neyther can the Lutherans or Caluinistes deny the same but only say that these things were moles or blemishes amoÌ„gst the aÌ„cient Fathers Goodly moles surely superstition Idolatry Impiety But if the doctors of former ages did not professe this religioÌ„ but for the most part reproue and disallow it then is it euident that the same is not ancient but new For no religion was euer accompted in the Church for true but that which the ancient Fathers doctors of the Church did hold and professe Wherof it euidently followeth that Lutheran religion is not Christs religion For that Christs religion is not new but ancient but Lutheran religion is new as we haue shewed and not ancient Christs religion hath alwayes florished in the world euer synce the Apostles tyme but Luthers religion hath not so done but began within these 100. yeares and before that tyme we haue shewed that it was not Againe if Luthers religion be truely Christs religion then is the visible company of men that imbrace the same the true Church of Christ Therfore Christs Church was not before Luther because the Lutheran Religion which doth make the true Church was not before Luther as we haue demonstrated For if yow say that Luthers religion was in the Apostles tymes and in some of the former ages then must yow proue that there were some men in those tymes who imbraced and professed his opinions Surely we easily proue the contrary for that it is euident that Masse for the quicke and dead Order of Ministers in the Church monasticall vowes and the like which are repugnant to the Lutheran religion were in vse in the Church in the Apostles tymes and the next succeeding Ages But let vs grant that Luthers religion was in the Apostles tymes and somwhat after yet at leastwise in the third and fourth age it began to fayle fall quite away Which thing the Lutheran Doctors themselues do also confesse as may be seene by that great Centurian worke setforth by them in the 2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10 Century or age and 4. Chapter of euery Century Therfore by this accompt the Church of Christ at least for 1300. years hath fallen away perished for that so long tyme at the least it is euident that Lutheran religion was not but the quite contrary to haue byn extant and florished As also by this accompt the true religion was extinguished for so many ages the Ghospell obscured Christes Church ouerthrowne vntil the Dutch Prophet Luther rose vp and dispersed that lamentable darknes through the light of the Ghospell to the world and reedified the ruines of the Church This do the Lutherans often insinuate in diuers townes of Germany when as they wryte vpon the forefronts of their houses in great Capitall letters these or the like words Such a yeare c. appeared the true light of Christs Ghospell to this Citty Superstition put downe c. But if the Church of Christ perished for so many ages how then is it true that she is built vpon a rocke and not rather vpon sand How then is it said that the (a) Math. 16. Gates of hell shall not preuaile againe her How is she the house of God the (b) 1. Tim. 3. Firmament and Pillar of truth How then is the (c) Daniel 2. Kingdome of Christ which is the Church stable firme euerlasting and neuer to be ruined Againe if yow say that Luthers Church religion was in all Ages from the Apostles tymes but yet in secret and hidden besides that such a fiction wanteth an Author to affirme it the same is voyd of all probability as we haue now shewed But be it so The Church of Christ caÌ„not be hidden let vs grant that it was hidden all that while but then was it not the Church of Christ for that she is a (d) Matth. 5. Citty placed vpon a mountayne which cannot be hidden She is the (e) Isa 2. mountayne of the house of God prepared in the top of mountaynes and placed aboue the hilles cleerly seene of all men to whome all Nations in the world haue recourse She is the Kingdome of Christ that reacheth from (f) Psal 71. sea to sea and from the riuer to the bounds of the earth She is that great (g) Dan. 2. mountayne that filleth the whole earth For that the Church of Christ must be conspicuous manifest to the world that by her excelleny and comlines by her manner and outward shew she as it were may intice Gentiles vnto her so as they that will become Christians may know whither to go to whome to haue recourse and from whome to receiue instruction Likewise her Doctrine and faith must needs be also manifest or els the same would be vnprofitable to the world nor could she conuert Gentiles So as in the greatest persecutions that euer were she neuer lay so hidden but that she might be knowne to all as out of the Ecclesiasticall historyes is euident wherby it came to passe that she had so many martyrs Againe if she had layn hidden for so many ages she had byn altogeather vnworthy of the Name of a Church For how may she be called the Church of Christ that dareth not publickely to professe the true Doctrine of Christ or that she should be so faint-harted fearfull of death as to hide herselfe in a darke cormer so many ages togeather and dare to come abroad into the light least she should be seene And last of all how can she be called the Church of Christ that for so many ages hath not only hidden herselfe and suppressed the true profession of faith but hath professed also a false faith to wit Papistry adored Idols and defiled herselfe with a thousand superstitions and sacriledges For that before Luther all Christians did carry themselues outwardly in all points as Catholikes or els straight would they haue byn apprehended and accused by the Inquisitors and Bishops and punished as heretâ—kes And therfore should the Church of Christ haue byn more miserable then the ruines of the Synagoge or the lewish Sect which alwayes in some place or other had their Synagoges and free profession of their Religion nor was euer constrayned at least generally to the worship of Idols She should I say haue byn more miserable then all hereticall sects and Conuenticles whatsoeuer For that there was neuer any Sect of any name which had not her temples her religious houses her Couuents her Bishops the forme and profession of her faith that so she might be knowne of all Wherby it is manifest that nothing can be more absurdly said then that the Church of Christ hath layen hid for so many ages and therfore I do conclude with this Dilemma That the Lutheran or Caluinian religion was eyther before their Authors to wit Luther and Caluin or it was not If it were not then is it altogeather new and therfore cannot be the religion of Christ which is ancieÌ„t If it were before the
them That they were most holy men it is the common consent of all Christian people for so many ages past that liued in their daies Neither was there euer made any doubt therof And this the heretikes themselues do also confesse of diuers of them and specially of S. Bernard S. Dominick and S. Francis For it were a great impudency to deny or call into doubt that which the consent of the whole world auerreth If these men therfore were Saintes and Catholiks as all the world doth hold them to haue byn it followeth necessarily that the Catholike Roman religion which they held imbraced is the true religion and proceedeth from the Holy Ghost First for that it is impossible that a false religion should lead to true sanctity for that religioÌ„ is the foundatioÌ„ of sanctity That heauenly edifice caÌ„not be built vpoÌ„ vanities nor vpon pernicious sacrilegious falsities as is euery falsity in religion It cannot be that a false religion should withdraw the mind froÌ„ earthly things and so fixe it vpon heauenly that being kindled with diuine loue and feruor should force the same to vndergo so great labours paines for procuring the health of her neighbours soules Not. withstanding the reâ—igion which these men imbraced did performe in them al these things and consequently it cannot be that their religion was false Secondly for that without true religion Hebr. 11. it is impossible to please God But by the consent of all these men pleased God and were his great friends and familiars Therfore their religion was the true For how could they please God who is verity it selfe by a false religion Thirdly if their religion were not true then was it from the Diuell for that he is a liar from the begining and the Father of lyes who by his lying and deceytes doth euer seeke to corrupt the true religion thereby to destroy soules If it came from the Diuell how could it then lead them to sanctity and make them enemies to the Diuell 2. Cor. â— and friends to God For what society is there betwene light and darkenes and what agreement with Christ and Belial Fourthly It is altogeather incredible that God should permit men so innocent so contemning themselues and worldly affaires so studious of his diuine glory and ardent louers of him to be deceiued for so many ages in a matter of so great moment to witt in the busines of religion and foundation of all piety Who is he that will thinke so impiously of Gods diuine goodnes They pretermitted nothing on their behalfe whereby then might please God and aduance his glory taking vpon them the greatest paines labours for the obtaining therof and wholy implying and coÌ„secrating their liues vnto him How caÌ„ it be that his diuine goodnes that true Light which enlightemeth euery man that comes into this world should not reueale the truth and his light to so worthy seruants and louers of him but should leaue them sticking fast in their blind and pestiferous errors Then is that false which our Lord so ofteÌ„ repeating promised to wit Aske and it shal be giuen vnto you seeke and you shall find Matth 7. Luc. 11. knocke and it shal be opened vnto you For euery one that asketh receaueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it is opened For that S. Francis S. Dominick S. Bernard S. Benet and the like lightes and wonders of the world did all their life tyme aske seeke and knocke that they might obtaine of our Lord things necessary for their health to know and fullfill his will perfectâ—ly in all things and yet notwithstanding obtayned nothing heerin False also shall that be which our Sauiour saith If yow then being naught know how to giue good giâ—â—es to your children how much more will your Father from heauen giue a good spirit to them that aske for that these men did dayly and carnestly aske this spirit and yet obtayned it not For that a good spirit can neuer be without a good Religion I omit many other things which might be brought for confirmation heerof But if it be blasphemy to say that diuine promises be false then is it necessary to confesse that these men did receiue the true faith and Religion-Wherfore seing that they imbraced the Catholike Religion and were most addicted to the Roman Church detesting and hating all other faith and Religion that was contrary to this it cannot be doubted but that the Catholike and Roman is the only true and heauenly inspired Religion And all Religions besides are false and inuented by the Diuell Finally if their Religion were not the true but rather some of the Aduersaryes the true Religion then is it necessary to confesse all the forsaid men whome the whole world hath held for Saintes not to haue byn not only holy men and friends to God but to haue byn impious and enemyes to him and so damned and adiugded to euerlasting punishments For without true Religion it is impossible to please God Neyther can it be said that they were to be excused by ignorance for that ignorance doth not excuse except in certayne secondary cases which by reason of some positiue precept are necessary but in no case doth it excuse in any fundamentall and chiefehead For otherwise any man may obtayne saluation without any knowledg of God or Christ at al which is repugnant to al Scripture But if these men erred as some of our Aduersaryes do pretend that they did then erred they in the chiefe heads First because they acknowledged not a speciall faith wherby only we are iustified and made partaker of the redemption and iustice of Christ and sinne is not imputed vnto vs as the authors of other Religions do teach Therfore they remained in sinne being depriued of the participation of the Iustice of Christ consequently were childreÌ„ of Hell Secondly because according to their judgment they were out of the true Church of Christ out of which by consent of all there is no saluation did adhere to the whore of Babylon for so do they call the Roman Church and were the chiefe ministers instrumeÌ„ts of Antichrist Thirdly because they were Idolatours adoring a creature for their Creatour to wit bread and wyne insteed of Christin the Eucharist worshipping Saintes their Images c. These thinges may not be excused by any ignorance whatsoeuer And therfore all these were wicked men and adiudged to hell torments But how improbable and incredible are all these things and against the coÌ„mon consent of all Christian men that euer were And on the contrary side in other Religions there were neuer any of famous sanctity nor can they name so much as one For that their very first Authors were giuen to temporall commodities and were followers of pleasures hauing nothing singular in their liues aboue the common sort of people but rather giuen to greater vices and wickednes But of this point we shall speake more heereafter
disciple of his but he was in danger to haue byn strangled himself by that diuel Cochlaeus in actis Lutheri en 1523. as witnesseth Fredericus Staphilus who was present at the act And at another time he would haue raysed to life one that was drowned in the riuer of Alba but in vayne In like manner Caluin attempted to raise one to life who by his perswasioÌ„ feigned himselfe dead but with that successe that of aliue man he became dead indeed for that by the iust iudgment of God when as Caluin came to raise him he was found without life The whole story wherof with all particulers is at large recounted by M. Hierome Bolsecke in vita Caluini cap. 23. Wherfore seing neither true nor feigned miracles do succeed with them they endeauour to take quite away from the Catholike Church this most strong rocke and firmament of miracles which altogeather conuinceth the vnderstanding of man but with no shew of probability at all as we haue shewed As those therfore who pondering and weighing well the miracles of our Sauiour and his Apostles with a quiet and humble mynd setting aside all hatred other euill affections could not doubt but that their doctrine proceeded from God euen so now they that without hatred passioÌ„ of mynd consider well of the miracles that haue byn wrought in the Catholike Church by holy men in all ages both aliue and dead cannot doubt but that their Doctrine and Religion proceedeth from God and that the Church wherunto they adhere is the true Church of God V. CONSIDERATION From the Conuersion of Nations by the imbracers of Catholicke Religion THAT Religion is esteemed to be the true and consequently to be imbraced wherunto alwayes Nations haue byn conuerted For that our Lord hath often promised in Scripture this conuersion of Nations Psal 1. 21. Ose 1. matth marc Luc. vltimo to the true faith and worship of God which promise must be fulfilled But the Religion wherunto Nations in all ages haue byn and now in this our age also are conuerted is the Catholike and Roman Religion Ergo there can be no doubt but that this is the true Religion of Christ Now then that Religion wherunto these nations haue alwayes being and are conuerted is the Catholike and Roman Religion is most manifest by that which hath byn done aswell in this our age as in former before For that in this our age there haue byn infinite and dayly still are conuerted in the East Indies in Iapone and in the vast Kingdome of China besides in many Ilands of the Indian seas All these passe from their Gentility to the Catholike Religion are vnited to the Roman Church and this by Religious mens indeauours sent thither by authority from the Pope In the last or fourtenth Age one only S. Vincent surnamed Ferrerius of the order of S. Dominicke conuerted to the Catholike faith fiue and twenty thousand partly Iewes and partly Saracens as testifieth S. Antoninus a famous Writer of that age 3. p. Histor tit 23. cap. 8. § 4. In the 13. Age were conuerted very many to the Catholik faith in-the Kingdome of Tartary by two Friars of S. Dominickes order being sent thither from the Pope the Emperour of Tartary himselfe whome they cal the Great Cam desiring the same as wryteth Paulus Venetus whose help and endeauour the said Emperour vsed in effecting of this busines In the 12. Age the people of Nor why were conuerted vnto the RomaÌ„ Faith by * This Adrian was an Englishman and called Nicolas Break-speare before he was asluÌ„pted to the Apostolik Sea Adrian the fourth before he was Pope as writeth Platina in the life of Pope Alexander the fourth In the 11. Age were the Hungarians for the most part conuerted and Bishops ordayned and appointed there by the Pope of Rome at the request of their King StepheÌ„ after wards a Saint that was newly conuerted to the said Roman faith as wryte the Centuriators of Magdeburge Cent. 11. cap. 2. In the 10. Age were many prouinces conuerted to the Roman faith by the endeauours of Henry the first Emperour Adalbert and Methodius Archbishops of Bohemia and Morauia as testify the Centuriators aboue mentioned cent 10. cap. 2. In the 9. Age were the VVandalls Bulgarians Sclauonians Polonians with those of Denmarke and Morauia conuerted to the faith and vnited to the Roman Church Centur. 9. cap. 2. In the 8. Age was conuerted a great part of Germany to the Roman faith by S. Boniface sent thither for that purpose from Pope Gregory the second Cent. 8. cap. 2. In the 7. Age were conuerted those of Franconia or Franke-County by S. Kilian sent thither from the Pope of Rome also Cent. 7. cap. 2. In the 6. Age were the Englishmen conuerted to the Roman faith by Monkes sent thither for that purpose from S. Gregory the Great Cent. 6. cap. 2. Finally those of Brabant Flaunders Holland Frizeland VVestphalia France and other adioyning Nations by whome were they conuerted Were they not conuerted by disciples of the Roman Church to wit S. Seruatius S. Eloy S. Rumwold S. Amandus S. Vedastus S. Leuin S. Remigius S. VVillebrord S. Swibert S. VVulfrane and others who all were most addicted to the Roman Church By which it is manifest that all Nations which haue byn conuerted from Paganisme or Iudaisme to Christ for these thousand yeares last past were conuerted to the Catholike Roman faith and vnited and incorporated to the Roman Church This is also confirmed besides other tokens to haue byn the Roman faith and Religion by Priests by altars by worship of holy Reliques Images by pilgrimages by InuocatioÌ„ of Saintes by Monasteryes by Monkes by Obedience to the Pope and by very many other things proper to Catholike Religian which were in vse among all Nations after their Couuersion vntill of â—ake they were take away and abolished in some places by these new vpstart Religions What man is there that maturely considering these things can any way doubt but that Catholike Religion is the true For that in her he seeth fullfilled Gods diuine promise of the coÌ„uersion of Nations To her do fly so many people so many remote Nations so many most porent Kingdomes forsaking their Idolatry abandoning the impurity of life reiecting the multitude of wiues forgetting their barbarous sauage manners banishing all former liberty of life and as it were to become tame and tractable vnder the yoke of Christ sweetly to tast of the feare of God to comforme themselues to all modesty of life and last of al to be inflamed with the contempt of temporall things and loue of celestiall How is it possible that that Religion should be false and impious which doth worke such wonderfull mutation in the harts of barbarous people To conclude how can it possible be tâ—â—t the Diuine Frouidence should permital these Nations so many yeares to be deceyued when as they haue forsaken their Idolatry so hartily imbraced verity and
