the word that it leaueth to be a Church In cap. 17. Ioannis tom 5. fol. 203 For God hath not determined to conserue them the faythfull without outward meanes albeit he could do it Also vpon the 1. chap. of Zacharias Although God can teach men the Ghospell without sermons yet he will not do it And of the Notes of the church tom 7. fol. 149 VVhat could or would the people of God belieue vnlesse the word of God sounded there Melancthon in locis tom 3. cap. de libero arb fol. 311 God gathereth a true Church by the voice of the Ghospell and not otherwise Kemnice in the 2. part of his examen tit de Sacramento ordinis pag. 391 God by his certaine counsell hath determined that he will dispense those things which belong to the matter of our saluation not immediatly by infusing new and peculiar reuelâ—tions into the minds of men without any meanes but by the outward Ministry of the word Caluin 4 Institut cap. 1. § 5 Howbeit Gods power be not tyed to outward meanes neuertheles be hath tyed vs to the ordinary meanes of Preaching Many are pusht on by pride disdaine and emulation to perswade themselues that they can profit inough by priuate reading and meditating And § 4 The knowledge of her the visible Church is profitable to vs yea necessary for we cannot come to life vnlesse she conceiue vs in her wombe beare vs nourish vs with her duggs And in 1. Tim. cap. 3 The office of preaching which God hath left in his church is the only instrument of truth that it go not out of mens minds The Ministery of the word being taken away God truth will fall downe Beza epist 20 It is cleare that fayth cometh of hearing and therefore preaching must goe before fayth Tayé in his Enchiridion disput 60 The necessity of ecclesiasticall Ministry appeareth in that without it we can not know the word of God nor his will therein reuealed vnto vs. D. Whitaker lib. 1. de Scriptura cap. 9 sect 9. pag. 106 The ministry being taken away neither fayth nor Charity nor obedience nor any vertue will remayne safe And cap. 2. sect 6. pag. 37 VVe cannot at all belieue without the Ministry of the church And lib. 3. cap. 15 sect 20. pag. 478 I affirme determine and hold that there is no entrance to saluation without the Ministry of the word Againe by the Ministry of Pastors we belieue the Scripture neither is it to be hoped that without this Ministry sayth can grow in our minds And cap. 5. sect 2 I confesse the Ministry of the Church to be most necessary And Cont. 2. quest 5. cap. 19. pag. 550 VVe neuer come to fayth without preaching of the word D. Fuâ—ke de Succes pag. 30 The peoples saluation cannot be procured without preaching And pag 162 No Christian will deny preaching of the word to be necessary for the edification of the church M. Latimer in his sermons fol. 38 Take away preaching and take away saluation Fol. 99 The office of preaching is the only ordinary meane whereby God hath determined to saue vs. M. Cartwright in M. Hooker lib. 5. of Ecclesiasticall policy p. 41 Reading may set forward but not begin the worke of saluation sayth may be nourished therewith but not bred herein mens attention to the Scriptures and their speculation of the creatures of God haue like efficacy both being of power to augment but neither to effect beliefe without sermons And the Puritans in D. Whitgifts Answere to the Admonitions Reading is no feeding How then could there be any Protestant Church or fayth at all before Luther when as we heard before there was then no Protestant preacher Scripture requireth preaching And in like sort sometymes they confesse that the Scripture it selfe teacheth that preaching is necessary to haue fayth The Confession of Auspurg cap. de potest Eccles pag. 59 Euerlasting iustice the holy Ghost eternall life cannot be had but by the ministry of the word and Sacraments as Paul sayth The Confession of Bohemia art 10 They graunt that none can attaine to right sayth vnlesse he heare the word of God according to that of S. Paul Fayth is of hearing And againe How shall they belieue in him of whome they haue not heard And the Protestants in their conference at Marspurg agreed as reporteth Hospinian part 2. Histor fol 77 That the holy Ghost if we speake of the ordinary course giueth fayth to none vnlesse preaching or the vocall word goe before but by and with the vocall word he worketh and maketh fayth where and in whome it pleaseth him Rom 10. Caluin also 4. Institut cap. 1. § 5 God inspireth fayth into vs by the instrument of his Ghospell as Paul admonisheth that sayth is of hearing Againe VVe must hold that which I haue set downe out of Paul that the Church is not otherwise edified but by outward preaching and in 1. Tim. cap. 3 Paul meaneth simply that which in other words he deliuereth Rom. 10. because fayth is of hearing that there will be no sayth vnlesse there be preaching The like he hath 1. Cor. 3. v. 6. Heb. 4. v. 12. and Ephes 4. v. 12. Beza in the Conference at Montbelgard pag. 407 The ordinary manner whereby fayth is infused is by hearing the word Rom. 10. And Bucer in cap. 10. Rom The Apostle knew that God could call men without the ministry of men neuertheles he absolutely wrote How shall they belieue in him of whome they haue not heard Hyperius also vpon the same place That is that all belieue and call vpon God it is needfull that before they heare the Ghospell and be taught D. Whitaker lib. 1. de Scrip. cap. 2. sect 4 That of the Apostle how shall they belieue without a preacher conuinceth this much that preaching is necessary to conceiue assured of fayth God And c. 10. sect 4 The Apostle doth plainly say that fayth is of hearing And Cont. 2. quest 5. c. 19. pag. 549 This place of Isay 59. sheweth that true preaching of the word shall be perpetuall in the Church M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed col 787 I answere that place Rom. 10. Faith is of hearing to be vnderstood of iustifying fayth So that neither the visible nor inuisible Church could euer haue byn without preaching 6. Out of all that hath byn sayd in this and the former chapter I thus make my fourth demonstration for to proue that Luther was Author of the Protestant Church If before Luther the Protestant Church had no Pastors she was not then at all But then she had no Pastors at all Therefore then she was not at all And by him she came to haue both Protestant Pastors and sheep Therfore by him she had her beginning The Maior is euident by those Confessions of Protestants which we haue rehearsed in this chapter and the Minor by those that were repeated in the former That the Protestants Church and Religion before Luther
followers not knowing the Pope did honour his Kingdome belieuing all things thereof to be good and iust and of God The Magdeburgians in their 12. Century col 1637. speake thus of him He worshipped the God of Maâ—zim they meane the masse till the last moment of his life And in the next columne He was a most eager defender of the seat of Antichrist Melancthon in his booke of the Church and vpon the 14. cap. to the Romanes He yelded to many errours as to the Abuses of the Masse to the Popes power to vowes to the worship of Saints Danaeus in his controuersies pag. 313. sayth He approued the Popery M. Iewell in his defence of the Apology 21. art diuis 8. pag. 450 Bernard was a monck and liuing in a tyme of such corruption and being caryed with the tempest and violence of the same must c. Bale in his 2. century of writers pag. 177 He increased the authority of the bishop of Rome as much as he could D. Feild vpon the 14. of S. Matthew Bernard was deceiued with the errour of Peters superiority And D. Whitaker in his answere to the 7. reason of Father Campian Bernard whome alone your church in many yeares hath brought forth a holy man And in his 4. controuersy quest 2. c. 17. he affirmeth that he endeauoureth to confirme the Popes superiority Seing therefore by the confession of Protestants he was both an earnest Papist vnto his dying day for all his life tyme he honoured masse beleiued the Popes superiority in which two points Protestants say the essence and soule of a Papist doth consist and briefly belieued all things belonging to the Pope to come from God and also was a very holy man in his life tyme and now a blessed Saint in heauen they must needs confesse that euen the most vehemeÌ„t Papist may be of the church because neither true sanctity nor saluatioÌ„ can be found out of the church Whereunto the Protestants in the late Conference at Ratisbon Sess 13. say If they were truly saints then their errour was not of that kind which ouerturneth the foundation For it implieth contradiction that one should be a true Saint and yet foster errour which ouerturneth the ground of saluation In like sort they graunt diuers others to be true saints and yet withall Papists but for breuities sake I will content my selfe with this example of S. Bernard But I will not omit to say that they confesse our Christian forefathers before Luthers tyme to haue byn Papists from the top to the toe from the first to the last as shall be shewed in the 2. booke cap. 3. and notwithstanding dare not say that they be damned yea confesse them to be saued Luther in his booke of priuate masse enquireth what is to be thought of our auncestors who haue founded innumerable Masses and answereth I cannot tell certainly But vpon the 41. cap. of Genesis he sayth Doubtlesse many haue byn saued vnder Popery And vpon the 5. of S. Matthew Our Popish forefathers saued Neither do we condemne the Christians who liued vnder the Pope Brentius in the preface of his Recognition VVe doubt not but that many haue obtayned true saluation in Popery Osiander in his Manual englished VVe do not condemne our godly ancestors who liued in tyme of Popery Zuinglius in his actes of disputation fol. 638 It is impious to pronounce our ancestors to be damned D. Morton in his Apology part 1. l. 1. c. 90 Be this impiety far from vs to adiudge our ancestours to damnation And D. White in his defence pag. 356 I neuer denyed the church of Rome to be the visible church of God wherein our ancestors possessed the true faith and were saued But how could