yet expressing it in the conclusion which is a meere cauill for Bellarmine would not add any word in the premisses which he found not in Melancthon Caluin and Illyricus whose opinion he alleadged In the conclusion which was his owne he might very well expresse that which was necessarily to be vnderstood as Bellarmin explicateth out of Caluin himselfe for M. Downams deuise that the Church of Christ The Church comprehendeth not al that professe the name of Christ may be taken for the company of Christians that is of those that professe the name of Christ is too ridiculous since by this meanes he includeth all heretikes whatsouer who are indeed the Synagogue of the Diuell so confoundeth the Church of God and the Sinagogue of the Deuill wheras S. Paul saith that Antichrist shall sit in the TeÌ„ple of God he meaneth according to M. Downams interpretation the temple of the Diuell All which is so obsurd that the authors with whom Bellarmine disputeth would haue byn ashamed of so ridiculous an assertion and therfore they sought other cuasions as we shal see forthwith but now let vs go on with the other illation that the Protestants are out of the true Church for how the Temple of Hierusalem is by S. Paul called the Temple of God we shall see afterward in the discussion of Bellarmines answeres to the arguments of the Protestants 5. Wherfore M. Downam to saue himselfe and his brethren from being out of the true Church of Christ is driuen to this exigent to deny that there is any one visible Catholike Church but only one invisible Catholike Church and many particuler visible Churches which is a most extrauagant and absurd paradox contrary both to Scriptures Fathers and Councells as Bellarmine sufficiently proueth lib. 4. de There is one visible Catholicke Church Ecclesia militant cap. 10. But now I will only oppose to this insolent madnes the authority of the Creed generally receaued of all where the Church is called One Holy Catholike and Apostolike and who seeth not that all which belong truly to Christ must agree in one faith and not to be deuided by schismes and heresies which in M. Downams conceipt can only happen in particuler Churches or at least in them only be acknowledged and rooted out So that if any particuler Church will wholy fall to either or rather if the chiefe head and pastour of any such Church shal become either schismaticall or hereticall there is not meanes left for his reduction since that he is not bound to be at vnity with other particuler Churches nor to subiect himselfe to any visible Catholike Church or to any visible head therof which is as much in effect as to say that Christ hath left no meanes vpon earth to decide controuersies concerning Faith or to take away schismes diuisions but that euery particuler Church or Pastor yea indeed euery particuler man may freely follow his owne fancies without contradiction or controlement of any so long as he can pretend any text of Scripture though neuer so much wrested and falsly vnderstood for that which he is resolued to hould And is it meruarle that heresies and schismes be so rife in our daies since these absurd paradoxes are so currant But what should heretikes and schismatikes do but defend schismes and diuisions and imâ—ugne vnity and concord which if they would admit they must of force returne to the Catholike Church whereit is only to be found Since therfore the visible Church of Christ is one and by the aduersaries confession it is the RomaÌ„ it followeth manifestly that they themselues are out of Christs Church since that they The ProtestaÌ„ts are out of the Church of Christ are out of the Roman For the other cauill which M. Downam maketh that the RomaÌ„ Church is a particuler Church is not worth the answering for euery child can tell him that the Roman Church is taken for all those which agree in faith and are vnited with the Bishop of Rome who is not only Bishop of that particuler Citty but also the head and Pastor of the whole Church which of him her Head is called the Roman Church which coÌ„tinueth the true Church of Christ as Bellarmine proueth and Melancthon Caluin and Illyricus dare not deny howsoeuer M. Downam is so impudent in his rayling consorting himselfe with a vaine Poet whose meaning notwithstanding was far better then M. Petrarcha Downams is 6. M. Downam hauing thus shufled vp the matter hitherto at length commeth to explicate himselfe more plainly and agreeth with Caluin that the Church of Rome vnder the Pope may be called the Church of God in respect both of some notes and signes of a visible Church as the administration of the Sacrament of Baptisme and the profession of the Name of Christ as also of some reliques and remainder as it were the gleanings of the inuisible Church for he doubteth not but that in the corruptest times of Popery the Lord hath reserued some who haue not receaued the marke of the beast And for explication he compareth the Church of Rome to the state of Israel vnder Ieroboam and Achab because they then retained the Sacrament of Circumcision and professed Iehoua to be their God although they worshipped him Idolatrously And euen vnder Achab the Lord had reserued 7000. who neuer bowed their knee to Baal In which comparison M. Downam insisteth wholy Downam his petitio principij vpon his wonted figure of Petitio principij and consequently all that he