at least virtually and implicitly all their articles and wittingly deny none of them because as we see they are fundamentall articles of Protestancy without which one cannot haue the whole essence or substance of a Protestant nor be an entire and absolute Protestant We speak of any who are ProtestaÌ„ts only in part but only in part and in some sort And we as hath byn often sayd treat here only of an entire and absolute Protestant such as at least hath all the substantiall parts of a Protestant and endeauour to proue that Luther was the author of such a company and of such a faith and religion and regard not whither that before his tyme there were any who were Protestants only in part and in some sort and held only some part of Protestant religion but not the whole substance thereof And hereupon we frame an inuincible argument to proue that there was no true Protestant or Protestant church before Luther The definition of a true ProtestaÌ„t Euery true Protestant belieueth Iustification by only speciall faith and at least virtually and implicitly belieueth the articles of the Confession of Auspurg or of Saxony Scotland Strasburg or Bohemia But there was no man no Church before Luther who thus belieued Therefore no true Protestant or Protestant church The Maior is the very definition of a true Protestant gathered partly out of the common doctrine of all Protestants partly out of the foresayd Confessions of their fayth The Minor being negatiue is sufficiently manifest by that neither Luther nor any in his tyme or to this day could produce any one man or company who before Luthers preaching had belieued in that sort This foundation therefore touching the essence and substance of a Protestant and Protestant Church being layd to wit that he only is a true absolute Protestant who belieueth Iustification by only speciall fayth and the foresayd other fundamentall points of Protestancy and that the Protestant Church is a company of such belieuers and the Protestant religion such a beliefe and worship of God I will endeauour in this next book out of Protestants testimonies and Confessions to proue that Luther was the first beginner of their Church and Religion The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE Of the Author or Beginner of the Protestant Church and Religion CHAP. I. That Protestants confesse that the substance of their Church and Religion was perished when Luther began THE first demonstration wherewith we will proue that Luther was the author and first beginner of the Protestant Church and religion we will take out of Protestants Confessions of the substantiall destruction of their Church ProtestaÌ„ts confesse their religion was perished religion principall article of Iustification by only fayth before Luther arose For of the destruction of their fayth and religion thus writeth Luther himself tom 1. Proposit 62. fol. 375 Certaine it is that our Apostaticall Bishops raigning Gods fayth perished Perished And lib. de Captiu Babylon tom 2. fol. 77 The Popes tyranny hath many ages agone extinguished the fayth Extinguished And lib. de abâ—og Mist fol. 249. he sayth to the Catholikes Ye haue extinguished the Ghospell And lib. de pijs ceremon is fol. 387 alià s 393 Destroyed The doctrine of the ghospell lay destroyed by humane traditions Tom. 3. in psalm 1. fol. 126 VVhat thinkest thou was in the Church but a whirle wind of Gods wrath by which we were thrust into so many so different so inconstant so vncertaine and those infinite glosses of Lawyers Christ altogeather vnknown and opinions of Deuines in the meane tyme Christ being altogeather vnknowne stumbling into many quicke sands gulfes and snares of conscience were knockt together And in psalm 22. fol. 345 Christ together with fayth is now extinguished Christ and fayth extinguished And fol. 348 Fayth lyeth extinct And in psalm 51. fol. 460 The former age could neither vnderstand nor soundly teach the greatest and weightiest points Praefat. in psalm Grad fol. 509 God punisheth contempt so as he plainly taketh away his word whereof Popery is a notable example Al knowlâ—dge of Christ wholy extinct in which we see it hath so fallen out And fol. 568 Fayth it selfe was plainly extinct Tom. 4. Praefat. Eccl. fol. 1 The schooles of Deuines haue wholy extinguished most assured fayth in Christ togeather with all the knowledge of Christ Tom. 5. in cap. 2. Galat. fol. 306 The Papists with their impious and blasphemous doctrine haue not only obscured but simply haue taken away Not only obserued but simply taken away the Ghospell and ouerwhelmed Christ And fol 322 Christs ghospell being obscured yea truly ouerwhelmed the Pope c. In c. 4. fol. 376 This most common and most receiued opinion of the vncertainty of the remission of sinnes was surely an article of fayth in all Popery Christ shut out of the Church wherewith truly they ouerwhelmed the doctrine of fayth destroyed fayth and shut Christ out of the Church Fol. 400 The Pope hath vtterly extinguished Christian liberty In cap. 1. Petri The sincere knowledge of fayth was extinct In cap. 15.1 Cor. fol. 134. VVithout our helpe they had neuer learnt one word of the Ghospell Without Luther not one word or iot of the Ghospell And fol. 141 They had not knowne one iote of the Gospell vnlesse by our labour and study it had byn brought forth into the world â—om 6. in cap. 3. Genes fol. 43 Holesome doctrine was by little and litle extinct In cap. 4. fol. 57 The light of the word was extinguished by wicked Popes In cap. 17. fol. 199 That I may say all in one word the Pope hath truly buryed Christ In cap. 48. fol. 643 The Pope hath obscured nay destroyed the doctrine of sayth In cap. 49. fol. 660 The Pope hath truly obscured the doctrine and taken away the Promises Christ truly buried that we knew not what Christ was Fol. 666 He hath extinguished the Gospell Tom. 7. lib. de Missa fol. 230 The knowledge of Christ was truly abolished and destroyed This ye Papists ye cannot deny the matter it selfe proclaimeth it And fol. 231 All true VVorship of God being extinct from the bottom c. Epist ad Fredericum Electorem fol. 506 Knowledge of Christ truly destroyed The Pope of Rome hath most plainly rooted out the Ghospell truly oppressed and ouerthrowne lib. cont Papatum fol. 469 Fayth was weakened choaked and extinguished and Christian liberty lost Thus plainly speaketh Luther almost in all his Latin comes of the substantiall destruction of his fayth and Ghospell before that as he sayth he brought it againe into the world Ghospell most plainly rooted out To which he addeth in his 7. Dutch tome in his admonition to the Germans This abomination was increased so that they blotted out and supprest the words of this Sacrament and fayth so that neither a letter nor point of them remayned in all Popery in all
about to shew any other kind of Pastors Finally all those who affirme that the vocation or Mission of Luther and their first Ministers was extraordinary must needs say that there were no former Protestant Pastours of whome they could haue byn sent or approued ProtestaÌ„ts say the Church may be without Pastors 4. The same also they insinuate when they teach that the Church may be without Pastors which they affirme that thereby they may defend the being of their own Church before Luther when it had no Pastors Luther in cap. 4. Oseae tom 4. fol 295 As if the Church were tyed to any certaine order of Ministery The Confession of Saxony cap. 12 God estsoones restoreth the Ministery Caluin of true Reform pag. 332 I graunt indeed that it can neuer fall out that the Church perish but when they referre that to Pastors which is promised of the perpetuall continuance of the church in that they are much deceiued For the Church doth not perish streight if Pastors he wanting Beza of the notes of the Church pag. 55 Ordinary succession and vocation of Pastors was not always needfull or perpetuall Sadeel in Answere to the abiured articles pag. 533 It is false that the outward Ministery must be perpetuall The same he hath in Repetit Sophism Turriani pag. 763. Iunius and Danaeus lib. 4. de Eccles cap. 8. Bucan in his 41. place de Eccles quest 19 Sometyme the outward and vsuall ministry of the church being interrupted the Church is extraordinarily nourished of God as it were in the desert Keckerman in his Theologicall Systeme lib. 3. pag. 397 The Church is often pressed so that the order of succession of Pastors must be somewhat interrupted And Vorstius in his Antibellarm pag. 158 The ordinary succession vseth oftentymes to be interrupted for some tyme. Luâ—bert in his 5. booke of the church cap. 5 VVe say that the church may for a short space be depriued of Pastors D. Whitaker c. 6. before cited pag. 510 I gather that true and lawfull succession may be broken of and that it is not a true but only an accidentall note of the Church because it pertaineth not to the essence of the Church but only to her externall state And pag. 512 VVe say that ordinary succession hath oftentymes byn interrupted and cut of in the true Church D. Morton lib. cit cap. 17. writeth thus The matter of the proposition to wit where there is no succession there is no Church ye know to be weake And cap. 18. he affirmeth this saying to be false Succession of doctrine cannot be deuided from succession of persons And cap. 23. sayth Succession of fayth may be without succession of doctrine and succession of doctrine without succession of persons D. Fulke lib. de Succes pag. 319 Yea euen the very publike preaching of the word may be silent for a tyme and the Church being depriued for a tyme of this ordinary meanes of her saluation may be preserued so long of God And D. VVhite in his way to the Church pag. 87 All the externall gouernment of the Church may come to decay in that the locall and personall Succession of the Pastors may be interrupted And pag. 403 For the externall Succession we care not it is sufficient that in doctrine they succeded the Apostles and primitiue Churches and those faythfull witnesses which in all ages since imbraced the same 5. By the foresayd Confessions of Protestants it is most cleare that when Luther began to play the Pastor there was no Protestant preacher at all For they acknowledge that they are no Church for any ordinary succession that the true order of the church perished that the true Ministery was taken out of the Church true knowledge of diuine ordination was extinguished and ordination abolished and decayed That the Church had no true Ministery and that she was destitute of true Pastors And that they meane these words both of a substantiall vniuersall destruction of true Ministry is manifest both by the selfe same words and others also For they adde withall that the state of the church was quite ouerthrowne ordinary vocation wholy corrupted that ordinary vocation was no where no place left for ordinary vocation and there were none of whome those who freed their Church from Popery might receiue imposition of hands that the state of the Church was so interrupted that God must raise vp Pastors extraordinarily that the true ranck of ordination was so cut of as that their needed a new succour and a new foundation lastly that the Ecclesiastical order the vaine names therof only remayning was ouerthrowne from the foundation and lawfull order quit abolished that there was not left so much as the slenderest shadow of the cheifest parts of ecclesiasticall vocation In which words either they say that there was neuer a Protestant Pastor at all or that can be sayd by no words whatsoeuer And such was the state and condition of the Protestant church not for a small tyme but as themselues say for some ages And for this cause vsually they call Luther his first partners their (a) Plessie l. 1. de Eccl. c. 11. Napp in 14. Apocal. first ministers first (b) Sadeel de Vocat pag. 556. teachers first (c) Gâ—alt Praefat. in ep ad Rom restorers of the ghospell first (d) Perk. in â— Galat. cap. 11. preachers of the ghospell first restorers of the house of God Apostles and Euangelists 6. Finally I proue that there was no true Protestant preacher before Luther out of the reall coÌ„fession of all Protestants For none of them all can by any sufficient testimony or argument proue that there was any such Pastor Wherefore this is rashly affirmed and fondly belieued 〈◊〉 Marc. â— Either proue sayth Tertullian that which thou belieuest or if thou prouest it not how doest thou belieue it And that common argument of theirs wherewith they vse to proue that they had a Church and Pastors at all tymes because they bring the Scripture to proue their doctrine to be true we shall hereafter shew to be a most vaine Sophisme And besides themselues do ouerthrow it in teaching as we haue seene that the Church may be without Pastors wherby it would not follow that they had Pastors albeit they could by the Scripture proue that before Luther they had a Church Moreouer then those who endeauour to name some Protestant preachers or Pastors before Luthers tyme do plainly shew that there was no true and absolute Protestant Pastor to wit such as taught iustification by only faith and the rest of the fundamentall opinions of Protestancy For the Apology of the Church of England pag. 103. sayth That they gaue not so cleare a light but lightned as it were some sparck The Confession of Saxony cap. 12 That they ioyned stable vnto the foundation Cruciger and Rorarius in Luther tom 1. fol. 202 That they had some litle light D. Fulke of Success pag. 131 That perhaps in all points
