The first Consideration.

CONCERNING the wordes Catholicke and Hereticke these being great wordes, they do admit a two­fold About the words Catholick and Here­tick, and that they can neuer agree. signification: the first is generall, and naturall; the second more speciall, and Ecclesiasticall.

6. Touching the generall & naturall acception of the wordes, they import as much as vniuersall, or whole, or choice, or chooser: and howsoeuer vpon the first view, and superficiall insight they appeare not to be so greatly opposite and contrary the one to the other, but that in diuers respects they may agree, and stand togeather, (for that both the thing which is whole, or vniuersall may be chosen, and that which is chosen by election, may in some sense be whole, or vniuersall:) yet in the speciall, and Ecclesiasticall appropriation of these words inuented by the holy Ghost, and retayned and brought into Eccle­siasticall vse and Canon by the Christian Church, there is such an extreme opposition, and irreconciliable hostility, in respect of their contrary natures and effects, as that no­thing amongst Christian men can be more opposite, and contradictory, no not light & darknes, heauen and hell, Gen. 21. 9. 14. vertue and vice, saluation and damnation, God and Be­liall. For as Isaac and Ismael, the sonne of the bond-wo­man, The im­placable hostility betweene heresie & Catholick religion. and the heire of promise could not dwell togeather in one house: as Iacob and Esau could not agree togea­ther in one wombe, but contended togeather, wherupon Rebecca complayned and expostulated with God: If the matter be euen so, why am I conceaued? In one word (to shut vp all in a word) as the flesh and the spirit conti­nually Gen. 26. 22 [Page 5] iarre, and are at difference in one and the same man: Euen so the Catholicke and the Heretick as another Isaac and Ismael, as another Esau and Iacob, as the flesh and the spirit, they can neuer dwell togeather in Gods house, they can neuer agree togeather in one wombe, the wombe of the Church: one of them must be cast out of the dore of the Church, the one of them must of necessity serue the other: so impossible it is that two so contrary the one to the other, should stand togeather, such is the implacable hostility and extreme opposition betwixt them.

7. When Abraham the Father of the faithfull (for so the Scriptures style him) perceaued that a breach might hap­pily fall out betwixt him, and his nephew Lot, vpon a dissention already begunne betwixt their heards-men, he calleth vnto him, consulteth the case, treateth, and in­treateth with him, and to perswade him to vnitie, vseth Gen. 13. 9. [...] this motiue, of all the most perswasiue: Let there be no dissention betwixt me, and thee, betwixt my heards-men and thy heards-men, for we are brethren &c. But it fareth not thus betwixt the Catholicke and the Hereticke, no vnion can be made, no communion had, no condition of peace to be treated and offered betwixt them. And if you will haue the reason of this, they are no brethren, nay which is more, they cannot be brethren, for the Catho­licke in his spirituall birth hath God for his father, and the Church for his mother, wheras the Hereticke hath an Hethite to his father, and an Amonite to his mother: that is Sathan is his father, and Schisme is his mother: he is a stranger to the couenant, and a meere alien to the hous­hould 4. Regum 9. 18. 19. 22. of faith. And therefore as Ichu first answered Iehoram his messengers, demaunding of peace, Quid vobis est paci? what haue you to do with peace? get you behind me, fol­low me &c. And secondly vnto Iehoram himself, when he came in person to meet him, and demanded, Is it peace, Iehu? what peace? whilest the fornications of thy mother Iezabel, and her witch-crafts are yet in such aboundance? [Page 6] so what peace can the Catholicke make with the Here­ticke, whilest his heresy worse then the sinne of witch­craft, Dogmata noua Dij alieni. and his spirituall fornications in worshipping of false gods, that is, intertaining false opinions in religion and dissonant from Catholicke faith, continue: a terrible Deut. 13. caueat to all temporizers, that will make a linsey-wolsey Vincētius Lyrinensis contra bae­res. c. 15. of all Religion, reconciling Catholicke Religion with Protestants heresy, which is as possible as to vnite things most contrary, and deadly iarring. To these I can giue no other counsaile, then such as Elias gaue to the wor­shippers of Baal, when his fiery zeale would admit no diui­sion betwixt Idolatrous superstition, and Gods most pure and vndefiled Religion. How long will you halt betwixt [...]. Reg. 18. two opinions? if Baal be God, follow him, but if God be God, fol­low him &c. The application is, if hereticall innoua­tion be God his true worship, follow it, but if Ca­tholicke tradition be the only true and soule-sauing reli­gion, then vnder eternall paine & hazard of your soules, resolue, halt no longer betwixt the two, God will either haue all or none, he careth not for a hart, and a hart, a de­uided hart, and the Church will receiue none within her bosome, nor help to saue any with her Sacraments, but such as are her true-borne children, constantly professing her piety, abandoning all kind of schisme & heresy, and securely resting only and truely within her bosome.

8. And although I do not affirme that all Catholickes shall be saued, for that euill life, and matter of fact, may condemne as well as bad beliefe, and matter of faith: yet am I most certaine, and I dare pronounce it, that all here­tickes so liuing, and so dying, shall be damned, agreeing with that so often times reiterated by S. Cyprian: Num­quam perueniet ad praemia Christi, qui relinquit Ecclesiam Christi: De vnita­te Eccles. cap. 5. alienus est, profanus est, hostis est. He shall neuer aspire to hea­uenly glory, that forsaketh the Churches verity, and fal­leth away from Christ by Apostasie: he is a forreyner, he is profane, he is an enemy. And as all perished without the [Page 7] Arke, and were certainely corporally drowned: so assured­ly all without the Arke of the Church, shall eternally be damned, since the Scriptures teach vs, that this Arke was a liuely type of the Church. And as an Hereticke and a Catholicke can neuer be ioyned togeather in heauen: so can neuer the Catholicke and Hereticke, Catholicke Re­ligion and heresie, in any one point be conioyned vpon earth: this is the vniforme, and vnanime (to vse his Ma­iesties word) consent of all orthodoxe, pious, and reli­gious Deuines.

