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—
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
senteÌ„ce is or ought to be guided therfore not the Iudge himselfe that pronounceth sentence For in all Courts Common-wealths or publique Tribunals besides the written Law or outward euidence by which verdict is giuen some speaking-Iudge or other Magistrate is requisite who as the liuely rule or square of Iustice to vse Aristotles words ought to expound and deliuer the true meaning of the law so much more in the Church of God which is a Kingdom a Citty a Campe well ordred Arist l. 5. Etb. l. 4. Polit. Plat. l. de repub de lege Read Philo Iud. l. de legat ad CaiuÌ„ prope finem the like must needs be graunted especially seeing Plato writeth That good Gouernours are more to be regarded accounted of then good lawes because a good law without a good Iudge which may execute it is a dead law but a good Iudge without a written law is both to himselfe and others a liuely law The reason heereof is manifest because it belongeth to the Iudge who may decide and end debates 1. To heare vnderstand and compare togeather the arguments of the parties in strife 2. By explayning the true sense and meaning of the law to deliuer a definitiue sentence agreable therunto 3. To compell and inforce the contentious to accept and obey his censure But this neyther Scripture nor any written law can performe Therefore some other intelligent authenticall publike Arbiter is likewise necessary 5. M. Whitaker our Protestant-writer and Hunnius a Lutheran Doctor both agree That the holy Ghost as speaking VVhitak cont 1. q. 5. cap. 8. Hunnius in act Col. Ratis sâ—sâ— 9. in Scripture or the voice of God as vttered therin is this publike and soueraygne Iudge Very vainely very idly The voyce of God as speaking in Scripture is no way distinguished from the Scripture no more then the commaundement of the King promulgated in his law is any way different from the law Therfore as besides the King speaking in his law eyther himselfe speaking in a more liuely manner or some other Iudge is requisite to satisfy the doubts which arise of the law so besids the holy Ghost speaking precisely by Scripture eyther himselfe speaking in a more distinct and publicke fashion or some other infallible Iudge is necessary to end the controuersies which arise Hunnius ibidem Reyn. c. 2. diuis 2. p. 63. 64. out of Scripture Hunnius addeth That the Scripture it selfe or the voyce of God deliuered by learned Ministers and expounders of the word By them sayth Reynoldes who haue in vnder Christ committed vnto them is at least a sufficient and competent Iudge As vainely as idly as before 6. For who are they to whom Christ hath giuen this commissioÌ„ of Iudgmet They are as M Reynolds subnecteth Reyn. loâ—o citato of two sorts The one priuate the other publike Priuate all the faythfull and Spirituall Publike the assemblies of Pastours and Elders Of these I reason thus Eyther he alloweth both or one of these sortes supreme soueraigne infallible authority to decide debates and expound the word without further appeale and so admitteth another Iudge besids Scripture or he assigneth them not the Soueraignty of Iudgment as himselfe and all other Protestants define but the ministery of interpreting the written will and sentence of the Iudge And so maketh the Church a maymed wauoring imperfect Common-wealth without any iudiciall visible and publike Tribunall without any profitable meanes of setling peace in tyme of discord For seeing these Ministers neyther in priuate nor publike are as they confesse so assisted alwayes by the holy Ghost but that they may being men subiect to errour sometymes propound their owne dreames insteed of Gods vndoubted truthes who shall determine whether the voyce of Christ or sentence of our Iudge be truly deliuered by them or no a Rein. c. 2. diuis â— pag. 64. The written will or letter of Scripture It cannot speake or declare her Iudgment b VVhitaker cont 5. q. 5. c. 9. 