a speeche directed to S. Peter and to no other of the Apostles containing charge to feede as a shepherde doth his sheepe all christes flok whithout exceptioÌ„ so vnderstood by S. CipriaÌ„ sayinge To Peter our lord after his resurrection sayde feede my sheepe and builded his churche vpon him alone and to him he gaue charge of feeding his sehepe By S. Chrisostome he gaue him S. Peter the primacie gouernment of the churche thrughe the whol world which is aboue all he sheweth him to haue loued our lord more theÌ„ All the Apostles sayinge Peter louest thou me more theÌ„ these Our sauiour sayth to S Peter Thou art Peter vpon this rock wilâ— I builde my churche Note that accordinge to the Greke Siriake text these wordes sound thus thou art a rocke and vpon this rocke I wil builde my churche which is also the true seÌ„se of the vulgare latiÌ„ Here did our sauiour christmanifestly promise to S. Peter souerayntie ouer his churche For the foundation is to à buildinge the same that the heade or prince is in a kingdome or common wealth Thus doth S. Epiphanius vnderstand these wordes sayinge Our lord him selfe hath constituted him S. Peter the first of his Apostles the firme rocke vpon which the churche of god is built To these wordes also manifestly alludeth the holy generall councell of Calcedon in the sentence of coÌ„demnatione against Dioscorus sayinge Leo the most holy blessed Archebishope of great and auÌ„cient Rome by vs and by this preseÌ„t holi synode together with the thrise most blessed and all prayse worthye S. Peter whoe ys the Rock and very topp of the Catholique Churche he which is the foundatione of true faithe hathe spoyled him Dioscorus of all episcopall dignitie Our sauiour sayth to S. Peter I will giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen wher is also most clerely signified S. Peter his preheminence in godes churche For none hath the gouernement or commaundemeÌ„t of the Keyes of any towne or citie but the prince or gouernour of the same that soueraygne power is signified by the Keyes it is proued by that of our sauiour Christe I haue the keyes of death and hell That is the rule and prower ouer deathe and hell And agayn Hee that hath the Keye of Dauide he that shuteth and noe man openeth S. Peter practised the authoritie of supreame pastoure in declaringe Iudas to haue fallen from his Apostleship and proposinge another to be chosen in his roome Peter risinge vp in the midest of the brethereÌ„ sayd as foloweth S. Chrisostome vnderstaÌ„dinge it so saythe How feruent is he how he acknowledgethe the flocke committed by christ how he is prince of this company and in euery place begineth the first to speak His supremicie was acknowledged by S. Paule goeinge to Hierusalem to see him Then after three yeares I came to Hierusalem to see Peter S. Chrisostome vnderstandeth it so sayinge Peter was the mouthe of the Apostles prince and topp of that companye therfore also Paule goethe vp to see him beside the others Catho pos â— The Pope or Bishope of Rome is the law full and lineall successoure of S. Peter in that charge and office which our sauioure gaue vnto S. Peter ouer his churche militant Proofe The power which our sauioure gaue to S. Peter ouer his churche militante was giuen him as likewise the power giuen to other Apostles to the consuÌ„mation of the saintes to the edifâ—nge of the bodye of Christ vntill we all meete in the vnitie of saith knowledge of the sonn of god as S. Paule testifiethe and therfore to continue in the churche soe longe as the churche is to continue which is also prooued by that Vpon this Rocke will I build my churche and by that feed my sheepe for so longe as the buildinge of the churche coÌ„tinueth or the flock of christe is to be fed which will be to the end of the world so long must the rock wherupon the churche is built and the pastours who must feede the shepe continue But this cannot be in S. Peters personn therfore in his successoures see S. Augustin his wordes before in that positione that the true churche can neuer want a lawfull personnall successione of pastores vpon these wordes of the psalme 44. For thy fathers are borne sonnes to thee And S Chriso who saith why did oure lord shed his blood surely to redeeme those sheepe the cure wherof he commited to Peter aÌ„d also to his successoures Now that the Bishope of Rome is the lawfull and lineall successoure of S. Peter is as authentically and euidently proued as that