so fully acknowledged that the Protestant Ministers neuer effected any of them no not so much as supernaturally curing a prickt fingar or raysing to lyfe a dead flea as that diuers of them behoulding with the eye of sulliuation and enuy the miracles wrought by the former Fathers and other deuout persons do peremptorily (q) In his Suruey of D Kellisons c. D. Morton in his Apol. Cathol part 1. l. 2 25. and diuers others teach that all Miracles haue ceased euer since the Apostles dayes so willing they are to shackle and tye the hands of God from exhibiting all such stupendious ActioÌ„s And hence it is that their owne chiefe Doctours do wholy confesse the want of all Miracles in confirmation of their first plantation of Protestancy For thus doth D. Fulke acknowledge saying It is (r) Against the Rhemish Testament in Apocalyp cap. 13. knowne that Caluin and the rest whom the Papists call Arch-Hereticks do no Miracles And no lesse is confessed by D. Sutcliffe in these words We do (s) In his examen of D. Kellisons Suruey printed 1606. p. 8. not practize Miracles nor do we teach that the doctrine of Truth is to be confirmed with Miracles 5. Another ouerballancing Circumstance resulteth from the different Conditions of the Fathers and of the Protestants touching the preaching of their seuerall doctrines in Fayth The Fathers interpreted the Holy Scriptures in confirmation of our Catholike Fayth when as no other Fayth was knowne and many ages before Protestancy was euer dreamed of And therefore what they did write or teach out of the Scriptures they did it in an Azisme and purity of Conscience not being forestalled with any Preiudice of Iudgment or inuited thereto by any humane or temporary Motiues the most dangerous Sands vpon which many Schollars do suffer shipwrack Now the Protestants I meane chiefly many Protestant Ministers throghout Christendome euen from the first tyme that Protestancy began to get on wing do prosecute their Fayth with a most strong bent of Endeuour because their temporall states as aboue is intimated are so imbarked therein as that an vtter extinguishment of Protestancy would instantly threaten all mendicity and ruine to the Doctours thereof So fully are their temporall states ingaged in their owne Religion Therefore no wonder it is if most Protestant Doctours as in likelyhood they do do thus syllogize and dispute in the secret of their owne Soule I am maried I am attended on with a great trayne and charge of Children My temporall Meanes lye only in my possessing of Parsonages and other Ecclesiasticall Liuings which are allotted to me for my Ministeriall and Protestanticall functien Yf Protestancy should suffer an vtter disparition and vanishing out of the World What then would become of me How should I my Wyfe and my poore Children maintayne our selues We cannot liue only vpon breathing the Ayre Therefore I must nay I will in all estuation and heate of dispute and writing maintayne my owne Religion of Protestancy shaping though I grant in a retrograde manner the pretended sense of the Scripture to the fortifying of my lately appearing Fayth not my Fayth to the true sense of the Scripture God is mercifull and I hope seing my state otherwyse lyes mortally a bleeding he will pardon this my Offence proceeding from such a forced and vrging Necessity O most dangerous and desperate Resolution 6. To proceed to another Circumstance Diuers of those ancieÌ„t Fathers as Ignatius Dionysius Polycarpe Cyprian c. spent their lyues in defence of the Christian Catholike Religion to speake nothing of many thousands of others lesse eminent Christians dying for the same they suffering most glorious Martyrdomes for their fayth in iustifying in theÌ„selues that sentence Paradisi (u) Tertul in l. de Anima clauis sanguis Martyrum Of which euery one might well say in his owne person Occidi possum superari non possum so becoming Balls to the then boysterous tymes Happy Men who by losing of lyfe did fynd lyfe and by sheeding their bloud did (x) Apoc. 7. wash their Robes in the Bloud of the Lambe And who did passe the Red Sea of of persecution Martyrdome with such humility alacrity eauennes and constancy of mynd as that their Honorable Memories might well deserue to be recorded in more seuerall pages then heere are lines I might well say in more lynes then heere are letters And can it then be thoght possible their admirable fortitude for Christ his sake considered that God would conceale from them the true Sense of Scripture without which their Soules could not enioy Saluation It is repugnant euen to Gods Iustice What is it then to his Mercy Among the Aduersaries who euer suffered death in defence of Protestancy Iohn Husse say they It is false For Husse being otherwise a turbulent fellow and raysing combustions in his owne Country dyed for only defending the necessity of Communion vnder both kinds comparting with the Roman Church in other points Of whom Luther thus writeth The Papists (y) Luth. in Colloq Mensal German de Antichristo burned Husse when he departed not a fingers breadth from the Papacy Who els Ierome of Prage This man also maintayned but one or two Heresyes being wholy Catholike in all other Articles who after a second recidiuation and Relapse was burned Who more A company of Mechanical ignorant despicable and poore Snakes in Queene Maries reigne M. Fox his Martyrs who as being possessed with a Iewish Obstinacy in defence of some few points only of Protestancy belieuing withall many Catholike Articles became proud forsooth of their future-dying honour and so through their owne froward Wilfulnes did euen importune the Fagot thus losing their breath for the gayning of a litle breath or Wynd of prayse Miserable Wretches their Bodies no sooner ceasing to be afflicted with temporall flames then their soules as is to be feared began to be tormented with eternall flames 7. The last Collateral respect between the Primitiue Fathers and the Protestant Doctours and Writers in which I will heere insist much preponderating in this busines is that most of the new Testament if not all was originally written in the Greeke toÌ„gue and that diuers of the ancient Fathers were (z) Ignatius Epiphanus Athanasius Basil Nazianzene Chrysostom Cyrill Theodoret besides others were Greeke Fathers Grecians borne so that tongue became their Mother tongue Now whereas the Tongues are deseruedly stiled the Porters of learning or the mines wherein the goulden Oare of knowledge is found and also whereas what skill the Protestants can haue in that language is only Artificiall and gotten by their owne paynes and labour therefore it ineuitably followeth that the Fathers as better knowing the true Emphasis and Energy of euery Greeke Word then the Protestant can are much aduantaged aboue the Protestants for the digging as it were myning out of the true sense of the Holy Ghost in those sacred writings And this no wonder since we fynd that Art which is but a print or stamp impressed by the seale of Nature euer subscribes to Nature Thus far touching the Trutination of the Fathers with our Protestant Teachers and of this Impar congressus Achille Concerning which Fathers I hould it my great Honour as aboue I professed to imploy my pen in their Panegyricks and due commendation Howsoeuer many of our Aduersaries as is allready made euident do take great complacency in eiurgating out of their impure stomacks words of contumely and reproch agaynst the said Centinels of Gods Church Vpon (a) Esay â—2 thy Walles O Ierusalem I haue set watches for euer And heere before I end I demand to recapitulate the former points how can any Christian iustly apologise for himself at that most dreadfull day the day (b) Esay 13. of our Lord a cruell day full of indignation wrath and fury when it shal be vrged agaynst him that in the election and choyce of his fayth drawne from the Scriptures vpon the truth or falshood wherof depended his euerlasting happines or misery he did preferre Nouelty before Antiquity few before many Men but ignorant in the Scripturall tongues before others who sucked with their milke those tongues from their Mothers Breasts Preiudice of iudgment before all impartiality dissention in doctrine before vnity in doctrine such as traffick nothing but transitory benefits and pleasure before Men of most mortifyed and stupendious liues and conuersation Men being most (c) According herto we fynd Luther to haue had familiar conference with the Deuill as himselfe witnesseth in tom 7. Wittenberg lib. de Mâ—ssa priuata fol. 2â—8 Oecolampadius was slayne by the Deuill as Lauather the Protestant witnesseth in histor Sacrament printed Tiguri 1563. fol. 24. Carolostadius is termed by D Fulke an Epicurean Gospeller in his Reioynder to Bristows Reply printed 1582. pag. 240. And Melancthon calleth Carolostadius A barbarous fâ—llow in whom there is no signe of the Holy Ghost in Epist ad Fredericum Miconium Swinglius thus writeth of his owne lust in his Treatise to the Heluetian State We so burned O for shame as that we haue committed many things vnseemely Caluin is charged with Sodomy as the Citty of Noyon in France in its Register doth testify was burned vpoÌ„ the shoulder for that cryme Beza in like sort charged with Sodomy with a yong boy called Andebertus and this is testifyed by Conradus Schlusselburg the Protestant in Theolog. Caluin l. 1. fol. 93. To passe ouer others for breuity Ochinus became a Iew as Zanchius the Protestant witnesseth in his booke de tribus Elohim l. 5. c 9. Finally Andraeas the great Protestant is charged by Hospinian the Protestant in histor Sacrament to haue no other God but Mammon and Bacchus fol. 389. impious and prophane liuers before workes of miracles Briefly certaine ignorant ignoble fellowes desperatly casting away their liues for the purchasing of a litle popular ayre before many holy and learned Martyrs And with this I close vp these leaues And I trust he closeth well who closeth his speach in defence of such Men who were defenders of the Ancient Christian and Catholike Religion God saue the King THE Faultes vvhich haue escaped in printing I hope be not many nor yet such as may not easily be corrected by the iudicious Reader