13. The diligent Reader and conferrer of places He may both read conferre amisse c Hunn in act Col. Ratis ses 9 The pious Magistrate and executioner of Iustice May not he both execute and commaund an errour d Sutclif in his answere to the sixth c. of his Suruey A Generall Councell proceding according to Gods word And who shall iudge when it proceedeth according to his word The parties who contend and stand in debate Then they must be plaintiffs and Iudges both And whilest ech of them swayeth on his owne side what end of strife What decision of truth Such as Lawyers such as Attournyes make in behalf of their clients who would neuer end their Plea vnlesse some vmpire were appointed to arbitrate the cause Now to go forward 7. The Iudge of Controuersyes ought to be infallible because it must breed a certaine and infallible assurance as M. Whitaker agreeth with vs in doubts of VVhitak cont 1 q. 5. cap. 8. â— 3. c. 11. fayth but albeit the Scriptures be so in themselues yet in respect of vs they are fallible they may be erroneously printed corruptly translated falsly suborned not well expounded not rightly vnderstood And although the voice and doctrine of the Church may be somety me fallible in respect of vs as one obiected against this argument An obiectioÌ„ made against the Church solued because a particular pastour may deliuer vnto the people his own phantasies for the Churches decrees he may perswade them and they may giue credit vnto him that his priuat assertions are the generall and Catholike doctrines that they were taught by the auncient church and that many miracles haue bin wrought in confirmatioÌ„ of them yet here is a notable disparity between this and that fallibility for this proceedeth not from the repaire to our iudge either true or so taken but from a falsifier and wrong relatour of the iudges sentence that immediatly commeth from appealing to their true reputed iudge This happeneth to the ignorant only or Catecumens who begin to belieue to others the Catholike tenent in necessary poynts is so generally known as they cannot be deluded That to the learned also and most expect in matters of religion for such they are who often misconster wrongfully expound the holy scriptures This may easily be discouered and auoided by conference with other pastours by perusing the Churches decrees or hearing the oracle of her voice which can manifestly explaine herself and disproue those forged relations That can hardly be espied more hardly be auoyded because priuat interpreters by conferring reasoning and disputing the case without submission to the Church are often tymes more confirmed strengthned in their erroneous expositions neither can the Scripture open her own meaning and condemne their false constructions Our danger therfore of being deceaned is litle or nothing to be feared their 's very pernicious and irremediable 8. The Iudge of Controuersies
Figura ergo est It is therefore a figure It is a Sacrament because albeit the same body be really eaten the same bloud really drunke yet in a mystery in a figure in a Sacrament after a sweet spirituall and vnbloudy manner 16. Nay S. Augustine as our Sacramentaries contend saith What doest thou prepare thy teeth and belly Beleeue and thou hast eaten True he writeth there of the spirituall eating of Christ the bread of life by faith beleefe onely he had not begun to discourse of the Sacrament or Sacramentall eating At least after say they he speaketh of the Sacrament yet vseth these wordes He that feedeâ—h wiâ—h Aug. tra 2â— in Io. the hart not he that grindeth with the tooth True not he that grindeth only can partake the fruit of this Sacrament he that feedeth with hart without corporall eating may benefit himself but he that corporally eateth without faith can receaue no profit at all They vrge againe that S. Aug. tra 59. 2â— in Ioan. Augustine sayth The Apostles eat the bread our Lord Iudas the bread of our Lord. And in another place he denyeth The wicked to eate the body of Christ. Most true He denyeth theÌ„ to eate the bread our Lord or to feed of his body because they are not incorporated in his mysticall body Or because they do it not fruitfully by grace to the benefit Psalm â—â— Augu. de Bapt cont Donatist l. 9. â— 8. con Pulgent c. 6. cont lit Petil. l. 2. c. 20. c. 55. Biâ—s 4. pâ— pag. 772. 773. 774. 776. of their soules as King Dauid sayth The wicked shall not rise in Iudgment Because they shall not rise to saluation but to damnation Otherwise S. Augustine graunteth that Iudas did and the wicked do truely eaâ—e the body of Christ in his booke of Baptisme against the Donatists against Fulgentius and against the letters of Petilian 17. In summe many Fathers obiected by M. Bilson exhort vs to eate the Sacrament by fayth to cleanse our soules prepare our harts they call it spirituall food the bread of the mind and not of the belly no bodily but ghostly meat the proper nourishment of the spirit All most true for a liuely fayth a cleane soule a pure hart are necessarily required in the worthy