In 6. Syn. gen act 4. 9. â—6 with Sergius with the Monothelites their wills and operations who for this cause are enrolled in the rancke of heretikes and aboue 1000. yeares ago condemned by Pope Agatho in the sixt generall Councell 23. Wherefore to draw to an end I intreate you all who peruse this Treatise if the filth sucked out these miry puddles haue not dammed vp the passage of truth if these dregges of heresyes haue not quenched in you all sparkes of grace renounce the Patrons of such iniquity beware the infection of their folly the fury of them who proclaime Christ a Priest Christ a Mediatour according to his Deity and acknowledge with vs how he dischargeth these dutyes only as man notwithstanding how his actions his Sacrifice his prayers and teares were all of infinite and incomparable merit through the excellency of his diuine person Which I would to God his Royall Maiesty would also vnderstand for whose worthy satisfaction I haue diligently laboured to decide this question THE TENTH CONTROVERSY DEMONSTRATETH The Primacy of S. Peter against D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes CHAP. I. ARISTOTLE the chiefe and Prince Arist â— 3. polit â— 5. 6. 7 of Philosophers assigneth three seuerall manners of gouerning a Common-Wealth For eyther many of the meaner sort beare sway or some few of the Nobility or only one as absolute Soueraigne If many it is called Democracy if few Aristocracy if one a Monarchy The first is often ruined with the tumults and garboyles of the vnconstant and diuersly-headed multitude The second commonly deuided with the strifes and factions of the ambitious Peeres The third as it is lesse subiect S. Thom. de regim principum l. 1. cap. 1. 23. â— to diuision so most conuenient as S. Thomas learnedly noteth to order guide and keepe many in peace and vnity the finall scope to which all gouernments should be directed and all rulers ayme 2. Whereupon Plato Aristotle Isocrates and diuers other affirme in peace in warre in managing al affaires Plato in polit Arist l. 3. polit c. 11. 12. l. 4. cap. 2. Isocrates oratione 3. this to be the most diuine forme of a Common-Wealth where one most singular man hath the supreme power and administration of things which both God and Nature confirmeth For in the mystery of the most holy Trinity there is the Father from whom the Sonne and the Holy Ghost who from the Father and the Sonne as from one only origen or beginning proceedeth They euery way equall in properties distinct in Persons three are only one in ouer-ruling and disposing all things Amongst the immortall spirits and quires of Angels there is one illuminated by God who giueth light to the rest In the Heauens there is one first moueable by which the inferiour orbes and planets are moued One Sunne from whence the light of the Stars is borrowed and influence of the signes in the Zodiacke determined In earthly thinges in this little world of man there is one hart from which the arteryes and vitall spirits one braine from whence the sinewes one lyuer from which the veines channels of bloud haue their head or of-spring in euery element there is one predominate quality Amongst the birdes the Eagle among the beasts the Lyon among the fishes the Whale doth also dominier In Trees Cyprian tract do Idolorum â—anitate Hearbes and Plants in Townes Villages Families priuate Houses the like head-ship or Monarchy might be shewed if it were not too long for my professed breuity in so much as S. Cyprian writeth The very Bees haue their guide and captaine whome they follow Apo. 2â— 2. Cant. 6. 3. Mat. 13. v. 38. 41. Ioan. 10. 16. Luc. 10. 34. 1. Tim. 3. â—â— 3. Now sith the Church of Christ militant vpon earth is a perfect yet spirituall Common-wealth sith it is An holy Citty A campe well ordered and established by the wisest Captaine Gouernour and Law-maker that euer was Who doubteth but that he placed in it the most worthy Regiment of all others that Monarchicall preheminence which in all his other creatures so perfectly raigneth especially for that he resembleth it to A kingdome to A sheepefold to An Inne to An House in which one King one Pastour one Host one Maister beareth sway For that it ought to be correspondent to the ancient Mat. 16. 18. 19. Synagogue in which one High-priest answerable to the celestiall hierarchies and orders of Angels among whom one Seraphim is chief And who was this visible Monarch this Ministeriall head of the Church vnder Christ but S. Peter To whom our Sauiour said Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it And I will giue to thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth it shall be bound also in the Heauens and whatsoeuer thou shall loose in Earth it shall be loosed also in the Heauens In which seÌ„tence foure rare prerogatiues are promised vnto Peter and by euery one of them his supereminent dignity aboue the rest of the Apostles manifestly declared 4. For first he calleth him Rocke by which Metaphore he doth insinuate that he as a Rocke or Stone vnmoueable Amb. ser 47. Orig. hom 5. in Exod. saith S. Ambrose vpholdeth the whole weight and fabrike of Christian worke That he saith Origen is the great foundation or most solide stone vpon which Christ builded his Church Secondly he addeth To thee I will giue the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen by which words is signified all power to enact or repeale Lawes sommon or confirme Councels appoint or displace offices consecrate or degrade Bishops all power and authority which is requisite for the rule gouernment or instruction of the Church For euen as when the keyes of a Citty are giuen vp to the Magistrate the administration and rule of the State is surrendred into Greg. l. 4. epi. 32. Luc. 11. 52. Apoc. 1. v. 18. his hands so now when the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen are imparted to Peter The whole charge and principality of the Church as S. Gregory writeth is committed vnto him And whereas there be two sorts of Keyes the Key of knowledge to teach and instruct of which S. Luke You haue taken away the Key of knowledge and the Key of authority and iurisdiction to guide and gouerne whereof S. Iohn speaketh I haue the Keyes of death and of Hell and Esay I will giue the Key of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder Both these Keyes were here delegated vnto Peter by Isa 21. v. 22. It was vsuall amongst the Hebrewes to giue power and authority by the Keyes vid. Azor. Insti mor. p. 2. c. 9. the one he had the Chaire of infallible doctrine to decide all controuersies and define all matters of faith by the other the scepter of Ecclesiasticall gouernment to rule order correct and
chastise all the members of Christs mysticall body Thirdly he subioyneth Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth it shall be bound also in the heauens Fourthly whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth it shall be loosed also in the heauens that is whatsoeuer punishment thou shalt inflict either of excoÌ„munication suspension interdiction or degradation or whatsoeuer other spirituall Censure for he speaketh without restriction the same shall be ratified by Almighty God whatsoeuer of these thou shalt release the same shall be released in the heauens aboue Vpon which words Origen obserueth no small Orig. tract 6. in Math. difference betweene Peter and the rest of the Apostles because to them the Keyes of one heauen were giuen to Peter of many Whereupon he inferreth they had not authority in such perfection as Peter to bind and loose in all the heauens 5. Our Aduersaryes not doubting of the highest soueraignty M. Reyn-in his CoÌ„ference with M. Hart c. 2. diuis 1. M. Bils in his booke of Christian subiection par 1. fol. 62. 63. Reyn. ibi diuis 2. which by these singular priuiledges are betokened apply some to Christ some to all the Apostles but none peculiar to Peter alone For the first prerogatiue both M. Reynoldes and M. Bilson attribute vnto Christ affirming either him to be the Rocke vpon which the Church is built or the fayth which Peter pronounced of him and not Peter pronouncing the same The second the third and fourth Reynolds extendeth to all the Apostles because to them all the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen were giuen the power of binding and loosing and not only to Peter Silly men who see not how they crosse themselues in their owne answeres For our Sauiour speaking of one matter to one person in one and the same sentence to whomesoeuer he made the first promise to him he made the rest Therefore if he promised the Keyes to all the Apostles vpon them all he promised to build his Church and not vpon Christ Or if he promised to build his Church vpon himselfe to himselfe he promised the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen to himselfe he promised all power of binding loosing which had beene as impertinent to our Sauiours discourse as dissonant from truth For Christ had all that power before euen from the first houre he began to plante his Church he already enioyed those priuiledges not giuen by himselfe as the iurisdiction heere mentioned but imparted by his Father from whome he was sent 6. Againe as those answeres encounter one another The words of Christ import some extraordinary fauour to S Peter alone so they offer violence to the Text ech of them depriuing Peter of that soueraigne dignity which the whole passage of the place conueyeth vnto him For the wordes of Christ are purposly addressed to the person of Peter his name is only changed at this tyme and not any of the other Apostles he is called Rocke and none of the rest he only speaketh and professeth Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God our Sauiour only nameth him and continually vseth the singular number yea he addeth the name of his Father to distinguish him not only from the Apostles in generall but also from the other Simon And shall not all these particiculer descriptions denote something in Peter more then in the rest If we appeale to the Greeke to the Hebrew especially to the Syriacke text in which Fabri in diction Syro-caldaicolero in c. 2. ad Gala â— language our Sauiour vttered this whole discourse it so euidently sheweth the very first promise to haue beene made to Peter and not to Christ as nothing can be more cleere For he speaking in Syriacke sayd vnto Peter Thou art Cephas and vpon this Cephas will I build my Church where the same word Cephas signifying as Guido Fabritius and S. Hierome testify a Rocke or Stone is vsed in both places And the Greeke wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though different in termination signify the same Wherefore as if Christ speaking in English had imposed vnto Simon the name of a Rocke therupon had sayd Thou art a Rocke and vpon this Rocke will I build my church there would haue beene no doubt but that he had builded his Church vpon Simon the Rocke so neither in this present speaking the same in Syrtacke 7. M. Reynolds not able to resist confesseth at length Rain c. 2. diuis 1. pag. 24. that Fabritius translateth Cephas a Rocke But Fabritius sayth he sheweth further that Cephas signifyeth a Stone also And in the page immediatly following he addeth Cephas in Greeke is expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in English signifyeth a Stone Whereupon he counteth this a fit traÌ„slation of the former Syriacke wordes Thou art a Stone and vpon this Stone will I build my Church And what is this but to graunt the substance of the thing and wrangle about wordes For whether Peter were tearmed Rocke or Stone as long as he was that stone that singular stone which after Christ vpholdeth the frame of the militant Church of which the Apostles were part he was the fundamentall Cyr. l. 2. in Ioan c. 2. Cyâ— ep ad Quintum Tertul. l. de praescript Epipha in Ancorato Amb ser 47. Nazianz orat de moder ser Basil l. 2. in Eunomium Aug. in Psal conâ— partem Donati Bils part 1. pag. 62. Stone vpon which both they and all others were built And seeing the foundation is the same to a house which a head to a body he was the head of the whole body of the Church 8. The Fathers generally fortify the same S. Cyril writeth that Christ called Peter by the name of Rocke because on him as on a stedfast rocke or stone immoueable he was to build his Church S. Cyprian sayth Christ chose Peter vpon whome he builded his Church Tertullian tearmeth him Ecclesiae Petram The Rocke or foundation of the Church Reade the like in Epiphanius S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Basil and S. Augustine of whome M. Bilson most wrongfully and slaunderously writeth That Peter is the Rocke on which the Church is built S. Augustine and others do plainely deny But what if S. Augustine deny it not plainely What if he deny it not at all What if he plainely auouch it and that in diuers places Will you euer giue credit againe to M. Bilsons writings Therfore he vpon the Psalmes sayth O Church that is O Peter because vpon this Rocke wâ—ll I build my Church Read the like vpon the 69. Psalme in his Sermons Our Lord named Peter the foundation of his Church therfore the Church rightly honoured this foundation vpon which the height of the Ecclesiasticall edifice is raysed Againe Only Peter August conc 2. in Psal 30. in Psal 69. Et ser 15. de Sanct. ser 29. qui est 5. de S. Petro Paulo Aug. l. 1. Retract cap. 21. Bils â—
