here in England certaine Fayth-skirmishes as I may terme them both of vs labouring to maintayne our owne Station I grant you are learned but therein perhaps more hardly to be drawne to acknowledge the truth since it oftentimes falleth out that that eye which seeth nothing at all is more easily cured then that which is of an imperfect sight But to redresse this fault imitate the Iron which we see moueth not to the iron more like but to the load stone lesse like so suffer not your iudgement to be enthralled to those Positions or Placita which are best sorting to your owne Priuate Spirit or Conceite but force it to be drawne in matters of fayth with the Magneticall and attractiue tuch of the Authority of Gods Vniuersall Church how strange otherwise this Authority may seeme to you to be But now to renew this our former Duellisme by Pen in a friendly well-wishing manner for the aduancement of your soule in her chiefest good I haue thought it expedient to referre to your iudgment at this time two forcing reasons such as well may draw you to make an intense introuersion vpon your owne dangerous state in matters of Religion Well then The first shall consist in displaying from head to head of proofes the graduall Euasions of the Protestants made to the seuerall kinds of the said proofes produced by the Catholiks in defence of their Religion by which course the Protestants discouer themselues to be most fugitiue fleeting in their grounds of fayth since they will not staÌ„d vnappealably to any kind of proofes whatsoeuer produced against them and accordingly hereto by this Paragraph following you shall discouer that though the chayne as I may say of our Catholike Proofes is made of many linkes yet that the Aduersary will not suffer himselfe to be tyed to any of them but through the violence of his owne Priuate Spirit breakes them all 1. As first let vs draw our Proofes from many congruentiall Arguments taken from the force of Reason being Gods peculiar Character impressed by himselfe in mans soule The ProtestaÌ„ts answere that besides this is but an humane inducement they can produce as many Counter-reasons to the contrary ouerballancing in their iudgments the weight of ours 2. Let vs repayre to most authenticall Histories recording matter of fact which matter of fact is touching the Visibility of the Church the Administration of the word and Sacraments Vocation and Ordination of Ministers The Conuersion of Nations to the Roman fayth and some others necessarily to be enquired after D. Whitakers repels all this by making a subtill transition from History to Scripture in this sort Contra Duraeum l. 7. p. 478. To vs it is sufficient by comparing the Popish opinions with the Scriptures to discouer the disparity of fayth betweene them and vs. And as for Historiographers we giue them liberty to write what they will In like sort touching the supposed change of Rome in fayth the sayd Doctour disclaimeth from the authority of all Histories saying Contr. Duraeum p. 277. It is not needfull to vs to search out in Histories the beginning of this change Thus he And yet all experience sheweth that Truth or falshood of Matter of fact many ages since sayd to be performed is eyther to be discouered by History or not to be discouered at all 3. Let vs go on forward rest for the proofe of our fayth in the particuler authorityes of Austine Ierome Basill Cyprian Tertullian Origen and the rest of the Doctours of the Primitiue Church we being instructed to this Methode by those wordes Deuteronom 4. Interroga de diebus antiquis Luther answereth heerto auerring That In Colloq mensal câ— de Paâ— Eccles l. de seruo arbitrio The Apology of Philip Melancthon doth farre exceede all the Doctours of the Church and excell euen Austin himselfe Luther further thus inueighing Luth. vbi supra In the writings of Ierome there is not one word of the fayth of Christ and perfect Religion Basil is of no worth He is wholy a Monke Cyprian is a weake Diuine Origen is long since accursed Tertullian is superstitious See you not my good friend with what a bould forehead Apostasy rayles at the true auncient Religion of Christ But to proceed Another great Arch of the Protestant Church is not afrayd to aduance the Protestant fayth in respect of those times in this manner The Archbishop of Canterbury in his Defence of the Answere to the Admonition p. 472. 473. The Doctrine taught and professed by our Bishops at this daey is more perfect and sounder then it commonly was in any age since the Apostles 4. Let vs vrge whole Generall Concells of firster tymes to which our Math. â—â— Sauiour himselfe hath promised his assistance Luther basely casts them of by auouching That the decrees of the Nicene Councell are Luth. lib de Concil foenum stramen lignum stipulae And Beza thus censureth all the ancient Councels In his preface of â—â—e 〈◊〉 Testament anno 1â—87 The ambition ignorance and lewdnes of Bishops was such as that the blind may easily perceaue that Satan was President in their assemblies and Councels And if we appeale to more moderne yet Generall Councels Peter Martyr replyes thus confessing Li. de votis pag. 476. As long as we insist in Generall Councells so long vs shall continue in the Papists errours 5. Let vs call to mind the vn-interrupted practise of Gods Church euen froÌ„ Christs tyme to these dayes the answerable Apostolicall Traditions deriued to vs by a long hand of time both being the securest Scholia or Paraphraze of the true Christian fayth Beza bloweth all this away in two wordes saying See hereof Doctour Bancroftâ— Suruey p. 219. Ad verbum Dei prouoco 6. Let vs according to Beza his prouocation anchour our selues vpon Gods Word as vpon Ecclesiasticus Toby the Machabees and some other parcells of the Old Testament In his answere to M. Reynoldâ— refutation pag. 21. 231. D. Whitakers and the rest of his syde reiect all such Bookes as Apochryphall In like manner if we insist in the Epistle to the Hebrews in the Epistle of S. Iames in the second third Epistle of S. Iohn or in the Apocalyps do we not fynd the Epistle to the Hebrews to be reiected by Exam. Concil Tridentâ— Sess 4. Kempnitius Confess VVittenberg de sacra scrip Brentius and the Cent. l. 2. c. 4. Col. 55. Magdeburgenses As also who knoweth not but that the Epistle of S. Iames is vtterly discanoned by In Prolog huius epistolae Luther and that the foresayd Kempnitius Brentius and the Magdeburgenses in the place aboue alledged rest doubtfull whether the second and third Epistle of S. Iohn be Scripture or no And lastly doth not Luther in most vnworthy termes discard the Luth in prolog huius libri Apocalyps as holding it neither Propheticall nor Apostolicall to whose iudgment Brentius Kempnit locis supra citatis Brentius Kempnitius do subscribe 7. Let vs