receauer and the purer he approacheth the more plenty he receaueth of Gods heauenly graces Then it is stiled spirituall food ghostly meate the bread of the mind the proper nourishment of the spirit because the spirituall repast and refection Cyr. Alex l. 10. in Ioan. c. 13. of our mind the perfect vigour and increase of spirit is the chiefe and most soueraigne effect of this diuine banquet Neuertheles it excludeth not as S. Cyrill noteth but presupposeth the corporall from which as from the fountaine and sea of grace the spirituall is deriued Our Aduersaryes reply The Fathers exclude it by certaine negatiue tearmes which they vse calling it No bodily but Ghostly meate the bread of the mind and not of the belly They call it so indeed and speake in the Scriptures phrase euen as Almighty God spake when he sayd I will mercy and not sacrifice yet thereby he neither excluded Ose 6. v. 6. Matth. 9. v. 13. nor forbad sacrifice which himselfe prescribed exacted and commanded but only preferred mercy as an act of charity more acceptable vnto him So the Fathers by the like words exclude not the bodily but preferre the ghostly as the dayntiest food of our soules Or they deny it to be any bodily sustenance as bodily is commonly taken for that which is opposite to ghostly This is not so this is both bodily and ghostly both spirituall corporall meate this relisheth the mouth and cheereth the hart quickneth the body and refresheth the soule Therefore it is not a meere corporall but a spiritual dainty because it hath a spirituall manner of being is seasoned with spirituall qualityes affoardeth all spirituall comfort and is principally ordained to our spirituall nourishment For the flesh as Tertullian writeth is fed Tertul. l. de resurr carnis with the body and bloud of Christ that the soule may be fattened with God 18. And if Protestants would be as ready to defend as they are to cauill at the former sayinges they might learne by the like speaches which the Apostle vseth how to explaine the Fathers wordes for as they call the body of Christ in the Sacrament spiritual so he the body which 1. Cor. 15. v. 44. shall rise in the later day It is sowen a naturall body it shal ryse a spirituall body as they account it a barbarous and sauage thing to eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of Ibid. v. 50. Christ so he a thing impossible that flesh and bloud can possesse the kingdome of God as S. Augustine sayth Not that Ibid. v. 37. body which you see shall you eate c. so he not the body that shall be dost thou sow Which place togeather with the former Eutichius vrged against the corporall resurrection of our flesh with no lesse colourable pretense then Sectaryes do the precedent sayings against the bodily presence of Christ in the Sacrament But as they are constrained vnles they deny that article of our fayth with S. Gregory and other of our Deuines to construe S. Pauls meaning Greg. lib. 4. in lob c. 32. 33. that the body which ryseth shall be both spirituall and corporall spirituall by reason of the glorious dowryes it shall receaue and corporall in respect of the true and tractable substance it shall still retaine That flesh and bloud according to humane misery and corruption cannot possesse the Kingdome of God but according to immortality and corruption that not the body which is sowed shall rise but another another in quality the same in substance another in perfection of glory the same in property and condition of nature another in powerfull vertue the same in corporall verity another in manner and forme the same in realty and essence of being Apply the like constructions to the fornamed sentences written against the reall presence and you shall rightly expound those learned writers and soundly answere your owne obiections 19. To conclude when these new-fangled teachers with no euidence of Scripture or sentence of Father can disproue the truth of our doctrine they fall to their accustomed Pulk in c. 6. Io. sect 13. Bils 4 par pag. 791. Ambr. l. 30 de Spirit sanct c. 12. Aug. in Pâ—al 24. in 1. Cor. Bils 4. par p. 710. c. rayling They tearme vs Capharnaites Vbiquitaries Idolaters c. whereas we detest the inhumane grosse imagination of the Capharnaites condemne the Vbiquity or euery where being of Christ adore not with diuine honor as M. Bilson is pleased to impose vpon vs the elements of bread and wine but we adore to vse S. Ambrose words the flesh of Christ in the mysteries That flesh which â—ce man eateth as S. Augustine