par pag. 63. Reyn. in his conf c. 2. diuis 1. 1. Cor. 3. among the Apostles deserued to heare Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church worthy truly who to the people which were to be builded in the house of God might be a stone for their foundation a pillar for their stay a keye to open the gates of the kingdome of heauen M. Bilson may say as some Protestants are wont that S. Augustin reuersed these things in his booke of Retractations how beit he is so far from retracting that exposition as he there confirmeth it rather by the authority of S. Ambrose and at the length leaueth it to the Readers choise whether he will haue Peter or Christ the Rocke on which he builded his Church 9. But D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes with him alleadge out of S. Paul Another foundation can no man lay then that which is already layed which is Christ Iesus I answere another chiefe principall and independent foundation besides Christ no man can lay but an inferiour secondary or subordinate may be layed without danger of disgrace Basil in concione de paeniten to his vnmatchable priuiledge Because as S. Basil excellently teacheth God imparteth his dignityes not depriuing himself of them but enioying he bestoweth them He is the light and yet he sayth you are the light of the world he is a Priest Basil ibid. and he annoynteth Priests he is the Lambe and he sayth Behould I send you like lambes amongst the middest of woules he is a Rock and he maketh a Rocke and immediatly before resuting this Ephes 2. Apoc. 21. former obiection he sayth Though Peter be a Rocke yet he is not a Rocke as Christ is For Christ is the Rocke vnmoueable of himselfe Peter vnmoueable by Christ the Rocke 10. If you inferre that all the Apostles were thus tearmed Rockes and foundations of the Church I answer they were indeed in a certaine manner foundations all because they were all chosen to preach the Ghospell and plant the fayth in euery part of the world they were all immediatly instructed by Christ they had all most ample and vniuersal iurisdiction throughout the whole empyre of the Church In which respects Origen S. Ambrose S. Hilary S. Hierome and rest whome M. Bilson and Bils par 1. pag. 63. Reyn. c. 2. diuis 2. p. 37. Iohn 20. v. 23. Matth. 16. v. 19. Iohn 17. v. 9. Luc. 22. v. 3â— Iohn 16. v. â—3 Luc. 22. v. 32. Ephes 2. v. 20. Matt. 16. v. 18. Mar. vle v. 15. Ioan. 11. v. 17. Bern l. 2. de CoÌ„sider Pascere apud Haebreos idem nonnumquam est quod regere Psal 22. Dominus regit me in Hebraeo est Dominus pascit me M. Reynolds obiect confesse the keyes to be giuen to all the Apostles they acknowledge them al Rockes and Foundations of the Church yet as their authority was delegate S. Peterâ— ordinary as they had absolute power ouer others S. Peter ouer them so they had all the keyes but with dependency of Peter they were all foundations but Peter the first after Christ and maine foundation both to them to the whole Church with them Whereby he excelled the rest of his fellow Apostles in prehemineÌ„ce of power in preheminence of Fayth in preheminence of dignity And therfore whatsoeuer priuiledge in any of these kinds is attributed in holy Write to all the Apostles togeather with Peter the same is imparted againe to Peter alone in a more peculiar and speciall manner To them all power was graunted to remit sinnes Whose sins yee forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose yee retaine they are retained To Peter alone in more ample sort Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth shal be bound in the heauens and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shal be loosed also in the heauens For them all Christ prayed that they might be constant in fayth Not for the world do I pray but for them whome thou hast giuen me for Peter alone I haue prayed for thee that thy fayth fayle not To them all our Sauiour sayd When the spirit of truth commeth he shall teach you all truth to Peter alone Confirme strengthen thy brethren in the truth the holy Ghost shall teach Of them all it is written That we are planted vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets of Peter alone Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church To them all it was sayd Going into the whole world preach the Ghospell to euery Creature To Peter alone Feed my sheep What sheep sayth S. Bernard the people of this or that Citty Of this or that Kingdome My sheep quoth he To whome is it not manifest that he designed not some but assigned all Nothing is excepted where nothing is distinguished 11. Feede my sheep that is feed all that are within the compasse of my fold all that may be intituled myne whether they be Apostles Bishops people or Princes vnlesse Matt. 16. v. 18. â—â— Psal 2. Mich. â— Matth. 2. Apoc. 2. perchance their Apostolicall Episcopall or Imperiall soueraignty any way exclude them from the number of my sheep By these wordes that great reward which was promised to S. Peter in the 16. of S. Matthew is heer exhibited to him and his successors by these he is installed in his Pastorall dignity by these he is created head of the Apostles and chiefe Gouernor of the militant church as the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth declare which importeth not only feed but feed by gouerning and ruling as may be seene in diuers other places of Scripture Likewise Euseb Emiss serm in Naâ—iuit S. Ioan. Euang our Blessed Redeemer gaue heere vnto S. Peter commission both to feed his Lambes to feed his sheep whereupon Eusebius Emissenus aboue a thousand yeares ago proposeth this conuincing argument He committed sayth he to S. Peter his Lambes and then his sheep because he made him not only a Pastour but the Pastour of Pastours Peter therfore feedeth the lambes and also the sheep He feedeth children and their Mothers he ruleth the people and their Prelates He is therefore Ioan. â—1 v. 15. the pastour of all because besides lambes and sheep there is nothing in the Church Hitherto Eusebius Also before this power was giuen to Peter Christ demanded of him Simon of Iohn â—ouest thou me more then these What caused the Sonne of God to exact more loue of Peter then of his fellow-Disciples Had not equall loue beene sufficient to equal care Why then doth he exact more But only because Chrys l. 2. de Sacerd. Ecclesiae praefectura he bequeathed vnto him a farre higher Dignity a more perfect charge ouer his floke the headship or primacy of the Church as S. Iohn Chrysostome by the force of this argument inuincibly proueth 12. Moreouer when our Sauiour repressed the in ordinate Luc. 22. v. 26. lust and desire of raigning in his Disciples a
of colours but only white the most true natiue colour so our Reformers admit all manner of Doctrine and in this present all sorts of Confession but that which is most important and beneficiall for their soules 1. They allow the Confession of sinnes to God in generall 2. The Confession of some sinnes in particuler to a learned Minister to receaue comfort and direction from him 3. The Confession of certaine enormo us crimes publikely made in the sight of the congregation for their satisfaction and terrour of others 4. The Confession of priuate iniuries to the party offended to be reconciled to him But the Confession of all particuler faults to a lawfull Priest to receaue pardon and absolution they vtterly disauow Wherein to proceed more perspicuously they chiefly deny three principall points First the power in Priests to absolue from sinnes Secondly the necessity of sinners to confesse Thirdly the necessity of numbring euery particuler offence All which notwithstanding I will clearly deduce out of that soueraigne Commission Christ gaue to his Apostles when breathing vpon them he sayd 2. Receaue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee forgiue they Iohn 20. v. 23. are forgiuen and whose sinnes yee retaine they are retayned For by this passage it is euident that authority is giuen to the Priests of Gods Church not only to preach the Ghospell and denounce retention to the impenitent remission to the Sparkes P. 323. Fulke in c. 20. Ioan. sect 4. 5 Math 28 Mar. 16. Ioan. 20. penitent belieuer as D. Sparkes D. Fulke with their adherents perfidiously wrest the words but absolute power is granted vnto them as the Vicars and Vicegerents of Christ truly to remit and pardon sinnes 1. Because commission to preach was giuen before in S. Matthew S. Marke 2. That was extended to all Teach all nations this is restrayned to some alone who submit their faults to the keyes and censure of the Church Whose sinnes yee remit c. 3. Forgiuenes of sinnes in heauen is not alwayes annexed to the Preachers exhortation it is to the absolution of the Priest if no obstacle hinder it in the party absolued 4. The Preachers voyce declareth on earth what God hath already persormed in heauen but heere quite contrary God ratifieth in heauen what the Priest by his mynisteriall power pronounceth vpon earth The Iudgment Hila. Can 26. in Mat. Chrâ— hom 5. de verbis Isa Vidi Dominum or sentence on earth sayth S. Hilary goeth before that which is giuen in heauen Heauen sayth S. Chrysostome borroweth principall authority of iudging from the Earth So as it cannot be the meere vocation to preach but some other extraordinary and singular Iurisdiction which our Sauiour here bequeathed to his Apostles 3. A Iurisdiction signified before by the power of keys which are chiefly giuen to magistrates and rulers of Cittyes not to betoken thinges already locked or vnlockt but to open and shut as occasion requireth A Iurisdiction for the due exercise whereof the Sacrament so a Aug. l. 2. cont Parm. c. 13. Greg. l. 4. Com. in l. ReguÌ„ c. 5. Calu. l. 4. Instit c. 19. S. Augustine and others tearme it of Ordination was instituted b Chrys hom 85. in Ioan. Greg. Niss ora de lap Isa 44. v. 12. Cyr. lib. 12. c. 56. in 10. Atha ser in illaverba Profecti in pagum Hier ep ad Hedibi Bafil quaest breuib inter 288. Leo ep 91 ad Thâ—oâ— Pacian ep 1. ad Sym. pro. Ambr. de poenic l. x. c. 2. 7. Chris l. 3. de Sacer. Spirituall grace infused the Holy Ghost purposely imparted and imparted after a speciall manner of insufflation or breathing on them to denote that the breath of his Priests pronouncing the words of absolution should disperse and dissolue the mists of sinne according to that of the Prophet Esay I haue disolued like a cloud thy sins This ceremony then was vsed to declare the effect of extinguishing sinne the Holy Ghost was giuen to manifest the cause by whom it is abolished For as S. Cyril sayth It is neyther absurd nor yet inconuenient that they forgiue sinnes who haue the Holy Ghost For when they pardon or retaine sinns the Holy Ghost pardoneth or retayneth sinnes by them and that they doe two wayes by Baptisme first afterwards by Penance 4. Lastly that this rare prerogatiue graunted to Priests was not only by the mystery of the word to declare but by the authority of the keyes to forgiue sinnes many other of the Fathers directly teach S. Athanasius tearming it Power giuen by our Sauiour to Paiests to loose sinnes S. Hierome S. Basil S. Leo Pacianus haue the like S. Ambrose expresly proueth this authority in Priests of remitting sins against the Nouatians cuen ouer them to whom they denyed the ministery of absolution albeit they graunted the benefit of preaching S. Chrysostome extolling the dignity of Priests aboue Kings and Angels amplifyeth the same after his fashion with this goulden streame of wordes They that inhabite the earth and conuerse thereon to them comission is giuen to dispense those thinges that are in heauen To them that power is giuen which Almighty God would not communicate either to Angell or Archangell For to â—hem it is not sayd whatsoeuer yee shall bind in earth shal be bound in heauen c. Earthly Princes indeed haue also authority to bind but the bodyes only but that * Sacerdotum vinculum ipsam eâ—i im animam contingit atque ad caelos vsque peruadit c. binding of Priests which I treate of toucheth the very soule it selfe and reacheth euen to the Heauens In so much as whatsoeuer the Priestes performe beneath the very same Almighty God doth aboue and the sentence * SeruoruÌ„ sententiam Dominus confirmat of the seruant our Lord doth confirme And what is this truly elso but that the power of heauenly things is graunted by God vnto them Whose sinnes soeuer sayth he yee shall retaine they are retained What power I beseech you can be greater then this The Father gaue all power to the Sonne but I see the same power deliuered altogeather by the Sonne vnto them Wherefore as Christ had a speciall power of pardoning sinnes distinct from his power of preaching so had the Apostles to whome he gaue al power committed vnto him as S. Chrysostome auoucheth and our Sauiour himselfe witnesseth when before he imparted this authority he mentioneth his owne commission Ioan. 20. v. 22. saying As my Father sent me I also send you 5. The power of Priests to remit sinnes being thus established it remaineth I declare how Confession to a Priest the second point which our Aduersaryes deny is heerein implyed M. Fulke sayth Neither doth it follow of M. Fulke in c. 20. Io. sect 5. any necessity that men are bound to submit themselues to the Iudgment of Priests if they haue authority to forgiue sinnes But S. Augustine more ancient more holy more
