and yet remaine still in heauen with many such strange interrogations which wee knowe rather by diuine faith supernaturallie infused vnto vs then by any naturall reason conceiued by our grosse vnderstandinge which according to Aristotle in his metaphisickes is as ignorante of naturall knowledge in respecte of thinges naturall as the owle is of the sunne in the middell of the daie So as this holie doctor impugneth these interrogations as arguments of incredulitie and lacke of faith which are interrogations of the Iewes and protestāts both which as they agree by two sundrie extreames in this infidelitie of discreditinge Gods omnipotencie soe if yow compare both those extreamities together you shall finde also that these mens extreame madnes deserueth more blame and farr exceedeth that of the Iewes 3. But the catholique church vseth a meane betweene both for it vseth none of those incredulous questions which Saincte Chrisostome cōdemneth but simply beleeueth that to be trewe which Christe affirmeth shee holdeth not with the capharnits whoe thought because he said his fleash was meate indeede they should eate him visibly nor yet with the sacramētaries who thincke because he said it is the spiritt that giueth life therfore this fleash is to be eaten by faith onlye But contrarie to them both and in the righte meane and trewe meaninge betweene both ioyninge all Christs woordes together it concludeth that vnder the forme of bread Christes trewe flesh is realy and substantially receaued by sayinge vnder the forme of bread it taketh away the Capharnits grosse and carnall imagination by affirming trewe flesh realy and substantially to be presente it condemneth the protestants spirituall and faithlesse figuratiue intention in all which the Catholique church is sufficientlie grounded and instructed by the plaine authoritie of Christs owne words touchinge the truth of their pretended difficultie For in the 6. chapter of S. Iohn are thies woordes I am the liuely bread which came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer And the bread which I shall giue is my fleshe which I shall giue for the life of the world And where the Iewes fell at variance amoungest themselues saying How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate Iesus said vnto them Verilie verilie I say vnto yow vnles yow eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drincke his blood yow shall not haue life in yow he that eateth my flesh and drincketh my blood hathe life euerlastinge and I shall raise him vpp at the latter day for my flesh is verilie meate and my bloode is verilie drinke he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him c. 4. This comunication our Lord had with the Iewes teachinge in the sinagoge at Capharnaum Mat. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. and a twelmoneth after at his last supper when he instituted the same blessed Sacramente and performed his foresaid promise as they were at supper as the Euangelist saith Iesus tooke bread gaue thancks and blessed and brake it and gaue it to his disciples sayinge Take and eate this is my bodie which is giuen for yow this doe in the remembrance of me likewise takinge the challice after he had supped he gaue thanckes and gaue it them sayinge Take and diuide it amounge yow and drinke all of this this is my blood of the newe testamente S. Paule writeth thus much to the Corinthians saying For I haue receaued of our Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto yow for our Lord Iesus the same nighte he was betrayed tooke bread and giuinge thancks brake and said take and eate this is my body which shal be deliuered for yow doe this in remembrāce of me likewise the chalice also after he had supped sayinge This chalice is the newe testament in my blood doe this soe often as yee shall drinke in the remembrance of me for soe often as yow shall eate this bread and drinke this chalice yea shal shewe forth our Lords death vntill he come wherfore whosoeuer shall eate the bread and drincke of the challice of our Lord vnworthilie shal be guiltie of the bodie and blood of our Lord. But lett a man examine himselfe and soe let him eate of the bread and drinke of the chalice for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthilie eateth and drinketh his owne iudgmente not discerning the body of our Lord. Yow see plainlie the beleefe of the catholique church to be noe forged beleefe but moste firmelie builded vppon Christs plaine wordes as the 4. Euangelists and S. Paule doe wittnesse by which the vndoubted doctrine of this highe misterie of the blessed Sacramente of the alter is substancially and most certainly confirmed Chrys in Math ho. 83. 5. But to confirme the same by the testimonies of the fathers S. Chrisostome saith Sicut in veteri c. Euen as in the olde testamente soe likewise in the newe Christe hath for our benefitt lefte behinde him and gathered together the memorie of his misteries bridlinge therby the mouthes of heretiques for when they aske how it is proued that Christe was sacrificed and put to death besides many other thinges to musell and shutt vpp their mouthes with all wee shewe thē these misteries for if Christ died not whereof is this sacrifice a pledge and token Thus yow see how diligente Christe was and desirous that wee should haue continually his death in remembrance For whereas these heretiques Marcion Valentinus Manicheus and their disciples did denie this dispensation and worke of God in flesh Christe by this misterie soe bringeth vs allwayes in minde of his passion that no man vnlesse he be madde can be seduced By which woordes of S. Chrisostome the certeintie of Christs bodie in the Sacrament is proued for by the truthe thereof beleeued therein Marcion a foresaid and Valentinus and other like heretiques were confounded who said Christe had noe true bodie in which he mighte suffer on the crosse but if the church should haue holden in the tyme of S. Chrisostome that Christe was presente only in the Sacramente by a figure nothinge could haue bene concluded against those heretiques for they denied not but it was figuratiuely also present one the crosse Wee must also vnderstand that this Sacrament is a pleadge or token not as the sacramentaries would wreaste it vid. a pleadge or token of his passion which is liuelie there represented and brought to remembrance by the trewe presence of that selfe same body that suffred And therfore Christe at the institution of this Sacrament after he had said take eate this is my body adioyned therunto those other woordes Doe this in the remembrance of me which woordes Sainct Paule expoundeth verie plainly sayinge Soe often as yow shall eate this bread and drinke of this chalice yee shall shewe forth our Lordes death vntill he come 6. The said S. Chrisostome in the foresaid homilie vppon this texte hoc est corpus meum saith lett vs haue noe doubte but beleeue and
wee must not iudge by examples but by lawes As for the priestes representinge the person of Christe vnto whome the precepte is giuen Doe this c. they receaue Christ vnder both kindes and yet the greekes doe not vse the Chalice in lent and the latines vpon good fridaye doe receaue Christ vnder one kinde 6. I aunswere further that many thinges are instituted by Christ which doe not bind vs to accomplishe them as matrimonie holie orders vowes and votaries to say masse virginitie and euangelicall councells are instituted by Christe and yet wee are not obliged therunto for it is in euerie mans owne election to marrie to receaue holie orders to vowe to be a virgin it was also instituted of God that wyne should be vsed for drinke and yet wee are not comaunded to drinke it it was also appointed by God that the first fruictes of wyne should be offred vnto the priests for their drinke yet they were not comaunded to drinke it Trulie you should followe Christ and imitate him had yow bene obedient to his church accordinge to the example of himselfe who did submitt himselfe to his mother the Sinagoge and her preceptes For wee must vnderstand that such thinges as our Lord hath ordained by himselfe cannot be altered in his Church nor be dispensed withall as the morall preceptes and the articles of our faith which are immutable and such as pertaine to the substance of the sacraments but such as are positiue precepts as the rites of the sacraments not essentiallie pertaininge to the same which Christe himselfe hath not instituted by occasion of time and place and other circumstancies the churche beinge directed by the spiritt of God may alter them because herselfe hath instituted them as this obseruation of communicatinge either vnder one or both kindes and therfore it may be changed by the churche 7. The holy doctors haue diuided the church into three states of times as Nicolaus de Lussa Cardinall Salmeron tractatis 34. related by Alfonso Salmeron hath obserued The first state of the church was feruent for the Christians in that golden world were inflamed with an ardent loue and feruent charitie to shedd their blood for Christ and in this state Christe was deliuered vnto those faithfull christians vnder both kindes that drincking the blood of our Lorde they should most cheerfully shedd their blood for him as S. Cyprian teacheth in his Epistle to Cornelius S. Cypri epist. ad Cornel. and his Epistle to the Thybaritans Neither did he altogether wish it should be giuen to euerie one of the laytie but in time of persecution to shedd their blood for Christ In the second state the church was zealous though not soe feruente and soe Christ was giuen vnto the christians vnder one kinde that is to say of bread which was dipped in blood as may be gathered out of manny fathers and councells In the third state the church was colde and luke warme and so was Christ giuen vnto the laytie vnder one kinde without dipping it into the blood This the church hath done for good cause beinge taught herein by the holly ghoaste which euer followeth the churche whose authoritie is of the same force nowe as it was then 8. You vrge the wordes of Christ saying Matt. 26. Bibite ex hoc omnes drinke yee all of this I aunswere that these words were spoken and directed to the disciples that were present and vnto the priestes their successors when they shoulde celebrate vnto whome also was said doe this in remembrance of me and therfore that glorious Martyr said Roffensii quotiescunque c. whēsoeuer yee shall drinke thereof c. because that the precepte of drinckinge is not soe absolute as the precepte of eatinge his bodie vnto which noe condition is added therfore it is a precepte deliuered vnto them with condition as when they will drinke of the Chalice they shoulde doe it and offer it in remembrance of him for the wordes of the imparatiue moode doe not alwayes include in them an intente of bindinge as vnder paine of sinne for by them wee pray Miserere mei Deus haue mercy on vs. Patientiam habe in me haue patience with me Sell all that thow haste and giue it to the poore yett wee are not bounde to perfourme this precepte Euen soe in these wordes Drincke yee all of this c. wee are not bounde to perfourme it but such as are priestes when they cōsecrate and therfore the three Euangelists doe declare that our Lord did sit with the twelue Apostles and not with other disciples and therfore none excepte the Apostles and such as lawfullie doe succeede them haue power to blesse or to consecrate the Euchariste as Clemens Chrysostome Ambrose S. Bernarde doe affirme 9. Likewise when he gaue power to remitte sinne Iohn 20. only the Apostles were assembled for as it is not the charge of euerie one to preach to baptise or to feede so it is not the office of euerie one to forgiue sinnes or to consecrate the Euchariste which only belonges to lawful priests vnto whom by those wordes he gaue power to consecrate offer dispense the Eucharist For the laytie by those wordes doe this in remembrance of me haue no other authoritie then that from the priests they shoulde receaue godlie and deuoutlie the Euchariste after whatsoeuer forme◠it should please the churche to giue them eyther vnder one kinde or two kindes Doe this whensoeuer yow shall drincke in my remembrance by which words it is not absolutly commaunded to drinke but whensoeuer yow drinke that it should be done in his remembrance as it was done in times paste In eatinge of the lambe it was simplie commaunded that euerie one should eate thereof but to drincke wine euerie one was not bounde it the supper of the lambe Otherwise the abstainer which did abstaine altogether frō wine should grieuouslie sinne and should not be so highlie commended of God for abstaininge from wine And in like manner the Nazarits should alsoe offend for abstaininge from wine as they did For although man can liue without wine yet he cannot liue without bread euen soe without the chalice a man may liue spiritually Hier. 35. but without the blessed bread he cannot liue spiritually and soe wee say alwayes in the Pater noster panem nostrum quotidianum giue vs this daye our daylie bread 10. Adrianus the 4. did dispense with those of Norwaye to consecrate vnder one kinde by reason of the scarcitie of wyne in that countrie for soe they should performe the obligation of receauing this blessed Sacramente This is also confirmed vnto vs by the three famous and generall councells and assemblies of the flower of all the best and learnedst men in the worlde Conc. Cōst sess 13. Basil ss 30 Trid. ss 21 videlicet the councell of Constance Basill and Trente with in the harte of Germanie where this article of receauinge vnder one kinde of the laitie was defined and