9. The reason of all the foresaid opposition betwixt a right-beleeuing Catholicke, and a misbelieuing Here­ticke, is this: the Catholicke knoweth, nay belieueth it as the ground-worke of his faith, that Christ our Sauiour, hauing left the world in respect of his visible presence continueth inuisible by the immediate assistance of his holy spirit with his Church, which is Domus Dei, & Porta Caeli, the house of God, and the Gate of Heauen, as Iacob Gen. 28. 17 spake of the place of his vision: Columna, & firmamentum veritatis, the piller, and foundation of truth. Vnto this 1. Tim. 3. 15 Church our Sauiour reuealeth all his secrets, that con­cerne her saluation, maketh her of his priuy Counsaile, gouerneth her visibly, first by his owne person, secondly by his Apostles, directeth her inuisibly by his immediate spirit the holy Ghost, and so continueth her vnder visi­ble gouernment, and inuisible direction vnto the worlds generall consummation, leading her into all truth: such was his promise made vnto her, and here is the perfor­mance. And the reason that the Church is thus neare and deare vnto Christ, is this, Corpus est, shee is his body, ac­cording to that of S. Augustine: Totum quod annunciatur de Chri­sto, caput & corpus est: Caput est filius Dei viui vnigenitus, Corpus Ec­clesia Matt. 28. 20. &c. All that can be said, and auerred of Christ is his head, and his body. The head is the onely begotten Sonne of God, the body is his Church, bone of his bone, De vnitate Ecclesiae. and flesh of his flesh: for Christ hath two bodyes, the one [Page 8] natum ex virgine, and therefore naturall, the other redemptum sanguine, and therefore mysticall, and the later was more deare vnto him then the former, for he wholy bestowed his naturall body to redeeme his mysticall body.

10. The Catholicke then knowing this corresponden­cy betwixt Christ and his Church, belieueth all wholy, and without eyther choice or additiō of his owne, which The Ca­tholicke cannot be a chuser but admitteth that which is deliuered. the said Church vniuersally spread ouer the world, doth propose vnto him, as matter of faith to be belieued, con­teyning himselfe within that most sure and infallible pre­scription of Tertullian: Nobis verò nihil ex nostro arbitrio licet in­ducere, sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit. It is not lawfull for vs to innouate at our pleasure, nor yet may I make choyce of that which another man vpon priuate fancy hath added. But as for the Hereticke, non sic ille, non sic, it goeth not so with him: for being an Hereticke, that Psal. 1. 5. is a chooser, he according to his name and nature (because he will not haue his name for nought) maketh choice of what he listeth to belieue, vseth his owne election, siue ad Tertull. de praescript. instituendas siue ad suscipiendas haereses, whether it be to be an authour of Heresy, or a follower, as Tertullian speaketh in the place before cyted: and all this he doth according to his owne iudgment and fancy, ascribing litle, or rather nothing at all to the authority of the Church in any thing that misliketh his owne iudgment: so that in conclusion these two men are most opposite the one to the other.

11. The first cleare knowledg that euer the Church had of this peculiar and Ecclesiasticall appropriation of these two words Catholicke & Hereticke was from the holy Ghost The 1. Ec­clesiasti­call vse of the word Heretick. inspirer of all truth, as hath byn formerly noted: and to beginne first with the last, the very first intimation giuen of that odious and pestiferous appellation of Heresy or Hereticke, was by the Apostles thēselues, as namely S. Paul to the Corinth. There must be heresies, that those who be approued may be manifested amongst you, which manifestation, Tertull. saith is Cor. 11. 1. 9. meant aswel of those, tam qui in persecutionibꝰ steterint, quā quiad [Page 9] haereses exorbitauerint, who haue remained constāt in persecu­tions, as they who haue not declined out of the right path to follow heresies. So he. Secondly the same Apostle in his De prae­script. ad­uers. haer. cap. 4. Epistle to Titus writeth thus: Auoid an Hereticall man after one or two reprehensiōs, knowing that such a one is subuerted, and sinneth, as dāned by his owne proper iudgement. Id non tam infirmitate, ac ignoran­tia, quàm spontanea malitia, & de obstinata industria peccat. For so I Tit. 3. 10. 11. may well expound it, that is, he sinneth not so much of in­firmity and ignorance, as he doth of voluntary malice, and obstinate industry, or els, eligit sibi in quo damnatur, as Ter­tullian giueth the sense, his owne election maketh good his owne dānation. And as S. Paul inueighed thus against He­resy, Iibd. c. 6. & Hereticks, so did S. Peter, as you shall read 2. Pet. 2. branding them for [...], damnable heresies, and the teachers of them, for such as brought vpon them­selues [...], swift damnation: or as it is rendred in another place immediatly following, [...], Ibidem. and their damnation sleepeth not. Can a­ny thing be spoken more terrible to forwarne vs of here­sy and hereticks then this? Excellent therefore is the coun­saile Ibid. v. 31 of Tertullian, wishing vs to auoid an hereticke, post vnam correptionem non post disputationem, adeo interdixit disputatio­nem, De prae­script. c. 16. correptionem designans, causam haeretici conueniendi, & hoc v­nam, scilicet, quia non est christianus: ne more Christiani semel & iterum, & sub duobus aut tribus testibus castigandus videretur: cum ob hoc sit castigandus, propter quod, non sit cum illo disputandum. Af­ter one reprehension, and not after a disputation, for that the Apostle did therefore forbid disputation, because the speaking with an Heretick should be for his reprehensi­on, and this onely once, because he is no Christian: least af­ter the manner of a Christian, he should seeme to be chasti­sed once and againe and that by two or three witnesses: when for this cause he is to be chastised, because there is no disputation to be had with such a one.

