interpretation of holy Scripture I doe admit so that by the latter part of the Article they allow the Fathers to bee interpreters of the Scriptures and by the first part they make themselues sole interpreters of the Fathers to which addition an ignorant Priest will sweare with a mentall reseruation that he doeth not receiue nor expound the Scripture but with the vniforme consent of Fathers that is according to the sense and iudgment of the Roman church for it is not to bee doubted but the Church will allow of that sense which is most agreeable to that doctrine and of that interpretation although it bee farre different from the Ancients which is most consonant to their Religion and the rather I incline to this opinion for that Cardinall Hosius doth protest it for a vniversall and Catholike doctrine of his Church Si quis habet interpretationeÌ„ Ecclesia Romana de loco aliquo Scriptura etiamsi nec sciat nec intelligat an quomodo cuÌ„ Scriptura verbis conueniat tamen habet ipsissimum verbuÌ„ Dei. Hos de expresso verb. Dei If a man haue the Interpretation of the Church of Rome of any place of Scripture hee hath the very words of God though he neither know nor vnderstand whether and how it agreeth with the words of Scripture Now if it happen that those which are better instructed by comparing of Scriptures and Fathers doe make a doubt of some place of Scripture which the Church teacheth different from the Fathers Cardinall Cusanus by way of preuention giues him to vnderstand Non est miruÌ„ si praxis Ecclesiae vno tempore interpretetur Scripturam vno modo et alio teÌ„pore alio modo naÌ„ intellectê° currit cum praxi intellectus enim qui cuÌ„ praxi coÌ„currit est spiritus vinificans sequuntur ergo scripturae ecclesiam et non è conuerso Nich. Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 7. that there is Fides Temporum a faith that followeth the time Neither is it any maruell saith hee though the practise of the Church expound the Scripture at one time one way and at an other time another way for the vnderstanding or sense of the Scripture runneth with the practise and that sense so agreeing with the practise is the quickening Spirit and therefore the Scriptures follow the Church but contrariwise the Church followeth not the Scriptures This learned Romanist tells vs it is no wonder that the Scripture is at diuers times diuersly expounded hee tells vs the Scripture attends the Churches pleasure and lastly which is most true hee professeth the Romish Church followeth not the Scripture but the times That this Cardinall speaketh truth I think no Protestant doth make a question but that you may be witnes also of the practise of these times you shall obserue how fitly these men haue applyed the Scripture to their Church whereas it is said to Peter in a vision Arise In voto Baronij contrà Venetos kill and eate Cardinall Baronius being Interpreter will tell you The Pope is Peter and the Venetians are the meate which must bee killed and deuoured In like manner whereas Saint Paul saith Haereticum deuitâ Auoyd an heretique the sillie Fryar applies it to times and persons with this Exposition Erasm Encom Moriae Haereticum de-vitâ tolle kill the heretique meaning the Protestant and in this manner according to the times the sense runneth with the practise or at leastwise I am sure this practise runneth with these times Thus then you haue Fides Ecclesia an Exposition of Scriptures according to the Article of the Romish Creed and Fides tempâ—rum an Exposition sutable to the times and their owne doctrine If therefore we appeale to Scriptures they account them dumbe Iudges without the Exposition of their Church if we require an Exposition with the consent of Fathers they tell vs we must admit that sense which the Church holdeth whose right is to iudge of the true sense of Scriptures If wee shew them that their Expositions are senselesse and disagreeing from the Ancients they tell vs the Scriptures may receiue different Expositions according to the times And thus they make the Scriptures sound like Bells according to their fancies and violate their oath with a Saluo Iure sauing a right to the sense and meaning of their owne Church This way therefore is Via Deuia a Wandring and By-way It resteth in the last and chiefest place to obserue the difference bewixt the Church of Rome and vs touching the intire Canon of Scriptures for without doubt this is the onely and infallible rule of faith and there is a curse denounced by God himselfe against all those that adde to his word Deut. 4.2 Reu. 22.18 or diminish ought from it It shall appeare therefore by many pregnant and infallible testimonies of our aduersaries themselues that the Canon of Scripture which we professe and beleeue was the same which was taught and declared by Christ and his Apostles in the first age the same which was published generally receiued by the ancient Fathers in succeeding ages the same which continued in the bosome of the Romane Church in all ages till the dayes of Luther SECT V. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues IT was the complaint of Campian the Iesuite that the ancient Canon of Scripture was altered at the comming of Luther and thereupon as a man inraged against the Lutherans Camp Rat. 1. hee makes this open out-crie What incensed Luthers whelps to put out of the true Canon of Scripture Tobias Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Maccabees Desperation for by these heauenly oracles they are expressely conuinced as often as they dispute against the defence of Angels as often as they dispute against Freewill as often as they dispute against Praying for the dead as often as they dispute against Praying to the Saints Surely if this Romanist had beene as reall in his proofes as he was vaine glorious in his speeches he had gone beyond all the Romish Proselytes of our age for neuer man made greater flourishes with poorer proofes for it shall appeare that wee haue published no other Canon of Scripture then Christ and his Apostles taught and receiued no other then the ancient Fathers declared to be diuinely Canonicall and those onely Canonicall none other then the learned Doctors and Professors intirely preserued in the bosome of the Roman Church in all ages so that if any curse be denounced against vs for renouncing doctrines of faith deduced from Apocryphall Scriptures I say it shall appeare by the same Decree they haue layd an Anathâ—ma vpon Christ and his Apostles and haue cursed the ancient Fathers and the principall members of their owne Church In the first age to Ann. 100. First then wee must obserue Rom. 3.2 Factique sunt Iudaei depositarii et custodes
there In the ages following for 300 yeeres more the Arrian heresie so infected the Church that the ship of the Church was almost sunke Hieron ad Lucif saith Hierome If therfore in the first and best ages the Church was much darkned and obscured what splendor and visibility should we expect in these latter dayes wherein the deuill is let loose seeking to deceiue if it were possible the very Elect themselues Let it suffice as God himselfe first planted his church in Eden with two so he hath watred it in the Garden of his Spouse with the increase of many best knowne vnto himselfe and hath promised a continuall preseruation of it where two or three are gathered together in his Name and according to this Rule which our aduersaries cannot deny vve haue at this day a Church in Spaine in Italie in the East and West Indies in euery place where the Inquisition reigneth although the outward face of the Church doe not visibly appeare Your Church of Rome is too too visible in this Kingdome although you haue not toleration of publike Exercise nor is your Idol of the Masse set vp in the Temple which our good God and gracious King forbid I speake not this in any sort to decline the visibility of our Church for the Church is like the Moone which hath often waxings waynings and vvee know the Moone at full and and the Moone at the waine is one and the same Moone although not alike conspicuous It was a Quaere in the dayes of Salomon Who can finde a vertuous woman August de Tempore Serm 217. but saith Austen in that hee said who can find her shewed the difficultie not the impossibitie of finding her and this woman was the Church He that made that question was the wisest among men and he that expoūded his meaning knew well how to distinguish the right woman from the counterfet yet both agree in this that the true Church was not easie to be discerned Saint Iohn tels vs this woman tooke her flight into the wildernesse and there shee was fed If the Apostle had foretold the place as well as her flight happily shee had beene pursued and found of many but the place vvas a desart obscure and vnfrequented and therfore known to few and for certain she was found of some for otherwise shee had not bin fed In vaine I must confesse had Christ cōmaunded vs to tell the Church if there had been no Church to heare and his precept had bin needlesse to bid vs heare the Church if there had been no Church to speak yet hee that warned vs to heare the Church forwarned vs that after his departure Grieuous wolues would enter into the church and speak peruerse things Acts 20.29 He that taught his Disciples to obserue to doe according to all the Scribes and Pharisies should teach thē enters this caue at against their false glosses Math. 23.3 Beware of the leauen of the Pharisies He that said Blindnes in part was hapned to Israel told vs also that the Church of Rome if she did not continue in her goodnes Rom. 11.22 shee should also be cut off And it is observable the same Church of Ierusalem which the Prophet Dauid called the Citie of God Psal 48.19 was termed an Harlot by the Prophet Isay in his time and that Temple which Solomon termed a House of Prayer in his dayes 1 Kin. 8.20 was afterward by Christ called a den of theeues Math. 21.14 the one shewed what the Church was the other how it was altered yet both agree they were one the same church The Christian church was neuer brought to a lower ebbe then was the Iewish Synagogue at the coming of Christ yet a man at that time might haue seen Simeon and Zachary Ioseph and Mary Anna Elizabeth the true seruāts of Christ standing together with the Sadduces in the same Temple which might wel be accounted as the house of Saints in regard of the one so a den of theeues in respect of the other If therefore wee haue corrected the errours of the Romane church as Christ whipt the theeues and money changers out of the Tēple we doe not hereby make a new Church but renew that house of Prayer and restore it to the ancient and true seruice of Christ If we had left our Mother when we first found her sick shee might haue iustly taxed vs of disobediēce and want of dutie towards her but when the Priest saw her and passed by when the Leuite looked on her and forsook her Luther and Caluin perform'd the office of the good Samaritan they came neere vnto her and saw her and tooke care to cure her wounded soule and frō that time her children became Physicians to heale not parents to beget a new Church To heale a sore to purge a sick and diseased body is not to make a new body but to renew it and restore it to his former health let me giue you but one familiar example of your owne in this latter age Saint Francis established the Order of Frāciscans and they according to the meaning of their first Founders did for a long time follow the Institution of their first Orders afterwards when certaine errors and corruptions had crept in amōg them they separated themselues frō the rest and were called the Recollects Vpon this occasion a suit was cōmenced to decide whether the Recollects or the other Franciscans did adhere to the true orders of S. Frācis After examination deliberation had the Recollects were found to adhere to the ancient Institutions of their Order and therevpon Iudgement was published on their behalfe and they were afterwards called the Reformed Franciscans Such is the state of the Reformed Churches at this day the true Church was first planted and established by Christ and his Apostles continued sound in Head members for many ages afterwards whē error and superstition had crept in and gotten the vpper hand there were certain Recollects which complained of the corruptions and errours which had sprūg vp in the Roman church wherupon after mature deliberation had of the true doctrine of Christ and his Apostles publication was made in the behalf of the Recollects that they were found to adhere to the ancient Institutions of Christ and his Apostles and from and after that time they were called the Reformed Churches Will you bring a Quo Warranto and examine for what cause and by what authority the Protestants haue reformed the errours of your Church I will tell you in briefe If for no other cause yet for this alone because you are taught to eate your God Mariana and kill your King they might iustly seeke a reformation in doctrine and maners but the trueth is 1. Iohn 4.1 there were false Prophets gone out into the world and for that cause Christ gaue his commission to try the spirits whether they were of God and accordingly they proceeded to examination of
his heauenly Angels to witnes that notwithstanding you obtrude the invisibility of our church as a stumbling blocke to the ignorant notwithstaÌ„ding your great brags of an outward face of an eminent and glorious Romane Church yet your Trent faith and doctrine vvas far froÌ„ the knovvledge of Christ his Apostles nay more if any Iesuite or all the Iesuites aliue can proue your Roman Faith had Antiquity Vniuersalitie and Succession in al ages and that your Trent Articles were plainly commonly and continually taught receiued de Fide as Articles of Faith before Luther let all the Anathema's in your Trent Councel fall vpon my head And as touching the great noise and rumors of your Catholike Church if you wil consider and vveigh it vvith wisdom and moderation you shall find it wholly depends vpon tvvo doubtfull and vncertain coÌ„clusions viz. The Infallibilitie of the Pope and the Intention of the Priest These are but tvvo slender threds to vphold the Vniuersall faith of all Christians and therfore blame not vs if such things seeme harsh and vntunable in our eares that many millions of soules shold depend vpon the Infallibility of one man that man by your own supposall may draw vvith him innumerable soules to hell That man vvho hath the name and nature of Antichrist in his person in the one as he is against Christ and his doctrine in the other as he claimes to be Christs Vicar sit in his stead for the very name of Antichrist imports both Anti-Christ signifies Against Christ and to be in the place of Christ That man vpon vvhose forehead by the testimonies of learned Authors the vvord Mysterie Dr. Iames in his Epist Dedicatory of the Corruption of the Fathers c. the very mark of the Beast was sometimes writteÌ„ That man who is pointed at by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be that Antichrist by his habitation seated vpon seuen hills Reuel 17. That man who hath the character of the man of sin 2. Thess 2.4 which aduaÌ„ceth himselfe aboue all that are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 viz the Kings and Princes of the earth That man who hath published the doctrine of Deuils 1. Tim 4. by forbidding of meats and Marriage vnto Priestes Lastly that man whose Infallibility Conc. Flor. in Decret Eugenij whose Succession whose Orders whose Baptisme and Christianitie it selfe depends vpon the Intention of a silly Priest Bell de Iustif li 3. â— 8 of whose Intention none can be assured by your owne confessions It is not the great souÌ„d of a visible Church that must outface the truth for the emptiest vessels make the greatest souÌ„d neither is it the name of Catholike which you wholly appropriate to your selues sufficient to proue your Church Catholike nay more your pretences of Scriptures of Traditions of Fathers of Councels of an Infallible Church are but figge-leaues to couer the nakednesse of your nevv borne faith for it shall appeare by this small Treatise that your chiefest scriptures on which you build your Trent doctrine are Apocryphal your Traditions which you haue equalled to the Scriptures are Apostaticall your Fathers which you assume for Interpreters of the Scriptures are spurious and counterfet your Councels which depend vpoÌ„ the Infallibilitie of the Popes iudgment are erronious doubtful and your preteÌ„ded Catholike Church which is made the onely rule of Faith is neither a whole nor yet a sound member of the Catholike and Vniuersall Body This way therefore which you take is a cloke colour to darken truth by outward shewes and specious pretences and therefore Via Deuia a vvandring and By-way Neither is it your bitternesse and inuectiues against a Lay man shall make me silent in Gods cause for I say with Moses Num. 12.29 Would God al the Lords people could prophecie and I hope there will neuer be wanting a Mildab a Medab to assist Moses and Aaron that may bee able to vindicate Gods Honor and Truth ease our painful Pastors and Ministers which most laboriously performe the work of an Euangelist and conuert soules by preaching which yours peruert by Controuersies of Disputations I hope I say there wil be alwaies some who wil publish to the shame of your Romish Pastors the palpable ignorance of the Laitie who with an implicite faith inuolued obedience resigne vp their sight and senses to blind guides Let the Trueth of God and his Church flourish no rayling accusation of an Aduersary shall deterre mee from my seruice to his cause In the meane time I will appeale to your own consciences whether it bee Catholike doctrine or sauour of Christian Charitie which your Iesuites teach viz. Haereticos non magis audiendos esse etiamsi vera et sacris literis coÌ„sentanea dicant aut doceant quaÌ„ Diobolum Mald. in Math. 16.6 That the Reformed Churches are no more to be heard then the deuill himselfe although they speake trueth and agreeable to the Scriptures nay more I speak it with shame and griefe Discept Tâ—â—ol Sect. 2. the Pope at this day allowes the Talmud of the Iewes and yet prohibites the Books of Protestants Giue mee leaue therefore to speake to you as somtime S. Austen spake to the Donatists Aug. contr Petâ—l lib. 3. cap. 59. If you will be wise vnderstand the trueth it is well if otherwise it shall not grieue mee that I haue taken this paines for you for though your hearts returne not to the peace of the Church yet my peace shall returne to mee in the Church The cause is Gods the labour is mine if you wil reade it impartially and can shew me any error clearely faithfully and moderately I wil make a work of Retractations and professe openly with righteous Iob Iob 31.35 36. O that mine aduersary would write a Booke against mee I would take it vpon my shoulder and bind it as a Crowne vnto me H. L. The Contents Sect. 1. THe safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scriptures Pag. 1. Sect. 2. Our Aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered p. 16. Sect. 3. The Scripture according to the Iudgement of the ancient Fathers is the sole Iudge of Controuersies and Interpreter of it selfe p. 43. Sect. 4. Our Aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers p. 58 Sect. 5. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues p. 86 Sect. 6. Our Aduersaries pretences from the Authorities of Fathers and Councels to proue the Apocryphall Bookes Canonicall answered p. 122 Sect. 7. The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding
most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them p. 144 Sect. 8. The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church p. 167 Sect. 9. The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By way p. 245 Sect. 10. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the Testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to fifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them p. 280 Sect. 11. The most substantiall poynts of Romaine Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers p. 307 Sect. 12. Saint Augustine in particular is much disparaged by the Romanists and for instance in many seuerall poynts of moment wherein hee professedly concurreth with vs is expressely reiected by them p. 335 Sect. 13. Saint Gregorie pretended to be the Founder of the Romane Religion in England by sending Austen the Monke for conversion of this nation in his vndoubted writings directly opposeth the Romish Faith in the maine poynts thereof p. 347 Sect. 14. Councels which are so highly extold and opposed against vs were neither called by lawfull authoritie or to the right ends as is confessed by the ingenuous Romanists p. 370 Sect. 15. Councells which our Aduersaries pretend as a chiefe Bulwark of their faith giue no support at all to the Romish Religion as it is proued by particular obiections made against seuerall Councels in all ages by the Romanists themselues p. 386 Sect. 16. The Councell of Trent which is the maine Pillar and last resolution of the Roman faith is of small or no credit at all because it was neither lawfully called nor free nor generall nor generally receiued by the Romanists themselues p. 420 Sect. 17. In the Roman Church which our aduersaries so highly extoll aboue the Scriptures there is neither safetie nor certaintie whether they vnderstand the Essentiall or Representatiue or the Virtuall or the Consistoriall Church p. 452 Sect. 18. The most common Plea of the Romanists drawne from the Infallibilitie Authoritie and Title of the Catholike Church is proued to bee false vaine and friuolous p. 468 Sect. 19. The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie among themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church p. 496 Sect. 20. The Church is finally resolued into the Pope who wants both Personall and Doctrinall succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of Fact and matters of Faith p. 513 Sect. 21. The infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement which is made the Rule of Faith to determine all Controuersies is not yet determined by the learned Romanistes amongst themselues p. 545 Sect. 22. The Church vpon which the learned Romanists ground their Faith is no other then the Pope and the Church vpon which the vnlearned Romanists doe relie is no other then their Parish Priest p. 572 Sect. 23. Eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no certaine Note of the true Church but the contrary rather as it is prooued by instances from Adam to Christ p. 592 Sect 24. The Latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is pâ—ooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall decreed a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther p. 610 Sect. 25. The aforenamed corruptions and most remarkable declination of the Church of Rome in the later ages was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. p. 666 Sect. 26. The Conclusion of this Treatise shewing in sundrie particulars the certaintie and safetie of the Protestant and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romish Way p. 675 VIA DEVIA THE BY-VVAY SECT I. The safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scripture WHen the Donatists in the most flourishing times of Christian Religion arrogantly and presumptuously appropriated the Catholique and Vniuersall Church to their haereticall and particular faction St. Austen encountring them Quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus an inverbis nostris eaÌ„ qua situri an in verbis capitis sui Dom. nostri Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eam quaerere debemus quia veritas est nouit corpus suuÌ„ Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 2. states the poynt of Controuersie in this maner The question is where the Church should bee what then shall we doe shall wee seeke it in our owne wordes or in the words of our Lord Iesus In my iudgement we ought rather to seeke the Church in his owne words for that he is the truth and knoweth his owne body You haue heard the question propounded and answered by the Oracle of that age Such is the difference at this day betwixt the Church of Rome and vs and I heartily wish wee might ioine issue with them vpon the like tearmes and both agree with one vnanimous consent to seeke the Church of God in the word of God then should wee be gathered as sheep to one sheep-fold and the weake in faith should be receiued not to doubtfull disputations but to the reading of the Scriptures and they that now question the Visibilitie of our Church before Luther would first examine the infallibilitie of their owne by the Touchstone of the Gospell and the rather because it is agreed on both sides that whatsoeuer Church professeth that faith and doctrine which Christ and his Apostles taught in the first age the same Church and doctrine hath continued more or lesse visible in all ages But to returne to the Donatists Cant. 1.7 When Christ in the Canticles demanded of his Spouse where she rested Meridie at Noone-day the Donatists concluded Christs question with their owne answere that the Church did rest Meridie and that was in the South from this ground excluded all other Churches but their owne in the South of Africk The Donatists claime was seemingly deriued from the authoritie of the Scriptures for Donatus and Austen heretique and Catholique both vrge the Scriptures but obserue the difference Saint Austen puts the whole issue of his cause vpon the Scripture the Donatists claimed their doctrine by the publique voyces of the Africans they assumed to themselues the title of the Catholike Church they magnified the Councels of their Bishops they gloried in their frequent though fained miracles these were the principall grounds of their Church Remotis ergo omnibus talibus Ecclesiam suaÌ„ demonstrant si possunt non in sermonibus rumoribus Afrorum
locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidia detergeret Nihil enim fere de illis obscuritatibus eruitur qdâ—â—on planissimè dictuÌ„ alibi reperitur Aug. de doct Chris lib. 2. â—a 6. for saith hee In this great plentie of Scriptures wee are fed with plaine things and exercised with obscure those driue away hunger these contempt the holy Ghost hauing tempred them so of purpose and then he concludeth with the Tenet of our church There is scarce any thing drawn out of these obscure places which hath not been spoken quod non planissimè most plainely some other where Neither was this the opinion of this learned Father only but it was the confession of S Ambrose Multa obscuritas in Scripturis propheticis â—â—d siâ—â— anu â—â—â—aÌ„ meÌ„â—â—â—ā◠〈◊〉 a scrâ— tuâ—aruÌ„ â—â—aÌ„â—eâ— qua sunt occulta diligentèr examines paulatim incipies rationeÌ„ colligere dictoruÌ„ et operietur tibi Non ab alio sed à verbo Dei Amb. in Psal 118. Serm. 8. There is much obscurity in the Scriptures but withall if thou knocke at the doore with the hand of thy vnderstanding thou shalt gather by little and little the reason of that which is there spoken and the doore shall bee opened vnto thee non ab alio sed à verbo Dei and that by no other but by the Word of God it selfe And with these Doctors of the Latin Church agreeth the Greeke Fathers Behold saith Basil and heare the Scripture expounding it selfe Basil HexaÌ„ Hom. 4. Yea saith he what things be or seeme to bee couertly spoken in some places of holy Scripture Quae ambigua sunt tectè dicta esse in quibusdaÌ„ diuinae scripturae locis videntuâ— ab aliis locis manifestis declaraÌ„tur IdeÌ„ quaest coÌ„p Expl. quaest 267. Ad ipsuÌ„ diuina Script scopuÌ„ incedamus quaeseipsam interpretatur quaÌ„uis sacra Scriptura cum nos tale quiddaÌ„ docere vult seipsaÌ„ exponit et auditoreÌ„ errare non sinit Chrys HoÌ„ 13. in Gen. Chrys in 1. Thes HoÌ„ 7. SiquideÌ„ empturê° vesteÌ„ quaÌ„uis artis Textoriae imperitê° sis haec verba non dicis Nescio emere illudunt mihi sed facis omnia vt discas fac illa quae facienda et rectâ ratione quaere à Deo et ille tibi omnino reueâ—abit IdeÌ„ Homil. 33. in Act. the same are expounded by other plaine places elsewhere And saith Chrysostome Let vs follow the scope of the holy Scripture in interpreting of it selfe when it teacheth some hard thing it expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the hearer to erre Let vs not feare therefore saith hee to put our selues with full saile into the sea of Scriptures because wee shall be sure to find the Word of God for our Pilot. And lastly as it were forestalling that Popish opinion that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore not to be read by the vulgar people hee elegantly incites a Gentile to the reading of the Scripture by a familiar and common reason When thou buyest a garment though thou haue no skill in weauing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they will deceiue mee but thou dost vse all meanes to learne how to know it doe therefore those things which are to bee done seeke all those things of God and hee altogether will reaueale it vnto thee So that if any doubt or difference happened in the Primitiue church amongst the true beleeuing Christians they referred the determination of it to the Inquest of Christ his 12 Apostles and they onely were made the sole Iudges of the question And that wee might know this Protestant doctrine continued for many ages in the Church Pope Clement the first almost sixe hundred yeeres since professed it for the Catholike doctrine of his time Integra firma regula veritatis ex Scripturis Dist 37. cap 14. that a man must take the sense of truth from the Scripture it selfe seeing that euery man may haue the full and firme rule of faith and truth in the Scriptures If we descend froÌ„ the Pope to the great Councell of Basil it was the general vote of many B. and Cardinalls and confirmed likewise by the Pope himselfe The Diuine Law or holy Scripture the practise of Christ of his Apostles Lex diuina praxu Christi Apostolica et Ecclesia primitina vnâ cum CoÌ„ciliis Doctoribusque fundantibê° se veracitèr in eadeÌ„ pro verissimo et indifferente Iudice in hoc Basiliensi Consilia admittatur Conc. Basil Sess 4. and the Primitiue Church together with Councels and Doctors grounding themselues truely vpon the Scriptures shall bee admitted for the most true and indifferent Iudge in the Councell of Basil The resolution of the ancient Father Optatus in the question betwixt the Catholiques and the heretiques whether one should bee twise baptized may serue for a proofe and a full conclusion of the premisses You say it is lawfull wee say it is not lawfull betweene yours it is lawfull and ours it is not lawfull the peoples soules doe doubt and wauer De coelo quaerendus est Index sed vt quid pulsamus ad coelum cum habemus in Euangelio Testamentum Opt. lib. 5. contr Parmen Donat. let none beleeue you nor vs wee are all contending parties Iudges must be sought for if Christians they cannot be giuen on both sides for truth is hindred by affections A Iudge without must bee sought for if a Paynim hee cannot know the Christian mysteries if a Iew hee is an enemie to Christian Baptisme no iudgement therfore of this matter can bee found on earth a Iudge in heauen must bee sought for But why knocke we at heauen when wee haue the Testament of Christ in the Gospell And thus I haue briefly shewed you the deputed Iudges and Interpreters of the Scripture in the Primitiue Church now let vs obserue by what Rule the Scriptures are expounded in the Roman Church SECT IIII. Our aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers Bulla Pij quarti Art 2. IT is an Article of the Romame Creed published by Pope Pius the fourth and by the oath their Foreman hath taken all Priestes and I suites are sworne Not to receiue or interpret the Scriptures but according to the vnifoâ—me consent of Fathers It is a large and faire promise and deliuered vpon oath and for my part if the church of Rome can make good the vniforme consent of Fathers for all their twelue newe Articles of Faith which hath been often promised but neuer as yet by any one performed I shall willingly listen to their interpretation and preferre it before any priuate or latter Exposition It was the profession of our late King of famous memory Apolog. for the oath of Alleag pa. 36. What euer the Fathers of the first foure hundred yeeres did with one vnanime consent agree vpon to be beleeued
Prologue before the booke of Proverbs and Gregory in his Moralls the bookes of Iudith Tobias and the Maccabees Ecclesiasticus and the booke of Wisdome are not to bee receiued for confirmation of any matter of faith Occham Dial. part 3 Pract. 1. li. 3. cap. 16. so also it readeth those two volumes of Ecclesiasticus and Wisedome for the edification of the people but not for confirmation of poynts of faith and religion Postquam auxiliante Deo scripsi super libros sacrae scripturae Canonicos alios inteÌ„do scribere qui non sunt de Canone scil liber Sapientiae Ecclus. Iudith Tobias et libri Machabaorum In Praefat. Tobiae Nicholas Lyra After that by the assistance of God I haue handled the Canonicall bookes of Scripture beginning from Genesis and proceeding to the end of the Apocalypse being confident of the same ayde and assistance I purpose to write of those bookes which are not in the Canon as namely the booke of Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Iudith Tobias and the bookes of Maccabees This Author is so truely ours in this poynt Nicholas Lyra in prafatione in libruÌ„ Tobia dicit neque eum neque Iudith neque Machabaorum neque Sapientiae neque EcclesiasticuÌ„ neque Baruch neque vltimos Esdrae in Canone haberi recipi tamen in Ecclesia legique ad mores informandos quanquaem eorum authoritas ad probanda ea quae in contentionem veniunt minus idonea reputetur Ioh. Fr. Pic. Mirand Theorem 5. that Picus Mirandula professeth Lyra saith Neither the bookes of Tobit nor Iudith nor the Maccabees nor Wisedome nor Ecclesiasticus nor Baruch nor the last bookes of Esdras are to bee reckoned in the Canon but notwithstanding they are receiued of the Church and are read for rectifying of manners although their authoritie is of lesse account for proofe of those things which are in controuersie In the fifteenth Age An. 1400. to 1500. Alphonsus Tostatus giues his voyce with the reformed Churches Quanquam isti libri ab Ecclesia recipiantur nullius authóritatis solidae sunt ideò ad confirmanduÌ„ et probanduÌ„ ea quae in dubium venerint inutiles sunt c Tost praef in lib. Paralip q. 2. Denique liber iste non est de Canone id est inter Scripturas Canonicas coÌ„putandus quamuis de eius veritate non dubitatur Dyonis Carth. prolog in Ecclesiast Perer. in Dan. lib. 16. p. 742. Although saith hee the bookes in question bee receiued of the Church yet are they not of any solid authoritie and therefore they are improfitable to prooue and confirme those things which are called in question according to Saint Hierom. Dionysius Carthusianus in writing vpon Ecclesiasticus saith That booke is not of the Canon that is amongst the Canonicall Scriptures although there bee no doubt made of the trueth of that booke This is confessed likewise by our aduersaries Dyonisius Carthusianus and Lyra doe not denie the Historie of Susanna to bee true but they denie the bookes of Iudith Tobit and the Maccabees do appertaine to the canonicall Scriptures Ita 22 volumina supputaÌ„tur quibê° quasi literis et exordiis in Dei doctrina c. Wald. doct fidei lib 2. art 2. circa initium Anton. par 3. tit 18. ca. 6. juxt fineÌ„ Thomas Waldensis cites out of Hierome the Canon of the olde Testament in these words As there are twentie two letters by which we write in Hebrew all that wee speake so there are accounted twentie two bookes by which as letters wee are instructed in the doctrine of God and withall addeth Dicit Thomas 2.2 Nichol de Lyra super Tobiam scil isti non sunt tanta authoritatis quòd ex dictis eorum posset efficaciter argumentari in his quae sunt fidei sicut ex aliis libris sacrae scripturae vndè fortè habent authoritateÌ„ talem qualeÌ„ habent dicta sanctorum Doctorum approbato ab Eccâ—esia that the whole Canonicall Scripture is conteined in the two and twentie bookes Antoninus tells vs that Aquinas and Nicholas de Lyra say the Apocryphall bookes reiected by the Hebrewes are not of that authoritie that a man may argue from their sayings as efficaciously touching poynts of faith as from other writings of the sacred Scriptures and therefore happily they haue such authoritie as the sayings of holy Fathers which are approued by the Church but not as the Canonical Scriptures themselues In the sixteenth Age An. 1500. to 1600. Reliqui viz. Iudith Tobiae MachabeoruÌ„ libri cuÌ„ Sapientia et Ecclesiastico à Diuo Hier. inter Apocrypha locaÌ„tur Nec turberis Nouitie si alicubi reperias libros istos inter Canonicos supputari vel in sacris CoÌ„ciliis vel in sacris doctoribus NaÌ„ ad Hieronymi lineam reducenda sunt taÌ„verba Conciliorum quam DoctoruÌ„ sic vt libri isti non sint Canonici id est regulares ad firmandâ—m ea quae sunt fidei possunt tamen dici Canonici id est regulares ad aedificationeÌ„ FideliuÌ„ Caiet in finecom Hist veter Testament Cardinall Cajetan tells vs The bookes in question betwixt vs as namely Iudith Tobit the Maccabees the books of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus are reckoned by Hierome amongst the Apocryphall books neither be thou troubled saith hee O Nouice if elsewhere you finde these bookes reckoned amongst the Canonicall Scriptures both by sacred Councells or by the holy Doctors of the Church for they are to bee reduced to the rule of Hierome that those bookes may not bee accounted Canonicall that is to regulate our faith but they may bee termed Canonicall for the edification of the faithfull This testimony of Cajetan against the Tenet of the Church of Rome fully agrees with vs in so much that Ambrosius Catharinus a Romanist professeth that Cajetan in this poynt committed almost as many sinnes as hee deliuered words And his fellow Canus protesteth that hee is ashamed that a man otherwise ingenious and learned and a godly pillar of their Church In huius vero confirmatione argumenti Ambrosius Cathâ—rinus Caietanum affirmat tot peccata admisisse quot verba penè effudit Can lib. 2. cap. 11. should so much degenerate from the learned professors of the Romane Faith that when all Writers agree that the name of Canonicall is sacred and diuine onely Cajetan should say the Bishops and Councels did otherwise vnderstand it And for a conclusion Arias Montanus in his Edition of the Bible Accesserunt et huic Editioni libri Graecè scripti quos Ecclesia Orthodoxa Hebraorum Canonem secuta inte Apochryphos receÌ„set Arias Mon. in the Frontispice of the Bible Edit Antwerp ex Offic. Plant. Ann. 1584. tells vs there are added to that Edition bookes writen in Greeke as namely Toby Iudith Hester the Booke of Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Baruch the Additions to Daniel and the two bookes of Maccabees the which bookes saieth hee the Orthodoxe Church following the Hebrew Canon reckons amongst the Apocrypha And thus by
the true Canon of Scripture in their dayes how comes it to passe that Bellarmine cites the Councell of Nice for the booke of Iudith Why doe the Romanists claime the antiquitie of their Canon from the Councell of Carthage Why doe they professe in honor of that Councell that it was generally receiued and that S. Austen subscribed to it when as that Canon touching the Apocryphal Scriptures was not decreed nor confirmed by that Councell by their owne confessions But admit the Councell of Carthage had decreed it yet can any man prooue that the Church at that time did receiue the bookes of Iudith of Hester of the Maccabees and the rest for the rule of faith Shall we thinke that Saint Austen maintained the Canon of Scriptures contrary to Saint Hierom must wee beleeue that the Councell of Carthage within lesse then thirtie yeeres did decree contrary to the Councell of Laodicea nay more is it so much as probable that both those Councells should bee confirmed by one and the same generall Councell of Trullo and yet one should decree a contrary Canon of Faith against the other And as touching Saint Austens subscription to that Councell it is a sufficient allegation against it that the 47 Canon was neuer decreed in that Councell and the rather it appeares by this for that St. Austen did not allowe the booke of Iudith of Wisdome of Ecclesiasticus and the Maccabees for Canonicall all which are expressely decreed in the Councell of Carthage for Canonicall Touching the booke of Iudith St. Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 18. c. 26. l. 17. c. 20 he tells vs the Pewes neuer receiued it in to the Canon of Scriptures withal there he professeth that the Canon of the Iewes was most authentical Touching the bookes of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus hee tells vs Solomon was a Prophet as his workes namely the Prouerbes the Canticles and Ecclesiastes doe witnesse all which are Canonicall August de Ciuit. Dei lib. 17. c. 20. but Ecclesiasticus and the booke of Wisedome were onely called his for some likenesse of stile but all the learned affirme them none of his yet the Westerne Churches held them anciently of great authoritie And lastly touching the bookes of Maccabees hee declareth by pregnant and seuerall reasons that they are Apocryphall First by way of distinction hee tells vs this reckoning is not found in the Canonicall Scriptures but in other bookes which the Church receiueth for Canonicall Secondly hee tells vs they are accounted Canonicall for the suffering of holy Martyrs whereas the Canonicall bookes are simply and absolutely of themselues and for themselues Canonicall Thirdly hee tells vs the Church did receiue them not vnprofitably which is as poore a testimony as hee could haue giuen of his own works Fourthly they are receiued with this condition if they be soberly read in the Church And lastly hee giueth this speciall reason in behalfe of the true Canon of Scripture Christ giueth his Testimonie to those bookes as namely to the Law to the Prophets to the Psalmes because all they beare witnesse of him but the Apocryphall bookes neither witnes any thing of Christ neither are they conteined vnder all or any of those bookes which Christ himselfe diuided into the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes It is true Proto canonici Deuterocanonici there was Canon Ecclesiasticall wherein all or most part of the Apocryphall bookes which are now read and receiued in our Churches were anciently read for example of life and instruction of manners and for that cause were commonly called Canonicall and in this manner Saint Austen speaking of thâ— Maccabees tells vs Hos libros non Iudai sed Ecclesia habet pro Canonicis Aug. de ci uit Dei lib. 18. cap. 36. These books the Church did account Canonicall which the Iewes did not yet withall he professeth in the same Tract that those bookes which were not in the Iewes Canon and yet were receiued of the Church for Canonicall were of lesse force and authoriritie when as it cannot bee denied that all the bookes truely and diuinely Canonicall were alwayes reputed of equall force and authoritie Againe there was Canon diuinus Aug de Ciuit Dei lib. 17 cap. 20. a diuine Canon which was held the rule of Faith wherein was numbred onely the twentie two bookes of Scripture committed to the Iewes and this Canon St. Austen who termed the bookes of Maccabees Canonicall doth distinguish from the Canon Ecclesiasticall and giues his very instance in the bookes of Maccabees In Machabaeorum libris etsi aliquid MirabiliuÌ„ de diuini Canonis Mirabilibus exiguaÌ„ expositioneÌ„ tangeremus Aug. de Mirabil sacrae Scrip. lib. 2. cap. 34. There may be something saith he found in the books of Maccabees worthy to bee ioyned with the number of those miracles yet hereof will wee haue no care for that we intend the miracles Diuini Canonis which are conteined in the diuine Canon And thus he distinguished the bookes of Maccabees which he termed Canonicall for instruction of life from the diuine Canon of Scriptures Canon MoruÌ„ Canon Fidei Caiet which were receiued for confirmation of faith and that diuine Canon onely hee acknowledgeth to be giuen by inspiration from God and to bee of most certaine credit and highest authority in the Church and for that cause hee giues this further rule Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. The bookes which were receiued of all Churches such as were in the diuine Canon among the Iewes were of greatest authoritie and ought to bee preferred before those which were not generally receiued of the all Churches Diuum AugustinuÌ„ fuisse certissimuÌ„ omnes libros Canonicoâ—esse infallibilis veritatis sed noÌ„ fuisse aequè certum de omnibus libris quos enumerauerat qui esseÌ„t canonici na si ità sentiebat rem noÌ„ fuisse adhuc à generali Concilio definitam et proptereà potuisse sine labe haeresios quosdaÌ„libros ab aliis non recipi IdeÌ„ ibidem and thereupon Bellarmine confesseth by way of solution That Saint Austen was most certaine that all Canonicall bookes were of infallible truth but was not alike certaine that all the bookes of Scripture were Canonicall for if he did think so yet hee knew the poynt was not as yet defined by a generall Councell and therefore without any staine of heresie some books might not bee receiued of some persons for Apocryphall Since therefore the pretended Canon of the Nicene Councell is not extant since their suggested Canon of the third Councell of Carthage by their owne confessions is not confirmed in that Councell since the bookes of Maccabees which are ioyned with the Apocryphall bookes in the Latine copies are not to bee found in the Manuscripts of the ancient Greeke coppies nay more since contrariwise wee haue the testimonie of Christ and his Apostles for the intire Canon comprehended in the Law in the Prophets and in the Psalmes since
we haue the Councell of Laodicca in the Primitiue Church generally receiued and aftewards confirmed by a general Councel since wee haue the consent of the ancient Fathers and the ample testimonies of Bishops and Cardinals and learned Writers in the bosome of the Roman Church who witnesse with vs the Antiquity and Vniuersality of our Canon in all ages I hope wee may with good reason reiect the Apocryphall Scriptures as often as they are produced against vs for Freewill for Purgatory for Prayer for the dead for Invocation of Saints for Worshipping of Angells and the like these things I say rightly considered and patiently heard on both sides I shall appeale to their owne learned Cardinall Cajetans confession who concludes for the antiquitie of our doctrine and the Vniuersalitie of the Iewes Canon Duas maximas vtilitates ex IudaeoruÌ„ obstinacia percipimê° altera est fides libroruÌ„ sacrorum Si enim omnes conuersi essent ad ChristuÌ„ putaret iam mundus Iudaeorum ad inuentioneÌ„ fuisse quod fuerit promissâ—s Messiis sed vbi inimici Christi Iudai perseuerant et testantur nullos alios apud Patres fuisse libros canonicè sacroâ—nisi istos Cajet CoÌ„ment in Rom c 11. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. with one and the same reason All Christians receiue a double benefit by the Apostacie and obstinacie of the Iewes one is to know which are the true bookes of the Olde Testament for if all the Iewes had beene converted to the faith of Christ then would the world haue suspected that the Iewes had invented those promises which are of Christ the Messias but now for as much as the Iewes are enemies vnto Christ they beare witnesse vnto vs that there are no bookes Canonicall but those onely which the Iewes themselues acknowledged to bee Canonicall To conclude therefore this first poynt since the Scripture is the most certaine and safest rule of Faith by our aduersaries owne confession since the Canonicall bookes of Scripture which are the onely rule of Faith are conteined in the Law in the Prophets and the Psalmes vnder all or any of which the Apocryphall bookes are not conteined I say to leaue this certaine and safe way and receiue Apocryphall additions to that Word Deut. 4.2 c. 12.32 Prou. 30.6 Reuel 22.18 when it is strictly forbidden by God himselfe Thou shalt not adde to this Word this is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way But because our aduersaries insist vpon an other ground viz. NoÌ„ aliundè nos habere Scripturam esse diuinaÌ„ et qui sunt libri sacri quaÌ„ ex Traditioniê° noÌ„ scriptis Bel. de verb. Dei lib. 4. c. 4. That by no other meanes wee can know the Scriptures to be diuine nor the bookes to bee holy and Canonicall but onely from vnwritten Tradition I will leaue them to their Apocryphall Scriptures and pursue them in their vnwritten traditions in the next place SECT VII The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them IT is the first Article of the Romane Creed to which all Bishops and Priests are sworne Bulla Pij 4. Art 1. I admit and embrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall Traditions and the other obseruations and constitutions of the Church What are meant by those Obseruations and Constitutions of the Church and how the Priests are bound to imbrace them The Councell of Trent declareth in this manner Necnon Traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mo res pertineÌ„tes pari pietutis affectu ac reuerentia suscipit veneratur Conc. Trid Sess 4. Decret 1. Traditions appertaining to faith and manners as if they were dictated by Christ himselfe with his owne mouth or by the holy spirit and preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholique Church the Councell receiueth with equall reuerence and religious affection as shee receiues the holy Striptures themselues Heere was the first alteration made touching the rule of Faith and from the Decree of this Councell Bellarmines doctrine began to take place Regula partialis noÌ„ totalis Bell. The Scripture is but a partiall not a totall rule of Faith for certainly till this time Traditions concerning faith and manners were neuer reputed of equall authoritie with the Scriptures nor a part of the Rule of Faith It was the Tenet of Aquinas and the later Schoolemen knew no other doctrine till the Councell of Trent Aquin. in 1. ad Tim. cap. 6. The doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is called Canonicall because it is the rule of our vnderstanding and therefore no man ought to teach otherwise But you shall obserue from and after this time the Romanists performed their oath Ex abundanti I may say more then enough Cardinall Baronius tells vs Tradition is the foundation of Scriptures Baron An. 58. n. 11. and excels them in this that the Scriptures cannot subsist vnlesse they bee strengthened by Traditions but Tradition hath strength enough without the Scriptures And that the world may know it is vsuall with our aduersaries not onely to equall their vnwritten Traditions but also to aduance them aboue the Scriptures let their sayings bee weighed by any indifferent man and it will appeare the Scriptures are of so little vse or esteeme with them as if they were not worthy to be named in poynts of controuersie betwixt vs. Lindan Panopl l. 1. c. 22. l. 5. c. 4. l. 1. c. 6. c. Traditions saith Lindan are the most certaine foundations of Faith the most sure ground of the sacred Scriptures the impenetrable buckler of Ajax the suppresser of all heresies On the other side the Scripture saith hee is a nose of waxe a dead and killing letter without life a meere shell without a kernell a leaden rule a wood of thieues a shop of heretiques and the like Costerus the Iesuite tels vs for certain It was neuer the minde of Christ either to commit his mysteries to parchment or that his Church should depend on paper writings but say the Rhemists Rhem. Test in 2. Thess 2. v. 19. Wee haue plaine Scriptures all the Fathers most euident reasons that wee must either beleeue Traditions or nothing at all nay more saith Costerus The excellencie of the vnwritten word doth far surpasse the Scriptures which the Apostles left vs in parchments Coster Euchrist cap. 1 pag. 44. the one is written by the finger of God the other by the penne of the Apostles the Scripture is a dead letter written in paper or parchment which may be razed or wrested at pleasure but Tradition is written in mens hearts which cannot be altered the Scripture is like a scabberd which will receiue any sword either leaden or woodden or brazen and suffereth it selfe to be drawen by any interpretation Tradition retaines the true
