmeth The Sacraments do not only signify but h â—ilsoÌ„ in his book of Christ subiection 4. p. pag 51. conferre grace another condemneth i Fulke against purgâ—tor p. 35. Sparks in his answere to M. Iohn Aâ—bins p. â—46 the same as Popish What Is the voice of Christ repugnaÌ„t to it self c. Or are some Protestants also goats of Sathan Or is it true the sheep of Christ do not certainly heare their shep-heards voyce 15. Moreouer the sheep of Christ are of two sortes some are sheep by present grace others by eternall election of neither of these can your maxime be verifyed Not of the first For if they only know their Pastours voyce woe be to all Infidels woe to all notorious and obstinate sinners in vaine are they perswaded and preached vnto Woe had it beene to S. Matthew to S. Mary Magdalen and thousands of Saintes who once depriued of preseÌ„t grace could neuer haue heard their shepheards cal Happy the Reprobate in respect of them who being often sheep by present grace might perfectly know and easily stoop to theâ—â—â—aisters lure Not of the second kind of sheep because S. Augustine a Manichâ—e S. Paul a persecutour euen then â—â—re sheep of Christ by eternall election euen then they studyed and examined the text of Scripture euen then they were both infused with the inward perswasion and spirit of Protestants that they followed their Pastour and obeyed his precepts yet were both deceaued by the voice of a stranger You answere they could not be finally deceaued They heare the true voice of their spouse sayth M. Sparkes at one tyme or another At one tyme or another And who hath reuealed vnto you that this is the tyme of your vocation Imagine you be as they were Gods chosen sheep may you not now be bewitched with some deceitfull charme May not your dreames seeme his Oracles And may you not as God graunt you may be heereafter vncharmed and lament with S. Augustine My errour was my God and the siction Aug l. 4. confes cap. 7. of my braines the voice of my shepheard 16. Againe if this second sort only of elected sheep are vndoubtedly grounded in the true knowledge of holy writ none according to you can be infallibly instructed in necessary points of fayth vntill God admit him as S. Paul sayth to the Counsell of his inscrutable iudgments vntill Rom. 11. v. 3â— he shew his name engrossed in the booke of Liâ—e Which because you ordinarily hold impossible to be belieued without your Solifidian and all-working fayth fayth requireth election and election presupposeth faith And seeing the one can neuer be obtayned without assurance of the other you may search long inough before you can attaine to either 17. What construction then quoth Whitaker will you make of those wordes My sheep heare my voyce Of those The spirituall man iudgeth all thinges I answere that Vvhitaker locis ciâ—â—tis the sheep of Christ heare his voice not at all tymes not when they list but how and when it pleaseth God Sometyme by secret inspiration other while by outwaâ—d hearing or reading his word yet so as they haue neuer infallible certitude heerof but when it is confirmed by extraordinary reuelation or by the publike Iudgment approbation of the Church by whose authority the spirituall man iudgeth all thinges Or he may be sayd to Vvhitaker cont 1. q. 5. c. 8. Rein c. 2. diuis 2. Act. 17. v. 1â— 1. Ioan. 2. v. 27. iudge all thinges not infallibly but prudently and discreetly as the testimony of his conscience and instinct of the holy Ghost shall teach and perswade him Whitaker and Reynoldes againe The men of Beroea are commended for trying the doctrine of S. Paul by the iudgment of Scripture It is written You haue no need that any man teach you but as his vnction teacheth you of all things Lastly All are sayd to be taught of God I answere The men of Beroea or as some say of Thessalonica which were the more noble and wiser sort Esay 54. v. 3. Iohn 6. v. 4â— Vvhitaker ibidâ—m q. 3. ca. â—â— either belieued not before as many hold and then they tooke a iudicious prudent course in searching the places S. Paul alleadged to procure as the Deuines require arguments of credibility whereby they might be induced maturely to imbrace the truth he deliuered which S. Paâ—l no doubt exhorted them vnto And in like case hauing produced testimonyes out of the Sybills Hystapsis against See Lorinê° vpon this place of the Actes and Stapleâ—on in Antidoto â—â—â—n â— strom â— 1. the Gentills he counsaileth them as S. Clemens Alexandrinus testifyeth to read and consider the allegations how strongly they concluded
Alexan. 4 par sum â— 53. in I. iuxta edit antiquam Alex. l. 1. Euchar. c. 41. not say as our Aduersaryes would wrest his meaning vnlesse you eate my flesh vnder the shape of bread and drinke my bloud vnder the forme of wine But vnlesse you eate my flesh and drinke my bloud which may be truely performed vnder one kind alone For he that eateth the bread is entyrely nourished not only with the flesh but with the whole substance of Christ his precious bloud as certaine monkes of whome Alexander de Hales and Cardinall Allan write were miraculously instructed by aboundance of bloud which issued from the signs of bread And he that drinketh the Chalice is likwise fed with the whole quantity of our Sauiours flesh And so he that participateth one kind which perfectly containeth the meate Claud in repe vle de Eucha 1. Cor. 3. v. â— 9. v. 7 Cyp ser de coen Dom. Vvald to 2 de SacaÌ„ rap 93. Pasch l. de Cor. Christi Aug. l. 3. q in Leuit. cap. 57. Chrys ho. 18. m 2. ad Cor. Bils 4. par pag. 632. S. Igna. ep ad Philad Amb. l. de mit myst cap. 9. Hier. in c. 2. Mala. Cyp. ser de coen Dom. Toles in c. 6. Ioan. Exod. 22. v. 15. Iob. 31. Eze. 13. Psal 129. 1. Cor. 11. v. 27. cap. 10. v. 17. and drinke of both may truly be sayd to eate in regard of the one and drinke in respect of the other As Claudius Xainctes proueth by the authority of many Fathers and excellently gathereth out of S. Paul to the Corinthians where the same milke is tearmed drinke and meat which S. Cyprian verifyeth of the food of the holy Eucharist After the like manner Thomas Waldensis expoundeth Paschasius when by these wordes Drinke yee all of this he willeth all faythfull belieuers To drinke the Bloud that is vnder the outward accidents and shew of bread Which is also the meaning of S. Augustine S. Chrysostome and others alleadged by M. Bilson where they say We are all exhorted to drinke the Bloud And That the cup is ministred to all Or they speake of the vse and practise of the Church in their tymes as S. Ignatius S. Ambrose and S. Hierome do Or lastly they speake of the necessity of receauing both kinds at least by some in the Church but not by all As S. Cyprian doth when he sayth The lâ—â— prohibiteth the eating of bloud the Ghospell commandeth it to be drunke 6. Otherwise we may auerre with the renowned Cardinall Tolet in that passage of S. Iohn Vnles you eate c. and drinke his bloud that the Coniunction and is according to the Hebrew phrase disiunctiuely taken for or As in Exodus where the Hebrew text hath He that striketh his Father and his Mother Let him dye the meaning is as our vulgar translation interpreteth and readeth He that striketh his Father or his Mother The like we find in Iob Ezechiel and other places the like in S. Paul in plaine confirmation both of this exposition and doctrine of the Sacrament For wher some read Whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the chalice our of Lord vnworthily in the Greeke it is or drinke And in the immediate chapter before where the ancient latin copies haue We are one bread and one body all that partake of one bread and one Chalice the Greeke only readeth All that partake of one bread Because by one kind we receaue the true nourishment and perfect substance of both 7. Thus we easily put off the force of that argumeÌ„t but how our Aduersaryes will auoyd it I know not For they interpreting S. Iohns wordes of the spirituall eating of Christs flesh bloud by fayth I would vnderstand of them what difference they make betweene eating and drinking For certes in the sole act of faith there is no difference no difference in belieuing his flesh wounded from belieuing his bloud shed in respect of beliefe therefore you neither obey the precept nor feare the coÌ„mination of Christ Vnles you eate the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drinke his bloud you shall haue no life in you Heere Christ Ioan. 6. v. 53. commaundeth the reall eating which you renounce mentioneth the drinking which you haue not the belieuing which in that place he neither commaundeth nor mentioneth you imbrace and yet you would be the Ghospellers of Christ Neuerthelesse at your importunity let vs leaue his words leaue his meaning and admit your false construction Then I propose this questioÌ„ whether he that stedfastly belieueth in Christ the Sauiour of the world with one firme assent without separatly thinking of the wounds of his Body and effufion of his bloud doth truly fullfill according to you the former precept and enioy the promised life or not Without doubt you must graunt he doth as our Sauiour often auoucheth saying He that belieueth in me hath life euerlasting Ioan. 6. v. 47. Ioan 3. v. 16. Ioan. 11. v. 25. euery one that belieueth in the Sonne of God shall not pèrish c. Besides He that belieueth in me although he be dead shal liue Wherefore as this satisfyeth in the spirituall eating why should it not also satisfy in the corporall by one act and vnder one kind to receaue the authour himself and price of our redemption without receauing him twise by two seuerall acts of eating and drinking Because you will say in the corporall Christ commandeth both and doth he not so in the spirituall supposing you spiritually expound his wordes Or will you say that in the spiritual eating of our Redeemer his death and Passion and by consequence his body broken and bloud shed are inuolued So say I that in the corporal teceauing of one kind both are not only consequently inuolued but perfectly contained and in the sole act of eating the other of drinking is vertually implyed Which this very passage Ioan. 6. v. 57. ensuing apparently conuinceth He that eateth me the same also shall liue by me For what doth the word me comprehend but the whole person of Christ his flesh his bloud his body his soule his deity whatsoeuer els belongs vnto him Therefore he that eateth only eateth him eateth and drinketh all 8. But out of the former sayings of S. Iohn M. Bilson with his confederates picke a new quarrel that the wicked according to vs eate Christ yet dye the death of sinners therfore our Sauiour speaketh not of the corporall but only of the spirituall eating by fayth by which we perish not but liue for euer I answere that the former sentences many such like are vnderstood conditionally if he eate worthily and still perseuere in that happy state he shal liue for euer otherwise if he eate vnworthily he eateth as the Apostle sayth iudgment to himselfe Ioan. 4. v. 13. Marc. 16. v. 16. Ioel. 2. v. 32. So it is sayd He that shall drinke of the water that I will giue him shall not thirst