Paul sayd God was in Christ 2. Cor. â— v. 19. reconcyling the World to himselfe because he reconciled it to himselfe by Christ by the obedience and labours of his manhood Or if he take this reconciliation as made by God without the interposing of a third person as one may by himselfe reconcile his enemy vnto him then I say this was no act of mediation but an act of Gods mercy as much belonging to the Father as to the Son So I acknowledge the workes of authority which M. Field loco citato Field mentioneth to be the workes of Christs Diuinity but not the workes of mediation not proper to the Son of God but common to all the persons of Holy Trinity agreable to that principle ratifyed by all Deuines Indiuisa sunt opera Trinitatis ad extra The workes of the Trinity outwardly Field in his 5. book of the Church c. 16. f. 52. M. Fields reply sauoureth too much of Arianisme produced indiuisibly proceed from euery person 14. D. Field replyeth Though their action be the same workedone by them yet they differ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the manner of doing For the Father doth all things auctoritatiuè and the Sonne subauctoritatiuè as the Schoolemen speake Thus he writeth and still dippeth his pen in Arian poyson For yield that the diuine nature of the Sonne of God worketh in a different manner from the nature of the Father there must needes ensue some difference in nature some diuersity of wills otherwise it cannot be conceaued how the Tho. 1. p. â— 19. art 4. same indiuisible essence how the same vnchaÌ„geable wil which is the cause of all thinges should change and alter in manner of working 15. Secondly if the Father and the Sonne differ in manner of doing these outward actions towardes vs their Creatures then they are not both as the Deuines tearme The three persons of holy Trinity are but one beginning or author of thinges them Vnum principium One sole origen or beginning of thinges but the Father causeth and willeth them one way the Sonne another the one createth quickneth and giueth life in this sort the other in that Which is nothing els but to rake vp the ashes of old dead and buryed heresyes to giue way to the Manichees and other followers to maâ—â— diuers Creatours and Beginners of thinges Yet because you affirme the Schoolemen bolster this errour name I beseech you what Schoolemen they are Who vnles he were an Arian presumed to write that the essentiall and externall actions for of them we now speake which the Father and the Sonne essentially produce are different in manner of doing Who in respect of these workes euer vttered those wordes which I quake againe to repeate the one did them auctoritatiuè the other subauctoritatiuè What Is the Sonne according to his God-head an inferiour instrument or vnderling to his Father The Oracle of S. Paul recordeth Christ Iesus when he was in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall vnto God and shall this Phil. 2. 6. Sectmates blasphemy take place that he hath power and authority to worke vnder God He answereth his meaning is not the sonne should be an instrument or vnderling Field ibi to his Father but that he receiueth the essence he hath and power of working from the Father though the very same that is in the Father only differing as he noteth before in subsistence 16. Is this M. Field the part of a Christian to sprinkle your writings with words of blasphemy and powder them ouer with a holesome meaning Hath not our learned Soueraigne King Iames worthily condemned Conradus Vorstius that egregious Hereticke for the like abuse K. Iames in his declaration concerning his proceedings in the cause of D. Contradus Vorstius pag. 36. Gen. 19. 24 doth not he teach it vnlawfull to vse in these great mysteries any other phrase or manner of speach then such as the Church hath alwaies vsed How dare you then in his kingdome vnder the sheild of his protection how dare you diuulge in Print such venemous speeches such pestiferous words howbeit you seeke as Vorstius did to strow and couer them with a sugred sense For I confesse the sonne of God receiueth his essence as begotten of his Father and so may sometime by denomination or appropriation of speech be said to work by power receiued from his Father as in Genesis it is written Our Lord raigned from our Lord. But for one person to mediate to another is not only required a different denomination but a reall and substantiall difference a distinction an inferiority in the very essence it selfe in such manner as I haue often inculcated Also