OF THE AVTHOR AND SVBSTANCE OF THE PROTESTANT CHVRCH AND RELIGION TWO BOOKES Written first in Latin by R. S. Doctour of Diuinity AND Now reuiewed by the Author and translated into English by VV. Bas Euery thing must be reduced to its beginning Tertull. Praescript cap. 20. Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XXI The Scope of this Worke. IF both Luther himselfe and the famousest Protestantâ— of all sorts haue many wayes most plainly and most freely confessed that Luther was the Author and Beginner of the Protestant Church and Religion as in this worke doth manifestly appeare then vndoubtedly he was so And if Luther were the Author and Beginner therof assuredly it is not the Church and Religion of Christ. Read therefore and iudge indifferently and thereby an end may be made of all Controuersies in Religion betwixt the Catholiks and Protestants THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOR TO the Reader Wherein the manner and profit of this Worke is declared THERE are two kinds of questions gentle Reader which are in controuersy betwixt the Catholikes and Protestantes the one kind is of fact to wit Whether Luther was the Author and beginner of the Protestants Church and ReligioÌ„ whether before him it were visible and had Pastours whether he and the first Protestant Preachers were sent to preach Protestancy and the liâ—e The other kind of question is of Christs doctrine or law For example whether Christ taught good workes do iustify be necessary to saluation meritorious and such others Why a a question of Fact is handled rather theÌ„ of doctrin At this present I treate not of this second kind of question but only of the former and that for three causes First the questions of Doctrine are innumerable but the questions of Fact few And many haue handled them and that most exactly but these few haue touched and for ought that I know none of purpose hath hitherto written of the Authour of Protestancy and in that manner as I intend to write Secondly there are few questions of doctrine of that nature that all other controuersies of faith depend vpon them but the most questions of Fact are such as if they be well decided al other Controuersies of religion are at an end Such kind of question this especially is which now I handle VVhether Luther were Author and beginner of the Protestant church and Religion For if it be made manifest that he was the Author and Beginner of it euery one will straihgt see that it is not Christs Church Religion but Luthers deuise and inuention Thirdly in questions of doctrine or law Protestants want not some pretext of Scripture as neither any Heretikes wanted and therfore diuers tymes they are ready to debate these kind of Questions in which as Tertullian sayth they pretend Scriptures Prescrip c. 15. and with this their boldnes shake some and in the dispute weary the constant catch the weake send away the midalâ— sort with scruple and douâ—ts But in questions of Fact they are destitute not only of al pretence of Scripture vnles it be some most vaine but also of all testimony of men and help of reason and stand only vpon their owne sayinges are conuinced by the testimonies of the whol world and sometyme also by their owne confessions and therefore are brought to debate these kind of questions no more willingly then is a theefe to his tryall Neither do they in these disputs either weary the constant or catch the weake but shew their owne weaknes and wilfullnes vnto all kind of men And this is the cause why Ministers are so loath to dispute of the Church because the Church being a company of men includeth many questions of fact as of antiquity succession continuance visibility mission ordination of Pastours and such like in which points there is little colour or shew on their part 2. Fourthly Protestants exact more difficult poofes in questions of doctrine then they can demand in matters of Fact For in matters of Fact wherof the scripture speaketh nothing they must be content with testimonies of men against whome no iust exception can be made or they must refuse all triall of these kind of questions But in controuersies of doctrine they account those only to be lawfull proofes which are taken out of the scripture Neither doe these satisfie them vnlesse they be plaine (a) Melan. Brent in Hospin fol. 107. Colloq Ratisb sess 11. expresse and as they say word (b) Vorst respons ad Slad for word containe that which is in question or at least be so pregnant and strong that they (c) Luth. de seru arbitr fol. 440. Lib. 6. confess c. 4. stopp all mâ—ns mouths that they can gainsay nothing For it is the common fault of Protestants which S. Augustin saith himselfe was guilty of whiles he was an heretike that they will be as certaine of all things as that seauen and three make ten Nay they yield not alwayes to these kind of proofs For what can be sayd more expressy more plainly more literally then the scripture saith that man is iustified by workes and not only by faith that that which our Sauiour gaue with his hands to his Apostles after his last supper was his very body and bloud and such like yet the Protestants yield not to these kind of testimonies but deuise figures and shiftes to delude them Catholiques proofes in controuersies of doctrine are certainly Theological demonstrations because they are clearly drawne from the proper principles of Diuinity to wit from cleare words of God confirmed by the tradition of the Church and vnanimous exposition of the Fathers which kind of proofe is as great and strong as either Diuinity or law or any Science whatsoeuer which is founded in words either doth affoard or the nature of any law or science which is grounded in words as Diuinity is can beare or affoard And as the Philosopher saith well it were starck madnes to exact any other kind of proofes of any Profession then the nature therof can affoard 1. Eth. 1. But because heretiques expound what words soeuer as they list and litle set by the authority of the Church or Fathers and the vnlearned hardly perceaue what kind of proofe is a Theologicall demonstration such as Diuinity can affoard no greater or which is the true sense of Gods word or how great the authority of the Churh and Fathers ought to be therefore with them Catholiks proofs in points of doctrin albeit in truth they be Theological demonstrations take litle effect Wheras on the other side Catholique proofes in matter of Fact are not only Theologicall but also that I may so speake Mathematicall demonstrations because they consist of one principle which is grounded not only vpon the foundations of Diuinity to wit the word of God together with the expositioÌ„ of the Church and Fathers but also is manifest by the light of reason which kind of principles these are That Gods Church hath alwayes him
thought not that he was otherwise vnderstood None was yet troubled with such a question you not yet iangling he spake more securely But the ProtestaÌ„ts which we produce liued al after that protestancy was both bred and hatched after the Catholike fayth had for many ages shined through out the world and therfore could not be ignorant what wordes of theirs might make for the Catholike fayth Cassander Erasmus-Cornelius Agrippa Marsil of Padua and preiudice their owne cause Another difference is that none of the Catholikes whose testimonyes Protestants alleage against vs is accounted of vs for a man sent extraordinarily of God and much lesse for a Prophet Euangelist or Apostle Nay Beatus Rhenanus Faber Stapulensis Orthuinus Gratius many of them are obscure writers and of small or no reckoning among vs some of them are not held for Catholikes of vs and some of them euen by the iudgments of Protestants themselues are our open enemyes But the confessions of fayth which we cite against ProtestaÌ„ts containe their faith so that they cannot be reiected of them vnles they will renounce their fayth And of the men whose testimonyes we produce one is accounted of them a (e) Humf. ad Rat. 4. Camp God another a Prophet an (f) Colloq Aldebur Schusseâ—b Catal. 13. Hunius praefat de liber arbit Euangelist an Apostle a third Elias an Angell His writings are held for inspired from heauen for a rule of fayth and equall to the writinges of the Apostles Another is called a (g) â—â—anae lib. 4 de Eccles c. 9. Beza ep 6. great and admirable Prophet others are esteemed for lights lampes bright starres props founders parents renewers of the Protestants church and religion Others are men extraordinarily sent and diuinely raised to lighten the world most of them for very learned famous well deseruing of the Protestant religion finally all for sincere Protestants The holy Fathers were wont to refute both the (h) Iustin dial cum Tryphon August l. de ciuit Chrysost hom 26. in 2. Cor. Cyril l. 6. in Iulian. Pagans superstition and the (i) Hier. cont Vigilant Ambros serm 5. de Sanctis Hilar. l. 1. 6. de Trinit heretikes errours out of the Diuels confessions Of which kind of proof (k) Apol. cap. 22. Tertullian vsing it maketh this account What more manifest then this fact what more sure then this proofe Belieue them they speake true of themselues who vse to credit them when they lye No man lyeth to his owne disgrace And S. (l) Lib. ad Demetr Cyprian VVho so sayest that thou worshipest the Gods belieue euen them whom thou worshippest And likewise Minutius in Octauio Neither do they lye to their owne shame especially if some of you be by Belieue themselues witnessing that they are Diuels and confessing the truth of themselues But our proofe taken out of the Protestants confessions of faith out of Luther such like famous Protestants testimony against Protestancy is much more euident and stronger both because it is more likely that men will confesse the truth though against themselues then the Diuell the father of lyes and sworne enemy of truth as also because the confessions of the Diuel were extorted from him by force as the Fathers themselues doe acknowledge but these of Luther and his mates come most freely from them Belieue therefore O Protestants your chiefe leaders Note your founders Instructors Prophets EuaÌ„gelists Apostles in that which they freely of their own accord coÌ„fesse of themselues of their doctrine Euen by the testimony of your own Prophets teachers belieue that ProtestaÌ„cy is newly risen first founded by Luther before knowne to none No man willingly lyeth to his owne shame no man freely confesseth that which ouerthroweth his owne cause but which he cannot deny No man knew protestancy better then they no man fauoured it more then they VVho sayth Caluin is to be credited touching Popery more then the Pope himselfe De ver â— Eccles reform And whom shal we belieue touching the author and hatching of protestancy amongst the Lutherans rather then Luther himselfe Melancthon the Century-writers Kemnice Schusselburg and the like Or amongst the Sacramentaryes rather then Zuinglius Bullinger Bucer Peter Martyr Caluin Beza Plessie and such others or amongst English Protestants rather then Iewell Fox Whitaker Fulke Humfrey Perkins and the like whose frequent and plaine confessions we heerin produce A third difference between our and the Protestants manner of proceeding in this kind of proofe is that Protestantes oftentymes alleadge Catholikes testimonyes corrupted mangled and falsifyed and sometymes also the obiections which they make against theÌ„selues insteed of their answeres as Cardinall Peron not long since shewed Plessie to haue don before the French King conferenrence at fountaine Bel-caue euen by the iudgment of Protestant themselues And it were easy to demonstrate that D. (m) Apol. part 1. l. 1. c. 23. l. 2. c. 41. part 2. l. c. 35. l. 2. c. 41. Morton hath done the like in his Apology But I produce the testimonyes of Protestants certaine and entiere at least for that sense for which I alleadge them For I haue cited none in this worke which either I haue not seene with myne owne eyes and for the most part haue quoted not only the bookes and chapters but also the leaues and pages or if I haue wanted the booke I haue cited them out of some good Author The fourth difference that of great moment is that the Catholiques whose testimonyes Protestants alleadge against is if so be they were true Catholikes were alwayes ready to reuoke and recall whatsoeuer they had written contrary to the catholik fayth to submit all their wordes or writings to the censure of the catholike Church which to be the mind disposition of all Catholiks Protestants themselues confesse For thus writeth D. (n) Contr. 2. q. 5. c. 8. Whitaker This is the condition this the consent of the Popish Church that all hang their saluation vpon one man and submit themselues to one mans iudgment And D. (o) Apol. part 1. l. 2. cap. 31. Morton Is there any Papist that thinkes any decree of the Pope can be contemned or broken without cryme or heresy Which sith it is so in vaine do they obiect any Catholikes words against the Catholike fayth For either they are not contrary thereto or if they be they are already reuoked recalled and disanulled by himselfe But the mind and proceeding of ProtestaÌ„ts is far otherwise who subiect not their opinions to the iudgment of the Church but as they thinke that she may erre so will they hold their opinions notwithstanding her sentence to the contrary and therfore iustly may we produce their testimonies against their owne Church 9. The fift difference which is much to be noted is that Protestants alleadge Catholik witnesses in matters of doctrin in which some tymes by reason of
1 We say that the Church cannot erre in things simply necessary Which he often repeateth in the 2. cap. And quest 5. cap. 17 If any fundamentall doctrine be taken away the Church straight way falleth And cap. 18 The fundamentall articles are those on which our fayth relyeth as the house vpon the foundation Againe If any fundamentall and essentiall principle of fayth be ouerturned or shaken it cannot be truly called a Church And quest 6. cap. 3 That is no true Church which taketh away one only foundation The same he teacheth in his 1. booke of the scripture cap. 7. sect 8. and cap. 12. sect 3. M. Perkins in his explication of the Creed If any man or Church retaine or defend obstinatly or of willfull ignorance a fundamentall errour we must not account them anymore Christians or Churches D. Sutliue in his first booke of the Church cap. 1 Those blemishes take away the name of the true Church which are against the grounds of fayth D. Feild in his 2. booke of the Church cap. 3 Purity free from fundamentall and essentiall errour is necessarily required in the Church D. Morton in the 1. part o◠his Apology booke 2. cap 38 Purity of doctrine in fundamentall principles of fayth is required to the being and constitution of the Church And in his answere to the Protestants Apology l. 4. c. 3. Sect. 5 The deniall of fundamentall doctrines doth exclude men from saluation and disannulleth the name of the Church in the gainsayers D. White in his way to the Church pag. 110 VVe do not thinke euery company to be the true Church that holdeth only some points of the true fayth but it is requisite that the foundation be holden And in his defence of the way cap. 17 A fundamentall point is that which belongs to the substance of fayth and is so necessary that there can be no saluation without the knowledge and explicite fayth thereof And surely they all and at all tymes ought to affirme this seeing they deliuer truth of doctrine as an essentiall marke of the Church which they must needs vnderstand and so Vorstius in his Anti-bellarmin pag. 148. expresseth it of true doctrine in fundamentall points And this their doctrine touching this matter I earnestly commend to the memory of the Reader because it is necessary to find out what a Protestant is and also is one of the grounds whereby it may appeare that there was no Protestant Church before Luther because before him there was no company which held all the same fundamentall points of doctrine which Protestants do hold 6. Finally They exclude all that deny any article of fayth they sometyms shut out of their Church all those who deny any one