Lewis the 13. of France is lineall successoure to Hughe Capet or his maiestié of Ingland to wiliam the coÌ„querour S. Ireneus Optatus S. Epiphanius and S. Augustin doe deriue the successione of the bishopes of Rome from S. Peter vntill the bishopes that liued â— theyr tymes Besides Eusebius or S. Hierosme Prosper and all such as haue written the cronicles of ecclesiasticall affayres doe not omitt to continue the Bishopes of Rome vntill theyr owne dayes And soe wel is this successione knowne that M. Fulke sayethe wee can coumpt it on our fingares And S. Augustine doubteth not to saye that the succession of preistes from the seat of Peter to whom our lorde after his resurrection commended his sheepe to be fed vntil that present Bishopp held him within the lapp of the churche Protes pos 1. S. Peter was not by our sauiour our Christ constituted supreme head and soureygne pastoure or Bishop ouer his churche militant 2. The Pope or Bishope of Rome is not lawfull and lineall successoure to S. Peter in that charge and office which our sauiour gaue to S. Peter ouer his churche militante THE SEAVENTH Controuersie of the honoure due vnto the holy Angells and Saintes in heauen Catho pos 1. TO the holy Angelles and saintes in heauen is due more then ciuil honoure and reuerence Proofe 1. To mee thy frendes ô god are exceedingly honorable loe here Dauid beinge â—inge auowethe that the frendes of god are greatly to be honoured by him Certes not with ciuill honoures for suche he ought not to them he beinge kinge and the frendes of god beinge all those that doe the thinges he coÌ„mauÌ„deth as our sauiour testifiethe of what condition or degree soeuer 2. where this Gospell shal be preached in the whole worlde that also which shee hath done shal be toulde for a memorie of her Loe here an exeeding honoure decreed by our sauiour him self to S. Marie Magdaleyne where is to be noted that this is coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be done in memorie of her in like manner of speeche as our sauiour commaunded the holy misteries to be celebrated in memorie of him 3. Iosue beinge in the feild of the citie of hiericho saw a man staÌ„dinge against him how
A manifest promise of the spirit of god to continue for euer in the church 2. All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earthe Goinge therfore teache yee all nations teachinge them to obserue all thinges what soeuer I haue cōmaunded you Loe here commission to teache giuen to the Apostles and in them to all pastores 3. He that heareth you heareth me and he that dispiseth you dispiseth me Loe here obligation for others to heare and obaye that which they who haue the former commission shall teache 4. Behould I am with you all daies euen to the consūmation of the worlde Loe here the assurance of Christs asistance to his church and the lawfull pastores therof till the ende of the worlde who can now doubt of the infallibilitie of the doctrine of godes church 5. I will aske the father and he will giue you another Paraclet that is an aduocate or comforther that he may abyde with you for euer The spirit of truthe loe here the spirite of truthe promised to abide with the church for euer By warrant of which promised the first generall coūcell that euer was houlden which was at Hierusalem sayth thus Yt hath seemed good to the holy ghost and to vs to laye no further burthen vpon you then these necessarye thinges 6. In respect of the singuler priuiledges of the church and spetiallye of the infallibilitie it hath in doctrine sainct Paule callethe it the howse of god the church os the liuinge god the piller and grounde of truthe 7. He that will not heare the church let him be to thee as the Heathen and the publican Touchinge which pointe of the infallibilitie of the church sainct Augustine hath this excellent doctrine Althoughe Saith he no example is brought out of canonicall Scripture of this thinge Speakinge sf the validitie os Baptisme ministred by heretiques yet doe we followe the truth of the same Scriptures in this pointe whilst we do that which pleaseth the whole church which the auctoritie of the Scriptures doth cōmēd And because the holy Scripture cannot deceaue whosoeuer feareth to be deceaued by the obseurite of these questiones let him consult ther vpō with the church which without all doubt the Scripture doth shewe Protes Pos. The sense and meaninge of the holy Scriptures giuen or approued by the Catholique churche