that it can be performed And accordingly hereto I know a man witty inough but dissolute in manners and partly suspected of Atheisme but in externall show a Protestant who is accustomed to say that he would gladly see the diuell because he would gladly see something aboue the ordinary course of nature I beseech God that his desire in the end of his life be not accomplished Now how forward our Precisians are in denying all Miracles since the Apostles tymes may appeare from the liberall Confessions in this point of D. Fulke who thus acknowledgeth (r) Against the Rhem. Testamēt in Apocalyps p. 13. It is knowne that Caluin and the rest whom the Papists call Arch-Heretikes worke no miracles And of D. Sutcliffe (s) In his Exam. of D Kellisons Suruey printed 1606. pag. 8. We do not practise miracles nor do we teach that the doctrine of truth is to be confirmed with miracles Thus we see that these men are in their Iudgements so strongly persuaded that all Miracles by the which God suspendeth stupendiously the working of nature are so fully ceased since the dayes of the Apostles as that they freely confesse all want of working Miracles to haue beene in the plantation of their owne Religion directly impugning that course of working Miracles granted by our Sauiour to his Apostles at the first preaching of the Gospell (t) Math. 10. As you go preach heale the sicke cleanse the leprous raise vp the dead cast out the Diuels c. 18. Our former Aduersaries do in great riot of splenefull acclamations cry out in their Pulpits and writings against Holy-dayes the Sabaoth day only excepted with great auersion dislike of them This their so much affected doctrine wholly introduceth a forgetfulnes of the Misteries of Christian faith for those daies were instituted by the Church of Christ in her Primitiue tymes to put vs in mind of the misteries of our Fayth As for example Christmas day in remembrāce of Christs birth and Natiuity Innocents day or Childermas day as it is vulgarly called in remembrance of the slaughter of the Infants at the tyme of our Sauiours birth New yeares day in remembrance of our Sauiours Circumcision Epiphany or Twelft day in remembrance of the Comming of the three Kings with presents to our Sauiour The Annunciation day in remembrance of the Angels salutation of our Blessed Lady bringing her that most ioyfull message that she shall bring forth the Sauiour of the world Good Friday in remembrance of our Sauiour Christ his death passion on that day Easter day in remembrance of our Lords resurrection from the graue Ascension day in remembrance of his ascending in Soule and body into Heauen Pentecost or Whitsuntide in remembrāce of the descending of the Holy Ghost Trinity Sunnay in honour and remembrance of the most Blessed Trinity finally Corpus Christi day in remembrance of our Sauiours Institution of the most blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist Now most of these great festiuall dayes are much neglected and vilifyed by our Aduersaries nor for the most part do the Puritane Ministers instruct their Proselites and followers why those Feasts and vpon what occasion they were first instituted which want of care in the Maisters and ignorance in the Schollers do beget a great forgetfulnes of our Christian Mysteries And this my Assertion is warranted with all experience The like we may proportionably conclude of our Aduersaries small respect they beare to the Feast dayes of the Apostles or of diuers other great Saints For example the ignorant Protestant knowes when Midsomer day as they call it commeth but that that day was instituted in the honour of S. Iohn Baptist as being the Precursor of our Sauiours comming few of them know In like sort our Aduersaries reiect with full mouth all Ceremonies in Fayth styling them superstitious and Idolatrous though the said Ceremonies were first instituted and are still vsed the better to recall to the mind of the ignorant the Mysteries of Christian Religion And vpon the same ground they mainely vociferate and cry out against the true vse of Pictures which serue only to put vs in mind of the vertues and liues of the Saints of which they are the Pictures Neither can they endure the sight of the Crosse though it be only to put vs in mind of our Sauiours death and passion suffered vpon the Crosse so willing they are to extinguish and wholy blot out all remembrances prints and cognizances of Christian fayth Thus we see that our Aduersaries proceeding herein finally tends to the obliterating cancelling of most of the chiefe Mysteries of our Christian fayth and Religion and of the most godly Professors of it 19. The Aduersaries acknowledged doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestant Church hath induced many to forsake the Christian Religion and in lieu thereof to become Arians Iewes or Turkes For first seeing the Old Testament is most full in its authorities for a (u) Esay 60. Dan. 2. Psal 28. Continuall splendour and visibility of Christs true Church and further seeing that this exacted visibility hath bene wanting in the Protestant Church by their owne Confessions whereof I will heere for breuity alledge the acknowledgment of Sebastianus Francus a learned Protestant who thus confesseth (x) In epist de abrogandis in vniuersum omnibus statutis Ecclesiasticis For certaine through the worke of Antichrist the externall Church together with the fayth and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church hath not bene externall and visible To whose iudgment D. Fulke subscribeth in these wordes (y) In his answer to a Counterfeyt Catholike p. 1◠The true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles And lastly seeing such Protestants as acknowledge the want of the visibility of their owne Church will not acknowledge the Catholike Roman Church to be the true Church of God though they do acknowledg that that Church hath beene euer visible for these fourteene hundred yeares Therfore diuers of the said eminēt Protestants through the want of fulfilling of the Prophecies touching the Churches visibility in their owne Protestant Church haue therevpon Apostated from Christianity some of them imbracing the doctrine of the Iewes others of the Turkes and therupō haue employed all their dayes after with infecting other Christians with their new imbraced doctrines wherby they haue secretly instilled into their followers minds and wills the poyson both for doctrine impious conuersation of life which Iudaisme or Turcisme do teach and warrant Many examples of diuers learned Protestants forsaking their Christian Religion through the acknowledged doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestants Church may be alledged As of (z) So witnesseth Beza in epist 65. p. 308. Alamannus a great Protestant who became a Iew. Of (a) In historia Dauidis Georgij printed at Antwerpe 1568. Dauid George once Professour at Basill who became a blasphemous Apostata Of Ochinus who
dishes is as good as to be an Apostle 8. That these workes which we call good workes are not our workes seeing we want freewill to performe them but that God only vseth vs as dead Instruments or as the writer vseth the pen as an insensible Instrument wherby he writes in all such operations-To conclude 9. That all the Rewards in Holy Scripture proposed for the exercise of good workes are not truly and sincerely intended by God to be giuen to the practizers of the said good workes but are only amplifications of words aboue the reall and true measure of Gods meaning Thus we see how our Aduersaries doctrines by disualewing the dignity of good workes are no lesse potent in the belieuers thereof to induce them to forbeare the practise of vertue sanctity piety thē they are forcible through their lesning of the atrocity of Sinne to encourage men to the perpetration of all abominable and most detestable Sinnes crimes that can be imagined Now who shall deeply consider the different Natures of these two different doctrines of our Aduersaries I meane of blandishing Vice and dishonouring of Vertue will the lesse maruaile how Luther and other first broachers of their Religion could in so small a tyme inuade with these their most pestilent Heresyes so many Countries in Europe The reason hereof is in that their doctrines in respect of their multiplicity may well be compared to a Magazine or great Warehouse furnished with all diuersity of merchandise and wares sorting to ech mans state or condition