VIA DEVIA THE BY-WAY Mis-leading the weake and vnstable into dangerous paths of Error by colourable shewes of Apocryphall Scriptures vnwritten Traditions doubtfull Fathers ambiguous Councells and pretended Catholike Church Discouered By HVMFREY LYNDE Knight Scriptura Regula credendi certissima tutissimáque est Bell de Verb. Dei 40 1 cap 2. LONDON Printed by Aug. M. for ROB. MILBOVRNE and are to be sold at his Shop at the Grayhound in Pauls Churchyard 1630. TO THE INGENVOVS AND Moderat Romanists of this Kingdome H. L. Wisheth the knowledge of the Safe way that leadeth to eternall Happinesse CHristian is my name and Catholique is my Sirname the one I challenge from my Baptisme in Christs Church the other from my profession of All sauing Truâ—th in Gods Word If you question this my right or claime I will produce my Euidence out of ancient and vndoubted Records and ioyne Issue with you vpon the marks of your owne Church Antiquitie Vniuersalitie Succession and if I prooue not the Faith which I professe to bee Ancient and Catholike I will neither refuse the name nor punishment due to Heresie As touching the Visibilitie of our Church I haue answered your Iesuites Challenge by the Title of Via Tuta the Safe Way wherein I haue appealed to the best learned of your owne side both for the Antiquitie of our Religion and the Noueltie of your owne If you require further satisfaction in this point read peruse the Articles of our Church tell me without a preiudicate opinion if our Church was not Ancient Visible long before Luthers dayes Our 22. Bookes of Canonicall Scripture were they not published and receiued in all ages before Luther Our three Creeds The Apostles Nicene Athanatius Creed were they not anciently beleeued and generally receiued in the Church before Luther Our Liturgie and Book of Common Prayer was it not the same for substaÌ„ce which was taught and professed in the bosome of the Romane Church before Luther Our two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper were they not instituted by Christ were they not published and receiued in all ages before Luther These are the Foundations of our Church and all these in despight of malice it selfe must bee acknowledged by our aduersaries that they are taught by vs and were vniuersally receiued long before Luthers dayes And as touching the particular tenets of our Church opposite to your Trent Creed our spirituall receiuing of Christ by faith onely whereby wee are made truely and really partakers of Christs body crucified is agreeable to all Christian Confessions and taught by all antiquitie before Luther Our publique Communion of Priest with people had Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in the best and first ages Bel. de Missa lib. 2. ca. 9 10. by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Our Prayer and Seruice in a knowne tongue was publiquely deliuered and anciently taught by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Bell de verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 16. Our Communion in both kinds was instituted by Christ and continued in the Primitiue Churches by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Idem de Euch. lib. 4 cap. 24. Nay more the Psalmes of Dauid which vvee sing and some of you blasphemously tearme Geneua Iigges were in ancient vse amongst the common people long before Luther In Bethlem where Christ vvas borne turne whither thou wilt saith Hierome the Husbandman holding his Plough Hier. in 1. Epist 17. ad Marcel continually singeth Alleluia the Mower when hee sweateth and is wearie refresheth himselfe with Psalmes the Gardiner as hee dresseth his Vine with his hooke hath some piece of Dauid in his mouth These I say are the chiefe principles of our Religion these vvee holde vnder the Charter of the great King and all these by the testimonies of our aduersaries themselues were publikely known and generally practised long before Luthers dayes Doe you looke for an outvvard Forme of a glorious and Visible Church in obscure ages Doe you looke for A Citie vpon a Hill in the darke night of errour and ignorance I appeale to your ovvn consciences to vvhat purpose were the prophecies of Christ and his Apostles that the Church should flie into the wildernesse and lie hid there that Faith should not bee found on the earth that the time will come when they will not suffer wholsome doctrine but shal be giuen to Legends fables that some should giue heed to the spirit of errour and doctrine of Deuills that after a thousand yeeres Sathan should be let loose and deceiue the foure quarters of the earth were all these things foretold that it might bee fulfilled what was spoken are the thousand yeeres long since expired and yet shall vve thinke that none of these prophesies are accomplished Admit the man of Sinne bee not reuealed yet the Mysterie of iniquitie began to vvorke in the Apostles time and the Euangelist tells vs the tares vvhich the thiefe fovved in the night had