saith is but meere railing If he would haue said any thing to the purpose he should haue shewed two points in that example the first that the visible Church among the Iewes was altogeather ceased by that Idolatry of Israel The second that Israel departed not from the Religion which was generally houlden before but that the ancient Religion was by little and little changed to Idolatry and that those which came after separated themselues from the former and yet were the true Church With these two points M. Downam might haue made some comparison betwixt the people of Israel and the Church of Rome But since The Protestants like to Israel the Catholikes to Iuda neither of these are so but the quite contrary it will fall to M. Downam and his fellowes share to be like the people of Israel since they haue left the visible Church of which they once were as the other did and consequently the Church of Rome is like to the people of Iuda and the rest which ioyned with them since it continueth in the ancient faith generally holden throughout Christendome before there were any Protestants in the World Neither do we graunt that the Protestants haue any part of Christs Church no more then the Israelites had since they haue not any iote of true faith howsoeuer they make profession of some articles for the reason why they hould them is not the authority of God proposed by the Scriptures or the
Church but only their owne fancies because so it seemed necessary for their reputation and credit or some other human and priuate respect how much soeuer they pretend to be only moued by Scripture for of this they admit no more The Protestants haue no probable rule of faith nor any true faith at al. then they please and for the interpretation they haue no other rule then their owne pruate spirit or fancy which is far of from being any probable rule of truth much lesse so certaine as is necessary for the certainty of diuine and supernatural faith to be built vpon And this is the true reason why the Church of God is but one because there is but one rule of fayth from which whosoeuer falleth cannot haue any true faith at all nor belong to the true Church of God The other comparison which M. Downam vseth is much les to the purpose for it is not the Church but the Bishop of Sardis as he himselfe saith that it is agreed by In his Sermō at Lābeth pag. 2. Apoc. ◠1. Interpreters both new and old who had a name that he liued but indeed was dead neither was this death for want of faith but of charity and good workes as is manifest and though it were otherwise yet M. Downam could proue nothing by this comparison except we would belieue his bare word that the Church of Rome were in this case which is our chiefe question and M. Downams wonted figure to take it as granted Wherfore since he can argue no better let vs see how he can answere 7. To Bellarmines first reply vpon Caluins deuise that the Roman Church is not the true Church but that there VIII remaine in it only the ruines and reliques of a true Church M. Downam granteth that all visible Churches may faile and fall away but not the inuisible Church of Christ which he calleth the Catholike Church nor any one sound Christian that is of this inuisible Church In which answere he graunteth Bellarmine as much as he went about to proue that the gates of hell in his opinion haue preuailed against Christs visible Church so that in a whole thousand yeares Christ had not so much as one constant professor of his truth and though I might easily proue that Christ spake of his visible Church and that it The visible Church is to endure to the end of the world was to endure vntill the worlds end yet now I will not trouble my Reader with so needles a digression since the matter is so plaine and euident in it selfe that me thinks any man which maketh accompt of Christ his passion and glory or of his desire to saue soules and to prouide for their conuersion and faith should stop his eares not to heare so great a blasphemy vttered as M. Downam is not ashamed to affirme yet if any man haue any doubt or desire to be more fully satisfied in this point let him read Bellarmine him selfe lib. 3. de Ecclesia militant cap. 12. 13. To Bellarmines second reply M. Downam answereth that it proueth nothing except he suppose that the Church of Rome is the only true Church But he should haue answered it in forme admitted only that which Caluin auoucheth that the Papists hold the ruines of the Church and the foundations yea the buildings themselues halfe throwne downe for out of this only Bellarmine argueth and sheweth that the Protestants can neither haue the whole intire church since in their opinion it is fallen nor the part which remaineth of it since they grant The Protestants cannot haue the Church of Christ but only some new building of their own it to be amōg the Papists to which delēma M. Downā answereth not a word but only braggeth that the Church of Rome may fall yet the Catholicke Church of God may stand yea shall stand c. But he forgetteth himselfe marketh not what his Maister Caluin hath graunted that not only the Church of Rome but euen the very Church of Christ is fallen and that the Papists haue as much as is left of it cōsequētly the Protestāts can only haue some new hereticall building of their owne though M. Downam be neuer so loth to acknowledge it Neither will