Zuarez teach as well by preseruing her from sinne by his preuenting grace before she were touched with any infection as by cleansing her after she was once defiled As a man may be saued out of a dangerous pit eyther by warning giuen before or succour yielded after his fall 6. Our Blessed Lady reioyced in God her Sauiour she was the Queene of his chosen flocke redeemed by him by speciall preuention that she might not sinne not by subuention after her ruine Some peraduenture more curious in reading then iudicious or cunning in expounding the Fathers will vrge out of S. Augustine Nullus redimitur nisi is qui verè per peccatum fuerit antea captiuus No man is redeemed but he that hath serued vnder the yoke of sinne Which because the good Angells neuer did our Sauiour Christ who merited grace glory to them is not properly sayd to haue redeemed them No more can he be sayd to eÌ„sranchise our Blessed Lady if she were neuer subiect to the bondage of sinne I answere it is true that he who is redeemed must haue beene first captiued either in himselfe or in the roote and origen from whence he springeth The good Angells were neither of these wayes euer inwrapped ad Rom. 3. v. 23. in the bandes of iniquity but the Virgin Mary howbeit she neuer sinned neither actually or originally in her selfe yet she truely proceeded from that roote or Hest. c. 15. vers 13. In Lege princeps §. de legibus Gen. 34. v. 16. v. 19. Aug. l. de natura gratia cap. 36. Cyp. ser de natiuitat Christi Amb. ser 22. in Psal 118. virgo per gratiaÌ„ ab onmi integra labe peccati Nissen ho. 13. in CaÌ„tic. Ansel l. de concep virg l. de exâ—ellen virg c. 3. Bonauent in 3. sent d. 3. Richard Victor â—an 39. Cant. 4. Iob. c. 6. v. 2. of spring in her parents from whence she should haue drawn by naturall propagation the corruption of sin had she not beene miraculously preserued and after this manner most perfectly redeemed had she not been by a singular prerogatiue exempted from that generall senteÌ„ce of S. Paul All haue sinned and need the glory of God Had she not beene priuiledged by God as Hester was by Assuerus when he spake vnto her Non pro te sed pro omnibus haec Lex constituta est Not for thee but for all this Law was enacted To which purpose Vlpianus sayth The Prince is not subiect to his owne Lawes and the Empresse although she be subiect yet the Prince graunteth her the same priuiledges himself enioyeth The Mother of God was the Queen the Lady the Empresse of the world to whome as her Sonne imparted that vnmatchable fauour to be free from the common malediction imposed vpon women In dolo reparies In dolour and griefe shalt thou bring forth thy children to be free from the vniuersall decree inflicted vpon all both men women In puluerem reuerteris Thou shalt returne into dust so likewise from the generall and absolute sentence of the Apostle All haue sinned c. 7. Therefore S. Augustine reckoning vp all the Patriarkes Prophets and iust persons to haue beene stayned with the blemish of some venial fault excepteth alwayes our Blessed Lady Of whome sayth he for the honour of our Lord when we talke of sinnes I will haue no question With whome S. Cyprian S. Ambrose Gregory Nissen S. Anselme S. Bonauenture and Richardus Victorinus agree who attribute vnto her that saying of the Canticles Thou art wholy beautifyed my beloued and there is no spot or blemish in thee No spot no blemish of sinne suffering notwithstanding many dolorous griefes she abounded with great satisfaction treasured vp in the store-house of the Church 8. Iob abounded with the like affirming of himself I would to God my sinnes by which I haue prouoked the wrath of God and the calamity which I suffer were waighed in a ballance like the sand of the sea this would seeme more heauy S. Mary Magdalen Colos 1. v. 24. the Apostles sundry Martyrs and other holy persons haue abounded with the like Especially S. Paul who writeth thus I accomplish those thinges that want of the Passions of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church Fulke in c. â— ad Colos sect 4. And what was this which was wanting to the sufferings of Christ Was there any defect in his PassioÌ„ No. Was this suffering then of the Apostle only as M. Fulke answereth for the glory of God and confirmation of the Church in fayth of the Ghospell No. It was also as th wordes enforce to fullfill the plenitude of Christs and his members passions for the benefit of the Church and behoofe of others to Aug. in Psal 6â— whome they be communicated For as Christ our head withall his elect make one mysticall common and publicke body so his sufferings with the afflictions of his members concurre to make vp as S. Augustine sayth one common and publique weale one generall and publicke treasure To which when we add we accomplish with S. Paul Aug. ibid. Orig hom 10. 24. in Num. that which is wanting to the Passions of Christ and for the debt of sinne according to our meane ability to speake with the same S. Augustine we pay that we owe. Which Origen also taught long before him and strengthned with some testimonyes of holy Writ 9. Touching the second point that this common treasure of penall afflictions is dispensable vnto others by them to whome God hath committed the gouernement Matth. 18. of his Church is likewise plaine by those wordes of Christ Whatsoeuer yee shall loose vpon earth shall be loosed in heauen And principally by those he vsed to S. Peter Matth. 16. Whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shal be loosed also in the heauens which being generally spoken without restriction are not only to be expounded of all spirituall power to forgiue sinnes in the holy Sacraments by application of Christs merits but also to release punishment out of the Sacrament by dispensing his owne and his Saints satisfactions 1. Cor. 2. Theodoret vpon this place Cyp. ep 13. 14. 15. Tertul. l. ad Martyr Concil 1. Nicaen can â—1 Thus S. Paul graunted Indulgence to the incestuous Corinthian of his deserued punishment whome at the intercession as Theodoret writeth of Timothy and Titus he pardoned in the person of Christ Thus the Bishops of the Primitiue Church gaue many pardons and Iudulgences to sundry Penitents by the mediation of Confessours or designed Mattyrs of which S. Cyprian and Tertullian make mention Thus the first Councell of Nice appointed mercy and Indulgence to be vsed to such as perfectly repented wheras others should performe and expect their whole tyme of pennance All these pardons and many morâ— which S. Gregory the a Tho. in 4. sent dis 20. q. 1 art 3. Great b Abbas Vrspergen in chron Fulke in c.
improperly but properly called Sacerdotes sacrifycing Priests And S. Paul teacheth That euery Priest or Bishop is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices To conclude then wheras M. Reynoldes himselfe is faine to yeild That these thinges are linked by nature in relation and mutuall dependance as I may say one of the other the Altar the Sacrifice and the Sacrifycers seeing I haue already proued that we haue true and reall Altars true and proper Priests he cannot deny vs without open shame and contradiction a true reall and proper Sacrifice 12. If we looke into the old Law we shall find that King Dauid in the feruour of his Propheticall spirit speaketh of Christ Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech which S. Paul often repeateth But what was the order of Melchisedechs Priest-hood Wherein was he a figure and type of Christ M. Bilson recounteth certaine prerogatiues S. Paul mentioneth yet no priuiledge no act of Priest-hood no signe or shew of Sacrifice properly belonging to any Priest But S. Cyprian and Primasius wisely tell vs That the singularity of his order consisted in offering not the bloud of brute beasts but Bread Wine As the holy Ghost also in Genesis witnesseth Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine for he was the Priest of the most high Or and he was the Priest of the most high agreeable to the Greeke and Hebrew copyes where both the causall coniunction for as Copulatiue and of necessity inforce that he brought forth bread and wine as a Priest to offer them vnto God And therein the Fathers affirme against M. Bilson That he figured and resembled our Sauiours oblation of the holy Eucharist S. Clemens of Alexandria S. Ambrose S. Cyprian S. Augustine Isidorus S. Hierome cyting to the same purpose many others S. Cyprians words are these Our Lord Iesus Christ offered a sacrifice to God the Father Chrys hom 60. ad pop Nos ministrorum tenemus locum qui verò sanctificat ea immutat ipse est Arno. in Psal 109. Lact. l. 4. Inst ca. 14. Prima in com cap. 5. ep ad Heb. Epiph. haer 55. Aug. in Psal 109. ep 95. ad Inno. l. â— con ad le prophe c. 20. Oecum in cap. 5. ad Hebr. and offered the same that Melchisedech did that is Bread Wine to wit his Body and bloud 13. Moreouer Christ is not only called a Priest according to the peculiar ranke of Melchisedech and therfore must offer a peculiar Sacrifice proper to his order and different from others but he is tearmed also in this kind a Priest for euer So that heerein he continueth both the dignity and function of his eternall Priest-hood because heere by his commandment by his authority by his speciall concurrence with the Priests Prelats of his Church he incessantly offereth vnto his Father his owne body bloud vnder the forms of Melchisedechs Sacrifice For as in the administration of other Sacraments he is the chiefe and principall Agent when we baptize Ipse est qui bapâ—zat He is he that bapâ—izeth sayth S. Iohn when we ordaine or consecrate Priests he is he who consecrateth them In like manner when we celebrate Masse he is he who inuisibly celebrateth he is the chiefe high-priest and we his Ministers he the true and supreme Bishop and we the Suffragans or Substitutes who supply his roome We may then vndoubtedly inferre with Arnobius Lactantius Primasius Epiphanius S. Augustine That the eternity of Christs Priest-hood according to the singuler order of Melchisedech still perseuereth in the true Oblation of his body and bloud made at the Altar and offered now in al parts of the world And if we examine the learned Protestant what els can he assigne in which Christ doth exercise at this tyme the proper act of his neuer ending Priest-hood The Sacrifice of the Crosse That remayneth not and in respect of that Oblation and Host once offered as Oecumenius noteth he cannot be called a Priest for euer The prayer and intercession he maketh for vs aboue But this is not any peculiar and proper act of Priest-hood much lesse of any determinate and particuler order The vertue and efficacy of his bloudy Sacrifice which he still offereth and representeth to his Father But if this euerlasting effect disappoint the new Law of all proper Sacrifices it should by the same reason haue frustrated Act. 4. v. 12. the old For there is no other name vnder heauen giuen to men in which we ought to be saued No other vertue by which our forefathers were sanctifyed then the death of Christ Againe this representation which our Sauiour maketh of his Passion in the sight of his Father is no such Sacrifice whereby he may either chalenge the name or reserue the office of an euerlasting Priest Or if it be any such besides that you applaud the Reall Sacrifice in heauen which in earth you detest seeing this is only exercised among Angels aboue and no act of Priesthood perseuereth amongst men no kingdome of Christs Church no CoÌ„mon-wealth of his people no law of Christianity now flourisheth vpon earth but is vtterly disanulled extinguished and altogeather translated to the Court of heauen according to that of S. Paul Priesthood being translated Heb 7. v. 12. it is necessary also a translation of the Law be made 14. Now if Christian harts can neuer subscribe to these impietyes if we must of necessity graunt that God hath euer some Church some inheritance some chosen Isa 19. v. 21. Prou. 9. 1. Dan. 11. v. 31. Psalm 17. 16. Hier. in Psalm 71. people vpon earth we must needs allow some visible outward proper law by which as his peculiar flock they appertaine vnto him and are combined in mutuall fellowship and society togeather If a Law a Priesthood if a Priesthood a Sacrifice if a Sacrifice what other then this which Isay foresaw The Aegyptians shall know their Lord in that day and worship him in Hosts and guifts c. And there shal be the Altar of our Lord in the midst of Aegypt SalomoÌ„ shaddowed Wisedome hath built an house imolated rictimes mingled wine c. Daniel mentioned calling it the Dayly Sacrifice which Antichrist shall deface and abrogate at least in publike King Dauid specifyed There shal be a sirmament in the earth vpon the tops of Mountaines Where S. Hierome expoundeth Firmament Memorable wheat The Caldaicall translation Supersubstantiall bread The learned Hebricians commonly interprete Placentam tritici A * The Hebrew word Pissathbar signifyeth a Cake of wheat as Reuelinus sayth Cake of wheate substantiall Bread or a sacrifice of Bread So Rabbi Salomon There shall be a Cake of wheat in the earth in the Rab. Saloin â—sa 72. Rab. Achilas in â—undeÌ„ locum Rab. Iona. l. col in Psal 72. Read Gal. l. 10. de area cap. 4. 5. 6. 7. Mal. 1. v. 11. Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. Bils 4. par pag. 695. Alan de