almost choaked the good corne and lest there might be some expectation of a great multitude which shold assume the Title of an eminent and glorious Church our Sauiour himselfe by way of preuention cals his Church by the name of A little flocke Luke 12.32 as if a small number were the ancient Character of the true Church The malignaÌ„t Church hath many heretikes and hypocrites which indeed make a great noyse for a visible Church when as those wicked persons saith Austen although they seeme to bee in the Church August de Bapt. lib. 6. cap. 3. yet they appertaine not to the true Church That many are called is the Church visible that few are chosen is the Church inuisible Neither doe vvee hereby make two churches when we consider this Church after a two fold maner Bellar. de Eccles li. 3. cap. 15. In the Church something is beleeued some thing is seene we see that company of men which is the Church but that this coÌ„pany is the true Church we do not see it but beleeue it this is Bellarmines confession this is ours Againe looke back and take a briefe Suruey of the Church in seuerall ages It began with two in Paradise there remained in the flood but eight persons in that number there vvas an accursed Cham. In Sodome not ten persons nay scarce three righteous to be found there was but one Ioshua and Caleb of many thousands that entred the land of Canaan In the fiery trial but three children at the comming of Christ there was Simeon and Anna Ioseph and Mary Zacharie and Elizabeth and not many more knowne to bee sincere professours of Gods Trueth in the Church of Hierusalem In the Colledge of the Apostles there were but twelue and one was the sonne of perdition In the time of persecution for three hundred yeres after Christ Eusebius tels vs Euseb lib. 8 cap 2. the Church was ouerwhelmed to the ground and the Pastors of the Churches hid themselues heere
most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them p. 144 Sect. 8. The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church p. 167 Sect. 9. The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By way p. 245 Sect. 10. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the Testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to fifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them p. 280 Sect. 11. The most substantiall poynts of Romaine Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers p. 307 Sect. 12. Saint Augustine in particular is much disparaged by the Romanists and for instance in many seuerall poynts of moment wherein hee professedly concurreth with vs is expressely reiected by them p. 335 Sect. 13. Saint Gregorie pretended to be the Founder of the Romane Religion in England by sending Austen the Monke for conversion of this nation in his vndoubted writings directly opposeth the Romish Faith in the maine poynts thereof p. 347 Sect. 14. Councels which are so highly extold and opposed against vs were neither called by lawfull authoritie or to the right ends as is confessed by the ingenuous Romanists p. 370 Sect. 15. Councells which our Aduersaries pretend as a chiefe Bulwark of their faith giue no support at all to the Romish Religion as it is proued by particular obiections made against seuerall Councels in all ages by the Romanists themselues p. 386 Sect. 16. The Councell of Trent which is the maine Pillar and last resolution of the Roman faith is of small or no credit at all because it was neither lawfully called nor free nor generall nor generally receiued by the Romanists themselues p. 420 Sect. 17. In the Roman Church which our aduersaries so highly extoll aboue the Scriptures there is neither safetie nor certaintie whether they vnderstand the Essentiall or Representatiue or the Virtuall or the Consistoriall Church p. 452 Sect. 18. The most common Plea of the Romanists drawne from the Infallibilitie Authoritie and Title of the Catholike Church is proued to bee false vaine and friuolous p. 468 Sect. 19. The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie among themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church p. 496 Sect. 20. The Church is finally resolued into the Pope who wants both Personall and Doctrinall succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of Fact and matters of Faith p. 513 Sect. 21. The infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement which is made the Rule of Faith to determine all Controuersies is not yet determined by the learned Romanistes amongst themselues p. 545 Sect. 22. The Church vpon which the learned Romanists ground their Faith is no other then the Pope and the Church vpon which the vnlearned Romanists doe relie is no other then their Parish Priest p. 572 Sect. 23. Eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no certaine Note of the true Church but the contrary rather as it is prooued by instances from Adam to Christ p. 592 Sect 24. The Latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is