of colours but only white the most true natiue colour so our Reformers admit all manner of Doctrine and in this present all sorts of Confession but that which is most important and beneficiall for their soules 1. They allow the Confession of sinnes to God in generall 2. The Confession of some sinnes in particuler to a learned Minister to receaue comfort and direction from him 3. The Confession of certaine enormo us crimes publikely made in the sight of the congregation for their satisfaction and terrour of others 4. The Confession of priuate iniuries to the party offended to be reconciled to him But the Confession of all particuler faults to a lawfull Priest to receaue pardon and absolution they vtterly disauow Wherein to proceed more perspicuously they chiefly deny three principall points First the power in Priests to absolue from sinnes Secondly the necessity of sinners to confesse Thirdly the necessity of numbring euery particuler offence All which notwithstanding I will clearly deduce out of that soueraigne Commission Christ gaue to his Apostles when breathing vpon them he sayd 2. Receaue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee forgiue they Iohn 20. v. 23. are forgiuen and whose sinnes yee retaine they are retayned For by this passage it is euident that authority is giuen to the Priests of Gods Church not only to preach the Ghospell and denounce retention to the impenitent remission to the Sparkes P. 323. Fulke in c. 20. Ioan. sect 4. 5 Math 28 Mar. 16. Ioan. 20. penitent belieuer as D. Sparkes D. Fulke with their adherents perfidiously wrest the words but absolute power is granted vnto them as the Vicars and Vicegerents of Christ truly to remit and pardon sinnes 1. Because commission to preach was giuen before in S. Matthew S. Marke 2. That was extended to all Teach all nations this is restrayned to some alone who submit their faults to the keyes and censure of the Church Whose sinnes yee remit c. 3. Forgiuenes of sinnes in heauen is not alwayes annexed to the Preachers exhortation it is to the absolution of the Priest if no obstacle hinder it in the party absolued 4. The Preachers voyce declareth on earth what God hath already persormed in heauen but heere quite contrary God ratifieth in heauen what the Priest by his mynisteriall power pronounceth vpon earth The Iudgment Hila. Can 26. in Mat. Chrâ— hom 5. de verbis Isa Vidi Dominum or sentence on earth sayth S. Hilary goeth before that which is giuen in heauen Heauen sayth S. Chrysostome borroweth principall authority of iudging from the Earth So as it cannot be the meere vocation to preach but some other extraordinary and singular Iurisdiction which our Sauiour here bequeathed to his Apostles 3. A Iurisdiction signified before by the power of keys which are chiefly giuen to magistrates and rulers of Cittyes not to betoken thinges already locked or vnlockt but to open and shut as occasion requireth A Iurisdiction for the due exercise whereof the Sacrament so a Aug. l. 2. cont Parm. c. 13. Greg. l. 4. Com. in l. ReguÌ„ c. 5. Calu. l. 4. Instit c. 19. S. Augustine and others tearme it of Ordination was instituted b Chrys hom 85. in Ioan. Greg. Niss ora de lap Isa 44. v. 12. Cyr. lib. 12. c. 56. in 10. Atha ser in illaverba Profecti in pagum Hier ep ad Hedibi Bafil quaest breuib inter 288. Leo ep 91 ad Thâ—oâ— Pacian ep 1. ad Sym. pro. Ambr. de poenic l. x. c. 2. 7. Chris l. 3. de Sacer. Spirituall grace infused the Holy Ghost purposely imparted and imparted after a speciall manner of insufflation or breathing on them to denote that the breath of his Priests pronouncing the words of absolution should disperse and dissolue the mists of sinne according to that of the Prophet Esay I haue disolued like a cloud thy sins This ceremony then was vsed to declare the effect of extinguishing sinne the Holy Ghost was giuen to manifest the cause by whom it is abolished For as S. Cyril sayth It is neyther absurd nor yet inconuenient that they forgiue sinnes who haue the Holy Ghost For when they pardon or retaine sinns the Holy Ghost pardoneth or retayneth sinnes by them and that they doe two wayes by Baptisme first afterwards by Penance 4. Lastly that this rare prerogatiue graunted to Priests was not only by the mystery of the word to declare but by the authority of the keyes to forgiue sinnes many other of the Fathers directly teach S. Athanasius tearming it Power giuen by our Sauiour to Paiests to loose sinnes S. Hierome S. Basil S. Leo Pacianus haue the like S. Ambrose expresly proueth this authority in Priests of remitting sins against the Nouatians cuen ouer them to whom they denyed the ministery of absolution albeit they graunted the benefit of preaching S. Chrysostome extolling the dignity of Priests aboue Kings and Angels amplifyeth the same after his fashion with this goulden streame of wordes They that inhabite the earth and conuerse thereon to them comission is giuen to dispense those thinges that are in heauen To them that power is giuen which Almighty God would not communicate either to Angell or Archangell For to â—hem it is not sayd whatsoeuer yee shall bind in earth shal be bound in heauen c. Earthly Princes indeed haue also authority to bind but the bodyes only but that * Sacerdotum vinculum ipsam eâ—i im animam contingit atque ad caelos vsque peruadit c. binding of Priests which I treate of toucheth the very soule it selfe and reacheth euen to the Heauens In so much as whatsoeuer the Priestes performe beneath the very same Almighty God doth aboue and the sentence * SeruoruÌ„ sententiam Dominus confirmat of the seruant our Lord doth confirme And what is this truly elso but that the power of heauenly things is graunted by God vnto them Whose sinnes soeuer sayth he yee shall retaine they are retained What power I beseech you can be greater then this The Father gaue all power to the Sonne but I see the same power deliuered altogeather by the Sonne vnto them Wherefore as Christ had a speciall power of pardoning sinnes distinct from his power of preaching so had the Apostles to whome he gaue al power committed vnto him as S. Chrysostome auoucheth and our Sauiour himselfe witnesseth when before he imparted this authority he mentioneth his owne commission Ioan. 20. v. 22. saying As my Father sent me I also send you 5. The power of Priests to remit sinnes being thus established it remaineth I declare how Confession to a Priest the second point which our Aduersaryes deny is heerein implyed M. Fulke sayth Neither doth it follow of M. Fulke in c. 20. Io. sect 5. any necessity that men are bound to submit themselues to the Iudgment of Priests if they haue authority to forgiue sinnes But S. Augustine more ancient more holy more
learned then he is of a contrary mind Let no man deceaue himselfe and say I do pennance secretly I do it in the sight of God God who Aug. 50. bom bom 49. pardoneth me knoweth I doe it in my hart Then without cause was it sayd Those things which you loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Then without cause were the keyes giuen to the Church of God Do we frustrate the Ghospell Do we euacuate the word of Matth. 18. v. 18. c. 26. v. 19. Christ As though all these thinges were in vaine if by God alone without the help and ministery of the Priest our sinnes could be remitted For as the Commandment our Sauiour gaue to his Apostles to baptize saying Goe teach all Nations baptizing them c. had beene wholy in vaine if all men were not bound to receaue the Sacrament Matth. 28. â— 19. of Baptisme if any entrance to Christianity any badge or cognizance of a Christian could be obtained without this lauer and regeneration of water and the holy Ghost Againe as the authority he gaue them to preach were to little purpose if men not sufficiently instructed Marc. 16. v. 15. were not obliged thereby to giue eare to his word so idle and in vaine were the commission he granted to his Apostles to retaine and forgiue sinnes if all who offended after Baptisme be not tyed to submit and make knowne their offences vnto them which for two seuerall reasons they are bound to do 6. The first is mentioned by Boetius If thou desire the Boetius de Consola l. 1. prosa 4. help of thy Phisitian it is requisite thou discouer thy disease But as many as are swollen with the impostume of sinne ought to seeke remedy for the recouery of their soules Therefore it is necessary they lay open their soares to the spirituall Phisitians appointed for their cure The second reason is because Priests are made by the vertue of this Commission not only Phisitians but spirituall Iudges also to vnderstand the quality and haynousnes of our crymes to know what medicinable peÌ„nance they should apply to discerne what sinnes are to be remitted and Arist 8. Polit. what retained Now seeing Aristotle teacheth and naturall reason approueth it to be true That it is impossible for them to iudge discreetly who haue no knowledge of the case all that are entangled with the snares of sin must giue notice of them to the Priests tribunall whome God hath placed in iudgment-seat to pronounce in his person sentence of absolution 7. And least any should gainesay with Caluin this Nazi ora ad Ciues timore perculsos Hier. epad Helio Aug. l. 20. de ciu Dei cap. 9. Apoc. 20. iudiciall power graunted to Priests besides the words of Christ which clearely conuince it the authority of the Fathers maketh it vndenyable S. Greg. NazianzeÌ„ auerreth That the law of Christ hath subiected Princes to his Throne and Empyre S. Hierome sayth That Priests hauing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen iudge as it were before the day of iudgment S. Augustine vpon these wordes of the Apocalips I saw seates and those that sate vpon them and iudgment was giuen vnto them writeth thus This may not be thought to be spoken of the last iudgment but by the seates are meant the Rulers thrones of the Church and the Persons themselues by whome they are gouerned And for the iudgment giuen them it cannot be better explained then in these words Whatsoeuer yee bind on earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee loose on earth shall be loosed in Heauen 8. Hence we inferre the exact enumeration of all Sparks p. 329. 330. 331. grieuous crimes the third point M. Sparkes impugneth For as they that haue many strifs in law to be determined by the examination and sentence of the Iudge ought to vnfold them al in particuler to receaue his iudgment and verdict of them so they that are burdened with sundry faults which be offences and iniuryes committed against God if they will come to an attonement with him they must make them all knowne to such as are ordained to reconcile them to his fauour to such as participate to vse S. Gregoryes words the principality of Diuine iudgment Greg. ho. 26. in Eâ—ang who in place of God may detaine sinnes to some release them to others When a souldiour hath receaued many woundes in warre it is not inough to tell his Surgeon or Phisitian in generall manner that he is wounded but he must shew Aug. serm 66. de tem the seuerall woundes and dangers of them or els no wise Surgeon will venter to apply his plaisters or vndertake to cure them euen so it is not sufficient for such as are wounded in Soule with diuers deadly sinnes to complaine in generall that they are grieuous sinners but they must particulerly specify the number quality and haynousnes of euery mortall crime that their spirituall Phisitian may thereby discerne what holsome salue whatsatisfactory pennance what good counsell and aduise he should minister vnto them And therfore S. Gregory Nyssen sayth That as in corporall infirmityes there are sundry kindes of Nyss epist ad Episco Mytil S. Tho. in Supplem ad 3. p. q. â— art 2. medicines according to the diuersity of diseases so whereas in the disease of the soule there is great variety of affections sundry sorts of medicinable cures ought to be adhibited The reason heereof S. Thomas alleadgeth because one disease is more dangerous by the contagion of another and that medicine which is holesome to that may be noyson to this kind of infirmity So that by the approued doctrin of both these learned writers euery penitent ought to make a particuler rehearsall of all haynous faults euen of such as be secret and hidden To which the same S. Gregory vehemently Nyss orat in muliereÌ„ peccatrie Audacter inquit osteÌ„de illi quaesunt recondita animi arcana taÌ„quam oeculta vulnera medico retege Hier. super Mat. cap. 16. exhorteth in another place that thereby the Priest may be perfectly acquainted with the whole state of their soules vnderstand the manifold varietyes of their spirituall diseases For as S. Hierome sayth Then the Bishop or Priest knoweth who is to be bound and who is to be loosed when he heareth the variety of sinnes 9. And this manner of confessing all particuler offences is that which Christ commanded which the figures of the old Testament betokned which the Apostles meÌ„tioned which in al succeeding ages hath byn deuoutly obserued in the Church of God Touching Christs commandment I haue already shewed that it is impossible for Priests to pronounce iudiciall sentence impossible to apply soueraigne medicines impossible to know what they should loose what retaine and consequently this Commission bootles vnles the Penitent were bound distinctly to name his sinnes vnto him Concerning the figures I let passe the confession God exacted of Adam of