our Popish ancestors be not damned how could they be saued vnles they were in the true church out of which euen Protestants themselues confesse that there is no saluation That they confesse true mission and Pastors in Popery but only damnation 4. Fourthly I prooue that Protestants cannot deny Papists to be of the true Church because they oftentymes both by word and deed acknowledge the vocation and Mission of Popish Pastors to be lawfull and sufficient to make a true Pastour of the Church Luther vpon the 5. cap. of S. Matthew VVe confesse that amongst Papists are pulpits Baptisme Sacraments and all other things belonging to Apostolicall vocation and function And in his booke or priuate masse There remaineth in Popery Vocation Ordination Ministery of the word and keyes to bind and loose Againe Christ hath conserued his Ministery vnder Popery And as is before cited There is all Christian good in Popery the keyes the charge of preaching c. Iohn Regius in considerat Censurae pag. 93 Although it be true that the Popish ministery was depraued with sundry traditions and deuises of men yet had it those things which were necessary to saluation Bucer in Rom. 8. pag. 427. telling vs by what authority and right he preached Protestantisme sayth I had by lawfull meanes already attayned the charge to preach Christ and to teach those things which he commanded Iunius lib. singulari de eccles cap. 17 God calleth the church wherein Popery raigneth by his spirit by his word by the publike instrument of that holy marriage by the ministery by sacred affaires actions On Gods part these things are apparantly in that church Plessy lib. de Eccles cap. 11. p. 361. The vocation of our men is the same that they the Papists boast of Pag. 362 Our aduersaries and our first ministers had the same Ecclesiasticall calling Boysseul in confutat Spondaei pag. 486 It is no reproach for our Pastors to haue issued out of yours or as you say to haue had their vocation from yours Moulins lib. 1. de vocat cap. 5. pag. 20. endeauouring to vphold the calling of their first Reformers sayth They haue that calling which is ordinary in the church of Rome Pa. 21 They had their calling of the Pope cap. 9. pag. 36 They haue the same ordinary calling which our aduersaries haue And lib. 2. tract 1. cap. 1. pag. 172 The calling they had in the church of Rome sufficed to bind them to preach And pag. 173 Their commission was no other then the ordinary charge Serauia in defen Grad minist cap. 2. pag. 31. VVe ought not to thinke that in the church of Rome ecclesiasticall ministery is decayed And pag. 33 I like not their frowardnes who acknowledge no ministery in the church of Rome but deeme all that is there diuelish Ibid Beza doth exagitate Popish orders ouer much wherein I feare least he preiudice a good cause D. Whitaker contr 4. quest 5. cap. 3. pag. 682 The Papists haue some sort of ministery and some preaching of the word which doubtles auaileth many to saluation And other where as is before cited Among the Papists there are the keyes the office of preaching c. M. Bell in his first booke of the Popes funerall cap.
contrary opinions Thirdly we see how infamous a society Protestancy is into which all heretikes and Schismatikes likewise Idolaters Infidels Antichrist Atheists are admitted What sinke euer did receiue such filth Surely such a rable deserueth better the name of hell then of the holy Church Fourthly we see how monstruous a company it is which consisteth of so different and opposite members What they meane by a Protestant in tymâ—past Fiftly we may gather what Protestants meane when they say Protestants haue byn alwayes or before Luther For they meane not that there haue byn alwayes some who belieued at least all their fundamentall articles but that there were alwayes some who as they speake opposed themselues against the Pope or his errors whether they were otherwise Schismatiks Heretiks infidels or Atheists Of which kind of men I deny not but there haue byn alwayes some rable but none but a mad man will say that it was the holy Church spouse of Christ Sixtly we see how litle ProtestaÌ„ts account of their Church fayth and religion and belieue nothing lesse then that it is the church of God or fayth of Christ For who doubteth but Schisme heresy infidelity Atheisme are most pestilent plagues and infernall darknesse directly opposite to ecclesiasticall Communion and fayth which are the forme life soule of the Church And who can imagin Note that he can associate and vnite together formes so contrary as are light and darknesse life and death truth and lies or that the society in darknesse lies and death as are the societies in Schisme Heresy and infidelity can become one with the society in light life truth as the Church is If therfore seriously they belieued their Church to be the church of Christ they would neuer thinke that she could become one with the society in Schisme heresy and infidelity And this sometymes Protestants themselues perceiue For Brentius in Appendice Recognit thus speaketh to the Sacramentaries when they desired to be held for brethren of the Lutherans whome yet they condemned of heresy If they iudâ—e our opinion to be impious with what face do they desire to ioyne themselues with that Church which maintayneth impious doctrine and to be held of her for brethren VVhat fellowship sayth Paul is there of iustice with iniustice or what CoÌ„munion of light with darknesse or what agreement of Christ with Belial or what for the saythfull with the infidell VVherefore if they desire this sincerely and in earnest they manifestly shew that they make mockery of religion as if it skilled not which one follow so he may passe his life peaceably and quietly In like manner those of Wittenberge in their Refutation of the orthodoxall consent pag. 636. say VVe cannot wounder inough that seing they not only accuse the doctours of our Church of horrible and damned heresies but also haue long since condemned them to wit of Arianisme Nestorianisme Eutichianisme Marcionisme Manicheisme and the Monothelites heresies neuerthelesse they dare account vs for brethren and desire our brotherhood VVho that is carefull of piety and truth can persuade himselfe that these Sectmasters do in earnest handle religion For if we be such as we are iudged of them our friendship and fraternity is to be detested not desired Thus speake the Lutherans to the Sacramentaries which no whit lesse falleth vpon theÌ„selues because they also challenge the Hussites and other old heretiks whome they cannot excuse from holding vile heresies Finally we see how vncertaine Protestants be in determing what a Protestant is and what is necessary to the essence making of a Protestant consequently how vncertaine they must be whome to hold for one of their houshould whome for a stranger whome for a brother whom for an enemy which church or company they must imbrace which they must fly which they must account the spouse of Christ which the Synagogue of Satan Then the which vncertainty nothing can be more miserable in matter of religion Wherefore sith they are so vncertaine in this matter we must therin setle some certainty and that according to their own principles That it is necessary for a Protestant to belieue with only speciall fayth that himselfe is iustified CHAP. VI. 1. ABOVE all things it is most necessary to an inuisible or true Protestant in the sight of God as they terme him that with only speciall or peculiar fayth he belieue some thing belonging to himselfe to wit that he is iustified in Christ or as they vse to speake that with fayth he apprehend Christs iustice and apply it vnto him elf in particuler And to a visible Protestant in sight of men it is in like sort necessary that he professe himself to belieue with such a fayth that he is iustified in Christ For example For Luther to haue byn a true Protestant before God it is needfull that he haue truly belieued himselfe to be iustified by only the foresayd speciall fayth which he had of his own iustice which faith they call speciall or particuler because it was particuler to Luther no man being bound to belieue Luther to be iustified besides himselfe And for Luther to haue byn a visible Protestant in the sight of men it was needful in like manner to haue professed himself to haue belieued that he was iustified by only the sayd fayth The same I say of Caluin and of euery Protestant in particuler That according to their doctrine it is most necessary to a Protestant that he belieue himselfe to be iustified by only speciall fayth is manifest First because they teach that a man is iustified by only speciall fayth wherwith he belieueth something belonging to himselfe alone not by an vniuersall or Catholike fayth whereby he belieueth the mysteryes of Christian religion common to all and which euery one must belieue for this fayth they call historicall and say it may be in such as are not iust yea in hipocrites and Deuills Seing therefore in their opinion no man is a true Protestant in the sight of God but only he that is iust nor any iust but who hath a speciall or peculiar fayth wherewith he apprehendeth Christs iustice to himselfe it is manifest that according to their principles none can be a true Protestant before God vnlesse he haue the foresayd speciall fayth and in like manner that none can be a visible Protestant before men vnlesse he professe to belieue iustification by only speciall fayth because none can be accounted to be of any religion vnlesse he professe to belieue those meanes of obtayning iustification and remission of sins which that religion teacheth Caluin 3. Instit cap. 2. § 16 None is a true faythfull man None faythfull without speciall fayth but he who with a solid persuasion that God loueth him assureth himselfe of all things from his goodnes c. And § 39. he sayth VVithout this Christianity standeth not And in Rom. 1. v. 7 Hence we gather that none do rightly account themselues faythfull vnlesse