learned then he is of a contrary mind Let no man deceaue himselfe and say I do pennance secretly I do it in the sight of God God who Aug. 50. bom bom 49. pardoneth me knoweth I doe it in my hart Then without cause was it sayd Those things which you loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Then without cause were the keyes giuen to the Church of God Do we frustrate the Ghospell Do we euacuate the word of Matth. 18. v. 18. c. 26. v. 19. Christ As though all these thinges were in vaine if by God alone without the help and ministery of the Priest our sinnes could be remitted For as the Commandment our Sauiour gaue to his Apostles to baptize saying Goe teach all Nations baptizing them c. had beene wholy in vaine if all men were not bound to receaue the Sacrament Matth. 28. â— 19. of Baptisme if any entrance to Christianity any badge or cognizance of a Christian could be obtained without this lauer and regeneration of water and the holy Ghost Againe as the authority he gaue them to preach were to little purpose if men not sufficiently instructed Marc. 16. v. 15. were not obliged thereby to giue eare to his word so idle and in vaine were the commission he granted to his Apostles to retaine and forgiue sinnes if all who offended after Baptisme be not tyed to submit and make knowne their offences vnto them which for two seuerall reasons they are bound to do 6. The first is mentioned by Boetius If thou desire the Boetius de Consola l. 1. prosa 4. help of thy Phisitian it is requisite thou discouer thy disease But as many as are swollen with the impostume of sinne ought to seeke remedy for the recouery of their soules Therefore it is necessary they lay open their soares to the spirituall Phisitians appointed for their cure The second reason is because Priests are made by the vertue of this Commission not only Phisitians but spirituall Iudges also to vnderstand the quality and haynousnes of our crymes to know what medicinable peÌ„nance they should apply to discerne what sinnes are to be remitted and Arist 8. Polit. what retained Now seeing Aristotle teacheth and naturall reason approueth it to be true That it is impossible for them to iudge discreetly who haue no knowledge of the case all that are entangled with the snares of sin must giue notice of them to the Priests tribunall whome God hath placed in iudgment-seat to pronounce in his person sentence of absolution 7. And least any should gainesay with Caluin this Nazi ora ad Ciues timore perculsos Hier. epad Helio Aug. l. 20. de ciu Dei cap. 9. Apoc. 20. iudiciall power graunted to Priests besides the words of Christ which clearely conuince it the authority of the Fathers maketh it vndenyable S. Greg. NazianzeÌ„ auerreth That the law of Christ hath subiected Princes to his Throne and Empyre S. Hierome sayth That Priests hauing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen iudge as it were before the day of iudgment S. Augustine vpon these wordes of the Apocalips I saw seates and those that sate vpon them and iudgment was giuen vnto them writeth thus This may not be thought to be spoken of the last iudgment but by the seates are meant the Rulers thrones of the Church and the Persons themselues by whome they are gouerned And for the iudgment giuen them it cannot be better explained then in these words Whatsoeuer yee bind on earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee loose on earth shall be loosed in Heauen 8. Hence we inferre the exact enumeration of all Sparks p. 329. 330. 331. grieuous crimes the third point M. Sparkes impugneth For as they that haue many strifs in law to be determined by the examination and sentence of the Iudge ought to vnfold them al in particuler to receaue his iudgment and verdict of them so they that are burdened with sundry faults which be offences and iniuryes committed against God if they will come to an attonement with him they must make them all knowne to such as are ordained to reconcile them to his fauour to such as participate to vse S. Gregoryes words the principality of Diuine iudgment Greg. ho. 26. in Eâ—ang who in place of God may detaine sinnes to some release them to others When a souldiour hath receaued many woundes in warre it is not inough to tell his Surgeon or Phisitian in generall manner that he is wounded but he must shew Aug. serm 66. de tem the seuerall woundes and dangers of them or els no wise Surgeon will venter to apply his plaisters or vndertake to cure them euen so it is not sufficient for such as are wounded in Soule with diuers deadly sinnes to complaine in generall that they are grieuous sinners but they must particulerly specify the number quality and haynousnes of euery mortall crime that their spirituall Phisitian may thereby discerne what holsome salue whatsatisfactory pennance what good counsell and aduise he should minister vnto them And therfore S. Gregory Nyssen sayth That as in corporall infirmityes there are sundry kindes of Nyss epist ad Episco Mytil S. Tho. in Supplem ad 3. p. q. â— art 2. medicines according to the diuersity of diseases so whereas in the disease of the soule there is great variety of affections sundry sorts of medicinable cures ought to be adhibited The reason heereof S. Thomas alleadgeth because one disease is more dangerous by the contagion of another and that medicine which is holesome to that may be noyson to this kind of infirmity So that by the approued doctrin of both these learned writers euery penitent ought to make a particuler rehearsall of all haynous faults euen of such as be secret and hidden To which the same S. Gregory vehemently Nyss orat in muliereÌ„ peccatrie Audacter inquit osteÌ„de illi quaesunt recondita animi arcana taÌ„quam oeculta vulnera medico retege Hier. super Mat. cap. 16. exhorteth in another place that thereby the Priest may be perfectly acquainted with the whole state of their soules vnderstand the manifold varietyes of their spirituall diseases For as S. Hierome sayth Then the Bishop or Priest knoweth who is to be bound and who is to be loosed when he heareth the variety of sinnes 9. And this manner of confessing all particuler offences is that which Christ commanded which the figures of the old Testament betokned which the Apostles meÌ„tioned which in al succeeding ages hath byn deuoutly obserued in the Church of God Touching Christs commandment I haue already shewed that it is impossible for Priests to pronounce iudiciall sentence impossible to apply soueraigne medicines impossible to know what they should loose what retaine and consequently this Commission bootles vnles the Penitent were bound distinctly to name his sinnes vnto him Concerning the figures I let passe the confession God exacted of Adam of
to the rule of many It was a Monarchy when Christ alone planted and founded it a Monarchy when Peter ruled it and is it now fallen to a more vnperfect forme of gouernment The Common-wealth of the Romans which flourished aboue all others was at last vtterly ruined by her manifold alterations by altering the sterne of regiment from Kings to ten Gouernours from them to Consuls from Consuls to Tribunes of souldiours from Tribunes to Dictatours from Dictatours to Trium-viri and could not our heauenly Law-maker preuent in his spirituall Common-wealth these great inconueniences Would he subiect his Church to such chops and changes to be gouerned first by one then by many after by more now by the Cleargy then by the Laity one while by Bishops then by Kings and Princes heere by Women there by Children whome you make heads and Gouernours of your Church Daniel prophesied that the God of Heauen would raise a kingdome which should neuer be dissolued and the Angell Gabriel foretould it should neuer haue end But neither the wordes of the Prophet nor voice of the Angell do you regard who rent and deuide the kingdome of Christs Church into as many seuerall Common-wealthes as there be seuerall Kinges seuerall Courts of Parlament seueral estates and manners of gouernement absolute and independant in the whole Christian World 6. The Synagogue of the lewes long triumphed in the lineall succession of her High Priests First in Aaron next in Eleazarus then in Phinees and in others after him vntill the end and abrogation of the Law and is it not meete the Church of Christ should glory in the like Being Heb. 8. v. 6 established in better promises and hauing greater necessity theÌ„ euer the Synagogue had For we find by experience many strifes contentions daily happen among the people of God who shal appease quiet theÌ„ The Bishops But how often do they arise among the Bishops themselues The Primates and Patriarches And what if they be also at variance as Flauianus and Dioscorus Cyrillus and Nestorius Euphemius and Petrus Mogus were The temporall Prince or Ciuill Magistrate But they ought not to intermedle with Ecclesiasticall affaires their factions may be more dangerous then any of the former To whome shall we then repaire To a Generall Councell But who shall sommon who shall order who shall direct and guide this Assembly What if they decline from the truth as the Councell of Ariminum the Councell of Milan the second Councell of Ephesus did who shall iudge their cause Who shall compose their dissentions vnles some one be appointed by the prouidence of God whose decree is iÌ„nuiolable and whose infallible censure all ought to obey Couell in his exam against the Plea of Innocents pag. 107. Cartwright in his second Reply part 1. pag. 582. 7. Otherwise as D. Couell our English Protestant affirmeth The Church of Christ should be in a farre worse case then the meanest Common-wealth nay almost then a denne of theeues if it were left destitute of meanes either to conuince heresyes or suppresse them A little before he sayth Authority which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnity and obedience And Cartwright This point of keeping peace in the Church is one of those which requireth as well a Pope ouer all Arch-bishops as one Arch-bishop ouer all Bishops in a Realme Melancthon pursueth the same reason The Bishop sayth Melanct. in Centu. Ep. Theol. Ep. 74. iuxta edit Bipont an Domini 1597. Luâ—h in lo. com Clas 1. cap. 37. p. 107. he of Rome is president ouer all Bishops and this Canonicall policy no wise man as I thinke doth or ought to disallow c. For the Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome is in my opinion profitable to this end that consens of Doctrine may be retained Which Luther his maister taught before him Whereas God would haue one Catholike Church throughout the whole world it is necessary to haue one people Yea and of this one people one Father ought to be chosen 8. Thus these Protestants depose against their own confederates and no maruell though some in so cleare light of Scripture in such a general consent of Councels 1. Cor. c. 12. vers 21. Io. 10. v. 16. Fathers and all antiquity should voluntarily approue a truth so manifest maruell no more approue it great maruell they remember not all the comparisons of S. Paul resembling the Church to a body in which the head Concil Nicen. can 6. Concil Brach. can 28. 23. Concil Constant apud Theod l. 5. Hist c. 9 Concil Lateran c. 5. Florent in Declarat fidei Conc. Chal. Act. 3. in relatione Sanctae Synodi ad B. PapaÌ„ Leonem 6. Synodus general cannot say to the feete as Christ might you are not necessary for me The prophesy recorded by S. Iohn There shal be one fold and one pastour Which as it was not verifyed in Christ his tyme so it cannot be now vnderstood only of him our inuisible Pastour but the flocke and fold being visible the Pastour whose office is ordinary and charge perpetuall must likewise be visible 9. What shall I adde the approbation of generall Councells Of the first Councell of Nice in Bithynia of the Councell of Brachara in Spaine of the Councell of Constantinople in Thracia of the Councells of Lateran and Florence in Italy especially of the Councell of Chalcedon in Asia one of the foure which our English Protestants allow where Pope Leo is called The vniuersall Arch-bishop The vniuersall Patriarch The Bishop of the vniuersall Church The Pope of the vniuersall Church Where the whole Councell tearmeth Leo The Interpreter of S. Peters voyce to all the world Where they acknowledge him their head and themselues his members Where they all confesse That the custody or keeping of the vineyard that is of the whole Church is committed by our Sauiour to Leo. Likewise the sixth Generall Synod confesseth that S. Peter was with them by his Successour Agatho and that S. Peter spake by Agatho his mouth 10. From the Councels I passe to the Fathers to S. Chrys l. 2. de Sacer. Hiero. Ep. ad Dam Hiero. ibid. Aug. in Psal cont part Donati de Vtilitate Cred. c. 17. Aug. in Epist. 162. Aug. lib. 1. con 2. Ep. Pela c. 1. ad Bonifa Prosper li. de ingrat Victor l. 2. de persecu Vandal Vincen in suo CoÌ„mo â—ustinian Ep. ad Io. quae habetur in Codice Iraen l. 3. cap. 3. Chrysostome Why did our Lord shed his bloud Truely to redeeme those sheep the care of which he committed both to Peter also to his Successours To S. Hierome writing to Damasus the Pope of Rome With the Successour of the Fisher-man and with the Disciple of the Crosse I speake I following none chiefe but Christ hold the fellow-ship of Communion with your Holynesse that is with Peters Chaire Vpon that Rocke I know the Church to be built Whosoeuer shall eate the Paschall Lambe out