vnited themselues to the Church of Christ and now to force them as it were into other abhominable errors and new Idolatry and that by such who were accompted and accepted of all men for lawfull Ministers of the Church and were famous for sanctity of life wisdom miracles God for bid that euer we should so thinke of his Diuine goodnes and prouidence which he vseth for mans saluation Furthermore to Lutheranisme Caluinisme or Anabaptâ—sme there was neuer heard of any conuersion of Nations or Pagan Kingdomes but only a defection of some few who professing the name of Christ and weary of their ancient Religion and discipline did follow the liberty of their lust nouelty which is a manifest argument of heresy For that heresy is nothing els but a corruption of Catholike doctrine and a defection or falling away from ancient Christian Religion only retayning the name of a Christian â—â—esides the study of hereticall teachers is not to conuert Ethnicks but peruert Christians which Tertullian excellently describeth in his booke of Prescriptions Of administration of the word saith he what shall I say Seing that their busines is not to conuert Ethnicks but to peruert ours Christians They do take more glory to bring to ruine those that stand fast then to help those vp that are fallen because that this their endeauour comes not from their owne building but from the destruction of truth They digge vp ours to build vp theirs So as it commeth to passe that they worke the downfall of standing edifices more easily then the building of decayed ruines VI. CONSIDERATION From the Name Catholike from the thinge it selfe signed or marked with this Name FVRTHERMORE that Religion is to be esteemed for the true Religion which hath alwayes byn accompted called Catholike according to that of the Apostolicall creed Credo Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam I beleeue the holy Catholik Church But the Roman Church of all other Churches is only called the Catholick and her followers Catholikes Ergo only the Roman Religion is the true ReligioÌ„ of Christ That the Roman Church is and alwayes hath byn only called Catholick is manifest First by the very vse custome of so calling her receyued throughout the world so as oftentymes the heretikes themselues in their wrytings do call her Catholike and her followers Catholiks neyther did any Sect whatsoeuer deserue that name For neuer were the Marcionites Montanistes Donatists Pelagians Vigilantians Waldenses Lutherans Caluinists or Anabaptistes called Catholikes or their doctrine Catholike Only the Roman Church with the people adhering vnto her is called the Catholike and the Religion faith doctrine of this Church is called the Catholike Religion the Catholikefaith the Catholike doctrine and her followers Catholikes Secondly Catholike is extended to all Nations because Catholike is the same that Vniuersall most largely extending it selfe to all And such is the Roman Religion for that it being dilated and spread ouerall the world doth extend it selfe to all nations and Kingdomes For that there is no Kingdome nor Nation vnknowne to vs which eyther doth not or somtymes did or doth not now begin to imbrace this religioÌ„ Nay now adayes the professioÌ„ of this our religion is almost publike amongst all Nations to wit amongst those of Iaponia China India Persia Tartariae Turky Africa Brasile Peru Mexico c. For that in all these places are found Catholikes Churches Altars Images of Christ and of Saintes Masse is there celebrated our Sacraments are there administred holydayes and fasting dayes are there kept and finally the Roman religion is there publikely obserued Who can then doubt but that this is the true way of saluation to all which our Sauiour would haue taught preached and proposed to all nations which he would haue to increase and fructify in all Kingdomes in due tyme and season and which he doth stil conserue by some meanes or other in euery place ordayning that Catholikes be so dispersed throughout the whole world that by them Infidels may come to the knowledge of true Religion Moreouer this Catholike Religion doth extend it selfe to al tymes It extendeth it selfe to all tymes euen froÌ„ the Apostles For that there can be no age from that tyme assigned wherin this Religion did not florish In all ages hath Masse byn celebrated both for the liue and dead feastes solemnized fastes obserued Monasticall vowes made Saints worshipped their reliques honoured and such other like proper ensignes of our religion haue byn in vse and practice as is manifest out of the writers of all tymes On the contrary side No sect euer called Catholick let vs looke vpon all other sectes and we shall neuer find that any one of them was euer called Catholike nor their followers Catholikes as we haue said but that euery one tooke their names of their first Authors as the Simonians Valentinians Pelagians Lutherans No sect euer spread ouer the world Caluinists c. No sect was euer spread ouer the world When Catholike Religion began once to appeare in short tyme it was spread ouer the whole world and began to increase and fructify almost in all Kingdomes Rom. 1â— ColoÌ„ss 1. as S. Paul affirmeth But Lutheranisme Caluinisme and Anabaptisme now after 70. or 80. yeares are yet confined to certayne strayt corners do rather daily decay by eyther going into other sects or els returning to Catholike Religion then any way increase For that none of them hath continued from the Apostles tymes but all sprung vp and inuented within these 70. or 80. yeares last past and therfore neyther in regard of tyme place nor otherwise can they be called Catholike Againe I say that Catholike Religion is one and the selfe same euery where But these religions are exceeding different amongst themselues and disagreeing in their chiefe heads and members one damning another to the pit of hell of heresy how therfore can they be called Catholike VII CONSIDERATION From Succession FVRTHER MORE that Religion is to be accompted the true whose ministers do all descend from the Apostles and are eyther the Apostles successors or haue receiued their order and authority from their sucessours For by this reason it will appeare manifest that that Religion and Church which doth honour imbrace a religion so descended to be Apostolicall Ergo c. Now that all Ministers of the Catholike Religion whether we consider the power of their order or Iuris diction haue descended from the Apostles it is cleere For that all inferiour ministers especialy Priests Deacons Subdeacons receiue their order from Bishops Bishops also haue their order from other Bishops and these likewise againe from others and so futhermore vpwards to the Apostles who receiued this power immediatly from Christ As all men therfore according to their vitall and naturall power do by a long course of genealogy descend from our first Parent Adam so do all ministers of the Catholike Church according to their supernaturall power by a longe
and human traditions and so they appeale to the word of God expouÌ„ded by themselues in their owne sense But how improbable is it thinke yow that all these Ancients writing with so great consent of one the selfe same thing and in diuers places should erre And the consent of many about one thing especially when as there hath byn no consult or comunication had therof before is a very great signe of truth drawing vnto her and as it were binding togeather in one the myndes and iudgments of many enlightened from heauen For as it is the property of Verity because she is only one to gather togeather in one consent so is it the property of Falsity because she is manifold to dissipate and separate herselfe into diuers opinions and errors Wherby it cometh to passe that Hereticks writing of one matter in diuers places do neuer lightly agree but are deuided into very many opinions among themselues when as once they haue departed from the truth Moreouer there is not one opinion of Catholike Religion which can be shewed to haue byn brought in a new into the Church by any man which is a manifest signe that it alwayes remayned in the Church and came from the Apostles For if any new opinion should haue byn so brought in after the Apostles tyme against the Apostolicall doctrine it would easily be discouered in what tyme and age the same began In what place who was the Author and who they were that opposed thâ—mselues against such a nouelty seeing that no new opinion can be brought in without great stir and contradiction For if it be so that we can shew of euery least heresy in what time and place the same began who was the Author bringer in thereof who opposed themselues against it what tumults were raised therabout by what Pope and Councell the same was condemned If all this I say can be shewed of euery heresy how much more easy were it to shew the same of the principall and chiefe heads of our Religion if any innouation had beene made therein It is therefore manifest and cleere that this our Catholike Religion doth not only agree in succession of Ministers but is continued also conioyned in consanguinity as old Tertullian speaketh with the ancient and Apostolicke Tertul. l. de Praescript as now we haue sayd That the opinions of the new reformed Religions do not agree with the ancient our Aduersaryes themselues confesse when as concerning the former beads mentioned they reprehend taxe the Ancient Doctours of superstition affirming that thy cannot be excused from error as afterwards more largely we shall demonstrate Againe concerning the Controuersyes which now and then do rise vp in the Catholike Church the continual vse and practise of the same Church doth witnes that they are soone determined and ended Controuersies quickly decided in the Catholieke Church For that this Catholike Church hath an infallible Iudge of Controuersies to wit the Pope with a generall Councell by whome all controuersyes hitherto haue quickly beene decided all heresyes that haue risen in diuers ages beene condemned and put to flight by whom Catholike people haue byn preserued in one faith one Religion and doctrine throughout the world By this meanes was condemned the heresy of Arius by the Councell of Nice vnder Pope Siluester that of Macedonius by the first Councell of Constantinople vnder Pope Damasus of Nestorius by the Ephesine vnder Pope Celestine of Eutiches by Calcedon vnder Leo the first that of the Image-breakers by the second of Nice vnder Adrian the first and to omit others that of Berengarius concerning the Eucharist by the Synods of Rome and Versells in France vnder Leo the 9. by that of Towers vnder Victor the second and by two other againe of Rome vnder Pope Nicolas the 2. and Gregory the 7. And furthermore in all reason it is required that the cause weight of Religion being common to the whole Church should not be iudged of any priuate man with hath no eminency or dignity in the Church but of the vniuersall Pastour thereof togeather with other particuler assistants and Iudges to whome the gouernement of the Church is committed who do also represent the vniuersall Church it selfe as certaine heads vnited togeather And so likewise the controuersyes that arise in a Commonwealth about Lawes and priuiledges are to be decided of no other theÌ„ the King his Counsel and chiefe Nobility of the Kingdome who represent the whole Kingdome For looke to whome it belongeth to gouerne any Community or Common-wealth either in temporall or spirituall affaires to him it belongeth also to end contentions and determine all Controuersies concerning any Matter belonging to his gouernement taking away and putting to silence all contradiction arising therabout for the tyme to come And truly vnles the Church had such power and authority it would be a very imperfect and maimed Church and more miserable then any temporall Kingdome or politicke CoÌ„monwealth For that there should neuer be any end of contention concerning the principal heads of our fayth no decision of debates and contradictions whereby it would necessarily come to passe that the sayd Church should soone be turned and deuided into a thousand seuerall sects as we see it dayly fall out in the Heretikes conuenticles Herehence it followeth that all the chiefe heads and articles of our faith are certaine and determined â—either is there any iarring or variance therabout but rather aspeciall concord and vnion amongst all Nothing certaine out of Catholike Religion Wherby is deduced an another euident consequence that so soone as euer one falleth from Catholike Religion he hath no certainty wherevpon to rest or whither to turne himselfe or to whome he may safely commit the care of his saluation For let me aske this question In this so great variety of Religions which wouldest thou imbrace The Lutheran And why not the Caluinian or the Anabaptisticall why dost thou prefer the LutheraÌ„ before the rest do not the Caluinistes and Anabaptistes alleage Scripture for their part as fast as the Lutheran doth for his Againe if thou wilt needs be a Lutheran whether I pray thee wouldst thou be a soft or riged Lutheran to wit whether wouldest thou imbrace that pure religion which Luther the Dutch Prophet deliuered or rather that which Philip Melanchthon did polish and trim anew But this also is variable for that the Confession of Augusta hath oftentimes byn changed If thou wouldest be a Caluinist why not â—ather a Lutheran seing that Luther was the first Father that begat this light of the new Ghospell to the world Againe if thou wouldest needs be a Caluinist whether then Puritan or Protestant For so much as these two being the brood of Caluinisme do not a little differ among themselues as they that liue in England do well know I omit very many differences wherin to euery one of these sects are deuided and mangled as also the Anabaptistes No solide reason
therfore can be giuen why thou shouldest imbrace or prefer any one of all these religions before another for that euery one of them do both brag and boast that the word of God makes for theÌ„ that they haue the spirit of God that the sense of Scriptures is perspicious for their doctrine and what soeuer is contrary herto is false and manifestly repugnant to holy Writte Nor haue they any other proofe for all this theÌ„ that it is euident to him that hath the spirit And seing then that euery one of these Sectaries do alleage the selfe same reason for their doctrine and do build vpon the selfe same foundation it followeth therfore necessarily that thou must either imbrace all these religions or els none of them But Catholike religion doth far otherwise proue their opinions and doctrine to wit out of Holy Scripture expounded according to the common sense vnderstanding of the Ancient Fathers and by the doctours of all ages by the sanctity miracles and prophetical spirit of all such as haue imbraced this religion as also by the constancy and vniformity of doctrine in all ages by the purity of life wherunto she leadeth and lastly by the conuersion of Nations and who haue bin conuerted vnto this doctrine IX CONSIDERATION From diuers Causes and Reasons for which these new doctrines are to be suspected and shunned ALL other Religions but the Catholike and namely the Lutheran Caluinian and Anabaptisticall of which principally we treat in this place are worthily to be suspected and as hereticall sects are to be shunned for many reasons which heere I meane briefly to ponder and recount The I. Reason Deduced from Nouetty ALL Nouelty and as S. Gregory Nazianzen calleth it new Inuention in euery Common wealth but specially in matters of religion is to be shunned ChristiaÌ„ Religion is a thing most ancient solid vnchangeable and durable to the worlds end it being the forme vigour and as it were the very life of Christs Church For as flesh by life is quickened in a liuing man euen so is the Assembly of men in Christs Church by religion which otherwise of it selfe is only flesh formed into a spirituall Kingdome And againe as the Church kingdome of Christ is a thing most ancient and indeleble Against which Church the gates of hell shall not preuaâ—le Matt. 16. vlt. and to whome Christ promâ—sed his assistance to the worlds end Euen so is religion vpon which the Church kingdom of Christ doth stand firme stedfast Nouelty therfore is repugnant to the religion of Christ Now that these religions are new it is manifest First for that we can nominate and bring forth their first Authors tyme place and maner how they were brought first in and who they were that opposed themselues against them what great styrres and troubles also were raised euery where about them and lastly how and by whome they where condemned as noueltyes and heresies And what can be a more manifest signe of nouelty then this In like maner all other heresies that haue byn brought in against the Apostolike doctrine of Christ are conuinced of nouclty for that we can shew what tyme euery one of them began in what place who was the Author who were the opposers therof and lastly by whome they were condemned of nouelty Secondly before the yeare of our Lord 1517. Lutheranisme was neuer heard of in the world nor likewise Caluinisme nor Anabaptisme which are the daughters of Lutheranisme For that it is manifest out of Authors that when Luther first began to peepe out his head there was no other religion known to be exercised in the world besides the Iewish Mahometan and Pagan but the Catholike and that of the Hussites Thirdly if yow say that any of these Religions for examples sake the Lutheran alwayes was but yet lay hid then I aske in what place the same lay hid in what kingdome or towne and who were the patrons defenders therof Againe how know yow that this religion was before when as the same cannot be knowne but by some authors who do not so much as insinuate any such thing but the quite contrary Furthermore wheras in euery age and place there haue byn Inquisitours of hereticall noueltyes by what meanes then could this religion ly hid for so many ages that it should neuer be discouered or that neuer any one of the followers or teachers therof should fall into their hands and be punished Surely neuer any hereticall Sect could yet ly hid so cunningly but that she should often haue byn deprehended and publikely called into examination and question Moreouer if before Luther that Religion had byn in the world how chance that the followers therof who had hitherto layn hidden did not then come publikely forth when Luther began to preach and acknowledge him for the Doctour of their faith League-maker of their religion How hapned it then that they came not abroad in publicke and imbraced him as their fellow and Patrone who had now at last set at liberty this their Religion so long before layn hidden and oppressed in secret corners But no such appeared that were euer followers of that Religion before but that as many as ioyned themselues with Luther De Missa Angulari lib. 2. cont Zuingl did professe Catholike religion before as Luther himselfe was also Catholike before and a Friar who for 15. yeares togeather had daily and denoutly said masse as himselfe confesseth By all which it is more cleere then the sunne that Luthers Religion is altogether new and was not knowne vnto the world before his tyme nor that there was any company of men no not perhaps so much as any one particular person before Luther who professed the same Religion that is to say held all and euery of the same heads of beliefe or the same body of doctrine which Luther did And although Luther tooke some of his opinions from the old heretikes notwithstanding Lutheranisme is not therfore the same Religion with that of the old heretikes but only in part for that a Religion is the imbracing and comprehending of al the heads of beliefe which are ordayned and determined to belong to faith but none before Luther did euer teach this imbracing of opinions The same is likewise conuinced by another reason for that it is manifest that the Ancient Fathers and doctors of all ages were not of Luthers religion seing they teach Frewil necessity of good workes Merit of life euerlasting and possibility of the Diuine Law They do also allow of the Inuocation of Saints worship and honour of holy reliques Images sacrifice of masse for the quicke and dead Order of ministers in the Church monasticall vowes Euangelicall Counsells the fast of Lent and the like all which things the Lutheran Religion doth reiect as superstitions impious and iniurious to God Now that the ancient Fathers did professe and allow all these things before rehearsed is most manifest out of their owne wrytings