is not alwaies true nether are the definitiones and declarationes of faythe deliured by the same vnfallible truthes Here the reader may marke à strāge peruersitie or blindness in the Protestantes who graunt the gift of interpretinge the Scriptures to priuate beleeuers and yet deny it to the whole chuche THE FIFTH CONtrouersie of the marKes of the true Churche THe true Churche of god is but one This being not denyed by the Protestantes needethe no proofe The question is which of all those Churches which doe challenge vnto them selues the name of the Churche is that one true churche which doubt will easelie be cleared by the notes and markes fololwinge Vniuersalitie Catho Positions The true Churche of Christ is Catholique or vniuersall aswell in respect of place as of tyme That is the true church of Christ hath euer continued since his gloriouse ascention into heauen till this day and shall doe till the end of the world which is to be Catholique or vniuersall in respect of time And it hathe or shal be spred throughe all kingdomes and countries that are vnder heauen which is to be vniuersall or Catholique in respect of place Proofe in respect of place Aske of me and I will giue thee the gentiles for thin inheritance thy posessione the endes of the earthe By this promise of god to Christ S. Augustine conuīceth the Donatistes and in them the Protestātes that they haue not the true Chruche because theyrs is not vniuersall in such sorte as here is promised 2. He shall rule from sea to sea and from the riuer euen to the endes of the rounde worlde These Prophesies are clearely vnderstoode of the inheritance and kingdome that is the Churche of Christ as he is man Accordinge to which prophesies our sauiour saythe All power is giuen me in heauen and in earthe Goeinge therfore teache yee all nationes baptisinge them in the name of the father and of the sonn and of the holy ghost 3. You shall receiue the vertue of the holy Ghost comminge vppon you and you shall be witnesses vnto me in Hierusalem and in all Ieury and Samaria and euen to the vtmost of the earthe See Sainct Augustine Learned reader if thou pleas Proofe in respect of tyme. 1. In the dayes of those Kingdomes the god of heauen will rayse vp a Kingdome that shale not be dissipated for euer and this Kingdome shall not be deliuered to another people 2. And he shall reigne in the howse of Iacob for euer of his Kingdome there shall be no ende 3. Behould I am with you all dayes euen to the consummation of the world 4. Vppon this Rock will I build my Churche and the gates of hell shall not preuayle agaynst it A faithful sayinge Saith Sainct Athanas. and not à waueringe promise and the Church is an inuincible thinge althoughe hell it self should be moued The vniuersalitie of the church all christians profess to beleeueī the creed of the Apostles and of the first councell of Constantinople sayinge I beleeue the holy Catholique church protes pos The ttue Churche of Christ is not necessarily Catholique or vniuersall nether in respect of place nor tyme. This positione most cleerely against holy Scripturs must the Protestantes defende and proue yf they will proue and defende they re Churche to be the true Churche of god and consequentlye theyr religione to be true Visibilitie Catho pos The true Churche of god ys visible and apparant both to the faithfull beleeuers that are in it and to heretiques and those that are out of it Proof 1. A Citie cannot be hid situated vpon à mountayne He put his tabernacle in the Sunn S. Augustine proueth our positione by these textes say inge The true churche is hid to no man whence is that which he our sauiour Sayth in the Gospell A Citie sett vppon à mountane cannot be hidd And therfore is it sayd in the Psalme hee hathe put his tabernacle in the sunn that is in manifest 2. In the latter dayes the mountayne of the howse of our lorde shall be prepared in the top pof mountaynes and it shal be eleuated aboue the little hilles and all nationes shall flowe vnto it 3. Men doe not light à Candell and. put it vnder a bushell but Vpon à Candlesticke To these textes doth S. Augustine allude when he saythe what ells am I to saye then that they are blinde that doe not see so great à mountayne that shutt they re eyes against the lampe sett vppon the candlesticke 4. If thy brother offende against thee