12. And although the word Heresy be vsed two or three times in the Actes of the Apostles, where the sectes of the Act. 5. 17. 15. 5. 24. 14. [Page 10] Scribes and Pharisies be called Heresies, and though S. Paul himselfe (speaking out of the opinion of the Iewes) most willingly vndergoeth the imputation where Chri­stian Religion was branded with the termes of Sect or Heresy: yet was not the word taken in such a heynous signification here in these places, as in the other places of the Apostles before mentioned, for that of no kind of sin, or sinner, did they euer pronounce so grieuous a sentence, as namely that he was to be fled from, as subuerted and damned by his owne iudgment; that they brought in dā ­nable Heresies, that they brought vpon themselues swift damnation; and that their damnation slept not, which they feared not to pronounce, nay they bouldly pro­nounced of an hereticall man, they bring vpon themselues swift damnation. Here is nothing but damnation, and all to giue vs a terrible admonition to beware them and auoid them. And thus much I thought good to say of this dreadfull name, for stirring vp my former brethren of the Ministry to beware therof, but much more to decline the cause and occasion of the same.

13. As for the word Catholick, it came from heauen, and was first reuealed from the holy Ghost by the mouth of Concer­ning the word Ca­tholicke how emi­nent it is. all the Apostles in their common Creed. For being as­sembled togeather to compose a perfect platforme of true and sauing-beliefe, and to keepe out Heresy, whilest they dispersed themselues abroad to sow the sacred seed of Euā ­gelicall verity, they being at this time, and for this pur­pose assembled, and their tongues being the pennes of a ready writer, when they came vnto that article which concer­ned the Church, they by the instinct of the neuer-erring spirit laid downe the forme thus: Credo in Spiritum San­ctum, Sanctā Ecclesiam Catholicam: I beleeue in the holy Ghost the holy Catholicke Church, where they did not thinke it sufficiēt to say they belieued the holy Christiā Church, but they thought the word Catholicke to be more eminent, significant, and effectuall for the purpose. Neither could [Page 11] this be done without the singuler care, prouidēce & wis­dome of that all-seing spirit that vndoubtedly inspired thē De prae­script. cap. 4. 5. 6. &c. & guided thē. For as Tertull. obserueth that S. Paul forseeing that heresies would afterwardes spring vp in the Church, as the weedes vsually do amongst the purest and rankest corne, foretold and forewarned them to come, yea poin­teth out, as it were with the finger to some heresies par­ticulerly: euen so the Apostles foreseeing that all heresies were to shroud themselues vnder the names of Christian Churches, Assemblies, and Congregations, they thought it most conuenient for preseruation of vnity and verity, to set this remarkable stamp of Catholick vpon the Church for the more manifest conuincing and detecting of all he­resy: which badge or cognisance being once set vpon the sleeue of the Church, impossible it was that any Here­ticke that euer was, is, or hereafter shall be, can euer fa­sten vpon this title. And since it is more then apparant that the genuine description of Catholicke requireth more particulers and more easie to be discouered, then doth the name of Christian in generall: most pertinent, if not ne­cessary, is the imposition of this name vpon Christes Church for the better excluding and keeping forth of all hereticall and particuler Sectaries whatsoeuer.

14. From these two fountaines then of sacred Scrip­ture and common Creed, originally flowed the know­ledge and vse of these two wordes of Catholick and Heretick, both of them came from heauen, both were particulerly inspired by the holy Ghost, & breathed into the Church, for her better preseruation, as hath beene formerly noted: the very consideration wherof, ought effectually to moue vs to make great esteeme of their knowledg, to intertaine them as we ought, and that is, highly to reuerence, and sincerely to affect the one, since out of the confines of this, there can be no saluation, as also to detest and fly from the other, as from a serpent: yea as from Sathan that first se­ducing serpēt, since this bringeth with it assured dānation.

[Page 12] 15. For these and the same causes, the Ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church (so much commended by his The Fa­thers iudgments a­bout the words He­retick & Catholick Maiesty as that he referreth himselfe in matter of Religiō to their decision) as soone as euer these wordes, and their mysteries were reuealed in the Church, least in time they should be buried in obliuion, did presently with their pennes aduance the most high commendations of the one, as the only ordinary high way to euerlasting saluation; as also by many detestations and execrations depresse the other, as the very path to eternall perdition.