they certainly assure themselues that God loueth them M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed col 780 No man can belieue himselfe to be a member of the Church What fayth is according to Protestants vnlesse he firmely and certainly persuaded that he is predestinated to eternall life Besides Caluin in his litle Catechisme cap. de fide defineth iustifying fayth to be a certaine and stedfast knowledge of our heauenly Fathers goodwill towards vs. The like definition he hath 3. Pareus l. 1. de Iustit cap. 11 Instit cap 2. § 2 Luther in cap. 4. Ioelis tom 4. and generally all Lutherans and Sacramentaries except that where some define it to be a knowledge others say it is an assurance or confidence of Gods fauour Hence it is manifest that they account none a iust or faythfull man vnlesse he haue a speciall fayth of his iustification and Gods fauour towards him 2. Secondly I proue the same out of diuers commendations of Protestants touching the necessity and excellency of this article For Luther tom 1. in disp fol. 410. sayth In vaine he belieueth other articles who denieth that we are iustified by only fayth And tom 2. lib. cont Missam fol. 390. he sayth The Summe that this article is the summe of his doctrine and Ghospell And lib. de votis fol. 278. that this is the definition of a Christian who belieueth to be iustified by the only works of Christ alone The Definition without his owne Tom 3. in Psalm Grad fol. 573 That the only knowledge of this article conserueth the Church And fol. 576. that it is the summe of Christian doctrine The Sun the sunne which lightneth the Church which falling the Church falleth Tom. 4. in cap. 53. Isaiae fol. 200. he writeth that it is as it were the foundation on which the Gospell relyeth and which alone distinguisheth his religion from all others Fol. 201. that it is like the liuely fountaine whence all treasures of diuine wisedome do flow The fouÌ„dation and the foundation of all the Church and Christianity And Prefat in Ionam that it is the cheife of Christian doctrine and the summe of all the scripture Tom. 5. Prefat in Galat. fol. 269. he affirmeth that it is the only rock of the Church And 273 The rock VVho holdeth not this article are sayth he either Iewes or Turks or Papists or Heretiques And fol. 274. that in this doctrine alone the Church is made and consisteth And fol. 333. he plainly confesseth that it is his only defence Their defence without which as he speaketh both we and heretiks togeather with vs had long since perished Tom. 6. in cap. 21. Genes fol. 265. he termeth it the cheifest article of fayth And tom 7. epist ad Liuones fol. 499. auoucheth that it is the only way to heauen and the summe of Christian life The only way And finally in the first article concluded at Smalcald In this article are and consist all which in our life we teach witnesse and do against the Pope the Diuell and all the world This and much more writeth Luther in commendation of the necessity and excellency of the article touching iustification by only fayth And of the contrary beliefe concerning iustification by works tom 5. in cap. 3. Galat. fol. 257. he sayth It is the sinck of all euills And in cap. 4. fol. 402 That it taketh away the truth of the Ghospell faith Christ himselfe 3. With Luther herein agree the Lutherans For the Confession of Auspurg cap. de discrimine ciborum sayth that this article is the proper doctrine of the ghospell And the Apology therof cap. de iustificat that it is the principall place of Christian doctrine And cap. de poenit the cheifest place and principallest article about which they fight with their aduersaries and the knowledge wherof they account most necessary to all The Confâ—ssion of Saxony that this article being extinguished there is no difference betwixt the Church and other men The Confession of Bohemia The suÌ„me of all Christianity and piety that this article is held of them for the cheifest of all as which is the summe of all Christianity and piety The vniuersity of Wittemberg tom 2. Lutheri fol. 248 It is the cheifest article of the ghospell The Ministers of the Prince Electour in Colloq Aldeburg pag. 1. say that this article is as it were the summe and last end to which all the other articles do look vnto And those of the D. of Saxony pag. 132. affirme that as long as this doctrine standeth Luther standeth yea Paul yea God This doctrine falling Luther falleth This falling God falleth Paul falleth God falleth and all men are necessarily damned Those of Magdeburg in Sleidan lib. 21. call this article the stay of saluation Melancthon tom 2. Lutheri fol. 506. termeth it the cheifest article Kemnice part 1. Examen tit de Iustificat pag. 231 The cheifest place And in locis part 1. tit de Iustificat pag. 216. writeth that it is like the castle and principall bulwarck of all Christian doctrine and religion Lobechius disput 22. The Bulwarck pag. 515. addeth that it is one of the cheifest points of our sayth because the prore and poupe of Christianity is contayned therein and on it hangeth the hinges of our saluation Scnusselburg tom 8. Catal. haeret affirmeth it to be the cheifest article wherein consisteth our saluation and which is the head of our religion Finally to omit other Lutherans Brentius in Apolog. Wittemberg part 3. pag. 703. sayth The essentiall differeÌ„ce that the essentiall difference betwixt a Protestant and a Papist is that of the Protestant religion these are the first principles The scriptur Christ the Sonne of God sayth or assurance of Gods fauour towards vs for Christs sake 4. Neither do Sacramentaries dissent herein from the Lutherans For the Confession of Basse auoucheth it to be the first and cheifest point in Euangelicall doctrine The French Confess art 18. calleth it the foundation Zuinglius in Isagoge fol. 268. sayth it is the summe of the Ghospell Bucer Respons ad Abrincens pag. 613. And Gualter Prefat in Ioan. write that about this article is almost all the whole substance of dispute with them and Papists Bullinger in Compend lib. 5. cap. 1. termeth it the cheifest point of holy Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine And lib. 8. cap. 8 The highest and cheifest head of Christian doctrine and of fayth Peter Martyr in locis tit de Iustif col 939. sayth it is the head fountaine and stay of all piety Tom. 2. epist ad Peregrin col 136 The summe of Summeâ— It is the summe of summes and cheifest head Caluin 4. Institut cap. 11. § 1. that it is the cheifest proppe of religion lib. 11. § 17 The summe of all piety And Respons and Sadolet pag. 125. that the knowledge thereof being gone Christi glory is extinct religion abolished and hope of
Church and necessary to saluation to be knowne 4. According therefore to the verdict both of Lutherans and Sacramentary Protestants theâ—e Confession of Auspurg contayneth the summe whole body of Protestant doctrine and only those things which are necessary to be told and that only doctrine which is proper to the church and is necessary to be knowne for saluation Whosoeuer therfore dissenteth from the Confession of Auspurg dissenteth from Protestants in the summe and body of Protestancy in things that are necessary 〈◊〉 doctrine necessary to the Church and necessary â—o â—â—â—nation But vndoubtedly who oâ—ssenteth in sâ—ch things dissenteth in fundamentall points And thâ—s manner of examining who is a Protestant cannot be disliked of Protestants because themselues vsed it against the Anabaptists in their Conference at Frankentall wherein they proue that the Anabaptistia were not before the yeare of Christ 1522 For say they if you read ouer all histories you shall not find any people from the beginning of the world who had a Confession of sayth like to yours They are therefore of opinion that it is necessary for an Anabaptist that he hold their CoÌ„fession Why then may not we say the like is necessary to a Protestant Besides Sadeel in Refutat Thes Posnan pag. 866. sayth that we ought to iudge of the fayth of the reformed Churches by the Confessions of their fayth which rule we now follow 5. And if any Protestant do not thinke that the articles of the Confession of Auspurg be fundamentall let him take the Confession of Saxony Fundam articles according to the CoÌ„fess of Saxony to which many principall Protestants subscribed and which they composed with mind to present it to the Councell of Trent For this Confession affirmeth her articles to be fundamentall saying cap. 23 This is the summe of doctrine which with one mouth we preach in our Churches And soone after It is true doctrine and necessary to the Church And Hospin part 2. Hist fol. 215. sayth that the composers of this Confession auouch this in summe that that writing contayneth clearly and fundamentally the princâ—pall articles of Christian fayth and doctrine of Sacraments instituted of Christ Or if he please let him take the Confession of Strasburg According to the CoÌ„fession of Strasburg which in the end thus writeth of the articles thereof These are the cheife points in which our men haue somewhat gone from the common doctrine of the Clergy Or else the Scottish general CoÌ„â—essioÌ„ wherin thus speake the Scots VVe belieue confesse and subscribe According to the CoÌ„fession of Scotland and affirme before God and the whole world that this only is the true Christian sayth which pleaseth God and bringeth saluation to men which is now layd open to the world and receiued of diuers Churches and Kingdoms especially of the Scottish Church For these Confessions do affirme that their articles are principall necessary to the Church and their doctrine the only true Christian doctrine which bringeth saluation But surely such articles be fundamentall Therefore the articles of these Confessions be fundamentall articles in Protestancy And consequently that a man be accounted a Protestant according to the iudgement of these Confessions it is necessary that he professe their articles Or finally let him make choice of the Bohemian Confession According to the CoÌ„fession of Bohemia in the Preface whereof it is written thus VVe imbrace and hold all things which belong to the true Church and without which she can be no where on earth For without doubt such things are fundamentall 6. But if any will not admit either the