ldinge a drawne sworde and he went nere to him and sayde art thou oures or our aduersaries who answered noe but I am a prince of the host of our lorde Iosue fell flatt downe to the grounde and adoreinge he sayd what speaketh the lord to his seruant loose sayth he thy shooe from thy foote for the place where in thou standest is holy And he did as he was commaunded Loe here the Angell not onely adored to the grounde but also the ground it self nere where he stoode duely reuerenced for respect of him Protest pos To the Angelles and Saintes in heauen is due no other honoure or reuerence then ciuil THE EYGHTETH CONtrouersie Of prayer to the holy angells and saintes in heauen Catho pos TO pray to the Angelles or saintes in heauen doth not derogate anie whitt at all from our sauiour Christ his office of mediatoure Proofe 1. S. Paule prayeth to the RomaÌ„s in this sorte I beseeche you brethren by our lord Iesus Christ and by the charitie of the holy ghost that you helpe me in your prayres for me to god The like he hath to the Ephesianes cap. last v. 19. the first to the Thesalo cap 5. and elles where often But if the prayer to saintes on earthe do the not derogat from the mediatorshipe of Christ certes the prayers made to them in heauen cannot Agayne Iacob prayed to his good Angell in this sorte The Angell that deliuereth me from all euilles biess these children Catho pos The saintes in heauen doe heare our prayers and vnderstande our perticuler estates ther fore it is not idle or in vaine to pray to theÌ„ as thoughe they did nether Proofe They are as the Angelles of god in heauen They are equall to the Angelles but the Angelles Knowe our particuler estates see that you dispise not one of these little ones saith our sauiour Christ For I saye vnto you that they re Angells in heaueÌ„ doe alwayes see the face of my father which is in heauen yea they knowe our secret thoughts I saye to you there shal be ioye before the Angelles of god vpon one sinner that doth pennance The saintes haue power ouer nationes to rule them therfore doe they know they re estates He that shall ouercome and keepe my wordes vnto the ende I will giue him sayth our sauioure power ouer nationes and he shall rule them with a rodd of Iron Catho pos 3. God doth somtymes heare accepte the prayers of his seruaÌ„ds or saintes for a nother man wheÌ„ he will not heare that man prayinge for hymselfe therfore is it profitable to praye vnto them God sayd to Eliphas the Themanite my surye is wrothe against thee and thy two freindes Take therfore vnto you seauen oxen and seaueÌ„ RaÌ„mes goe to my seruande Iob and offer holocaust for your selues and my seruande Iob shall pray for you his face I will receaue that the folly be not imputed vnto you They went and did as our lorde had spoken to them and our lorde receaued the face of Iob. Our lord also was tourned at the penance of Iob wheÌ„ he prayed for his freindes Againe Pray one for a nother that you may be saved for the coÌ„tinuall prayer of a iust man auayleth much I alledge not the fathers testimonie for prayer to saintes they beinge confessed by the learned protestantes to haue taught that Doctrine namely Fulke saythe In NaziaÌ„zen Basile and Chrisostome there is some mentione of the inuocatione of saintes to help vs with theyr prayers The like he confesseth of Ambrose Austine and Hierome So that wee see the doctrine of the Greke and latin churche in this pointe by the coÌ„fessione of one of our seuerest aduersaries to haue bene 1200. yeares agoe the same with the doctrine of the present churche of Rome Protest pos To praye to the saintes or Angelles in heauen doth derogate from the office of mediatour of our sauiour Christ 2. The saintes in heauen doe not heare our prayers nor know our particuler estates or necessities and therfore is it in vayne to pray to them 3. God doth neuer accepte of the prayers of his saintes offered for another man when he doth not accept of the same mans prayers for him selfe THE NINTH CONTROuersie of holi Reliques Catho posi 1. God doth honor the Reliques of saintes by working miraculouse thinges by them to his owne glorye the honoure of the saintes the benefit of man and the edification of his churche and therfore are they to be honoured and reuerenced by faithfull Christianes Proofe 1. There were brought from his S. Paule bodye napkins and hand kercheeses vpon the sike and the diseases departed from them and the wicked spirites went out 2. They did bringe forth the sicke into streetes and lead them in beddes and couches that wheÌ„ Peter came his