themselues Petra Scandali who to all good Christians is Lapis angulularis 7. Touching the Diuersity of Persons which are included within the members of the Protestant Church aboue defended by some Protestants and denyed by others Their disagreements are so vncertaine as that some admit Papists Anabaptists Arians Heretâ—kes Infidells yea by supposall Antichrist himselfe So making their Church to consist of certaine mungreâ—l Persons whereas other Protestants do exclude all these kinds from being members of the Protestant Church Now I say their irresolution and vncertainty of Iudgment is so wonderfull herein as that no Protestant can assure himselfe with what kind of men he may communicate in practise of Fayth Religion and from what men he ought to abstayne in all such spirituall entercourse and association 8. Touching the deniall of Freewill the certainty of Reprobation and of Predestination and both without any reference to our good or bad works Contrary to other learned Protestants Iudgments How do all these Doctrines most forcibly impell men to the perpetrating of the most flagitious crymes whatsoeuer Seeing vpon these their grouÌ„ds granting them by supposall for true they may iustly Apologize for themselues First that they are to be pardoned in all such their Enormous actions seeing they had not Free-will to forbeare the committing of them punishment euen in force of Reason belongeth to such only in whose power it is to do or not to do such or such a wicked thing Secondly they may Reply that seeing by their former Doctrines of Predestination and Reprobation a vicious lyfe is no way preiudiciall to a mans predestination not a vertuous life for the preuenting of ReprobatioÌ„ why may they not then liue yea become thrall to all pleasure voluptuousnes sensuality without any remorse or sting of CoÌ„science Againe by their sayd Doctrines of Predestination and Reprobation we yearely see many most lamentable Tragedies of diuers shortning their owne dayes by violent deaths wrought by their owne Hands some euen butchering themselues through a vayne hope and expectation of ariuing the sooner to Heauen And others agayne perpetrating the lyke through a most wicked and desperate conceyt of their Reprobation that it is not in their power concurring with Gods grace to preuent it so forgetful these men are of those most comfortable words of holy Scripture (i) Ezech. 18.31.32 Cast away all your transgressions c. for I desire not the death of him that dyeth This speaketh he who hath placed his (1) Psalm 18. Tabernacle in the Sunne and who himselfe being Sol increatus is not inexorable but wil lend a willing eare to him who hath true penitency of his sinnes saying to such Deleui (2) Isa 44. vt nubem iniquitates tuas quasi nebulam peccata tua 9. In lyke sort touching their Doctrines that good workes are not auaylable towards IustificatioÌ„ nor are respected by God nor sinnes or bad workes any way exitiall or hurtfull to Saluation as also that Tenet of diuers Protestants that God is the Authour of all our Sinnes what a sluce and fludgate do these Doctrines open to all turpitude in maÌ„ners and Conuersation For seeing it is nauseous and vngratefull to mans nature to weary himselfe out in the exercise of a vertuous lyfe if such a life as wanting all pleasing motiues thereto be no wayes beneficiall to his Soule as on the contrary most sweet to man to liue in all voluptuousnes pleasure and Iouialisme if so this course cannot be in any sort dangerous to him and this the more seeing he is indoctrinated by diuers Protestants that what sinnes are coÌ„mitted by him God is the Authour of them himselfe but Gods bare instrument therein they by such their beliefe running vpon the Dint of those words spoken by the Psalmist in the Person of God (l) Psalm 128. supra dorsum meuÌ„ fabricauerunt peccatores As if I would say they haue transferred the committing of their sinnes euen vpon me Thus they making God who dyed for sinne to be the Patrone of sinne 10. The Doctrine of Polygamy and Diuorce according to Swinglius and others most different from the iudgment of other Protestants how doth it sow the seeds of dissention betweene husband and wyfe to repudiate one the other and to part a sunder vpon the least dislike or discontent on eyther side boâ—h of them to mary againe they being warranted by this Doctrine to take vpon occasion of such discontents as many wyues and husbands as they will so both the parties liuing after their first Diuorce in a continuall state of Adultery and begetting and bringing forth seuerall broods of bastards 11. The Positions of some Protestants aboue alledged that no Princes or Magistrates are now to be in the tymes of the new Testament ingendreth nothing but a tumultuous Anarchy intestine simulties warrs and Traiterous insurrections of the Subiects against their Prince threating vipar-lyke an vtter euisceration of their owne Country And woe be to that Nation or Realme which nourisheth such Monsters of sedition and disloyalty and which placeth all Soueraingty and Principality in the common people the many Headed-Tyrant of Mankind since the certaine euent thereof will be that a mans owne Country shall finally become a Golgathae or field of bloud And with this my Pen giues it last pause to this short discourse AN APPENDIX In which is proued First that the ancient Fathers by the acknowledgements of the learned Protestants taught our Catholike and Roman Fayth Secondly that the said Fathers haue diuers aduantages aboue the Protestant Writers for fynding out the true sense of the Scripture WHEREAS in this former Treatise I meane in the tenth Paragraph we haue shewed how most Protestants do contemne the ancient Fathers exercising their fomy language in the eiuculation of most gaulfull words agaynst them though the sayd Fathers be by other more moderate Protestants respected reuerenced Now heere in this short Appendix I thinke it to be much conuenient First to shew the reason more particularly why the Protestants do rest disaffected agaynst the Fathers It being though aboue in part intimated in that it is ackowledged by the ProtestaÌ„ts themselues that all the Articles of Catholike Religion were with an Vniformity of Iudgment belieued taught and practised by the sayd Fathers in those most pure tymes Secondly I will make it euident euen with seuerall choaching Reasons why euery Christian Man solicitous of entertayning a true faith should prefer the ancient Fathers in the ExpositioÌ„ of the Scriptures from whence they draw of theirs and our Catholike fayth and Religion before the different or contrary expositions of them giuen by the ProtestaÌ„t Doctours The discouery of which later Point shall rest in setting down diuers conducing and auaylable Circumstances in behalf of the Fathers but altogether preiudiciall and incompetent to the Protestants Which two former Points shall be the Subiect of this short Appendix Now to begin with the first I meane in