articles of the Conâ—ession of Auspurg or of Saxony which are Confessions of Lutherans nor the articles of the Confessions of Strasburg or Scotland which are Confessions of Sacramentaries not finally the articles of the Bohemian Confession which is sayd to be the Confession of the Waldenses to be the fundamentall articles of Protestancy First he shall shew that touching which are fundamentall articles he agreeth neither which LutheraÌ„s nor Sacramentaries nor Waldenses Againe besides that which we haue repeated out of Protestants concerning their account of the Confession of Auspurg he shall herein reiect those Confessions to which Protestants as themselues say yeld almost as much as Papists do to the Councell of Trent Vorstiue in Praefat. Antibell Praefat. Syntagm Conf ssionum which they hold for authenticall writings and which they say haue byn sealed with the bloud of many martyrs and approued of Kings Princes and common wealthes most excellent Deuines great seruants of God Assuredly if there be any certainty or worth in Protestant doctrine it is in their Confession of fayth Moreouer he can name no other articles which Protestants by publike and common iudgement haue agreed to be fundamentall and therefore either they haue not by publike consent determined which articles they hold for fundamentall or certainly no iudgement or decree of theirs is to be more esteemed of them then that which we find in their Confessions of fayth If Protestants be not certaine which are fundam articles they are not certaine of their Church Wherefore either they are to be held for fundamental articles or else Protestants are not certaine which are fundamentall articles of their fayth And if they be not certaine herof they cannot be certaine what is the essence or substance of a Protestant or who is a Protestant who not seing as I shewed before the only essentiall forme and substance of a Protestant they put in the beliefe of their fundamentall articles Either therefore they haue not yet determined which are their fundamentall articles and consequently they haue not determined what is the substance of a Protestant or who is a Protestants who not who is a member of their Church who an alien or that which they haue determined in their forsayd Confessions is to be taken for their decree and determination in this matter Finally I regard not what articles this or that Protestant iudgeth to be fundamentall for I might set downe which Luther tom 1. in Praefat. Disput fol. 419. or which Zuinglius Prefat Conf. fidei or which Beza in fine breuis Confess or which Bullinger Praefat. Compend haue reckoned for fundamentall articles but I would determine this matter out of their publike Confessions of fayth Sadeel ad Thes Posnan c 12. Beza epist 1. Rainold praelect 4. because they cannot deny them but in denying their fayth as also because they are of more authority amongst Protestants and finally because themselues require vs so to do 7. Let it be therefore assured and stedfast that according to the iudgement generally of all Protestants it is necessarily and before all matters required to a Protestant that he belieue Iustification by only speciall or particuler fayth What necessary to a Protestant because this is the soule life definition and all in a Protestant and moreouer according to the iudgements of the foresayd Confessions that he belieue
Catholike or vniuersall church Finally this shall yet more appeare out of the chapter following where we shall see that they teach that the whole world did fall from the fayth 5. Their fourth shift is That they meane of a substantiall perishing that by the words Destruction decaying failing ouerthrowing and such others they meane not a substantiall perishing of the fayth or Church but only an accidentall corruption of becomming worse But this shift also is soone refuted First because Luther sayth of his fayth doctrine or ghospell that it dyed was neglected ouerwhelmed extinct blotted out taken away ouerthrowne lost Cap. 2. n. â—â— abolished forgotten and rooted out And that he might put it out of all doubt that by these words he meant a true and substantiall destruction or perishing he added vnto them most significant aduerbes saying that it was truly ouerwhelmed wholy extinct vtterly extinct Ib. extinct from the bottome plainly extinct plainly taken away simply taken away quite taken away vtterly buryed vtterly lost wholy abolished and blotted out and most plainly rooted out And least any one might also cauill that these words are not meant of a true and substantiall destruction he sayd further that the Pope hath obscured nay extinguished the doctrine of fayth They haue darckned nay wholy ouerwhelmed Christs Ghospell They haue not only obscured but absolutely taken away the ghospell Lib. 1. de peccat mer. c. 4. Surely as S. Augustin sayth such kind of words needs no Expositor but only a reader In like sort other Protestants say of their fayth or ghospell that it was banished cast out extinct ended choaked buryed obscured till it was vtterly extinguished Num. 2.3 that it perished from the earth and vanished out of the Church They add also that it was wholy ouerturned vtterly extinct quite changed into idolatries ouerturned from the root and that there was an vtter abolition an extreme salling away and full destruction of it so that not so much as one litle sparke could be sound but it was quite extinct scarce the name of Christianity was left 6. Besides of their principall and most fundamentall article of Iustification by only fayth they say C. 1. n. 4. 5. 6. that lay long vnknowne that there was profound silence of it that no man taught it that it was neglected lost blotted out extinct and horribly opprest that it was corrupted nay extinct and abolished that no man belieued it that it was vtterly extinct plainly lost quite lost wholy suppressed wholy oppressed wholy trampled wholy dasht out vtterly blotted out quite extinct quite taken away quite neglected and blotted out of the memory of men and not only obscured but quite extinguished But if this doctrine were so extinct as no man belieued it and blotted out of mens memory surely not only the Profession of their fayth but also their fayth it selfe was vtterly perished and consequently also their Church whereof this article is the life soule summe definition and all Num. 7. 7. Of the Church also they say that it was banished fayled was oppressed extinct ouerturned fallen wholy fallen that it fell to Antichrist that the old foundation thereof was remoued and a new layd that the order of the Church perished that there was a slaughter of the whole Church that Christs Kingdome was throwne downe razed to the ground that in the temple of God there was nought but pittifull ruines that the Church was from the foundation rooted out and ouerthrowne by the ground and that where it once was there remayned only the name the substance being quite lost Surely either by these manner of speaches is signified a substantiall destruction or that cannot be plainly signifyed by any manner of words Besides the formes of speach do more clearly signify a substantial destruction theÌ„ those which Protestants condemne in some heretiks For Caluin lib. cont Seruetum pag. 657. condemneth Seruet for saying that there had byn a long banishment of the Church from the earth and that she had byn driuen out of the world And yet as we see Danaeus sayth that the Church was banished Powell that all true religion was banished D. Fulke that the true doctrine of saluation was driuen out Anâ— Crispin that all true worship of God was driuen out D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 471. and otherwhere condemneth the Donatists and other Heretikes for saying that the Church perished and yet Bale sayth that holesome truth perished from the earth And Lobechius vnder Elias his name that the Church quite perished Moreouer they say that the Church may be reduced to one or two which is indeed to say that the Church may substantially perish Num. 8. for the Church is defined to be a company or multitude in the English Confession article 19. That the Church cannot consist of one in the French art 27. in the Suitzers art 17. and in the Flemish art 27. But one or two are not a company Whereupon Danaeus lib. 3. de Eccles cap. 16. sayth It is written of Vlpiaâ— the Lawyer in the ciuill law that at least three persons are required to make a Colledge and if to a Colledge much more to the Church And Lubbert lib. 2. Replicat cap. 3. sayth plainly that one man makes not a Church And Polanus in Syntag. lib. 7. cap. 1 One man though neuer so holy cannot be a church Beurlin also in Refut Soti Neither do we call the solitude of one man which worshippeth God the Church And D. Whitaker lib. 1 de Scriptura cap. 11. Sect. 4. How can the Church be in one seeing the very name of the Church doth signify a company or multitude If therefore there be but one there is no Church For the Church cannot be imagined to be but in many Iuel DefeÌ„s Ap. part x. c. 1. Fulk de Succes p. 89. Beza in Catech. c 5. Brent in Prolog q. 4. And much lesse can one or two be the Catholike Church that is as the Protestants themselues expound it the Church spred throughout the whole world because one or two cannot be spred throughout the world Whereupon the Scots in their Confession cap. 18. say that two or three make not the vniuersall Church And Zuinglius lib. de vera falsa relig tom 2. fol. 192 VVho sayes that the Church signifieth some few erreth like to him who sayth that people signifieth the King Surely it should be a notable flock which consisted of one or two sheep a worthy Kingdome which had but one or two subiects and a strange Catholike or vniuersall Church which contayned but one or two faythfull persons What can the gates of hell preuaile so farre against the Church as they can reduce her to one or two Christians What other thing is this then to say that the Church can perish For seing the Church cannot be imagined but in company or multitude who sayth â—hat the Church can be brought to one or two doth indeed