In 6. Syn. gen act 4. 9. â—6 with Sergius with the Monothelites their wills and operations who for this cause are enrolled in the rancke of heretikes and aboue 1000. yeares ago condemned by Pope Agatho in the sixt generall Councell 23. Wherefore to draw to an end I intreate you all who peruse this Treatise if the filth sucked out these miry puddles haue not dammed vp the passage of truth if these dregges of heresyes haue not quenched in you all sparkes of grace renounce the Patrons of such iniquity beware the infection of their folly the fury of them who proclaime Christ a Priest Christ a Mediatour according to his Deity and acknowledge with vs how he dischargeth these dutyes only as man notwithstanding how his actions his Sacrifice his prayers and teares were all of infinite and incomparable merit through the excellency of his diuine person Which I would to God his Royall Maiesty would also vnderstand for whose worthy satisfaction I haue diligently laboured to decide this question THE TENTH CONTROVERSY DEMONSTRATETH The Primacy of S. Peter against D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes CHAP. I. ARISTOTLE the chiefe and Prince Arist â— 3. polit â— 5. 6. 7 of Philosophers assigneth three seuerall manners of gouerning a Common-Wealth For eyther many of the meaner sort beare sway or some few of the Nobility or only one as absolute Soueraigne If many it is called Democracy if few Aristocracy if one a Monarchy The first is often ruined with the tumults and garboyles of the vnconstant and diuersly-headed multitude The second commonly deuided with the strifes and factions of the ambitious Peeres The third as it is lesse subiect S. Thom. de regim principum l. 1. cap. 1. 23. â— to diuision so most conuenient as S. Thomas learnedly noteth to order guide and keepe many in peace and vnity the finall scope to which all gouernments should be directed and all rulers ayme 2. Whereupon Plato Aristotle Isocrates and diuers other affirme in peace in warre in managing al affaires Plato in polit Arist l. 3. polit c. 11. 12. l. 4. cap. 2. Isocrates oratione 3. this to be the most diuine forme of a Common-Wealth where one most singular man hath the supreme power and administration of things which both God and Nature confirmeth For in the mystery of the most holy Trinity there is the Father from whom the Sonne and the Holy Ghost who from the Father and the Sonne as from one only origen or beginning proceedeth They euery way equall in properties distinct in Persons three are only one in ouer-ruling and disposing all things Amongst the immortall spirits and quires of Angels there is one illuminated by God who giueth light to the rest In the Heauens there is one first moueable by which the inferiour orbes and planets are moued One Sunne from whence the light of the Stars is borrowed and influence of the signes in the Zodiacke determined In earthly thinges in this little world of man there is one hart from which the arteryes and vitall spirits one braine from whence the sinewes one lyuer from which the veines channels of bloud haue their head or of-spring in euery element there is one predominate quality Amongst the birdes the Eagle among the beasts the Lyon among the fishes the Whale doth also dominier In Trees Cyprian tract do Idolorum â—anitate Hearbes and Plants in Townes Villages Families priuate Houses the like head-ship or Monarchy might be shewed if it were not too long for my professed breuity in so much as S. Cyprian writeth The very Bees haue their guide and captaine whome they follow Apo. 2â— 2. Cant. 6. 3. Mat. 13. v. 38. 41. Ioan. 10. 16. Luc. 10. 34. 1. Tim. 3. â—â— 3. Now sith the Church of Christ militant vpon earth is a perfect yet spirituall Common-wealth sith it is An holy Citty A campe well ordered and established by the wisest Captaine Gouernour and Law-maker that euer was Who doubteth but that he placed in it the most worthy Regiment of all others that Monarchicall preheminence which in all his other creatures so perfectly raigneth especially for that he resembleth it to A kingdome to A sheepefold to An Inne to An House in which one King one Pastour one Host one Maister beareth sway For that it ought to be correspondent to the ancient Mat. 16. 18. 19. Synagogue in which one High-priest answerable to the celestiall hierarchies and orders of Angels among whom one Seraphim is chief And who was this visible Monarch this Ministeriall head of the Church vnder Christ but S. Peter To whom our Sauiour said Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it And I will giue to thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth it shall be bound also in the Heauens and whatsoeuer thou shall loose in Earth it shall be loosed also in the Heauens In which seÌ„tence foure rare prerogatiues are promised vnto Peter and by euery one of them his supereminent dignity aboue the rest of the Apostles manifestly declared 4. For first he calleth him Rocke by which Metaphore he doth insinuate that he as a Rocke or Stone vnmoueable Amb. ser 47. Orig. hom 5. in Exod. saith S. Ambrose vpholdeth the whole weight and fabrike of Christian worke That he saith Origen is the great foundation or most solide stone vpon which Christ builded his Church Secondly he addeth To thee I will giue the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen by which words is signified all power to enact or repeale Lawes sommon or confirme Councels appoint or displace offices consecrate or degrade Bishops all power and authority which is requisite for the rule gouernment or instruction of the Church For euen as when the keyes of a Citty are giuen vp to the Magistrate the administration and rule of the State is surrendred into Greg. l. 4. epi. 32. Luc. 11. 52. Apoc. 1. v. 18. his hands so now when the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen are imparted to Peter The whole charge and principality of the Church as S. Gregory writeth is committed vnto him And whereas there be two sorts of Keyes the Key of knowledge to teach and instruct of which S. Luke You haue taken away the Key of knowledge and the Key of authority and iurisdiction to guide and gouerne whereof S. Iohn speaketh I haue the Keyes of death and of Hell and Esay I will giue the Key of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder Both these Keyes were here delegated vnto Peter by Isa 21. v. 22. It was vsuall amongst the Hebrewes to giue power and authority by the Keyes vid. Azor. Insti mor. p. 2. c. 9. the one he had the Chaire of infallible doctrine to decide all controuersies and define all matters of faith by the other the scepter of Ecclesiasticall gouernment to rule order correct and
par pag. 63. Reyn. in his conf c. 2. diuis 1. 1. Cor. 3. among the Apostles deserued to heare Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church worthy truly who to the people which were to be builded in the house of God might be a stone for their foundation a pillar for their stay a keye to open the gates of the kingdome of heauen M. Bilson may say as some Protestants are wont that S. Augustin reuersed these things in his booke of Retractations how beit he is so far from retracting that exposition as he there confirmeth it rather by the authority of S. Ambrose and at the length leaueth it to the Readers choise whether he will haue Peter or Christ the Rocke on which he builded his Church 9. But D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes with him alleadge out of S. Paul Another foundation can no man lay then that which is already layed which is Christ Iesus I answere another chiefe principall and independent foundation besides Christ no man can lay but an inferiour secondary or subordinate may be layed without danger of disgrace Basil in concione de paeniten to his vnmatchable priuiledge Because as S. Basil excellently teacheth God imparteth his dignityes not depriuing himself of them but enioying he bestoweth them He is the light and yet he sayth you are the light of the world he is a Priest Basil ibid. and he annoynteth Priests he is the Lambe and he sayth Behould I send you like lambes amongst the middest of woules he is a Rock and he maketh a Rocke and immediatly before resuting this Ephes 2. Apoc. 21. former obiection he sayth Though Peter be a Rocke yet he is not a Rocke as Christ is For Christ is the Rocke vnmoueable of himselfe Peter vnmoueable by Christ the Rocke 10. If you inferre that all the Apostles were thus tearmed Rockes and foundations of the Church I answer they were indeed in a certaine manner foundations all because they were all chosen to preach the Ghospell and plant the fayth in euery part of the world they were all immediatly instructed by Christ they had all most ample and vniuersal iurisdiction throughout the whole empyre of the Church In which respects Origen S. Ambrose S. Hilary S. Hierome and rest whome M. Bilson and Bils par 1. pag. 63. Reyn. c. 2. diuis 2. p. 37. Iohn 20. v. 23. Matth. 16. v. 19. Iohn 17. v. 9. Luc. 22. v. 3â— Iohn 16. v. â—3 Luc. 22. v. 32. Ephes 2. v. 20. Matt. 16. v. 18. Mar. vle v. 15. Ioan. 11. v. 17. Bern l. 2. de CoÌ„sider Pascere apud Haebreos idem nonnumquam est quod regere Psal 22. Dominus regit me in Hebraeo est Dominus pascit me M. Reynolds obiect confesse the keyes to be giuen to all the Apostles they acknowledge them al Rockes and Foundations of the Church yet as their authority was delegate S. Peterâ— ordinary as they had absolute power ouer others S. Peter ouer them so they had all the keyes but with dependency of Peter they were all foundations but Peter the first after Christ and maine foundation both to them to the whole Church with them Whereby he excelled the rest of his fellow Apostles in prehemineÌ„ce of power in preheminence of Fayth in preheminence of dignity And therfore whatsoeuer priuiledge in any of these kinds is attributed in holy Write to all the Apostles togeather with Peter the same is imparted againe to Peter alone in a more peculiar and speciall manner To them all power was graunted to remit sinnes Whose sins yee forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose yee retaine they are retained To Peter alone in more ample sort Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth shal be bound in the heauens and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shal be loosed also in the heauens For them all Christ prayed that they might be constant in fayth Not for the world do I pray but for them whome thou hast giuen me for Peter alone I haue prayed for thee that thy fayth fayle not To them all our Sauiour sayd When the spirit of truth commeth he shall teach you all truth to Peter alone Confirme strengthen thy brethren in the truth the holy Ghost shall teach Of them all it is written That we are planted vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets of Peter alone Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church To them all it was sayd Going into the whole world preach the Ghospell to euery Creature To Peter alone Feed my sheep What sheep sayth S. Bernard the people of this or that Citty Of this or that Kingdome My sheep quoth he To whome is it not manifest that he designed not some but assigned all Nothing is excepted where nothing is distinguished 11. Feede my sheep that is feed all that are within the compasse of my fold all that may be intituled myne whether they be Apostles Bishops people or Princes vnlesse Matt. 16. v. 18. â—â— Psal 2. Mich. â— Matth. 2. Apoc. 2. perchance their Apostolicall Episcopall or Imperiall soueraignty any way exclude them from the number of my sheep By these wordes that great reward which was promised to S. Peter in the 16. of S. Matthew is heer exhibited to him and his successors by these he is installed in his Pastorall dignity by these he is created head of the Apostles and chiefe Gouernor of the militant church as the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth declare which importeth not only feed but feed by gouerning and ruling as may be seene in diuers other places of Scripture Likewise Euseb Emiss serm in Naâ—iuit S. Ioan. Euang our Blessed Redeemer gaue heere vnto S. Peter commission both to feed his Lambes to feed his sheep whereupon Eusebius Emissenus aboue a thousand yeares ago proposeth this conuincing argument He committed sayth he to S. Peter his Lambes and then his sheep because he made him not only a Pastour but the Pastour of Pastours Peter therfore feedeth the lambes and also the sheep He feedeth children and their Mothers he ruleth the people and their Prelates He is therefore Ioan. â—1 v. 15. the pastour of all because besides lambes and sheep there is nothing in the Church Hitherto Eusebius Also before this power was giuen to Peter Christ demanded of him Simon of Iohn â—ouest thou me more then these What caused the Sonne of God to exact more loue of Peter then of his fellow-Disciples Had not equall loue beene sufficient to equal care Why then doth he exact more But only because Chrys l. 2. de Sacerd. Ecclesiae praefectura he bequeathed vnto him a farre higher Dignity a more perfect charge ouer his floke the headship or primacy of the Church as S. Iohn Chrysostome by the force of this argument inuincibly proueth 12. Moreouer when our Sauiour repressed the in ordinate Luc. 22. v. 26. lust and desire of raigning in his Disciples a
