this Principle That every Whole is greater than its Part or that man is a reasonable Creature or like evident things and then is our Vnderstanding forc'd to yield thereunto and consequently hath the less Merit by how much less freedom it leaveth to our will and affection to give our assent or no. But yet this knowledg gotten by human Reason doth not so take away the merit of the other that proceeded of free assent of Faith but that both may stand together in one and the self-same man about one and the self-same thing to wit Faith and Demonstration as distinct lights gotten by different and distinct means the one by Revelation from God the other by Demonstration of Reason for that otherwise this great inconvenience say the Authors that hold this Opinion would follow that learned men should be in far worse case for their merits in Faith than the ignorant for that whensoever the said learned men do come by means of their study to see clearly by Reason the truth of any Conclusion of Divinity or Article of Belief which simply before they did believe only as revealed from God which thing may very well happen and often doth to learned men that then they should lose their former Faith or at leastwise the Merit thereof if it be granted that Faith and Science may in no case stand together 36. But to leave this to be disputed in Schools and to return to our purpose There is no doubt but that some Points belonging to Christian Faith may plainly and absolutely be demonstrated and prov'd by human Reason Science as those which I have here touched of One God his Omnipotency Providence and the like Some other there be which tho' they cannot be altogether so absolutely convinc'd by Demonstrations yet may they in part by way of supposition that is to say by supposing some one or two Points belonging thereunto which the Adversary will either grant or cannot deny As for example Supposing there is a God and that he hath appointed any Religion to mankind and that the Prophets and Prophesies of the Old Testament are to be believed it is not hard to prove and demonstrate the Verity of Christian Religion against either Jew or Gentile And the like is it in this matter here treated by me in this Book against J. Fox and his Fellows about the Beginning Planting Growing and Continuance of Catholic Religion For if you suppose only that Christ is God and that he hath appointed any Religion at all and that the first Religion and Church instituted by him was true and truly meant by him and that he was able to perform his promises made to the first Christians for the Preservation and Perpetuity thereof This I say being granted what I infer in this Treatise followeth by necessary consequence of moral Demonstration as you will find in the perusal 37. These four Points then I thought good gentle Reader to touch briefly in this Preface meaning to make four several Inferences out of the same not unprofitable in mine opinion to the purpose we have in hand For out of the First Point concerning the height and sublimity of matters of our Faith above the capacity of Man's Reason I make this inference That every one ought to come to treat and talk of such things as belong to Faith and Belief with great reverence respect modesty and submission of mind not condemning that which his sense or reason reacheth not unto nor making the Depth of his own Capacity the Rule and Measure of his Belief A thing noted in the Sect of Manichees by S. Austin who writeth That for this cause principally he was nine years of their Company for that they told him still he being a young man desirous of Knowledg that Catholics did superstitiously require Faith before Reason and that They the Manichees forsooth did teach nothing but that which should clearly be discuss'd by force of good Argument and Reason before it was believed c. Vpon which occasion also the said Father wrote that excellent Book beforementioned de Utilitate Credendi of the great utility and infinite commodities which Catholic Christian People have in believing simply by Tradition of their Ancestors that Faith which is established in the Universal Church of Christ tho' their own Reason arrive not to penetrate the same for whosoever openeth once his Ears especially the Unlearned sort to hearken to Human Reasons against the Mysteries of their Faith he is in danger presently either to lose his Faith or at leastwise the Merit thereof together with the peace comfort and tranquility of his mind and thereby openeth a wide gap to the Devil and all his Instruments as well Infidels as Heretics to enter in and trouble the House of his Conscience 38. And as for Heretics it hath been an old practice to trouble or draw men from Catholic Religion or make them stagger by this means of pretending human Reason against Belief as we have shewed by example of the Manichees who took this trick from the old Heathen Philosophers whom S. Hierom for this cause principally calleth the Patriarchs of Heretics The Arians also deceiv'd many by the tricks of human Reason drawing out their Napkins as Theodoretus saith and asking the common people whether Three corners thereof could be One or no and then inferring deceitfully thereupon said No more could Three Persons be One God. The Sadducees founded their Heresie against the Resurrection of the Flesh upon the contrariety it seem'd to have with human Reason which prevail'd afterwards with divers sorts of Heretics that had infinit Followers as Simon Magus Basilides Hymenaeus Philetus Valentinus Marcion Appelles the Ophites Cerdonists Cainites Albigenses and others And now in our days with Zuinglians Calvinists Anabaptists Trinitarians Family of Love Brownists and divers other Sects who do nothing but rave and blaspheme against