Bell de verbo Dei lib. 4. c 2. do signifie that doctrine which is not written by the first Author in any Apostolique Booke either for want of a continued succession in their Traditions or to make the ignorant beleeue the Scripture makes in all poynts for them I say for those very points which they terme Traditions vnwritten they produce the Word written See the Gag of the Gospell as for instance Purgatory is termed an vnwritten Tradition and therefore by Bellarmines testimony is not to bee found in any Apostolike Author yet the Cardinall Bel. de Purgatorio for this very poynt cites twentie seuerall places in the written Word to prooue it Invocation of Saints is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to bee found in Scripture yet the Cardinall prooues it out of the Word written Bell. de sancta Bâ—at l. 1. c. 20. Goe to my seruant Iob and he will pray for thee The Communion in one kind is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to be found in any Apostolique Author yet Fisher Bishop of Rochester proues it out of the Word written Roffen advers Luth. Aâ—t 16. Giue vs this day our daily bread Prayer and Seruice in an vnknowne tongue is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to bee found in Scripture Ledes de diuin scrip quauis linâ—uâ non legendâ c. 22. yet Ledesma the Iesuite prooues it strongly out of the Word written Our Sauiour opened the booke of the Prophet Esay and afterwards closed it How poore and weake are these and the like authorities deduced from the Scriptures I leaue to euery mans iudgement but sure I am the number of their Traditions is vncertaine and the nature of them is destroyed by their owne Tenets when they confound the written word with their vnwritten Doctrines It was the ancient rule of Vincentius Lyrinensis In ipsâ Catholicâ Ecclesia magnopere curandum est vt id teneamus qd vbique qd semper quod ab omnibê° credituÌ„ hóc est enim verè proprieque Catholicum qd ipsa vis nominis raticque declarat VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 3. In the Catholique Church we ought to bee carefull to hold that which hath been beleeued in all places at all times and of all persons for that is truely and properly Catholique which the force and reason of the name doth declare Those men therefore which assume the name of Catholique and accurse all those who receiue not Traditions with equall reuerence and authoritie with the Scriptures let them proue that their doctrinall Traditions before named haue been euer held and beleeued at all times in all places and of all persons let them proue they were receiued with the vniforme consent of Fathers let them proue they were decreed in a constant succession from age to age from Christians to Christians throughout the whol vniuersal Church These are requisite conditions and ancient characters of Apostolique Traditions But that there are any such or euer were in the Chuch of Rome excepting those onely which are expressely or by necessary consequence deduced from the word of God although they are daily pretended by them yet to this day were neuer proued And hence it is that for want of sure footing and foundation in the Scriptures many Rituall Traditions and Obseruations of the ancient Church are changed and many doctrinall Traditions and Constitutions of the Roman Church are newly brought in which are pretended to be ancient Touching Rituall Traditions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bass de Spirit sanct ca. 27. Saint Basil tels vs It was not lawfull for any man to kneele in the Church vpon the Sunday and this Traditionn saith he was giuen vnto vs in secret charge by the Apostles of Christ Yet this Tradition is altered St. Austen saith Betweene Easter and Whitsuntide it was not lawfull for any man to fast Aug. ad Casulanum by the Tradition of the Apostles yet this Tradition is abrogated Sententiae haec infantibê° Eucharistiam esse necessariam cercitèr sexentos annos viguit in Ecclesia Mald. Com. in Iohn 6. The giuing of the Eucharist to Infants was an ancient Tradition continued in the Church six hundred yeeres after Christ saith Maldonat yet this Tradition is abolished And as touching the doctrinall Traditions and Constitutions of their Church which are made of equall authoritie with the Scripture you shall scarcely find any of them I say confidently you shall finde none of them to haue been receiued de Fide as Articles of faith with the Vniuersalitie of Churches the consent of Fathers and continued succession of the now receiued doctrine in all ages That this may the more plainely apeare I will examine the Tenets of the Papall Traditions ab Initio and see what the Romane Church in generall and the Greeke Church in particular which for many hundred yeeres communicated in the same Faith with the Romane hath taught and beleeued concerning their doctrine SECT VIII The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church TO examin the foundation of the Greek Church let vs look vp to the time of the Apostles where wee shall finde S. Iohn writing to the seuen Churches in Asia Reuel 1 11 and Saint Paul sending his Epistles to the Corinthians to the Ephesians to the Thessalonians all principall members of the Greeke Church In these Churches according to the doctrine of the Apostles there is nothing that makes for the now Romane Faith and Doctrine but rather against it and that the Romanists may not vainely arrogate to themselues the title of Catholike and Vniuersall Church as if the whole Christian Faith were confined to the Bishop of Rome and his Diocesse it is plaine and euident that Saint Peter taught the word at Antioch Saint Andrew in Greece and Muscouie Saint Iames in Iudea Saint Iohn in Asia Saint Philip in Assyria Saint Thomas in India Saint Matthew in Aethiopia Saint Thaddeus in Armenia Saint Paul in all the countreyes from Arabia to Slauonia St. Bartholomew in Scythia Saint Simon in Persia Ioseph of Arimathea in Great Britaine and all these published the same Faith for substance which wee at this day professe in the Church of England Looke vpon the Greeke Church in generall Terra Graecorum vndique destinata est fides Aug. Ep. 178. Ep. 170. Saint Austen tells vs From the land of Grecia the faith into all places was spread abroad and in particular Saint Chrysostome tells vs The name of Christians beginning first from the citie of Antioch as from a spring hath flowed ouer the whole world And without doubt that famous Citie in Greece gaue the first name and title to the Christians and therefore was called Theopolis Antioch the Citie of God It cannot bee denyed that the Easterne Church is before Rome in time shee hath larger bounds and multitudes
whose eares are intirely affected towards Religion And in like manner Saint Austen made the like answere Quia etsi fortassè nomen ipsum non inueniret res tamē ipsa inveniretur quid est enim contentiosius quá vbi de re cōstat certare de nomine Aug. Epist 174. Albeit the word perhaps be not found there yet the thing it selfe is found and what more friuolous quarrell is it then to contend about the word when there is a certaintie of the thing I will not require of our aduersaries to shew mee in the Scriptures the word of Transubstantiation of Masse of Supremacie and the like because they receiue them as Traditions which are not conteined in the Scriptures but on the other side if any Romanist will deny that the Articles of the Apostles Creed are not contained in the Scriptures and yet will shew me in expresse words I beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth or that the holy Catholike Church and Communion of Saints are the expresse wordes contained in the Scriptures I will subscribe to the Articles of the newe Romane Creed and allow all Papall Traditions for Apostolical For we doe not say that nothing is to bee beleeued de fide but what is written in the Scriptures in expresse termes but wee professe it must be directly or by necessary consequence deduced from the Scriptures It was the answere of Epiphanius to the disciples of Arius in the Primitiue Church Wee all of vs doe confesse the Father to be vnbegotten Epiphan haeres 69. nu 71. increate and it is surely an admirable saying but shew mee if you can where this saying is written for neither doeth the Law of Moses nor the Prophets nor yet the Apostles make any mention thereof If then we do piously acknowledge this saying though it were not written any where Idem haeres 75. who can find fault with vs though the word Coessentiall or Consubstantiall be not written As therefore we confesse the words Vnbegotten Increate Consubstantiall the word Trinitie and the like are not found in Scriptures so I thinke no Romanists will or can deny but that all those words are implyed in the Scripture or by necessary inference deduced from them To conclude therefore this second poynt and first Article of the Romane Creed since Papall Traditions haue no foundation in the Scripture nor are contained in any Apostolike author by our aduersaries confession since they want a continued succession from the Apostles time with vniuersalitie of Churches consent of Fathers since they are not resolued of a certaine and definite number of doctrinall Traditions which ought to be resolued in poynts of Faith Lastly since the Scriptures by the testimonies of both sides is the safest and furest rule for all beleeuers and since many Papall Traditions are different if not contrary to the Scriptures To follow vnknowne and vnwritten doctrines for knowne and written verities is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via deuia a wandring and By-way I proceed in the next place to the examination of the ancient Fathers whereby it shall appeare the Romish faith and doctrine as it wants Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie of Churches so likewise it is vtterly destitute of the consent of ancient Fathers SECT X. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to sifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them Cant. 1.7 and 6.1 TEll mee then O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest whither is thy beloued turned side that wee may seeke him with thee Shall wee seeke him in the Fathers Oh saith Campian If wee once name the Fathers Camp Rat. 5. the field is fought the wager is won on our side for they are all ours Yea saith Bristow In most matters of Controuersie they are so plain on our side Brist Mot. 14. that it cannot with any colour bee denied or called in question Yea Duraeus the Iesuit claimes a peculiar interest in the behalfe of the Roman Church Nos Patrū veri filii sumus Dur. coutr Whitak p. 125. 140. Wee onely are the true sonnes of the Fathers wee doe not cite them by the halues sometimes allowing one part of their doctrine sometimes reiecting another but we embrace them all And for confirmation of this assertion the Romanists in their Apologie or Petition of Lay Catholikes make this generall acclamation Apolog. or Pet. of Lay Cath. 1604. cap. 4. For one place of a Father sometimes ill cited sometimes falsified sometimes mutilated and sometimes wholly corrupted by Protestants we can produce a thousand not by patches and mammockes as they doe but whole pages whole chapters whole bookes and the vniforme consent of all the ancient Fathers and Catholique Church Thus the wicked Iewes claimed Abraham for their Father and thus the frantike Grecian claimed all the ships in Athens to bee his Thrasilaus when the poore man had least interest in them If Campian and his fellow Iesuites had been liuing in the dayes of the ancient Fathers surely they had been branded with the markes of heretikes for their false alarums for Carosus the Eutychian heretike although his claime reach not to all the Fathers Ego secundum expositionem trecentū octodecem Patrum sic credo c. Concil Chalc. Act. 4 p. 877. yet saith he according to the Exposition of three hundred and eighteene Fathers so I beleeue and in this faith was I baptized what should ye say more to mee I cannot tell And Dioscorus the heretike much like the Iesuit makes an open outcry in the Councell of Chalcedon Ego cum Patribus eiicior ego defendo Patrum dogmata ego horum habeo testimonia non simpliciter aut transitoriè sed in ipsorum libris expressum Concil Chalc. Act. 1. I haue the testimonies of the holy Fathers Athanasius Gregorie Cyril I varie not from them in any poynt I am throwne foorth and banished with the Fathers I defend the Fathers doctrine I haue their iudgement vttered not by chance or vnaduisedly but remaining expressed in their books Thus Paynims heretikes Iewes and Iesuits claime Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in Traditions and Fathers yea the heretikes did glory and vaunt of the Fathers in the two famous Councels of Nice and Chalcedon in the very presence of the Fathers themselues yea Pelagius the heretike when he disagreed from the doctrine of the Fathers like a true Romanist thought to aduance his owne heresie by magnifying the Faith of Ambrose an ancient Father Blessed St. Ambrose saith he that Bishop Pelag. lib. 3. de lib. Arbitrio q. in whose bookes the Roman faith especially appeareth who like a beautifull flower shined amongst the Latine Writers whose faith and most pure vnderstāding of the scriptures the enemy himselfe dares not reprehend This is the very practise of the Romane church in these daies They glory
by the application of Saints merits and that priuate satisfactions which were left to the discretion of euery Bishop were transferred wholly to the power of the Pope and so receiued de Fide as an article of faith as it is now vsed in the Romane Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimonie are oftentimes called by the name of Sacraments let him spare the labour I will confesse it But let him proue the poynt in question that al those Sacraments were instituted by Christ in the new Testament and that there are neither more nor lesse then seuen termed by the name of Sacraments and those onely were properly so called and that number of seuen was receiued de fide as an Article of faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that St. Peter had a primacie of Order amongst the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome had the first place amongst other Bishops let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that Peter had iurisdiction ouer the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome was helde Christs Vicar generall and Head of the Vniuersall Church and that such his power and Supremacie was receiued de fide as an article of faith as it is now taught in the Roman Church and I will subscribe Lastly he that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that out of the Cath. church there is no saluation let him spare the labor I will cōfesse it but let him proue that the present Roman Church is that Catholike Church as it is decreed de fide by their last Article of their Creed and I will subscribe Thus briefly I haue giuen you my poore opinion how to examine the Trent Faith and doctrine whereby you may easily discouer the vanitie of those men who challenge an interest in all the Fathers in behalfe of their Religion and certainly if this rule bee rightly obserued and pursued by any indifferent Iudge he shal finde there is not greater distance in the times then difference in their doctrine This is so well knowne to the best learned on their side that when wee charge them that they haue created new Articles of Faith vnknowne to the first and best ages by way of preuention they giue this solution that true it is many poynts of doctrine were not explicitè reuealed and publikely declared as Articles of faith in the dayes of the ancient Fathers because no heretikes did then oppose them but say they they were implicitè obscurely secretly reseruedly knowne and receiued of the Ancients with an implicit faith by which confession their later errour will bee greater then the first for as one way they would seemingly auoyd the creating of new Articles of faith so by acknowledgement of an implicit faith they ouerthrow by consequence the Visibilitie of their Church for if the Church of Rome had but an implicite beliefe in those things which are now publikely declared without doubt the Church at that time was not visible in the faith it was not like a Citie vpon a hill knowne and conspicuous to all persons and thereupon the grand poynt of Visibilitie which they so much magnifie among themselues will easily be called in question For a conclusion of this poynt I will giue you but one instance whereby you may the better iudge of the rest Looke vpon the learned Treatise of the right Reuerend Bishop of Meath now Primate of Armach wherein the iudgement of the ancient Fathers An Answer to a challenge made by a Iesuite in Ireland 1624. touching seuerall poynts of controuersie is faithfully deliuered in our behalfe what Reply might wee thinke could bee made by our aduersaries to those Authorities so rightly produced Behold a Iesuite by Order W. Malone by name A Reply to Mr. Vshers answere hath made a Reply wherein hee hath produced in number many more authorities of Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Church and Trent Doctrine The encounter being made the end of the victory may seeme doubtfull for the Fathers are produced by both contending parties and seemingly they adhere to both sides as if they made both for Papist and Protestant in one and the same substantiall poynts of doctrine The reason being examined it will appeare the Fathers do not vary from themselues nor from vs in poynts of faith but the Iesuite produceth Authorities impertinent to the poynt in question As for instance in the first Article of Traditions Our Reuerend Bishop tels the Iesuite by way of preuention B Vsher cap. Traditions p. 35. that Traditions of all sorts are not promiscuously strucke at by vs but such vnwritten traditions which are obtruded for Articles of Religion As for example It is the first part of the Article of the Roman Creed I admit and imbrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiesticall Traditions To this first part of the article the reformed Churches doe subscribe but the other Obseruances and Constitutions of the Church which is the latter part of the Article we thinke it great reason to gainesay for vnder the pretence of other Obseruances the Church of Rome doeth vphold her priuate Masse her Latine Seruice her halfe Communion her Inuocation of Saints her worship of Images the like all which are admitted for part of Gods worship and accepted by them for Apostolike Traditions when as in truth they are flat contrary to the doctrine of the written Word The question then is not whether the doctrine deliuered by Christ or his Apostles by word of mouth were of equall authoritie with the Word written for this neuer any Protestant denied but whether the vnwritten Doctrine now taught in the Romane Church were deliuered by Christ and his Apostles whether their Ecclesiastical Obseruations and Constitutions now vsed bee of equall authoritie with the written Word whether their Papal Traditions were alwayes or euer admitted into the rule of faith and lastly whether the Scriptures are not sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuer without the helpe of those Traditions Let these questions bee rightly propounded in our behalfe and the multitude of the Iesuites authorities will fall to ground of themselues for what Father hath hee produced to proue that the Papall Traditions now receiued de fide in the Church of Rome were deliuered by word of mouth by the Apostles what Father hath hee cited to prooue that the Constitutions of their Church had a constant and continuall succession from the time of the Apostles as Articles of faith ought to haue what Fa her hath he vrged that admitted doctrinall Traditions vnwritten into the Rule of faith Lastly what ancient Father hath hee truely alleadged that denies the Scriptures to bee sufficient for all beleeuers without the helpe of Romish Traditions It were no difficult matter as I conceiue to giue a full answer to the Iesuits replie in the right stating of the Questions wherby it might easily appeare that hee
lusts hasten to Trent hyred and procured by the Pope to speake as hee would haue them vnlearned men they were and simple but for their impudencie and audacitie of much vse assoone as these had accesse to the Popes flatterers then did iniquitie reioyce to haue the vpper hand neither might any thing bee decreed but what made for them who made it their onely Religion to maintaine their Popes power and ryot One graue and learned man there was Bishop of Granado which could not away with such basenesse he as no sound Catholike what with feare and threatnings and what with intreatie was brought by the Councel to allow that which in heart hee disavowed In briefe it came to that issue by the dishonestie of them that were made and ordained for that purpose that the Councell seemed to consist not of Bishops but of shadowes not of men but of Images which like the statues of Daedalus had no motion from themselues but were carried vpon other mens shoulders The Bishops for the most part were hyrelings who like a paire of countrey bag-pipes vnlesse they were still blowne could make no musicke The holy Ghost had not to doe with that Councell wherein was nothing but worldly wisedome and that was wholly spent in propagating the Popes immoderate and shamefull Lordlinesse from whom as from an other Delphos they did wait for Oracles and from him in a Carriers clokebag was the holy Ghost sent of which they so much brag to sit at the sterne of their Councells and quod admodum ridiculum est which is most ridiculous when there fell good store of raine the holy Ghost could not come vnto theÌ„ before the floods were abated so it fell out that the spirit was not carried vpon the waters as wee reade in Genesis but besides them O strange and monstrous madnesse the Bishop like the people No act or Decree of theirs could be established vnles the Pope were made the first Author of that Decree How truely this learned Bishop hath deciphered the state and condition of that Councell I leaue to euery mans iudgement sure I am whilest many there carried the businesse with craft and ambition in those things which appertaine to Gods glory there was more attributed to the Councell of man then to the grace of God Adde to these testimonies the protestation of Francis the French King who was so farre from approuing the Decrees of the Councell Rex pubicè in co conueÌ„tu protestatus se illud neque pro â—ecumenico neque pro legitimo habere sed pro priuato coÌ„uentu c. Innoc Gent Trid. Sess 12. Hist of Trent lib. 4. p 319. Engl. that hee openly proclaimed that for his part he neither held it for a Generall nor yet for a lawfull Councell but for a priuate Conuenticle assembled for the ends of some priuate men and that neither hee nor his subiects were bound to obey it and that hee would haue this his Protestation inrolled amongst the Decrees of that Councell Adde to this the Protestation of all the Reformed Churches and diuers Christian Nations who at this day vtterly disavow the Trent doctrine Adde to this the protestation of the Ambassador to Charles the fifth Illyr in Protest cont Conc. Trident. who made his declaration in like manner I Iames Hurtado Mendoza in the name of the most mighty prince my lord Charles the Romane Emperour by his especiall commission and in the name of the Empire all other his Realmes and Dominions doe protest that the Legats and Bishops which are at Bonenia for the most part bound to your Holinesse wholly hanging vpon your beck haue no authoritie to make Lawes in cause of Reformation of Religion and maners I forbeare to speake more largely of the politike proceedings and the doctrine of Faith created and declared in this Councell The History of Trent published An. 1629. the former is accurately handled by the Historie of Trent and the later is fully confuted by our learned Chemnitius Chemnitij examen Conc. Trid. and as touching CouÌ„cels in generall let it suffice wee haue the testimonie of Cardinal Cusanus Multu Concilia ritè conuocatu errasse legimus Cusan Concord Cath. lib. 2 c. 3. In fidei definitionibus errasse etiaÌ„ vniuersalia sanctouÌ„ Patrum Concilia comperimus Pig Hier. Eccle. lib. 6. c. 13. Many plenarie Councells rightly called haue erred as we know by experience Let it suffice their own Albertus Pigghius giues his assent with vs that In matters of Faith Generall Councels haue erred as namely the Councell of Ariminum the second Councell of Ephesus both were generall and both doe witnesse that Generall Councells lawfully called may erre Let it suffice Panormitan their chiefest Canonist and Proctor for Pope Eugenius affirmeth plainly A Councell may erre as otherwise a Councell hath erred Panorm de Elect Electi potestate §. significasti about marriage to be contracted betwixt the rauisher and the rauished and the saying of Hierom as being of the sounder opinion was afterwards preferred before the Decree of the Councell And to preuent that common obiection of the Romanists that the Church would faile in faith if Councels should erre hee giues this full solution to the question Non obstat Idem Ibid. It hindreth vs little if it bee said a Councell cannot erre because Christ prayed for his Church that it should not faile For though a Generall Councell represent the whole vniuersall Church yet to speake trueth the vniuersall is not there precisely but by representation because the vniuersall Church consisteth of all the faithfull and this is the Church which cannot erre whereby it is not impossible but the true faith of Christ may continue in onely one person Therefore the Church is not said to faile nor to erre if the true faith remaine in any one And that no man might presume to relie in matters of faith either vpon Fathers or Councels St. Austen deliuers it for a safe and sure rule Aug lib. 2. de Baptist contr Donat c. 3. Whatsoeuer is found written in Scriptures may neither be doubted nor disputed whether it be true or right but the writings of Bishops may not onely bee disputed but corrected by Bishops that are more learned then themselues or by Councels and Nationall Councels by Plenary or Generall and euen Generall Councels may bee amended by the later My conclusion therefore shall be this Since the true Acts and Canons of Councels which make against the Supremacie against Inuocation of Saint against Images and the like are adiudged spurious and counterfet On the contrary since diuers Canons and Decrees are deuised for aduantage of their cause and namely to prooue their Reall Presence their Sacrament of Confirmation their Sacrament of Extreame Vnction the Popes Supremacie and the like which authorities are meerely forged and counterfet since the Bookes of Councells being negligently kept doe abound with many errours by the testimonies of our learned