these hauty speaches in Leo and I thinke that the Mistery of iniquity so wrought through his ambitious adaduancing Peter that of the Egges which he cherished two of the most venemous Cockatrices were bred that euer poysoned the Church of Christ The one the Popes Supremacy c. The other the worshiping of Saints 31. What sayth he of Saint Hierome Hierome to Reyn. c. 4. diuis 3. fol. 134. Hieron ad Aug. ep 11. inter ep Aug. Reyn. c. 4. diuis 1. fol. 133. Rein. c. 4. diuis 1. fol. 116. 117. mayntaine his quarrell agaynst Augustine wrote of affection more what he fancied then of discretion what be thought And when we Catholikes alleadge that sentence of his Paul not had security of preaching the Ghospell vnlesse it had beene approued by the sentence of Peter c. Mayster Reynolds answereth That we discouer the nakednesse of the Fathers c. And prayse the beauty of their blemishes and thinke them best clad when they are naked most Thus of Saint Hierome What of Saint Chrysostome That which Peter might haue done as Chrysostome supposeth would infer a greater Primacy then Peter had if it were true but the Scripture sayth it not The Fathers write some thinges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of prayse and commendation c. Wherein if their words should be rigorously sifted Reyn. c. 4. diuis 3. fol. 132. cap. 4. diuis 2. fol. 123. Ibid. c. 7. diuis 9. fo 285. Bern. l. 2. de Conside the truth is somtymes ouerlashed Of Maximus of Isidore of Theodoret what Father Maximus did dote Isidore ouershot himselfe by slip of memory Theodoret serued his owne cause 32. Is Saint Gregory then Is Saint Bernard of more credit with him Gregory quoth he was somewhat troubled Gregory had a louing affection to Rome Will you giue me leaue to thinke of him as Christ of Peter That he knew not what he sayd That worthy passage is cited out of Saint Bernard vvriting of Eugenius Thou art the Prince of Bishops thou the Heyre of the Apostles Thou art for Primacy Reyn. c. 6. Diuis 4. fol. 226. Abel for gouernement Noe for Patriarch-ship Abraham for order Melchisedech for dignity Aaron for authority Moyses for Iudgement Samuel for power Peter for vnction Christ. Mayster Reynoldes answereth Your men esteeme this place of Bernard very highly and make a feast of it I maruell they are not ashamed to alleadge it For to call the Pope heyre of Saint Peter it were a great excesse of speach much greater to call him heyre of the Apostles But to call him Christ that is so great that any modest man who were Bernardes friend would rather lay his cloake vpon it then discouer it much lesse make boast of it Was euer heard a more audacious fellow who durst open his mouth agaynst heauen it it selfe and disgrace the vvritinges of so many Saints 33. And who art thou O Reynoldes that I should belieue thee before those Cyprians those Chrysostomes those Gregoryes those Bernardes whome thou reprouest Who art thou that I shold rather iudge the greatest faults in them then the least spot or blemish in thee Shall I deeme Leo ambitious Hierome naked Gregory troubled Cyprian to haue varyed from the word of God and only Reynoldes to haue vnderstood it aright Can any man be perswaded that Chrysostome ouerlashed Maximus doted Isidore ouershot himselfe Theodoret serued his own cause and Iohn Reynoldes spake sincerly that Bernards shame deserued a cloake and Reynoldes beauty was worthy to be displayed Can a man thinke so many godly Popes miscaryed with affection all Ecclesiasticall Hystories wide and only Reynoldes to hit the marke Truly he were eyther sottishly peruerse or frowardly blind whosoeuer would seeme so partiall on his side whosoeuer I say vpon the slanderous deposition of such a faythlesse witnesse should depriue the Pope of his soueraygne dignity ouer the whole Church which God and his Saintes haue imparted vnto him The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE THE TWELVTH CONTROVERSY FREETH The true worshippe of Saints of their Shrines and Reliques from Idolatry Agaynst D. Bilson D. Reynoldes and D. Fulke CHAP. 1. THE Prince of darknesse our professed enemy as he alwayes enuyed the glory of God and repined at the felicity and happynesse of man so he euer sought to impayre the honour of the one deface the dignity preheminence of the other To this end he leuied See Irae l. 1. c. 22. ler. in Catal Epip baer 68. his infernall forces first agaynst the Diuine Maiesty it selfe agaynst the first person in Trinity stying vp Simon Magus Basilides and others to deny the first article of our Creed That God the Father created beauen and earth Then agaynst the second person he banded Ebion Chrinthus Arius who robbed our Sauiour Christ of his Diuinity and Equality with his Father Agaynst the third he armed Concil 2. Constant cont Mac. Ambr. l. 1. de fide c. 1. 2. c. Macedonius who impiously impugned the Diuinity of the holy Ghost Agaynst them all iointly Sebellius who wickedly gainsayed the distinction of the Persons But when this diabolicall battery could no way preuayle he mounted his Ordinance agaynst the blessed Angels and Saintes of God He suggested Eustachius in the yeare of Basil in orat con Sabellium our Lord 300. Eunomius and Vigilantius about the same tyme to fight agaynst the honour the vniuersall Church exibited vnto the happy soules which raygne in heauen whose poyson Wicklisse after swallowed vp and is now disgorged by M. Caluin M. Bilson M. Reynoldes M. Fulke Calu. l. 1. Inst c. 11. §. 11. Bils 4. p. pag. 157. 561. 571. Rey. de ldol Rom. Eccl. 1. l. c. 8. Fulke in c. 14. Act. sect 2. in c. 19. Apoc. sect 4. Rey. ibid. c. 6. 8. and all moderne Protestants chiefly vpon this fond perswasion That there be only two sorts of honours Ciuill and Dixine the one proper to God the other peculiar to mortall men And seeing the seruants of God already departed cannot be reuerenced with Ciuill honour because they are absent nor with Diuine for feare of Idolatry no true worship but only as M. Reynoldes yieldeth an honest commemoration or decem burialt can belong vnto them This is the maine ground of M. Caluin of M. Fulke of whosoeuer which being once razed the Rampier of their defence and Fortresse of their folly is wholy ouerthrowne 2. First then I will deduce out of the cause it selfe and off-spring from whence honour ariseth out of Scriptures reasons vndeniable another kind of worship besides Ciuill and Godly which without danger of Idolatry may be allotted to Saintes Albeit Aristotle sayth Adoration and honour is in him that honoureth yet it hath for Etb 9. c. 2. his marke and obiect the excellency of the person worshipped in testimony whereof this signe of reuerence is submissiuely exhibited And therefore as there be three sortes of
I confesse M. Bilson that he who affoardeth our Sauiour in his own person lesse worship then Latria doth much dishonor disgrace his dignity But he who exhibiteth lesse homage vnto him as he adoreth him indirectly represented in his Image doth no more deface his preheminent excellency then he who reuerenceth the seruant of his Soueraygne for his Soueraygnes sake with a meaner regard of duty then belongeth to his Prince although by the same out ward submission and affection of his heart he truly honoureth the King in his subiects person 24. Secondly I answere to your former out-cry that the Church vseth those Rhetoricall phrases to the sanctified wood of the Crosse by the figure of Prosopopaeia Which if our Aduersaries blame in vs they may blame theÌ„ in Moyses when he sayd Hearkeno ye heauens the things which Deutro 3â— Matth. 23. I speake c. They may blame them in Christ saying Ierusalem Ierusalem how oft would I c. They may blame them in S. Ambrose who dignifyeth the Crosse with farre more excellent tytles then these mentioned by the Church as VValden tom 3. tit 20. c. 159. Amb. orat in faner Theod. Waldensis our learned Countrey-man pithily noteth We sing in our Office sayth he All hayle O Holy Crosse our true Saluation S. Ambrose tearmeth it The ensigne or Trophey of Saluation Wesing O Liuely wood bearing the life of all S. Ambrose nameth it vitam ipsam Life it selfe We sing O Blessed Crosse because on thee the King of Angels hath triumphed S. Ambrose calleth it I psum triumphum The very triumph it selfe We entytle it Our vitall or liuely Crosse S. Ambrose Our Palme-tree or victory of eternall life We sing O signe of Saluation safty in dangers S. Ambrose tearmeth it I psam Salutem Saluation it selfe We sing and say to the Crosse By thee we are redeemed O beautifull ornament of the world S. Ambrose calleth it Sacram Redemptionem our holy Redemption vsing these wordes Helen did wisely inhaunce the Crosse on the heades of Kings that the Crosse in Kings might be adored This is not insolency but piety which is performed to sacred Redemption 25. Not an Heathenish errour then M. Fulke not an insolent but a a Amb. ibidem pious worke it is in S. Ambroses conceit to reuerence the Crosse A b Aug. l. 20. cont Faust. cap. 20. Religious homage to worship Saints A c Amb. ep ad soro deuout obsequy to adore their Tombes A d Chrys ser in adorat vener Catena vertuous holy seruice to touch their Reliques called hereupon e Râ—ffi l. 11. hist c. 28. Venerable Reliques f Basil in Psalm 115. Precious Reliques g Amb. vbi supra Most holy Reliques h Aug. l. 22. de ciuit Dei cap. 8. Sacred Pledges i Amb. ser 93. Consecrated ashes k Auth. de Eccles dog cap. 73. Members of Christ l Chrys vbi supra Heauenly treasures m Eusebius hist lib. 4. cap. 14â— more deare then gold and pretious stones n Chrys ser in ador at vene Catenarum Monuments full of Diuine grace full of all veneration and sanctity Whereby such as touch them with fayth are sanctifyed and the spots of their soules after a mysticall manner cleansed Which cannot import any prophane but a certayne diuine holy and Religious reuerence lesse then Godly more then Ciuill THE THIRTEENTH CONTROVERSY PROVETH Inuocation of Saintes to be lawfull Agaynst Doctour Reynoldes D. Field and D. Fulke CHAP. I. THEY who aboue with great impiety robbed the Saints of their deserued honour heere with no lesse iniury with no lesse iniquity bereaue both vs of their speciall patronage and them of the prayers and supplications we make Rein. l. 1. de ido Rom. Eccl. c. â— 6. c. Field lib. 3. cap. 20. Fulke in câ— 15. Luc. sect 2. vnto them Because they are ignorant and vnaquainted as amongst others M. Reynoldes M. Field and D. Fulke chiefly thinke with our affayres they cannot heere our suites or releeue our wants Because it derogateth from the mediation of one sole Redeemer to fly to any other mediatour then he But I will briefly shew by his diuine assistance whose cause I mayntaine that the Angells and Saints departed make intercession for vs that we may lawfully implore their 1. Tim. 2. sect 4. 1. Io. 2. sect 5. ayd that there is no want of knowledge or ability in them no iniury to God or preiudice to Christ to frustrate and condemne our dutyes heerin 2. To vnfould first the state of the question we pray not to Saints albeit M. Reynolds M. Fulke with others of Reyn. l. 1. c. 6. c. Fulke in 1. Timo. 2. sect 4. Iaco. 5. sect 12. Act. 7. sect 2. their crew would attaint vs of it eyther as Gods to helpe vs Redeemers to saue vs or as the authour of any gift grace bestowed vpoÌ„ vs. Almighty God alone is the soueraigne fountaine of life the author of all natural supernaturall fauours Of him al grace glory ought to be demanded in him all our hope and affiance is alwayes reposed Secondly we pray not to Saints as Mediatours of our Redemption but of Intercession only neyther as immediate Intercessours betweene God and man For Christ is our sole Mediatour and imediate Intercessour also by whose incomparable merits all liuing creatures eyther in heauen or in earth haue accesse vnto God by him all their prayers are offered and suits obtayned from the bountifull hand of his Father And therefore howsoeuer Caluin impudently belyeth vs in this behalfe protesting Calu. lib. 3. Inst c. 20. §. 21. that in all our Hymnes and Litanies we make no mention of Christ we end al our petitions addressed vnto Saints and Angells with this conclusion Per Christum Dominum nostrum c. By Christ our Lord beseeching them by their intercession to the highest through the benignity fauour of our mercifull Redeemer to help and succour our distresse In this manner we inuoke and call vpon them in this manner they supplicate and pray for vs. 3. As we reade of the Angels in Zachary one of them prayed O Lord of hosts when wilt thou haue mercy of Hierusalem Zacha. 1. vers 12. Tob. 12 v. 12. Apoc. 8. v. 3. and of the Citty of Iuda c. This is now the seauenty yeare In Toby Raphael sayd vnto him When thou with teares didest pray and bury the dead I offered vp thy prayers vnto our Lord In the Apocalyps An Angell offered much incense of the prayers of Saints vpon the golden Altar And least Caluins cauill should heere take place that the Angels pray for vs because they are ordinary Meslenges sent into the world for the guardianship Calu. l. 3. Iust c. 20. Luc. 20. Orig. l. 8. cont Cels Greg. Nys in vita S. Ephrem of Gods elect Saints are not our Sauiour himselfe equalleth Saints with Angels not only in