(n) De Eccles contra Bellarm. controuer 2. q 5. pag. 327. among the Papists are but futiles concerning things of small importance And D. Fulke agreeth with him saying As for the (o) Against Heskins Sanders c. pag. 295. consent and peace of the Popish Church it proueth nothing but that the Diuell had all things at his Will and therefore might sleepe thus truly acknowledging Vnity in Fayth in the Roman Church but most maliciously transferring the Cause therof to him who is the chiefe Enemy to Vnity But Syr Edwin Sands a most remarkable Protestant doth not only acknowledge all war of dissention in our Catholike Church but also giueth his reason thereof in these Words The Papists (p) In his Relation fol. 8. haue the Pope as a common Father Aduiser and Conductour to reconcile their iarres to decide their differences to draw their Religion by consent of Councells to Vnity c. To whose Iudgment herein subscribeth Andraeas Duditius the Protestant aboue mentioned in the Epistle Dedicatory who thus writeth The Roman (q) Beza reporteth these words of Duditius in his Epist Theolog. Epist. ad Duditium Church is not deuided with so many Dissâ—ntions but it hath the plausible apparence of Venerable Antiquity Ordinary Succession and Perpetuall Consent Thus Duditius And thus farre by way of Preuention of all such Arguments as the Protestant Wryters may seeme to vrge thereby to make their Ignorant followers belieue that the Catholiks do labour with one and the same disease with themselues touching disagreements in points of Fayth and Religion Only before I passe further I thinke good to relate that ordinary and common refuge and tergiuersation which diuers Protestants of England being vpbrayded with disagreements in Fayth among themselues are accustomed to fly vnto who thus reason I am an English Protestant I litle regard how forraine Protestants disagree among themselues I am content to range my selfe vnder our English learned Protestants who I am assured maintayne the Truth of Fayth without any contradiction or dissention among themselues Now because this point requyreth a large and full Answere therefore as willing to contract this Preface in as few words as conueniently I may I refer the Reader for his full satisfaction herein to the latter end of this ensuing Treatise viz. at 22. Paragraph where he shall see the Vanity of this silly euasion fully layed open and answered Before I come to any other Passages of this Preface I hould it not amisse to relate for the benefit of others what happened touching these former Points to my selfe In my being in Spayne a Chaplayne of the English Embassadours there resyding being my former familiar acquaintance in England oftentimes came to the place where I there studied and did much solicite and diswade me from entring into Holy Orders for then I was not Priest His chiefest argument by him alledged was taken out of D. Mortons Apologia Catholica which booke it seemes he had studyed diâ—igently touching the dissentions in doctrine of some few broken Catholiks aboue alledged as Erasmus Nilus Cassander c. as also from the dissention of the Thomists and Scotists touching the Conception of our B. Lady the Chaplaine much vrging and inferring that our Catholike Religion as wanting Vnity in doctrine in the Professours thereof could not be true This his Argument for a tyme I grant seemed very strong to me I then being but yong and not conuersant in the Protestants owne bookes thereby to discerne their dissentions in doctrine and did cause me to defer my taking of Priesthood a yeare or more longer then afore I was determined to haue done But after acquainting others of my daily familiars much read in the Protestants Writings with this my doubt they fully resolued and satisfyed me touching those Pseudo Catholiks to wit what kind of Men they were how vpon what grounds they for the tyme dissented from the then Common doctrine of the Catholike Church As also I was then informed how the Question of the immaculate Conception of the B. Virgin was not defined on either syde by the Church and that therefore it was lawfull without any breach of Vnity to maintayne either part Vpon whose learned Resolution all my former doubt instantly vanished away And indeed this Accident first be got a desire in me to looke into the Protestants Works more fully to see whether they had thy disagreements in Fayth amoÌ„g them So forcible we see the Argument drawne from waÌ„t of Vnity in Fayth though but indirectly and with mistaking vrged seemes to proue that Religion which wanteth Vnity in Fayth and doctrine cannot be the true Religion instituted by our Sauiour Iesus Christ But to recall my selfe and to proceed further In the next place of this my Preface I will demonstrate the absolute necessity of Vnion touching Matters of Fayth in the Church of God it being an acknowledged and inseparable Marke thereof and how incompatible dissentions and Errours in Fayth are with the said true Church Adulterari (r) August lib. de Vnitate Ecclesia non potest sponsa Christi Incorrupta est pudica This I will euict both from humane and diuine Authorities and will begin with humane proofes and so ascend in weight of proofes to the diuine Scriptures And first I will alledge some testimonies of Protestants themselues For do we not fynd Luther thus to teach A Kingdome (s) Luther tom 3. Witten berg in Psalm 5. fol. 166. deuided in it selfe shall not stand Neither haue any Heretiks at any tyme beene ouercome by force or Subtilty but by mutuall dissention Neither doth Christ fight with them otherwise then with a spirit of giddinesse and disagreement And more The Authours (t) Luth. tom 5. Witten berg in Galat. c. 5. fol. 416. of Schismes are disagreeing among themselues c. They byte and deuours one another c. till at the last they perish c. O see how truly his owne Words do recoyle vpon himselfe The Like want of this Vnity in doctrine do the Deuines of Manifold vrge as a Marke of a false Church against the Sacramentaries to impugne their doctrine those deuines thus writing We haue (u) Theologi Mansfeldenses in Confessione Mansfeldica Latina fol. 110. iust reason to hold in suspition the doctrine of the Sacramentaries in that they are not concordant in one and the same sentence or iudgment but are among themselues deuided so as some of them are called Carolostadians others Swinglians Occolampadians Caluinists c. And the same kind of argument is vsed by the Deuines of Heidelberge all Protestants against the Anabaptists thus vrging Si (x) Proâ—ocollo Frankaltalensi nâ— Praefatad Anabaptistas vobis Ecclesiae titulum concedere vellemus c. Yf we would grant to you the name of a Church what Sect among you should be reputed the Church of God seing you are deuided into so many Sects To come in this next place to the
Authoriries of the ancient Fathers Whose Pens were euer imployed against euery then new arising Doctrine not bearing Vnity to the Fayth of Gods Vniuersall Church we fynd S. Athanasius thus to Wryte Jllud (y) Orat. 1. contra Arianos quoque prorsus admirabile c. This also is very wonderfull that all Heresyes in coyning diuers things do differ in themselues and do iointly agree in defence of falshood S. Chrysostome sharpeneth his penne in this sort against the Enemyes of Vnity in Fayth Omnes Infideles (z) Opera imperfect in Math. hom 20. qui sub diabolo sunt c. All such Infidells or Misbelieuers which are in the power of the Diuell are not vnited but are deuided through diuersity of Opinions And such is the want of Fayth among Hereticks who neuer agree in one consent of Things but maintayne as seuerall Opinions as themselues are seuerall in number Thus S. Chrysostome S. Hilarius in this sort pensilleth out the face and countenance of disagreing Heretiks (a) L. 7. dâ— Trinitate Haeretici omnes contra Ecclesiam veniunt c. All Heretiks do assault the Church But whiles Heretiks do mutually ouercome one another they ouercome nothing therin since their Victory when one Heresy doth euen fight against another is finally become the TriuÌ„ph of the Church Tertullian (b) L. de Praescription aduersus Haeres 41. writes of this point in this manner Inspectae Haereses omnes c. All Heresyes being truly looked into are deprehended to dissent in many things euen with thiâ— owne Authours I will conclude with Irenaeus Videmus (c) L. 1. c. 5. in initio nunc corum inconstantem sententiam c. We now see their inconstant iudgment who if they be but two or three in number how diuersly they teach the same things And further the said Father Durum (d) Vbi supra c. 1â— est omnium describere sententias c. Jt is a difficult thing to set downe the different Sentences of all Hereticks For greater breuity of this point I refer the Reader to the testimonies of S. Ierome (e) In Math. â—4 S. Austin (f) Contra Epist Parmenian l. 3. c. 4. S. Ambrose (g) L. de fide ad Gratianum c. â— and the Councell of (h) In de cretis Synod Niâ—e nae contra Haeresâ—m Arianam Nyce And thus far touching the Fathers herein Now in this last place to ascend to the sacred Authorities of Gods Word which are the stamps sealing vp the Truth of all the former Humane Authorities which testimonies I reserue hitherto wherewith to close yp the Iudgment of the Reader herein And first to shew the Vglines of Dissention we read (i) Luc. 11. Euery Kingdome deuided in it selfe shall perish And vpon this ground the Prophet thus prayeth Destroy (k) Psalm â—5 O Lord and deuide their Tongues implying hereby that their deuided Tongues in iudgment shall occasion their destruction And another Prophet in further proofe of this point thus hath