the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament upon the same ground that it seemeth contrary to Sense and human Reason And finally this is a way to all Misbelief Atheism and Infidelity c. 39. Out of the Second Point concerning Arguments of Credibility for our Belief I infer That seeing God hath left us such store and variety of Arguments for our comfort and consolation in that we believe every man ought to be diligent and careful to seek out and use them and not suffer himself to be overborn by deceitful quarrelling people in a suit of so great importance without looking upon his Writings and Evidences that he hath for the same For how greatly would we condemn the sloth and negligence of a Man who descending for many Ages as lawful Heir from a most Ancient and Noble House of great Riches and Possessions and seeing false Pretenders to make claim thereunto and by slight and intrusion to put both Him and his Posterity from the same How much I say should we condemn him if having whole Chests full of
for a time Brentius as appeareth in his Confession of Wittemberg and some others of that Sect. But this Opinion of Luther did not long please his Followers for that Ph. Melancthon his chief Scholar did soon after teach the contrary viz. That the Church was visible to the eyes of men also And the Magdeburgians do hold the same defining every-where the Church to be a visible Company of Men. Which going back of the principal Lutherans in this point it being done by a certain Consultation had thereof among themselves as Fredericus Staphylus the Emperor's Counsellor that had been one of them affirmeth was some Cause perhaps that Calvin coming presently after them took upon him to defend the same Doctrin again saying Nobis invisibilem c. We are forc'd to believe the Church to be invisible and to be seen only by the eyes of God. Lo Calvin putteth necessity in this point of Belief 13. The Causes that moved the chief Lutherans to go back from their first Opinion about the invisibility of the Church were principally the apparent Evidences and Demonstrations which Catholics do alledge both out or Scriptures Fathers common sense and reason for overthrow of that most fond and ridiculous Paradox And first out of holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament these men being not able to alledge any one place where the Name of God's Church is applied to an Invisible Congregation the Catholics on the contrary side pressed them with many most evident Texts of Scripture where it was and is used for a visible Company of Men as that in the Book of Numbers ch 20. Cur eduxisti Ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem Why hast thou brought the Church of God into the Desart And again in 3 Kings ch 8. Convertitque Rex faciem suam benedixit omni Ecclesiae Israel omnis enim Ecclesia Israel stabat c. The King turning his face about did bless all the Church of Israel for that all the Church of Israel was present c. Which places and many the like cannot possibly be understood of an Invisible but of a Visible Company 14. And much more if we consider the speeches of Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament as these words of Christ Dic Ecclesiae si Ecclesiam non audierit c. Tell the Church and if he hear not the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen or Publican But if the Church were invisible neither could a man complain to the Church nor hear the Church Moreover St. Paul exhorteth the chief Pastors of the Ephesians to attend diligently to their charge Acts 20. In quo vos Spiritus Sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Ecclesiam Dei In which the H. Ghost hath placed you as Bishops to govern the Church of God. But how could they being visible men govern a Company that was invisible not to be seen 15. And yet further when St. Paul and St. Barnabas went up from Antioch to Jerusalem the Scripture saith Deducti sunt ab Ecclesia c. They were brought on their way by the Church of Antioch and when they came to Jerusalem suscepti sunt ab Ecclesia they were received by the Church And yet further ascendit Paulus salutavit Ecclesiam Paul went and saluted the Church c. All which places cannot agree possibly to an invisible Church and yet that this was the true Primitive Church of Christ no man can deny 16. And finally when St. Paul doth teach Timothy his Scholar 1 Tim. 3. Quomodo oporteat conversari in Domo Dei quae est Ecclesia c. How he should converse and govern the House of God which is his Church Columna Firmamentum Veritatis the Pillar and Firmament of all Truth Ibid. All this I say had been spoken to no purpose if the true Church of Christ were invisible for how can a man converse in a Congregation which he cannot see or know or how can the Church be a Pillar and sure Firmament of Truth to resolve all Doubts and Questions that may fall out about Scriptures Articles of Belief and Mysteries of Christ's Religion if it be an invisible Congregation that no man seeth discerneth or knoweth where or how to repair unto it nor who are the persons therein contained 17. And lastly not to stand longer upon this matter that is so evident in it self and plain to common sense and reason if the true Church of Christ be a Society not of Angels Spirits or Souls departed but of Men and Women in this life that must be governed or govern therein how can they be invisible And if they must have Communion together in external Sacraments and namely in Baptism and participation of the Body of Christ if they must profess the Name and Doctrin of Christ externally to the World as also to be persecuted and put to death for the same if all men must repair unto them and those that be out of the Church to enter and be received therein and those that be in her to be resolved