Author then was it secret therfore cannot be the religiō of Christ which is a wayes apparent manifest And whatsoeuer in this discourse hath byn said and proued concerning Lutheran religion yow must vnderstand to haue byn said and proued also of Caluinisme and Anabaptisme for that the selfe same nouelty and reasons belong to all three but that for perspicuityes sake and not often to repeat with tediousnes all three names we haue only nominated one Therfore do I conclude with the words of S. Hierome Hier. Dial. contra Lucifer in fine who writeth thus That I way set thee downe briefly and playnely any opinion Thou must saith hee remayne in that Church which was founded by the Apostles and continueth vntil this very day And if by chance thou shouldest he are those that be called Christians to be named of some other and net of Iesus Christ to u it of the Marcionites Valentiniās Montanistes c. know thou certainly that that is not the Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Antichrist for that because they were institued afterward they do demonstrate themselnes to be those whome the Apostle foretould c. Nor let them flatter themselues if out of certaine places of Scripture they do seemete affirme that with they say for that the Diuell did also alleagde Scripture for his purpose and the force of Scripture doth not consist in reading but in vnderstanding So S. Hierome Nouelty therfore is a signe of heresy fortould by the Apostle denomination is a signe of nouelty and the vsurping of Scripture is common to the Diuell himselfe and all heresyes The II. Reason Taken from the defect of Succession ANOTHER reason why these religions are not to be allowed of is The want of succession for that they want an orderly and continuall Succession of Ministers in the Church from the Apostles which succession is necessary that any Religion or Church should be deemed Apostolicall for without the same it cannot be continued with the Apostolike So as the Ancient Fathers for the most part teach that they who say they haue the true Church of Christ with them must bring forth the succession of their Bishops and reduce the same vpwards to some one of the Apostles by an orderly continuation which if they cannot do it is an easy matter to conuince them that the true Church of Christ is not with them For so Optatus Mileuitanus in his second booke against Parmenian when he would conuince the Donatistes that they had not the true Church with them said Shew forth the origen or beginning of your sea yow that wildaime the Holy Church to your selues And Tertullian in his prescriptions againg heretiks saith Let heretikes shew forth the origen of their Churches let them recount the order of their Bishops succeeding from the beginning that he who was the first should haue some Apostle or Apostolike man for his Author and predecessour c. The same argument do the rest of the Fathers commonly vse as (a) lib 3. cap ◠Irenaeus (b) hoeresi 27. Epiphanius (c) cont Lucifer Hieronymus S. (d) cap. 4. cont Epist Fundam Augustine and others Now it is well knowne that neyther Lutherans Caluinistes nor Ana baptistes can with any the least colour do the same For to whome I pray you did Luther who for the most part was the Author and first parent of these new religions succeed Whose Chayre and authority did he occupy who before him was the prelate of the Luther an religion as also before Caluin and Zwinglius who was their predeceslour And if none can be assigned it is cleere that they want that succession which the Ancient Holy Fathers do require that any Church should be ioined with that of the Apostles Againe Want of Ordination they do not only want succession of Chayre and authority but euen the ordination of degrees descending from the Apostles For that there was alwayes requisite a double power in the Ministers of the Church both of them by an orderly continuation deriued from the Apostles as before we haue shewed in the 7. Consideration to wit Power of Order by which Sacrifice is offered and Sacraments are made to sanctify the faithfull and Power of Iurisdiction by which the authority of gouerning and feeding the Church with the word of God is giuen c. But these new religions can reduce neither of them to the Apostles Not the power of Iurisdiction because they want succession as before we haue said nor yet the Power of Ordinatiō or Order for who ordained Luther or Caluin a Bishop of their Church And if they say that order is not needfull they do contradict all antiquity and the perpetuall vse of the Church For neuer yet was there Bishop in the Church so as he had authority to exercise all Bishoply functions but that he was ordained by some other Bishop to whome by the Constitution of the Apostles themselues must be adioined two other bishops as is expressely commaunded in the first Canon of the Apostles fourth of the Nicene Councel as also insinuated by S. Paul writing to Timothy a Bishop 1. Tim. 4. and warning him thus Do not neglect the grace which is in thee which grace is giuen thee by prophesy with imposition of the hands of Priesthood that is to say of those Bishops who togeather with the Bishop that doth ordaine do lay their hands vpon him that is ordained as the Ancient Fathers do expound it By which it is cleere and euident that the Lutherans and Caluinists haue neither of these forsaid powers from the Apostles nor can they deriue the same from the Apostles and consequently in that they do not descend from them they haue not the true religion and Church with them For that the true Church according to both powers ought to be deriued and to haue continued with them from the Apostles as we haue shewed before seing that all power spirituall ought to be deriued from Christ through the Apostles and their successours by a continuall and orderly succession and communication to other ministers of the Church as the corporall life of man is deriued by certaine meanes through a continuall succession from our first parent Adam to the last For euen as in the old Testament there were no priests except those that descended from the Tribe of Leui thorough Aaron so in the new there are no priests or Bishops except those that descend in degree of Order and power of Iurisdiction from Christ the chiefe Priest through the Apostles and their successours And therfore as the Sinagogue could not be without priests descending by a continuall succession from Aaron so the Church of Christ cannot be without Priests or Bishops descending by the same continuall succession from the Apostles and their successours But the Congregation of Lutherans and Caluinistes had neuer any such ministers had neuer any Bishops-lawfully ordayned amongst them descending in power of Iurisdiction from the
Apostles or their sucessours to gouerne the people And therfore it is cleere that the Church of Christ is not with them The III. Reason From the defect of their Mission THE third reason is because these Religions were brought in by them that were sent by no lawfull authority but came of themselues and for this cause are they and their Authors worthily to be suspected of errour least perhaps they proue to be wolues and seducers For that no man may preach in the Church vnlesse he be sent by lawfull authority according to that of the Apostle How shall they preach Rom. 10. vnlesse they be sent otherwise there should soone arise a great confusion in the Church for that euery one might take vpon him the office of preaching and gouerning the Church and sow abroad what errors he listed And if in a temporall Common wealth humane Policy no man may intrude himselfe and take vpoÌ„ him the office of a magistrate to gouerne the people in temporall things only pertaining to this life but that he must first be appointed therunto by the Prince How much lesse then in the Church and spirituall kingdone of Christ may any man assume vnto himselfe the office of Pastour to gouerne the people in those things which belong to eternall saluation but he that is ordained and appointed therunto by the supreme rector of the Church and Prince of Holyes For that confusion in gouerment of the Church is much more to be auoided theÌ„ in Policy when as the one threatens destruction to the soule the other only losse of goods and fortune Againe Ioan 10. he that entreth not by the dore into the theepfold but climbeth vp some other way is a theefe and robber saith our Lord. But he that taketh to himselfe the office of a Pastour in the Church without lawfull Mission and Auchority he entreth not in at the dore but climbeth vp some other way as the holy Fathers do commonly expound the place and is manifest of it selfe For what is it to enter in at the dore but to enter by the lawfull way and by lawfull authority The dore is the ordinary way and made of purpose wherby to enter into the sheepfold and wherby is designed that authority by which the Ministers of the Church are to be admitted into the sheepfold of Christ to gouerne and feed his sheepe Furthermore our Lord saith in S. Iohns Ghospell Ioan. 7. he that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory but he that seketh the glory of him that sent him he is faithfull and in him there is no iniustice By which words we are warned not to belieue them who are not lawfully sent but come of themselues because they seeke their owne glory and therfore they do not speake for truth but for their owne praise and comodity and thither do they direct all their doctrine And finally the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews doth account this mission so necessary that he doth require the same in our Sauiour Christ saying Neyther doth any man take the honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron Hebr. 5. So Christ also did not glorify himselfe that he might be made a High Priest but he that spake to him My Sonne art thou this day haue I begotten thee Wherby our Sauiour did so often inculcate to the Iewes his mission to wit that he came not of himselfe but was sent of his Father and confirmeth the same many wayes From whence it is cleerly deduced that Luther Caluin and the rest of these new Doctours are not to be heard but their doctrine altogeather to be shunned because it is manifest that they were not sent by any lawfull authority but came of themselues It is also manifest that they vsurped vnto themselues the offices of magistrates and Pastors the Authority of reforming the Church It is manifest I say that they came not in at the dore and by the lawfull way but clâ—mbed ouer some other way into the sheepfold and therfore according to our Sauiours iudgment and sentence they are to be accompted for theeues and robbers Perhaps they will say that they were sent of Christ immediatly as in old tyme the Prophets were sent by God in an extraordinary manner to reforme the people and as the Apostles were sent by Christ our Sauiour to coÌ„uert the world and as S. Paul after the Ascension of our Lord who was not sent of men nor yet receiued the Ghospell from men but immediatly froÌ„ God himselfe To this I answere first it is not inough to say and stoutly to affirme but it must be proued and conuinced to be true least it may seeme to the people ordinary pastors to reiect them as deceauers for a lawfull cause as the Prophets and Apostles did not only say that they were sent of God but shewed the same also abundantly by heauenly signes Secondly all Archeretikes and false Prophets throughout euery age haue affirmed the same to wit that they were sent of God from him receaued their Authority And therfore eyther we must receaue them all or none For why should I for example sake rather belieue that Caluin was sent of God then Luther or Menno or Munzer Arius or any other Archeretike when as he can produce no greater signes or testimonies for his mission then they Thirdly if Caluin were sent of God then Luther was not sent of God and so likewise to the contray Because if two men do prophesy coÌ„trary things and that the one doth condemne the others prophesy and doctrine of errour and heresy the one doth so destroy the others religion and therfore if they were both sent of God it seemes that the spirit of God doth oppugne deny and ouerthrow it selfe destroying by one what he had built by another But amongst the Prophets truly sent by God there hath alwaies bin a principal vnity and consent in doctrine Fourthly if Luther or Caluin were set of God to reforme the Church I demaund then what tyme and in what place God gaue them this Office what words did he vse vnto them cyther internall or externall In what manner did he declare vnto them the chiefe heads and points of this Reformation what order and manner did he prescribe them How or in what forme did he appeare vnto them Externally in a visible shape as he did to S. Paul or internally by imaginary vision in some extasis as he did to the Prophets to S. Iohn Euangelist in the Apocalyps For that he is wont to obserue al these things with those whome he sendeth And the Prophets themselues presently in the beginning of their preaching did explicate and declare all these things to the people that they might vnderstand of whome they were sent or what commanÌ„dement was giuen vnto them to performe as out of the Prophesyes of Isay Ieremy Ezechiel Daniel and others is manifest that they were all wont to premit these things first of all And
is bound to what is impossible No Tyrant euer bound his subiects to impossibilityes and should God do it from whome so barbarous cruelty is most far wherfore for this very thing that the ten commaundements began to be impossible to be kept they ceased also to bind and therfore they appertaine nothing vnto vs. Further because Caluin teacheth that al our works be fowle staynes filth and synne before God but none caÌ„ be bound to commit sin therfore we are not bound euen to labour or oÌ„ce put our hand towards the fulfilling of the decalogue or of any part of it The same I might confirme by other reasons but these may serue the turne by which it is also manifest out of Caluins doctrine that the dealogue appertayneth nothing vnto vs. Secondly these two Religions make no difference of good and bad works before God but only before men For as the works that are said to be euil haue their manifest malice euen so to the good workes of the iust they attribute a secret malice in regard of the internal concupiscence by reason of which malice they will haue them to be mortal syns before God And if it be so wherfore should I rather attend to good works with the afflâ—cting punishing of nature with the wasting of goods then to bad that go accompanyed with great pleasures ofteÌ„tymes with profit and commodity also For sith both be bad before God wherfore should I not prefer those in which there is a temporall both pleasure and gaâ—ne before them which are not done without molestation trouble and losse Thirdly for that both Religions teach that a man is by speciall fayth alone iust before God without any good work of his part and that to him who hath this fayth no syn is imputed So teacheth Luther in very many places as hath been declared before Of which Doctrine he inferreth l. de libert Christ de capt babyâ— tib â— Instit c. 8. § 68. l. 3. c. 4. § 28. That incredulity alone is syn and that the incredulous and vnbeeleuing alone are to be damned and that he who retayneth his fayth cannot be damned at all The same teacheth Caluin when he sayth All syns be to vnbeleeuing mortall to the beleeuing all be veniall He calleth them venial because God imputeth them not vnto them but in what they are done pardoneth and forgiueth them And to is doctrine plainely followeth of this principle wherby they conclude that speciall fayth alone is the cause of iustification that is that a man is iust before God by this alone that he firmely beleeueth that Christ hath fully satisfied for his syns for that by this faith Christs satisfaction is applied vnto him and is made as it were his own so as by it be is reputed iust before God though he find no change of will at all within And therfore while this fayth continueth no syn can hurt him because he abideth in Christs iustice he firmely retâ—yneth it by fayth And if we ground our selues vpon this doctrine we haue no cause to feare the committing of any wickednes whatsoeuer For no punishment nor vengeance is for it to be feared at Gods hands sith God imputeth it not for a fault by occasion of Christs satisfaction communicated vnto vs by fayth And can Atheisme giue greater liberty to all manner of wickednes to all impurity of life Some Caluinist Ministers in England confesse it plainely inough who of that opinion of Caluin touching the iustification of fayth Refert ex Foxo Guil. Reginaldus l. 4. pag. 1020. among others do deduce and man tayne these conclusions 1. All those do