of life to buy as of Silkes Cloath Wines Oyles c. So Luthers doctrine is so various so choyce and so select as that it was made fit and apt to meet with euery mans different humour appetite For example 1. Is he a Prince King or State that would aduance by any vniust meanes the greatnes of his Signiories Then is he by our Aduersaries taught that he may take into his hands all Bishoprickes Ecclesiasticall liuings and lands of Monasteries and other Religious houses as our (*) Gen. 10. Nemrod of this age I meane King Henry the eight and some other Protestant Princes following haue done For this King Henry made accordingly an vtter depredation and spoile of Monasteries impropriating their liuings to himselfe and his Parasytes 2. Is he a dissolute religious man and weary of performing the rigid austerity of his vndertaken life Then may he by these mēs doctrine breake out of his Cloyster and cast of his habit and inworld himselfe agayne in all temporalities 3. Is he a loose Priest and will not lead a chast and continent life He is heer catechized that he may lawfully mary 4. Is he marryed and yet eyther the Husband or the wyfe as being weary one of the other would seeke to be diuorced Then may he or she lawfully pretend diuers impediments as of impotency incontinency absence and others aboue mentioned for diuorce and presently mary agayne 5. Is he of the Laity of that height of pride and elation of mynd as that he cānot or will not brooke to liue in subiection or to acknowledge any soueraingty He is aboue indoctrinated that now among Christians there ought to be no Magistrates or Princes at all 6. Is he of the Protestant Clergy and yet scornes to be vnder his Diocesan or any other He is thereof disinthralled by the doctrine of the Parity of Ministers 7. Is he a Man Theathralis that affects to haue many followers for stamping preaching of strange and new doctrines and this without any controule He may then alledge the priuiledge of the reuealing Spirit and Extraordinary Vocation 8. Is he of a couetous and muddy disposition not caring by what iniust and base wayes he may increase his stocke and siluer Then he may be warranted to practise Vsury and so to breed vpon siluer 9. Is he of a fearefull conscience and resteth doubtfull of some temporall punishment to hang ouer his head for his former finnes though forgiuen him He may be freed from all such feare by the denyall of the doctrine of Purgatory and by belieuing that no tēporall punishment is reserued for man after the Sinne is once forgiuen 10. Is he willing to wallow in al turpitude of wickednes and enormous life whyles he breatheth in this world and this without all feare and change of colours He may by the doctrine of his iustifying fayth certainty of Predestination assure himselfe as is aboue sayd that he cannot be damned except Christ be damned with him 11. Finally is he so plunged in sinne by a continuall custome as that by reason of the infinitenes of his sinnes he may doubt himselfe to be of the number of the Reprobate Let him for feare he should forsake sinning remember that he is taught that a change from a vitious to a vertuous life cannot hinder Reprobation So crafty we see was the serpent for from him all the former Theoremes originally streamed so to poyson Luther and the first Gospellers with such choyce and variety of Heresyes as might seuerally suite to seuerall mens estates conditions dispositions And thus accordingly we may heere obserue that the foresaid doctrines of Luther and his Compartners speake to euery man in that Dialect or language in which he would haue them O had Sardanapalus the King who became a prey to all sensuality or Epicurus the Philosopher who theorically placed mans chiefest felicity good in voluptuousnes and pleasure liued in this our age how much by imbracing of many of these former Principles might they haue better warrāted their proceedings So true is that censure of Osiander the Protestant saying * This is reported by Sleydan englished l. 22. Anno 1550. fol. 3. 58. Luther and Melancthon haue compiled a Diuinity which sauoureth more of the flesh then of the spirit Now if by way of recrimination following this methode it be obiected by any as by diuers Puritanes it already hath beene obiected that the Papists teach that the Pope can aforehand giue pardon for the most atrocious Sinne as for murthering heerafter of Princes or by his Indulgences can pardon any Sinne before it be committed Which doctrines say they much open the way for the perpetration of many most great Sins seeing the workers of them are by thes doctrines assured that such their sinnes are forgiuen them before they be committed To this I answere that heer is wonderfull mistaking proceeding eyther from ignorance or malice for not any Catholike doth so teach or belieue Therfore to take away this foolish absurd stumbling blocke let the Puritan and all others know that the Catholike Religion teacheth that the Pope can no more giue liberty to a man hereafter for to sinne or can aforehand forgiue a sinne hereafter to be committed then he can create a new world For the Catholike doctrine is that the Obiect of the Sacrament of Penance is a Sinne already committed the guilt of which Sinne I meane the eternall punishment of
Basil Ierome for their commending defending of Monachisme and austerity of life I will omit all other Controuersyes between the Catholikes and the Protestants in all which Caluin opposeth himselfe to the ioint consent of all the Ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church and I will conclude with his reprehension of Chrysostome Austin Epiphanius and others concerning the doctrine of praying and offering vp Sacrifice for the dead his wordes for close of all are these (k) In Tract Theolog. de ver Eccles reform pag. â—94 Fateor eiusmodi preces c. I confesse that the custome of these prayers was ancient and that such prayers were allowed by Austin Chrysostome and Epiphanius as receaued by succession from their Ancestours the vsage wherof the aforenamed Fathers followed without reason c. Thus we see that Caluin doth fully parallell and equall Beza in contempt of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church such a fastidious Magistrality pride in the highest degree do their former doctrines of their Reuealing Spirit and extraordinary Vocation beget in the mindes of the belieuers thereof But to conclude with relating of Caluins death which was most sutable to his life for (l) Psal 33. Mors peccatorum pessima Conradus Schlussenburg the foresaid Protestant deliuereth it in these wordes (m) â—n Theolog. Caluin printed 1594 lib. 2. fol. 72. Deus manu sua potenti c. God in the rod of his fury visiting Caluin did punish him before the houre of his death with his mighty haÌ„d for he being in despayre and calling vpon the Diuel gaue vp his wicked soule swearing cursing and blaspheming He dyed of the disease of lyce and wormes increasing in a most loathsome vlcer about his priuy parts so as none present could endure the stench These things are obiected against Caluin by Publike writings in which also horrible things are declared concerning his lasciuiousnes his sundry abhominable vices and Sodomiticall lusts for which last he was burned by the Magistrate at Noyon where he liued being branded vpon the shoulder with a hoat burning Iron Thus far the foresaid Slussenburg an earnest Protestant and as great an Enemy to the Pope as Caluin euer was and therfore his Testimony is to be reputed lesse partiall and more indifferent The foresaid miserable death of Caluin is confirmed with the vnanswerable Testimony