of their doubts to lay down their complaints to be governed and directed by her and finally to obey her under pain of Damnation how can all this be performed if she be invisible to man's eyes and only seen by the eyes of God 18. To alledge Fathers and Doctors in this behalf were both endless and needless for that all of them every-where almost are occupied in setting forth not only the Visibility but the Splendor also and Greatness yea the multitude and external Majesty of Christ's Church throughout the World in their days and only St. Augustin may serve for all who dilateth himself every-where in this Argument shewing how the little Stone prophesied by Daniel was grown to be a huge Mountain and terrible to the whole World and that the Tabernacle of Christ which is his Church was placed by him in the Sun to be seen of all and that it was a City upon a Mountain which none could be ignorant of and other like Discourses founded on evident Scriptures Whereby is refuted not only the first shift of Luther and Calvin making the true Church of Christ invisible but also the second of these latter Lutherans who tho' overcome with the former proofs do grant the Church to be a visible Company yet do they deny it to be that external conspicuous Succession of Bishops and Councils which have been most eminent in the known Christian Church from the Apostles downward but rather to be some few obscure and contemptible people which they call the Elect that have lived or lurked from time to time in shadows and darkness and known to few or none 19. But this second device is more fond than the former for where shall a man seek out these hidden Fellows to treat with them or to receive Sacraments at their hands how shall they be known how may they be trusted whence have they
In respect whereof thou oughtest also if thou be in any doubt not only to take upon thee the labor of reading this or any such Treatise that may help thee therein but also to travel both by Sea and Land Countries and Kingdoms if we believe S. Austin that both said and practised the same to seek out the Truth and Certainty of Catholic Religion whereby only and by no other ways and means under Heaven may a man be saved or escape Everlasting Damnation as holy Athanasius protesteth in his Creed Wherefore this ought to be unto us as the same Father saith that rich Jewel found in the Field for buying whereof we should not stick to sell or lose all other temporal Goods or Riches that we have seeing Christ our Savior doth so much commend them that did so and thereby inciteth us also to do the like 9. And the same Doctor S. Austin together with S. Chrysostom and other Fathers do reprehend greatly the sluggishness of divers men in their days that seeing Sects and Heresies to arise and diversities of Religion in almost every Country did not bestir themselves to try out the Truth but were content either to accept of every Novelty thrust upon them or to remain doubtful or indifferent which in some sort is a worse state than the other For as the Prophecy and Prediction of our Savior is clear that such times of Heresie and Contradiction should come when one Sect would say here is Christ and another there is Christ One Heretic would cry here is the Church here is the true Doctrin here is Reformation and another deny it So the Apostle expoundeth the hidden Providence of Almighty God in this permission of his to wit ut qui probati sunt manifesti fiant that those who are men of proof should be made manifest among us And how then in a time of proof and of so special trial when so great a Crown is to be gained are men so negligent slothful and fearful in shewing and declaring themselves S. Chrysostom yields this reason which is severe Quia neque promissio beatitudinis ejus saith he desideratur neque judicium comminationis timetur c. It is for that neither God's promise of Eternal Felicity in the next Life is desired by these slothful people nor his threat of Judgment feared And yet saith the same Father si Vestimenta empturus gyras unum negotiatorem alterum c. if you were to buy a Garment you go about from one Seller or Merchant to another to see and examin where the best is to be found And how much more ought this to be done to try out true Religion 10. If a pretension were made saith one to take away your Temporal Lands and Livings or that any new doubts should be put in the Title of your Inheritance or that it should be call'd in question by any Promoters or busie people whether you were true Owners of such and such Lands and Livings or no you would quickly start and bestir your selves looking out Records and Writings for confirmation of your Right and Title and would seek Lawyers to plead and defend the same and you would make account of ancient Witnesses for proof thereof All which you neglecting in this case of trial about Catholic Religion against Heretics which is more clear in it self if men would attend unto it than any other proof of Possession Right Interest Title or Inheritance whatsoever this negligence I say doth clearly declare that men have more care and cogitation of Temporalities than of Eternity of Earth than of Heaven and of this miserable short and vanishing Life than of God's Everlasting Kingdom and their Immortal reigning with him 11. And thus much be spoken by the way concerning the judgment sense and feeling of ancient holy Fathers about the care and sollicitude that every true Christian ought to have for informing himself soundly and substantially but especially in time of Heresies what the truth and certainty of Cath. Religion is lest being negligent therein and yielding overmuch to the cogitation of worldly affairs he be deceived before he be aware and carried away to Perdition by the present surge and sway