them and safe comming to them and freedome of voyces were all taken away If things be thus carried what needes any Senate of the whole Church when a Senate of present Cardinals either can doe all or must doe all Therefore this inuention state and choyce of Cardinals is a powerfull politicke deuice to maintaine the Papacy and keepe off the strongest opposition §. 6. See relation of Religion in these Western parts §. 13. c. Monasteries also as now they are vsed are great vpholders of the Papacy in binding many thousands fast vnto it for their owne maintenance For there is entertainement for all sorts of people Men Women Nobler baser in the higher or lower places They are Hauens or finall Refuges to receiue men of discontented humours or despairing passions or vnfortunate or vnfit for other Trades or disgraced or crossed in the world or distasted with the world or tyred out with enemies or wanting maintenance there they may be discharged of toyles and cares and prouided for without charge to their parents or friends to the great ease of parents and better portions of their other brethren who are all bound to the Abbeyes and Papacy for this benefit And there are such diuersities of orders and degrees of Monasteries in strictnesse or slacknesse of their rules that in one or other euery humour may receiue contentment the more deuout and melancholicke in the more seuere and austere orders the looser in orders of greater liberty All of them for present maintenance without care and protection without feare and for hope of rising to higher and higher places among such multitudes and diuersities must needs loue and defend to the vttermost of their powers the authors of their welfare And though they haue frequent fastings and prayers c. yet with a little vse they can endure it well as matters nothing comparable to the benefits they receiue these are but physicke to keepe them aliue against the diseases which else their ease and fulnesse at other times would breed And their delights are many to content them and the rest of the world inward hope that all their outward courses highly please God and they liue in a state of perfection farre aboue the best of ordinary Christians meriting heauen many blessings both for themselues and others their benefactors they haue their legends and familiar relations of visions miracles apparitions and reuelations much pleasing the credulous superstitious and phantasticall they haue their sweet Musicke glorious showes beautifull Images rich vestments variable ceremonies for the admiration of the simple Their Cities and great places abound in all varietie both of things and times and orders to content and delight the seuerall humours of all their baits to allure their hookes to retaine all kinde of people One day all Maskes Playes and lollity another day all Processions Fasting and whipping themselues vpon one doore an Excommunication casting downe to Hell all trangressors vpon another a Iubile or Pardon from all transgressions on one side of the street a house of vailed Nunnes on the other side an house of open Curtezans and the Stewes allowed for a pension payed to the pope as well as the Nunnes Neuer was any state in the world so strangely compacted of infinite varieties to please variety of humors and so strongly combined to maintaine the Master-piece Neuer was any prince so able to preferre his seruants and followers and that at other mens cost as the pope nor so able quickly and easily to take deepe reuenge of his enemies His authority is so great so setled in base peoples hearts his power so strong and adherents so many his agents so quicke to execute his will that any sinne against him is vnpardonable and on the other side any sinne either against God or Nature or prince or State by intercession to him and respectiue attendance on his Officers may be dispensed with or pardoned or passed by without disturbance §. 7. See Relation of Religion in the West §. 17. See B. White against Fisher pag. 186. c. Auricular confession pretended for repentance reformation direction and comfort of sinners and might with some cautions be profitably vsed to those purposes yet by the abuse doth yeeld to the Romish great benefit for the managing of affaires since thereby they pry into the hearts dispositions consciences and humours of all men Nobles and inferiours in euery Country whereby the more wise and politicke sort which are confessors to great men may come to know many secret carriages of businesses and also who are the fittest instruments to be imployed either in furthering or crossing their designes and by enioyning penance may make great vse of the dispositions which by such confessions are discouered Beside the gifts which they may wring from them vpon their death-beds or other sicknesses Of all which I wish there were no examples or practises §. 8. As we find the former policies make principally for the popes greatnesse strength and honour setting him vp aboue all the world Clergy and Laity so wee find many others notably contriued to furnish him and his agents with treasure answerable to so great a State Beside his temporals giuen by great Princes or won from them and others by power or policy his commings in are great from Abeyes Bishopricks and Benefices their Institutions Inductions Inuestitures palles first fruits tenthes subsidies and other impositions vpon occasions or at his pleasure And by sutes to the Court of Rome of Controuersies from all Countries and by appeales reseruations exemptions Relation of Religion in the West §. 38. pag. 98 99. dispensations and other rich inuentions Abbeyes many of them haue extrordinary faculties granted them whereby they gather much money but the pope vseth them as spunges to drinke what Iuice they can from the people that afterwards he may wring them out one by one into his owne Cesterne When Religious houses and Bishopricks waxe rich his Holinesse lets them blood in their ouer-full veines The masses of money were infinite that from all Countries of Christendome came in this way so that their temporals which should haue been their principall was then but an accessory addition to their greatnesse The people likwise payed their Peterpence Vsher de succes eccle cap. 7. §. 8 9 10. which in England was confirmed by W. Conqueror and made an yearely tribute although the same King denied to take the oath of fidelity to the pope §. 9. Purgatory is a most politicke deuice as it is now held to bring in great store of treasure to the popes cofers The pope hath the keyes of that terrible burning prison wherein soules must frye which haue not on earth satisfied for their sinnes vntill they haue payed the vttermost farthing except the pope by Masses Pardons Pilgrimages Offerings and such like let them out Which helpes are not to be affoorded without payment of money testifying their repentance But vpon good payments to his Holinesse and the Churches
passe which Christ so many yeares before had foretold Thus writes Aventine of the times of Gregory the seuenth formerly called Hildebrand Waltramus Bishop of Naumburg and Lambertus Schasuaburgensis and Gerhohus Be cherspergensis say Now was Satan let loose out of prison Sir Iohn Haywooâ— of Supremacy pag. 68. Maâ—hiavel dispat de rep l. 1. c. 12. Hospâ—n de Orig. Monach. l. 6. c. 66. For Piety and Religion now did not onely decline by degrees but ran headlong to a ruinous downefall and there was no where lesse piety then in those that dwelt nearest to Rome as Machiavel obserued This Hildebrand called afterwards Gregory the seuenth liued in this tenth Age beginning his Papacy Anno 1076. The Canons or Dictates of this Hillebrand Onuphr in vita Gregorij 7 col 248. B. Vsher ib. cap. 5. §. 17. Greg. 7. Kegest lib. 2 post epist 55. tom 3. Conâ—â— edit Binij part 2. pag. 1196. which he deuised or executed beyond all his Predecessors saith Onuphrius were many and strange whereof these are the chiefest 1 That the Bishop of Rome onely is by right called vniuersall 2 That he may ordaine Clerkes in euery Church where he will 3 That the greater causes of euery Church ought to be referred to that Sea 4 That he alone can depose Bishops or reconcile them 5 That his Legat is aboue all other Bishops though he be of inferiour degree and that he may giue the sentence of deposition against them 6 That he alone may for the necessity of times make new lawes 7 That he alone may vse the Imperiall Ensignes 8 That his feet alone all Princes must kisse 9 That he may absolue subiects from their fidelity to wicked Princes 10 That he alone may depose Princes and Emperours 11 That his sentence way not be retracted by any man and he alone may retract all mens 12 That he ought not to be judged of any man 13 That he is not to be accounted Catholicke that concordeth not with the Roman Church 14 That the Church of Rome did neuer erre neither euer can erre 15 That the Bishop of Rome if he be Canonically ordained is by the merits of S. Peter vndoubtedly made holy 16 That no Councell without his command ought to be called generall Onuphr ib. col 250. Sir Iohn Hâ—y â—ard Supremacy pag. 57 Avenâ—â—n Annal. Boiorum lib. 7 â—ribuit hanc sententiam Eberhardo Salisburiensi Episcopo Hildebrandus primus specie religionis Antichristi imperij fundamenta jecit Hoc bellum nesandum primus auspicatus est quod per successorâ— hucusque continuatur And A entine hâ—â—â—elfe in the fiâ—t booke writes thus 17 That no Chapter or Booke in the Bible shall be accounted Canonicall without his authority 18 That no man dare to condemne him that appealeth to the Apostolicke Sea c. Vpon these foundations saith Onuphirius he laid his steps and stayres and made his way to effect all that in his mind he had conceiued This man was the first that enterprized to be elected and consecrated Pope without consent of the Emperour and set forth a Decree to excommunicate all that affirmed the consent or knowledge of the Emperour to be necessary to the election of Popes He saith Auentine was the first that vnder colour of Religion built vp the Popes Empire primus Jmperrium pontificium condidit which his successors for 400 and 50 yeares together maugre the world maugre the Emperours invito mudo invitis Imperatoribus haue so drawne out that they haue brought into seruitude high and low put them vnder their yoke and terrified all with their thunder that the Roman Emperour is now nothing but onely a name without a body without glory §. 10. Onuphrius speakes enough also though he was a great fauourer and amplifier of the Popes dignity Onuphâ—n vita Gregor 7. col 271 272. Thus he writes Him alone that is Hildebrand may all the Latin Churches but especially the Roman thanke for freedome from the Emperours hand and for the large endowment or wealth riches and profanaditione worldly iurisdiction and for being preferred and set ouer Kings Emperours and all Christian Princes and shortly to speake in a word by him it attained to that great and high estate whereby the Church of Rome is become the Mistris of all Christians whereas before as a poore handmaid tanguam vilis ancilla it was held vnder not onely by the Emperours but by euery Prince that was aided by the Emperour from him Hildebrand flowed the right jus of that great and almost infinite power of the Roman Bishop so feareful and venerable in all Ages For although before the Roman Bishops were honoured as the heads of Christian Religion Christs Vicars and Peters successors yet their authority stretched no further then to the propounding or maintaining of poinâ—s of faith but their persons were subiect to the Emperous all was done by the Emperours appointment by them the Popes were created of them the Popes of Rome durst not iudge or determine any thing All the Bishops of Rome Gregory the seuenth was the first trusting to the Armes of the Normans and the wealth of Maud the Countesse a powerfull woman in Italy and inflamed by the German Princes discords wasting themselues by ciuâ—ll warres beyond the custome of his Ancestors contemning the authority and power of the Emperor when he had obtained the Popedome dared not onely to excommunicate but further to depriue of his Kingdome and Empire the Emperour himselfe by whom if he was not elected yet he was confirmed in his Popedome Res ante easecula inaudita A thing neuer heard of before that Age. For the Fables which are reported of Arcadius Anastasius and Leo Iconomachus nihil moror I recke not of Whereupon Otto Frisingensis a Writer of those times Lego relego saith thus I reade ouer and ouer the Acts of the Roman Kings and Bishops but I neuer find any of them before this Henry excommunicated by the Bishop of Rome or depriued of his Kingdome B. Vsher grauiss quaest cap. 5. §. 8 9 c. c. Thus writes Onuphrius The like with Otto writes Gotfridus Viterbiensis Joannes Trithenius and others alleadged with these by our Bishop Vsher Of Hildebrand not onely Cardinall Benno who liued in his time and wrote his life but many others do write very prodigiousand diuellish things as Paulus Bernriedensis Ioannes Trithenus Ioh. Aventinus Marianus Scotus Otto Frisingensis Conradus Liechtenavius Abbas Vrspergensis Carolus Sigonius and Onuphrius that he was a Magician a Necromancer and by helpe of the Diuell got the Popedome and that he was so judged by thirty Bishops gathered together out of Italy Frace and Germany in Synodo Brixinae Noricae anno 1080. Although the late Iesuite and Cardinall Baronius would excuse him He propagated the doctrine of Deuils forbidding marriage to the Clergy and commanding abstinence from meates I Tim. 4.1 3. about which many troubles and euils arose in the Church In the Histories of
perswaded to correct things manifestly amisse and to reforme themselues There needs no Counsell thoâ—e need no syllogismes there need no alleadging of places of Scripture for the quiering of these stirres of the Lutherans but there is need of good minds of loue towards God and our neighbour and of humility c. Thus writes Contarenus I might cite your Thu anus and many others that lay the fault of the diuisions rents and differences in the Church vpon your Pope and Prelats Bad Statists and worse Christians But I pray you what other differences of moment do ye finde among the Protestants Antiquus When the Diuines of the Reformed in France were called to the Mompelgart colloquy in the yeare 1586 they looked for no more differences then of our Lords Supper which you spake of but they found more of the Person of Christ of Predestination of Baptisme of Images in Churches Antiquissmus They found those fiue indeed And it was a wonderfull prouidence of God that so many seuerall Countries Kingdomes and States abandoning the abuses of the Church or rather Court of Rome and making particular Reformations in their own dominions without generall meetings and consents should haue no more nor greater differences then these And of these the first two of Christs presence in the Sacrament and of the communication of properties of the diuinity and humanity in the person of Christ are in a maner all one and reconciled both alike Concerning the two next the differences among the Fathers who notwithstanding still continued members of the same true Catholik Church may well excuse the differences among the Protestants And for the fifth difference concerning Images it proued no difference at all Both sides therin fully agreed But these are not the Tithe of the differences amongst your men and in these fiue which you reckon many of your owne men differ one from another and yet with you are good Catholiks Antiquus Happily I might insist vpon many other differences among you if I carried a minde rather to number then to weigh them But I will name onely one more the great and scandalous dissention among you about the gouernment of your Church betwixt the Bishops and Formalists on the one side and the Puritans or Separatists on the other side Antiquissimus Both these sides agree in all necessary sauing points of doctrine But in this very point of gouernment D. Field Appen first part pag. 120. first pull out the beame out of your owne eyes before you stare vpon our motes Some of your Doctors hold that the Pope is aboue Generall Councels some that he is not Some hold that the pope hath the vniuersality of all Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction in himselfe Others hold the pope to be onely the Prince Bishop in order and honour before other which are equall in commission with him and at the most but as the Duke of Venice among the Senators of that State Some hold that the pope may erre Iudicially Others that the pope cannot erre Iudicially Some hold the pope to be temporall Lord of al the world Others hold that he is not so Some hold that though the pope be not temporall Lord of the world yet in ordine ad spiritualia he may dispose of the Kingdome of the world Others hold that the pope may not meddle with Princes States in any wise §. 5. Antiquus The differences among Protestants you say are not great but I am sure their dissentions are great bitter scandalous and odious while they write most virulent inuectiues one against another damne one another most grieuously for their different doctrine without shew of any touch of Christan mortification or moderation Antiquissimus Those that do so are much to blame It is farre from mee to defend them Yet you know sometimes very holy and well mortified men may happen into strange contentions euen for smal matters Saint Paul and Barnabas appointed by the Holy Ghost to ioyne for the worke of the ministry in planting Churches among the Gentiles Acts 13.2 which they did very laboriously cheerefully with good successe and though they suffered persecution in doing it yet were comfortably deliuered and allwayes found God who had sent them present to protect and blesse them and afterwards they were sent by the Church to Ierusalem to the Apostles and elders Acts 15.1 2. about questions that troubled the Church and by the whole Councell of Apostles they were sent againe Iointly to the Churches of Antioch Syria and Cilicia and other Nations to giue them notice of the decrees of the Councell to direct and confirme the brethren now hauing deliuered their message and done their businesse imposed at Antioch and were so to go forward to Syria and Cilicia They fell to contention and for a matter of no great moment to wit Barnabas would haue Iohn to goe with them and Paul refused him the contention grew so sharp that they parted company and went seuerall wayes See how flesh and blood boyled in these good mens hearts Euen in those mens hearts whom God had made speciall choyce of and Ioyned them together for his most especiall and extraordinary workes vpon whom the Church of God after fasting and prayer had laid their hands and separated them to goe Ioyntly together about that holy busines who had power to doe many miracles and extraordinary workes Acts 15. who made report of the wonderfull successe which God gaue them in conuerting the Gentiles to the great admiration and consolation of the Apostles whom the Apostles sent againe with their decrees to the Churches euen these holy men fell out for a light cause and parted company Haply some man might say Are these to be accounted truely mortified and holy men who were carried away with such a humor of pride and sâ—lfe will that neither of them would yeeld to other are these guided by the spirit of God the spirit of peace loue concord humility are these fit to teach others that cannot ouerrule their owne passions or haue they no part of the spirit of God but are men ouerborne with haughtinesse wilfullnesse stubbornesse vnfit for men of this profession able to make men vtterly distaste and abhorre whatsoeuer they preach Thus would some men gather out of this action But Saint Paul a chosen vessell yet still an earthen vessel who knew well he had his cracks and his flawes himselfe gathereth another thing 2 cor 4.6 2 Cor. 4.6 God who hath commanded the light to shine out of darknes hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Chirst But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of vs. Secondly At the first Councell of Nice many Churchmen offred vp to the Emperor Constantine Bills of Complaint one against another Zozomen hist lib. 1. cap. 16. which the Emperor tooke very ill and said this was worse then
TO HIS HONORABLE FRENDE Sr. HENRY SKIPWITH Knight and Baronet The Author hereof sendeth this his worke as a Testimony and Memoriall of the LOVE and HONOVR which he beareth to his WORTHINES A IVSTIFICATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND Demonstrating it to be a true Church of GOD affording all sufficient meanes to SALVATION OR A Countercharme against the Romish enchantments that labour to bewitch the people with opinion of necessity to be subiect to the Pope of ROME Wherein is briefly shewed the Pith and Marrow of the principall bookes written by both sides touching this matter with Marginall reference to the Chapters and Sections where the points are handled more at large to the great ease and satisfaction of the READER By ANTHONY CADE Bachelour of DIVINITY GALAT. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth LONDON Printed for GEORGE LATHVM dwelling at the Bishops head in Pauls Church-yard Anno 1630. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN LORD Bishop of LINCOLNE my very good Lord and Patron RIght Reuerend Father I humbly craue your Patience to take notice of the Causes and Manner of my writing and your Patronage to countenance it The occasions of my writing 1 Particular I euer accounted it a great blessing of God and it is still the ioy of my heart to record that in my stronger yeeres I was thought worthy to be employed in the trayning vp of some Nobles and many other yong Gentlemen of the best sort whose names here to insert might happily be censured ambition in me in the Learned Tongues Mathemacicall Arts Musicke and other both Diuine and Humane Learning and that Many of them haue since risen to great places and dignities in our Church and Common wealth And it was afterwards my great griefe to heare that any of them or of their Parents by mee much honored should be seduced or drawn to embrace the present Religion of the Papacy and to separate froÌ„ our so excellently-reformed Church The falling away of persons of so Noble birth and place after such education likely also to be means by their examples and reputation to draw others to the like defection made a deepe impression of sorrow in my soule and wrought a desire to seeke their recouery 1 More generall I saw also a generall inclination of many sorts of people to returne againe to the Old Religion as they called it vpon a strong perswasion that the Protestants Religion was new and but of yesterday although we daily cry downe all nouelties in Religion and professe to embrace nothing which is not of the ancient faith Iude verse 3. once or first deliuered to the Saints These considerations excited and vrged me by that bond of loue and duty wherewith I feele my selfe bound both to my late dearely beloued yong Nobles and Gentlemen in particular and to our whole Church and State in generall The purposes and ends of my writing to addresse my selfe to writing to recollect and perfit that which I had long professed obserued and taught both to put those former in mind of such grounds of sound Religion which in their youth both by pulicke Sabboth-dayes Sermons and by priuate Schoole-Catechizings on Frydayes and by other Conferences they had learned of me and to confirme those grounds with Inuincible Reasons and Allegations And also to improue my Talents such as they are to the best seruice of the whole Church our Gracious Soueraigne the State in generall and euery particular soule for their eternall and temporall happinesse by instructing the Ignorant confirming the right beleeuers and good Subiects reducing the errant staying the weake and wauering or confounding the obstinate and thereby so much as in me lyeth working a happy peace loue vnity and vnanimity amongst all To which purpose An obiectioâ— answered though many haue written most learnedly and excellently already yet I thought good to follow S. Augustines aduise Augustin libro 1 De Trinitate cap. 3. Vâ—ile esâ— plures à pluribus fieri libros diverso stylo non diuersa fide etiam de quaestionibus â—â—sdem vt ad plurimos reâ— ipsa perueniat ad alios sic ad alios autem sic who wisheth where heresies are busie that all men which haue any faculty of writing should write though they write not onely of the same things but the same reasons in other wordes either that hereticks may see multitudes against them or that of many bookes written some at lest may come to their hands as it happily fell out in the time of the Arrians And for the manner of my writing The manner of my writing I endeuoured to fit it the best way to the Persons to whom I intended it and to these times I saw that bookes of all sorts are infinitely multiplied in the world and that neither men of great place nor many others haue time afforded from their necessary affaires to read many bookes or any large discourse I thought it therefore though the most painfull yet the most profitable course diligently to collect and faithfully to relate with all possible breuity and perspicuity the substance of that which former learned Authors Fathers and Histories haue deliuered what the Romish Doctors haue probably obiected and Protestants especially English haue substantially answered so much as concerneth my purpose and the points which I handle that the Reader might haue in one view and volume the Pith and Substance of the best bookes written on both sides touching these matters as an Epitome of them all And withall pointing to the bookes chapters and sections By marginall notes for the most part or pages of them all as an Index referring the vnsatisfied where he may read of euery point more at large I find to omit all others the late most learned Lipsius in humane knowledge Iusti Lipsij Politica See his Prefaces hath taken this course without any disgrace to himselfe but rather with the great commendation of his diligence and learning writing to the Emperour Kings and Princes which haue no leisure to read great bookes briefe Aphorismes methodically deliuered by him but euermore in the most learned Authors owne words and quoting their bookes Vt quae optima sunt aut per me cognoscatis aut mecum recognoscatis saith he to those great Estates That either by me yee may know these excellent things or with me call them againe to minde And herein saith he Verè dicere possum omnia esse nostra nihil All things in the booke are mine and nothing Because the matter was the Authors whoÌ„ he cites the whole inuention and order was his owne And Bellarmine in diuine Controuersies is esteemed to haue done the greatest seruice to the Church of Rome by collecting the substance of the learned large writers of Controuersies into one body coÌ„futing as he could what was against and confirming what was for that Church I haue followed these great wits though longo
as in me lyeth firmely to be the true Church of Christ and the body of this State And I haue caried my selfe with that sincerity and singlenesse of heart that I may safely protest againe with S. Paul I speake the truth in Christ I lie not Rom. 9.1 c. my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost I renounce the hidden things of dishonesty not walking nor writing in craftinesse 2 Cor. 4.2 2.17 1.12 nor handling the word of God or diuine things decitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending my selfe to euery mans conscience in the sight and feare of God I am no Innouator inventer or fauourer of new things in Religion I search for the old and out of all kinde of Authors deduct allegations authorities consequences and reasons against the new I cut off extrauagant needlesse and endlesse questions priuate opinions both of these and former ages and comprehend the necessary points of Religion agreed vpon by the Scriptures Fathers and moderne diuines within their owne true limits I set downe the most substantiall points agreed vpon betwixt the Romans and vs and shew withall their vnnecessary additions and corruptions I search how corruptions came into the Church as they will doe into all societies of Men in continuance of time I shew how they were discouered opposed and reformation wished and sought for in all former ages and by what power policies and cunning they preuailed after Sathan was loosed I finde and shew the out-cries of historians and other learned men Emperours Princes Clergy and people yea of their owne writers against them all before Luthers time And all this while I shew the continuance of all necessary sauing doctrine in many other famous Churches beside the Church of Rome yea and within that Church also a sufficient visible number of many hundred thousands farre and wide spread in Countries and Nations and continewing till Luthers time which refused the gouernment errors and corruptions of the Papacy and taught the same substance of doctrine which Protestants now teach Yea the better part of the Church of Rome it selfe excepting onely the Papacy and the faction that maintained it held with great liberty the same most necessary points of Faith which we doe vntill by the Councell of Trent which was not a free end generall Councell but guided wholly by the Papall faction that liberty was taken away and the errors of the Papacy were imposed generally vpon all vnder paine of Anathema or depriuation of saluation Vpon due search of these and many other things which heere I deliuer vnto thee in the Scriptures Fathers Histories and all kinde of Authors of either Religion I haue by the grace of God attained to that perfect knowledge and assurance of the Verity Antiquity and Sufficiency of the Protestants doctrine to good life in this world and eternall saluation in the world to come that any mortall man can desire to haue and am as willing if God haue so decreed iâ— expedient and the times desire it to suffer for it as the holy Martyrs were for this same Religion in the Primitiue Church not writing any thing in substance which I will not willingly seale with my blood This is it deare Christian Reader which I present vnto thy view in this worke being a Summe or Abridgement of many great volumnes written on both sides vpon these points and thus briefly deliuered for thy greater case in reading and perfecter iudging of Truth and Errour Sincerity and Corruption Antiquity and Nouelty To answer all the Romish bookes lately come abroad in great numbers punctually following their owne method had beene an endlesse labour both to Writers and Readers and therefore for my part I thought better to gather their principall motiues and reasons out of the chiefest of their bookes and separating them into seuerall Chapters to giue them their full answer in their proper places so answering many bookes in one Among the store of all other Allegations I haue most willingly and commonly referred the Reader to the late Writers of our owne Nation and that especially for these Reasons First for the excellency of our Authors surpassing others both in multiplicity of reading profundity of Iudgement and sincerity of affection in deliuering the truth As we finde in our learned Bishops Iewel Abbots Bilson Morton Vsher Downham Hall White Andrew c. And our Doctors Fulke Raynolds Whitakers Field Favour White Prideaux c. And other Diuines Master Foxe Perkins Hooker and many other whose worthy labours I doe heartily commend to the diligent reading of our English men The Romish affected very well know that those English which haue fled from vs and written on their side haue in shew of wit and learning gone beyond not onely all former but all other of this Age So that Bellarmine takes most out of them in the points whereof they haue written as Sanders Allen Stapleton c. And therefore let no man contemne their owne Countreymens wits and learning but acknowledge their worth and make high account of their learned labours Secondly to shew that I bring no new thing of my selfe but what is fully confirmed by our most approued writers and that I also thankfully remember and honour them Per quos profecerim Thirdly to shew the vnity of the Writers of our Church from the beginning of the Reformation to this time contrary to the Romish slanders which charge vs with continuall varying from our selues Fourthly to shew to our English men especially where they may read in our learned English Writers more fully of the points which I deliuer briefly for their better instruction and satisfaction Fiftly because my selfe am aged and not fit by reason of the encreasing weakenesse of my body and memory hereafter if any flourishing busie wits list to oppose to manage this cause without much disparagement to it and to my selfe I thought good to alleadge many worthy Diuines now liuing that they might take vpon them the defence of their owne writings by me alleadged or impose it vpon others more able in body then my selfe Further I confesse that it much troubled me that I could not make my booke shorter without either making it too obscure and vn-intelligible or else cutting off much matter fit to giue the fuller satisfaction For by this length of it I doubt it will become tedious to many to reade it thorow and cary away the matter in their memory But I haue helped this Inconuenience as much as I could 1 by distinguishing the whole matter into Chapters euery Chapter being as it were a seuerall Treatise by it selfe which may be read alone without reference to the rest And 2 by dividing the Chapters if they be long into Sections and sometimes also the Sections into Subsections and Paragraphes marked thus § setting downe the summes of the Chapters and Sectâ—ons in the beginning and before them for the quicker finding or refinding of the matters therein contained and the easier view and
carrying away of the whole forme of the discourse The Stile in Treatises of this nature is not required to be Rhetoricall to please the eare or as Sweet-meates to delight the Taste but Scholasticall Logicall or Theological that is intelligible and significant to informe the vnderstanding and conuict the conscience Which if it performe It is all that I affect or thou maiest in reason expect in such a worke And now I leaue it to thy diligent reading and serious consideration wishing thee often to commend both the Writer and Readers to God in thy prayers Thine for Christ Iesus ANTHONY CADE A Table of the chiefe heads and matters according to the seuerall Chapters Sections and Pages The first Booke The first Chapter The first ordinary and great obiection of the Romish Churches Antiquity and our English Churches Nouelty Paragraph § 1ALleadged odiously against the Protestants and gloriously for the Romans Page 1 Paragraph § 2 Sincerely answered as vaine for that the Protestants firmely retaine the true ancient sauing faith Page 2 Paragraph § 3 And onely weed out the errours and corruptions crept into the Church as superseminated tares in Gods field Page 3 Paragraph § 4 As Hezekias and other good Princes did very religiously in their times Page 4 Paragraph § 5 So that the English Church differs no otherwise from the Romish then as a field well weeded and gouerned from a field still ouergrowen with weeds or as Naaman cleansed from the same Naaman formerly leprous Page 4 Paragraph § 6 And the Protestants are not separated from the good sound things found in the Roman Church but from the Papacy which is not to be accounted the Church but a domineering faction or disease in the Church Page 5 Paragraph § 7 The ancient Martyrs suffered not for the Doctrines of this Papacy but for the Doctrines which the Protestants bold Page 6 Hereunto the Reader may adde that which is written chap. 3. § 8. pag. 27. that This newnesse of Religion is retorted vpon the Romish Church which now holds many points new neuer held by any Church in former times some of them not in 600 yeeres some not in 1000 some not in 12 hundred yeeres and more after Christ CHAP. 2. Of errors creeping into the Church Paragraph § 1 Any particular Church may in time receiue errors and corruptions Page 9 Paragraph § 2 As did those of the Old Testament Page 10 Paragraph § 3 And of the New Testament Page 11 Paragraph § 4 For which we find many reasons in the Scriptures Page 12 Paragraph § 5 The Roman Church is not excepted Page 14 Paragraph § 6 Yea the Roman Church is warned in Scripture to take heed lest is be cut off for its corruptions Page 14 Paragraph § 7 And it hath been corrupted De facto Page 15 Paragraph § 8 Yea Rome is confessed by the very Romish Doctors to be meant by the damnable mysticall Babylon Page 16 Paragraph § 9 And that Rome must be the sent of Antichrist and that towards the end of the world Page 17 Paragraph § 10 And Rome is that City that must bee tainted with foule impieties as well foregoing as following Antichrist All which their owne Romish Doctors confirme Page 19 CHAP. 3 Of the time when corruptions came into the Romish Church Paragraph § 1 A designation of the time when corruptions began in the Roman Church required Page 20 Paragraph § 2 Often required heretofore and often answered Page 20 21 Paragraph § 3 Many corruptions crept in secretly and insensibly as in humane societies diseases in the body tares and weedes in the fields Page 21 Paragraph § 4 The Romanists acknowledge many changes whereof they cannot shew the beginnings Page 23 24 Paragraph § 5 Such things are best discerned by their difference from the first pure doctrine Page 25 26 Paragraph § 6 The Romans cannot find the beginnings of our Doctrines on this side the Scriptures Page 26 Paragraph § 7 We can do shew the beginnings of many of theirs Page 27 Paragraph § 8 No Church in the world held the now Romish Doctrines but onely that Church it selfe in those latter times Page 27 CHAP. 4. Of Corruptions in the Church of Rome long before Luthers time seene written against and Reformation wished for them Page 30 Paragraph § 1 An historicall narration of the first age of the Church golden Page 31 Paragraph § 2 But afterwards peeped vp some seeds of corruption misliked of many in the East South and West Churches Page 32 Paragraph § 3 A foule matter of three popes alleadging a Counterfeit Canon of the Councell of Nice for their iurisdiction which the whole Church of Africa withstood Page 34 Paragraph § 4 Gregory the great wrote sharpely against the Titles which now the popes vse Page 35 Paragraph § 5 Bishops of the East Church and of France Germany and Britany opposed the pope about Jmages Councels against Councels Page 36 Paragraph § 6 Many thought Antichrist was then borne Constantines donation the decretall Epistles then first seen Page 37 Paragraph § 7 A deluge of wickednesse in the ninth and tenth Ages as Bellarmine Baronius Genebrard c. record Page 38 Paragraph § 8 After a thousand yeares greater innudations of euils The wicked pope Silvester 2 and Benedict 9. a childe of about 10 yeeres old Then Cardinals arose Page 40 Paragraph § 9 The Sultan subdueth many countries in the East the Clergie are most wicked in the West Letters from Hell to the Clergy Anti-popes and Anti-Caesars Rebellion made Piety Hildebrands Dictates foundations of a new earthly-Church-Kingdome Page 42 Paragraph § 10 The testimony of Fryer Onuphrius that Hildebrand that is Gregory 7. was the first raiser of the popes princedome about eleuen hundred yeeres after Christ Many historians speake of his diuellishnesse Page 45 Paragraph § 11 Campians historians reiected by his owne fellowes Page 47 Paragraph § 12 Graue Diuines against Romish corruptions Bernard Sarisburiensis Grosthead Occam Cesenas Clemangis Gerson Cameracensis Valla c. Page 49 Paragraph § 13 These and many others wrote not onely against Corruptions of manners but of doctrine also Schoolmens philosophicall diuinity corrupted pure doctrine Doctrine framed to maintaine wealth and greatnesse Page 53 Paragraph § 14 Particular doctrines wherein learned men differed from the popes faction Page 55 Paragraph § 15 Oxford alone afforded many learned men opposing Romish corruptions Page 58 Paragraph § 16 Reformation was sought for and promised by some popes as very needfull but could not finally be attained The Scriptures disgraced Traditions vphold Romish doctrine Page 65 CHAP. 5. A note of the chiefe points of Christian doctrine wherein the Protestants and Romanists fully agree shewing also the Romish additions whereunto the Protestants cannot agree as being not ancient not true or not needfull but very corrupt Page 70 Paragraph § 1 Of one God in substance and three persons 2 Canonicall Scriptures Page 70 71 Paragraph § 3 Of the originall Hebrew and Greeke
the Fathers taught Page 149 Paragraph § 2 As appeares by Irenaeus Tertullian and the Creeds Page 150 Paragraph § 3 But the Romists cannot alleadge the Fathers for their new doctrines much lesse the Scriptures Page 151 Paragraph Subsect 2. The second subsection concerning the latter times Page 152 Paragraph § 1 Propounding 1 the Easterne and Greeke Churches 2 Waldenses c. and 3 the Roman Church it selfe misliking and groaning vnder the tyranny of the Papacy and desiring reformation Page 152 Paragraph § 2 The Greeke Church condemned by the Romish as hereticall Page 153 Paragraph § 3 Is cleared by Scotus Lombard Aquinas and others Page 153 Chap. 1. Sect 3. The third section shewing that the Waldenses were of the Protestant Religion hath foure subsections The first of their doctrine pag. 155. The second of their great numbers and visibility pag. 166. The third of their large spreading into all Countries pag. 177 the fourth of their continuance vntill Luthers time and after pag 181. Subsect 1. The first Subsection Paragraph § 1 Of the Waldenses Page 155 Paragraph § 2 Their diuers names but all of one Religion Page 155 Paragraph § 3 To wit of the Protestant Religion as say Aeneas Syluius Du Brauius Poplinerius Cocleus Gretserus Eckius c. Page 156 Paragraph § 4 Many bad opiniâ—ns badly and falsly imputed to thâ—m Page 158 Paragraph § 5 Nine Articles different from the Protestants ascribed vnto them by Parsons the Iesuite but cleared by authenticke Authors Page 160 The second subsection Paragraph § 1 Of the great number of the Waldenses Page 166 Paragraph § 2 Their disputations with the Romish Doctors Page 168 Paragraph § 3 Mighty warres against them as against the Popes most potent enemies The popes euery way laboured to subdue them by continuall cursings warres and Inquisitions by Fryars new sprung vp about 12 hundred yeeres after Christ threescore thousand put to the sword at once Page 169 Paragraph § 4 Carcasson a great and strong City taken by composition and made the head City of the warre and the famous Simon Montfort made Generall Page 171 Paragraph § 5 6 and 7 New Armies against the Waldenses gathered out of all Christendome by the popes Croysadoes pardoning sinnes and giuing saluation to all that would fight against them as before § 3. pag. 170. Tolous taken The King of Aragon in ayde of the Waldenses intercepted by ambush and slaine Page 172 Paragraph § 8 Tolous recouered by the Waldenses Simon slaine The King of France continueth the Warres sends his owne sonne crossed with a great Army and diuers other Armies after but to little purpose For the Waldenses otherwise called the Albigenses prospered and recouered Carcasson fourteene yeeres after the losse of of it and spred exceedingly in many Countries Page 174 Paragraph § 9 The Earle of Tolous submits to the Pope but finding himselfe deceiued betwixt the pope and his Legate he fortifies Auignon The King of France besieged it sware neuer to depart till he had taken it but finally after great losses died mad The Legate vnable by force gets it by fraud and periury Page 175 Paragraph § 10 Tolous ouerthrowes the French Armies The Pope and French King offers him peace The great warres cease Councels are held to root out the Albigenses Page 176 Paragraph § 11 Ignorance not onely of Scriptures but of Histories makes men loue the Pope Page 177 Subsect 3. The third subsection Paragraph Sheweth how the Waldenses were spread into all Countries namely for example Spaine England Scotland Jtaly Germany Bohemia Saxony Pomerania Polonia Livâ—nia Lituania Digonicia Bulgaria Croatia Dalmatia Constantinople Sclauonia Sarmatia Philadelphia In all parts of France In Italy also they had Churches in Lombardy Millan Romagnia Vicence Florence val Spoletine c. Page 177 Subsect 4. The fourth subsection Paragraph § 1 The Waldenses continued aboue 400 yeeres vntill Luthers time and after Page 181 Paragraph § 2 Jn England by meanes of Wicliffe Page 182 Paragraph § 3 Wicliffes Doctrine and many followers Oxford Diuines Page 182 Paragraph § 4 5 6 and 7. The story of Iohn Hus Ierom of Prage and Bohemian affaires Page 189 Paragraph § 8 and 9 The continuance of the Waldenses after Luthers time Luther wrote a Preface to one of their bookes commending it Letters passed betwixt them and Oecolampadius Bucer Calvine c. Page 192 Chap. 1. Sect. 4. The fourth Section Paragraph § 1 Shewing that the Church of Rome excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof continued to be the true Church of God and the same with ours vntill Luthers time proued by many Protestant Diuines Luther Caluin Beza Morney Melanchthon Bucer Master Deering Master Richard Hooker Bishop Vsher Bishop Carlton Bishop White Doctor Field c. Page 195 Paragraph § 2 Their reasons Paragraph § 3 But now the state of that Church is much altered since the new light in Luthers time fully discouering and publishing the corruptions thereof and since their obstinate defending their corruptions and imposing them as Defide Page 200 Paragraph § 4 Especially since the great alteration and addition of faith made by the Councell of Trent Page 202 CHAP. 2. Paragraph Answering the vaine alleadging of some words and customes and the corrupt alleadging of the Fathers words against the Protestants Page 205 Paragraph § 1 Obiection Nonâ— alleadged in the former Chapter agreed with the Protestants in all things Ergo are not of their Church or Religion Page 206 Paragraph § 2 Answered It is no consequent For so also euery one of them differed from the present Romish Religion and yet the Romish account them theirs Protestants haue iustly abstained from some words and phrazes of some Fathers Page 206 Paragraph § 3 And also haue left off some ceremonies customs Page 209 Paragraph § 4 As the Church of Rome hath left many here mentioned knowne to be ancient and thought to be Apostolicall Page 210 Paragraph § 5 Which confutes the vanity of W.G. his booke shewes his owne alleadged authors by his owne argument to bee none of his Church and Religion Page 214 Paragraph § 6 By the same argument many Fathers for example Athanasius Ierom Gelasius Gregory Chrysostome Augustine are plentifully proued to be against the present Church and Religion of Rome Page 216 Paragraph § 7 Foure seuerall wayes at the least the Romish make shew of the Fathers to be for them very deceitfully The first by alleadging counterfeit bookes falsly bearing the Fathers names Many examples hereof Page 223 Paragraph § 8 The second by corrupting the bookes which the Fathers wrote putting words in or out and altering the text and so printing them new making them speake now contrary to their meaning Examples hereof Page 228 Paragraph § 9 The third by blinding or perverting the sense of the Fathers sentences by glozes and interpretations Instances Page 232 Paragraph § 10 The fourth by citing the Fathers to proue that which is not in question Examples thereof Page 234 CHAP. 3.