pâ—ooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall decreed a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther p. 610 Sect. 25. The aforenamed corruptions and most remarkable declination of the Church of Rome in the later ages was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. p. 666 Sect. 26. The Conclusion of this Treatise shewing in sundrie particulars the certaintie and safetie of the Protestant and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romish Way p. 675 VIA DEVIA THE BY-VVAY SECT I. The safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scripture WHen the Donatists in the most flourishing times of Christian Religion arrogantly and presumptuously appropriated the Catholique and Vniuersall Church to their haereticall and particular faction St. Austen encountring them Quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus an inverbis nostris eaÌ„ qua situri an in verbis capitis sui Dom. nostri Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eam quaerere debemus quia veritas est nouit corpus suuÌ„ Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 2. states the poynt of Controuersie in this maner The question is where the Church should bee what then shall we doe shall wee seeke it in our owne wordes or in the words of our Lord Iesus In my iudgement we ought rather to seeke the Church in his owne words for that he is the truth and knoweth his owne body You haue heard the question propounded and answered by the Oracle of that age Such is the difference at this day betwixt the Church of Rome and vs and I heartily wish wee might ioine issue with them vpon the like tearmes and both agree with one vnanimous consent to seeke the Church of God in the word of God then should wee be gathered as sheep to one sheep-fold and the weake in faith should be receiued not to doubtfull disputations but to the reading of the Scriptures and they that now question the Visibilitie of our Church before Luther would first examine the infallibilitie of their owne by the Touchstone of the Gospell and the rather because it is agreed on both sides that whatsoeuer Church professeth that faith and doctrine which Christ and his Apostles taught in the first age the same Church and doctrine hath continued more or lesse visible in all ages But to returne to the Donatists Cant. 1.7 When Christ in the Canticles demanded of his Spouse where she rested Meridie at Noone-day the Donatists concluded Christs question with their owne answere that the Church did rest Meridie and that was in the South from this ground excluded all other Churches but their owne in the South of Africk The Donatists claime was seemingly deriued from the authoritie of the Scriptures for Donatus and Austen heretique and Catholique both vrge the Scriptures but obserue the difference Saint Austen puts the whole issue of his cause vpon the Scripture the Donatists claimed their doctrine by the publique voyces of the Africans they assumed to themselues the title of the Catholike Church they magnified the Councels of their Bishops they gloried in their frequent though fained miracles these were the principall grounds of their Church Remotis ergo omnibus talibus Ecclesiam suaÌ„ demonstrant si possunt non in sermonibus rumoribus Afrorum
spoken of throughout the whole world nay more he makes an earnest request to God that he might see the members of that Church and impart Spirituall gifts vnto them to the ende they might be established These testimonies of the Apostle were speciall Caracters of an eminent glorious Church although in truth there is not so much as this name of a Church giuen to the Romans in all the Scriptures The church at Babylon elected 2. Pet. 5.13 vnlesse they will allow the Church at Babylon to bee the Church of Rome and heere was a probable assurance of continued stability and perseuerance in the Faith in all Ages but behold the same Apostle which did so much glory in behalfe of their Catholique Faith which gaue God thankes for them which without doubt prayed for the continuance of that Faith Verse 9. For God is my witnesse saith he without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my Prayers As if hee had foreseene by the spirit of Prophesie they would glory in their owne worth and merits shortly after in his eleuenth Chapter of the same Epistle giues them this speciall Caueat Be not high minded but feare and withall giues a speciall reason of that Caueat For if God spared not the naturall branches take heede also lest hee spare not thee behold therefore the bountifulnesse and seueritie of God towards them that haue fallen seueritie but towards thee goodnesse if thou continune in his goodnesse otherwise also thou shalt bee cut off This Doctrine of the Apostle doth trench so farre into the present estate of the Church of Rome that the Rhemists forbeare their Annotations vpon this place for the truth is these last words Thou also shalt bee cut off Doe plainely intimate that the Church of Rome from the