left recorded Their (l) Ose â—0 Hart is deuided they shall now perish And the Wiseman instructeth vs in these Words God (m) Prouerb 6. hateth him that raiseth vp Contentions among Brethren All which Scripturall Authorities as they shew the malice wickednes of Disunion and Dissention in generall so they implicitly and potentially proue that Want of Vnity in Doctrine cannot stand with true Fayth Therefore the more reason had the Apostle S. Paul to vse this his feruerous admonition to the Christians of his tyme saying I beseech (n) 1. Cor. 1. you Brethren that there be no dissentions among you Not forsaking (o) Hebr. 10. the fellowship which we haue among our selues Neither is the Apostle lesse slow in recommending the Vertue of Vnity in expresse words though this be coincident with the former for thus he instructeth his followers I beseech (p) 1. Cor. 1. you that you all speake one thing be you knit togeather in one mind and one iudgment (q) Ephes 4. Endeuoring to keep the Vnity of spirit in the band of peace God is the God (r) 1. Cor. 14. not of diuision but of Peace And according hereto we read that our Sauiour prayed for the Members of his Church that they may be One (s) Ioan. 17. And to conclude according to this his prayer it is recorded that the Multitude of them which belieued were (t) Act. 4. of One Hart and One Soule so luxuriant abounding we fynd the sacred Scriptures to be â—or the extirpation of all Dissention and Diâ—ision out of the society of Christians and â—or the entertayning of Vnity among them in all Matters of Religion Now then hauing thus demonstrated the Necessity of Vnion in matters of Fayth both from diuine and humane Authorities and withall hauing in the beginning aboue as it were beset all wayes passages by which our Aduersaries might in a vulgar iudgment seeme to assault vs by their pretence of some weake and feeble Reasons (u) Szegedin the Protestant in loc om pag. 1â—4 thus saith Vnity one of the Notes of the Church for proofe of Diuision in Fayth to be in our Catholike Church it remayneth that we hasten to shew whether Vnity in Fayth as being a Marke of the true Church euen by the iudgment of Protestants themselues can be found in Protestancy Or in place thereof implacable and irreconcileable Disagreements and Warres A most foule scarre or moale to remayne vpon the Fayth of the supposed Chiefe Professours of the Ghospell So indisputably true it is that Protestancy lyes exposed or rather becomes thrall to all Fluctuation Inconstancy in doctrine And with this I say I will hasten to present to the sight of the Reader that face which is ingendred of so many Contradictions in Fayth and I will be content for the tyme to become the Protestants Herauld in blasing the Armes of their Contentions So shall the Reader withall discerne that the Protestants Pens are euer prest and ready to discharge vpon their owne Brethren for matter of Fayth and Religion euen whole Volleys of shot of most reproachfull Words and intemperate Language ΑΔΕΛΦΟΜΑΧΙΑ OR THE WARRS OF PROTESTANCY The I. Paragraph BEFORE we enter into the distentions of the Protestants touching particular Doctrines seuerally maintayned by seuerall sydes of them I will first lay open with what kind and brotherly language one Sect of them and yet all good Protestants doth entertayne another Now this Discors Concordia this disagreeing Harmony of theirs consisteth of many parts To wit First of the Lutherans against the Sacramentaries I meane the Swinglians and Caluinists then reciprocally of the Caluinists against the Lutherans Secondly The Lutherans among themselues Thirdly The Caluinists among them selues Fourthly The Moderate Protestant against the Puritan and the Puritan against the Moderate Protestant within which Clause are comprehended the Eâ—gâ—â—sh Moderate Protestants and the English Puritans 1 And to
l. 4. cap. 17. §. 16. Marcion is raised out of Hell And in like sort Caluin thus more writeth The (t) Admonit 3. ad Westâ—y balum Lutherans are forgets and Lyars These implacable and mutuall dissentions betweene the Lutherans and the Caluinists are so great and irreconcileable as that Conradus (u) Schlusselburg in Theolog. Caluinist in his Catalogue praecipuorum Doctrinae Capitum c. Schlusselburg the great Lutheran reciteth three and thirty seuerall Articles of Doctrine in question and controuerted betweene the Lutherans whom he defendeth and the Caluinists against whom he writeth And Luke Osiander the Protestant did write a Treatise bearing this title Enchiridion Controuersiarum quas Augustanae Confessionis Theologi habent cum Caluinianis Printed Tubingae 1603. And Hubberus a learned Lutheran wrote a booke in Dutch printed Regiomonti 1592. hauing this title The Opposition of the Lutheran and Caluinian Doctrine in certaine chiefe Articles of Fayth So iust reason had Nicolaus Gallus the Protestant and superintendent at Ratisbone thus to complayne of the Contentions betweene his owne Brethren all Protestants Non (x) In Thesibus of Hypoiâ—esibus sunt leues c. The dissentions that are among vs are not of light matters but of the greatest articles of Christian Doctrine of the Law and the Gospell of Iustification and good Workes c. And finally Pappus the Protestant hath no lesse resentment and feeling touching this point thus writing Etsi (y) Papipus in Theolog. Caluinist l 1. Art 28. initio de vno tantùm articulo c. Although in the beginning one only Article was called into doubt notwithstanding the Caluinists are now so far gone as they call in doubt neither few neither the least Articles of Christian Doctrine c. With whome conspites Bullinger the Protestant in these words Ipsi inter (*) Bullinger in his â—undamentum fiâ—mum cap. 1. pag. 5. se Euangelici acriter pungunt pugnant c. Those alone who are professours of the Gospell do vehemently prick and feight one against another And from hence are hard among vs those vnfortunate names or appellations of the Lutherans and the Swinglians 3. In this next place let vs behould how the Lutherans do agree among themselues Their contentions are so great that Conradus Schlussenburg (z) Schlussâ—lb in Catal. Haeret nostri temporis l. 2. the most eminent Lutheran placeth six sorts of his owne Lutherans in the Catalogue of Heretikes And from this seuerall sort of Lutherans did first rise that distinction of Molles Lutherant and Rigidi Lutherani These seuerall Kinds of Lutherans had seuerall appellations or names for some of them were called Substantarij for teaching sinne to be of the essence and nature of Man Others opposite to these were tearmed Accidentarij who impugned the former Opinion Some called Vbiquitarij for confounding Christs Humanity with his Diuinity Some called Osiandrians in regard of their different Doctrine of Iustification Some others were styled Maiorists of Gregorius Maior in respect of the necessity of Good Workes Others Flaccians of Flaccus Illyricus who oppugned the Maiorists therein Finally others were denominated Adiaphorists for maintayning the indifferency of Rites and Ceremonies wherein they are greatly written against by the Flaccians Now all these as aboue is said are Lutherans and do imbrace and acknowledg the Confession of Augusta which Confession of fayth the Caluinists do wholy reiect And yet these Seuerall sorts of Lutherans haue written and published seuerall Bookes one against another in defence of their seuerall maintayned different Doctrines 4. To come to the Sacramentaries or Caluinists alone we find that Castalio the Sacramentary or Caluinist condemneth Caluin himselfe for his presumed Doctrine of God being the Authour of sinne thus writing hereof By this (a) Castal l. ad Caluinum de Praedestinat meanes not the Deuill but the God of Caluin is the Father of Lyes But that God which the holy Scripture teacheth is altogether contrary to this God of Caluin And then after The true God came to destroy the workes of the Caluinian God And these two Gods as they be contrary in Nature one to another so they beget and bring forth Children of contrary disposition to wit that God of Caluin Children without mercy proud c. Thus the foresaid Castalio In like sort Caluin (1) L. de Coena Dom. l. 4 Instit c. 15. sect 1 wholy condemneth Swinglius for his teaching that the Sacraments are bare externall signes and (2) Epist. ad quandam Germaniae Ciuitatem fol. 196. Swinglius reciprocally condemneth Caluin for his teaching that to the Sacraments more is attributed then to externall signes According to these dissentions of the Protestants or Sacramentaries among themselues Doctour Willet a formall Protestant thus reprehendeth M. Hooker D. Couell and others in these words From this Fountayne (b) In his meditat vpon the 12â— Psalme haue sprung forth those and such other whirlepooles and bubbles of new doctrine c. and then after Thus haue some beene bould to teach and write who as some Schismatikes meaning the Puritans haue