16. Amongst which Worthies and famous Pillars of the Church, the ancient Father Pacianus (so highly com­mēded by S. Hier. for his holines aboue 1200. yeares agone) wrote a learned Epistle to one Sempronianus a Nouatian He­reticke, of the excellency of this name Catholicke, for that In Catal. Virorum illust. those heretickes (as ours also of this day do) made very little accompt of this Name. But the holy Father descri­beth at large how necessary it was for the holy Ghost to leaue vnto vs this Name, or rather Syr-name, for distin­guishing all faithfull Christians from misbelieuers: his wordes are very effectuall for this purpose. Ego sortè ingres­sus populosam Vrbem hodie (saith he) cùm Marcionitas &c. I be­chance entring this day into a populous Citty, and fin­ding there some called Marcionites, some Apollinarians, some Cataphrigians, some Nouatians, and others of like Sectes, all calling themselues Christians, I did not know by what Syr-name I should find cut the Congregation of my people, except by the name of Catholickes. So he. And then pro­ceeding further: Certè non ab homine mutuat [...]m est, quod per Pacian. E­pist. ad Sempr. tantae saecula non cecidit: Certainely this Name was neuer taken, or borrowed of man, that hath not fallen or decai­ed for so many ages. And then he alleageth the authority of Catholick antiquity and vniuersall Church, & namely the authority of S. Cyprian in particuler, for the vse of that name, against all heresies whatsoeuer, concluding thus Quaere ab haeretico nomine noster populus hac appellatione diuiditur, [Page 13] cùm Catholicus nuncupatur &c. Wherfore our people is distin­guished by this appellation, from all hereticall names, when it is called Catholicke: and yet further he saith: Chri­stianus mihi nomen est, Catholicus verò cognemen: me illud nuncupat, istud ostendit, hoc prober, illo significor. Christian is my name, but Catholicke is my Syrname: the first doth name me onely, the second doth point me out: by the name of Christian I am fignified only, but by the Syrname of Ca­tholicke, I am tried and examined, whether I be a Chri­stion or no. So he.

17. This was that high accompt and esteeme, wherein that ancient Father of the Primitiue Church, S. Pacianus, held the word Catholicke, after that the Christian Church had appropriated & assumed this distinctiue appellation, setting it as a most certaine badge, or cognisance, vpon the breast of the Church in generall, and vpon the sleeue of euery member of this Church in particuler: and the reason reassumed in the Conclusion, is in effect this: Ap­pellatio Catholici congregat homogenia, diss [...]pat heterogenia, that is in plaine termes, this name Catholicke maketh a coniun­ction vniting her owne, and it noteth a disiunction, se­parating all Sectaries from her society. And here is the wisdome of Salamon, euen the wisdome of Almighty God 3. Reg. 3. 15. 19. discerning betwixt the true mother and the false: this is the true & naturall mother of euery child of the Church, she will admit no diuision of her child, she will haue all or none, for Catholicke is her name. But to leaue S. Pa­cianus, and to passe to others, since that the Scripture re­quireth that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, eue­ry Matt. 18. 1 [...] 2. Cor. 13. thing should be established, where we may note by the way, that if the testimony of two or three ordinary wit­nesses may stint the strife in matter of controuersy, and tend to reconciliation in foro saeculi: how much more then, the vniforme consent of extraordinary witnesses, witnes­sing iudges, and iudging witnesses, greater then all ex­ception, ought to compromise, and finally decide the que­stion [Page 14] now in hand in foro Caeli, in foro Ecclesiae?

18. These witnesses consenting with Pacianus in the premised point of Catholicke, were all the ancient Fathers, which liued eyther before, or after him in the Centuries of Christian religion, within the vnity, and bosome of their mother the Catholicke Church: as namely before him S. Cyprian, whome he expresly mentioneth, and be­fore him againe old Tertullian, one of the most ancient Fa­thers of the Latin Church, whome S. Cyprian the martyr so highly reuerenced, and when he would read him, he De prae­script. c. 26. pointed him out thus, Da mihi Magistrum. And after these two, S. Augustine, who ascribed so much (and that as he thought worthily) vnto this name Catholicke, as that he feareth not to say, that it was one speciall motiue, both to draw him to it, and to hold him in the visible vniuersall Church of his daies. Neyther doth this great Doctor barely affirme it vpon his word and credit (which had beene sufficient for vs to haue belieued the same) but he yeeldeth a substantiall rea­son therof in the wordes following: Quod non sine causa in­ter tam varias haereses, ista Ecclesia sola obtinuit, which very name Aug. lib. cōtra Fun­dament. in Epist. c. 4. of Catholicke not without cause, this only Church hath ob­teined among so many heresies as haue sprong vp. Againe, the same Father positiuely, and boldly affirmeth in ano­ther place, that the word Catholicke was so appropriate to this Church (euer since the Apostles in their Creed gaue that Name vnto it) as that no Conuenticle of Heretickes whatsoeuer, could once fasten vpon the Name them­selues, or procure the same to be giuen vnto thē by others. And hereupon he concludeth, that the very possession of the Name, and common opinion of men, was a sufficient cōuincing proofe against all Aduersaries, that this Church was the true Catholicke Church indeed.

19. Hitherto S. Augustine. Now if we descend lower to succeding ages of the Church, I meane vnto those Fa­thers that liued after S. Augustine his time, we shall find such harmony in vnity, such vniforme consent in iudge­ment, [Page 15] touching the true explication of this name Catholick, as also the very right explication of that vnto the visible v­niuersall Church of their daies, that we must hence ne­cessarily inferre, that one spirit breathed in all, one & the same spirit directed all. And here I might produce a whole cloud of witnesses (to speake in the phrase of the Apostle) as namely S. Damascen Oecumenius, Theophilact, for the greeke; Hebr. 12. 1. P [...]lgentius, S. Gregory the great, S. Beda for the latin. But for that I will not be prolixe, and because I hasten to my second Consideration which is the very maine Conclusiō of all my whole discourse hitherunto, I will knit vp all with that goulden admonition of Vincentius Lyrinensis, an Lib. aduers. haeres. c. 5. Author which who so readeth, and belieueth, it is impossi­ble, if he will professe any religion, that he should be ought els but a Roman Catholicke: well his wordes are these: The coū ­sell & di­rection of Vincenti­us Lyri­nensis a­bout be­ing a Ca­tholicke. Let vs hould that (saith he) which hath bene belieued generally of all, for that this is truly and properly Catholicke, as the very nature, & signification of the name doth import. And then for further expli­cation he giueth a threefold prescription for a more sure, and infallible direction, and this is vniuersality, Antiqui­ty, and Consent, all which he must, as time and occasion serueth adhere vnto, that will be accompted truly Catho­licke. And yet in the beginning of his fourth Chapter he illustrates the first Prescription of Vniuersality, most pertinent for our purpose at this time by way of supposi­tion and question, moued and answered. His wordes are these: VVhat then shall a Catholick Christian doe, if any parcell of the Church shall cut it selfe of from communion of the vniuersall faith? This is the questiō moued: the answere followeth: VVhat els (for­sooth) should he doe, but that he preferre the health of the whole body, before any one pestilent, and corrupted member thereof?