erre who thinke that they are to be saued when they shall haue done many good works 2. It is nothing necessary for vs to lavour for the purchasing of life euerlasting by our good works sith we haue it euen now 3. This is one of the principall errors that beareth sway in the Christian world to thinke that good works profit any thing to Saluation 4. Our syns withdraw nothing from Gods glory for as much as all the burt of syn consisteth in the scandall of our neighbour 5. Christ hâ—th with his bloud redeemed and deliuered vs from all sâ—ns and lawes in so much as from this tyme forward no law bindeth vs in conscience Heere we are in expresse words freed from the decalogne and from all precepts of Sacraments 6. You owe nothing vnto God but fayth that you confesse Iesus Christ and beleeue that he is risenfroÌ„ death for so you shall be saued In all other things God leaueth you in your liberty to follow your own will For you may do all things without scruple of conscience for you cannot perish nor be damned whatsoeuer you shal outwardly do or leaue vndoÌ„e All this they deduce and that most rightly out of that foundation of Iustification by special fayth first laid by Luther and Caluin in whose writings also all these former grounds almost are expressely had Who now could wish or imagine greater liberty to all wickednes Adde hereunto what hath been said before in the second Consideration where we laid down three other manners by which this liberty is graunted I omit to speake of that window that Caluin hath opened when he taught l. 2. Inflit. c. 25. §. â—2 That the paine of the damned is nothing els then to feele God an aduersary and to be put in feare by him though that paine be represented vs by things corporall as by darknes weeping gnasshing of teeth the inextinguible fire c. By which words he plainely insinuateth that hell is nothing els but vaine terrors For if God inflicteth not any paine but only affrigteth the damned certainely vaine is that terrour and to be laughed at vaine be the paines of hell and nothing to be weighed or regarded at all The X. Reason That they renew old Heresies EVERY Religion is to be auoyded that contayneth heresyes formerly condemned by the Catholique Church which haue euer been held and reputed for heresyes But these new Religions contayne such heresyes yea they seeme to be nothing but a masse and heape of diuers heresyes in scueral ages taught by diuers arch heretiks in former tymes by the Catholike Church condemned therefore they are to be shuÌ„ned We are to proue our minor and therfore let vs consider the principall points of doctrine that these religions maintaine 1. Both as well Luther as Caluin teach that there is no liberty of will And Luther in his 36. article affirmeth that it is the principall soundation of his religion But this was long agoe the heresy of Simon (a) Caluin l. 1. Recognit Magus and Valentinus as testifieth S. Augustine haer 11. and of the (b) Aug. haer â—6 Hier. in prlog contra Pelag. Manichies and of (c) in â—ont Constant sess 8. VVicliffe c. 2. Both do teach that God is the instigatour or mouer to all wickednes and that all euylls be done
by vertue and power of Gods decree And this againe was in tymes past an heresy of Simon (d) VinceÌ„t Lirin Magus and of (e) Eusebius l. 5. c. 20. Florinus 3. Both teach that good works be not necessary to saluation and that fayth is ynough But this was an heresy of the same Simon (f) Iren. l. 1. c. 20â— Magus and of (g) Aug. haer 54. the Eunomians about the yeare of Christ 360. 4. Both also teach that syns though neuer so many and great do not hurt him who hath fayth for that the malice of them is not imputed to him who beleeueth And this was also in tymes past an heresy of the (h) Aug. haer 54. Eunomians and of Basilides and Carpocrates as witnesseth Irenaeus l. 1. c. 23. 24. 5. Caluin denyeth the reall presence of Christs body in the Eucharist But this was againe an heresy of Berengarius about the yeare of our Lord 1051. Where it is to be noted first though some priuately before Berengarius doubted of that matter and moued the question about it yet none was so hardy as to professe it in publike as testifieth Hugh of Langres and Adelman of Bressia in their epistles to Berengarius and Paschasius in his booke of the words of the Institution of this Sacrament In so much as this was the constant and vniforme doctrine of the Church not opposed against by any arch-heretike vntill the tyme of Berengarius Secondly that Berengarius his opinion was whiles he yetlyued condemned in fiue Councells and that Berengarius himselfe thrise abiured his opinion and in conclusion died very penitent in the Catholike fayth He being dead the same heresy lay buried vp welneere two hundred yeares vntill the tyme of the Lollards who brought it to light againe as is gathered out of Trithemius in his Chronicle about the yeare 1315. After this againe VVicliffe held the same as appeareth by his third article After his death againe there was a deep silence of that matter for the space of an hundred yeares vntill Swinglius renewed it and Caluin and some others after him Whereby it euidently appeareth that this opinion was euer in the Church held for a manifest heresy therfore eyther the Church hath euer erred in a principall article of fayth and so consequently it was neuer Christs Church or that opinion which abrogateth and disclaymeth from the Reall presence of Christs body is an heresy indeed 6. Both take away all traditions and would haue all things to be comprehended in Scriptures alone The same was the heresy of the Arians as is recorded by S. Augustine also of Nestorius l. 1. contra Maxim c. 2. vlt. Dioscorus and Eutiches as is declared in the seauenth Synod Act. 1. 7. Both deny the Sacraments of Penance and of Confirmation The Nouatians taught the same opinion long ago as witnesse S. Cyprian l. 4. epist 2. l. 3. baer fabularum and S. Theodoret 8. Both teach that the Church consisteth of good alone and that the Church in former tymes visible perished notwithstanding for many ages that in this tyme it only remayneth in their congregations The very like was the heresy of the Donatists as testifieth S. Augustine l. de vnit Eccl. c. 12. 9. Both of them teach that prayer is not to be made for the dead that 〈◊〉 fast of Lent or any other stable fasts be not to be keep but euery one is then to fast when it shall to him seeme good The Aerians taught the very same in former ages if we beleeue Epiphamus haer 75. and S. Augustine l. dehaer c. 33. 10. Both deny the veneration of holy Reliques of Christs and Saints Images and call it Idolatry Vigilantius did no lesse many ages past as witnesseth S. Hierome The same did the Image breakers as testify Zoneras Cedrenus and Nicephorus touching them who made war against Images By these it is more then manifest that the chiefest opinions whereof Lutheranisme and Caluinisme consist be ancient heresyes long since condemned by the Church and that the same were alwayes held in the Church for heresyes The same may we easily exemplify and declare touching the rest Vide Bellar de notis Eccl. c. 9. Coccius de signis Eccl. l. 8. art 3. Wherehence it followeth that these Religions be nothing but the very sincke of heresyes of old longe ago put to silence and now in these latter dayes brought to light againe The XI Reason From the want of a Rule of Faith THESE new Religions haue no certaine rule of Faith to follow therfore they are not to be receyued For the principall heads of Religion must be determined certaine and withall immutable And that they haue not any certaine rule of beliefe whereby it may be resolued what is necessary to be beleeued and what not is euident First for that they admit neyther the traditions of the Church nor the authority of generall Councells nor the iudgment of the ancient Doctors of the Church and of those who flourished and liued before these our Controuersies Luther reiecteth all traditions in c. l. 4. c. 8. §. 6.7 8 in Antid ad 4. fesâ— Conc. Trident 1. ad Galatas as doth Caluin also l. 4. Instit and they teach that nothing is to be beleeued nothing to be receyued an holy Scripture Luther so contemneth Generall Councells which haue hitherto had most great authority in Gods Church for they be as it were the Parlaments of Princes In art 115 sequentib Peers in Christs Kingdome as he will haue the definitions therof subiect to the iudgment and censure of euery priuate person And he further sayth that it is a mad thing that the Councells will conclude what is to be beleeued And in the same place he teacheth that what is to be beleeued what not is to be left to the iudgment of euery spirituall man Caluin insinuateth no lesse l. 1. c. 7. § 1.2 4. when he sayth that it is not for the Church to iudge what books be Canonicall but that appertayneth to the inward spirit alone Finally as touching the Fathers Luther careth not for a thousand Augustines l. contra Regem Augiae a thousand Cyprians Caluin also in very many places contemneth them and affirmeth that they erred Wherefore none of all these is vnto them a rule of fayth But say they The Scripture it selfe is vnto vs a rule of fayth it caÌ„not erre But it is an easy matter â—o shew that this rule serueth not the turne First because we by this rule cannot iudge of the Scripture it selfe and so the rule it selfe will remayne vnto vs vncertain which yet should haue the greatest certitude of all For by the Scripture it cannot come to be knowne for certaine that such a book is truly Scripture is not Apocripall nor composed by some deceiptfull person that this or that sentence is not peruerted northrust in Finally that nothing is added or taken
IF any of these new Religions for example that of Caluin were Christâ—true Religion besides other absurdities insinuated before this would further follow that all Catholikes which haue byn from the Apostles tymes vntill this present be damned and adiudged to paines cuerlasting for as much as according to a principall doctrine of the Caluinists they wanted iustifying faith and therefore iustice also before God whence it is that they continued in their syns and died in them For faith necessary to iustification as this religion holdeth is that whereby a man stedfastly beleeueth that himselfe is iust before God for Christs satisfaction which is to him by this faith applyed and imputed And certaine it is that this faith was vnknown to the world vntill Luthers tyme neyther doth he deny it but gloryeth rather that he notified and reuealed to the world the true manner of iustification obscured by antiquity The same is manifest by the writings of all the ancient Fathers both for that besids faith they require an inward chaung of the will and purpose of keeping the whole law and also for that they condemne that security of saluation and will haue a man to worke his saluation with feare and trembling and to be alwayes sollicitous and carefull and therefore they do all with one consent reiect that speciall Fayth by which a man certainly beleeueth himselfe to be iust as meere presumption For though we are to belâ—eue that Christ hath on his part most fully satisfied for vs yet it is not manifest vnto vs whether we haue done all that which is on our part necessary for the making of ourselues partakers of this satifaction and whether we haue not at one tyme or other lost our part in it Manifest therefore it is that all those of former tymes wanted this fayth and consequently they are all damâ—ed so many holy Fathers so many 〈◊〉 so many Virgins and Saints Irenaeus Iustine Gregory Thaumaturgus Nazianzen Basill Chrysostome Damascene Hilary Ambrose Hierome Augustine Martin Nicolas Antony Benedict Bernard Dominicke Francis Laurence Vincent Sebastian Catharine Cecily Agnes and infinite others who were admirable to the world eyther for their sanctity and miracles or for the glory of martyrdone Finally all that haue been before vs euen from the Apostles tyme till now be damned And to vse Tertullians words l. de praescript adueâ—sus haereticos In vaine hath the Gospell byn so many ages preached in vaine haue so many thousands been baptized in vaine haue so many works of saith been exercised so many vertues and so many gifts of grace to no purpose wrought so many priesthoods and so many offices admitted in vaine and to be short in vaine haue so many martyrdomes been crowned But how past beliefe absurd and blasphemous a matter is this How contrary and repugnant to the iudgement of the whole world and of all ages past Neither can it be sayd that their ignorance excused them because none can be saued without faith without the iustice of Christ without the participation of Christs satisfaction without the remission of sins as the Scripture especially of the new Testament euery where teacheth no ignorance can make or cause that any may be saued without them Wherefore there is no ouasion heere for they eyther be all damned or els Luthers and Caluins Religions be false and impious in their principall doctrine touching Iustification Loe heere 12. Reasons by which it is made plaine that these new Religions be to be shunned as false pernicious and now we come to our last Consideration X. CONSIDERATION and conclusion of this whole ConsultatioÌ„ LASTLY that Religion is to be imbraced during life that we would wish we had followed and held at the houre of our death and whereof we may be able to giue a iust accompt when we shall stand before the tribunall seat of Christ For touching what is to be done there cannot a better CoÌ„sultation be had then by the consideration of death and of the latter Iudgment namely that we make an election of that here which in the article of our death may make most to our profit and shunne that which may at that tyme procure or cause our certaine ruine perdition or at least hazard the same And such is the Catholike religion that we shal haue a will to preferre it when we come to dye is euident First by the example of very many who though they haue lyued as heretiks yet when they come to dye do desire to dy Catholikes for so to do they deeme it most for their security Secondly for that euery one then wisheth he had done many good works and that he had carefully taken heed of all sins to both whereof the Catholike Church hath effectuall iuducements and Lutheranisme and Caluinisme haue neither the one nor the other but rather bringeth in a contempt of good works and liberty of life Thirdly for that the Catholike Religion hath many remedies and preseruatiâ—es which are not in that dreadful passage to be coÌ„temned as repentance for heir sinns the absolution of Priests the Sacraments oâ— Extreme Vnction holy Eucharist which cause great comfort and confidence to the faithfull for by them Christs satisfaction is communicated vnto vs. But a naked faith is a very cold and weake help in that article For how may you in earnest perswade your selfe that Christ is propitious and mercifull vnto you that you are iust and to be by Christ saued who contemne the â—emedyes by him appointed and determine to dye out of the communion of the Catholike Church All lects of this tyme do brag of this fayth but all of them shall not be saued for as much as there is but one true religion of Christ out of which none can be saued as not only all Catholiks but Lutherans also Caluinists and Anabaptists do also teach And therfore your speciall fayth will not profit you any thing vnles you professe Christs true religion That also such as haue imbraced the Catholike fayth and perseuered in it shall easily be able to giue an accompt of that they haue done vnto the supreme Iudge and that not any daunger at all iâ— on that part to wards them is cleare For suppose that I stand before that dreadfull Tribunall and am asked wherfore I imbraced the Catholike or Papistical religion as they now tearme it and that I did not rather leauing it passe to that new religion created and reformed â—y Caluin I will with great security answere That I therfore held the Catholike sayth What a Catho like will answere at the day of â—udgment because it teacheth me to abstract my mind from â—errene things and to transferre it to the loue of câ—â—estiall It further â—eacheth me to maister and mortify my flesh and to crucify it with the nayles of the fâ—are of God to insist in good works to obay Superiors to attend to prayer and to cut off all liberty of synning Therefore I held the Catholike Religion