of Innovations under the colour and name of New Reformations persuading himself that he goeth right and hath no need of further advice or information therein 12. For preventing of which most perilous course held alas by too many of our Country at this day who persuade themselves that either matters of Religion appertain not greatly unto them or that they go well as they are or that they may remain indifferent or attend to worldly affairs and let the other alone or at leastwise do imagin by the multitude of contradictions which they see and hear every where that it is a hard matter to discern which Party hath the Truth or where that Certainty lieth For help I say in all these Points but especially the last I have thought best to publish this Treatise which I trust shall be a sufficient Light for discerning Truth to them that will vouchsafe to peruse the same for that it doth briefly clearly and in whole sum or view lay before them the Verity of Catholic Religion the Off-spring Increase and Continuance thereof together with the Fraud and Falshood of all Sects whatsoever but especially those of our time 13. And it is here to be noted that as in Suits and Controversies about Temporal Lands and Livings belonging to any Estate or Lordship a man may take two ways of proof and trial against Quarrellers that craftily and falsly would intrude or make pretension thereunto The first by alleging particular Evidences for every part and parcel thereof severally as for this Close this Meadow this Park that Pasture those Woods that Glebe-land and the like which way as you see is more prolix and troublesom There is therefore a second more short and general whereby a man proving One point proveth All as if we would take upon us to shew that the chief Mansion-house of the said Lordship in Controversie whereunto all the rest belong is Ours and hath been ever held by our Ancestors and that we are true Successors Heirs and Inheritors to them This Issue I say were more short and sure and this is that in which I do now join plea with our Adversaries especially with J. Fox in name of all his Brother-Protestants to wit that whereas other men hitherto have taken upon them to defend and prove particular Points of Controversies severally As for example the Real Presence Purgatory Prayer to Saints Seven Sacraments and the like which are but Branches of our whole Cause my purpose is to prove all together by joyning the foresaid Issue about the chief Mansion-house and true Owners thereof that is to say the true Catholic Church and lawful Family thereunto belonging descending from Christ himself for that we proving this only we prove the whole no man being able to deny but
I know my self to have been ignorant in that which indeed I knew not And finally S. Paul to the Hebrews maketh this plain when giving a definition of Faith he writeth thus Est autem fides substantia sperandarum rerum argumentum non apparentium Faith is the substance or ground of things hoped for in the next life and an argument of such things as be not apparent or manifest to humane sense or reason Thus teach they And the matter is clear in it self and confoundeth the politic vain heads of our days who will believe no more than they see or feel or can comprehend by their own understanding 21. But now concerning the causes of this difficulty or obscurity in matters of belief the same Fathers do assign 2 or 3 for principal The first is the heighth and sublimity of the the articles and mysteries themselves that are to be believed which being of God's Secrets do surpass the base capacity and reason of man. As are for example the creation of the world of nothing the trinity of persons in one nature of divinity the incarnation of the Son of God and his birth without violating his mothers virginity the resurrection of our bodies the being of Christ in the Sacrament and the like which human reason cannot reach unto tho' they be not contrary to it but above it Another cause is as S. Ambrose noteth the Majesty of Almighty God who will be believed at his word without being asked for proof or reason for the same For if saith he a grave honorable personage in this life especially if he be of high authority and our superior will take it in disdain to be asked a proof for that he affirmeth how much more ought God to be credited without proof of human reason when he proposeth unto us a matter above our reach or capacity 22. The third cause is that which before I touched that Man might merit more by believing that which he seeth not evident according to the Saying of Christ to S. Thomas Quia vidisti Thoma credidisti beati qui non viderunt crediderunt Because thou hast seen Thomas thou hast believed but happy are they that have not seen and yet have believed And for all these causes if we consider the matter well we shall find that God hath proceeded strangely to man's eye from the beginning of the world in revealing the mysteries of our Faith unto us discovering his will on the one side with infinite testification of his love and desire that we should know them and yet on the other side with such reservation in those revelations as the matter might still be difficult hard or obscure in some respect and this for the greater merit as hath been said of the believer As for example before the flood he appeared to divers Patriarchs from time to time causing them to preach and open to others his will and the truth of that Faith which they were bound to believe but yet he appeared not to all in those days which he might have done if he would and thereby have made the matter more clear and out of doubt but he would have them believe others by words and tradition And the like manner of proceeding he used after the flood with Abraham Isaac and Jacob for