point of fayth be it fundamentall or other For thus writeth the Apology of the Confession of Auspurge The Church of Christ is not among them who defend naughty opinions contrary to the Ghospell And Luther in his epistle to Count Albert It is not inough if in other things he confesse Christ and his Ghospell For who denieth Christ in one article or word denieth him who is denied in all because there is but one Christ Lutherās the same in all his words And vpon the 17. cap. of Deuteronomy Faith suffereth nothing and the word tolerateth nothing but the word must be perfectly pure and the doctrine alwayes sound throughout And vpon the 17. cap. of S. Matthew Fayth must be round that is belieuing all articles though small ones For who belieueth not one article rightly belieueth nothing righly as Iames sayth VVho offendeth in one is guilty of all and so who in one article doubteth or belieueth not at least obstinatly dissolueth the roundnes of the graine and so can do no good And vpon the 5. cap. to the Galathians In diuinity a small errour ouerthroweth all the doctrine Doctrine is like to a Mathematicall point it cannot be deuided that is it cannot suffer either addition or detraction And when Zuinglius and his followers desired of the Lutherans to be esteemed as their brethren Melancthon as Hospinian reporteth in his Sacramentarian history fol. 81. roughly sayd vnto them VVe meruaile with what conscience they can account vs for brethren whome they iudge to erre in doctrine And againe fol. 82. Luther grauely spake vnto them saying he greatly merueiled how they could hold him for a brother if they thought his doctrine to be vntrue And the same Melancthon togeather with Brentius writeth thus to the Lantgraue Perhaps Christians who are entangled in some errour which they do not obstinatly defend may be tolerated as brethren but they which not only bring false doctrine into the Church but also maintaine it are not to be acknowledged for brethren And againe Melancthon in his examen of those who are to take orders tom 3. There are in that company of the Church many who are not Saints but yet agreeing in doctrine The Deuines of Wittemberg in their refutation of the orthodoxall consent pag. 73 Like as he who keepeth the whole law and offendeth in one as Iames the Apostle witnesseth is guilty of all so who belieueth not one word of Christ albeit he seeme to beliue the other articles of the Creed yet belieueth nothing and is to be damned as incredulous For euery heretike did not impugne euery article of fayth but commonly each of them of purpose impugned some one or other whome neuertheles the Church iustly condemned as heretikes if they pertinaciously stood in their errours Schusselburg also in his 3. tom of the Catalogue of Heretiks pag. 85. Christian fayth is one copulatiue and who denieth one article of fayth calleth in doubt the whole body of the heauenly doctrine Which he repeateth againe in the next pag. And tome 8. pag. 361 The Lutherans do fly him who depraueth the doctrine of truth in any article whatsoeuer And in his 2. booke of Caluinisticall diuinity article 1 VVe are certaine by the testimony of Gods word that an errour in one false doctrine obstinatly defended maketh an heretike For S. Chrysostome vpon the epistle to the Galathians sayd most truly that he corrupteth the whole doctrine who ouerthroweth it in the least article And Ambrose wrote rightly to the Virgin Demetrias That he is out of the number of the faythfull and hath no part in the inheritance of Saints who disagreeth in any thing from the Catholike truth Sacramētaries Thus the Lutherans Peter Martyr in his epistle to the straungers in England tom 2. loc col 136 VVe answere all the words of God as farre forth as they proceeded from him are of equall waight and authority and therefore none may receiue this and reiect that as false Iames sayth boldly who sinneth in one becommeth guilty of all That if it haue place in keeping of the commandements is also true in points of fayth Sadeel in his index of Turriās Repetitions pag. 806 I sayd that it was no true Church which teacheth doctrine repugnant to the
written word of God And his Maiesty in his Monitory epistle pag. 97. English ProtestaÌ„tâ— in Latin I call God to witnes that I hold him not for a Christian who in this learned age belieueth that to wit that Enoch and Elias are to come And D. Morton in his answere to the Protestants Apology lib. 4. c. 2. sect 3. after he had sayd that in a Church albeit corrupted with errour and superstition yet if it do not ruinate the foundation the erroneous superstitious professors may be saued adddeth VVhich notwithstanding we must so vnderstand as that the errour and superstition do not proceed from knowledge but from ignorance which ignorance is not affected but simple Thus we see that Protestants somtymes confesse that true fayth is like a graine or Mathematicall point which cannot be parted that the articles of fayth are one copulatiue and cannot be deuided that who so obstinatly denieth one article belieueth truly none that the obstinate deniall of any one poynt of fayth is sufficient to damne or to make an heretik and no brother of the faythfull or member of the Church And finally that she is no true Church who willfully maintaineth any one thing repugnant to the Ghospell or word of God Which indeed is most true and is the doctrine of the holy Fathers and Catholiks and I would to God Protestants would constantly stand vnto it 7. By all which hath byn rehearsed in this chapter out of Protestants it appeareth how many sortes of Christians Protestants do sometymes exclude out of the Church namely Papists Anabaptists Arians al Heretiks all Schismatiks all those who deny any fundamentall point of fayth and finally al who obstinatly deny any point whatsoeuer of fayth or of the word of God And how many things they sometymes require to the making and being of a Protestant to wit that he belieue all and euery point of their fayth and obstinatly dissent in none To which their doctrine if they would as I haue sayd alwayes constantly stand it would easily appeare first how small a company the Protestants Church is and how little it is spread through the world and much lesse Catholike or vniuersal seeing there is no Prouince nor scarse any citty in which all Protestants agree amongst themselues in al points of their doctrine Secondly it would easily appeare that the Protestant Church was neuer before Luther seeing there is no apparence that before him there was any company of Christians who in all points of doctrine agreed with Protestants But ProtestaÌ„ts as I sayd in the Preface accommodate their doctrine and opinions to tymes and occasions And the tymes when they deny Papists to be of the Church are when they exhort them to leaue the Roman Church or excuse their owne reuolting from her or when they dehort others from returning to her For at all these tymes it serueth to their purpose to deny that Papists are of the Church or in the way of saluation which at other tymes as we shall see in the next chapter they are content to graunt And the tymes when they exclude Anabaptists Arians Heretiks Schismatiks and all that deny either fundamentall or other articles of fayth out of the Church are when either the euidence of truth enforceth them thereto or when they are ashamed to acknowledge such vgly monsters for brethren and members of their Church or would exhort such as haue left their company to returne vnto them and keep others from forsaking them or finally would brag of the agreement and purity in doctrine of their company For at those tymes it serueth their turne to renouÌ„ce all the foresayd kind of men whom at other tymes especially when we demaund of them who were of their Church before Luther they are most willing to receiue as their kind brethren diligently scraping gathering such shreeds and clouts when they perceiue their owne nakednes and beggary which themselues when they thought they were rich and had no need thereof most disdainfully cast on the dunghills as shall appeare in the chapters following CHAP. II. That Protestants sometymes account Papists for members of their Church IN the former chapter we haue seene how sparing Protestants sometyms be in admitting others into their Church now we shall see how liberall they be at other tymes in so much that they graunt not only all those whome in the former chapter they reiected but also their professed enemies idolaters Infidells Atheists Antichrist himselfe and all whosoeuer vnder the name of Christians impugne the deeds or doctrine of the Pope to be their brethren their fellowes and members of their Church This we will shew concerning the Papists in this chapter and of the others afterward 1. That Protestants sometymes do acknowledge Papists to be in the Church is manifest First by their open confession thereof LutheraÌ„s For in the preface of their Confession of Auspurg speaking of themselues and Papists Papists serue vnder christ they say VVe are all soldiers vnder one Christ And Luther in his epistle against the Anabaptists as Caluin in his booke against the Chaunter of Lions and D. Whitaker in the place hereafter cited do confesse writeth The kernel of Christianity in Popery That in Popery is true Christianity yea the kernell of Christianity and many pious and great Saints Againe If Christianity be vnder the Pope then it must be the body and member of Christ And vpon the 28. chapter of Genesis VVe confesse that there is a Church among the Papists because they haue Baptisme absolution the text of the Ghospell and many godly men are among them Caluin in his 140. epistle to Soziâ— I think I haue sufficiently proued that in Popery there remayneth some Church albeit halfe destroyed and if you will broken and deformed And vpon the 2. câ—ap of the 2 epistle to the Thessalonians The Body of Christ I confesse it is the temple of God in which the Pope ruleth and he calleth it the very sanctuary of God And de vera reform pag. 332. SacrameÌ„taries â—ayth that S Paul affirmeth that Antichrist whom he will haue to be the Pope shall sit in the temple of God And lib. de scandalis pag. 103 In the midest of Gods temple And lib. cont Precentorem pag. 372 In the very sanctuary of God And Respons ad Sadolet In the midest of Gods sanctuary Surely this is to graunt that the Romane Church in which the Pope sitteth is the very temple and very sanctuary of God And in his answeare to Sadolet VVe deny not those to be Churches of Christ which you gouerne In his 4. booke of Institutions chap. 2. num 11. he sayth that among Papists Gods couenant remayned inuiolable Not yet killed And num 12 VVe deny not that there are Churches among them Neither deny we but there remaine Churches vnder his the Pope he meaneth tyranny but which he hath almost killed Iunius in his book of the Church cap. 17. writeth that the Popish
de natura Dei Hospin part 1. Histor lib. 1. cap. 2. Vorstius in Anti-bellarmin pag. 116. and others moe And as their iudgements are different touching the fundamentall articles of fayth so in determining who are to be accounted members of their Church their opinions are vnlike Some of theÌ„ say that the summe the cheife and principall heads of fayth and all things necessary to be belieued are comprized in the Apostles Creed The Apostles Creed The principall heads of fayth sayth Caluin 2. Institut c. 16. § 8 are set downe in the Creed And it is as D. Whitaker sayth lib. 3. de Scriptura cap. 3. sect 1. a list of the cheife heads of fayth It containes sayth M. Perkins in his Reformed Catholik col 476. all points of Religion which we are necessarily to belieue Hemingius in Syntagmate pag. 196 It containes the ground-work of the whole frame of Religion Vrsinus in Cathechesi The summe of those things which the Ghospell proposeth vnto vs to belieue that we may be partakers of Gods couenant is comprehended in the Apostles Creed Pareus lib. 1. de Iustificat cap. 9. hath these words In the Creed is layd open the summe of that doctrine which we must belieue to saluation The same teacheth Luther tom 7. in 3. symbol fol. 138. Confessio Pasatina in initio prefat Syntagmat Confes the French Catechisme Brentius in Prolegomenis pag. 244. The Catechisme of Heidleberg part 2. Bullinger in compendio fidei lib. 6. cap. 2. and tom 1. decad 5. serm 2. Polanus in Analysi Catechismi Basse Boysseul in confutat Spondei p. 10. Raynolds in Apol. Thes pag. 241. Carleton in Consensu tract de Eccles c. 9. The same is intimated by Zanchius lib. 1. epist pag. 219. and by Musculus in locis tit de Eccles pag. 309. These men then if the sequele of their doctrine be correspondent to the premises must needs acknowledge that the profession of the Apostles Creed though ioyned with the denyall of whatsoeuer other articles of fayth sufficeth to make a Protestant and a limme of their Church And some of them there be who confesse it For Bullinger lib. cit cap. 11. fol. 83. sayth All that we comprise in the 12. Beliefe of the Apostles Câ—eâ—d sufficient to saluation articles is the true and Christian fayth vnto which whosoeuer cleauech he beliueth right is approued of God is iustified and made partner of euerlasting life Caluin cont Gentil pag. 659 The confession of fayth contayned in the Apostles Creed ought to be inough for all modest Christians And Musculus in the place last quoted They are wonderfull vnreasonable and vnaduised who not content with this beliefe exact of the faythfull that they belieue yet other things which are neither mentioned in the Apostles Creed nor in baptisme Aretius in locis part 3. fol. 67 The articles necessary to saluation are those which the Creed hath set vs downe As for the rest since the matter cannot be decided variety of iudgements must be borne with all Polanus also in the place before cited These articles of the Creed if they be vnfaynedly belieued suffice to purchase saluation nor is it required we should belieue ought besides And Hall in â—ua Roma irreconcil sect 1 VVe are all one and the same Church as many as in any part of the earth worship Iesus Christ the only Sonne of God and Sauiour of the world and professe the same common beliefe comprised in the Creed The Creeds 2. Some of them will haue the grounds of fayth to be contained in the Creed as Plessy lib. de Eccles c. 5. Hereupon Marke Antony de Dominis in consil suae profect pag. 18. 