the example of the Church of Iuda vnder Iosias serue his turne for that was only a reformation of manners and a destruction of Idolatry without any departing from the ancient Church of God in which remained the true succession of Priests and Gods true religion after a visible manner no otherwise then if it should please his Maiesty to put downe heresie and aduance Catholike Religion in his Kingdome which were only to imbrace the true Church of Christ and not to erect any new building as the Protestants haue done as Bellarmine conuinceth 8. M. Downam hauing thus impugned Bellarmines arguments commeth to refute his solutions to their obiections and wheras Bellarmine gaue three solutions to the first See part 2. cap. 2. M. Downam passeth two of them ouer in silence telling vs that he hath taken thē away in another place which how true it is the Reader shall be iudge when we come to that encounter Now let vs see how he refuteth the second solution which Bellarmine giueth that the harlot of which S. Iohn speaketh is Rome Ethnick raigning worshiping Idols and persecuting Christians and not Rome Christian the Apoc. 17. contrary of which M. Downam neuer goeth about to proue with any new argument as he should haue done it being his turne now to argue but only contenteth himselfe to answere Bellarmines proofe which he doth also by halfes for Bellarmine proueth his exposition euidently by the authority of Tertullian S. Hierome and sheweth the impudency of heretikes that are not ashmed to alleadg those authours altogeather against their meaning to proue that S. Iohn speaketh of Rome Christian To all which M. Downam giueth him not a word but is very well content to be thus beaten so that it may not be spoken of but to the other proofe he thinketh himselfe able to say something therfore answereth two wayes 1. that though Popish Rome had not dominion ouer the Kings of the earth and were not drunke with the blould of the Saints and martyrs of Iesus yet we might vnderstand the Apostle thus that that Citty which then had dominion ouer the Kings of the earth and then persecuted the Saints is called Babylon because it was to be the seate or sea of Antichrist So that as you see M. Downam will haue Rome to be called Babylon because it was to be the seate or sea of Antichrist which he supposeth as manifest though Bellarmine in this third solution and before also in one of his arguments both which M. Downam passeth ouer in silence sheweth manifestly that Antichrist shall hate this Babylon and not make it the seat of his kingdome So that this first solution is nothing but M. Downams wonted
the world which how farre it is off can by no meanes be knowne This opinion which ouerthroweth all the former and cleerely sheweth that the Bishops of Rome are not Antichrists is demonstrated by six reasons For we must know that the Holy Ghost in the Scripture hath giuen vs six certaine signes of Antichrists coÌ„ming two going before Antichrist himselfe to wit the preaching of the ghospell in the whole world and the desolation of the Roman Empire two accompanying him to wit the preaching of Henoch and Helias and a most huge manyfest persecution so that publique Holies shall wholie cease two following to wit the destruction of Antichrist after three yeares and a halfe and the end of the world none of which wee see yet extant Wherefore the first demonstration is taken from the first signe going before Antichrist The Scriptures do testifie that the Ghospell is to be preached in the whole world before the last persecution commeth which shal be raised by Antichrist Matth. 24. This Ghospell of the kingdome shal be preached in the whole world in testimony to all nations And that this shal be before Antichrists comming might be proued by that reasoÌ„ because in Antichrists tyme the crueltie of that last persecutioÌ„ shall hinder all publique exercise of True Religion But because the aduersaries admit not this reason and it is no tyme now to deduce it out of her principles let vs proue the same out of the Fathers testimonies Wherefore S. Hilarie cap. 25. in Matth. expounding those wordes This Ghospell of the Kingdome shal be preached in the whole world and then the consumation shall come plainelie teacheth that Antichrist shall not come whom he calleth the Abhomination of Desolation vnles the preaching of the Ghospell in the whole world goeth before The same is expreslie taught by S. Cyrill catechesi 15. Theodoret in 2. Thess 2. S. Damascen lib. 4. cap. 28. and others And besides the same is gathered out of the text for it is said that the Ghospell is to be preached before that greatest and last tribulation commeth what manner of one neither hath ben before nor shal be after By which tribulation that Antichrists persecution is signified the Fathers teach and chieflie S. Augustine lib. 20. de ciuitate Dei cap. 8. 19. And that the Ghospell was not preached in the whole world at that time when the new Samosatenes saie that Antichrist came that is about the yeare of our Lord 200. or 300. is manifest by Origen who Homil. 