the palsey in a moment quicken dry and benummed members and the like which do exceed all force of nature Neyther could any Magitian euer do the same by any help or art of the Diuell and yet notwithstanding very many and innumerable such like did our Saintes worke and that by only touching or a few prayers or the signe of the Crosse and sometymes also by a commaund only Thirdly because those miracles that be wrought by the Diuell do eyther continue but for a small eyme as being decoyts and delusions only of the eyes such as nagitians are wont to do or if they do continue they are wrought by naturall causes so do not exceed their naturall force and power Besides such false miracles are for the most part not only vnprofitable to men but hurtfull also and wicked as for example to make fire descend from heauen to make statua ' speake and the like which Antichrist his false prophets shall do in the last dayes as out of the Apocalyps is gathered Apoc. 13. neyther do these false miracles profit any to the amendment of life But the miracles of Saintes haue a perpetuall and solid operation and are very profitable to men styrring them vp to the feare of God and the amendment of their liues Fourthly New miracles were neuer approued in the Catholike Church without great and diligent examination therof before made for that the witnesses are examined and that for the most part vnder their Oaths the fact it selfe iâ— narrowly looked into whether it may be wrought by the force of Nature or power of the Diuell all circumstances are considered by what meanes order what occasion what tyme place to what end before whome and vpon whome the miracle is wrought And oftentymes there want not those who would willingly exaggerate the matter or els make it doubtfull and suspected if they could and therfore they leaue nothing vntryed or discussed So as it is impossible that the deceyt if any be can longly hidden besides it doth belong to the diuine prouidence of God not to permit men to be so miserably deluded especially after so great diligence vsed to search out the truth of the matter Fifthly Yf the miracles of the Catholick Church be wrought by the Diuell to retayne men in their false Religion why doth he not the like then in other Religions to wit among the Turkes Arians Anabaptistes Libertines and the like Why doth he leaue to worke miracles amongst these and maketh famous only Catholike Religion therewith Is it for that perhaps she is more grateful or pleasing vnto him then all the rest but he ought not to neglect others also from whome he receyueth so large and ample increase he is delighted with variety of false worship that he may accomodate himselfe to the inclinations and affections of all men Therfore seing that only Catholike Religion hath myracles and false Religion hath none it is an euident token that the miracles of the Catholike Church are not wrought by the Diuell Finally what colour of reason can there be to say that these miracles should be feigned or wrought by the Diuell Is it because they could not be otherwise done But God is omnipotent and he hath wrought many the like by his Apostles as out of Scripture is manifest Or is it because they be repugnant to Scripture But our Lord hath plainly promised this grace of working miracles and curing when he said Ioan. 14. Verily verily I say vnto you be that belieueth in me the workes that I do he also shall do and greater then these shall he do because I go to my Father and whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the sonne By which wordes he insinuateth that the grace of working miracles should alwaies remaine in the Church and that not the Apostles alone but many Apostolicall holy men also should from time to time worke miracles so as we see this promise of our Lord fulfilled when Holy men do miracles Or is it then because there is no witnes of these miracles But besides the witnes of most faithfull wryters we haue the testimony and consent of the people we haue in many of them the testimonies of Bishops or Magistrates after most diligent examination made of the thing it selfe and deposition of sworne witnesses Besides that very many of these miracles haue bin publikely done in the presence of many people there are no ancient histories extant besides those that are conteined in holy scripture that haue so many and worthy witnesses for their truth as these of miracles haue To these may be adioyned the great miracles that are done in euery age yea almost euery yeare in diuers places by Saintes now raigning with Christ but specially by the most Blessed Virgin which in those places where they are wrought are manifest to all men and may be seene and felt of all and which are also confirmed by the publicke testimonyes of sworne wittnesses after diligent discussion and examination made But say our aduersaries Caluin Praef. in Instit True miracles do confirme the Ghospel Marc. vltimo But these do ouerthrow the Ghospell and set vp Idolatry to wit worship of reliques and Images inuocation of Saintes Masse and the like and therfore they be wrought by the Diuell But this is a plaine sophisme which is called Petitio Principij for that that is heere taken as granted for true which should be first proued and wherof the whole controuersy dependeth For it is supposed for certaine and vndoubted that Catholike religion is false and therupon is consequently gathered that the miracles wherby it is confirmed are false and meere illusions of the Diuell In this very manner did the Scribes Pharisies suppose the doctrine of Christ to be false and contradictory to that of Moyses and therehence gathered that his miracles were false and that he himselfe cast out Diuells in Beelzebub the chiefe of Diueils Matth. 22. So also did the Pagans calumniare the miracles of auncient Martyrs saying they were done by magical artes and the same did the Arians Eunomians Vigilantians of the miracles of Catholikes as wittnesseth Victor Vticensis lib. 2. de persecut VVandal and S. Ambrose serm de â—S Geruasio Protas Hierom. contr Vigilant But we on the contrary side by the euident truth of miracles which may be cleerly knowne seene perceaued of al men do gather the verity of Catholik religion wherof the controuersy now is For that we neuer yet read of miracles wrought in confirmation of false doctrine such as many Saintes haue done in confirmation of true We neuer read that dead were raised to life by heretikes the blind made to see the lame straightened the palsy euered Diuells cast out of men Such miracles as these were neuer wrought by Luther Caluin or any of their followers Indeed Luther sometime did attempt to cast out a Diuell from a feminine
succession of ordination and sanctification descend from Christ our Lord who is the second Adam And there is no minister in the Church but can deduce the power wherwith the coÌ„secrateth sacrificeth absolueth from synnes administreth other Sacraments and sanctifieth Christian people from Christ himselfe as the first head and Author therof So as also all those workes which by this power he effecteth are attributed to Christ as to the first and chiefe Author who instituted this said power and doth inuisibly protect and assist the same man being only but the instrument wherby all these thinges are done as S. Augustine other Fathers do excellently declare Tract in Ioan. Chrysost bom 60 Ambros l. 4. desacram cap. 4. 5. In like maner all the power of Iuridiction of Ministers in the Catholike Church by which they gouerne Christian people preach the word of God and exercise all other Pastorall offices doth descend from Christ and may be perspicuously reduced to him For that Pastors haue their Iurisdiction from Bishops Bishops from the Pope and the Pope himselfe for that he is the successour of S. Peter in the same Chayre and gouernement of the Catholike Church doth necessarily also suceed in the same Iurisdiction which was giuen immediatly by God to S. Peter and in him to all his lawfull successours And those also in the Church who haue not power ordinary but only delegated to witt no proper Iurisdiction of their owne do receiue the same from their Pastours Bishops or the Pope So as there is no minister in the Catholike Church no preacher or teacher of the word of God that cannot eleerly demonstrate his mission and shew the same to be deriued from Christ And truely except they could so do they were by no meanes to be heard or regarded but had in suspition for wolues when as they entred not into the sheepfold through the dore but crept in secretly some other way This argument alwaies did the ancient Fathers greatly esteeme and alleage Irenaeus l. 3 c 3. Tertul de praescrip August epist 165. Optatus l. 2. contr Parmen cap. 4. for the conuincing of all heresies For therby is shewed the continuall succession of our Religion throughout all Ages vp to the Apostles times I am held in this Church saith S. (a) cap. 4. contra Eâ—ist Fundam Augustine by the Succession of Priests Bishops that haue come downe eueÌ„ froÌ„ the Sea of Peter the Apostle to whoÌ„ the care of feeding our Lords flocke was coÌ„mitted to the present Bishop of Rome Anastasius that holdeth the sea at this day And the very same hath S. Hierome in his dialogue against the Luciferian Heretikes which by and by we shall haue occasion to recite Now none of the ministers of the reformed religion can shew this And as for the power of order wherby to administer Sacraments and sanctify the people truly they cannot reduce it to the Apostles and Christ as we haue done for that they haue vtterly taken all such power away Neither is there any Bishop or Priest among them except perhaps some Apostata from the Catholik ReligioÌ„ whose degree ordignity amongst theÌ„ is now no more of value wheras not withstanding the Church of Christ hath alwaies had these degrees and byn gouerned therby Neither haue they any power of Iurisdiction wherby to preach the word of God administer Baptisme gouerne the people with diuine reuerence in spirituall affayres of their soules For I would demaund of whome Luther and Caluin receiued this power of Iurisdiction By whome was cyther of them sent to preach the new Ghospell and reforme the people That they were not sent by the ordinary Pastors of the Church it is euident therfore they came of themselues being sent by none But what can be a more certaine signe that they are not to be heard but rather to be fled from For how shall they preach saith the Apostle vnlesse they be sent Rom. 10. Ioan. 10. He that entreth not saith S. Iohn by the dore into the sheepfold but clymbeth vp another way he is a theese and robber but he that entreth by the dore is the Pastour of the â—heepe Now whosoeuer without ordinary and lawfull authority do exercise the office of a Pastour they enter not in by the dore But perhaps they will say that they were sent immediatly by Christ of him receaued authority to reforme the Church Whether sectaries be sent of Christ or no. But that is not inough so to say for that all Archeretikes do say the same of themselues Wherfore it behooueth them to bring forth shew their euidence wherby to witnesse it and so to conuince vs that they were sent of Christ as the Apostles did confirme their mission with many and great miracles otherwise we ought not to accept of their reformation Nay we are rather bound to reiect them as false impostors Againe how is it possible for them to be sent of Christ when as they teach so diuers and disagreeing opinions among themselues For if Luther were sent of Christ then can not Caluin be also sent of him who in many points impugneth Luthers doctrine and damneth it to the pit of hell as impious and hereticall And contrariwise if Caluin were sent of Christ then could not Luther be sent of him also for that God is not contray to himselfe neither do the spirits of his true Prophets impugne or contradict one another Other things I omit which might be alleaged to the same purpose VIII CONSIDERATION From the consent of the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church and from the decision of controuersies without which there is no sodality or followship THAT Religion is thought to be of Christ and to be preferred before al other in which the whole and full consent of Doctors of euery age Nation about the principall heads of our faith hath concurred and wherin there hath byn an easy determination of all Controuersyes from which if once thou chance to decline or fall thou hast no certainty left which way to betake thy selfe But such is only Catholike Religion and therfore the true religion of Christ And first of all concerning the consent of Doctors about the chiefe heads of our religion it is manifest out of their wrythings For what ancient Doctors soeuer eyther in Greece Asia Aegipt Asricke Spaine Italy France Germany or England that haue written of the mysteries of our religion they do all agree about the liberty of Freewill about merit of good workes sacrifice of the Masse for the quicke and the dead Monasticall vowes fastes inuocation of Saints and the like which are by these newfangled Religions reiected and reproued Caluin l. 2. c. 2.3.14 16. l. 3. c. 4. 5. l. 4. c. 22. Centurtatores cent 2.3.4.5 c. 4. and cannot be denied by the Lutherans Caluinistes themselues only they say that these things were blemishes of the ancient Doctors inclining as it were to superstition
so likewise is it manifest what tyme and with what words our Sauiour sent the Apostles and what he inioyned them to do c. But now these our new Prophets were so simple that they did not thinke of feigning any such thing if they would haue had themselues thought to haue byn sent immediatly from God and therfore they made no mention at all therof which is a most certaine and manifest token of lying and falshood when of necessity they be driuen to say they were sent from God For who can doubt but that if they had felt the least semblance or shaddow of this Diuine mission they would haue presently published the same in the first front of their writings and haue manifested the same to the world to wit the expresse tyme place manner commandement of God and other circumstances belonging thereto Fifthly I adde that if they were sent of God they were not only sent as reformers of Manners as the Prophets were but as reformers also of the whole doctrine and Religion and therfore a most exact description of this mission an expresse mention of such things as God would haue reformed had by naltogeather necessary that the same should haue byn propounded to the Church in God his name and in the very word◠that he spake them as the Prophets were wont to do when they did propound to the people Gods diuine cōmandements in his name But these new Prophets haue not proceeded so but haue gone from one opinion to another vpon mere chaunces and as times and things haue so required as it is wont to happen in contentious and debates when mens minds be more and more prouoked to anger and reuenge and as they learned by experience to preferre most their owne comodityes and oppugne the Sea Apostolike that condemned them For whatsoeuer they thought might most endomage the Popes authority or profit and confirme their owne that they estabished as a point of faith and the very kernell of the word of God as afterward we shall shew Sixtly In humane Policy and Gouerment it is not inough for a man that is sent from a Prince who is far off and cannot be spoken with to say that he is sent from him to execute such or such Authority but he must haue letters Patēts sufficient sealed with the Princes seale which are notwithstanding carefully examined for feare of deceyt and if by chance any signe of imposture be deprehended therin he is not admitted vntill further testimony be produced The same we see in like manner in the Popes Legates and Nuntij who all must shew their Patents Authenticall wherin their Mission Cōmission is conteyned or els they are not receyued nor haue Authority What sottishnesse then is it to admit into the Church and Kingdome of Christ not only new Pastors and Teachers but Reformers also of the whole Religion wheron the Church consisteth vpon pretence and colour only that they say they are sent of Christ and haue the spirit God not shewing their Patents nor any other signe or token wherby to confirme the same Seauenthly The very computation of tyme is also mightily against them For if the Church from 600. yeares after Christ hath byn decayed and fallen away and consequently byn made the Synagoge of Antichrist as they say it hath then how happeneth it that the Mission of these new Reformers hath byn delayed vntill now Why hath God forsaken his Church for whole 900 yeares and suffered her to be thus ruinated and swym in all Idolatry and superstition as though she did nothing belong to him and now after all this tyme at last to send these new Reformers or Architects vnto her Is this the loue of Christ thinke yow towards his Church which he washed with his bloud quickned with his spirit and adopted to his Spouse Far more louingly thē so did he beare himselfe towards his hand mayde to wit the Iewish Synagoge to whome he sent Prophets and did not forsake her although she fell into Idolatry and wickednes sonding vnto her continually euen to her very last end and destruction his seruants and endeauouring by al meanes possible to reclayme her And therefore if these men will needs seeme to be Reformers they should haue feigned the Church to haue perished a little before and not to haue layne rotten and putrisyed in her fall for so many ages or els the great space of tyme betweene doth confute their mission and show it to be imprudently feigned Eightly To these may be added other most certaine signes of their not sending from Christ as for example their bad life their pride their contempt of the holy Fathers their errours and vntruthes wherin they are euery day deprehended and taken their inconstancy of doctrine c. of which I meane to treat in the ensuing reason And last of all they teach that nothing is to be belieued but what is in Scripture Let them then shew vs out of Scripture that they were sent of God to reforme the Church in what place and in what words the Scripture saith this Authority was graunted vnto Luther or Caluin or otherwise we may not belieue them themselues being witnesses and much lesse accept them for Reformers of the Church The Lutherans indeed do go about to establish the mission of their Prophet by a certaine Chronographical prophesy out of S. Ambrose S. Augustine insinuated in this verse of Te Deum Tibi Cherubin Seraphin incessabili voce proclamant For that a few yeares agoe they set forth a picture of Luther cut in brasse with this inscription Diuinum atque admirabile Vaticinium D. Ambrosy Augustini de tempore aduentu S. Lutheri quo contra Antichristum Romanum scribere coepit vt in litteris huius versiculi numerum anni represent antibus continetur quod est apud Christianos Fideles admiratione notatu dignum A diuine admirable Prophesy of S. Ambrose S. Augustine concerning the tyme and comming of Saint Luther when he began to wryte against the Roman Antichrist as it is conteyned in the letters of the verse following representing the number of the yeares a thing worthy to be noted and admired of all faithfull Christians tIbI CherVbIn scraphIn InCessabILIVoCe proCLaMant The numbers of the letters of this verse they say do make M. CCCCLL VVIIIIIII or 1517. in which yeare of our Lord Luther began to preach But this verse doth little help the pretended cause of Luther For first no certanity can be gathered by such numbers as by many examples in former yeares of the euent of thinges hath byn seene And then secondly let vs graunt it to be a prophesy insinuated of Luther by the number of these letters yet therby should not be signified a reioyeing and exultation of heauenly Spirits for Luthers preaching as his Sectaryes would haue it but an excecation or blinding rather of Luther of althose which were to imbrace and follow his Doctrine like as in the