of Herennius a Caluinist Preacher and therefore the rather heerin to be credited His words are these (n) In libello de vita Caluini Caluinus in desperatione siniens vitam c. Caluin ending his life in despaire dyed being consumed of a most filthy and loathsome disease and such as God is accustomed to threaten to the wicked and such as be rebellious against him This of Caluin I dare testify to be most true because I my selfe being there present did behould that calamitous tragical end of his euen with these mine owne eyes Thus the said Herennius and thus far of Caluin though most briefly This one obseruation touching his death I will add to wit that it is the lesse to be wondered that Caluin should dye despayring of his Saluation seeing it may wel be thought that Christ by way of speciall punishment in withdrawing his grace from Caluin did inflict this particuler kind of death vpon him because Caluin taught that Christ himselfe was for the time * Caluins words in Latin are these in Math. 27. Sed absurdum videtur Christo elapsam esse desperationis vocem Solucio facilis est c. and in the same place thus more Sic videmus Christum omni ex parte vexatum vt desperatione obrutus ab inuocando Deo absi steret in despayre and as being ouerwhelmed in desperation gaue ouer prayer O monstrous and neuer afore heard of Blasphemy The next shall be Ochinus This man with the helpe of Peter Martyr first broached Protestancy heer in EnglaÌ„d in K. Edwards the sixth reigne as * Osiander Cent. 16. l. 2. c. 67. Osiander witnesseth and the whole world knoweth Ochinus was first a Religious maÌ„ of the Catholike Romane Church but being weary of seruing God in that austerity of lyfe left his (o) So sayth Sleydan l. 9 at anno 1547. fol. 297. Monstery with breach of all his former vowes of Religion This Ochinus did write a booke (p) Lauather in histor Sacrament fol. 50. against the Masse and him Caluin thus exalteth in these words (q) Lib de scandalis extat in hâ— Tract Theolog. printed 1597. p. 111. Whome can Italy oppose for they were both Italians against Peter Martyr and Bernardine Ochine There is not written against Ochinus so much touching his extraordinary licentiousnes of lyfe as touching his doctrines for first he began to defend by wryting of certayne Dialogues the doctrine of Polygamy or hauing many wyues at one and the same tyme of which Dialogues (r) Beza in lib. de Polygamia p. 4. Beza maketh mention But Ochinus did not content himselfe with this but proceeded to the height of all Impiety For he confessing the doctrine of the euer necessary Visibility of Christs true Church grounding himselfe and but truly vpon the predictions thereof in the Old Testament and on the one syde not acknowledging the Catholike Roman Church to be the true Church though in it he could not deny but that it euer enioyed a continuall visibility and on the other syde seeing the predictions of the Churchs vninterrupted Visibility were not accomplished in the Protestant Church did heerupoÌ„ wholy forsake Christ and Christian Religion and betooke himselfe to the imbracing of Iudaisme That Ochinus became an Apostata is witnessed by Beza who calleth him thus (s) L. de Polygam p. 4. Ochinus impurus Apostata And further Beza more fully enlargeth himselfe thus writing (t) Beza in epist 1. pa. 11. Ochinus Arianorum clandestinus fautor Polygamiae defensor omnium Christianae Religionis dogmatum irrisor Ochinus is a secret fauourer of the Arians a defender of Polygamy and a scoffer of all the doctrines of Christian Religion The Apostasy of Ochinus is further witnessed by (u) In his booke de â—ribus Elohim printed 1594. l. 5. c. 9. Zanchius the Protestant by Conradus Slussenburg the afore meÌ„tioned ProtestaÌ„t writing heerin agaynst Ochinus most particularly the title of which passage in this Protestants booke is (x) In Theolog. Caluinist l. 1. fol. 19. Responsio ad Ochini blasphemiam Thus farre touching Ochinus his Apostasy of his imbracing Iudaisme and finally dying therein One thing chiefly I referre to the iudgment of any indifferent Reader seeing this Ochinus was one of the two Apostles who first planted Protestancy in England to wit whether it sorteth with the accustomed proceeding of God who euer vseth meanes proportionable and sutable to their ends to vse as his Instruments for the planting of true Christian Religion suppose Protestancy be such a man who should afterward turne his pen to the absolute denyall of the Redeemer of
the soules to vs committed we desire marriage least that the soules committed to our charge by example of our sensuality diutius offendantur should be any longer offended And yet more Quare * Swinglius vbi supra cùm carnis nostrae infirmitatem c. We haue proued that the weaknes of our flesh hath beene proh delor O for griefe cause of our often falling Thus far in the petition of Swinglius and the rest to that State Now in another epistle to the Bishop of Constance written and subscribed vnto by Swinglius and twelue more Ministers there named Swinglius thus confesseth and sayth (o) Tom. 1. fol. 121. 122. 123. Hactenus experti quòd c. Hitherto we haue tryed that this gift of Chastity hath bene denied vs c. We haue burned O for shame so greatly that we haue committed many things vnseemely To speake freely without boasting We are not otherwise of such vnciuill manners that we should be euill spoken off among the people to vs committed for any wickednes hoc vno excepto this one point excepted Thus far Swinglius with his Complices By this now we may coniecture of the extraordinary sensuality of Swinglius and of his incredible thirst after a woman For heere we see how himselfe with the rest are not ashamed to confesse themselues to haue liued till that day most incontinently dissolutely a course little sorting to those who vndertake the first planting of the true Religion and fayth of Christ which Religion vtterly forbiddeth all vnchast and lustfull actions (p) Galat 5. The workes of the flesh are adultery fornication c. Who do these shall not inherite the Kingdome of God I here passe ouer Swinglius his temporizing liberty in writing of matters of Religion For speaking after of certaine of his writings some yeares afore penned he thus blusheth not to say That when he did such and such thinges before (q) Swing tom 2. de vera Religione fol. 202. Tempori potiùs scripsimus quà m rei sic iubente Domino c. We rather fitted our writings to the tyme then to the truth of the matter God himselfe so commanding vs c. A most irreligious and heathenish saying and so disliked that at the Alphabeticall table there vnder the letter z. it is said Swinglius docendo seruiuit tempori Swinglius in his teaching serued the tymes The death and end of Swinglius was so calamitous that diuers most markable Protestants do write that he was infallibly damned For first Luther thus censureth thereof by the testimony of Hospinian Hospinians wordes are these (1) In histo Sacrament part 2. at anno 1544. fol. 187. Lutherus dicit Swinglium miserrime in praelio à Papistis interfectum ideò in peccatis suis mortuum esse Luther sayth that Swinglius was miserabâ—y killed by the Papists in warres and that he dyed in sinne And agayne the said Hospinian thus further writeth (2) Vbi supra Lutherus se c. Luther sayth that he wholly despayreth of the saluation of Swinglius soule And Gualterus speaking of the iudgmeÌ„t of diuers Protestants herein thus writeth (3) In Apolog fol. 30. 