time of the Apostles had a possibilitie of falling and consequently was but a particular Church for so it befell the Church of Ierusalem and much more saith the Apostle may it befall the Church of Rome Let vs compare the testimonies and promises in behalf of the Roman Church with other particular and famous Churches in the time of the Apostles and see whether those promises did more largely extend to the faith of the Roman Church then to other Churches St. Paul writing to the Thessalonians termes them by the name of the Church he giues this large testimonie in their behalfe Thess 1.8 From you sounded out the word of the Lord not onely in Macedonia and Achaia but your faith which is toward God is gone forth into all places that wee haue no need to speake any thing yea more hee giues them a kinde of assurance for the perpetuitie of their faith The Lord is faithfull 2. Thess 3 3 and will establish you and keepe you from all euill yet this Church is fallen away and hath lost her first faith The Ephesians are termed by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church of the liuing God the Pillar ground of truth And for this Church the Apostle makes this confession Ephes 3.14 16. I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to bee strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man yet we see this Church which was the ground and pillar of truth and for which the Apostle earnestly prayed for is rased to the ground and vtterly fallen from the truth The Corinthians are tearmed by Saint Paul 1. Cor. 1.2 The Church of God called to be Saints And this Church is farther witnessed by the same Apostle that shee was rich in all things through Christ in all kinds of speech and knowledge and that shee was not destitute of any gift yea he deliuers confident in behalfe of that Church that God would establish them vnto the end euen the day of the Lord Iesus Christ yet soone after some of them denied the Resurrection they fell from the truth and are now subiect to the Turke If then the Church of the Thessalonians of the Ephesians of the Corinthians touching the outward face and visibilitie of the locall Churches if they are all fallen notwithstanding such faire testimonies and large promises in their behalfe which also were accomplished in the Elect what stabilitie could the Church of Rome promise to her selfe which had not so much as the name of a Church but was threatned vpon the breach of a condition that they also should bee cut off Whether the condition be broken or no I will not heere dispute but this I may safely say If the Iewes being the Lords peculiar people and the naturall branches were broken off how much more the Church of Rome being but a wilde Oliue branch might bee cut off from the faith of Christ No doubt the Spirit of God foresaw that the Romanist would glory in the name of the Church and aduance that name aboue his word and therefore the word of God gaue not so much as a name of a Church nor promise of infallibility perseuerance vnto it but a speciall caueat to put them in mind not to be high minded I say therefore to the Romanist as St. Hierom sometimes said to Pammachius and Oceanus Quisquis es assertor novorum dogmatuÌ„ quaese te vt parcas Romanis auribê° parcas fidei quae Apostolico ore laudae tur cur post quadi ingeÌ„tos annos docere nos niteris quod antea nesciuimê° cur profers in medium qd Paulus Petrê° edere noluerunt vsque ad huÌ„c lâ—eÌ„ siâ—e istâ doctâ—inâ nund Christianus fuit Hieron ad Pammach OceanuÌ„ Thou who art a maintainer of newe doctrine whatsoeuer thou bee I pray thee spare the Romane eares spare the Faith that is commended by the Apostles mouth why goest thou about now after 400 yeeres I may say 1400 to teach vs that Faith which wee before neuer knew Why bringest thou forth that thing that Peter and Paul neuer vttered Euermore vntill this day the Christian world hath beene without this Doctrine But obserue the cunning of our Aduersaries they doe as much glory of the Apostles testimonie that the Romane Faith was published through the world as if the ancient and the now Romane faith were all one And to prooue an infallible Succession in their doctrine they pretend that St. Cyprian a blessed Martyr did witnesse to the world that the Romane Church could not erre and consequently the Trent doctrine is the ancient faith of Christ and his Apostles St. Cyprian saith M. Bishop tells vs that Perfidiousnesse and falsehood in matters of Faith can haue no accesse to the Church of Rome so that by the Apostles confession they challenge an eminent Visibilitie and by this ancient Fathers testimonie they claime an assured stabilitie in matters of Faith If these things were true I should craue pardon of Cyprian not to beleeue him because the Apostle teacheth mee to beleeue the contrary but the trueth is this testimony so often alledged by