28. in Matth. affirmeth that in his tyme the Ghospell was not yet preached euerie where Likewise by Ruffinus who lib. 3. hist cap. 9. testifieth that in the tyme of Constantyne the Emperour that is after the yeare of our Lord 3â—0 the Ghospell was preached to the more remote Indians whereas before that tyme they had neuer heard any thing of Christ Finally by S. Augustine who in his 80. epist saith that he had found by most certaine experience that in his tyme there were manie nations which had heard nothing of Christ And that the preaching of the Ghospell was not accoÌ„plished about the yeare 600. or 700. at which tymes the Centuriators Chytraeus Luther and Bullinger put the comming of Antichrist is mâ—nifest bâ— the conuersion of the Vandals Polonians Morauians and the like who as it is well knowne heard not the preaching of the Ghospel vntill after the yeare of Christ 800. as also the Centuriators confesse centur 9. cap. 2. col 15. 18. cent 10. cap. 2. col 18. 19. In like manner that the preaching was not coÌ„plete in the tyme of S. Bernard at which tyme VVolfgangus Musculus putteth the comming of Antichrist is manifest out of S. Bernard himselfe lib. 3. de consider where he affirmeth that yet in his time there were Nations which had not heard the Ghospell Finally that also in our tyme the Ghospell is not preached in the whole world experience teacheth for ther are most vast RegioÌ„s found in the hast West in which there is no memory of the Ghospell Neither can it be said that the Faith was there but was afterward extinguished For at leastwise some signes would remaine either there or in the writings of the Ancients Besides we know that where all the Apostles preached the places were knowne to many if not to all but the new world is now found was not knowne from the Apostles tyme but a little before our age Against this Demonstration there can only one obiection be made to wit because perhapps the Scriptures which say that the Ghospell is to be preached in the whole world speake not simple of the whole world but by the figure of intellection take the whole for a part as Luc. 2. where it is said There went out an Edict from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be described otherwise that will be false which S. Paul saith Rom. 10. euen then in his tyme That the sound of the Apostles was gone forth into all the earth and that which he saith Coloss 1. The Ghospell which is come to yow as it is in the whole world fructifying and increasing And after VVhich is preached to all creatures which are vnder Heauen I answere without doubt not by any figure but properly and simply in the whole world that is in euery NatioÌ„ the Ghospell must be preached and Churches instituted For first so expresly teacheth S. Augustine ep 80. ad Hesychium and the other Fathers alleadged thinke the same and besides Origen and S. Hierome and others in cap. 24. Matth. It may also be proued by three reasons First Christ saith that the preaching in the whole world is a signe of the consuÌ„mation of the world for so he addeth forthwith and then the consummatioÌ„ shall come but if not properly but by Synecdoche the Ghospell were to be preached in the whole world that signe were nothing worth for in that manner the Ghospell was preached in the whole world the first 20. yeares Secondly as S. Augustine reasoneth properly all Nations are promised to Christ Psal 71. All Nations shall serue thee And Christ died generally for all and therfore Apoc. cap. 7. the elected are described out of all Nations and people and tribes and languages VVherfore the preaching also must properly be generall Finally Match 24. it is said that the Ghospell is to be preached in the whole world in testimony to all Nations that is least any Nation in the daie of Iudgement might excuse their infidelity by the pretext of ignorance Wherfore before the generall iudgement the generall preaching must be To those places of S. Paul S. Augustine answereth epist 80. and saith that S. Paul when he saith Rom 10. their sound is gone out into all the earth tooke the tyme past for the tyme to come as Dauid had donne whose wordes those are And when he saith Colloss 1. that the Ghospell is in the whole world he would not say that it is actuallie but vertuallie to wit
because the seed of Gods word had bene cast into the world by the Apostles which fructifying and increasing by little and little was to replenish the whole world as one that had put fire to diuers parts of a Citty might trulie be said to haue set all the Cittie on fire because he had applied the fire which increasing by little and little was to consume the whole Cittie And this verie same signifieth the Apostle when he saith in the whole world it is fructifying and increasing for it had not taken possession wholie of the whole world seeing it was yet more and more spread afterward abroad and yet in a certaine manner it had taken possession that is vertuallie and not actuallie We might also answere with S. Hierome in Matth. 20. S. Thomas in Rom. 10. that the Ghospell came to all in two māners one way by fame another way by peculiar preachers and foundation of Churches and that in the first manner the Ghospell came to all Nations of the whole world then knowne in the tyme of the Apostles and that S. Paul speaketh of this in which sort also S. Chrysostome in Matth. 24. is to be vnderstood But in the second manner that it came not then but is to come in the tyme appointed and that our Lord Matth. 