31. Nostri illi c. Those our men are not afrayd to pronounce that Swinglius died in Sinne the sonne of Hell Thus much of Swinglius Now to conclude this Scene with that Prodromus of Antichrist I meane Luther who first layed most of the chiefe corner stones of Puritanisme Luther was first a Catholike (r) Luth. in his Epist. to his Father extat tom 2. VVittenberg fol. â—69 Priest Monke during which his state of life he thus writeth of himselfe (s) See Luthers words hereof in in his CommeÌ„t vpon the epistle to the Galathians englished in cap. 1. fol. 35. I then honoured the Pope of meere conscience kept chastity pouerty and obedience and whatsoeuer I did I did it with a single hart of good Zeale and for the glory of God fearing grieuously the last day and desirous to be saued from the bottome of my heart Of whose pure and sincere intention at that tyme (t) In epist ad Thomam Cardinalem Eboracens Erasmus speaketh fully Simon Voyon more particularly thus dilateth thereof (u) Vpon the Catalogue of the Doctors of the Church â—nglished pag. 180. Luther in his Monastery punished his body with watching fasting and prayer But after he had once apostated from the Church of Rome and cast of his Catholike Religion then he began to speake in another Dialect and thus writeth of himselfe marke here good Reader the difference of one and the same man when at one tyme he is Catholike at another ProtestaÌ„t (x) Luth. tom 1. epi. Latin fol. 334. ad Philippum I am burned with the great flame of my vntamed flesh I who ought to be feruent in the Spirit am feruent in the flesh in lust sloth c. Eight dayes are now past wherein I neither did write pray nor study being vexed partly with temptations of the flesh partly with other troubles Agayne the same Luther thus acknowledgeth further of himselfe I am almost mad through the rage of lust desire of women And yet more (y) Luth. tom 5. VVittenberg serm de Matrimonio fol. 119. As it is not in my power that I should be no man so it is not in my power that I should be without a woman c. It is not in our power that it should be stayed or omitted but it is as necessary as that I should be a man and more necessary then to eate drinke purge make cleane the nose And yet he ceaseth not but further sayth (z) Luth. in Prouerb 31. addeth these words in Ducth which are englished as are here set downe Nothing is more sweet then is the loue of a woman if a man can obtaine it and finally (a) Luth. tom 7. VVittenberg epist ad VVolphangum fol. 505. He that resolueth to be without a woman let him lay asyde from him the name of a man making himselfe a playne Angell or spirit And according to these his speaches he hauing cast of all his former Religion tooke Catherine Bore out of a Monastery and maryed her Behold here good Protestant Reader and blush at the Primitiae of that Spirit which in this age first sowed Protestancy or our new reformed Religion For where are now those former wordes of Luthers keeping his chastity pouerty and obedience and what he did he did with a single hart to the glory of God and desirous to be saued from the bottome of his heart c. So iust reason had euen Caluin himselfe to say of Luther (b) These words of Caluin are alleaged by Schlussenburg in Theolog. Calu. l. 2. fol. 126. magnis vitijs abundat As also so fully is warranted from Luthers sensuality that phraze vsed among many of his followers who when they would giue assent to the prouocation of nature by accompanying lewd women were accustomed
dissemble his Religion through the temporall Motiues of Wyfe Children Riches honour and the lyke And why should not I be thus perwaded seeing it is most certayne that all Authorities both diuine and humane if they be truly weighed make wholy for the Catholike Religion and against the Protestants The Bishop seeing him in feruour of speach began to take leaue with him The Doctour in most humble words did prostrate his loyalty seruice to his Maiesty with all gratefull acknowledgment of this so high a fauour And thus good friend you haue the Relation of this Protestant Catholike Doctors happy departure out of this vale of misery In discoursing whereof if I erre in any Circumstance for I will not iustify the certainty of each of them though of the mayne point of his dying Catholike no man doubteth I am to be pardoned seeing I deliuer it as neere as I can in that manner in which I did heare it But now my friend to reflect vpon the death of this learned Doctour Whether he was euer in his hart or but onely for some short tyme before his death Catholikely affected I know not neither do I know what were the Motiues first inducing him to make this Catholike end Neuertheles I did heare it frō the mouth of one of his inward acquaintance who at one tyme being in the Doctours company did heare Doctour Price much commend a Book lately written by a Priest of the Society of IESVS styled The conuerted Iew and did say that the Doctour himselfe had read it and finally giuing his iudgement of it in these wordes If the Protestants authorities alledged in that Booke be truly and faithfully alledged as he had no reason to thinke the contrary and the rather considering sayth he the Booke is with great confidence dedicated to both our Vniuersities who would instantly discouer and diuulge any impostures if such were vsed that of necessity it must then follow that eyther the Papists Theoremes and Tenets for that was the Doctours phrase are most true or that all the chiefe and most eminent Protestants without exception of any euen from Luthers dayes downe to vs were most simple indiscreete and wholy vnlearned but this said he I haue no reason to think for their voluntary Confessions and acknowledgmēts some in on point some in another are cleere in behalfe of the Papists Religion to which acknowledgments supposing the matter of them to be false they had no reason so vnaduisedly to yield Now whether his perusing of that Booke might alter his iudgment or it was altered afore I know not But whatsoeuer the Motiues of his dying Catholike were among other of his inducements thereto this following perhaps though I in no sort do absolutely affirme it might be one His owne Reading could not but tell him that as on the one syde the Protestants among themselues maintayne such irreconciliable disagreements in matters of fayth that therefore they account one another for Heretikes ech one depriuing another of all hope of Saluation so on the other part many of the most iudicious and learned Protestants do freely teach that Papists as they are called dying Papists may be saued But it is not to be found that the Papists do so teach of Protestants dying Protestants This then being thus the Doctour might well thus reason with himselfe though as afore I euer graunt I do not knowe articulately any one of his particular motiues The Protestants do deny to one another all hope of Saluation dying without recalling their presumed Protestanticall Errours The Catholikes in like sort will not grant that Protestants dying Protestants can be saued But both the Protestants and the Papists teach that Papists dying in state of Papistry may be saued Therefore it is a more secure course for me now lying vpon my death-bed to dye in that Religion which by the acknowledgment of all sydes promiseth hope of Saluation then to dye in that fayth to which but only some few Professours thereof affoard a sauing expectation That the Protestants do nourish among themselues such disagreements in fayth as that they consequently deny their Protestant Aduersaries dying in that state can be saued I will here briefly proue from their owne reciprocall and mutuall recriminations and from the very Titles of their Bookes written in great acerbity of style against other Protestants their discording Brethren Now in