erred in Doctrine when they thought the Kingdome of Christ to be earthly and not heauenly Actes 1.6 for When they were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel They did Imagine his Kingdome to bee like the Kingdomes of this world presently to come not after to be looked for proper to Israel not common to all Nations by vertue of the Promises Nay more when they had receiued the Holy Ghost in a greater measure from heauen Peter saith the Text went not the right way to the Gospell Galat. 2 14. Iohn would haue worshiped an Angell once or twice Reu. 19.10 22.8 The Apostles and Brethren who were in Iudea thought that the Word of God was not to be Preached to the Gentiles Acts 11.2 These Examples doe sufficienty witnesse that the Elect and Chosen of God may take a fall but fall away they cannot and their errors in doctrine and manners foretell a possibilitie of failing and consequently an obscuritie in the true Church and heereupon their owne Panormitan concludes Possibile est quod vera fides remanerâ—t in vno solo atque ita veruÌ„ est dicere quod fides non deficit in Ecclesia Hoc patuit post passionem Christi nâ—m fides remaÌ„serat tantuÌ„ in beata virgine Extr. do Elect. Significast Alb. It is possible that the faith of Christ may remaine in one alone and so it is true to say Faith failed not in the Church this thing appeared in Christs passion for then Faith remained only in the blessed Virgin And with him consenteth Nicholaus Clemangis The Church saith he may by Gods gracâ— maine in a woman alone as it is reported to haue remained in the blessed Virgin at the time of Christs Passion In sâ—la potest muliercula per gratiaÌ„ manere Ecclesia sicut in sola Virgine teÌ„pore passionis mansiffe fertur Clemang super Mat. generalis Concil Thus in the Colledge of Christ there were but twelue and scarce twelue in the Councell among the Iewes there was but one Iosepth of Arimathea that stood for Christ there was but one Gamaliel in the Councell of the Pharises that stood for the Apostles So that the number of true beleeuers was but small which did visibly appeare euen at that time when the Church was most glorious and therefore Eminent and perpetuall visibility is no certaine Note of the true Church Ann. 100. to 200. In tâ—â— second Age Egesippus tels vs Quod ad ea usque tempora Ecclesia pura incorrupta permanserit Virgo in locis obsuris caliginosis c. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 16. The Church remained a pure Virgine vnto Traians time which was 110 yeeres after Christ for saith he such as indeauored to corrupt the perfect Rule and sound Preaching of the Word if there were any such did hide themselues in secret and obscure places but after the sacred company of the Apostles was come to an end and that the generation was wholly spent which by speciall fauour had heard with their eares the heauenly wisedome of the Sonne of God then the conspiracie of detestable errour through the deceit of such as deliuered strange doctrine tooke rooting and because that none of the Apostles suruiued they published boldly with all might possible the doctrine of falsehood and impugned the manifest and knowne truth In the third Age Ann 200. to 300. there arose a great contention about the keeping of Easter when as Victor Bishop of Rome went about to Excommunicate all the Churches of Asia from their CoÌ„munion as not sauouring aright And at this time the heresie of Artemon who affirmed Christ to be a meere man daily increased Those heretikes saith Eusebius were many Euseb lib. 5 ca. 25. and they corrupted the holy and ancient Scriptures without any reuerence they reiected the Canon of the ancient Faith they were ignorant of Christ not searching what the holy Scriptures affirmed And St. Cyprian makes a grieuous complaint of the Apostacie in his time from the Christian Faith as appeares by diuers passages in his booke De Lapsis In the fourth Age Ann. 300. to 400. Eusebius testifies as an eye witnesse Wee saw the Church ouerwhelmed to the ground Sacras aedes precibus dicatas è sublimi in solum fundamentis ipsis conquassatis deiectas diuinas sanctas Scripturas medio foro in rogum impositas Ecclesiarum Pastores hos in latebras hic illic se cum ignominia abdentei illos non sine dedecore prehensos et ab hosti bus ludibrio expositos oculis nostris aspeximus c. Euseb lib. 8. cap. 2. yea the very foundations themselues digged vp the holy and sacred Scriptures burnt to ashes in the open Market place the Pastors of Churches some shamefully hid themselues here and there some others were ignominiously taken and derided of their enemies and thus it was commanded by Proclamation by the Emperour Dioclesian the Churches should be razed to the ground the holy Scriptures should bee abolished and the Pastors throughout all Parishes should bee imprisoned Heere we see the Church was driuen into straights and corners till the time of Constantine the Great the first Christian Emperour about 300 yeeres after Christ but you shall likewise obserue that no sooner did this good Emperour appeare as an eminent part of the visible Church