6. of Isay where the Seraphim do cry in the same manner Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth all the earth is full of thy Glory out of with place these verses were taken and put into the Hymne of Te Deum is designed the excecation of the Iewes as is gathered out of that which followeth in the same place For that God is there prouoked in such sore that he reuengeth with condigne punishment so great wickednes impiety shewing by the beauty of his sanctity how greatly all kind of synne doth displease him And in like manner shall the Seraphim thunder out reuenge towards the end of the world Apoc. 4. And last of all if we wryte these Names according to the Hebrew by M. and not by N to wit CherubIM SeraphIM as they are truly to be written then will there arise out of that verse Three thousaÌ„d fiue hundred and 17. yeares which being ended notwithstanding shall the Cherubims Seraphims cry Holy Holy Holy but yet this voyce shall not be a reioycing or exultation for the increase of Luthers Ghospel but rather an approuing or approbation of the iust punishment wherwith he and his followers shal be tormented for all eternity The IIII. Reason From the want of Miracles THESE new Religions togeather with their authors are to be suspected Miracles necessary because they were brought in without any miracles which miracles were very necessary and that for many reasons First that they might shew they were not falsifiers but true Pastours sent from God and therby conuince that the Church ought to receiue them For wheras it is manifest out of Scripture that many false prophets were to come into the world in these last dayes Matth. 24. Marc. 13 1. Tim. 4. who should bragge that they were sent from God of whoÌ„ our Sauiour did warne vs to beware 2. Tim. â— 2. Pet. 3. Matth. 7. 24. therfore no new teacher is to be admitted but rather to be suspected that caÌ„not giue a ful testimony of his doctrine which full testimony can not any way be giuen but by diuine heauenly signes as are for example Miracles fortelling of things to come reuealing of mysteries and the like which things for so much as they do exceed the force of humane power it is mnnifest that they are from God and are as it were Patents and witnesses signed and confirmed by God wherby this diuine mission is approued Heerhence it is that so many as euer haue byn sent of God immediately to teach or instruct the people haue come endued from him with miracles or other supernaturall signes wherby their Mission hath byn made manifest to the people For so did Moyses when he was to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt and to giue them a Law come with a mighty power of miracles and wrought very many either himselfe or God by him as often as he appeared vnto him in a visible shape So did all the Prophets confirme their mission eyther with miracles or with reuelation of mysteries The same also the Lord of Prophets himselfe who although he might haue cleerly conuinced out of Scripture that he was the true Messias and that by the testimony also of S. Iohn Baptist yet notwithstanding presently in the begining of his preaching he shewed by many miracles that he was sent from God the Father for the saluation of men in so much as he said vnto the Pharisies who for hate and malice belieued him not that if they would not belieue him for his owne sake yet at leastwise being conuinced which the greatnes of his miracles they should belieue him In like manner did all the Apostles confirme their mission with miracles amongst the Iewes and gentles as also did the first preachers and Apostles of diuers nations who brought them from Paganisme to our faith religion Wherfore let these new Prophets brag neuer so much that they be sent immediatly from God except they confirme the same with miracles and supernaturall signes as all those who were sent indeed inmediatly from God haue done they be not any way to be heard or regarded Nor doth that argument any thing auayle against vs that S. Iohn Baptist wrought no miracles because God did many supernaturall things about him which wel witnessed his mission Besides the austerity and sanctity of his life was no small miracle so as no man can doubt but that he was sent of God Secondly Miracles were very necessary to haue proued that they were not only sent as correctors of manners but also as reformers and correctors of the whole religion to build vp a new the Church that was fallen to raise to life the kingdoÌ„e of Christ that was dead to make all things new againe What great miracles had there needed to haue byn to haue conuinced the world to beleeue these meruailous and wonderfull things and to haue receiued the workers therof for such For although they had raised a thousand dead men and had cuÌ„red an hundred thousand lame blind and diseased yet had it scarse byn inough to haue giuen credit to so great an innouation First because the Apostle saith Gal. 1. Although we or an Angell from heauen do euangelize vnto yow any other doctrine then that which we haue euangelized vnto yow let him he accursed And repeating the same againe for greater confirmation he addeth As we haue said before so now I say againe If any do euangelize vnto yow besides that which you haue receiued let him be accursed And if we should not belieue an Angell that should preach any least thing against the receaued saith doctrine of the Church what great need of miracles should there be to giue credit to any man that should preach so great matters as these to wit that the Church of Christ is 〈◊〉 ruinated full of Idolatry her saith extinct al her children in the state of domination that the principall heads of religion are to be reformed that â—â—ut her or Caluin were sent froth God to make this reformation Should it not be 〈◊〉 thinke yow that all the miracles of the Apostles yea of Christ himselfe should be renewed againe in such a reformer Secondly for so much as the Catholike religion which now florisheth hath byn in possession for more then a thousand yeares which our aduersaries do also confesse in such sort that the same is accompted throughout the whole world for the true religion and those that depart from her are held for heretickes therfore without very great and most euident signes it be manifest that this possession was wicked and vniust it cannot now be thrust out and owerthrowne Againe these signes must be so perspicuous for the conuincement of mans vnderstanding that there be left no place of doubt or tergiuersation for els their be not bouÌ„d to belieue but rather still to adhere to this so long possession and no wayes to forsake their religion Moreouer seing that the Catholike
religion hath shined with the greatest glory of miracles of wisdome and of sanctity of her followers throughout all former ages and doth at this day also shine it is needfull therfore of greater and more euident miracles now wherby lawfully put her out of possession and reiect her as also there is more need of greater knowledg sanctity and publike fame in the followers of these new religions now then euer was in the old And lastly if the religion of the old Testament amongst the Iewes was to be changed and that they were to passe from a shaddow to the truth or from a type or patterne to the true sampler it selfe although our Lord might most clerly haue conuinced and shewed out of the Scriptures that this mutation and change was to be made and that himselfe was sent of God for the same purpose he thought good notwithstanding to cōfirme the same with very māy most wonderfull miracles that there might be left vnto them no occasion of doubt or turning backe how greatmiracles then shall we thinke to be needfull now for the changing of religion in the new Testament when as the Scriptures do cleerly denounce that there thalbe no more changes made but that God wil be present with her for her assistance to the worlds end and that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her For what wisdome were it for any man to belieue so great a thing so new and paradoxicall so much against Scripture and iudgment of all the ancientt Fathers without extraordinary great miracles Nay what miracles can there be great inough to make a man at least probably to belieue so strang a thing Heerhence it is manifest that we haue great cause to require of them such miracles and that they deale perfidiously with vs when as they would haue vs to giue them credit in matters of so great importance without miracles and vnlesse we do belieue all vpon their bare word they presently raise vp grieuous presecutions against vs. But they will say Whether do they proue ther doctrine out of the Scriptures We proue our opinions and doctrine out of the Scripture Be it so but yet according to your owne sense and iudgment and not according to the consent of the Ancient Holy Fathers and the receaued Doctors of the Church who liued before these our controuersies so could not be any way partial therin Againe their arguments like vnto spiders webbs are very easily dissolued by Catholike Doctors besides that there are so many new Reformers sprong vp within these 80. or 90. yeares so many repayrers of the decayed Church so māy reniuers of the extinct Religion who also be most contrary one to anothers and what one buildeth vp another pulleth downe yet notwithstanding do they all confirme their opinions out of the Scriptures all do rest vpon her testimony alone all do make Scripture the only foundation of their building and therfore the proofe of all is to be admitted or of none And lastly seing that nothing is to be belieued vnlesse Scripture say it Where I pray yow doth it say that you or he or such a one was sent of God for the reforming and restoring of the decayed Church and Religion They will say Whether it be a miracle to haue many followers perhaps that they want not miracles for that it is a very great miracle that in so short tyme so many haue imbraced this new Ghospell And this perhaps might haue some colour if their religion were more austere and strict vnto the flesh then is the Catholike But seing that this their new Doctrine doth banish all austerity and sharpnes of the Catholike Religion and giue all liberty to the flesh what miracle is it if many follow and imbrace the same what meruayle is it if weighty things fal to the ground when as their props be takē away or that riuers run into the sea their dāmes stops remoued our corrupt nature doth most of all incline to liberty which it findeth in these new religions and therfore we do the soner imbrace and follow them not because we being persuaded by the force of reason do belieue that they are more holy but because we find in them that which we sought for and that which without feare we might enioy vnder the colour of religion and piety Moreouer this miracle may aswel be brought on the behalfe of all the Sectes of all these new Reformers as of one for that many haue ioyned themselues not only to the Caluinists but also to the Lutherans and Anabaptistes and therfore they must be all holy and come from God as their Author But God cannot deny himselfe nor destroy that which he hath established and therfore cannot be Author of so contrary religions the one damning the other to the pit of hell The V. Reason From the Conditions of their Liues and Manners THE fifth reason is because that these Religions were brought in by men of bad life and such as were noted of infamy pride enuy and notorious detraction giuing shew of nothing lesse then an Apostolicall Spirit For as for Luther we know that he was somtymes a professed Monke and Priest thet by bound with a double vow of continency We know also that leauing his Monastery and casting of his habit and profession be returned to a secular life againe where ioyning himselfe to a professed Nunne whome he enticed out of her Cloister he liued dayly in her company by which fact in the iudgment of all the world he committed a twofold synne of Sacriledge and did alway reiterate the same as often as he abused her body What manner of life can be more scandalous then this Moreouer we know that he was so exceedingly giuen to good cheere and lust that he was dayly occupied in banquetting and drunkennesse (a) lib de vita coniugali affirming that a woman was more necessary then to eat drinke or sleep that it was (b) Serm. de matrimonio lawfull to vse the maid if the wife refused to do her duty The life of Caluin is written by Hieronymus Bolsecus Iulius Brigerus and others being full of most notorious wickednes to wit false accusations of others murthers robberyes filthy and lewd behauiour all which things haue byn obiected against him by diuers wryters wherunto I could yet neuer see any answere Of Luthers infamy it is manifest to all the whole world that wheras he being a professed Monke and a Priest he ioyned himselfe to a professed Nunne which fact by the iudgment of all learned Doctors purchaseth infamy For if by the Emperours lawes that man be infamous who is taken in adultery L. Palam S. Quiin adulterio ff de ritu nuptiarum how much more is he infamous that hath twice contracted sacrilegious mariage and dayly vseth sacrilegious copulation For that it is a far more filthy thing to be an Adulterer of Christ then an Adulterer of the wife or husband The infamy of
Caluin is also manifest out of the Iudiciall Actes and processe of the Citty of Noyon in France Bolsecus in vita Calui ni cap. 5. Iul. Brigerus pag. 59. that he was conuicted of a wicked crime and by sentence condemned to haue byn publiquely burned if by the intercession of the Bishop of that place that punishment had not byn changed into whipping and burning vpon his backe with a hoat iron Wherby it is cuident that both by law deed he was infamous L. 1. ff de his qui not antur insamia and L. Quid ergo § Ex compromisso ff de his qui not antur infamia Of the pride and rayling of Luther it is euident First because from this fountaine to wit of pride all his doctrines toke their beginning For when as certayne Indulgences were to be promulgated in Germany and that the office therof hauing heertofore belonged to the Augustine Friars now they being at this tyme pretermitted the same was giuen in Commission to the Dominicans Which thing Luther taking in very ill part began with a splene to preach against Indulgences and though he were therof admonished and reprehended notwithstanding by little and little he not only continued the same but adioyned heerunto many more and greater articles of faith against the Authority of the Pope wherby he caused wonderfull troubles and garboyles throughout all Germany as largely wryteth Ioannes Cochlaeus that was an eye wittnes of all these things in the Acts of Luther an 1517. This pride and anger then was the first origen and ofspring of all Luthers doctrine without which perhaps Lutheran Religion had neuer byn nor so many other new sectes neither which since that tyme haue sprong vp and risen from thence Secondly for that Luther in his Epistle to those of Strasburge writeth that he would gladly deny the Reall presence of Christ in the holy Eucharist therby to trouble vex the Popedome if the Scriptures were not cleere against the same to the contrary And in another place he writeth thus If a Councell should appoint or permit the receyuing of the SacrameÌ„t vnder both kinds lib. de formula miss we by no meanes would vse both but in despite of the Councell and appointment therof would eyther vse one or neyther cursing all such as by order of that Councell should vse both kinds c. Heere yow see he teacheth vs to abstayne from a thing necessary for our Saluation and that only in despite of the Councell that should comand or appoint it when as notwithstanding we may and oftentymes ought to obay euen a Tyrant when he comaundeth things lawfull Wherby we may see with what spirit he was caried way For what may be compared to this fury of his The same Luther in his booke against K. Henry the 8. of England wryteth that Kings Princes Popes are not worthy to loose the lachet of his shoe and that himselfe will be accompted for a holy man whether men will or no. Also that he cares not for a thousand Cyprians nor a thousand Augustines Also Christian Princes Kings and Emperours he calleth Tyrants Idiots fooles simple fellowes wild beasts hangmen nittes bubles enemyes of God most wicked knaues inuenteth scurrilous songes and rithmes against them Of Caluins pride and rayling besides that which D. Bolsecke hath aboundantly written the same is most euident in * lib 2. Inst c. 14. §. 3. lib. 3. c. 4 §. 10. lib. 4. c. 12. §. 20. alibi Caluins owne books also for that he doth euery where contemn al the holy and ancient Fathers of the Church and male partly accuseth them of errour The Schoole doctors he calleth Sophistes In his Sermons he oftentymes brake forth into these and such like words I am a Prophet I haue the spirit of God and if I erre God hath deceyued me and brought me into errour for the sinnes of the people c. He wrote also diuers letters and pamphlets of his own praises dignity merit in the Church which he alwaies published eyther in other mens or some feygned name as D. Bolsecke and others do wryte Many the like trickes might I alledge aswell against these as against other Authors and defenders of the new Religions of this Age but that I am very vnwilling to occupy my selfe in such affayres He that will see more in this kind let his read the life of Beza written also by D. Bolsecke Flores â—ulij Brigeri Surius his Comentaryes others Now then considering these things who can once thinke with himselfe that God would choose and vse such men as these were to wit infamous by all law and iudgment of the whole world of a most filthy life of an vnbridled and rayling tongue of a proud ambitious angry and enuious mind to be the reformers of his Church Who euer noted any such conditions or qualityes either in the Apostles or Prophets who were all most humble and no wayes infamous for any wickednes And although they were vnlearned and simple notwithstanding vpon a suddaine the were indued with admirable wisdome sanctity of life and grace of miracles They were wonderfully lowly of mynd of wonderfull meeknes they contemned the pleasures of this life and the earthly delightes of all thinges they were indued with wonderfull charity towards their neighbours they were wonderfully modest and circumspect in all their words and actions These and the like conditions and qualities we fee to haue byn in all such whome God hath vsed for the Conuersion of Nations and reformation of Christian people As for example in S. Augustine the Apostle of the English in S. Bonisace the Apostle of the Germans in S. Adalbert S. Etto S. VVillebrord S. Eloy and other Apostles of other Nations Also in S. Benet S. Bernard S. Romuald S. Dominike S. Francis and others by whose example and doctrine very many haue byn stirred vp to the contempt of earthly and transitory things and loue celestiall And if God did vse such men as these to the Conuersion of any Nation or Prouince or to the reformation or correction of manners in any people whose life was admirable to the world who notwithstanding did not receiue their mission immediatly from God but from the Pope by whome they were sent to do and execute these offices then I pray yow what manner of men had it byn fit that these should-haue byn who are said to haue byn sent inmediatly froÌ„ God and this not only for the reformation of the chiefe heads and points of religion but also to the reedification instauration of the whole Church and Kingdome of Christ now ruined And although al the sanctity and excellency all the vertues and spirituall giftes which were eyther in S. Iohn Baptist or any of the Apostles had byn all heaped togeather in one and had byn all infused into these men yet had the same not byn sufficient to warrant their Authority of so great a busines And shall we be so sottish then