shadowe at the leaste might ouer shadowe anie of them they all might be deliuered from there infirmities 3. Certayne persones buryinge a man sawe the rouers and threwe the bodie in the sepulcher of Eliseus which when it had touched the bones of Eliseus the man reuiued and stoode vpon his feet For the testimonie of the fathers in this pointe I wil onely alledg S. Augustine whom vnâ—ess our aduersaries dare condemne both of erroure in Iudgment and falsitie in historie they must needes confess that holy reliques in his tyme were had in great and publique honoure and reuerence The reader that desirethe to see or heare himself speake must be content to turne the booke himself for this wordes to this purpose are ouer Proâ—ix to be inserted in this briefe treatise The Doctrine and practise of ancient churche is soe euident in this pointe that Chemnitins a renowmed protestant is forced to write in this sort Of translation of riliques followed the caryinge them about in processiones as is mentioned by Hierome against Vigilantius And by Augustine when in the translatione of the reliques of Steuen à blinde woman receaued her sight Lucilius the Bishope streyght ordayned the carieing abont of the Reliques of Steuen And be cause sometimes certayne miracles were done at the reliques all per soÌ„neâ— in any iÌ„firmitie or necessite what soeuer rann to them Augustine mentioneth that flowers and otherthinges Ambrose that garmentes cast vpon the sepulchers or cofines of martyres were caried by Christianes as defenses and preseruatiues froÌ„ euill They did think that the martyres them selues were present with they re ashes Nor did they call vpon god onely but the very martyres did they inuccate at they re reliques and thinkinge grace and heauenly vertue to reside in they re bones by prayer and other worshippe did they seeke them at reliques As Basile discoursethe vpon the Psalme 115. Nor did they seeKe theyr onely corporall cures but did imagine that spirituall graces as holiness and charitie was giuen and creased by tovching and Kissing of liques as Nyssenus doth gloriouslie â—eache of Theodore the
honoure due to the cros may be sayd of anie other holy image Protestantes position 1. The images of holy personnes may not without idolatrie or other inconuenience be made placed in churches oratories or places of prayer 2. The images of holy personnes may not or ought not to be honored reuerenced or worshiped THE ELEVENTHE Controuersie Of Purgatorie Catholique position AFter this life there is a purgatorie or place where the soules of the faythfull departinge out of this world Ī the state of grace are detayned vntill they be wholly purged from all guilt and payne due vnto sinn Proofe 1. Hee that shall speake against the holy ghost it shall not be forgiuen him nether in this world nor in the world to come Hence it is manifest that some sinnes are forgiuen in the world to come not in heauen whither no sinner entereth nor in hell where there is no remission therfore in a third place which is Purgatorie S. Augustin aludinge to this place expresly sayth that some sinnes are remitted in the next world 2. Bee att agrement with thy aduersarie betymes whilest thou art in the way with him lest perhappes thy aduersarie deliuer thee to the iudg and the Iudge deliuer thee to the officers and thou be cast into prisone Amen I saye to thee thou shalt not goe from thence till thou repaye the last farthinge To these wordes S. Cyprian alludinge Sayth Another thinge it is for him that is in prison not to goe out til he hath payde the last farthinge another thinge presently to receaue rewarde of faythe and Vertue another thinge beinge by longe payne tormented to be clensed and purged by longe fire 3. The worke of eueire one shal be manifest for the day of our lorde will declare because it shal be reuealed in fire and the worke of euerie one of what kinde it is the fire shall trye Vf anie mans worke burae he shall suffer detriment but hee himselfe shal be saued yet soe as by fire S. Augustine Vnderstandeth this place of Purgatorie sayinge yf they did build vpon the foundation gold siluer and pretions stones they should be secure from both fyres not onely from that euerlasting which shall torment the impiouse eternally but also from that which shall amende them that shal be Saued by fire For it is sayd hee shal be safe yet soe as by fyer Catholique Positions The soules in Purgatorie are holpen by the prayers