the Waldenses and therefore the Bohemian Confession is not the Waldenses Confession Nor albeit therein be mention of iustification by only fayth can it be inferred that therefore the Waldenses did belieue it Finally as I haue often sayd and it must be alwayes inculcated I regard not whome any one sayth to haue byn Protestants but whom he proueth to haue byn such Neither whome he can proue to haue byn Protestants in part and in some sort but whome he can proue to haue byn absolutely and wholy Protestants at least for the substance of Protestancy Neither will it auaile any whit to complaine that we haue burnt the writings of the Waldenses by which they might proue that they were true Protestants For if they haue nor wherwithall to proue they were true Protestants they in vaine do feigne it Besides we asked of Luther his followers to produce one man Waldensian or other who had byn a true Protestant before Luthers preaching for which end there was no need of writings but of liuing men Wiclif was no true Protestant 6. In like sort I proue that Wicliffe and his followers were not true and absolute Protestants First because the Wiclifists are by name condemned togeather with other heretiks of Protestants in their Apology of the Confession of Auspurg chap. of the Church in these words VVe haue plainly inough sayd in our Confession that we disalow the Donatists and VViclifists Secondly because neither in Wiclifs booke nor of any of his schollers is there any signe of sole iustifying fayth neither did euer any Catholike writer contend with them there about Thirdly because as Melancthon writeth in his epistle to Myconius in his 1. tom printed at Bâ—sle pag. 416 VViclif neither vnderstood nor held the iustice of fayth Yea Husse his principall follower as we shall anon rehearse belieued that works did iustify And Wiclif himselfe in Thomas Walden tom 3. tit 1. cap. 7. bid euery one hope in the proper iustice of his life and men to trust in their merits which thing alone doth separate him farre inough from the Protestants campe Fourthly because the Wiclifists are reckoned amongst Heretiks of many Protestants as of Schusselburg tom 3. Catal pag. 190. of Kemnice in fundament is Coenae pag. 114. of Pantalcon in his Chronicle and of Matthias Hoe disput 27. they are termed most monstrous monsters And D. Cay in his 2. booke of the antiquity of Cambridge obiecteth Wicliffe to the Oxford men as a flaine of their vniuersity Fiftly wiclif taught diuers things which Protestants dislike And to omit these things which Catholikes obiect vnto him Canisius to 3 antiq lectionum Rokesana Prince of the Hussites in his dispute with Catholiks before the King of Bohemia hath these words These are the articles of VViclif That tithes are meere almes That the Clergy ought to haue no ciuill gouernment If a King be in mortall sinne that he is no more a King Which last article Osiander in his 15. Century repeateth thus There is no temporall Lord no Prelate no Bishop whiles he is in mortall sinne And Melancthon in his foresayd epistle VViclif doth plainly sophistically and seditiously wrangle vpon ciuill dominion And in his dispute of the right of Magistrats VViclif is mad who thinketh the wicked to haue no Dominion And in his Commentaries vpon Aristotles Politiques VViclif would haue those who haue not the holy ghost to loose their Dominion So that I meruaile how D. Andrews in his answere to the Apology of Bellarmine could say that it is a sclaunder that Wiclif taught so when as not only Catholiks but euen Hussites and Protestants do affirme it Moreouer Wiclif as Osiander reporteth in the place aforecited did condemne lawfull oathes and taught that all things fell out according to absolute necessity And Melancthon in his sayd epistle giueth this sentence of him I haue looked into VViclif but I haue found in him many other errors Wiclife held not iustice of sole faith by which one may iudge of his spirit He at all vnderstood not nor held the iustice of sayth He fondly confoundeth the ghospell and politique affaires would haue Priests to haue nothing proper c. And in his common places chap. of Ecclesiasticall power That superstition of VViclif is pernicious and seditious which driueth the ministers of the Church to beggery and denyeth that it is lawfull for them to hold any thing proper M. Stow also in his Cronicle anno 1376. writeth that he taught that Neither King nor lay man could giue any thing to the church for perpetuity Finally Vadianus in his fiâ—t book of the Eucharist pag. 168. confesseth that in many things he fouly erred Hussites no Protestants 7. Husse likewise and his partners we proue not to haue byn true and absolute Protestants First because it cannot be proued that they held the foresayd article of iustification by only fayth and the other fundamentall points of Protestancy Secondly because Husse is by name reiected of Luther who in the defence of his 30. article tom 2. thus writeth of him He agreeth not with me He gaue not a litle to the idol of Rome He seemeth not to repugne against the Popes Monarchy And vpon the 2. psal tom 3. fol 395 Husse did not condemne the sacrifice of Masse as we do And vpon the 9. chapter of Isaias tom 4. fol. 108. he sayth that Husse held a doctrine most pestilent most pernicious horrible and wholy impious yea very diuelish And in his Lypsicall dispute tom 1. fol. 260 I know and that very well that an euill Prelate is not to be reiected and therefore I damne the article of Husse And both there and other where Tom. 1. fo 30. 291. 292. 251. oftentymes denieth himselfe to be a Bohemian by which he meant an Hussite And in his table-talkes chapter of Sâ—ermers sayth Husse belieued that works with fayth do iustify which point alone excludeth him from the number of Protestants Husse belieue not sole faith And in the chapter of Antichrist Husse departed not one iot from the Papists but only reproued vices and naughty life Which also affirmeth Hierome of Prage Husse his fellow in M. Fox vpon the 11. chapter of the Apocal. Where also M. Fox himselfe writeth that Husse agreed with the Papists touching transubstantiation Masse Vowes Predestination Free will formed fayth cause of iustification and merits of works which plainly declare how litle he held of Protestancy Lastly when Bellarmine wrote that there was not in the world when Luther began any religion but Paganisme Iudaisme Mahometisme Grecisme Nestorianisme Hussites heresy and the Romane fayth D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 5. cap. 3. pag. 502. denyeth these to haue byn all For sayth he our Church was then In which words he professeth the Protestants to be a different church from the Hussites Iunius also lib. 4. de Eccles cap. 6. acknowledgeth that some Protestant deny Hussites to be of their Church And Luther vpon the 53.
they knew not the Apostolicall doctrine And D. Whitaker de Scriptura lib. 2. cap. 8. sect vlt Howsoeuer they were enuironed with most grosse darknesse yet they told some sparckes of truth and shewed them to others And what other thing I pray you is this but to confesse that such were but Protestants in part and in some sort Yea they name some whome they confesse to haue reprehended only certaine abuses amongst the Papists as Melancthon in his Answere to the Bauarian articles tom 3. fol. 369. and Illyricus in his Catalogue lib. 15. confesse of Hilten It remayneth yet for the accomplishing of this demonstration that we also shew by the Confessions of Protestants that the true Church of God can neuer want Pastors as they haue confessed theirs to haue wanted for the space of some ages That the true Church cannot be without Pastors CHAP. VIII 1. THAT the Church can neuer be without Pastors I proue first out of the Confessions of the Protestant faith For thus professe they to belieue in the Confession of Saxony cap. 12 The Sonne of God hath giuen ministers of the Ghospell vnto the Church to the end it do not quite perish Againe He would haue alwayes a company in mankind in which the Sonne himselfe appointed and conserued the Ministery of keeping and spredding his doctrine The Confession of Suitzers cap. 18 God hath alwayes vsed ministers for to setle and gather him a Church and also for to gouerne and preserue it and vseth the same now and further will vse them whiles the Church shall be on earth The French Confession art 25 VVe belieue the Church cannot consist if it haue not Pastors who haue the office of teaching The Confession of the low Countries art 30 VVe belieue that the true Church ought to be gouerned and ruled by that spirituall policy which God hath taught in his word so that there be Pastors and ministers in it And the Confession of Strasburg Seing the â—hurch is the Kingdome of God it hath diuers functions of ministers 2. Secondly I proue it because for the church to be without Pastors is to want some part of the essence and definition giuen by the Protestants themselues For Luther Proposition 15. to 1. fol. 385. thus defineth a Church It is a number of baptized persons and belieuers vnder one Pastor And tom 2. fol. 366. he sayth The publike Ministery of the word whereby the Mysteries of God are dispensed must be instituted by holy ordination as the thing which in the Church is the cheifest and principallest of all Kemnice in his Common places title of the Church pag. 146 The Church consisteth of Pastors and learners Gerlachius in his 22. Disput pag. 966 The Church is not a company meeting by chance or disordered but called by the voice of the cryers of the word for to heare the doctrine of the Ghospell Caluin 4. Institut cap. 2. § 7 The Ministery is the cheifest sinew and soule of the Church Beza of the Notes of the Church pag. 9 By the name of the Church properly taken it is certaine that not only Pastors but also stocks are vnderstood Iunius Cont. 5. lib. 1. cap. 15 God instituted orders in the Church for the essentiall outward constitution therof D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 5. cap. 6. pag. 508 The Church cannot subsist without Pastors of whome it is taught For doctrine doth make and constitute the Church and is her soule and life And cap. 18. pag. 546 