20. sayth Restore peace and charity to all Christian Churches which professe Christ by the essentiall cognisances of beliefe Others ad to the Creeds the 4. generall Councels or at least one of them as D. Andrews in Respons ad Apol. Bellarmin cap. 1. pag. 52 That which is set downe in the Creeds and 4. generall councells The Creeds the 4. generall â—ouncels is to vs a sufficient obiect of fayth And in Tortura Torti pag. 127 Nor do we lightly discerne and try heresy by other touch-stone then by examining whether it be repugnant tâ— any of the three ancient Creeds or 4. ancient generall councells And Melancthon tom 3. l. de iudicijs Synodorum fol. 389. sayth of himself that he is not without the Church because he faythfully imbraceth all the articles of the Apostles and Nycen Creed Musculus also in the place aboue quoted puts downe this conclusion As many as belieue the Apostles and Athanasius Creed hold all the Catholike fayth and are not heretkes but Catholiks Some of them are of opinion that al the fundamental points of beliefe are contayned in the Creed and decalogue The Creed and Decalogue as Melancthon tom 1. in cap. 7. Matth. pag. 402. tom 3. in respons ad artic Bauar fol. 363. Vrsinus in Miscellaneis Thes 8. pag. 1â—4 M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed col 789. Some of them say they are in the Creed the decalogue and Lords prayer The creed Decalogue and Lords prayer as Luther tom 7. in Enchirid. fol. 118. Beza lib. de notis Eccles pag. 52. Keckerman lib. 1. System Theol. 201. D. White in the preface of his way and in his defence of the same cap. 8. pag. 54. Others reckon the 10. commandements the Creed the Lords prayer the Sacraments as D. Whitaker cont 1. quest 4. cap. 4. The creed Decalogue Lords prayer Sacraments And the Ministry pag. 342. howbeit quest 5. cap. 9. pag. 362. he omitteth Sacraments putteth in Catechisme in exchaunge Vorstius in Antibellarm pag. 24. vnto which Ieslerus lib. de bello Euchar. pag. 40. adioyneth the ministry And these men according to their seuerall decisions concerning the fundamentall points of beliefe must with like diuersity require in a limme of the Protestant Church either the beliefe of the Creed alone and decalogue or must adde besides as each think it needfull the Lords prayer the Sacraments Baptisme and worship of Christ the Catechisme and the Ministery 3. But sometymes they giue larger scope demaund farre lesse to wit Baptisme only or faith in Christ Let him let Chrâ—sâ—ianity staÌ„d saitâ— D. Andrews in respons cit cap. 5. pag. 126 in baptisme and worship of Christ. M. Morton in his booke of the Kingdome of Israel and the Church pag. 91 In what place soeuer any society of men adore true God in Christ they professe the substance of Christian Religion Baptisme alone Ierlach us disput 22. de Eccles pag. 662 VVheresoeuer baptisme remaines curier in regard of its substance thither reacheth the territory of the Catholike Church Luther de Notis Eccl fol. 150. Againe If they acknowledge true baptisme both in oâ—rs and in other congregations they must yeld that in the same there is likewise the Catholike Church And Hurterus in his
contrary opinions Thirdly we see how infamous a society Protestancy is into which all heretikes and Schismatikes likewise Idolaters Infidels Antichrist Atheists are admitted What sinke euer did receiue such filth Surely such a rable deserueth better the name of hell then of the holy Church Fourthly we see how monstruous a company it is which consisteth of so different and opposite members What they meane by a Protestant in tymâ—past Fiftly we may gather what Protestants meane when they say Protestants haue byn alwayes or before Luther For they meane not that there haue byn alwayes some who belieued at least all their fundamentall articles but that there were alwayes some who as they speake opposed themselues against the Pope or his errors whether they were otherwise Schismatiks Heretiks infidels or Atheists Of which kind of men I deny not but there haue byn alwayes some rable but none but a mad man will say that it was the holy Church spouse of Christ Sixtly we see how litle ProtestaÌ„ts account of their Church fayth and religion and belieue nothing lesse then that it is the church of God or fayth of Christ For who doubteth but Schisme heresy infidelity Atheisme are most pestilent plagues and infernall darknesse directly opposite to ecclesiasticall Communion and fayth which are the forme life soule of the Church And who can imagin Note that he can associate and vnite together formes so contrary as are light and darknesse life and death truth and lies or that the society in darknesse lies and death as are the societies in Schisme Heresy and infidelity can become one with the society in light life truth as the Church is If therfore seriously they belieued their Church to be the church of Christ they would neuer thinke that she could become one with the society in Schisme heresy and infidelity And this sometymes Protestants themselues perceiue For Brentius in Appendice Recognit thus speaketh to the Sacramentaries when they desired to be held for brethren of the Lutherans whome yet they condemned of heresy If they iudâ—e our opinion to be impious with what face do they desire to ioyne themselues with that Church which maintayneth impious doctrine and to be held of her for brethren VVhat fellowship sayth Paul is there of iustice with iniustice or what CoÌ„munion of light with darknesse or what agreement of Christ with Belial or what for the saythfull with the infidell VVherefore if they desire this sincerely and in earnest they manifestly shew that they make mockery of religion as if it skilled not which one follow so he may passe his life peaceably and quietly In like manner those of Wittenberge in their Refutation of the orthodoxall consent pag. 636. say VVe cannot wounder inough that seing they not only accuse the doctours of our Church of horrible and damned heresies but also haue long since condemned them to wit of Arianisme Nestorianisme Eutichianisme Marcionisme Manicheisme and the Monothelites heresies neuerthelesse they dare account vs for brethren and desire our brotherhood VVho that is carefull of piety and truth can persuade himselfe that these Sectmasters do in earnest handle religion For if we be such as we are iudged of them our friendship and fraternity is to be detested not desired Thus speake the Lutherans to the Sacramentaries which no whit lesse falleth vpon theÌ„selues because they also challenge the Hussites and other old heretiks whome they cannot excuse from holding vile heresies Finally we see how vncertaine Protestants be in determing what a Protestant is and what is necessary to the essence making of a Protestant consequently how vncertaine they must be whome to hold for one of their houshould whome for a stranger whome for a brother whom for an enemy which church or company they must imbrace which they must fly which they must account the spouse of Christ which the Synagogue of Satan Then the which vncertainty nothing can be more miserable in matter of religion Wherefore sith they are so vncertaine in this matter we must therin setle some certainty and that according to their own principles That it is necessary for a Protestant to belieue with only speciall fayth that himselfe is iustified CHAP. VI. 1. ABOVE all things it is most necessary to an inuisible or true Protestant in the sight of God as they terme him that with only speciall or peculiar fayth he belieue some thing belonging to himselfe to wit that he is iustified in Christ or as they vse to speake that with fayth he apprehend Christs iustice and apply it vnto him elf in particuler And to a visible Protestant in sight of men it is in like sort necessary that he professe himself to belieue with such a fayth that he is iustified in Christ For example For Luther to haue byn a true Protestant before God it is needfull that he haue truly belieued himselfe to be iustified by only the foresayd speciall fayth which he had of his own iustice which faith they call speciall or particuler because it was particuler to Luther no man being bound to belieue Luther to be iustified besides himselfe And for Luther to haue byn a visible Protestant in the sight of men it was needful in like manner to haue professed himself to haue belieued that he was iustified by only the sayd fayth The same I say of Caluin and of euery Protestant in particuler That according to their doctrine it is most necessary to a Protestant that he belieue himselfe to be iustified by only speciall fayth is manifest First because they teach that a man is iustified by only speciall fayth wherwith he belieueth something belonging to himselfe alone not by an vniuersall or Catholike fayth whereby he belieueth the mysteryes of Christian religion common to all and which euery one must belieue for this fayth they call historicall and say it may be in such as are not iust yea in hipocrites and Deuills Seing therefore in their opinion no man is a true Protestant in the sight of God but only he that is iust nor any iust but who hath a speciall or peculiar fayth wherewith he apprehendeth Christs iustice to himselfe it is manifest that according to their principles none can be a true Protestant before God vnlesse he haue the foresayd speciall fayth and in like manner that none can be a visible Protestant before men vnlesse he professe to belieue iustification by only speciall fayth because none can be accounted to be of any religion vnlesse he professe to belieue those meanes of obtayning iustification and remission of sins which that religion teacheth Caluin 3. Instit cap. 2. § 16 None is a true faythfull man None faythfull without speciall fayth but he who with a solid persuasion that God loueth him assureth himselfe of all things from his goodnes c. And § 39. he sayth VVithout this Christianity standeth not And in Rom. 1. v. 7 Hence we gather that none do rightly account themselues faythfull vnlesse
they certainly assure themselues that God loueth them M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed col 780 No man can belieue himselfe to be a member of the Church What fayth is according to Protestants vnlesse he firmely and certainly persuaded that he is predestinated to eternall life Besides Caluin in his litle Catechisme cap. de fide defineth iustifying fayth to be a certaine and stedfast knowledge of our heauenly Fathers goodwill towards vs. The like definition he hath 3. Pareus l. 1. de Iustit cap. 11 Instit cap 2. § 2 Luther in cap. 4. Ioelis tom 4. and generally all Lutherans and Sacramentaries except that where some define it to be a knowledge others say it is an assurance or confidence of Gods fauour Hence it is manifest that they account none a iust or faythfull man vnlesse he haue a speciall fayth of his iustification and Gods fauour towards him 2. Secondly I proue the same out of diuers commendations of Protestants touching the necessity and excellency of this article For Luther tom 1. in disp fol. 410. sayth In vaine he belieueth other articles who denieth that we are iustified by only fayth And tom 2. lib. cont Missam fol. 390. he sayth The Summe that this article is the summe of his doctrine and Ghospell And lib. de votis fol. 278. that this is the definition of a Christian who belieueth to be iustified by the only works of Christ alone The Definition without his owne Tom 3. in Psalm Grad fol. 573 That the only knowledge of this article conserueth the Church And fol. 576. that it is the summe of Christian doctrine The Sun the sunne which lightneth the Church which falling the Church falleth Tom. 4. in cap. 53. Isaiae fol. 200. he writeth that it is as it were the foundation on which the Gospell relyeth and which alone distinguisheth his religion from all others Fol. 201. that it is like the liuely fountaine whence all treasures of diuine wisedome do flow The fouÌ„dation and the foundation of all the Church and Christianity And Prefat in Ionam that it is the cheife of Christian doctrine and the summe of all the scripture Tom. 5. Prefat in Galat. fol. 269. he affirmeth that it is the only rock of the Church And 273 The rock VVho holdeth not this article are sayth he either Iewes or Turks or Papists or Heretiques And fol. 274. that in this doctrine alone the Church is made and consisteth And fol. 333. he plainly confesseth that it is his only defence Their defence without which as he speaketh both we and heretiks togeather with vs had long since perished Tom. 6. in cap. 21. Genes fol. 265. he termeth it the cheifest article of fayth And tom 7. epist ad Liuones fol. 499. auoucheth that it is the only way to heauen and the summe of Christian life The only way And finally in the first article concluded at Smalcald In this article are and consist all which in our life we teach witnesse and do against the Pope the Diuell and all the world This and much more writeth Luther in commendation of the necessity and excellency of the article touching iustification by only fayth And of the contrary beliefe concerning iustification by works tom 5. in cap. 3. Galat. fol. 257. he sayth It is the sinck of all euills And in cap. 4. fol. 402 That it taketh away the truth of the Ghospell faith Christ himselfe 3. With Luther herein agree the Lutherans For the Confession of Auspurg cap. de discrimine ciborum sayth that this article is the proper doctrine of the ghospell And the Apology therof cap. de iustificat that it is the principall place of Christian doctrine And cap. de poenit the cheifest place and principallest article about which they fight with their aduersaries and the knowledge wherof they account most necessary to all The Confâ—ssion of Saxony that this article being extinguished there is no difference betwixt the Church and other men The Confession of Bohemia The suÌ„me of all Christianity and piety that this article is held of them for the cheifest of all as which is the summe of all Christianity and piety The vniuersity of Wittemberg tom 2. Lutheri fol. 248 It is the cheifest article of the ghospell The Ministers of the Prince Electour in Colloq Aldeburg pag. 1. say that this article is as it were the summe and last end to which all the other articles do look vnto And those of the D. of Saxony pag. 132. affirme that as long as this doctrine standeth Luther standeth yea Paul yea God This doctrine falling Luther falleth This falling God falleth Paul falleth God falleth and all men are necessarily damned Those of Magdeburg in Sleidan lib. 21. call this article the stay of saluation Melancthon tom 2. Lutheri fol. 506. termeth it the cheifest article Kemnice part 1. Examen tit de Iustificat pag. 231 The cheifest place And in locis part 1. tit de Iustificat pag. 216. writeth that it is like the castle and principall bulwarck of all Christian doctrine and religion Lobechius disput 22. The Bulwarck pag. 515. addeth that it is one of the cheifest points of our sayth because the prore and poupe of Christianity is contayned therein and on it hangeth the hinges of our saluation Scnusselburg tom 8. Catal. haeret affirmeth it to be the cheifest article wherein consisteth our saluation and which is the head of our religion Finally to omit other Lutherans Brentius in Apolog. Wittemberg part 3. pag. 703. sayth The essentiall differeÌ„ce that the essentiall difference betwixt a Protestant and a Papist is that of the Protestant religion these are the first principles The scriptur Christ the Sonne of God sayth or assurance of Gods fauour towards vs for Christs sake 4. Neither do Sacramentaries dissent herein from the Lutherans For the Confession of Basse auoucheth it to be the first and cheifest point in Euangelicall doctrine The French Confess art 18. calleth it the foundation Zuinglius in Isagoge fol. 268. sayth it is the summe of the Ghospell Bucer Respons ad Abrincens pag. 613. And Gualter Prefat in Ioan. write that about this article is almost all the whole substance of dispute with them and Papists Bullinger in Compend lib. 5. cap. 1. termeth it the cheifest point of holy Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine And lib. 8. cap. 8 The highest and cheifest head of Christian doctrine and of fayth Peter Martyr in locis tit de Iustif col 939. sayth it is the head fountaine and stay of all piety Tom. 2. epist ad Peregrin col 136 The summe of Summeâ— It is the summe of summes and cheifest head Caluin 4. Institut cap. 11. § 1. that it is the cheifest proppe of religion lib. 11. § 17 The summe of all piety And Respons and Sadolet pag. 125. that the knowledge thereof being gone Christi glory is extinct religion abolished and hope of