Sacrifices and other workes of pietie done for them by the faithfull liuinge in this world And therfore is it à good worke to praye for them Proofe Otherwise what sh. il they doe that are baptised for the dead yf the dead rise not agayne at all why also are they baptised for them By baptisme here is vnderstoode all corporall afflictione and chastisement vndertaken for the departed in like manner as it is vnderstoode by our sauiour when he say the with the baptisme wher with Iam Baptised shall yee be baptised 2. And Iudas makeinge a gatheringe he sent 12000. Drachmes of Siluer to Hierusalem for sacrifice to be offred for sinne well and religiouslye thinking of the resurrection for vnless he hoped that they that were slayne should rise agayne it should seeme super stuouse and vayne to pray for the dead it is therfore a holy and healthfull cogitation to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from sinnes For the iudgment of the churche in before S. Augustines tyme lett the industrius reader see the confessione of Chemnitius in his examen where he vndertaketh to dispute against S. Augustine and S. Chrisostome of purgatoire prayer for the dead Protestant position 1. After his life there is no purgatorie or place where the soules of the faithfull departed in the state of grace are purged ether from guilt or payn of sinn 2. The sowles in purgatorie are not holpen by the prayers and other workes of pietie done for them by the faithful liueinge in this worlde And therfore it is att least in vayne to pray for them THE XII CONTROuersie of the Sacraments Catholique position THere are seauen Sacramēts of the newe lawe properly so called That is seauen visible or sensible signes ordayned or instituted by our sauiour Christ wherby grace is giuen to those that worthely receaue thē The protestantes doe confess that Baptisme and the Eucharist are properly sacramentes therfore are wee onely to proue the other fiue Note that as nether baptisme nor the Eucharist are in any place of holy scripture called or said to be sacramentes and yet because they are visible or sensible signes and ceremonies giueing grace as the catholique churche beleeuethe or signifyinge the same as the protestās teache they haue euer in gods churche euen by the confession of our aduersaries beene truly called and esteemed sacramentes soe likewise all other externall and sensible signes or ceremonies proued by scriptures to haue the like effecte and haue beene called and esteemed of the auncient churche sacramentes ought also of the protestātes to be acknowledged for such nether are they to require any other proofe for the other sacraments then they are able to produce for these two And albeyt the protestantes confess with the Catholiques that Baptisme and the holy Eucharist are Properlie sacramentes yet doe they deny diuers thinges pertayninge to them which the Catholique churche tacheth which are therefore to be spoken of before we proceede to the proofe of the other sacramentes OF THE NECESSItie of Baptisme Catholique position It is necessary for euerie mans saluation that he be baptised Proofe A Men I say to thee vnless a man be borne agayne of water and the spirit the cannot enterinto the kingdome of god S. Augustine numbereth amongest other heresies of Pelagius this that he promised eternall bliss though without the kingdome of god to infantes without Baptisme Protestant position It is not necessarie for any mans saluation that he bee baptised OF THE CEREMOnies of Baptisme Catholique position THe exorcismes and other ceremonies vsed by the Catholique churche in Baptisme haue example in the holy scripture and are agreable there vnto Proofe And takeinge him from the multitude apart he put his fingers into his eares and spitting touched his tounge And lookeinge vp to heauen he groaned and sayd to him ephpheta which is he thou opened Sainct Ambros testifiethe these ceremonies to haue bine vsed in his tyme. Protestant position The exorcismes and other ceremonies vsed by the churche in Baptisme are disagreable to holy scripture OF THE HOLY EVchariste or most blessed Sacrament of the Aulter Catholique Positions IN the holy Eucharist the true body and blood of our sauiour Christ is truly really and substantially and not in figure only Proofe Take yee and eate This is my body Drinke yee all of this For this is my blood of the newe testamēt which shal be shed for many vnto remission of sinnes Agayne This is my