Paragraph Of the differences of Fathers and Protestants and of their contentions Page 236 Paragraph § 1 Many Fathers are confessed by all sides to haue held some erronious opinions which none are bound to receiue and yet in the substance of Religion were good Catholick Christians and our Predecessors Page 236 Paragraph § 2 Many differences also are noted among Romish Doctors which yet hinder them not from being all accounted Catholicks Page 243 Paragraph § 3 The differences among Protestants are nothing so great or many as those afore noted of the Fathers and of the Romish the especiall one about the manner how Christ is present in the blessed Sacrament is much lesse then it seemeth Page 248 Paragraph § 4 The popes vnwillingnesse to reforme manifest abuses by the way of generall Councels was the cause of all differences in Reformed Churches when each seuerall state was compelled to reforme a part without sufficient generall consultations with other Nations Page 250 Paragraph § 5 The Protestants contentions for Gods cause as they take it are nothing so hote or troublesome is the contentions of many ancient holy Fathers haue beene about smaller matters View the examples Page 253 CHAP. 4. Paragraph Of the rule to iudge the soundnesse and purity of all Christians and Churches by Page 261 This Chapter hath foure sections Page 261 Paragraph The first section of the rule vsed in the Primitiue Church Page 261 Paragraph The second of the Rule enlarged and approued in this Age. Page 268 Paragraph The third of obiections arising from the former discourses and their answeres Page 280 Paragraph The fourth of the necessity of preaching still to them that hold this rule Page 288 The first section Paragraph § 1 The rule in generall Page 261 Paragraph § 2 Opened by distinctions of the foundation of Religion Page 262 Paragraph § 3 A necessity of a short rule drawne out of the Scriptures Page 262 Paragraph § 4 This rule is described by S. Paul Page 263 Paragraph § 5 The practise of it by the Apostles who deliuered the most necessary fundamentall points to the Iewes and then baptized them Page 265 Paragraph § 6 The like practise vsed by the following Primitiue Church to their Catechumeni before Baptisme Page 266 The second section Paragraph § 1 The rule enlarged and approued in this Age. Page 268 Paragraph § 2 By Azorius out of the Schoole-Diuines in 14 Articles Page 269 Paragraph § 3 Some obseruations and censures of those 14 Articles Page 272 Paragraph § 4 The rule set downe by Bellarmine more briefely Page 273 Paragraph § 5 By Doctor Field farre more sufficiently in 6 Articles with his iudgement of the deductions therefrom euident or obscure Page 274 Paragraph § 6 Bishop Vshers distinction of superstructions vpon the foundation Page 277 Paragraph § 7 Consequents of this doctrine Page 278 The third section Paragraph § 1 Obiection If holding the foundation will serue then wee may easily obtaine saluation in the Church of Rome Page 280 Paragraph § 2 Answer The Church of Rome holds many things which by consequent destroyes the foundation by the most moderate Master Hookers iudgement Page 281 Paragraph § 3 Obiection This crosseth what was said before That many before Luthers time might be saued in the Roman Church Answ No for they liued in those errours of ignorance not obstinacy and not knowing any dangerous consequence of them Page 282 Paragraph § 4 Such men by particular repentance of sinnes knowne and generall repentance of vnknowne might by Gods mercy be saued Page 284 Paragraph § 5 Obseruations hereof Page 285 Paragraph § 6 Other learned Protestants ioyne in opinion with Master Hooker Page 286 The fourth section Paragraph § 1 There is a necessity or great profit of preaching euen to them that are well grounded in all necessary principles Page 288 Paragraph § 2 As Israel needed all helpes after the giuing of the Law and all were too little Page 289 Paragraph § 3 The profits of preaching in generall Page 290 Paragraph § 4 Some particulars for continuall spirituall food cordiall medicine and comfort memory armour c. Page 290 Paragraph § 5 The continuall need thereof was found in all Churches planted euen by the Apostles and in their times Page 292 CHAP. 4. Paragraph Of the succession of the Protestants Bishops and Ministers from the Apostles Page 296 Paragraph Section 1. The necessity thereof vrged without which there can be no Church Page 296 Paragraph 2 This succession is clamourously denyed to Protestants Page 299 Paragraph 3 But manifestly proued and the slanders confuted Page 300 Paragraph 4 Particularly in Cranmer our first Archbishop Page 302 Paragraph 5 In other Bishops of King Henry 8 his time Page 304 Paragraph 6 And of King Edward 6. and of Queene Maries time Page 306 Paragraph 7 And of Queene Elizabeths time Page 306 Paragraph 8 The false reports whereof doe alienate many from the Reformed Religion Page 309 Paragraph 9 A proofe of the sufficient ordination of Ministers in forraigne Reformed Churches Page 310 Paragraph 10 Which is further confirmed by the doctrine and practise of the Romish Page 312 CHAP. 6. Paragraph Of the Popes supremacy challenged ouer the whole Church page 1 Paragraph § 1 The necessity thereof vrged as the maine pillar of Religion Page 1 Paragraph § 2 The matter and method of the Answer propounded Page 4 Paragraph § 3 The ancient Church yeelded to Rome as the greatest and most honourable City of the world and seat of the Empire to haue the dignity of one of the fiue Patriarcks Page 5 Paragraph § 4 And among the Patriarkes sometime the first or chiefest place Page 6 Paragraph § 5 Which dignity the ambition and couetousnesse of following popes haue much impaired Page 8 Paragraph § 6 And haue challenged that dignity which was anciently yeelded vnto their predecessors for their sanctity and for politicke reasons and much more also by authority of the Scriptures But Bellarmine gathering the pith of all learned writers can finde no strengh in them by any Scriptures to maine the Papacy as in their chiefest places Matth. 16.18 Page 11 Paragraph § 7 And Iohn 21.15 c. Page 16 Paragraph § 8 Obserue the Romish strange extractions out of the words Feed my Sheep Page 18 Paragraph § 9 And other learned-foolish allegations of other Scriptures Page 20 Paragraph § 10 The Scripture against the supremacy of Peter Page 23 Paragraph § 11 And the fathers are vrged for it vainely beyond their meaning Page 24 Paragraph § 12 The Fathers are manifestly against it Page 29 Paragraph § 13 Saint Peters prerogatiues were personall and descended not to his successors Page 32 Paragraph § 14 The conclusion collecting the parts of this Chapter briefly and Iustifying the Protestants Page 35 CHAP. 7. Of the Popes infallible Iudgement in guiding the Church by true Doctrine Paragraph § 1 Jt cannot be prooued by Scriptures or Fathers or by the Analogie to the chiefe Priests of the Old
and patience such as is fit to winne others with all long suffring and doctrine 2 Tim. 2.24.25 and 4.2 1 Tim. 5.1.2 and 3.3 Prot. Sir wee pray with vnderstanding in our English Letany from all blindnesse of heart from pride vainglory and hipocrisie from enuy hatred and malice and all vncharitablenes good Lord deliuer vs. Rom. It is a good prayer I would it were well liked and practised of you all Prot. You shall finde me not onely patient but exceeding pitifull and full of commiseration to you and to all other well-minded men that are seduced that be Errones onely and not Turbones as Lipsius distinguisheth them not wilfull but ready to yeeld to sound reason Iustus Lipsius Politic. and to the truth when it manifestly appeares such as be vere Candidi as I hope you bee But against those wicked seducers that wilfully persist to blindfould themselues and you by Pious fraudes as they call them and keepe you on their side for by-respects contrary to the truth laied open to their eies you must giue me leaue to vse iust indignation As we see the Prophets our Sauiour and his Apostles did Rom. Whomsoeuer you shall proue to be such I will ioyne with you in your lust indignation and abhorre them I account no fraud pious nor lawfull to doe euill that good may come of But by forgery and deceit to mis-lead simple soules from the truth in Religion I account most detestable Prot. If it please you then to alleadge your best and most solid reasons whereby you are moued to forsake our Church and embrace the now Roman Religion I will be willing to answer you Rom. I will doe it not of mine owne head but out of the best and learnedest Authors of our side Prot. And I will endeuour to answere out of the learnedest and most iudicious Authors of the Protestants and most especially out of our latest pithiest and substantiallest English writers referring you to the bookes themselues with notes of their Chapters Sections and Pages for your more thorow satisfaction and setling of your Iudgement with like allegations also of your owne best Authors when they doe as they doe often yeeld vs the truth A IVSTIFICATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND Demonstrating it to be a true Church of GOD affording all sufficient meanes to SALVATION CHAP. 1. The alleadged 1 antiquity of the Romish Church and newnesse of the Protestants Church 2 is shewed to be vaine for that the Protestants retain the ancient sauing faith and 3 onely weede out the super-seminated Tares 4 as Hezekias and other good Princes did in their times So that 5 these two Churches differ onely as fields well weeded and ouergrowne with weeds And 6 Protestants are not separated from the good things found in the Roman Church but from the Papacy which is a domineering faction in the Church 7 For the Doctrines whereof the ancient Martyrs suffered not but for the Doctrines which Protestants hold §. 1. Roman Catholicke IT is a sufficient notice to mislike and forsake the Protestants Church because it is new neuer seene nor heard of in the world in any Age or Countrey before Luthers time for wee know the true Church of Christ is ancient Bellar. de notis Ecclâ—s l. b. 4. c. 5. Gâ—eg de Valentâ—a Analysis fidei l. 6. c. 12. Costerus Enchirid cap. 2. §. convertat Campian ratâ—o 4 5 6 7. Doct Hil. reas 1. And all Roman Writers triumph in this Argument See B. White ag Fisher p. 115. Cal. inst l. 4. c. 2. §. 2. continued from our Sauiours owne time and such is the Church of Rome founded vpon the chiefe Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul manifestly traced throughout all Ages with an honourable and certaine succession of Bishops the successors of S. Peter All Tyrants Traitors Pagans Hereticks in vaine wrastling raging barking against it confirmed by all worthy Counsels the generall graue Senates of Gods highest Officers and Ministers vpon earth enriched with the Sermons and writings of all the sage learned and holy Doctors and Fathers made famous by all those millions of Saints with their holinesse Martyrs with their suffrings Confessors with their constancy the building of Churches Monasteries Colledges Vniuersities and by all excellent meanes made conspicuous and honourable to the whole world Is it likely is it possible that this Church so ancâ—ent so honourable so holy and glorious should all this while be false hereticall and now to bee forsaken and reiected and a new particular Church lately moulded and erected by Luther Melancton Caluin Beza and a few other obscure vpstarts should bee the only true Church to be imbraced or that the most gracious God would hide his sauing truth from the world fifteene hundred yeeres to the distruction and damnation of so many millions of soules and now at last reueale it to a few in a corner No Sir giue mee leaue herein to take the name of Antiquus to liue and dye in the old Religion and to refuse your new §. 2. Protestant This is indeed the generall enchantment whereby those that compasse Sea and Land to make Romish Proselytes doe bewitch the vnwary and were it true it were able to draw all the world to become Roman-Catholicks But I pray you marke my counter-charme shewing the vntruth and weaknesse of your assertion We of the Church of England doe professe and protest that we are of that a All our learned Bishops Docâ—ors and Preachers beat vpon this point B. Iewel Arch. Abbot B. Abbot B. Bilson B. Andrewes B. Carlton B. Barlow B. Morton B. Vsher B. Downan B. White B. Hall D. â—ulk D. Whitacres D. Field D. White B. Bot. D. utclis D. Favour Mr. Perkins and inâ—umerable others true ancient Church of Christ which you describe b â—ee Fâ—eld Church lib. 3. cap. 6. c. that we hold entirely and soundly all that sauing Doctrine which the blessed Sonne of God brought into the world and his Apostles taught wrote in the holy Scriptures and which the ancient holy Fathers of the Primitiue Church held with great vnity and vniuersality for many ages §. 3. c This is shewâ—d chap. 5. sect â— Booke 2. chap. 2. §. 6. chap. 4. sect 2. And we reiect nothing but the corruptions errours and abuses that haue crept into the Church in later times and from small beginnings haue growne at last to be great and vntollerable those onely we haue refused and haue reformed our particular Churches in diuers Kingdomes and Nations as neare as we could to the fashion of the first true pure and vncorrupt Churches retaining all the Doctrines of the Church of Rome which we found to be Catholicke or agreeable to the faith of the whole Church in all times and places d See D. White against Fisher pag. 68. But Doctrines not Catholicke being neither Primitiue belonging to the ancient Church nor generally receiued by the whole Church either at this day nor in any other age
the Popes gainfull Indulgences and Pardons or for defence of their exorcised Holy-water or other ceremonies which would haue been matter of scorne and laughter rather then of persecution from the Heathen Neither dyed they for defending the Popes now-claimed Supremacy ouer all the Clergy people and Princes of the Christian world direct or indirect which in those times and many ages after was neuer thought of nor claimed and vpon the first claime thereof was most odious and hatefull to the best Christians and threw the world on heapes by grieuous warres and dissolutions nor for other points which the Church of Rome now maintaineth different from vs and which we refuse And therefore the great flourish which you make of the antiquity of your Church including all the points which at this day you doe with all policy and violence maintaine vtterly failes you and indeed makes against you For they are not the ancient doctrines of the Church but later or newer inuentions and corruptions so that in respect of them your Religion is new and not ours you are the Innouators and not we B. Vsher De Eccles successione pag. 66. The very same nouelty which you impute to the Protestants Wiclife long agoe imputed to your Fryars crying out as in an agony Good Lord what moued Christ being most omnipotent most wise most louing to hide this faith of the Fryars for a thousand yeeres and neuer taught his Apostles and so many Saints the true faith See hereafter chap. 6. sect 2. §. 4.5 6. but taught it these Hypocrites now first which neuer came into the Church vntill the impure spirit of Satan was loosed Antiquus Sir I would it were so for my countries sake that wee might enioy such a happily reformed Church as you speake of with true comfort to our consciences and hearty obedience to our Princes Lawes and all loue and happinesse of the Kingdome and of our States But all you haue yet said are but words you must giue me leaue to suspend my beleefe thereof vntill you make good proofe of what you affirme Antiquissimus The Poet said well Non est beatus esse qui se non putat No man is happy be he neuer so well if he thinke himselfe not so English men may be happy Bona si sua norint If they will but know their owne happiesse In deed what both you and I haue said yet are but generall words Wee must first say and afterwards proue You haue set downe your assertion I mine Mine I am ready substantially to proue euen out of your owne Authors and Bookes which you cannot disallow which I am well assured hauing read your strongest Bookes you can neuer doe for yours CHAP. 2. Of corruptions in the Church Sheweth 1 that particular Churches may erre as did 2 those of the Old Testament and 3 of the New for which 4 we find many reasons in the Scriptures 5 The Roman Church is not excepted but 6 warned thereof and 7 it hath been corrupted de facto Yea 8 Rome is the mysticall Babylon and 9 the seat of Antichrist and 10 taynted with foule impieties as well foregoing as following Antichrist Antiquus BY your Imputation of errours and abuses to the most Illustrious Church of Rome Rom. 1. so much glorified by S. Pauls writing vnto it so much honoured by the antient Fathers so renowned in all after ages you seeme to hold that all the Churches in the world may erre and be corrupt Antiquissimus We doe not hold that the whole Church of God may erre at any time in points fundamentall which constitute the essence of the Church and are absolutely necessary to saluation For then the Church should cease to be in the world Antiquus Good Antiquissimus See D. Field Church lib. 4. cap. 4 5. But particular Churches may both erre and fall away as some of the Churches haue done which flourished in the Apostles times and to which they wrote Epistles the Hebrew Church the Corinthian Ephesian c. Antiquus You speake contrarieties and absurdities for the whole Church consists of particulars and if all particulars may erre and fall away then the whole may Antiquissimus It is no more contrariety or absurdity then to say all particular men may be diseased and dye away but whole mankind cannot dye away till the end of the world although whole mankind consisteth of particulars For they may be diseased and dye by succession See Bellar. De Pont. Rom. lib. 4. cap 4. initio not all at once others by succession comming in their roomes and so of Churches No man saith all particular Churches may fundamentally erre and faile at once for then indeed the whole Church should cease to be in the world but euery one in their seuerall times may faile when others may hold the truth Rom. 11.17 As some branches of the Oliue tree may bee cut off while others grow and while others be grafted in and those that are grafted in may for want of goodnesse bee cut off also in their times and the first or others grafted in Ioh. 15. But the good husband of the Church will not suffer the whole Oliue or Vine to bee without fruitfull branches by cutting off all at once but when he pruneth off some will cherish and dresse the rest Rom. 11.25 Thus the blindnesse of the Iewes for a time procured the fulnesse of the Gentiles Verse 22. who may peece-meale be cut off Verse 23. if they continue not in goodnesse and the Iewes may be grafted in againe Antiquus Similitudes may well illustrate but cannot conuince the iudgement you must bring demonstrations if you will haue me yeeld Exod 32. Num. 16. Iud. 2.11 19. 3 7. 4.1 6.1 8.33 10.6 c. 1 Kings 11. 12.28 15.13 18.21 Gen. 35.2 Exod. 32.20 Iosua 24.15 1 Sam. 7.4 2 Kings 18.4 22.8 23. 2 Chro. 17.6 §. 2. Antiquissimus I will by Gods grace doe it briefly First that grosse errors and abuses may creepe into Gods true Church is manifest De facto in the Church of the Old Testament The Bookes of Moses Judges Samuel Kings and Chronicles are full of the peoples falling to Idolatry and corrupting the Law of God And there are many worthy reformations of those corruptions described wrought by Iacob Moses Iosua Samuel Hezekiah Iosia Iehosaphat and others And as these corruptions were frequent so sometimes very generall While Jeroboams people practised Idolatry in Israel 1 King 12.28 c. Rehoboams people in the other Kingdome forsooke the Law of the Lord 2 Chron. 12.1 So that all the face of GODS Church which was then onely in those two Kingdomes became mightily depraued and Idolatrous Aholah and Aholibah that is Samaria and Jerusalem Ezech. 23.1 4. did both falsifie their faith to God and plaid the harlots with strange gods yet the whole Church failed not For as in Eliahs time when hee thought himselfe alone
1 Kings 19.10 God had 7000 true seruants in secret though their names be not recorded ibid. vers 18. So doubtlesse it was in other most depraued times §. 3. Antiquus Though this were so See Field Church lib. 3. cap. 10. lib. 4. cap. 4. yet the Churches of the New Testament had Prophesies of greater purity Psal 45.13 and by our Sauiours power and care may bee kept without spot or wrinckle Ephes 5.26 27. Antiquissimus Such things are spoken of the best parts of the Church vpon earth washed by Christs blood and made beautifull by his righteousnesse and by their owne practise of holinesse but those are meerly discernable by Gods eye But those places of Scripture specially respect that part of the Church which is triumphant in Heauen and there presented by our Sauiour Ephes 5.27 But the generall face of visible Churches vpon earth haue bin ordinarily stayned with spots and blemishes the Church of Corinth with sects and schismes and other deprauations yea with doubting or denying that great Article of faith the life of Christianity the Resurrection of the dead Galatia erred in the great point of Iustification against which errour Saint Paul opposed his Epistle written to them In the Church of Pergamus some held the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans teaching to eate things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication Reu. 2.14 The like was in the Church of Thyatira Reuel 2.20 c. And if there were no possibility or likelihood of errours and heresies in the Churches of the New Testament What needed those warnings and admonitions Keepe your selues from Idols 1 Iohn 5.21 Beware of false prophets in sheepes cloathing Mat. 7.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charge men that they teach no other doctrine 1 Tim. 1.3 Stop the mouthes of the gain-sayers that subuert whole houses Tit. 1.11 And to what end were Visitations Counsels and all Offices and Gouernment in the Church but for maintaining of true doctrine preuenting and rooting out of errours and abuses §. 4. Matth. 18.7 1 Cor. 11.19 Remember that our Sauiour said There must be offences in the world and Saint Paul There must be heresies Yea it is necessary that there be both for the good of the faithfull the good of the faith and the punishment of the faithlesse To which ends God suffers these two causes to concurre and worke to wit the Deuils malice and Mans corruption because God can worke good out of their euill The Diuels malice and policy neuer ceaseth still to pursue the seed of the Woman and to bite the heele seeking both by persecutions and heresies to supplant Gods Church to plant and increase his owne Kingdome He attempted our head Matth. 4.3 and so will doe his members Luke 22.31 2 Cor. 12.7 Ephes 6.11 12. 1 Pet. 5.8 2 Cor. 11.14 Mans corruption and blindnesse is also easie to bee drawne by others and easily drawne by his own affections out of the right way as Micah Iudges 17. to worship God by a siluer Image thinking blindly that euery worke with a good intention would please God and draw blessings from him Salomon by loue to his wiues was drawen to Idolatry Our Eues are weake to be seduced 1 Kings 11.4 strong to seduce vs. Ieroboam by ambitious policy 1 Kings 12.26 Acts 19.24.28 set vp Idolatry to keep his people at home Demetrius and the Ephesians for couetousnesse magnified the Idol of Diana and cryed downe the Gospel Acts 19. Simon Magus through pride bewitched the people Acts 8.9.10 that he might seeme some great man Simon Magus among them These and such other affections and actions God permits to oppose corrupt or blind the truth First for the good oâ— the faithfull that their diligence in searching their wisdome in discerning their constancy in holding the truth their loue to winne the aduersaries their patience to endure opposition disgrace persecution yea Death and Martyrdome for the truth and their many other vertues may shine to Gods glory others example and their owne crowne Reu. 3.11 Secondly for the good of the faith Vt fides habendo tentationem haberet etiam probationem saith Tertullian that our faith being sifted winnowed tried examined may be more approued and appeare more solid sound pure like the gold that is purified in the fire Thirdly for the punishment of the faâ—thles Rom. 1.21.22.23 c. 2 Thes 2.11 for it is iust with God that such as hold the truth in vnrighteousnesse should be punished with losse of the truth and left to their owne errours and damnable corruptions euen to the efficacy of delusion to beleeue lies §. 5. Antiquus Be it so that all other Churches may erre yet the Roman Church which the chiefe Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul planted and where Saint Peter the Vniuersall Pastor of the whole Church liued and dyed leauing his successors to gouerne the whole Church to the end of the world hath this double priuiledge aboue all other Churches both to continue to the end and to be free from errour Antiquissimus A prety imagination but voyde of faith For if the Church of Rome be not as subiect to errours and deprauations yea and to Apostacy as other Churches what needed that Admonition of Saint Paul to the Romans Rom. 11.20 Bee not high-minded but feare For if God spared not the naturall branches the Hebrewes Take heed lest he also spare not thee This was a Caueat for Gentiles and consequently to the Romans which were Gentiles among them The Romans are not excepted or priuiledged Nay they are principally intended for to them that Epistle was written cap. 1. vers 7. To all that be at Rome Beloued of God called to bee Saints To them Saint Paul saith Be not high-minded affecting superiority ouer all Gods Church as if Rome were the root and all other the branches but feare yea feare both errour and apostacy For you may fall from goodnesse and be cut off for verse 10. thou bearest not the root but the root thee be content to be a branch of the Oliue tree as other Churches are they depend not on thee no more then thou on them but all of you alike vpon the root Thou art not the Mother be content to be a Daughter a Sister to the rest Suppose one of the eldest sisters liuing yet the elder may be sicke and neare to death when the yonger are more sound and perfect Marke the 22 verse Behold the goodnesse and seuerity of God on them which fell seuerity but towards thee goodnesse iâ— thou continue in his goodnesse otherwise thou also shalt be also cut off Note if there were no possibility of the Roman Churches falling from the goodnesse which then it had this admonition directed to them were idle but vpon supposition of such falling as other Churches haue done he denounceth absolutely a cutting off Antiquus Such suppositions doe enforce good Caueats and warnings to make that Church watchfull as by Gods grace it
the Roman Church as you pretend how chance they were suffered to continue and grow and neuer spoken or written against nor reformation sought for till Luthers time but that glorious Church enioyed perpetuall vnity peace and quietnesse till he disturbed it yea and all Historians Fathers Councels learned men and Princes ceased nor continually to praise and glorifie the vnity sanctity and excellency of that Church as Mr. Campian alleadgeth in most of his reasons Antiquissimus See B. White against Fisher pag 107 108 109. You are very much deceiued with your vainly boasting Champion there was in euery Age much speaking and writing against the abuses of that Church both by the whole Easterne or Greeke Church which long agone forsooke the vnity of the Roman Church being neither able to reforme the corruptions thereof nor to endure them and by many Fathers of the Westerne Church that did oppose them and Historians that detected and detested them and many thousands in these Westerne parts that would not liue vnder the obedience of the Pope and his Clergie nor admit their Doctrines Besides many other learned men also liuing in the Community of the Church of Rome which yet wrote against many abuses thereof wishing and desiring reformation Antiquus If this be so I haue been wonderfully abused being made beleeue the iust contrary Antiquissimus Then I perceiue it is necessary to handle this point thorowly both to satisfie you with sufficiency and to cloy them with superfluity who told you that nothing could be brought against them CHAP. 4. Corruptions in the Church of Rome seene written against and reformation wished for them An historicall Narration 1 of the first age of the Church golden but 2 afterwards peeped vp some seedes of corruption misliked of many in the East South and West Churches 3 A foule matter of three Popes alledging a counterfet Canon of Nice for their Iurisdiction which the whole Church of Africa withstood 4 Gregory the Great wrote sharpely against the Titles which now the Popes vse 5 B.B. of the East France Germany and Britany opposed the Pope about Images Councels against Councels 6 Many thought Antichrist now borne Constantines Donation and the decretall Epistles now first seene 7 A deluge of wickednesse in the ninth and tenth Ages as Bellarmine Baronius Genebrard c. record 8 After a thousand yeares greater inundations of euils Siluester 2. Benedict 9. a childe of ten yeares old then Cardinals arose 9 The Sultan subdueth many Christian Countries in the East the Clergy most wicked in the West Letters from Hell to them Anti-Popes and Anti-Caesars Rebellion made piety Hildibrands Dictates foundations of a new earthly Church Kingdome 10 The Testimony of Onuphrius that Gregory 7 was the first raiser of the Popes Princedome Many Historians speake of his diuellishnesse 11 Campians Historians reiected by his owne fellowes 12 Graue Diuines against Romish corruptions Bernard Sarisburiensis Grosthead Occam Cesenas Clemangis Gerson Caremacensis Valla c 13 These and many others wrote against the corruptions of Doctrine Schoolemens philosophicall Diuinity Doctrine framed to maintaine wealth and greatnesse 14 Particular Doctrines wherein learned men differed from the Popes faction 15 Oxford alone afforded many learned men opposing Romish corruptions 16 Reformation was sought for and promised by the Pope but could not be obtained §. 1. TO shew how corruptions crept into the Church of Rome were seene and written against as they were discouered from time to time I must become altogether historicall and not Write mine owne words but other mens and as the times be many and matters various so will my Narration be long although I will endeuour all possible breuity that may not hinder perspicuity And first I will gâ—ue you as it were a Table of what our leaâ—ned and laborious Bishop Vsher hath written compendiously also out of many braue Authors to this point but in this Table I will insert other briefe memorials remarkeable out of other Authors Perer in Apoc. c. 6. disp 6. See B. Vsher de ecclesiarum successione statu cap. 1. v. Casabon Proleg Hegâ—sippus apud Euseb lib. 3. hist cap. 32. vel in alijs editionibus cap. 29. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 16. Lactant. lib. 5. institutionum cap. 2. Euseb hist lib. 8. cap. 1. Hieronym in vita Malchi Cyril Hierosol cateches 15. Man tuan in vita Blasij lib. 2. The first hundred yeares of the Church was a golden Age saith your Pererius but when the Apostles and they that heard them were gone errours and abuses began to take root through Heretikes Philosophers and Diuines giuen ouer to too much daintinesse and ambition and degenerating by the corruptions which peace and plenty bred amongst them as Hegesippus relateth and as Lactantius Eusebius S. Jerom Cyrill and your Mantuan complaine So that Gregorius Magnus about 600 yeares after Christ compared the Church to a decayed and putrifying ship and A gebardus Bishop of Lyons after him saith If the ship of the Church waxed rotteÌ„ then alas alas what doth it now §. 2. It is recorded that euen some good Bishops of Rome Euseb lib. 5. cap. 23. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 21. holy men and Martyrs liuing in the second hundred yeares after our Sauiour out of a desire to aduance their Sea went somewhat too farre to impose ceremonies vpon other Churches as Anicetus for the celebration of Easter who yet was quickly quieted by the good counsell of Polycarp who made a iourney to Rome to that end and was greatly honoured by Anicetus Euseb ibid. B. Morton Appeal lib. 4. c. 7. Not long after Victor grew somewhat too violent about the same matter and excommunicated the Easterne Churches for their difference from the Westerne in the celebration of Easter but he was sharply reproued by Polycrates See B. Carlton Iurisdiction cap. 4. §. 19 20 21. c. Bishop of Ephesus and the other Bishops of the East and also by Jrenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France and the other Bishops there whereby it may appeare that the B. of Rome began euen then to vsurpe or challenge a Iurisdiction which neither the Bishops of the East or West did acknowledge They all honoured the Bishops of Rome as Bishops of the chiefe City the seat of the Empire and for their holinesse and vertue and gaue them great and honourable Titles but yet not greater then we gaue to holy Bishops Saint Basil writes to S. Ambrose saying Basil epist 55. that he holds the sterne of that great and famous Ship the Church of God and that God had placed him in the primary and chiefe seat of the Apostles Inter epistola Cypriani See more in B. Caâ—lton ibid. §. 22. Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. pag. 12. pag. 22. in alijs editionibus epist 55. See Cyprians epistles Bellar. de Pont. Rom. lib. 4. cap. 7. S. Ierom writing to S. Augustine in some Epistles stiles him Papa a Title now appropriate to the Bishop of Rome and and the
Bishop of Rome often entitles Cyprian Papa in Epistles sent to him This holy Martyr Cyprian wrote sharply to Cornelius Bishop of Rome against his vniust intermedling with delinquents of Africa which being censured or excommunicated by their owne Bishops fled to Rome to procure fauour and protection Cyprian saith That a part of the Flocke is appointed to each Pastor which each in seuerall must rule and guide c. Yea Cyprian and with him the whole Nation of Africa refused and resisted the Popes Iudgement and gouernment for this point And Cyprian proceeded to write very contumeliously of him as Bellarmine granteth calling the Pope superbum imperitum caecae ac prauae mentis Proud misiudging of a blind and corrupt minde And not onely the holy Martyr Cyprian with his African Bishops but Saint Basil the Great Basil epist 10. Baronius anno 372. § 32. Vsher ib. cap. 1. pag. 23. found great fault with these beginnings of corruptions getting foot-hold in the Latin Church He called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occidentale supercilium The Westerne pride and saith elsewhere Odi fastum illius ecclesiae I hate the pride and presumption of that Church D Field church lib. 5. pag. 240. cap 39. Gerson part 4. serm de pace vnitate Graecorum consid 6. And indeed this beginning of corruptions grew so great in the end that it occasioned the lamentable separation of the Easterne or Greek Church from the communion with the Latin Church The other 4 Patriarks diuiding themselues from the B. of Rome and at their parting vsing these or the like words See B. Carlton Iurisd cap. 5. Thy greatnesse we know thy couetousnesse we cannot satisfie thy encroaching we can no longer abide liue to thy selfe §. 3. Concil Carthag 6 cap. 3. See this whole story fully discust and all shifts answered in B. Mortons Appeal l b. 4 cap. 8. per totum For these seeds grew from time to time In the time of Pope Zozimus who sate at Rome 417. began a foul matter he receiued Plaintifes out of Africa and alleadged for his warrant a Canon of the Councell of Nice But the Bishops of Africa gathered together in a Councell at Carthage could not find that Canon in their copies ot the Nâ—cene Councell nor euer heard of it before though some of them were of the best learned Diuines then liuing in the world so that they were much troubled and offended at it and tooke notice of the Roman-growing ambition They write therfore to Zozimus denying for the present both the Canon and the Popes request vntill they had searched further And their letter was deliuered to Boniface Concil African Cap. â—01 successor to Zozimus who dyed in the interim and is extant in the Tomes of the Councels Meane season the Fathers of the Councell of Carthage procured two authentick copies of the Nicene Canons one from Cyrillus Bishop of Auxandria the other from Atticus Bishop of Constantinople wherein no such thing was found as Zozimus had alleadged So that when Boniface vrged this matter againe they sent their Decree That the true Canons of the Nicene Councels should be obserued but this Canon they reiected as forged and supposititions But Boniface was also dead before their Letters came to Rome and Celestinus his successor receiued them This Celestine vrged the Canon againe sending Commissioners into Africke to maintaine the cause But the African Bishops would not yeeld Concil African cap. 105. but wrote their absolute denyall after much debating both of the Canon as forged and of the Popes request as vnfit and vnusuall admonishing him Ne fumosum typhum saeculi in ecclesiam Christi induceret c. That he and his successors would not bring into the Church the smoaky pride of the world c. And they made a Decree that no appeales should be made to Rome or to any other place from Africke The like Decree had been made in S. Cyprians time Concil Afric cap. 92. Cyprian ep 55. by all the Bishops of Africa that where any fault was committed there the cause should be heard to preuent appeales to other places or claimes of other Bishops And this Canon of the African Councell Concil Mileuitan cap. 22. was also repeated and confirmed in the Mileuitan Councel where S. Augustine was present For the sixt Carthagenian the seuenth Carthagenian the African and Milevitan Councels were held all about this time by the same men And in all this businesse S. Augustine had an especiall hand So that here we haue S. Cyprian S. Augustine and all the Bishops and Church of Africa misliking resisting and making Decrees or Canons against the corruptions and vsurpations growing in the Church of Rome Yea Hardings answer to Jewels challenge pag. 290. and if we may beleeue Mr. Harding and his Authors These Saints Martyrs and Bishops withstood stood out and liued and dyed out of the Communion of the Church of Rome an hundred yeares together rather then they would admit the corruptions and vsurpations of that Church although these corruptions were then but in the beginning and farre from the height which now they are come vnto §. 4. And indeed before they came to that height their owne Bishop Gregory the first cryed out of that ambition in the Bishop of Constantinople which the Bishops of Rome shortly after assumed For Iohn Bishop of Constantinople with new pride and presumption stroue to be called The chiefe vniuersall Bishop or Occumeniall Patriarke which Gregory a Greg. Regist lib. 4. ep 32. novum nomen sceleflum nomen singularitatis condemned as a new and wicked name a name of singularity which none of the Bishops of Româ— had euer assumed and whosoeuer had it b Epist 34. was the forerunner of Antichrist c ep 38 39. 34. the Vniuersall plague of the Church and corrupter of the faith with many other like tearmes d Lib. 7. ep 30. 69. c. The same Gregory complained grieuously of those times and e Lib. 8. ep 36. prophesied that they that came after should see worse times in comparison whereof they would thinke the former times happy And in one place he said f Lib. 4. ep 38. All things that are foretold shall come to passe The King of pride is at hand and which is most grieuous an hoste of Priests is prepared for him This prophesie of Gregory liuing 600 yeares after Christ was in short time after fulfilled in his successors g Paulus Diaconus in Phoca Hic Phocas rogante Papa Bonifacio statuit sedem Romanae ecclesiae vt esset caput omnium ecclesiarum For Boniface the third obtained of Phocas the Emperour that the seat of the Roman Church should be head of all Churches and the Bishop thereof called h Baronius anno 106. n. 2. Solum Romanum Pontificem esse dicendum vniversale non autem Episcopum Constantinopolitanum See also Bâ—bliothecarius in Boniface 3. Platina in
Boniface 3 and Sabellicus 8.6 against all whom Bellarmine striues in vaine In Apologia pro Torto See B. Andrewes Ad M. Torti librum Responsio pag. 329. seq and Ad Cardinalis Bellarmini Apologium Responsio pag. 277. seq and B. Morton Appeal lib. 4. cap. 11. Vniuersall Bishop and not the Bishop of Constantinople which title in aftertimes gaue a good colour to the Bishops of Rome for their claimed-dominion ouer all Christian Churches Vsher c. 1. §. 18. So that within the first six hundred yeares doubtlesse the seeds of much euill were sowen and Antichrist conceiued though not yet borne for in all those six hundred yeares no man could truly be called Papist either for holding this vsurpation or any other of those 27 Articles which Bishop Jewel learnedly defends against Mr. Harding §. 5. Vsher ib cap. 2. § 4 c. In the succeding times The Bishops of France Germany and Britany opposed the Bishop of Rome in the matter of Images as the African Bishops before had done in the matter of Apeales For in anno 754 A Synod of 338 Bishops at Constantinople had abrogated all Images sauing that one Image of Bread and Wine which our Sauiour ordained in the B. Sacrament to represent his Body and Blood But the Pope in the yeare 587 As our English Histories report by another Synod called the second Councell of Nice established the worshipping of Images Which Councell and Image-worship our English Church execrated and our Alcuinus wrote a Booke against it which he carried in the name of our Bishops and Princes to the K. of France The same second Councell of Nice was condemned also by the Bishops of Germany and France in a Councell held at Frankfort vpon Mene in the yeare 794. As also by Charles the Great and Lodouicus Pius his sonne And in this Lodouicus his time was another Synod held at Paris anno 821. which condemned the same second of Nice with the Image worship and argued the Pope of errour therein Now to say these Councels that were against the Popes Iudgement were condemned by the Pope is to no purpose for thus it appeareth still that the Princes and Bishops of Brittany France and Germany reiected at once both the worship of Images and the determinations of a corrupt Councell and also the Popes infallibity of Iudgement and his authority ouer them as the Easterne and the Southerne African Bishops had done before Baronius further addeth Baronius anno 794. nu 36.39 seq that many learned and famous men liuing then in the world and in the Ages following greatly grudged at and sharpely wrote against that second Councell of Nice and the Image-worship by it and by the Popes confirmed many of whose names he recites and cites their words §. 6. In these times many Authors write that the worlds opinion was that Antichrist was borne yet that he was yet but an Infant not able to subdue the Nations vntill a thousand yeares after Christs planting the Church for till that time Satan was not let loose Reuel 20.7 Esay 1.21 Reuel 17.2 18.23 8. The faithfull City began to be an Harlot and great Babylon prostituted it selfe but could not yet inebriate the Inhabitants of the Earth with her Cups of Fornication till that time came But these preparations must goe before as did also the publishing to the world of Constantines Donation long since made as it was pretented but now first knowen to the world for the Popes larger temporall Dominion and also the comming abroad of the Decretable Epistles of ancient Popes long since also said to be written but neuer before knowen to the world for the Popes greater spirituall Dominion both which are condemned as meere counterfeits by many learned men yea by many of their owne side §. 7. Sigonius l 6. de regno Italiae Werner â—ascil temp aetat 6. circa annum 894 et â—74 Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l 4. c 12. verbis vlt. nulluÌ„ saeculum indoctius aut infaelicius Baronius tomo 10. anno 900. §. 1. Saeculum sui asperitate ac boni sterilitate ferreuÌ„ malique exundantâ—â— deformitate plumbeum â—â—que nopia scriptorum obscurum Abominatio desolationis in Templo mirum quod non secuta mox fuerit desolatio templi But the succeeding Ages exceeded in all kind of wickednesse both by the iniquity of Princes and madnesse of people as Sigonius Wernerus and all others record So openly wicked that Baronius and Bellarmine can neither hide nor deny it Bellarmine saith No Age was more vnlearned nor more if vnlucky Baronius saith They Were Iron Ages for barrennesse of goodnesse Leaden Ages for abundance of euill Ages of darknesse for scarcity of Writers which he tels in the beginning of the story lest a weake man seeing in the story the abomination of desolation sitting in the Temple should be offended and not rather wonder that there followed not immediately the desolation of the Temple And Baronius anno 912. § 8. laments thus O what a face was then of the Roman Church how filthy when the most rich and withall the most sordid Whores domineered at Rome by whose pleasure Bishops Seas were changed Bishops placed and which is horrible to be heard or spoken their Sweet-hearts false Bishops were intruded into Peters seat which are for no other ends recorded in the Catalogue of Roman Bishops but onely to fill vp the times And a little after Then plainly as appeareth Christ was in a deep sleepe in the ship when by these strong winds blowing the ship was neere couered with waues He slept I say when seeming not to see these things he suffered them and arose not to auenge them And which seemed yet worse there wanted Disciples with their cryes to awake him all sleeping What Priests doe you thinke were then chosen by these Monsters what Deacons Cardinals seeing nothing is more naturall then for like to beget their like This and much more Baronius to the like effect Gerber epist 40. at the end of that Age. Vsh ib. §. 33. Platina in Benedicto 4 Sabell in Ennead 9. l. 1. l. 2. Genebrard chronolg l 4 in Decimi saeculi initio Wernerus fasciculo temporum aeâ—â—t 6. circa annum 944. Vsh ibid. §. 34. Gerbertus in few words spake much of those times Romanorum mores Mundus perhorrescit The Romans manners the world thorowly abhorreth Platina and Sabellicus haue the like complaints of the state of the Church and Popes so vntollerably degenerate And Genebrand saith that in about 150 yeares there were about fifty Popes which wholly swarued from the vertue of their Predecessors a virtute maiorum prorsus deficerunt Apotactici Apostaticiue potiùs quam Apostolici rather masters of mis-rule or Apostataes then Apostolicke Wernerus a Carthusian Monke saith of this age Sanctitatem Papam dimisisse ad Jmporatores accessisse That holinesse forsooke the Pope and came to the Emperours Of the profane life of the Clergy
mid-day in the open light come to deceiue the residue that still are in Christ persisting in their simplicity For he hath supped vp the riuers of wise men and torrents of powerfull men Iob 40.23 and hath hope that Jordan will run in his mouth that is The humble and simple that are in the Church For he is Antechrist which counterfetteth himselfe to be not onely the day 2 Thess 2.4 8. but the midday and extols himselfe aboue all that is worshipped as God whom the Lord Iesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy in the appearing of his comming Bern. in Psal 90. vel 91. ser 6. This conclusion also he repeats writing vpon the Psalme Qui habitat Superest vt reueletur homo peccati c. It remaineth that the Man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition Daemonium non modo diurnum sed meridianum quod non solum transfiguratur in Angelum lucis sed extollitur super omne quod dictur Deus aut quod colitur c. Bern. serm 1. in convers Pauli And elsewhere Saint Bernard makes his complaint to God O God thy neere friends come neere to stand against thee The whole Vniueâ—sity of Christian people from the least to the greatest seeme to haue conspired against thee From the sole of the feet to the crowne of the head there is no soundnesse Iniquity is gone out from the elder Iudges thy Vicars Of Bernard see more in D. â—â—eld Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 88 89. which seem to rule thy people and now we cannot say such people such Priest for the people are not so as the Priest Alas alas O Lord God those are the first chiefe in persecution who seeme to loue and beare the first and chiefe place in thy Church c. Johannes Sarisburiensis told Hadrian the fourth Joh Sarisbur in Policratic lib. 6. cap. 24. plainly what the world thought of him and his Prelats that the Roman Church shewed her selfe not a mother but a step mother to all other Churches For in it sit the Scribes and Pharises laying importable burdens vpon mens shoulders which themselues will not touch with one finger They hurt very oft and herein they follow the Deuils which then are thought to doe good when they cease to doe harme except a very few who performe the name and office of Pastors Sed ipse Romanus Pontifex omnibus grauis fere intolerabilis est that is euen the Bishop of Rome himselfe is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Aliacus de Reformatione Ecclesiae Caesarius Heisterbach hist lib. 2. cap. 29. These times were euill the succeeding much worse Of which Petrus de Aliaco Cardinall of Cambray said It was a prouerbe in his time Ad hunc statum venit Romana ecclesia vt non esset digna regi nisi per reprobos The Church of Rome was come to that state that it was not worthy to be gouerned but onely by Reprobates Robert Grosthead Matth. Paris in Henric. 3. See this History abridged in D. Field church appendix part 1. pag. 97. B. Carlton Iurisd cap. 8. §. 111. a very learned and holy Bishop of Lincolne liuing anno 1140. wrote sharpely to the Pope for the euils he did specially in England that he was opposite to Christ a murderer of soules and an Hereticke in these his courses c. Vpon receit of which letters the Pope was exceedingly moued threatning to cast downe this Bishop into the pit of all confusion but was pâ—câ—fied by the more moderate Cardinals telling him of this Bishops holinesse learning reputation and since there must be a departure from their Church the medling with such an excellent man might occasion it the things which he proued being full and manifest Archb. Abboâ— contra Hill reason 1. §. 28. William Ockam an Englishman a great Schooleman liuing anno 1320. for his large reproofe of the Papacy in many points in his bookes he was excommunicated by the pope and dyed willingly vnder that sentence Catalog testium verit lib 18. D. Field ch l. 3. c. 11. He cryed out of peruerting Scriptures Fathers and Canons of the Church with shamelesse and Harlots foreheads and that many that should be pillars of the Church did cast themselues headlong into the pit of Heresies See B. Carlton Iurisdiction cap. 1. §. 11. Michael Cesenas liued anno 1320. he was generall of the Order of the Minorites he wrote against three constitutions of Pope Iohn 22. and was by Iohn depriued and disabled from taking any other dignity but Cesena appealed from the Pope as from the head of faction in the Church to the Roman Catholicke and Apostolicke Church and was fauoured therein by Ockam and many famous learned men and by the two Vniuersities of Oxford and Paris Nicholas Clemangis Archidiaconus Baiocensis liuing anno 1417. in his booke De corupto Ecclesiae statu writes very sharpely against the Popes ambition and couetousnesse preying vpon all Churches and bringing them into miserable slauery and against the stately Cardinals and other vices of the Clergy Gerson lib. de concil o vnius obedientiae and in many other bookes John Gerson Chancellor of Paris anno 1429. writes the like wishing that all things should be reformed and brought backe to their ancient state in or neere the Apostles times Of Gersons doctrine see D. Field Appendix to the fifth booke of the Church part 2. p. 73. seq Petrus de Aliaco Cardinalis Cameracensis liuing about the same time wrote to the Councell of Constance a booke wherin he reprooueth many notable abuses of the Romanists and giueth aduice how to redresse them Arch. Abbot ibid. §. 13. Laurentius Valla a Patricias of Rome and Canon of Saint Iohns of Lateran liuing about the same time wrote against the forged Donation of Constantine and many abuses of the Pope and was by the Pope driuen into exile I might here speake of Leonardus Aretinus Antonius Cornelius Lynnichanus and diuers other writers reprouing the same things §. 13. Antiquus Let them alone for these whom you haue alledged speake not of any false doctrines of the Church of Rome but onely against the wicked liues of the Professors Antiquissimus Yes against both and especially because they laboured by false doctrine to iustifie their doings and therefore they write not onely against the Pope but against the Papacy the very office that challenged a right to doe such things as the Pope and his Clergy did The two Cardinals Cameracensis and Cusanus Camer in his booke to the Councell of Constance Cusanus Concord Cathol lib. 2. wholly condemned the Papacy as we do denying the Popes vniuersality of Iurisdiction vncontroulable power infallible iudgement and right to meddle with Princes states making him nothing but the first Bishop in order and honour amongst the Bishops of the Christian Church And this claimed power of the Pope
dissolving the whole frame of Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy and forme of gouernment settled by Christ was thought no lesse hurtfull then the bringing in of heresie and false doctrine by all that wrote against it and therefore they impute vnto it Heresim pestilentissimam and all such things as belong onely to Antichrist and his followers And indeed the desire of worldly wealth and honour drew on many corruptions of doctrine For when the ouer-politicke Popes found but few learned iâ—dicious men able to maintaine the truth and few potent couragious Princes able to maintaine their right against them then they fell to make their owne greatnesse wealth and honour the very rule to square out the Canons of Faith and Gouernment and then set Clerks on worke to deuise arguments to maintaine them The Church at that time abounding with rewards to quicken their wits and spurre on their diligence From this root proceeded doubtlesse the forged Donation of Constantine and the Decrees and decretall Epistles of ancient Bishops then newly brought to the knowledge of the world and neuer before seene and in these more learned Ages rejected by their owne Doctors and from this root sprung a new generation of Schoolemen moulding a new Doctrine mixed of Philosophy and divnity to amuse and amaze the world and keepe it in blindnesse and much corruption of Scriptures which now must haue no other sense then their Philosophy and the Rules of their Gouernment will giue it This desire of wealth and greatnesse brought in Image-worship which the holy Scriptures so plainly and plentifully condemne For when it might easily haue been abolished See the Histories of those times as but then creeping in and that Leo Jsaurus Emperour seeing the Sarazens take offence at Christians to abhorre and massacre them for their Images in Churches which offence Leo tooke away and burned the Images Pope Gregory the second that ought to haue Ioyned therein opposed him and tooke the hint to make the Emperour odious to all Italy as an enemy to Religion to the Saints and to their Memories And while the Emperour was weakned by the Sarazens in the East the Pope made this an occasion to make the West to reuolt from him and quickly depriued him of Italy to the great iniury of the Emperor scandall to the world and hurt to Christendome And then Image worship must be defended that had been the meanes of so much wealth to the Pope with opposing Councell to Councell Princes and learned men one against another to the great trouble of Christendome The worshipping of Images therefore did the Pope good seruice and so it doth still for it drawes multitudes of deuout people to Rome and other places with their offerings and other spendings to enrich them §. 14. But to leaue these things and come to particular doctrines held then by many otherwise then they be now by the Romans The Fathers held those bookes for Canonicall Scriptures which we now doe D. Field of the Church lib. 4. cap. 23. Appendix part 1. pag. 100. See all their allegations in D. Field lib. 4. cap. 23. and separated those from the Canon which we doe separate Namely Melito Bishop of Sardis Origen Athanasius Hilarius Nazianzen Cyril of Jerusalem Epiphanius Ruffinus Hierom Gregory and Damascene So did also many other learned men liuing in the corrupt state of the Church vnder the Papacy as Hugo de Sancto victore Richardo de Sancto victore Petrus Cluviacensis Lyranus Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Thomas Aquinas Richardus Armachanus Picus Mirandula Ockam Caietan and Dredo In this point they were all Protestants and desired the reformation that we haue made That man after the Fall Field Appendix ad lib. 5. part 1. pag. 101. vntill he be restored by grace can doe nothing spiritually good or that is not sinne nor can any way dispose himselfe to a true conuersion vnto God without preuenting grace was the doctrine of S Augustine Prosper and more lately of Thomas Bradwardin Gregorius Ariminensis Cardinall Contaren and Bonaventure cited by Cassander Consult art 8. Iustification by Christs imputed righteousnesse not by our inherent was taught by S. Bernard Epist 190. Bernard Geâ—son lib. 4. de consulatione theologiae See these alleadged in my second Booke in the chapter of Iustification Assignata est homini Iustitia aliena quia caruit sua To man is assigned the righteousnesse of another because he had none of his owne And serm 61 Jn cantica And Gerson and Cardinall Contarenus and the Diuines of Colen in their Enchiridion and Antididagma and Albertus Pighius That man cannot merit any thing properly at Gods hand See D. Field Church appendix ad lib. 4. cap. 11. Scotus Ariminensis Waldensis are plaine So Pope Aâ—rian on the 4 of the Sentences cited by Cassander Consult art 6. and Clicthoveus cited there also And Bernard serm 1. in festo omnium sanctorum and oft elsewhere he saith our good workes are via regni non causa regnandi the way to heauen but not the cause meriting heauen See these Authors words cited at large in Bishop Vshers booke D. Field Church appendix part 1. pag. 103. c. And Cardinall Contarenus epist ad Cardinalem Farnesium To which adde out of Bishop Vshers answer to the Jrish Iesuite pag. 500. seq A great number more of ancient Fathers and later writers That Christs merits are to be apprehended by a liuely faith which faith is a motion of the spirit when men truely repenting of their former life are raised and lifted vp to God and doe truly apprehend the mercies of God promised in Christ and doe indeed feele in themselues an assurance that they haue receiued remission of their sinnes and reconciliation by Gods goodnâ—sse and by the merit of Christ and doe cry Abba Father Cited by Cassander consult aâ—â— 4. This is expresly deliuered in the booke exhibited by Charles the fift Emperour to the Diuines of both sides and the Diuines agreed vnto it And in the Enchiridion cited by Cassander ibid. well approoued by all the learned Diuines of Jtaly and France and by Cardinall Contarenus in his Tract of Iustification and by the Diuines of Colen in their Antididagma De duplici fiducia and by Saint Bernard serm 1. de Annuntiatione dominica The Communion in both kindes is deliuered to the people in all Churches of the world vnto this day sauing in the Roman Church and in the Roman Church it so continued for more then a thousand yeares in the solemne ordinary and publike dispensation of that Sacrament Cassander consult art 22. As Cassander sheweth and Beatus Rhenanus And it hath been called for with great earnestnesse by many Nations and Churches Rhenanus vpon Tertullian de corona militis both before and in the Councell of Trent and is still stiffely denyed by the Pope and his Prelates Against priuate Communions called priuate Masses where none of the people present receiue but the