iudgement of the Church for saith Stapleton Although the Church by reason of her Ministerie and Mastership receiued of God Stapl. lib. 3. de author Scrip. c. 12. doth cause vs to beleeue yet the reason wherefore wee beleeue is not the Church but God speaking within vs and witnessing his trueth vnto vs by his holy Spirit Thus briefly touching the authoritie of the Church now I proceed to our aduersaries claim touching the Vniuersalitie of it Lessius the Iesuite tells vs The Church of Rome Sola Ecclesia Romana eique adhaerens multitudo Ecclesia Catholica c. Less in Consult Consid 6. and that Church onely and the multitude adhering to it is the Catholique Church the Religion of this Church is Catholique the faith is Catholique the doctrine is Catholique and their followers are tearmed Catholikes What is properly vnderstood by the Catholike Church St. Austen deliuers in these words Non haec aut illa It is not this Church Toto orbe diffusa Aug. de rudibus Catech c. 20. or that Church but the Church dispersed throughout the whole world Maiores nostri Catholicā nominarunt vt ex ipso nomine ostenderent quia per totum est Aug de Vnit Eccles cap. 2. and from hence Our Ancestours named the Church Catholique that by that name they might demonstrate the Vniuersall If then the Church of Rome can prooue their Church Vniuersall there would be an end of all controuersies for we professe our selues to bee members of the vniuersall Church wee say that Church can neither erre totally nor finally and wee willingly grant that out of that Church there is no saluation But certainly this last Tenet doeth strongly euince that the Roman Church is not Vniuersall for Saint Stephen and St. Iames and others suffered Martyrdome and were saued in the Church of Hierusalem and in the Church of Antioch before the Church of Rome was euer heard of and they were all members of the vniuersall Church But let the Church of Rome claime what title or prerogatiue she list shee is in danger to fall vpon a Rocke for if shee confesse that shee is a particular Church shee stands subiect vnto errour if shee assume the title of Vniuersall she is altogether invisible for Vniuersale sentitur non videtur That which is Vniuersall is vnderstood not seene It is the Article of our Creed I beleeue the Catholique Church and Hoc enim veracitèr dicitur credi quod non potest videri Greg. Dial. 4. c. 4. that is truely said to bee beleeued which is inuisible saith Gregorie And that the world may know the Romanists are Nominals such as vaunt of the name of Catholikes as the Donatists did in the Primitiue Church when they want the nature of the thing it selfe their owne Waldensis who well vnderstood how to make a difference betwixt the particular Roman and the Vniuersal Catholike Church tels vs Wald. de doctr Fidei lib. 2. art 2. cap. 19. The Church whose faith neuer faileth according to the promise made to Peter is not any particular Church as the Church of Africa nor the particular Romane Church but the Vniuersall Church not gathered together in a Generall Councell which hath sometimes erred but it is the Catholique Church dispersed through the whole world from the Baptisme of Christ vnto our times which doeth hold and maintaine the true Faith and faithfull testimony of Iesus Neither was this the particular opinion of one priuate man but many Bishops and learned Doctors did professe publikely in the Councell of Ferara Quacunque facultate Romana Eccles praedita sit vniuersali Ecclesiae inferior sit Concil Ferar Sess 10 With whatsoeuer power the Church of Rome is indued yet it is inferiour to the Vniuersall Church And if wee require a cloud of witnesses behold both Princes and Cardinalls and Bishops in the great Councell of Basil resolued and declared Ecclesia Romana non est vniuersa sed est de vniuersalitate corporis mystici Concil Basil in Appendice That the Church of Rome is not Vniversall but a part of that vniversall mystical body of Christ as appeareth by Gregorie Therefore for as much as it is a member of the said body it is not neither can it be the Head of the same body since there is a difference betwixt Head and members Thus if wee looke for Infallibilitie it is not found in the Romane Church If wee looke for the Authoritie of the Church it is inferiour to the Scriptures vnlesse they say the Scripture is vnder the Church as some say the Sunne is vnder a cloud when it is aboue it If wee looke for Vniuersalitie the Romane Church is but a member and no sound member of the Vniuersall Let vs therefore examine in particular where or in whome wee shall finde this Church which doeth assume those great and glorious Titles to her selfe SECT XIX The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie amongst themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church SAint Matthew tels vs that our Sauiour Christ gaue charge to Saint Peter as well as to the rest of his Disciples that if any dissention did happen which they could not well reconcile among themselues they should tell the Church If Saint Peter himselfe was commaunded to tell the Church and the Pope bee St. Peters Successor it would somewhat trouble a doubtful Recusant how to vnderstand and beleeue the Pope for the Church for if Christ had taken Peter for the Church it is not probable hee would haue bid him tell the Church for that had beene all one as to bid the Church tell the Church Yes Postremò dicere Ecclesiae id est sibi ipsi Bel. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 19. saith Bellarmine the Pope ought to tell it to the Church that is to himselfe I take not vpon me to answer this learned Cardinall but I dare avowe that this Exposition of Scripture is not according to the Article of his faith with the vniforme consent of Fathers Howbeit by this solution of Dic Ecclesiae wee are informed where and in whom wee may finde the Romane Church Gretzerus the Iesuite puts the question touching the Pope and returnes his answere in this manner Ais tertio interpretátur Ecclesiam Papā non abnuo quid tum Gretz def c. 10. l. 31. de verbo Dei Thou saiest they interpret the Church the Pope I graunt it what then yet wee may doubt of his sentence for how can wee bee certaine that he erres not Yes saith hee from these sayings I will giue thee the keyes c. The gates of Hell shall not preuaile c. Whatsoeuer thou bindest shall bee bound c. But who shall iudge of the sense of these places How shall I know those things are spoken of the Pope From Ecclesiasticall Tradition from the consent of our Elders from the Suffrage of
all men by the Apostles rule should be ready to giue an account of their Faith and must bee iudged by the Word of God this man by not knowing the Scriptures nor the articles of his faith but onely for intending his Merchandise with a blinde obedience and an implicite faith shal be free both from guilt and punishment and no doubt from this general beliefe of the Popes authoritie and infallibilitie the saying of Gregorie the 13. is verified D. 40 Si Papa in Annot. Men doe with such reuerence respest the Apostolicall See of Rome that they rather desire to know the ancient Institution of Christian Religion from the Popes owne mouth then from the holy Scriptures and they onely inquire what is his pleasure and accordingly they order their life and conversation He therefore that will appeale to the Bishop of Rome to Rome let him goe but woe to the Recusants of England other countreys remote from Rome which cannot heare the Church being so farre distant from him nay woe to them at Rome that liue in his Sea for how can they heare him if hee neuer preacheth But withall most miserable is the condition of the hearer notwithstanding he should preach for his owne Cardinall assures vs that if his Holinesse teach not the whole Church Bell lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. lib. 4. cap. 14. hee is in as much possibilitie to erre as Innocent the eight was when hee permitted the Norwegians to celebrate the Eucharist without wine Thus from the multitude of beleeuers which is the Essentiall Church we are sent to the Councell from the Councell which is the Representatiue Church wee are sent to the Pope which is the Virtuall and now at length being arriued at the Pope Consistory his Cardinal giues vs to vnderstand that a man may returne happily as wise as he went but withall intimate◠〈◊〉 vs that there are noâ— oracles â—o infallible doctrine to bee learned from his mouth vnlesse hee will first declare by publike decree that hee intends to preach to the Vniuersall Church Besides how the Vicar of Christ should bee the Spouse of Christ how a particular member of the Church should become a Vniuersall Head of the Church how Papa the Pope anciently a Father should become the Church which is alwayes a Mother it is a mysterie vnsearchable past finding out for sure I am if the Pope be the Church let them pretend whomsoeuer they will for their Father they can haue no Church except Pope Ioane for their Mother It remaineth then that in the next place wee examine the certaintie of that faith which must be learned from the Pope for if the Pope haue not Infallibilitie of Iudgement then is hee not that rule of faith then is he not that Church which is the pillar and ground of truth and consequently miserable is the condition of those poore Christians that relie vpon his opinion as vpon the infallible Doctrine of the Church and first I will proceed to the Popes Succession in doctrine and person compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the Popes of these later times that thereby wee may discerne whether the Popes Infallibilitie bee priuiledged by his Chaire or whether the ancient Roman faith bee successiuely deriued from the ancient Bishops of Rome to the Popes of these latter ages SECT XX. The Church which is finally resolued into the Pope wants both Personall and Doctrinall Succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of fact and matters of faith HOsius the Romanist tels vs for certaine Hos in CoÌ„fess Petricou c. 29. that if we reckon all the Popes that euer were from Peter vntill Iulius the third there neuer sate in his Chaire any Arrian any Donatist any Pelagian or any other that professed any manner of Heresie The reason of this as I conceiue is deliuered by Card. Cusanus Veritas adhaeret Cathedrae vniuersa Catholica Ecclesia ad Petri CathedraÌ„ conglobata à Christo nuÌ„quam recedit Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 2. The trueth cleaueth fast to Peters Chaire the whole vniuersall Catholike Church is rolled vp to Peters chaire shal neuer depart from Christ I wil not take vpon mee to examine the Pope in what Office in what religion in what piece of his life he hath succeeded Peter but that you may know howsoeuer the Popes faith is annexed to the Chaire hee hath errâ—â— and is subiect to error as â—e is Pope I will compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the faith of the later Popes and the later Popes Decrees and definitiue Sentences with their flat contradictions and contrary Decrees amongst themselues whereby it shall appeare that the later Popes haue not onely erred in disclaiming the decrees of their Predecessours but haue digressed wholly from the ancient Roman Bishops both in faith and manners and withall they want that Infallibilitie that personall and doctrinall Succession which they so much magnifie amongst themselues Anacletus Bishop of Rome in the yeere 103 decreed that after Consecration Dist 1. Episcopus 2. Peracta all present should communicate or else bee thrust out of the Church for so saith hee the Apostles did set downe and the holy Church of Rome obserueth On the contrary at this day it is made lawfull for the Priests to receiue alone the people onely gazing and looking on and withall Pope Iulius the fourth hath decreed in the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. Canon 8. Sess 22. If any shall say that Masses in which the Priest alone doeth communicate are vnlawfull and therefore ought to be abrogated let him be accursed Leo the Great Bishop of Rome in the yeere 440 speaks of the death of Martyrs in this maner Leo. Epist 81. Although the death of many Saints hath been pretious in the Lords sight yet the death of no innocent person hath beene the propitiation for the world that the righteous receiued crownes but gaue none that of the fortitude of the faithfull haue grown examples of patience not gifts of righteousnesse that their deaths as they were seuerall persons were seuerall to euery of themselues and that none of them by his death paid the debt of any other man because it is only our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all were crucified all dead all buried all raised againe from the dead On the contrarie Haec opinio reprobata est à Pâ—o 5. Pontifice et à Gregorio 13. Bel. de Indul. lib. 1 cap. 40. Pope Pius the 5 and Gregorie the 13 both condemned saith Bellarmine the Diuines of Lovaine and others who defended that the sufferings of the Saints cannot bee true satisfactions but that our punishments are remitted onely by the personall satisfactions of Christ Nay more saith he If the sufferings of Saints may not bee applied to vs to free vs from the punishment due for our sinnes lest they should seeme to bee our Redeemers then certainly wee our selues cannot
and Aquinas Bellarmine tells vs Bellarm. de Euch. lib. 5. cap. 15. They were not carefull of that which is now in question viz. the daily renewed reall sacrificing of Christ Touching Scotus their own Suarez tels vs Suar. in 3. Tho. Euch. disp 5. sect 2. he was to bee corrected for his opinion of the Sacrament Touching Durand Bellarmine professeth That saying of Durand is hereticall Bellar. de Euch. lib. 3. cap. 13. although hee is no heretike because hee is ready to submit to the iudgement of the Church Thus for want of that sure rule of faith which is squared by the Word of God both Priests and people rest doubtfull of the issue and their successe in controuersie 1 Cor. 14.8 and if the Trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe vnto the battell saith the Apostle It is no difficult matter to runne through all ages and all points in difference betwixt vs and to shew that many Priests and Bishops who liued and died members in the Roman Church taught different doctrine from the now Roman faith This way therefore is certainly vncertaine and this was easily discouered by their Superiors insomuch that Stapleton by way of preuention prescribeth this direction for the common people Non quid sed quid loquatur fidelis populus attendere debet Ordinarius Ecclesiae Doctor audiendus est non indicandus Stapl. princ fid doct contr 4 lib. 8. c. 5. 9. They must not intend what is spoken but attend to him that speaketh for hee is to be heard and not iudged And because through such blind obedience and implicit beliefe it might be thought a poore lay man will not bee able to render an account of his faith the Rhemists proclaime it for sound and Catholike doctrine that if an ignorant Papist be conuented before the Commissionere for his Religion he shall appeale onely to the Romane Church and his owne Church shall sufficiently warrant his beliefe Rhem. Annot in Luk. 12.11 He saith enough and defendeth himselfe sufficiently say they when hee answereth he is a Catholike man and that hee will liue and die in that Faith which the Catholique Church throughout all Christian Countreys hath and doeth teach and that his Church can giue a reason of all the things which they demaund of him How poore an Apologie he makes for his Religion that saith he is a Catholike and thinkes to be saued by another mans faith who doeth not vnderstand Saint Peter who is pretended to be the Popes predecessor taught the Catholiques of former ages an other lesson 1. Pet. 3.15 Be ready saith hee alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of that hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare But obserue the policie of the Church of Rome they pretend that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion and therefore say they it will be sufficient for the lay people to beleeue the Priest and to rest vpon the authoritie of the Church and for that purpose Bellarmine instructeth his Disciples that the learned must labour and search out the mysteries of Religion but the ignorant may sit and take their ease The oxen did plow and labour Roues arabāt et asinae pascebantur iuxta eos docet per boues significari homines doctos per asinas homines imperitos qui simplicitèr credentes in intelligētia maiorum acquiescunt Bell. lib. 1. de Iustif c. 7 saith Gregorie and the asses fed by them By the oxen saith the Cardinall are meant the learned Doctors of the Church by the asses are meant the ignorant people which out of simple beliefe rest satisfied in the vnderstanding of their Superiors I will not applie the Cardinalls illustration for I speak not this out of scorne and disgrace but out of shame and pitie to see the poore ignorant soule not onely abused in the name but in the nature of that thing which concernes the saluation of his soule Canus their owne Bishop of Canaries professeth openly that it was the custome of vnlearned men of Saracens of Pagans of Heretiques Canus loc Theol. lib. 12. cap. 4. to receiue the blind and senselesse opinions of their Sects without iudgement and examination And Espenceus tells vs Espenc in 2 Tim. 3. Num. 17. It was the Colliers faith who being demanded what hee beleeued made answere he beleeued what the Church beleeued and the Church beleeued what hee beleeued Is not this the practise of the church of Rome at this day Are they not fully perswaded that without deepe ignorance of the people it is not possible for their Church to stand doe they not in this point particularly vrge these the like Scriptures Obedience is better then sacrifice Heare the Church The Priests lips preserue knowledge and the like How fitly may I say prophetically doth St. Hierome reflect vpon the Priests of these latter times wherein they chase the people from the Scriptures and suffer them vtterly to know nothing Nolint discipulos ratione aiscutere sed se Praecursores sequi Hier. in Esay lib. 9 cap. 30. These men saith hee challenge vnto themselues such authoritie that whether they teach with the right hand or the left whether they teach good things or bad they will not haue their disciples with reason to examine their sayings but onely for to follow them being their leaders And certainly herein they much resemble the Iewes who as Lyra reporteth had that conceit of their great Rabbies in so much they made it their open profession Respōdendū est quicquid hoc modo proponitur etiamsi dicant dextrā esse sin strā Lyra in Deut. ca. 11. Whatsoeuer they say vnto vs we must needs receiue it yea although they tell vs the right hand is the left And this is the actiue authority the Bishop or Parish Priest doth exercise toward the people and this is the passiue obedience with an implicite faith the people submits vnto the Priest Giue me leaue therefore to speake vnto the Roman Bishop or Parish Priest in the words of St Austen the ancient Father Aug. contr Epist Manich c. 5. Athanas Tom 2 in Serm. contr eos qui iubent simplicitèr credere quae ipsi dicunt Vsque adeò me stultum putas c. Doest thou thinke mee such a foole without reason rendred I should beleeue what you would haue mee and what you dislike I should not beleeue Shall I beleeue without iudgement or reason shall I not inquire nor consider what is what may bee what is profitable what is decent what acceptable to God what sutable to Nature what agreeable to Truth Since then no humane authoritie can bee the Rule of faith since there can bee no certaintie no infallibilitie foūd in any particular Priest or Bishops for particular men may erre I will conclude with that safe and infallible rule which St. Chrysostome gaue to the Christians of his time Let vs not haue the opinions of