worship God And M. Iewel in Defe Apol. part 4. c. 4. diuis 2. Elias thought all the godly in Israel had byn slaine and not one left aliue D. Fulke ad Cauillat Stapletoni It sell to Elias that he seemed to be left alone of all the number of the Godly which sincerely worshipped God M. Hooker in his 3. booke of Eccles policy pag. 126 He tooke it as though there had not byn remayning in the world any besides himselfe that caryed a true and an vpright hart towards God with care to serue him according vnto his holy will D. Sutclife lib. 1. de Eccl. cap. 6. pag. 95 The church in Elias his dayes did seeme to him so destroyed that he thought he had byn left alone D. Whitaker Cont. 2 quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 476 Elias thought the whole Church of the saythfull was perished in his tyme. Elias belieued that none remayned besides himselfe Elias thought that he alone was left a true worshipper of God And pag. 475 Elias sayd that he was alone left the true seruant of God I dispute not now how falsly they impose vpon Elias this blasphemous opinion of the church perishing or destruction only I note how vnder the name and authority of that great Prophet they teach that the church may perish which sometymes they are ashamed to auouch in their owne names 9. Moreouer they teach that the Church may consist of one or two which is in effect and in other words to say that it may perish Luther lib. de notis Eccles tom 7. fol. 148 ProtestaÌ„ts Chuâ—câ— may 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 child This is called the Christian society it is necessary that there be alwayes such men in the world albeit of them there be only two or three or children alone Aretius in locis part 3. fol. 50 Any number though neuer so small sufficeth to the Church for externâ—ll matters Iuniuâ— cont 4. lib. 3. cap. 16 Of any number Two men ordered towards God are a Church D. Whitaker cont 2. quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 474 It is false which he sayth that two men cannot make a Church And pag. seq he graunteth that Protestants teach that ech man is a seuerall Church And pag. 478 Of two only If in the most forlorne tymes of the Church there be one or another faythfull seruant of God it is inough If one or two Which also Bucanus saith loc 41. de Eccles sect 14. Nay Luther in cap. 7. Gen. tom 7. fol. 107. sayth If I were the only man in the whole world who did hold the word I alone should be the church Of one alone And Riuet in Epitom Cont. tract 1. sect 27. The Church subsisteth in euery one of her members Finally they think ProtestaÌ„ts belieue not the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce of their Church that their Church and religion shall not alwayes endure For thus Luther writeth in cap. 2. Mathaeâ— tom 4. fol. 438 VVe cannot comfort our selues so as the Papists do with that consolation that the Church shall not perish For whersoeuer we cast our eyes we are diuersly terrified the fury of Satan and the world is extreme wherewith he endeauoureth to extinguish this doctrine But the Popes boast and that with full mouth that the Church shall not perish In cap. 55. Isaiae fol. 226 There is danger least it shortly fall out that the word be againe taken from vs. Tom. 3. in psalm grad fol. 489. alias 508 The Pope obstinatly keepeth those promises with which Christ did comfort his followers that he would be with them to the end of the world That S. Peters boat althought it be in danger shall neuer be drowned But the true ProtestaÌ„t Church to which alone that was sayd doth not so belieue that nor so cheare vp her selfe with the trust of those promises Kemnice in locis part 1. tit de Iustificat pag. 216 I often tremble that Luther oftentymes I know not with what abode repeateth those words This doctrine after my death shall be darkened againe The Confession of Mansfeld It is euident what shall follow at length to wit a horrible destruction of pure doctrine which suddenly we shall leese beyond all expectation The Magdeburgians Praefat. Cent. 5 The reuealed truth is already periâ—hed and that vpon the suddaine what remayneth but vtter abolition of true religion Caluin in his Catechism I am so doubtfull touching posterity that I scarce dare thinke thereof Author Praefat. in Syntag. Confess VVe haue cause to feare that matters will returne to the darkenesse of former tymes And Paraeus in Miscellanca Vrsini pag. 39. sayth that all good and wise men do easily perceiue that there hangeth ouer their heads some dreadfull night and darcknesse M. Iewell in his sermon in cap. 1. Aggaei This Ghospell which ye now loath shall be taken from you D. Whitaker cont 2 quest 5. cap. 4. pag. 503 That which he sayth that neither Lutherans nor Zuinglians nor Caluinists shall last euer is vncertaine And lastly D. Morton part 1. Apol. lib. 1. cap. 31. sayth Protestants say not that their Church cannot faile Thus ye see that Protestants cannot comfort themselues that their Church shall not perish that they do not belieue that they shall not be drowned that a horrible destruction and vtter abolition of their doctrine is to follow that they dare scarce thinke of posterity that it is vncertaine whether they are to last for euer and that they belieue not that their Church cannot faile Consider now diligently good reader First how not few but very many Protestant writers haue confessed that their Church and religion was then perished when Luther began Secondly Note that not obscure writers but the most famous amongst them Thirdly that they haue not seldome confessed it but oftentymes Fourthly that not in obscure or generall termes only but in plaine and most particuler words Lastly that not only in their contentious writings against their aduersaries or in their sermons to the people in which speaches some vse to speake hyperbolicaly but also in their most sober and temperate writings as in those wherin they deliuer their doctrine or relate histories in their commentaries vpon the scripture in their Confessions of fayth and in their speaches vnto God himself Be it so that one or two or some few in heat of contention should haue hyperbolically sayd that their church and religion was perished without meaning so But that so many and so great masters so often and in so many kinds of writings so plainly and so particulerly should say that their Church and religion was perished and yet not meane so cannot be sayd vnlesse we will graunt that so many so great Maisters of Protestants in so great a matter haue deceiued their Readers and haue written one thinge and meant another and that their meaning is not to be gathered out of their owne most frequent and most plaine words vttered in all kinds of writings but out of our fancie and pleasure Scorp c.
12. VVhat as Tertullian sayth meane they otherwise then they write masters of deceit not of truth 10. If any demaund how it came to passe that Protestants should so often and so plainly say that their Church and religion was perished before Luther appeared Wherfor Protestāts say their Church was perished I answeare that there were many causes thereof First because it was so euident that their Church and religion was not at all when Luther began that as themselues haue confessed they cannot deny it It cannot be denyed If any deny it he may be conuinced All men must confesse it The matter it selfe proclaimeth and proueth it Num. 1.4.5.7 And finally that it is manifest both to learned and vnlearned Secondly they sayd so for to moue men to hate the Pope and Papists whome they affirmed to haue destroyed the fayth and Church Thirdly for to purchase the loue of the people as who had restored to them againe the Church and Religion Fourthly they sayd so for to excuse their preaching and playing the Pastours without ordinary calling as if forsooth when they began there had byn no church which could giue them cōmission Finally as phrantike men so Protestants sometymes are in good fittes in which they see and confesse the truth But at other tymes when Catholiks out of this perishing and destruction of their Church and religion do inferre that it is not the Church or religion of Christ Matth. 16. against which as he hath promised the gats of hell shall not preuaile but some other Church religion either first began by Luther or else restored and renowed by him after that it was substantially perished and destroyed then they mollify and glose their former sayings deuise strange violent senses of their words and euery way seeke out shiftes and sleights whereby they may auoyd the force of their owne testimonies which we shall rehearse and refute in the next chapter The Protestants shiftes for to delude their foresayd Confessions touching the substantiall decay of their Church and Religion refuted CHAP. II. 1. ALBEIT the foresayd confessions of the Protestants touching the substantiall decay of their Church and religion before Luther arose be so plaine and euident as we may well say with Tertullian VVho will not acknowledge these rather then expound thē De Resur c. 21. Yet because the obstinacy of heretiks is so great as it may be sooner ouercome then persuaded is wont to seek out all shifts to auoyd the force euen of their owne words I will heare set downe their shifts and confute them 2. Their first shift is Their first shift that the forenamed Protestants by the words of fayth religion and the like when they say that they perished did not meane the inward fayth of the heart as if no man in his heart had held the Protestant fayth or religion but only the outward profession thereof and so meane only that the outward profession of Protestancy was perished or that none professed it I graunt indeed that somtyme they speake of outward profession of faith but this commeth all to one purpose That they say inward faith perished Because the profession of faith can no more perish in the church then the fayth it selfe as hereafter we shall proue by the confessions of Protestants themselues But that they speake not also of the inward fayth or of fayth it selfe is most false First because they say so without all proofe neither can they proue it otherwise then because perhaps the same Protestants haue other where sayd the contrary which kind of proofe we hereafter shew to be nothing worth Lib. 2. c. vl Againe it is credible vnlesse one will belieue what he list that by so many words of light clarity religion worship of God truth of God Ca. 1. n. 2. 3. sayth true knowledge knowledge of fayth Christian fayth knowledge of Christ as they haue vsed and we repeated they meant not fayth it selfe but only the outward profession of faith Besides they sayd plainly That none belieued to be iustified without workes That the doctrine of Iustification by sayth was blotted out of the memory of men Cap. 1. nu 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 that holesome truth perished from earth and that it was taken from men that Christ was buryed and taken out of the world and the Church that all Protestant consolation was vnknowne that without Luther one iot had not byn knowne that the knowledge of Christ the knowledge of sayth fayled and lastly that Christ was not vnderstood but vtterly vnknowne Which words are manifestly spoken meant of true or inward fayth I adde also that it is a rule of ciuil law approued by Luther and Protestants Luther de abrog mis epist ad Amsd. Schusselb tom 4. Catal haeret that who cold speak clearely and yet spake obscurely should haue his words expounded against him Seeing therefore Protestants could haue spoken farre more clearly if they had meant only that outward professiō of faith had perished we may lawfully expound their words against themselues 3. To this shift is another like wherewith they say that the foresayd testimonies of Protestants touching the destruction or decay of their Church are not to be vnderstood of their inuisible Church The secōd shift which they say is the company of only true faythfull and predestinate men but of the decay of their visible Church which they say is the company of al those that professe true doctrine and is the Church not in the sight of God but only in the eyes of men I do not deny that sometymes they speake of the visible Church notwithstanding as before I sayd it comes all to one purpose because as shall be proued hereafter there can be no inuisible Church without a visible nor a company of faythfull and predestinate men but they must professe their fayth The Protestāts say the true Church hath perished But most false it is that they speake not also of the true Church which they will haue to be inuisible to any but to God alone For first as before I argued this cannot be proued otherwise then that perhaps the same men haue at other tymes sayd the contrary which will proue that they like lyers haue contradicted themselues not that they haue not sayd this which they haue as clearly sayd as euer they sayd any thing else Besides in saying according to their meaning that the Church hath not perished or cannot perish they do not indeed cōtradict themselues when they say that it hath or can perish For when they say that the Church cannot perish by the name of the Church they vnderstand not the Catholike Church that is the Church spread throughout the world Cap. 1. n. ◠for as we saw they teach that the Church may consist or be reduced to one or two and that Elias thought there was none of the Church but himselfe Whereupon D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 3. pag.