and euer shining bringing forth the holy of holies Thou ô h S. Greg. in 1. Reg. mountaine which far surpassest in height all height of creatures Thou i Rup lib. 3. in cant in heauen the queene of Sainctes in earth the queene of Kingdomes Finallie thou art she then which k S. Chry. ser de Natiuit nothing was euer seene more noble or more excellent thou art she who only surpassest heauen and earth what can be more holie then thou Not Prophets not Apostles not Martyrs not Patriarkes not Angels not Dominations not Seraphins not Cherubins nor any thing amongst the visible or inuisible creatures can be found more excellent then thou ô Marie for thou art his mother who was begotten of his father before all begininges Will we know therfore how far thou excellest all celestiall powers These with feare and trembling stand hiding their face but thou doost offer vp mankind vnto him whome thou hast begotten by whom we obtaine the pardon of our offences I therfore thy humble and most vnworthy suppliant doe here present and offer vnto thy protection this worke and labor though far vnworthy of thy patronage beseeching thee that through thy fauorable assistance O most glorious virgin it may serue for the reclayming of deceaued soules into the sheepfould of Iesus Christ for the confusion of Heretiques and consolation of Catholiques for the detection of falsitie and aduancement of verity and lastlie for the greater honor and glory both of thee and of thy B. Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus to whom with the Father the Holy Ghost be honor and glory world without end Amen THE PREFACE TO THE READER 1. A Certaine Protestant gentle Reader quassinge and caurroussinge in a place cried out against the Pope which is a custome nowe a dayes aswell with the meanfest as with the greatest cheefest personages hauing their ministers at their elbowe when they are at meate to sclander the Pope Priestes and Catholikes I woulde they had read and obserued the verse of S. Augustine Quisquis amat dictis absentum rodere vitam Hanc mensam vetitam nouerit esse sibi Who soe speakes ill of those that absent be Forbidden is this tables companie But these men when they are in their greatest dissolution then they raile against religion which should bridle and restraine them from their riotous and wanton excesse This partie being reproued by a certaine Catholike gentleman that was at the boorde began presently to defend his liberty and licentiousnes by holy scripture and by the wordes of our Sauiour mistaken ill applied answered that whatsoeuer enteretd into the belly doth no harme to the soule but that which cometh from the harte This is noe newe practise in the malignant Church as Eusebius saith of the Heretike Cerinthus who because he was giuen to the bellye and beastly pleasures framed holy scripture accordinge to his sensualitie as this protestant alleadged Scripture against fastinge and began to prouoke the Gentleman to dispute with him who answered him that it was not his part to reason or iudge of holy Scripture being soe mysticall and so far exceedinge his capacity especially in such disordered places amoungest the cuppes the fruite whereof would rather tende to confusiō then to edificatiō or deuotiō The Protestante replyed that if any man could answeare to his demaundes or questions at the full and satisfie him truly and effectually he would become Catholike the Gentleman said he would doe his endeuour to propounde such demaundes to others and soe he went vnto the cheefest protestants of that place who haue sett downe these challenges deliuered thē vnto the said gent. who deliuered them vnto me beinge in one house with him 2 These propositions were nothinge else but the old heresies of auncient hereticks and were long since condemned and anathematized by the auctority of the Catholike Churche in all ages wherein those heretikes did springe vp As by S. Peter against Simon Magus By Liberius the Pope S. Athanasius and S. Hillary against Arrius By S. Damasus S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Basil against Macedonius By S. Celestinus Pope and S. Cyrill of Alexandria against Nestorius By S. Leo against Eutiches By Irenus against Valentine By Tertulian against Marcion By Origine against Celsus By S. Cyprian against Nouatus By S. Hierom against Heluidius Iouinian Vigilantius Luciferans By S. Augustine against Donatists Pelagians By Agath against Montolistes By Tarasius against Imadge breakers By Lanfrancus Guitmundus and Algerius against Beringarius By Petrus Cluniacensis against Henricians and Petrobrusians and against Adelhard By S. Bernard against Thomas Waldensis and Witcleefe By the Bushoppe of Rochester as well by his bookes as by his blood against Luther and Zuinglius By Kinge Henry the 8. himselfe against the said Luther whose booke I haue Finally by soe many generall Councells of the world in all ages and by the most famous generall Councell of Trente which sate vpon this matter the space of 16. yeares 3. Touching the aforesaid propositions truly ◠was loath though earneastly entreated by the Gentleman to trouble myselfe to answere them and that for many causes First for that Protestantes are voide of all humility whose religion is nothing elce thē a peruerse and self-wild denial of religiō neuer learning the trueth simply but oppugning it wilfully The second because whatsoeuer Protestants write they doe it not nether for gods sake or for their owne edification but for the destruction and confusion of others as Luther himselfe their Author did confesse disputinge with Eckius who said that it was not for godes sake he tooke that matter in hande and therfore none more maleparte or sawcie then they be Osuis lib. 1. de here Sur. hist Anno. 1519. Beza in pref noui testam An 1565. Tom. 2. Lib. 3. Regem Angliae to 5 ad Galat. c. 3. Beza act c. 10. in pref noui test Mus in locis cōmunib c. 10. Bren. in Apolo conf wittenb c. de cōcil Calu. de vera eccl reformat Musc de comm loc c. de ministrat inter prep locor commu Martyr de votis Illir pref noui testa Pet. in pref 1. cor Humfred in vit Iuelli par 212. Calu. in pref instit ad Regem Galli Martyr de votis pag. 566. 10. res Camp 5. ratio Beza exempla Theologica for they denie all groundes of disputation all traditions of the Apostles Doctors Councells and testimonie of holy Martyres For as when S. Augustine and the holy Doctors of the Church reasoned with the Donatists Arrians Maniches and others and vrged them with the aucthoritie of godes Church with the iudgmente of the sea Apostolique with the succession of Bishoppes in the same with the Councells and finallie with the name Catholike those heretikes quite reiected all those groundes and meanes of tryall euen so Luther the captaine and ringleader of these late heretiques said I set not by a thousande Augustines and a thousand Cyprians alleadged
for a man as meate drinke or sleepe and said moreouer that if a married woman would not render the coniugall debpte of matrimonie Lib. ae vita coniug serm de matrimonio that the husband should not spare his maide The like filthie lust but farre more detestable was the occesion of Caluine his heresie For it is well knoweÌ„ as may appeare by the iudiciall actes and recordes of NouodiuÌ„ Bolsecus in vita Calu. cap. 5. Iul. Brig pag. 59. that he was condemned of the filthie sinne of the flesh against nature had it not beene for the intreatie of the bishop there which obtayned that his punishmente should be turned vnto a hoate burninge iron on his backe he should haue bene altogether burnt Iohn Witcliffe for that he was depriued of his personnage in Oxforde for his vitious misdemenor began his heresie Arrius because Alexander was preferred to the Archbishopricke of Alexandria before him Nicep de pen. l. 5. c. gaue occasion of the Arrian heresie against the deitie of Christe MoÌ„tanus for that he was denyed the primacy of Asia which he soughte verie earnestlie troubled the Church with newe heresies as Nicephorus wyttnesseth de penitentia lâ—b 5. cap. 15. Aerius alsoe for beinge denyed of a Bishopricke fell into Arianisme and afterwardes inuented himselfe a newe heresie which was that wee ought not pray for the dead 2. Henry the eighte as Iohn Foxe a greate puritan in England doth wyttnes Fox in historia pa. 512. edit 1 all the world knoweth to be true for his diuorce made from Queene Catherine his wyfe was by the Bishoppe of Rome excommunicated who beinge sore exasperated therby assembled a parlamente by which he brought to passe that he banished the Popes authoritie out of England made himselfe head of the Church thus far Iohn Foxes owne wordes Hollin in descrip Brita l. 1â— cap. 7. For it is certainly knowen that from the conuersion of England by S. Augustine duringe soe many hundred yeares vnto Kinge Henry the 8. as all English historiographers and ministers themselues doe acknowledge the Catholicke or papisticall religion as it pleaseth them to tearme it did florish in England that the cheefe pointe thereof was that the Pope was iudge moderatour and cheefe Pastor aswell of the English Church as of all other Churches of the Christians in Ecclesiasticall matters which Catholicke faith the said Kinge Henry defended the space of xx yeares as longe as he liued with his lawfull married wife aswell against domesticall heretickes that were his subiects by all penall statutes and exquisit torments at alsoe against forraine hereticks by a most learned booke in the defense of the 7. Sacraments which booke I haue in myne owne custodie for which he was ennobled and honored by Pope Leo the tenth with the title of defeÌ„der of the Catholicke faith which was neuer giuen to any kinge in the worlde before which he receaued as Foxe saies with great ioy for when it came to the kinge beinge then at Greene wich he went to his chapel accompanied with manny nobles Ambassadors Cardinall Wolsey said Masse the Earle of Essex brought the basen of water the duke of Suffolke gaue the assay the duke of Norfolke held the towell the Heraldes with their company began their accustomed cryes prononcinge Fox anno 1528. fol. 441. Henricus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae defensor Fidei Dominus Hiberniae And amongest his other magnificent titles he lefte to this day this title to his posterity as is well knowen to the world Neyther only with bookes but alsoe with his victorious and inuincible armes did he defende the Catholike Romane faith and the dignitie thereof for the which he foughte againste sundrie princes and their confederates as againste Lodowicke the 12. kinge of France and Iames the 4. kinge of Scottes though married to his sister Who beinge vanquished and his great armie ouerthrowen by the Earle of Surrie in England and the said kinge himselfe being slaine in the battle for that he was excommunicated was not suffred to be buried in any Christian graue Also he sent his Armie by sea to ioyne with the Spaniardes againste the kinge of France to assaulte France in the frontiers of Spaine by the powerfull force of the English Iohn Albertus the kinge of Nauare was driuen altogether out of the kingdome beinge excomunicated by the Pope which Spaine doth possesse at this daye Did not the said kinge within fewe yeares after send an Armie into Italie against the Emperor Charles the first in the defence of Clement the 7. then Pope And notwithstanding he was his great frinde and his Nephewe for that Queene Cathrine was his Aunte yet through the filthie concupiscence by which he was besotted and blinded to marrye Anna Bulâ—ene and soe to be diuorced from his lawfull marryed wife he turned all thinges topsie turuie reiected the Popes authoritie which he before aswell by Gods lawes the holy scriptures as by the fathers and Councells of the Church defended and soe by a parlament of one Realme or kingdome he disanulled and abrogated that which was established by soe manny generall parleaments and generall Councells of all Christendome yea by Christe himselfe and by all such as trulye beleeued in him And for not yealding vnto his desire herein manny religious and constant Martyrs offred their liues and their bloode amoungest whome was the lighte of England that most sacred Martyr and learned diuine Iohn Fisher Bishopp of Rochester Sr. Thomas More Lord Chancelor of England of these sorte of people our Sauiour wished vs to beware Act. 20 the Apostle alsoe saith woulues shall enter after my departure and shall not spare the flocke Rom. 16. Therfore in another place he requested vs to marke and knowe what people they be that raise dissentions and scandalls in the Churche and doe teach otherwise then wee haue alreadye receaued and to fly from them Heb. 4. Iohn 4. He alsoe exhorted vs that wee should not be lead away with mutable and strange doctrine S. Iohn alsoe wished vs not to beleeue euerie spiritt but that wee should trye whether they be of God 3. But the doctrine of Luther cannot by any triall be founde true so that as Christ saith Iohn 7. my doctrine is not myne but my fathers which did send me soe Luther may say his doctrine is not his but his fathers the diuell that did send him Luth. lib. de Missa Ang. to G lenens Ger 10. 