the discouery hereof I am content my pen shall for the time pertinently digresse withall transgresse the bounds of an ordinary Letter chiefly deare friend to the end that my words might gayne some ground vpon your iudgement for I grieue to obserue with what a strong bent of dislike you are violently carried against our Catholike fayth and glad I should be to see that as you are learned so you would employ your learning as a Hand-mayde to your soules saluation Well then to come vnto the point and to omit for breuity most of what might be alleaged to this purpose and but to gather here and there some few Testimonies out of such great store aboundance Do we not fynd Luther thus to conuitiate the Sacramentaries Luther thes 21. contra Louaniens We seriously iudge the Swinglians and Sacramentaries to be Heretikes and Aliens from the Church of God But Oecolampadius the Swinglian retaliates Luthers kindnes in these wordes Dialog contra Melancth The Lutheranes only bring forth a colour and shadow of the word of God as Heretikes commonly are accustomed to do They bring not the word of God and yet they will seeme to build vpon the word of God It is certayne that the Lutheranes cannot agree among themselues And according hereto we fynd In catal haeret nostri temporis Conradus Schlussenburge a Lutherane to place sixe sorts of his owne Lutheranes in the Catalogue of Heretiks The Caluinists do thus charge one another Castalio a learned Sacramentary thus writeth of Caluin for his teaching God to be the Authour of Sinne In his medit vpon 112. Psalm By this meanes not the Diuell but the God of Caluin is the Father of lyes But that God which the holy Scripture teacheth is contrary to this God of Caluin And then after The true God came to destroy the works of the Caluinian God And these two Gods as they are by nature contrary one to another so they beget and bring forth Children of contrary disposition to wit that God of Caluin children without mercy proud c. Now touching our English Protestants forbearing to shew their disagreements about the Communion Booke and the Translation of the Scripture we find the Puritanes thus to anathematize the Bishops All this is related as spoken by the Puritanes in the Booke of Constit and Canons Eccles printed anno 1604. The worship in the Church of England is corrupt superstitious vnlawful the Articles of the Bishops Religion are erroneous their rytes Antichristian c. And more The gouernment of the Church of England vnder his Maiesty by Archbishops Bishops and Deanes is
Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God Now to requite the Puritanes Charity herein we find them thus charged by other English Protestants In the Suruey of the pretended discipline c. 5. c. 24. cap. 35. The Puritanes peruert the true meaning of certaine places both of Scripture and Fathers to serue their owne turne And agayne in this sort The word of God is troubled with such choppers and changers of it M. Parks is no lesse sparing in his reprehension thus writing In his epist. dedicatory p. 3. The Puritanes seeke to vndermine the foundation of fayth And finally M. Powel thus doth recriminate the Puritanes In his Considerations The Puritanes are notorious and manifest Schismatikes cut off from the Church of God Neither do the Protestants thus inueigh one against another in short sentences or Periods of speach but they haue written seuerall hundred whole Treatises in reproofe of ech others doctrines and haue printed them in Protestant townes and Vniuersities as appeareth from the Catalogues heretofore yearely returned from Frankefort mentioned by Hospinian the ProtestaÌ„t in his Historia Sacramentaria part altera and by Coccius his Thesaurus tom 2. The very Titles wherof sufficiently discouer that the Protestants do hould one another for Heretikes and therfore not capable of saluation see here the viperous brood issuing from the loynes of one Luther Apostata Fryar For greater expedition I will here content my selfe with setting downe the Titles only of Ten of their Bookes of which not any of them touch the sole Doctrine of the Eucharist because perhaps it may be replied that the one syde speakâ— therin rather like Papists then Protestants And out of these ten you may easily coniecture with what spirit of Contention and diuision the rest of the Bookes are written The ten Bookes are these following 1. Conradi Schlussenburgi Theologiae Caluinisticae libri tres in quibus seu in tabula quadam quasi ad oculum plusquam ex ducentis viginti tribus Sacramentariorum publicis scriptis pagellis verbis proprijs Authorum nominibus indicatis demonstratur eos de nullo ferè Christianae fidei articulo rectè sentire Printed Francofurti 1594. 2. Oratio de Incarnatione filij Dei contra impios blasphemos errores Swinglianorum Caluinistarum Printed Tubingae Anno Domini 1586. 3. Alberti Graueri Bellum Ioannis Caluini Iesu Christi Braptae 1598. 4. Gulielmi Zepperi Dillinburgensis Ecclesiae Pastoris Institutio de tribus Religionis summis Capitibus quae inter Euangelicos in Controuersiam vocantur Hannouiae 1596. 5. Aegidij Hunnij Caluinus Iudaizans Hoc est Iudaicae glossae corruptelae quibus Ioannes Caluinus illustrissima Scripturae sacrae loca testiâ—onia de gloriosâ Trinitate Deitate Christi Spiritus Sancti cum primis autem vaticinia Prophetarum de aduentu Messiae Natiuitate eius Passione Resurrectione Ascensione ad caelos Sessione ad dextram Dei detestandum in modum corrumpere non abhorruit Wittembergae 1593. 6. Pia defensio aduersus Iohannis Caluini Petri Boquini Theodori Bezae Gulielmi Ctebitij c. similium calumnias Item Refutatio Pelagiani seu Anabaptistici Caluinistarum erroris de Baptismo peccato Originali Adduntur Collectaneae plurimorum Caluini contra Deum eius Prouidentiam Praedestinationem Erfordiae 1583. 7. Christiani Kittelmanni decem graues perniciost errores Swinglianorum in doctrinâ de peccatis baptismo ex proprijs ipsorum libris collecti refutati Magdeburgi 1562. 8. De gaudijs aeternae vitae quomodo Sacramentarij nobis illa gaudia imminuant Erfordiae 1585. 9. Ioannis Mosellani Praeseruatiuae contra venenum Swinglianorum Tubingae 1586. 10. Denominatio Imposturarum fraudum quibus Aegidius Hunnius Ecclesiae Orthodoxae doctrinam petulanter corrumpere pergit Bremae 1592. Thus we see My worthy Friend in what inueterate intestine and irreconciable simulties dissensions and Booke-warres the Protestants of all kinds and sorts doe liue among themselues from the true consideration of which point it may euidently be inferred that the Protestants by such their disagreements cannot nor do affoard the hope of saluation to other Protestants dying in a contrary faction to themselues except the said Protestants should graunt contrary to the Scriptures to all Antiquity and to the force of all reason that men who are Heretikes and Aliens from the Church of God who vrge only a shadow of the word of God but not the word it selfe who are Heretikes maintayning two Gods whose Religion is erroneous Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God who peruert the Scriptures to serue their owne turnes who vndermyne the foundation of fayth as being manifest schismatikes are cut of from the Church finally who are charged by other Protestants their owne Brethren and this in set Treatises not to belieue aright almost any one Article of Christian fayth but to maintayne blasphemous and impious errrours as to wage war against Iesus-Christ to defend Pelagianisme and Anabaptisticall errours and lastly to corrupt the most illustrious passages of Scripture vrged by all antiquity in proofe of the most glorious Trinity of