vsed was worse then the vse of the law of Nature that Bishops sinned in buying their admission of the pope of Rome that no man was bound to beleeue or to be subiect to the Church of Romes determination that the begging of Friers was idle and impious that it was not necessary to saluation to beleeue that Christs body was materially in the Sacrament And many other things against the vnsoundnesse of the Papacy Yea madnesse contra Papatus insaniam At last he was condemned of heresie by the slaues of the popish Bishops 1457. Bale cent 8. cap. 19. ex Thomae Gascoigni Dictionario Theologico 34 Iohn Capgraue Doctor of Diunity in Oxford complained much of the impious tyranny of the prelates and priests hirelings exposing their sheepe to the Wolues seeking their wooll and milke but not their soules c. 1460. Bale cent 8. cap. 1. 35 Henry Parker Fellow of All-Soules Colledge in Oxford preached at Pauls Crosse against the pride brauery and ambition of Prelates so flat contrary to Christs pouerty and humility And at the peoples entreaty he wrote and published his Doctrine to the great shame of the Prelates For which he endured long imprisonment and want 1470. Leland in Catalogo virorum illustrium Bale cent 8 cap. 29. These few for a taste I giue you excerpted out of a great number which that one famous Vniuersity of Oxford afforded Whereof you may reade more plentifully in Master Powels Preface alledged To search and alleadge the Records of that other famous Vniuersity of Cambridge and the rest of England would not be fruitlesse but I hope to you needlesse Antiquus This is full enough so many learned men Preachers Doctors Bishops and Worthies of all sorts out of one Vniuersity with the danger of their state honour liberty and life setting themselues publikely against the corruptions crept into the Church must needs argue the corruptions to be great publike and necessary to be reformed and I am fully satisfied that it was so But happily this Reformation might haue beene performed without such a breach rent schisme and scandall as you Protestants haue made by your departing from that ancient famous Church of Rome §. 16. Antiquissimus Oh sir you must know that this Reformation was sought for euen at the Popes hands with great humility and earnestnesse both by Luther himselfe at the first and also by many other learned men This appeareth by 〈◊〉 Commencaries History of â—he Councell of â—râ—â— Onuphâ—â—â— Sâ—rius Thuaâ—â—us and oth r Histories of those times States and Prâ—nces yea by the Emperour himselfe with much instance And Pope Aâ—rian the sixt was well inclined thereunto confessing ingenuously that the Church was mightily ouer-runne wâ—th corrup ions For reformation whereof diuers conferences were appointed in Germany as not onely our Sleidan but your Surius and Thunâ—nus report And Pope Clement the seuenth promised Reformation to the Emperour Châ—rles the fift and three Cardinals Caieâ—â—â— Pole and Contarene were deputed to giue aduice for this Reformation After many delayes againe Anno 1537. Historie of the Councell of â—rent Pope Paul the third appointed foure Cardinals and fiue other Prelates to consider the demaunds of the Protestants and to collect the abuses of the Church and Court of Rome and to deuise Remedies to correct them And of these abuses they gathered great numbers which are set downe at large in the twelfth booke of Sleâ—dâ—ns Commentaries But all this came to nothing For when vpon due examination the Cardinals found many things too nearely touching the quicke the Reformation thereof would vncurably wound the Sea of Rome ouerthrow and vndoe the greatnesse of their wealth and worldly estate and when they consulted deepely thereof with the Pope See D. Wâ—ite against â—â—â—er pag. 10â— 1â—7 there followed a conclusion and a plot quite contrary In regard of the principall things That nothing should bee reformed but all should be iustified since a thorow-reformation would spoyle them and a halfe-reformation would not content the Protestants and yet would giue the world occasion to thinke They might erre in many things if they reformed some Now therefore the proceeding must be changed At first many of their Diuines opposing Luther laboured to proue all their Doctrines Ceremonies and Gouernment by the Scriptures now they find it cannot be Therefore the Scriptures must be cryed downe disgraced disabled as ambiguous and insufficient to teach and guide the Church And the Church to wit their owne onely Church of Rome must be exalted aboue the Scriptures That Church must giue authority to the Scriptures yea and sense also so that no sense of the Scripture shall be receiued but that which that Church alloweth For that Church only cannot erre See B. Andâ—eweâ— aâ— Apâ—loâ—â—am respâ—â—â—â— pag. 259 and therfore they that admit the Scriptures to be the onely Iudges and Rules of Doctrine and Discipline are bad Diuines little better then Hereticks Enemies to the Church From hence came those base speeches from their Doctors Eckius Hosius contra 〈◊〉 lib. 3. pâ—g 148. 〈◊〉 sâ—â—gâ—â—â—us That the Scripture hath no authority but from the Church Hosius No more force then Aesops Fables without authority from the Church Pighius the Scripture is of it selfe but a Nose of Waxe which may be writhen euery way Costerus compares it to a sheath Costeranchir dâ— saâ—â—a script cap. 1. §. huius script pa 44. B llar de verbo Dâ—i lâ—b 4. câ—p 9. in â—alce Concil Trid. sess 4. Pighius controv 3. pag 92 Hiâ—â—arch epist nunc Mulhus disp 2. de fide pa. 21. See D. White against Vishâ—r pag 92. admitting any Dagger Wooden or Leaden The Iesuite Salmeron saith Tradition is the sure rule of Faith by which the Scriptures are to be tryed And Bellarmine saith the best way to try which be true traditions which be false is the authority of the Church of Rome So that now to speake in their Dialect or meaning The Church of Rome is the Queene and the Scripture her slaue That Church hath now two seruants of equall authority Scripture and Tradition and therefore that Churches Councell of Trent saith Scripturas Traditiones Ecclesiae pari pietatis aspectâ— ac reuerentiae suscipit veneratur We receiue the Scriptures and Traditions of the Church with equall affection and reuerence Nay no great matter what the Scripture saith for their Tradition must interpret it If the Scripture say Drinke yee all of this Matth. 26 27 their Tradition saith not all but the Clergy onely and not all the Clergy but he that ministreth it onely So what their Priests teach must be receâ—ued and obeyed whether out of Scripture or Traâ—ition Tolet. casuum conscientiae l b 4. cap. 3. p â—53 Cardinall Tolet saith The people may merit ar Gods hand in beleeuing an Heresie if their Teachers propound it for their obedience is meritorious And Stapleton They must not regard quid but quis not what is the matter but who
diffâ—r noâ—ae legis De Indulgentijs and others which wants not much of making a Quaternity of the most glorious indiuiduall and incoÌ„municable Trinity h See more of this in P. Maâ—lius Defence of our late learned King Iames his booke against the answer of Cossâ—tean art 7. p. 165. sâ—q And in B. Andrewes his aâ—swer to Bellarmine about the same K. Iames his booke ad c 8. p 174. c. And in B. Downam De Antichristo lib. 3. cap. 8. § 2 3 4. lib. 5. cap 2. §. 2 3 4 5. And in Bishop Mortoâ— Apolog Cath. tomo 1. cap 68. pag. 202. and Protestants appeale lâ—b 2. cap. 12. sect 10 and relation of Religion in the West pag. 3 Rainolds â—art cap. 8. divis 2. pag. 474 475. And it is abundantly noted in most of our Protestants Bookes This is a corrupt doctrine and practise crept into the Church we may not admit 2 We beleeue the Canonicall Scriptures reckoned vp in the sixt Article of the yeare 1562. to be the vndoubted Word of God written by inspiration of the Holy Ghost guiding the mindes and pennes of the holy Writers absolutely free from all errour You confesse the same Concil Trident. sess 4. But you adde the Apocryphall bookes and make them also Canonicall k Ibid. Si quis libros â—aruch Ecclâ—siastici Sapientiae Iuâ—iâ—h Tobiae Duoruâ— Maccabâ—orum Danielis integros libros cum omnibus suis paâ—â—bâ—s proâ—t in vulgata editione habentur prosacris Canon câ— non suâ—cepent Anathema sit contrary to Anâ—iquity l For to the Iewes were committed the Oracles of God Canonicall Scriptures to be kept Rom. 3.2 but they nâ—uer acknowledged the Apocryphall bookes so saith Iosephus lib. 1. contra Appion See Euseb hist lib. 8. cap. 10. And Bellarmine hâ—mselfe grants it lib. 3. â—e eccle milit cap. â—0 initâ—o B. Andrewes answering Bellarmines Apology concerning King Iames his Monitory Preface cap. 7. pag. 15. giues vs ten very ancient Fathers reckoning the Câ—non of Scripture as we doe 1 Melito Sardensis in Euseb 4.26 2 Origenes 3. 25. 7 in Iosâ—a 3 Athanasiâ—s in Synops. 4 Hilarius proâ—og in Psal 5 Epiphanius haereâ— 8. 6 Cyrillâ—s Catâ—ch 7 Nazianzen de ver ge scrip lib. 8 Amphilochius ad Saleucum 9 Hieronymus in prolog Galâ—â—to 10 Râ—ffiâ—us in expos Symboli D. Field reckons more lâ—b 4. cap. 23 see more cap 4. sect 14. The Laodicean Councell excludes the Apocrypha the Carthaginian Councell receiues them both these were confirmed in the sixt generall Councell how hangs this togethâ—r thus The Lodicean spake of the Canon of faith the Carthagenian of the Canon of good manners to both which the sixt Councell subscribed in that sense and we to it See thiâ— Whole Controuersie thorowly handled by B. Morton Apologiae Catholicae part 2. lib. 1. sex primis captibus Also in his Protestants Appeale lib. 4. cap. 18. and by D. Whitâ—â—â—es Disp de sacra scripura quaest 1. And by D. Field of the Church Booke 4. chapt 23 24. 3 We beleeue the orignall Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greâ—â—e of the New to be authenticall and of vndoubted authority your side hath heretofore held the contrary deprauing the Hebrew and Greeke now extant as intolerably corrupted by Iewes and Heretickes yet now your best m â—huâ— Bellarmine de verâ—o dei lib. 2. cap. 2. in sine Siâ—tus Senensâ—s Biblâ—oth lib. 3. paâ— 153. lib. 8. pag. 630 Ribera comâ—n Hoscam cap. 9. na 20. Acosta 2. lib. de Christo Reuelat. cap. 16. And of the Greeke of the new Sixtus Seâ—ens Bibl. lib. 7 pag. 58. See D. Field Church lib. 4 cap. 28. 29. B. Morton Appâ—al lib. 4. cap. 18. Sect. 3. learned men come home to vs and hold them pure from such corruptions affirming that though some slips of Printers or Writers may be found in letters or words yet they hurt not the sense nor derogate from their authority Thus you iustifie vs. But n This your Agorias a choice man to deliuer the Roman Catholick Tenets sheweth Institutionum lib. 8. cap. 3. § 3. 4. where the Greeke or Hebrew now extant saith he differeth from the sense of the vulgar Latin that Latin Edition shall be to vs the Canoninall Scripture Post habito câ—ntrario sensu Hebrâ—aicae vel Graecâ—â— lectionis And whereas many of their owne side since the Councell of Trent haue found diuers faults and errours in the Latin as Vega Sixtâ—s Senensis Canus Tayva Lâ—ndanus c. Yet Azorius excuseth the matter saying They are not errours against faith and good manners but onely in some places clariùs siâ—nificantiùs proprius latinâ—ùs reddi potuerint non tamen verius aut simpliciter certiùs things might more clearely significantly properly and in better Latin haue beene deliuered but not more tâ—â—ely or simply more certainly Thus saith Azorius but our Bishop Morton sheweth them many great intolerable corruptions concerning Faith and Manners and in matters in Controuersie Apol Cathol paâ—t 2. lib. 1. cap. 11 12 13. and in his Prot. Appeal lib 4. cap. 18. § 3. As also many other Protestant Writers doe But were in true that Azorius saith his reason might authorize a translation to be profitable and comfortable to the people to reade in any tongue which they vnderstand but cannot make a Translation more authenticall then the originall or not liable to be examined and corrected by the Originall That were to preferre mens conceit before Gods most absolute truth and is no better then impiety See Rainolds and Hart confer chap. 6. divis 2. pag. 244. c. D. Whitakers D. Field Church Booke 4. chap 25 26. specially 27. whereas you make your vulgar Latin authenticall also and of greater authority then the Greeke and Hebrew where they differ from it we must neeeds forsake you 4 We make the written word of God Artic. 6. 1562. the ground of our faith and hold nothing necessary to be beleeued to saluation but what is there either deliuered in expresse words or thence deducted by necessary consequence Your owne learned men confâ—sse this course to be good o Bellar. de Iustif lib. 3 cap. 8. §. Prima ratio non potest aliquid certum esse certitudine fiâ—ei nisi aut immediatè continetur in verbo dei aut ex verbo dei per euidentem consequentiam deducatur Fides enim non est nisi verbi dei authoritate â—itatur Neâ—ue de hoc principio vel Catholici vel Haeretici ibitant Faber Stapaâ—ensis In his Preface to the Evangelists which Preface now the Roman Doctors appoint to be left out in the new Prints by their Indices Expurgatorij saith thus The Scripture sufficeth and is the onely rule of eternall life whatsoeuer agrees not to it is not so necessary as superfluous The Primitiue Church knew no other rule but the Gospell no other scope but Christ no other worship then was due to the Indiuiduâ—ll Trinity I
beleeued by as many as shall be saued y In â—ulla juramenti de prosess fidei These 12 new Articles you may see also in the Epistle Dedicatory to B. Iewels workes in euery Church In Onuphrius added to Platina in vita Pij 4. 7 We beleeue that the true God is to be worshipped in Spirit and Truth and according as himselfe hath prescribed and you yeeld that therein we doe well but you adde that he may be analogically relatiuely worshipped by Images and by other Doctrines deuised by Men which are not commanded but sharply reproued by the Scriptures Exod. 20.4 5. Deut. 4.15 16. Mat. 15.9 Mar. 7 3 4.7 Col. 2.18 22 23. God grant we may serue him as himselfe hath prescribed and then we shall be sure to be happy enough See D. Hall Roma irreconciliabilis sect 21. 8 We beleeue we ought to pray with feruency and sincerity of heart with a purpose to forsake all sinne and to serue God truely and with faith and hope to be heard you beleeue so also but you adde wee may pray in an vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding sense or feeling what we say with many repetitions and by number vpon Beads without weight and that such prayers are satâ—sfactory for sin and meritorious of grace You doe not say I hope we ough to pray in a tongue vnknowne but we may doe it So you condemne not our custome lest you condemne Saint Paul also 1 Cor 14.15 c. but onely excuse your owne 9 We beleeue we ought to pray vnto God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost you yeeld it to be good but you adde not that we are commanded but that we may also pray vnto Angels and Saints deceased But surely the worship and inuocation of Angels is forbidden by the Councell of Laodicaea much more of Saints For they that vrged the worship of Angels alledged that for our better accesse vnto God we we must vse the intercession of Angels as Gods Courtiers and Attendants and this is your reason for your prayers vnto Saints The Councell therefore that forbiddeth the one implieth the prohibition of the other See more of this in Bishop Mortons Protestants Appeal lib. 2. cap. 12. section 1 2 3 4 5 6 c and compendiously sâ—ct 13. 10 We beleeue that our Lord â—esus Christ is our Mediator both of Redemption and intâ—rcession You grant this to be true but you adde vnto him Angels and Saints vpon whose intercession and merits you also in part relye See B. Morton ib. lib. 2. cap. 12. specially sect 10 11 12 13. Perk. â—esor Cath. points 15. 11 We beleeue that the glorified Saints beare most louing â—ffection to the Saints liuing on earth and pray in generall for the Church Militant You beleeue so to but you adde that they heare mens prayers made vnto them pray for particular men and know their wants which hearing and knowledge we say is proper to God alone But your greatest Clerkes cannot determine how the Saints know our hearts and prayers whether by hearing or seeing or presence euery where or by Gods relating or reueâ—ling mens prayers and needs vnto them All which wayes some of your Doctors hold as probable or possible and others deny and and confute them as vntrue Of this see Bishop Morton Appeal lib. 2. cap. 12. sect 5. and lib. 5. cap. 2 sect 2. Perkins reformed Catholicke point 14. 12 We honour Gods Saints deceased as the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and other holy sâ—ruants of God both by reuerend memorials of them praises to God for them and for his benâ—fits to the Church by them and by imitation of their vertues Their true Reliques vertues bookes good workâ—s and eâ—amples we respect with reuerence And their bodily Reliques we despise not but reuerently keepe them if we may without offence This you like well but whereas you further worship the Saints theâ—r Images or Reliques with kneeling Inuocation dedication of Churches and Festiuall dayes and Pilgrimages to their Shrines or Reliques you step too farre into superstition and Idolatry See B. Mortons Appeal lib. 5 cap. 2. sect 3 4 5. and cap. 3. sect Doctor Hall Roma irreconciliabilis section 20. and 21. 13 We beleeue tâ—at man is iustified by the merits and passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Antic 11. 1562. you beleeue so too but you aâ—de that he must be further iustified by his owne merits or satisfactions Of Iustification and of Merits see a large discourse afterwards 14 We beleeue also that as Christs most perfect righteousnesse is most necâ—ssary to be imputed vnto vs for our Iustâ—fication so our owne inherent righteousnesse wrought in vs by Gods Spirit for sanctification of life is necessary to saluation and that he is no good Christian that shewes not his true conuersion by the fruits of a good life You cannot mislike this And yet you charge vs that we open a gate to all licentiousnesse of life because we teach that we are not iustified by our owne good works which are farre short of perfection but by Christs righteousnesse imputed vnto vs which alone is most perfect and able to satisfie Gods Iustice and his Law We vrge good workes as much as you as absolute necessary effects of Iustifying grace but not causes thereof saying with S. Bernard They are Via regni non causa regnandi The way whereby we must walke to felicity or else we shall neuer come to it but not the meritorious cause of felicity 15 Yea we vrge good workes more then you doe We teach that in true conuersion a man must be wounded in his conscience by the sense of hâ—s sinnes his contrition must be compungent and vâ—hement brusing breaking renting the heart and feeling the throwes as a woman labouring of Child bâ—fore the new creature be brought forth or Christ truely formed in him It is not done without bitternesse of the soule without study care indignatioâ— râ—uâ—nge 2 Cor. 7 11. But as some Infants are bâ—â—ne with lâ—sse paine to the Mother and some with more so may the new man be regenerated in some with more in some with lesse anxiety of trauell But surely grace is not infused into the heart of any sinner except there be at least so great affliction of spirit for sinne foregoing that he cannot but feele it otherwise he might make a confâ—ssion without contrition Thus we vrge sinners to a true feeling and sorrow for their sinne And for scandalous faults we vrge open sinners to open acknowledgement satisfaction of the Church and to â—ndure the censures thereof and all men to practise the actions of holy deuotion the better to humble and dispose themselues to be more capable of reconciliation with God and to promise and vow amendment of life and set down with themselues the best fitting courses for it See D. Francis White Orthodoxe Faith p. 16. We teach though they must be iustified by Christs merits onely applied and made theirs by faith yet that
and redeemed vs. You beleeue so also but you adde Christ hath satisfied onely for the eternall punishment and for sinnes before Baptisme but that we must satisfie for our following sins August serm 13. De verbis dom Christus suscipiendo poenam non suscipiendo culpam culpam deleuit poenam See B Mortons Appeal lib. 1. cap 2 sect 23. § 47. lib. 2. cap. 15. sect 8 9 10. and also for the temporall punishment due to all our sins either vpon earth or in Purgatory This we account an errour against the foundation making Christ but halfe a Sauiour and against reason for he that forgiues the fault forgiues the punishment also in S. Augustines opinion 24 We beleeue that we ought to pray for all the members of Christs militant Church vpon earth you beleeue so too but you adde wee ought also to pray for the soules suffering in Purgatory which was a thing long time vnknowne to the Church of God §. 2. These are the principall points of Religion and the foundation of our church by your approbatioÌ„ of theÌ„ you grant them all to be true good ancient and Catholicke which may appeare also by that which followeth Se hâ—story of the Councell of Trent lib. 1. pag. 95. At a Diet in Râ—tisbon anno 1541. where was present Iasper Cardinall Contareni the Popes Nuncio Granuel deliuered a booke of 22 Articles to be considered of by the Diuines of both sides whereof the chiefe were chosen by the Emperour to dispute namely Eckius Flugius and Gropperus Romists Melancthon Bucer and Pâ—storia Protestants and vpon their debating some things were approued and some amended by common consent They dissented onely in fiue things and in seuenteene they all finally agreed Ibib. pag. 54.55 Also when the Augustane confession of the Protestant Princes and Diuines was read at Augspurge anno 1530 the Popes Legate Cardinall Campeggio said plainly to the Emperour that the difference of that doctrine from the Roman for the most part seemed verball and that it imported not much whether one spake after one manner or after another and that for the present there was no cause to make any strict examination of the doctrine onely meanes should be vsed that the Protestant should goe no further on See Annals Elizah â—ngl pag 63. and Relation of Religionin the West parts pag. x. 2. 159. And Pope Pius the fourth anno 1560. offered to Queene Elizabeth to allow our whole Booke of Common Prayer if she would receiue it as from him and by his authority And so he might well doe for the booke was with great iudgement purposely so framed out of the grounds of Religion wherein both sides agree that their very Catholickes might resort vnto it without scruple or scandall if Faction more then reason did not sway The truth is were it not for other causes the Controuersies of points of Religion might well be compounded betwixt vs. For the learned of them know that our doctrine is sufficient to make vs true Christi ans both for faith and good life to make vs liue holily righteously and soberly by Gods grace to become good subiects to our Princes good neighbors amongst men good diligent and dutifull members of the Common-wealth painfull peaceable and blessed people and blessings to the Countrey where we liue and to conduct vs thorow all necessary gratious wayes and means ordained by God to eternall blessednesse There is no defect in our doctrine to these ends to promote Christs Kingdome both of grace and glory §. 3. Onely they know and we confesse our Doctrine is insufficient to set vp an earthly Church-kingdome instead of Christs heauenly Kingdome such as the Pope desireth ouer-topping all other Christian Princes and Potentates and maintained with all worldly wealth pompe and glory Were it the purity of Religion which he desired described and receiued in the best Primitiue times of the Church our Religion would abundantly satisfie him but this high transcendent supremacy of the Pope farre beyond those Primitiue times and the wealth of the world to maintaine him and his in their greatnesse Acts 19.28 25. is the great Diana of the Romans which they striue for And these doctrinall controuersies are but subordinate meanes subtilly kept on foot to make the aduersaries of his supremacy more odious For by that craft their wealth is maintained D. Francis White Orthodox faith Epist dedic Ramolds Hart confer cap. 7. dinis 6 7. pag. 367 seq Our Doctor Reinolds obserueth well and proueth largely that this in these latter Ages hath been the Pope maine aime and practise And men of skill and iudgement who knew the popes thorowly and faithfully set forth their liues haue opened this secret and mystery of State as it hath been managed since it grew to maiesty that they minde the propping vp of their owne Kingdome while they pretend the worship of Christ and that in the popes language the Church doth signifie not the company of the faithfull seruants of God but the Papacy that is the dominion and princehood of the pope in things both temporall and spirituall K. Iames his Remonstrance to Peron pag. 246. And our late learned and iudicious King Iames saith The name of the Church serueth in this our corrupt Age as a cloke to couer a thousand new inuentions and no longer signifies the Assembly of the faithfull or such as beleeue in Iesus Christ according to his Word but a certaine glorious ostentation and temporall Monarchy whereof the pope forsooth is the supreame head Ibid. pag. 259. And S. Peters net is now changed into a casting net or a flew to fish for all the wealth of most flourishing kingdomes 1 To this end consider whether there be more care and policy to maintaine the popes greatnesse and reuenues then to make good Christians For where good Christians are already such as the Primitiue Christians were thither the popes Emissaries come to make them the popes subiects and sticke not at Treasons Rebellions inuasions if they haue hope so to effect it Relation of Religion in the West pag. 156 159. 2 Consider whether all other thogh neuer so profane or wicked Iewes Stewes Turkes Infidels Heretickes or Atheists open enemies of Christian Religion be not suffered more quietly to liue in Italy Rome and vnder the popes nose then Protestants whose onely great crime is They are against the popes vsurpations and corruptions Molius defence pag. 464. 3 Consider if all sinnes against God and his Word be not more slightly punished then offences against the Popes greatnesse In cases of Murder Treason Incest Blasphemy c. ordinary Bishops may bind and loose but the cases of hindring men from going to Rome for pardons of intrusion into any benefice or office Ecclesiasticail of purloyning any Church goods or offending the Sea-Apostolicke c. those are reserued to the pope onely And the penitentiary taxe for falsifying the letters Apostolicall is
Church and magnifying the largenesse dignity wealth and dowry of his Bride apud Vsserium De ecclesiarum successione statu cap. 9. initio pag. 255. See also B. Carlton Consens contr 2. de ecclesia cap. 1. pag. 156. and D. Field of the Church lib. 5. cap. 41. pag. 267. where he answereth Bellarmines arg libri 2. de Rom. pont cap. 31. Ex nominibus quae Romano Pontifici tribui solent verse 18. so plaine that that the Iesuites cannot doe not deny it our Rhemists say it was Rome vnder Nero c. but later Iesuites Ribera and Viegas Suarez confesse it must needs be Rome towards the end of the world wherein Antichrist shall sit make hauocke of the Church and be finally destroyed CHAP. 5. §. 5. II. As the Pope challengeth a superiority ouer all Christians so much more particularly ouer all the Clergy who must all deriue their both Orders and Iurisdiction from him as from the vniuersall Pastor of the Church in whom all power of Orders and Iurisdiction originally resideth So that Bishops pay to the Pope great summes of money for their ceremonies at their entrance and Priests also their first fruites and yearely tenths with other payments to fill the Popes Cofers by exhausting Christian Kingdomes and all Bishops and Priests become the popes subiects exempted from the Iurisdiction Lawes and penalties of the Princes in whose Countries they liue both their persons goods and lands which is a double iniury to Christian Princes and Common-wealthes First that the Princes and State haue no dominion ouer the persons or bodies of the Clergy or ouer Monkes Fryars Nunnes or other Regulars or Votaries they cannot be punished by the Kings lawes be they adulterers murderers robers traitors or tainted with other villanies except the popes officers will degrade them make theÌ„ seculars Which was the Controuercy betwixt King Henry the second Read this whole story in our Chronicles especially in Speeds and Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury who would not yeeld the King any authority to punish Clergy malefactors as being none of his subiects Secondly that the Princes and State haue no aide subsidies or reuenues out of the goods or lands of Church-men or Abbies whereas the goods or lands of such men may arise to a quarter or a third part of the whole Realme yea and they continually increase from Age to Age by gifts bequests and purchases and are neuer alienated to the great impairing of publicke reuenues and publicke force For which the Venetians and other Common-wealthes haue been compelled to make Lawes of restraint lest they should in time be swallowed vp by the Clergy This is against Diuinity equity and antiquity Christ was not exempted from the Magistrates power he acknowledge Pilat to haue power to crucify him Iohn 19.10 11 power to release him euen lawfull power giuen him from aboue He payed tribute to Caesar for himselfe and his Saint Paul acknowledged Caesaer to be his lawfull iudge And taught all men both for conscience sake Mat. 17. end Act. 25.10 Rom. 13.1 c. 1 Pet. 2.13 Bernard epist ad Episcopum Senonensem Omnis anima tum vestra quis vos excipit qui tentat excipere tentat decipere and in equity for the good we receiue from the Magigstrates to be subiect to the ciuill Magistrates that beare the sword Saint Peter doth the like Saint Bernard writing to a Bishop tels him he is not exempted from temporall subiection to Princes he that excepts him deceiues him Father Paul of Venice in his Considerations vpon the censure of Pope Paul 5. pag. 39. shewes how the Exemptions of the Clergy came in peece-meale by the priuiledges of Princes and not jure diuino Anno domini 315. Constantine the great exempted their persons from publicke and Court seruices And Constant and Constance his sonnes added their exemption from illiberall or sordid actions and from Impositions 308 Valens and Gracianus 400 Arcadius and Honorius 420 Honorius and Theodosius 2. c. put the tryall of the Clergy to the Bishop if both parties were willing otherwise to the secular Magistrate which was confirmed by Gracian also anno 460. and by Leo. 560 Iustinian put the Clergy in ciuill causes to the Bishop and in criminall to the secular Iudge 630 Heraclius exempted the Clergy both in ciuill and criminall causes from the secular Magistrate yet euer reseruing entire the Princes immediate Deputies and substitutes But the popes in following Ages challenged these priuiledges as due to them by diuine right and abused these Emperours bountifulnesse to their great disturbance and dishonour And in these last Ages wherein priests and Iesuites are so busie with State matters to the great disquiet and danger of Princes making Religion a Maske to couer and closely conuey treasons and rebellions these exemptions and priuiledges are not tollerable §. 6. III. The Popes authority staies not here in the general Fatherhood of the Church or dominion ouer the Clergy exempting from the secular powers These are but staires to an higher ascent In the first and best times of the Church the gaining of soules to God was the principall end and wealth a poore inferiour meanes to maintaine them selling their lands to relieue the poore Christians Acts 2.45 and 4.34 c. Now it seemes greatnesse and wealth are the chiefe ends and a shew of Religion is a meanes to get them Christs kingdome was not of this world Iohn 18.36 The Popes is Doctor Sanders calls it Sanderi libri de visibili monarchia The visible Monarchy of the Church a Monarchy ouertopping all other yea practising to depose dispose transpose all other Christian Potentates as shall seeme good to the Pope to giue Henries Empire to Rodulph sending to him a Diadem with this Inscription Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodulpho authorizing him like Zimri to kill his Master and raigne in his stead To giue England from King Iohn to Philip of France our Henry the eigth his Kingdome to whosoeuer could take it by force Queene Elizabeths to the King of Spaine to omit many others Pope Celestinus crowned Henry 6 and his Empresse See Tortura Torti pag. 264. 262. Baronius approued not Alexander 3. act annot 177. for he thought the story not true But Celestinâ—s fact he commends and defends B. Andâ—ews in Tortura Torti pag. 263. with both his feet and cast off his with one An Emperours Crowne is but the popes football Gregory 7 made Henry 4. attend bare-footed foure dayes in Winter before his gates Alexander 3 trode vpon Fredericke Barbarosaes necke reciting the verse of the Psalme 91.13 Thou shalt treade vpon the Lyon and Adder The yong Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou trample vnder thy f et These things the world cryed shame vpon and Bellarmine blusheth at some of them and laboureth to weaken the credit of the Reporters but our Bishop Andrewes reckons aboue 20 Authors of diuers Nations reporting them Christ would not
8. pag. 815. And with other Lawes Constitutions Councels and Ordinances he playeth fast and loose as he list Take for example that which is written in the end of the history of the Councell of Trent When much debating had beene betweene the Pope and the Cardinals whether his Holinesse should confirme the Councell or no because through the importunity of Princes and some learned Diuines many Decrees had passed for reformat on of diuers things whereby the dignity and profits of the Papacy and Court of Rome would bee much impaired at last Cardinall Amulius told the pope Since he could not possibly auoyd the calling and celebrating of the Councell so much desired by the clamour of the world he must now either quickly confirme it to satisfie the world or else Princes and States would vse other meanes by nationall Councells or by another generall Councell to satisfie themselues But now by confirming all and giuing as much quicke execution as was possible the pope might stay and quiet the humour of the world for the present and afterwards by vnsensible and vnresistable degrees by his dispensations he might bring all to the same estate wherein it was before without seeming to violate the decrees of the Councell and this policy tooke effect and so both frustrate the good reformation entended by the Decrees and also gulled the world and all the Princes and Prelates paines and turned all to the profit of the Pope his Court and Cardinalls Whereby it plainly appeares The popes faction aymeth not at the good of the Church or Christian Common-wealthes but onely at their owne wealth and greatnesse and hereby appeares also the great power and iniquity of the Popes dispensations Antiquus Whatsoeuer they aime at I am resolued that many of these things cannot be of God they are certainly the faults of men and abuses practised vnder colour of Religion I cannot I will not defend them But I doe much wonder how not being of God they should be so generally receiued beleeued to be of God and so long continued and not rather long since driuen out of the world by Princes and People Antiquissimus Sir if ye knew and considered the policies and power which haue been vsed to bring them in and maintaine them your wonder would cease Antiquus I pray you make me acquainted with them Antiquissimus Some of the principall and most obuious I will but my wit cannot sound the bottomlesse depth of the Mystery of Iniquity Antiquus A taste thereof shall content me CHAP. 6. Of policies to maintaine the Popes Princedome and Wealth 1 Depriuing men of the light of the Scriptures And 2 of their ordinary preachings and setting vp ambulatery Monkes and Pryars to preach without controule of Church Ministers and Officers 3 Schoolemens too much subtilty and Philosophy darkning and corrupting Diuinity 4 Iesuites their originall noted their Seminaries their Emissions faculties insinuations and imploiments 5 Cardinals 6 Prouision for men and women of all sorts by Monasteries c. 7 Auricular confession 8 Other policies to gather wealth 9 Purgatory a rich thing 10 So are Indulgences or Pardons 11 Jubilies 12 Corruptions of doctrine touching merits and Justification c. 13 Things hallowed by the Pope 14 Extraordinary exactions §. 1. THe Popes principall meanes to make the people his owne were 1 to keepe the Diuine Scriptures from them by which else they might discerne his vniustifiable policies Psal 119.105 and 19.7 8. For Gods Word is the light and lanthorne of Christians which S. Paul would haue to dwell plentifully among them Col. 3.16 and S. Peter would haue Babes in Christ to desire the sincere milke of the Word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 which is able to make them wise in the points of faith 2 Tim. 3.15 and perfectly furnished vnto all good workes verse 17. Chrysost serm 2. de Lazaro S. Chrysostome as doe many other Fathers also exhorts all people Lay-men especially Tradesmen Carpenters c. to get them Bibles more carefully then any other tooles of their occupation and the more they dealt in the world and met with temptations il examples and occasions of sinne so much more carefully to reade the Scriptures for direction and armour against them Christ himselfe commandeth Search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 and saith Matth. 22.29 Doe ye not erre not knowing the Scriptures So that herein They are Anti-Pauls and Peters Anti-chrysostomes and Anti-Christs that teach and practise the contrary Matth. 5 15. hiding the light of Gods Word vnder their Latin bushels from the vnlatined people in Gods house yea and from the Latined too vnder great penalties except they be licenced Surely as this is a meanes to obscure the truth and lead men as Captiues blind-fold whether they list * 2 Tim. 2.26 so it is a signe they loue not the truth but are euill men and hate the light lest their deeds should be reproued Ioh. 3.20 §. 2. But it was not sufficient to take from men the true light except there be added also a false light to misguide them for mens mindes being naturally desirous of knowledge and giuen to deuotion must haue that hunger satisfied and quieted either by truth or appearance Their second policy was therefore 2 To put downe the ordinary Pastors and Preachers or to take a course that they are discouraged disabled grow vnlearned and vnfit to preach and set vp others For Saint Paul appointed Bishops to ordaine Presbyters * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1.5 in euery City and Towne to wit such as dwell among the people might best know the wants sinnes capacities of their owne people See Tit. 5 6 7 c. 1 Tim 3.2 c. and 5.22 Acts 20.17 18. and apply their teaching the best way to informe reforme and winne them and such as being fixed in their places might best be called to account by the Bishop either for life or doctrine This was Gods excellent meanes to preserue sound doctrine and sincere holy liues of Ministers But when the Popes ambition and couetousnesse grew so great that they were not content with Christs heauenly Kingdome but would super-adde vnto it an earthly kingdome and make of Christs militant Church and Church triumphant vpon earth a visible Church Monarchy as Doctor Sanders entitles it ouer-topping all other Kingdomes of ciuill Princes Kings and Emperours and draw out of all Countries the Wealth and Treasure of the world to maintaine it Then the Ministers and Preachers of Christs ordaining would not serue their turne but would rather oppose And therefore it was the popes best policy to disgrace and disable them and to finde out and set vp others fitter for their purpose to preach in all places of the world by the authority and priuiledge of the Popes onely and wholly exempted from the Bishops iurisdictions and from all controule of other Ministers or Officers whatsoeuer So that these new Preachers meerely depending vpon the pope and maintained by
Vicar or Vicegerent be applyed giuen or sold to whom he thinkes good A quaint deuise but without all this purgatory pardons pilgrimages Masses for the dead c. are to no purpose If Saint Pauls doctrine of Iustification by Christs merits onely stand then haue we no merits if no merits no supâ—rerogation if no super-erogatory merits then no pardons if no pardons surely either no purgatory or no deliuerance by the pope from thence and then a great deale of the popes income is cut off But horresâ—o refâ—rens rather then that earthly treasure be diminished the spirituall and heauenly treasure and worth of Christs merits be diminished the sound Doctrine of Iustification corrupted mans free-will merit supererogation pardons and other gainfull doctrines appendant thereunto deuised magnified and established Saint Paul said 1 Tim. 6.6 9 10. Godlinesse is great gaine these men make great gaine to be godlinesse He saith They that will be rich fall into temptations snares foolish and hurtfull lusts and that the loue of mony is the root of all euill which while some haue coueted after they haue erred from the faith Alas that they that hold the chiefest places in the Church should be of that number §. 13. I omit Crucifixes Beads Amulets Graines Medals and other things of great vertue sent from the pope to be hanged about peoples neckes or otherwise worne about them 1 Cor. 3.12 as defensatiues against euill spirits and other dangers which though they may be thought to be but hay and stubble yet when your Midaâ— hath touched them they are taken for pure gold and of great vertue farre fetched and deare bought §. 14. To omit these and many other things I will speake onely of extraordinary exactions and in our Countrey onely An. Dom. 1245. Regis 29. or especially Matthâ—w of Wâ—stmiâ—stâ—r â—n his booke called Flores Historiarum writing of King Henry the thirds tâ—me saâ—th that the Kâ—ng vpon search through euery County of England found the Romane reuâ—nues to amount to threescore thousand markes by yeare equall to the Kings reuenues And yet the popes exactions were so great besides Pag. 195. that our Nobles made complaints thereof both by words anâ— writing in the Counâ—ell of Lyons shewing the â—ntollerable grieuanâ—es oppressions of the popes Officers most impudently violently done that by the popes Commissâ—on coâ—mand with a non obstante which took away all lawes or rights and authenticke writings The pope for the present put off his answer being busied with excommunicating Fâ—edericke the Emperour But afterwards enraged with anger and disdaine at their complaints he multiplied their oppressions without measure or end So that a Parliament was called to take some course to saue the land from vtter spoyle and ruine of the pope Pag. 206 207. and all men reioyced to see the Kings courage and constancy hoping now they should be powerfully deliuered from the iniuries of the Court of Rome And first seuerall letters were sent to the pope and Cardinals wrâ—tten by the Bishops and by the King and by the Abbots and Priors and by the Earle Richaâ—d and all the Nobles with him all humbly petitioning to spare the exhausted Realme of England and recall the grieuances which in their letters they rehearsed which letters were pennâ—d in such pittifull sort that they were able to soften an heart of yron saith the story But they receiued hard answers Pag. 209 210 217. and drew more misery still vpon them For the pope shortly after demaunded of euery Beneficed man in England resident on his charge a third part and of non residents an halfe of their goods for thâ—ee yeares which prouoked all Christ and in England to hate and curse the pope And diuâ—rs Noblemen of France to wit the Duke of Burgundy the Eâ— le of Britaine the Earle of Saint Pâ—ul and many other conspired against â—im and bâ—gan a Sch sme which tâ—â— puâ—lished in writing which is extent in â—he â—â—ory and in Mâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—erswading all men to reforme and liue after the fashion of the Primitiue Church Anno 1247. But the State and Clergy of England wrote againe to the popâ— and Cardinals for ease from these exactions giuing notice also of a dangerous Shisme else like to follâ—w This caused the pope somewhat to mitigate the exaction in England and draw downe to â—lâ—uen thousand markes to be payed for his present necessities Which summe our Bishops thought best to grant to auoyde the Roman greater persecution But out of this payment they left out all the Abbots of England pag. 219. to be deeplier fleeced by the Court of Rome At the same time also the pope got vp sixe thousand markes in Jreland and in other Countries what could be raked vp pag. 210 After all this new exactions came vpon the English especially vpon the Abbots and exempted persons pag. 222. Of one Abbey of S. Albans the popes Officer demaunded foure hundred markes which yet the pope was afterward induced to mitigate Math. Paris in vlla Henrici tertij See also Speeds Chron. in Henry 3. nu 52 57 60. anno 1234. In the same Kings raigne Mathy Paris saith that by the popes mandata de prouidendo for illiterate Italian Clerkes and Gratiae expectativae to wit in giuing Benefices as they fell voyd to Italians that neuer came at them but had the yearely reuenues thereof in mony brought into Jtaly to them there went out of the land yearely more treasure then the Kings reuenues amounted vnto And because it was not possible that the English of themselues should be alwayes funished with money to be sent in such summes out of the land the popes Merchants as they called them that is men sent hither for that purpose supplied them with money vpon vsury and the Roman Farmers and Proctors like greedy Harpies scraped vp all into their hands to the great impouerishing and misery of the English So that holy men with heart-breakings teares and deadly groanes singultu cruentato saith Paris professed it were better for them to die then to see such miseries vpon their Nation and vpon holy men the Daughter of Sion becomming such an impudent Harlot Against which Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne opposeth himselfe writing to the Pope his Epistle is extant in Mathy Paris that his detestable abhominable soule-murdering actions did euince him to be an Hereticke worthy of death yea to be Antichrist and to sit in the chaire of pestilence next to Lucifer h mselfe and that he had no power to excommunicate such as resisted these his actions Paris telleth further that King Henrie requiring the Prelates to binde themselues to the Popes Merchants for a great summe of money they replyed English Prelats counted it rather Martyrdome to dye against the Pope then for him that they would rather dye then suffer such oppression holding it a more manifest Martyrdome to dye in such a cause then was the death of Thomas Becket
See you that loue the Pope so well what a blessing you would bring vpon the Land by restoring his authority which our forefathers counted a burden most vntollerable Antiquus Matthy Paris is noted to take too much delight in speaking euill of the Pope and Matthy of Westminster receiued his Narrations from him and both were too much affected to their owne Countrey Antiquissimus They were both of the Romish Religion the one a Monke of Saint Albones the other a Monke of Westminster Abbey both delighted to speake the truth and spake well of the Popes wherethey saw cause and related other Countries affaires with as vpright affections as their owne Paris saith that the iniustice impiety and dishonesty beare with these words they are his owne of the Court of Rome made the Greeke Church then to fall away and to oppose it selfe against the Roman and that shortly afterwards the Church of Antioch excommunicated the Pope and his Church for vsurping primacy ouer them and being also defiled with Simony Vsury Auarice and other hainous offences And we reade the same things plentifully deliuered in all forraigne Historians Nauclere Vrspergensis Krantzius Aventinus Schasuaburgensis Frisingensis Trithenius c. Vrspergensis in Chron. pag. 307. Abbas Vrspergensis at his being at Rome seeing among other infinite meanes and mines of wealth a great confluence of causes litigious about Bishops places and all other Ecclesiasticall dignities and Parish Churches out of all Countries running to the Court of Rome there to be decided Hee applaudes Rome with the Apostrophe Reioyce O Mother Rome for vnto thee are opened the Cataracts of treasures in the earth To thee runne the Riuers and mountaines of money in great plenty Be Jouiall for the iniquity of the sonnes of men c. thou hast that which thou alwayes thirstedst after Sing thy song that by the wickednesse of men not by thine owne Religion thou hast ouercome the world Men are drawne to thee not by their deuotion or pure conscience but by perpetrating manifold mischiefes and for decision of their Controuersies to thee most gainefull Antiquus Sir suppose all you haue alleadged be true for the substance will you condemne the wisdome policy and zeale of the Church or any members thereof for the vndiscreet managing of it by some particulars Is not wisedome policy power and zeale necessary to maintaine good Doctrine good gouernment and to winne soules and must not learned men and good gouernours bee maintained with wealth befitting their estate and dignity to keepe them from contempt and pouerty are not all these things necessary Antiquissimus Yes vndoubtedly very necessary and commendable but vnder colour of necessity you may not allow policies contrary to true piety and Gods Word such as I alleadged to wit The barring of the Scriptures from Gods people to keepe them in ignorance The disanulling of the Apostles ordinance of placing preachers resident in Cities and Townes subiect to Bishops Iurisdictions who may looke to their good life and sound doctrine and instead of them to allow and priuiledge ambulatory preachers to preach what they list mauger all Bishops and their Officers Yea to instill into the peoples mindes false doctrines treasonous and rebellious practises to the disturbance and destruction of Kingdomes and Common-wealthes who finde it best fishing in troubled waters and fish not for mens soules but for Kingdomes to subiugate all to the Dominion of Râ—me or Spaine nor the gathering of wealth by wrongs or oppressions to the vndoing of people and making the Religion of GOD to stinke in their nostrils as Helies wicked sonnes did 1 Samuel Chapter 2. verse 27. Wherefore the sinne of the young men was very great before the Lord for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. Antiquus Well Sir to let this passe If you describe these polices truely they are very potent those of the society of Iesus are very learned diligent zealous and constant to endure all labours paines and perils to winne men their policies and plots are so strongly layed constantly followed wisely managed and powerfully backed with the Pope and Cardinals yea with Kings Princes and States fauouring them or tyed to the Pope by some necessitudes that they are vnresistable and therefore you may doe well to yeeld to them in good time for such wisedome strength and policy will preuaile Antiquissimus Thinke not so Antiquus This arme of flesh be it neuer so strong is too weake for the arme of the Lord. Note what is written in the Reuelation cap. 17. verse 12 13 14. The ten hornes are ten Kings these haue one minde they giue their power and strength vnto the Beast these shall make warre with the Lambe but the Lambe shall ouercome them for he is the Lord of lords and King of kings And they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull The power and policy of Babylon should not amate vs but animate vs. Chap. 2. sect 8. Reuel 18.9 to the chapters end Tu contra audentiùs ito For Babylon shal fall Reuelations chapter 18. verse 2. c. and Rome is that Babylon your men grant it as I haue shewed therefore Rome shall fall and her fall shall be wofull dolefull and irrecouerable The Kings and Merchants her friends shall bewayle her the world shall stand amazed and Gods people shall reioyce at her fall She must fall fully and finally and she hath begunne to fall already See History of the Councell of Trent pag. 4. euen when Pope Leo the tenth thought that state in greatest security then came an vnexpected blow from one contemned man Luther which shooke her foundations and since that time she hath shrunke continually and setled lower All the props of strength and policie haue not beene able to raise or hold her vp She hath all policies on her side the Protestants haue none but the plaine downe-right truth and ordinary teaching as Christ hath prescribed and yet that plaine truth hath preuailed against all her power and policies FINIS A IVSTIFICATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. 1. The first Chapter is a full discourse of the visibility of the Church and sheweth where the Church of the Protestants was before Luthers time This Chapter is large to giue the fuller satisfaction and for better perspicuity is diuided into foure Sections The first Section sheweth how visible the true Church ought to be The second sheweth that the Protestants Church hath euermore been so visible as the true Church of Christ ought to be in the ancient Primitiue Church Greeke and Easterne Church The third section deliuereth a sufficient historical discourse of the Waldenses prouing the point The fourth section sheweth that the Church of Rome excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof continued to be the true Church of God vntill Luthâ—rs â—â—me and was all one in substance with ours The first section is subdiuided into subsections and they into to many smaller Paragraffes noted thus § The first subsection