24. Luc. vlt. Act. 1. speaketh of this Adde lastlie that it is not absurd if we graunt that our Lord spake properlie and the Apostle figuratiuelie For the reasons which compell vs to take our Lordes wordes in a proper signification haue not the same force if they be applied to the wordes of S. Paul especiallie seeing our Lord spake of a thing to come and S. Paul of a thing past M. Dovvnams Ansvvere confuted 1. IT pleaseth M. Downam to be a little merrie about these 6. Demonstrations calling them six slender coniectures and thinking Bellarmyne troubled with melancholie for deeming otherwise But I will leaue it to the Readers iudgment if it be not more likely that he is loaden with folly Afterward he iesteth at Bellarmine for making Antichrists death the end of the world which shal be after his death to be two signes of his comming As though all this were not to fall out within 3. or 4. yeares after his comming and consequentlie did not plainelie demonstrate that he came not a 1000. yeares since which is that which Bellarmine goeth about to prooue and so might verie well vse these signes to demonstrate his not comming so long agoe 2. But comming to answere the first demonstration it is wonderfull to see how many wordes he spendeth in vaine and how few to the purpose For he being to answere Bellarmines proofes which I haue alleadged he scarse euer toucheth any of them but maketh a long discourse altogeather friuolous about the expositiō of that whole place Matth. 24. Wherefore I shal be inforced to gather vp heere and there some scattered denialls and so replie to this his broken and confused answere 3. And first to the Fathers which Bellarmine alleadgeth as his chiefest proofe I find only these wordes of his Or to what end saith he should I spend my tyme in answering the Testimonies of the Fathers who supposed that the Ghospell should be preached in all the world before the comming of Antichrist seing according to the meaning of our Sauiour Christ it was to be preached in all the world before the destruction of Ierusalem And is not this a wise answere thinke Downam reiecteth the Fathers you to accuse the Fathers to be against Christ because their doctrine is contrary to M. Downams But I take it few will belieue him vpon his bare word against Bellarmine alone much lesse hauing so manie ancient Fathers ioyned with him 4. Bellarmines other proofe was out of the text because by that great tribulation before which it is said that the Ghospell shal be preached in the whole world the Fathers and in particuler S. Augustine vnderstandeth Antichrists persecution But M. Downam neuer mentioning S. Augustine or other Father flatlie denieth their doctrine in this point as he had done in the former therefore indeed neuer goeth about to answere the argument but to denie the conclusiō whatsoeuer the proofes be 5. Yea that which is worse because he would seeme to say something he beareth the Reader in hand that Bellarmine had bene so simple as to prooue his conclusion only Downam omitteth Bellarmines proofes answereth his owne out of those wordes Matth. 24. This ghospell of the Kingdome shal be preached in the whole world in testimony to all Nations And then he answereth verie grauelie But our Sauiour Christ doth not saie that the Ghospell shal be preached throughout the world before the comming of Antichrist but before the end And is not this to get himselfe out of his Aduersaries reach and then to shew great valour in playing his prize by himselfe alone and beating the ayre 6. Another tricke of M. Downās is to answere an argumēt which Bellarmine thought better for breuities sake to leaue vnproued that is that in Antichrists tyme the cruelty of the last persecution shall hinder all publike exercise of true Religion To which M. Downam answereth That it is not necessary that the Ghospell should be preached generally throughout the world at one tyme for it might suffice that in one age it were preached to one Nation and in another age to another people and so in Antichrists tyme it might be preached to some Nations where it had not bene formerly preached therfore might be preached to all Nations before the destruction of Antichrist though it were not before his comming But Bellarmine neuer affirmed that the Ghospell should be generallie preached throughout the world at one tyme but M. Downam dreameth it And if he would haue said any thing to the purpose he should haue tould vs how the Ghospell can be preached to any Nation when the persecution is so great and generall that all publike exercise of true Religion doth cease in all places throughout the whole world And this is all that he bringeth in answere to the arguments Wherfore only there remayneth that we see whether he proueth his owne exposition in those two pointes in which he is contrary to Bellarmine and the Fathers any better 7. For first he will needes haue the consummatiō of which Matth. 24. our Sauiour speaketh to be the destruction of Ierusalem and not the end of the world but yet neuer answereth to any of those argumēts which Bell. hath in his answere to the obiection three o◠the which namelie the authoritie of the Fathers and the two latter reasons are so manifest that M. Downam Downam dissembleth the difficultie delt very politikely in dissembling them since he could not answere them And to proue his owne expositiō he bringeth a conceited inuentiō of his owne to witt that our Blessed Sauiour would comfort his Disciples by telling them that the successe of their Ministry