the Diuinity of Christ and of the holy Ghost except I say that such men as these dying in this state irrepentantly can be saued But now if we will turne the leafe ouer and obserue what the most learned Protestants do confesse and teach in behalfe of the Papists dying Papists we shall fynd that both by necessary Inferences resulting out of their owne graunted Premises as also in expresse tearmes they maintayne that the Papists dying in their owne Religion may be saued This shall be proued seuerall wayes therby to iustify Doctour Pryce his election and choyce in dying a Catholike member of the Roman Church and not a member of the Protestants late erected Conuenticle And first this Verity takes its probation from that other acknowledged Verity of the Protestants who confesse that the Roman Church is the true Church of God and that in the same Church Saluation is to be obtained To this purpose we may alleadge D. Field in his owne wordes In his booke of the Church lib. 3. c. 46. We doubt not but that the Church in which the Bishop of Rome with more then a Luciferian pryde exalted himselfe was notwithstanding the true Church of God that it held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ M. Hooker thus worthily honoureth the Church of Rome In his booke of Ecclesiast policy agâ— 88. The Church of Rome is to be reputed a part of the house of God a limme of the Visible Church of Christ we gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus Christ. D. Barrows In his Sermons and two questions disputed ad Clerum pag. 448. I dare not deny the name of Christians to the Romanists sith the learneder writers do acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the Church of God M. Morton In his treatise of the Kingdome of Israel and of the Church pag
94. Papists are to be accounted of the Church of God because they do hould the foundation of the Gospell which is fayth in Christ Iesus the sonne of God and Sauiour of the world But I hope no man of iudgment will deny but that such as are of the family of Iesus Christ whose Church is the Church of God and who hould the foundation of the Gospell which is fayth in Christ Iesus may be saued But to proceed Doctour Some thus more expressely writes of this point In his â—â—â—â—â—e against Penry pag. 176. If you thinke that all the Popish sort which dyed in the Popish Church are damned you thinke absurdly and do dissent from the iudgment of all learned Protestants D. Couell In his defence of M. Hooâ—ar pa 77. We affirme them of the Church of Rome to be parts of the Church of Christ and that those that liue and dye in that Church may notwithstanding be saued Yea this Doctour so farre proceedeth herein as that he chargeth the maintayners of the contrary doctrine to vse his wordes D. Coâ—â—l vbi sâ—â—ra with ignorant zeale But to presse more particularly this point D. Whitakers Cont. râ—â— Camp pag. 78. granteth that diuers ancient Fathers houlding the doctrine of Satisfaction merit of workes are neuertheles saued M. Cartwright thus fauourably writeth In his reply against D. Whitguif a defence pag. 82. I doubt not but that diuers Fathers of the Greeke Church who were Patrones of freewill are saued I will add one annotation hereto which is that we commonly find the more graue temperate and learned Protestants to affoard in their writings the title of Saint to Augustine Ierome Ambrose Cyprian and to most of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church All which Fathers by Luth. lib. de seruo arbitrio printed anno 1551. pag. 434. Luther and almost all other Melancth in 1. Cor. c. 3â— D. Humfrey in vita Iuelli pag. 212. and D. VVhitak contra Duraeum l. 6. p. 413. Protestants of reading are acknowledged for Papists from which ascribed title giuen to the Fathers the Protestants must needs grant that the said Fathers are saued since only such as are saued are Saints But to descend yet more articulately I will insist in some particuler men who are acknowledged and but truly by the Protestants for Papists and yet the Protestants do afford them such Encomia high prayses and extollings as that they could not giue to them truly the said laudes except such men were saued I will ex professo picke out only foure or fiue who were so notorious Papists as I may say as that no forehead is so meretricious and shamelesse as to deny the same And first S. Dominick who was Authour of the Religious Order of the Dominican Fryars His great holines is at large acknowledged by the Cent. 13. col 1â—79 Centurists and Pantaleon the Protestant celebrateth it in these wordes â—n Chronico pag 100. Dominicus erat vir doctus bonus Praedicatorum ordinem instituit S. Bernard who was an Abbot and Osiander epitom Cent. 12. p. 309. Authour of many Abbyes and Monasteries in France and Flanders receaueth from the pen of D. Whitakers this commendation L. de â—â—â—les pa. 3â—â— Ego quidem Bernardum verè fuisse Sanctum existimo Which Saint Osiander stileth a very Osiand 〈◊〉 supra good man from both which Commendations it followeth that Osiander and D. Whitakers thought that Bernard was saued since who are saued if not those who are truly Holy and who are very good men To Gregory the Great and Austin who planted in England all the Romish Religion taught at this day as In Iâ—◠〈◊〉 part â— râ—â— 5. D. Humfrey truly affirmeth D. Goodwin affoards this worthy prayse In his catal of Bishops pag. 1. That blessed and holy Father S. Gregory and S. Austin our Apostle And no small prayses are giuen to these two by D. Fulk against Heskins Sanders pag. 561. D. Fulk Lastly Beda is so extolled by D. Humfrey as that he pronounceth him to vse his owne wordes In Iesuit part 2. rat 3. To be of the number of Godly men and to be raysed vp by the holy Ghost And yet so great a Papist Beda was as that Osiander thus writeth of him In epitom cent 8. lib. 2. cap. 3. Beda was wrapped in all Popish errours wherein we at this day dissent from the Pope Thus farre of these men to whom we see that the Protestants do ascribe such transcendent prayses as are only compatible and agreeing to such as are in state of saluation And thus far my learned friend of this subiect in generall to wit of the Saluation of a Papist dying in his owne Religion where we haue seene how abounding the Protestants haue beene in their testimonies of seuerall sorts for the truth of this vndenyable Verity And now good friend if we call to mynd how the Protestants deny through their immortall mutuall dissensions saluation to ech other withall if we will rest vpon the cauen and impartiall iudgments of other sober dispassionate and most learned Protestants who fully teach and mantaine that hope of saluation belongeth to the Catholikes dying in their ancient Roman fayth what man then of iudgement can iustly conceaue any dislike against Doctor Pryce for his dying a Catholike and no Protestant O no. The Freewill and election of Man in things but of small moment naturally enclines to the choosing of the Best shall then the Soule be so treacherous and disloyall to it selfe as to choose the worst when it concerneth Eternity either of ioy or torments And heerewith I will cease to enlarge my selfe further vpoÌ„ this our Daniel who by his happy end auoyded the iawes of the Lion that 1. Pet. â— 5 Leo rugiens circumiens quaerens quem deuoret That roaring Lion going about seeking whome he may dedeuoure Concerning Doctour Butts NOW in this next place to come to D. Butts Vice-Chancelour of Cambridge whose death ought to be deliuered in the Dialect of blacke notes of Contumely and dishonour and whose disastrous End affoards a greater lustre to the glorious death of the former Doctour so shadowes placed in a picture giue greater light to the Picture This man theÌ„ as the world knowes was aduanced for his presumed sufficiency and Vertue to sterne and gouerne the most famous Vniuersity of Cambridge yet his Death was so calamitous by a voluntary making away of himselfe the yeare 1632. as that his best friends are neuer able to vindicate his name from eternall reproach And therfore what learning he had I know not but certayne I am his Vertue wherby he seemed gratefull to the eyes of others was meerely extrinsecall hypocriticall and his Religion but a shadow or image of Religion So a duÌ„ghill or any other foule place couered with snow is not for the time discouered from a fayre meadow What were the Motiues of this his death is seuerally rumour'd by seuerall tongues Some diuulge for Fame oftentimes variously