disturbed the peace of the Church one way in externall matters concerning Discipline they haue troubled the Church another way by opposing themselues by new quirks and deuises to the soundnes of Doctrine among Protestants Thus far D. Willet of the strifes among the moderate Protestants themselues In this last passage we will descend more particularly to the doctrinall contentions of English moderate Protestants and English Puritans And to begin the English Puritans writing against the English Protestants thus say If (c) In a Treatise entituled A Christian and modest offer p. 11. we be in errour and the Prelats on the contrary side haue the truth we protest to all the World that the Pope and the Church of Rome and in them God and Christ haue great wrong and indignity offered vnto them in that they are reiected c. And more the English Puritans thus complayn hereof Do we (d) In the mild defence of the silenced Ministers supplication to the high Court of ParlameÌ„t vary from the sincere doctrine of the Scripture Nay rather many of them meaning the Bishops and their Adherents do much swarue from the same touching generall Grace and the death of Christ for euery particular person c. Touching the manner of Christs presence in the Eucharist c. Finally the English Puritans do more fully dismaske themselues thus bursting out and maintayning that the (e) These Positions of the Puritans are verbally recited and condemned in the booke entituled Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiasticall printed anno 1604 Worship of the Church of England is corrupt superstitious vnlawfull repugnant to the Scriptures Againe The Articles of the Bishops Religion are erroneous their rites Antichristian Aâ—d yet more The gouerment of the Church of England vnder his Maiesty by Archbishops and Deanes is Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God 6. Now to turne ouer
directed to her Excellent Maiesty of the Psalmes compared in our Booke of Common Prayer doth in Addition Substraction and Alteration differ from the truth of the Hebrew in two hundred places at least M. Parkes censureth the English Bibles with the Notes of Geneua in these words As for (d) In his Apology concerning Christes descending into Hell those Bibles it is to be wished that either they may be purged from those manifould Errours which are both in the Text and Margent or els vtterly prohibited To conclude with M. Broughtons Condemnation of the English Bibles This great Hebritian thus expresly writeth The publike (e) In his Aduertisment to the Bishops Translation of the Scripture in English is such as that it peruerteth the Text of the Old Testament in eight hundred forty and eight places and it causeth Millions of Millions to reiect the New Testament and to runne into eternull Flames And hence it is that D Reynolds in the Conference at Hampton-Court being the speaker for the Puritans openly denyed before the King to subscribe to the Communion Booke because said he It warranted a corrupt and false Translation of the Bible Thus far of the immortall Disagreements of the Protestants both touching the Authority of the many Bookes of Scripture and of the Translations of the Scriptures made by the Protestants 3. I will here in this next place rest in the easines and difficulty of the Scripture seuerally maintayned by seuerall Protestants We find (f) In Prolegomâ— contra Patrum à Soto Brentins to write that it belongeth through the easines of Scripture to euery man to iudge from the Scripture of the Doctrine of Religion and to discerne truth from falshood In like sort D Whitaker thus writeth touching ech vnlearned Mans reading the Scripture The (g) de sacra script p. 529. vnlearned in the exposition of Scripture is to demand the Opinion of the learned and to read the Commentaries of Interpreters but they must take heed ne nimis illis tribuant that they do not ascribe too much to them but so as that in the meane tyme they retaine their owne liberty that is that euery illiterate fellow must finally iudge of the sense of the Scripture This point needeth no further allegations for we see that euery Mechanicall Fellow if so he can but read and thinks himselfe to be of the number of the Faythfull vanteth of his easy vnderstanding of the Scripture And this deportment is the Character of ech ignorant Puritan Yea ech silly ignorant Puritan-Woman will assume so much to herselfe in the interpretation of Scripture And yet to crosse this their Vanity we find Luther thus to write Scio (h) In praefat in Psalm esse impudentissimae temeritatis c. I know it to be a signe of most shameles temerity and rashnes for any Man to professe that he truly vnderstandeth in all places but any one booke of the Scriptures And D. Field maintayneth the same and sheweth Reasons in defence thereof thus writing There is no (i) L. 4. of the Church cap. 15. Question but that therebe many difficulties of the Holy Scriptures proceeding partly from the high and excellent things therein contayned which are without the compasse of Naturall Vnderstanding so are hidden from naturall Men c partly out of the ignorance of tongues c. And the truth of this point is warranted from the practise of the learned Protestants many of whom haue written Commentaries and Expositions of most bookes of Scripture which Commentaries and Expositions had beene needlesly vndertaken if the Scripture were of that facility and easines as the Puritans seeme to suggest Here now in this last place concerning the Protestants disagreements about Scripture I will descend to shew how they disagree in seuerally expounding seuerall texts of Scripture To goe through all such texts of their disagreements would be most laboursome and needles therefore I will insist in some few And First to begin with those words of the Institution of the blessed Eucharist Hoc est corpus meum Touching which text after all the Protestants haue wholy disclaymed from the Catholikes exposition thereof they presently dissent among themselues 1. For First (k) In lib. suo caâ—â—o Basiliae anno 1526. Carolostadius the Protestant will haue the Aduerb Hîc to be vnderstood by the Pronoune Hoc he thus meaning Hîc sedet corpus meum 2. Bucer (l) In Râ—tractâ—â— suis affirmeth that the Pronoune Hoc signifieth the whole action of the supper So as the sense must be This action signifyeth my body 3. Swinglius (m) L. dâ— vera falsa Religiâ— cap. de Eucharistia teacheth that the words of the Institution are to be taken Figuratiuely And the Figure to consist not in the Pronoune Hoc but in the Verb Est Which ought sayth he to be taken for the word Significat he thus meaning This signifyeth my body 4. Petrus (n) In examen libri Hothusiâ— propâ—iâ—â—tium Boquinus affirmeth that the bread is truly called the Body of Christ propter communicationem Idiomatum as by the same forme of speach we truly say of Christ This Man is God 5. Oecolampadius (o) In lib. de genuine exposit horum verborum doth not rely either in the Pronoune Hoc nor in the verb Est but in the Substantiue Body For he maintayneth that the bread is called the Body by the Figure Metonymia by which Figure the name of the thing signified is attributed to the signe So as the sense sayth he is this Hoc est corpus meum that is this bread is a Figure of my body 6. Caluin (p) Lib. 〈◊〉 Instit. c. 17. â— 11. teacheth in part with Oecolampadius that the Figure Metonymia lyeth in the word Corpus But withall he addeth that the bread of the Eucharist is not a naked Figure of Christs body but it is a Figure which doth exhibit and present the thing it selfe And therefore Christ did not say This bread is a Figure of my Body but is the body it self And Peter (q) L. de ver aque natura Christi Martyr conspireth with Caluin herein 7. Certaine other Caluinists mentioned though their names not expressed by Cornelius (r) In Comment cap. 59. Concord in illa veâ—ba Nisi manducaueritis Iansenius do teach that the word Corpus ought to be taken for the Mysticall body of Christ that is for the Church So as the sense of the words of the Institution should be this This is my body that is you Disciples are my body 8. Iohannes (s) Vti testatur Lutherus insua breâ—i Confess edita anno 46. Campanus a Sacramentary thus expoundeth the words of the Institution This is my body that is This body is created and made by me See here Good Reader the wonderfull disagreements of the Protestants in the exposition of these few words who all conspire togeather in reiecting the Catholike Interpretation but then