7. witteÌ„b 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 14. whom he boasted to haue suggested vnto him arguments to ouerthrowe priest-hoode and sacrifice that by that meanes he should ouerthrowe and confounde the true worshipp of the true God for God as the Apostle saith is the God of peace and charitie not of dissention For whosoeuer procures sectes and diuision betwixt brethren saith the prophett is a diuell When therfore by Luthers meanes wee see so manny sectes against Godds Churche wee must
which as it doth exceede all the heresies that euer were in ympietie of Doctrine and wickednes of life so it doth alsoe surpasse all Heretiques Infideles Turcks and Iewes in all bloody feates cruell exploites Babilonian confusion tragicall desigmentes diuelish purposes and plottes yea and strange inuented lawes newer heard of before with their most rigorous execution You see the fruite of heresie the complotters and compassers thereof the cheefe Architects of her detestable practise her effiminacye luxurious wantones her inducementes to all abhominable pleasures and licentious libertie her bloodie imbrumentes and lamentable tragedies in euerie countrie where shee was nourished and inuented which brought a masse of miserie and calamitie with it to those places that receaued her the shipwracke of whose opulente and aboundante fortunes can beare wittnesse thereof obstinate pride presumptuous and turbulent spirittes dislike and disdaininge of good order and sound discipline contempte and despising of authoritie curiositie and affectation of noueltie discontentment and disquietnes of mindes through ympatience of filthie luste and other malignante priuate humors which were neuer inspired by the spirite of God but by the suggestion of the diuill who was the cause thereof Of the miserable death and endes of such as deuised and defended the protestant Religion as also other heresies CHAPTER VII 1. THe first plotter of this heresie was Martine Luther Luthers death whose life as it was most wicked soe his ende was noe lesse miserable He after that he had surfeyted through one nightes gossopinge himselfe beinge fild intemperatlie vpp to the throate was found dead in the morninge with his wife and as it is suspected was choaked by her Henrye Zuthphan which was the first that brought Lutheranisme into Breame was afterwardes burned at Meldorphe in Thretmarsse Anno 1524. Hulderique Zuinglius an Apostate Priest in a furious skirmish beinge leader of the Tigurians whome he brought to that dolefull battle animatinge them to the combatte as surmountinge their aduersaries in multitude of souldiers were all ouerthrowen and he himselfe was found dead amoungest the dead carcases and was cast into the fire Zuinglius death Conrad in Theolog. Fox pag. 444. soe as he suffred a double death by fire and sworde Of whome the Epitaph was made thus Occul uit patrio bellator Zuinglius ense Et gressa est armis gens populosa suis Zuinglius the Warior was slaine in the fielde And the sword of his Countrie did pierce Genebrardus in Chron. 2. fol. 72. His side by many bloody batles fought His Country vnto ruine he brought CoÌ„radus a Lutheran protestant writeth that God manifested his iudgmente vppon Caluine euen in this world whom he visited in the rodde of furie and punished him horribly before the dreadfull hower of his vnhappie death Caluins dreadfull death for saith he God by his powerfull hand did soe stricke this heretique that beinge in desperation blaspheminge and cursinge the name of God and calling vppon the diuills he yelded vpp his wicked ghoaste hauinge an vglye and filthie apostume in his priuie partes out of which there issued such a number of loathsome and stinckinge woormes Carolostadius his death Epistola de morte Carolastadiâ— OecolaÌ„padus death that not any could abide to come nere him this farre the said Author Carolastadius was slaine by the diuill as the ministers of Basill themselues doe witnesse Oecolampadius also a married Mounque of the order of S. Brigget and one of the firste and principalest Architectes of the protestante religion was founde slaine in his bedd by his wyues side and that by her or rather by the diuill himselfe Luth. lib. de Missa priuata as Luther thincketh The Duke of Saxonie and the Lantgraue of Hesse which were the cheefe promotors and Patrons of lutheranisme were in battell vanquished by Charles the fifte depriued of their dominions and kepte in prison by him many yeares The Prince of Condye The prince of Condys death and the admirall of France which were the Patrones of the secte of Caluine or hugnottes in that Countrye were alsoe vanquished and ouerthrowen in the field with their kinge after many other ouerthrowes and slaughter of their adherentes the one I meane Condie was slaine in the battell of Iarnan the other was kild in a triumph at Paris his carcase beinge caste from the topp of a high howse his necke beinge broken and his body torne was drawen by a rope through the streates and hanged not much vnlike to Iezabell where also the Prince Montgomery was beheaded beinge a great defender of Caluinisme 2. The death of such in EnglaÌ„d as were â—atrons of Protestancie The same miserable end they tasted alsoe that were the patrones of this wicked ghospell in England as Queene Anne Bullen Thomas Cromell the Duke of Somersett and Thomas Cranmer Bishopp of Canterburie The first was accused arraigned and conuicted of a filthie incest her supposed Father beinge the iudge thereof and by his sentence putt to death who was so besotted of her filthie loue The next was condemned and putt to death for heresie and high treason by kinge Henry the eighte vnto whom he yealded himselfe both soule and bodâ—e before by the lawe he made himselfe videlicet whosoeuer should be cast into the tower he should be put to death without examination Fox act and monuments 563. whome he called the wall and defense of the protestant Chruch The third which was the Duke of Somersett beinge vncle vnto kinge Edward his vicar generall in all ecclesiasticall causes and protector and as it were kinge of the whole Realme was depriued of all auctoritie and publiquelie beheadded The last which was Cranmer after abiuringe his wicked heresie at Oxford by Queene Marie Robert Barnes Thomas Gerrard William Ierom beinge the first cheefe instruments that Kinge Henry the 8. had to perswade the people touching the kinges supremacie in ecclesiasticall causes were by the said kinge Henrye burned afterwards and the said Barnes beinge there at the stake and the flame readie to lay hould vppon him said these words By our meanes the kinge was made absolute kinge of England whereas before he was but halfe a kinge and for our paynes this is the rewarde wee haue Anno Domini 1540. Prince of Aurengs death 3. The Prince of Aurenge that was the author and enginer thereof in flanders was slaine with a pistole in his newe wyues lappe by Balthazer Gerard. Ludouicus Nalconius brother to the said Prince and the cheefe author of the rebellion of the said lowe Countries in the battle of Mokens which he lost the Spaniardes hauinge gotten the victory was burned in a little cottage aliue whether he fledd for safeguard In that battle also his Brother Henry perished as his brother Adolphus did perishe a little before in FrislaÌ„d William Lumenus the Earle of Mansfil after defilinge his murtheringe hands with the cruell death of many religious persons priests and Catholiques in Holland and Zeland and
as God almightie comanded Moyses when he would deliuer his people from the seruile yoke of Aegipte Exod. 4. to take into his handes a peece of wood that is to say his rodd by which he was to worke all those miracles that he wrought Exod. 7.8.9 so when our Sauiour was to deliuer maÌ„kind from the thraldome of the deuill he tooke this wood which is his crosse of which Moyses rodde was a figure by which our Sauiour hath redeemed vs and by which both he and his spouse the Church doe worke miracles of which the spouse in the Canticles saith Cant. 7. Ascendam in altum apprehendam fructum eius I will climbe vpp into the toppe thereof and I will take some of the fruicte The fruit of this noble crosse is the mortifications of our passions the bridlinge of our filthie concupiscense the crucifieâ—gâ— of our luxurious carcase the restraint of our vnsatiable appetites The fruitt threâ—â—of are all the vertues both morall and supernaturall The fruicte thereof is a chast bodie a contrite hart an instant prayer a feruent spiritt a sounde religion a quiett conscience a perfect life a pure intention and a contemplatiue mind the foundatioÌ„ of all these vertues is true humilitie which was neuer knowen in the worlde before the crosse was exalted in worlde which as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 1. as vnto the Iewes â—ertes a scandall vnto the gentiles foolishnes so now adayes vnto the heretiques of this tyme is Idolatrie but glorie and saluation vnto the vertuous catholiques who doe learne daily by this signe of the holy crosse the principall misteries of our faith which are two 12. First the misterie of the vnitie and trinitie of God secondlie the incarnation and passion of our Sauiour Wee make the signe of the crosse in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost and in this forme Puttinge the right hand vnder the foread when wee say in the name of the Father then vnder the breast when wee say and of the sonne lastly from the left shoulder vnto the right when wee say and of the holie ghoast And saying in the name and not in the names doth shew the vnitie of God and the diuine power and authoritie which is one onlie in all the three persons these woordes of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghoast doe shewe vnto vs the trinitie of persons the signinge in forme of a crosse representeth vnto vs the passion and consequentlie the incarnation of the sonne of God the passinge from the left shoulder to the right signifieth that by that passion of our Sauiour wee were transferred from sinne vnto grace from transitorie thinges vnto eternall from death to life and wee that for our demeritts were to be placed with goates vpon the lefte hand he transferred vs with his sheepe vnto the right where wee may heare that blessed voice Matt. 15. Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you c. 13. This signe also is made to shewe that wee are Christians to witt soldiors of Christ because this signe is as it were an ensigne or liuerie which distinguisheth the souldiors of Christ from all the enemies of the holie Church videl Gentiles Iewes Turckes and Heretiques besides this signe is made to call for Godes helpe in all our woorkes because with this signe the most holie Trinity is called to helpe by meanes of the passion of our Sauiour and therfore good Christians vse to make this signe when they arise from bed when they goe to sleepe and in the beginninge of all other thinges Finally this signe is made to arme vs against all temptations of the diuill because the diuill is afraide of this signe and flieth from it as malefactours doe when they see the signe of the Officers of iustice and many tymes by meanes of this signe of the holy crosse a man escapeth many dangers 14. S. Gregor Nazianzen Naz. in oratione priore quaÌ„ scripsit aduers Iulianum writeth of Iulian the Apostate Ad crucem confugit ac ob timoreâ—â— signatur adiutorem facit quem persequebatur c. He flieth vnto the crosse he signes himselfe therwith he doth aske his helpe whome he persecuted the signe of the crosse did preuaile the diuills are ouercome Theodoretus most famous amoungest the Grecians saith also of him Theod. li. 3. hist eccle Apparentibus demonibus c. When the diuills did appeare vnto him he was compelled to signe his fore-head with the signe of the crosse and presentlie the diuills at the sight of the signe of Christs ensigne remembringe their ouerthrowe they presentlie vanished away And Zozomenus saith of him thâ—s Ex consuetudine pristina symbolo se Christâ— clanculum obsignauit spectra illi subito euanuerunt Accordinge the old custome he did signe himselfe secrerlie with the badge of Christ and the ghoastes forthwith disappeared 15. Tertulian also wisheth euerie true soldiear of Christ Tert. de corona militis to defend and arme himselfe with the signe of the crosse Quamobrem ad omnem progressum c. Wherfore it was vsed that euerie one should make the signe of the crosse in his fore-head at his progresse and promotion at his goinge in and cominge forth in apparellinge himselfe in puttinge on his shoes in washinge himselfe at the table at the lightes at his goinge to bed at his rest in all his actions and conuersations Vnto which agreeth S. Chrisostome saying Neque sic regia corona ornatur caput Chrys in demonstr aduersus Gentiles quod Christus sit Deus to 3. vt Cruce subinde omnes ea se signant c. The crosse is a better ornament for the head of a Christian then the Diademe or crowne of a kinge when as all men do signe themselues therwith in their cheefest and principalest member which is the fore-head beinge the piller in which the same is engraued soe it is vsed in the Eucharist and in the holy Orders of priesthood likewise it shineth at Christs bodie at his misticall supper at home and abroade 〈◊〉 and in companie in your iourney at sea in the shipp in your apparell in your weapons and armes in the bodies of beastes ill at ease in the bodies of men possessed by the diuills so as all men ought to be greedie of this maruailous and pretious good of which they ought to be verie carfull thus fare S. Chrisostome of this noble crosse of which none that is a good Christian is ashamed but the Heretique is confounded therwith 16. The same also S. Augustine insinuated saying Aug. in Psal 141. Let him delude and tryumph ouer Christ crucified insultat ille Christo crucifixo c. I may behold the crosse of Christ in the fore-head of kinges that which he despiseth is a saluation to me none is so prowde as the diseased man that scornes his owne cure if he will not scorne it he should himselfe receaue
quod in eis non bene intelligitur etiam temerè audacter asseritur heresies and other peruerse opinions infectinge and intanglinge our soules euen to the deepe pitt of confusion doe springe of noe other roote then when good scriptures are ill vnderstoode and the badd vnderstandinge therof is bouldly and rashlie applied S. Ambrose doth likewise declare the same sayinge Ambr. 3. ad TituÌ„ S. Hil. in lib. ad Const Haeretici per verba legis legem impugnant by the wordes of the lawe it selfe the heretiques doe impugne the lawe S. Hillarius also saith Neminem haereticorum esse qui se non secundum sacras scripturas praedicare eas quae blasphemat mentiatur there is noe heretique that doth not alleadge falsy the scriptures for his blasphemies Also he saith de intelligeÌ„tia heresis sit Lib. 20. de Trinit non de scriptura sensus non sermo fiat crimen heresie is of the vnderstaÌ„ding not of the scripture the fault is in the sense and not in the word Hiero ad Lucif vnto which agreeth S. Hierom Neque sibi blandiantur c. Lett them not flatter themselues if they alleadge or affirme any thinge of the scriptures when euen the deuill hath alleadged the scriptures for his purpose The scriptures saith he doe not consiste in readinge of them but in vnderstandinge of them Origines also declareth the same Orig hom 9. in Exo saying Non rarò c. Somtimes the diuill doth wreast godes wordes from many for that there is nothinge soe holie but the enemie of mankinde doth abuse the same to the destruction of man Tertulian also saith de scripturis agebant De prefâ—cript her de sciptuâ—is suadebant c. They pleade the scriptures they persuade the scriptures they inculcate the scriptures vnto this they moue some at the first dashe they wearie the stronge they coÌ„nfound the weake and men of indifferent iudgment they dismisse with scrupules Thus far Tertulian soe the Arian heresie the Macedonian the Nestorian Eutichian and all other old heresies would allowe nothinge but scripture and last of all these newe phantasticall heresies doe grounde all their turbulent spirittes and singuler maleperte and headie deuises vpon holie scriptures 2. For example Luther in his first booke against Zâ—uinglius saith that amoungest Zuingilans the Zuinglians themselues concerninge these 5. wordes there arose tenn seuerall sects of different religion I meane 270. sects of heresies in this time Lib de here fabulis hoc est enim corpus meum Stanislaus Rescius hath deuided the hereticall sects of this tyme into two hundred and 70. different heresies euerie one alleadginge scripture for his owne fancie Theodorus did reckon 76. heresies in his owne tyme. Aug. lib. de heres S. Augustine also did reckon 88. heresies vnto his owne tyme. And vnto Luther his tyme there were 290 sortes of heresies all which did alleadge scriptures Yea was there euer any heresie that did alleadge more scriptures for herselfe then that of the Arians did not the Iewes alleadge scriptures against Christ that he should not be holden for a Prophett saying Iohn 7. Scrutate scripturas vide quia a Galilea propheta non surgit search the scriptures saie they and behould that a prophett doth not arise from Galile and by scripture they did endeuour to proue that he was worthie of deathe Iohn 19. Wee haue a law say they and by our lawe he ought to die because he made himselfe the sonne of God Did not Iulian the apostate alleadge scripture as S. Cyrill saithe lib 10. in Iulianum for visitinge Martyrs Reliques alleadginge that place of S. Mathewe 23. that the Scribes Pharisies and Hipocritts are like to white monuments and they ought not to visitt them c. Also he alleadged many places of scripture as Math. 5. Ro. 12.1 Cor. 6. Math. 10. against the christians for repininge against him for takinge away their goodes but to beare all tyrannicall oppressions patientlie Did not Osiander a cheefe secretarie alleadge 20. different opinions touchinge the article of Iustification and at last he cited his owne opinion contrarie to them all 3. Of all these sectes it is saide Obscurum est insipiens cor eorum dicentes se esse patientes stulti facti sunt Their foolish hearte is darkned sayinge themselues to be wise but they be made fooles for heretiques can neuer haue the knowledge of the scriptures In maleâ—olam animam non introibit sapientia Sap. cap. 1 nec habitabit corpore subdito peccatis true knowledge shall not enter into a wicked soule nor lodge in a bodie subiect to sinne Therfore the prophett saithe Discam in via immaculata I will learne in an vnspotted waie and when heretiques through pride and malice haue most maliciouslie opposed theÌ„selues against the catholique church the piller and foundation of all trueth and haue sought by all wicked and malicious meanes to deface the same wee must not thinke they haue had any true knowledge or perfect wisdome for if once a foundation of a house or a rocke vpon which are builded manie chambers do fall all those chambers cannot stand vpp the catholique church is the firme rocke vpon which the faithe of euerie christian is builded if he once fall from the church he hath no faith nor any vnderstandinge of the scriptures and therfore S. Augustine saith he would not haue beleeued the ghospelll without the authoritie of the church which beinge inspired by the holie ghoast hath taught thinges which the scritures haue taught the contrarie as that wee should not obserue the old lawe nor obstaine from thinges suffocated or straungled and such like for the letter saith S. Paule killeth 1. Cor. 3. but the spiritt quickneth And as the letter in the old lawe not trulie vnderstoode nor referred to Christ did by occasion kill the carnall Iewe so the letter of the newe testament not truly taken nor expounded by the spiritte of Christe which only is in his church killeth the heretique who also being carnall and voide of spiritt gaineth nothinge by the scriptures but rather taketh hurte by the same Aug. to 10. de teÌ„pore li. de Spiritu litt c 5. 6. 2. Pet. 3. 2. Tim. 3. as S. Augustine auoucheth for in the newe testament saith S. Peter are certaine thinges hard to be vnderstoode which the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also they do the rest of the scriptures to their owne perdition of whom S. Paule himselfe saith alwaies learninge and neuer attayninge vnto the knowledge of the truth men corrupte in mind reprobate concerninge the faith but they shall prosper noe further for their folly shal be made manifest to all and as Iames and Mambres resisted Moyses soe they alsoe resiste the truethe 4. If Daniell after that God had reuealed vnto him thinges to come concerninge the militant church saith Ego audiui non intellexi I haue heard but I vnderstood not the Angell said vnto
Daniell vade quia clausi sunt signatique sermones vsque ad praefinitum tempus Goe your wayes for these speeches are shutt vpp and sealed vntill the time appointed if soe great a Prophett heard and vnderstoode not what he heard what will heretiques and wicked arogant presumptuous people make glosses vpon euerie â—illable of holie scripture Aug. Con. ep c. 4. Wherfore S. Augustine saith Sacra scriptura c. The holie scripture are not knowen to the proude nor manifest or playne to boyes in the begining therof it is easie but when you enter into it it is loftie and couered with misteries and I was not of that capacitie that I might intermedle therin Aug. lib. de vtil cred c. 7. And in another place he perswaded a yonge man learned in humanitie and Philosophie and other liberall sciences that he should not rasâ—lie reade holie scriptures sayinge to set vpon Maurus a Comedian or TereÌ„ce because thou hast noe skill in poetrie thou darest not without a master and to vnderstand him beinge a comon poett thou searchest the commentaries of Asper Cornutus Donatus and infinitte others and darest thou without a guide or iudge venture vpon holie scripture which as S. Paule speaketh in â—js qui pereunt velatum est 2. Cor. 4. in them that perishe is hidd in quibus Deus huius seculi excaecauit sensum incredulorum in whome the God of this worlde hath blinded the myndes of the infidles that the illumination of the ghospell of the glorie of Christe might not shine in them and as S. Iohn saith Ioh. 1. the light shined in darcknes and the darcknes did not comprehende it the heretiques hauinge not the light of Christes spiritt which is giuen to the church not true humilitie by which they should obeie the same cannot haue the shininge light of Christ his ghospell nor the true vnderstandinge thereof Credite intelligetis saith the Prophett beleue the church and you shall vnderstaÌ„d the scriptures Esa 7. vnto whom almightie God hath giuen the true interpretation thereof and to noe particuler spiritt 5. S. Hierom beinge soe well learned as he was and furnished with the knowledge of all the tongues did stumble in many thinges Lib. 1. de Doctr. chr c. 6. for he sweateth in explayninge the prophetts the same difficultie S. Augustine had as he himselfe declares when he would expounde that place of scripture of the sinne against the holie ghoast and when he alleadged many places he was not satisfied in them all so he saith that many obscure places be in the scriptures almightie God ordayninge the same to abate the pride and arrogancie of man and to submitt his priuate spiritt to the vniuersall spiritt of Christ his church therfore Tertul. saith Fides te saluum fecit non exercitatio scripturae it is thy faith that saueth thee and not the readinge or exercise of scriptures the misteries wherof are hidden from the wicked for they be like Margarittes and pretious stones and which ought not to be giuen to swine noe more ought they to be common to euerie one and as a holy man saith Non intelligendi viuacitas sed credendi simplicitas te saluum fecit it is not the quicknes of vnderstandinge but simplicitie of beleeuinge that shall saue thee Omnis prophetia saith S. Hierom in Ezech 45. prophetts