but Arrius the grand Heretique sowed his wicked Heresies Ingemuit totus orbis et ArrianuÌ„ se esse miratus est Hier aduers Luciferium which Like a Canker so spread it selfe that the Shippe of the Church saith Hierom was almost suncke and the whole world groaned and wondred at it selfe that it was become Arrian And with this holy Father agreeth the complaint of Vincencius Lyrinensis Vincent Lyrin c 6. The poyson of the Arrians did not infect a little portion but in a manner the whole world insomuch that all the Latine Bishops partly by force and partly by cunning were intrapped and had a kind of myst cast before their eyes And when the Arrians did vaunt of the multitude of beleeuers as if Amplitude and Splendor had been certaine markes of the true Church Gregorie Nazianzene makes this Quaere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian in Orat 11. ad Arrianos Where are those men which define the Church by a multitude and despise the little flocke And as touching the perpetuall and eminent visibility of the church it was so farre from his knowledge that hee professeth by reason of the scarcitie of true beleeuers in his Church They were often termed the Arke of Noah Persaepe Arca Neê vocati sumus vt qui soli orbis vniuersi diluvium effugissemus Greg Nazian orat 12. as those who onely were escaped drowning in the flood In like manner when Constantius an Arrian Emperor had obiected the multitude of his Arrian side and the paucitie of Catholike Professors on the
our aduersaries owne confessions the true and Orthodox Church did reiect those Apocryphall bookes which our Church refuseth which the Trent Councell allowes at this day for Canonicall And thus briefly I haue produced a Catalogue of ancient Fathers and moderne Writers in the Romane Church who haue witnessed with vs the same Canon of Scripture which wee professe at this day whereby I haue giuen you a taste of that challenge which God willing I purpose heereafter to make good in the principal points of our Religion that our Church and doctrine hath continued Visible in all ages euen to the dayes of Luther SECT VI. Our Aduersaries pretences from the authorities of Fathers and Councels to prooue the Apocryphall bookes Canonicall answered THe former Testimonies are so true and pregnant in our behalfe that our learned aduersaries are inforced to confesse that most of those Authours did reiect the bookes in question for Apocryphall To say nothing of the Trent Anathema layd vpon those reuerend Fathers and learned Doctors of the ancient and moderne Churches who reiected those bookes in all ages let vs weigh their chiefest reasons and arguments for defence of their cause and it will appeare there are no solid and certaine authorities to proue the Apocryphall books in question for canonicall Bell. lib. 1. de verbo Dei c. 12. To instance in particulars Bellarmine saith the booke of Iudith was held by Hierome for Canonicall and withall pretended this reason for it This booke hath a singular testimony from the famous and first generall Councell of Nice It is true that both contending parties subscribe to this first and best Councell of Nice but I pray where is that Canon to be found and sure I am there is no such testimony extant Asseruit esse ApocryphuÌ„ Salm. Com. in Hebr. disp 2. Acost lib 2. de Christo Reuel c. 13. Quod mihi dubituntis suspicionem subindieare videtur naÌ„ Nicena Synodus olim hunc libruÌ„ in Canonem redegerat cur annis 80 post non accenset eum Synodê° Laodicena cur Nazianzenus eius non meminit quid sibi vult quod idem c. Lind. Panopl lib. 3. cap 3. as is pretended by the Cardinall nay more Salmeron his fellow Iesuite protesteth Saint Hierome affirmed the booke of Iudith Apocryphall And Acosta the Iesuite professeth è Canone exemit hee exempted it out of the Canon and as touching the Councell of Nice their owne Lindanus proclaimeth that this assertion giues him great cause of doubting for if the Nicene Councell did anciently reckon the booke of Iudith in the Canon why did not the Councell of Laodicea reckon it why did not Nazianzene make mention of it what meant hee to say the Church at that time did reade the bookes of Iudith Tobie and the Maccabees but did not receiue them amongst the Canonicall Scriptures Againe looke vpon the Councell of Laodicea called in the yeare 364 there you shall finde the booke of Iudith Bin. Not. in Concil Rom sub Syluest by the testimony of Binius himselfe reiected for Apocryphall and this Councell is confirmed by the second Canon of the sixt Generall Councell of Trullo which the Fathers of that Councell would neuer haue done if the first Generall Councell of Nice had decreed the contrary I proceed to the examination of the chiefest ground and principall cause of their Trent Decree The third Councell of Carthage called in the time of Siricius Bishop of Rome about the yeere 399 Placuit vt praeter scripturas Canocas nihil in Ecclesiâ legatur sub nomine diuinarum scripturaruÌ„ sunt autem Canonicae Scripturae Tobias Iudith Hester Esdrae libri duo MachabeoruÌ„ libri duo Conc. Carth. 