I confesse the persons of holy Trinity differ in Subsistence differ to vse the termes of Art in Personall Notions or Notionall Relations Yet hereof to infer an vnder-power or different manner of producing outward and essentiall workes this I say is either to make some diuersity of natures with the accursed Arians or giue scope to the Manichees to establish not a double only but a triple God or threefold cause of things created Now if you tremble to support such wickednes as your words enforce to what purpose was that sacriledge breathed forth How answere you the obiection of the vnity of the works of the Diuine Persons how make you the same action a worke of mediation in one and not in the other 17. For you ought to know good Syr if you dare vsurpe the title or challeng the dignity of a Deuine that albeit the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost ioyntly cooperate and accomplish the workes of authority you mentioned as they are perfectly subsisting in three Persons really distinct yet they performe them not primarily or formally by their personall properties by which they differ but by their will and vnderstanding in which Hâ—â—r de Gandauo quodl 6. q 2. they agree and not by them if we speake precisely as they are Notionally but as they are essentially taken that is as they are one absolute and the same in euery person It was I confesse the errour of Henry de Gandauo that the Nationall knowledge and loue of God did practically Molina in 2. par q. 36. â— 4. disp 2. 5. 6. Altifiod l. 1. summ c 30. Greg. Arimin 1. dist 22. q. vnica Valenâ— in 1. par disp 2. q. 10. punct 5. de person Spiritus Sancti Sâ—oc l. 2. â—st 1. q. 1. produce all outward creatures yet far was he from your impiety far from imagining so maine a difference as to attribute thereby a worke of submission subiection mediation to one person which is not in the other 18. The holy Ghost as the Deuines teach proceedeth from the Father and from the Sonne as they incoÌ„municably subsist by their different relations yet not according to their difference but according to one single or common vertue of spiration which is the same in both In
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
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
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
free gift giuen by grace bestowed of mercy in regard of the benefite of reconciliation or first iustice most freely and mercifully communicated vnto vs yet being iustified encouraged to worke and promised to be accordingly rewarded it Aug. tra 3. in euang Ioan. 〈◊〉 debituÌ„ flagitatiam debitum exigit is then not only a gifte but a true price recompense or payment due vnto vs by diuine conuenant or bargaine In which sort S. Augustine often interpreteth the former savings and teacheth that euerlaging blisse is a reward to iustice a grace fauour vnto man that is a grace to man endewed only with his naturall qualities a reward to him renewed iustified and diligently labouring with Gods assistance a grace to the infidell a debt to the faithfull a grace to Saul a blasphemer a debt to him a beleeuer as the same S. Augustine in another place largely declareth adioyning these words Hearken how Paul asketh a debt or aâ— due who first receaued grace not due c. There remaineth to me a crowne of iustice now he craueth a debt now he exacteth a debt So heauen is our inheritance as we are the adopted children of God and coheires of Christ our Crowne as we fight and conquere the assaults of the diuell our hire wages and day-peny also as we are workers and collabourers with Christ in the vineyard of his Father For albeit terrene and worldly patrimonies are by succession without labour or desert often deuolued to vnworthy inheritours to vngracious childreÌ„ sometime rashly without iudgment euen against the will of their parentes yet our Basil he â—â— iâ— Hexametr Tua aliqua ex partâ— est gratia quare merito ingrediâ—ris coronatus pronounciere nihil indignus qui mercedem insumptae operae deo repignoraÌ„t â—ecipias heauenly inheritance is neuer graunted infantes only excepted but to such as deserue it to such dutifull and obedient children as by their labours merits and vertuous demeanour are made worthy of that celestial Kingdome 6. All which is cleerely testified and profoundly taught by that graue learned and auncient doctour of the greeke Church S. Basil the great Grace sayth he is thine after some sort by which thou shalt deseruedly enter crowned For if thy creatour had giuen thee