sheweth § 1. An obiected description of the excelâ—ency of the Church and a necessity of the perpetuall succession and visibility thereof § 2. That for a thousand yeares and more our Church was all one with the Roman § 3. After that corruptions grew intollerable in the Roman Church many yet misliked them and held the truth § 4. The whole Catholicke Church can neuer be visible to men at once but parts of it may and must § 5. The promises of purity and eternall life do not belong to all the called but to the few chosen which to men are invisible though their persons and profession be visible § 6. And this Bellarmine and many other Romanists yeeld §. 1. Antiquus YOu shew no wisedome in disgracing thus the Church of Rome for you must deriue your Church from it or else you haue no succession from the Apostles and consequently no Church at all and therefore no possibility of saluation You that so much glory in the Scriptures doe you not marke how the Scriptures describe the Church calling it a Ephe. 2.19 the City of our Lord b Ib. Hebr. 3.2 6. the house of God c Cantic 4.12 a Garden enclosed a spring shut vp a fountaine sealed d Psal 80.8 our Lords vineyard of his owne planting e 1 Tim. 3.15 the pillar of truth f Psal 27.13 the land of the liuing g Cantic 4.15 the fountaine of liuing waters h Eph. 6.25 c. the Spouse of Christ who gaue himselfe for it who sanctifieth and clenseth it and maketh it a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle that it may be holy and without blemish and to omit other titles i 1 Pet. 3.20 compares it to the Arke of Noe out of which there is no saluation from the deluge of sinne And to the end that by it all men may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saued it must be visible conspicuous and mounted aloft as a City vpon a hill k Mat. 5.14 seene of all the world shining to all the world so continuing to the end of the world with continuall succession of holy gouernment teaching administring the Sacraments without interruption For if it be hidden or inuisible any time how can it teach the people conuert Pagans dispence Sacraments glorifie God lead men to saluation Therefore the holy â—criptures describe this Church to be most ample conspicuous and not onely gracious but glorious l Psal 45.9 This Queene is all glorious in a vesture of gold wrought about with diuers colours to whom the daughter of Tyre and all Nations bring gifts signifying the magnificence of the Church gathered of all the Gentiles m Esay 2.2 3 4 18 20. cap. 49.5 6 7 23. 60.3 4 c. It is the holy mountaine of the Lord to which all Nations shall come and Kings and Queenes should come and doe homage vnto it n â—sal 72.8 c. Micah 4.1 Dauid magnifies this Church as extending from Sea to Sea and from the Riuer to the worlds end adding that the Aethiopians should fall downe before the great Messias the Kings of Tharshish and of the Iles should bring presents the Kings of Arabia of Saba should offer gifts yea all kings should fall downe before him and all Nations should serue him The Messias himselfe saith o Ioh. 12.31 32. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out and I if I be lifted vp from the earth will draw all men vnto me Meaning by his passion to draw all Nations of the world from heathenish Idolatry to become members of his holy Church Now instead of this conspicuous glorious Church you Protestants obtrude vnto vs an obscure latent invisible Church vnseen in the world for more then a thousand yeares or rather neuer seene before Luthers time But if these prophesies of the Scriptures concerning the glory and amplitude of the Church be true as they are most true then is the conspicuous Church of Rome the true Church and your so long latent visible Church the false §. 2. Antiquissimus The wisâ—dome which we vse is not grounâ—ed vpon vnsound policies but vpon standing to the sound truth which is great and will preuaile the disgraces of the Romish Hierarchy we either reade in your own Authors who write them necessario potiùs quam libenter as wrested from them by the truth rather then of any itching humour to disgrace it or wee obserue them with our owne eyes so manifest that they cannot be hid so bad that they cannot be excused The propheticall promises to the Church which you alledge wâ—th all reuerence we doe acknowledge and we confesse that within the first thousand yeares after Christ before â—atan was loosed Reuel 20.2 and 7 8. the most of them werâ— fulfilled and principally in the first ageâ— of thâ—t period when the Church was by the Apostles and their successors propagated to the Gentilâ—â— and plantâ—d in all Nations and while the Church of Rom tauâ—ht the same pure doctrine which we now doe and while your Church and ours and all other particular Churches in the world were one Catholike Church And although some errours and abuses began to creepe into the Church of Rome within that time and weâ—e by many espyed and reprooued yet were they not imputed to the whole Church of Rome but to a faction breeding in it Neither were they so great â—t so largely spred or so strongly defended or of such regard as to make any such breach or manifest sepâ—r tâ—on as in the following ages ensued So that in tâ—e firâ—â— thousand of yeares the holy prophesies by you alleaâ—geâ— make nothing more for your Church then ours â—otâ—ing more against our Church then against yoâ—rs yours and ours being then both one Church §. 3. Sâ—conâ—ly wee affirme that when the Church of Rome grew vntollerably corrupt by mens traditions and new inuâ—â—â—ions especially in the Hierarchy thereof there wanted not multitudes of good Christians both separated from the community thereof that followed their better teachers and professed still the pure ancient Doctrine and other multitudes also liuing in community with the vnsound Romish gouernours groning vnder their corruptions and longing for reformation which made a full sufficient visible Church to whom the propheticall promises belonged and in whom they were fulfilled so much as was intended by them Which that you may the better vnderstand Handled in this section consider first more thorowly the nature of the promises and state of the Church as it must be in these later ages and secondly the state of our Church fully agreeing thereunto and the state of yours disagreeing You that cannot endure to heare of any kind of invisibility of the Church Handled in the second section must of necessâ—ty admit of some kinde thereof or else you involue all in confused obscurity First if you take the Church for the whole Catholicke Church that is
Consider the Doctrine of the Fathers §. 4. B. Vsher grau quaest cap. 6. §. 5. and of your owne learnedest men speaking especially of the time of Sathan let loose c Aug. epist 80. aâ— Hesychium Saint Augustine saith Ecclesiam non appâ—rituram impijs tunc persecutoribus vltra modum saeuientibus The Church shall not appeare the impious persecutors then beyond measure raging d Greg. in Iob lib. 9. cap. 29. Gregory The Church as one weakned with old age will scarce bring forth children by preaching e Sermâ—n dâ— consummatione mundi Antichristo edit Coloâ— 1603. pag. 219 Ephraim Syrus Men will earnestly enquire whether the Word of God be any where vpon earth and it will be answered No where f Soto in 4. Sâ—nt dist 40. q. 1 â—rt 1. Dominicus à Soto your great schooleman saith That faith will be extinguished in the world and vnder the leading of Antichrist the City of God will be ouerthrowne And of preaching the Word of God your g Aquin. Comment in cap. 9. Apocal. Aquinas saith At first when Antichrist is borne before he haue enlarged his power there will be preaching but after he is in his greatest domination then preaching he meaneth preaching of the truth will be particular and not as now generall nor so solemne as now And before Aquinas This wrote h Apud Vsher ibid. Valent. post lit t. Vsher ib. §. 7. Joachimus Abbas Florensis The whole Church of the Saints will be hidden for so the Elect of God will bee wise for themselues that they will not presume to preach publikely the darkenesse preuailing not that they will cease to encourage and exhort the faithfull more secretly but because they will not dare to preach openly §. 5. Haply you will appropriate this to be the last times of Antichrist which your Doctors hold to be very short but your Valentinianus extends it to other former times and applies it to the times of the Arrian Heresie Of which i Nazian initio Orat. 25. ad Arianos Nazianzen writes thus Where are they now that obiect pouerty vnto vs and insolently brag of their riches which define the Church by multitude and scorne the little flocke whereof k See Hilar. contra Aurent Bâ—sil â—pist 70 71. Vitam Aâ—tonij inter oâ—â—ra Atâ—anâ—â—ij other Fathers say l Vâ—ncen◠〈◊〉 commâ—â—iâ—oâ—â— that almost the whole world was shooken with the cruell tempest of that sudden heresie 〈◊〉 Bâ—câ—â—ri 〈…〉 so that it defiled not onely the parts of the East and West but entangled also the South and North and the Ilands with the perfidiousnesse thereof n Hieronymus contra Luciferianos So that the whole world groaned and wondered that it was become Arrian But the o Athanasius epist ad solitariam vitam agentes godly true followers of Christ as that great Prophet Elias were hidden and thrust themselues into holes and dennes of the earth or continued wandring in the Wildernesse For p Basil epist 69. auoyding the houses of prayer which were then become schooles of impiety they were compelled to lift vp their hands to the Lord in deserts and q Vincent Lirin in commonitorio the greatest part being thrust out and banished from the Cities were among the deserts holes sauage Beasts and rockes with hunger thirst nakednesse afflicted worne and wasted And r Basil epist 17. when they suffered the same things that their Fathers suffered yet they were not thought to suffer for Christ because their persecutors also were called by the name of Christians Thus was it with the true Christians in the Arians times thus with the Church of God in the middletimes after Sathans loosing thus with the Protestants in those later times all persecuted by them that called themselues Christians and Catholicks and held the chiefest places in the Christian world And such was the paucity and obscurity of Christians in the Arians times that S. Å¿ Basil ib. Basil cryes out An Ecclesias suas prorsus reliquit dominus Hath God verily forsaken his Church Is it now the last houre and doth the defection or departure thus take beginning that now henceforth that man of sinne that sonne of perdition may be reuealed c. But let vs heare the very words of your owne learned Iesuite t Greg. de Val. Analysis fidei lib. 6. cap. 4. probatione 4. §. Iam vero §. 6. Gregory de valentia who grants as much as we desire Now to refute the cauils of Sectaries saith he Note we doe not say The Church is alwayes alike conspicuous or alwayes alike easie to be discerned For we know it is sometimes tossed with the waues of Errours Schismes Persecutions so that to the vnskilfull not wisely esteeming the reasons of Times and Circumstances of things it is hard to be knowen Which then specially happened when the perfidiousnesse of the Arians domineerd well neere in all the world For at that time wrote Saint Ierom that the ship of the Church was almost ouerwhelmed And Hilary admonished in many words that the Church at that time was not to be sought Jn tectis exteriori pompa sed potius in carceribus speluncis not in houses or Temples and outward pompe but rather in prisons and caues Therefore we deny not but that it is harder to discerne the Church one time then another But this we affirme that it may alwayes be knowne of them that weigh things wisely For in that very time when it seemed to be hid compared with the times foregoing it might be perceiued that the Church was not with the multitude of Innovators but rather with those few who followed that which the ancient Fathers of the Church and all the faithfull held with great consent and long continuance Thus writes Gregory of Valence §. 7. Out of which testimony I obserue 1 That he excludes the perpetuall and vn-interrupted glory of the Church as not necessary nor any marke of the Church as you and many of your side make it 2 He grants that the Church may be in a few and not alwayes in the great multitudes 3 It may be onely in secret places prisons dennes and caues and not be found in temples and houses 4 It may be hard to be discerned and knowne 5 It is discerned and knowne not to euery one but to them that weigh things wisely 6 It is not with Innovators such as bring in nouelties or new doctrines but with them that hold what the ancient Church and Fathers held with great consent and long continuance This note makes wholly for the Protestants who reform the Church according to the first and best times and against the Church of Rome which hath brought in the worshipping of Images the Popes supremacy halfe Communions priuate Masses sale of Pardons and other things vnknowne to the Fathers and the Primitiue Church Antiquus Of these things we shall consider hereafter §. 2. The
Protestant Church hath euermore beene so visible as the Church of Christ ought to be Subsection 1. § 1. for it hath euermore taught the same doctrine which the Scriptures and the Fathers taught § 2. As appeares by Irenaeus Tertullian and the Creedes But § 3. The Romists Cannot alleadge the Fathers for their new Doctrines Now proue your Protestant Church to haue beene so visible in all Ages as the Church of Christ ought to be or else you haue said nothing Antiquissimus It might be sufficient according to your owne Valentinianus to shew that our Church was sometime in some few and them hidden as the woman in the Wildernesse Reuel 12.6 and vnknowne to the greatest part of the world which weighed not times and things wisely and was slandered by the persecutors thereof as a false Church But I will not take all aduantages but giue you a full visibility thereof at all times Subsection 1. First I say §. 1. our Church for the doctrine thereof is the same which the Primitiue Church of Christ was for many ages For neither it nor ours taught any other points of faith necessary to saluation then such as are contained in plain places of the Scripture or necessarily deducted from them by good consequence When the Fathers are vrged against Bâ—llarmine in this point he yeeldeth 1 De verbo De lib. 4 cap. 11. §. his notatis that whatsoeuer the Apostles publikely taught to the people which was necessary all that they wrote 2 De iustific lib. 3. cap. 8. §. prima ratio This I haue proued more fully cap. That nothing can be certaine to be beleeued with the certainty of faith but what is immediately contained in the Word of God or thence deducted by euident consequence Now it is our Generall course to examine all doctrines by the Scriptures holding the Scriptures the vndoubted Oracles of God for the ground of all our beleefe King Iames praemonition to all Christian Monarks pag. 35 36. as the Fathers did and holding the true sense of the Scriptures as it is deliuered for all fundamentall points in the three Creeds and in the foure first generall Councells and the vniforme consent of the ancient Fathers In which is contained the full instruction for saluation and the vnity of the Catholicke Church §. 2. Jrenaeus Bishop of Lions in France liuing within 200 yeeres of our Sauiour a disciple of those that heard Saint Iohn the Apostle writing against the Heretickes Valentinians Gnosticks and others layeth downe in his first booke and 2 chapter no other Articles of faith and grounds of Religion then our ordinary Catechisme teacheth and in his third chapter sheweth that in the vnity of that faith all the Churches of Germany France Spaine the East Egypt Libya and all the world were founded therein they sweetly accorded as if they all dwelt in one house had all but one soule one heart and one mouth and this ground he laies for the confutation of all Heresies 〈…〉 â—b â—e praescript aduersâ—s heretiâ—o folâ—o qâ—arto The like doth Tertullian liuâ—ng 200 yeeres after Christ He giues the funâ—amâ—ntall points of Religion gathered out of the Scriptures and deliuered by the Churches the same which our Church deliuereth and no other for the rule of faith See King Iames Pâ—aemonition pâ—g 35. The three famous Creeds named the Apostles Athanasius and the Nicene Creeds ordayned for rules of Christians beleefe and badges differencing them from Infidels and Hereticks we hold intirely and firmely and proclaime them ordinarily in our Churches And whatsoeuer the Fathers held vniformely and agreed vpon as necessary to be beleeued vnto saluation we doe with reuerence receiue But the particular or priuate opinions which any of them held different from other Fathers doe not binde vs now more then those other Fathers then or the Romans at this present The foure first generall Councels with reuerence we receiue as Orthodoxe See B. Andrew Ad Bellarmine Apologiam Responsio cap. 7. pag. 161. and so they are acknowledged by our Church and by our Acts of Parliament The following Councels are subiect to some exceptions We therfore holding the same points of faith which the Primitiue Fathers held vniformely to be necessary to saluation and holding no other points that doe any way crosse or weaken them may iustly challenge them for our predecessors and their Church and ours in point of doctrine to be all one Antiquus §. 3. We challenge the same Fathers to bee ours also and we deduce both our Bishops and doctrine by good succession from them which you cannot doe But I require not of you a discourse of those times which either of vs lay alike claime vnto but of the times nearer vnto Luther Shew mee any visible Church in the world that held Luthers doctrine for 500. yeeres next before Luthers time Antiquissimus You may challenge the Primitiue Fathers for the points wherein you and we agree as the Canonicall Scriptures the doctrine of the Trinity in Vnity Baptisme and such like But you cannot challenge them to be yours in those additions and corruptions which they neuer knew and which you haue brought into the Church in later times and which make the great difference betwixt you and vs as the worshipping of Images the Popes pardons priuate Masses or Communion without communicating halfe Communions without the Cup the Popes transcendent supremacy and such like §. 4. But in calling vs to these later times you are good disciples of the Poet Horace who in his Arte Poetica saith A witty Poet must vse this Art The point which he hath no hope to burnish faire and bright he must leaue vntouched Et quae desperat tractata nitescere posse relinquit This is good Poetry indeed in them but pitifull Diuinity in you to leaue the best times and purest patternes and draw vs to the worst But Sectionis 2. Subsectio 2. § 1. Propounding 1 the Easternt and Greeke Churches 2 the Waldenses c. And 3 the Roman Church it selfe misliking and groaning vnder the tyranny of the Papacy and desiring reformation § 2. The Greeke Church condemned by the Romish as Hereticall § 3. Js cleered by Scotus Lombard Aquinas and others Now presupposing you yeeld vs those best times wherein our Church was very gloriously visible wee follow you to the worst Wherein you propose vnto you first the spacious and famous Churches of Grecia D. Field of the Church booke 3. cap. 5. Armenia Aethiopia and Russia which holding the same rule of faith which we hold and beleeuing all points absolutely necessary to saluation as we beleeue and refusing the same corruptions of the Church of Rome which we refuse were the same with our Church true Churches of God notwithstanding some defects errours and diuisions among them which stayned their beauty and hindered their perfection but did not cut them off from possibility of saluation And so for ought I know they continue till this
time These Churches therefore in the East South and North especially the Greeke Church so famous for many Ages before our Westerne reformation as for all other things so also for their separation from the Church of Rome for the enormities thereof wee may rightly call our predecessors which maintained our doctrine long before Luthers time Againe in the West wee propose vnto you the Waldenses separated from the Community of the Romish Hierarchy and their followers continuing vnto Luthers time And great numbers of others also that held Community with the Romish Hierarchy but misliked their tyranny and corruptions groaned vnder them longed for reformation and gladly embraced it when they found it What say you to these Antiquus I except against them all First §. â— against the Greeke Church which yet is farre better then the Armenian Aethiopian or Russian I say it is no Church at all both because it is cut off by Schisme from the Catholicke Roman Church and because it is hereticall in a fundamentall point denying the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne of God Antiquissimus See the answer to Mr. Fishers Relation to his third Conference by R. B. pag. 5 8. §. 3. You offend much against charity in condemning such famous Churches for separating from the particular Roman Church by Schisme and against verity by charging it with fundamentall heresie Of schisme afterwards now for the heresie It seemes by Scotus a Scotus in 1. Sent dist 11. quaest 1. that the Greekes held no other Heresie then Saint Basil and Gregory Nazianzen held 370 after Christ whom yet no man durst euer call Heretickes Surely out of their words as they expresse themselues saying That the Holy Ghost preceeds from the Father by the sonne and is the spirit of the sonne you cannot gather the denyall of the proceeding of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne or that they make the Sonne vnequall to the Father or make any difference in the consubstantiality of the persons If the manner of their speech by some great iudgements be condemned as incommodious and containing an errour yet happily not an errour simply fundamentall sufficient to cut them off from being a true Church Magister Sententiarum saith b Magister 1. Sent. dist 11. d. The Greekes from the Latines in this point Verbo discordant sensu non differunt And Scotus saith The difference is in voce in modo explicandi potius quam in re And Aquinas saith c Aquin. 1. part q. 36. art 2. in corâ—ore that Quidam Graecorum dicuntur concedere quod fit à Filio vel profluat ab eo non tamen quod procedat And whereas Damascene saith Spiritum per filium esse dicimus ex filio non dicimus d Bellar. de Christo lib. 2. cap 27. §. Responde digitur Bellarmine answeres with Bessarion and Genuadius that Damascen denies not spiritum sanctum procedere ex silio quod ad remattinet but thinkes it may be more safely said per filium quam ex filio for the manner of speech to auoyd the heresie of Macedonius and Eunomius who said the spirit proceeded from the Sonne as from the primary cause yea indeed the onely cause But saith Bellarmine as to auoyde the heresie of Macedonius it was rightly said Spiritum esse à Patre per filium so for the errour of the Grecians it is now more rightly said à patre et filio Lastly Thomas Aquinas e Aquin ib. part 1. q. 36. art 3. ad 1. saith Spiritus sanctus immediatè à Patre procedit in quantum est ab eo mediate in quantum est a Filio Et sic dicitur procedere à patre per filium Yet I hope you account not Saint Thomas an Hereticke To shut vp all without exception Azorius a learned Iesuite a choice man to deliuer the Roman doctrine as it is held at this day in his booke dedicated to Pope Clement 8. and Printed by the approbation of Claudius Aqua viva Generall of the Iesuites and of the Master of the sacred Palace c. He reckons the Grecians Armenians and other Christians of the East for Schismatickes onely because they obey not the Bishop of Romes gouernment but he excuseth them of heresies imputed vnto them Azorius Institut moral part 1. lib. 8. cap. 20. § Decimo quaeritur §. 3. A sufficient historicall discourse of the Waldenses in 4 Subsections The first of their doctrine the second of their great numbers and visibility the third of their large spreading into all Countries the fourth of their continuance aboue 400 yeeres vntill Luthers time and after Sectionis 3. Subsection 1. The Doctrine § 1. Of the Waldenses § 2. Their diuers names but all one and § 3. All of the Protestants Religion as say Aeneas Sylvius Du Bravius Poplinerius Cocleus Eckius Gretserus c. § 4. Many bad opinions badly falsely imputed to them § 5. Nine Articles different from the Protestants ascribed vnto them by Parsons the Iesuite but cleared by authenticke Authors Antiquissimus What say you then to them that refused the new doctrines and vsurpations of the Pope in these Westerne parts the Waldenses Albigenses Bohemians Antiquus You know our men count them all Heretickes Antiquissimus So they account vs and all that speake against their abuses but vniustly So was Saint Paul accounted by some but he answered as they and we may Acts 24 14. After the way which they call heresie so worship we the God of our Fathers beleeuing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets 15 And haue hope towards God which they themselues also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the iust and vniust 16 And herein wee exercise our selues to haue alwayes a conscience voyde of offence towards God and towards men But now the question is not whether they and we be heretickes or no but whether they were not of our faith and in number sufficient to make a visible Church Antiquus I deny both for neither were they of your Faith or Religion but differed much from you neither were they so great and visible a company as the Church ought to be § 2 Antiquissimus That they were of our Faith and our predecessors I proue first by your owne Writers confessions Who first did yeeld vs that these names Waldenses Albigenses Leonists or Pauperes de Lugduno Picards Bohemians Thaborists and such like were all one kinde of people for their faith and Religion and the diuersity of their names were giuen them by their enemies partly of the places of their inhabiting as Leonists and poore men of Lions a City in France Picards of the Countrey Picardy Albigenses of the City and Countrey of Albi Bohemians of Bohemia Thaborists of the Citie of Thabor c. and partly of their principall teachers as of Peter Waldus Waldenses of Peter Bruis Petrebrusians of Henry Ioseph Espernon Arnold Wiclife Hus Henricians
Iosephists Esperonists Arnoldists Wiclifists Hussits c. to omit other nick-names giuen them vpon other causes § 3 And now secondly that they were our fore-runners in the points of Religion wherein we differ from you your Writers shew plentifully a Hist Waldens Book 1. cap. 8. Aeneas Sylvius and Iohn du Bravius in their histories of Bohemia make the doctrine taught by Calvin all one with that of the Waldenses And the same Sylvius saith b Aeneas Sylv. hist Bohem. cap. 35. The Hussites did imbrace the opinions of the Waldenses And Hosius heres lib. 1. saith the leprosie of the Waldenses infected all Bohemia Lindanus in his Analyticke Tables makes Caluin inheritor of the Doctrine of the Waldenses Thomas Walden c VValden lib. 6. de reb Sacram. tit 12. cap. 10. saith The doctrine of the Waldenses crept out of the quarters of France into England meaning by Wiclife against whom he wrote d D. Vsher Gravis quaest cap. 8. §. 1. Poplinerius saith The Waldenses and Albigenses about the yeere 1100 and the succeeding times spread their doctrine parum differentem little differing from that which the Protestants now imbrace Lancelotus du voisin Poplinerius histor Franc. lib. 1. fol. 7. b. edit anno 1581. e Ib. cap. 9. §. 22. Gretserus the Iesuite calls the Albigenses Waldenses and Berengarians Caluinianorum atavos the Caluinists great grandfathers Gretser prolegâ—m in scripta edita contra Wald. cap. 5. f D. Abbot against Hill Reason 1. §. 18. Francis Guicciardin an Italian and Florentine Historian writing of the yeere 1520. lib. 13. saith that Luther set abroad the doctrine of the Bohemians naming Hus and Hierom. And Petrus Messias a Spaniard in the life of Wenceslaus mentioning the opinions of Hus and the Bohemians saith They were the seed of those errours as he cals them which were afterwards in Germany to wit taught by Luther g Ib. §. 29. And Iohannes Cocleus a man that had laboured in the story of the Hussites and set out bookes thereof and also wrote sharpely against Luther saith that Hus did commit spirituall fornication with many aliens with the Wiclivists the Dulcinists the Leonists the Waldenses the Albigenses and others of that sort enemies of the Church of Rome And he saith that Luther followed Hus his Doctrine lib. 2. de Actis scriptis Lutheri And cals the Lutherans new Hussites And againe lib. 3. and lib. 8. he saith that vnto his time till Luthers time and after there remained the sect of the Thaborites in many places of Bohemia and Moravia vnder the name of Picards and Waldenses h Histor Albigens lib. 1. cap. 8. Eckius in his common places cap. 28. saith Luther had done nothing else but renew the heresies of the Waldenses Albigenses Wiclife and Iohn Hus. § 4 Antiquus Sir our men deny not but these Waldenses and others were Luthers fore-runners in many things but they held some things which you are ashamed to hold and therefore were not of your Church or Religion Antiquissimus I know well that many errours were imputed to them which they neuer held As i B. Vsher Grauiss quaest cap. 10. §. 15. Bernardus Girardus the French Historian lib. 10. saith Although they had some ill opinions yet these did not so much stirre vp the hatred of the Pope and great Princes against them as their freedome in speech which they vsed in blaming and reprouing the vices dissolute manners life and actions of Princes Ecclesiasticall persons and the Pope himselfe That was the chiefe thing which drew the hatred of all vpon them effecit vt plures nefarie affingerentur eis opiniones à quibus omnino fuerant alieni this caused many wicked opinions to be deuised and fathered of them from which they were very free and guiltlesse k Ib. cap. 8. §. 28. Thuanus histor lib. 5. anno 1550. reckons vp their opinions thus They held that the Church of Rome because it had forsaken the true faith of Christ was that Whore of Babylon and that barren tree which Christ cursed and therefore we ought not to obey the Pope and Bishops which fostered his errours that the Monasticall life was the sinke and kennell of the Church the vowes thereof vaine and seruing onely for vnclean lusts that the Priests orders were notes of that beast mentioned in the Reuelation that purgatory fire sacrifice of the Masse Sanctuaries or hallowed places about Churches worshipping of Saints offerings for the dead were the Inuentions of Sathan Then he addeth To these certaine and chiefe heads of their doctrine alia afficta others are fained and deuised concerning Mariage resurrection the state of soules after death and of Meates l B. Iewel Apol. cap. 1. diuis 1. Bishop Jewell saith our ancient Christians were slandered that they made priuy meetings in the darke killed yong babes fed themselues with mens flesh and like Sauage and brute beasts did drinke their blood In conclusion how that after they had put out the Candles they committed adultery or incest one with another brethren with sisters sonnes with theiâ— mothers without shame or difference men without all Religion enemies of mankind vnworthy to be suffered in the world Thus they said of the ancient Christians and thus they said of the Waldenses most vniustly and vntruely of both you doubt not of the former let many of your owne Writers satisfie you of the later m Vsher grav qu. cap. 6. §. 11. Rainerius whose booke Gretserus the Iesuite lately set out among other Writers of the Waldenses saith The Waldenses were the most dangerous sect to the Church of all other for three causes the third whereof is that whereas other sects through the outragiousnesse of blasphemy against God worke a horrour in men this sect of the Leonists hath a great shew of piety because before men they liue iustly and of God they beleeue all things piously and hold all the articles contained in the Creed onely they blaspheme and hate the Roman Curch for which the multitude is easie to beleeue n Hist â—ald booke 1. cap. 5. Iacobus de Riberia in his collections of the Citie of Tholous saith the Waldenses wonne all credit from the Priests and made them little esteemed by the holinesse of their liues and excellency of their doctrine The like saith Rainerius cited ib. De forma haeret fol. 98. And Clauâ—ius de Scissel Archbishop of Turin saith they liued vnreproueably without reproach or scandall among men cited ib. In his Treatise against the Waldenses The B. of Canaillon sent a certaine Monke a Diuine Vesembec Oration of the Waldenses citat ib. to conferre and conuince the Waldenses of Merindal in Prouince who vpon his returne said He had not so much profited in all his life in the Scriptures as hee had done in those few dayes conference with the Waldenses Wherevpon the Bishop sent diuers Doctors to confound them but vpon their returne one of them said with a
Bishops and ordinary Pastora would or no and to vphold the Popes falling kingdome and withall to execute a most cruell Inquisition against hereticks for by that odious name were all good Christians branded that would not be subiect to the popes tyranny and Romish corruptions But all this being insufficient f Rigordus histor anni 1208. pag. 207. he published his Croysadoes promising pardon of all sinnes and the ioyes of heauen to all that would take the signe of the crosse vpon their Coates or Armour and become souldiers against the Waldenses and continue in the warre for forty dayes together after they came or that happened to dye in their way comming thither A very politicke and a thrifty course he promised paradise and eternall life very liberally to his crossed souldiers but bestowed not one crosse of siluer to maintaine them But withall they that were once crossed thus for the holy warres in what land soeuer were no longer the Kings subiects but the popes neither might they be arrested sued or troubled for any debts or actions but must be suffered freely to goe about to prepare themselues and all men must thinke it a holy and meritorious deed to furnish and ayde them with whatsoeuer they needed and account them the vndoubted citizens of heauen whether they liued or dyed Thus the politicke pope turned the Croysadoes and Armies ordained to goe against Christs enemies the Sarazens or Turkes now to goe against the popes own enemies Christians the best seruants of Christ g Gretserus Prolegom in scripta edita contra Waldens cap. 6. Vsh ib. cap. 9. §. 4 5. The Catholicks saith your Iesuite Gretser which tooke the badge of the crosse vpon them to warre and roote out the hereticks Albigenses or Waldenses were promised to enioy the same Indulgence and be guarded with the same holy priuiledge which was granted to them that warred against the Turke for defence of the holy Land And further the better to gather numbers of souldiers in euery place h Vmbert Burgund Serm. part 2. serm 64. the pope vsed the helpe of Preachers to stirre vp the people And the Preachers taking this or some such like text Psal 94.16 Who will rise vp for me against the euill doere or who will stand vp for me against the workers of Iniquity would commonly conclude their Sermons with this exhortation Behold deare Brethren you see the malice of the Heretickes you see how much hurt they doe in the world and you see againe how carefully and by all holy meanes the Church doth labour to recall and recouer them but with such men she cannot preuaile no they defend themselues with the secular power And therefore our holy mother the Church sore against her will and with great sorrow is compelled to call together a Christian army against them Whosoeuer therefore hath any zeale of Religion whosoeuer is touched with the honour of God whosoeuer desireth to be a partaker of that great Jndulgence let him take vpon him the signe of the crosse and ioyne himselfe to the army of our Lord crucified By these meanes the pope drew out of all parts an innumerable company of Souldiers in the yeere 1209. conducted by many Bishops Earles and Barons c. The King of France himselfe saith Guilielmus Armoricanus sent fifteene thousand at his owne charge giuing example to others This great Army in short time tooke one great strong populous City * Vrbem Biturensem and put to the sword threescore thousand among whom were many of their owne Catholickes i Caesarius Heisterbachensis histor lib. 5. cap. 21. Let our English Catholicks consider what they are to looke for in like cases of our enemies preuailing For Arnoldus the Cistercian Abbot being the Popes Legate in this great Warre commanded the Captaines and souldiers saying Cedite eos novit enim Dominus qui sunt ejus Kill them all Catholicks or Hereticks for the Lord knoweth who are his Then the Army marched on to Carcasson a City both of it selfe strong and well manned not likely without strong siege effusion of much blood and great losse of time to be taken with this great Army and therefore the Leaders were glad to gaine it by composition suffering a woâ—ld of people of the Albigenses religion thence to depart so they would leaue the City vnweakned and vndefaced which City thus gotten §. 4. they made the head City of the warre which they foresaw would be very long the number strength and resolution of the Albigenses being very great k Vsher cap. 10. §. 26. This City tnerefore they fortified and furnished with all manner of store for all future euents and made Simon of Montfort a Noble man highly descended and allied to the Kings of England and of France gouernour of the City and generall of the whole Army and Lord of all the Land already conquered or to bee conquered by these warres The cunning Legat to get the great Earle of Beziers into his hands perswaded him with faire promises and safe conduct to come to a parley l Vsh ib. Hist Albig booke 1. cap. 6 7. and when he had him in his power contrary to promise tooke him prisoner saying that faith is not to be kept with Hereticks He dyed shortly after in prison suspected by poyson and Simon Montfort succeeded him in his Lands and in a monethes space tooke an hundred Castles with much slaughter of the Albigenses and their fauourers But this course of victories had interchanges of losses For the Gentlemen of the Vicounty of Beziers by secret instructions of the King of Aragon tooke such aduantages that Simon was faine to send to all the Prelates of Europe for new supplies affirming hee had lost aboue forty Townes and Castles since the last departure of the Pilgrimes Then Simon taking the Castle of Beron neere vnto Montreal caused the eyes of aboue an hundred Albigenses to be put out and their noses cut off leauing onely one with one eye to conduct the rest to Cabaret §. 7. See ib. and the Authors there alledged The new pilgrimes or crossed souldiers arriuing the next yeere 1210 Simon taketh Minerbe a strong Castle situate vpon the Frontiers of Spaine where 140. some say 180 men and women chose rather to bee burned on earth then in hell for changing their Religion Among many other hee tooke also the Castle of Thermes and Remond lord of the place and Countrey spoyling all with fire euen the lord also his wife sister daughter and other Nobles for their constancy in their old faith m Vsher ibid. §. 9 seq Caesarius hist lib. 5. cap. 21. The next yeere also 1211. §. 6. another great Army arriued which tooke many Cities and Castles hanging and burning many of the Albigenses and besieged Lavallis a towne strongly fortified and defended during which siege others of the Religion tooke Montem gaudij and flue great numbers of the Pontificians But after along siege Lauallis
yeere 1228 thrice in that Summer did the Earle of Tolous ouerthrow the French Armies In the end peace was offered to the Earle by Legates from Rome and from the French King and confirmed vpon condition that he should root out all of the Religion of the Albigenses in his Countries Which hee vndertaking â—â—aâ—c â—â—gna 〈◊〉 11 Vâ—â—â—t 〈◊〉 1 8â— Massâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—sh â—5 Vâ—â—â—â— cap. 10. 〈◊〉 seq was absolued from his excommunication Tolous reconciled and at Tolous in the yeere 1229. a Councell was held against Heretickes and shortly after another Councell at Narbona and a third at Biterras In which Councels it was finally concluded that all guilty persons should abjure their heresies that the houses of Heretickes should be demolished c also many strait statutes were made at Tolous against the Albigenses anno 1233. What say you Antiquus were not here great numbers visible enough and mighty against whom so great Armies were so often raised throughout Christendome so mighty Warres made to bring them vnder the popes subiection such miserable massacres and bloodshed of so many thousands and yet could neuer subdue them Antiquus You relate more then euer I heard §. 11. or read or euer imagined could be said for this point I haue alwayes thought and so haue beene taught that there was neuer any great assemblies or numbers of your Religion but some few single simple obscure persons that haply held some points with you and many points different from you nor euer any multitude nor any of worth or respect that opposed the Church of Rome Antiquissimus It is very likely that ignorance was the mother of your deuotion to that Church wherein not onely the light of the Scriptures but also the histories of the Church and of States that would discouer these things are kept from you by your politicke Leaders and your selues are willingly blinded and affected with that selfe-pleasing idle-ignorance But if you did iudicially reade your own Authors which write these things at large or ours which collect them more briefely and confirme them strongly by yours out of which I haue abridged my short Narration you could not but manifestly see and admire the tyranny of your popes that thus sought the rule and riches of the world and both the multitude and constancy of Gods seruants who sought the saluation of their soules with contempt of the world and their owne liues Sectionis 3. Subsectio 3. The Waldenses were spred into all Countries namely for example Spaine England Scotland Italy Germany Bohemia Saxony Pomerania Polonia Livonia Lituania Digonicia Bulgaria Croatia Dalmatia Constantinople Sclavonia Sarmatia Philadelphia in all parts of France In Italy also they had Churches in Lombardy Millan Romagnia Vicence Florence val Spoletine c. Antiquus But Sir all you haue yet said for ought I conceiue concernes but one part of France and that for a short time some twenty or thirty yeeres Suppose your Religion had abundance of open professors in that little place for that little time what is a small part of France to all Christendome and what are so few yeeres to such succession and continuance as the Church of God must haue throughout all Ages Antiquissimus If you desire satisfaction rather then contention truth rather then victory or victory onely ioyned with the truth you may gather sufficient out of that I haue said to satisfie you but to shew this point more distinctly which in the lumpe it may bee you obserued not first I cited out of your a Subsect 2. §. 1. lit a Rainerius that there were three causes of danger to the papacy from the Waldenses whereof the second was because there was almost no Countrey free into which that sect had not entred and out of b Ib. lit c Polinerius that the Waldenses were spread not onely throughout France but almost throughout all the Countries of Europe For the French Spanish English Scots Jtalians Germans Bohemians Saxons Polonians Lithuanians and other Nations haue strongly defended it yea and he addeth euen to this day And out of c Ib. lit d. Gretserus your Iesuite yet liuing that scarce any Region or Nation remained fâ—ee and vntouched of it And your d Matth. Paris ib. §. 8 9 Mathy Paris saith The Albigenses were so mighty in the parts of Bulgaria Croatia and Dalmatia that they also drew Bishops besides many others of those Regions to their parties And that the Waldenses were not onely in one part of France but spred thorow all the parts thereof §. 2. History of the Waldenses book 2 cap. 2. the history of the Waldenses gathered out of authenticke Records and publike writers of your owne side sheweth abundantly and in seuerall Chapters of the seuerall places Insomuch that the Archbishops of Aix Arles and Narbonne assembled at Avignion anno 1228. about the difficulties of the executions of those which the Dominican Fryers had accused said plainly There were so many apprehended that it was not possible to defray the charge of their fooding nor to find enough lime and stone to build prisons for them In the third Chapter mention is made of many Churches of the Waldenses in Daeuphine Piedmont Province Calabria and of great numbers of them in the Diocesse of Aix Arles Ambrun Vienna Aubonue Savoy the Venetian Countrey Dyois Forrests the Principality of Orenge the City of Avignion and Selon More particularly in the fourth Chapter are described the persecutions in Piedmont In the fift Chapter of the Marquisate of Saluces and nere thereunto from whence aboue fiue hundred families were banished In the sixt Chapter in the new lands and in the Alpes In the seuenth Chapter in Calabria where the Gentlemen vsed meanes to continue the Waldenses a long time without persecution because they were exceeding good Tenents made the ground formerly barren very fruitfull by their diligent husbandry payd great Rents discharged all duties were honest iust innocent peaceable and dutifull and paid good Tithes to their Parsons such as in former times the ground would not yeeld Yet in the end they were miserably persecuted and killed vp because they would not yeeld to the Romish doctrine gouernment and ceremonies which they abhorred worse then death The Romish Inquisitor Pauza cut the throats of fourescore of them as a Butcher doth his Muttons and set vp their quarters on stakes in the high wayes and hanged others Threescore women of Christ were racked and most of them perished nine of the chiefest and handsomest women were deliuered to the Fathers of the Inquisition and what became of them it is vnknowen The eighth Chapter describes them of Province the parts of Cabriers Meridal la Coste and other places adioyning with their great persecutions and massacres §. 3. The ninth tenth and eleuenth Chapters speake of their further spreading in great numbers in Bohemia and Austria and of the Communion by letters and messengers betwixt them And of many in Germany especially in Alsatia About anno
that the pope and his Clergy haue engrossed the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen into their custody and neither enter themselues nor suffer others to enter he disallowed Transubstantiation Masses Offices Canonicall houres and other Battologies from Baptisme he remoued the Chrisme and taught that the faithfull ought to be baptized with simple water as Christ did he disallowed Auricular confession the papists doctrine of penance satisfaction and worship of Relickes and the Inuocation of Saints whom he called Seruants not Gods for the word Knaue which he vsed signified in those dayes a seruant not as it doth in our dayes a wicked Varlet as his enemies malitiously interpret it Bellarmine for one a man vtterly ignorant of the English tongue Hee reiected humane rites new shadowes and traditions he denyed it to be lawfull for any man to adde any thing to the religion contained in holy Scriptures and to make it harder as hee complained the pope had done hee thought fit that the pallaces and all that pompe and maiesty of the Pope and also diuers degrees of the Spiritualty should be taken away he condemned the orders of Monks as superstitious impious and very hurtfull to true Religion and said they were to be forsaken as soone as could be he defended the holy Communion in both kindes he wrote as Aeneas Sylvius witnesseth aboue two hundred volumes mostwhat against the impious liues traditions and abuses of the Popes Monkes and Clergy for which he liued a while in banishment but at last being restored he had many fauourers as appeateth by the writings of Walden Knights and Peeres of the Land who in places vnder their gouernment abolished Images and cast out other rites of the Popes He flourished anno Dom. 1360. See Bale century 6. chap 1. These were the points of doctrine which Wiclife taught for which and other such like fathered vpon him he was condemned by the Councell of Constance forty yeeres after he was dead and his bones digged vp and burned D. Abbot contra Hill reason 1. §. 25. Histor Waldens lib. 2. cap. 12. His preaching while he liued was euident and so powerfull that beside the Vniuersity of Oxford it gained him many great fauourers of the Nobility as John of Gaunt and the Lord Henry Percy the one Duke of Lancaster the other Marshall of England Fox ex Regisiro Ceâ—â—tney Aot Parlam An. 5. Rich. 2. cap. 5. also Lewis Gifford and the Chancellour the Earle of Salisbury and in a manner all the inferiour people among whom it was preached in many places in Churches Churchyards Markets Faires and other places of great Congregations so generally commonly publikely with such plainnesse and euidency of the truth and notoriousnesse of the abuses which he reprooued that it wonne all mens assent and liking and tooke so large and deep root that it could not be rooted out Gabriel Powel De Antichristo edit Lond. 1605. in praefatione by all the meanes that for many yeeres after his death the popes Princes Bishops and their officers could deuise or vse Gabriel Powel reckons vp a great number of Diuines of that one Vniuersity of Oxford beside all others that from time to time and age to age euen to Luthers time maintained Wiclifes doctrine in England and many of them were persecused and put to death for it of which number these are some Vtred Bolton anno 1380. Io. Bale cent 6. cap. 85. and John Ashwarby fellow of Oriel Colledge Doctor of Diuinity Pastor of S. Maries in Oxford both of them much troubled for preaching and promoting Wiclifes doctrine the same yeere anno 1380. Iohn Ashton Fellow of Merton Colledge anno 1382. Ib. cap. 78. persecuted and finally condemned to perpetuall prison Philip Repington of Merton Colledge Ib. cap 90. afterwards Bishop of Lincolne 1382. Nicholas Herford Doctor of Diuinity Jb. cap 92. he taught that there was nothing in Wiclifes Doctrine disagreeing from the holy Scriptures 1382. Walter Brute of Merton Colledge Ex catalogo sociorum Merton Fox act tom â— Bale cenâ— â— cap. 2. ib. cap. 10. persecuted by the Bishop of Hereford 1390. Peter Pateshal preached Wiclifes doctrine ordinarily at London and in the Court auoyded persecution by flying into Bohemia 1390. At the same time Richard With of Merton Colledge preached the same doctrine Henry Crumpe an Irish man Doctor of Diuinity in Oxford Ib. cent 14. cap. 58. Ex Waldeni fasciculo zizaniorum first an aduersary to Wiclife but after conuicted by his doctrine taught it boldly and being therefore persecuted by the Bishops fled into Ireland and there was long imprisoned by a Bishop 1393. Catal. sociorum Mert. Richard Wimbleton Fellow of Merton Colledge 1394. Fox act monu William Sawtrer a Diuine of Oxford imprisoned degraded and finally burned by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury 1400. Fox tom 1. William Swinderby of Kings Colledge in Oxford after preacher at Leicester taught Wiclifes doctrine being maintained by the Inhabitants against their Bishops will at last taken was compelled to recant but shortly after repenting and gathering strength and renuing his doctrine he was burned in Smithfield 1401. Walsing in chron Thomas Ocleue maintained the doctrine of Wiclife and Berengarius publikely in the schooles at Oxford 1410. Ludovic Rabus in 3 parte de martyr Fox to â—1 Fox ib. William Thorp Fellow of Queenes Colledge in Oxford examined imprisoned and there secretly put to death by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury 1407. Laurence Redman Dauid Sawtrey William Iames Thomas Brightwell William Hawlam Radulph Greenhurst Iohn Schut grieuously persecuted by the popes friends 1420. Capgraue lib. 1. de nobilibus Hen. Fox tom 1. Sir Iohn Oldcastle Lord Cobham student in Oxford vnder William Thorp after many warres and victories for his Prince and Countrey imbracing Wiclifes doctrine with other Lords and Knights Iohn Clenborow Lewis Clifford Richard Sture Thomas Latimer William Neuel John Montacute he was lastly accused before the Archbishop of Canterbury and finally condemned and burned in Saint Giles fields 1417. Puruey in com in Apoc. Bale cent 7. cap. 50. John Puruey who wrote a learned Commentary vpon the Reuelation reprouing the pope as Antichrist and the Babylonian whore complained that many before him who had oppugned this spirituall Babylon had bin imprisoned killed and their bookes burnt and that none was suffered to preach but such as first sware obedience to the pope He was secretly made away in prison by the Archbishops appointment 1421. William White Fellow of Wickam Colledge Fox tom 1. for his preaching was taken by the Archbishop and compelled to recant 1424. but quickly repenting and publikely confessing his weaknesse and inconstancy with great lamentation and renuing his former doctrine at last hee was taken and condemned to the fire by the Bishop of Norwich 1428. Richard Wiche Fellow of Wickam Colledge Ibid. burnt for the like profession 1428. Peter Clerke an Oxford Diuine
and dutifulnesse he much pâ—ttied them r Hist Wald. book 2. cap. 8. And one Guerin an aduocate was hanged for falsely informing the King against them But the Ecclesiastickes persecuted and massacred them cruelly Ibid. cap. 4. In this Kings time the VValdenses sent two of their Pastors one George Morell of Frassiniers in Dauphine the other Peter Masson of Burgundy to the Protestant Ministers to wit to Oecolampadius Minister at Basse to Capito and Martin Bucer at Strasburg and to Berthaud Haller at Berne to conferre with them about some points of Religion where they found so great agreement in their faith with equall mislikes of the Romish corruptions that they much reioyced and praised God that had continued them and their fathers in the truth of that doctrine aboue foure hundred yeeres in in the middest of many troubles as they write The letters passing betweene them are to be seene in the History Å¿ Ibid. cap. 8. lib. 1. cap. 6. The like letters passed betwixt Preachers of the VValdenses and Calvin t To be seene among Calvins Epistles Epist 250. I hope I haue satisfied you concerning these VValdenses first that they were fully of our Religion u Sâ—bsection 3. subsect 1. Secondly that they were in great numbers and made great visible Churches x Subsect 2. Thirdly that they were spread in diuers Countries y Subsect 3. Fourthly that they continued from the time of your great Revolt from the purity of Religion vnto the late and more publike Reformation by M. Luther z Subsect 4. Antiquus Indeed you haue said very much both for the Greeke or East Church that it held your faith and so continueth and also for these Separatists the VValdenses in the West But you * Section 2. subsect 2. mentioned a third part that many continuing in outward communion with the Church of Rome were yet truely of your Faith and Religion let me heare what you say of that part and you shall haue my reply against them all Section 4. § 1. The Church of Rome excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof continued to be the Church of God vntill Luthers time proued by many Protestant Diuines § 2. Their Reasons § 3. But now then the state of that Church is much altered since the new light in Luthers time and since fully discouering the corruptions thereof § 4. And since the great alteration made by the Councell of Trent Antiquissimus I say first that I haue already alledged a great number liuing in community with Papists in outward Ceremonies which yet in substance of Religion were ours and not yours as the followers of Wiclifes doctrine and other teachers in all Countries which were innumerable as may appeare by my former Relation many of them being persecuted for it and many other knowne among themselues but concealing themselues from theâ—r persecutors §. 1. B. Vsher B. White Mr. Ric. Hocker But now I say further with D. Field Luther Calvin Beza Morney Melanchthon Bucer Mr. Deering Bishop Carlton and many other learned Protestants that setting aside the pope and Cardinals and their Hierarchy with the maintainers thereof which I account no part of the Church but a domineering faction tyrannizing ouer the Church the Church of Rome consisting of the rest which were innumerable continued to be the Church of God and in substance all one with vs vntill Luthers time Thus teacheth Doctor Field Of the Church Booke 3. chapter 6. And in the 8 chapter he addeth although we doe acknowledge Wiclife Hus Jerom of Prage and the like to haue been the worthy seruants of God and holy Martyrs and Confessors suffering for the cause of Christ against Antichrist yea we doe not thinke that the Church was found onely in them or that there were no other appearance or succession of the Church and Ministery as Stapleton and other of that faction falsely impute vnto vs. For we most firmely beleeue all the Churches in the world wherein our Fathers liued and dyed to haue beene the true Churches of God in which vndoubtedly saluation was to be found and that they which taught embraced and beleeued those damnable errours which the Romanists now defend against vs were a faction onely in the Churches as were they that denyed the Resurrection vrged Circumcision and despised the Apostles of Christ in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia This matter D. Field prosecuteth there and also in the Appendix to the fift booke part 3 pag. 7. Luther is also alleadged by Bellarmine De not is Ecclesiae cap. 16. out of his booke against the Anabaptists we confesse saith Luther that vnder the Papacy there was much good yea all Christian good and it came thence vnto vs the true Scriptures two true Sacraments true keyes for remission of sinnes true office of preaching true Catechisme as are the Lords Prayer the tenne Commandements the Articles of Faith Yea I say moreouer that vnder the papacy was true Christianity yea the very kernell of Christianity Calvin in his fourth booke of Jnstitutions chap. 2. § 11. saith That God suffered not his Church to perish in France Italy Germany Spaine and England hauing made his Couenant with them but it continued there through effectuall Baptisme and other remainders though for mens ingratitude he suffered the building to be much wasted rent and torne Beza in his questions saith The Church was vnder the papacy but the papacy was not the Church Master Perkins hath the like in his Exposition of the Creed pag. 405. edit Cambridge 1596. Morney in his Treatise of the Church chapt 9. In the later end deliuereth the same That vnder the papacy was the Church and Flocke of Christ but gouerned partly by hirelings partly by wolues and that Antichrist held it by the throat the people were of the Christian Common-wealth but the pope with his faction a Catiline to set it on fire whom Cicero fitly calleth a plague and not a part of the Common-wealth borne Ex luxu reipublicae as an impostume or disease is no part of the body but a corruption bringing dammage and death Bucer and Melancthon teach the same Mr. Edward Deering in his Lectures preached in Pauls Church in London vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes Lecture 23. pag. 374. hath these words In this was the great goodnesse of God that in time to come his children might assuredly know hee reserued to himselfe a Church euen in the middest of all desolation and that hee called them by his word and confirmed by his Sacraments euen as at this day For seeing there could be no sinne so great but faith in Jesus Christ scattereth it all away it was impossible that the man of sinne doth not so much adulterate either the Word of God but that it should be to the faithfull a Gospell of saluation or else the Sacramenta of God but that they should be pledges of eternall life to those that did beleeue And a little after God of his infinite