20. And hereupon I began to enter into a serious Cō ­sideration, and a seuere examination of my owne Con­science in a secret recollected, and most retired conference betwixt God and my owne soule, touching matters of religion, as they shall eyther doome me, or saue me at [Page 16] the last day. First I considered, yea and seriously within my owne hart debated, demaunding of my selfe, whether the Protestants Church and doctrine (wherof I then was a reall and formall member, and Professor) had not cut it selfe of, yea departed, and separated it selfe from the vni­on and communion of the vniuersall faith, and from the sauing and conuerting Ghospell of Christ his Kingdome, which was first to be preached to all Nations, as Christ Matt. 24. 14. promised, that it should come to passe before the worldes great destruction, and generall consummation. This was my first demaund, and the answere returned vnto me by the Catholicke Church of ancient Fathers vpon view of The Con­sideration and con­sultation of the wri­ter about his chang in religiō. their doctrine, and comparing it &c. nay by the spirit of God, since it was promised to be the guider and directour of his Church; I say, the answere returned, was, that the Protestants Church & doctrine had abandoned both Ca­tholick name & Catholick faith, and therefore as beames cut of from the sunne, as boughes violently broken of frō the tree, and streames and channels parted, and separated from their originall fountaine, as S. Cyprian speaketh, they De vnit. Eccles. were to perish, vanish, and come to naught. And now what course remained for me to take, if I regarded at all the welfare of my soule, but to follow the sage & weigh­ty counsaile of my foresaid authour Vincentius Lyrinensis (my Authour indeed being the only meanes next vnder God of my Conuersion from heresy to Catholicke Religion) and that is, to prefer the health and welfare of the whole body before any one pestered and infested member therof. His meaning in plainer termes is, that in time of Schisme and Heresy, or in particuler Countries Apostacy from the Catholicke Christian faith and religion, euery Catho­licke Christian that is already in the Church, must hoo­uer vnder the winges of the Church, by retyring into her lap and bosome, in time of any danger. And he that is an Hereticke, and of an hereticall Congregation, and conse­quently forth of the Church, must endeauour by all means [Page 17] possible to become a Catholicke by returning againe vn­to the Communion of Catholick Religion, out of which it is impossible there should be any saluation.

21. This first Consideration I enlarged yet further, ex­tending it by a second supposition, to witt, if the Pro­testants Church and doctrine be Catholicke indeed (as they would beare the world in hand it is:) then it hath bene generally reaceaued of Christians ouer all Christen­dome in that sense, as it is now in opposition against the Roman Church: then the Protestants can produce visible Churches of theirs, that haue bene extant from the Apo­stles time downwards hitherto, that haue held the selfe same points of doctrine, the selfe same number of Sacra­ments, & other such differences as now Protestant Chur­ches haue in them from the Roman: thē according to that most sure prescription of Tertullian, they can Edere origines De prae­script. cap. 32. Ecclesiarum suarum, euoluere ordinem Episcoporum suorum, De­clare the beginnings of their Church, they can turne ouer and bring forth an orderly succession of Bishops running on (as he saith) from the very beginning, and continu­ing What is required to prooue the Prote­stant Church Catholick without any interruption to the Apostles tyme: then can they proue that the first Bishop that held these diffe­rences, was instituted and ordayned by some Apostle, or Apostolicall man; for so (saith Tertullian) could the Church of the Smyrneans proue their succession of Bishops from S. Policarpus, ordayned by S. Iohn, and the Church of Rome proue from S. Clement, placed by S. Peters in one word, Ibid. c. 32. then, according to another prescription of Tertullian, can Lib. de praescript. cap. 21. 22. they proue that the doctrine of their Church as now it standeth in contradiction with ours, conspireth with the doctrine of the originall, Apostolicall, and mother Chur­ches, and that they hold that very doctrine which the Church receiued from the Apostles, the Apostles from Christ, and Christ from God, and that the same hath cō ­tinued by neuer interrupted succession from that time to this of theirs. These things if they shall euer be able soūd­ly [Page 18] and substantially to proue on their part: then shall I ac­knowledg, that they, and their Religion are Catholicke in­deed, and that out of their Church there is no saluation.

22. But if these things haue bene by them attempted, and could neuer yet be proued by them: nay if their affir­matiue haue bene disproued by a negatiue in all the fore­named notes, markes, prescriptions of the Church, and against Hereticks, as is already too apparently knowne to the whole Christian world; then let them at the last vpon so manifest a conuiction, ingenuously confesse, that the denomination of Hereticke, rather then the appellation of Catholuke, doth properly apertaine vnto them.