where hee was fed with bread and water And hence we may obserue that if the Pope of Rome bee the Virtuall and totall Church if he be that Rule of Faith vpon whose infallibilitie the whole Christian world must relie in matters of beliefe as the Church of Rome teacheth then certainly the Church at this time was driuen into great straights when as the Head of the Church or rather the totall Church fell into dangerous heresie and consequently eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie can be no sure Note of the true Church But as it was rightly obserued by Isidorus Pleasitota the declination of the true Church from the Apostles time was caused through the distemperature of the Head and thereupon hee makes this ingenuous confession Isid lib. 3. Ep. 408. In the dayes of the Apostles and afterwards when the Church flourished and laboured of no disease the diuine Graces of God went as it were in a ring round about it but afterward it grew diseased and was troubled with faction then all those things fled away not through his carelesnesse and negligence that first inriched her but through their naughtinesse that gouerned not things as they should haue done Ann. 600. to 700. In the seuenth Age Iohannes de Molinis tells vs In Speculo Carmelit cap 6. from the time of Heraclius the Emperor after the yeere 600 the day inclined towards the euening and the Church hauing been in an ecclipse set in the West and became almost deficient And Gregorie himselfe complaines Greg. Ep. 4. l. 1. Iud. 9. that the Ship of the Church was in danger of shipwracke Nay more Diabolê° ita valdè in qui busdam necessaris Ecclesiae membris dentes figit vt omne quod absit citius ouile dilaniet Greg. lib. 4. Ep 36 The Devill saith he so strongly fastneth his teeth in the necessarie members of the Church that vnlesse by Gods grace the prouident company of Bishops ioyne together hee will soone destroy the whole flock of Christ Flens dico gemens denuntio I speake it with teares Quia cum Sacerdotis ordo intus cecidit foris diu stare non potuit I tell it with sighs of heart seeing the Order of Priesthood is fallen within it cannot now stand long without The chiefe reason of this complaint was caused by Iohn Bishop of Constantinople who at this time assumed the Title of Vniuersall Bishop and as new Lords are commonly said to make new Lawes so from and after this time many alterations succeeded in Faith and Manners both in Head and members of the same house Thus wee haue heard in the first age The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke In the second there was a conspiracie against the Trueth In the third Heretikes arose and assaulted her In the fourth the Church was darkened by the multitude of Heresies In the fift she was most flourishing in her members but knowne only by the Scriptures In the sixt the Head of the Church was diuided by heresie from the body In the seuenth there was a declination towards the West and consequently there followed a darkenesse and obscuritie more or lesse in succeeding ages Now as you haue heard complaints against heretikes and persecutors that inuaded the ancient Church in her first best ages so likewise you shall obserue there followed corruptions and errours in Doctrine and Discipline whereby Obscuritie became the proper mark of the true Church almost in all ages till the dayes of Luther In the eight Age Paulus Diaconus calls to the Christians of that time to awake and listen vnto him for saith he You haue buried in contempt and obliuion the word of God Wolph Tom. 1.203 you haue made the Temple a denne of theeues and instead of sweet melody you resound blasphemies against God himselfe and therefore verie shortly the vniuersall Catholike Cittie will fall to ground And Venerable Bede calles to them of his time Nec sine lachrymis rem lachrymis dignam coÌ„templeÌ„tur quantuÌ„ Ecclesiae flatus ad petora quotidiè vel vt mitius dicaÌ„ ad infirmiora gereÌ„da deuol uatur Bed ii 4 in Sâ—m cap. 2. p. 30â— to behold the lamentable estate of the Church Neither saith he let them behold it without teares which is worthy to bee lamented in that it is growne worse and worse or to speake more fauourably it is at least fallen into great infirmities And Charles the Great makes this generall complaint touching the doctrine and Doctors of the Church Carolus Magnus de Imag. in Praefat. The Priests laying aside all sound and wholesome doctrine and little regarding that of the Apostle If an Angell preach other doctrine let him be accursed they transgresse the commandements of the Fathers and bring into the Church such doctrine as was neuer knowne to Christ and his Apostles In the ninth Age Arnulphus Bishop of Orleance an eye witnesse of those times professed openly There is made a departure not onely of Nations but of Churches the Man of Sinne now begins to bee discouered Religion is ouerthrowen and the seruice of God is contemned by the chiefe Priests themselues and that which is more Rome it selfe now almost left alone is departed from her selfe Ann. 900. to 1000. In the tenth Age Christ saith Baronius lay asleepe in the Ship of the Church Bar. Tom 10. ann 912 num 8. ann 900. Sect 1. and which is worse there was not any found amongst his disciples who awaked our Lord all of them being in a snorting sleepe It was the age next to that wherein the Deuill was let loose Infaelix dicitur hoc saeculuÌ„ exhaustuÌ„ hominibus ingenio et doctrinâ claris siue etiam claris Princitibus et Pontificibus Geneb Chron. Vbr. 4. That vnhappy age saith Genebrard which was exhausted both of men for wit and learning and of worthy Princes and Bishops In this time saith Wernerus Christian faith began much to decline from her first virilitie when as in many Christian prouinces neither the Sacraments nor Ecclesiasticall Rites were obserued And Ioachim Abbot complaineth Est et alia sicus quae malidictione praeuarâ—cationis exarnit Latina Ecclesia siue nâ—â—icula Petri. Morn c. that the Latin Church was another Fig tree dryed vp which did beare nought else but temporall leaues and bid her selfe vnder the Title of the Church to the shame of the Pope and his Sea In the eleuenth Age Ann. 1000. to 1100. Who will let me see the Church before I dye saith Bernard as in the dayes of olde Bernar in Cant. Serm 33. when the Apostles did cast foorth their Netts not to take siluer and gold but to take soules There creepeth saith hee an ougly Rott at this present through the whole body of the Church yea the wound of the Church is inward and past recouery And a Canonized Saint of the Romish Church Morn de Eccl p â—â—2 Virgo â— Mathilda tells them of that Age The
that Pygmeis being put vpon Gyants shoulders doe see further then the Gyants themselues But Bishop Fisher doth more warily excuse it and with plausible reasons assure vs that Many things Nec cuiquaÌ„ obscuruÌ„ est quin posterioribê° inge niis multa sint tam ex Euangeliis quaÌ„ ex scripturis c. Roffeas Consur Assert Luther Art 18. as well in Gospells as in the rest of the Scriptures are now more exquisitely discussed by later wits and more clearely vnderstood then they haue been heretofore eyther by reason that the yee was not as then broken vnto the Ancients neither did their age suffice to weigh exactly that whole sea of Scriptures or because in this most large field of Scriptures euen after the most diligent reapers some eares will remaine to bee gathered as yet vntouched How forcible motiues these reasons may seeme to other men I will not heere dispute sure I am they are vaine excuses for Romane Bishops and Cardinals who are bound by their generall Councell and the Popes Bull to obey the Exposition of Fathers as an Article of their faith But admit these opinions should bee excused for the particular Tenets of some priuate men let vs see how faithfully the Popes Pastors of these latter times haue interpreted the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers Moses saith Whit. Durae â—s in Camp 9. Reason pag. 269. God made man after his Image Pope Adrian interpreteth therefore Images must bee set vp in Churches Saint Peter saith Behold De obed maior vnaÌ„ sanctaÌ„ c. here are two swoâ—ds Pope Boniface concludes Therefore the Pope hath power ouer the spirituall and the temporall Saint Matthew saith Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs Iewels Defence p â—2 Mr. Harding expounds it Fiet vnum ouile et vnê° Pastor quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest sâ—d dâ—â—liquo alio Ministroqâ—â— bresâ—t loco eius Ioh de Par sâ—de pot Reg Papati c. 30. therfore it is not lawfull for the vulgar people to reade the Scriptures Saint Iohn saith There shall bee one Fold and one Sheepherd Iohannes de Parisijs tels vs This place cannot bee expounded of Christ but must bee taken for some Minister ruling in his stead The Prophet Dauid saith Thou hast put all things vnder his feet Antoninus expounds it Anton. in sum part 3. tit 22. c. 5. Haebr 2. Thou hast made all things subiect to the Pope the cattle of the field that is to say men liuing in the earth the fishes of the sea that is to say the soules in Purgatory the fowles of the ayre that is to say the soules of the blessed in heauen And lastly whereas our Sauiour Christ witnesseth of himselfe In Concil Later sub Leo 10. p. 671. All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth Stephen Archbishop of Patraca applyed it to Pope Leo the tenth in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope himselfe who thankfully accepted it and suffered it to bee published and printed and as it is rightly obserued by learned Du Moulin Pope Innocent the third in his Booke of the Mysteries of the Masse Buckler of faith pa. 30. the booke of sacred Ceremonies Durants Rationalls Tolet and Titleman and others do most ridiculously wrest the Scriptures altogether different from their right meaning and the Expositions of the Fathers as for instance The Scripture saith The Rocke was Christ therefore say they the Altar must bee of stone It is written I am the light of the world therfore Tapers must be set vpon the Altar It is written Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth therefore the Priest must kisse the Altar It is written Thou shalt see my back parts Exod. 33.23 therefore the Priest must turne his backe to the people It is written Laua me ampliús Psal 51. Wash mee againe therefore the Priest must wash his hands twise It is written Exod. 3.5 Put off thy shooes for this place is holy therefore the Bishop at Masse changeth his hose and shooes And lastly the Pope himselfe at the time of his coronation casteth certain copper money amongst the people vsing the words of Peter Siluer and gold haue I none but that which I haue I giue thee These and the like Expositions doe much resemble the strict order of Monkes who reading the words in Matthew Districtissimi MonachoruÌ„ simplicitèr intelligentes fecerunt sibi cruces ligneas easque sibi iugiter humeru circuÌ„ferentes c Ioh. de Polemar orat in CoÌ„cil Basil pag. 385. Hee that taketh not vp his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of mee made themselues woodden crosses and so carried them on their backes continually causing all the world to laugh at them for howsoeuer they may seeme to bee the expositions of some priuate spirits yet hee that makes oath in verbo Sacerdotis to receiue expound the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers and shall render such Expositions of the Text can bee no true Catholique Hieron 24. q 3. cap. Haeresis For whosoeuer doeth otherwise vnderstand the Scripture saith Hierome then the sense of the holy Ghost who is the Penman of the Scripture requires although hee hath not departed from the Church yet hee may bee tearmed an heretique But as the Fryar said wittily in his Sermon the trueth which hee preached was like holy water which euery one called for apace yet when the Sexton cast it on them they let it fall on their backs in like manner the Romanists seemingly call for the Scriptures they commonly vaunt that they expound and receiue them according to the vniforme consent of Fathers but as Vincentius Lyrinensis said of the heretiques of his time When they shall begin not onely to vtter those sayings Vbi caeperuÌ„t illas voces noÌ„ iam proferre sedetiam exponere non ad c. VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 36. but also to expound them then the bitternesse then the sowernesse and madnesse is perceiued then a new deuised poyson will be breathed out then are prophane Nouelties disclosed then may you see the bounds of the ancient Fathers to bee remooued the Catholique Faith to bee then butchered and the doctrine of the Church torne in pieces Pope Pius the fourth who first published the Articles of the Creed was not ignorant that the Scriptures must be farre fetched and hardly strayned to make them speake for the Trent doctrine hee well vnderstood that it was too generall and strict a tye vpon euery Masse Priest to receiue and interpret the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers knowing well that many Masse Priestes were vtterly ignorant of the Fathers and therefore to qualifie the rigour of that oath adioyned these words to the aforesaid Article Artic. 2. Also that sacred Scripture according to that sense which the Mother Church hath holden whose right is to iudge of the true sense and
EloquioruÌ„ Dei. Tolet. coment in Rom. 3.2 according to Saint Pauls testimonie Vnto the Iewes were committed the Oracles of God these Oracles as Gods pledges were preserued by them saith Cardinall Tolet and according to the number of the Hebrew letters they were diuided into two and twentie Bookes which is the Canon of Scripture now taught and receiued by the reformed Churches The other Bookes which wee terme Apocryphall were neuer receiued of the Iewes for Canonicall Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. as Bellarmine himselfe doth testifie This Canon of the Iewes was so true and perfect at Christs comming that neither Christ nor any of his Apostles complained of it nay more they cited many things out of the Canonicall Bookes of Scripture for proofe of their doctrine with this speciall character As it is written when as in all the Gospell of Christ there is not so much as one authoritie cited by Christ or his Apostles out of the Bookes which we terme Apocryphall This Canon of the Iewes as it was intirely preserued by them and is now receiued by vs so it is likewise warranted by Christ himselfe for Saint Luke tells vs that our Sauiour after his Resurrection beginning at Moses and all the Prophets Luk. 24.27 expounded in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe and what hee meant by all the Scriptures hee afterwards expounds in the 44. verse of the same chapter Ibid. ver 44. These are the words which I speake vnto you which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning mee and hee giues the reason in Saint Luke Luk. 24.44 That all things must bee fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Here then is the true Canon of Scripture deliuered and rightly diuided by Christ himselfe into three seuerall rankes into the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes vnder all or any of which rankes the Books which we terme Apocryphall neither are nor euer were conteined And this was the constant Tenet of the Primitiue Church touching the true Canon of the Scriptures in the first Age. In the second Age An. 100. to 200. Euseb hist Eccles. li. 4 c. 25. Melito Bishop of Sardis In an Epistle to Onesimus numbreth the Bookes of the Old Testament wherein hee maketh no mention of Iudith Tobit Ecclesiasticus nor the Maccabees and this is likewise confessed by Bellarmine Bell de verbo Dei li. 1. cap. 20. Many Ancients saith he as namely Melito did follow the Hebrew Canon of the Iewes Cum diligeÌ„ter de omnibus explorauerat omni inuestigatione comperit hos libros esse à veteris TestameÌ„ti Canone reticiendos Eus li. 4. ca. 26. And Eusebius more plainely tells vs that when hee had made diligent search of all the Bookes of Scripture hee accounted those bookes which wee terme Apocryphall to bee reiected from the Canon In the third Age. An. 200. to 300. Origen in his Exposition vpon the first Psalme saith We may not be ignorant there are two and twentie books of the Old Testament after the Hebrewes which is the number of the letters among them This is likewise witnessed by Eusebius that as Origen receiued the Canon of the Iewes Euseb lib. 6 cap. 18. so likewise he reiected those sixe bookes which wee terme Apocryphall with the Iewes In the fourth Age An. 300. to 400. Hilary Bishop of Poictiers tells vs The Law of the Olde Testament is contained in two and twentie bookes In viginti duos libros lex TestameÌ„ti veteris deputetur vt cum literaruÌ„ numero conuenirent qui ita secunduÌ„ Traditiones veteruÌ„ depâ—tantur vt Mosi sint libri quinque Iesu Naue sextus Iudicum Ruth septimus c. Hilar. in Prolog in Psal explanationem according to the number of the Hebrew letters And there he tells vs further how they are disposed and put in order according to the tradition of the Ancients in this manner There are fiue bookes of Moses Iosuah is the sixt the Iudges and Ruth the seuenth the first and second of Kings the eight the third and fourth of Kings the ninth the two bookes of Chronicles the tenth Esdras the eleuenth Psalmes the twelfth Solomons Prouerbes Ecclesiastes Canticles 13. 14. 15. the twelâ—e Prophets the sixteenth Esay Ieremy with the Lamentations Daniel Ezechiel Iob and Hester doe make vp the number of 22. bookes Cyril of Hierusalem giues the like lesson to the Reader Veteris Testamenti libros meditare duos et viginti Tu itaque cum sis filius Ecclesia non transgredi eris illius terminos Cyril Catech 4. Peruse the two and twentie bookes but meddle not with the Apocrypha meditate diligently vpon those Scriptures which the Church doth confidently reade and vse no other Athanasius tells vs Sunt itaque Canonici veteris Testamentilibri 22. literis Hebraicis numero pares praetèr istos autem sunt adhuc alii etusdem veteris instrumenti libri noÌ„ sunt Canonici qui Catechumenis tantum leguntur Sapientia Solomonis c. Athanas in Synops Nec ab hâc sententia alienus fuit Damascenê° et Athanasius quos Theologi multi secuti sunt Canus loc Theol. lib. 2. ca. 10. Euse Chro. li. 2. ex Hier. versione Eusebio atque reliquis licuit aliquando dubitare Can. lib. 2. ca. 10. The Christians had at that time a definite number of bookes comprehended in a Canon and of that Canon touching the Olde Testament they were twentie two bookes equall to the number of the Hebrew letters and as touching the Apocryphall books as namely the book of Wisedome Maccabees and the rest libri non sunt Canonici they are read onely to the Catechumens but are not Canonicall This testimony is so true that Canus confesseth hee was not onely of our opinion but also drew many Diuines after him to this opinion Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea saith The Hebrew Historie of the Maccabees reckons from thence the raigne of the Grecians but those bookes are not receiued among the diuine Scriptures This Authour is likewise acknowledged in this Tenet to be ours Haec suÌ„t quae Patres intra CanoneÌ„ concluseruÌ„t ex quibus fidei nostrae assertiones constare volueruut scienduÌ„ tamen est qd et alii libri suÌ„t qui noÌ„ sunt Canonici sed Ecclesiastici à maioribus appellati suÌ„t vt sapientia Solomonis et alia Sapientia quae dicitur filii Syrach eiusdem ordinis est liber Tobiae et Iudith et Machabaeorum libri qua omnia legi quideÌ„ in Ecclesiis voluerunt noÌ„ tameÌ„ proferri ad authoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam Ruff. siue Cypt. in explic Symb. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 20. Quod verò Ruffinê° asserit ex patruÌ„ Traditione eos libros à canone reiiciendos pace Lectoris dictum sit patruÌ„ traditiones ignorauit Can. lib. 2. c. 11. Sicut
Iudith et Tobiae MacabaeoruÌ„ libros legit Ecclesia sed eos inter Canonicas scripturas non recipit sic et haec duo volumina sapientia Solomonis et Syrach legit ad adificationeÌ„ plebis non authoritateÌ„ dogmatum coÌ„firmandum In Praefat. lib Solom Admitto HieronymuÌ„ ea fuisse opinione quia nonduÌ„ generale CoÌ„ciliuÌ„ de his libris aliquid statuerat c. Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. Ipso ergo sacra Codicis 〈◊〉 pandam tibi Omnes libellos c. vltimuÌ„ nomen duplex cui est Angelum Malachiam Greg. Naz. Car. Iamb ad SeleucuÌ„ Iamb 3. De quibê° tamen nunc dubitare nefaâ— est antequam auteÌ„ ab Ecclesiâ coÌ„muni coÌ„sensu recepti essent nihil piaculi fuit eos in CanonicoruÌ„ numeruÌ„ ac sedeÌ„ minimè admittere Iacob Bill in Iam. 3. Nazian Non oportet libros qui sunt extrà Canonem legere nisi solos Canonicos Noui et Veteris Testamenti Concil Laod Can. 59. Ruffinus as some say Cyprian in reciting the Canon of the Scripture testifies the like in this age These be the bookes which our Fathers haue included within the Canon out of which they would haue the assertions of our faith to appeare but yet wee must know that there bee also other bookes which are not Canonicall but are called of our Ancestors Ecclesiasticall as is the Wisedome of Solomon Ecclesiasticus Tobias Iudith and the bookes of Maccabees all which they will indeed haue to bee read in the Church but not to bee alledged for confirmation of faith Bellarmine confesseth with vs that Ruffinus did follow the Hebrewe Canon but his fellow Canus is not contented with such a moderate confession but returnes this answere Although Ruffinus did affirme that the bookes of Maccabees were to bee rejected by the tradition of the Fathers yet by the Readers leaue hee was ignorant of that Tradition Saint Hierome is our witnesse As the Church readeth Iudith Tobias and the Maccabees but receiueth them not for Canonicall Scriptures so these two bookes namely the Wisedome of Solomon and Iesus the sonne of Syrach doth the Church reade for the edification of the people not to confirme thereby the authoritie of any doctrine in the Church This is likewise confessed by Bellarmine I admit saith hee that Hierome was of that opinion because as yet in those dayes a generall Councell had decreed nothing touching those bookes except the booke of Iudith which Hierom afterwards receiued Gregory Nazianzen writing to Seleucus promiseth him that he will shew him a catalogue of the Canonicall bookes and accordingly beginning from Genesis cites the bookes in order to Malachie the last of the Prophets This authoritie in our behalfe is likewise confessed by Iacobus Billius a Romanist in his Commentary vpon those verses but hee excuseth him in this manner That hee omitted other bookes as namely Iudith the Maccabees c. of which notwithstanding to make a doubt in these dayes would bee accounted a wicked thing but before they were generally receiued of the Church it was no sinne not to admit them amongst the number of Canonicall Scriptures The Councell of Laodicea Wee ought to reade onely the bookes of the Old and New Testament and in that 59. Canon the Councell recites onely those Canonicall Bookes of Scripture which we allowe and the Canons of this Councell are confirmed by the sixt Generall Councell in Trullo and Binius himselfe confesseth that the booke of Iudith by the authoritie of this Councell is rejected amongst the Apocrypha And this was the constant opinion of the Primitiue Church Can. 2. Liber Iudith authoritate huius Prouincialis Concilii inter Apocrhyphos reiicitur Binius in Concil Rom. sub Syluest Not. touching the intire rule of Scripture in the fourth Age. In the fifth Age An. 400. to 500. Epiphanius after he had reckoned vp the Canon of two and twentie Bookes Vtiles quidem sunt et coÌ„modi sed in numeruÌ„ receptorum non referuÌ„tur quare neque in Aaron neque in Testamenti Arcam repositi sunt Epiph. li. de Mens Ponder censureth the Bookes of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus in these words They are fit and profitable but not reckoned amongst those bookes which are receiued by our Church and therefore were neither layd vp with Aaron nor in the Arke of the new Testament In MachabaeoruÌ„ libris etsi aliquid Mirabilium numero inserenduÌ„ conveniens fuisse ordini inueniatur de hâc tameÌ„ nullá curâ fatigabimur quiae tantuÌ„ agere proposuimus vt de Diuini Canonis Mirabilibus exiguaÌ„ expositionem taÌ„geremus Aug. de Mirab sacrae Scrip. l. 2. c. 34. Has supputatio non in Scripturis sanctis quae appellantur Canonica sed in aliis inuenitur in quibê° sunt et MachabaeoruÌ„ libri De civ Dei l. 18. c. 36. Saint Austen Although there may something bee found in the books of Maccabees meet for this order of writing and worthy to bee ioyned with the number of Miracles yet we will not weâ—ry our selues with any care thereof for that we haue intended onely to touch a short rehearsall of the miracles conteined in the diuine Canon And for a further explanation of the true Canon different from the Apocryphall Scriptures he tells vs This reckoning is not found in the holy Scriptures that are called Canonicall but in certaine other bookes amongst which are the bookes of the Maccabees And as concerning the authoritie of these bookes when it was obiected against him that Razis killed himselfe and therefore it was lawfull by the Scripture for a man to kill himselfe amongst other answeres hee returnes this for one The Iewes doe not esteeme this Scripture called the Maccabees in such sort Scriptura quae appellâ— tur Machabaorum recepta est ab Ecclesia non inâ—tilitè◠si sobrie legatur vel audiatur maximè propter illos Machabaeos qui pro Dei lege indigna perpess sunt Aug. contra SecunduÌ„ Ep. Gaud. li. 2. c. 23. as the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes to which Christ giueth testimony as to them that beare that witnesse of him saying It behoued that all these things should be fulfilled that are written of mee in the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes but it is receiued of the Church not vnprofitably so that it bee read and heard with sobrietie especially because of these Maccabees which indured grieuous persecutions for the Lawe of God In the sixth Age An. 500. to 600. Quarehi libri noÌ„ inter Canonicas Scripturas currunt M. Quoniam apud Haebreos quoque super hac differentia recipiebantur sicut Hier. caterique testaÌ„tur Iun. de part diuinae legis lib. 1. cap. 3. SuÌ„tpratereà alii quidem libri vt Sapientia Solo monis liber Iesu filii Syrach et lib. Iudith et Tobiae et libri Machabaeorqui leguÌ„tur quideÌ„ sed noÌ„ scribuÌ„tur in canone Isid Praenot Elucid de script Scripturis sac c. 6 7. Iunilius Bishop of