goodnesse who calleth things that are not as though they were euen in that Ministery gaue grace vnto his Saints Bishop Carlton wrote a booke of purpose entituled Consensus Ecclesiae catholica contra Tridentines to shew that although the doctrine of Christian Religion was much altered in the chiefest Articles of Faith by Fryers yet a great number of godly learned men held the ancient truth and preserued the Church vntill the times of Reformation and that the Reformed Churches still continue the same and are separated onely from the Roman Court so farre as the Roman Court had separated it selfe from the Roman Church and that our Fathers and Ancestors liuing dying in the Roman Church had sufficient meanes to bring them to saluation And this he sheweth in the seuerall discourses of the principall fundamentall points of faith See of this matter also Bishop Vsher De successione Ecclesiarum cap. 6 § 8 9. and his Sermon And Archbishop Abbot against Hill Reason 5. § 28. And Mr. Richard Hookers discourse of Iustification §. 2. Their Reasons are I. The corruptions in the Roman Church sprung not vp all at once nor came to their full height vntill these late yeres and were not so dangerous in their Spring as in their full growth and strength D. Field book 3. chap. 6. Of the Church Append to the 5. booke part 3. pag. 8. c. II. They were not generally receiued by all men nor as the vndoubted determinations of the Church but controuerted and variously disputed among the learned and holden with great liberty of iudgement by the greatest Doctors as appeares by thier owne bookes of Controuersies written by Bellarmine Suares Azorius c. which confute their owne writers as much as they doe Protestants and by those 27 points which D. Field mentions in his Appendixe to the seuenth Chapter of the third booke of the Church printed at the end of the fourth booke for had they beene the vndoubted doctrines and determinations of the Church all men would haue holden them vniformely entirely and constantly as they held the doctrine of the Trinity and other articles of the Faith As long therefore as men yeelded outward obedience to the Church-ceremonies without scandall and in other things were suffered to abound in their owne sence there was no such danger in holding the right faith III. Our forefathers held the true foundation of Religion that is Iustification and Saluation by Iesus Christ his merits onely and so were taught ordinarily in their bookes of visitation and consolation of the sicke * As we shall shew in the article of Iustification and they erred onely in points inferiour of lesse moment and danger which defaced indeed and blemished but did not nullifie or take away the beeing of the Church Diseases in the heart braine liuer and vitall parts are dangerous and deadly but wounds or blemishes in the fleshly sensuall or organicall parts onely as the hands feet eares eyes c. doe onely impaire the beauty and actions but endanger not the life nor cut of hope of recouery Greg. Nissen de opific. hom cap. vlt. It is Saint Gregory Nissens Simile So saith he it is with the Church of God and Religion A man is a man while he hath life though he be sore diseased as Naaman was in his leprosie IIII. They misliked and derided as Chawcers plowman many of their ceremonies and idle things as holy water pardons relickes c. and deplored the greater corruptions and abuses and cryed for reformation most readily receiuing it when it came V. In what they erred they erred ignorantly Aug de vtilitate credendi ad Honorat Idem epist 162. ad Donat. with mindes ready to be reformed vpon better information Saint Augustine puts a difference betwixt Heretickes and them that beleeue Heretickes And he saith They that defend an opinion false and peruerse without pertinacious animosity especially which not the boldnesse of their owne presumption hath begotten but which from their seduced and erroneous Parents they haue receiued and themselues doe seeke the truth with care and diligence ready to amend their errour when they find the truth they are in no wise to be reckoned among Heretickes This was the case of our fathers vnder the Papacy VI. If any did erre in points fundamentall as long as they denyed not the foundation directly See of this more chap. 4. sect 3. for that is plaine infidelity or apostacy and quite cuts them off from the Church if they did it onely vpon meere ignorance with a mind ready to reforme their errour vpon better instruction those were still the accounted members of the true Church For this was the case of the Corinthians denying the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15.10 and of the Galatians erring dangerously about Iustification Gal. 3.3 4 5. 5.4 whom yet Saint Paul calles Churches of God 1 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.2 and doubtlesse he would not haue taken such paines to write vnto them except he had so thought them and had hope to find them tractable and recouerable §. 3. Antiquus Sir I heartily thanke you I need heare no more nor trouble you any longer since you allow the Church of Rome to be the true Church of God wherein saluation may be had and you alledge great Doctors of your owne side and good reasons for it I am satisfied I haue no reason to cleaue to your Church which all our Catholickes condemne for hereticall and schismaticall and to leaue the Roman which you acknowledge to be the true Church wherein saluation is to be had The Roman Church is iustified on all hands by friends and enemies to be safe yours is condemned of all but your selues I will take my leaue See this more at large in D. Field in the places before alledged and B. Carlton Iurisdiction consensus c. Antiquissimus Stay good sir and draw no more out of my words then they yeeld you I spake of the Church of Rome as it was till Luthers time and you conclude of the Church of Rome as it is now Deceiue not your selfe there is great difference betwixt them betwixt the times then and now and betwixt that Church then and now In those times the errours of our forefathers were of meere ignorance what they perceiued to be euill they misliked they desired knowledge they wished many things reformed and gladly embraced reformation when they found it comming But now it is all otherwise now men are admonished of their errours offer is made them to be better instructed and yet either they dote on their owne old opinions vnwilling to be instructed in the reuealed truth or after sufficient knowledge and conviction for some worldly respects they wilfully and obstinately persist in their old errours and which is farre worse they hate and persecute the maintainers of the truth Saint Cyprian saith if any of our predecessors Cypr. ep 63. §. 13. either of ignorance or simplicity
hath not obserued and held that which our Lord hath taught vs by his Word and example by the Lords indulgence pardon may be granted to his simplicity but to vs that are now admonished and instructed of the Lord pardon cannot be granted The ignorance therefore wherein our Fathers were bred and trained freed them from the danger of those things which being well vnderstood and knowne B. Vsher serm at Wansâ—ed pag. 39. might haue beene preiudiciall to their soules health They knew not these depthes of Satan they could not diue into the bottome of such mysteries of iniquity This was a good and a happy ignorance vnto them But this ignorance is now taken from you Reuel 2.24 and a more happy knowledge offered you happy if you haue grace to receiue it if not then remember that Iohn 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darkenesse more then the light And Iohn 15.22 If J had not come and spoken vnto them saith our Sauiour they had not had any sinne but now haue they no cloake or excuse for their sinne There is therfore great difference of the former times and these then meanes of better knowledge was denied to our Fathers now it is afforded to you that gaue some excuse to them this takes all excuse from you They that walke in the night though they stumble and fall foile and soile themselues yea hurt their bodies and teare their cloathes by rushing vpon bushes or into bogges yet are ordinarily pittâ—ed and pardoned yea and commended for their desire and paines to finde home but so are not they that rush into the same euils in the faire day-light God pittieth the blinde that would faine see and cannot but will hee pitty them that may see and will not that harden themselues in their affected wilfull blindnesse He deliuered Jonas from drowning in the bottome of the Sea Vsher ibid. pag. 41. will you plunge your selues therefore to see if God will deliuer you Because wee grant that some may scape death in Cities and Streets infected with the plague will you therefore chuse to take vp your lodging in a Pest-house If you doe we may well say Lord haue mercy vpon you but you may iustly feare that you dangerously tempt the Lord to deliuer you vp to the efficacy of delusion and damnation 2 Thess 2.10.11.12 You see therefore a manifest difference of the times the times of darkenesse before and the times of light now §. 4. Marke now also another difference of the Roman Church as it was in those times and as it is now In those times the errours that were D. Field Church booke 3. chap. 6. cap. 47. Append. were the errours of some men onely in that Church now they are the errours of the whole Church In those times men might be of that Church and not of that faction now that Church and faction are all one B. Carlton The faction hath so preuailed by the Art of the Councell of Trent that the errours which some held before now all of that Church must hold Before they were held with much liberty of iudgement they were not determined men might assent or dissent and abound in their owne opinions now they are all made De fide the absolute determinations of that Church and imposed vpon all men vnder paine of Anathema or curses annexed That Councell being wholly ruled by the meere faction of the Papacy hath quite altered the state of that Church taking away all liberty that former Ages enioyed in many things and making many new points of faith which were not so before Therefore before the Councell of Trent D. Hall Columba Noe. men might doe well in that Church when meat being set before them they might picke out the worst and eat the best picke out the vnwholsome and feed on the wholsome picke the worme out of the apple pare away the corrupted and eat the sound take the Spider out of the bowle of Wine before they drinke it But now where they are cursed if they eat not all and compelled to drinke downe all they that loue their liues must take heed of that society To answer your question therefore directly Where was the Protestant Church before Luthers time that is where was any Church in the world that taught that doctrine which the Protestants now teach Sect. 2. subsect 2. I say it was not onely apparant enough in the Greeke and Easterne Churches and in the open separatists Waldenses Section 3. c. from the Romish corruptions in these Westerne parts Section 4. but it was also within the community of the Romish Church it selfe Euen there as in a large field grew much good corne among tares and weeds Lib. 1. cap. 1. there as in a great Barne Heape or Garner was preserued much pure Graine mixed with store of chaffe And as I said in the beginning of our Conference there is no other d fference betwixt the Reformed and the Romish Church then betwixt a field well weeded §. 5. D. Field Church Booke 3. cap. 6. and the same field formerly ouergrowne with weedes or betwixt heape of corne now well winnowed and the same a heape lately mixed with chaffe And if it be a vaine and friuolous thing to say B. Vsher ser ibid. pag. 48. It is not the same field or the same Corne now after the weeding and fanning as vaine and friuolous it is to say the Church is not the same it was or in the same place after it is swept and clensed of the filth and dust or to say the Churches of Corinth and Galatia after their reformation occasioned by Saint Pauls writing were new Churches and not the same they were before because that in them before the Resurrection was denied Circumcision practised Discipline neglected Christs Apostles contemned which things now are not found in them or to say Naaman was not still the same person because before he was a leper and now is clensed As long as we can demonstrate that nothing is altered that doth constitute the Church or is of the true essence or being of it the Church is the same it was onely the leprosie and other corruptions are clensed away and the health beauty and better habit restored that it may more comfortably breed and bring vp children to God and heires of saluation And this is the blessed and long-wished alteration that we haue made And I would to God you had not made an vnworthy altration from a corrupt Church to a farre worse and either altogether or very neere none at all by continuing encreasing establishing the corruptions you found making them now De fide points of faith compelling all to receiue them and persecuting euen to extirpation as farre as by power and policy you can the gainesayers of them See before sect 4. §. 4 initio If the Protestant Church be new yours is newer The
marriage which the Church of England still obserueth Concil Laodice cap. 25. Bellar. De Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 31. §. Alterum imped §. Ratio hujus Concil Trident. session 24. ca. 10 1 From Aduent to the Epiphany 2 From Septuagesima vntill a weeke after Easter 3 From the dayes of Rogation vntill a weeke after Whitsontide But the late Councell of Trent hath onely continued the first entire cut the second shorter by 16 dayes beginning with Lent and ending a weeke after Easter and the third it hath quite cut off Concil Trident. sess 24. canon 3. 2 The degrees prohibiting marriage both enlarged and abridged For the Councell of Trent hath this Canon If any man say that the degrees onely expressed in Leuiticus of consanguinity and affinity doe hinder the contracting of Matrimony and dissolue it being contracted and that the Church hath not power to dispense in some of them or constitute that more degrees may hinder and dissolue let him be Anathema Here is a change of Gods law loosing where God hath bound binding where God hath loosed And they accursed that grant not this power to the Roman Church Bellarmine de Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 29. initio And here is a change of the Churches custome also For Bellarmine addeth Recte Catholica Ecclesia conjugia prohibuit olim vsque ad septimum postea vero vsque ad quartium gradum consanguinitatis affinitatis The Catholicke Church in former time rightly forbad marriage to the seuenth degree and afterwards to the fourth degree of consanguinity and affinity Concil Trid. sess 21. cap. 3. canon 1 2 3. 3 And yet the Church of Rome is bolder euen to change Christs owne Ordinance and Institution of the Blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood denying the Cup to the people and accursing them that hold it necessary for the Laity although the whole Church vsed it aboue a thousand yeeres together And yet they hold themselues to be one and the same Catholicke Church that so long vsed it In their opinion therfore the abrogating or changing of traditions or ceremonies howsoeuer they declaime against Protestants for such matters cuts not men off from being of the same Church that vsed them Antiquus Indeed ceremonies are inuentions of men and therefore alterable by the wisedome of the Church as times place and occasions require And the Church may ordaine new ceremonies also as Bellarmine teacheth lib. 2. de effectu Sacramentorum cap 31 § tertia propositio c. Antiquissimus I let passe much superstitious and sacrilegious doctrine which Bellarmine there vttereth attributing almost as much to Ceremonies inuented by men as to the Sacraments ordained by Christ And I accept what is granted that being invented by men they are alterable by men and not being of the substance of Religion the vsing or disusing of them makes no alteration or difference in Religion Saint Augustine discoursing of the diuersity of ceremonies and customes in seuerall Churches and Countries tels a story of his mother Monica Aug. epist 118. who comming to Milan and finding that they fasted not vpon Saturdayes as in her countrey they did was much disquieted in her mind as at diuersity of Religion and knew not what to doe but she was resolued by Saint Ambrose Bishop of that City that such things made no difference of Religion When I come to Rome saith he I fast on the Saturday when I am at Milan I fast not So you to what Church soeuer you come Ejus morem serua si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi Obserue the custome of that Church if you will not be offensiue to others nor others to you Here obserue Rome and Milan two great Cities in one Countrey both in Jtaly yet had seuerall customes and ceremonies which to some weake consciences through ignorance might be offensiue yet were they all of one Religion in substance and for rites or ceremonies at that time Milan was no more bound to obey Rome then Rome to obey Milan §. 5. As your Rhemists insinuate Annot. vpon Rom. 11. ver 4. But now if a man be not in all points though neuer so small nay in all traditions rites and ceremonies conformable to the ancient Church or to the Church of Rome late before Luthers dayes you count him not of the same Religion One of your idle Pamphleters idle for the matter he brings but too to busie in lying and rayling one W. G. ashamed belike to adde his full name professor in Diuinity writes a Booke points and repoints it Permissu superiorum 1619. entituled A Discouery of shifts c. His principall matter is to shew that before Luthers time No man was euer of the Protestants Religion His reason because all men held one point or other at least tradition rite or ceremony different from the Protestants which he labours to shew by running thorow a great number of Instances not considering that by the same reason it might be as well prooved that neuer any man vntill the late Councell of Trent was of the Papists Religion For he asketh thus First was Dionysius Areopagita a Protestant and answereth No for he maintained traditions spake of Altars places sanctified rasuâ—e of Priests burning of incense at the Altar c. Answer To omit that many doubt and some censure the bookes imputed to him to be counterfeits as Casetan Valla Erasmus Possevin and Bellarmine see Censura librorum Roberti Coc. pag. I aske againe was Dionysius Areopagita a Papist No for he hath many things of the Eucharist which condemne Priuate Masses Communion vnder one kinde onely and Transubstantiation See Câ—talogus testium veritatis lib. 1. Secondly Was Papias scholler to Saint Iohn Evangelist a Protestant No saith W. G. for hee defended Traditions and Peters primacy and Romish Episcopality How then was he a Papist No say we for hee taught such traditions as Papists condemne as namely the errour of the Chibiasts or Millenaries and said it was a Tradition deliuered from the Apostles Baronius anno 118. n. 5. c. n. 2. Thirdly was Ignatius a Protestant No for he approued traditions limbus patrum merits and the reall presence Not so But was he then a Papist no for Protestants cite him against Transubstantiation and Communion vnder one kinde priuate Masses and the Popes supremacy Catalogus testium lib. 2. appendice pag 2087. Bellarmine reâ—ects the Greeke copies of his workes being against the Papists Fourthly was Tertullian a Protestant no for hee hold the Montanists heresie Was he a Papist then no for the same reason also he writes sharpely against the Popes budding supremacy and against Transubstantiation and for the sufficiency of Scriptures to confute heretickes See Catal. test lib. 3. Fiftly was Saint Cyprian a Protestant no saith he for he was a Montanist also was he then a Papist no for Papists condemne Montanists as well as Protestants also he equals all the Apostles with
figura est ergo Therefore it is a figuratiue speech And hee defines Sacraments to be o Contra Maximinum lib. 3. cap. 22. Sacramenta sunt signa aliud existentia aliud significantia signes being one thing and signifying another And of this Sacrament he saith p In psal 98. Non hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis bibituri illum sanguinem quem fusuri sunt qui me crucisigent Sacramentum aliquod commendavi vobis You shall not eat this body which you see nor drinke this blood which they will shed which crucifie me I commend a certaine Sacrament thereof vnto you And he often beats vpon this that though wicked men doe eat the signe and Sacrament yet none but the worthy receiuers doe eat rem Sacramenti the very Body of Christ q Serm. 11. de verbis Apostoli And Manducabant illi Panem dominum Iudas panem domini contra dominum illi vitam ille paenam r Tract 59. in Iohannem See also Tract in Ioan. 11. 13. 26. De civ Dei lib. 21. cap. 25. De Doctp christiana lib. 3. cap. 9. epist 23. ad Bonifacium epist 57. De Trinitate lib. 3. cap. 10. Contra Adimantum cap. 12. Contra Faustum lib. 20. cap. 21. alibi passim He held two Sacraments of the new Testament onely Å¿ Epistola 118. Libro 3. de doctrina Christiana cap. 9. Baptisme and the Lords Supper Calvin t Calvin Instit lib. 4. cap. 17. § 28. Peter Martyr and the rest of the Protestants count Saint Augustine wholly theirs as did Berengarius before them by Bellarmines confession u Bellar. de Euchar. lib. 2. cap. 24. initio Saint Augustine condemnes Image-worship Follow not saith he x De moribus ecclesiae lib. 2. cap. 34. De civ Dei lib. 8. cap. 27. See Vines comment vpon it the company of ignorant men who in true Religion are superstitious worshippers of Sepulchres and pictures which customes the Church condemneth and daily laboureth to correct And hee saith y De fide symbolo cap. 7. Contra Adimantum cap. 13. It is great wickednesse to place the Image of God in Churches And that to worship the Prototypon sampler or thing resembled by an Image resembling it as the Heathen excused their Idolatry is an absurd servile and carnall thing z De doctr Christiana lib. 3. cap. 7 8 9. See in psal 113 epist 49. And hee writes against Pilgrimages for Religion Serm. 3. De Martyribus Of Purgatory a thing which came to be imagined in his dayes in some places a Encherid cap. 69. de octo quaest Dulciâ—ij qu. 1. De side oâ—er cap. 16. De civ Dei lâ—b 21. cap. 26. hee doubteth whether there be any such place or no but in many places hee giueth sound reasons to ouerthrow it The Catholicke Faith saith he b Contra Pelag. Hypogn lib. 5. resting vpon Diuine authority beleeues the first place the Kingdome of Heauen and the second Hell a third we are wholly ignorant of Yea wee shall find in the Scriptures that it is not c De pecc merit remiss lib. 1. cap. 27. lib. 24. De civ Dei c. 15. serm 232. de tempt There is no middle place he must needs be with the Diuell that is not with Christ d De verbis Apostoli serm 18. There are two habitations after death Vna in igne aeterno altera in regno aeterno And c Homil. 5. when we are passed out of this world no satisfaction remaineth And f Epist 80. wherein euery man 's owne last day finds him therein the worlds last day will hold him For such as in this day euery one dies such in that day hee shall be iudged Againe g Epist 54. there is no other place then in this life to correct our manners for after this life euery one shall haue that which in this life he sought to himselfe For h De verbis Dom. serm 37. Christus suscipiendo paenam non suscipiendo culpam culpaÌ„ delevet panam Christ by taking vpon him our punishment and not taking our sin hath put away both our sin punishment He that holds these things cannot hold Purgatory In briefe therefore In all these former points And furthermore against Free-will and for Gods grace against Mans merits and iustification by our inherent righteousnesse and for Iustification by Gods free mercy and Christs merits onely for the doctrine of faith and good workes for prayer to God alone and by the onely Mediator Iesus Christ against the adoration and inuocation of Angels and Saints departed and other the most necessary and profitable points of Theologie Saint Augustine was no Papist but wholly and entirely of the Protestants Religion §. .7 Antiquus How can this possibly be so when you see our Catholickes doe continually cite Saint Augustine Chrysostome and the rest of the Fathers for confirmation of their doctrine and against yours Antiquissimus They may first cite bookes vnder the names of the Fathers which the Fathers neuer wrote secondly they may corrupt the Fathers putting in or out words or phrases to alter their sense and speake contrary to their meaning thirdly they may by glosses and interpretations wrest the sentences which they finde in them to meane otherwise then they intended and fourthly they may alter the state of the questions betwixt vs and then alleadge the Fathers against their owne fancies not against our Doctrine And by these meanes they may cite and multiply the Fathers names in shew against vs but in truth nothing to the purpose And thus they doe First they alledge many bookes and writings which were not written by those holy learned Fathers whose names they beare For examples Our Bishop Jewell propounding 27 Articles which the Church of Rome holdeth at this day for confirmation of any one of which if any man liuing could shew him any sufficient sentence of any old Catholicke Doctor Father or generall Councell c. within 600 yeeres after Christ he would yeeld and subscribe See Casaubon Prolegom §. Spectare ad Master Harding vndertaking to answer alledged for ancient Doctors and Fathers The Constituions Apostolicall of Clemens Abdias Dionysius Areopagita The decretall Epistles of ancient Popes Amphilochius and such like which are all censured by their owne learned men for counterfeit writings vniustly attributed to the Reuerend Authors whose names they beare Obserue them well Clements Apostolicke Constitutions are cited also by the Rhemists a Rhemes Test annot in Luc. 4.1 to proue Lent Fast to bee as ancient as the Apostles times and by Bellarmine b Bellar. lib. 1. de clericis c. 12. for the antiquity of Ecclesiasticall Orders Also c See Bellarmines seuerall Treatises of these things for vowes of continency for prayer for the dead for holy water for reseruation of the Sacrament for mixing Wine and Water
and primacy he would not haue failed to vse them being so pregnant for his purpose In the same edition of Manutius Bedel ibid. See D. Field 5. cap. 42. fol. vlt. the Epistle of Firmilianus Bishop of Cesaria beginning Accepimus per Rogatianum is quite left out although Saint Cyprian thought it worthy his translation and publication and good cause why For that Bishop tartly vilifieth the Bishop of Romes both place person farre beneath that height which they now assume Firmilianns reproueth the folly of Stephanus that boasting so much of the place of his Bishopricke and succession of Peter bee stirred vp contentions and discords in all other Churches and bids him not deceiue himselfe he is become aschismaticke by separating himselfe from the communion of the Ecclesiasticall vnity for while hee thinkes he can separate all from his Communion hee hath separated himselfe onely from all He taxeth him for calling Cyprian a false Christ a false Apostle and a deceitfull workeman which being priuy to himselfe that these were his owne due preuentingly he obiected to another This Epistle is omitted in the new prints And thus graue Authors are shamefully curtalled and corrupted when they speake against the Pope and his doctrine their tongues are cut out contrarily words and sentences are foysted into their workes to make them seeme to speake for him when they neuer meant it Franc. Iunius reports that he comming in the yeare 1559. to a familiar friend of his Junius in praesatione ante Indicem expurgatorium Belgicum à se editum 1586 named Lewes Sauarius Corrector of a Print at Leydon found him ouerlooking Saint Ambrose Workes which Frellonius was printing Whereof when Junius commended the elegancy of the Letter and Edition the Corrector told him secretly it was of all Editions the worst and drawing out many sheets of now-waste-paper from vnder the Table told him they had printed those sheetes according to the ancient authenticke copies but two Franciscans had by their authority cancelled and reiected them and caused other to be printed and put in their roomes differing from the truth of all their owne bookes to the great losse of the Printer and wonder of the Corrector Gretzer De iure prohib libros lib. 2. cap. 10. The Iesuite Gretzerus defendeth these doings and writing of the purging or altering of old Bertram hee saith the Index hath done him no iniury when it hath done him that fauour which is done to some of the ancients as Tertullian and Origen Them and some others though very ancient Gratian quite cut off and the Church hath this authority saith hee to proscribe whole bookes or any parts of them great or small Thus Gretzerus And indeed of the two it were better to proscribe or cut them off as no witnesses then to corrupt and make them false witnesses to speake what they thought not or what is not true But for a Particular Church to proscribe or corrupt all the witnesses that speake against her is vntollerable See more in D. Morton Apologia Catholica part 2. lib. 2. c. 17 In the former point of Counterfeits the Children begot the Fathers In this point of Corruption the Children will teach the Fathers to speake and alter their testimonies and testaments at their pleasure §. 9. Index Expurg Belg. fol. 4. per Iunium edit pag. 12. 3 By deuised glosses and witty but wrong interpretations they wrest the sentences of the Fathers to meane otherwise then the Fathers intended This is confessed by the Diuines of the Vniuersity of Doway speaking of Bertrams booke The title Vt liber Bertrami presbyteri de Corp. sang Domini tolerari emendatus queat Iudicium Vniversitatis Duacensis Censoribus probatum Then their iudgement followes with some reasons why they rather mend the book then forbid it lest the forbidding should make men more desirously seeke it and greedily reade it and condemne the Church for abrogating all antiquity that is alleadged against them c. Therefore they will vse it as they doe other ancient Catholike bookes which they deliuer in these words Cumâ— in Catholicis veteribus alijs plâ—â—â—os feramus errores extenuemus excusemus excogâ—â—â—â—omento persaepe negemus commodum ijs seasum â—ffingamus dum opponuntur in disputationibus aut in confactionibus cum aduersarijs non videmus cur non candem aequitatem diligentem recognitionem mereatur Bertramus c. that is Seeing in other ancient Catholike writers we beare with many errors and we extenuate excuse and oftentimes by witty expositions deny and dâ—uise a commodious sense vnto them when they are opposed in disputations and conflicts with our aduersaries we see no reason why Bertram may not deserue the same equity and diligent recognition In this passage we may obserue these things 1 They acknowledge many errours to be in ancient Writers whom yet they account Catholickes and of their owne Church or Religion Otherwise they must haue a small and the Protestants a large Church 2 That those opinions though many which they Call errors make for their aduersaries the Protestants and are against Romes present doctrine and so obiected by the Protestants 3 How they auoyd them euen by applying their Art Wit and Learning Gods talents committed to them to obscure the Truth corrupt the witnesse thereof deceiue the simple and gull the learned making all beleeue that the ancient Writers are nothing at all against them but fully for them by peruerting their allegations to speake quite contrary to the Authors meaning O wit and learning wickedly bestowed conscience seared poore people miserably deluded And note further 4 the generality of this practise Iudicium Vniuersitatis Duacensis Censoribus approbatum confessed professed by a whole Vniuersity at once and deliuered for their deliberate iudgement and approoued by the most learned and iudicious censors appointed to that great office by the Hierarchy of the Church of Rome though this practice was a long time closely carried in darkenesse yet now it is defended in the open light by Gretzer the Iesuite §. 10. 4 The Roman Doctors may bring in whole Armies of witnesses on their side when they change the question and proue what no body denies a Bedel letters to Wadworth pag. 109. As when the question is whether the pope haue a Monarchy ouer all Christians an vncontroulable Iurisdiction an Infallible Iudgement c. b Bellar. de summo Pontifice lib. 2. cap. 15. 16 answered by D. Field lib. 5. cap. 35 36. Bellarmine alleadgeth a number of Fathers Greeke and Latin to proue onely that Saint Peter had a primacy of honour and authority which is farre short of that supremacy which the popes now claime and which is the question So to proue the verity of Christs Body and Blood in the Lords Supper c Bellar de Eucharistia lâ—b 2. toto Bellarmine spends the whole booke in citing the Fathers of seuerall Ages To what purpose when the
necke shall we therefore giue sentence of death inevitable against all these Fathers in the Greeke Church which being mis-perswaded died in the errour of freewill He addeth in the Margen Error conuicted and afterwards maintained is more then errour For though the opinion be still the same yet the men are not the same after that the truth is plainly taught them This cleareth these Fathers from heresie but not from error Out of these premises you may conclude these Consequents 1 It is vniust for the Romish Doctors to binde vs to the Fathers opinions when themselues refuse them 2 It is not reasonable to make the Fathers tenets rules of our Doctrine when it is confessed on all hands that the Fathers haue in many things erred Bellar. lib. 3. de verbo Dei cap. 19. §. dices quid ergo Bellarmine saith who can deny that many of the ancient Fathers had the gift of interpreting in great excellency and that they were spiriuall and yet it is manifest that some of the chiefest of them haue slipped in some things non leuiter not lightly Rossensis in responsione ad prooemium Lutheri veritate septima in fine fol. 10. 11. Bishop Fisher answering Luthers obiection That the ancient Fathers haue sometimes erred saith This doe not I deny they haue erred sometimes and they were suffered to erre that we might know they were but men 3 It is not onely vniust and vnreasonable but vnpossible to make vs in all things agree with the Fathers who doe not in all things agree among themselues When Saint Austen confutes Cyprian for rebaptization Irenaeus and Tertulâ—ian differ in the time of Christs suffering some Fathers against freewill before grace some for it c How is it possible to agree with them all Aug. lib. 2. contra Crescomium gram cap. 30. Ego Cypriani autoritate non teneor sed ejus dictum ex Scripturae autoritate considero quodque cum ea congruit cum ejus laâ—de recipto qd non cum cius pace respuo 4 Therefore there is a necessity to trie the Fathers doubtfull tenets by some superiour and vndouted rule and that rule the Fathers selues say is the holy Scripture inspired by God and therefore infallible examine all doctrines by that rule hold what agrees to that and refuse that which disagrees Thus did Saint Augustine by Cyprians writings I am not bound with the authority of Cyprian saith hee but I weigh his sayings by the authority of the Scriptures and what agrees to them with his due praise I receiue what agrees not with his good leaue I refuse And thus would Augustine haue men doe with his writings Aug. de trinitate lib. 3 cap. 1. Sane cum in omnibus literis meis non solum pium lectorem sed etiam liberum correctorem desiderem multo maxime in his c. sicut lectorem meum nolo mihi esse deditum ita correctorem nolo sibi Jlle me non amet amplius quam catholicam fidem iste se non amet amplius quam catholicam veâ—tatem Sicut illi dico Noli meis literis quasi scripturis canonicis inservire sed in illis quod no credâ—bas cum inveneris incunctanter crede in istis autem ad certum non habebas nisi certum intellexeris noli firmiter retinere Ita illi dico Noli meas literas ex tua opinione vel contentione sed ex divina lectione vel inconcussa ratione corrigere In all my writings saith he I desire not onely a pious Reader but a free Corrector as a Reader not wholly yeelding to me so a Corrector not yeelding to his owne affections not louing me more then the Catholicke faith nor louing himselfe more then the Catholicke truth As I say to him Bee not subiect to my writings as to the Canonicall Scriptures But in those when thou findest what thou beleeuest not beleeue without delay in those what thou thoughtest not certaine except thou vnderstand to be certaine doe not firmely hold so I say to him correct not my writings by thine owne opinion or contention but by the holy Scripture and sound reason §. 2. Antiquus You haue said enough to cleare you for differing from the Fathers in some things now cleare your Protestants if you can of the great scandall of differences among themselues Antiquissimus This was your late second obiection which you may partly answer by that which wee haue said of the Fathers for if the different opinions of the Fathers in some points hindred not their vnion in substance of the saith and their being members of all the same Church why should the like or lesser differences now among the Protestants hinder their vnion in substance of the same faith and their being members all of the same Church both among themselues and with the Fathers You see differences among the Fathers that touched not the foundation life and soule of Christianity brake not their vnity still they were all of one Church and of one faith in the most necessary substance thereof In which respect also we truely say they were our Predecessors and of the same Church whereof we are notwithanding our differences and theirs in other lesser points your new-Catholikes also challenge them to be theirs notwithstanding many differences betwixt them But of this point more fully hereafter For the present I will shew you a number of great and many of them for ought I see endlesse differences among your owne Doctors and yet you account them all Catholickes and of one Religion Archb. Abbot against D. Hill reason 3. §. 11. 1 In Peter Lombard a prince of the Schoolemen called by that honourable name of Master of the Sentences for searching and iudiciously deliuering the Sentences and doctrine of the Fathers so farre as he could see in them In him I say the Diuines of Paris haue noted 26 errors in quibus Magister non tenetur wherein the schollers of Rome must not hold with him These errors are added to his foure bookes of sentences to warne the trauellers through his bookes of his rockes and sands 2 Those foure bookes of Sentences alone may shew the great and numberlesse variety of opinions which he reciteth in most points of doctrine and yet all the Authors of them Catholickes The like may be said of Thomas Aquinas his summes See D. Hall The Peace of Rome 3 The latter bookes of Controuersies written by the Iesuites Bellarmine Gregory de Valentia Azorius Suarez and other their large writers doe as ordinarily confute men of their owne side as they confute Protestants Yea oftentimes I finde in Suarez fiue columnes against their owne Doctors for one against ours Yet these confuted Doctors are still Catholicks with them Archb. Abbot ibid. 4 The whole Nation of the Dominican Fryers following the Thomists doe hold that the Virgin Mary was conceiued in originall sinne the whole Nation of the Franciscans hold the contrary Concil Basil session 36.
following the Scotists The Councell of Basil ratified the Franciscans doctrine for the vnspottednesse of the Blessed Virgin The Dominicans excepted against that Councell as not lawfully called The contention continued and grew so great that Pope Sixtus was faine to interpose his authority commanding by a solemne decree that the matter should neuer be disputed afterward Hist of the Councell of Trent Notwithstanding in the Councell of Trent either of the sides contended with great earnestnesse to haue it determined on their side But to auoyde the endlesse offence of both sides the Cardinall de Monte President of the Councell told them The Councell was called to end Controuersies with Heretickes not to meddle with Controuersies of Catholickes And so it continued vndecided Lately Cardinall Bellarmine hath written much hereof on the Dominicans side but yet without resolution And so they stand irreconciliably contentious 5 Cardinall Caietan a deepe learned Diuine Arch. Abbot ib. and much imployed by the pope against Luther wrote many bookes of seuerall matters Sixt. Senensis Bibliotheca sancta libro 4. 6. against which Ambrosius Catharinus Archbishop of Compsa wrote sixe sharp bookes of Annotations and Inuectiues as Sixtus Senensis records and reckons vp the particular points leauing to euery man his free iudgement thereof 6 In the great piont of Iustification Cardinall Contarene agrees with the Protestants in his booke printed anno 1541. some few yeares before the Councell of Trent 7 Albertus Pighius also taught the Protestants doctrine of Iustification in a booke published anno 1549. which he dedicated to Paulus then pope complaining of the Schoole-Diuines who had much obscured the doctrine of Iustification and who he feared would contemne his iudgement 8 The learned Diuines of Colen also taught the Protestants doctrine of Iustification by faith in Christs merits and wrote against the merit of our workes in their Antididagma and Enchiridion Antididagma pag. 30. as Bellarmine confesseth And yet both Pighius and the Doctors of Colen are excused by Bellarmine Bellar. de Iustif lib. 2. cap. 1. § in candem sent § Deinde quod est discrimen they were no heretickes though they erred because they kept community with the Church of Rome and submitted their writings to the censure thereof 9 Their great Doctor Durandus had many errours which Bellarmine meets withall and confutes in many Controuersies And concerning the Eucharist he held that the matter of the bread remained still after the Consecration and that there was onely a transformation Bellar. de Fucharistia libro 3. cap. 13. initio but not a transubstantiation of the matter Whereof Bellarmine saith Sententia Durandi haeretica est licet ipse non sit dicendus haereticus cum paratus fuerit Ecclesiae iudicio acquiescere The opinion of Durand is hereticall though he is not to be called an hereticke seeing he is ready to rest vpon the Churches iudgement Sentent lib. 4. distinct 11. litera a. 10 Peter Lombard Bishop of Paris Master of the Sentences found such variety of opinions concerning the elements in the Sacrament that he knew not what to determine Some held that the substance of the bread remained some that it vanished or was resolued into his first matter some that it was turned into Christs body But for his owne part what kinde of conuersion it should be whether formal or substantiall or of some other kinde he saith Definire non sufficio I am not able to define Ibidem dist 13. b. in sine 11 Lombard also saith that bruit Beasts that eare the consecrated hoste doe not eate the body of Christ What doe they eat then He answereth Deus nouit hoc God knowes that Aquinas Summa 3. part qu. 80 ut 3. ad tertium But Tho. Aquinas teacheth the contrary that Christs body is still vnder the species as long as the species remaine though a Mouse or Dog should eate them For it is no dignity saith he to Christs body to be eaten by Beasts when they touch not the body in its proper species but onely according to the Sacramentall species Lombard ibid. dâ—st 11 lit 12 Lombard also saith that the Eucharist is to bee receiued in both kinds And Gerardus Lorichius a great Papist protesteth that they are false Catholickes Lerich de missa publica proroganda hinderers of the Reformation of the Church and blasphemers who deny the people the Cup in the Eucharist 13 Bellarmine himselfe a great learned Iesuite and Cardinall late Reader of Controuersies at Rome Bellar de Euchar lib. 3. cap. 18. §. Ex his colgimus c. teacheth that the substance of the bread in the Sacrament is not turned into the substance of Christs body productivè as one thing is made of another but that the bread goes away and Christs body comes into the roome of it adductivè as one thing succeeds into the place of another the first be voyded and this saith he is the opinion of the Church of Rome But Suarez another learned Iesuite Suarez tomo 3. in Thom. disp 50 sect 4. §. tertio principaliter pag. 639. who hath written many great volumnes and is Reader of Controuersies at Salamanca in Spaine confutes Bellarmines opinion terming it Translocatio not Transubstantiatio and saith it is not of the Churches opinion Thus these great Master-builders are confounded in their language and thus hard it is to know what the Church of Rome holdeth Her owne dearest and learnedest sonnes know not Either Doctor Bellarmine or Doctor Suarez mistooke it and doubtlesse either of them haue multitudes of followers and all on both sides Catholickes Yea I hope both Suarez and Bellarmine Durand and Lombard the Dominicans and Franciscans Cajetan Catharine Contarene Pighius and the Colen Doctors shall still be counted good Catholicks and all of one Church notwithstanding their differences 14 Beside these See before lib. 1. cap. 4. sect 12 13 â—4 you may remember a number of learned Catholickes with their numberlesse followers which I reckoned before which differed from you in some points and wrote against your doctrine and practises as Saint Bernard Ioannes Salisburiensis Cardinalis Camericensis Cardinalis Cusanus Robert Grosthead B. of Lincolne Ockam Cesenas Clemangis Gerson Valla Bradwardin Ariminiensis Contarene Bonaventure Scotus Clethoveus Rhendius c. Doctor Field reckons aboue 20 Fathers and later Doctors See aboue lib. 1. cap. 4. sect 14. B. Vsher Answer to the Irish Iesuite pag. 500. seq that accounted those bookes onely Canonicall which wee so reckon and the rest Apocryphall Bishop Vsher reckons vp against your doctrine of Merit aboue 50 authors new and old wherof some are manifold as Liber Caroli Magni composed by a great number of Diuines Instructions of the sicke approued by all the Diuines of the Kingdome The Canons and Vniuersity of Colen The Chancellour and Diuines of Paris And both they and all the rest had infinite followers of their
opinion All which to let passe * See D. Field Appendix 1. part pag. 100. seq and Appendix of 27 Articles to the seuenth chapter of the third booke printed at the end of the fourth multitudes of others you still count Catholickes and of your Church though they taught many things against you And therefore out of your owne iudgement we may conclude that some few differences in some points betwixt Protestants doe not hinder them from being all of one Church and Religion §. 3. Antiquus Yes for your differences are great and many ours small and few Antiquissimus When you looke through false spectacles things may be seene greater or smaller then they are take heed you looke not on our differences through the spectacles of malice which makes euery small thing great and vgly and on your owne differences through the spectacles of selfe-loue which makes them seeme small and tollerable One speciall point of the manner of Christs being and being receiued in the Sacrament Archb. Abbot ag Hill Reason 5 §. 26. makes the maine difference bewixt the Lutherans in Denmarke and some places of Germany and the other reformed Churches Anthony sometime King of Nauarre said to the Ambassadour of Denmarke Comment Relig. Reip. in Gal. lib. exhorting the reformed French to be of Luthers doctrine There bee forty points wherein Luther and Calvin doe differ from the pope and in 39 of them they agree betweene themselues and in that single one they dissent Their followers therefore should doe well to ioyne in the greater number against the pope till they haue ruâ—nated him and when his heart is broken they should fall to compound that last single difference God in his good time grant it Now in that one speciall point Zanchius de dissidio Cana Dom. Iudicium tomo septimo in fine Miscelaneorum D. Field Church lib. 5. Appendix part 1. pag. 114. the difference is nothing so great as you would haue it thought For as the most learned and iudicious Zanchius obserueth and our Doctor Field out of him In all necessary points both the parties agree and dissent in one vnnecessary which by right vnderstanding one another might easily bee compounded First both parties agree in the necessity of the receiuers due preparing themselues with knowledge of their sinnes repentance of them faith in Christ for pardon of them and resolution to liue according to Gods Law Secondly both sides agree in the acknowledgement of the excellent vse of the Sacrament for a perpetuall memoriall of the death and passion of Christ for our saluation and that with him we should dye to sinne and be raised againe to newnesse of life be made one with him and nourished by him in a spirituall life here to eternall life hereafter Thirdly both sides agree that the very body and blood of Christ are to be receiued in that Sacrament that thereby we may be partakers of the life of Grace and also be strengthened confirmed and continued therein Fourthly both sides agree that the elements of bread and wine presenting to our consideration and faith the spirituall nourishing force that is in the body and blood of Christ are not abolished in their substance but onely changed in their vse which is not onely to signifie but also to exhibit and communicate vnto vs the very body and blood of Christ with all the gracious working and fruits thereof Fiftly both sides agree that the meaning of Christs words This is my Body This is my Blood when hee gaue them the Bread and Wine was this This which outwardly and vâ—sibly I giue you is in substance Bread and Wine and in mystery or exhibitiue signification my Body and Blood but this which together with them I giue you inuisibly is my very Boâ—y that is to be crucified and my very Blood which is to be shed for the remission of your sinnes Sixtly both parties agree and professe they firmely beleeue that the very Body and Blood of Christ which the Sacraments doe not onely signifie but exhib t and whereof the faithfull are partakers are truely present in the Sacrament and by the faithfull truely and really receiued Thus farre all parties agree that is in the whole necessary and sufficient substance of the doctrine of this Sacrament for the other matter wherein they differ De modo of the manner how Christ is present in the Sacrament seeing it is not expressed in the Scriptures In the iudgement of Zanchius it might be well omitted themselues confesse when they haue gone as farre as they can to determine it still it is ineffable and not possible to be fully vnderstood It is enough for vs to beleeue the Body and Blood are there though how and in what manner we cannot define §. 4. Antiquus Whether it be of so little importance or no I dispute not but I am sure the Controuersie still remaines and is hotly pursued and yet this is not the onely difference betwixt your Protestants there are many other Antiquissimus The more greatly to blame is your pope and Romish Hierarchy that when many grieuous corruptions of your Church both in Doctrine and gouernment were manifestly layed open See D. Field Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 71. Gerson 3. part Apologet. de concilio Constantion Idâ—m de concilio vnius obedientiae would not for al the importunity of Princes Prelats people yeeld to any wholsome reformation but with obstinate resistance hindred all publicke proceeding in Reformation by the course of a general Councell so that seuerall States and Kingdomes were faine to redresse things amisse seuerally within their owne compasse without sufficient Intelligence and consultation one with another which could not bee done without some differences and it is lâ—ttle lesse then miraculous that the differences were not many more and greater Cassander saith when many were moued out of a godly affection sharply to reproue certaine manifest abuses Cassander consultation art 7. they were repelled and disdainfully contemned by them who were puffed vp with the swell ng conceits of their Ecclesiasticall power which caused the great distraction or rent of the Church and no firme peace is to be hoped for vnlesse the beginning thereof be from them that gaue the cause of this diuision that is vnlesse they that haue the gouernment of the Church remit something of their too great rigor and listning to the desires of many godly ones correct manifest abuses according to the rule of sacred Scripture and the ancient Church from which they are departed c. Thus writes your Cassander though a papist yet moderate and truely Iudicious Contarenus in confutatione Articulorum Lutheri Also your Cardinall Contarenus writing of the grieuances and complaints of the Lutherans for the manifold abuses brought into the Church makes a prayer to God that he would moue the hearts of the Prelats of the Church at the last to put away most pernicious selfe-loue and be
all the euils that the Church of God had endured that it shold be rent with contentions and contrary opinions of her owne children for the contrary opinions among the learned at that time and their dissentions saith the Story were so scandalous that many were thereby alienated from embracing Christian Religion But Constantine appointing a day to receiue all their Bookes of complaints when it came hee exhorted them to vnity and concord and to ioyne hands for the holy worke of their calling and in one great fire he burned all their Books of accusations Matth. 11.29 1 Pet. 2.21 c. Thirdly Meeknes and mildnes is an excellent vertue in all Christians and especially in the Ministers of God Leaders of others our Sauiour Christ calls vs to learne it of himselfe as his peculiar vertue But yet when the cause is Gods and not our owne we may learne also euen of him a holy zeale and earnestnesse he pronounced many woes against the Scribes and Pharises Read Matth. 23. ver 13. to the end for dishonouring God corrupting his Religion misleading the people and abusing them he called them hypocrits damned creatures children of hell fooles and blind guides painted sepulchers full of hypocrisie and iniquity serpents and generations of vipers Ioh. 8 44. And elsewhere saith to the Pharisies and other Jewes ye are of your Father the Deuill and the lusts of your Father ye will do c. Acts 8.20 23. So Saint Peter to Simon Magus Thy money perish with thee Thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of Iniquity Act. 13.10 and Saint Paul to Elimas who went about to turne Sergius Paulus the Deputy from the faith O full of all subtilty and all mischiefe thou child of the Deuill thou enemy of all righteousnesse c. Zeale of Gods glory is not onely excusable but commendable euen when it is mixed with Error which is condemnable Phil. 3.4 6. for so Saint Paul reckons it among the things wherin he might glory Concerning Zeale I persecuted the Church Bellar. De Rom. pont lib 4. cap. 7. §. per hoc respondetur Fourthly Bellarmine somewhat excuseth Cyprian though sa th he he seemeth to haue sinned mortally in crossing and vexing the pope being in the right himselfe being in the wrong At least he should not haue written such reuiling and reproachfull words against the pope Steuen as he did in thâ—t Epistle to Pompey calling the pope superbum imperitum caecae ac prauae mentis c. Proud vnskillfull of a blind and corrupt mind Yet saith Bellarmine also It seemes Cyprian sinned not mortally because hee sinned onely of Ignorance thinking the pope perniciosè errare to erre dangerously and while he so thought hee was bound in conscience not to obey him because he ought not to do against his conscience Thus saith Bellarmine Fiftly the question of Rebaptizing such as were baptized by Heretickes See D. White Way digress 21. Eu ch hist lib. 7. cap. 2. seq bred many broyles in the Church betwixt Saint Cyprian with the Councell of 80 Bishops of Africke and also the Metropolitans Dionysius and Firmilianus with most of the Bishops of Egypt Cappadocia Galatia and Cilicia on the one part and the Bishop of Rome with the Westerne Bishops on the other part There was scarce any Church or Catholicke Bishop therein which was not entangled in this discord And many bitter speeches and contumelious actions and writings passed betweene them Sixtly Eusâ—b hist lib. 5. cap. 21. the strife betwixt the East and West Churches about the day of the celebration of Easter proceeded so farre as to excommunications The Easterne Churches kept Faster day the 14 day of the first Moone in March after the vernall Equinoctiall though it hapned on the weeke day by tradition from Saint John and Saint Philip Ibib. cap. 22. and many other holy men and Martyrs liuing and dying in Asia as Bishop Polycrates wrâ—teth But in diuers Synods held 1 in Palestina vnder B. Theophiluâ— of Caesarea and Bish Narcissus of Jerusalem 2 In Rome vnâ—er pope Victor 3 in Pontus vnder Palmas 4 in France vnder Irenaeus 5 In Greece and other places It was ordered that Easter should be kept not on the weeke day but on the Sunday after the 14 day And Victor Bishop of Rome Ibid. cap. 21. Jbid. cap. 23. proceeâ—ed in sinâ— to pronounce all the Reuerenâ— Easterne Bishops that kept it otherwise excommunicated and inueighed sore against them by letters But not onely they but the Westerne Bishops also disliked Victors doing therein yea dissâ—aded and sharpely reproueâ— him Especially Jrenaeus with his brethren of France alleâ—â—ging that for such like differences as this For example for the kâ—â—p ng of Lent Fast some onely one day See the Epistle of Irenaeus in Euseb History ib. some two some more some forty dayes before Easter and that by custome of long time before that Age in such difference of fasting they kept the vnity of faith and peace one with another and neuer proceeded to hate or excommunicate one another for such petty differences D. Field Appendix 1. part pag. 116. Zozemen lib 8. cap. 15. Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 13. Seuenthly Grieuous were the differences and contentions betwixt Saint Chrysostome and Epiphanâ—us the one refusing to pray with the other the one accusing the other of manifest breaches of the Canons the one cursing the other and praying that he should nâ—uer die a Bishop the other cursing him agaâ—ne and praying that he should neuer returne into his Countrey aliue Bâ—th which came to passe For Chrysostome was cast out of his Bishopricke and dyed in banishment And Epiphanius dyed in his reâ—urne homeward Yâ—t were both of these excellent holy and Catholicke Bishops that thus contended Eightly And beside their owne contentions the taking of parts with them drew on much mischieife Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria ioyned with Epiphanius against Chrysostome and with them ioyned the other Bishops of the Prouinces as they fancied The Empresse was set against Chrysostome being informed that he had made a Sermon against women She incensed the Emperour by whose appointment Theopilus called a Counsell of Bishops at Chalcedon whither all Chrysostomâ—s enemies resorted and there pronounced him deposed Cyrinus Bishop there called him impious arrogant and froward From thence most of the Bishops went to Constantinople but none of the Clergy met them to doe them honour There they obiected many crimes against him and cited him to answer But he refused to come excepting against them as his enemies and appealing to a generall Councell But finally they condemned him for obstâ—nacy in not comming vnto them and depriued him of his Bishopricke This being noysed in the City caused a great sedition multitudes watching about the Church to hinder his carrying away anâ— cryed out his cause ought to be heard in a greater Councell of Bishops But by the Emperours command and practise he