23. And albeit I cannot but vnderstand, that the He­reticks of ancient times, and all moderne Sectaries in these our vnhappy dayes both in Germany, France, Holland, Scot­land, and England, doe ambitiously affect this renowned name of Catholick, to haue it giuen vnto their hereticall Cō ­gregations: nay, which is more, howsoeuer they do frau­dulently sometimes cloath themselues in sheepe skinnes, when surreptitiously they inuest thēselues with this high title, & supreame dignity of a Catholick though in points of doctrine amongst themselues they be neuer so much oppo­site the one to the other, ech condemning other for He­reticks, nay damning themselues amongst themselues, and that to the pit of hell: Yet notwithstanding let the Catholick but pursue them, and arrest them of sacrilegi­ous Church-theft, for stealing this title, they dare not stand to try the issue before the Tribunall of the Church, but presently, as guilty, they fly away, renouncing their stolne tytle, and so it returneth to the right owner. And is it any meruaile, that, maugre their heades, they are inforced to this restitution, when they are at such opposition amongst themselues, as is formerly noted? which very opposition it selfe, setting all other arguments of the Catholick a part, doth euidently shew, and demonstratiuely conuince vnto their faces, that they cannot be Catholicks indeed, because [Page 19] Catholicum vbique vnum, as the foresaid Father Pacianus no­teth, that is Catholicke in Christian Religion, which is De vnit. Eccles. euery where one and the selfe same. For as Christs seame­lesse coat was whole, intyre, and vndeuided (it is S. Cy­prian his comparison, and it is well worthy our obserua­tion) euen so must the spouse, and Church of Christ fi­gured by this coate, be whole, intyre, vndeuided, and one in it selfe, and thereupon saith S. Syprian: Possidere non potest indumentum Christi, qui scindit, et diuidit Ecclesiam Christi: He can Cyprian. de vnit. Eccles. neuer possesse the coate of Christ who renteth and teareth the Church of Christ.

24. But alas, Catholicke Communion, and Catho­licke Vnion cannot be found, much lesse verified in, and of Protestant religion: not only in those old imagined times & ages of their supposed Primitiue Church, which they ridiculously, and impudently contra scientiam, contrae conscientiam, do challenge vnto themselues: but neither in these very ages wherin they haue peeped out of Chymeri­an, nay out of Infernall darknes, and bene knowne to the world by the names of Protestants, Lutherans, Caluinists, and the like: I say, not in these times can they shew Vbi (que) v­num amongst themselues in mayne and many articles of Christian beliefe. And this I can partly speake vpon my owne experience had amongst them for many yeares, during which time I could neuer yet (God I take to witnes as righteous Iudg) find any two of thē agreeing togeather in all points of faith, and partly I can proue yt by infinite bookes written by themselues, wherin they fall togeather by the eares, discouer their owne shame vpon their owne skirts, Ephraim against Manasses, & Manasses against Ephraim, & both against Iudah, that is, Lutherans against Caluinists & Cal­uinists against Lutherans, & yet both like Simeon & Leui, Fra­tres in malo, in the euill of Schisme and Heresy, they can ioyne handes and conspire against Catholicks and Catholick verity. And this conuinced my vnderstanding that Pro­testants could not be Catholicks, and therfore I passed to [Page 20] the other syde, where I found indeed vbt (que) vnum, euery where one, in all points of their beliefe throughout the world, togeather with that vniuersality, antiquity, con­sent, and succession, which the foresaid Vincentius Lyrinen­sis that good old Monke & Professour of Euangelical Coū ­sailes of perfection, that liued in S. Augustine his time, set­teth downe in the name of the whole Catholicke Church in his time, as the certaine signes, markes, and tokens of the true Catholick Church indeed. And this much shall suffice for this first Consideration, about the wordes Ca­tholicke and Hereticke. Let vs passe vnto the second.

The second Consideration.

YF the changing of Abraham his name from Abram into Of the dreadfull misery, of being an Here­ticke. Abraham was full of mysticall consolation, because it confirmed him in the promyse of the Messias, and for that he should be the father of many nations, Genes. 17 5. if Iacob his name being turned into Israel, was fraught with com­fort, and that for these two especiall reasons, first because he had preuailed with God, & secondly because he should preuaile against men, Genes 32. 28. O then how com­fortable, and how amiable, how full of solace & heauenly delight ought this glorious, & through the whol Christiā world renowned name of Catholicke to be vnto vs, since it confirmeth vs, nay assureth, and sealeth vnto vs all Gods promises made vnto the Church: it is the Father of many nations comprehending all true beleeuing Christians within the lap, and bosome of the Church: it preuaileth with God, procuring his heauēly benediction, and neuer departing without a blessing, and it preuaileth against men, distinguishing betwixt wolues and sheepe, separa­ting all false worshippers from the true belieuers.

26. And now as this Name of Catholick began to be vnto me most amiable, and comfortable, conteyning in it so [Page 21] many priuiledges and prerogatiues, and being so highly reputed, esteemed and commended by all sacred Antiqui­ty, euen from the Apostles dayes downwards vnto our times though Sempronianus the Nouatian Heretick obiected to the forenamed Father Pacianus, as the Hereticks do to vs in these dayes, that sub Apostois nemo Catholicus vocabatur, no man was called Catholicke vnder the Apostles: so on the Apud Pa­cian. Epist. 1. other side, comparing contraries together, quae iuxta seinui­cem posita magis illucescunt, which being opposit, are the clea­rer reuealed: I considered with all possible attention, that the Name of Hereticke was most dreadfull aboue all other names vpō the earth, as before I haue noted at large. And therfore if euer there were a Cham accursed of his Father, as you shall read there was, Genes. 9. 25. then the Hereticke is this Cham, accursed of God the Father, and anathemati­zed of the Church his mother. This is Benoni that sonne of the mothers sorrow, as Rachael pronounced of Beniamin, the byrth of this sonne would be the death of his mother, he Gen. 35. 18. came from her wombe, but he will not abide in her bo­some: agreeing with that of the Apostle, Prodierunt ex nobis, Ioan. 1. 2. 1 [...] sed non erant ex nobis: nam si fuissent ex nobis, permansissent nobiscum. Sed vt manifesti sint quod non sunt omnes ex nobis. They wēt forth from vs, but they were not of vs: for if they had beene of vs, they would haue remayned with vs. But here by they are manifested not to be all of vs. And therfore to ex­presse, if it be possible, in a word, the horror of this Name, as the childrē of the prophets cried vnto Elizcus the prophet after they had tasted the potage, Mors in olla, vir Dei, mors in olla, death is in the pot, o man of God, death is in the pot: Euē so may I more iustly take vp this cōplaint, & cry out vn­to euery man of God, that is a true mēber of the Catholick Church, & that against all Heresy, & the very name Here­tick, Mors in nomine, Mors in nomine, there is nothing but death & destruction, desolation & dānation in this very Name.