but to the Trinitie onely O yee Virgins saith hee in your prayers set Christ onely before your eyes Virgines solum ChristuÌ„ in precibus vestris antè oculos habete et PatreÌ„ illiê° illuminata à spiritu Ignat. ad Philadelph and his Father being enlightned by the Spirit And the Church of Rome being conscious of such an ancient Euidence against their Angel-worship in the Greeke Originall haue turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayers into Soules Ignat Lugd impress An. 1572. Touching Vniuersalitic Iraeneus Bishop of Lyons tels vs that in his dayes the Church per vniuersum mundum Ecclesia per vniuersum mundum nec Inuocationibê° Angelicis facit aliquid nec c. Iren. l. 2. c. 57. throughout the whole world doth nothing by Inuocations of Angels nor by Incantations nor any wicked curiositie but decently comely and manifestly directeth her prayers to God which hath made all and calls vpon the Name of our Lord Iesus And Tertullian a learned Father in the Church of Africa makes this open profession of his faith Quacunque hominis Caesaris vota sunt haec ab alio orare non possum quaÌ„ à quo scio me consequaturuÌ„ quoniam et ipse est qui soâ— praestaâ—â— et ego famulus eius qui euÌ„ soluÌ„ obseruo In Apol. ca. 30. Whatsoeuer are the wishes of man or Prince these things I can aske of no other then of him from whom I know I shall obtaine them because hee alone it is who performeth these things and I am his seruant who depend vpon him alone Touching Succession In Origens time this Trent faith was vnknowne for when Celsus the Philosopher began to play the Romanists and said of Angels They belong to God and in that respect wee are to put our trust in them and make oblations to them according to the Lawes and pray vnto them and that they may bee fauourable vnto vs. Origen makes him this answere Origen li. 8 contr CelsuÌ„ Away with Celsus his counsell saying Wee must pray to Angels let vs not so much as affoord any little audience to it For we must pray to him alone who is God ouer all and wee must pray to the Word of God his onely begotten and the first borne of all creatures and wee must intreat him that hee as high Priest would present our prayer when it is come to him vnto his God and our God and vnto his Father and the Father of them that frame their life according to the word of God In the succeeding Age the ancient Councell of Laodicea decreed Conc. Laodic Can 36. Wee ought not to leaue the Church of God and invocate Angels And the Roman Church being likewise conscious of this Euidence against their Invocation of Angels haue turned Angelos into Angulos saying Merlin fol. 68. Edit 1530 Crabbe fol. 226 Edit 1538. Wee must not leaue the Church of God and haue recourse to Angles or corners This Councell was called in the yeere 364 in Laodicea a capitall Citie in Phrygia where this Angel-worship was frequent wherein they had Oratories Chappels to pray to St. Michael the chiefe Captain of Gods hoste among them This Canon of the Councell Photius doeth note to haue been made against the Angelites Phot. Nomocanon tit 12. c. 9. Aug. de haeres cap. 39. those heretiques that were inclined to the worship of Angels And Theodoret a Greeke Father more particularly makes twice mention of this Canon and declares the meaning of it in these words Theod. in Colos 3. in Col. 2. Whatsoeuer yee doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God and the Father by him The Synode of Laodicea also following this rule and desiring to heale that old disease made a law that they should not pray vnto Angels nor forsake our Lord Iesus Christ. Cardinall Baronius is not well pleased with Theodoret for deliuering his opinion touching the sense of that councell Ex hic videas TheodoretuÌ„ haud foelicitèr eius paâ—e dictum sit assecutum esse Pauli verborum sensum Baron An. Tom. 1. An. 60. By this you may see saith he that Theodoret did not well vnderstand the meaning of Saint Pauls wordes But that which is most obseruable the pretence which the heretiques made in those dayes for their Angel-worship is the chiefe reason alleadged for their doctrine of faith by the Romanists in these times Ambr. in Rom. cap. 1. We haue recourse say they to Angels and Saints with deuotion and humilitie that by their intercession God may be more fauorable vnto vs. Now Saint Ambrose complaines that the Heathen Idolaters to couer their shame for their neglecting of God were wont to vse this miserable excuse that by these they might goe to God as by Officers wee goe to the King But heare what answere hee makes to the vanitie of such worshippers Ambr. ad Rom. ca. 1. Goe to is any man so mad or so vnmindfull of his saluation as to giue the Kings honour to an Officer For therefore doe men goe to the King by Tribunes or Officers because the King is but a man and knoweth not to whem to commit the state of the Common wealth but to procure the fauour of God from whom nothing is hid for hee knoweth the workes of all men wee need no spokesman but a deuout mind for wheresoeuer such a one shall speake vnto him hee will answere him But of all the Fathers Saint Chrysostome is most plentifull in refuting this pretended reason of Intercession by Saints and Angels Chrysost Serm. 7. de Paenitent When thou hast need to sue vnto men saith hee thou art forced first to deale with doore-keepers and to intreate parasites and flatterers and to goe a long way But with God there is no such matter without an Intercessor he is intreated without money without cost he yeeldeth to the prayer Lastly for an example hee sets before vs the woman of Canaan Chrys in dimissione Chananaeae tom 5. Edit Sauil. p. 195. Shee intreateth not sames saith hee shee beseecheth not Iohn neither doth shee come to Peter but breake through the whole company of them saying I haue no need of a Mediator but taking repentance with me for a spokesman I come to the Fountaine it selfe For this cause did he descend for this cause did he take flesh that I might haue the boldnesse to speake vnto him I haue no need of a Mediatour haue thou mercy vpon me It is true that about this time Inuocation of Saints was practised by some particular persons but neuer till this later age receiued for an Article of faith Gregorie Nazianzene was one of the first who called vnto rather then called vpon the spirits of dead men in his Invectiues which hee wrote against Iulian the Emperor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes this Invocation Heare O thou soule of Great Constantine
doctrina cum nostra consonat Ecclesia Patr. resp 2. in init resp 1. p. 148. We giue thankes to God the Authour of all grace and wee reioyce with many others but especially in this that in many things your doctrine is agreeable to our Church And certainly we likewise haue great cause to reioyce in our owne behalfe and theirs that the Greeke Church hath continued the truth of our doctrine in all ages which plainely shewes the Antiquitie and Visibilitie of our Church in the affirmatiue poynts which we maintaine and the Noueltie of the Romane in those Negatiue opinions which we condemne If we looke beyond Luther we shall easily discerne that the Muscouites Armenians Egyptians Aethiopians and diuers other countreys and Nations all members of the Greeke Church taught our Doctrine from the Apostles time to ours This is so true an Euidence in our behalfe that Bellarmine as it were in disdaine of the Churches Bell. de ver Dei l 2. ca. vlt. in fine makes this answere We are no more moued with the examples of Muscouites Armenians Egyptians and Aethiopians then with the examples of Lutherans or Anabaptists and Caluinists for they are either heretiques or Schismatiques So that all Churches be they neuer so Catholique and ancient if they subscribe not to the now Romane Faith are eyther schismaticall or hereticall But let these men obserue what Rules they list let them brag of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession let them reiect the confessions of all Christian Churches but their owne yet shal they neuer be able to proue those vnwritten Traditions Apostolique and of equall authority with the Scriptures which contrary the doctrine of the Apostles or by consequence ouerthrowe the foundation of the written Word If the Apostle teach vs to pray with the spirit 1. Cor. 14. and to pray with the vnderstanding also how can prayer in an vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding be prooued a Tradition Apostolicall If the Apostle teach vs by the written Word that the Communion in both kinds extend to all beleeuers by the general words of Christ Drinke yee all of this How can the Communion in one kinde bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolical which imposeth the contrary on the Non Conficient Priest and the lay people Drinke ye none of this If the holy Spirit dictate by the mouth of an Apostle Search the Scriptures how can that doctrine be said to bee Apostolicall which inioynes the contrary to the lay people Search not the Scriptures If the written Word proclaime it for an Apostolike doctrine Vtrumque est maluÌ„ et nubere et vri imò â—eius est nubere quic quid reclameÌ„t aduersarii c. Bell. de Monach l. 2. c. 30. It is better marrie then burne how can that vnwritten Word bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall which teacheth the contrary It is better for a Priest to burne then marry If an Angel from heauen proclaime of the reall presence of Christs body He is risen he is not heere and the Apostle declares it for an Article of beliefe The Heauens containe him till his second comming How can the corporall and reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament be a Tradition Apostolicall which affirmeth that Christs body is conteined in the heauens and in a Pix at one and the same time If the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ be a common vnion of Priest and people and by the Apostles written Word Wee are all partakers of one Bread and one Cup how can Priuate Masse bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall wherein the Priest receiues the Bread and Cup alone without the people If God himselfe forbid by his Morall Law the worshipping of Images and the same Lawe stood in force with Christ and his Apostles how can that doctrine be made a poynt of Faith and termed a Tradition Apostolicall which on the contrary giues adoration to Images Lastly if an Angel from heauen forbids the worshipping of Angels by a particular instance in himselfe Worship not mee for I am thy fellow seruant How can it be reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and an Article of Faith Art 8. that the Saints reigning with Christ are to bee worshipped and prayed vnto These Papal Traditions vnwritten are different if not flatly opposite to the Word written and therefore I will say with Tertullian who answered the heretiques in his dayes Tert. praesc advers haeres c. 32. Their very doctrine it selfe being compared with the Apostolike by the diuersity and contrarietie thereof will pronounce that it had neither any Apostle for an Authour nor any man Apostolique Now if any Romanist shall take that poore exception and say their Tenets are not flat contrary to the Scriptures let him take his answere from Saint Chrysostome Non dixit si contraria annutiauerint aut si totuÌ„ Euangelium sub verterint sed si vel pauluÌ„ EuaÌ„gelizauerint prarer EuangeliuÌ„ qd accepistis etiaÌ„si quidvis labefactauerint Anathema sint Chrys in Galat. c. 1 Aug. in Ioh. Tra. 98 Saint Paul teacheth not saith hee if any man preach contrary to the Gospell or ouerthrow the whole Gospell but if they preach any little thing besides the Gospell hee hath receiued if hee ouerthrow any thing whatsoeuer it be let him be accursed I say therefore if this or the like vnwritten Traditions bee found praeterquà m or contraquà m either besides or contrary to the Scriptures as certainly most of their Traditions are I say it is impossible to reconcile them for Apostolike Traditions and consequently more absurd to equall them with the Scriptures and make them a partiall rule of faith for Although saith Tertullian Tertul. de praescâ— c. 26. the Apostles did deliuer some things vnto their domesticall friends as I may call them yet wee must not beleeue that they deliuered any such things as should bring in another rule of Faith different and repugnant to that which they generally propounded in publique as though they had preached one Lord in the Church another in their lodging To leaue therefore a certainty for an vncertaintie to forsake the written Word which is the safest and surest rule of beliefe for vnwritten Traditions which haue neither Antiquitie for their leader nor Vniuersality for their assurance nor Succession for their euidence this I say is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way SECT IX The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By-way I Confesse it for a trueth that in the first ages of the world the Ancients had the knowledge of God without writing and their memories by reason of their long liues were Registers instead of Bookes but afterwards when God had taken the posteritie of Iacob to bee his peculiar people the liues of men were shortned and therefore hee gaue them their lawes in writing which
writing was so true and perfect Non desunt aliqui Catholicorum qui negant nullū fuisse Traditionē non scriptā apud Iudaeos Bell. de verbo Dei non scrip l. 4. c. 8 that some Romanists confesse the Iewes had nothing pertaining to the knowledge and seruice of God that was not written And as in the creation of the world before the Sun was made the light was sustained and spread abroad by the incomprehensible power of God yet after the Sun was created God conueied the whole light of the world into the body of the Sun so that though the Moone and Starres should giue light yet they should shine with no other light but what they receiued from the Sunne Euen so in the constituti-of the Church howsoeuer God at first preserued and continued the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation from himselfe to some chosen men by whose ministerie hee would haue the same communicated to the rest yet when hee gaue his word in writing he conueyed into the bodie of the Scriptures the whole light of his Church so that albeit there should be Pastors Teachers therin to shine as starres to giue light to others yet they should giue no other light but what by the beames of the written Law was cast vpon them And that wee might haue good warranty for the written Word God himselfe shewed the first way by his owne example who with his owne finger wrote the Decalogue in tables of stone and saith Moses The Tables was the worke of God Exod. 32.16 and the writing was the writing of God vpon the Tables And as God was the first Author of writing in the old Law so our Sauiour Christ God and Man taught the same lesson by his owne example and direction in the New For when the Disciples wrote saith Austen what Christ shewed and said vnto them Cum illi scripserunt qua ille ostendit et dixit nequaquā dicendum est quod ipse nō scripserit c. Aug. de consens Euangel lib. 1. c. 35. it is not to be said that he did not write because the members wrought that which they learned by the inditing of the Head For whatsoeuer he would haue vs to reade of the things which he did and said he gaue in charge to them as his hands to write the same And thus one and the same Spirit that prescribed the old Law to Moses gaue also expresse charge to the Evangelist Saint Iohn Scribe Reuel 1.11.19 write these things And lastly the reason of this writing Saint Luke renders to Theophilus Luke 1.4 That thou mightst know the certaintie of those things wherein thou hast beene instructed Now as things written are of longer continuance and better assurance whereby we haue the certaintie of our faith and doctrine so likewise by that certainty we inioy the more safetie and for that cause the Apostle Saint Paul tells the Philippians that which hee deliuered by word of mouth being present Phil. 3.1 To write the same things saith he to me it is not grieuous but for you it is safe And this may be a good comfort for all beleeuing Protestants that wee haue these two benefits of the written Word by the doctrine of two Apostles Certaintie and Saftie Scriptura Regula credendi certissima tutissimaque est Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2 Euseb li. 2. cap. 14. This doctrine was rightly obserued and earnestly pursued by the true beleeuers in the Primitiue Church in so much as it is obserued by Eusebius that the faithfull who had heard the preaching of Saint Peter not thinking that sufficient nor contented with the doctrine of that diuine preaching vnwritten most earnestly intreated Marke that hee would leaue them in writing the Commentaries or records of the doctrine which they had deliuered vnto them br word and ceased not till they had perswaded him thereto Now it is reported saith hee when the Apostle vnderstood this to haue beene done by the reuelation of the holy Ghost he ioyed much in the desire of those men by his authority warranted this Gospel in writing to the reading of the Church Here was a memorable example both for the Certaintie and Safetie of the Christian Faith the faithfull heare the Word of God yet fearing the vncertaintie of that which might bee deliuered vpon report from hand to hand they intreat Marke the Scholler and follower of Peter that hee would commit the same to writing this was performed accordingly and Saint Peter ioyed in the performance of it and withall testified by his approbation that their good motion proceeded from the Holy Ghost In like manner you shall obserue as the Apostle St. Paul wrote those things which he deliuerd by word of mouth to the Philippians so likewise hee deliuers the same things to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.3 which hee receiued according to the Scriptures And from hence wil arise a third benefit which is the grand point in question The Scriptures are alone sufficient without the helpe of Traditions for that which Saint Paul hath testified of the Church at Corinth and Philippi the same Nicephorus expresseth more particularly in these words Niceph. Eccles Hist lib. 2. ca. 34. What Saint Paul being present taught by word of mouth amongst the Corinthians Ephesians Galathians Colossians Philippians Thessalonians Iewes Romans and many other persons whereunto the holy Ghost sent him and whom hee begate in the faith of Christ the same things in his absence bee compendiously reuoketh into their memory by his Epistles written vnto them If therefore St. Paul set downe in his Epistles all that doctrine which hee deliuered by word of mouth to those seuerall Churches withall taught that doctrine which he receiued according to the Scriptures it will follow of necessitie that all things necessary to saluation are contained in the Scriptures for hee witnessed of himselfe I haue not shunned to declare all the Councell of God Acts 20.27 Let vs appeale to him touching the sufficiencie of the Scriptures First hee exhorts Timothy 2. Tim. 3.14 to continue in those things which hee had learned and had been assured of neither doth he tell him hee was assured of Traditions but plainly expresseth in that place his meaning of the Holy Scriptures and that it might appeare the Scriptures were not denyed by the Apostles to children and ignorant persons as it is now vsed in the Church of Rome hee testifieth in his behalfe that from a child hee had knowen the holy Scriptures Verse 15. and that it might yet further appeare the Scriptures were sufficient for his sauing knowledge without the helpe of Traditions he protesteth to him Ibidem that they were able to make him wise vnto saluation And lastly lest it might bee thought a particular instruction to Timothie alone and not to the rest of the faithfull he proclaimes the written Word as a generall rule and conclusion for all beleeuers
scrip Eccles. ann 290. Gregorie Nyssen his eight Bookes De Philosophia are cited by Bellarmine for Free-will yet in his Catalogue aforesaid he confesseth they seeme not to be the bookes of Gregory Nyssen Lactantius Verses are cited by Bellarmine for Adoration of the Crosse and yet he confesseth elsewhere that it is doubted whether Lactantius were the Author Bell. li 1. de ver Dei ca. 14. Nec librum illum esse Augustini vt erudit fatentur Bell. de Mis lib. 2. c. 12. Ad locum Saint Austen is cited ad Orosium by Bellarmine to prooue Ecclesiasticus Canonicall Scripture but elsewhere when he is obiected in our behalfe in that Tract hee answeres it is not Saint Austens worke as learned men confesse Iustin Martyr Bell lib de Bap c. 25. Idem lib. de Confir c. 5. Idem lib. de Euch. c. 2. Idem lib. 1. de Sanct. 1. 4 § 3. his Questions are alleadged by Bellarmine for Vnction in baptisme for the Sacrament of Confirmation for Transubstantiation but elsewhere hee declareth them to be the work of some new Authour and not the workes of Iustin Martyr Origen in his Homilies on the Gospels Lib. 2. de Euch. c. 8. lib 3. de paenit ca 7. is cited by Bellarmine for the Reall presence and his Homilies on the Psalmes he cites for Auricular confession In lib. de Script Eccles yet the one he disclaimeth as none of Origens the other he freely confesseth it is doubted of who is the Author Cassianus is cited by Bellarmine for an ancient Author Bell de Iustif l. 1. c. 13 for the poynt of Iustification Idē de bon oper cap. 2. lib. 2. and set times of fasting yet elsewhere hee acknowledgeth the booke for Apocryphall and counterfet Bell li. 6. de lib. arb ca. 4 § accedat and condemned in a Roman Councell vnder Pope Gelasius Bell li. 2. de Pont. c. 14. Eusebius his third Epistle is cited by Bellarmine for the Supremacie yet he professeth elsewhere Idem de Confirm lib. 2. c. 7. it is not certaine who is the Author thereof Hee that shall reade these and many such like authorities of pretended Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Religion might at first sight happily bee induced to beleeue that all or most of the ancient Doctors of the Church belong to them when as in truth our aduersaries vse them but as Merchants vse their Counters sometimes they stand with them for pence sometimes for pounds as they bee next and readiest at hand to make vp their account Thus one while they muster vp their forces by multitudes of authorities as if they would make that good by number which they want in weight Sometimes they condemne them as counterfet sometimes they purge them as if they were full of corruptions according to seuerall occasions they haue their seuerall deuices to produce them or auoyd them at their pleasure Si conficta historia non est vllius authoritatis Bell. lib. 2. de Pont. cap. 9. whereas if they bee counterfeit as they are confessed to bee they are of no authoritie if Catholique and Orthodoxe they make nothing for the points in Controuersie as shall bee presented in the next place SECT XI The most substantiall poynts of Roman Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers NEither are these men content to challenge a right to all the Fathers although they confesse they are not all orthodox and true Fathers but they likewise charge vs that Sebast Flash in profess Cath. we make no more account of them then wee doe of the Turkes Alcaron or Aesops Fables Nay saith Bristow it is well known to such as heare the Protestants Sermons Bristow Mot. 14. or bee in place to heare them talke boldly and familiarly among themselues are not afrayd to confesse plainely that the Fathers are all Papists A strange and senselesse fiction deuised by these men when not onely our learned Diuines but the vulgar people are all eye-witnesses that the Booke written by the Iewel of our age is published in all the Churches of our kingdom whose challenge for the principall points of our Religion is made good and will euer remaine vnanswerable out of the Writings and Authorities of the ancient Fathers But admit some Protestants were so ignorant or senselesse as to say priuately All the Fathers were Papists what stupiditie then may we think it in the chiefe Pastors of the Romane Church which by their publike writings and open confession acknowledge the principall poynts of Controuersie yea their chiefe Articles of Faith were vnknowne to the ancient Fathers We confesse it for a truth that the ancient Fathers St. Austen S. Ambrose St. Hierome and the rest were learned men they were Instruments of Grace and Mercy we read them we reuerence them we giue God thankes for them but withall wee learne this lesson frō them Wee weigh not the writings of men August ad Fortunat. Epist 111. bee they neuer so worthy and Catholique as wee weigh the Canonicall Scriptures but yeelding that reuerence that is due vnto them Wee may mislike and refuse something in their writings if we find they haue thought otherwise then the trueth may beare and such saith Austen am I in the writings of others and such I would wish others to be in mine Saint Austen thought it no preiudice to the Romane Church nor disparagement to his own learning to haue his writings examined by the rule of Scripture Nay more saith he that which in my bookes thou thinkest to bee vndoubtedly true Quod certū non habebis nisi certum intellexeris noli firmè retinere Aug in Proae lib 3. de Trinit vnlesse thou perceiue it to bee true indeed hold it not resolutely St. Ambrose was so farre from wishing Prince or people to rely vpon his doctrine that by way of preuention hee writes to Gratian the Emperour Nolo argumento eredas sancte Imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus c. Ambros de Fide ad Grat l 1 c. 4 Beleeue not O Emperour our Arguments and our Disputations let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophets let vs aske Christ. Now admit a doubtfull Recusant at this day repaire for instruction to a Romish Priest or Bishop will he answer him with Austen Examine my doctrine by the rule of Scripture and if you find it not agreeable to that Word hold it not resolutely or will he answer him with Ambrose Heare not my arguments beleeue not vs that are the professed Priests and Pastors of the Church but read the Scriptures consult with the Oracles of God let Christ the Head of the Church resolue the doubts and controuersies of Religion Surely nothing is more to bee wished for by vs nothing is lesse to be hoped for from them True it is that St.