drawne out by vs in proofe of our Catholike Religion Our Aduersaries most scornefully traduce all such Miracles For Osiand Cent. 10. 11. 12. Osiander and the Cent. 4. Col. 144â— Cent. 5. Col. 1486. Centurists obserue heer the humility of this Priuate Spirit terme all such Miracles Antichristian wonders and flying signes But D. Whitakers more strangely answereth to all such Miracles for thus he writeth D. Whitak l. de Eccles p. 349. God doth giue power of working true Miracles to false Teachers not to confirme their false opinions but to tempt those to whome they are sent Thus he Galat. c. 3. O insensati Galatae quis vos fascinauit Thus my Deare Friend you see how your Protestants in matter of Fayth and Religion endeauour to waue all proofes and to breake with all Authority both Diuine and Humane and seeke to reduce all finally to the triall and touch-stone of the Priuate Spirit which Spirit is with them the Oedipus which must resolue all Enigmaticall doubts And thus the Protestants being but parties will eyther finally iudge all QuestioÌ„s of faith or els they will suffer no iudgement to passe on the at all Is there any candour ingenuity or vpright meaning in this their proceedings Or is it hard to defend any Religion how false wicked soeuer if so the maintayners of it could iustly reiect all sorts of Arguments and Authorities produced for the impugning of the sayd false Religion aduancing their owne priuate iudgements aboue all proofs whatsoeuer But seeing our Aduersaries will admit no Authorities but their owne I will therefore in this next place and in proofe of my secoÌ„d Reason which shal be to euict that The Protestant Church is not the true Church of God tye my selfe only to the Testimonyes and authorities of the learned Protestants themselues forbearing purposely all other kinds of proofes whatsoeuer so ready my good friend I am for the tyme to humour our Aduersaries in their owne Methode and this chiefly for your more full satisfaction My Media or Premises for the proofe of this foresaid Position which potentially inuolues all other Controuersies within it selfe shall rest in two points both clearly and abundantly taught by the most learned Protestants that euer with their pens endeauoured to honor their Religion My first Medium shal be that the Protestants teach that the true Church of Christ must at all tymes without the least interruption be visible and enioy her Pastours and administration of the word and Sacraments For proofe of this vndenyable verity I produce these following Testimonies from the Protestants own penns And first D. Field thus writeth Li. of the church â— 10. p. 190. The persons of whome the Church consisteth are visible their Profession known euen to the Prophane And againe thus he sayth Vbi supra pag. 21. Bellarmine in vayne laboureth to proue that there is and alwayes hath beene a visible Church and that not consisting of some few scattered Christians without Order of Ministery or vse of Sacraments for all this we doe most willingly yield vnto M. Hooker thus writeth Ecclesiast Policy p. 126. God hath had and euer shall haue some visible Church vpon earth Hunnius the great Protestant thus acknowledgeth In his Treatise of Free-will p. 91. God in all tymes hath placed his Church in a high place and hath exalted it in the sight of all Nations Iacobus Andreas In his booke against Hosius pa. â—10 we are not ignorant that the Church must be a visible Company of teachers and hearers Melancthon is most strong in this point for thus he discourseth Loc. com edit 2561. c. de Eccles whensoeuer we thinke of the Church let vs behold the company of such men as are gathered together which is the visible Church neither let vs dreame that the elect of God are to be found any other place theÌ„ in this visible Society neyther let vs imagine any other visible Church And againe the said Melancthon Melancth in Concil Theolog. part 2. It is necessary to confesse that the Church is visible c. Whither tendeth then haec portentosa oratio this monstruous speach which denyeth the Church to be visible Peter Martyr In his Epist annexed to his common places printed in English pag. â—53 We doe not appoint an inuisible Church but do define the Church to be a Congregation which the faythfull may know that they may adioyne themselues thereto D. Humfrey thus teacheth In Ieisuitism part 2. c. 1. Non clancularij secessus CoÌ„uocationes sunt Christianae c. The Societies of Christians are not secret meetings And he thus endeth Oportet Ecclesiam esse conspicuam Conclusio est clarissima The same D. Humfrey also giueth a reason why the Church must euer be visible thus writing D. Humf. in Iesuitism part 2. tract â— rat 3. Dum Ministri docent alij discunt c. Whiles the Ministers do teach others do learne whiles these Men do Minister the Sacraments those do communicate of them whiles all do call vpon God and professe their fayth He that doth not see these things is more blynd then a Moale Instit c. 1. parag 10. Caluin In his defence of the censure pag. 81. D. Whitgifâ— Contra Camp rat 8. D. Whitakers Art 7. The Confession of Augusta almost with all other ProtestaÌ„ts do teach that the Preaching of the word c. administration of the SacrameÌ„ts are essentiall Notes of the Church that the preaching of the word doth constitute a Church as Contra Duraeum l. 3. pag. 249. D. Whitakers words are the want of it doth subuert it But how can eyther the Word be preached or the Sacraments ministred but to such men as are visible according to the former iudgement of D. Humfrey And thus farre in proofe of my first ground or PositioÌ„ to wit that the True Church of Christ must euer be visible Now I come to the second Proposition or grouÌ„d which is That the Protestant Church euen by the doctrine acknowledgment of the most remarkable Protestants hath beene wholly latent and inuisible for more then a thousand yeares togeather To proue this first I produce M. Perkins His wordes are these In his exposition of the creed pa. 400. we say that before the dayes of Luther for the space of many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostasy ouerspred the whole face of the earth and that our Church was not then visible to the World Caelius Secundus Curio a Protestant of extraordinary Note acknowledgeth no lesse thus writing De amplitud regnî Dei pag. 12. Factum est vt per multos iam annos Ecclesia latuerit c. It is fallen out that the Church for many yeares hath beene latent and that the Cittizens of this Kingdome could scarcely ac ne vix quidem and indeed not at all be knowne of others D. Fulke setteth downe in his iudgment the tyme of the Inuisibility of the Protestant Church he thus saying In his answer to a Counterfeit catholike p. 16. The Church in