was driuen out Notwithstanding within a few dayes after to appeale the tumults of people he was recalled Socrates lib. 6. cap. 16. placed agâ—ine in his Bishopricke restored to preaching and so continued a while but not without tumults wherein many were wounded and many killed And when hee was banished againe the Cathedrall Church at Constantinople with the Senate hâ—use were set on fire and burned to the ground in the pursuit of reuenge Baronius beginning the story of this contention Baron tomo 5. anno 400. nu 51. saith thus I take in hand a great and lamentable narration of strife and direfull persecution not of Gentiles against Christians nor heretickes against Catholickes nor of wicked men against good and iust but which is monstrous and prodigious euen of Saints and holy men one against another Ninthly Socrates lib. 7. cap. 33. D. Fâ—eld church lib 5 cap 33. â—pâ—end 1 part pag 116 117 118. c D Hall Columbâ— Noe pag. 44. In the first Councell of Ephesus being the third generall Councell there arose great contâ—ntions bâ—twixt Cyril of Alexan ria and Iohn Bishop of Antioch two Patriarkes either of them thundring Anathematismes againâ—t other and depriuing each othâ—r of their Churches Theodores vnhappily thrust his sickle into Iohns haruest against whom at the â—nstigation of Euoptius Cyrillus grieuously inueighed Theodoret accused Cyrill of Apollinarisme and Cyrill accused Theodoret of N storianisme And this fury spred so farre that it drew almost the Christian world into sides So that when afterwards Theodoret would haue come into the Chalcedon Synod the Aegyptian and other reuerend Bishops cryed If we receiue Theodoret we cast out Cyril the Canons cast out Theodoret God abhorres him This was done in the first action of the Chalcedon Councell and againe in the eight action the Bishops crying out openly he is an Hereticke he is a Nâ—storiâ—n away with the Hereticke Yet when the matter was fully knowen and that Theodoret had willingly subscribed to the Orthodoxe Creedes and to Leo's Epistles The whole Synoâ— cryed with one vâ—yce Theodoret is worthy of his Ecclesiasticall Sea let the Church receiue her Catholike Pastor Antiquus Your discourse hath â— t me into a mixture of griefe and â—oâ— Griefe that any of the holy ancient Fathers haue held any errours at all and that there were such bitter contentions among them Ioy that seeing there were such they are not hid from me For that will make me more moderate in thinking of them though reuerently as holy men yet still as men subiect to humane infirmities and not in all things to make their sayings rules of my faith or their doings patâ—ernes of my life but altogether to make the most holy perfect infallible and vnstained word of God the guides of both and it shall make me also more wise in esteeming men now liuing reuerently for the graces of God which I see in them notwithstanding their humane fraâ—lties such as I perceiue the best Saints of God haue had But yet I see not any sufficient rule to leade mee to Iudge how you can challenge the Fathers to be of your Religion more then the Romans may challenge them to be of theirs I perceiue well they diffâ—red from both in many things wherein you both refuse them Antiquissimus You make that vse of my discourse that I wish For the Rule to direct your iudgement I haue pointed at it often and now I will briefely and as fully as I can lay it open vnto you CHAP. 4. Of the Rule to iudge the soundnesse and purity of all Christians and Churches by This Chapter hath foure Sections The first Section of the Rule vsed in the Primitiue Church The second of the Rule enlarged and approued in this Age The third of Obiections arising from the former discourses and their answeres The fourth of the necessity of Preaching still to them that hold the Rule The first Section § 1. The Rule in generall § 2. Opened by distinctions of the foundation of Religion § 3. A necessity to haue a short rule drawne out of the Scriptures § 4. This rule is described by Saint Paul § 5. The practise of it by the Apostles who onely deliuered the most necessary fundamentall points to the Iewes and then baptized them § 6. The like practise vsed by the following Primitiue Church to their Catechumeni before Baptisme §. 1. THe Rule to Iudge all Christians and Churches by is this They that hold the same fundamentall points of Christian Religion which doe sufficiently constitute the Church of Christ and hold no other opinions wittingly and obstinately that ouerthrow any of these fundamentall points they are vndoubtedly of the same true Church and Religion §. 2. For the vnderstanding of this Rule note 1 Saint Paul distinguisheth betwixt the foundation and that which is built vpon the foundation 1 Cor. 3.10 As a wise Master-builder I haue laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon The word Foundation is taken two wayes First for the principall thing which is to be beleeued and wherupon our saluation is builded that is Iesus Christ as Saint Paul saith there verse 11. Other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Iesus Christ Acts 4.12 There is no saluation in any other there is none other name vnder heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued 1 Tim. 3.16 This is the great mystery of godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh c. This was Saint Peters confession Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Vpon which confession as Saint Augustine and Chrysostome expound it Christ said he would build his Church and the gates of Hell should not preuaile against it Secondly the word Foundation is taken for the Doctrine of the Scriptures which teach saluation onely by Iesus Christ as Ephes 2.20 The house that is the houshold or Church of God is built vpon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe the chiefe Corner stone And so the Apostles are called twelue foundations Reuel 21.14 to wit in respect of their doctrine whereby they laid the foundation of the Church and of mens saluation by Iesus Christ §. 3. 2 Although the whole Scripture and euery thing therein contained or from it necessarily deduced be a fit obiect for faith to apprehend Yet that all Christians should thorowly conceiue and vniformely professe them all is not to be hoped B. Vsher Serm. at Wansted pag 22. nor in any Age hath beene found As we haue manifestly proued * In the former Chapter Variety of Iudgements in some points of lesser moment which are not plainely deliuered in the Scriptures may be tollerated and must not dissolue the vnity which all must hold in the fundamentall principles Heauen was not prepared for deepe Clerkes onely which vnderstood all or for such as neuer differed in any opinion 1 Cor. 132 12. but euen for such also as knew but in part and saw through a
the Eunuch who embraced the Old Testament Acts 8 28-35-37 c. And by Saint Peter to Cornelius and his company who had before receiued the Religion of the Iewes Acts. 10.2 22 35 43. And by Saint Paul Acts 13.14 16 -32 -38 39. c. The Apostles receiuing the Conuerts to Baptisme vpon adding to their former knowledge these few principles of true Faith in Christ Iesus and good life shewed that in their Iudgement they wanted no essentiall thing necessary for the making of them true members of the Church and perfect Christians or as our Catechisme calles them members of Christ Children of God and inheritors of the Kingdome of Heauen and that if God should take them out of this world in their first entrance into these principall grounds of saluation without further knowledge or practise yet vndoubtedly they should die sufficient Christans and in the state of Grace §. 6. Conformable to the Apostles practise the Christians of the Primitiue Church baptized those that were Catechized in the grounds of sauing doctrine as the essentiall points of Religion that constitute a Christian as appeareth by Irenaeus and Tertullian See Irenaeus and Tertullian cited before chap. 1. sect 2. sub 1. §. 2. whom I alleadged before and by the Creeds which were ordayned as Badges of Christians and differences of true beleeuers froÌ„ either vnbeleeuers or hereticks The Westerne Churches vsed in their Baptisme that short form of confession comoÌ„nlly called the Apostles Creed which in the more ancient times was breefer then now it is as our Learned Bishop Vsher hath punctually obserued B. Vsher serm at Wansted p. 28. The mention of the Fathers being Maker of Heauen and Earth the Sonnes death and descending into Hell and the Commuion of Saints being wholly omitted happily as not necessary for all men to know as Suarez saith or sufficiently implied in other articles or knowen by the light of reason and so not making difference betwixt Christians and heathen these reasons some for one point some for another But being in time made for better explication so full as it is now the whole Westerne Church hath long receiued as a badge of their Faith distinguishing the Beleeuer from the vnbeleeuer The Eastern Church vsed in Baptisme a larger Creed Vsher ib. p. 30. Euseb ep apud Socrat l. 1. hist cap. 8. al. 5. Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 12. the same or very little different from that we call the Nicene Creed because the greatest part thereof was repeated and confirmed in the Nicene Councell to which it was presented by Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea with this Preamble As we haue receiued from the Bishops that were before vs both at our first Catechising and when we receiued Baptisme and as we haue learned from the holy scriptures and as we haue both beleeued and taught when we entred into the Ministery and in our Bishoprick it selfe so beleeuing at this present also we declare this our Faith vnto you To this the Nicene Fathers added a more cleare explication of the Deity of the Sonne against the Arrians which then troubled the Church professing him to be begotten not made and to be of one substance with the Father The second generall Councell assembled 56 yeares after at Constantinople approuing all the former added also something concerning the holy Ghost which then was oppugned by the Macedonian Heretickes The same Fathers also then added the Articles concerning the Catholicke Church and the priuiledges thereunto belonging The Roman Church after the dayes of Charles the Great added the Article of Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne And the late Councell of Trent recommended it vnto vs Concil Trident. seff 3. as That principle in which all that professe the faith of Christ doe necessarily agree and the firme and onely foundation against which the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile And by which alone our Fathers sometimes drew Infidels to the faith ouercame Heretickes and confirmed the faithfull Such are the words of the Trent Councell So that in this Creed they confesse That onely foundation and principle of faith is to be found in the vnity whereof all Christians must necessarilly agree Section 2. § 1. The rule enlarged and approued in this Age. § 2 By Azorius out of the School-diuines in 14 Articles § 3. Some obseruations and censures of those 14 Articles § 4. The rule set downe by Bellarmine more briefly § 5. By D. Field farre more sufficiently in 6 Articles with his iudgement of the deductions therefrom euident or obscure § 6. B. Vshers distinction of superstructions vpon the foundation § 7. Consequents of this doctrine §. 1. But because we see this foundation of faith hath from the Apostles times continually been enâ—â—ged by reason of errours and heresies arising in sâ—â—erall Ages let vs search a little further how the most Iudâ—cious men doâ— bound it in these our dayes §. 2. Azorius the Iesuite deliuers the vnanimous consent of all the Roman Diuines in 14 Articles Azorius Institu tionum moralium part 1. lib. 8. cap 5. § At iuxta ibid § tertio quaeritur seq whereof seuen concerne the Diuine nature and seuen concerne the humane all which are to be beleeued explicitè with distinct vnderstanding of all men Of the first seuen there is taught in the First That God is in Nature and Substance eternall infinite immense and in maiesty highest euery where not onely in power might and efficacy but also in deed and truely present who hath power of life and death is the supreme Lord of all things who can with his becke and at his pleasure doe all things which he will who knoweth seeth careth for and moderateth all things Secondly The first person in nature and diuine substance to wit The Father is the beginning of two diuine persons and therefore the begetter of the Sonne and breather of the Holy Spirit vnbegotten subsisting of himselfe and by himselfe not receiuing and hauing his essence of another Third The second person in the Diuine nature is true God begotten of the Father onely from all eternity the naturall Sonne of God consubstantiall and equall to him in all things the onely Word and expresse Image of the Father most perfectly representing and expressing him Fourth The third person in the diuine Nature the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne from all eternity is true God coaeternall to them both coâ—quall and consubstantiall and to be worshâ—pped with the same faith and with equall seruice and honour Fifth God is the creator of all things who by his onely becke and word out of nothing produced all things visible and inuisible or the whole frame of the worlâ— in the beginning of time and hauing produced them preserues directs cares for and gouernes them with great goodnesse and wisdome And as he is the creator of all things from whom all things be ng made of nothing did in time proceed so he is the end of all
admitted Acts 2 after one sermon of Saint Peter wherin he had taught the principall heads of faith in Christ in one day 3000 men were baptized who whithout doubt knew nothing else but those necessary things And therefore it is added that after baptisme they perseuered in the Doctrine of the Apostles that is they learned what yet they had not heard of Christian Misteries c. B. Vsher Sermon at Wanstâ—d pag. 32. See also his booke De Christianarum eccles successu statu cap. 1. § 15. This our Bishop Vsher agreeth vnto alledging the Apostles sermons to that purpose which treated onely of the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ vpon the receiuing whereof as of sufficient doctrine to make them Christians men were baptized And this he further confirmeth by the writings of Irenaeus and Tertullian and the Creeds receiued by the Church the Apostles Creed the Creed of Athanasius The Creed of the East Church See before cap. 1. sect 2. subject 1. §. 2. recited and confirmed for the beleefe of the whole Church in the Councells of Nice and Constantinople and the late Councell of Trent Whereof I haue spoken already § 5. D. Field of the Church booke 3. chap 4. Our Doctor Field doth more fully and perfectly describe those things that so neerely touch the very life and being of Christian Faith and Religion that euery one is bound particulaâ—ly and expresly to know and beleeue them vpon paine of eternall damnation He reduceth them to sixe principall heades First concerning God whom to know is eternall life we must beleeue and acknowledge the vnity of an infinite incomprehensible and eternall essence full of righteousnesse goodnesse mercy and trueth The Trinity of persons subsisting in the same essence the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost coessentiall coeternall and coequall the Father not created nor begotten the Sonne not created but begotten the holy Ghost not created nor begotten but proceeding Secondly we must know and beleeue that God made all things of nothing that in them he might manifest his wisdome power and goodnesse that he made men and Angels capable of supernaturall blessednesse consisting in the vision and enioying of himselfe that he gaue them abilities to attaine thereunto and lawes to guide them in the wayes that lead vnto it that nothing was made euill in the beginning that all euill entred into the world by the voluntary aversion of men and Angels from God their Creator that the sinne of Angels was not generall but that some fell and other continued in their first estate that the sinne of those Angels that fell is irremissible and their fall irrevocable that these are become deuils and spirits of errour seeking the destruction of the sonnes of men that by the misperswasion of these lying spirits the first man that euer was in the world fell from God by sinnefull disobedience and apostacy that the sinne of the first man is deriued to all his posterity not by imitation onely but by propagation and descent subiecting all to curse and malediction yet not without possibility and hope of mercifull deliuerance Thirdly we must beleeue that for the working of this deliuerance the Sonne of God assumed the nature of man into the vnity of his Diuine person so that he subsisteth in the nature of God and Man without all corruption confusion or conuersion of one of them into another that in the nature of man thus assumed he suffered death but being God could not be holden of it but rose againe and triumphantly ascended into heauen that he satisfied the wrath of his Father obtained for vs remission of sinnes past the grace of repentant conuersion and a new conuersation ioyned with assured hope desire and expectation of eternall happinesse Fourthly we must constantly beleeue that God doth call and gather to himselfe out of the manifold confusions of erring ignorant and wretched men whom hee pleaseth to be partakers of these precious benefits of eternall saluation the happy number and ioyfull society of whom we name the Church of God whether they were before or since the manifestation of Christ the Sonne of God in our flesh For both had the same faith hope and spirit of adoption whereby they were sealed vnto eternall life though there be a great difference in the degree and measure of knowledge and the excellency of the meanes which God hath vouchsafed the one more then the other Fiftly we must know and beleeue that for the publishing of this ioyfull deliuerance and the communicating of the benefits of the same the Sonne of God committed to those his followers whom he chose to bee witnesses of all things he did or suffered not onely the word of Reconciliation but also the dispensation of sacred and sacramentall assurances of his loue set meanes of his gracious working that those first messengeâ—s whom he sent with immediate commission were infallibly led into all truth and left vnto posterities that summe of Christian Doctrine that must for euer be the rule of our faith that these blessed messengers of so good and happy tidings departing hence left the Ministery of Reconciliation to those whom they appointed to succeed them in the worke so happily began by them Lastly we must know and be assuredly perswaded that seeing the renouation of our spirits and mindes is not perfect and the redemption of our bodies still remaining corruptible is not yet therefore God hath appointed a time when Christ shall returne againe raise vp the dead and giue eternall life to all that with repentant sorrow turne from their euill and wicked wayes while it is yet the accepted time and day of saluation and contrary wayes cast out into vtter darkenesse and into the fire that neuer shall be quenched all those that neglect despise so great saluation All these things and these onely doe directly concerne the matter of eternall saluation saith Doctor Field These things saith he make the rule of faith whereof a man cannot be ignorant and bee saued By these all the holy Fathers Bishops and Pastors of the Church measured and made their Sermons Commentaries and interpretations of Scripture This rule is deliuered by Tertullian Irenaeus Tertull. de praescriptionibus adversus hareticos adversus Praxcam Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 3. See here before cap. 1. sect 2. subsect 1. §. 2. and other of the Fathers and with addition of conclusions most easily clearely and vnavoydably deduced hence by Theodoret in his Epitome Dogmatum For a second sort of things there are that attend on these first as consequents deduced from them or some way appertaining to them such as a man being perswaded of these will see the necessary consequence and deduction of them from these if they be propounded vnto him As that there are two wills in Christ that there is no saluation remission of sinnes or hope of eternall life out of the Church c. In such second things clearely deduced from the first principles if a man
neither was there any full sufficient setling of the truth of that point in the Church before their times nor the euill consequence thereof discerned And heresie is the obstinate maintaining of such errours after the truth is plainely taught sufficient to convict them The like may be said of the Millenary errour See ibid. and many other which diuers of the ancient Fathers held as afore is mentioned §. 5. Here you may obserue First the Church of Rome is charged with errours Hock ibid. § 17. by consequence whereof the very foundation of faith is plainly ouerthrowen and the force of the blood of Iesus Christ extinguished Secondly the wilfull and obstinate maintainers thereof after wholesome admonition are guilty of vnauoydable condemnation without actuall repentance Thirdly our Fathers that liued in those errours D. Whiâ—â— Woy pag. 448. Mornâ—y church cap. 9. end and held them onely vpon ignorance as they were taught not thinking they did amisse and neuer vnderstanding the dangerous consequence of them might by their generall hatred and repentance of all sinne though vnknowne be saued through Gods mercy and by holding the foundation and nothing in their knowledge and intent contrary therevnto were to bee accounted members of the true Church of God Fourthly this ignorance in these times cannot giue any colour of excuse since by reason of Luthers opposition these things haue beene better discussed the errours discouered and the dangerous consequence of them sufficiently published to the world not onely by the Diuines of other Countries but euen by our owne English So that after so large a publication thereof we may say as Saint Paul 2 Cor. 4.3 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our Gospel he hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeue not lest the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ who is the Image of God should shine vnto vnto them 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. And 2 Thess 2.10 In them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued for which cause God sendeth them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lie that they might all be damned who beleeue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse §. 6. Antiquus You bring forth but one man and make him great with praises as if with his great person and big words like Goliah he were sufficient to scarre and and fright the whole army of God Antiquissimus No Sir I bring him forth as humble Dauid against your Goliah of Rome and I will if you require it adioyne vnto him many other Worthies like Dauids able to quell all your Giants not with bigge words but with sound blowes D. Field appendix to the fift booke pag. vlt. Secondly Our worthy Doctor Field in his whole fiue bookes of the Church euery where sheweth your corruptions and refuteth them But for the present read onely the last page of his whole worke where hee layeth to the charge of the present Church of Rome 2 number of erroneous points wherein men liuing and dying can neuer be saued and wherein that Church sheweth her selfe to be the Synagogue of Sathan the faction of Antichrist and that Babylon out of which we must flie vnlesse we will be partakers of her plagues Thirdly our worthy Bishop Downam in his bookes De Antichristâ— sheweth the same His whole third booke setteth out the opposition of the Pope to Christs especially the sixt and seuenth Chapters containe a Catalogue of the errors and heresies of the present Roman Church and the eight Chapter sheweth her opposition against the offices and benefits of Christ euery where alledging your owne authors for confirmation of that the saith Fourthly The like doth D. Gabriell Powell in his two bookes De Antichristo De Ecclesia Antichristi If I should but reckon vp the names onely of Protestants which write of these points Punctually as these aboue named or otherwise other largly or briefely either purposely or occasionally and obiter by the way I should be needlesly tedious Fifthly M. Perkins vpon the Epistle of S. Jude pag. 261. I will therefore conclude with one in stead of all to wit Mr. Perkins In his Lectures vpon Iude verse 19 he saith we may not separate from the visible particular Church 1 for the corrupt manners of Men except from the priuate society of notorious offendors onely in priuate conuersation 1. cor 5.11 but onely for errors in doctrine 2 and not for all errors but onely for errors great and waighty for smaller errors cut not of saluation and therefore must not cause a seperation 1 cor 3 15 and 3 for those waighty errors euen in the substance of doctrine or in the Foundation if they beheld onely of frailty we may not seperate but if they be held and maintained with obstinacy then with good conscience we may and must seperate from the maintainers of them 1 tim 6.3 4.5 Acts 19.9.2 Chron. 11.4 16 17. Antiquus I like well of Mr. Perkins Iudgement that we may not make seperation for any other cause but onely for great and waighty errors against the foundation of Religion and for those onely when they are held with obstinacy But where doth he charge the Church of Rome with any such Antiquissimus Euen in the same Exposition of that Epistle of Saint Iude verse 3 where he speaketh of the points of Common Saluation from pag. 37 to pag 97. There he describeth 21 grounds of Faith and 11 groundes of Gods seruice and good life which the Church of Rome as there he sheweth doth very much infringe and in many things ouerthrow by the points of doctrine and practise which it maintaineth Reed and waigh them aduisedly Section 4. § 1. There is a necessity or great profit of Preaching euen to them that are well grounded in all necessary Principles § 2. As Israel needed all helpes after the giuing of the Law and all were too little § 3. The profits of Preaching in generall § 4. Some particulars for continuall spirituall food cordiall medicine and comfort memory armour c. § 5. The continuall need thereof was found in all Churches planted euen by the Apostles and in their times §. 1. Antiquus I will reade them at my better leasure But now by the way by your allowing these principall grounds of Religion to be sufficient for all men to saluation You seeme to cut off all necessity of so much preaching as is vsed amongst you For what needes so much preaching and hearing when men are already instructed in all points necessary to saluation Antiquissimus Preaching is still necessary because faith and regeneration must continually receiue increase 2 Pet. 3 1â— As S. Peter exhorteth in the last words of his later Epistle Grow in grace and in knowledge c. If knowledge and grace were so perfect in all beleeuers at the first instant that no reliques of blindnesse or
part 2. cap 5. Harding 3 Sanders de schis lib. 3. pag. 299. Sanders 4 Howlet briâ—fe discoursâ—…ason 7. Howlet 5 Card. Allen. with Rhemists Annot in Rom. 10.15 Allen with his Rhemists 6 D. Stapleton princ doctr l. 13. cap. 6. Stapleton 7 Doctor Kellison Reply to D. Sutclif p. 31. Kellison 8 Will. Rainolds Calvino-Turr l. 4. c 15. p. 975. William Rainolds 9 The Cath. Priests in their supplication to K. Iames anno 1604. The number of Catholicke Priests 10 Bellar. eccles milit lib. 4. c. 8. Bellarmine 11 Posnanienses assert de Christi in terris ecclesia thes 60. Posnanienses 12 Gregorius de Valentia tom 4. disp 9. q. 3. punct 2. Valentianus 13 Turrian de Iure ordinand lib. 2. c. 3. The like hath Turrianus 14 Mattheus Lanoius and Lanoius 15 D. Tyreus cited by Schaltingiuâ—â—ib cathol t. 4. pag. 33. The words of these â—uthors you may see in the booke of Mr. Francis Mason lib. 1. cap. 2. Tyreus and other not worth the reckning without measure or end Why doe they so bitterly inueigh against our Bishops and Ministers leauing their Doctrine and discrediting their calling to make people forsake them as men vnsent vncalled vnconsecrated without successiion ordination or iurisdiction yea calling them false prophets inuaders vsurpers and other Apostataes from the Church or Rome or mere Laymen but neither true Bishops nor Ministers at any hand Which they onely say and repeat and affirme with great vehemency but neuer proue Sect. 3. Antiquus Yes they proue it too * Christ a Sacrobosco de Invost Christi eccl cap. 4. Sacroboscus reports the story of the Consecration of the Bishop Iewell Sands Scory Horne Grindal and others who met at a Tauerne or Inne in Cheapside called the Horse-head in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne being disappointed of the Catholicke Bishop of Landaffe who should there haue beene to consecrate them some of them imposed hands vpon Scory he vpon the rest and so were sons made without a father and the father procreated by the sons Thus saith Sacroboscus adding that one Thomas Neal Hebrew Lecturer at Oxford who was present told this to his old confessors and they told it to Sacroboscus and that afterward it was enacted in Parliament that these men should bee accounted lawfull Bishops The same story is also reported in a Preface to a Catholicke booke called A discussion numb 135. citing Sacraboscus for it And thus saith that Preface they vsed the like Art that the Lollards once did in another matter who being desirous to eate flesh on Good Fryday and yet fearing the penalty of the Lawes tooke a Pig and diuing it vnder the water said Down Pig and vp Pike and then after constantly auouched that they had eaten no flesh but fish So these caused him who kneeled downe Iohn Iewell to rise vp Bishop of Saliâ—bury and him that was Robert Horne before to rise vp Bishop of Winchester and so forth with all the rest Antiquissimus I wonder that men of any foreheads are not ashamed to vent such fantasticall and false tales which are confuted fully by the publike Records and Registers of those times Bishop Iewell published his answer to Hardings obiections threescore yeeres agone Anno Dom. 1567. wherein he plainely sheweth f Jewels Defence of the Apology 2. part cap. 5 printed anno Dom. 1567. that himselfe and all our other Bishops succeeded the Bishops that had beene before them and were elected consecrated and confirmed as they were So that your learned men haue had time enough to read search consider and confute or be satisfied and not still thus wickedly to proclaime to the world such falsities And Master Francis Mason hath done it more thorowly in a compleat Treatise g Of the consecration of the Bishops in England and ordination of Priests and Deacons Fiue bookes printed Anno Dom. 1613. Ex Register Park 1. fol. 18. fol. 39. printed anno DoÌ„ 1613. who sheweth out of the Register books of the Archbishops of those times among all other the Consecrations of these Bishops whom your Catholicke scoffers thus depraue 1 B. Scory was consecrated August 30. anno 1551. in the time of Edw. 6 by Archbishop Cranmer Nicholas London and Iohn Bedford 2 3 B B. Grindall and Sauds were consecrated both vpon one day the 21 of December anno 1559. being the Sabboth day and in the forenoone in the Chappell at Lambehith by Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury William Cicester Iohn Hereford and John Bedford Master Alexander Nowell the Archbishops Chaplein then preaching vpon this Text Acts 20.28 Take heed to your selues and to all the flocke whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers and a Communion reuerently administred by the Archbishop 4 B. Iewell was consecrated Ian. 21. 1559. being the Sabboth day in the forenoone in the Chappell of Lambehith by Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury Edmund Grindal Ib. fol. 46. Bishop of London Richard Gox Bishop of Ely and Iohn Hodskius Bishop of Bedford with Common prayers Communion a Sermon preached by Master Andrew Pierson the Archbishops Chaplein vpon this Text Matt. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Ib. fol. 88. 5 B. Horne was consecrated Febr. 16. 1560. being the Sabboth day in the forenoone in the Chappell at Lambehith in all respects as the former by Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Bishop of Saint Dauids See also Annals of Q. Elizabeth Engl. Darcy pag. 32. Edmund Bishop of London Thomas B. of Couentry and Liechfield which I doe thus punctually relate that the world may be satisfied thorowly and wonder at the impudency of these forgers of lies and at the folly of their beleeuers Antiq. I doubted alwayes of that vnlikely tale of the Consecration of the Nags-head depending onely vpon the report of one sole witnesse Thomas Neal an obscure man and telling it in darkenesse and now I am fully resolued out of publicke Records by you alledged easie to be sought and scarched that it is vtterly false But if it be granted that all these Bishops mentioned in that tale were orderly consecrated by 3 Bishops at the least according to the Canons how may it appeare that those other Bishops which consecrated them were themselues true Bishops Shew me how your first Reforming Bishops as you call them which vpon the banishing of the Popes authority by K. H 8 consecrated the fallowing Bishops were consecrated themselues by lawfull Bishops their Predecessors and then you say something All this out of Mr. Mason lib. 2. cap. 7. Antiq. Brit. pag. 321 322. Act. Mon. Sect. 4. Antiquissimus Our first reformed Bishop was Thomas Cranmer who had beene sent before by King Henry to the Pope with other Ambassadours who deliuered to the Pope a booke of his own writing wherin he
mother and the deceiuers themselues be confounded and ashamed of the books they haue so falsely written and all Godly people be confirmed in the truth so manifestly cleared from forgeries which obscured it All which I hope the rather because the Papist prisoners in Framlingham castle in Queene Elizabeths time said to the Protestant Ministers if you can iustify your calling we will all come to your Church and be of your Religion r Mason lib. 1. cap. 3. in fine pag. 20. Sect. 9. Antiquus Well Sir be it that your English Clergy was canonically ordained and consecrated yet what say you to the Protestant Ministers in other countries which could haue no Bishops to ordaine them But as our learned men say they ordained one another very disorderedly and insufficiently Antiquissimus You draw mee to a Digression impertinent to the Church of England to speake of other countries in whose affayres I am not sufficiently acquainted and am loth to meddle It may be your learned men wrong them as they haue done vs. But if what they say be true It was your Popes fault so auerse from all reformation that did driue the Reformers in those countries to that necessity that either one Minister must ordaine another or else the Churches must be without many profitable Ministers By the way because you dislike our word Minister as we doe your word Priest vsed in your sense for sacrificing Priest Though the word Minister bee vsed by the b Bellar. de Rom. pont li. 3 cap. 13 pag. 392. § Ratio autem cur Apostoli in Scripturis nunquam vocant sacerdotes Christianos sacerdotes sed solum episcopos presbyteros Apostles in the New Testament for Minsters of the Gospell and the word Priest neuer vsed at all by them no nor by the most ancient Fathers as c Bellar decultu Sanctorum lib. 3. cap. 4. § Ad testimonium Patrum dico pag. 275. See before chap. 2. § 2. Bell. himselfe confesseth I will to auoyd offence to both vse the word Presbyter which the Apostles vsed and which I see our late learned writers do more willingly frequent to signifie such as haue taken full orders in the Church of God But note you also by the way that our fault is very small in vsing sparingly the termes of some later Fathers and vsing commonly the words of the Apostles yours is very great in forsaking and deriding the word of the B B. Apostles and preferring the words of some Fathers and vsing them contrary to their meaning But Then I doubt not to affirme that Orders giuen to Presbyters by Presbyters onely in times of necessity when Bishops cannot be procured to giue them are of full validity and sufficiency For the giuing of orders was appointed to Bishops not of absolute necessity but for their greater honour and for the better gouernment and preseruation of peace and vnity in the Church and for those and the like reasons it is fit that course be obserued when possibly it may But when it cannot we must consider that euen Bishops themselues doe not giue orders by any other power then is found in any other Presbyter Not by their power of Iurisdiction for they may ordaine Presbyters liuing out of their Iurisdiction but by vertue of their orders onely whereby they stand Presbyters Which is manifest by this that Bishops and Suffragans which are not Presbyters cannot giue orders which they neuer receiued therefore seeing the power of giuing orders is from the vertue of the orders formerly receiued which vertue is in euery presbyter as well as in a Bishop and therein Priests Bishops and Popes are all equall d See D. Field lib. 3. cap. 39. in medio alledging many Schoolmen to this purpose Then for want of Bishops to giue orders Presbyters may giue them For that is but a breach of decency and honourable conueniency whereby that thing is tyed to some chiefe Presbyters namely to Bishops which otherwise all Presbyters may doe But to the validity of the orders it maketh nothing what Presbyter soeâ—er giueth them The best learned in the Church of Rome in former times agreed to this Aâ—machanus e Armachanus lib. 11. in 4. Armenorum cap. 7. a worthy Bishop saith If all Bishops failed by death Sacerdotes minores possent Episcopum ordinare Inferior Priests might ordaine a Bishop And Alexander of Hales f Halensiâ— part 4. q. 9. memb 5. art 1 cited by D. Field ib. saith that many learned men in his time and before were of opinion that in some cases and in some times Presbyters may giue orders and that their ordinations are of force though to do so not being vrged by extreme necessity cannot be excused from ouer-great boldnesse and presumption And why not orders by ordinary presbyters as well as Baptisme by meaner persons For your Doctors in times of necessity allow Baptisme which is a principall Sacrament to be administred not onely by Bishops and Priests but by Deacons or any Laiks Baptized yea Laiks vnbaptized and very Pagans if they knew and preforme the Rites of Baptisme and women also by any person that is Homo rationalis and intendeth to doe as the Church would doe The Baptisme preformed by them is sufficient effectuall and needs no rebaptization as Bellermine teacheth at large g Bellarm. de baptismo lib. 1. cap. 7. If this will not suffice you may see more in Doctor Fields h D. Field lib. 3. cap. 39. lib. 5. cap. 56. and Master Masons bookes i Mason lib. 1. Sect. 10. Antiquus Sir you may not thinke that your priuate Reason and iudgement can ouersway the iudgement and determinations of graue learned and holy counsels Antiquiss Far be from me the presumption to thinke so Yet giue vs leaue to see what we see and to say what we know we see it in your owne learned mens books and know it to be your owne practise oftentimes to breake the Canons both of ancient Councels and of the Apostles If Protestants do it in times of necessity condemne them not for necessity hath no law it is so great a tyrant that it will not suffer the Law to stand Your men are faine sometimes to yeeld vnto it Your k This appeares plainly by Greg. Epistles lib. 12. Iud. 7. epist 31. rectified by Bede of D. Stapletons owne iudicious edition translation though other copies somewhat differ See Mason lib. 2. cap. 5. pag. 61. Gregory the great Bishop of Rome sending Augustine the Monke into England who was not vntill afterward made Bâ—shop of Canterbury appointed him to ordaine the first Bishops himselfe alone in case the Brittan Bishops opposed him and that of the English or Saxons there were no Bishops and that the French Bishops would be slacke and vncertaine of ayding him And accordingly himselfe alone ordained Melitus the first Bishop and by the assistance of Melitus onely hee ordained Iustus the second and when there was a Canonicall number then
they obserued the number of three to consecrate others In like manner your Baronius l Baronius anno 555. n. 10. sticks not to record that pope Pelagius the first was consecrated by two Bishop onely when more could not be procured and a Priest And yet was he accounted a good lawfull Bishop and in his time he ordained 29 Priests and 49 Bishops If his consecration were a nullity then so were all theirs and all other consecrated by them and so there followed a world of nullities in the Church of Rome Euagrius Patriarke of Antioch was consecrated by Paulinus alone and yet accounted a lawfull Bishop n Ioannes Maior in 4. Sent. dist 24. q. 3. inter opera Gerson Paris 1606. pag. 681. as m Theodoret lib. 5. cap. 23. Theodoret sheweth Joannes Maior a Doctor of Paris saith that Rusticus and Eleutherius who came into France with Dionysius were not Bishops But Dionysius alone ordained the Bishops of France He saith also o Maior quo supra who ordained Peter they will not find vs three ordainers Therefore I say it is an humane constitution that a Bishop shall be ordained by three S. Paul did not seek for two more for the ordination of Titus and Timothy And Petrus de Palude p Petrus De Palude De potestate Apostol cited by B. Iewel Defens 2 part cap 5 diuision 1. p. 130 saith one Bishop is sufficient to consecrate another and it is onely for the greater solemnity a deuise of the Church that three shall concurre This is therefore no essentiall part but an accidentall ornament of the Consecration a complement of honourable conueniency fit to be vsed where it may be had no substanciall point of absolute necessity making a nullity of consecration where it wanteth The like may be said of orders to be giuen by 〈◊〉 Bishop onely Pope Gelasius saith q Gelasius epist 9. Bâ—n t. 2. pag. 243. Priscis pro sua reuerentia manentibus consâ—itutis qua vbi nulla vel rerum vel temporum per vrget necessitas regulariter conuenit custodire when no necessity of things or times compell to the contrary it is fit reuerently to keepe the ancients constitutions So saith Leo also r Cited by Ioh. 8. epist 8. Bin. c. 3. paâ—t 2. pag. 977. Omittendum esse inculpabile iudicandum quod intulit necessitas but he addeth that may be omitted and iudged vnblameable which necessity inforceth And Foelix Å¿ Ib. apud Bin. Aliter tractandaâ— necessitatis rationem aliter voluntatis the respect of necessity is to be handled one way the respect of voluntary minde another way Andradius affirmeth t Andrad De gen conciliorum autoritate pag. 115 116. that humane lawes made vpon the best counsell and aduise are varied by the variety of times and may be inuerted and changed by the necessities of men and so are dispensable whervpon Saint Austen u Aug. De lib. arb cap. 6. calls humane lawes temporall because though they bee iust yet they may be iustly changed according to the times Binius saith x Bin. t. 2. p. 243 in marg Pro temporum necessitate rigor canonum relaxatur Haec pleraque apud Mason Canones Apostolorum 85. cum Ioannis Monachizonare commentarijs set â—ut in Latin by Iâ— Quintinus Haeduus printed with Zonaras and others at Frankford by Faâ—rubendiuâ— 1587. according to the necessity of the times the Rigor of the Canons is released But you make this necessity of times farre larger then Protestants may for of the Canons of the Apostles you brake some willingly yea you decree the contrary and make it vnlawfull to keepe them as the fift Canon that saith that Bishops or Priests that put away their wiues for occasion of Religion shall be excommunicated and the ninth Canon which will haue them excommunicated also that after hearing the Scriptures and prayers depart and doe not with other faithfull receiue the communion This Canon and that of thrice dipping in Baptisme the 49 or 50 Canon and diuers other are abolished contraria consuetudine saith your Canus y Canus De lâ—cis theol lib. 3. cap 5. pag. 195. Christs Doctrine saith hee may not be changed but must stand firme but the Apostles Rules for the gouerment of the Church are not so fixed but they may be remoued And your Michael Mediâ—a saith z Medina lib. 5. de sacrorum hom continentia cap. 106. as D. Reinolds alledgeth him Defence Thes 5. Morton appeal lib. 2. c 25. sect 10. that of the 84. Canons of the Apostles which Clement Bishop of Rome and the Disciples of the same Apostles gathered together scarse doth the Latin Church obserue 6 or 8 entirely But as I said you draw mee from our owne Country into others and yet therby you gaine nothing for if they be censured for their necessary and ineuitable breach of some ancient Church Canons to maintaine the substance of Christs Doctrine much more must you be condemned for breaking them ordinarily and willfully without necessity And on the other side if their Ministery be cleared though necessity hath enforced the breach of some Canonicall circumstance then much more is ours of England cleared who neuer found any such necessity nor euer brake them Nay we haue euermore obserued them farre more precisely then you haue done that thus accuse vs and boast of your strictest owne obseruations CHAP. 6. Of the Popes supremacy ouer the whole Church Section 1. The necessitie thereof vrged § 2 As the maine pillar the matter and method of the answer propounded § 3 The ancient Church yeelded to Rome the greatest City of the world to haue the dignity of one of the fiue Patriarchs § 4 And among them sometime the chiefest place § 5 Which dignity their ambition and couetousnesse haue impaired § 6 Bellarmine gathering the strength of all learned Writers sheweth no strength in them to maintaine the Papacy either by vrging Mat. 16.18 § 7 Or Ioh. 21.15 c. § 8 The Romish strange extractions out of the words Feed my Sheepe § 9 And vaine allegations of diuers other Scriptures § 10 The Scripture is against the supremacy of Peter § 11 The Fathers vrged for it in vaine § 12 The Fathers are against it § 13 St Peters prerogatiues descended not to his successors § 14 The conclusion collecting the parts of the chapter briefly and iustifying the Protestants §. 1. Antiq. I Am satisfied that your Ministers haue true succession from the Apostles and ordination according to the Canons And for the present I will suppose that all that you haue said is true that your Church hath had a visible succession deriued from the Apostles without interruption that it deliuereth all the substantial points of doctrine necessary to saluation sufficiently Suppose all this and yet further Suppose that in the Church of Rome there are some things now taught and vsed which were not in the Primitiue Church as the vse of Images
Purgatory Indulgence the doctrine of transubstantiation Communion of the Laity in one species priuate Masses and such like yet all this cannot proue yours to bee the true Church nor the Roman to bee false because yet you are defectiue in this That the Church being one onely true entire body of Iesus Christ you are seperate from it and will not be vnder the gouernment of that visible-hood which Christ hath appointed ouer it to wit the Bishop of Rome the successor of Saint Peter to whom is giuen the highest iurisdiction and gouernment of the whole Church vpon earth and the infallibility of iudgement to guide it right and keepe it from error so that they that are not vnder his gouernment and guidance are out of the Church in which saluation is to be found and no where else Neither can the things now vsed which were not vsed in the Primitiue Church any way nullifie or disgrace the Church since in the wisedome of him that is infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost for the guidance of the Church they are iudged profitable in these times which were not so necessary in former ages All inferiour and priuate spirits must submit to the iudgement of that Head whom Christ hath constituted ouer his Church and doth assist with his spirit that hee shall not erre That Saint Peter was made Prince and Head of the Apostles by our Sauiour Christ the Proofes are plaine in the Scriptures and Fathers Mat. 16.16 In the 16. of Saint Matthew when Saint Peter had confessed Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to open and shut to bind and loose In the 21 of S. Iohn Christ saith to Peter Ioh. 21.15 Since thou louest mee more then these the rest of the Apostles Feed my Sheepe Be thou the generall Pastor ouer my whole flocke euen ouer the rest of the Apostles In the 22. of Saint Luke Christ saith I will pray for thee Peter that thy faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren Conformable to these Scriptures the Fathers doe ordinarily giue vnto Saint Peter the Primacy of the Apostles call him the Mouth the Chiefe the Top the Highest the Prince the President of the Apostles the head and foundation of the Church all which laid together and well considered doe proue such a prerogariue in Saint Peter that the Church taught and guided by him and his Successors shall neuer erre in matters of Faith and good life but bee infallibly lead into all truth that bringeth to holinesse and happinesse And this is not promised to Saint Peters person or for his life onely but to all his Successors when Christ promiseth to bee with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. in the last words Whereupon these things will follow 1 That the Church of Rome See the Relation of the Religion in the West parts pag. 15. now gouerned by S. Peters Successors is vndoubtedly the true Church of God deliuering and practising the true meanes of saluation and hath the prerogatiue to keepe men from erring in matters of Faith and from falling from God hath the keyes of heauen in custody to admit in by indulgence such as shall be saued and shut out by excommunication such as shall bee condemned so that in it there is a happy facility and without it an vtter impossibility of saluation 2 And consequently It is of the necessity to saluation that all particular Churches and all men be subiect to the Bishop thereof Christs Vicar and the visible head of the Catholike Church vpon earth and whosoeuer or what Nation or people soeuer are not subiect to him in spirituall things are no part of the Catholike Church of Christ §. 3. Antiquis Were all this true and substantiall it were able to charme all the world to be of your Church and to make the Pope absolute Lord of all And you do politikely to keep this point for your last refuge and final ground of all controuersies betwixt vs for if you can euict this you need no more If your Popes bee Saint Peters successors in all those things which you ascribe vnto Saint Peter and thereby haue full iurisdiction ouer the whole Christian world and cannot erre all is yours Stapleton principio doctr lib 6. cap. 2. Sanders Rocke of the Church Bristow Motiue 47. c. See Bellarm. letter to Blackwell there is an end of all controuersie and disputation And therefore your Chieftaines haue great reason to fortifie this piece with all the art and artillery their wit learning and power can afford them thereby to cut off all particular controuersies wherein they finde we are too strong for them This Gorgons head alone is able to affright the simple that they shall not beleeue their owne eyes or see your palpable corruptions or beleeue that any thing can be amisse with you be it neuer so foule and and manifest But alas deare friend I shall shew you plainely that all this is but an Imaginary Castle built in the Ayre without ground or foundation and that all your men stretch the Scriptures and the sayings of the Fathers farre beyond their meaning B. Iewel B. Bilson B. Morton B White D. Rainolds D. Field c. To answere their bookes and arguments punctually would aske too great time and be a needlesse labour because our Learned men haue done it sufficiently and often already But for your satisfaction I will shew you first what dignity the ancient Church hath yeelded to the Bishop of Rome Secondly that the Supremacy now claymed cannot be proued to bee giuen to Saint Peter either by the Scriptures or thirdly by the Fathers but coÌ„trary that both the Scriptures and Fathers are against it Fourthly that the true primacy and Prerogatiues of Saint Peter aboue the rest of the Apostles were personall and did not descend to his successors §. 3. 1. For the first Aeneas Syluius who was afterterwards made Pope Aeneas Syluius epist 288. Ante conciliuÌ„ Nicenâ—â— qu sque sibi viuebat paruus respectus habebatur ad ecclesiam Romanam and called Pius Secundus saith plainly that before the Councell of Nice 327. yeeres after Christ little respect was had to the Church of Rome yet was Rome the chiefe City of the world by reason of the Antiquity Magnificence Dominion and the residence of the Emperours there at that time The Apostles vsed to plant Churches in the chiefest Cities from whence the Gospell might best be propagated into the Countries adioyning Cities therefore were first Christians the people dwelling in Country Pagis Villis in Pages and Villages being not conuerted See D. Field Church book 5. epist to the Reader cap. 27. 30 31. were called Pagans or Infidels But for their
conuersion and for the better gouernment of the Church Bishops were by the Apostles placed in the Cities with power of iurisdiction to gouerne and of Ordination to institute Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in euery towne as was Timothy in Ephesus Titus in Crete If any difficulty arose either in doctrine or gouernment too great to be ordered by these Bishops the wise policy of the Church ordained it should be referred to the determination of higher Bishops called Archbishops that is chiefe Bishops Metropolis in the Greeke tongue signifies a Mother City by some fatherly authority ouer the other Bishops and Clergy or being Bishops of the chiefest or Mother Cities within the Nation whereof they were called Metropolitans And ouer these Archbishops or Metropolitans in seuerall Lands or Nations some one was made the Primate for better vnity and commodity of gouernment and calling together and guiding of National Councels vpon occasions It was thought conuenient also for the better keeping of all Christian Nations in the vnity of Faith Holinesse and peace to appoint yet a higher degree of Patriarchs in some of the most eminent Cities of the world who might haue some ouersight authority ouer all the Primats Archbishops and other Clergy of all the Nations which were vnder their Patriarchall Iurisdiction Of these Patriarchs we read in the Counsell of Nice and before that in the whole Christian world there were but three B. Carlton The Bishop of Rome for the West parts of Antioch for the East and of Alexandria for the South D. Field ib. li. 3. chap. 1 Concil Nicon cant 6. The Bishop of Rome had these fiue principal Nations within his Patriarchship Italy Spaine France Germany and Brittany The other had their Patriarchships bounded also by the Councell of Nice Afterwards when the Emperours had translated the seat of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople whereupon that City was called new Rome and that City was grown very great Noble and Magnificent it was thought fit there to erect a fourth Patriarch the Patriarch of Constantinople And lastly for the honour of Ierusalem where our Sauiour liued and dyed and from whence Christian Religion was propagated into all parts of the world the Bishop of Ierusalem was made a fifth Patriarch and their dominions were assigned vnto them D. Field ib. Bellar. praefat in 16. de pontif Rom Concil Constantinop sub Theodosio seniore can 1. Socrat. lib. 5 cap. 8. Concil Chalcedon can 23. Eliensis Responsio ad Apologiam Bellarmini pag. 170 171. §. 4. Amongst these the Bishop of Rome had the first place of dignity and in the second generall Counsell holden at Constantinople anno 383. the Bishop of Constantinople obtained the second degree of honour among the Patriarchs next vnto the Bishop of Rome and before the other of Alexandria and Antioch And in the great Counsell of Chalcedon anno 454. it was decreed that Rome and Constantinople should haue all Rights Priuiledges and Prerogatiues equall because as Rome was before Sedes regia the seat of the Empire so now was Constantinople this was the reason then alleadged But not long after the magnificence of Constantinople encreasing and with it the haughtinesse of her Bishop he challenged to be superiour to the Bishop of Rome and encroached vpon the right of all other as greater and more honourable then all the rest and to be the chiefe Bishop of the whole world because his City was then the chiefe City of the world See before lib. 1. cap. 4. §. 4. About this was the contention betwixt Gregory the first of Rome and Iohn Bishop of Constantinople whereof I haue spoken before But Iohn carried away the title and honour for ten yeeres during his life by fauor of the Emperour Mauricious and Cyriacus his successor for eleuen yeeres more Phocas is thus described by Zonaras who calls him pessimus tyrannus postis humani generis saith he was worthily slaughtered by Heraclius who cut off his wicked hands and fee and then his genitals by peecemeale Paulus Diacouus in Phoca The same writeth Bibliothearius in Bonifacio 3. Platina in Bonifacio 3. and Sabellicus 8 6. thoâ—gh Bellarmine lay that Boniface sued not for that title in Apologia pro Torto Baronius anno 606. nu 2. But when Phocas the Emperour succeeded a wild drunken bloody adulterous tyrant who like another Zimry hath slâ—yne his Master Mauricius Boniface the third Bishop of Rome who had been Chancelour to Phocas obtained of him by earnest suite to haue that title and honour of Primacy transferred from Constantinople to Rome And thus saith Paulus Diaconus at the entreaty of Boniface Phocas appointed the seat of the Roman Church to be the head of all Churches or as Baronius deliuers it onely the Roman Bishop should be called vniuersall Bishop and not the Bishop of Constantinople But the contention betwixt the two Patriarchall seas ended not thus for they of Constantinople vpon euery occasion stirred againe vntill at length difference growing betwixt the two Churches the Greek the Latine about the proceeding of the holy Ghost either pronounced other to be Heretiks and Schismaticks In the yeere 869 aboue 400. B. Vsher De Ecclesiarum successione c. 2. §. 28 yeeres after the two Patriarchs were equalled at Chalcedon in a Councell at Constantinople wherin Image-worship was established the two Patriarchs were made friends and it was agreed that the one should be stiled Vniuersall Patriarch Onuphrius in Platinam in vita Bonifaci 3. Gâ—nebrard l. 4. Chronograph Vniuersalis Patriarcha Vniuersalis Papa and the other Vniuersall Pope and so the word Pope which before that time had beene common to all Bishops became then the proper title of the Bishop of Rome Hereby we may obserue 1. That this Primacy or Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome was of no such Antiquity as is pretended 2. That in those times it was not thought either by the Emperours or by the Councels to haue beene giuen to the Bishops of Rome or established vpon any at all by the diuine Scriptures as now the Popes do claime but left at the discretion of Princes and Wise-men to giue it to whom they would and to order or alter it as occasion serued and the respect or dignity of Cities and times required For neither were their arguments that then claimed it drawne from the Scriptures but from ciuill reasons of State and Policy neither was it vpon any other reasons setled and the controuersie proceeded not from any institution of the Omnipotent God but from the ambition of Impotent men 3. The author that setled it vpon the Roman Bishop was Phocas one of the Diuels eldest sonnes a murderer of his master a drunken adulterous tyrant a scourge and plague to mankinde §. 5. 4. Obserue the Romish Bishops ambition in those times swaruing from the most honored humility of a number of their first Ancesters holy men and Martyrs to whom the ancient Fathers