instruction of their posterity And then again four or five hundred years after that when he determined to bring the Hebrew people out of Egypt and to give them a written Law he appeared not evidently to all the people but chose Moses to send unto them in his name and spake to him out of a fiery bush at the beginning and at other times out of a cloud on the top of a hill All which things had still their doubts and difficulties for him that would wrangle or had not good will to believe and credit them 23. And finally when the Son of God came himself in flesh to preach tho' he used many and sufficient Arguments to draw men unto him and believe the Mysteries revealed by him as in the next Point shall be shewed yet used he the same course notwithstanding that had been used before for neither appeared he to the whole world as he might have done by his Divinity and Omnipotency but to those of Jewry only nor there to all nor did he work Miracles in every place but where he thought expedient Nor when he rose again from death which is a Point principally in this matter to be considered did he appear to all men or publickly in the Streets of Jerusalem as he might have done and thereby have made his Resurrection clear and out of controversie but he appeared only to his Apostles and Disciples which he expresseth in these words Hunc Deus suscitavit tertia die dedit eum manifestum fieri non omni populo sed testibus praeordinatis à Deo nobis qui manducavimus bibimus cum ilio postquam resurrexit à mortuis Et praecepit nobis praedicare populo testificari c. God hath raised up this his Son from death the third day and gave him to be made manifest not to all the people but unto such as were pre-ordained beforehand by him to be witnesses thereof that is to say us that did eat and drink with him after his Resurrection and to us he gave commandment to preach and testifie to the people c. 24. Behold here the reason why Christ after his Resurrection did not appear to the whole people in Jewry but to his Apostles and Disciples only who were his appointed witnesses to testifie and preach the same to others to the end their Faith might be of more merit according to his former speech to S. Thomas Happy are they who have not seen and yet do believe And for the self same causes we may not doubt but that these his apparitions and manifestations which are recounted in Scriptures to have been made by him at divers times in sundry places and upon different occasions during his abode on earth for the space of forty days after his Resurrection which apparitions arrive to the number of 13 or 14 were made in such particular manner by him as the Scripture recounteth them First to those godly women then to the Apostles then to the disciples going to Emaus and after that to others All I say were so made as still remained place for our free will to merit in believing them and divers did doubt at the beginning as the Scripture saith and Christ was often forced to reprehend their coldness and backwardness in belief as when he said O stulti tardi corde ad credendum O you foolish and slow of heart to believe And at his last departure from them Exprobravit illis saith S. Mark incredulitatem eorum duritiem cordis quia iis qui viderant eum resurrexisse non crediderunt He did exprobrate unto them their incredulity and
Age wus nearest to the Apostles yet the Doctrin of Christ and his Apostles began to be not a little darkened therein and many monstrous and incommodious Opinions are every-where found to be spread by the Doctors thereof Perhaps some cause hereof might be for that the Gift of the Holy Ghost in these Doctors did begin to decay for the ingratitude of the World towards the Truth 4. Lo here what a Preface this is to make contemptible to the Reader all the Fathers of the very first Age after the Apostles But what then do you think they will say of the next following You shall hear by their own words in the Preface of that Age which are these Quò longiùs ab Apostolorum aetate recessum est eò plus stipularum Doctrinae puritati accessit The farther that we go off from the Apostles Age the more Stubble we shall find to have been added to the Purity of the Christian Doctrin Thus they say of these two Ages and by this last Sentence you may imagin what they will say of all the Ages following 5. And this is now spoken by them by way of prevention to discredit generally the Fathers of these first Ages when they say any thing against them But when they come to particulars they have notable Quips for them whereof for Example-sake we shall let you hear some few whereby you may as well learn their sharp Wits as heretical Spirits About the matter of Man's Free-will whether it were wholly lost by Original Sin as Protestants say or wounded only as Catholics hold and strengthened again by God's Grace to do good in him that will they write thus of the Doctors of the second Age Nullus ferè Doctrinae locus est qui tam citò obscurari coepit atque hic de libero arbitrio No one place or part of Christian Doctrin began so soon to be darkened as this of Free-will And then they go on thus with the chiefest Doctors of that Age Irenaeus disputes not distinctly and wresteth the Speeches of Christ and of St. Paul in favour of Free-will saying That there is Free-will also in Faith and Belief Sed haec satis crasse dicuntur aliena sunt à scripturis But these things are spoken grosly by Irenaeus and are far from the sense of Scriptures But whether these Good-fellow Saxons may be accounted less gross in Wit or Grace than Irenaeus is easie to guess 6. From St. Irenaeus they pass to Clemens Alexandrinus another Pillar of that Age saying Eodem modo Clemens Alexandrinus liberum arbitrium ubique asserit ut appareat in ejusmodi tenebris non tantum