Catholike or vniuersall church Finally this shall yet more appeare out of the chapter following where we shall see that they teach that the whole world did fall from the fayth 5. Their fourth shift is That they meane of a substantiall perishing that by the words Destruction decaying failing ouerthrowing and such others they meane not a substantiall perishing of the fayth or Church but only an accidentall corruption of becomming worse But this shift also is soone refuted First because Luther sayth of his fayth doctrine or ghospell that it dyed was neglected ouerwhelmed extinct blotted out taken away ouerthrowne lost Cap. 2. n. â—â— abolished forgotten and rooted out And that he might put it out of all doubt that by these words he meant a true and substantiall destruction or perishing he added vnto them most significant aduerbes saying that it was truly ouerwhelmed wholy extinct vtterly extinct Ib. extinct from the bottome plainly extinct plainly taken away simply taken away quite taken away vtterly buryed vtterly lost wholy abolished and blotted out and most plainly rooted out And least any one might also cauill that these words are not meant of a true and substantiall destruction he sayd further that the Pope hath obscured nay extinguished the doctrine of fayth They haue darckned nay wholy ouerwhelmed Christs Ghospell They haue not only obscured but absolutely taken away the ghospell Lib. 1. de peccat mer. c. 4. Surely as S. Augustin sayth such kind of words needs no Expositor but only a reader In like sort other Protestants say of their fayth or ghospell that it was banished cast out extinct ended choaked buryed obscured till it was vtterly extinguished Num. 2.3 that it perished from the earth and vanished out of the Church They add also that it was wholy ouerturned vtterly extinct quite changed into idolatries ouerturned from the root and that there was an vtter abolition an extreme salling away and full destruction of it so that not so much as one litle sparke could be sound but it was quite extinct scarce the name of Christianity was left 6. Besides of their principall and most fundamentall article of Iustification by only fayth they say C. 1. n. 4. 5. 6. that lay long vnknowne that there was profound silence of it that no man taught it that it was neglected lost blotted out extinct and horribly opprest that it was corrupted nay extinct and abolished that no man belieued it that it was vtterly extinct plainly lost quite lost wholy suppressed wholy oppressed wholy trampled wholy dasht out vtterly blotted out quite extinct quite taken away quite neglected and blotted out of the memory of men and not only obscured but quite extinguished But if this doctrine were so extinct as no man belieued it and blotted out of mens memory surely not only the Profession of their fayth but also their fayth it selfe was vtterly perished and consequently also their Church whereof this article is the life soule summe definition and all Num. 7. 7. Of the Church also they say that it was banished fayled was oppressed extinct ouerturned fallen wholy fallen that it fell to Antichrist that the old foundation thereof was remoued and a new layd that the order of the Church perished that there was a slaughter of the whole Church that Christs Kingdome was throwne downe razed to the ground that in the temple of God there was nought but pittifull ruines that the Church was from the foundation rooted out and ouerthrowne by the ground and that where it once was there remayned only the name the substance being quite lost Surely either by these manner of speaches is signified a substantiall destruction or that cannot be plainly signifyed by any manner of words Besides the formes of speach do more clearly signify a substantial destruction theÌ„ those which Protestants condemne in some heretiks For Caluin lib. cont Seruetum pag. 657. condemneth Seruet for saying that there had byn a long banishment of the Church from the earth and that she had byn driuen out of the world And yet as we see Danaeus sayth that the Church was banished Powell that all true religion was banished D. Fulke that the true doctrine of saluation was driuen out Anâ— Crispin that all true worship of God was driuen out D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 471. and otherwhere condemneth the Donatists and other Heretikes for saying that the Church perished and yet Bale sayth that holesome truth perished from the earth And Lobechius vnder Elias his name that the Church quite perished Moreouer they say that the Church may be reduced to one or two which is indeed to say that the Church may substantially perish Num. 8. for the Church is defined to be a company or multitude in the English Confession article 19. That the Church cannot consist of one in the French art 27. in the Suitzers art 17. and in the Flemish art 27. But one or two are not a company Whereupon Danaeus lib. 3. de Eccles cap. 16. sayth It is written of Vlpiaâ— the Lawyer in the ciuill law that at least three persons are required to make a Colledge and if to a Colledge much more to the Church And Lubbert lib. 2. Replicat cap. 3. sayth plainly that one man makes not a Church And Polanus in Syntag. lib. 7. cap. 1 One man though neuer so holy cannot be a church Beurlin also in Refut Soti Neither do we call the solitude of one man which worshippeth God the Church And D. Whitaker lib. 1 de Scriptura cap. 11. Sect. 4. How can the Church be in one seeing the very name of the Church doth signify a company or multitude If therefore there be but one there is no Church For the Church cannot be imagined to be but in many Iuel DefeÌ„s Ap. part x. c. 1. Fulk de Succes p. 89. Beza in Catech. c 5. Brent in Prolog q. 4. And much lesse can one or two be the Catholike Church that is as the Protestants themselues expound it the Church spred throughout the whole world because one or two cannot be spred throughout the world Whereupon the Scots in their Confession cap. 18. say that two or three make not the vniuersall Church And Zuinglius lib. de vera falsa relig tom 2. fol. 192 VVho sayes that the Church signifieth some few erreth like to him who sayth that people signifieth the King Surely it should be a notable flock which consisted of one or two sheep a worthy Kingdome which had but one or two subiects and a strange Catholike or vniuersall Church which contayned but one or two faythfull persons What can the gates of hell preuaile so farre against the Church as they can reduce her to one or two Christians What other thing is this then to say that the Church can perish For seing the Church cannot be imagined but in company or multitude who sayth â—hat the Church can be brought to one or two doth indeed
is not at all tymes subiect to the eyes of men as the experience of many ages witnesseth Againe Elias thought himselfe only left of the Church falsly indeed but that is a proofe that she may lye so hidden And in his 4. booke of Institutions cap. 1 § 3. he affirmeth that it is not needfull to see or to feele the Church and that she may passe our knowledge Beza in his Confession cap. 5. § 9 Diuers tymes the Church seemeth to haue perished vtterly Iunius in his 3 book of the church cap. 16 The Church shall neuer end but shall lye hidden according to her visible forme Chassanio in his common pâ—aces loc 2. of the Church pag. 148 The Church is not alwayes visible Danaeus in his 3. booke of the Church cap. 2. Bellarmine will haue that only to be the Church which is visible which is most false Cap. 12 God oftentymes will haue some visible Church on earth and often tymes none VVhen there is no visible Church OfteÌ„tyms no visible Church on earth then this precept of adioyning himself to the Church ceaseth And cap. 13 Bellarmine laboureth to proue the true Church of God on earth to be alwayes visible That being most false c. And cap 16 VVe say we affirme we auouch that the Church may so faile on earth not that there is none at all but that there is none in respect of vs that is of men that there be none visible to vs on earth Againe S. Paul inferreth generally that the whole Church may leaue to be visible And lib. 4. cap. 8 The true Church may sometymes faile to be visible Son is in his answere to Sponde cap. 2 pag. 33 The whole Church may haue to be visible God maketh that the Church is not alwayes visible Plessy Mornay in his booke of the Church cap. 1 Oftentymes the good corne is hidden vnder the chaffe without any appearance of the Church Polanus in his Antibellarm Colledge disput 14 The visible Church may faile Bucanus in his common places loc 41. sect 9 It oftentymes happeneth that there is no company of men extant which publikely and visibly worshippeth God purely The visible church may faile And sect 12 There is alwayes on earth some number which worshippeth Christ piously but this number is not alwayes visible Trelcatius in his 2. booke of Theologicall Institutions maketh rhis title of one Chapter That the visible church may fayle against Bellarmine Hyperius in his Methode of diuinity lib. 3. pag. 548 VVhiles Elias wandred here and there there appeared no face of the Church Sadeel in his refutation of the 61 â—rticle pag. 531 They are deceiued who think there is no Catholike Church vnlesse they measure it with their eyes And pag. 535 The true church maybe conserned without any visible state And in his repetition of Sophismes pag. 610 It is plaine Wanteth outward forme that the Church is not so to be tyed to any outward forme whatsoeuer that it ought to be denyed to be a Church as often as that forme shall not be extant And of vocation of Ministers pag. 543 The Church sometyme wanteth the externall forme Againe It is cleare that the Church hath sometymes byn without visible and personall succession Pag. 550 Mens wickednes doth sometymes take from vs the visible face of the Church And againe It is sometymes so darkned that it appeareth not to our eyes The whole visible Church may perish Scharpe of Iustification Cont. 5 The visible Church as such may perish The members of the visible Church may perish yea the whole visible Church as such Bastingius vpon the Catechisme title of the Church pag. 227 VVithout doubt in euery age things haue byn so troubled as like a graine couered with straw there appeared no face of the Church Vorstius in his Antibellarm pag 133 A litle before the calling of Abraham no where appeared any visible Church And pag. 136 Hereupon it followeth that the visible church of Christ not only in a great part The whole visible Church may faile but also taken whole in her vttermost extent may for some tyme faile from the true sayth and be wholy darkned The outward church of Christ may perish And pag. 424 Neither did Christ promise that he would absolutely and perpetually hinder the perishing and corruption of the outward Church The Flemmings Confession article 27 The Church in the eyes of men for sometyme seemeth as extinguished And Napper vpon the 11. chap. of the Apoc. pag. 186 They erre who think that the true Church is alwayes visible And vpon 12. cap. pag. 195 The visible Church wholy imbraced the errors of merits of indulgences c. And Proposit 20. pag. 41 The true Church was inuisible and the true knowledge of God so couered with darknesse that none could visibly enter Thus foraine Protestants Of our couÌ„trymen D. Whitaker Contr. 2. quest 3. cap. 2. pag. 470 Sometymes obscurity most of all helpeth the church For at some tyme she could not be safe vnlesse she lay hid And cap. 3. pag. 474 VVe say that sometyme the Church may auoyd the sight of men hide it selfe in corners Cap. 1. pag. 466 VVe confesse that euer more there is on earth some number of them who piously worship Christ hold the true fayth and religion but we say that this number is not alwayes visible Their Papists opinion is that there is euer more on earth a visible church Not alwayes visible It may fall out that there cannot be fouÌ„d out and knowne any true and certaine visible church And cap. 2. cit pag. 468 Our aduersary would proue that there was alwayes in the world some visible church And pag. 469 Hence inferreth Denis the Carthusian not as our aduersaries do that the visible church can neuer perish The visible church may perish or that there is euer more in the world some visible church but that sayth shall neuer perish wholy but that Christian religion shall still perseuer in some to the end of the world This sayth Whitaker is plainly that which we say and defend Marke how plainly he professeth that they do not teach that the visible Church cannot perish Note or that there is alwayes some visible Church on earth but only that some shall alwayes belieue the Christian religion The same doctrine he teacheth pag. 470. 473. 475. 476. and 479. And q. 6. cap. 2. pag. 559. And in his third booke against Duraeus sect 5. 6. 7. 11. M. Perkins in his problem title of the church The ancients do acknowledge that the church on earth is not alwayes visible D. Willet in his Synopsis Cont. 2. q 1. pag. 67 VVe say the church is not always actually visible to the world nay it may sometyms be so hid and secret that the members know not one another Againe In Elias tyme not visible In the dayes of Elias the church was not visible And quest 2. pag. 74 A visible