The Church is no other number then that which holdeth the pure preaching of the word and right vse of the Sacraments And cap. 17. dag 541 Syncere preaching of the word and lawfull administration of the Sacraments do make the church in so much as whersoeuer they be there the Church is and where they be not the Church is not D. Feild in his 2. booke of the Church cap. 6 The Ministery of Pastors and teachers is absolutely and essentially necessary to the being of the Church And lib. 1. cap. 10 Bellarmine laboureth in vaine in prouing that there is and alwayes hath byn a visible Church and that not consisting of some few scattered Christians without order of Ministry or vse of Sacraments for all this we do most willingly yield vnto Yea the Philosophers by the light of reason perceiued that it is impossible they should be a Common wealth without Magistrates This same also is manifest by many other definitions which Protestants haue made of the Church and we haue rehearsed them before in which they place true preaching and administration as essentiall parts of the true Church which yet cannot be without Pastors 3. Besides this were against the definitions of the Church giuen by the holy Fathers For thus writeth S. Cyprian epist 79 The Church is the people vnited to the Priest and the flock cleauing to the Pastor And this he proueth out of those words of our Sauiour Math. 16 Thou art Peter and vpon this rock will I build my Church S. Hierome also in his dialogues against the Luciferians It is no Church which hath no Priest S. Ignatius in his epist ad Trallianos VVithout these Priests the elect Church is not no congregation without these no meeting of Saints And whereas Danaeus lib. 4. de Eccl. cap. 8. sayth that these Fathers define only a visible church that auaileth nothing because indeed there is no Church on earth which is not visible in profession of faith Againe Pastors shall be at least of the essence of the visible Church and consequently the Protestant Church which before Luther wanted Pastors was no visible Church Furthermore S. Cyprian proueth his definition out of those words of Christ Matt. 16. which as is certaine and Protestants confesse are spoken of the true Church in the sight of God And S. Ignatius sayth that there is no elect church no congregation of Saints without Priests which he must needs meane of the true Church And Saint Hierome simply sayth it is no Church which hath no Priests which he could no wayes say if the true Church in the sight of God could be without Priests And hereby also is refuted Sadeel in Repetit Sophism Turriani pag. 652. when he sayth The definition of S. Cyprian is not essentiall nor properly teacheth what the Church is but what a one it ought to be For S. Cyprian inferreth out of his definition that if one be not with the Bishop he is not in the Church And Saint Hierome pronounceth one Hilaries sect to haue perished with him because he left no Pastor behind him And for this cause the Fathers do still obiect vnto heretiks the want of succession of Pastors as an euident marke that they are not the Church as euen Protestants themselues confesse For thus writeth D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 5. cap. 6. pag. 509 The Fathers rebuked heretiks that they wanted succession of Bishops Sadeel of Vocation of Ministers pag. 546 S. Augustin oftentyms opposed this succession against the Manichees and
4. quest 5. cap. 3. pag. 682. writeth that those feigned Protestants Perhaps vsed Popish ceremonies for customes sake And pag. 689 Antichrist deceiued the elect and seduced them The very elect erred And Cont. 2. quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 474 In Popery there were many Protestants who communicated with Papists Gerlachius tom 2. disp 22 They were driuen into the common opinions with an vniuersall and fatall ouerflow of superstitions And Casaubon epist ad Peron pag. 10. writeth that the godly communicated with Babylon D. Feild lib. 3. de Eccles cap. 13 The authors of those Popish errours and those that were free from them were of the same Communion D. White in his way pag. 171 The children of God abode in the communion of the Roman Church And in the defence cap. 44. pag. 394 VVe do not hold a definite number of persons distinct from the members of the Church of Rome and liuing apart in another society by themselues in secret as it were the 7. sleepers lying hid in a mountaine but we affirme this company liued in the middest of the Church of Rome it selfe and were the visible Prosessors therof This also is that which Caluin would when 4. Institut cap. 2. § 12. he sayth that his Churches in Popery were prophaned with sacrilegious impiety corrupted and almost killed with pernicious doctrines in which lay halfe buryed the ghospell ouerwhelmed godlines banished and all things so out of order as there seemed rather the face of Babylon then of the citty of God And vpon the 23. of the Acts VVe complaine that the Church was corrupted of them Papists the temple of God prophaned Li. 2. cont Cresc c. 17. that it differed litle from a swinescot See sayth S. Augustine to what a precipic◠the difficulty to find where to get out hath brought these men They sayd their Church was in Popery and afterward found not how to creep out but by this most steep craggy precipice For what steeper precipice what greater absurdity can there be then to say that the church of God which the Protestants will haue theirs to be for many ages denyed her fayth professed infidelity forsook Christ worshipped Antichrist or to vse their owne words Did vse very Babylonicall and Antichristian rites was corrupted with pernicious doctrine prophaned with sacrilegious impiety Epist 40. Epist 27. and out of which godlines was banished God forbid sayth S. Cyprian that a company of fallen persons should be called the Church Againe God forbid his mercy and inuincible power neuer permit Epist 1. that a company of fallen persons be called the Church And Beza himselfe The Church is a community of Saints not a company of excommunicated or sacrilegious persons And shall we think that before Luther arose the Church of God for many ages was nothing else but a company of fallen sacrilegious hypocrites denyers of Christ and worshippers of Antichrist Is such a company the holy Church Is the Communion of such the Communion of Saints which we belieue in our Creed Is such a society the spouse and mysticall body of Christ the wife of the lambe the Kingdom of God Surely a fit Church for protestants and a fit company to which the forsakers of the Catholike Church may adioyne themselues and most worthy to be eschewed detested of all that loue Christs or their owne honour For who is he either pious or well in his wits who will make himselfe of that company which for many ages consisted all of lapsed Hypocrites denyers of Christ and worshippers of Antichrist The whole Scriptures and Fathers say that the spouse of Christ is honest and chast and cannot be deflowed But this protestant harlot did for many ages prostitute her selfe to Antichrist 10. Moreouer this kind of company which thus communicated with Antichrist and professed his doctrine could not be the visible Protestant Church Conf. Anglic art 19 For her they define to be a company which professeth Christs true doctrine and rightly vseth his Sacraments But this foresayd company as themselues write Durst not prosesse their opinion had no Ministery did obserue Babylonicall and heathenish rites Nor were they their inuisible Church which alone they will haue to be the true Catholike and proper Church because she according to all their opinions is the company of Saints elect only The Confession of Auspurg art 7 The Church properly so called is the congregation of Saints who truly belieue and obey Christ. And D. Whitaker cont 2. quest 1. cap. 3 Thus we define the Catholike Church It is a company of holy men whome God hath chosen in Christ to euerlasting life This definition sayth he excludeth all hypocrites But those who worshipped Antichrist were no Saints obeyed not Christ were hypocrites Therefore they were no Catholike or true church Againe it is the common doctrine of Protestants that naughty great sinners are no mē ers of the true church For thus the Confession of the Low-countries art 29 Hypocrites belong not properly to the Church Caluin 4. Ill mē not the true church by Protestā◠Institut cap. 1. § 7 Into that Church which is indeed before God none are admitted but such as both by grace of adoption are the sonnes of God and by sanctification of the spirit true members of Christ Peter Martyr in his places tit de Eccles col 1368 VVe affirme that such wicked men are not indeed before God members of the Church Arctius in locis part 3. fol. 50 The Church properly so called consisteth only of the true members of Christ Bucer lib. de vi vsu Ministerij pag. 558 The true Church consisteth only of those that are borne a new D. Whitaker cap. 3. cit VVe all belieue that Catholike Church which we professe in our Creed to consist of no euill or reprobate persons but only of the elect iust and holy And c. 7 VVe deny ill men to belong to the Church which is the body of Christ M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed col 795 An ill man cannot be a member of the Church Adā Francis loc 11. de Eccl Ill men are only in name members of the Church And finally Musculus in locis tit de Eccl. pag. 299 Not so much as the name of the Church ought to be giuen to the wicked But they who were such as the Protestants before described were no Saints were not iust were not sanctified but ill wicked hypocrites if euer there were any therefore they could not be the true Catholike and proper Church before God Furthermore Protestants vse to teach that those who communicate with Papists do cut themselues from the true Church The French Confession art 28 VVe think all those who adioyne themselues to these Popish actions and communicate with them do separat themselues from the body of Christ Luther in cap. 13. Genes tom 6. fol. 163 VVho acknowledgeth the Pope for master he hath no part with Christ And in cap.