as to belieue that God would euer vse such men for so meruaylous and high an enterprize as were not only not endued with any holines of life at al but rather to the contrary full of all infamy impurity pride reueng and rayling For to what end had this byn els but to giue occasion to such as haue but the least dram of wisdome not to admit them but as false impostors to auoyd and detest them For if those who be infamous may not by the * Cap. infamibus li. 6. L. Qui accusare ff de accusat l. 1. ff de postulaÌ„ do law be admitted to any dignity or to any office eyther Ecclesiasticall or secular no nor to accuse or demaund How then shall such be admitted as reformers of religion as chiefe architects or heads of the Church or as Iudges of Bishops Popes and generall Councells The VI. Reason From their errors and inconstancy in Doctrine THE sixth reason is for that the Authors of these new religions haue manifest errors and are very inconstant in their doctrine which is an euident signe that they haue not the infallible direction of the Holy Ghost and therfore are not sent immediatly from God nor any trust is to be giuen vnto them For how many soeuer haue byn sent of God to teach and instruct the people were so gouerned by his heaueÌ„ly assistance and direction that they could not be deceaued in anything eyther in their teaching preaching or writing So as there was neuer any the least error found in the doctrine of the Prophets or Apostles which our Sauiour insinuateth saying Iota vnum aut vnus apex non praeteribit à lege donec omnia fiant One iote or one tittle shall not passe of the law till all be fulfilled Matth. 5. Epist 19. The same thing doth S. Augustine teach largely in his Epistle to S. Hierome where he sayth That if in any writer one fault only should be found it were inough to discredit the whole authority of that wryter For he that is deceaued in one might be deceaued in more and therfore we may not firmly rely vpon him Luther himselfe also teacheth vs the same thing in many places of his workes Lib. contra EmpseruÌ„ whose words are these Si semel deprehenderer c. If I should be once fouÌ„d so lying false and grossely ignorant then should all my learning honor and fidelity vtterly haue an end In assert Teuton art 25. for that euery man as reasen requireth would account me for a lewd and infamous knaue And againe Qui semel mentitur c. whosoeuer is once taken in a lye know most certainly that he is not of God but ought to be suspected in all things c. Which thing 〈◊〉 inculcateth in six other seuerall places of his workes Nay moreouer our Sauiour himselfe gaue vnto vs this signe in the Scripture that if a tany tyme we deprehended a Prophet fortelling any thing that was false we should certainely know that he was not sent of God This being layed as a sure foundation I make this argument Whosoeuer in his doctrine doth erre but in any one point he is not sent from God but Caluin and Luther in their doctrines do erre in many things Ergo it is certaine that they are not sent of God The Maiâ—r is already sufficiently proued which our Aduersaries themselues do also confesse The Minor I proue thus For to omit all those things which they do falsely obiect to Catholiks and which they do falsly affirme to be noueltyes in our Doctrine and vnknowne to the ancients To omit also all historicall and chronographicall errors I wil lay forth only two of theirs of most moment which are common to then both The one That we haue no frewill but all things do happen through an ineuitable necessity The other That God is no lesse the Author and sorcer of euill works then of good That these be most manifest and pernicious errors is euident because they take a way all policy all good counsell all lawes and preceptes all Iudges and Tirbunales For that all these are in vayne if there be no frewill in man Moreouer the punishing of all kind of wickednes shal be vniust also for that whatsoeuer is not free of it selfe what soeuer is done by God as the author and compeller therof deserueth no punishment And finally by this meanes they take away hell it selfe and all punishment of the life to come and bring in a most profuse liberty to all kind of vice and sinne as before we haue shewed in the second Consideration These very two opinions haue giuen occasion to many to go froÌ„ Caluinisme to Turcisme or els to Atheisme For that it is much better to haue no God Flores Calu. pag. 49. then such a one who is compeller and Author of all wickdnesse Now as concerning the inconstancy of their doctrine euen in most speciall things the same is incredible Since the world began there was neuer found a writer so inconstant so forgetful and so contrary to himselfe and ouerthrower of his owne doctrine as Luther For that he doth no lesse impugne himselfe then the holy Fathers and Councells that almost in all the chiefe heads of faith as * In operâ— inscripto Lutherus Septiceps Ioannes Cochlaeus and others do shew at large And about that only controuersy of the Eucharist out of Luthers owne workes himselfe being yet aliue were noted 36. manifest contradictions by one Gaspar (a) In tabula contradict Lutheri Querhamer a lay man of Saxony and published to the world to Luthers vtter confusion and no small cracke of his credit In like manner about Communion vnder one kind were noted by Cochlaeus seauen different heads contradictory one to the other And finally the whole booke of Cochlaeus intituled Lutherus Septiceps conteyneth nothing els but Luthers contradictions and contrary opinions almost of euery article in controuersy set downe and expressed in his owne very words And in euery contradiction yow know it is necessary that one part be falst Of Caluins Contradictions 24. are set downe by Coccius in his owne words two wherof will be sufficient to set downe in this place Of Gods omnipotency in one (b) ad cap. 1. Lucae place he saith Verbo Dei c. There is no impossibility to be obiected to the word of God And in (c) ad Cap. 2 I saiae another place he saith Illud somnium c. That dreame of the absolute power in God which the deuynes haue introduced is an execerable blasphemy And (d) de praedestinatione againe Ego detestor c. I do detest this doctrine wherewith the â—apisticall deuines do please themselues when they feigne a certaine absolute power in God c. About the diuinity of Christ in one (e) ad cap. 1. loan vers 1. place he wryteth Christum esse verum Deum c. That Christ is true God of the
to the Lutherans only or to the Anabaptists How vaine and friuolous is it that euery sect should challeng this spirit as proper only to her followers and haue no other proofe thereof then that the same is manifest to him that hath the spirit and he to whome it is not manifest hath it not And is not this now to walke round in a circle running to the beginning and reuoluing euery controuâ—â—sy to that which is most obscure and knowne to no man els For now should I know that you haue this spirit When did euer the Doctors of the Church proue their assertions on this fashion Euery proofe ought to be made by that which is most manifest to the Aduersary so as it may be therby the more easily graunted by him but this proofe of theirs whereon all their opinions are fouÌ„ded doth proceed from that which is most obscure and only relyeth vpon the iudgement of a priuate man who is both a party and an accuser in the cause For you cannot proue vnto me that you haue this spirit but only by your owne testimony which you giue of your selfe Ioan. 8. But he which giueâ—â— testimony of himselfe his testimony is not true to wit it is not to be accoumpted true vnlesse it be witnessed other wayes But they to wit the Caluinists cannot proue themselues to haue this priuate spirit by other wayes but would haue vs to beleeue them on their bare word and asseueration because they say that they are certaine thereof Therefore there is no reason why we should beleeue them but great reason father to the contrary not to belieue them at all For that the spirit of God cannot be contrary to himselfe but these men are most contrary to themselues Ergo they are not gouerned by the spirit of God To this now I adde and it belongeth to no small deceit and guilefull machination of their that seeing these men haue forsaken the ancient fayth which hath florished for so many ages and imbraced now a new and vpstart Religion when Catholike Princes according to the receaued custome from the tymes of Constantine the Emperour do go about to compell them to returne to their ancient Religion which once they professed and forsake their new then they complaine grieuously and accuse them of tyrany calling them enemies of the Ghospell and stir vp the whole world in hatred against them as though they offered violence to their consciences against their eternall saluation and withal vnder pretence of this their liberty they raise vp tumults and seditions against them But when they haue once gotten the vpper hand God so permitting the same for our sinnes they will not graunt any liberty to Catholikes but stir vp most sharp persecution against them and force them with diuers torments and losse of goods to forsake the old Religion and imbrace their new which they neuer learned neuer heard of in former tyms to which they haue no obligation which is confirmed with no sound arguments and which by my most graue weighty reasons they see condemned of the Catholike Church throughout all Christendome Is this then to deale vprightly and with a sincere mind equal right Is it not rather a kind of lionish society whose right consisteth in strength and power of armes and which doth make and repeale lawes for it owne interest And what greater tyranny can be vsed ouer mens consciences then this In the Catholike Church none are forced to imbrace her fayth but those that sometymes haue professed it and now forsaken it and this neither vntill it be fully proued that they haue so done and cannot deny it But these our new Maisters do force and constraine men to imbrace their Noueltyes who neuer before professed the same and this also before they can conuince them of errour In which point they do also against their owne doctrine For that they teach that man hath no free-will but that he doth all things by the decree and impulsion of God whereto he cannot resist and that God doth infuse his fayth only to the elect By what right then do they force Catholikes to imbrace their fayth which is not in their owne power to do And againe seeing that their whole forme of fayth is reduced to the testimony of euery ones priuate spirit they do most wickedly in compelling Catholiks to beleiue not only against the testimony of their priuate spirit but also against the publike testimony of the spirit of the vniuersal Church For it is most certaine out of the holy Writ that the Church is gouerned by the spirit of God and therefore cannot erre which notwithstanding is not any way certaine in priuate men The VIII Reason Drawn from the ouerthrow of good Workes THAT religion that taketh away all affection and loue of good works is not to be attributed vnto Christ who euery where recomendeth good workes the obseruatioÌ„ of Gods comandments but the Religion both of Luther Calum taketh away all care of good workes therefore neither of them is to bee deemed Christs Religion And that these two religions take away the study and care of good workes is manifest First for that the one and the other teacheth that a man by all his good works is made no whit the more iust before God meriteth no euerlasting reward shall haue neyther lesse nor more reward in heauen whe her he do few good workes or many or none at all For as much as say they sole faith is esteemed of with God and that in fayth alone is all iustice contained For so affirmeth Luther in these words De decem praecept c. 1. I would not giue an halfe penny for S. Peters merits for helping of me because it is not in him to helpe himselfe but whatsoeuer he hath he hath it of God by faith in Christ Where he plainely teacheth that S. Peter was not the iuster or receiued the more good in heauen for his good workes but that his faith alone was crowned And els where So you see how rich a Christian man or he that is baptized is De captiu Babil c. de Baptismo who though he would neuer so fayne cannot debarre himselfe of his saluation by neuer so great sinnes vnles he will not beleeue For no sinne can damne him but his vnbeleâ—uing alone all other sins if his sayth returne or stand stable vpon gods promise be in an instant absorpt by the same fayth Againe in another place De votis monast Good workes cannot be â—aught vnles you preiudice and hurt saith sith saith and good workes bee in matter of iustification most contrary whence it is that the Doctrine of workes is necessarily the doctrine of the diuell and a reuolt from the saith The same is the opinion of Caluin Lib. 3. c. 13. as appeareth in his Institutions where he sayth That iustice of fayth can in no sort haue any association with the iustice of workes and that not onely the workes that
bee effected by the onely forces of nature Lib. 3. c. 16. § 2. sequent c. 19.6.2.4 7. but all other also vnder what specious title soeuer bee excluded by the iustice of fayth And the same he teacheth in many other places If then there bee no merit at all in good works if they make vs nothing the more accepted to God nor wee for them shall receiue any reward in heauen wherefore should we weary our selues in exercising them Wherefore should wee spend our goods in workes of mercy towards the relieuing of the poore why should wee insist and spend houres in prayer wherfore should wee fast or punish our bodyes It is a folly for vs to weary our selues out in them to be sollicitous about the exercising of them if no fruit returne vnto vs by them Who seeth not that by this doctrine all desire and care of good works is extinguished and cleane taken away Secondly for that both these Religions teach that all our good workes do not onely merit no good at all before God but further then this bee also syns and that indeed of themselues mortall though for their fayth they bee not imputed to the beleeuers And Luther in many places teacheth no lesse As when he sayth (a) In resolut contra Eckium in assert art 31. The iust sinneth in euery good work Againe (b) In assert art 32. a good worke done in the best maÌ„ner is according to gods mercy a veniall sinne but according to his iudgment a mortal sin In another place (c) In assert art 29. Our best works whereby wee labour to procure of God grace help comfort is to bee reputed vnto vs for sin as the Prophet sayth Psal 108. And his prayer be vnto him to sin The same he inculcateth in maÌ„y other places Caluin deliuereth the same doctrine For this he saith Lib. 3. Instit c. 12. §. 4. All the workes of men if they bee censured as they deserue bee nothing but foule staines and filth Neyther can any work proceed from holy men that deserueth not the iust reward of reproach The same he teacheth c. 14. els where Lib. 3. c. 14. § 9. If all our good workes bee truly sins foule staines and filth that merit Gods ire who seeth not that it is much better to abstaine from them then to do them For by forbearing them we sin not but by doing them we sin and much better it is not to sin then to sin We must therfore abstaine from giuing of almes and from doing other works of mercy yea we must cease to pray because all these as they are done of vs bee sins And how may all study and desire of good workes be better ouerthrowne then by teaching that they do not onely make vs nothing the more iust or better before God but that they bee further silth foule staynes and syns indeed Neither maketh it to the purpose that they so ofteÌ„ say that God requireth good works for a testimony of faith Whether good works be required as the signe of faith or as signs of faith sith they affirme it least they may seeme to the people to take away al good works cleare But this their pretense is vaine For how doth God require them if they be syns which vnles he of his mercy should not impute theÌ„ he should punish with euerlasting paine how doth he for a testimony of faith require those things that do rather giue a testimony of want of fayth For those who bee follicitous about the doing of good workes do ther by testifie that faith sufficeth not For if faith were inough as they will haue it and good workes auaile nothing at all how bee good workes a signe of faith Therfore the study of good works is not a signe of that speciall faith wherof they speake and whereunto they ascribe all but of the Catholike faith whereby wee beleeue that faith is not inough but that workes bee further required that bee meritorious of euerlasting life with which faith they haue nothing to do at all but reiect it wholy By what hath been sayd most euident it is that by those Religions all study and care of good workes is taken away and banished quite The IX Reason Deduced from the liberty of life which they yeald vnto THOSE Religions cannot possibly bee thought to haue been instituted by Christ that do vtterly spoile mens minds of the feare of God and do open a most wide gate to all wickednes and to all maÌ„ner of impurity of life For holy writ doth euery where inculcate vnto vs the feare of God neyther it there any thing that is more often repeated more recomended vnto vs syth therof especially dependeth all goodnes honesty of life But the Religion of Luther and Galuin both do quite thrust out of mens minds the feare of God and yeald a liberty to all manner of wickednes as far as doth Atheisme therfore neither the one nor the other can pretend Christ to bee the Author of their Religion That they do this and that by foure different and diuers wayes hath beene by vs most plainely set downe declared in the second consideration before now I will in few words againe manifest proue the same by these reasons following First for that the Lutherans Religion teacheth that the decalogue or ten Commandments appertaine not to the faythful as neither the ceremoniall and iudicial lawes also For thus he sayth in his sermon of Moyses By the Text it euidently appeareth that the ten precepts also do nothing concerne vs for as much as our Lord brought not vs but the lewes only out of Aegypt Moyses is not held in the new testament for if I should obserue him in one article I should be bound to the obseruation of the whole Law The same be teacheth in many wordes c. 4. Epist ad Galat. in c. 20. Exodi If the ten Commandments bind vs no more then the cerimoniall laws as he expresly teacheth c. 4. ad Galat. therefore as I am not bound to keep the cerimoniall law for example to circumcise the flesh to eate the Paschall â—ambe to obserue the Sabboaths c. so neither the morall law or the ten Commandments If I be dispensed from obseruation of the ten Commandements what may it not be lawfull for me to do I may then in outward shew adore Idols contemne parents make no reckoning of Magistrats commit murthers adulteryes robberyes giue false testimouies and such like that be prohibited and forbidden by the decalogue euen as I may do those thinges that haue repugnance with the cerimoniall law And though Caluin doth not in expresse maÌ„ner delyuer the same Doctrine couching the coÌ„mandements yet vnderhand he sufficiently infiâ—uateth it Lib. 2. Instit cap. 7. §. 5. First when he teacheth That it is impossible also for holy men to keep Gods law For if it be impossible it bindeth not at all sith none