to the rule of many It was a Monarchy when Christ alone planted and founded it a Monarchy when Peter ruled it and is it now fallen to a more vnperfect forme of gouernment The Common-wealth of the Romans which flourished aboue all others was at last vtterly ruined by her manifold alterations by altering the sterne of regiment from Kings to ten Gouernours from them to Consuls from Consuls to Tribunes of souldiours from Tribunes to Dictatours from Dictatours to Trium-viri and could not our heauenly Law-maker preuent in his spirituall Common-wealth these great inconueniences Would he subiect his Church to such chops and changes to be gouerned first by one then by many after by more now by the Cleargy then by the Laity one while by Bishops then by Kings and Princes heere by Women there by Children whome you make heads and Gouernours of your Church Daniel prophesied that the God of Heauen would raise a kingdome which should neuer be dissolued and the Angell Gabriel foretould it should neuer haue end But neither the wordes of the Prophet nor voice of the Angell do you regard who rent and deuide the kingdome of Christs Church into as many seuerall Common-wealthes as there be seuerall Kinges seuerall Courts of Parlament seueral estates and manners of gouernement absolute and independant in the whole Christian World 6. The Synagogue of the lewes long triumphed in the lineall succession of her High Priests First in Aaron next in Eleazarus then in Phinees and in others after him vntill the end and abrogation of the Law and is it not meete the Church of Christ should glory in the like Being Heb. 8. v. 6 established in better promises and hauing greater necessity theÌ„ euer the Synagogue had For we find by experience many strifes contentions daily happen among the people of God who shal appease quiet theÌ„ The Bishops But how often do they arise among the Bishops themselues The Primates and Patriarches And what if they be also at variance as Flauianus and Dioscorus Cyrillus and Nestorius Euphemius and Petrus Mogus were The temporall Prince or Ciuill Magistrate But they ought not to intermedle with Ecclesiasticall affaires their factions may be more dangerous then any of the former To whome shall we then repaire To a Generall Councell But who shall sommon who shall order who shall direct and guide this Assembly What if they decline from the truth as the Councell of Ariminum the Councell of Milan the second Councell of Ephesus did who shall iudge their cause Who shall compose their dissentions vnles some one be appointed by the prouidence of God whose decree is iÌ„nuiolable and whose infallible censure all ought to obey Couell in his exam against the Plea of Innocents pag. 107. Cartwright in his second Reply part 1. pag. 582. 7. Otherwise as D. Couell our English Protestant affirmeth The Church of Christ should be in a farre worse case then the meanest Common-wealth nay almost then a denne of theeues if it were left destitute of meanes either to conuince heresyes or suppresse them A little before he sayth Authority which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnity and obedience And Cartwright This point of keeping peace in the Church is one of those which requireth as well a Pope ouer all Arch-bishops as one Arch-bishop ouer all Bishops in a Realme Melancthon pursueth the same reason The Bishop sayth Melanct. in Centu. Ep. Theol. Ep. 74. iuxta edit Bipont an Domini 1597. Luâ—h in lo. com Clas 1. cap. 37. p. 107. he of Rome is president ouer all Bishops and this Canonicall policy no wise man as I thinke doth or ought to disallow c. For the Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome is in my opinion profitable to this end that consens of Doctrine may be retained Which Luther his maister taught before him Whereas God would haue one Catholike Church throughout the whole world it is necessary to haue one people Yea and of this one people one Father ought to be chosen 8. Thus these Protestants depose against their own confederates and no maruell though some in so cleare light of Scripture in such a general consent of Councels 1. Cor. c. 12. vers 21. Io. 10. v. 16. Fathers and all antiquity should voluntarily approue a truth so manifest maruell no more approue it great maruell they remember not all the comparisons of S. Paul resembling the Church to a body in which the head Concil Nicen. can 6. Concil Brach. can 28. 23. Concil Constant apud Theod l. 5. Hist c. 9 Concil Lateran c. 5. Florent in Declarat fidei Conc. Chal. Act. 3. in relatione Sanctae Synodi ad B. PapaÌ„ Leonem 6. Synodus general cannot say to the feete as Christ might you are not necessary for me The prophesy recorded by S. Iohn There shal be one fold and one pastour Which as it was not verifyed in Christ his tyme so it cannot be now vnderstood only of him our inuisible Pastour but the flocke and fold being visible the Pastour whose office is ordinary and charge perpetuall must likewise be visible 9. What shall I adde the approbation of generall Councells Of the first Councell of Nice in Bithynia of the Councell of Brachara in Spaine of the Councell of Constantinople in Thracia of the Councells of Lateran and Florence in Italy especially of the Councell of Chalcedon in Asia one of the foure which our English Protestants allow where Pope Leo is called The vniuersall Arch-bishop The vniuersall Patriarch The Bishop of the vniuersall Church The Pope of the vniuersall Church Where the whole Councell tearmeth Leo The Interpreter of S. Peters voyce to all the world Where they acknowledge him their head and themselues his members Where they all confesse That the custody or keeping of the vineyard that is of the whole Church is committed by our Sauiour to Leo. Likewise the sixth Generall Synod confesseth that S. Peter was with them by his Successour Agatho and that S. Peter spake by Agatho his mouth 10. From the Councels I passe to the Fathers to S. Chrys l. 2. de Sacer. Hiero. Ep. ad Dam Hiero. ibid. Aug. in Psal cont part Donati de Vtilitate Cred. c. 17. Aug. in Epist. 162. Aug. lib. 1. con 2. Ep. Pela c. 1. ad Bonifa Prosper li. de ingrat Victor l. 2. de persecu Vandal Vincen in suo CoÌ„mo â—ustinian Ep. ad Io. quae habetur in Codice Iraen l. 3. cap. 3. Chrysostome Why did our Lord shed his bloud Truely to redeeme those sheep the care of which he committed both to Peter also to his Successours To S. Hierome writing to Damasus the Pope of Rome With the Successour of the Fisher-man and with the Disciple of the Crosse I speake I following none chiefe but Christ hold the fellow-ship of Communion with your Holynesse that is with Peters Chaire Vpon that Rocke I know the Church to be built Whosoeuer shall eate the Paschall Lambe out
of that house is a prophane person And a little after He that gathereth not with you scattereth that is he that is not Christs is Antichrists To S. Augustine Number the Priests euen from Peters seate see who succeeded one another in that row of Fathers that is the Rocke which the proud gates of Hell do not ouercome And in another place That is it which hath obtained the top of authority Then he sayth The principality of the Apostolicall Chaire alwayes florished in the Roman Church Lastly The Bishop of that Sea hath the preheminence of higher roome in the pastorall watch-tower which is common to all Bishops For this cause the Church of Rome is tearmed The head of the world the head of all Churches by Prosper by Victor by Vincentius by the Emperour Iustinian and others To which Church as Irenaeus testifyeth for her more powerfull principality euery Church ought to repayre For this the Pope of Rome is worthily intituled The a Hiero. epist. 123. chiefe and highest Priest The b Ambr. com in 1. Tim. 3. ruler of the house of God The c Concil Chal. in epist ad Leonem act 1. head of the Church The d Synod Later sub Marâ—ino Papa secret 2. Prince Doctor of the orthodoxall and immaculate fayth The e Stephanus Archiepis Carthag ep ad Dam. Father of Fathers The f Bern. l. 2. de consid Vicar of Christ The g Bern. ibid. Pastour of all Pastours The h Concil Constant 5. act 1. pag. 74. giuer of Light and pillar of the Church The i Valent. epist. ad Theodosium quae habetur inter praeambula Conc. Chaleed Iustinian Nouell constit 123. in edit Haloand lib. 1. Cod. de summa Trinitate Liberatus in Breuiario cap. 12. Sozom. lib. 3. cap. 7. most Blessed Bishop of the Citty of Rome to whome amiquity hath giuen the principality of Priest-hood aboue all other These last be the wordes of Valentinian the Emperour whome Iustinian Chrys Ep. ad Innocent Theod. in Ep. ad Leonem Sulpitius Seuer l. 2. sacr hist Epiph haer 42. Cyp. l. 1. Ep. 4 Epiph. haeres 68. â—este Paulo Diaco Anact in Symmacho Sigeber in chronic Extainter Epi. Agapeti ToÌ„ 1. ep Rom. Pontif. habetur ep Euti tom 2. Conc. edit Colon. ann 1606. pag. 510. Apud Leonem epist 68. following maketh also a solemne decree That according to the Definition of the foure Holy Councells of Nice of Constantinople of Ephesus and of Chalcedon the Pope of Rome is the chiefe of all Priests And he addeth No man doubteth but that the top or principality of the highest Bishopricke resteth in Rome 11. Besides these authorityes which are all impregnable the continuall practise and consent of all Nations approue the supremacy of the Pope of Rome and therfore to him as to the supreme and highest Iudge vpon earth appeales haue beene made from all partes of the world To giue you a tast of some few examples To whose high tribunall did Flauianus the Partriarch of Constantinople appeale from the second Councell of Ephesus but to the tribunall of Leo Pope of Rome Whose ayd and succour did Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria implore oppressed by the Arrians but the ayd of Iulius the Pope of Rome Vnder whose wings did S. Iohn Chrysostome flye deposed in a Councell of many Bishops of the East but vnder the wings of Innocentius the Pope of Rome To him Theodoret to him Saluianus and Priscillian rebells vnto God and enemyes of that Sea condemned in a Synod at Caesar-Augustum to him Marcion to him Basilides deposed from his Bishopricke was faine to appeale To him Valens and Vrsacius came to giue an account and craue pardon for their treachery against Athanasius To Symmachus Pope of Rome 220. or 225. Bishops as others report banished their seates by King Thrasimond fled for reliefe who honourably maintained them at his owne charges 82. To the Pope of Rome as to the anker of fayth oracle of truth the faythfull were wont to direct the Summe of their beliefe the greatest Clarkes their bookes and writings most famous Councells their Canons and decrees So Iustinian the Emperour sent the profession of his fayth to Agapetus the Pope Eutychius the Patriarch of Constantinople to Vigilius the Pope Proterius the Patriarch Aug. coÌ„t 2. ep â—ela lib. 1. cap. 1. Inter Ep. Hormis Tom. 1. Ep. Rom. Pontif. Hiero. in exp li. Sym. ad Dama Concil Chal. in relat sanct Synod ad Leo. Con. Mileu 10. 2. p. â—01 inter ep Aug. 92. c. Cyp. teste Hier. dialo adu â—ucif Bilsâ— pa. 1. p. 44. 