are obscure what the disciples doe heare inwardlie the comon people knowes not what is said in them and accordinge to this the prophett saith tenebrosa aqua in nubibus aeris obscure water in the cloudes of the aier the ordinarie gloss in that place hath obscura doctrinae in prophetis the prophets are full of darke and difficult doctrine 6. Was not the Eunuch Threasurer to the Queene of Ethyopia exercised in the scripture and yet he confessed he could not vnderstand them Act 8. Did not Christe interpreate the scriptures to the Iewes and his disciples Luc. vlt Act. 8. Luc. vlt. S. Iohn Chrisostom vpon that place scrutamini scripturas Christus saith he Iudeos c Christe did not referr the Iewes vnto the bare and naked readinge the scriptures but vnto the diligent examination and inuestigation thereof S. HieroÌ„ saith Lib. 1. praef comment in epist. ad Alga q. 2. that all the Epistles of S. Paule to the Romaines be verie obscure and intricate Luther himselfe vpon the Psalme 88. Thronus eius sicut dies caeli his throane is like the daie of heauen saith I would haue noe man to presume in my behalfe that I can vnderstand the Psalmes in their lawfull sense which was neuer performed of anie though neuer soe learned or soe holie for the scriptures must be considered either litteralie in themselues or accordinge to their methode and sense for in themselues they speake and containe things supernaturall and misticall which are hidden from the capacitie of the vulgar sorte or if they should be considered accordinge to their methode or sense they should be deuided into foures kindes of senses vnderstandinge as sensus Anagogicus which is called the celestiall sense The scripture hath 4 senses or vnderstanding Allegoricus which is the spirituall sense Tropologicus which is the morall sense and Historicus which is the litterall sense Therfore the prophett cried out vnto God sayinge da mihi intellectum c. giue me vnderstandinge and I will searche into thy lawe faciem tuam illumina super seruum tuum Domine Illuminate my vnderstandinge with thy grace ô Lord that I may vnderstand thy word sacrae scripturae saith Hylarius non in legendo sed intelligendo Lib. ad Constan. non in praeuaricatione sed in charitate the holy scriptures doe not consiste in readinge of them but in the true sense and meaning of them not in corruptinge or in preuarication of them but in the charitable interpretation of them And when S. Augustine did see the manifest and false applyinge of them by the PellagiaÌ„s he did appeale to the Bishopes both of the east and weast 7. Caluine saith of the protestantes that they would haue the scriptures to patronize and support their errours sayinge In praefat ad lectores ex Phyco Ibi quid non â—nuertunt quid non deprauant what is there but they peruert and depraue Lutherus in hist Sacrament foll 22. Luther would not admitt any translation of scripture but his owne translation noe more would Zuinglius his aduersarie Zuingl to â—2 resp ad Luth. Luther was offended with the printer that did send him Zuinglius his translation who would not once peruse it and so Zuinglius with Luther Kinge Henry the 8. after he made himselfe head of the Church he caused the scriptures to be translated into English which afterwards he suppressed and inhibited Fox in Henri 8. in fine hist. Afterwardes he caused another translation to be made by the authoritie of the parlament Anno regni sui 34. and proclaymed vnder paine of death that noe other translation should
but forasmuch as they imbrace the wicked doctrine of Caluine Cal. lib. 1. instit cap. 28. that it is a sinne for a man not to sinne and in another place that to restraine any desire that comes vnto a man is to resist God and to sinne for that God is the efficient cause of all euill woorks this mortification and punishinge of the fleash cannot sounde well in their eares whose doctrine life is repugnant to mortification religion discipline all woorks of pennaunce Whether wee ought to confesse our sinnes to priests and whether that priests cannot remitt or for giue them CHAPTER IV. THe opinion of protestants is disproued by learned S. Augustine sayinge Let no man make doubt of the priestes right in remission of sinnes seinge the holie ghoast is purposely giuen them to doe the same it is not absurde saith S. Cyrill lib. 52. that they forgiue sinnes which haue the holie ghoaste Cyril lib. 52. c. 56. in Ioan. for when they remitt and retaine the holy ghoast remitteth and retaineth in them the which they doe two wayes first in baptisme and afterwardes in pennaunce I doe not wonder when Sathan by his members labours to destroie all religion that he should goe about also to abolish the cheefest piller therof which is this Sacrament of confession instituted by our Sauiour for the cheefest consolation of our troubled soules For when the Apostles were gathered together in one place after Christs resurrectioÌ„ he said vnto theÌ„ All power in heauen and earthe is giuen vnto me as my father did send me soe I send yow he breathed vppon them and he saied vnto them receaue yow the holie ghoaste whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose you shall retaine they are retained And when our Lord gaue power and authoritie to priests to remitt and retaine sinnes it is manifest that he made them iudges of our soules as may appeare when Lazarus was raised from death to life Ioh. 11. Cyril li 7 cap. vlt. Aug. trac 49. in Ioannem Luc 17. Aug. de vera falsa poenit c. 19. ser 8. de verbis Domini and beinge tied hand and foote in the graue he said to his Apostles loose him and let him goe S. Cyrill and S. Augustine applie this to the Apostles and the priests authoritie of absoluinge sinners affirming Christ to receaue none into the churche but by the priests ministrie and soe he comaunded the lepers to shewe themselues to the priests and to submitt themselues vnto their iudgment 2 This is declared also by the actes of many of them that beleeued and came confessinge and declaringe their deeds Act. 19. Marci 1. also by S. Marcke when all the countrie of Iurie went vnto S. Iohn confessinge their sinnes which was not don by a generall confession but by a perticuler confession of them S. Iames also doth proue the same saying Is any man sicke amounge you let him bringe in the priestes of the church and if he be in sinnes they shal be forgiuen him Your owne comunion booke hath the plaine wordes of absolution the wordes be these Our Lord Iesus which hath left power to his church to absolue all sinners which trulie repent and beleue in him of his great mercie forgiue thee thine offences and by his authoritie comitted vnto me I absolue thee from all thy sinnes In the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Aug lib. 2. de visitatione infirmoruÌ„ cap. 4. lib. 1. c. 2 S. Aug. saith Some thinckes that it is enough for them to confesse their sinnes only vnto God which knowes the secreattes of euerie ones harte because either for shame or for some other cause they would not vnfould their offeÌ„ces vnto the priestes vnto whome God haue giuen sufficient authoritie to discerne betwixt leper and leper but I would not haue yow be deceaued or confounded for confessinge thy sinnes before the viccar of our Lord. Aug. lib 50. homil 49. The same he confirmed further saying Let no man say I confesse before God secreatlie God knowes my harte who will pardone me if that be soe saith he in vaine it is said whose sinnes soeuer yow forgiue they shal be forgiuen in vaine also the keies of the kingdome of heauen are giuen to the churche Amb. li. 1. de poena cap. 2. S. Ambrose also refellinge the heresie of the Nouatians which taught that God neuer gaue power to any to remit sinnes saith God bid vs to obey his ministers and by doinge soe wee honour God c. Chrysost homil â—9 ad populum 3. This is also proued by S. Chrisostome who said that trewe pennaunce doth cause a poore sinner to suffer all thinges willinglie in his harte perfect contrition in his mouthe confession in his workes all humanitie for saith he this is a most fruictfull pennaunce for by what meanes wee haue offended God by that meanes also wee should be reconsiled vnto him vid. by our harte by contrition by our mouthe by confession by our acte throughe satisfaction Holy councells also as the councell of Florence haue determined this truth and all the fathers of the church as S. Cyprian Epistola 10. Epistola 15. Epistola 1.62 cap. 52. Hugo aduersus luciferanos Cyp. lib. de lapsis 15. Orig. in leuit homil 2. psal 32 Aug. Epistola 54. Socrates lib. 5. cap. 19. Zozo lib. 7. 4. Againe by takinge away from the christians the only bridle which is this sacramentall confession that should curbe and restraine them from their wickednes they giue occasioÌ„ that they runn headlong to all dissolution wanton exercise which the protestantes of Germanie perceauing by experience to be true they requested the Emperor Charles the 5. being then at Norâ—mberge in 4. d. 18. q. 1. ar 1. that by his imperiall authoritie he would cause coÌ„fession againe to be brought â—n wherat Sotus a learned diuine beinge with the Emperor did aunswere laughing and said if by the lawe of God men are not bound to vnfould their sinnes to a prieste â—or by that lawe the priest can absolue as they said how can they be compelled therunto by the precept of man for by humaine precept noe man will reueale his secreat sinnes to any man 5. Pacianus answereth the heretiques that say God only remitteth sinnes Sed quod per sacerdotes suos facit ipsius potestas est and a little after he saith that as not only the Apostles doe baptize but also their successors soe not only they remitt sinnes but also their successors Paulinus in vita Ambro. S. Ambrose hearinge confessions wept as the penitentes confessed their sinnes and by weepinge moued them to contrition Tertulian tells how the christians in his time kneeled to the priests for remission S. Hieronimus epist ad Heliodorum God forbid that that I should speake ill of priests who succeedinge to the Apostles by their holy mouth doe make the body of Christe by whome wee also
prayers soe shee ordained certaine dayes and certaine tymes of fastinge not without significant misteries correspondent to euerie time 4. Also she hath made a prohibition of certaine meates to tame the wantones and exorbitāt luste of our fleashly inclinations disposinge and impellinge the spiritt to yeld vnto her consent aswell by the suggestion of Sathan as her owne delectation and so to make our poore soule which otherwise ought to be the harbenger to intertaine the inspiration of the holy ghost to receaue the suggestion of the diuil her filthy delectation she I say hath prohibited certaine meates therby to deliuer the spiritt from the stinge of the filthie motions of concupiscence and sensualitie and to humble the same vnto the lawe of God and rule of reason Aug. cont Faust Manich. Psal 34. S. Augustine saith the church doth with great reason abstaine from certaine meates certaine tymes as Dauid cum mihi molesti essent c. when those carnall motions did vexe me I did weare haire cloathe and did humble my soule with fastinge S. Paule when he was attatched with these carnall motions he praied vnto God three tymes 2. Cor. 6. Gal. 5. he chastised his bodie and yet he was the elected vessell of God And in another place he said let vs exhibit ourselues as the ministers of God in watchinges fastinges and chasticements for such saith he as are the members of Christ they crucifie the flesh with the vices and concupiscence thereof Matt. 9. Luc 5. Act. 13. our Sauiour also said that notwithstanding the Apostles should be replenished with the holie ghoaste yet they should fast He said also that certaine diuills are so terrible to offend Matt. 7. and soe dreadfull to tempte vs that they cannot be ouercome but by fastinge and praier and therfore the Angell said vnto Tobias Daniel 9 that praier with fastinge is good and Daniell by fastinge did prophesie soe many things to come of the militant churche 5. He is a bad patiēt that doth not abstaine from certaine meates certaine times accordinge to the rule and prescripte order of his corporall phisition concerninge his bodilie disease and is not he a bad christian that doth not obey the comaundemēt of the church his ghostlie phisition touchinge the spirituall sicknesse of the soule and yet such is the protestant who is soe fleashlie giuen that he would not abstaine his carnall appetites from fleash vpon good friday A certaine Irishman beinge sent ouer by the Lord deputie of Ireland to a great noble man in England with grehounds the said noble man hauinge asked of him what meate those grehounds were wont to eate and the man hauing