by which they hoped demanded and often obtayned the fruits of their requests Listen to S. Hierome listen to S. Gregory Nazianzen both which you produce to bewray their doubtfulnes S. Hieromes words are these Farewell O Paula and support with the help of thy prayers the feeble old age of thy worshiper These S. Gregory Nazianzens calling vpon S. Basil O Diuine and sacred head behold vs from aboue and the instigation of my flesh giuen me as an instruction from God eyther aswage with thy prayers or moue me to beare coragiously Did these men doubt Or S. Bernard who often assureth vs of Bern. serm 3. in vigil Nat. ser de B. Virg. quae incipit Signum magnum Bafil in 40. Mart. Cyp. lib. de habit Virg. Ruffin l. â— hist c. 33. the help of our B. Lady Or S. Basil exhorting vs to inuok the 40. Martyrs Whosoeuer is oppressed with any misery let him repayre to these and who soeuer reioyceth let him pray tothese the one that he may be freed from euill the other that he may perseuere in his prosperous courses Or S. Cyprian who requested the Virgins or Nuns of his time in whose coÌ„mendation he wrote to remember him after their departure when their Virginity should begin to be honoured Or Theodosius the Emperour who as Ruffinus witnesseth clad in sacke-cloath lay prostrate at the Tombes of the holy Apostles and Martyrs and craued help by the assured intercession of Saints Or any of those whome I recited before whose speaches cannot be eluded by any doubtfull florish or figure of Rethorike much lesse the suites they make vnto the Saints in heauen a PrudeÌ„ in hym 4. 8. 10. Casar-August August quaest 108. ser 18. de Sanct. to obtaine pardon for their sinnes b Noz or at in Athâ—n To be directed in the warfare and combate of this life c Bern. in vigil Petr. Paul To incline the hart of our Iudge in their behalfe d Prud. hym 2. in D. Lauren. To be sooner released the bonds of our mortality e Amb. or at â— in morte fratris Nazi ora in Basil To be receaued by them into the Tabernacles of blisse f August lib. medit cap. 24. Nazian in S. Cypri Ambros exhor ad virg Paul Nola. in Car ad Cytherium August lib. 22. de Ciuit. Dei cap. â— To bewafted by their prayers and merits to the hauen of perpetuall peace Such and many such like requestes they made which were no. wholy frustrate as the miracles wrought in accomplishing their desires giue testimony vnto vs. 7. S. Gregory Nazianzen writeth of a Virgin bewitched with diuelish charmes to be deflowred by her Louer who prayed to our Blessed Lady and was deliuered from his wicked inchantements S. Ambrose of S. Iulian who obtayned a sonne by the intercession of S. Laurence Paulinus of Martinian who escaped imminent danger of death by the help of Saint Felix Saint Augustine of Palladia who praying to S. Stephen was healed of a grieuous disease Of a blind woman who receiued her sight Of the daughter of one Bassus a Syrian restord to life And sundry other miracles wrought by the Reliques memory and inuocation of selfe-same happy and glorious Protomartyr 8. Which argueth M. Field of more then vnshamfastnes Field l. 3. c. 20. fol. 109. 110. Kemnitius exam p. 3. p. 211. of insolent malepartnes in slandering S. Augustine That he dareth not pronounce but inclineth to that opinion that the Saints doe not particulerly see know and intermeddle with humane thinges If Saint Augustines owne words here quoted cannot free him from so vile a reproach let Kemnitius M. Fieldes fellow Protestant be heard he alleadgeth S. Field loco citato Augustine inuocating S. Cyprian and blusheth not to adde These thinges Augustine without the warrant of Scripture yielding to tymes and custome Yet D. Field once downe the banke Whitgift in his defence against the reply of Cartwright of modesty slideth to the bottome of audacious impudency and immediatly writeth The Church of God neuer desined otherwise how soeuer Hierome in his passion agaynst Vigilantius seeme to say the contrary Not Hierome M. Field in his passion but your owne Sect-mates in their sober writinges shall conuince you of falshood and testify the same vvith him D. Couel in his exam pag. 120. Fulk in his Reioynder p. 5. 6. agaynst the Rhem. Test in 2. Petr. c. 1. sect 3. Kemn in exam p. 3. pag. 200. Sparkes p. 33. Cent. Cen. 3. Col. 83. c. 9. M. Whitgift late Archbishop of Canterbury Almost all the Bishops sayth he and writers of the Greeke Church and Latin also for the most part were spotted with Doctrines of Free-will of merit of inuocation of Saints and such like The same is auouched by D. Couell M. Fulke sayth I confesse that Ambrose Augustine and Hierome held Inuocation of Saintes to be lawfull And in another place In Nazianzen Basill and Chrysostom is mention of Inuocation of Saints Kemnitius the Lutheran before named Inuocation of Saintes quoth he at length about the yeare of our Lord 370. by Basil Nissen and Nazianzen began to be brought into the publike asseÌ„blyes of the Church D. Sparkes chargeth Origen or some other vnder his name With a grosse Popish prayer to Iob. The Centurists doe the like acknowledging moreouer this vniforme doctrine in many other who liued about the 300. yeares after Christ saying There are manifest steps of Inuocation of Saints in the Doctours of that auncient age And in the Centuries following they accuse Athanasius Basil Nazianzen Ambrose Prudentius Cent. Cen. 4. c. 4. Col. 296. 297. VVhitaker in his ans to the 4. reason of Comp. Ibid. in his ans to the 5. reason Epiphanius and Ephrem of the same errour Finally when blessed Campian vrged this approued custome of the ancient Fathers Whitaker answered The old and inueterate practise of inuocating Saints in prayers we little regard although this were an ancient custom yet it flowed from humane superstition not from Diuine authority And a little after speaking of Prudentius who florished within the 400. yeare after Christ he sayth Prudentius I graunt as a poet sometymes called vpon the Martyrs whose Acts he describeth in verse and the superstitious custome of praying to Saints had now taken deepe roote in the Church which as a Tyrant haled sometymes the holy Fathers into the same error 10. What thinke you now M. Field was S. Augustine was S. Ambrose were all these learned Fathers here cited and the whole Church which they guided of this beliefe or no that the Saints in heauen see and intermeddle with humane affayres Or were all these mirrours of wit learning and sanctity not only superstitiously as your Ghospellers tax them but foolishly sottish also as you would make them to call vpon such as they thought had no sense or feeling of their necessities Dare you auouch That Inuocation of Saints preuayled not in
the Church of Field lib. 3. cap. 20. God when these Pastours and Prelats vpheld it as lawfull When it had taken deepe roote and haled the holy Fathers into that errour Dare you professe that the members agreed not with their head the Sheepe with their Shepheards the people with their Priests Dare you thinke that any presumed to contradict that which Augustine in Affricke Ambrose in Italy Hierome in Palestine Epiphanius at Cyprus Chrysostome at Constantinople Basil Nazianzen Nisien Athanasius in other parts of Greece countenanced and supported Or if any disallowed this generall and vniuersall practise tell vs who they were shew vs but one in the first 600 yeares besides Vigilantius whose name for that cause is billited in the house of Heretikes and fameblotted with euerlasting ignominy 11. Morouer both reason equity perswadeth that as the faythfull vpon earth make one Church one This is proued by S. August l. 20. de Ciuit. Dei c. 9. People one Common-wealth with the Saints in heauen as we are all members of the same body sheepe of the same fould as we all liue in the family and houshold of one Mayster all are gouerned guided by one headpastour and shepherd so it is expedient we should haue mutuall fellowship and society togeather mutuall CoÌ„munion and participation of benefits mutuall and interchangeable offices of loue charity duty reuerence honour and submission We of duty should sue to them they of charity pray for vs we honour and prayse their felicity they helpe and relieue our misery we lay open our pouerty and wants they supply with the abundance of their merits For if this reciprocall loue and communication of benefits be practised betweene the Cittyzens of euery Citty subiects of euery Kingdome seruants of eâ—ery house if the Corinthians exhibited it to their brethren vpon earthâ— how much more may we expect from the 2. Cor. 8. vers 14. blessed soules in heauen we that are called to the inheritance of their Kingdome we that are not pilgrims and strangers but Cittyzens of Saints houshould-seruants of God 12. Lastly we read in holy Writ that the liuing doe fruitfully inuocate the liuing vpon earth The children of Israel intreated the prayers of Samuel S. Paul of 1. Reg. 7. v. 8. Rom. 15. 1. Thes 5. Colos 4. Ephe. 6. lob vlâ— the Romans Thessalonians Colossians Ephefians And God commanded some to repayre to holy Iob saying Goe to my seruant Iob he shal pray for you Yea was it pleasing to God was it auaylable to others to pray to him yet liuing in misery and shall it not profit vs to inuocate him novv raygning in glory Was it no fault in S. Paul to pray vnto the faythfull exiled from the face of their Spouse and can it be no lesse then high treason in vs and treason agaynst his Diuine maiesty to cal vpon them now blessed vvith the fruition and sight of his countenance To call vpon the Apostles and Martyrs of Christ to call vpon the immaculate Virgin mother of God Are they dead to vs because they liue to him and liue a more perfect pure and happy life Agreable to that of S. Matthew cited Matt. 22. Cyr. l. 6. cap. 10. Cal. lib. 3. Inst c. 20. Rey. l. 1. de Ido Rom. Hec. c. 3. to this purpose by S. Cyril of Alexandria I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob the God of the liuing and not of the dead albeit Caluin scornfully taunteth often at theÌ„ by the name of deadmen 13. M. Reynolds seeketh to shew a reason vvhy vve pray to the liuing and not to the departed Because sayth he the liuing may vnderstand our griefes eyther by word or message the Saints can haue no notice of them Therefore they cannot make particuler intercession for vs or we vse any supplication to them But if I proue they may haue perfect intelligence of our affayres if by the same meanes and by far more assured then the liuing with vs vvhat vvill he then say What shield vvill he find to saue himselfe What shift to eschevv the force of my argument Tvvo vvayes he and others assigne of knovvledge to the liuing By word or sight in presence by message or report in absence Both these are ascribed to the Saints in heauen They vnderstand our afflictions by vvord and sight vvhen being as Ambrose and S. Hierome teach they may be by incredible svviftnesse and celerity of motion euery vvhere present and conuersant Amb. l. de viduis Hierom. l. con Vigil amongst vs being as S. Ambrose addeth Beholders of our life and actions they see our distresse and heare the coÌ„plaints vve make They knovv our estate by message also and report of others By the report sayth S. Augustine of the soules vvho depart from hence and by the report Aug. l. de cura pro mortuis of the Angels Gods trusty messengers and our Faythfull Guardians vvho haue daily intercourse betvveene them and vs. 14. Or if these meanes vvill not suffice the ordinary vvayes by vvhich mortall men take notice of our occurrents there are yet two others more sure then these by vvhich the Saints stil resident in heauen haue certaine knowledge of our outward actions inward thoughts as farre forth as it may be needfull for vs and expedient to them The one insinated by Saint Hierome and Saint Hier. ep 2. con Vigil Greg. l. 12. moral c. 13. 16. Gregory the Great is that the Saintes behold them in the brightnes of God as in a fayre replendent glasse in which the beames of all creatures their nature and perfections more clearly shine then in themselues according to that of S. Gregory What can they be there ignorant of where Naz. orat fun in sor Gorg. Aug. l. de cura pro mortuis cap. 15. Luc. 15. 7. Mat. 18. 10. Mat. 22. 30. Luc. 20. 36. Apocal. 1. 26. 27. Mat. 19. 28. they know him who knoweth all things Another mentioned by S. Gregory Nazianzen and S. Augustine is by the speciall fauour and reuelation of God who openeth to them as to his entire friendes whatsoeuer is behoofull for them to know And that by one or both these meanes the blessed soules vnderstand our affayres we euidently proue First because the Angels in heauen know them they reioyce at the secret conuersion and repentance of a sinner therefore they know it They haue such care of their Wardes as it is written See you despise not one of these little ones for I say to you their Angels in heauen alwayes doe see the face of my Father Therefore they know the estate of their pupils they know the wrong we offer vnto them or else in vayne are we threatned to feare it The same I conclude of the Saints vvho by Christ himselfe are likened vnto Angels vvho rule gouerne and raygne ouer vs who must the chiefest of them giue doome and iudgement of our actions therefore they knovv them Secondly the nature of