Luther and the Lutheran Churches the oblation of the Sacrifice excepted was so agreable and consenting with the Roman Church that the Confession of Augusta thus speaketh thereof Our (d) Cap. de missa sâ— also Osiander Cent 16. pag. 163. Churches are wrongfully accused for abolishing the Masse for the Masse is still retayned among vs and celebrated with great Reuerence c. But this Liturgy or Common Booke of Prayer being reiected in England another was made in King Edward the Sixt his raigne by the aduice of Bucer Peter Martyr and Cramner and presumed as the (e) In the Statutes 2.3 of K. Edw. 6.6.1 Statutes affirme to be done by the ayde of the Holy Ghost and ratifyed by the Authority of the high Court of Parlament This Booke of Common prayer printed by Edward Whitchurch Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solùm anno 1549 maketh speciall defence of (f) Fol. 116. Prayer for the Dead and Intercession (g) Fol. 117. and offering of our prayers by Angells of (h) Fol. 129. Baptisme by Lay persons in tyme of necessity and of the (i) Ibidem Grace of that Sacrament of the (k) Fol. 137. 139. Priests absolution of the Sicke Penitent and the Priests blessing of the bryde brydegrome Of the (l) Fol. 144. Annointing of the Sicke Of Confirmation (m) Fol. 132. of Children Of (n) Fol. 116. consecrating the Eucharist with the signe of the Crosse Finally to omit some other Catholike points confirmed and practised in that Communion Booke Of the (o) Fol. 1â—8 Chrisme and the Childs annoynting and of (p) Fol. 126. Exorcisme Now no sooner Queene Elizabeth came to the Crowne but that the former Liturgy of King Edward being wholy abolished another was made Yet not so perfect in all points but that M. Parker thus speaketh hereof The Day (q) Against Symboliâ—ing part 1. ca. 5. sect 1. pag. 4. starre was not risen so high in their dayes when yet Queene Elizabeth reformed the defects of King Edwards Communion Booke And further he sayth It is (r) Ibidem Sect. 17. pag. 39. not the same Booke with thaâ— of King Edwards but it is altered in very many sundry Places Yea so altered as when it was proposed to be Confirmed by the Parlament it was refused This point of altering the Communion Booke of Prayer is so euident that M. Cartwright acknowledgeth it in these words The (s) 2. Reply part 1. pag. 41. Church of England changed the Booke of Common Prayer twyce or thryce after it had receaued the knowledge of the Ghospell Now all what is aboue set downe touching the Communion Booke I thinke good briefly to recapitulate in the words of Doctour Doue an eminent Protestant thus fully discoursing of this point (t) Persuasion to English Recuâ—ants pa. â—â— Concerning the Booke of Common Prayer when the Masse was fi st put downe King Henry had his English Liturgy and that was iudged absolute and without exception But when King Edward came to the Crownâ— that was condemned and another set forth in the place which Peter Martyr and Bucer did approue as very consonant to the word of God When Queene Elizabeth began her reigne the forsaid Booke was iudged to be full of imperfections and a new deuised and allowed by the Consent of the Clergy But about the middle of her reigne we grew weary of that Booke and great meanes haue beene wrought to abandon that and establish another which although it was not obtayned yet we do at the least at euery change of Prince change our Booke of Common Prayers We be so wanton that we know not what we would haue Thus far D Doue touching our English Protestants disagreements for the approuing or reiecting of their Liturgy or Common Booke of Prayer Now how yet the Puritans rest affected towards the last Edition of the Communion Booke in Queeene Elizabeth her Dayes may appeare from their censuring it in these words The (u) These words are related by D. Whitguift as spoken by the Puritans in his Defence pag. 474. forme of the Communion Booke is taken from the Church of Antichrist as the reading of the Epistles the Gospells c. The most of the Prayers the manner of ministring the Sacraments c. Againe our more late Puritans do thus Syndicate and condemne the Communion Booke Many (x) In the booke entituled The Petition of twenty two Preachers in London things in the Communion Booke are repugnant to the word of God And more In the Communion Booke there are things of which there is no sense there is Contradiction in it euen of necessary and essentiall points of Religion Other Puritans thus write against it The (y) These words are alledged in the Suruey pag. â—0 14. Communion Booke is not agreeable to the Word of God in many things And yet more The (z) Certaine Considerations printed anno 1605. f. 10 11. 17. Protestants Communion Booke and seruice is naught it hath grosse and palpable repugnancy in it This point is further made euident by the Authority of Doctour Couell who being an Aduersary to the Puritans deliuereth their Sentence touching their extreme dislyke of the Communion Booke in these words The (a) D. Couell in his Exam pa. 1â—8 Communion Booke is bouldly despised Grosse errours and manifest impietyes meaning in the iudgment of the Puritans are in the Communion Booke Thus far of the Protestants irreconciliable Disagreements touching the seuerall Formes of Liturgyes or CoÌ„munion Bookes of Prayer since the Catholike Religion was first abolished in England From whence it ineuitably followeth that during all these seuerall yeares of alterations of their Communion Bookes they neuer enioyed if their owne Censures and iudgments be perfect a true forme how to pray to Allmighty God The VI. Paragraph I Will next come to their Disagreements touching Christ our Redeemer And 1. touching Christs Nature (b) Beza l. de Vnitate Eccles Beza differently from most other Protestants teacheth that two Hypostaticall Vnions are constituted in Christ the one of the Soule with the Body the other of the Diuinity with the Humanity (c) Beza in Hesbusium Beza further teacheth that Christ is not begotten of the Substance of the Father That Christ is not Consubstantiall with his Father Luther thus writeth Anima (d) Luth. contra Latimer mea odit hoc verbum Homousion My very Soule hateth this word Homousios or Consubstantialis 2. That Christ by his Workes did merit nothing to himselfe contrary to the iudgments almost of all Christians is maintayned by Caluin who tearmeth this Doctrine A Foolish (e) Instit l. 2. c. 17. §. 10. Curiosity and rash Opinion The same blasphemy is maintayned by (f) In his booke entituled the wicked Mammon Tindall and by Iohn (g) Act. Mon. pag. 487. Teuxbury 3. That Christ suffered not only according to his Humane Nature but also according to his Diuinity is defended by
maÌ„ner Leo (z) Cent. 5. col 1262. paynfully goeth about to proue that singular preeminence was giuen to Peter aboue the other Apostles and that thence did rise the Primacy of the Roman Church D. Cowper (a) In his Chronicles calleth Linus first Bishop of Rome after Peter To conclude Bucer thus freely sayth We (b) In prae paratorijs ad Concil plainely confesse that among the auncient fathers the RomaÌ„ Church obtayned Primacy aboue others as that which hath the Chayre of S. Peter and whose Bishops haue almost alwayes beene accounted the successours of Peter Thus Bucer 15. Touching the Catholike Ceremonies of Funerals and other Ecclesiasticall customâ—â— we thus fynd confessed The Centurists acknowledge that (c) Cent. â— col 454. Solebant Cerei proferri funeri c. Wax candels were accustomed to be brought in the tyme of the funeralls And the Centurists do also graÌ„t that it was (d) Cent. 4 col 455. the custostome to couer the graue with flowers The sayd Centurists further make mention of minning dayes in these words Celebris (e) Cent. 4. col 455. ob defuncti memoriam fuit dies quadragesimus post obitum the fortith day after the death of the party was kept with solemnity Lastly they recorde those words of Tertullian We (f) Cent 3. col 138. offer vp sacrifices oblations euery anniuersary day for the dead 16. That prayer was made towards the East in those ancient times is confessed by the (g) Gent. 4. col 432 Centurists That Canonicall (h) Cent. 4. col 433. howres of Prayers were then vsed the Centurists confesse They also record that there was in those primitiue times (i) Cent. 4 col 459. rising in the night to prayer Also that the (k) Cent. col 433. Lyturgy was then accustomed to be recited That (l) Cent. 4. col 1326 prayers were then made by nuÌ„bring them vpon litle stones which is the same as in these dayes by numbring prayers with beades 17. D. Fulke (m) Against Heskinâ— c. pag. â—57 confesseth that the Crosse by report of Paulinus was by the Bishop of Ierusalem his appointment at Easter yearly to be worshipped by the people But heer we are to note that Paulinus did not meane any idolatrous worship to be giuen to the Crosse as the Protestants do most wrongly charge vs Catholiks to exhibite to it but only a Christian reuerence and respect as being an Instrument vpon which the Sauiour of the world suffered for Mans Redemption 18. That set tymes of fasting were vsed in those ancient tymes is cleare for first touching the fast of Lent KeÌ„pnitius (n) In Examen part 1. pa. 8â— coÌ„fesseth that Ambrose Maximus Taurinensis Theophilâ—â— Ierome and others do affirme the fast of Lent to be an Apostolicall