told him certaine distinctions of meate the noble man said that by that obseruarion of diett they were papists doggs the Irishman said they were as good protestants doggs as any were in all Ingland for said he they will not refraine from any flesh vppon good fridaie Amb. lib. de Helici iciun Cyp. de iciun tentat Hier. li. 1. Wherein these heretiques imitate Aerius who would not haue the christians to obserue any time of fastinge as S. Epiphanus said and therfore by him and others condemned for an heretique as also Iouinian for that occasion was condemned for an heretique by S. Hierome 6. But wee ought not to transgresse the the bondes and decrees of our auncestors and elders therfore wee ought not to followe Luther who said he would not faste because as he said the Pope biddeth the same But it is the discipline and custome of the vniuersall church to fast the lent Hieron Epip de consecrat dub 5. Can. 68.19 Mogunt cap. 35. Tollet 8. cap. 9. the aduents the eues of the Apostles and fridaies and Saterdaies and this from the begining So the Canons of the Apostles doe teach and holie councells as Gangrense Mogunt and the councell of Tollet which excommunicated all such as would despise the ecclesiasticall constitutions touchinge fasting or that without ineuitable necessitie should eate flesh in lent time the prophett confirminge the same Ioel. 2. solemnize and institute a faste wherin the christians ought to obey beleue the church according to the saying of S. Athanasius who hath thies wordes If anny will come and say vnto yow S. Athan. lib ad Virgines post initiū doe not fast often least yow should be more feble and weake doe not beleeue them nor harcken vnto them for the enemie of mankinde doth make an instrument of them to whisper and suggest thies thinges remēber that which is written when the 3. children Daniell and other were brought in captiuity by Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon it was comaunded that they should eate of the meate that was prepared for the kinges bord and that they should drincke of his wyne Daniell and the other 3. boies would not be polluted or defiled with the kinges table but they said vnto the euenuche who had charge of them giue vnto vs of the rootes of the earth vnto whome the euenuch said I feare the king which ordained and appointed meate for yow least that your countenāce should appeare and seeme more leane and pale then that of the other boies which are fedd at the kings boord and soe should punish me vnto whome they did saie trie your seruants tenn dayes and giue vnto vs of the rootes of the earth and he gaue vnto them pulse to eate and water to drinke and brought them before the kinge and they seemed more beautifull then the other boyes which were nourished by that kings royall meate Doe yow see what fastinge doth it heales diseases and drieth distillations of the bodie it chaseth awaie diuills expelleth wicked thoughts makes the mind clearer it purifies the hart it sanctifies the bodie it bringes a man into the throne of God and least that yow should thincke that this is rashlie spoken you haue testimonies of this in the ghospell pronounced by our Sauiour when the disciples did aske how vncleane spiritts should be cast forth our Lord did answere this kind is not cast forth but by praiers and fasting therfore fasting is the food of Angells and whosoeuer vseth the same he is thought to be of an angelicall order thus farr S. Athanasius Whether the Protestant assertion be true which affirmeth that generall councells can erre CHAPTER I. 1. WHen anie controuersie either of state or the publike weale doth rise in any comōwelth the princes with all the state thereof assemble together and whatsoeuer is ennacted and decreede by them the rest of the subiectes must obserue and obey the same Soe in any controuersie of religion when the cheefe pastors and prelates of the church who haue more power and authoritie of God then all the princes of other common wealthes beinge assisted by his blessed spiritt whatsoeuer they haue decreede for the good of the churche and the weale publike of Christendome their subiectes if they be of Christe his flocke ought to submitt
Ierusalem but the vniuersall church cannot erre therfore the generall councells cannot erre For Atha S. Epipha Euseb S. August doe call the generall councells the congregation of the whole world and the consent of the vniuersall churche All such places of scripture as doe proue that the Pope cannot err in the definition of faith proues also that the generall or nationall councell assembled by his authority cannot erre Also such places of scripture as proues and teaches that wee ought to reuerence Bishopps as Pastors to heare them as maisters followe them as captaines he that heareth yow heareth me c. obey your rulers be subiect vnto them and imbrace their doctrine with many such places all which doe argue that they cannot deceaue vs or if they doe wee may attribut the blame to our Sauiour that bids vs to obey them and imbrace their doctrine Atha epi. Epist. Epiph heres 77 Aug. 162. Nemo ca. de summa trinit fide catho Gela ep ad Episc Sardinia 5. This same is proued by the fathers that the difinition of a generall councell is the last iudgment of the church from which there is noe appellation as Athana and Epiphanius and others with S. Augustine doe affirme and soe Leo the Pope requested the Emperor Martianus saying that the definition of the generall councell should neuer be brought in question which the said Martianus established by lawe The same also Gelasius the Pope decreed in the councell of Ephesus circa finem and in the councell of Calchedon Act 5. Canone vlt. Moreouer the fathers and all councells doe teach that they are excomunicated and ought to be countted heretiques that doe not rest themselues vpon generall councells and therfore all generall councells doe pronouÌ„ce Anathema I meane the sore censure of excommunication against such as doe contradict the finall decree of generall councells as Athanasius doth wittnesse of the couÌ„cell of Nice Athan in epist ad Episcopos Afriâ—ae S. Grâ—gor Nazianz. in epistola priori ad ClidoniuÌ„ Leo epist ad Anatâ—lium and soe it is in all other councells Grego Nazianz. doth write when the Apolinaristes denied that they were not heretiques and that they were receaued in a catholique councell said let them shewe this and wee wil be contented S. Leo writinge to the emperor or Leon said they ought not to be accounted catholique that doe resiste the councell of Calcedon And soe he writes the like to Anatolius and S. Basil writes that they ought to be suspected of heresie Basil ep 78. that doe cal in question the determination of the councell of Nice S. Augustine did excuse S. Cyprian of heresie Aug. li. 1. de bap ca. 18. because noe generall councell defined any thinge to the contrary towchinge the baptisme of heretiques Also S. Gregorie pronounced excommmunicatioÌ„ against all that would not receaue the decree of generall councells Greg. li. 1. epist 24. Constantine the great in his epistle to the churches Apud Euseb l. 3. de vit Const Atha ep ad Episc Africanos Cyrill l. 1. de trinit Leo epist 53. ad AnatoliuÌ„ 54 ad MartianuÌ„ ep 37. ad LeoneÌ„ Auâ— Gre. lib. 1. ep 14 Nice epist ad MichaeleÌ„ Ambros epist 32. called the decree of the councell of Nice celestiall preceptes Athanasius also said that the decree of the church was the diuine precept which should remaine for euer S. Cyrill calles it the diuine iuste and holie oracle S. Leo saith that the Canons thereof were ordained by the holie ghoast and that the councell of Calcedon was assembled by the holy spiritt S. Gregorie also saith that he reuerenceth the first 4. generall councells as the 4. Euangelistes Nicholaus the first also saith that the decrees of generall councells are inspired by the holy ghoast S. Ambrose doth affirme that wee should rather die than wee should departe from the definitions of generall councells I will saith he followe the decree of the councell of Nice from the which neither death not sword shall separat me S. Hillarie suffred banishment for the faith of the councell of Nice Hilar. in fine lib de Synod Victor in libris trib de perâ—ec Vandalic Hier. lib. cont Luciferanos Victor Africanus describeth many worthy martires which suffred for the decree and definition of the faith sett downe and explicated in the councell of Nice S. Hierom also speakinge of Athanasius and S. Hillarie and other holy confessors saie How could they doe any thinge against the councell of Nice for the which they suffred banishment 6. This is proued by reason for first if the generall couÌ„cells should err ther should be noe certaine or setled iudgment in the church by which controuersie should be determined and descided and by which the vnitie and concord of the church should be preserued for which generall councells were ordained Secondly if there were not an infallible iudgment of these generall councells then the Arians had not bene condemned for heretiques for sayinge the councell of Nice did erre nor Macedonius for an heretique for sayinge the councell of Chalcedon did err nor Nestorius for an heretick for sayinge the councell of Ephesus did err nor Eutiches for sayinge the councell of Chalcedon did erre Thirdly wee should haue noe certaintie of many bookes of the holie scriptures as of S. Paule to the Hebrewes the 2. epistle of S. Peter the third of S. Iohn S. Iames his epistle S. Iude and the Apocalipes they beinge called in question vntill the trueth of them was made knowen by generall councells That the catolique church in those thing shee doth propound to the christians to beleeue whether they be contained in the Scriptures or not cannot erre CHAPTER II. THis is proued by scripture Ad Tim. 3 Ephes 5. Apoca 21 Psal 79. Isa 2. Matt. 13. 1. Cor 12. Ephe. 1. for that the church of Christe is the firmament and piller of truethe the spouse of Christe the holly cittie a fruitfull vineyarde a highe mountaine a direct way the only doâ—e the kingdome of heauen the bodie of Christe and multitude vnto whome the holie ghoaste is promised is gouerned of Christe beinge her head and of the holy ghoast beinge her soule as it is sett downe by S. Paule saying Ephe. 4. He gaue him as a head aboue euerie church which is his bodie And in another place he said one head and one spirite and he said as the husbaÌ„d is the head of the wife soe also Christ is the head of his church for if the church had bene impeached of error that imputation should be saide on Christe and the holie ghoaste therfore Christ did instruct her by his said holie spirite sayinge the spirite of trueth shall teach yow all trueth Ioh. 16. Againe wee are bounde vnder paine of excommunication to beleue the church in all things as may appeare by S. Math. If he will not heare the church Matt. 18. let him be vnto you as an ethnick and a