blisse and happynes requireth it vvhich is a mayne Ocean of ioyes a full and plentifull repast of vvhatsoeuer the hart can vvish or desire For Psal â—6 King Dauid sayd I shall be satisfyed when thy glory shall appeare Novv euery Saint nature being not abolished but perfected by grace hath a naturall invvard appetite to knovv the estate of their friendes to vnderstand the suits they make vnto theÌ„ therefore to fulfill the measure of their felicity they must haue notice of them 15. Thirdly the excellency of their beatificall and happy vision of God challengeth no lesse For if many holy-men euen in this life eyther by the gift of Prophesy or by the extraordinary fauour of God haue disclosed the hidden thoughts of hart thinges to come and thinges done farre distant from them as Elizaeus knevv the bribe which Geizi tooke S. Peter the sacriledges of 4. Reg. 5. Act. 5. Ananias and Saphira Daniel Ezechiel many secrets to come depending on the free choyce and will of man Why should not the Saints vvhome the highest Soueraygne hath admitted into his heauenly consistory with vvhome he communicateth his hidden counsayles why should not they by the preheminence of glory vvhich farre surpasseth the giftes of prophesy the prerogatiues of grace more truly decipher and perspicuously see what is often reuealed by inferiour meanes Which reason Aug. l. 2â— de Ciu. Dei cap. 29. Basil l. de vera Virg Athanas quaest 32. Esa 63. Hier. vpon that place S. Augustine profoundly prosecuteth saying If the Prophet Elizaeus absent in body did see the bribe his seruant Geizi receaued of Naaman Syrus c. how much more in that Spirituall body shall Saints see all thinges c. When God shall be all in all vnto vs I might adioyne hereunto the suffrage of Saint Basil and S. Athanasius vnlesse our Aduersaryes thought to wipe them all away with one misconstrued place of the Prophet Esay 16. Abraham knoweth vs not and Israel is ignorant of vs. I answere with Saint Hierome That they knew not the Iewes with the knowledge of approbation or liking because they had abandoned before the Lavv of Aug. l. de cura pro. mort c. 13. Iob. 14. Eccles 9. Orig. l. 2. in Ep. ad Ro. Aug. l. de vera relig cap. 55. Naz. orat in Athan. Field l. 3. c. â—â— fol. 109. God Or they knew them not by their owne power and vertue by humane conuersation with them as Saint Augustine seemeth to interprete it and of vvhich Iob King Salomon Origen Saint Augustine meane when they doubt or deny the Saints to know our actions S. Gregory Nazianzen is so farre from staggering in this point as he sayth of Athanasius Rectè noui c. I truly know he vieweth our doings And therefore M. Field might easily haue perceaued had he not beene wilfull that in the sentence of S. Gregory at which he carpeth If the Blessed soules haue that priuiledge from God to know these thinges c. If the dead haue sense c. the particle if is not taken conditionally but causually by way of asseueration as learned Maldonate literally expoundeth it in his notable commentaryes Maldonat in Io. c. 15. c. 13. Ioan. 15. Ioan. 13. vpon the New Testament in S. Iohn If they haue persecuted me c. Agayne If God be glorifyed in him c. The like I affirme of S. Hierome and the rest when they vse any such conditionall speaches For although some Fathers doubted of the manner of knowledge the Saints haue of inferiour things yet none euer made question but that they vnderstand by reuelation from God not generally All our inward actions and secret thoughts vvhich Field loco citato fol. 114. M. Field whether of ignorance or malice I diuine not iniuriously tearmeth An impious counceit of Papistes but such as we of deuotion or they of piety desire to know Howbeit it could inuolue no impiety if they did see all not of themselues but by the Diuine illumination and fauour of God 17. So as our Protestants can deuise no semblance or shew of reason why mortall men may be prayed vnto and not immortall Saintes Vnlesse they imagine that being vnited to Christ they be more estranged from vs that their charity is more cold or ability Bern. in vigil Petri Pauli ser de S. Victore Aug. ser â—9 infest SS Petri Pauli lesse able to comfort vs. Of their charity S. Bernard writeth That Blessed Countrey doth not change but augment it The latitude or breadth of heauen restrayneth not but dilateth hartes Of their power and ability Saint Augustine speaking of the miracle S. Peter wrought with his shadow sayth If then the shadow of his body could affoard help how much more now the fulnes of his power And if then a certayne little wind of him passing by did perfect them that humbly asked how much more the grace of him now permanent and remayning And S. Hierome Hier. aduers Vigi If the Apostles and Martyrs dwelling in corruptible flesh could pray for others when they ought to be carefull for themselues how much more after their crownes victory and triumphes When Secure as S. Cyprian noteth of their owne felicity they remayne sollicitous only of our safety 18. Lastly the wicked fiendes and diuells of Cyp. de mortal â— hell heare the Southsayers Witches and Magitians when they eyther coniure or call vpon them they contriue and accomplish many mischiefs at their appointment by Gods permission as you may reade in the fourth Martinuâ— del Rio Magica disquisitionum l. 4. booke of Matinus Del Rio his magicall Disquisitions And shall we thinke the triumphant Saints and Angells of heauen deafe Shall we thinke their handes fettered or power restrayned when we deuoutly pray and suplicate vnto them O yee heauens be astonished and stand amazed yee immortall spirits at this cursed generation vvhich graunteth to the diuellish and damned spirits what it impiously gainsayeth and denyeth to you For â— Reg. 28. Basil ep 80. ad Eustac Amb. l. 1. in Luc. 1. Ieron Isa 7. Aug. de cura pro mort ger cap. 15. which S. Augustine wrot after that to SimpliciaÌ„ where he seemeth to doubt whether it was Samuels soule or no. Eccles 46. Tertul. l. de anima Procop. Euche in 〈◊〉 locuÌ„ what can any Protestant say to that apparition of Samuel mentioned in the first of Kinges Will he graunt with S. Basil S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. Augustine which is also most agreeable to the wordes there recorded and confirmed by Ecclesiasticus that the soule of Samuel truly appeared vnto Saul and foretold him of his death of King Dauid his successour of the slaughter of his sonnes and other Israelites which was to ensue the very next day after Then he must perforce acknowledge that soules departed do know our affayres and what good or euill doth heere betide vs as S. Augustine by this example inuincibly proueth Or will
proposition is taught by the Apostle that we receaue by Christ more then we lost by Adam Aug. tom 3. de Gen. l. 6. c. 21. Aug. l. dâ— spir lit cap. 21. Iraen l. 3. c. 20 Cyril l. 1â— in Ioan. â— 25. and subscribed vnto by S. Augustine saying We receaue not the immortality of a spirituall body which man had not but we receaue Iustice from which by sinne man was fallen And in another place he affirmeth in the inward man renewed by the grace of Christ that iustice to be written which fault had cancelled By S. Irenaeus who teacheth that the SoÌ„ne of God was to this end incarnate that that which we had last lost in Adam of the Image and likeness of God we might recouer in Christ Iesus By S. Cyrill Patriarch of Alexandria the nature of man to be sanctifyed is to be reformed and renewed by participation of the spirit according to the first image that inuested with that first grace we may ouercome the raigning sinne adhering to diuine charity and wholy giuen to the study of vertue and so the law of the flesh being vanquished we may preserue inuiolable the beauty of the image imprinted in vs. 3. Doctour Abbot ouer-borne with the weight of this reason and poise of some of the former auctorityes Abbot â— 4. sect 13. fol. 431. plainely affirmeth that Christ came to restore the inherent Iustice we lost in Adam yet so as he beginneth but doth not perfect it as long as we continue in this life and therfore inherent Iustice is not such in any men heere as that therby he can be found iust in the sight of God Yes you cannot deny but that Adams iustice before his fall was such as it made him iust in the sight of God but these Fathers contest that we partake by the merits of Christ that iustice from which by sinne man was fallen that which fault had cancelled yea sayth M. Abbot we receaue the same not really but in hope Neither Abbot lol citato will this serue your turne for in hope we possesse the immortality of our bodyes of which notwithstanding S. Augustine affirmeth we receaue not the immortality of a spirituall body c. but receaue Iustice therfore we receaue this really and not only in hope as we do immortality Besides he testifyeth this iustice to be giuen when man is renewed by grace which not only the holy Scriptures but your selues also confesse to be really performed euen in this life S. Cyrill auoucheth the like with whome Irenaeus agreeth in such perspicuous tearmes as no shift can be deuised to expound them otherwise Andreas Vega vbi supra 4. The second reason insinuated by the fornamed Vega is that one and the same thing can neuer be both the efficient and formall cause of the same effect The Sunne for example cannot be the cause of heate and be the heat itselfe which is produced but the Iustice of Christ is the cause of our iustification and that by producing iustice in vs for of his fullnes we al partake more or lesse according to the measure of his donation Which cannot be meant of imputatiue iustice which without limitation or proportion of measure is equally referred to euery one therefore of inherent wherof Christs iustice being the efficient cannot be also the formall cause or if it be how is it also the free fauour and mercy of God as Protestants VVhitak in his answere to 8. reason of M. Campian fol. 228. likewise vnaduisedly teach How doth Whitaker auouch We acknowledge no other iustifying grace then the great and free mercy of God whereby he did elect and predestinate vs in Christ before all eternity vnto life euerlasting And yet he sayth a little after This obedience of Christ imputed vnto vs and apprehended by fayth is that righteousnes of ours which you enquire after Ibid. fol. 229. What Is the obededience of Christ all one with the mercy goodnes of God the humility of him that obeyeth with the greatnes of him who is obeyed Or do such diuers causes both worke the same formall effect I need not wonder at your ignorance in points of diuinity who are so little seene in the principles of Philosophy 5. The third reason is the diuine grace with which we are heere iustifyed vpon earth is the same which shal be heereafter crowned in heauen for the reward of glory is there proportioned to the small pittance of iustice or 2. Cor. 9. v. 6. great measure of grace which heere we obtaine He that soweth sparingly sparingly also shall reap and he that soweth in blessings of blessings also shall reape Now the haruest of celestiall iustice which we shall heereafter enioy is not imputatiue but such as shall inhere and beautify our soules therefore that which is heere either infused by God or which we purchase by our good workes is likewise in herent and dwelling in vs. 6. The fourth reason if by the iustice of Christapprehended and applyed vnto vs by fayth we be formally iust we should all equally participate the perfection of iustice one could not be more holy righteous and iust Ioan. 14. v. 2. Hiero. l. 2. aduers Iouin 1. Cor. 15. v. 41. 42. â—eild in his 3. booke of the Church c. 30. fol. 140. then another and consequently because according to the proportion of iustice the crown of glory is assigned there should be no distinction of glory no difference of reward in heauen contrary to that of Christ In the house of my Father there be many mansions of the Apostle One glory of the Sunne another glory of the stars for starre differeth from starre in glory so also the resurrection of the dead And wheras M. Feild auoucheth That from imputed righteousnes which is equall in all men no imparity of ioy can flow c. but from the imparity of inherent righteousnes it is that there are so different degrees of ioy glory found among the Saints of God that are in heauen he auoucheth two thinges which countenance our doctrine the one directly that our iustice is inherent the other coÌ„sequently that this inherent iustice is perfect entiere cleane from al impurity and wholy pleasing to God otherwise it could not deserue any reward at his handes it could not be renowned honoured nor yet admitted into that pure and immaculate kingdome into which no defiled thing can enter 7. Fiftly the Iustice with which baptized infants are endowed by the water of regeneration is not the extrinsecal Iustice of Christ apprehended by an act of fayth which sucklings depriued of reason cannot haue but they are iustifyed as M. Feild with vs auerreth and striueth to wrest the meaning of Luther with the habits or potentiall habilityes of Fayth Hope and Charity but according to S. Augustine Feild in his 3. booke of the Church c. 44. Aug. l. 1. de peccat merit c. 9. God giueth to the faythfull the most secret grace of