spoken of throughout the whole world nay more he makes an earnest request to God that he might see the members of that Church and impart Spirituall gifts vnto them to the ende they might be established These testimonies of the Apostle were speciall Caracters of an eminent glorious Church although in truth there is not so much as this name of a Church giuen to the Romans in all the Scriptures The church at Babylon elected 2. Pet. 5.13 vnlesse they will allow the Church at Babylon to bee the Church of Rome and heere was a probable assurance of continued stability and perseuerance in the Faith in all Ages but behold the same Apostle which did so much glory in behalfe of their Catholique Faith which gaue God thankes for them which without doubt prayed for the continuance of that Faith Verse 9. For God is my witnesse saith he without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my Prayers As if hee had foreseene by the spirit of Prophesie they would glory in their owne worth and merits shortly after in his eleuenth Chapter of the same Epistle giues them this speciall Caueat Be not high minded but feare and withall giues a speciall reason of that Caueat For if God spared not the naturall branches take heede also lest hee spare not thee behold therefore the bountifulnesse and seueritie of God towards them that haue fallen seueritie but towards thee goodnesse if thou continune in his goodnesse otherwise also thou shalt bee cut off This Doctrine of the Apostle doth trench so farre into the present estate of the Church of Rome that the Rhemists forbeare their Annotations vpon this place for the truth is these last words Thou also shalt bee cut off Doe plainely intimate that the Church of Rome from the time of the Apostles had a possibilitie of falling and consequently was but a particular Church for so it befell the Church of Ierusalem and much more saith the Apostle may it befall the Church of Rome Let vs compare the testimonies and promises in behalf of the Roman Church with other particular and famous Churches in the time of the Apostles and see whether those promises did more largely extend to the faith of the Roman Church then to other Churches St. Paul writing to the Thessalonians termes them by the name of the Church he giues this large testimonie in their behalfe Thess 1.8 From you sounded out the word of the Lord not onely in Macedonia and Achaia but your faith which is toward God is gone forth into all places that wee haue no need to speake any thing yea more hee giues them a kinde of assurance for the perpetuitie of their faith The Lord is faithfull 2. Thess 3 3 and will establish you and keepe you from all euill yet this Church is fallen away and hath lost her first faith The Ephesians are termed by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church of the liuing God the Pillar ground of truth And for this Church the Apostle makes this confession Ephes 3.14 16. I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to bee strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man yet we see this Church which was the ground and pillar of truth and for which the Apostle earnestly prayed for is rased to the ground and vtterly fallen from the truth The Corinthians are tearmed by Saint Paul 1. Cor. 1.2 The Church of God called to be Saints And this Church is farther witnessed by the same Apostle that shee was rich in all things through Christ in all kinds of speech and knowledge and that shee was not destitute of any gift yea he deliuers confident in behalfe of that Church that God would establish them vnto the end euen the day of the Lord Iesus Christ yet soone after some of them denied the Resurrection they fell from the truth and are now subiect to the Turke If then the Church of the Thessalonians of the Ephesians of the Corinthians touching the outward face and visibilitie of the locall Churches if they are all fallen notwithstanding such faire testimonies and large promises in their behalfe which also were accomplished in the Elect what stabilitie could the Church of Rome promise to her selfe which had not so much as the name of a Church but was threatned vpon the breach of a condition that they also should bee cut off Whether the condition be broken or no I will not heere dispute but this I may safely say If the Iewes being the Lords peculiar people and the naturall branches were broken off how much more the Church of Rome being but a wilde Oliue branch might bee cut off from the faith of Christ No doubt the Spirit of God foresaw that the Romanist would glory in the name of the Church and aduance that name aboue his word and therefore the word of God gaue not so much as a name of a Church nor promise of infallibility perseuerance vnto it but a speciall caueat to put them in mind not to be high minded I say therefore to the Romanist as St. Hierom sometimes said to Pammachius and Oceanus Quisquis es assertor novorum dogmatuÌ„ quaese te vt parcas Romanis auribê° parcas fidei quae Apostolico ore laudae tur cur post quadi ingeÌ„tos annos docere nos niteris quod antea nesciuimê° cur profers in medium qd Paulus Petrê° edere noluerunt vsque ad huÌ„c lâ—eÌ„ siâ—e istâ doctâ—inâ nund Christianus fuit Hieron ad Pammach OceanuÌ„ Thou who art a maintainer of newe doctrine whatsoeuer thou bee I pray thee spare the Romane eares spare the Faith that is commended by the Apostles mouth why goest thou about now after 400 yeeres I may say 1400 to teach vs that Faith which wee before neuer knew Why bringest thou forth that thing that Peter and Paul neuer vttered Euermore vntill this day the Christian world hath beene without this Doctrine But obserue the cunning of our Aduersaries they doe as much glory of the Apostles testimonie that the Romane Faith was published through the world as if the ancient and the now Romane faith were all one And to prooue an infallible Succession in their doctrine they pretend that St. Cyprian a blessed Martyr did witnesse to the world that the Romane Church could not erre and consequently the Trent doctrine is the ancient faith of Christ and his Apostles St. Cyprian saith M. Bishop tells vs that Perfidiousnesse and falsehood in matters of Faith can haue no accesse to the Church of Rome so that by the Apostles confession they challenge an eminent Visibilitie and by this ancient Fathers testimonie they claime an assured stabilitie in matters of Faith If these things were true I should craue pardon of Cyprian not to beleeue him because the Apostle teacheth mee to beleeue the contrary but the trueth is this testimony so often alledged by
all Antiquitie from the Text it selfe if there bee brought no peruerse or preiudicate opinion against it to conclude whether thou wilt or no thou shalt beleeue it from the Popes owne Sentence and determination To this Church then lyeth an appeale from Scriptures from Councels from the Essentiall Church and for that cause Cardinall Bellarmine proclaimes it as the Popes Champion Bellar. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 17. Nos defendimus Wee maintaine that the Pope is simply and absolutely aboue the vniuersall Church and aboue Generall Councells and as great men sometimes loue to bee soothed vp in their greatnesse and are led with opinion of their Parasites to beleeue that for a trueth which is but a suggestion of falsehood so it came to passe touching the Popes power in these latter dayes they did so much atatribute to his Authoritie and Infallibilitie deriued from Peter that Cardinall Zabarella rightly obserued and ingenuously confessed They haue made the Popes beleeue Persuaserunt Pontificibus quod omnia possunt sic qd facerent quicquid liberet etiam illicitet sint plusquaÌ„ Deus Zabarella that they might doe all things whatsoeuer they listed yea notwithstanding they were things vnlawfull and thus saith he they haue made him more then God Bishop Begnius in the last Councell of Lateran speaking to Pope Leo cryes out in admiration of his Holinesse Ecce venit Leo Behold heere commeth a Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda the Root of Dauid Te Leo beatissime saluatoreÌ„ expectauimus apprehende scutum c Concil Later 5. Sess 6. in orat Begn ad Leon. 10. behold hee hath raised vp a Sauiour which shall deliuer the people of God from the hand of the destroyer Thou art hee O most blessed Leo whom we haue expected as a Sauiour take vp thy sword and buckler and arise in our defence And thus by degrees first Vox populi the common people by admiring his greatnesse then Bishops Cardinals by their flattering suggestions haue at last ascribed infallibilitie of Iudgement to his Authoritie which I am verily perswaded neuer Pope did beleeue in himselfe and hereby they haue aduanced him aboue Fathers aboue CouÌ„cels aboue the Church and now at last made him the whole Church in so much that some of his own side are not ashamed to professe Beard Mot. 6. vide in Iewel p. 49. that the Pope may dispense against the Apostles yea against the new Testament vpon good cause and also against all the precepts of the Old Syluester Prierias Master of the Popes palace goeth further hee giues vs to vnderstand that the authoritie of the Roman Church QuicuÌ„que noÌ„ innititur doctrinae Romanae ecclesiae ac Romani Pontificis tanquaÌ„ Regulae Dei infallibili à quâ etiam sacra Scriptura robur trahit et authoritatem hereticê° est Sylu. Prier contra Luther and of the Bishop of Rome is greater then the authoritie of Gods Word and therupon he concludes Whosoeuer leaneth not to the doctrine of the Roman Church and of the Bishop of Rome as vnto the infallible Rule of God of which Doctrine the holy Scripture taketh force and authoritie he is an heretike And for a further confirmation of this beliefe Gretzerus the Iesuite makes this conclusion Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus qd nobis Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri c. Def c. 1. l. 1. de Verbo Dei p. 16. Wee doe receiue and reuerence that onely for the Word of God which the Pope as supreame Master of the Christians and Iudge of all controversies doth determine in the Chaire of Peter Now if it happen that some Proselyte of a tender conscience should make some scruple whether the Pope ought to be heard and obeyed when hee is a murderer a Sorcerer and a wilfull subuerter of the truth as some Popes haue been Hosius their Doctour wisheth them not to trouble theÌ„selues with such idle curiosities Iudas ne sit an Petrus au Paulus Deus atteÌ„di non vult sed soluÌ„ hoc qd sedet in Cathedrâ Petri de cuius ore legem requirere iussus est Hoc soluÌ„ spectari vult Hos in Confess Petricouien ca. 29. God will neuer haue thee consider saith he whether the Pope bee a Iudas or a Peter or a Paul it is sufficient onely that he sitteth in Peters chaire that hee is an Apostle that he is Christs Ambassadour that he is the Angell of the Lord of Hostes from whose mouth thou art commanded to require the Law This thing onely Christ would haue thee to consider Againe admit a Councel a whole congregation of men should make a doubt whether the Pope may erre and by reason of that scruple would not readily obey him Cardinall Bellarmine by way of preuention Si autem Papa erraret praecipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona et virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiaÌ„ peccare Bell de Pont. li. 4. c. 5. giues them this lesson If the Pope should so farre foorth erre as to command vices and forbid vertues the Church were bound to beleeue that vices are good and vertues are euill vnlesse shee will sinne against her owne conscience Heere is an implicite faith commanded let the Popes doctrine bee true or false if the Romanists will resigne vp their senses and vnderstanding to this Vertuall Church which is the Pope they shall haue a Priest Cardinall for their Tutors but by their leaue they may make shipwracke of their faith by being their Disciples I proceed from an implicite faith to a blinâ— obedience and therein I will giue you a remarkeable example from another Schooleman who aboue all things doeth honour and commend a blinde obedience to the Church that is to the Pope Gregorie de Valentia tells vs of an Italian Merchant of Placentia who reasoned and resolued with himselfe in this manner I hold it is better to professe the Romane Religion Laurent disceptatio Theolog. pag. 5. then the Lutheran First because I can briefly learne the Roman faith for if I say what the Pope sayes and deny what the Pope denies and if he speake and I hearken vnto him this alone is sufficient for mee but if I should bee a Lutheran I must learne a Catechisme I must search the Scriptures which in trueth I cannot intend when I must look after the Ships of Italy and my Merchandise beyond the Seas You haue heard the reason why this Layman did dislike the Protestants Religion and what was the rule of his Roman faith now heare what iudgement this learned Schooleman giues concerning this Merchant DeuÌ„ nihil habiturum God saieth he will haue nothing to lay to the charge of this man at the dreadfull day of Iudgement To say nothing of this presumption I pray God that Pagans Infidels who knew not Christ arise not vp in Iudgment against them that teach such doctrine for whereas
of the holy Ghost were wholly at the Popes command to breath onely where hee will haue him It is confessed on both sides that Christ is the Way and Trueth and by his word he hath prescribed a sure an infallible rule to find out the truth If the Scripture were but a partiall rule yet by Bellarmines owne confession it is the most certaine Scriptura â—egula credendi cerrissima tutissimaque est Bell. de Verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. and most safe rule of faith Now â—et vs see what is the most certaine rule of the Roman â—aith and on what assured meanes their proselytes may â—est satisfied and infallibly â—nstructed for the saluation â—f their soules Suarez the â—esuite tells vs It is the Catholike truth Veritas Catholica est Pontificem definientem ex Cathedrâ esse RegulaÌ„ Fidei quae errare non potest quaÌ„do aliquid authenticè proponit vniuersa Ecclesia tanquaÌ„ de fide c. Suarez de Tripl virt Theol. Sect. 8. disp 5. de reg pag. 214. Censeo esse rem de fide ceâ—taÌ„ Suar. ibid p. 214. that the Pope defining in his Chaire is the rule of Faith which cannot erre that is wheÌ„ he doth propose any thing authentically to the vniuersall Church to be beleeued 〈◊〉 a diuine faith and thus saith he all Catholike Doctors teach in these dayes and I thinke it 〈◊〉 be a thing certainly to be beleeued This Iesuit maintainâ—â— the Infallibility of the Pope yet speakes but as he thinks and withall tells vs It is thâ— Catholike doctrine of these times when as hee should haue prooued it by ancient Records that it was the Catholike doctrine of all ages For there is no man liuing let him be Papist oâ— Protestant if hee be a man of â—nderstanding but will holâ— it most requisite and absolutely necessary that the rule of faith should be declared by Christ and his Apostles by Catholike Traditions by Generall Councels by the consent of Fathers and the whole Christian world and certainly if the Popes Decrees conclusions be that rule of faith they ought to be confirmed by al those testimonies since on his judgment both Councels Bishops do depend but especially since the error of the Pope is adiudged to be the error of the Vniversall Church Againe he that deliuered what hee thought was the Catholike doctrine of these times touching the Popes Infallibility in generall tels vs of an other point at that time questionable viz. Whether it was to bee beleeued as an Article of faith Idem ibid. pag. 218. that the or that particular Pope were 〈◊〉 true Pope This doctrine saith he I taught at Rome affirmatiuely in the yeere 1585 but withall professeth that many at that time thought otherwise He that proclaimed it to the world that the Popes definitiue sentence in his chaire was the rule of Faith withall professeth that within these few yeeres it was not resolued whether this or that particular Pope might erre or no. And as it was obserued by a judicious and religious Gentleman M Noy of L. Inne for I shall gladly acknowledge any thing that I receiued froÌ„ any man this later question produced a new Quaere viz If the Pope were not a true Pope and Canonically elected then that person which worshipped a Saint canonized by that Pope commits flat Idolatry by reason the Saint wants his right Canonization for want of the Popes true and Canonicall election Many such doubts said he were mooued touching this Rule of Faith which neither the Iesuite was able to resolue nor the Church had as yet determined Hee that can but spell and put these things together would feare and tremble to think he hath no better assurance of his saluation then a doubtfull vncertaine questionable and vrresolued way to guide him into the paths of sauing knowledge And that the world may know the Rule of Faith which ought generally to bee receiued De Fide of all the faithfull is altogether doubtfull in the Roman church I haue summoned 12 of the Popes disciples to deliuer their seuerall opinions concerning the Popes Infallibilitie but how they concurre in witnessing the trueth of this Doctrine I leaue it to bee iudged Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. 1. Bellarmine It is probable that the Pope not onely as Pope cannot erre but as a priuate man cannot fall into Heresie or hold any obstinate opinion contrary to the Faith 2. Albertus Pigghius Piggh. de Eccle. Hier. lib. 6. c. 13. The Iudgement of the Pope is more certaine then the Iudgement of a Generall Councell or else the whole world 3. Hosius Hos lib. 2. cont Brent Bee the wickednesse of Popes neuer so great it can neuer hinder but that this promise of God shall euer be true The Popes shall shew thee the truth of Iudgement 4. Iohannes de Turrecremata Ioh. sum de Eccles lib. 2. cap. 112. It is better to rest vpon the sentence of the Pope which hee deliuers out of Iudgement then the opinions of whatsoeuer wise men in matters of Scripture for euen Caiphas was a High Priest and although hee was wicked yet hee prophecied truely 5. Siluester Prierias Whosoeuer leaneth not to the Doctrine of the Romane Church I'tier contr Lutherum and Bishop of Rome as vnto he Infallible rule of God of which doctrine the holy Scripture hath taken force and authoritie hee is an heretike Episc Bitont Conc. ex Rom. 1. cap 14. Romae habit 6. Cornelius Mus I must ingenuously confesse I would giue more credit to one Pope in matters of faith then to a thousand Augustines Hieromes or Gregories c. For I beleeue and know the chiefe Bishop in matters of faith cannot erre because the authoritie of the Church in determination of things belonging to faith is resident in that Bishop and so the errour of that Bishop should come to be the errour of the vniuersall Church Thus the great Mountaines were in labour and at last appeares Ridiculus Mus This man cares neither for Fathers nor Councells he knowes the Pope cannot erre and he is a man of experience You may beleeue him for hee was a Preacher at twelue yeeres old saith Sixtus Senensis but there are six more of the Popes sworne seruants they are Legales homines and craue audience hauing the said power and iurisdiction with the rest onely they say they cannot flatter they must and will speake the trueth in this howsoeuer the rest bee diuided from them and first concerning the first of the second ranke 7. Alphonsus de Castro We doubt not Non dubitamus an hareticum esse et Papam esse coire in vnuÌ„ possint Non enim credo esse aliquem adeò impudentem Papae assertatoreÌ„ vt ei tribuere hac velit vt nec errare nec interpretatione sacraruÌ„ literarum hallucinari possit cum constet plures Papas adeò illiteratos esse vt Grammaticam penitus ignorent qui fit vt