participation of Sacraments communication of publike prayer and such like other Ecclesiasticall exercises to wit when one thought he agree with the rest of the Church of Christ in the principall heades of Christian fayth yet I know not for what light causes withdraweth himselfe from the rest of the Church and communicateth not with her in the sacraments Such sayth he are properly called schismatikes M. Perkins in cap. 5. Galat. vers 21. Heresy is in doctrin Schisme in manners order and gouernement D. Fulke de Success pag. 165 There may be schisme in the Church where the same doctrine is held on both partyes the one wanteth lawfull succession D. Field lib. 1. of the Church cap. 7 Some professe the whole sauing fayth but not in vnity as schismatiks Dancus in August de haeres cap. 3. He is a schismatike who retayning the same doctrine of fayth and that entire yet without probable and better reason followeth not the decent rites of the Church The same he hath Apol. pro Heluet. Eccles pag. 1485. Bullinger tom 1. Decad. 5. serm 2. Vorstius in Antibellarm pag. 190. D. Whitaker cont 2. quest 5. cap. 10. D. Rainolds Praelect 1. col 2. Heshusius in 1. Cor. 1. and others 5. Now that proper Schismatikes to wit such as willfully separate themselues from the Communion of the Church be not members or parts of the Church is cleare by the testimony of the Fathers That Schismatikes are out of the Church the confessions of Protestants and manifest reason S. Augustin lib. de fide symbolo cap. 10. sayth Neither doth an heretike belong to the Catholike Church nor a schismatike Tract 3. in 1. Ioan. All heretikes all schismatikes are gone out of the Church Lib. 3. de Baptism cap. 19. All heretikes and schismatikes are false Christians And lib 2. cont Crescon cap. 29 I thinke not that any so doteth to belieue him to belong to the vnity of the Church who hath not charity The like he hath in many places S. Ambrose lib. 7. in Luc. cap. 11. Vnderstand that all heretikes and schismatikes are separated from the kingdome of God and from the Church S. Optatus lib. 2. The Church cannot be with any heretikes or schismatikes S. Fulgentius de fide ad Petrum cap. 38 Belieue most stedfastly and doubt nothing that not only all Pagans but also all Iewes Heretiks schismatiks which end this life out of the church are to go into euerlasting fire The same teach S. Hierome S. Chrysostome loc cit S. Ignatius Epist ad Smyrnens S. Iren. lib. 4. cap. 62. S. Cyprian lib. de vnit epist 42.51.55 S. Prosper de vocat Gentium cap. 4. and the rest The protestants confessions of this matter we related heeretofore amongst whome say Lib. 1. c. â— num â— that this is an vndoubted truth Reason also conuinceth the same for as Caluin confesseth 4. Institut loc cit The coÌ„munion of the Church is held with two bandes to wit consent of doctrine and fraternall charity But Schismatikes breake the band of fraternall charity therefore they are not within the Church Againe Danaeus lib. 3. de Eccl. c. 5. sayth This is the marke that thou art of the visible Church that outwardly thou professe the fayth communicate with the rest of the Church in the same SacrameÌ„ts but schismatikes doe not communicate in Sacramentes with the rest of the Church And D. Feild lib. 2. of the Church cap. 2. sayth Communion in Sacramentes vnder lawful Pastours is an essential note of the true Catholike Church but Shismatiks want this communion And Casaubon epist ad Card. Peron pag. 9. The true Churches of Christ are vnited in the vnity of fayth and doctrine and coniunction of minds and in true charity and offices of charity especially of mutuall prayer But Schismatikes are not vnited in charity and offices of mutuall prayer Finally only Catholikes are members of the Catholike Church as is euident and (a) VVhi. conc 2. q. 5. cap. 3. Protestants confesse But Schismatikes are not Catholiks as the very name doth declare the Fathers doc teach and (b) Gesner loc 24. Field l. de Eccles c. 7. Protestants acknowledge 6. By this it appeareth that the foresayd Maior which is the foundation of Protestants in this matter is not only false but also so manifestly false as out of this question it is commonly denyed of Protestants themselues Besides it is not only false but also so improbable that neither it is proued of Protestants nor can be any other wayes then by proofe of fooles or willfull men that is by their owne saying For D. Whitaker as we haue seene proueth it no other wayes then by saying it is out of controuersy D. Fulke that it is manifest But Luther more boastingly sayth l. de Missa priu tom 7. f. 247. This is our solid foundation and most stedfast rocke VVhersoeuer true doctrine of Christ or the Ghospell is preached there is necessarily the true holy Church of God And who doubteth of this sayth he may in like manner doubt whether the Ghospel be the word of God A notable proofe surely and fit for Pythagoras schoole and a sound foundation on which to fayned a Church should rely and a fit rock for them to build vpon who haue left the rocke vpon which Christ built his Church Wherefore that I may imitate S. Augustine in the like matter Lib. 1. cont Gaudent cap. 33. I aske whether God or man hath told them that wheresoeuer true doctrine is there is the true Church If God let them read it out of the Scripture where indeed we read that where the true Church is there true doctrine is but contrarywise that where true doctrine is there the true Church is there we neuer read If men haue told you this Behold a fiction of man behold what you belieue behold what ye serue behold for what ye rebell ye run mad ye burne Againe what kind of men were they surely no other then your selues And what is your authority I say not with vs but euen with your selues Is as one of your part sayd the iudgement of Lutherans or Sacramentaryes the square of truth Moreouer Pareus l 3. ce â—â—stifie cap. 13. seeing that three things are essential or substantial to the true church to wit true doctrine lawfull Pastours and people following their Pastours nor any thing can be vnles all the essentiall parts be it is sophistry and madnesse to inferre that that company is the true Church wherin one only of these parts is to be found If they say that by the true Church they meane not her which is true in nature or essence of the Church but only her which is true in doctrine of whose essence is only truth of doctrin First they deceaue the Reader For we speak only of the Church true in essence not of that which is only true in doctrinâ— as a schismaticall Church may be Besides if they meane such
masses and bookes Thus Luther 2. In like manner the Protestants in Sleidan lib. 1. fol. 258 The Pope made lawes by which true knowledg was vtterly oppressed Melancthon tom 2. Lutheri fol. 192 Scholasticall diuinity being receiued fayth was destroyed the doctrine of works being admitted The Magdeburgians Praefat. Centur. 5 Extreme abolitioÌ„ of religion There was an extreme abolition of true Religion and the word of God vnder Popery Caluin Praefat. Institut In former ages men had extinguished the light of God And 1. Institut cap. 11. § 9 Many ages since true religion was drowned and ouerthrowne 4. Institut cap. 2. § 2 The substance of Christianity buried Vnder Popery that doctrine without which Christianity cannot consist was all buryed and shut out Respons ad Sadolet pag. 128. he sayth that the necessity to leaue the Roman Church was That the light of diuine truth was extinct the word of God buryed c. And p. 130. Cheifest points of doctrine ouerthrowne from the root maketh this speach vnto God in defence of his forsaking the Roman Church There were not a few profane opinions which euen by the ground ouerthrow the cheifest points of that doctrine which thou diddest deliuer vnto vs by word Lib. de necess Refor pa. 49 VVhen the word of God was choaked with these so many so thick darknesses Luther stept forth c. pag. 62 None prayed to God with assured sayth that is in earnest neither could they for Christ being buryed in that manner as he was c. Word of God ended Respons ad Versipell pag. 358 They haue extinguished the doctrine of saluation In Psycopan pag. 388 The word of God being ended by peruerse vse and sloth now returneth to light In Rom. 11. vers 22 The truth was taken away The light put out S. deel de vocat Minist pag. 552 God suffered that light to be put out which should perpetually haue lightned vs in gouerning our life Pure worships banished Crispin Praeâ—at operum Occolampadij Both the doctrine of saluation and piety were taken away they banished out of the Church all pure worship of God Celius secundus Cario de amplitudine regni Dei lib. 1. pag. 33 True Christ taken out of the world And so by litle and litle true Christ was taken out of the world and Antichrist put in his steed And Hospin part 1. Histor lib. 4. pag. 291. writeth that after 800. yeares after Christ the light of the holesome and true doctrine began to be darkned till it was vtterly put out The light cleane put out Thus forraine Protestants both Lutherans and Sacramentaries 3. Amongst English Protestants thus writeth M. Bale Cent. 4. c. 6 Holesome truth perished from the earth Cent. 1. pag. 69 From this tyme anno 607 purity of heauenly doctrine vanished out of the Church The truth perished froÌ„ earth In his Apology against Priesthood and vowes fol. 3 Two things haue cheifly byn the cause of the vtter decay and full destruction of Christian religion c. Vanished out of the Church M. Powell in â—tinerarium Cambrâ—ae lib. 2 cap. 7. sayth that about the yeare 1189 There was the cheife raigne of darknesse in so much that not only preaching of the true word but also the true religion was banished and scarce the name of Christianity remayned Vtter decay full destructioÌ„ of religioÌ„ M. Fox in the Protestation before his Acts affirmeth that about the yeare 1215. and 1080 Christian sayth was extinguished And pag. 840. that Christian Religion was wholy changed into Idolatry D. Fulke ad