Tradition Yea Scultetus thus sayth The (o) In medulla Theolog. p. 440. superstitious fast of Lent was allowed and commanded by Ignatius Now Ignatius was in the Apostle dayes M. Cartwright is alledged by M. Whitguift (*) In D. Whitguifts defence pag. 100. to reproue S. Ambrose for saying It is a sinne not to fast in Lent Touching the fast of Quatuor Tempora (*) Whitak contra Duraeum l. 7. p. 80. D. Whitaker confessetht it to be as auncieÌ„t as Calixtus the Pope who was immediate Successour to Pope Victor who liued in the third Century 19. I will conclude the Protestants Confessions touching the ancient Fathers in the doctrine of Religious Persons And first touching Monkes the Centurists (p) Cent. 4. col 46â— vnder the title de Consecratione Mâ—nachi acknowledge Monkes to haue beene in those Primitiue Tymes D. Humfrey thus writeth of Gregory the Great These (q) In Iesuitis par 2. rat 5. things Austin the MoÌ„ke taught by Gregory the great Monke brought in Thus the Doctour acknowledging Mâ—nachisme in those dayes M. Cartwright thus confesseth (r) In D. Whitguifts defence pag. 344. Ruffinus Theodoret Sozomene Socrates c. do mention Monks almost in euery Page In like manner the Centurists speaking of the age wherein Constantine liued (s) Cent. 4. c. 10. col 1294. do confesse that there were Monks throughout Syria Palestine Bithinia and other places of Asia The Centurists further acknowledging a place of S. Basil in prayse of Monasticall life thus censure him All which (t) Cent. 4. p. 300. 3â—â— words meaning of Basil are both besydes and contrary to the Holy Scripture 20. The Centurists (u) Cent. 4. c. 6. col 404. 466. also make mention of Monasteries wherein the Monks did dwell The Centurists finally record the Monasteries (x) Cent. 4. col 467. 479. â—335 c. of Virgins The like mention the Monasteries of Virgins is made by (y) Osiander cent 4. pa. 507. 503. c. Osiander Thus far of all the former Points of Catholike Fayth and Religion that they were taught and practized by the ancient Fathers euen in our Aduersaries Iudgment I could proue the like by the Confessions of the learned Protestants in all other Articles controuerted betweene vs and the Protestants But I trust that these former Articles being of greatest Moment may serue in lieu of all the rest which are of lesser Consequence Only I thinke good to adioyne here this ensuing Animaduersion To wit That whereas in the producing of the former Authorities of the Fathers in behalfe of the Catholike Religion all Fathers are not brought in by the Confession of the Protestants to teach the said Catholike Articles Now the reason of this is in that euery ancient Father did not wryte of euery particular Article of Catholike Religion and consequently such could not be alledged by the Protestants confessions in proofe of the Articles omitted by them Neuerthelesse it vnauoidably followeth by all true inference of Reason that all other Fathers in such particular points of Catholike Religion as are omitted by the Protestants do agree and conspire with the former Fathers aboue confessed The reason iâ— this Yf the other Fathers aboue omitted and not spoken of had maintayned contrary doctrines to the former produced Fatâ—ers they then would haue beene written against by some other more Orthodoxall Writers and Fathers touching the said points As we see that certaine Errours in Origen Tertullian Cyprian to omit the like Examples in Donatus Iouinian Pelagius and sundry such other Nouelists were instantly impugned by Austin Ierome Epiphanius Theodoret c. But no such writing was against the former confessed Fathers in this Treatise for their houlding the foresaid Catholike Points Therefore it is certaine that all other Fathers of the Primitiue Church did jointly teach and belieue the said Catholike doctrines with the aboue confessed Fathers Againe the alledged Fathers in this Appendix were the chiefe Pastours in God Church in those dayes in whom the Church of Christ was peculiarly and more markably personated Therefore all other Inferiour Members of the Church did agree with them in the beliefe
of the said Catholike Doctrines or otherwise by their deniall of them they did cease to be members of the said Church of God Cum (z) Cyprian l. Vnitate Ecclesiae Deo manere non possunt qui in Ecclesia Dei vnanimes esse noluerunt Now to descend to the secoÌ„d Part of this Appendix which is touching the Comparison made betweene the ancient Fathers and the Protestant Doctours and Wryters for the fynding out of the intended sense of the Holy Ghost in the exposition of the sacred Scripture In the consideration of which point I grant I am finally moued to a iust and warrantable Anger since the want thereof vpon so vrgent an occasion might well be reputed but stupidity and an insensiblenes of the indignities and wrongs offered to those blessed and happy Saints Therefore let the Reader pardon me if I here sharpen my Pen which can hardly spend its inke vpon a more worthy and noble subiect and if I become somewhat more luxuriant in defence of these Champions of Christ his Church vpon whom diuers Protestants as in the former Treatise is shewed do euen showre downe infinit words of reproach contumely and do throwe vpon their honorable Memories the durte and filth of their owne most intemperate and gaulefull Language But first I thinke it conuenient to take away the vulgar stumbling-Block which most of our Aduersaries haue layed betweene the Truth and the eyes of the ignorant and credulous Protestant Which is as the Protestants most wrongfully and to themselues consciously suggest That seing the Scripture as being the vndoubted Word of God is to be aduanced before the Authority of the Fathers they being but men and seeing the Protestants say they relye only vpon Scripture the Fathers vpon their owne and oâ—her humane Authorities Why then should not the Scripture be pryzed aboue the Authorities of the said Fathers Now to dispell and dissipate this weake smoake from the Eyes of the Ignorant I do auer this their answere to be a mere Elench of Fallacy called by the Logitians Petitio Principij since here it is falsly presumed that the Protestants do relye only vpon the true sense of the Scripture and the Fathers do reiect the Scripture Whereas indeed the Fathers with all Reuerence and honour do affect the Scripture and most humbly submit themselues to it And therefore the life and touch of the doubt in this point only consisteth To wit whether the Fathers who buyld the Articles of their Fayth vpon the Scriptures are to be preferred before the Protestants interpreting the said Scriptures in a contrary Sense And thus the Antithesis or opposition is here to be made not betweene the Fathers and the Scripture as our Aduersaries do calumniously pretend but betwene the Constructions giuen by the Fathers of certayne Texts of holy Scripture and the different or contrary constructions of the sayd Text giuen by the Protestants The lyke subtility our aduersaries to wit the Centurists D. Whitaker Illyricus and others do vse when the call Catholike doctrines as they are maintained by vs Idolatry Heresies Blasphemies c. thereby to intimate that the Papists are no members of Christs Church which very doctrines as they are taught by the ancient Fathers the Protestants stile but nauos naenia errores c. with intention to shew that the Protestants do not deuide themselues from the Church of which the Fathers were members O incredible and serpentine Craft and Imposture But to launce further in discoursing of the Comparison betweene the Fathers and the Protestants For I hould it my honour to be their poore Aduocate vpon earth and I hope that in their Seraphicall and burning Charity they wil be my Adocate in Heauen and will vouchsafe to intercede to his Diuine Maiesty for the remission of my infinite sinnes and transgressions Heere I say that any true and zealous Christian ought to haue a sensible griefe and religious Resent to see that Saphyrs should be preferred before Diamonds the lowest Shrubs to dare to contend in height with the Cedars of Lybanus vpstart Innouation to take the wall as I may say of reuerend and gray-hayrd Antiquity I meane that Luther Swinglius Melancthon Caluin Beza and such refuse of men should shoulder out of the due Seatâ— of Honour and Authority Austin Ierome Epiphanius the Gregories the Cyrills Basil Ambrose Hylary Optatus Athanasius Cyprian Ephrem Irenaeus Ignatius Polycarpus and diuers other Fathers of those Primitiue and purest tymes But to descend more particularly to the dissecting of this point I hould it most conducing to present to the Readers Eye certaine forcible Circumstances aduantaging the ancient Fathers much aboue the Protestants for the searching and picking out the true and intended sense of the Holy Ghost in the Texts of sacred Writ produced either by the Catholiks or the Protestants Thus I meane to Parallele the Fathers with the