27. And heere we shall be inforced, as it were to pon­der vpon this point somewhat more at large, and to ex­tend [Page 22] the bondes of this ensuing Consideration, especially for so much as concerning vs so neare, as it doth, this mat­ter cannot be but worthy of our weightiest ponderation: and the rather will we the more deliberately consider of this point, for so much as we heare on the one side the ter­rible horrour of the said Name, and on the other side we see the common, and to much vsed familiaryty therof in these our vnhappy tymes, later, and worser dayes, which are so replenished with all kind of Sects and Sectaries, as that each one commonly calleth the other Hereticke, and that with as great facility, and with as litle regard, as if the accustomable practice of calling Hereticke, had taken a­way the true sense, and reall feeling of an Hereticke: or as though he called him good fellow, or witty inuentor of new opinions, which amongst the Sectaries of our age is rather reputed for a pleasant iest, and ingenious cōmen­dation, then for that which in sober sadnes (setting all Atheisticall scoffing and iesting in matters of such momēt a part) it is, to wit, a terrible accusation and dreadfull charge of a most high and Capitall crime, committed a­gainst God, his Church, his Sauiour, and all to the de­struction of his owne soule.

28. But alas, who doth not now adaies delight, and esteeme himselfe the more for his sharpnes of wit, & sub­tile ingeny, for inuenting, finding out, deuising, framing new positions, new translations, new interpretations, and that coyned & stamped in the shop of his own braine, therby of set purpose to impugne, and of desperate malice to withstand some Catholick points of ancient Churches doctrine. And if you tell him that he must keep him to the traditiō of the Church, deliuer that to the sonnes of the Church which he hath vniformly receiued frō the Fathers of the Church, that he must not remoue ancient bands in matters of beliefe for feare of a curse, that he must reddere depositum, as S. Paul chargeth Timothy, and that with a ve­hement 1. Tim. 6. 20. asseueration: and what is that reddere depositū? that [Page 23] is, as Vincentius Lyrinensis excellently expounds it, Quod tibi creditum est, non quod à te inuentum: quod accepisti, non quod exco­gitasti: 27. Cap. Cōmenit. aduers. hae­reses. rem non ingenij, sed doctrinae: non vsurpationis priuatae, sed pu­blicae traditionis: rem ad te perductam, non a te prolatam: in qua non author esse debes, sed custos: non institutor, sed sectator: non ducens, sed sequens: that which is committed vnto thee, not any thing inuented of thee: that which thou hast receaued, not deuised: a matter of doctrine, not of wit: not of priuat vsurpation, but of publicke tradition: a matter brought vn­to thee, not brought forth of thee: wherin thou must be no author, but a keeper: no maister, but a scholler: no gui­der, but a follower. Lastly, tell him that he must content Vincent. in praf. himselfe with being a relator only, not presuming to be an author, otherwise his position will proue innouation, priuate inuention, erroneous election, and consequently heresy: I say, tell him all this, and what more you can de­uise, and he will laugh at you for your simplicity, in go­ing about to terrify him with such buggs, and in tying his spirit to any rule of Church-authority, since the wind bloweth where it listeth &c. which he fanatically ap­plieth vnto his spirit, presuming it to be inspired from aboue. And with that spirit (if you will belieue him vp­on his bare word) is he so inspired, that he needeth no o­ther direction, no further instruction. And this is all the Iohn, 3. 8. accompt that he maketh of being a Catholicke, or a choo­sing Hereticke. But reflecting vpon the other syde of the Roman Religion, which may truely and only be called Catholicke, I experimentally found another kind of rec­koning made of both these wordes Catholicke and Hereticke, most highly esteeming the one (as hath bene formerly spo­ken) and fearfully declining the other, as the origen and ofspring of all calamity.

26. And first I found in the common doctrine of their Schooles, they assigning Heresy for one of the three species, D. Thom. 2. 2. quaest. 10. art. 6. or members of infidelity, opposite to Christian Religion, they hould it to be the worst, & most heinous of all three, [Page 24] in respect of the extreame and desperate malice therof: to wit, that it is in a degree of euill and sinne, worse, and more damnable then either Paganisme or Iudaisme, not for that all heresie denyeth more parts of Christian do­ctrine, then do the Pagans or Iewes (for in this the Pagan Heresy is worse thē Iudaisme or Paganis me. sinneth more then a Iew, and a Iew commonly more then an Hereticke:) but because they do corrupt and impugne the Catholicke Christian faith, which once they recei­ued, and from which they are now wilfully departed, which implieth more malice then can be ascribed to ey­ther Iew or Gentile, that neuer receyued the same: In which respect their sinne and damnatiō is more grieuous, say Catholicke Doctors, then is eyther of the other two. Wherupon is inferred by S. Thomas, and it is the common opinion, that an Hereticke is in worse state then a Iew, or Gentile, for the life to come.