fuisse omnes ejus saeculi Authores verum etiam in posterioribus eas subinde crevisse auctas esse Clemens Alexandrinus doth in like manner every-where affirm Free-will whereby it appeareth that not only all the Doctors of this second Age were in the same darkness but that the same did grow and was encreased in the Ages following Behold here their general Sentence both of this Age and the other ensuing To what end then should we alledge more particulars in this matter seeing their resolution to discredit all In the third Age they do shamefully slander Tertullian Origen Cyprian and Methodius for the same Doctrin of Free-will saying They do abuse the Scriptures intolerably for maintenance thereof 7. For the fourth Age having given this general Sentence Patres omnes ferè hujus aetatis de libero arbitrio confusè loquuntur All the Fathers almost of this Age do speak confusedly of Free-will c. They add also contra manifesta Scripturae sanctae Testimonia contrary to the manifest Testimonies of Holy Scripture And then they take in hand to course seven chief Fathers and Doctors in particular Lactantius Athanasias Basilius Nazianzenus Epiphanius and Hieronymus saying That they were all deceived all in darkness all misled about this Doctrin of mans Free-will So as it is no marvel if Sir Francis's sharp sight discover so many thick Clouds and Darkness in the Catholic Church of our days seeing his Masters the Magdeburgians discover so many in the Primitive Church as by this you may see 8. About the point of Justification they begin the next Age after the Apostles thus Doctrina de Justificatione negligentiùs obscuriùs ab his Doctoribus tradita est The Doctrin of Justification was delivered by the Doctors of this second Age after Christ more negligently and obscurely than it ought to have been And the same they say of the third Age also Hunc summum Articulum de Justificatione obscuratum esse justitiam enim coram Deo operibus tribuerunt that this chief Article of Justification hath been obscured in this Age for that the Doctors thereof did attribute Justice before God unto Works and not to only Faith c. And then again in the fourth Age they reprehend greatly Lactantius Nilus Chromatus Ephrem and St. Hierom for the same Doctrin The other lower Centuries I have not lying by me but it is easie to guess what these men will say of later Ages Authors seeing they do exagitate so greatly the more ancient 9. About the Sacrament of Penance which is another Controversie betwixt us they write in the beginning of the second Age thus Quòd jam tum coeperit haec pars Doctrinae de poenitentia labefactari ex Tertulliano Cypriano Haeresi Novatiana infra patebit That this part of Christian Doctrin about Penance even then in the first Age after the Apostles began to be weakened shall appear afterward by Tertullian Cyprian and the Novatian Heresie Thus they write boldly and confidently as you see And then in the Age following Plerique hujus saeculi Doctores Doctrinam de poenitentia mirè depravant The most of the Doctors of this Age do wonderfully deprave the Doctrin of Penance And what is the reason think you They tell us presently Ad ipsum tantum opus poenitentis seu contritionem eam deducunt de fide in Christum nihil dicunt They reduce Penance only to the works of the Penitent that is to say unto Contrition and do speak nothing at all of Faith in Christ But who doth not see this to be a notorious slander For how is it possible to have Contrition without Faith Consider then how little it is to be wonder'd at if these Companions and others of their Crew do slander and calumniate Us that live in these days when they shame not to do it against so many Holy and Learned ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church But let us go forward 10. About the Perfection and Merit of Good Works these Censurers affirm also That the true Doctrin of Christ in this behalf was obscur'd in the second Age immediatly after the Apostles And they do wonderfully by name fall out with Clemens Alexandrinus for that he saith Gratia salvamur sed non absque bonis operibus We
respect of obscurity and contemptibility John Fox may easily joyn his Church with them as also in having some sparkles of true Doctrin but not the whole body of true Doctrin among them 5. He may joyn also in divers particular Doctrins which these men held as peculiar Heresies to themselves and were condemn'd by the Church for such in those days and are held also in these days by John Fox his Church in the very self-same words sense and meaning as they were held by those Heretics As namely he may joyn with the Donatists who said that thy were the only true Church and called the Succession of Bishops in the Church of Rome as Sectaries do at this day the Chair of Pestilence and moreover that the whole Church besides themselves had erred c. which is the common Song of our modern Protestants And further if you will see how near of Kin these Donatists and our Protestants be both in Manners Conditions Doctrin and Belief read St. Augustin Optatus and other Writers that objected against them these things following to wit That they had cast the blessed Sacrament of the Altar to Dogs overthrew Altars broke Chalices and sold them cast a Bottle of holy Chrism out of the Church-window shaved Priests heads to take away their Unction turned Nuns out of their Monasteries to the World polluted all Church stuff and the like And whether John Fox and his Fellows do not joyn also in these Points let the Reader judge 6. They may joyn in like manner with the Eunomians for their only Faith who affirmed as St. Augustin saith quòd nihil cuiquam obesset guorumlibet perpetratio ac perseverantia peccatorum si hujus quae ab illis docebatur Fidei particeps esset That the