publican Further more wee say that the church is holie both in her profession and in the assertion of her faith therfore christian profession ought to containe nothinge but that which is trewe and holie touching faith Lastlie the fathers in all their doubtes and controuersies towching faith and religion did submitt themselues to the arbitrement of the church which they would not doe if they thought the church did err for S. Augustine saith Aug. epi. 118. l. 1. contra Crescentiū cap. 33. it is an insolent madnesse to dispute against any thinge that the vniuersall church decreede And in another place he saith Wee haue the trueth of holy scriptures when wee doe that which pleaseth the vniuersall churche And our Sauiour saith Luc. 10. Matt. 23. whosoeuer heareth yow heareth me c. whatsoeuer they comaund yow doe it c. Whether Catoliques are to be charged with arrogancie for thinkinge that their church cannot faile CHAPTER III. 1. WEe ought not to be cōuinced of arrogancie to affirme that Christe did not lie when he said that the gates of hell should not preuaile against his churche Matt. 16. Heauen and earth shall passe Matt. 24. Matt. 28. Ioh. 14. but his wordes shall not passe what woorde but that which is vniuersally preached by the catholique churche when he saith behold I am with yow to the worldes ende Ephes 5. The spiritt of trueth faileth not for euer Christ praieth that the faith of Peter should neuer faile 1. Tim. 1. she is his spouse and the kingdome of heauen wherfore should shee then faile beinge the piller of truethe shee cannot faile shee beinge his wife his doue his kingdome his portion his vineyarde his inheritance his dwellinge howse for the which he suffred his passion he died and shed his pretious blood shee cannot faile Contra Gent. 2. This was a cheefe argument by which S. Chrisostome did proue against the Gentiles that Christ was God by reason of his power in settinge foorth his church by poore and simple people and the continuance thereof in full force and authoritie notwithstandinge all the power and plotts of Sathan and all the might and strenght of earthlie potentates with the imploimēt of all their malice and strange pollices which were combined and conioined together for her direction If S. Chrisostome did proue the diuinitie of Christe by the continuance of his church 400. yeares how much more a minori ad maius should we proue the diuinitie and power of Christe not against gentiles as S. Chrisostome did but against worst infidels as caluinistes and other heretiques who with greate malice and more cunninge deuises seeke to ouerthrowe the church of God then all the enemies thereof as Iewes Goathes Hunnes Gaules Vandals Sarasins Longobards Bolgares Turcks and all other infidels and yet she is preserued now these 1620. yeares and shall allwaies continewe in full force authoritie to the worldes ende Psal 87. 3. The continewance of godes church is sett downe by the prophett Disposui testamentum electis meis what testament saith S. Aug. in enarrat ibid. but the newe testament I haue sworne vnto my seruant Dauid what is this that God bindeth with an oath that the seede of Abraham shall continewe for euer euer Ad Gal. 3 And soe saint Paule saith If yow be of Christ yow are the seed of Abraham inheritors of that promise this is the church saith saint Augustine not that fleash of Christ taken of the blessed Virgin but all wee that beleue in Christe And in another psalme he saith I will dwell in thy tabernacle wherfore S. Augustine saith that his church shall not be for a time but shall continewe for euer vnto the ende of the worlde And in the 14. our Lord hath bene mindfull of his testament and of the word that he comaunded to a thowsand generations Psal 14. and giuen to Abraham that which he did also sweare vnto Isaac and apointed for a lawe Matt. 24. He said his word should neuer passe away what word but that which did not only continewe duringe the Apostles time but that word and sacrifice which shall continewe to the worldes end Matt. 28. S. Leo prius epi. 3◠ad Pulcher. Aug. Leo 2. epist ad Constan our Sauiour plainlie declaringe the same I wil be with yow vnto the worldes ende as S. Leo the first and Leo the second writes Also when S. Paule Ephes 4. makes mention of soe manny dignities of ecclesiasticall order in Christ his churche as Apostles Prophetts Euangelists Pastors and Doctors he saith that they should continewe to the worldes end as the Prophett saith August Deus fundauit eam in eternum God founded the same for euer Psal 47. I meane his church as S. Augustine expoundeth and this is proued by the 91. chapter of Isay Luc 4. which chapter is vnderstoode of the churche of the newe testament as our Sauiour taughte 4. The same is also proued by the psalme 88. His throne shal be like the sunne in my presence Psal 88. and like a perfect Moone for euer and I will put his seate and his throne as the day of heauen Daniel 2. Daniell also doth manifest the same saying In the dayes of these kingdomes God shall raise vpp the kingdome of heauen which shall neuer be dispersed and his kingdome shall not be giuen to another nation And accordinge to saint Luke of his kingdome there shal be noe end Moreouer that psalme doth say if her children will offend and shall not keepe my lawes and comaundements c. yet I will visitt in a rodd their iniquitie and their sinnes in scourges I will not for all that put away my mercie from the same which place saint Cyprian aswell in this psalme as also in the 2. of Daniell doth expound to be mēt of the afflictions and tribulations of the churche In Cant. serm 79. S. Bernard also in illud tenui eum nec dimittam I held him and I will not let him goe c. neither then nor after the christian stocke shall not faile neither faith from the worlde neither charitie from the churche Lett all the raginge fire all the tēpestuous waues insult freate against her they shall not caste her downe because she is builded vpon a firme rocke and the rocke is Christe which neither by the pratinge of Philosophers or the cauillation of heretiques or by the sworde of persecutors can or shal be seperated Illir Glos in Math. cap. 2. 5. Illiricus a protestant writer saith that the trewe church in the middest of all persecutions destructions of citties comon wealthes and people is preserued miraculously by godes speciall protection and assistance This is also proued by Oecolāpadius vppon Isay cap. 2. by Melancthone in locis communibus cap. de ecclesia editione 1561. by Brentius vppon S. Luc cap. 17. homil 19. Luth. tomo 4. in Isa cap. 9. by Bullenger in Apocali Canc. 72.
vs all feare of God or of hell and soe giueth a scope to all mischeefe That the comaundements pertaines not to the christians That there is noe sinne but incredulitie and that all are deceaued if they thincke to be saued by good woorcks with many such vild and absurde doctrines which make a man careles of his saluation rechles of his behauior and nothinge willinge to doe anny good when neither he that doth them is not recompensed or rewarded or God offended or displeased by the saide doings For as by the catholique religion Christ reformed the wicked inclination of man gaue hoalsome precepts and councells to amend his desolute misdeamenor instituted also SacrameÌ„ts to cure all diseases of our soules and to purge our conscience from all filth of sinne now by these carnall and wicked doctrine all ragged conuersation and discomposed misbehauiour is reuiued and as Ouid saieth Iâ— quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolique Metamorphose Insidiaeque vis aâ—â—â— sceleratus habendi In place of simple dealinges and honestie Were brought into the world by heresie â—eceite couetousnes and leacherie 18. The 12. note is the perfecte rule that the Catholique church Io. 20. Luc. 10. Matt. 23. Matt. 19. Iacob 4. and Catholiqueâ— haue to direct them in their faith for the church of Christe hath the holy ghoaste to instruct her in all trueth and to guide her from all errors Iohn 14.16 and wee Catholiques beleeuinge the church as wee are taughte in the Creede when wee saye I beleeue in the holy Catholique church obeyinge her in all thinges as wee be comaunded by our Sauiour wee cannot be deceaued by her nor is it possible we can offend God in submittinge our selues to her doctrine Matt. 18.3 Reg. 4. Actor 15 beinge comaunded by God to hearcken to her and as Rebeca vnder tooke for Iacob to rid him of his fathers malediction if he should followe her aduise soe the Catholique church which Rebecca figured shall deliuer vs from the enormitie of godes malediction if wee shall obey her But the protestants haue noe rule of their faith for they doe not beleeue the churche neither the traditions and generall councells thereof neither the auncient holye doctors of the same The onlie rule they as themselues saie is the scripture But this is noe certaine rule for that wee are bounde to beleeue manny thinges which be not in the scripture Matt. 13. Hebr. 13. yea that which the scripture doth teach the contrarie as the obseruation of the saboath daye and thinges strangled Againe in many places the holy scripture doth wante explication of manny thinges 2. Petr. 3. for saint Peter saith that the epistles of saint Paule are verie hard to be vnderstoode which the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as alsoe the reste of the scriptures to their owne perdition Alsoe all heretiques doe alleadge the scriptures for themselues as saint Augustine sayes Aug. li. 1. de Trin. Hier. aduersus Lucifer for as saint Hierom saith the scripture doth not consiste in readinge but in the sense and vnderstandinge thereof and as for the vnderstandinge and sence of the same there may be a thowsand controuersies as for the trewe sense of these woordes Hoc est corpus meum this is my bodie I am sure Luther and Caluine are against one another touchinge the sense a and meaninge of those woords Therfore S. Augustine saith he would not beleeue the ghospell had he not bene moued therunto by the auctoritie of the churche 19. Soe as these protestants forsakinge the church they haue noe rule of their faith as may appeare by the deadly contention and debate which is daily betwixt them as betwixt Lutherans Caluinists and Anabaptistes for they charge on an other with heresies soe as each of these sectes is diuided into manny sectes for there are 13. sects of Lutherans differinge in opinions one from the other Also amoungest the Caluinists there are many as the world can tell for some of them would haue the kinge to be supreame head of the church others doe repine against it as the puritans doe The Anabaptistes are diuided vnto 14. sects and eche of them haue seuerall and contrarie opinions touchinge the principall pointes of their faith how can two lawiers pleadinge one against the other and ech of them alleadginge lawe for himselfe determine the righte of the cause and the sincere meaninge of the lawe without there were some iudge vnto whome they should referr the controuersie to be decided and debated And because these sectaries will haue noe other iudge but the scripture ech one alleadginge and interpretinge the sense thereof accordinge to his priuate opinion and corrupt affection their controuersie can neuer be decided nor their faith can neuer be setled or made certaine 20. The 13. note is the lawfull authoritie and mission of catholique pastors and preachers whereof the Protestants are wholie destitute no heretique being euer able to shew his next predecessor For as the holie doctors affirme There is no accesse to God but by Iesus Christ No accesse to Iesus Christ but by the church No accesse to the church but by the Sacraments No accesse to the Sacraments but by a Priest None can be a Priest vnles he be ordained by a Bishopp Neuer was there lawfull Bishopp ordained out of the catholique roman church Wherfore as saint Ierom said vnto his aduersarie you are out of the communion of the church of Iesus Christ because you haue not a priest of the order of the Mediator This marke of the vocation and perpetuall succession of pastors in the church of Christ hath euer ben most terrible vnto all heretiques for euen as Baptisme is the only doore to enter into all other Sacraments a Sacrament not reiterable and whose character is indellible euen so this Sacrament of holie Orders and of entring into steward-ship ouer the flock of Iesus Christ was ordayned by our Sauiour as necessarie for distinguishing and discerning such as be vsurpers and robbers from true and lawfull pastors then the other of Baptisme to knowe and discerne sheepe from Wolues and Christs flock from the troupes of infidels 21. This argument doth so gaule and pinche the Protestants that they are forced to fetch all the authoritie they haue for their vocation only from the temporall prince alledging the wordes of saint Paul that all authoritie is from God then saint Matth. that wee must giue vnto Cesar that which is Cesars then saint Peter that wee should be subiect to euerie humaine creature for godes sake all which places aswell the puritantes as the Catholiques doe interprete and vnderstand of temporall authoritie only for gouerning the common weaâ—th and not of spirituall direction and instruction of our soules in articles of our faith and saluation for that all Princes and kinges were then and 300. yeares after Christs passion infidels and especially the Romaine Emperor of whome this was principally intended Otherwise saint Peter and the Apostles who were