3. circa tempora Syriâ—ij Canone 47. touching the Apocryphall bookes makes this declaration It pleaseth vs that nothing be read in the Church besides the Canonicall Scriptures and there they publish for the Canonicall bookes Tobie Iudith Hester Esdras and the two bookes of Maccabees And to this Councell say the Romanists Saint Austen subscribed This testimony I confesse is extant in the 47. Canon of this Councell but giue mee leaue to tell you the Church of Rome doth not generally avowe that Canon of that Councell It is the confession of Cardinall Baronius Haud omnes Haudomnes Canones in hâc Synodo sanciti probantur sed diuersisaliis coÌ„ciliis Carthaginensibus vt inter alios iste quo sacroruÌ„ libroruÌ„ certus numerê° definitur Baron An. 397. nuÌ„ 46. Canones 50. quoruÌ„ tituli hîc assignaÌ„tur non omnes in hâc Synodo sed diuersisaliis coÌ„ciliis CarthagineÌ„sibê° sanciti probaÌ„tur inter alios 19.30 et 47. which last Canon is the CanoÌ„ in question Bin. in CoÌ„cil Carth. 3. c. Not all the Canons of this Councell are established but they are allowed in diuers other Councels of Carthage as namely that Canon wherein the number of sacred bookes were defined And Binius the publisher of the Councells makes the like acknowledgment that the 50 Canons which were intituled to that Councell were not all confirmed by it but by other Councells of Carthage as namely the 47 Canon and that which argues suspition of a forged Canon the bookes of Maccabees which are inserted in the Latine copie of that Councell are not to bee found in all or any of the ancient Greeke copies or Manuscripts Hic Canon Carthaginensis Concilii extat in collectione CanonuÌ„ Cresconii Africani Episcopi nonduÌ„ edita sed ibi Machabee ruÌ„ libri non recensentur ne in omnibê° Gracis codicibus editis Mss Christ Iustellus obseru Not. in Cod. CanonuÌ„ Eccle. Africanae Bell. de Roman Pont. lib. 2. ca. 31. Quintum Bell. de CoÌ„cil author lib. 2. cap 8. Decimo Neither is this Councell of that authoritie as the Romanists themselues pretend for when our learned Protestants doe otherwise produce this Councell against the head of their Church Bellarmine makes answere This Prouinciall Councell ought not to bind the Bishop of Rome nor the Bishops of other Prouinces If wee oppose against it the Councell of Laodicea which decreed those bookes for Apocryphall Bellarmine makes answere The Councell of Carthage is of greater authoritie then that of Laodicea because it is later and because it was Nationall but the Councell of Laodicea was prouinciall In the one place when it seemingly makes for him hee termes it a Nationall Councell in the other when it plainely makes against him hee termes it Prouinciall But Oportet esse memorem Falsehood had need haue a good memory It is vsuall with Bellarmine with Canus with Costerus and the best learned Romanists to excuse Saint Hierome Saint Austen Saint Gregorie and many others which denied the Apocrypha for part of the diuine Canon with this generall Answere It was no sinne Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. no heresie in them to reject those bookes because no Generall Councell in their dayes had decreed any thing touching them If therefore no Generall Councell had decreed
where hee was fed with bread and water And hence we may obserue that if the Pope of Rome bee the Virtuall and totall Church if he be that Rule of Faith vpon whose infallibilitie the whole Christian world must relie in matters of beliefe as the Church of Rome teacheth then certainly the Church at this time was driuen into great straights when as the Head of the Church or rather the totall Church fell into dangerous heresie and consequently eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie can be no sure Note of the true Church But as it was rightly obserued by Isidorus Pleasitota the declination of the true Church from the Apostles time was caused through the distemperature of the Head and thereupon hee makes this ingenuous confession Isid lib. 3. Ep. 408. In the dayes of the Apostles and afterwards when the Church flourished and laboured of no disease the diuine Graces of God went as it were in a ring round about it but afterward it grew diseased and was troubled with faction then all those things fled away not through his carelesnesse and negligence that first inriched her but through their naughtinesse that gouerned not things as they should haue done Ann. 600. to 700. In the seuenth Age Iohannes de Molinis tells vs In Speculo Carmelit cap 6. from the time of Heraclius the Emperor after the yeere 600 the day inclined towards the euening and the Church hauing been in an ecclipse set in the West and became almost deficient And Gregorie himselfe complaines Greg. Ep. 4. l. 1. Iud. 9. that the Ship of the Church was in danger of shipwracke Nay more Diabolê° ita valdè in qui busdam necessaris Ecclesiae membris dentes figit vt