English K. Iames to patronage in his answere to Cardinall Peron for although that answere be set forth vnder Casaubons name yet his Highnes vouchsafeth to adopt it for his own Royal ofspring in his reply to the foreâ—ayd Cardinalls Oration The words are His Maiesty and the Church of England do allow the necessity of Baptisme in respect of the diuine institution as well as you c. God hath appointed this as for the ordinary way to obtaine remission of sinnes in his Church Christ himselfe denieth the entrance into the kingdome of heauen to those which are not borne againe of water and the spirit Therefore it is not the seale which signeth the Charter of Iustice already made not the addition hanging at it but the instrument which by vertue communicated vnto it by God doth effect and make vs iust And so the true and intier fayth which the Apostle exacted of the Eunuch Act. 8. v. 37. before Baptisme what not sufficient to iustify in the sight of God nor to remit his sinnes nor to open the gate of heauen vnles he had byn also sprinckled with the precious and sauing water of that holy Sacrament 14. Lastly the fayth so often celebrated and commended in holy Writ is not your presumptuous confidence not your confortable trust or affiance of the will but our humble and firme beliefe the submission of captiuating of our vnderstanding to the obedience of mysteries reuealed by God Such is the Fayth defined by S. Rom. 1. v. 8. 17. Heb. 11. v. 1. 4. 5. Heb. 11. v. 7. Rom. 4. v. 21. Heb. 11. v. 11. Paul and by him so much extolled in Abel Henoch Noë Abraham Sara for Noë his fayth was not any speciall perswasion of the remission of his sinnes by the righteousnes of Christ but the assent and credit he gaue to the reuelations which God made vnto him of the vniuersall deluge which should drowne the word whereupon fearing he framed the Arke for sauing of his house Abrahams fayth was his generall acknowledgment that whatsoeuer God promised he is able also to do his assured beliefe that his seed should be as the starres in heaueÌ„ notwithstaÌ„ding his old age and the dead matrice of Sara his wife Sara her fayth the Apostle declareth saying By fayth Sara also her selfe being barren receaued vertue in conceauing of seed yea past the tyme of age because she beleeued that he was faythfull which had promised But to passe from the faythfull of the old Testament to those of the new 15. The renowned Fayth of the Centurion admired and praysed by the diuine wisedome it selfe what was Matt. 8. v. 8. Matt. 16. v. 10. Ioan. 10 v. 28. it That Christ being absent by his only word could cure his diseased seruant Only say the word and my boy shall be healed The fayth of S. Peter by which he deserued the Primacy of the Apostleship what was it Thou art Christ the son of the liuing God The fayth of S. Thomas after his incredulity what was it his faytfull exclamation My Lord and my God To be briefe the fayth in which S. Iohn in which S. Paul placeth the life and saluation of our soules what Ioan. 20. v. 31. other is it Then to beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you may haue life in his name This is the word of fayth sayth S. Paul which we preach for if thou confesse Rom. 10. v. 8. 9. with thy mouth our Lord Iesus Christ and shalt beleeue in thy hart that God raysed him from death thou shalt be saued M. Abbot is so mightily embroyled in answering of these sentences Abbot inhis defence câ—p 4. sect â—8 strongly vrged by M. Doctour Bishop as to the first example of Noë forsaking the written word the soueraigne refuge to which they make their last appeale he recoyleth from the rule of Fayth and literall exposition of all ancient writers and laboureth to scramble out of the brakes by the help of some Allegoryes or other mysticall sentences of S. Augustine and S. Chrysoftome which if they were sincerely alleadged as they are fondly wrested by him yet they could not auaile to establish any truth in matters of fayth as all Deuines agree 16. To the second of Abraham he is forced to confesse that not the mercy of God remitting sins but the power of God in being able to performe his promise was the obiect of Abrahams fayth To the example of the Centurion he replyeth It followeth not that because the act of fayth is no further expressed heere therfore there was nothing further in his fayth Abbot in his defence c 4. sect â—â— f. 456. for his iustification towards God Yes M. Abbot it inuincibly followeth against you and your consorts who still prouoke vs to the expresse wordes of Scripture therefore if the fayth you mention be neither there nor els where expressed in Scripture you deuise a fayth of your owne heades not expressed in Scripture To the confession of S. Peter to the texts cited out of S. Iohn S. Paul he answereth Abbot ibidem by teaching vs this strange lesson That fayth is a compounded action not of the vnderstanding only but of the hart will and affections O how were you heere ouerseene to cast into writing a speach so contrary to the Apostle and repugnant 1. Cor. 1â— v. 13. to the doctrine of all Deuines The Apostle sayth Now remaine Fayth Hope and Charity these three Loe he tearmeth them three distinct and seuerall vertues he flatly sequestreth fayth from Charity which you transform into a compounded action Yet with such an vntoward composition as thereby is destroyed the very compound it selfe For if Fayth be an act of the vnderstanding it cannot be also an act of the will or if you once make it an affection of the wil you vtterly ouerthrow the nature of fayth and so are become such a solifidian Patron of only fayth as you quite abolish all kind of fayth Againe S. S. Thom 2. 2. q. 4. 23. Loâ— Banneâ— in eadem q. Arist l. 7. phis c. 17. lâ—â— Eth. c. â— Augu. l. 4. cont Iul. c. 3. Thomas all Deuines assigne to fayth her proper subiect in which it inhereth her peculiar obiect to wit the prime verity obscurely reuealing the mysteryes of our beliefe her peculiar excellency and proper act her speciall difficulty her singular prayse her particuler merit distinct from Charity therefore it hath all which either Aristotle or S. Augustine require to the integrity of a sole and single vertue 17. Notwithstanding we say that all true and perfect vertues are linked togeather with the golden chaine of mutuall society therefore we cannot perfectly beleeue in Christ vnles we loue hope delight and ioy in him In whome we looke to find as you say blessing peace immortality and euerlasting life which is the only meaning of S. Augustine Abbot c. 4. f. 456. Augu. in
assured Hier. in c. 6. ad Gal. August tract â— 8. in epist Ioan. in psal 4. Leo hom 2. defest Pas Greg. 34. in Euang. Dionys de diuin nom cap. 7. Aug. in psal 88. Hilar. in c. â— Matt. Cypr. con Demâ—â— Aug. serm 28. de verb. Dom. Bernard serm 59. in Cant. de Euang. Septâ—â—g Pan. ser 3. ser 5 de dediâ— Eccl. Conc. Trid. sess â— â— 9. of our Christian fayth whereof S. Denis writeth or of Christs perpetuall raigne in the empire of his Church of which S. Augustine affirmeth That no man ought to preach that with trepidiation and feare of which he ought not to doubt or of the article of our Resurrection and Gods future kingdome of which S. Hilary The kingdome of heauen which our Lord professed to be in himselfe his will is that it be hoped for without any doubtfullnes c. 13. Lastly the Fathers often inculcate the infallible certainty of Gods help and concurrence on his part of his general promises of the merits of Christ of the power of the Sacraments c. and in this sense they bid vs rest assured of saluation So S. Cyprian when he sayth There is with vs a strength of hope and stedfastnes of fayth c. a soule alwayes secure of God to be our God S. Augustine To presume of Christs grace is not arrogancy but Fayth S. Bernard I know whome I haue beleeued and I am certaine or sure because he hath adopted me in great loue because he is true in his promises c. Yet this withstandeth not but that we may doubt and feare least there be some lets and impediments for want of disposition on our side which the thrice venerable Councell of Trent hath enacted in these wordes As no pious man ought to doubt of the mercy of God of the merits of Christ of the vertue and efficacy of the Sacraments so euery one whilest he considereth himselfe and his owne proper infirmity and indisposition may tremble and feare whether he be in grace or no. The soundnes of this distinction in mistructing our owne weaknes and imbecility only not the goodnes and bonity of God is worthy to be marked for thereon dependeth the whole decision of this our debate and the ignorance or inconsideration Stapleton l. 9. de â—â—â—stifiâ— c. â—â— thereof in our Aduersaryes is well obserued by M. Doctour Staplâ—ton to be the very roote and seminary of all their heresyes touching this point God giue them grace to see and humility to acknowledge it before it be too late THE XXIII CONTROVERSY DECLARETH That true Fayth or Iustice once had may be lost against D. Whitaker D. Fulke and D. Abbot CHAP. I. ANOTHER licentious or Iouinian Paradoxe which bolstreth the former presumption or vayne security of our Sectaryes is that their liuely fayth grace and righteousnes once had can neuer be extinguished or taken Fulke in c 11. ad Rom. sect 2. VVhitak in his answer to the 8. reason of M. Camp f. 236. from them He that is once the child of God and beleeueth aright is sure to continue still in his fauour whatsoeuer villanyes he after commit For he that standeth sayth Fulke by the grace of God whereof he is assured by a liuely fayth cannot fall Whitaker Fayth is either perpetuall or els it is none at al either it perseueres to the last breath or els that which is esteemed for fayth is but some fancy M. Abbot Where there is true repentance fayth iustification knowledg Abbot c. sect 10. f. 322. VVhitak contro 2. q. 5. p. 236. Fulk in c. 3. 1. Ioan. sect 5. 1. Tim. 1. v. 19. 1. Tim. 4. v. 1. 1. Tim. 6. v. 10. Apoc. c. 2. v. 4. 2. Tim. 2. v. 17. 18. Act. 8. v. 1â— VVhitak in his answere to the 1. 8. reason of M. Campian l. 8. aduers Duraeum Abbot c. 3. Fulke in c. 1. ad Tim. sect 2. Act. 8. v. 13. of God there infallibly followeth perseuerance to the end Henâ—â— they inferre That sinnes are not hurtfull to him that doth belieue that King Dauid was the sonne of God when he committed adultery But if no man can loose the fayth and consequently with them the iustification and charity he once truely inioyed what meane these words of holy Write 2. Hauing fayth and a good conscience which certaine repelling haue made shipwracke about the fayth In the last tymes certaine shall depart from the fayth The roote of all euill is couetousnes which certaine desiring haue erred from the fayth I haue against thee a few thinges both because thou hast left thy first Charity Their speach spreadeth as a canker of whome is Hymenaeus and Philetus who haue erred from the truth And of Symon Magus it is written Symon also himselfe beleeued who after notwithstanding became an Arch-heretike a reprobate and miserably perished D. Whitaker D. Abbot Fulke and their fellowes reply That neither Symon Mâ—gus nor any of the rest who fell from their fayth did euer truely beleeue with a liuely fayth but only with a fruitles dead and counterfeit Thus our Protestants The Apostles the Euangelists otherwise To whome shall I giue credit To S. Luke to S. Paul or to Fulke to Whitaker to Abbot S. Luke sayth That Symon Magus also belieued and cleaued to Philippe he matcheth him with the rest who did truly belieue and expsicateth the fruit of his true beliefe that he was astonished with admiration S. Paul blamed certaine who departed from their fayth erred from the fayth made shipwracke about the fayth which he would neuer haue done if they had only forsaken a counterfeit fayth or els shew vs any one place in the whole corpes of holy Scripture where men are commended or recorded by the holy Ghost to haue beleeued the preaching of the word with a fruitles counterfeit or reprehended for departing from a fruitles fayth And to put the matter out of doubt S. Paul againe hath these wordes It is impossible for them that were once Hebr. 6. v. 4. illuminated haue tasted also the heauenly guift and were made partaker of the holy Ghost haue moreouer tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come and are fallen to be renewed againe to pennance I cannot stand to exaggerate the Fulke in c. 6. ad Heb. sect 3. Calu. in idem cap. heynous glosle which Fulke and Caluin heretically frame vpon these wordes more hatefull and enormous then the impiety of the Nouatians who misconstruing the afore passage taught it impossible for them that reuolat after Baptisme into a deadly and notorions cryme to be after receaued by pennance into the lap of the Church But Fulke and his Sectaryes more cruel then they barbarously Ezech. 18. v. 21. Ezech. 33. v. 15. Ioel. 2. v. 32. Isa 55. v. 7. Ambr. l. 2. de poenit c. 4. Hier. ep ad Ocean Aug. l. 1. retract c. 19. maintaine that he who wholy falleth from his fayth