put to death by them for their religion were damned in not obeying and conforming themselues vnto those Princes in matters of faith and in the doctrine of saluation The puritanes which are called the reformed and seuere Caluinistes doe grounde themselues vpon the election of the people and that the common and vulgar sorte should make appointe and elect cleargie or pastors to feede and gouerne them and alleadge the first and 6. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Act. 1. 6. where it is said that it pleased the people to make choice of saint Mathias insteede of Iudas and saint Stephen Philipp Procherus 4. others to supplie the offices of Deacons and afterwardes in the primitiue church wee finde that the people did choose or nominate their Bishoppes But to this puritanticall foundations both the Catholiques and protestantes doe aunswere that those elections or nominations were permitted to the people by the Apostles for their comfort and that the parties so chosen receaued authoritie and spiritual iurisdiction from the Apostles and not from the people as wee see this daie that in manny places the people are permitted to make choice of their encombents but are inuested and consecrated of the Bishoppes of euerie diocesse where the parishioners are permitted to haue this priuilege That there are many excellencies and effectes which should allure euerie one to follow and imbrace the Catholique religion And contrariwise many enconueniences and blasphemies which the newe religion houldeth and teacheth The first excellencie CHAPTER II. 1. THe first and cheefest excellency is to beleeue that God is the first trueth and first cause from whome proceedeth all trueth and by whom all causes haue their operation and their influence The first goodnesse and sanctitie of whom all goodnesse and sanctitie doth depend And as it is the proprietie of the sunne to giue light of the fire to giue heate of the water to make colde so it is the nature essence and proprietie of God with farr greater excellency to do good and to communicat and impart the same vnto his creatures And so saint Augustin saith O God thow art perfect without deformitie great without quantitie good without qualitie eternall without time strong without infirmitie trew without fastshood thow art present euerie where with out ocupieng any place and thow art inward and intimat to euery thing being tyed or fastened to nothing 2. Butt the new religion maketh God crwell without mercy in that he doth encomber his people with lawes and preceptes which they cannott keep wicked without goodnesse in that they make him the cause of all the euill and wickednesse which the wicked doe comitt and for the which they are so seuerely punished The 2. excellencye is the pure and holly doctrine which it professeth CHAPTER III. 1. SVch is the perfection of catholique doctrine that it nether admitteth nor alloweth any thing against the light of reason godes glory or the good of our neghbors it teatcheth the law it comandeth vnder paine of damnation the perfourmance therof and the morall precepts of the tenn commaundeth which are certaine conclusions deriued from the same But Luther saith they pertaine nott to them and all the schoole of protestantes do teach that wee cannott keep or obserue them that God respecteth them nott and that the good woorckes of a christian do preiudice and derrogat from the merites of Christs passion And so they take away all the meritorious woorckes of the iust and all the force and industrie of mās proper merites and consequently al graces and inherent iustice of a sanctified soule by the extrinsicall and imputatiue iustice of Christ and saith that so they haue faith God regardeth nott their woorkes which is a wide gappe and dangerous gulfe to all wickednesse dishonestie loosnesse of life and dissolute behauiour a quite defacing dissanulling and abrogating nott only of the law of nature butt of all other lawes whatsoeuer and therfore most pernitious and dangerous doctrine 2. Besides these holy precepts it perswadeth though not commandeth the Euangelicall counselles of our Sauiour the cheefest wherof is perpetuall chastitie which is a celestiall vertue by which a man forgoeth many encombrances of worldly cares troubles and perturbations of minde 1. Cor. and affliction of his spirit as saint Paule saith The 2. counsell which our Sauiour gaue was to a certaine yong man sayeng vnto him if thou wil be perfect go and sell all that thow hast giue the same to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen follow me By this counsell a christian doth eschew many tentations and snarres of the diuill into which such as be rich do fall hedlong and ar deliuered from troubles vexations and anxietis of minde and of many contentious and litigious strifes and debates with his negboures which for the most part is incident to worldly people which blessed counsell was obserued of the christians at Hierusalem Acto 2. at Alexandria in Aegipt and at the lake Marian as Philo the Iew reporteth Matt. 5. The 3. counsell is to render good for euill and to pray for our persecutors The 4. counsell is to giue almesse and to pittie the poore to be mercifull to releeue the distressed no vertue is so often inculcated as this no vice so often discommended or with greater punishmentes threatned thē inhumanitie and crweltie The 5. counsell is to exercise our selues in continuall praiers Matt. 25. 1. Tim 2 Luc. 18. Luc 11. and so the Apostle wisheth vs alwaise to pray and our Sauiour also counselleth the same by 3. examples The first of a carnall father in respect of his sonne which yeldeth to his sonnes demande The 2. of a frind that was vrged at the earnest inintreatie of another frind to rise out of his bedd at night to giue vnto him what so earnestly he sought for The 3. of an inflexible iudge that neuer yelded to any mans desire yett at the earnest and importunat suite of a poore woman he was perswadeed to take comisseration of her 3. The religion of protestantes not only barketh all the obseruations of the precepts of the lawe but also forbiddeth and reiecteth all euangelicall counselles sayeng that no man ought to accomplish them As for virginitie they say it is impossible As for the poore they may starue for them for any relefe or comfort they receaue of them For they pull from them all that they haue As for mercy of all people none are so blouddy or so crwell yea the very first preachers of this new religion as you may read As for praiers they cannot abide any order of time or deuotion for performing them for they do nott only barcke as another Vigilantius against euensongs Masse and mattens and against any obseruation of times as att midnight morning and euening but also against the English comon praier booke as you see The 3. Excellencie most diuine Sacraments which confer grace CHAPTER IV. 1. THe 3. Excellencie be the sacramentes
The 3. was of Traian in whose time 3. holly Bishoppes suffred vid. Saint Clement the disciple of saint Peter saint Ignatius disciple to saint Iohn the Euangelist and saint Polycarpe The 4. was of Antoninus Verus The 5. of Seuerus The 6. of Maximinus The 7. of Decius who did put saint Laurence to death The 8. of Valerian The 9. of Aurelian The 10. was the crwelest of Dioclesian of Maximinus These persecutions were before Constantius the great who was a Christian 3. Vnto these saint August added the persecution of Iulian the Apostata which was most pernitious for he depriued the Christians of offices and places in the common wealth as also of all their goodes and studies of learning Another was of Valens all these were Romane Emperors Another was of Sapor king of Persia who caused his people to adore the sunne wherin 16000. thousand suffred amoungest whome were many Bishoppes priests and many holly virgins dedicated to Christ Before all these saint August sets downe the first persecutioÌ„ of all which was of Iudea vnder Herod wherin the Apostle Saint Iames the greater suffred Wee doe nott speake here of the persecutions of the Vandals in Affricke or of other heretiques or infidels but only of the Romane Emperors whose persecution was nott only in one kingdome or prouince but in all places especially at Rome at Alexandria where S. Cathrin suffred at Antioch Nicomedia Cesarea of Capadocia Cesarea of Palestin in Ponto in Helesponto in Africa in Aegipt at Saragosa at Parris where saint Denys of Areopagita with his followers were putt to death at Syracusa where S. Lucia at Catanea where saint Agatha in Bithinia in Achaia at Smirna at Thebes and in all other places subiect to the Romans 4. Were all these persecuting princes lawfull heads of Christes church or some of them If some all should be for the one ought to haue asmuch authoritie in that head-shipp as the other if that stile or dignitie should rightly belong to the Emperiall scepter or should be annexed to the Royall authoritie as a power or iurisdiction comprised and comprehended within the maiestie of a regall dignitie as some protestants do hold Yf this be trew all these blessed martyrs wherof some of them were the blessed Apostles as saint Peter and saint Paule who suffred vnder Nero were damned is arrogant and dissobedient subiects for not conforming themselues to their princes wills and humors in causes ecclesiasticall and consequently none that was put to death by them was a holy martyr but an obstinat and wilfull subiect which is most foolish and absurd If yow say that a king to be head of the church ought to be a Christian as some other English protestants do say I aske of them who was head of the church the space of the first 300 yeers after Christ when all kings were infidels and persecutors thereof as I haue declared For either the church all that while was without a head or els some other that was not a king must be a iudge and haue this authoritie and supreame iurisdiction of the king therin and such ought to haue no les iurisdiction ouer the Christians in causes of their consciences and ecclesiasticall matters now then at that time 5. Nowe the Christians are no les nor no better then they were in that golden age of the primitiue church Epiph. heresi Optat. lib. 2. contra Parmen S. Aug. Epist ad generosum quae est 105. Hiero. Prosper in continuatione chronici Eusebij and consequentlie the same ecclesiasticall iurisdiction ought to continew still in the church of Christ which he builded setled and founded vppon saint Peter and his successors as vppon a firme Rocke whose foundation shall neuer faile against whome the gats of hell with all the plottes and pollicies of Sathan and the cunninge deuises and attempts of Matche-villian protestantes shall not preuaile And so in vaine they striue to build the same vppon any other fundation then that which was alreddy laid downe by Christ himselfe being the Corner and head stone of this foundation vppon saint Peter the Apostles and prophetts and their successors for euer I meane the Bishopps and priests vnto whome he committed the authoritie and regiment ouer his flocke to feed and defend them from the woulues to saue them from the violent excursions of infidels and heretiques vnto whome it is sad in the Actes or the Apostles Attendite vobis vniuerso gregâ— in quo c. Loocke well to your selues Act. 20. Matt. 10. Matt. vlt. Mar. vlt. Iohn 20. Iohn 21. and to the vniuersall flocke in which the holy ghost placed you Bishoppes and pastoures to gouerne and rule the church of God And as this church is the mysticall body of Christ and a spirituall Common wealth so it should be gouerned and managed by spirituall parsons and pastours that should haue spirituall orders and consequentlie ought to haue spirituall authoritie and iurisdiction ouer her rebellious and obstinat children to chastice their rebellions disobedience to correct their offences and to extend the rodd of discipline vppon them when they will nott obey her otherwise it should be a poore distressed common wealth when none hath power or iurisdiction therin to chastice the transgressor of her lawes and so all her subiects may with libertie and impunitie keepe or breake them 6. But no article or inunction of the protestant religion is of greater force amongest the protestants specially of England then that the king is supreame head of the church and that euery one whether he be a catholique or protestant must not only encur the imputation of high treason but also the pennalties and disgrace of traitoures that wilâ— not sweare solemly and publickly that he thinckes in his conscience this to be trew which is nothing els then to enthrall and enforce a catholique perhapps some proâ—estants to a damnable and wilfull preiury against his owne conscience that knoweth or at least thincketh the contrary Was not this new fundation and grownd of the English protestant church newly coyned the 26. yeer of king Henry 8. when the oath of supremacy was inuented by the instigation of his fatall and filthy passion of lust and concupiscence and by the industry and suggestion of certaine cogging mates as Thomas Cromwell and Robert Barnes an apostat frier the one beheaded the other I meane the frier burned rather of malice then of any conscience or honesty without which there can be no good religion not warranted by scripture but deuised in the court not by the best but by the worst quorum Deus venter est quorum finis interitus gloria in confusione c. not perswaded by reason but violentlie constrained not ordained for the edification of the church but for the destruction and confusion of innoceÌ„t christiaÌ„s not resolued of by the schooles and learned diuines but first determined by the king and enforced in the parleament against the definition of all former parleaments