all before hand by what fauour should the gates of the heauenly kingdome be opened vnto thee meriting nothing But now something he hath bestowed some thing he hath left to be accomplished that when thou hast in thy self brought it to perfection thou mayest be pronounced no whit vnworthy to receaue the reward of thy imployed labour God redeeming his pledge As many wordes so many euidences doth he bring to witnesse for vs for grace is not so free a gift but that it is some way ours To wit by our working and cooperation with it 2. We are nothing vnworthy but we deseruedly enter crowned into our most happy inheritance 3. God giueth not all but leaueth some thing for vs to be done holpen by his grace 4. When we haue persued that in our selues we receaue the reward not of Gods promise not of Christs merits noâ— of our saith only but of our imployed labour and paynes 5. The reward of glory is not a meere donatiue but a iust redemption by with God redeemeth his formerly pledged and engaged grace Nothing can be spoken more excellently nothing writteÌ„ more vnanswerablely for our aduersaries conuiction if conuicted they would yeald ad Rom. 8. v. 18. M. Abbot c. 5. sect 9. fol. 6â—7 668. Aug. l dâ— gra lib. arbit c. 7. 7. But M. Abbot ashamed to yield obiecteth againe out of S. Paul The afflictions of this time are not worthy of the glory to come that shal be reuealed vpon vs. Then he alleadgeth the like sayinges of many Fathers to proue that our tribulations merit not the glory of heauen I answere they haue not any merite in themselues according to their naturall valew worthy of the guerdon prepared for vs After which manner S. Augustine S. Basil S. Gregory S. Bernard and the rest exclude the recompense of our merites S. Augustine expresly sayth God crowneth not thy merits but as his giftes Howbeit the Apostle discourseth of our tribulations as they are sprinckled with grace and proceed from the iustified yet doth not say as Protestantes corruptly translate they are not worthy of the glory but are not condigne to the glory to come that shal be reuealed in vs that is they haue no condigne equality because our passions are momentary our felicity eternall these small tolerable and measured forth according to our weaknes that infinitely great immense and heaped vp beyond all measure and so of no account in comparison of it as a moment is nothing paralelled with eternity yet if they had not some true proportion of merite the Apostle would not say as he plainly doth that our tribulation which presently is momentay and light worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glory in vs. The short and temporall 2. ad Corin. 4. v. â—7 pleasures which the reprobate take in sinning are not comparable to the euerlasting tormentes they endure in hell yet they truly merit deserue their damnation The very heroicall and most excellent actions of our Sauiour Christ his bitter passions were not equall to the preheminence of glory he receaueth in heauen and yet no Protestant will deny them to haue beene of infinite merit both to himselfe and vs because of the dignity of his person Therefore notwithstanding our afflictions neyther in length of time nor extremity of paine be answerable to the excessiue ioyes reserued for vs yet they be truly meritorious of themselues by reason of the worthy streames of grace and diuine dignity of supernaturall life from whence they flow For this cause it is true which M. Abbot diligently obserueth out of the Fathers That God vouchsafeth to giue vs aboue our merites Aboue them Abbot in his defence c. 5. sect 13. fol. 683. Abbot in the same place fol. 669. FulgeÌ„ ad Mon. l. â— Bern. in aununt sect 1. Bernard l. de gra lib. arbit propefineÌ„ Fulgen. in prol lib. ad Mon. Redde quod promifisti quia fecimus quod iussisti Aug. ser 16. de ver Apost Aug. l. â— Confess c. 9. in fine we graunt in magnificence of payment yet according to them also in some proportion of reward as the Emperour liberally dispenseth by the rules of distributiue iustice the spoyles taken in warre vnto his souldiours answerable to the exployts of euery man yet aboue the rate of their desertes But he insisteth further partly out of S. Fulgentius and partly out of S. Bernard That Gods reward doth so incomparably exceed all the merite and worke of man aâ— that eternall life is not due thereunto by right neyther should God do any wrong if he did not giue it Which is easily solued that it is not due vnto vs by absolute right independant of all precedent mercy and