cause of the Popes primacy and power is the greatest of all other as himselfe saith it is De summa rei Christianae the summe totall of Christianity depends vpon it In it the question is whether the Church shall stand any longer or bee dissolued and fall to nothing for what is it else to demand whether wee may not take the foundation from the building the Sheephard from the Flocke the Generall from the Army the Sunne from the Starres the head from the body but to aske whether we may not let the building fall the Flocke be scattered the Army dispersed the Stars obscured the body lye dead Bellarm. ibid. Therefore secondly to make this piece of the stately height wealth and magnificence of the Papacy which is forsooth the foundation of Religion most strong the choycest men for wit learning and all other habilities haue beene set on worke to doe their vttermost to maintaine it of which Bellarmine reckoneth the chiefest of sundry Countries In Polonia one in France two in Germany fiue in Low Germany six in England six in Spaine six in Italy eight in Graecia two And thirdly if there be any strength in any of their writings Bellarmine hath it and sets it out to the vttermost therefore if thou finde him weake know for certainty there is no strength in the cause He musters indeed Scriptures and Fathers and rangeth them into goodly rankes but all ad Pompam rather than ad pugnam For neuer a one of them strikes a sufficient blow for him nor against vs. Against his vrging of the place of Math. 16. when he hath with all his wit stretched it as farre as he can he is faine to admit three exceptions of the Protestantâ— which ouerthrow all that he would proue First that as Christ asked not of Peter onely but of all Whâ—m say yee that I am Peter answered for all Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for all could not speake at once neither was it decent one must be the speaker So also Christ replyed vpon him as vpon all and therefore what was spoken vnto him belonged to them all And thus the ancient Fathers interpret it Chrysostome vpon the place and Ierome and Austine as Bellarmine himselfe h Be lar de pont lib. 1. cap. 12 §. Secunda obâ— citeth them and reciteth their words neither saith he any thing to auoid their testimonies but addeth this onely Peter answered for all as the Prince and Head of all which in the true sence wee deny not neither makes it any thing for them Secondly the Protestants say It was not vpon Peters person but vpon Peters faith which was the saith of all the Apostles whereupon Christ would build his Church to wit That Christ was the Sonne of the liuing God that is the great Messias promised from the beginning the Sauiour of the world Thus the Fathers also teach as Bellarmine i ib cap 10. §. quarta senten confesseth Hilarius k lib 6. de Trin. Ambrose l lib 6 cap. 9. in Luk Chrysostome m Hom. 55 in Mat 83. iâ— Mat. Cyrill n ib. 1. de Trin. Hee might haue added also Augustine o De â—erbâ—s â— om serm â—â— who saith The Rocke is Christ not Peter vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this Rocke which thou hast knowne saying Thou art Christ the son of the liuing God will I build my Church I will build thee vpon mee not mee vpon thee c. but this your Doctor Stapleton o De â—erbâ—s â— om serm â—â— p Princip doctr lâ—b â— cap â— See 〈…〉 Hâ—â—t pag â—0 â—â— calleth humanus lapsus in Saint Austin To all this Bellarmine saith they meant not Peters faith without some relation to his person What is this to the purpose This wee admit both in him and in all the Apostles their persons may bee said to bee foundations in some sort as in Ephes 2.20 Reuel 21.14 yet that is in regard of the Faith and Doctrine which they taught the subiect and substance whereof was Iesus Christ Thirdly the Protestants alleadge that whatsoeuer was promised to Saint Peter in the 16. of Matthew was certainly performed to all in Ioh. 20.23 where Christ said to all the Apostles Whose-soeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose-soeuer sinnes ye retaine they are retained And this the Fathers also plentifully teach q Cypr. de simplicitate praelatorum siue de vnitate Eccl. Cyprian r Hilari lib. 6. de Trinit Hilary Å¿ Hieron lib. 1. ad Iouinianum At inquit dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesià licet id ipsum in alio loco superomnes Apo â—olos siat cuâ—cti accipâ—ant c. Ierome and Saint Augustine in many places hath the like All which t Ib. lib. 1 c. 12. § Obiâ—â—tio vltima Bellarmine confesseth adding still lest he say nothing that yet Peter was a chiefe man among the rest which is not the question and none of vs denies it Thus he granteth first that what was there spoken to Peter belonged to all the rest secondly that the Church was built vpon Peters Faith which was the common faith of all the Apostles and not vpon Peters person either wholly or principally and thirdly that which there was promised to Peter was afterward performed to them all and so this place of Mat. 16. makes nothing to the end for which your men so often and so gloriously alleadge it Antiq. Were it not that I see it with mine eyes and read the whole tract aduisedly I should neuer haue beleeued that Bellarmine had yeelded thus much but yet he doth it with modifications Antiquis Hee must needs make some flourishes to satisfie his owne side but you see the substance of the matter is flat against him But note what he grants further u Bellar de Pont Rom li. â— cap. 11. §. Alterum arg Peter was made the foundation of the Church by those words of Christ Mat. 16.18 vpon this Rock will I build my Church so all the Apostles were foundations and all the three wayes that Peter was First as efficient causes by founding and planting Churches some in one Country and some in another for x Rom. 15.20 Paul would not build vpon another mans foundation and y 1 Cor 3.10 he layd the foundation in Corinth and another built thereon And thus were all the Apostles equally the foundations of the Catholike Church Reuel 21.14 Secondly as materiall causes by their Doctrine first reueiled vnto them by the Lord and then taught by them in all Churches which was pure without mixture of error infallible being inspired by the holy Ghost and sufficient both for true faith and holy life whereupon the Church for euer was to rest without need of any addition And thus is the Church built equally vpon all the Apostles z Ephes 2.20 And in this Saint Peter was no greater then the rest nor
partiality and you shall finde they proue no more then the excellency of honourable estimation the primacy of order and the principality of grace and are farre short of prouing the Supremacy of power ouer the whole Christian world now claimed and practised by the Bishop of Rome B. Carlton iurisdiction pag. 55 56. Wee may also iustly alleadge that the honours and titles that other Bishops gaue to the Bishops of Rome for their great vertue in former times the Romists of these latter times vniustly draw to proue the iurisdiction of that Sea because they may finde the same or greater giuen to other worthy Bishops as to Saint Ambrose to whom p Basil epist 55. Saint Basil writing saith He holdeth the sterne of that great and famous shippe the Church of God and that God hath placed him in the primacy and chiefe seate of the Apostles So q Sidon lib. 6. ep 1 4. Sidonius Apollinaris Bishop of Arvern calleth Lupus a French Bishop Pope Lupus and his Sea Apostolike And writing to Fontellus another French Bishop r Lib. 7. ep 4. Quod Apostolatus vestri patrocinium copiosissimumconferre vos comperi saith he greatly reioyced that he found he did aboundantly defend his Apostleship And againe Å¿ Lib. 6. ep 7. Ego quoque ad Apostolatus tui noticiam accedo I come to the knowledge of your Apostleship t Chrysost de laudibus Paul hom 8. in Gal. 2. Erat Paulus Princeps Apostolorum honore par Petro ne quid dicam amplius Saint Chrysostom called Saint Paul Prince of the Apostles u Ruffin histor lib. 2. cap. 1. Iacobus Apostolorum princeps Ruffinus gaue Saint Iames the same title x Greg in 1 Reg. lib. 4. cap 4. Paulus ad Christum conuersus caput effectus est nationum qui obtinuit Ecclesiae totius principatum See D. Field Church booke 5. chap. 41. Saint Gregory gaue Saint Paul the title of Head of the Nations and that hee obtained the gouernment of the whole Church What titles doe the Fathers giue vnto Saint Peter beyond these If these doe not proue any generall Iurisdiction in others how doe they proue it in Saint Peter §. 12. But what need we stand vpon Titles which the ancient Fathers gaue to Saint Peter or the Pope when the whole course of their actions were against the Supremacy now challenged Remember what I haue said a See before booke 1. chap. 1 §. 2. before of the Fathers misliking and disswading the Popes assumed authority in the smallest matters as Polycarpus disswading Anicetus Polycrates and the Bishops of the East and Irenaeus with his French Bishops in the West disswading Victor from new vnusuall vniustifiable courses ibid. §. 3. Other Fathers afterwards plainely resisting and reiecting the Popes iudgement and authority as the holy Martyr Cyprian with many whole Councels of the African Bishops Saint Basil the Great and the whole Greeke Church I shewed you also how three Popes in succession Zozimus Boniface and Celestine aboue 400. yeeres after Christ claymed their superiority and priuiledges not by the Scriptures but by a Canon of the Councell of Nice which Canon the holy learned Bishops in the Councell of Carthage reiected finding no such thing in any of the Copies of the Councell of Nice which their Church kept or the Church of Alexandria or the Church of Constantinople So that finally condemning that Canon to be countefet and the claymed authority of the Church of Rome to bee new and vnlawfull they made Decrees against the Popes clayme conformable to their owne Decrees and Customes of former times b Ibid. sect 4. I shewed you further by the Contention betwixt Iohn Bishop of Constantinople and Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome that your owne Gregory condemned the titles and supremacy which Iohn then laboured for and which your Popes now take vnto them he I say condemned them for Antichristian and said none of his ancestors did euer claym them c Ibid. sect 5. I shewed you also how the Bishops of France Germany and Brittany with many Councels one at Constantinople another at Frankfurt another at Paris with whom also ioyned Charles the Great and Ludouicus Pius beside many learned men in their bookes at that time opposed the Pope and his Councels and his authority in imposing the worship of Images vpon the Church Of these and of the succeeding times I haue spoken d See ibid. sect 9. 10. c. in mine opinion sufficient to satisfie any moderate man and vpon occasion I haue much more to say But reade aduisedly at your leysure B. Iewel B. Morton D. Field and our other learned Protestants or our most iudicious King Iames his bookes or reade onely B. Bilsons booke e B. Bilson The true difference between Christian subiectioÌ„ vnchristian rebellion specially the first part p. 94. seq in 8. who writes fully enough and punctually of these matters and if you bee not prejudicate and obstinate beyond all reason you will be satisfied Onely I will adde here for the present one thing of the African Church about Saint Cyprians time and after The Contention betwixt the Bishops of Africa and the Bishop of Rome was so great that on the one side as Cassander f Cassander consultation arâ—ic 7. pag 54. obserueth Pope Steuen repelled Saint Cyprian à communione suâ from Communion with him See â—efoâ—â— châ—p 2â—â—â— admitted not to his speach the Bishops of Africa comming from Saint Cyprian as Legats yea and foâ—bade all his fraternity to receiue them into their houses denying them not only peace coÌ„munion but also tectum hospitium house-room lodging calling Cyprian Pseudo hristum dolosum operariâ—m a false Christ and deceitfull worker And on the other side Saint Cyprian and the Africans stood out thinking the Pope and the Italians in the wrong neither sued they neither cared they for the Communion of the Pope and the Church of Rome Doctor Harding saith g Hardings answer to Iewels challenge pag. 290. The whole Church of Africa withdrew it selfe from the Church of Rome by reason of this difference of Appeales and so continued in Schisme an hundred yeeres and in that time were brought into miserable captiuity by the Vandales Harding might remember that Rome it selfe about the same season in the space of 140. yeeres was brought to miserable calamities being sixe times taken by the wilde and barbarous enemies h B. Iewel ib. after which time of 100. yeeres Eulabius B. of Carthage condemning his predecessors disobedience and seeking reconciliation to the Pope did by publike instrument or writing submit and reioyne the African Church to the Roman And Boniface the Pope writes thereof to the Bishop of Alexandria exciting him to reioyce and giue thankes to God for this reconciliation saying that Aurelius Bishop of Carthage and his fellowes whereof Saint Augustine was one being set on by the Diuell had
borne themselues proudly against the Church of Rome c. So were Saint Austen with 216. other Bishops with foure generall Councels of Africa Carthage Milleuis and Hippo condemned and cursed by Eulabius and declared by Boniface the Pope to bee pricked forwards by the Diuell and wilfully to liue out of the Church of God and die in Schisme This History reported by Mr Harding yeelds a great inconuenience that such good men as Saint Augustine Cyprian Fulgentius and many others should willingly liue and dye out of the Community of the Roman Church as Schismatiks and excommunicated by the Pope and yet thinke themselues safe enough and generally accounted by the world to be good Catholikes and many of them Saints And therefore Bellarmine hath reason to discredit this story of the reconciliation and laboureth to proue it counterfet either in whole or in part i Bellar. de Rom. Pontif. l. 2. c. 25. And thus Mr D. Harding is not onely proued often by our B. Iewel but heere confessed by his fellow Bellarmine to be an errant Catholike an abuser of the world by fables and yet lately againe k Coster enchir cap. De summo Pont. obiectio decima solet Sanders de visib monarch lib. 7. pag 3â—9 as Lindan before Panopl lib. 4. cap. 48. Costerus the Iesuit mentions the same story as true Such is their vnity among themselues and the certainty of their both histories and doctrines If this history be true then in those times holy men Saints and Martyrs made no great conscience to resist the Pope to reiect his soueraignty to liue and dye out of the communion of the Church of Rome if the story be false then condemne your great D. Harding and the Authors which he followes as abusers of the world by falsities By all this it appeareth that whatsoeuer titles the Ancient Fathers gaue to Saint Peter they denyed the supremacy now challenged to the Bishops of Rome his pretended successors §. 13. For indeed the things wherein Saint Peter excelled the other Apostles were personall proper to his person onely and not communicable to his successors To be the eldest first chosen of greatest estimation fullest of grace c. were not things descending to his successors but proper to himselfe Antiq. Neither doe the Bishops of Rome challenge these properties but his Vniuersality of commission ouer the whole world and his Infallibility of Iudgement Antiquis But in these two things the other Apostles were his equals Proued before § 6 11. Saint Paul had care ouer all Churches 2 Cor. 11. so had the rest and all of them were guided by the holy Ghost from error both in teaching and writing Antiq. True but they could not leaue these to their successors as Saint Peter might Antiquis So saith Bellarmine indeed a De pont lib. 1. cap. 9. § Respondeo Pontificatum Iurisdictio vniuersalis Petro data est vt ordinario pastori cui perpetuò succederetur alijs vero tanquam delegatis quibus non succederetur What should be the reason of this Forsooth they say that Christ made Saint Peter supreme Pastor and Bishop of the whole world and so likewise his successors for euer See Doctor Field Church Booke 5. cap. 23. pag. 114. but afterwards he gaue the same authority to the rest of the Apostles for their liues onely A strange conceit Christ first gaue him a Monarchy and afterwards tooke it away againe auoyding his first grant to one by his second grant to eleuen more for by making al the twelue of equall authority in all parts of the world and towards all persons so that no one of them could limit or restraine another hee tooke away the Monarchy from one which he had first giuen him and made it an Aristocracy of twelue equals in power and at their deathes taking away succâ—ssion from eleuen and giuing it to one made a Monarchy of the Aristocracy againe and raysed Saint Peters successor to be greater then Peter himselfe had beene without any peeres honouring the Pope more then he honoured Peter For Peter was onely one of the Duodecem viri but his successor a sole and absolute Monarch and all the other Apostles successors were vnderlings receiuing all their calling mission and commission from him and not to be restrayned limited gouerned by him alone Who would not take this for a strange Paradoxe vnworthy of wise and learned men and yet this they are compelled to hold for two reasons first because it is most cleare that the Apostles were all equall in power and commission and receiued it immediately from Christ and not from Peter which they cannot they do not deny Secondly because if all the Apostles should leaue their power to their successors then their successors should not depend vpon Saint Peters but should deriue their power from Christ himselfe by a line of succession as well as Peters did and consequently all the Bishops ordayned by the other Apostles and by their successors to the worlds end whereof there were and are innumerable should haue no dependance of Saint Peter neither could be limited or ordered by his successors as Bellarmine saw well enough b Lib. 4 cap. 24. §. At contra lib. 2. cap. 23. §. secunda ratio Therefore where Saint Cyprian saith The rest of the Apostles had equall power with Peter Their note saith This must be vnderstood of the equality of the Apostleship which ceased when the Apostles dyed and passed not ouer vnto Bishops c In the annotation to Cyprian printed at Rome by Paulus Manutius at the Popes command Raynolds Hart p. 221. Bellarmine d Bellar. de pont lib. 1. c. 23 §. vigâ—sima prima saw that this shift would not serue the Popes turne because the world is full of the Apostles successors lineally comming from them which no way should depend vpon Saint Peter therefore he hath another conceit more strange than the former That the rest were made also Apostles by Christ and so continued for their life but they were consecrated Bishops not by Christ but by Saint Peter and so consequently the Apostolike office ceasing all the Bishops authority was deriued from Saint Peter A fine conceit were it true but himselfe saith presently after e Ib. §. Respondeo in Apostolatu contineri Episcopatum that the Bishops office is contayned in the Apostles office so that in being Apostles they were Bishops also without any further or new ordination for what Ecclesiasticall acts can any Bishop doe which the Apostles could not Christ gaue to the Apostles power to preach and baptize Mat. 28.19 power to minister the holy Communion Luke 22.19 power of the keyes of binding and loosing of remitting and retayning sinnes of planting Churches ordayning Bishops and Ministers For the Apostleship is the highest office in the Church of God and containeth the power of all the rest in it f Bellar de pont lib. 4. cap. 23. §. Addit Cyril
Christ by saying g Ioh. 20. Sicut misit me Pater ego mitto vos gaue them his owne office and authority and made them his Vicars as the Fathers Chrysostome and Theophylact speake and Bellarmine alloweth h Ib. initio capitis And whereas Saint Iames the younger was ordayned Bishop of Ierusalem by the other Apostles as the Ancients shew that ordination was not a new power giuen him but a speciall application of his old power to that particular diocesse i Wherein Bellar. troubles himsâ—lfe idly de pont l. 1. c. 23 §. praetereaquod as also the translation of a Bishop to another Sea is not the making of a new Bishop but a meere application of the old to a new place k D Field ib. pag 116 117. §. 14. Thus you see sufficiently I hope that though the Church l Section 3 4 5. attributed much to Saint Peter yet m Sect. 10 11 12 not such supreme iurisdiction ouer the whole Church as now is claymed n Sect. 13. neither could the prerogatiues due to him descend to his successors no such thing can be proued either by the o Sect. 6 7 8 9. Scriptures or the p Sect. 11. Fathers but plainly the q Sect 10 12. contrary r Cyprian epist 67. D. Field Church book 5. c. 42. p. 288. Saint Cyprian saith wisely that Almighty God wisely foreseeing what euils might follow such vniuersality of power and iurisdiction in one man ordayned that there should be a great number of Bishops ioyned in equall commission that so if some fell the rest might stand and keepe the people from a generall downefall as it was in the time of the Arians wherein many Bishops were corrupted and amongst them the Å¿ See the next chapter sect 4. Liberius and before c. 1. sect 1. subsect 2. §. 5. Bishop of Rome others remayning sound and preuayling to saue the Church from generall corruption To conclude this great point we account this claymed iurisdiction to be one of the great corruptions of the Church of Rome a politike deuice to set vp an earthly Kingdome We know there was a Church of God vpon earth perfect and pure before there was a Church at Rome and that the Churches in other Nations of Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippy c. had no dependance vpon the Church of Rome they were her sisters not her daughters equally branches of the Oliue tree Rom. 11. Rome was not the Root and they the Sprigs And the Church of Rome was more perfect and pure before this great iurisdiction was euer claymed and practised then euer it was after and saluation therein more easily attained We know that in the smallest Churches euen those in Philemons and in Aquila and Priscillaes houses Philem. 2. 1 Cor. 16.19 saluation was to bee had without subiection to Rome For wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in Christs name Mat. 18.20 hee is amongst them They that heare his voyce and follow him Iohn 10 27. are his Sheepe and Church whethee they be vnder the Pope or no. And they that are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2.19 20. Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone are not strangers and aliens but of the houshold of God and fellow Citizens with the Saints The condition of being vnder the Pope is no where required in Scripture but saluation promised wheresoeuer it is promised without it If nothing be necessary to be beleeued to saluation but what is deliuered in plaine words in Scripture or else thence deducted by euident consequence of reason as Bellarmine teacheth then this point is not necessary to be beleeued then saluation may be had without it The ancient Christians indeed reuerenced the Church of Rome and thought fit to keep in the Community of so famous a Church but they neuer acknowledged the Prerogatiue of the Bishop thereof to bee such that it was damnable to be from vnder him or separate from community with him or feared his excommunication as damnable For the Greeke Church which was a long time a principall part of the Christian world was neuer subiect to the Roman Bishop See B. Morton Causa Regia cap 1. §. 4 pag. 4. but as Bellarmine confesseth a Bellarmine in Praefat. ad libros de Rom. Pont. pag. 15. diuided from the Roman 800. yeeres And b Bellar. li. 3. de verbo Dei c. 6. § secundo All the Churches of Asia were excommunicated by Pope Victor vniustly and contrary to the course of all his predecessors as both Irenaeus with his Westerne Bishops and all the Easterne Bishops manifested it vnto him and therefore they little regarded it though as Bellarmine saith c Bellar de Rom. pont li. 2. c. 19. §. At objicit we neuer read it was recalled or they absolued d Binius Annot. in Concil 1. Carthag Pope Steuen threatned the African Bishops with excommunication which they ioyning with Saint Cyprian the famous Bishop of Carthage made none account of e See before .12 Saint Cyprian was notwithstanding alwaies accounted in the number of Catholikes f Bellar. lib. 2. deconcil c. 5. §. 1 and afterward crowned with Martyrdome In Saint Augustines time the African Fathers g Card. Cusan concord cath lib. 1. cap. 20. continued to withstand Pope Celestine and his successors and stood willingly excommunicated an hundred yeeres as appeares by the Epistle of Boniface h See before §. 12. whereof I spake before i Bellar de Rom. pont lib. 2. c. 25. Bellarmine and k Salmeron rom 12. tractat 58. p. 498 col 1. Baronius that deny the story thereof and would discredit that Epistle know very well that many learned men of their side allow applaude and alleadge it as Lindan Sanders Harding Coster c. and so either are blindely deceiued or wilfully deceiue the world they know also that the African Bishops and among them Saint Augustine the Chiefe did very sharpely withstand the Roman Bishops clayme for Appeales to Rome and k Salmeron rom 12. tractat 58. p. 498 col 1. they know also that from the time of Saint Cyprian the Church of Africa began to be separated from the Church of Rome l Baronius tomâ— 5. anno 4â—9 â—u 93. In which time there were innumerable troopes of Martyrs that dyed for the Catholike Faith as Baronius confesseth m Baron tomâ— 8. anno 604. nu 55 58. Baronius describeth also out of Beda how the Churches of great Brittain England and Scotland were diuided a long time from the Roman Church and subiection to her rites which were commanded vnder paine of excommunication and stood out in Gregory the Greats time aboue 600. yeeres after Christ and would not yeeld the desired subiection for all that Augustine could doe and yet they were accounted Catholike Christians and on one day twelue hundred of them were crowned with Martyrdome dying
infallibility of iudgement for teaching and gouerning the Church should be giuen to any one ranke of men it is very vnlikely the Popes should be the men Is it reasonable to thinke that children in yeeres and vnderstanding or men of corrupt and filthy liues monsters of men such as many of your Popes were should be Gods chiefe infallible gouernours of his Church Benedict the 9. was made Pope at 12. or 10. yeeres old as Baronius confesseth a Baronius anno and ruled that Church 20. yeeres A likely Sheephards boy in Saint Peters place to feed his sheepe the flocks they say of all Christendome by doctrine and example more likely to be a plague to the flocke as God threatning a plague to the Common wealth b Esay 3.4 said Children should reigne ouer them Aristotle iudged a Youth not a fit hearer of Morall Philosophy and yet must this childe bee thought a fit teacher of heauenly doctrine yea to be the Vniuersall Oracle of the world that hath neither possibility to erre himselfe nor misleade others Such a vertue hath the Popes Chayre to infuse learning and all habilities into a Schoole-boy that knowes not his Grammar to serue the Roman turn well enough to interpret the Scriptures assoyle all questions resolue all doubts sit at the sterue and guide the shippe of the Church call Councels and iudge of all their decrees ratifie some nullifie others as one of farre greater iudgement than all the learned of the world yea to determine all causes depose Kings command Angels open and shut both heauen and hell and doe euery thing as well as Saint Peter himselfe How thinke you is it reason for any man to thinke so Antiq. Many defects may bee supplied by learned Cardinals graue and wise Counsellors Antiquis A miserable head that hath his wit to seeke in another mans brains but you c Greg Val. Anlys fidei l. 8. c. 10. §. Ex quo This were to giue infallibility not to the Pope but to the Pope with his Cardinals place not infallibility in the Counsellors but onely in the Pope himselfe his faylings are not to be amended by theirs but theirs by him and indeed if he be infallible they are superfluous and so are all Councels and learned men See another Pope somewhat elder but a great deale worse Iohn 12. d Banonius anno 955. He was made Pope at 18. yeeres of age the Romish Church thought it a lesse euill to endure one head though monstrous Monstruosum quantum libet caput ferre saith Baronius d Banonius anno 955. than to be infamed with two heads and one body to be cut in two Vpon Saint Dunstans comming to him to receiue his Pall to bee Archbishop of Canterbury at last Baronius addes Vidisti extrema duo Episcopum sanctissimum pontificem vero moribus perditissimum Thou hast seene two extreme contraries A most holy Bishop Dunstan and a most wicked liuing Pope Iohn the twelfth e Baron anno 963 n. 17. Baronius saith this Iohn was accused of many most notorious crimes of adultery with Rainerius his widdow and with Stephana â—is Fathers concubine and the widdow Anna and with his or her neece and that he made the holy pallace a stewes and brothell house that hee put out the eyes of his ghostly Father Bened who died vpon it that hee cut off the stones of Iohn the Cardinall subdeacon and so killed him that he dranke to the loue of the Diuell in wine that in playing at dice he would inuocate the ayde of Iupiter Venus and other heathen gods that the whole Councell of the Bishops of Italy wrote vnto him that he was accused of murder periury sacriledge yea and incest with his own kindred and his two sisters c. they required him to come and answere for himselfe promising him to doe nothing but according to the Canons He wrote againe thus ridiculously and childishly Ionnes episcopus seruus seruorum Dei omnibus episcopis Nos audiuimus dicere quod vos vultis alium papam facere si haec feceritis excommunico vos de Deo omnipotenti vt non habeatis licentiam vllum ordinare missam celebrare f Platina in Ioan. 13. Platina in his life reckoning him Iohn 13. cals him sceleratissimum hominem vel monstrum potius a most wicked man or rather a monster and againe Virum omnium qui vnquam ante se in pontificatu fere perniciosissimum sceleratissimum A man of all that euer were before him in the Popedome the most pernicious and wicked When this Iohn fled the Emperor Otho made Leo Pope in his roome but assoone as the Emperour was gone Iohn by the helpe of his kindred and clients put downe Leo and reygned againe shortly after committing adultery with another mans wife he was thrust thorow and slayne or as g Baron anno 964. n. 17. Baronius thinkes he was in his adultery strucken in the Temples by the diuels and so dyed Was this a man likely to be the infallible mouth and organ of the holy Ghost If Baronius and Platina be not witnesses sufficient reade â—he same story in your owne h Sigonius l. 7. de regno Italioe Sigonius the Popes hyred reader in one of his Vniuersities who writes it somewhat fully following Luitprandus Martinus Polanus Tritâ—mius Platina Krantzius all your owne Catholike Historians I omit a number of wicked Popes fellowes and equals to these for I should both weary and stinke you out if I should rake long in the dunghill of these Popes liues whereof there were fifty in one plumpe as your owne i Genebrard l. 4. Chronologiae seâ—ulo 10 anno 90 pag. 546. Genebrard writeth rather Apostaticall than Apostolicall in the space of an 150. yeeres I will onely shew you a briefe of the story of a few Popes in a short time and their strange Vnity Infallibility and Holinesse k These things yee may reade in Platina Luit prandus and Bellarmine also lib. 4. de Rom. pont cap. 12. §. vigesimus septimus and in Baronius anno 897. Who onely differeth in attributing to Stephanus that which others doe to Sergius Formosus a Cardinall and Bishop was cursed deposed and degraded by Pope Iohn the 8 whom Platina reckons Iohn the ninth who driuing him out of Rome caused him to sweare neuer to returne either to the City or to his Bishopricke But Iohn being dead his successor Martin 2 absolued Formosus from his oath and restored him to his former dignity Not long after the same Formosus obtained the Popedome wherein hee liued fiue yeeres After him succeeded Bonifacius 6 liuing Pope but twenty six dayes then Stephanus 6. Who abrogated Formosus his decrees disanulled his acts in a Councell tooke vp his body dispoyled it of the pontificall habite as vniustly made Pope after periury cut off two of his fingers wherewith hee had consecrated cast them into Tyber and buried him in lay-mens garments This Steuen reygned
but one yeere and three months After him succeeded Romanus 1. Who abrogated the decrees and acts of Steuen and reygned but three months then came Theodorus 2. who restored also Formosus his acts and followers liuing Pope but twenty dayes Then succeeded Iohn 9. Platina cals him Iohn the tenth who fully restored the acts of Formosus and abrogated Steuens confirming all by a Councell Notwithstanding all this Sergius 3. restored Steuen and condemned Formosus agayne admitted them to priesthood againe whom Formosus had deposed and whom Formosus had ordered hee againe degraded and caused them to take new Orders and againe tooke vp Formosus his body out of the sepulcher beheaded it and cast the body into Tyber as vnworthy the honour of buriall Whereupon saith Baronius l Baron anno 908. one Auxilius then wrote a dialogue betwixt Infensor and Defensor against this inbred discord of the Romish Church and of the Popes ordinations exordinations and supeâ—-ordinations c. m Nauclerus generat 31. initio Thus were Saint Peters successors whirled about not with the spirit of godlinesse but with the spirit of giddinesse Vertigo rotabat Petri successores saith Krantzius n Krantzius Metrepolis l. 2 c. 22. Martin Polon Nanclerus ib. saith there were 8. Popes in one King Lodowicks time who reygned not aboue 12 yeeres and the head of the Church was long without a brayne Where was then the infallibility of these Popes iudgement in the gouernment of the greatest affayres of the Church where was their charity and holinesse nay where was ordinary honesty ciuility or humanity Here was indeed a most bestiall rage reaching not onely to the death-bed but to the graue with digging vp bones dismembring dead carkasses derogating from their persons abrogating their acts disanulling their ordinations disgracing their Fauorites degrading the Prelats by their predecessors preferred Pope against Pope one head of the Church against another and Councells against Councells setting the world in amaze dissoluing religion and gouernment that men knew not what to thinke nor what to doe Where was the vnity of minde and peace among inferiours when the heads were so brainsicke or so hare-braind or rather wolfe-braind Antiq. Enough enough you haue wearied and stuncke mee out indeed with these filthy storyes which I would neuer haue beleeued had you not turned mee to their owne authours to reade them with mine owne eyes But it is most admirable that God did yet preserue his Church by such wicked instruments for you know the doctrine and sacraments deliuered by Iudas were good and profitable though hee was wicked Antiquiss o Genebrard quo supra â— tanto numero pontificuÌ„ quinque modò satis tenuiter landatur Our Sauiour in chusing Iudas had a purpose to saue vs by working good out of his treason but had hee chosen ten Iudasses for one or two good Apostles the world would haue muttered at him as improuident Your Genebrard reports of 50 Popes Apostaticall together and scarce fiue of them any whit Apostolicall and doubtlesse hee speakes the best for his owne side and the after times grew worse rather than better Also though the ministeriall acts being ordinary and receiued of the Apostles you will say might bee effectuall though wicked men performe them which to deny is contrafidem and so condemnes them that abrogated Formâ—sus his ordinations p Bellar. de Rom. pont l. 4 cap. 2. § vigesimus sept §. sed obiicies yet their infallibility being an extraordinay priuiledge in things not ordered by the Apostles hath no probability at all but rather the crossing one of another in their Decrees and in their Counsells called and confirmed by themselues vtterly confutes it §. 4. Antiq. These things you draw in à latere sidelings shew mee some Popes that haue directly and facto indeed erred in the Faith and then I shall thinke them fallible See D. Field Church booke 5. cap. 43. Bellar. de Rom pont lib 4. Antiquis Bellarmine himselfe yeelds you enow though he labour with all his art and wit to excuse all for some haue erred too grossely to be excused too manifestly to be denied 1 Pope Gregory 3. Ex ignorantia lapsus est saith Bellarmine i Bellar. ib c 12. §. sed contra hoc est c. when he permitted a man to take a second wife his first yet liuing but vnable to pay her debt vnto him and taught that in some case a man might with the license of his wife marry another and so haue two at once which indeed is false doctrine and so defined by the Councell of Trent sels 24. can 2. 2 ib cap. 8. §. Decimus est Marcellinus 2 Pope Marcellinus beyoÌ„d decreeing proceeded to fact sacrificed to Idols teaching Idolatry and Hetheamsme by fact and example But it was for feare of death saith Bellarmine And 3 ib. cap. 9. 3 Pope Liberius subscribed to the Arrian heresie set his hand against Athanasius wrote wicked Epistles but saith Bellarmine it was for feare of death or torments A man may by the same reason excuse Peters deniall of Christ and say it was no sinne if this was no error Pope Vigillus wrote to the Empresse 4 ib. cap. 10. and to the heretikes confirming their heresie and cursing the Catholike teachers that confessed two natures in Christ wicked letters vnworthy a Christian man But saith Bellarmine hee did it for desire of the Papacy and in great strayts into which his ambition had cast him As though wicked affections could excuse mens errours Pope Honorius was condemned for an heretike 5 ib. cap. 11. by the sixt generall Councell and againe by the seuenth and in an Epistle of Pope Leo but all these were corrupted saith Bellarmine or misinformed See this man liuing but yesterday knowes better than whole Councels Popes and authors liuing in that age and is bold to accuse whole generall Councels of corruption to keepe one Pope from corruption Pope Celestine 3. 6 ib. cap. 14. § cricesimus tertius cannot bee excused from heresie saith their Alphonsus de Castro for teaching that by heresie Matrimony is so farre dissolued that the innocent party may marry againe the contrary whereof is defined by the Councell of Trent Sess 24. Cannon 5. and by Innocent 3. Bellarmine saith This was indeed Celestines opinion but not any decree a poore excuse 7 ib. cap. 14. See many Popes crossing one another in iudgement ex diam etro noted by Erasmus annot in 1 Cor. 7. pag. 373 374. Basilea 1522 cited by B. MortoÌ„ Appeal l. 3. c 15 § 1. p 403. Pope Iohn 22. held opinion that the soules departed came not to see God till after the resurrection Bellarmine answers hee might so hold without danger because yet there had beene no definition of the Church in this point also he purposed to define the question but was by death preuented A slender answer leauing him still infallibly faulty §. 5. Antiq. Sir you
know the Catholikes haue many distinctions The Pope may erre in manners but not in doctrine in matters of fact but not in Faith in person but not in office before hee be fully setled as Vigilius but not confirmed in his seate in the premisses but not in the conclusion by way of conference but not in determining in a priuate letter but not in a Decretall Epistle in his chamber but not in his Consistory in his pallace but not in the Pulpit In a word he may erre as a man but not as Pope Antiquis Your men like the Foxe being hunted out of one hold flie to another their distinctions are but meere euasions and illusions to gull the world withall Their first hold was that the Pope could not erre at all neither ought to bee iudged by any man but being driuen from that hold they flye to another He may erre in manners or in matter of fact but not in matters of doctrine or faith Well wee driue them from that also for Gregory 3. Liberius Vigilius Honorius Celestine and Iohn erred in points of Faith Then they flie to another hold they erred in Faith indeed but yet as men onely not as Popes I thinke our learned King Iames hunts them from this hold also King Iames Remonstrance to Card. Peron pag. 99. in demanding wherefore then doth not the Pope instruct and informe the man or wherefore doth not that man require the Popes instruction shall we say that Esay and Daniel might sinke into heresie as men but not as Prophets would not the man Esay consult with the Prophet Esay to be free from error if he cannot assure himselfe how shall hee assure vs of his freedome from error I adde that the world by such distinction is gulled and abused Bellar. de Pont. Rom. l. 4 c. 2. §. Deinde catholici pontificem solum siue errare posset siue non esse ab omnibus fideliâ—s obedienter audienâ—um for the Romists labouring to proue their Pope infallible onely in some few things would haue the world obey him in all things Some of them draw his infallibility into a narrow scantling first he must enter canonically else hee is not a true Pope and so wants the priuiledge secondly hee is free from error onely when he sets himselfe as Pope to decree matters of Faith and thirdly to the end to teach or guide the whole Church and fourthly See Greg. Val. Analysis fidei lib. 8. totum Specially ca 4. 10. Bellar. de Pont. Rom. l. 4. c. 2. â— quarta opinio c. proceedeth aduisedly and maturely vsing all due meanes to finde out the truth Into these narrow limits straits some are compelled all are compellable to bound the Popes infallibility by the manifest histories of their errors both in fact Doctrin both as men as Popes in euery degree But obserue I pray you whether it bee likely that the Pope vsing all these meanes be infallible for would he not then vse them and quickly cut off all contentions would hee suffer troublesome controuersies among his owne people to be endlesse The Dominicans following Thomas teach that the Virgin Mary was conceiued in originall sinne Archb. Abbot against Hil. pag. 110. Bedels letters pag. 52. Concil Basi sess 36. the Franciscans following Scotus teach the contrary and these two families like the Guelfes and Gibelines are at mortall feood for the point the Councell of Basil was troubled with it and decreed on the Franciscans side the Dominicans excepted against it as a Councell not lawfully called and the dissention continued still so great that to quiet all Pope Sixtus was fayne to make a decree and command that the question should not be disputed of afterwards and yet they are still hot in it vpon any occasion and Bellarmine Bellarmine himselfe hath lately disputed it and leaues it with a piè creditur on the Franciscans side Why did not the Pope decide this and giue perfect vnity to his Church whereof there are so great brags and that other also of Grace and Free will betwixt Dominicans and Iesuits and all other controuersies whereof their books are ful so that their exactest writers Suarez and others spend more leaues in confuting their own men then vs May it not be suspected they know well enough that this infallibility of the Pope is but a meere fiction shadow so that the Pope dare not trust himselfe to determine such matters wherin witty learned men are engaged lest they fall to quarrell and deny not onely his infallibility but authority and therefore it is obserued he seldome proceeds to determine such questions Obserue againe that if the Pope be onely infallible when he vseth such meanes it argueth there is no diuine inspiration extraordinary from the holy Ghost proper to the Pope but onely Gods ordinary assistance vpon the vse of the meanes promised to all Gods seruants And so is hee no more infallible than another man Obserue thirdly that the world hath no sufficient meanes to be assured that such was the Popes entrance and such meanes vsed by him that all men may without hesitation obey him Pighius lib. 4. hierarch eccl c. 8 Valentia Anaâ—ysis fidei part 8. cap. 10. Bellar. de Pont. Rom l. 4 c. 10. To auoyd all inconueniences Bellarmine and Gregoririus de Valentia teach that whether the Pope in defining vse diligence or no hee shall define infallibly Well but yet how shall we know whether he be a true Pope or no Entring canonically without simony violence or other euill meanes for Vigilius erred most heretically saith Bellarmine because hee was not yet true Pope truely setled though he carried himselfe as Pope and many Popes were rather Apostaticall than Apostolicall saith your Genebrard because the Emperours put them in vncanonically it seemes and there haue beene often two and sometimes three Popes together when the world could not know which was the true Pope Anno à Christonato 13â— Ã Christo passo 1000. Greg. Heymburgensis in Confutat Primat Papae part 2. citatus a Iacabo Vsserio De ChristianaruÌ„ Ecclesiarum successione statu c. 4. §. 19. Three Popes sate all at once in seuerall places in Rome Benedict 9. Syluester and Gregory 6. of whom an Heremite wrote thus to the Empâ—rour Imperator Henrice Omnipotentis vice Vna Sunamitis Nupsit tribus maritis Dissolâ—e connubium Et triforme dubium But to let this passe miserable is the state of that people that is ouer-ruled by your distinctions to obey the Pope without distinction For example Suppose there comes a Breefe Bull or Decree from the Pope enioyning his Catholicks to refuse the oath of allegiance to their naturall Prince as from Paul the fift to the English by which refusall they shall bee suspected to bee Traytors in heart and all the Kingdome shall bee iealous of them that vpon any occasion they will bee ready to cleaue vnto the Pope or to any that
hee shall appoint open or secret enemies to the State against their King and to take armes against him and by warres insurrections or treasoâ—s to throw the Land on heapes and bring in a Chaos of miserable confusion Or suppose the Bull goeth so farre as Pius V. his Bull against our right gracious and famous Queene Elizabeth to pronounce the King to bee no King to discharge the subiects from their allegiance to him to command them to take armes against him and by any meanes to depose or bring him to ruine Now the Kings life and the spoyle of the Kingdome and the damnable sinne of the people must depend vpon this Breefe or Bull for it must be executed whether it come from the Pope as a man or as Pope Poore blinded people must be ledde with a Piè credendum and neither haue the meanes or any minde to know whether this Bull came from the Pope canonically entring or maturely deliberating or wisely and orderly proceeding if any such thing can be imagined in such mischieuous practises or whether it come from a Non-Pope or misinformed or vniust Bellar. de Rom. pent l. 4. c. 2 §. Deinde Catholici conueniunt Pontificem siue errare possit siue non esse omnibus fidelibus obedienter audiendum rash or ill aduised howsoeuer it is No man must iudge Christs Vicar but for conscience sake and vnder paine of damnation all must obey Alas that Christs pretended Vicar should doe the workes of Antichrist Alas that men piously minded should be so impiously bewitched to become the instruments of Antichrist thinking to doe seruice to Christ himselfe Alas that learned men should abuse Gods gifts of wit learning and other talents bending all their forces to maintaine such doctrine Antiq. Sir keepe your passion for other company Reason shall preuaile with mee more than passion Antiquis Deare friend it is not passion but compassion to poore deceiued soules brought into such damnable courses by such efficacy of delusion though I know not how in such causes a good man should not be passionate §. 6. §. I. But to returne to Reason from which your Reasonlesse distinctions drew me In our former examples of Popes errings doe you not see that although the Papists of this age excuse Honorius of all heresie and count him a Saint yet the Catholikes of former ages accounted him an heretike for the sixt generall Councell condemned him Bellar. de Rom. Pontif. l. 4. c. 11. and if that Councell were misinformed or corrupted as Bellarmine imagineth and thereby induced also the seuenth Councell and Pope Leo also to curse and condemne him yet it appeareth thereby that they thought it possible for a Pope to be an heretike and surely neither Liberius nor Honorius nor any other Pope had euer beene taxed of heresie if the world had then thought the Popes to bee infallible §. II. This also giues vs another argument against the assertion of the now-now-Church of Rome that none of the Ancients euer knew or acknowledged any infallible Iudge in the Church Mr Bedels letters to Wadsworth p. 53. 59 â—0 though wee may imagine such an one would haue beene a wonderfull benefit in securing all men fâ—om error with great tranquility of the Church in easing leatned men of much vnnecessary contention and of great labour and study and choaking all heresies both easily and quickly and thereby Diuinity should haue had the honour aboue all other professions to reduce all doubts to certaineties If any such thing had beene it were most strange that the Ancients writing of all other points of Christian doctrine should neuer speake word of it being a thing of such excellent and necessary vse as is imagined therefore their very silence thereof proueth there was no such thing But their contentions with the Pope shew it more fully For no man that beleeueth the Pope to be the infallible Iudge of the Church and so appointed by God §. III will refuse his opinion or gouernment But we find the ancient wise and holy Bishops made no bones ordinarily to reiect them both In the very infancy of this affected Supremacy a See this story in Euseb hist l. 5. c. 24 25 26. when Pope Victor tooke vpon him to excommunicate the East Church for not concurring with him in the Celebration of Easter day not onely Polycrates and the Easterne Bishops reiected his decision but most of the Westerne as Irenaeus with his French Clergy grauely reproued him of too much presumption b See Cyprians Epistles Afterwards when the Pope tooke vpon him to heare Appeales of men pretending to be wronged by their owne country officers which is the smallest portion of Supremacy yet Cyprian an holy Martyr resisted him c Bellar. de pontif Rom l. 4 cap 7. and the whole Nation of Africa refused his iudgement and gouernment yea Saint Cyprian with a Councell of fourescore Bishops decreed directly against the Pope d Concil â—arthag de Haeret. bâ—ptiz inter opera Cypriani And when Cornelius Bishop of Rome with a Nationall Councell of the Bishops of Italy had decreed Non debere Haereticos rebaptizari that heretikes should not be rebaptized yet Cyprian thought and taught the contrary Constat Cyprianâ—m contrariuÌ„ sensisse mordicus defendisse saith Bellarmine e Bellar. l. 2. dâ— concilijs c. 5. See Euseb hist li 7 cap. 2 3 4. See these and many more the like histories in B. â—ilson True â—iffâ—â—eÌ„ce part 1. p. 96. c The Fathers of the Councell of Africa and Saint Augustine among them resisted three Popes in succession Sosimus Bonifacius and Celestine about Appeals to Rome These things are notorious and histories haue many more the like and though some of these were in the wrong yet they alwayes thought the Pope in the wrong and would neuer haue opposed him had they thought him their infallible Iudge By their doings therefore and writings they shewed the generall opinion of men in their times that the Pope was not generall gouernour ouer them and that he was as fallible in iudgement as other Bishops Bedel letters pag 61. Consider also If the Pope were the infallible interpreter of Scripture and could not erre in his interpretations why did Pope Damasus consult with Ierom about the sence of many places of the Scripture and not rather set down the sence thereof himselfe and declare with his owne pen what the whole world should hold without danger or possibility of error Or why haue our fond Fathers macerated their bodies and beaten their braines to write Commentaries vpon the Scripture and not rather registred the Popes Expositions which had beene a worke worth all the Fathers books and indeed equall to the Canonicall Scriptures or better and more vsefull for the Church whereas now many condemne that of the Canon Law for blasphemy where it saith by a shamefull corruption of Saint Augustine that the Decretals of Popes are inrolled amongst the