committing and perseverance in never so great sins could not hurt him that was partaker of their Faith. They may also joyn with the Novatians of that time in denying the Churches power in forgiving sins They may joyn with the Aerians who taught as St. Angustin saith non oportere orare vel Oblationem offerre pro mortuis that we ought not to pray or offer Oblations for them that be dead and further That solemn Feasts are not to be appointed by the Church but every one to fast when he would lest he should seem to be under the Law c. 7. Thus testifieth St. Augustin of him and of Jovinian that followed him both the said Father and St. Hierom that wrote against him do accuse him to have held That all sins were equal before God that fasting from certain meats was not profitable that chast Marriage was equal in honor and merit to professed Virginity in Nuns and that he had been cause that some Nuns had married in Rome and finally that the reward in Heaven was equal to all men And is not this good currant Protestant Doctrin and Practice at this day But let us go forward They may joyn also with the Helvidians or Antidicomarians in impugning our Blessed Lady and equalling Marriage with Virginity And much more with Vigilantius in impugning the continent sole Life of Clergy-men Worship of Martyrs at their Tombs use of Candles and Torches in the Church by day-time Invocation of Saints Vows of Poverty and the like 8. I will go no further for that this is sufficient to see what Communion John Fox his Church did hold in these three Ages either with the common known Catholic Church of Christ or with these lurking Assemblies of Heretics pursued and persecuted by the said Church and for that John Fox is guilty to himself in this behalf he hath proceeded accordingly in his Acts and Monuments For whereas he promiseth a several Book of these second 300 years under this Title The second Book containing the next 300 years after Christ c. he not finding any sufficient matter for his purpose to patch up this second Book withal as he did the former with recounting the Martyrs of those days what shift deviseth he think you to blear his Readers eyes with all and to seem to say somewhat in the continuation of his Story You shall hear briefly and by this one trick you may learn to know the man and his meaning for the time to come 9. First he writeth but five leaves in all for the continuation of the Story of these second 300 years A short Volume you will say for so great and copious an Argument And yet further you must know that of these five leaves he passeth two in telling tales and matters that fell under Pope Eleutherius and King Lucius more than a hundred years before and consequently it should have been told in his former Book by order of Time and Story and then the other three leaves he spendeth in setting down the entrance of the Saxons into England about the year of Christ 449 and the Succession of their Pagan Kings unto St. Augustin's coming So as of all the foresaid glorious Christian Church for 300 years together to wit from Pope Sylvester and Constantine unto Pope Gregory and Mauritius the Emperour wherein she flourished more than in any other three Ages we find only five Leaves designed but scarce three Lines performed Whereby you may perceive how little part John Fox persuadeth himself to have in these three Ages for his hidden Church You may consider also what an honest Bargainer he is and how well he performeth his promise made in the first page of his whole Work wherein he saith That he will set forth at large the whole Race and Course of the Church from the Primitive Age to these latter times of ours c. whereof you see he hath performed nothing at all hitherto either largely or briefly I mean of this Race or Course of any Church General or Particular Domestical or Foreign Good or Bad True or False His or Ours for of the first 300 years he wrote only the ten Persecutions as you have seen and of the second 300 years he writeth nothing at all 10. Which if you consider well is a strange confession of his own weakness and poverty seeing that these three Ages to wit the fourth fifth and sixth are the most abundant of matter that are to be found in the Church of Christ from the beginning and so might he see by the Centuries of his Masters the Magdeburgians who do enlarge themselves much more in these three Ages than in the former enforced thereunto by the multitude of matter tho' all against themselves as before hath been noted and here will also appear which John Fox well perceiving thought best by slight of silence to avoid that inconvenience of treating a History so apparently against himself Which slight notwithstanding or rather flight every man of mean understanding doth easily see considering that according to the Argument of his Book and particular promise made before he should have declared to us That the Religion of Britanny in these 300