church we define to be a congregation of men amongst whome the word is truly preached and the Sacraments administred Such a church hath not alwayes byn neither can we be assured that it shall alwayes be sound vpon the earth There was a tyme when as the visible church failed vpon earth The visible church failed This inuisibility of the Protestant Church which I haue hitherto proued by their manifold Confessions I will also proue by sequels out of other their sayings First therefore D. Morton in his Apology part 1. book 1. cap. 31. disliketh not these words of Bellarmine Protestants when they say the church cannot faile or perish meane the inuisibible church And many of them in expresse words deny that the Promises of perpetuity Protestāts say the promises belong not to the visible Church which in the scripture are made vnto the church Math. 16. and other where be made to the visible church D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 468 It is most false that it is the visible church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile And Daneus Cont. 4. lib. 3. cap. 13. pag. 717 There Math. 16. is not meant the visible church To whome assenteth D. Willet in his Synopsis cont 2. quest 2. M. Powell of Antichrist lib. 1. cap. 10. Beurlin in his Refutation of Sotus cap. 53. Moulins of the vocation of Ministers lib. 1. c. 4. in his Bucklet part 1. pag. 49. And D. Morton lib. cit cap. 13. addeth that those three places Math. 16. vlt. and psal 47. which promise the perpetuity of the Church Protestāts belieue not the visible church Are euery one of them vnderstood almost by euery Father of the only company of the elect which the Protestants call the inuisible Church Besides they all generally teach that by the Catholike Church which they professe to belieue in the Creed they meane not the visible Church but only the inuisible Luther in his booke of abrogating Masse tom 2. fol. 247 VVho shall shew vs the holy church seeing it is hidden in spirit and is only belieued according as I belieue the holy church Zuinglius in his explication of the 31. article The church which consisteth of those which are knowne to God alone in that which we professe in the articles of our creed Danaeus lib. cit pag. 713 The question is of the true church of God whereof it is sayd in the creed I belieue the holy church Bellarmine vvill haue it to be the visible vve deny it The like he sayth pag. 789. 717. 718. and 725. Vorstius in his Antibellarm pag. 144 VVe professe not in the creed to belieue the visible church but the inuisible D. Whitaker lib. 3. against Duraeus sect vlt You see vvhat Catholike church vve belieue not the visible multitude of Christians but the holy company of the elect The same he sayth Cont. 2. quest 2. cap. 2. Brentius in Prolegominis pag. 2. and others commonly Furthermore they say that the visible Church is not the true Church in the sight of God For Caluin in his 4. book of Institutions cap. 1. § 7. They say the visible Church is not the true Church before God and the rest graunt that both wicked and reprobate Christians may be of the visible Church but deny that they can be of the true Church in the sight of God Now surely if the visible Church be neither the true Church in the sight of God nor she to whome he hath promised perpetuity nor she which Protestants do belieue what reason can they haue to belieue that the visible Church shall alwayes remayne or which is all one that the Church shall be alwayes visible Againe their common doctrine is that preaching of true doctrine is the note of the visible Church for so teacheth the Confession of Auspurg cap. 7. the English Confession artic 19. and all the rest To which his Maiesty in his epist to Cardinall Peron D. Whitaker Contr. 2. q 5. c. 17. D. Morton part 1. Apol. l. 1. c. 6. M. Willet in his Synopsis Cont. 2. quest 3. pag. 102. Sadeel to Turtians Sophismes loc 5. Vorstius in Antibellarm pag. 145. and others do adde that it is an essentiall note of the visible Church And it is manifest that they must say so because they vse to define the visible Church to be a company vvherein the pure vvord of God is preached the Sacraments rightly administred For so it is defined of the English Confession and of Sadeel lib. cit of Whitaker quest 5. cit cap. 20. of Melācthon tom 1. in cap. 15. Matth. and of others generally But before Luther there was no preaching of Protestantisme as we shall heare them confesse cap. 7. therefore there was then no visible Protestant Church Finally sometymes they say that not only preaching of the word but that also a lawfull ministery or that not only what true preaching soeuer but also such as is made by a lawfull Minister of the word is of the essence and substance of the visible Church For thus writeth D. Whitaker Cont. 2. q. 5. cap. 19. pag. 550 Stapleton sayth that the preaching of the Ghospell by lavvfull Ministers is the proper note of the church and vve say no othervvise And pag. 551. That he confesseth true preaching by a lavvfull Ministery to be a note of the church is no other thing then that vve say and defend The like hath Sadeel in the place now cited and the Switzers Confession cap. 17. putteth lawfull preaching for the chiefest note of the church Caluin 4. Institut cap. 2. § 1. for a perpetuall note the conclusions defended at Geneua pag. 845. for an essentiall note thereof But before Luther there were no Protestant Ministers at all as we shall hereafter heare the Protestants confesse Therefore no visible Protestant Church 8. By that which hath byn rehearsed it is manifest Summe of the foresayd confessions that very many and very famous Protestants haue often and plainly confessed that when Luther came first as they speake to the Ghospell the Protestant Church and religion was not visible say hid lurked lay in the wildernes in lurking holes indarknesse in Trophonius his denne was buryed was vnknowne vnheard of appeared to none cold not be discerned Her image could not be seene no shew of besides a huge spoile did appeare no face no fashion no trace of her was extant and she was so hid that he who would iudge according to the outward shew would think her to be no where And that this is so manifest as that the experience of many ages beareth witnes thereof With what words I pray you could they say that their Church was altogeather inuisible if they haue not sayd it in these 9. Moreouer it is manifest that for to maintaine their inuisible Church they do teach that the Church may be vnknowne to the godly to those who are of it that it may be not visible not appeare not
that is to be iustifyed by good works For thus sayth Luther of them in his table-talkes chap. of Suermers The VValdenses are holy workmen and belieue not that sayth without works doth iustify and know nothing at all of imputatiue iustice Cocciuâ— 10.1 lib. 8. And Bennet Morgenstern in his treatise of the church p. 1â—4 speaketh thus vnto them Yee confirme the doctrine of Antichrist touching good works iustification c. And theÌ„selues in their Apology printed at Hanow togeather with the history of Bohemia pag. 256. plainly shew that they belieue a man to be iustified by fayth charity hope penance and works of mercy and do say That deuout prayer doth purge and pennance cleanse a man 4. Thirdly the Waldenses are condemned of Protestants both Lutherans and Sacramentaries Melancthon in his Counsailes part 2. pag. 152. writeth See Refut Orthod Consensus pag. 418. I reioyce that you agree with vs in the summe of doctrine I know the VValdenses are vnlike And in Carions Chronicle printed at Paris 1357. he sayth that they sowed errors denyed all oathes and all forme of prayer besides the Lords prayer Morgenstern in his fornamed booke pag. 79. giueth this verdict of them They haue proudly neglected the light of doctrine which is kindled from heauen in this age haue with tooth and naâ—le by writing among their own men secretly defended those most grosse erros which in the year 1523. were discouered by Luther Besides Selnecer as he reporteth affirmed that they had grosse errors and such as were not to be borne withall Leonicus Antisturmius also in Danaeus in his answere to his Sonde pag. 1516. pronounceth them to be impious and Schusselburg in his 3. tâ—me of the Catalogue of heretiks pag 188. reiecteth them as heretiks Camerarius in his booke of the Church in Bohemia Poland c. pag. 273. writeth thus VVe can say that the VValdenses were neuer one with our Churches nor our men would euer ioyne themselues to them Whereof he giueth these two reasons because the Waldenses would not haue extant any publike declaration of their fayth and for peace sake did vse the Popish masse For these two causes sayth he our men did not ioyne themselues to them neither did they think that they could so do with good conscience Caluin also epist 278. thus writeth to the Waldenses themselues VVe abide in one opinion that the forme of your Confession cannot be absoluâ—ely admitted without danger And M. Iewell also in defence of the Apology part pag. 48. sayth plainly of the Albigenses They are none of ours D. Humfrey to the third Reason of F. Campian pag. 371 They are not wholy ours And Osiander in his 13. Century lib. 1. cap. 4. Pantaleon in his Chronicle pag. 98. Melancthon in the foresayd Chronicle of Carion reckon them amongst heretiks But the Albigenses were all one for religion with the Waldenses as D. Fulke sayth in these words lib. de Success pag. 332 That epistle of the Arch-bishops doth proue that the Albigenses VValdenses were all one The same also confesseth Illyricus in his Catalogue in 4. to pag 536. Where also pag. 561. he speaketh in this sort The VValdenses or Albigenses Yea the Waldenses themselues in the Bohemian Confession if it be theirs do insinuate that they are condemned of the Sacramentaries wheras they say in the 13. article that they who deny the supper of the Lord to be the true flesh and bloud of Christ do call them Idolaters Antichrist and men branded with the marke of the beast Besides Illyricus in his forecited catalogue writeth that the Thaborites who indeed sayth he followed the opinions of the Waldenses were grieuously vexed and persecuted of Rokesana and other Hussites Wherefore sith Protestants commonly challenge the Hussites for their brethren they ought not to claime also the Waldenles whose doctrine the Hussites did persecute Certainly the Confession of Bohemia which is sayd to be theirs doth plainly distinguish them from Protestants especially from Sacramentaries For art 2. they say VVe must keep the commandements in hart deed Art 5. that those which repent must confesse their sinnes to a Priest and aske absolution of him Art 9. that Priests ought to be single Art 11. that Sacraments are necessary to saluation And art 13. that the Eucharist is the true body of Christ as say they Christ plainly sayth This is my body of which word we ought to belieue the plaine sense not decliming to the right or left Whereupon it is no meruayle that Caluin in his 249. epistle denieth it to be lawfull for a Christian man to imbrace the Waldenses Confession in these words Consider you whether it be lawfull for a Christian man to imbrace the forme of the Confession of the Waldenses who without any distinction bind vp all in one bundell of damnation who precisely confesse not the bread to be presently the body of Christ Surely we think not 5. Fourthly I proue the same because the Waldenses hold many errors which the Protestants condemne Illyricus in his foresayd Catalogue pag. 545. relateth out of an ancient writer aboue 300. years agoe that they taught that a Priest being in mortall sinne cold not consecrate the Eucharist that euery oath is a mortall sinne that they disallowed matrimony And likwise out of Aeneas Syluius that they sayd it was lawfull for euery one to preach that he who was guilty of mortall sinne was not not capable of any secular or ecclesiasticall dignity Neither auayleth it any thing that now in the CoÌ„fession of Bohemia which is sayd to be the Waldenses Confession there is found the article of iustification by only fayth because that Confession was presented in the yeare 1525. as the very title thereof declareth in the Preface mention is made of Charles 5. Emperour which was after Luther had preached some years As also because Hospinian part 2. Histor fol. 11. sayth SacrameÌ„taries haue corrupted the Waldenses CoÌ„fessioÌ„ that the Waldenses Confession was renewed or rather corrupted by the Sacramentaries as the Waldenses themselues say in the Preface of their Confession printed anno 1538. as witnesseth Schusselburg lib. 2. Theol. Caluin art 6. fol. 55. Moreouer Illyricus in his Catalogue in fol. col 1502. writeth that after Luther was knowne the VValdenses did greedily purchase greater knowledge Morgenstern in his foresayd booke pag. 79. sayth that they borrow the best part of their doctrine from the Lutherans And D. Fulke in his booke of Succession pag. 360. that they learnt of those of Basle to amend certaine errors which they had receiued from their ancestors Why then shall we not think they receiued the doctrine of iustification by only fayth from Luther especially sith as I befor sayd there is no mention of it amongst them in former tymes Againe Iurgenicius in the 2. chap. of his warre of the 5. ghospell affirmeth that the Authors of the Bohemian Confession do professe in the beginning thereof that they would neuer conioyne themselues to
28. fol. 396 If the Pope must be worshipped Christ must be denyed And de Missa priuata tom 7. fol. 475 VVhosoeuer is vnder the Pope and obeyeth him cannot be saued Caluin against Seruer pag. 607 Is it not a profanation of the sacred vnity to professe one God and faith with an impious and prophane company And Respons ad Versip pag. 362 How wicked and soule treachery is it to abide in that sacrilegious company of Papists And D. Whitaker ad Rat. 3. Campiani None abide with the lambe in the mountaine who haue any commerce with Antichrist And Caluin in Confutat Hollandi lib. de vitandis superstitionibus bringeth many proofes to shew that the faithfull may not communicate with the false Church and therto citeth the letters of Melancthon Bucer Peter Martyr and those of Zurich and the same is commonly taught of Protestants How then did not those Protestants separate themselues from the body of Christ how were they saued who in tymes past communicated with papists How were they saued vnlesse God be an acceptour of persons and tyms that he will cut of some from his body and from hope of saluation who communicate with Antichrist and not others at these and not in former tymes Againe Protestants teach that the Church ought to professe her fayth as besides the testimonies before repeated the Preface of the Confession of Saxony sayth They that are demaunded must needs tell the doctrine And the CoÌ„fession of Bohemia art 2 They teach that they must vndoubtedly belieue all the articles of the Creed and confesse them with the mouth Luther in 1. Petri cap. 2. tom 5. fol. 464 If any now as the Emperour or other Prince should aske me my fayth I must plainly confesse it to him And de Scru. Arbit tom 2. fol 432 Truth and doctrine must alwayes be preached openly and neuer kept secret or crookt and turnd awry D. Feild lib. 1. de Eccl. cap. 10 For seeing the Church is the multitude of them that shall be saued vnlesse he mak coÌ„fession vnto saluation for fayth hid in the heart and concealed doth not suffice it cannot be but they that are of the true Church must by the profession of the truth make themselues knowne in such sort that c. And the Preface of the Syntagme of Confessions VVhen euery one ought according to the Apostles precept giue a reason of his hope how much more the Church And D. Whitaker Cont. 4. quest 6. cap. 2. pag 696 True sayth can no more be separated from confession with the mouth then fire from beat or the sunne from its brightnes and beames What fayth then had those protestants which as is sayd durst not professe their mind And Cont. 2. qoest 3. cap. 2. pag. 472 It is not lawfull for the godly to dissemble true Religion or make shew of false nor to conceale what they think of Religion if they be examined of them who haue authority to aske them of their fayth But it is not credible that in so many ages in no part of the Christian world no Catholike Magistrate should aske any protestant of his fayth especially if it be true that Luther writeth in psalm 22. tom 3. fol. 344. that Papists do so examine the body of the Church that all her bones may be counted that is none of them can by hid VVherefore we must not imagine that there are any hidden bones of Christ all are bewrayed and counted wheresoeuer they are either by the espials of secret confession or by the tortours or examiners Which sheweth that if there had byn any true protestants heretofore they would haue byn discouered 11. Finally they are brought to these straights that sometymes they say that the protestant church which they imagine was heretofore in popery did consist of those who were papists both in opinion and profession This Caluin intimateth in the words before cited when he sayth that his church was corrupted with pestilent doctrine And Luther de Missa priuata tom 7. fol. 231. saying The very elect were seduced in that great darknesse And in cap. 9. Isaiae tom 4. fol. 95 Behold sayth he the whole face of the Churches vnder Popery Did not they all who truly felt the burden of sinne imagine that they should by good works satisfy for their sinnes Which thing alone would suffice to blot them out of the role of protestants D. White in defence of his way cap. 36. pag. 350. sayth those imaginary protestants were corrupted some more some lesse with those errors which sayth he now we fly And cap. 40. pag. 394. graunteth that they were infected with damnable heresies D. Whitaker lib. 2. de Scriptura cap. 8. sect vlt. sayth They were beset with most thick darknes Nappâ—r in cap. 12. Apocal. pag. 195. that their visible Church in tymes past VVholy embraced the errors of merits and indulgences c. And Morgersterâ—â— tract de Eccl. pag. 41 These things were in tymes past to be forgiuen the godly that they belieued the Pope to be â—hrists vicar and head of the church Popery to be the church Saints to be prayed vnto Masse to be the Lords supper Are these men think you in their wits who call them godly and say they must be pardoned who belieued Antichrist to be Christs vicar Antichrists Synagogue to be the Church of Christ and horrible idolatry such as they account Masse prayer to Saints to be seruice of Christ The same also they meane when they challenge the simple ignorant Papists for theirs or confesse the vulgar Roman Church to be the true Church or as others of them speake graunt the Roman Church but deny Popery the Popish or Roman Popish Church For they imagine that the simple Catholike people neither doth now nor in former tyms did belieue those points of fayth which themselues deny But this they feigne of the simple Catholike people and cannot proue it Besides there is no Catholike â—o simple as doth not vertually belieue all points of Catholike fayth which Protestants deny sith he actually professeth to belieue whatsoeuer the Catholike Church teacheth Neither is there any at all who doth not belieue iustification by good works which point alone would suffice to make them no Protestants Besides Caluin 4. Institut cap. 8. sayth that we affirme him to be no Christian who doth not vndoubtedly agree to all points of doctrine as well affirmatiue as negatiue And the same sayth D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 5. cap. 8. pag. 519. D. Morton part 1. Apol. lib. 1. cap. 9. and D. Willet in the Preface of his Synopsis Yea as before we rehearsed Cap 2. they confesse that before Luthers reuolt all from head to foot were drowned in the pudles of Popery that none dreamed of that which is the cheifest point of Protestancy Wherfore Schusselburg tom 8. Catal. Haeret. pag. 440. seemeth to say That befor Luther arose Popery was the true church like as the Synagogue of the Iewes was before the comming