45. 48. 49. Chrys Ep. 1. ad Inno. Tom. 5. Socrat. l. 2. cap. 15. Hier. in symb exp ad Damas Aug. con 2. Epis Pelag l. 1. c. 1. Theod Ep. ad LeoneÌ„ Commen eius in Paul praefix of Alexandria to Leo the Pope So S. Augustine sent his workes to Pope Boniface to be examined and amended Possessor a Bishop of Africa his commentaries vpon S. Paul to Hormisda S. Hierome his explication vpon the Creed to Damasus So the Councell of Chalcedon sent their Canons to Leo the Pope The Mileuitan Councell held in Numidia the cause of Pelagius to Pope Innocentius And S. Cyprian the Primate of Africa sent the decrees of the Councell of Carthage to Stephen the Pope Neyther were these thinges done as M. Bilson to obscure the truth and beguile his Reader craftily suggesteth for the common consent mutuall agreement publike liking of the Bishops in euery Prouince because then the like resorts should haue been made to other Primates as well as to the Pope but they were made to him as to the Vicar Generall of Christ and ruler of his whole Church who had power and authority to examine the causes punnish the faultes reforme the abuses approue the fayth condemne the heresies establish the decrees reuerse the sentences of all other Bishops as the Letters the Complaints the Suites the Embassages the Petitions the whole History of the former Appellants and other resorters vnto Rome beare witnesse 13. S. Iohn Chrysostomes letters were to request Innocentius To pronounce the proceedings of the Bishops of the East voyd and of no force to punish with Ecclesiasticall Censures the Authours of that disorder S. Athanasius his complaint was of the wrong offered him by the Emperor a great assembly of Easterne Bishops who wrongfully thrust him from his Bishopricke And Iulius the Pope of Rome as Socrates relateth by the prerogatiue of the Roman Sea wrote threatning letters in his behalfe and restored him to his place rebuking them who rashely deposed him S. Hieromes suite to Damasus was If any thing be here vnaduisedly set forth we entreate it may be amended by thee who holdest the fayth seat of Peter The like suite S. Augustine made to Bonifacus Theodorets supplication to Leo was this I humbly request beseech your Holynesse in this case to ayde me appealing
Iohn the Patriarch of Constantinople vsurped it to himselfe to wit to be such an absolute and vniuersall Patriarch as to derogate from all others their Patriarchall dignity as diuers Catholike writers haue often demonstrated out of S. Gregoryes owne Epistles Greg. l. 4. Ep. 34. 36. Andreas Frisius de Eccles l. 2. 6. 10. p. 170. Yet if it may carry more credit with Protestants deliuered by Protestants themselues let them read what Andreas Frisius a famous Zuinglian Secretary to the King of Polonia wryteth Some there be who agaynst this office of vniuersall Superintendent obiect the authority of Gregory who sayth that such a tytle belongeth to the Precursour of Antichrist But the reason of Gregory is to be knowne and it may be gathered out of the words he repeateth in many Epistles That the tytle of vniuersall Bishop is contrary and doth withstand the grace which is commonly powred vpon all Bishops He therfore that should surname himselfe vniuersall Bishop nameth himselfe the only Bishop and taketh Bishoplike power from the rest Therefore this tytle he would haue to be reiected which is vsurped with the iniury of other Bishops And immediatly after Notwithstanding by other places it is euident that Gregory thought the charge principality of the whole Church was committed to Peter by the voyce of our Lord. And thus much he wrote plainly and almost word for word to the Emperour Maurice and strenghtned it by testimony of Scripture Thus he Plainly declaring that although S. Greg. l. 4. Ep. â—2 Gregory disliked the arrogant vsurpation of that name with iniury to the other Bishops yet he allowed the vniuersall dignity of one supreme Gouernour of the Church without wrong or derogation to any 22. To that which M. Bilson vrgeth of Councells Bils part â— p. 84. 85 86. 87. 88. c. deposing Popes I answere First they were vnlawfull assemblyes as the Councell of Brixia the Councell of Pisa according to Antoninus And the Councell of Basil although lawfully begun was then vnlawful when it deposed Eugenius Secondly I answere that lawfull Councells may in tyme of Schisme iudge and declare who is true Pope depose the vsurpers or perswade also the true Pope for quietnes sake to resigne his right which was all that the Councell of Constance defined practised in deposing Iohn the 23. Gregory the 12. and Benedict the 13. And therefore M. Bilson might haue well spared his paynes from tyring the learned and amazing the simple Reader with the vayne recitall of so many wild and vagrant hystories To proceed 23. This second point being proued that Peters Successour enioyeth his dignity it resteth I discusse why the Pope of Rome should rather inherite it then the Bishop of Antioch where Peter first sate or the Bishop of Ierusalem where Christ our Sauiour dyed For declaration whereof you must vnderstand that Christ neuer fixed his seat eyther at Ierusalem or at any other determinate place Agayne he hath none to succeed him he still continueth Haeb. 7. v. 24 his Euerlasting Priest-hood And that the Primacy should not remayne at Ierusalem the testimonyes of Scripture are most perspicuous S. Paul giueth a reason hereof The Priesthood being translated it is necessary that a translation of the law Haeb. 7. v. 12. Matt. 21. v. 41. Act. 13. v. 46. also be made Christ fortoâ—d it to the Iewes The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and giuen to a Nation yielding the fruits thereof S. Paul and Barnabas testify the performance To you it behooued vs first to speake the word of God but because you repell it and iudge your selues vnworthy of eternall life behold we turne to the Gentils 24. If Caluin had weyghed these places well they might haue instructed him why the seat of Christs Lieutenant was not placed at Ierusalem the chiefe Citty of the Iewes but in the chiefe and principall Citty of the Gentils It might haue also informed M. Bilson why at Rome rather then at Antioch because it was meete as Saint Leo doth often insinuate That the Citty of Superstition Leo 1. de naâ—a Apost Pet. Paul Marcel Ep. ad presbyt Antioch Anaclet ad omnes Presbyt Hieron de viris illust in vit Pet. Damas in vit eiusdoÌ„ Euseb in Chron. an 44. Hieron de viris Illusta in Petro. might be made the Chiefe Seate of Religion For this cause albeit he first sate at Antioch for the space of seauen yeares yet after as Saint Marcellus Anacletus Saint Hierome and Damasus auouch he translated his throne to the Citty of Rome and there continued Bishop as Eusebus Saint Hierome and other Hystoriographers testify 25. yeares There he ended his life with a glorious Martyrdome There he resigned or rather surceased his Pastorall charge Wherefore seing he only is inuested in the state of his Predecessour who succeedeth him yielding vp eyther by natural death or voluntary resignation his whole former dignity and not he who succeedeth only in his place or partaketh some part of his charge the reason is cleare why Linus the Pope of Rome and not Euodius Bishop of Antioch is Peters Successour because in Rome he sate last in Rome he sate longest in Rome he resigned his Episcopall dignity 25. We see when the King changeth and remoueth his Court from one Citty to another the Magistrate he placeth in his former residence he appointeth no heyre or Successour to the right of his Kingdome When the throne of the Empire was translated from Milan from Treuers from Antioch and other places the Gouernours of those Cittyes did not thereby vsurpe the Imperiall crowne no more can the Bishop of Antioch challenge the scepter of Peters supremacy after that Peter translated his seate from thence after that he aduanced it to the Citty of Rome and there continued it vntill the houre of his death Neuertheles he often departed thence during this tyme into diuers other countreyes about the affayres of the Church 26. And it hath pleased God so to confirme the continuall succession of his chiefe Vicars in the Blessed Sea that notwithstanding many cruell and mighty Tyrants haue bent their whole endeauours to disturbe them from thence notwithstanding they haue beene often banished into remote and barbarous Countreys as Clemens by Traian in Chersonesum the North part of Asia Cornelius Thomas Bozius de signis Eccl. Tomo 2. l. 17. signo 78. Baronius in Auna anno chri 200. 255. by Decius to Centumcellas Liberius by Constantius into Thrace Martin by the same into Pontus and forty such like notwithstanding 33. one after another haue beene put to the sword notwithstanding their remoue for a tyme to Viterbo Auenion Rauenna Yet the Pope haue still returned and the Sea continued at Rome All other Patriarchall seates haue beene shaken in pieces but that of Rome no deaths no banishments no Tyrannies of men or malice of Sathan could euer ouerthrow That hath perseuered for the space of 1620. yeares and
fire Aug. l. 21. de Ciu. Dei cap. 24. 13. But when D. Fulke can find nothing in S. Augustine contrary to his assertion of Purgatory he and D. Field mightily labour to craze his credit as variable and irresolued in this point M. Field feareth not to write Aug. l. 2. de Gen. coÌ„â— Mani haeos cap. 20. Et post hanc vitaÌ„ habebit vel ignem purgationis vel poenaâ— aeternam Augustine to auoyd a worse did doubtingly runne into the errour of Purgatory M. Fulke as insolent as he The opinion of Purgatory in S. Augustines dayes began to be harkened vnto he doubteth of it Notwithstanding S. Augustine is so farre from doubting as he professeth of them that depart with the remainders of sin not wholy cleansed Tales constat c. It is manifest that those purged before the day of IudgmeÌ„ by temporal pains which their soules suffer are not deliuered to the punishments of eternall fire Again He who hath not happily tilled his field but hath suffered it to be ouergrowen with thornes hath in this life the malediction and curse of the earth in all his works and after this life Field in appen part 1. fol. 18. Lodouicus Viâ—es in cum locum he shall haue eyther the fire of Purgatory or euerlasting payne 14. To the first authority out of his booke of the Citty of God M. Field answereth That the words as Viues noteth are not found in some auncient manuscripts nor in that printed at Friburge But Viues annexeth which you most guilfully suppresse Neuertheles the stile is not dissonant from Augustines phrase peraduenture they are either wanting in some bookes or else are interlaced heere out of some other worke of S. Augustines So that if Viues censure may take place it should haue preuailed rather to haue made you reuerence that as S. Augustines saying then insolently reiect it as none of Field ibid. his To the second place he replieth as many cauilling Sophisters are wont to do to the texts of Aristotle they cannot otherwise auoyd that he speaketh not according to his owne mind but according to the opinion then preuailing of deliuerance out of Hell which S. Augustine in that place would not stand to discusse but else where refuteth it at large What Doth he approue and disproue the selfe same thing And doth he approue it heere by absolute asseueration and not by way of obiection Was he so peeuish as to countenance an errour himselfe taught repugnant to Scripture Or so farre ouerseene as to giue such aduantage to his prying enemies the Manichees whom he impugned and you the first to espie his fault which he one of the wisest and humblest that euer was eyther wanted grace to see or modesty to recall in his booke of Retractations There might be found perchaunce a man so senslesse as would giue eare vnto you if the same doctrine were not inuincibly confirmed by S. Augustine in sundry other places 15. In his booke of the Citty of God writing of the Infant regenerated by Baptisme He not only is not adiudged Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 21. c. 16. to eternall torments but neyther doth he suffer after death any Purgatory paynes Likewise in the 13. Chapter of the same booke As for temporall paine some endure it heere some heereafter and some both heere and there c. Some shall be pardoned in the world to come that are not pardoned in this In his treatise Aug. 50. boâ— ho. 16. Ezech. 