omne quod absit citius ouile dilaniet Greg. lib. 4. Ep 36 The Devill saith he so strongly fastneth his teeth in the necessarie members of the Church that vnlesse by Gods grace the prouident company of Bishops ioyne together hee will soone destroy the whole flock of Christ Flens dico gemens denuntio I speake it with teares Quia cum Sacerdotis ordo intus cecidit foris diu stare non potuit I tell it with sighs of heart seeing the Order of Priesthood is fallen within it cannot now stand long without The chiefe reason of this complaint was caused by Iohn Bishop of Constantinople who at this time assumed the Title of Vniuersall Bishop and as new Lords are commonly said to make new Lawes so from and after this time many alterations succeeded in Faith and Manners both in Head and members of the same house Thus wee haue heard in the first age The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke In the second there was a conspiracie against the Trueth In the third Heretikes arose and assaulted her In the fourth the Church was darkened by the multitude of Heresies In the fift she was most flourishing in her members but knowne only by the Scriptures In the sixt the Head of the Church was diuided by heresie from the body In the seuenth there was a declination towards the West and consequently there followed a darkenesse and obscuritie more or lesse in succeeding ages Now as you haue heard complaints against heretikes and persecutors that inuaded the ancient Church in her first best ages so likewise you shall obserue there followed corruptions and errours in Doctrine and Discipline whereby Obscuritie became the proper mark of the true Church almost in all ages till the dayes of Luther In the eight Age Paulus Diaconus calls to the Christians of that time to awake and listen vnto him for saith he You haue buried in contempt and obliuion the word of God Wolph Tom. 1.203 you haue made the Temple a denne of theeues and instead of sweet melody you resound blasphemies against God himselfe and therefore verie shortly the vniuersall Catholike Cittie will fall to ground And Venerable Bede calles to them of his time Nec sine lachrymis rem lachrymis dignam coÌ„templeÌ„tur quantuÌ„ Ecclesiae flatus ad petora quotidiè vel vt mitius dicaÌ„ ad infirmiora gereÌ„da deuol uatur Bed ii 4 in Sâ—m cap. 2. p. 30â— to behold the lamentable estate of the Church Neither saith he let them behold it without teares which is worthy to bee lamented in that it is growne worse and worse or to speake more fauourably it is at least fallen into great infirmities And Charles the Great makes this generall complaint touching the doctrine and Doctors of the Church Carolus Magnus de Imag. in Praefat. The Priests laying aside all sound and wholesome doctrine and little regarding that of the Apostle If an Angell preach other doctrine let him be accursed they transgresse the commandements of the Fathers and bring into the Church such doctrine as was neuer knowne to Christ and his Apostles In the ninth Age Arnulphus Bishop of Orleance an eye witnesse of those times professed openly There is made a departure not onely of Nations but of Churches the Man of Sinne now begins to bee discouered Religion is ouerthrowen and the seruice of God is contemned by the chiefe Priests themselues and that which is more Rome it selfe now almost left alone is departed from her selfe Ann. 900. to 1000. In the tenth Age Christ saith Baronius lay asleepe in the Ship of the Church Bar. Tom 10. ann 912 num 8. ann 900. Sect 1. and which is worse there was not any found amongst his disciples who awaked our Lord all of them being in a snorting sleepe It was the age next to that wherein the Deuill was let loose Infaelix dicitur hoc saeculuÌ„ exhaustuÌ„ hominibus ingenio et doctrinâ claris siue etiam claris Princitibus et Pontificibus Geneb Chron. Vbr. 4. That vnhappy age saith Genebrard which was exhausted both of men for wit and learning and of worthy Princes and Bishops In this time saith Wernerus Christian faith began much to decline from her first virilitie when as in many Christian prouinces neither the Sacraments nor Ecclesiasticall Rites were obserued And Ioachim Abbot complaineth Est et alia sicus quae malidictione praeuarâ—cationis exarnit Latina Ecclesia siue nâ—â—icula Petri. Morn c. that the Latin Church was another Fig tree dryed vp which did beare nought else but temporall leaues and bid her selfe vnder the Title of the Church to the shame of the Pope and his Sea In the eleuenth Age Ann. 1000. to 1100. Who will let me see the Church before I dye saith Bernard as in the dayes of olde Bernar in Cant. Serm 33. when the Apostles did cast foorth their Netts not to take siluer and gold but to take soules There creepeth saith hee an ougly Rott at this present through the whole body of the Church yea the wound of the Church is inward and past recouery And a Canonized Saint of the Romish Church Morn de Eccl p â—â—2 Virgo â— Mathilda tells them of that Age The