they would choose such a person as this is reported to be having wandred the World up and down with a Monk as Fox affirmeth How could all this lie hidden Was there none that either by Countenance Voice or other Actions of hers could suspect this Fraud How happened her own Lovers had not discover'd her or her Incontinent Life How could she pass through Priesthood and other Ecclesiastical Orders How by so many under Offices and Degrees as they must before they come to be Popes without descrying 35. And finally not to stand upon more Improbabilities either this Pope Joan was young or old when she was chosen If she were young that was against the Custom to choose young Popes as may appear by the great number of Popes that lived in that Dignity above the number of Emperours that succeeded often in their Youth besides it is a most unlikely thing that the whole Roman Clergy would choose a Pope without a Beard especially a Stranger But if she were old when she was chosen then how did she bear a Child publicly in Procession as our Heretics affirm How did they not discern her to be a Woman or an Eunuch seeing she had no Beard in her Old Age. 36. Again how could she be nine months with Child in that place without being discovered or suspected by some How durst she go forth in public Procession when she knew her self to be so near her time How is she said to have gone from the Palace of St. Peter to St. John Lateran whereas the Popes lay not then in the Vatican at St. Peters but at St. John Lateran it self Finally there are so many fond Improbabilities and moral Impossibilities in this Tale especially being joyned with the grave Testimonies of so many ancient Authors and Historiographers as before we have recited to the contrary as no man of any mean judgment discretion or common sense will give credit thereto but will easily see the vanity of so ridiculous a Fiction Wherefore this shall suffice for the Confutation of this Heretical Fable tho' as before hath been shewed if it were or had been true yet no prejudice could come to Us thereby that hold No Woman good or bad can be Head of our Church CHAP. VI. The Narration of English Ecclesiastical Affairs during this fourth station or distinction of Time is continued and the Absurdities of John Fox are discovered WHerefore now we shall return to follow the Thread of John Fox's Story again And whereas you asked me before What indeed the poor Fellow performeth in this his Third Book I now will answer as then I began to say That in very deed he meerly trifleth out the time handling noting of that he should have done of the orderly Descent Race or Course of the Church but telling us impertinent and trivial matters and for the most part not Ecclesiastical but Temporal to be found in every Chronicler to wit certain scraps of the Lives of our English Kings from King Egbert Ethelwolf Ethelbald Ethelred Alured and the rest unto King Edward the Confessor and so to William the Conqueror censuring every Prince when he speaketh of spiritual matters for their belief actions and doings in Religion As for Example reprehending them for that they builded so many Monasteries and much more for that so many of them and their Children entred to be Monks and Nuns that they gave so much Lands Livings and Privileges to Abbeys and Churches and for that they went on Pilgrimages offered Alms for their Sins ordained Masses to be said for them when they were dead that they believed so easily Miracles went to Shrift humbled themselves to Priests and other such-like Religious Actions which do greatly displease Fox 2. And to shew you some few Examples he beginneth first with Ethelwolf Son to King Egbert misliking a certain Donation of Lands which he gave to the Church in his time for Alms to pacifie as he saith God's wrath thereby the sooner for diverting the cruel Persecution and Inundation of the Danes which had begun in his Father King Egbert's time and endured still to the utter Desolation of the Land. His words are these Post multiplices tribulationes ad affligendum usque ad internecionem Ego Ethelwolfus Rex c. After many Tribulations afflicting us even to death I king Ethelwolf together with the Council of my Bishops and Princes have taken this wholsom and agreeable resolution to give some Portion of the Land of my Inheritance unto God and the B. Virgin Mary and to all the rest of his Saints to be possessed by them for ever c. to the end that they may pour out Prayers for us to God so much the more diligently c. 3. Thus far John Fox tho' William of Malmsbury doth relate the same far differently and much more largely telling what Bishops were present at the making of this Chart to wit Alstane Bishop of Shirbourn afterward translated to Salisbury and Swithin Bishop of Winchester and what Psalms and Masses were appointed by the said Bishops for the King in respect of these Alms and the like All which do greatly displease John Fox but help him nothing at all but disgraceth rather his new Church this happening in the year of Christ 844. 4. The like Donation doth Fox recite out of William of Malmsbury made by Ethelbald King of the Mercians some years before to wit about the year of Christ 740 where he saith Ego Ethelbaldus Merciorum Rex pro amore Coelestis Patriae c. I Ethelbald King of the Mercians for the love I have to my Heavenly Country and for the health of my Soul have thought good to study how by good works I may free the same from the chains of sin Wherefore seeing Almighty God for his Mercy and Clemency without any precedent Merit of mine hath given me my Crown of this Government I do willingly out of that which he hath given me restore to him again by way of Alms that which followeth c. 5. Thus far that good King which greatly also misliketh John Fox And he saith in particular that two things do much offend him in these Donations to Churches and Monasteries The first That they should erect these Monasteries of Monks Nuns saith he to live solely and singly by themselves out of the holy state of Matrimony And secondly That unto this their Zeal and Devotion was not joyned the knowledge of Christ's Gospel especially in the Article of our free Justification by the Faith of Jesus Christ 6. Lo here what two quarrels our Fox hath pick'd out against these ancient Christians The first That so many did profess the holy State of Virginity and Continency The other That by doing so many good works they lacked the knowledge of the Protestants Gospel which justifieth by Faith only without good works But they might answer with St. James Thou hast Faith and I have Works shew me thy Faith without Works and I