24. of 50. Hom lies he verifieth of the sinfull soule after this life that saying of Ezechiel Lay it naked vpon the coales vntill her brasse be heated and all her tinne be fried out There the idle words and wicked or impure cogitatious there the multitude of lesser sinnes which haue infected the purity of the noble nature shal seeth forth there the tynne or lead which haue obscured the diuine Image shall be consumed All which might heere by almeesdeeds and teares after a more short and compendious manner haue beene purged from the soule Wherby you may see how absolutly Field in append par fol 19 Field ibid. fol. 17. Fulke in c. 3. 1. ad Cor. sect 6. and against Purgat p. 121. 122. Aug. in Enchir. c. 69. Aug. l. 5. Hypogn Fulke in c. 12. Mat. sect 6. Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 21. c. 26â— S. Augustine is resolued in this point and how voyd of sincerity that protestation of M. Fields is I dissent not from Augustine in anything he constantly deliuereth But the places which are gathered out of him partly by M. Field partly by M. Fulke and others coueting to discrie some vnconstancy and variablenesse of his opinion are these First out of his Enchiridion to Laurence It is not incredible that some such thing also is done after this life and whether it be or not it may be found out or it may be hid Secondly out of his booke of Hypognost where he sayth The third place we are vtterly ignorant of Lastly out of his booke of the Citty of God If any one say the Spirits of the dead all that while suffer such fire c. I contradict him not perhaps he may hold the truth Where S. Augustine nothing doubteth of the assertion of Purgatory paines after this life but only of the manner and quality of them For in the first place hauing expounded the fire S. Paul mentioneth of the fire of tribulation in this life that is of the griefe anguish that tormenteth them that loose their temporall goods which they ouer greedily affected he only doubteth whether there be any such griefe and sorrow in the next life or Aug. ad Duâ—cit quest 1. no for the losse of wordly commodities Which doubt he maketh also in his treatise to Dulcitius 16. In the second place he argueth against the Pelagians who graunted to the Baptized Infants a speciall place Aug. lib. 5. hypognos of eternall ioy and as he proueth no place of euerlasting death but hell so he denyeth any place of continuall coÌ„fort and ioy but heauen alone saying Assigne me besides this another place where there may be perpetuall repose of life A third place of perpetuall abode he was ignorant of and so are we In the last passage S. Augustine disputeth and leaueth it as it were in suspense whether the fire of Purgatory be the same in substance with the fire of Hell yet neuer maketh question but that there is some purging fire after this life And it is nothing but desperate boldnes in our Aduersaryes to auouch the contrary as the zeale of his honour iust defence of so great a pillar of the Church hath made me declare more amply then my purposed breuity would otherwise permit 17. I need not repeate the consent of other Fathers of the Latin Church whose authorityes I haue already alleadged and at whome our enemyes and theirs carpe not so much as they do at S. Augustine I passe
hier cap. 4. Concil Agâ—â—hens can 14. Aug. ser 19. de Sanctis Optatus lib. cont Parm. Peter Mart. in his com places in English pag. 227. Cartwrig in his 2. reply p. 264. Centurist Centur. 4. col 409. Centur. 3. cap. 4. colum 83. Greg. Nazi in ep 8. ad Simplician Fulke in his reioynder to Bristowes reply p. 28. Calu. in Haeb. c. 7. v. 9. pag. 9. 4. in tract theolog pag. 389. Neither M. Higgons nor any Catholike writer euer maintained any such intention of helping all The Patriarches Prophets and Martyrs are remembred and not desired to be holpen the damned who dye in mortall sin are neither holpen nor remeÌ„bred as you may often read in S. Augustine and generally in all the rest howbeit you guilfully misconstrue some of their sayings to be meant of the mitigation of their paines But there are some of a middle sort who depart this life neither deadlywounded nor perfectly recouered of the infirmityes of sinne these only they intended to relieue as M. Higgons proueth and you without iugling should haue laboured to disproue 15. Your answeres to his former two differences are as full fraught with vntruth as this with fraudulency and deceit For you reply to the first We haue Altars in the same sort the Fathers had c. To the second We admit the Eucharist to be rightly named a Sacrifice Both cunning escheats You haue spirituall Altars only they had corporall and externall By nature common stones by blessing Holy and immaculate S. Gregory Nissen On which we Sacrifice vnto one God which were consecrated with Chrisme and the signe of the Crosse S. Augustine S. Dionyse and the Councell of Agatho Which were seats and receptacles of the body bloud of Christ Optatus Sayings disliked by Peter Martyr M. Cartwright and the Centurists who also affirme That the Altars erected within the first 400. yeares after Christ from Iewish obseruation crept into the Church 16. Secondly they had true and proper Sacrifices vnbloudy victimes propitiatory Hosts as I haue largely demonstrated in the Controuersy of the Masse They had A Sacrifice offered to God the Father wherin the Priest supplyeth as S. Cyprian according to the Centurists superstitiously writeth the roome of Christ. They had a Sacrifice The name whereof as M. Fulke affirmeth they tooke of Iewes and Gentils and not from Scripture They as Caluin sayth forged a Sacrifice in the Lords supper without his Commandment and so adulterated the supper with adding of Sacrifice And in another treatise The ancients quoth he are not to be excused for it is apparent they haue heerein swarued from the pure and proper institution of Christ. 17. Now M. Field haue you I pray such Altars such Sacrifices as these Such Altars as Crept into your Church from the Iewish custome Such Sacrifices as were forged without our Lords Commandment Such as adulterated his supper Such as swarued from the pure and proper institution of Christ If you haue let your hart abhorre these villanous inuectlues pronounced against them by the principal Captaines of your sect If not let your Pen retract your former asseueratioÌ„ Let it disclaime from the Altars and Sacrifices of the Fathers and be content to haue no society with them in these as your men account Superstitious abuses 18. In fine the chiefe Ring-leaders of the Protestants Centu. loc citat profession do not only reiect the Altars condemne the Sacrifices but they controle also the very manner of prayer the Fathers vsed for the Dead Therefore they practised some other kind then those foure which M. Calu. l. 3. Inst c. 5. §. 10. Bulling Decad. 4. serm 10. Field his consortes allow Caluin sayth About one thousand three hundred years ago it was receaued as a coÌ„mon custom to vse Prayers for the dead c. But they were all I confesse beguiled with errour Bullinger writeth I know â—he Ancients prayed for the dead I know the excellent Doctour S. Augustine the eloquent S. Chrysostome and many other old and renowned men what they haue left written of this matter I know the Fathers affirme prayer for the dead to be a TraditioÌ„ of the Apostls And S. Augustine Aug. ser 32. de verb. Aposto Centu. 3. c. 5. col 138. Osiand Cent. 3. l. 1. c. 5. p. 10 Hosp in hist Sacr. pag. 167. Spark p. 371. 372. Fulke in c. 10. 1. ep ad Cor. sect 8. prope finem Fulke in his Confutation of Purgatory pag. 262. writeth It is obserued in the vniuersal Church that Sacrifice be offered for the dead I know Aerius was condemned because he disauowed these Prayers But I aske whether the Fathers did well heerin or no The Centurists and Osiander blame Tertullian because he approued Oblations for the Dead and Anniuersary-prayers in their Obite-dayes Hospinian affirmeth of S. Cyril He sayd indeed according to the preuailing custome of his tyme that the Sacrifice of the Altar is a great help to soules Of S. Augustine D. Sparkes He was both greatly carryed by the sway and opinions of the multitude in determining the auaylablenes of prayers for the dead Whereupon in the very next page he sayth I may lawfully discent from him in that case M. Fulke auerreth Prayer for the dead was the drosse of Augustine and Chrysostome Tertullian sayth he S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Hierome and a great many more do witnesse That Sacrifice for the dead is the Tradition of the Apostles 19. Another where he sayth But of memories of the Dead and prayers for the dead also we will not striue but that they were vsed before the tyme of Bede Ephrem Ambrose but without warrant of Gods word or authorityes of Scripture Indeed Is this the cause you reproue a custome so general supported by the greatest Pillers both of the Greeke Latine Church because they want the testimonyes of holy Writ for such is your common excuse repeated in another place We must not belieue Chrysostome without Scripture affirming that mention of the dead in the celebration of the Lords supper was ordained by the Apostles Would not a man thinke this Ghospeller meant to imbrace S. Chrysostome and admit those ancient Writers if they countenanced their assertions with the authority of the Ghospell Would not a man thinke he would then submit his iudgement vnto theirs No other sense I wis can be picked from his wordes notwithstanding farre other is his meaning this is a veile to couer his shame a disguised glosse of speach to pretend the awe and reuerence of Gods word when as neither God nor man neither humane writing nor heauenly Oracles doth he regard vnles they sound very tuneable to his straine Which that you may not condemne as a forgery deuised by me read the sayings of these Fathers and confront with them his answeres 20. S. Augustine first proueth that prayer for the dead disagreeth not from Scripture Not from that of S. Paul We ought all to be summoned before the tribunall
sinned in theÌ„ he shal dye Can there be more cleere testimonyes 5. Neuertheles if any simple and bewitched Sectary should be so miserably inueagled by the charming Ministers Zanchius ep ad Misc testifyeth this of a Geneuian Protestant Luc. 8. v. 13. Ezech. 28. v. 12. Greg. l. 32. mora c. 28. alias 24. 25. Basil in psal 32. Hier. in c. 3. Ozee Damas l. 2. de fide c. 3. Prosper de vita contempl c. 3. Anselm in l. de casu Diabol c. 4 17. 27. as one in Geneua was by Caluin who openly protesteth That if S. Paul should preach at the same tyme with Caluin he would leaue Paul giue eare to Caluin So least any beguiled soule should rather follow the constructioÌ„ of some glosing Fulke then the playne text of Ezechiel of S. Peter the assertion of S. Paul I will add heereunto the testimony of Christ that his authority may outcountenance the follyes of their greatest Rabbyns Our Sauiour speaking of some who with ioy receaue the word and haue no roots giueth the reason heereof saying Because for a tyme they beleeue and in the tyme of tentation they reuolt Which beliefe of theirs Christ compareth notwithstanding with the liuely fayth of such as bring forth a haruest of fruit therfore it was not dead counterfeit for that short tyme in which with ioy they beleeued receaued the word 6. Besides Lucifer was once iust when he was the signet of Gods similitude full of wisedome perfect in beauty when he walked in the midst of fiery stones as S. Gregory collecteth out of those places with whome S. Basil S. Hierome S. Iohn Damascen Prosper and S. Anselme accord in the same opinion Iudas also sayth S. Hierome was once a good tree And Adam without doubt in the state of innoceÌ„cy was likwise good Yet the former two eternally perished and the later for a tyme was wholy depriued of the seed of Grace So was King Dauid in the tyme of his adultery and murder Saul was once a iust man when the holy Ghost commended him as chosen and good King Salomon was highly in the 1. Reg. c. 9 v. 2. 