Canonicall Scriptures Decret c. in Canonicis dist 19. § V. Thus Erasmus argueth Annot. in 1 Cor. 7. B. Mort Appeal l. 2. c. 20. sect 5. l 3. c. 15. §. 4. Consider lastly what need had there beene of any Councels to what end was so much labour and cost bestowed to what purpose to trouble so many Vniuersities to call together so many learned Diuines to turne ouer so many bookes to beate their heads in the finding out of the truth in discussing of hard questions and satisfying of doubts if all this might be so quickly easily and sweetly done by the onely iudgement and determination of the Pope CHAP. 8. Of the good which the Popes Supremacy might doe to the Church § 1. That is vrged but 2. answered that policies agreeable to Gods word and the Primitiue Church onely are sufficient and blessed by God § 3. But this policy might be set vp by any sect § 4. It is vnprofitable and vntollerable 5. shewed by examples of Hildebrand 6. The voiages against the Turke proued profitable to the Pope not to Christian Princes 7. as appeared by the Story of Gregory 9. and Frederik 2. Emperour and 8. many other most wicked Popes § 9. The Emperour Phocas erred much in gouernment in making the Pope so great so farre from him For Popes shortly after proued Masters of mis-rule eiecting the Emperors out of Italy § 10. Their turbulent proceeding to dethrone Princes § 11. Their troubles wrought in England in King Henry 1. his time by Anselme In King Henry 2. time by Becket In King Iohns reygne by Pope Innocent § 12. In these latter times of Queene Elizabeth by the Bull of Pius Quintus and the erecting of Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes Schooles of Traytors The reasons briefly touched 1. Of the Rebellion in the North 2. Of Ormonds brethren 3. and 4. Of other petty conspiracies 5. Stukely 6. Sanders 7. Someruile 8. Motiues to the Ladies of Honour 9. Of Throgmorton 10. Mendoza 11. Creighton the Iesuite 12. Parry 13. Percy 14. Sauage 15. Balard with his complices 16. Aubespineus 17. Stanley and Yorke 18. The Spanish Armado 19. Lopez 20. Squire 21. Tyrone And in the time of King Iames 22. Watson Clarke and others 23. The Powder treason Some obseruations out of these § 13. A good Christian abhorreth these treasons and reiecteth the doctrine that teacheth them § 14. And thereby is by reason forced to renounce to be an absolute Papist and to thinke the doctrines grounded onely vpon the Popes authority without Scripture to be vnnecessary and consequently to acknowledge that it is not necessary to be a Roman-Catholike The conclusion with a briefe recapitulation of the whole precedent conference §. 1. Antiquus ALthough the supreme gouernment of the Church by the Pope and the infallibility of his iudgement could not bee proued by diuine proofes yet is the good thereof so great for the preseruation of peace and vnity and much other happinesse both in the Church and Common-wealth that euen in good reason and policy the very shadowes of proofes should be admitted as sufficient to establish it And if such power and infallible iudgement may be giuen to any it is most fit it be giuen to him that hath from all Antiquity beene accounted the principall Patriarch and the high Bishop of the principall City of the world Antiquissimus Indeed Antiquus now I thinke you hit the nayle on the head for the Popes Supremacy and infallibility hath no other ground but meere humane policy shadowed by the Scripture cunningly wrested deuised by their learned Politicians for their owne wealth and greatnesse and taught by their Agents as most necessary for peace vnity and much other good a Bellar de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. § quarta proposit o. Probabile est pâ—eque credi potest pontificem vt pontificem errare non posse c. Bellarmine seemes to confesse thus much when he saith It is probable may piously be thought that the Pope as Pope cannot erre nor as a particular person be an heretike Had hee had better arguments is it probable hee would haue come in with Probabile est piéque credi potest But your b Costerus Enchir pag. 123. Si nullum caput visibile in ecclesia a Christo constitutum foret vehementer optari ab omnibus oporteret Costerus the Iesuite is a little more plaine If there were no visible head saith he appointed by Christ in the Church yet such an one ought to be wished for of all men and your D. c Alablaster Motiue 6. Alablaster yet more plainely Where saith he there is not an infallible authority which doth iudge and decide controuersies by remouing all occasions of doubt and reply and vnto which absolute obedience is tied there must needs be variety of iudgements and opinions which cannot be tyed in one knot And therefore the Protestants haue done very vnwisely to disgrace and reiect this profitable policy of the Church the fountaine of vnity Mr Alablaster cals it policy §. 2. But alas Deare friend In Gods businesse I looke onely for Truth and Sincerity which God may blesse and prosper not for shadowes and policy without them which God doth ordinarily infatuate and confound Happy had it beene for the Angels if they had continued in the excellency of their first estate but when they stroue to be higher their policy failed them they fell lower and of Angels became diuels Gods ordinance for d Ephes 4. vers 12 13 15. gathering of his Saints e vers 14. preseruing true and vncorrupt doctrine and f vers 16. effectuall perfecting of the Church in euery part was saith Saint Paul g vers 11. He gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and Teachers If one visible Head had beene necessary to these purposes heere was the place he should be spoken of wherein since hee is not mentioned doubtlesse Saint Paul knew no such ordinance of God See the like Catalogue of Church-Officers in 1 Cor. 12.28 29. c. this one visible head is neuer mentioned nor heere nor in any other place of Scripture but left out as supernumerarius and superfluous And we finde whilst Gods ordinance was obserued the Church did wonderfully prosper when it was shouldered out out by humane policies all things grew worse and went to wracke It was an euident worke of Gods Spirit h B. Vsher Sermon at Wansted pag. 20. that the first planters of Religion and their successors spreading themselues through the whole world layd the foundations of the â—ame Faith euery where in great vnity and vniformity and yet were kept only by the Vnity of the Spirit in that bond of peace without setting vp any one man on earth ouer them all to keepe peace and vnity The true bond which contained the Doctors and Fathers of the Primitiue Church in the vnity of Faith and wrought the conuersion of Nations continueth in our Church also
many great men and Bb. were alienated from him which bred so great troubles in the Empire and proceeded so farre that the Princes of Germany meant to create another Emperour if Henry were not absolued by the Pope from his curse Whereupon hee was compelled sore against his will to goe and submit himselfe to the Pope and finding the Pope at Canusium put off his kingly robes and waited three daies barefoot in very cold weather at the Popes gate crauing pardon for his deeds a spectacle to men and Angels and a mocking stock to his proud enemies At last by mediation of the Empresse his mother Matildis his kinswoman and at the earnest intreaty of all his people crying for pitty with much difficulty hee obtained absolution from his Anathema This storme thus blowne ouer raysed another for many condemned Henry for basenesse in himselfe and wrong to them whom he had brought into trouble and now made his peace with their enemy so bad a man an enemy to all religion and goodnesse when hee should haue beene a protector of his friends and followers and a reuenger of Ecclesiasticall lawes violated Thus the Princes and Bishops of Italy raised hatred to the Emperour with purpose to chuse Henries sonne though young and to goe with him to Rome and to set vp another Pope who should presently consecrate the Emperour and nullifie all the acts of this apostate Pope This Caesar hearing of sent to appease their minds excusing all by necessity and promising henceforward to right all things amisse But Caesars enemies chose Rodulph Duke of Sueuia to bee King of Romans taking order that the Empire should thenceforward goe by election and not succession Whereupon grew mighty troubles Nation against Nation Bishops against Bishops euery one thinking they were in the right Henries side as Emperour by birth and long continuance Rodulphs side as autorized to kill the excommunicate and all his fauourers For the Pope had againe vpon new discontentments excommunicated Henry and all his fauourers and sent a Crowne to Rodulph with this inscription Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rodulpho This Rodulphus after some bloody battels with Henry at last lost his right hand and being brought to Mersburge said to the Bishops and great men present that this was a iust punishment due to his periury because with that hand he had sworne feaulty to his Lord and at their perswasion had broken it Henry then hastens towards Rome with his army to regaine the Popes fauour but being denyed it except hee would resigne his Crowne and Empire into the Popes hands he besieged the City and did much harme to it and to the Country about for two yeeres at last the good Pope that had brought them all into misery and danger left them wrapped therein and fled and the people repenting their rebellion with much money purchased that the City should not bee destroyed Henry enters shewes openly the iniuries of the Pope causeth a new Pope Clemens to bee elected by whom Henry was consecrated Emprrour with the good liking of all and hauing established all things well departed into Germany Anno 1085. B. Carâ—ton iurisd c. 7. §. 105. Sigebert anno 1085. Florent Wigorniens anno 1084. Math. Paris anno 1086 Specul historial lib. 25. cap. 82. And Hildebrand wandring like a vagabond without comfort without help without hope though brought to a most pittifull estate yet pittied of no man trauelling vnder the vnsupportable burthen of a restlesse conscience he died for griefe at Salernuâ— confessing that hee had greatly sinned in the Pastorall charge committed vnto him and by the Diuels perswasion had stirred vp hatred and wrath against mankind This was the end of Hildebrand whom the Germans alluding both to his name and conditions called Hell-brand the Dutch tongue and the English sounding much alike as if he were a firebrand fetcht from Hell to kindle a fire in the Church to consume temporall estates which is not yet quenched Antiq. The euill liues of some few Popes is a Theame that you Protestants take great pleasure in speaking of and wee Catholikes exercise our patience in vnwilling hearing of it I assure you I haue suffered much in holding out to heare this your discourse Antiquis Good friend we should not onely patiently but diligently and gladly heare try and examine out the truth in matters of such weight Antiq. But I make a question whether your relation be the truth or no for learned Baronius and many other Catholiks doe much praise Pope Gregory 7. and account him a Saint Antiquis For the truth of my relation I cite your owne Authours who liued and wrote in those times or neere vnto the times wherein the things were done who set downe the whole substance of the story and it is not reasonable to thinke that late writers men of yesterday such as Baronius knew the truth of these things better then they But that the Italians and moderne Catholikes doe much commend Gregory I maruell not It behoues them to say with Demetrius and the craftsmen of Ephesus Acts 19. Sirs you know that by this meanes by the Popes Supremacy and the mainetayners thereof we haue our liuing our wealth and honour let vs cry downe this Paul and all that speake against it and still perswade the world that Great is Diana of the Romans §. 6. Antiq. Well I let passe your mirth and will suppose that some of the Popes liues haue beene very faulty but the faults of the person must not take away the good vse of the office This height of Supremacy might be of excellent vse to knit all Christian Princes in perfect vnity amity not only to liue happily among theÌ„ selues but to ioyne all their forces together against the common enemy the Turke And while the Pope was in reuerend esteem and authority with Christian Princes many worthy matters were performed and much more might haue beene done had it not been thwarted Antiquis You speake by imagination and fancy what might bee done but reade the histories of the Emperours Princes and Popes liues and see what was doâ—e and you shall finde all contrary to your imagination Our late learned and iudicious King Iames shewes by the issue and euent that the expeditions to Ierusalem were a deuice and inuention of the Pope K. James his Remonstrance to Peron p. 61. whereby he might come to be infeoffed in the kingdomes of Christian Princes for then all such of the French English or Germans that vndertooke the Croisado became the Popes meere vassals all robbers adulterers and bankrupts once crossed on their Cassoks or Coat-armors were exempted from the secular or ciuill power and their causes sped in consistorian courts whole Countries were emptied of their Nobles common souldiers the Nobles were driuen to sel their goodly Manors and ancient demeanes to the Church men at vnder prices the very meanes of Church and Church-mens reuenues growing to so great height And then his bountifull holinesse
oathes of fidelity and vrges them to set vp another in his roome Fredericke hearing this hastens towards Lions with gowned men equall to an Army but hearing of stirres at Parâ—a turned his course thither continued long there and vsed great cruelty towards the reuolting Citizens Afterwards hee ouerthrew Placentia and tooke all Etruria By this you may see what a blessing the Popes greatnesse was to the world what safety peace prosperity and vnity it wrought among Christians what a Bulwarke against the Turke Alas all was contrary to your fancy There could not be a greater meanes deuised by Sathan to scourge the Empire to weaken Christendome to make way for the Turke to plague Italy and to vndoe the Pope himselfe than the Pope himselfe deuised and practised The woefull conclusion was When the Pope had thus farre prouoked the Emperor procured much euill to many Cities and Countries and so fired the world that by the light and waste thereof the Turke might see an easie entrance into Christendome then hee studied night and day how to destroy the Emperour some conspiracies were discouered but finally poysoned he was effectually wherein his bastard sonne Manfredus was thought to be an Agent by the Popes procuring All this and much more writes your owne Cuspinian reprouing the Italian Writers who flattering the Pope impute many vices to the Emperour and preferring the German Writers who knew him his acts far better Now Crimine abvno disce omnes Iudge of other Popes by this or these and see what great benefits their Supremacy brings to Christendome and what hinderance to the Turkes infidels §. 8. Antiq. Sir One Swallow makes not Summer nor one Woodcock Winter Among so many Popes as haue beene since Saint Peters dayes neere 250. haply you may picke out some few that haue abused their place and power which ought no more to disgrace the other good Popes and their offices than Iudas the other Apostles Antiquis Some few doe you say then take more Your owne Platina Recorder or Historian to some Popes Tortura Torti pag. 219. and by Sixtus 4. appointed to write the liues of Popes writes horrible and monstrous things of them 40 Articles and more proued against Iohn 24. in the Councell of Constance containing many grieuous crimes for which he was deposed Paul 2. pronounced them Heretikes that did but name the name Academy that is an Vniuersity or great Schoole of learning either in earnest See also B. Bilson part 1. pag. 154. seq D. Rainolds with Hart. or in iest Boniface 7. getting the Popedome by ill meanes robbed St. Peters Church of all the Iewels and precious things and ranne his wayes and returning not long after caught one of his Cardinalls and put out his eyes Boniface 9. simoniacally sold all things against right and equity and openly kept Fayres or Markets of indulgences Hee sheweth the Rusticity of Vrban 6. the Stupidity of Celestine 5. the Stolidity of Iohn 22. the fraud ambition arrogancy of Boniface 8. at the end of whose life he addes this Caueat Let all Princes learne by this mans example to gouerne not by pride and contumely but seeke rather to be loued than feared wherby destruction comes vpon Tyrants c. He records the troublesome broyles for fifty yeares together betwixt the Popes and Senate and people of Rome though also there was no firme peace for foure hundred yeeres betwixt them how often were those holy Fathers Christs Vicars driuen out of Rome and worse vsed by them no doubt not for any great holinesse or vertue found in them Benedict 9. Siluester 3. Gregory 6. occupied the seat all at once which three Platina cals Tria teterrima monstra in vita Gregorij sexti and not onely those three but most of the others also he feares not to call Porteâ—ta in Benedict 4. and monstra in Christopher 1. He tells how Boniface 8. deluded Celestine by imposture how Christopher 1. thrust out Leo 5. by force how Damasus 2. tooke away Clement 2. by poyson he records Syluester 2. a Magician Iohn 13. incestuous Boniface 7. sacrilegious Iohn 8. an adulterous woman he recites 30. Schismes of the holy Church of Rome in which sometimes the Church had two heads sometimes three for fifty yeeres together See before ca. 7. sect 3. I haue told you before of a troop of Popes troubling the world about Formosus his body and his acts Iohn 8. Martin 2. Boniface 6. Stephanus 6. Romanus 1. Theodorus 2. Iohn 9. and Sergius 3. and of 50. Popes or at least 49. succeeding one another whereof scarce one was found worthy the name of a â—ishop not sixe saith Genebrard in 150. yeeres but were Apoâ—acticall or Apostaticall rather than Apostolicall I could tell you also how Piuâ— 4. Onuphrius in vita Pij 4. pag. 378. Pandulph Collen hist Neapol l. 5. ad an 1385. caused Cardinall Caraffa to be strangled and other Earles and Cardinals slaughtered in prison to the great amazement of the people and how Vrban 6. misused seuen Cardinalls putting fiue into sacks and drowning them in the Sea and killing the other two dried them in a Furnace or Ouen and carried them in triumph vpon Mules in bagges or trusses Antiquis These things strike a horror into my soule but yet these reached not to State-matters and depositions of Princes as your former tale insinuated §. 9. Antiquis Let mee search this mystery of iniquity a little neerer the bottome and reueale the carriage thereof vnto you St. Iohn Hayward Supremacy pag. 55. It was a great error in the Emperour Phocas as our Sir Iohn Hayward well obserued and contrary to precedent policies to settle so great a dignity in the Popes at Rome so farre from Constantinople the seat of the Empire See before cap. 6. sect 4. when he made them Heads of Christendome as I told you before for that gaue the Popes power if they list to be so wicked greatly to trouble the affaires of the Empire and to endanger the state thereof And so it came to passe for by this meanes the politike Bishops of Rome found opportunity to steale into such strength with the common people in the Emperours long and farre absence that they were able to make them shake off the Emperours yoake first at Rome and after further off for the good of the Church as they pretended watching therfore all occasions When the Emperour Philippicus Bardanes about the yeere 713. K. Iames Remonstrance p. 29. Example 5. finding the worshipping of Images vntollerably to encrease to the foule misleading and distracting of Christian people also to the great offence of the Saracens theÌ„ growing great in the East who took occasioÌ„ thereby to make Christians odious and much to annoy them caused the scandalous Images to be taken out of Churches according to primitiue times partly to vnite the people in Gods purer worship and partly to take away offence from the Saracens Pope Constantine instead
English a booke was set out of all the preparation in particulars which was so great through Spaine Italy Sicily and the Low-countries that the Spaniards themselues were in admiration of their owne forces Pope Sixtus Quintus sent Cardinall Allen who wrote a pestilent booke to discourage the English and encourage their owne side by him renewing the Bulles of Pius 5. and Gregory 13. and excommunicating the Queene againe deposing her absoluing her subiects from all alleagiance and setting forth a printed Cruciata of full pardons to all that ioyned against England Whereupon the Marquesse à Burgaw of the house of Austria the Duke of Pastrana Amady Duke of Sauoy Vespasian Gonzaga Iohn Medices and diuerse other Noble-men were drawne into these warres And yet in the meane season to gull the English and make them more negligent the Prince of Parma sent to the Queene to entreat of peace so that Commissioners were sent into the Low-Countries about that entreaty but the businesse was cunningly protracted with promises and delaies vntill the Spanish Fleet was come neere the English shore and their Gunnes heard from the Sea and Parmas forces brought to the shore Yet God so blessed our English forces that they got the winde played vpon them tooke many of their ships sunke many droue the rest out of the Channell and in a moneths space so dispersed them that they durst not returne but fled about beyond Scotland and Ireland losing many by the way and returned to Spaine with sorrow losse and shame the English hauing lost onely one ship and scarce an hundred men in beating and chasing them For which our safety and victory our Gracious Queene Elizabeth with her Nobles and Citizens of London in their colours resorted to the Cathedrall Church of Saint Pauls and gaue God humble and hearty thanks and shewed the banners taken from the enemies with publike ioy Many both at home and abroad wrote Poems and Epigrams of this great enterprize so happily defeated and I this one Numerall verse noting the yeere and the businesse Est DeVs Ang LorV M pVgnaX qVI strauIt Iberos 19. Cap. 13. Comd Annal. part 4 pag 6â—3 The King of Spaine practised both to doe away Don Antonio King of Portugall and also to poyson Queene Elizabeth by meanes of D. Lopez a Iew her Physitian for fifty thousand crownes which was discouered by letters intercepted and hee committed to the Tower yet he denied it with vehement oathes and execrations and though the knot of this treason was most closely carried yet by diligent examination it was confessed by Pedro Ferrera Steuen Ferrera and Manoel Lowis Tinoco and at the last by Lopez himselfe saying Indeed he had so couenanted with the Spaniard with a purpose to get the money and bring it to the Queene and then to reueale the whole matter vnto her and that to that end he had spoken to Ferrera Andreda Ibarra Count Fuentes c. by mouth messengers and letters but neuer intending to doe it This vnder his hand Febr. 25. 1593. Roger Lopez It was confessed also that Lopez should haue the mony brought to Antwerp that the King of Spaine should bee informed of the very day when the act should bee done that hee might cause the Queenes ships to be burned and the I le of Wight to be surprized 20. Edward Squire Cap. 14. See Camd. ib. p. 725. 843. hauing beene a Scriuener at Greenewich and afterwards one of the Queenes Stable going in a voyage to the Indies with Sir Francis Drake was taken and brought into Spaine and there in prison was wrought vpon by Walpoole the Iesuite and the Inquisition and finally by paine and pouerty became perfectly Iesuited and perswaded to kill the Queene of England by impoysoning her saddles pummell with poyson which they deliuered him in a bladder teaching him how to vse it Hee performed all accordingly but it tooke none effect but onely brought the traytor to his vntimely end for Walpool grieuing that it was not performed spake of it to some by whom it came to light and he being examined confessed the whol matter Cap. 15. Comd. ib. p. 573. 617. 635. 655. seq 701. 21. Tyrone a bastard hauing had such fauour of Q. Elizabeth as to be made Earle and twice pardoned once for murder and againe for vsurping the title of O-neal being a banished fugitiue lurked in Spaine and promised to do some seruice to the Pope and Spaniard and being set on by them anno 1597. hee assayled the Fort of Blackwater but being crossed by the English forces and proclaymed traytor hee fell downe before the Queenes picture and craued pardon and yet at the same present dealt for ayd out of Spaine But a cessation of Armes being granted he still harried and wasted the Country and made many reuolt still suing dissemblingly for pardon Thomas L. Burrugh Deputy defeated the rebels tooke the Fort of Blackwater But Tyrone beleagured it the Deputy dying 1598. Henry Bagnal came with 14. Ensignes against him and there lost his life with 15. other Captayne 's slayne and 1500. souldiers put to flight so that Tyrone tooke the Fort of Blackwater furnished with armor and munition which was the greatest losse that euer the English receiued since their first footing in Ireland And thus the rebellion was increased and became so dangerous that the Queene sent the Earle of Essex with an army of 20000. against them to wit 16000. foot and 4000. horse who not going directly against Tyrone but labouring to cleare other parts and affording parly with Tyrone a rebell and granting a cessation of warre for some time Cap. 16. much offended the Queene so that shee wrote somewhat sharpely to Essex because the Spring Summer and Autumne were spent without seruice against the arch-rebell many men lost much mony spent the rebels were incouraged and Ireland hazarded whereupon Essex posted home to pacifie the Queene but was presently confined to his owne house and after to the custody of the Lord Keeper Meane while Tyrone reuolted and stirred receiuing mony from Spaine and indulgences from Rome with a plume of Phoenix feathers for an especiall fauour Anno 1600. Clarls Blunt Lord Monicy came Lieuetenant Generall and with great celerity and felicity slue and chased many of the rebels and remoued Tyrone from the Fort of Blackewater Now the Spaniard sent Don Iohn D' Aquila Generall of his forces into Ireland and the Pope elected a Spaniard to be Archbishop of Dublin employing also the Bishop of Clowfort the Bishop of Killalo and Archer a Iesuite Aquila with 2000. old trayned Spaniards and some Irish fugitiues landed at Kinsale the last of October 1600. and drew many to him Our Deputy encamped neere and Sir Richard Leuison with two shippes inclosed the hauen and our Canons played on the Towne Newes of 2000. more Spaniards arriued at Bear-hauen Baltimer Castle-hauen drew Leuison thither who sunke fiue of their ships To their leader Alfonso O Campo came
Religion in this point Antiq. I must needs doe so and I doe not thinke them true Catholikes that hold and practise this point of Supremacy Papists they may bee as you terme them for so holding with the Pope but Catholikes they cannot be for this Doctrine is not Catholike §. 14. Antiquis Doe you not see also how greatly you shake the Popes authority by this meanes and ouerturne the foundation of his Supremacy for your Popes haue both claymed and practised this full authority as well in ciuill and temporall things as in Ecclesiasticall and vpon the same grounds And your learned Doctors thinke their grounds as firme for the one as for the other Your Great Bellarmine vpon whom you so much rely saith o Bellarm. de Pont. Rom l. 5. cap. 6. initio Although the Pope as Pope hath not any more temporall power which other Doctors say he hath yet so farre as it may make for the spirituall good he hath supreme power to dispose of the temporall things of all Christians And p Ib. cap. 7. hee labours to proue that the Pope may depose Princes and dispose of their kingdomes if he finde it good for the Church as a sheephard may deale with Wolues and vnruly Rammes and other sheepe And many of your Doctors haue the like as Eudaemon Ioannes Sidonius Suarez Becanus Mariana Grotzerus Costerus Baronius Sanders Allen and thousands more Antiq. I am very sorrowfull that so great learned men should hold such an opinion I hold them erroneous and euill Antiquis Then you must confesse that the Church of Rome may erre and that in a maine point both of doctrine and practise to the great hurt of the Catholike Church and many mens destruction both of body and soule in being traytors and rebels against their Soueraignes and murderers of people of which crimes your Popes and Doctors are guilty Antiq. I must needs grant that some haue erred in the Church but not the whole Church neither I hope hath any Pope taught this Ex Cathedra Antiquis This some is a large some the greatest part of your Church and I thinke the Pope teacheth it Ex Cathedra when hee decrees it out of his Pontificall iudgement and authority and sends out his iudiciall excommunications vnder seale against Princes to depose them as Pius 5. did against our Queene Elizabeth and Breefes to forbid his Catholikes to take the oath of ciuill Alleagiance as Paulus 5. did to our English Now consider well what you grant in effect that the greatest part of the Church yea the most conspicuous and eminent men in the Church and the Pope also may erre in some great and dangerous point and yet because some few inferiour and obscure persons hold the truth the true Church is still sufficiently visible and illustrious This you had not wont to yeeld to the Protestants See card Perons oration in the third inconuenience In K Iamâ—s his Remonstrance p. 183. 187. c. Cardinall Perone dare not grant it but saith this would proue the Church of Rome to be Antichristian and hereticall and to haue ceased to be the Spouse of Christ for a long time and to haue taught many points without authority as Transubstantiation auricular confession c. for these he ranketh with the Popes power to depose Kings and if the Scriptures yeeld no ground for the one no more doe they for the other These and diuerse other points which they hold different from vs haue no other ground but the authority of that Churâ—h which is found to erre in great and dangerous matters See this in B. Whites answer alleadged p. 87 Your owne learned Iesuite Mr Fisher vpon whose iudgement your English Roman Catholikes doe much relye saith Thâ—t if the Church could deliuer by consent of Ancestors together with truth some errors her Traditions euen about the truth were questionable and could not be beleeued vpon the warrant of her Tradition and this he proueth substantially Neither doe we receiue doctines vpon the Churches warrant only as Doctor White there largely learnedly sheweth but vpon their agreeing with the holy Scriptures Now we may assume The Church of Rome doth deliuer by consent of many Ancestors from Gregory 7. time to our times some errours as this concerning her power to depose Kings and dissolue oathes of Alleagiance c. Ergo her traditions or teaching are questionable and cannot be beleeued vpon the account of her Tradition Consequently all other her doctrines not grounded vpon Scripture are questionable and our subiection to her iudgement vnnecessary Antiq. Truly if I grant the former doctrine of her power to depose Kings c. to be erroneous as I must needs grant I know not how to auoyd this reason 1 Booke 1. cap 1. And therefore not to trouble you longer at this time Since you haue shewed me 1. that your Chuch differeth nothing from the Romish Church in the old true doctrine which it continueth but onely in some corruptions which it hath added and that 2. corruptions may in time come into any particular Church the Roman not excepted 2 cap. 2. but warned thereof by the Scriptures 3. 3 cap. 3. shewing also the time when they grew obseruable and notorious in the Roman Church 4 cap. 4. and 4 that they were opposed from time so time and reformation called for 5 cap. 5. shewing also 5. the principall points wherein the difference consists and that you hold all necessary doctrines 6 cap. 6. 6. misliking many policies by them vsed to maintaine their new corruptions And further haue shewed mee Booke 2. that this your Church for the substance of the doctrine thereof hath alwayes beene visible 7. as all one with the Primitiue Church 7 cap. 1. and the Greeke and Easterne Churches and the Waldenses that separated from the corruptions of the Papacy yea and with the Roman Church it selfe excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof although in some 8 8 cap. 2. ceremonies and priuate opinions both you and the Romish haue departed from fome Fathers wherin 9. 9 cap. 3 also there was difference among themselues as there is also still among the Roman Doctors And further you haue shewed mee 10. 10. cap 4. a Rule to iudge all Churches and Christians by By which Rule iudged right by the Roman Doctors you approue your selues to hold all things necessary to saluation and thereby to be the true Church of God and agreeing therein with all true Churches that are or euer were in the world yea and that 11. 11 cap 5. your Bishops and Ministers haue as good succession from the Apostles as any other in the world although 12. 12 cap. 6. 13. cap. 7. you admit not the B. of Romes Supremacy ouer al Churches and Christians in the world neither 13. his Infallibility both which you proue to be vnknowne and vnreceiued of the Ancients and 14. 14 cap. 8. both vnprofitable and
vntollerable in the Church of God Since all this you haue deliuered with such plentifull and pregnant proofes as I haue nothing for the present to say against them I must needs thankfully confesse that they sway much with me yet will I not be rash to resolue vpon a sudden without further meditation and consultation with men of better iudgement than my selfe but I promise you if you at our next meeting can as well satisfie me in the particular points of Doctrine as you haue now presently in these generall obiections I shall be very inclinable with all due reuerence to returne vnto your Church Antiquis Deare friend I pray God blesse your meditations and consultations I haue told you the truth from my heart so farre as my reading and iudgement could direct me Quaere doctiores Inuenies praesumptiores Seeke more learned you shall haply finde them that will presume more of their learning as Saint Augustine said such as will seeke rather the victory than the Truth I am old past my climactericall yeere as they call the yeere 63. other men may haue death at their backes I haue him alwayes before my face I was neuer dissembler and least of all now hauing one foot in the graue Meditate vpon that I haue said and especially reade the holy Scriptures the Cloud and Pillar to guide you to the land of Promise the Light and Lanterne to your feet quicke and liuely in operation to moue your heart And when you are either to reade meditate or conferre first shut your selfe in your Closet or priuate Chamber there fall downe humbly vpon your knees and pray the most gracious God to illuminate your minde and make pliable your heart for true diuine faith For all your reading and conference study and meditation can worke no more than humane faith builded vpoÌ„ humane testimonies which may prepare good entrance and introduction to diuine faith which must afterwards bee fully wrought confirmed and sealed by the holy Ghost all our planting and watring is nothing without this The testimony of the Church of histories of former ages which yet onely the Romish pretend to relie vpon and call vs thereunto and wherein we proue our selues superiors and which are the greatest assurances that mans wit or humane meanes can afford yet are farre short of begetting the Faith that assureth of the Truth and saueth either them or vs without the diuine working and assurance of the holy Ghost whose guidance and heauenly influence seeke for by seruent and diligent prayer And so I commend you to Gods grace FINIS An Appendix Christian Reader after J had sent this booke to the Printer there came to my hands a worthy learned booke of Doctor Morton Bishop of Couentry and Liechfield entituled The grand Imposture of the now Church of Rome which J commend vnto thy diligent reading for thy yet-fuller satisfaction in that main point There thou shalt see many of those Histories which I haue alledged briefly especially in my later Chapters more largely discoursed thorowly vrged against all possibility of contradiction And now for a peroration or conclusion beside my former proofes J offer vnto thee these three waighty considerations to meditate vpon I. Of the excellent benefit of pure Primitiue Religion II. Of the euils of false or corrupted Religion III. Of the great blessings of the Reformation thereof Thinke not thy time lost nor thy labour long in reading them CHristian Religion I. Of the excellent benefit of pure Primitiue Religion when the excellency of it was once knowne was embraced as the greatest benefit that euer came vnto Mankind because it not onely brought men out of darkenesse into light to the knowledge of the true God and of themselues and of the most comfortable meanes of their saluation but also because it trained vp men in all things profitable for this present life and made a second heauen vpon earth That City Countrey and Nation was found to prosper in wealth peace honesty diligence in euery Calling faithfulnesse among men sobriety in themselues obedience to Magistrates and all kind of goodnesse where it was receiued and where both people and Gouernours feared God and serued him as he had prescribed â—â—â—y 11.6 For it wrought a wonderfull blessed change in all true beleeuers hearts farre beyond all Lawes and Ordinances of Man Of Wolues they became Lambes of Vultures Doues of Leopards Kids of Aspes and Cockatrices Innocents and Children of Barbarous Sauage and rude people they became ciuill deuout iust cleane peaceable and holy All vices rooted out all vertues planted in their hearts and practised in their liues Whereupon followed peace loue vnity prosperity and felicity in the Christian world Pliny lib. 10. Epist 97. citat à Baronio anno 1â—4 num 3. Pliny certified the Emperour that vpon his thorow-search and full knowledge of Christians he found them strongly bound together by Sacraments or oathes not to do any wicked thing But not to commit these robberies murders deceit or deny any things committed to their trust or keeping c. Baron tom 2. an 195. nu 21. Euseb Praeparat Evangel lib. 6. cap. â— Baronius cites Bardezanus Syrus giuing this testimony to the Christians that in whatsoeuer City or Countrey they liued Persia Media Parthia Aegypt or other barbarous Nations they quite changed the nature and qualities of men to forsake and abandon theit old wilde vniust beastly customes and become iust chaste honest charitable suffering people And although some Emperours and Princes for a time persecuted Christians vpon misinformation that they were enemies to their state and dignity and a rebellious kinde of people yet in time they found the contrary and fauoured them aboue all others Tertul. ad Scapulam liber pag. 162 163. Tertullian writing to Scapula the President tels him A Christian is no mans enemy much lesse enemy to the Emperour whom Christians know to be ordayned by their God and they are compelled by their Religion to loue reuerence and honor him and to seeke his safety with the safety of the whole Empire And therfore they professe say Colimus Jmperatorem sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit vt homineÌ„ à deo secundum quicquid est a deo consequutum solo deo minorem We honour and obey the Emperour so farre as is lawfull for vs and needfull for him that is as a man next vnder God and hauing obtained of God whatsoeuer he is being inferiour to God alone Origen testifies that the Church of God was euer calme and quiet at Athens though the Athenians were turbulent and seditious So also at Corinth Alexandria Origen contra Celsum lib. 3. Baron tom 2. an 1â—5 n. 2. and euery where the Church was farre more excellent then the best composed Common-wealth Gregory the great Bishop of Rome Greg lib. 7. epist 8 cited by Kâ—ng Iames Remonstr pag. 137. Apolog. for the oath of Allegiance pag. 94. 600 yeares after Christs birth professeth that
he had power to ruine the Lombards his sworne enemies and to bring them to extreame confusion yet for the feare of God settled in his heart he neuer had any such intent And he writeth to Mauritius the Emperour that although a certaine Law which the Emperour commaded to be proclaimed was in his iudgement vniust Greg. lib 2. Indict 11. ep 61. cited also by King Iames. Apol. pag. 24. yet he as a dutifull subiect and vnworthy seruant of his godlinesse had caused it to be sent into diuers parts of his dominions paying to both parties what he ought to wit obedience to the Emperour and speaking what hee thought for God Espencaeus in Tit. digress 10. aedit Paris 1568. Whereupon B. Espenceus saith Gregorius primus idem magnus lib. 2. epist 64. Gregory the first called also the Great ingenuously acknowledged that God had granted the Emperours a dom nion ouer Priests This Gregory I and his predecessors were plaine contrary to Gregory VII and his successors Bozius makes it one of the signes of the Church of God that it yeelded so many Martyrs Bozius de signis Eccles tomâ— 1. lib. 7. cap. 5. §. 5. suffering patiently vnder cruell Emperors and Princes seuen and twenty Roman Bishops for their onely cleauing to the doctrine and honour of Christ Greg Tolossan 1. V. Doctor lib. 26. de Repub. cap. vlt. 〈◊〉 10. And Gregorius Tolossanus Doctor of the Lawes saith That for 300 yeares after Christs Passion though Christians suffered most cruell torments and death yet wee neuer read they rebelled against their Princes nor moued against the Commonwealth though they had number and power sufficient But by that argument they shewed that they and their Religion were to be preferred before all other because their pâ—â—us doctrine taught theâ— to obey Magistrates Whiles therefore the Church continued such a schoole of good life among Christians and of faithfull loyalty true subiectâ—on to Princes Rom. 13.5 whom they obeyed not onely for feare of punishment but especially because they were bounâ— in conscience and so taught by their holy Relig on B. King Sermon at Yorke on the Queens day 1595. Religion was â—he ioy glory and happinesse of the world It was the glorâ— of Princes and Emperors to maintaine it and it was the glory of the Chuâ—ch to maintaine them Constantius the father of Constantine the Great made more reckoning he said of those that professed Christianity then oâ— gâ—eat treasures Jouianus after Julian refused to be Emperour albeit elected and sought to the Emp re except he might gouerne Christâ—ans Great Constantine and Charles the Great had their surnames of greatnesse not so much for authority Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 5. 6. 24. as for godlinesse Saint Auâ—ustine saith Emperours were not therefore happy because they raigned long or left sonnes to raigne after them or tamed enemies or quieted rebelling subiects c. but because they ruled iustly remembred they were men when men almost made them Goâ—s vsed their power to promote Gods honour loued feared worshipped God loued that kingdome best wherein they feared not to haue partakers slâ—wly reuenged easily pardoned punâ—shed for necessity to preserue the Commonwealth not to serue their priuate hatred pardoned not to impunity of euill but for hope of amendment and if compelled to deale more sharply recompenced it with mercy lenity and larges of benefits â—f their luâ—ury was so much the more restrained as it might bee more free if they had rather rule their euill lusts then any Nations and all these not for desire of vaine glory but for the loue of heauenly felicity Such a happy Emperour was Great Constantine Ibid. cap. 25 26. Constantine was celebrated in the old Marbles with these titles Vrbis liberator quietis fundator reipubilicae instautator publicae libertatis auctor restitutor vrbis Romae atque orbis Magnus maximus invictus And in the lawes Qui veneranda Christianorum fide Romanum munivit imperium Divus Diuae memoriae Divinae memoriae c. Camden Britannia in Yorkshire describing Yorke City II. Of the euils of false or corrupted Religion Esay 1.21 Rome Reuel 17.9 18. becante Babylon v 5 2 4. 6. Nauel generat 39 H Mulius Chron. German lib 18. Vsher De eccl succes c. 7. §. 17. whom the Lord blessed also with all other happinesse and such an one was Theodosius who desired rather to be a member of the Church then a King ouer Peoples Then was the world happy when the Church bred and trayned vp the best people and subiects in the world and Emperours Kings and Princes were the nuâ—sing Fathers of the Church and so the one vpheld the other and the one was happy in the other But alas for griefe that euer so excellent a blessing should be corrupted and turned to a curse and scourge to mankinde that Ierusalem the whilome faithfull City should become an Harlot And Rome the Imperiall City whose faith was spoken of through the whole world Rom. 1.8 should be turned into Babylon the seat of Antichrist and inebriate the Kings and Inhabiters of the earth with the wine of her fornications her selfe becomming drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus that Emperours and Princes should shut the Cardinals out of their Churches and Cities and write to the Pope their reason because they found them nor Predicatores sed Predatores Non pacis corroboratores sed Pecuniae raptores non orbis Reparatores sed auri Insatiabiles corrasores denique superbiae detestabilem bestiam vsque ad sedem Petri reptasse So wrote the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa to the Pope to wit your Cardinals come not to preach vnto vs but to pray vpon vs not to strengthen our peace but to ransacke our purses not to repaire the decayed world but vnsatiably to rauine after gold Finally we see the detestable beast of Pride hath crept euen into Saint Peters seat The Hierarchy of Rome is here charged with vnsatiable couetousnesse the roote of all euill 1 Tim. 6.10 and Ambâ—tion or Pride the cause of the fall of Angels in heauen and men in Paradise froÌ„ which two euils proceeded many mischiefes corruptioÌ„s into the Church Sabellicus obserueth that the feare and reuerence of Potent Princes Sabellicus Ennead 9. lib. 1. Genebrard Chronol lib 4. in 10. saculi initio Baron tomo 10. anno 900. §. 1. Matth. 8.24 25 kept the Popes of Rome a long time in some good moderation but when they were out of feare of such Princes they rushed into all impudency and wickednesse And Genebrard speaking of the tenth Age saith Then was the world exhausted both of learned men and potent Princes and good popes and confesseth that in 150 yeares there were about 50 popes vtterly swaruing from the vertue of their predecessors and were rather Apotactici Apostaticive quam Apostolici debosht Apostataes rather then Apostolâ—cke Bellarmine and Baronius complaine of the ninth and tenth Ages wherein powerfull and sordid Whores ruled at Rome
one to him his sword could not discerne them so he might make way for his Master all was one to him How vnlike are the Romish Religions of this age to the Ancients As the pure Primitiue vncorrupt Religion was the greatest blessing both to Prince and subiects so this corrupt ambitious and turbulent visor of Religion hath beene an vntollerable scourge and Plague vnto them meanes more likely to make Religion stinke in the nostrils of men then to make it sweet and comfortable vnto them All these vnâ—atholike courses I grant the secular Priests lay vpon the Iesuites as if all other Papist were cleare of them Which is nor so 1 For who were in the fault â—n the troublâ—s of the German Emperours and other Kings before there wâ—re any Iesuites in the worlâ— whose first beginning was little abâ—ue an hundred yeares agone and their plotâ—ing Statizations within halfe that time 2 Secondly all Papists in common seculars not excepted hold the Apostolicke power and necâ—ssity of obeying it Quodliâ—et 8. art 9 â—ag 277. 3 The secuâ—ars often bewray it in their writings though somewhat couertly because the times fit not so well to vtter their mindes plainely See Watsons Quodlib iâ— 9 art 3. pag. 293 art 5 pag. 306. quodl 8. art 6. pag 243. 4 They also submit themselues and all their writings yea euery word and tâ—ttle to the censure of the Roman Church as Quodl 8. art 8. pag. 267 361. 362. and Important Considerations pag. â—3 in the Postscript 5 The seculars sometimes plainly confâ—sse it Jmp Con. pâ—g 15 hauing spoken of diuers attempts of the pope and Spâ—niard in England and Ireland to depriue Queene Elizabeth of her Crowne they say plainely in all these plots none were more forward then many of vs that werâ— priests adding that if they the priâ—sts had opposed those designments the Laity would haue beene ouer-rulâ—d by them 6 Beyond all this Watson himselfe a secular priest who had set forth the said Important Considerations with a flourishing Epistle before as also the Qâ—odlibets c. to cleare the secular priests from all treasons euil practises became himselfe a Traitor and a Ringleader of diuers others in the beginning of King Iames his raigne for which he and Clarke his fellow were executed and the Traitor Ballard 1586 was a secular priest And many secular priests were in the Spanish army against England anno 88 as saith the Quodlibet 8. art 7. Doctor Sanders Morton and Webb were secular priests So that howsoeuer they would excuse themselues and lay all vpon the Iesuites it iâ— certaine that all perfect papists are conscious or guilty in heart and many of them in action of these courses vntollerable to the Church and State Isaacus Cosaubonus pist dedic ad â—bum Regem praefix Excercitatâ—n Baronium But concerning the corruptions of the Church both in doctrine and practises and our happy Reformation thereof I present the Reader with the substance of a worthy discourse of learned Casaubon Who after hee hath shewed that neither Truth nor Christians nor Christ himselfe the Way the Truth and the Life euer wanted enemies and that amongst those enemies two troopes haue euer beene most infest and most infectious Nonatores Veteratores the Introducers of new Doctrines and they that vnder colour of forged antiquity oppugne the true antiquity as some oppugned the most ancient true worship of the true God to maintaine old Gentilisme the worship of Idols he proceedeth to shew the old enemy of mankinde seeing himselfe shut out of the gates crept in at the backâ—ore into the Christian Church and not being able to hinder the sowing of good seed he secretly sowed Tares amongst it as in our Europe the Westerne part of the world the worship due to God alone to be many waies giuen to creatures Ceremonies vnder whose burden the Church groaned in Saint Augustines time wonderfully encreased drawing men from the substance of Religion to place all their hope of saluation in obseruing them from whence grow the worship of sacred Reliques beyond custome and due measure the trust in the aide of Saints and the carefull inuocation of them the worship and adoration of Images which we see at this day increased which nouelty when it was first brought in set the East and West at jarres and warres and droue the Emperour out of Italy Thence came also new idle worships deuised by mans brain and new rites of new superstition and the better to keepe the world from mistrusting or misliking such Innouations the holy Scriptures were by the vncredible fraud of Sathan withheld not onely from the Laity but from the greatest part of the Clergy And to top vp all these euils was introduced a terrible domination of one man The seat of Rome which before thought it sufficient to bee accounted the first among the Patriarkes seates now would bee the Lady and Mistresse of the whole Church And when her Bishop had lifted vp her power in spirituall things to the highest top not content with that height set his heart also to bring all temporall power vnder him and would neuer be quiet till hee saw himselfe lifted aboue Emperours Kings and princes and looked vpon them as persons farre beneath him vpon whom he might tread with his feet as oft as he list or iudged expedient for his affaires Thus the light of the Gospell was turned into darknesse the golden simplicity of true piety into innumerable superstitions Christian liberty into horrible seruitude the Rights of the Church together with the Crownes of Emperours and Kings made subiect to that Monarches Miter who challenged to himselfe alone the power to giue and take away Empires and Kingdomes Which he practised by bringing in all kinde of calamities wars and vexations wherewith Europe was so often and mightily shaken wh le the truth lay hid euery where neglected and deepely ouerwhelmed drowned and buried Thus Gasaubon of the former times III. Then hee proceedeth to the times of Reformation The great blessings of the Reformation of Religion After a long suffering saith he of vnspeakeable euils after long sighings and gronings of Emperours Princes Clergy and Laity after much expectation of many Ages for reformation in the head and members often promised neuer performed At last there were some found which brake the patience and shewed themselues leaders to them that sought the truth from their hearts What they were or what infirmities they had it mattereth not to argue Malice neuer speakes well of the best and most innocent This is certaine by the very euent that they as men stirred vp by God awaked and rowzed vp the world to looke into the corruptions of Christian Religion which long-time had brought in and to thinke of the grieuances and complaints which both Princes and people throughout Europe had shewed And if then the Bishop of Rome had carried the mind to suffer himselfe to be ouercome with the entreaties prayers publâ—ke or priuate of the Emperors
Kings Princes and Nations and of the whole Church their hopes should not haue beene so often deluded who sought and promised to themselues at least some tollerable reformation from him neither should there haue beene such a Rent among the Churches of Europe when euery Nation seeing Rome would doe nothing was constrained to looke to it selfe and make if not a perfect reformation yet as good as it could and as neere to the Word of God and the custome of the Primitiue Church as time and meanes would afford For if it be obiected that the intended Reformation is not perfect as appeareth by the differences of some Reformed Churches yet surely first th◠Reformers mindes were good who with all their hearts and endeuours sought it and secondly the coniunction of all Nations Wits Learning and other meanes by a free generall Councell which might ouer-rule the Pope and all other particulars was onely hindred by the Pope and his Faction But 3 surely the Reformation was most laudable and necessary if it had effected no more but this as one of them wrote in answere to Cardinalll Sadolet that they freed themselues from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and had constituted in their Countries somewhat better forme of the Church which before was most vntollerable both to Princes and People Such a Reformation as many former Ages had with greeuous sighes and grones wished and desired hungred and thirsted after but all in vaine because the truth in Europe had not yet shined out of darknesse of which our Sauiour had said ye shall know the truth Ioh. 8.32 and the truth shall set you free Therefore 1 Our late Princes 2 all the orders of the Kingdome and 3 all the people haue seene and felt the goodnesse of God and are bound to be most thankfull to him except they be of all men the most insensible and vngratefull for their great blessing following the Reformation of Religion in England 1 The Princes that they reigne now in their owne right they are not the liege-men and Vassals of the Pope that haue not their kingdome Precariò at the pleasure of another as Bayliffes of another mans inheritance that they and their Reuerend Clergy are at vnity neither fearing excommunications nor depositions from other that they diuide the care of placing Ministers with their Bishops challenging to themselues without feare that part which is due to them and concerneth the temporalls and leauing that part of the care to the Bishops which toucheth spirituals and all things which proue them to be true Kings For this blessing Kings are behoulden to Gods truth which is a friend to them which establisheth them and is with all care and diligence by them to be established Alas for those former times Inas See Polydor hist Angl. lib. 5. pag. 86. wherein amongst our Kings glorious Ancestors one led away with blinde superstition hauing zeale but not according to knowledge did of his owne accord when no necessity compelled him make his Kingdome tributary to Gregory the third King Iohn Bishop of Rome Another brought into desperation by aduerse crosses yeelded vp his Kingdome of England and Ireland to Pope Innocent 3. By whom he had bene miserably embroyled and was compelled to be content to be the Popes steward or Baily O horrid blindnesse of those times O sucessors of Peter egregiously resembling Peter in their doings O what a griefe surprized not onely the Barons Nobles and all subjects of the Realme but also the Kings and Princes throughout Europe as euery one was more wise and better then other to see the fall so heauy so foule of so great a Prince The speaches which some of them vttered at the newes of so inhumane example are committed to writing for perpetuall memory as witnesses also of their most iust both indignation and amazement Yea the speach of that vnfortunate King is extant in the writers of those times most worthy to be deeply setled in all Princes hearts After that I was reconciled to God saith hee and subjected my selfe and my Kingdomes alas for sorrow to the Roman Church nothing came to me prosperous But al things contrary Post quā ut dixi Deo reconciliatus me ac mea regna proh dolor Romana subjeci ecclesiae nulla mihi prospera sed contraria omnia aduenerunt 2 The Clergy and people of England liue happily The Bishops elect neede not run beyond the Alpes to buy their confirmation of the Pope for great summes of money nor purchase their Palles with the waight of gold nor run to Rome euery 3 yeares or as oft as the Pope list that is as oft as he thirsteth after English coyne Now they haue no such care as in times past the Bishops of England had to take vp the best benefices for Italians In which benefices as Mathy Paris saith neither lawes nor order were kept nor releefe for the poore nor hospitality nor preaching of Gods word nor necessary ornaments or repair of Churches nor care of soules nor diuine or deuout prayers as was fit and as was accustomed in the country but in their buildings the walles and roofes fell downe or were pitifully rent and torne Now the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury feareth not new Bulles from the Pope to suspend him from collating any benefices vntil 300 Romans be prouided for by benefices next falling void as it fell out anno 1239 to Edmund the Archbishop by Buls sent from Gregory 9. The Pope hauing promised it to the Roman citizens who at that time little fauored him 3 The Ecclesiasticall controuersies arising in England by a very ancient Canon wherof S. Cyprian also maketh mention are determined in England The collectors of Peter pence and other contributions the Roman visitors proctors and farmers the Marchants of Indulgences or pardons to men according to their wealth the dispencers of vowes and Institors of legitimation to make men capable of orders the Caursine Vsurers that liued at Rome but drew thither all the wealth of England lending to English Nobles others vpon morgage of their lands or other extreme vsuries money to satisfy the Pope and his Harpies The bringers of Buls for new extortions The witty Mice-catchers Muscipulatores as the Story cals them such as Petrus Rubeus and many others conning Artificers to drain money from men for the Pope and sixe hundred such like greedy and greeuous Arts by the vnvtterable benefit of the truth of Religion their names are now scarse heard of and should be vtterly vnknowne were it not for the monuments and histories of former ages Neither doth now any Legat à latere any messenger from the Popes side exercise any Rauin for money in England as many did heretofore and some with execrable hunger of gold as we read of one of them Otto sent by Gregory 9 who after three yeeres raking together of money by most detestable Artes at last departing hence left not so much money in the whole Kingdome as he either carried with