ProtestaÌ„ts not as Plutarch did by comparing Worthy Men with Worthy Men but by ballancing the ancient graue and most literate Doctours with certaine Nouellizing and but competently learned Sectaries 1. And to beginne Our first Circumstance may be taken from the different times wherein the Fathers and the former Protestants did liue The Fathers as is knowne florished in those pure tymes neere to Christ and his Apostles when his Spouse I meane his Church remayned intemerate and incontaminate as then not brooking any defiled touch but of one Heretike We may adioyne hereto that in regard of their proximity in tyme to Christ for some of them liued in the (a) Ignatius Dionysius Areopagita liued in the dayes of the Apostles Apostles dayes others in the next (b) Iustinus Martyr Pope Pius Ireneus liued in the second age Origen Tertullian Cyprian c. in the third age Athanasius Hilarius Cyrill of Ierusalem Ambrose Basil Optatus Gregorius Nyssenus Gregorius Nazianzenus Ephrem Epiphanius c. in the fourth Age in which age was celebrated the Councell of Nyce Gaudentius Chrysostome Ierome Austin Cyrill of Alexandria Proclus Constantinopolitanus Theodoret Gelasius Leo Pope Hilarius Eusebius Emyssenus in the fifth age Gregory the Great and Austin our Apostle in the sixt age ensuing ages the true Fayth and Doctrine and consequently the true meaning of the Scripture might well be Paraphrazed by force of Tradition during that short desceÌ„t of the Church ech man receauing from his Predecessour euen from hand to hand the practise of the true Religion so as such Men as then would not acknowledge the splendour of the Catholike Religion in those firster Tymes may well resemble the stars when they are darkened through ouer much light This far of this Circumstance in behalfe of the Fathers from whence we may gather that diuers of them liued a thousand yeares since others more then fifteene hundred But now let vs cast our eye vpon the other End of the Ballance Haue our Protestant Writers beene in Rerum Natura fifteene hundred yeares since Haue they beene a thousand yeares Haue they beene
one hundred This is the most if so much so as if you will haue recorded the seuerall Stations of their Church you must deuide them by Centuries of Moneths insteed of Centuries of yeares So fully it is confessed by one of their prime Men It (c) Benedictus Morgensternensis a Lutheran so writeth tract de Ecclesia pag. 145. is impudency to say that any before the tyme of Luther had the purity of the Gospell Is there any Man of so stopt a Nose as not throughly to sent the disparity of these two different tymes wherein the Fathers and the Protestants Writers liued and consequently the great aduantage of which the Fathers for the true interpreting of the Scripture and practize of Christian Religion are made capable the Protestants resting wholy ther on precluded 2. But to proceed further The Fathers I speake of the Orthodoxall Fathers though writing their Voluminous Tomes vpon different emergent Occasions in different â—ymes in different tongues in different â—ost discoasted Nations euer in defence of â—â—e Catholike and Roman Fayth did so vâ—animously conspire (*) The Catholiks graÌ„t that the Fathers did expound some Texts in different senses but not euer in behalfe of the Protestants Errours for example Luke 13. When you haue done all these things which are commanded Isay We are vnprofitable Seruants Chrysostome in Illud Illatum est cor Osiae sayth We should only thinke our selues though humility to be vnprofitable seruants Austin in Sermon de Verbis Domini interpreteth We are called vnprofitable seruants because we haue done nothing but what we ought to haue done But neither of these expositions do preiudice the doctrine of good works or works of Supererogation against which this text it vrged by the Protestants in their Writings 〈◊〉 if one and the same Genius had a generall â—nfluency ouer all their Pens Whose very â—ens were euer prest to rescue the Church in â—ny sort endangered with the arising Heresies of those tymes Now touching the Protestants the Reader may fully glasse their infinit and immortall dissentions in their Wrytings by perusing these former Leaues Their Agreement hereâ—n being like to the agreement of (d) Esay 9. Ephraim and Manasses who did eate vp one another The Protestants euen spinning out at length seuerall yeares in writing reciprocall venemous Satyrs and Inuectiues 3. The Fathers liued in a most strict seuere course of Discipline and Manners through their thirsty expectation of Heauen and hope to fynd their former sinnes drowned in the bloud of Christ And hereupon they obserued perpetuall Chastity practized much Prayer and Fasting betrampled with a spirituall Contempt vpon all fading Honours and Temporalities euer checking the malice of ech Temptation with an internal Eleuation of their soules to God Thus did their Religious comportment by which they wholy exposed their labours to the seruice of God dispell driue away all mists and cloudes gathered before the Eye of their Vnderstandinge for their myning out of the sense of the Scripture and did euen depose the inexpugnable Certainty of their Fayth But now as the Sunne casteth its Influence vpon seuerall Countryes indifferently and after the same manner yet with most different and contrary effects So Gods Inspirations though sent to the ancient Fathers and to the learned Protestants through their willfull reiecting of them do produce most opposit operations For if we call to mind the cariage of most of our Protestants first writers we shall fynd that Vertue with them was reputed but as an aery and intentionall Schoole-name they lying for the most part in the mud of sensuality and temporall pleasures such a Confluence of seuerall Vices was in diuers of them He that resteth doubtfull hereof let him peruse besides the Booke of daily Experience the Booke entituled The life of Luther printed anno 1624. wherein he shall fynd pencilled and delineated at large the most facinorous and enormous lifes of Luther Andreas Melancthon Bucer Ochinus Carolostadius Swinglius Caluin and Beza All of them chiefe Promoters of the Protestants Religion with their Pens And what in that Booke is deliuered in painting forth their wicked and irreligious courses is deliuered from the Writings only of other Protestants their Brethren so truly are verified of these Protestant Wryters Animalis (e) 1. Cor. 2. homo non percipit ea quae sunt Spiritus Dei Furthermore diuers learned Protestants of these dayes are so far from abandoning the temporall Benefis of the World as that they commonly make their Religion a Shoing-horne to draw on some opulent and great Ecclesiasticall Liuing or Parsonage so they finally making a Steeple yea two or three steeples sometymes of so great a swallow diuers of them are and a Sister in the Lord thus coopling Pluto and Venus together their very But or Marke of all their Scholasticall endeauours or their supreme felicity in this World So thrall and mancipated they are become to all transitory and fading Allectiues and so breathlesly do they run in crye in the pursuite of them Howsoeuer many of them through their sophisticall Comportment and dooble-faced Actions seeme externally to be wholy spiritualized and euen to feed only vpon the Gospell 4. Another Priuiledge granted from God to those blessed Men of ancient tymes and others of the faythfull of those dayes is that diuers of them had the honour of working most stupendious Miracles and this often in defence and proofe of their Catholyke Religion in the patration of which Miracles it was in their power to dissolue and vntye the knot of Nature For example Touching Miracles done in proofe of the vertue of the signe of the Crosse read (f) In vita Antonij Athanasius (g) Haeres 30 Epiphanius (h) In vita Hilarionis Ierome and (i) Histor. l. 5. c 21. Theodoret. Touching the Image of Christ read (k) Histor l. 7. c. 14. Eusebius Touching Miracles at the presence of Relickes of Saincts read (l) L. 9. Confess c. 7. 8. S. Austin touching some done at the Monuments or Tombes of Martyrs see the foresayd (m) L. de Ciuitate Dei 22. c. 8. S. Austin Touching Prayer to Saints see also (n) Aug. vbi suprà S. Austin In confirmation of the Reall presence see (o) L. 6. de Sacerdotio c. 4. Chrysostome To be short the guift of working Miracles was so ordinary in those tymes as that one Father to wit Gregorius Thaumaturgus tooke his denomination and Name from working of Miracles for so much doth the greeke Word Thaumaturgus import so iust reason had S. Austin to haue recorded (q) In his Suruey of D Kellisons c. D. Morton in his Apol. Cathol part 1. l. 2 25. and diuers others Culmen authoritatis obtinuit Ecclesia Catholica Haerecicis miraculorum maiestate damnatis But let vs see if any Protestant was euer graced with the working of such supernaturall Wonders (p) L. de Vtilitate credendi cap 27. But it is