2. Reg. 12. v. 25. Cypr. l. 1. ep 5. August l. â—2 cont â—aust c. 28 Bern. epist 42. ad Henric. Archiep. Luc. 8. v. 13. fauour grace of God when he was styled by the name of Amabilis Domino amiable to our Lord because our Lord loued him yet the one of them dyed after reprobate as the Scripture doth insinuate the other is also thought to be damned by S. Cyprian and by S. Augustine much doubted of by others S. Bernard egregiously argueth and conuinceth this matter out of that passage of S. Luke They beleeue for a while but in tyme of tentation they depart From whence sayth he and whether do they depart From fayth truly to infidelity Againe I aske Could they be saued in that fayth or would they not If they would not what iniury to our Sauiour or what delight to the tempter that they depart from hence where no saluation is For neither doth our Sauiour desire any thing but saluation nor the malignant spirit enuye at any thing but saluation But if they could how are they either without Charity as long as they are in that fayth when without charity saluation cannot be had or forsaking fayth do not also forsake charity when as charity and infidelity cannot stand togeather Some therfore reuolt from fayth because verity auoucheth it and by consequence from saluation because our Sauiour rebuketh it From whence we conclude that from Charity also without which saluation cannot be obtayned Hitherto S. Bernard victoriously writeth in our behalfe with such perspicuity of wordes as receaueth no glose with such pregnancy of reason as admitteth no reproofe 7. Moreouer we are often exhorted to stand stedfast in our calling to remayne constant to the end least Apoc. 3. v. 11. 2. Ioan. v. 8. 1. Cor. 10. v. 12. 2. Tim. 2. v. 5. Rom. 8. v. 17. Matth. 10. v. 22. we loose the goale of euerlasting blisse As Hold that which thou hast that no man take thy crowne S. Iohn againe Looke to your selues that you loose not the things which you haue wroght S. Paul He that thinketh himselfe to stand let him take heed least he fall It is possible then for a maÌ„ so to fal as he may wholy fall away from God and be depriued of his crowne or els these admonitions were to no purpose to as little these conditionall propositions He that striueth for the maistery is not crowned vnles he fight lawfully If we suffer with him that we may be also glorifyed with him He that shall perseuer to the end he shall be saued If whosoeuer hath the grace of God shall fight manfully shall be sure to suffer with Christ sure to perseuere to the end Wheerin if you expect the sentence of the most a Calu. instit l. 3. c. 3. §. 10. faythfull herald of all antiquity Of b Doctor Coued in his booke against M. Burges the chiefest Doctour that euer was or shal be excepting the Apostles Of c yr Edwar Hob. in his Counter pag. 8. August de correp gra c. 13. Aug. l. 11. de ciuit Dei c. 12. Abbot in bis defence c. 3. sect 12. pag. 337. that marble-piller that glorious Saint that euer admired Augustine he sayth It is to be beleeued that some of the children of perdisioÌ„ receauing not the guift of perseuerance vnto the end do begin to liue in faych which worketh by Charity for a time do liue faithfully and iustly and after fall And in another place Although quoth he holy men are certaine of the reward of their perseueraÌ„ce yet of their owne perseuerance they are found vncertaine For what man can know that he shall perseuere and hold on in the action increase of iustice vnto the end vnles by some reuelation he be assured therof from him who of his iust but secret iudgment doth not inform all men of this matter but deceaueth none To which M Abbot replyeth as before that we haue no certainty or assuraÌ„ce of these thinges by apprehension or light of flesh and bloud by sense reason or plaine appearance but by fayth c. Neither is there any necessity to restraine S. Augustines wordes to extraordinary reuelation No Why doth S. Augustine then expresly exclude not only the natural knowledge of sense reason but the supernaturall intelligence of ordinary fayth affirming them to be so vncertaine of their own perseuerance as they are certaine of the reward therof but they are certaine of the reward not by reason or plaine appearance but only by assurance of fayth Therefore they are vncertaine whether they shal perseuere euen by the sam knowledg which proceeds from fayth neither can they possible know it vnles they be enlightned aboue the course of ordinary belieuers Secondly S. Augustine discourseth there of holy men indewed
not wholy of it selfe worke our conuersion M. Fulke His Grace doth not only helpe but wholy conuert man S. Augustine interpreting those words of S. Iohn They could not beleeue If any man aske saith he why they could not beleeue I answere roundly Because they would not M. Fulke They neither would nor could be willing because they were reprobate Did euer Reprobate write more opposite to Gods Elect then this Well If blessed S. Augustine the whole Churches authority for many ages be so little regarded Aug. tract 53. in Ioan will the reasons I insinuated aboue take place with our Gospellers Many as I said are gathered out of the Fathers writings amongst the rest foure principall Fulke in c. 12. Ioa. sect 3. Nys l. 9. de Phi. c. 3. 10. The first is taken from the aduise and consultation which all prudent men obserue in their actions both good and bad an argument much vrged to this purpose by S. Gregory Nissen saying It is necessary that he who consulteth should be Lord and Owner of his actions For if he be not Lord and Master of his actions he consulteth in vaine c. But to haue dominion and rule ouer our actions is altogether the property of Free-will Therefore man who deliberateth consulteth as well in Spirituall matters as in Morall and Ciuill hath free-will in all 11. The second reason is drawen from the counsels precepts encouragements and exhortations to vertue from the prohibitions threatnings and disswasions from vice likewise from the commendations honours and rewards which waite on that and from the disgraces punishments rebukes which alwaies attend on this things often repeated in the Psalmes in the Prouerbs in the Prophesies and almost in euery page of holy Scripture Howbeit S. Irenaeus S. Clement Alexandrinus Origen S. Cyril and S. Augustine frequently auouch they were all to no purpose if man were spoiled of his freedome and liberty S. Irenaeus If it were not in our power to doe these things or not to doe them what cause had the Apostle and our Lord himselfe Iraen l. 4. cap. 72. Clem. Alex lib. 2. strom Orig. Phil. cap. 21. long before to giue counsaile what things we should doe what leaue vndone S. Clement Alexandrinus Neyther dispraise nor honours nor punishments were iust if the soule had not free power Origen When our Lord giueth Commandments what other thing doth he insinnate then that it is in our power to performe the things we are commanded S. Cyril The Diuell suggesteth vnto thee the thoughts of wantonnesse if thou wilt thou entertaynest if not thou withstandest them For if of necessity thou shouldest commit fornication to what end hath God prepared the torments of Cyr. Hieros Cateches 4. Hell And if thou liue vprightly by nature and not by will why hath he reserued the Crownes of Heauen The sheepe is a milde and innocent beast yet is not for her mildnes crowned S. Augustine Vnlesse the motion whereby the will is led to and fro were voluntary and rested in our owne power man should neyther be prayse-worthy Aug. l. 3. de lib. arbit cap 1. turning as it were the thinge of his will to heauenly things nor worthy of blame winding it downe to earthly Nor to be admonished at all c. But whosoeuer thinketh that man is not to be admonished c. deserueth to be banished out of the company of men 12 These wise sayings of the learned Fathers daily obseruation and course of experience doth inuincibly strengthen For who is so simple as to vse exhortations precepts threats or reprehensions to things not endued with freedome of choyce for example who doth exhort the sunne to rise or fire to burne Who giueth precepts Who enacteth lawes to fooles mad-men or children before they ariue to the vse of reason And doth not euery Tribunall euery Iudge euery Iury rather acquite then endite them of their fault who plead this excuse Was there euer any law made how tall men should grow Mat. cap. 6. vers 27. or what complexion or stature they should be of And why Because it is not in the power of man as the Scripture sayth To adde to his stature one Cubite 12. The third reason Eusebius gathereth from the Eus l. 6. de praepar Euang. cap. 7. common practise custome of them who deny Free-will For they admonish and reprehend their followers they take aduise vse deliberation care and diligence in their affaires they perswade others to be of their mind they blame and seuerely chastise if they be able all such as refuse to subscribe to their assertions In which kind our English Protestants aboue all others are now most peruersly bent For besids the exhortations preachings writings conference and sundry perswasions they vse to make vs Catholikes reuolt vnto them they also to this purpose disgrace and reuile vs both in priuate and publike they daily enact most seuere lawes against vs they ransacke our houses confiscate our goods imprison our persons punish and afflict vs with as many heauy pressures penalties molestations aggrieuances as euer any Christiās of Christiās endured And al this to no other end but to enforce a conformity of our beliefe and Religion to theirs Howbeit if their Religion were true orthodoxal as I proue it Hereticall and we wanted the freedome of will as they hold to yield our assent vnto it their Conferences were all in vayne their perswasions foolish their lawes wicked their punishment vniust to compel vs to that which lyeth not in our power ability to do For who accounteth it not sayth S. Augustine a foolish thing to guie Commaundmēts Aug. tom 6. de fide cont Manich. c. 9. 10. Arist l. 2. Eth. c. 4. Aug. l. 1. Confes cap. 11. tom 6. in Disp ◠cont Fortunat◠Idem tom 4. 38. quaest q. 24. Calu. in l. 3. 4. aduersus Pighium l. 2. Instit. c. 2 3. Fulke in c. 12. Matt. sect 1. in c. 25. sect 5. perkins in his refor Catho 1. point touching free-will vnto him who hath no freedome to execute what he is commaunded and an vniust thing to condemne him who hath no power to fulfill the precepts imposed vpon him 14. The fourth and last reason is grounded in the intrinsecall nature of vertue and condition of vice For as no action according to Aristotle and all Deuines can be morally good so no sinne sinnefull except it be voluntary and freely done S. Augustine saith no man vnwilling doth good although the thing be good which he doth And Sins except there were Freewill in vs were no sinnes Also Neyther Synne nor well-doing can be iustly imputed vnto any man who of his proper will doth nothing Therfore both sinne and well doing is in the free arbitrement of the will 15. Caluin Fulke Perkins and their Adherents answere this latter point That sinne is iustly imputed vnto man deteyned in the seruitude thereof because he freely