1. Kings 21. the greatest number were Idolaters In Ieremies time the Priests and Prophets Ierem. 7.4 which were the chiefe in authoritie were false teachers yet like the Romanists in these dayes they cryed out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord. 1 Kings 19.14 In the time of Elias there was a generall Apostacie in the Church of Israel insomuch that hee being a Prophet could not discerne it so that a visible and illustrious Church may appeare to bee the true Church when shee beareth but the visor and title of a true Church the Church of God may so lie hid that the principall members yea and eminent Pastors themselues may bee ignorant where to finde it for God hath not tied his Church to a visible company that are known to all to be true professors at all times neither hath hee commanded a Register to bee kept of their names that hee might call the Church after their names for if any should call for the names of professors in all ages nay if any one should demand but the name of any one of those seuen thousand which neuer bowed to Baal and were vnknowne to the Prophet himselfe it would seeme a mysterie vnsearchable and a man past finding out Neither was this backesliding or falling away in the Church caused for want of Gods promises for they were gracious far exceeding those promises to the Church of Rome The Prophet tells vs that the glorie of God did sit between the Cherubins in the Sanctuarie and God had promised that there should be his seat and yet the Priests did corrupt it with superstition God left the place without any Holinesse Hee extends his promises further I will walke saith he in the midst of you I will haue my Tabernacle amongst you for euer my name shall bee in Hierusalem I haue sanctified it that my name may be there for euer yet of this Church to which so many promises were annexed the Prophet complaines Esay 56.10 11. The watchmen are become blinde they do no good they are dumbe dogs they are shopheards that cannot vnderstand Now as you see the Extent and promises of his Church were large so you must know they were all alwayes annexed to a condition If you be my people if you serue mee if you walk in my commandements if you aske counsell at my mouth agreeable to the answer of the Prophet Osea Osea 4.6 Because thou hast reiected knowledge I will reiect thee that thou shalt be no Priest to mee seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children Now as you haue heard the Law was perished from the Priests and Counsell frō the Ancients as if there had been a second deluge of People and Pastors so now the earth shall bring foorth her increase that is as Hierom expounds it the blessed Virgin which comes of the earth shall bring foorth the blessed fruit of her sanctified wombe that what was lost by the first Adam might bee repaired by the second and surely it was high time to rectifie the ancient Doctrine for the leauen of the Pharises had almost sowred the whole lumpe neither doth Christ deferre the time by reason of his minoritie for at 12 yeeres old hee disputeth with the great Rabbies in their Synagogues but obserue what entertainment they gaue him Hee calleth for a reformation of life and doctrine they replyed he would destroy the Temple he vrgeth and layeth open to them the Scriptures they plead their owne Traditions he discouers shewes vnto them their false glosses they answer he had a Deuill hee preached to them of the kingdome of heauen they accuse him for speaking against the Maiestie of Caesar yet this Church of Hierusalem if you regard Antiquitie they were descended from Abraham if Calling they were Priests and Scribes if Place their Temple was the LORDS House if Councels they had solemne Assemblies and meetings but if I should demand where or in whom was the true Church before Christs comming as our aduersaries question ours before Luthers they may answere the Iewes had a visible Church in regard of Gods promises Simeon Anna. Ioseph and Mary Zachary Elizabeth but I dare promise for them they can giue vs the names of a very small number Compare then the church of Hierusalem the Church of Rome together the Church of Hierusalem had her Priests and Caiphas the High Priest and Sacrifices and Councells and a Temple and Traditions and Moses Chaire and the Oracles of God The Church of Rome hath her Priests her Sacrifice of the Masse her Caiphas the Pope that is guided by the Spirit of prophecie shee hath her Temple Traditions and Peters Chaire and last of all because it is least with her in request she hath the Gospel of Christ Now when we cal vpon the Church for a reformation of doctrine they answer Their Church is Catholike cannot erre wee lay before them the word of God for a Rule to examine their Doctrine they answere the Word is not sufficient without the helpe of their Traditions wee shew them their false glosses in Exposition of the Scriptures they answere that it is the right of their Church to iudge of the true sense of the Scriptures But if we shall demand of them where or by whom all their twelue new Articles published within the memorie of man by Pope Pius the 4 were receiued and beleeued as Articles of Faith before the Councell of Trent I am more then confident they shall not find so many professors of that Faith and doctrine at Luthers comming as there were true beleeuers in the Church of Hierusalem at Christs comming And for the better manifestation of this Tenet I will beginne from the time of Christ and his Apostles and briefly relate the courses and changes the Visibilitie and obscurity the alteration and long wished for Reformation of the Roman Faith and Doctrine in all ages till the dayes of Luther SECT XXIIII The latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is prooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall desired a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther 2 Thess 2.7 IN the First age the Apostle St. Paul giues vs to vnderstand that the Mysterie of iniquitie began to worke And St. Iohn tells vs of dangerous Heretiques in his time 1 Iob. 2.19 saying They went out from vs but they were not of vs. Now as Iniquitie did closely worke so likewise Errour began to spread it selfe insomuch as both those who were called and those also who were chosen by Christ did erre grieuously both in manners and doctrine and through their fall followed a latencie and obscuritie in the true Church Iudas erred in Manners being called when through couetounes hee betraied Christ The Apostles erred in Manners being chosen whē they forsooke Christ Nay more the Elect Apostles
erred in Doctrine when they thought the Kingdome of Christ to be earthly and not heauenly Actes 1.6 for When they were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel They did Imagine his Kingdome to bee like the Kingdomes of this world presently to come not after to be looked for proper to Israel not common to all Nations by vertue of the Promises Nay more when they had receiued the Holy Ghost in a greater measure from heauen Peter saith the Text went not the right way to the Gospell Galat. 2 14. Iohn would haue worshiped an Angell once or twice Reu. 19.10 22.8 The Apostles and Brethren who were in Iudea thought that the Word of God was not to be Preached to the Gentiles Acts 11.2 These Examples doe sufficienty witnesse that the Elect and Chosen of God may take a fall but fall away they cannot and their errors in doctrine and manners foretell a possibilitie of failing and consequently an obscuritie in the true Church and heereupon their owne Panormitan concludes Possibile est quod vera fides remanerâ—t in vno solo atque ita veruÌ„ est dicere quod fides non deficit in Ecclesia Hoc patuit post passionem Christi nâ—m fides remaÌ„serat tantuÌ„ in beata virgine Extr. do Elect. Significast Alb. It is possible that the faith of Christ may remaine in one alone and so it is true to say Faith failed not in the Church this thing appeared in Christs passion for then Faith remained only in the blessed Virgin And with him consenteth Nicholaus Clemangis The Church saith he may by Gods gracâ— maine in a woman alone as it is reported to haue remained in the blessed Virgin at the time of Christs Passion In sâ—la potest muliercula per gratiaÌ„ manere Ecclesia sicut in sola Virgine teÌ„pore passionis mansiffe fertur Clemang super Mat. generalis Concil Thus in the Colledge of Christ there were but twelue and scarce twelue in the Councell among the Iewes there was but one Iosepth of Arimathea that stood for Christ there was but one Gamaliel in the Councell of the Pharises that stood for the Apostles So that the number of true beleeuers was but small which did visibly appeare euen at that time when the Church was most glorious and therefore Eminent and perpetuall visibility is no certaine Note of the true Church Ann. 100. to 200. In tâ—â— second Age Egesippus tels vs Quod ad ea usque tempora Ecclesia pura incorrupta permanserit Virgo in locis obsuris caliginosis c. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 16. The Church remained a pure Virgine vnto Traians time which was 110 yeeres after Christ for saith he such as indeauored to corrupt the perfect Rule and sound Preaching of the Word if there were any such did hide themselues in secret and obscure places but after the sacred company of the Apostles was come to an end and that the generation was wholly spent which by speciall fauour had heard with their eares the heauenly wisedome of the Sonne of God then the conspiracie of detestable errour through the deceit of such as deliuered strange doctrine tooke rooting and because that none of the Apostles suruiued they published boldly with all might possible the doctrine of falsehood and impugned the manifest and knowne truth In the third Age Ann 200. to 300. there arose a great contention about the keeping of Easter when as Victor Bishop of Rome went about to Excommunicate all the Churches of Asia from their CoÌ„munion as not sauouring aright And at this time the heresie of Artemon who affirmed Christ to be a meere man daily increased Those heretikes saith Eusebius were many Euseb lib. 5 ca. 25. and they corrupted the holy and ancient Scriptures without any reuerence they reiected the Canon of the ancient Faith they were ignorant of Christ not searching what the holy Scriptures affirmed And St. Cyprian makes a grieuous complaint of the Apostacie in his time from the Christian Faith as appeares by diuers passages in his booke De Lapsis In the fourth Age Ann. 300. to 400. Eusebius testifies as an eye witnesse Wee saw the Church ouerwhelmed to the ground Sacras aedes precibus dicatas è sublimi in solum fundamentis ipsis conquassatis deiectas diuinas sanctas Scripturas medio foro in rogum impositas Ecclesiarum Pastores hos in latebras hic illic se cum ignominia abdentei illos non sine dedecore prehensos et ab hosti bus ludibrio expositos oculis nostris aspeximus c. Euseb lib. 8. cap. 2. yea the very foundations themselues digged vp the holy and sacred Scriptures burnt to ashes in the open Market place the Pastors of Churches some shamefully hid themselues here and there some others were ignominiously taken and derided of their enemies and thus it was commanded by Proclamation by the Emperour Dioclesian the Churches should be razed to the ground the holy Scriptures should bee abolished and the Pastors throughout all Parishes should bee imprisoned Heere we see the Church was driuen into straights and corners till the time of Constantine the Great the first Christian Emperour about 300 yeeres after Christ but you shall likewise obserue that no sooner did this good Emperour appeare as an eminent part of the visible Church but Arrius the grand Heretique sowed his wicked Heresies Ingemuit totus orbis et ArrianuÌ„ se esse miratus est Hier aduers Luciferium which Like a Canker so spread it selfe that the Shippe of the Church saith Hierom was almost suncke and the whole world groaned and wondred at it selfe that it was become Arrian And with this holy Father agreeth the complaint of Vincencius Lyrinensis Vincent Lyrin c 6. The poyson of the Arrians did not infect a little portion but in a manner the whole world insomuch that all the Latine Bishops partly by force and partly by cunning were intrapped and had a kind of myst cast before their eyes And when the Arrians did vaunt of the multitude of beleeuers as if Amplitude and Splendor had been certaine markes of the true Church Gregorie Nazianzene makes this Quaere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian in Orat 11. ad Arrianos Where are those men which define the Church by a multitude and despise the little flocke And as touching the perpetuall and eminent visibility of the church it was so farre from his knowledge that hee professeth by reason of the scarcitie of true beleeuers in his Church They were often termed the Arke of Noah Persaepe Arca Neê vocati sumus vt qui soli orbis vniuersi diluvium effugissemus Greg Nazian orat 12. as those who onely were escaped drowning in the flood In like manner when Constantius an Arrian Emperor had obiected the multitude of his Arrian side and the paucitie of Catholike Professors on the
particulars We say the Scripture is a sure euident perfect rule of Faith and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say the Scripture is ambiguous obscure and insufficient and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Wee say all Traditions concerning Faith and maners that can bee proued by Scriptures are of equall authority with the Scriptures and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say that diuers Traditions of faith and manners wherof there is no ground nor euidence in the Scriptures are to bee receiued with equall reuerence religious respect as the Scriptures themselues and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Wee say the vndoubted writings of the ancient Fathers are to be followed according to their owne rule so farre as they disagree no from the Scriptures and this is Via Tuta Bulla Pij 4 pro Forma Iuramenti c. a certaine and Safe way They say and take an oath to follow the iudgement of the Fathers making no distinction of true and doubtful Authors nor limiting their doctrine to the Scriptures and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Wee say that Generall Councells lawfully called are of great authoritie and singular vse in the Church to determine Controuersies of Religion but yet are subiect vnto errour and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say that Generall Councells called and confirmed by the Pope are of an infallible auhoritie and their Decrees are to be obeyed vnder a curse by all Christians and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way We say the Church is a Congregation of Pastors people wherin the word of God is truely preached and the Sacraments rightly administred and these are Essentiall marks of the true Church and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say sometimes a Councell sometimes a Pope and his Consistorie sometimes the Pope alone is the Church the marks of their Church are amplitude and splendor and miracles c. and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Wee say the Rocke vpon which the Church is built is Christ and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say the Rocke is the Succession of Popes deriued from Peter and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way We say the effect of the Sacraments depends vpon the Institution of Christ and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say the efficacie of the Sacraments depends vpon the Intention of the Priest and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way We say we ought to call vpon God by Christ and that he is our Mediator who onely knowes the secrets of our hearts and sits at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs And this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe Way They say wee ought to vse Saints and Angels for Intercessors when as they haue no commission from God to present our prayers nor can know the secrets of the heart nor haue wee any assurance that they heare us at all and this is Via Deuia an Vncertaine and By-Way We say wee ought to adore Christs bodily presence in Heauen where he sits at the right hand of the Father according to the Apostles Creed and this is Via Tuta the certaine and Safe Way They say wee ought to adore Christs very body and bloud in the Pix vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine according to their Trent Creed and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-Way Lastly we say that we are all vnprofitable seruants and no man liuing can bee iustified in the sight of God by his owne merits and therefore all that expect saluatiō must lay hold on Christ by a liuely faith and wholly rely vpon his merits only this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say that the Law of God may be fulfilled in this life and that they can merit and performe workes of Supererrogation and accordingly they rely partly vpon their merits partly vpon their superabūdant satisfaction of Saints for their Saluation and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-Way Thus I haue set before you Truth and Error Light and darkenesse the Safe Way and the By-Way Giue Me leaue therefore by way of Conclusion to adiure You in the sacred forme of words sometimes vsed by the great Prophet Deut. 30.19 and faithfull Seruant of God I call Heauen and Earth to record this day against you that I haue set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both thou and thy seed may liue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
to shew that there was a kind of necessitie for the latencie obscuritie of the true Church especially in the later ages because it was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. SECT XXV The aforenamed corruptions and most remarkable declination of the Church of Rome in the later ages was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. AS the complainants haue made knowne vnto vs that there was an Apostasie a falling away from the trueth in the later ages so likewise you shall obserue that they told nothing of the defection in the Church which was not foretold by Christ and his Apostles at that time when the Mysterie of Iniquitie began to worke whereby you shall see the one foretels the other answers the Apostles spake of errours and heresies that were to come the complainants tell you of errours and heresies that in their dayes were come vt impleretur that whatsoeuer was foretold might bee accomplished Now that the Church of Rome hath fallen frō her first puritie that she is that Church at which the Prophecies long since pointed and is now fallen that the Pope is that Man of Sin that sits in the Temple of God which was forespoken and that there is not neither can bee any other Church to which the Prophesies can fitly agree I wil compare the Romish Doctrine with those Prophesies that her Tenets in the Church may appeare to the Euidence of things foretold and her doctrine may appeare to be the accomplished Reuelation of St. Iohns Reuelation First then let vs examine by way of question and answer Whether the Church of God hath not fallen from her first sinceritie more or lesse in all ages How comes it to passe that the Pope of Rome assumes to himselfe the fulnes of power and is aduanced aboue the kings of the earth which are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 It was foretold The Man of Sinne shall be reuealed which is an Aduersary ◠Thess 2.3 4. and is exalted aboue all that is called God and that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God How comes it to passe that there are such lying wonders and false miracles wrought in the Church of Rome in these latter times It was foretold Math. 13 14 The sonne of perdition shal be reuealed whose comming is by the effectuall working of Satan 2 Thess 2 9 with all power and signes lying wonders How comes it to passe that the Shepheard of the flocke is become the wolfe and the chiefe Pastors teach peruerse doctrine to make Proselytes of their owne It was foretold After my departure Acts 20.29 grieuous wolues shall enter in among you not sparing the flocke and shall speake peruerse things to draw Disciples after them How comes it to passe that the common people are giuen to beleeue fables and reade Legends in stead of Scriptures It was foretold 2 Tim. 4.1 The time will come when they will not suffer holesome doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lustes get them a heape of Teachers and shall turne their eares from the trueth and shall be giuen to Fables How comes it to passe that the Church of Rome makes a distinctiō of meats and forbids Marriage vnto Priests It was foretold In the later times some shall depart from the faith 1 Tim. 4.1 and giue heed to the spirit of errour and doctrine of Deuils forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats How comes it to passe that Indulgences and Pardons are granted for mony and made the treasure of the Church It was foretold There shall be false teachers among 〈◊〉 by whom the way of trueth shall be euill spoken of 2 Pet. 2.3 and through couetousnesse shall with fained words make merchandise of you Reu. 18.3 How comes it to passe that the number of the faithfull are so few that at all times they cannot easily be discerned It was foretold Luk. 18.8 When the Sonne of man commeth he shall not find faith vpon the earth 2 Thess 2.3 Againe The day shall not come except there bee a falling away first and that man of Sinne be reuealed How comes it to passe that the Deuil hath seduced the people in these latter aages It was foretold When a thousand yeeres are expired Reuel 20.7 Satan shall bee loosed out of his prison and shall goe to deceiue the people in the foure quarters of the earth How comes it to passe that the Church of God which is tearmed a Citie vpon a hill should bee obscured and scarcely discerned in these latter ages It was foretold Reuel 12.6 The woman fled into the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that they should feed her there How comes it to passe that in the time of peace and securitie errours were brought in by the enemy of the Gospel It was foretold While the husbandman slept Math. 13.25 there came the enemie and sowed the tares among the wheat and the enemy was the Deuill Lastly how comes it to passe that we haue made a departure from the Church of Rome Vt impleretur that it might bee fulfilled which was spoken Reue. 18.4 Goe out of her my people that yee be not partaker of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues And certainly all these sayings are come to passe that not one jott of his word should passe not fulfilled so that wee see not any things fulfilled in the Church of Rome which were not foretold neither was any thing foretold but in the fulnesse of time shall bee accomplished SECT XXVI The Conclusion of this Treatise shewing in sundrie particulars the certaintie and safetie of the Protestant and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romish Way THe Philosopher tels vs that Trueth and Falshood are neere neighbours the outmost postes of their doores are both alike yet their way is contrary for the one leadeth vnto life the other vnto death If we shal inquire further how to distinguish the house of Truth from the house of Errour hee giues this Character The doore of Falshood is painted and beautifully adorned but the doore of Trueth is plaine and homely and heereby it appeares that many times men are deceiued and mistake the doore and goe into Errours house when they seeke the Trueth These two wayes I haue briefly suruayed and distinguished by two seuerall Titles The Safe way an◠The By way The one like the house of Trueth is plaine and naked and knowne only by the Scriptures and this is Via Tuta a certaine Safe way The other like the house of Falsehood is adorned with specious shewes and colourable pretences of Traditions of Fathers of Coūcels of a pompous outside of an eminent and glorious Church and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Let vs looke back and take a short view of the