Cauillat Sâ—apletoni Scarse name of Christianity remayned Scarce could he fiue hundred yeares after banish the true doctrine of saluation out of the Churches of Europe And finally the Apology of the English Church part 5. cap. 13. diuis 1. sayth that Papists haue broken in peeces all the pipes and conduicts haue stopped vp all the springs and choaked the fountaine of liuing waters and by damning vp all the fountains of Gods word haue brought the people into a pittifull thirst Item Not a sparck of diuine light found VVith great distresse went they scattering about seeking some sparck of heauenly light to refresh their consciences withall but that light was already throughly quenched out so that they could find none This was a rusull state this was a lamentable forme of Gods Church It was a misery to liue therein without the Ghospell ProtestaÌ„ts light thoroughly quenched out without light without all comfort Thus write these learned Protestants both English and strangers of the destruction of their doctrine their fayth their religion and Ghospell before Luther arose which do so plainly testify the substantiall destruction therof as I may well vse S. Augustins words in the like occasion If I should speake thus they would resist and cry Lib. 1. de pec mer. c. 9. that I speake not truly thought not truly For in these words if they were spoken by others they would imagin no other meaning then that which in the foresayd Protestants they will not vnderstand 4. ProtestaÌ„ts confesse their lundam art perished Neither write they otherwise of the destruction of their principall and most fundamentall article of Iustification by only fayth For thus the Confession of Anspurg cap. 20 VVhen the doctrine of fayth which ought to be principall in the Church lay so long vnknowne Sole faith vnknown as all must needs confesse that there was a most profound silence of the iustice of fayth that in sermons only the iustice of works was spoken of in Churches c. And tit de bonis operibus pag. 25 Horribly ouerwhelmed In tymes past certaine absurd opinions horribly ouerwhelmed this doctrine in which the vnlearned faigned that men did satisfy the law of God In the meane tyme there was great silence how Christ is to be apprehended by fayth And pag. 27 The was no word of fayth which is necessary for remission of sinnes And pag. 19 In tymes past there was great silence in Churches of the exercises of sayth And Praefat. Apol. Confess August in Melancthon tom 3. fol. 27 All Churches Monasteries schooles briefly all bookes of late diuines No man taught c All Prot. coÌ„fort vnknown were before mute of the iustice of fayth No man taught sinnes to be forgiuen by fayth in Christ Sacraments were impiously profaned after that opinion that they iustify by the work wrought was receiued And this opinion did wholy oppresse the doctrine of saith Praefat. Conf. Saxoniae All this comfort which is necessary to euery one how a man conuerted to God is iustified was vnknown The Protestant Princes and Cities in Sleidan lib. 21. fol. 240 The contention is about the doctrine of sayth and of the true knowledge of God which is the cheifest head of Christian life and of pure religion Vtterly extinct And it cannot say they be denyed that this doctrine was vtterly extinct and
a new doctrine brought in And lib. 13. â—ol 304 It cannot be denyed that there was no word taught of receiuing grace by Christ of remission of sinnes Luther in Catechismo Maiori tom 5. fol. 627 No maÌ„ belieued iustification without works Popery raigning fayth wholy neglected and obscured was in pitifull plight No man belieued Christ to be a Lord who had reconciled vs to the Father without our worcks Tom. 7. in c. 5. Matthaeâ— fol. 23 The Popish company saying nothing of the cheifest article of iustification by fayth in Christ c. And in 3. Symbol fol. 140. I haue obserued that all errours heresies and all impiety came into the church principally because this article or this part of Christian sayth in Iesus Christ was despised and neglected or vtterly lost And in the Epitaphe grâ—uen vpon Luthers tombe is this verse He restored to the world the difference lost before which is meant of the difference which Luther taught to be between the law and the ghospell that the law teacheth iustification by good works the ghospell by only fayth without which difference Luther professeth that Christianity cannot stand And in his table talkes cap. de morte he thus speaketh Shew me one place of iustification of fayth in the decrees in the decretals in the Clementines in all the summes and sentences Coccius to 1. pag. 1217 in all the sermons of Monks in the statutes of Synods in all the Postilles in all Hierome Gregorie c. Thus assured Luther was that before he preached of this principall article of iustification by only fayth there was no news in the whole world 5. The same confesseth his Copemate Melancthon who tom 2. Respons ad Clerum Colon. pag. 96. hath these words The doctrine of pennance was ouerwhelmed there was no word of fayth by which remission of sinnes is to be receiued and pag. 97 The doctrine of true inuocation and of the exercises of fayth lay dead If any sayth he denie that such was the state of the Church be may be disproued not only by testimonies of honest men but also by the bookes of Monkes And pag. 99 There was no speach of the hope of free mercy And lib. de vsu integri Sacramenti pag. 188 The Popes haue destroyed the true doctrine of fayth And the same Melancthon or Carion in Chronico lib. 4. pag. 418. seq These errours being setled and established by publike authority drew after them a great ruine wherewith they wholy destroyed the doctrine of iustice before God and free remission of sinnes And pag. 439 Schoole diuinity qu te trampled and extinguished the least sparkles of pure doctrine The least sparkles extinguished touching the law the ghospell fayth and iustification before God And pag 4â—3 They haue quite taken away the difference betweene the law and the ghospell Vigand lib. de bonis malâ—s Germaniae The difference betwixt the law and the ghospell was quite blotted out after the Apostles tym Quite blotted out The Magdeburgiâ—ns Preâ— Câ—â—tur 13. The doctrine of sayth without works was extinct The matter it selfe shewed that pure doctrine was vtterly supprest Kemnice in lâ—cis part 2. â—â—t de Iustificat pag. 246 In all ages the light of holesome doctrine touching iustification first decayed after more and more obscured and last was plainly lost and extinguished And pag. 244 Plainly lost In our tyme God hath restored the doctrine of iustification out of most thick darknesse And Humius Praesat lib. de libero arbit The article of â—ustification was by Luther brought into light of out of the more then Chymerian darknesse of former ages Thus the Lutherans 6. The like Confession make the Sacramentaries For thus writeth Caluin Respons ad Sadolet pag. 125 VVe say that doctrine of Iustification by only fayth was by you blotted out of the memory Blotted out of memory of men Lib de Necess Reform pag. 46 The vertue of fayth was vtterly extinct the benefit of Christ destroyed mans saluation ouerthrown And lib. de vera Reform pag. 322 By these the Apostolicall doctrine was corrupted nay destroyed and abolished Corrupted nay destroyed Iezlerus de bello Euchar. fol. 24 The doctrine of iustification was most sowly darkned corrupted Pareus lib. 5. de Iustificat cap 3 The doctrine of grace began to be obscured and at last to be vtterly oppressed in Popery Only nam of Christ remained Finally M. Fox in his Acts printed 1610. pag. 391. sayth In these later dayes the only name of Christ remayned among Christians As touching fayth the end and the vse of the law of grace and iustification by sayth of liberty of a Christian man there was no mention nor any word almost spoken of Thus both Lutheran and Sacramentary Protestants confesse their doctrine of iustification in which as we haue seene they affirme the definition life soule and all points of a Protestant to consist to haue perished byn extinguished horribly ouerwhelmed vanished out of the church no spark thereof to be found the light therof cleane put out and vtterly extinct before Luther start vp And consequently they must needs also confesse that the substance of their Church and religion was perished which could not be without the soule life definition and summe thereof 7. Neither do they lesse openly confesse that their Church was perished ProtestaÌ„ts confesse that their church perished For thus sayth Luther lib. de Captiu Babylon tom 2. fol 76 But now fayth being not spoken of the Church is extinguished by infinite laws of works and ceremonies Respons ad Catharin fol. 140. after he had sayd that the Church is conceiued formed borne nourished and conserned only by the vocall word he addeth Extinguished By the Pope and Papists the vocall ghospell being choaked and extinct was silent through all the world Tom. 3. in psal 17. fol. 285 And now that common sort of preachers reprobate what proposeth it to vs in the Church of the deeds of Saints but some small works vntill faith being extinguished there become nothing but heathenish superstition where once the Church of God was the name only of the Church left Name only of the Church left the substance quite lost In psalm 22. fol. 332 This day vnder the Popes dominion there is not lest one trace of the Church which appeares And 10. 6. in cap. 49. Genes fol. 666 The order of the Church perished The Pope hath extinguished swallowed vp the Church Caluin Respons ad Sadolet pag. 132 The matter came to that passe that it was manifest and euident to the learned and vnlearned that the true order of the Church then perished the Kingdome of Christ was throwne downe Christs Kingdome throwne downe when this dominion of the Pope was erected 4. Institut cap. 3. § 4. after he sayd that Apostles Euangelists Prophets were instituted only for that tyme when Churches were to be set vp or to be drawne from Moyses to Christ