haeres â—ares 1. Act. 15. Ier. c. 3. epi. ad Aug. quae est 11. inter epist August in detaining that they had vowed vnto God To vanquish the first Peere and Patron of falshood appertained to the first Peere and pillar of truth S. Peter conquered and killed Simon Magus the first Progenitour of Heretickes as S. Augustine auerreth To call and assemble Councels is the office and function of the supreme Pastour S. Peter assembled the Councell of the Apostles And notwithstanding this Councell was held in Ierusalem in the presence of S. Iames Bishop of that Citry euen in his owne Cathedral seat yet S. Peter as S. Hierome noteth first deliuered his mind and S. Iames with the rest ratified his sentence So although S. Paul were the Apostle of the Dionys l de Diui nomi c. 3. Epiph. haer â—â— Bern. l. 2. de consider Cyr. Hieros Cateches â— Cyr. Alex. l. 12. in IoaÌ„ cap. 64. Aug ser 124. de temp quaest nou vet test q. 75. Opta l. 2. cont Par. Ier. l. 1. in Iouin Chrys hom 55. in Mat. Euseb in Chronic. Aug. l. 2. ca. 1. de Baptis Reyn. c. 5. diuis 3. Gentiles and Preacher vnto nations yet S. Peter was the first by whose mouth the Gentils were called the first to whom notice was giuen of their admission vnto the Church Two euident tokens of his supremacy 17. For this cause S. Peter is tearmed The stay pillar and chiefe of Deuines by S. Dionyse The Captaine of the Disciples by Ephiphanius The only Vicar of Christ by S. Bernard The most excellent Prince of the Apostles by S. Cyril of Hierusalem The Prince and head of therest by S. Cyril of Alexandria Which title of head of the Apostles is giuen him also by S. Augustine Optatus S. Hierome S. Chrysostome and others Eusebius also maketh a great difference betweene Peter and other Bishops speaking of S. Iames he calleth him The first Bishop of the Church of Hierusalem Writing of Enodius he tearmeth him the first Bishop of the Church of Antioch Speaking of S. Peter he intituleth not him by any particuler Church but calleth him Christianorum Pontifex Primus The first Bishop of Christians Which S. Augustine confirmeth attributing to him The principality of Apostle-ship and a little before The Primacy of the Apostles is conspicuous and preeminent with excellent grace in Peter Both which passages M. Reynolds sticketh not to expound of Primacy in calling or preeminence in grace wheras S. Augustine directly writeth of his principality of power by reason of the dignity of his Sea aboue all others and aboue S. Cyprians the Primate of Affricke whome notwithstanding he equalleth with him in the Crowne of Martyrdome saying of Peter Who knoweth not his principality of Apostle-ship to be preferred before euery Bishopricke But although the grace or preeminence of Chaires be different yet one and the same is their Aug. vbi supra Reyn. loco citato glory of Martyrdome These wordes M. Reynolds who maketh M. Hart neuer speake more then he was prouided in some shew to refute and sometyme such things as he neuer dreamed cunningly cut off and wresteth that to a prerogatiue of grace to a Primacy of calling which S. Augustine auoucheth to be a priuiledge of S. Peters Sea a preeminence of his Chaire and Pontificall dignity aboue all other Bishops and Primates too Aug. in Psal 130. 18. Secondly S. Augustine affirmeth S. Paul the chief to haue excelled Peter in prerogatiues of grace he witnesseth him to haue receaued more aboundant grace in euery Apostolical worke then the rest of the Apostles because he laboured more then they and therfore is called The a Aug. cont duaâ— ep Pela l. 3 Apostles by an De Bap. cont Don. l. 2. c. 1. excellency In so much as where he giueth to S. Peter the preeminence of b excellent grace he giueth to S. Paul the preeminence of c In Psa 130. Ieron l. 1. aduersus Iouinian Reyn. c. 5. diuis 3. fol. 179. Sap. 4. 8. Tract 1. sect 3. subd 1. most excellent grace And S. Hierome reporteth that S. Iohn excelled Peter in many gifts of grace M. Reynolds foresaw these obiections and will you heare what answere he maketh But Peter sayth he on the other side excelled Paul in Primacy for that he was chosen first and Iohn in age because he was elder Surely an excellent grace an extraordinary preheminence a principality worthy of such high and honourable titles to be before in calling and behind in working elder in yeares and yonger in merits Iudge you and your fellowes of this priuiledge as yee list they who are endued with the spirit of God will giue iudgment with the Holy Ghost Old age is venerable not prolonged not lengthened with the number of yeares for the vnderstanding of man are the gray haires the ripenesse of yeares is life vndefiled 19. Other Protestants more sincere although as saucy as Reynoldes rather reprehend the Fathers for their vnfitting speaches then make of their words such impertinent constructions For as we read in the Protestants Apology The Centurists reproue a Cent. 4. col 554. col 1074 Arnobius for calling S. Peter the Bishop of Bishops b Cent. 4. Col. 556 Optatus for intituling him The head of the Apostles They write of c Centu. 3. col 84. Tertullian he did erroneously thinke the keyes to be committed to Peter alone and the Church to be builded on him The like errour they reprehend in S. d Col 84. Cyprian e Centur. 3. Col. 85. Origen f Cent. 4. Col. 1215. Hierome g Cent. 4. Col. 555. Hilary h Cent. 4. Col. 558. Fulke in his Retentiue pag. 248. Nazianzen Fulke chargeth Optatus with absurdity for saying of Peter He deserued to be preferred before all the Apostles and he alone receaued the keyes of the kingdom of heauen to be communicated to the rest And speaking in the same place of Leo and Gregory Bishops of Rome he sayth Gregory liued about the yeare of our Lord 590. Leo 440. Tract 1. sect 3. subdiu 10. Calu. Musâ—ulns alledged by Whitgift in his Defence p. 173. 66. VVhitgift ibid. pag. Couel in his Exa against the Plea of the Innocent â—eroÌ„ â— 1. in Iouin Bils 1. par p. 62. 63. Reyn. cap. 2. diuis 1. pag 27. Rem c. 3. diuis 1. fol. 95. Bils part 1 pag. 63. 66. 67. The mistery of iniquity hauing wrought in that seate neere fiue or six hundred yeares before them and then greatly increased they were so deceaued with long continuance of errour that they thought the dignity of Peter was much more ouer the rest of his fellow Apostles then the holy Scriptures of God doe allow But if this errour of the Roman Papacy and Peters Supremacy began neere fiue or six hundred yeares before Leo and Gregory it began according to M. Fulke in the Primitiue Church it began in the
Apostles tyme who florished not six hundred whole years before Gregory not fiue hundred before Leo. Whereupon the worthy Authour of the fornamed Apology citeth Caluin Musculus D. Whitguift D. Couell affirming amongst the Apostles themselues there was one chiefe who had chiefe authority ouer the rest And D. Couell approueth that saying of Hierom Among the twelue one was chosen that a chiefe or head being appointed occasion of dissention might be preuented 20. Now let vs examine what M. Reynoldes and M. Bilson oppose against vs and these their Sect-mates They produce S. Hilary S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome and others interpreting the Rocke whereupon the Church is built to be the fayth which Peter confessed of Christ. I graunt they apply the Rocke to Peters fayth but therein they imply the person of Peter For they meane not it should be built on that fayth separate from Peter but vpon Peter confessing it or vpon his fayth and confession as proceeding from him which is all one in effect maketh nothing against vs. Then they obiect That Peter and Paul gaue the right handes of fellowship ech to other That the rest of the Apostles as S. Cyprian writeth were the selfe same that Peter was endued with like fellowship of honour and power I answere Foure things are to be considered in the Apostles 1. Their Apostolicall dignity 2. Their power of preaching 3. Their order of Priesthood 4. Their power of regiment or iurisdiction I confesse then the Apostles were all fellowes equall in Apostleship equall in authority of preaching equall in Priesthood for they could all equally consecrate the Body and bloud of Christ but they were not equall in regiment not equall in iurisdiction because the Iurisdiction of the rest was subiect to Peters theirs vniuersall and absolute ouer others Peters ouer others and Leo Epict. 84. ad Anastas Episc c. 11. them themselues Which S. Leo insinuated saying Among the BB. Apostles in the likenes and equality of honour there was a certaine difference of power And whereas the election of all was equall yet to one it was giuen to be preheâ—â—inent aboue the rest 21. But M. Reynoldes vrgeth The Apostles which were Reyn. c. 4. diuis 3. fol. 1â—7â— Act. 8. v. 14. Act. 11. v. 3. at Hierusalem sent Peter and Iohn to the people of Samaria The Apostles and Brethren that were in Iury called Peter to an account when he had preached to Cornelius Therefore he was not head of the rest I answere there be foure sorts of missions or sendings The one by naturall propagation as the tree sendeth forth her branches the branches their leaues or by inward procession as the Father and the Sonne sent the holy Ghost the third person in Trinity The second is by authority or command as the Lord sendeth his vassall the maister his seruant which supposeth inferiority or subiection The third is by lot suffrage or election as many fellowes of a house or parteners of an incorporation send one of their companions Iosue 22. v. 13. which argueth equality The fourth is by aduise and humble intreaty as the people of the Iewes sent Phinees the high Priest to the sonnes of Ruben and Gad. And as the Counsell may aduise the King to vndertake some heroicall enterprize for the good of the Common-wealth which importeth superiority in him that is sent 22. And thus S. Peter by intreaty was sent to the See Lorin in Act. 11. vers 2. people of Samaria and he of curtesy or charity rather did giue an account afterward why he preached to the Gentils by telling the vision he receaued of Gods diuine pleasure therein to instruct such of the Apostles as doubted whether the time were yet expedient to admit the Gentils or free them that were addmitted from the burden of the law if at least they were the Apostles as S. Chrysostom and Hugo teacheth who reasoned heereof Or he gaue Chrys Hugo in hunc loc Epiphan haeres 28. that account to free himselfe from the calumniation of his enemies and scandall of the Iewes if it were as Epiphauius thinketh Cerinthus the Arch-heretike who stirred vp the people to expostulate that matter with him both wayes he might of great humility and singular charity deliuer what he did and be sent as he was without any abasement to the Primacy of his Apostleship 23. To the other obiections that Peter was reprehended Bils par pag. 69. Calu. l. 4â— Inst c. 6. §. 7. Tertul. in praescript cap. 23. by Paul that Paul was appointed the Apostle of the Gentils Peter of the Iewes therefore not superiour to Paul or in dignity aboue him I answere the thing for which Peter was reprehended and resisted by S. Paul was an errour of fact not of fayth It was as Tertullian sayth Conuersationis vitium non praedicationis a fault of conuersation not of preaching And it is lawfull for the inferiour vpon iust cause with modesty and reuerence to correct his Superiour as S. Augustine declareth by this reprehension S. Paul the later Apostle vsed to S. Peter Secondly I reply to the second branch of this obiection The diuision which was made betweene S. Peter and S. Paul of assigning the Iewes to one and Gentils to the other was no diuision or limitation of Iurisdiction but a distribution only of Prouinces for the more commodious preaching of the Ghospell And therefore as S. Paul was not restrained heereby from intermedling with the Iewes whom the acts of the Apostles report as the worthy Bellar. l. 1. de Rom. Pont. c. 16. Carninall Bellarmine diligently quoteth euery where to haue entred their Synagogues and to haue preached vnto them So S. Peter by his particuler regard and care of the Iewes was no way abridged from his generall charge and care of Gentils neither did he heereupon preach only in Iury or in the Prouinces adioyning not Baron in annal an Christ. 44. 45. in Syria Bithynia Pontus Galatia Cappadocia but as vniuersall Pastour he planted the fayth sent preachers ordayned Priestes consecrated Bishopes in the vniuersall Church So he placed S. Marke at Alexandria Euodius at Antioch Iason at Thessalonia at Rauenna Apollinaris at Capua Rufus Euprepius at Verona at Naples Aspernates Prochorus at Nicomedia So as many Ecclesiasticall histories Metaphrastes apud SuriuÌ„ die 29. â—umj record he appointed Sixtus in France Martiall and Eucherius in Germany Torquatns in Spaine Marcianus Berillus and Philippus in Sicily diuers in Italy where he raysed his seate which be as all Cosmagraphers describe the CouÌ„tryes of Gentils 24. And Innocentius concludeth that S. Peter sent ministers Inno. primus in ep 1. ad Decennium of the word and Sacramentes throughout all the west the north throughout all Asia and the Ilands that lye betweene He to whome Christ committed the charge of all his sheep tooke care to prouide food for all his pastorall solicitude reached euen to the vttermost partes of the world Enioy therefore