because in it I see very many admirable to the whole world for wisdome sanctimony miracles and the spirit of prophesy whome it is impossible to haue byn in a matter so important deceyued for that I see that God himselfe hath and doth in euery age giue testimony of it by many miâ—acles because I see Gods promises fulfilled in it as being dispersed and spread all the world ouer Vnto it haue the Gentils byn hitherto conuerted and still continually are In it there hath been in all ages exceâ—â—â—ing concord and consent of Doctors in the grounds of fayth In it hath byn and still is a perpetuall succession of the Chaire and a continuance in the ministers therof from the Aposties In it is a speedy decision of all conâ—rouersyes It hath for so many ages stood immoueable against all heresyes and persecutions of Tyrants neyther could the gates of hell any thing preuayle against it whiles all the contraryes be found in the new Religions And therefore I had no reason at all to reuolt from this religion or to make any doubt of it at all But to omit further to prosecute other things of this kind is it not inough for my security that I am sure that I haue followed that religion in which I see men of most holy life and most celebrated for miracles S. Malachy S. Bernard S. Dominicke S. Francis and alothers who were fyue hundred yeares synce by their heauenly conuersation wonderfull works an admiration to the world to haue lyued and died For most cleare it is that those celestiall soules so addicted and deuoted to God so deare and familyar to him could not possibly be deceyued in a matter of so great consequence And therefore in this cause of religion and fayth I securely follow such captaynes guides that haue gone before me But now tell me you who haue imbraced another religion what reckoning can you giue of that your deed when you shall in that dreadfull examen be asked about it You will perhaps answeâ—e the iudge What wil an Heretike answere I did therefore forsake the Catholike fayth because I thought it full of Idolatry superstitions and humane traditions because I thought that Antichrist did command and beare sway in it because I thought the Catholikes did rely vpon their owne meritts and not vpon the price of thy bloud But what if the Diuells bewitching you which now hath a possession of your mind should then be taken away you should plainely see your selfe deceyued what counsaile would you take for then there will not be any more tyme for pennance and repentance Will you peraduenture alleadge ignorance But that wil not excuse you because you might easily haue knowne the truth if you had vsed the diligence that you were bound to do in so important a matter Neyther euer wanted you iust reason of doubting which should haue moued you to seeke for resolution Wherefore as it shall not excuse the Iewes that they erred of ignorance because they might haue knowne the truth so shall it not excuse you For that you might without syn depart from the Catholike Church it was your part not only to thinke and vpon certaine light suspitions to conceyue but also most certainely to know and setting aside all affection to be most assured that there were those euills in the Catholike religion so as there might be left no further scruple in your mind nor any iust cause of doubting in the matter But you were so far from hauing such a certitude touching the Churches errors as you had not any probable reason to perswade you to the contrary For by what probability or pretence of truth could you be persuaded to thinke that that religion was obnoxious to Idolatry and to so great errors which you saw imbraced for so many ages of so many men renowned for their wisdome holynes of life Which you saw honoured with such so great and many miracles martyrdomes Which you saw spread all the world ouer In which there was an exceeding conspiration and concord of the Doctors a perpetuall succession and a most manifest and knowne continuance from the Apostles How can it possibly be that none of the Doctors nor no holy man did for so many ages togeather note and obserue this Idolatry these superstitions and errors Againe how could you perswade your selfe that that is Christs true religion that maketh God the author and mouer yea compeller to all wickednes that spoyleth men of the liberty of free will that taketh away the care of exercising of good works that openeth a most wide gate to al manner of wickednes as doth Atheisme that vnder shew of Christian liberty exempteth and freeth the subiects from the lawes and obedience to their Princes that reuiueth and bringeth many ancient and condemned heresyes to light againe the authors whereof be not recommended for any austerity conuersation or sanctimony of life nor celebrated for any miracles but meÌ„ giuen to the pleasures of the flesh couetous of things of the world ambitious foule spoken seditious infamous for Apostasy and sacrilegious Mariages giuen ouer to lust and withall wonderfully inconstant in doctrine Finally if any of these new vpstart Religions be true then there was not any religion of Christ for so many ages past Christs Kingdome was ruyned and ouerthrowne Gods promises touching the stability and continuance of his Church were made voide the gates of hell preuayled against it The Gospell was then for so many hundreds of yeares preached in vaine in vaine was it beleeued in vaine were so many conuerted from paganisme in vaine were Baptisme other Sacraments administred in vaine were fasts kept and mortifications of the flesh practised in vaine were martyrdomes endured and the bloud of so many thousands shed for the confession of Christs name Therefore all those of our religion who are gone before vs are perished so many thousands of martyrs Confessors so many soules consecrated to God celebrated for holynes miracles and the spirit of prophesy For all of them had not any part of true religion in them nor true iustice and all were giuen to Idolatry But if all this be false blasphemous and euen horrible to thinke how could it be that you could not think that those religions out of which so horrible things are manifestly deduced might be false or at least that you doubted not of theÌ„ And if you doubted wherefore laboured you not to vnderstaÌ„d the truth on which your whole soules good dependeth Our Lord admonished that we should carefully take heed of false Prophets who come vnto vs in sheepes cloathing and inwardly be rauening wolues Matth. 7. How did it not come at one tyme or other into your mind to thinke and to feare least Luther Caluin Menno and the like were of the number of them of whome our Lord premonished vs to beware For these men vnder a glorious shew of Gods word and of the pure Gospell presented themselues vnto the world
as sent of God for the sauing of the sheep and in the meane tyme they destroyed the sheep with the poysoned foode of their doctrine By their fruits sayth our Lord you â—hall know them And what fruite is this Seditions warres the spoyling and ouerthrowing of Churches and Monasteryes the ruining of Cittyes the abolishing of ancient piety and deuotion the giuing scope to all enormityes and wickednes We know by testimony of the Apostle that many heresyes shall rise in the latter tymes and that many false Prophets and seducers shall by the instigation of Sathan shew themselues Wherefore as often as any new doctrine that opposeth it self against the Church putteth the head forth we must at least suspect it together with the Author therof Wherefore I desire beseech all The conclusion of the whole worke that be out of the Catholike Church by the goodnes of God whereby we be created and by Christs bloud wherwith we are redeemed by the euerlasting inheritance which we expect in heauen and by that torrent and full measure of Diuine pleasure wherwith they shall be there made druÌ„ke who shall perseuere in truth and iustice to the end that they would apprehend and conceyue of this busynes throughly and attentiuely consider whether they stand vpon a solid and sound foundation whether they are likely to be secure touching their religion at their houre of death and when they shall stand before the Tribunall of Christ in that instant of tyme when an eternall and immutable sentence is to be receyued Let them examine this our Consultation which we haue written to that end Let them not rest vntill they shall haue duly discussed all and gotten the plaine euidency in a busynes so greatly importing them Let then thinke how great a punishment attendeth on them if the religion that they hold be heresy themselues be heretiks And that it is heresy and a most pestilent one indeed all Catholike Doctors all Vniuersityes and all the Christian world excepting those who follow it the number of whome compared with others is very little their learning very meane do hold for vndoubted and most certaine in so much as an infinite number there be who be ready to dye and to expose the euerlasting saluation of their soules for confession therof And in very deed Heresy is a most grieuous syn First How great a syn Heresy is because it is the cause that a man preferreth his owne iudgment before that of all the Fathers of all the Doctors of the Church of all Councells and of all the Bishops of the whole world For he contemneth them all as men destitute and deuoid of Gods spirit which he arrogateth to himselfe alone and to others his like and therein a wonder it is how great pride there is Secondly he censureth Christs Spouse which is the Church to haue coÌ„mitted adultery with Sathan to be the child of perdition Thirdly he chargeth it with the cryme of Idolatry and with diuers superstitions Fourthly he casteth forth many blasphemies against the holy Eucharist and Gods Saints Fiftly he handleth al holy sacred things after a most vnworthy manner Sixthly he calleth Christs Vicar on earth Antichrist calumniateth and reproacheth him a thousand wayes without any colour of truth at all The same doth he with al degrees orders of the Church To be short euery Heretike hath a good will to ouerthrow the whole Church and to extinguish al Catholike religion Thus you see that the heresy of our age contayneth extreme pride many foule blasphemyes How grieuous punishment heresie deserueth many calumnies slaunders and most iniurious proceedings many sacriledges and an extreme deadly hatred against Christs Church For all these euills and many more be intrinsecally in heresy and it habitually inclineth vnto them dayly doth euen actually moue and dryue vnto them So do all Doctors of the Catholike Church hold of Heresy and the thing is more then plaine of it selfe as experience teacheth And therefore Heresy consorted with these her Impes and ofspring is a greater syn then be an infinite number of sinnes of Catholikes And now according to what we haue said let them I beseech you dayly weigh and consider how great will be the punishment of this sinne ad Gal. 5. Col. â— 1. Cor. 6. 1. Tim. 1. c. For if but for one sinne of theft or of fornication vnles a man here help himselfe by the antidote of pennance he is to endure fire euerlasting as the Scripture teacheth what and how great paine and punishment is he to expect for the sinne of heresy which exceedeth a thousand thefts and a thousand fornications If the paine that our fire naturally inflicteth should be a thousand tymes more hoate and schorching then now it is and one were cast into it how sore incomprehensible and insufferable a paine would it be Let none flatter himselfe that there shall not be in that placee the paine of fire but onely I know not what terrors of God incensed with anger as Caluin feigneth But this assertion of his is ouer plainely repugnant to Scripture Math. 25. Marc. 9. Psal 10. Psal 20. A pocal 20. for as much as it sayth Goe yee into fire euerlasting Againe Their worme dyeth not and the fire is not quenched Againe He shall vpon sinners raine snares fire and brimstome and the spirit of tempests shall be the part of their cup. Thou shall put them as a fornace of fire in the time of thine anger Our Lord in his anger shall trouble them and fire shall deuour them The false Prophet was throwne into a poole of fire and of brimstone The same is the opinion of all the ancient doctors besides wherefore we must hold for certaine that there shal be a true fire there more intensiue and more scorching then our fire here wherein all heretiks shall burne and shall be tormented both day and night for all eternity as long as there shall be an hell as long as heauen shall stand and as long as God shall liue who dyeth not And the smoke of their torments shall ascend in the sight of our Lord for euer and euer These words be most faythfull and true Then shall they accurse them who deceiued them and their maisters by whome they were drawn and brought into that misery They shall accurse the deuill who blinded their eyes that they saw not the truth and vnder a pretence of piety diuersely bewitched them They shall also accurse themselues for giuing eare vnto them for so foolishly imbracing a new doctrine without diligently examining it before and for hauing been so blind negligent and slouthfull in discussion of a matter that so neerely concerned them Wherefore to the end they may not cast themselues headlong into this gulfe and sea of miseries let them with all care study and diligence examine this whole busines of religion and there about vse the counsaile and aduise of men of greatest wisdom learning
What things be required for the searching out of the truth and vertue But one thing there is that is most of all wont to hurt this sincere deliberation and that is a certaine anticipating and foregoing opinion that possesseth very many touching the Idolatry superstitions and abuses of the Catholike Church Wherefore let them in the first place for a time lay aside this their precipitate and fore-running iudgment and thinke that they may be deceiued in the matter For it seemeth a thing beyoud beliefe that most holy and most learned men such as the Church euer had very many did either not see this Idolatry if there were any or if they saw it did not onely not reiect it but also did with all diligence retaine and imbrace it This is a calumniation of old both of the Mahometans and of the Image-breakers And there neuer was yet any Sect of heretiks which did not with extreme rancour and malice oppugne and oppole it selfe against the Church and impose very sore and great errors and abuses vpoÌ„ her For such a pretence meete was it for them to vse that they might seeme to haue had iust cause of their reuolt and departure from the Church Secondly let them not cease to craue light from God whereby they may clearly vnderstand which is Christs true religion and true Church and let them yeald themselues ready to imbrace it For fayth is Gods gift Ioan. 6. None saith he can come vnto me vnles my Father shall draw him None can come to Christ by true fayth without light giuen him from the father of heauen and therefore let them labour to procure this illustration this light and this drawing by earnest and contynuall prayer let them say with the prophet Psal 12. Lighten mine eyes that I may neuer sleep in death least when I am to depart out of this life myne enemy may say Psal 42. I haue preuayled against him Put forth thy light and thy truth let them conduct and bring me vnto thine Holy mount Psal 1 42. and into thy tabernacles Make known vnto me the way where in I may walke because vnto thee haue I lifted vp my soule Deliuer me out of the hands of the enemies of my soules good O Lord to thee haue I fled for succour teach me to do thy will because thou art my God And the like To prayer let them ioyne almes and beneficence towards the poore and needy For how much these two auaile and profit towards the obtaining of light for the imbracing of the true religion is manifested by that example of Cornelius the Centurian Act 10. to whome it was said by an Angell Cornelius thy praiers and thine almes haue ascended to be remembred in the sight of God And now send to Ioppa and send for one Simon who is sirnamed Peter he shall tell thee what thou must doe Let them therefore propose this example vnto themselues and imitate it who in this busines of true religion haue a desire to be directed of God In the meane tyme let them with diligence and with an earnest desire of knowing the truth ponder and consider those things that be in this Consultation proposed and if they find therein any thing eyther doubtfull or not sufficiently vnderstood let them repaire to Catholike doctors who will with facility giue them such satisfaction in all matters as their mind may in conclusion find full repose and quiet in the light of true religion This is that which we desire and craue and with most humble petition and suite beseech at thy hands o true light light eternall and the light both of men and Angells For notwithstanding they haue been seduced misled and carried away by the guile and deceipt of the deuill and haue reuolted from thee and thy Church and haue made war against thee and it yet they be thy creatures formed to thine Image and likenes redeemed and ransomed with the price of thy bloud made and called to the inheritance of heauen and to be consorts in thy kingdom Let not so noble a worke of thine perish which cost thee so dearely which will yeald thee eternall praises if it once know the truth and which will to thy glory shine for all eternity Dissperse and dirue away the foule darkenes that hath now possession of their mind Disolue vndoe the deuills bewitchings of them whereby the eyes of their mind be blinded their fancy and imagination peruerted Put into them a true and sensible apprehension and feare of that inextinguible and euerlasting fire prepared for all those who haue not communication with the true religion Inspiâ—e them with a burning loue and desire of vnderstanding the truth of procuring their owne saluation Present vnto them the light of thy mercies that they may know thy fold and haue a true vnderstanding of the fold wherin they formerly were that it was not thine but the diuells in which all such as contynue as sheepe be reserued not to life but to vtter perdition to be food for the fire meate for death Death shall feede vpon them Psal 4â— Reduce and bring them backe againe into thy fold that in it they may refresh theÌ„selues with the healthful refectioÌ„ of thy doctrine and by thy wonderfull Sacraments may receyue cure of the old wounds that Sathan had formerly giueÌ„ them and increase in thy spirit in the spirit of humility and feare of our Lord in the spirit of meeknes and charity and may receyue forces and strength to life euerlasting wherin made together with vs after the instant of this life companions of thy glory and blisse they may praise thee An admonition to Catholikes and glorifie thee for euer and euer And now am I in the second place briefly to admonish Catholiks that they duly ponder with themselues how exceding great a benefit this is of true religion which hath by diuine fauour hapned to them before infinite others who are debarerd of it and how much by occasion of ye they be obliged and bound to the Diuine maiesty This is the gift priuiledg but of a few if we consider the infinite number of such as go astray or stand in doubt and therefore for this respect the more is it to be esteemed Let them thinke that in humane things nothing is to be compared with it not pleasures nor honors nor millions of gold and syluer no not Scepters Kingdomes or Empires The margarite perle of true religion doth exceed all these by infinite degrees and he that is possessed of it though he want other things and is most poore of al tertene things is most truly rich as beeing a cittizen with the Saints the sonne of God an heyre of a Kingdome and coheire with Christ yet so as he must haue a will to lyue conformably thereunto He that wanteth it is thrice miserable indeed though he otherwise abound in all the goods of this life and hath them at his will This is