the Pope is that Antichrist wherof S. Paul speaketh 5. The third argument they wring out of the 12. Apocal. where it is sayd that the dragon shall cause the woman that is the Church to fly into the wildernesse This also is a fallacy not vnlike to the former First because it is more vnknowne that the Protestant church is the woman or the true church or the Pope that Dragon or the Popery the desert heÌ„ that Protestants were heretofor amongst Papists Againe there is no speach at all that the Church shold be so long tyme and so secret as Protestants say their church was in Popery Yea the tyme which this woman was to abide in the wildernesse is set downe to be 1260 dayes or as it is sayd cap. 20. a small tyme. And as Luther vpon Daniel tom 4. fol 265. and Bullinger conc 46. in Apocal. write Almost all Doctours attribute but 3. yeares and halfe to the persecution of Antichrist Wherefore these kind of testimonies by which Protestants make shew to proue that their Church was heretofore in Popery are but as S. Augustin speaketh of the like testimonies vsed by Donatists De vnit c. 19.23 Slender snares of delayes wherewith you vnderprop an euill cause by delaying But we demaund some manifest testimony Therefore bring out some manifest produce some thing that needeth no interpreter or if you cannot performe that which so iustly we demaund of you belieue truth hold your peace sleep a nap and after waken to saluation 6. Their 4. Sophisme they draw out of reason in this sort As soone as Protestancy was publikly preached many came out of Popery and followed it Therefore there were who in Popery did belieue it This fallacy is nothing better then the former For if it be reduced to a Syllogisme it will be found to rely vpon this principle If any in a company do follow the preaching of a new doctrine there were some therin that before tym belieued it which principle is manifestly false For neuer any heretiks preached whome some vnsetled Christians did not follow and yet who will say that there was neuer any heresy preached which before had not byn belieued of some Christians Epist Monitor pag. 107. Whitak cont 2. q. 5. c. 6. Pless de Eccles c. 11. Sadeel Refutat Posnan c. 10. Besides Protestants account it for a wonderfull miracle that at the beginning so many Papists came out of Popery vnto them but it had byn no shadow of miracle if before they had byn ProtestaÌ„ts Morouer the number of Papists forsaking Popery argueth not that before tymes they had byn Protestants but that they were vnsetled Papists who as the Scripture speaketh were carryed about with euery wind of doctrine Ephes 4. and that protestancy is a voluptuous and licentius doctrine because as Caluin sayth deceitfull doctrines do soone bewray themselues whiles they are admitted of all men with gentle cares Praef. Inst and are heard of the world applauding thereto 7. Of all which hath byn sayd in this and the former chapter I frame my fift demonstration in this manner If the Protestant Church and Religion were no where before Luther arose it was not all But before him it was no wher Therfore not at all And by him it got to be some where Therefore by him it got to be The minor is manifest by all that hath byn sayd in the former chapter The case of the protestant Church before Luther And the maior is euident by it selfe For no company of men much lesse a Catholike or vniuersall Church can be and be no where And these 5. demonstrations which hitherto we haue made haue byn taken out of the state wherein the Protestants confesse their Church to haue byn before Luther arose For by them hath beene shewed that before him according to the most free most frequent and most euident confessions of the famousest Protestants it had no (a) Cap. 8. Pastours to gouerne no (b) Cap. 3. sheep to be gouerned no (c) Cap. 5. appearance to be seene no (d) Cap. 9. place to abide no (e) Cap. 1. being to be What then could it be but a fiction of lying men or an imagination of phrantike men vainely deuised vntruly auouched and foundly belieued That all the Protestants first heard of had beene in former tymes Papists CHAP. XI THE 6. demoÌ„stratioÌ„ for to proue Luther to haue bin the Author of ProtestaÌ„cie shall be grounded vpon that all ProtestaÌ„ts who were first heard of had bin al Papists before Luther began to teach Luther before a Papist Of himselfe thus writeth Luther Prefat in tom 1. Before all things I request the godly reader that he read all with iudgement and consider that I was once a monck and a most madde Papist when I began this cause so druncken and drowned in Papistry that I was most ready to kill all if I had bin able c. And in psalm 45 tom 3. fol. 441 I was baptised in the Popes house I was catechised c And in psalm 51. fol 476 I wholy liued so in trust of my iustices as if any had then â—aught that which I now teach I thinck I should haue torne him with my teeth And in cap. 1 Galat. tom 5. fol. 291 If any at anytime surely I before the light of the gospell did thinck piously and was zealous for Popish lawes and traditions of Fathers and did in great earnestnes vrge and defend them as holy and the obseruation of them as necessary to saluation I purely adored the Pope and what soeuer I did I did of a simple heart a good zeale and to the glory of God The authority of the Pope was so great with me that I iudged it a crime worthy of eternall damnation to dissent from him and would haue subministred with fire and sword for the defence of the Popes authority 2. Melancthon who as Caluin writeth was a principall Minister of God in doing great matters and was indeed Luthers chiefest instrument in his dispute of Matrimony tom 2. Luther fol. vlt. giueth God thaÌ„ckes Melancthon first a Papist that he was deliuered out of the kingdome of Antichrist and Poposh errors and sayth as reporteth Scusselburg tom 13. Catal. Haer. pag. 625. of himselfe I moued not these controuersies but fell into them after they were moued which being many and not explicated I began to consider them with a desire of truth And the Saxonicall Ministers in the CoÌ„ference of Alburg Scrip. 7. pag. 349. write that Melancthon of his owne accord acknowledged himselfe a scholler of Luther yea the whole Vniuersity of Witterberg The Vniuersity of Witterberg first Papist out of which almost al Luthers first champions came was in former times Popish as appeareth by their epistle ad Milititium tom 1. Lutheri fol. 205. where thus they write VVe are so affected both to all the Christian Religion and the sea Apostolike and holy Church of Rome that if we
ready to proue out of the scripture that we professe the same doctrine of fayth and manners which Christ would haue to be perpetuall by euident reason our succession is manifest althogh all Historyes were silent of the names of the Persons and continuation of succession And the like he hath pag. 154. and 331. D. White in his way pag. 403. sayth he knoweth his Church was alwayes because it holdeth the fayth of the Scripture which cannot be extinguished The like he sayth pag. 320. 326. Likewise Luther de notis Eccles tom 7. fol. 149. Caluin in Matth. cap. 24. vers 28. and generally al of them whiles they make the truth of doctrin the infallible marke of the Church Lib. 2. contra Arian O proofe that I may cry out in S. Augustins words O errour o dotage And with S. Athanase A worthy heresy which wanteth probable reasons to vnder proppe it For this argument on which all their belief that their Church was before Luther doth rely is a most fond sophisme and most counterfait syllogisme as manifestly appeareth whether it be framed in that forme wherein D. Whitaker hath proposed it or whether it be reduced to this forme That Church which holdeth the true doctrine of Christ hath alwayes beene and consequently before Luther The Protestant Church holdeth the true doctrin holdeth the true doctrin of Christ as say they we will proue by scripture Therefore it hath bin alway 3. I answere that this argument is a manifest sophime for many causes For if the Maior be particuler so that the sense thereof be Some Church which holdeth the true doctrine of Christ hath alwayes beene it is true because the catholik church which holdeth Christs true doctrine hath alwayes been but then the Syllogisme is sophism for want of due forme inferring a conclusion out of particuler propositioÌ„s But if the Maior be vniuersall according as it is made of D. Whitaker then so farre is it from being out of controuersy as he affirmeth that it is manifestly false and no way true but only apparant and therefore vnfit to make a true syllogisme but only a counterfait and a sophisme ProtestaÌ„ts assume a manifest falsity That it is manifestly false is euident because that Church or company of ChristiaÌ„s which is strictly and properly termed schismatical holdeth the true doctrine of Christ as both the Fathers teach and the Protestants themselues doe also most plainely affirme yet it is not the true church of Christ Wherefore sith as the Philosopher teacheth those thinges are probable which seem true to all or to most or to wise men and those either al or most or most approued and such as are not probable serue only to make sophismes The foresayd Maior not seeming true to all or most or the wisest Christians yea not euen to the Protestants themselues it is manifest that it is no probable propositioÌ„ but only apparent and therefore not fit to make a true syllogisme but only an apparent and counterfait 4. That the Fathers teach that a Schismatical Church holdeth the true doctrine of Christ is manifest by S. Augustine who lib. quest Euang. pag. 28. tom 4. sayth It vseth to be enquired wherein Schismatickes differ from heretâ—kes That Schismatikes hold true doctrine and this found that no difference in faytht but breach of society in communion maketh Schismatikes And lib. de fide Symbolo cap. 10 Heretikes by belieuing wrong of God violate the fayth but Schismatickes by wicked diuisions leape from fraternall charity albeit they belieue aright those thinges which we belieue And lib. cont Gaud. cap. 9. refuteth him because he had sayd that Schismatikes and Heretikes are the same against which he sayth Thou art a Schismatike by sacrilegious diuision and an heretike by sacrilegious opinion And lib. 1. cont Cresc cap. 29. and de gest is cum Emerito affirmeth that the same fayth is had out of the Church S. Hierome in Tit. 3. VVe iudge this difference to be between heresy and schism that heresy holdeth a naughty opinion schisme separateth from the Church by dissention of Bishops S. Gregory lib. 18. Moral cap. 14. Some doe belieue false thinges of God others by Gods help belieue rightly of God but keep not vnity with their brethren these are diuided by schisme S. Isidor lib. 8. Origin cap 3. Schisme tooke its name of breach for it beleeueth the same religion and rites that others do only is pleased to keep company a part The same teach S. Ireneus lib. 4. cap. 62. S. Chrysost hom 3. in 1. Cor. S. Optat. lib. 1. 4. 5. cont Parmen and others And it is manifest by reason For if Schismatikes did erre also in Fayth they should not differ from heretikes And it is grauÌ„ted both of old and new Heretikes For thus sayth Faustus in S. Augustine lib. 20. cont Faustum cap. 3. Schisme if I be not deceaued is to belieue the same to worship God in the same manner that others do only to be delighted with diuision of assemblyes Caluin 4. Institut cap. 2. § 5. Austin putteth this difference betwixt heretikes and schismatiks that they corrupt the sincerity of the fayth with false doctrines these sometymes euen hauing the like saith breake asunder the band of society And in 1. Cor. cap. 11. vers 19. It is known in what sense the ancient vsed both these nams schisme heresy they put heresy in difference of doctrine but schisme rather in alienation of minds to wit when any either vpon enuy or hatred of the Pastours or of frowardnesse departed from the Church Beza libro de puniendis Haereticis pag. 89 Shism properly is the diuision of those who belieue the same things And pag. 150. Let them remember that we terme them not heretikes who are properly called Schismatiques The same he hath in 1. Cor. 1. v. 10. and other where Plessie lib. de Eccles cap. 1. pag. 16 VVe call erroneous Churches either heretikes or schismatikes according as they erre either in fayth or in charity And pag. 32. VVhat pertaineth to schismaticall Churches either they are simply schismaticall or when heresy also is adioyned as it vseth after schisme as an ague after a wound And cap. 10. pag. 340. True and pure Schismatiks are those who holding the same doctrine yet make meetinges a part Peter Martyr in locis tit de Schism pag. 618. I thinke it more plaine to define Schisme to be a cutting a sunder of the Ecclesiasticall peace vnity And pag. 619 There may be schisme in the Church without heresy Aretius also in locis part 2. fol. 10 Schisme sometymes in the same doctrin breaketh society Bucan in loc quest 33. de Eccl. affirmeth that shismatiks differ from heretiks because heresy properly is dissention in doctrine Polâ—n part 2. Thes de notis Eccl. Albeit schismatical Churches agree in the doctrine of truth c. Zanchius tract de Eccles cap. There may be breach in the symboles of Charity that is in