30. Againe, for further aggrauation and exaggeration of the horror of this Name, and loud-crying sinne therby signified, the Catholicke Deuines in a more particuler ex­plication do constantly, and with vniforme consent a­uerre, that an Hereticke discrediting, or not belieuing as he should, any one article of the Catholicke faith, doth loose his whole faith and habit thereof in all the rest. And the reason herof is assigned by the Schoole Doctors, for that the chiefe motiue or formall reason, why a man doth Ratio for­malis cre­d [...]di. belieue any thing in Christian Religion is, because it is reuealed by God, and propounded by the Church: with­out which Churches propounding and approuing, no­thing can be securely belieued. And therefore when an Hereticke in any one article discrediteth, and detracteth from the authority of this Church (which is necessary, and primary condition in beliefe) denying it thereby to be an infallible rule of beliefe in this one article, he deni­eth the same in all the rest. As for example, if a man should aske a Protestant, why he belieueth the Scriptures, and S. Matthews Gospell to be S. Matthews Gospell? he can an­swere [Page 25] no otherwise, but that God hath reuealed the same vnto vs by the Church, which propoundeth these books for Scripture. Here then the proposition of the Church appertaineth to the formall reason or cause of beliefe, as Deuynes doe tearme it, which if once it be denyed or dis­credited in any one article, as the Protestants do, when we alledge it against them for Purgatory, Prayer for the dead, Sacrifice, inuocation of Saints, and the like: then can it not hold in the former about Scriptures, or any o­ther An here­ticke hath no diuine faith at all and why. article, and consequently Hereticks haue no diuyne faith at all about Scripture, or any other article, but are meere Infidels in all; and consequently shalbe damned (say they) not only as chusing Heretickes beleeuing one thing and reiecting the other, but as vnbelieuing Infidells de­uoid of all faith. Which seemed to me to be a very terrible commination and fearfull distriction: and yet did I see it substantially grounded, and so orderly deduced, as that I must ingenuously confesse, it so conuinced my vnder­standing, and informed my iudgment, that I could not do otherwise then giue my full consent vnto it. Nor did I possibly see how the same might be any way denyed, or probably with any colour of reason impugned. And was there not cause now that I should looke about me, examin the groundes whereupon I stood, seriously debate with my selfe of my late resolution, and change made in reli­gion, weighing & pondering all things with mature de­liberation, and serious meditation?

31. Wherefore retyring my selfe to the sacred Scriptures, and blessed Fathers (which according to Vincentius directi­on, I had euer resolued vpon, for the infallible rule, and Canon of my faith,) to see what they said in this matter, since that other foundation thē this can no man lay: I foūd the same seuerity in their assertions & iudgments, which argued that the Schoole Doctors had originally drawne the matters of their doctrine frō the most pure fountaine.

32. And first I found that the said Heretickes and here­sies [Page 62] were foretould and prophesied of by Christ and his Apostles in the Scriptures of God, as namely that they should enter into the Church immediatly after Christs time, and his Apostles, and so, that they should continue from time to time, as Matth. 24. 5. Ioan. 5. 44. 1. Cor. 11. 19. 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. 3. 2. Tim. 2. 17. 18. 2. Pet. 1. 2. 1. Ioan. 2. 18. 19. and else-where throughout the whole volume of Gods booke: All which as large Commentaries discouer vnto vs the nature, and condition of Heresies and Here­tickes. But I will confine my selfe within shorter & strai­ter bounds, and at this time I will especially ponder vpon these three ensuing places, namely Matth. 7. 15. 16. 3. [...]it. 10. and 11. the Epistle of S. Iude almost throughout the whole Epistle.

33. And first he that spake as neuer man spake, the Wis­dome of the Father, and the soules best Phisition that euer was, giueth vs both a serious admonition, and a per­spicuous Matth. 7. 15. 16. description of Heretickes: Attendite à f [...]lsis Prophetis &c. Beware of false Prophets which come vnto you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are rauening wolues you shall know them by their fruites. Beware, there is the admonition, of false Prophets, there is the deception and cir­cumuention, which come vnto you in sheeps clothing, there is their fraudulēt hypocrisy, but inwardly they are rauening wolues, there is their violent cruelty, you shall know them by their fruttes, The de­scription of Here­tickes by Christ our Sa­uiour. there is a manifest discouery of their impiety. Againe, Be­ware, that is, take heed, looke about you, there is imminent perill, and hazard of your soules hangeth ouer your heads, of false prophets, false deceauers, false Apostles, Antichrists, Heretickes, which come vnto you in sheeps clothing, pretending outwardly to be Angels of light, but inwardly they are raue­ning wolues, messengers of Sathan, and spirits of darkenesse, you shall know them by their fruites, if not by their wordes, yet by their workes, if not by their sayings, yet by their mea­ning. Lastly, beware, neuer was there any more need of circumspection of false Prophets, I poynt you to the poi­son [Page 27] that cōmeth from the persons which come vnto you in sheeps cloathing, hauing nothing in their mouthes but E­uangelium Christi, Euangelium Christi, the pure Ghospell of Christ, the pure Ghospell of Christ, but inwardly they are rauening wolues, corrupters of his Ghospell, and soule-quel­lers, deuouring the innocent sheep of Christ: you shall know them by their fruits, for the liberty of their Ghospel shal argue to their faces the impiety & impurity of their harts.

34. The text of Scripture is excellently expounded De prae­script. c. 4. both by Tertullian and Vincentius Lyrinensis: ‘And first what is this sheeps clothing, sayth Tertull. but the extrinsecall name of a Christian? and what be these rauening wolues, but de­ceiptfull aduers. hae­res. c. 36. glosses and spirits inwardlly lurking, and infe­sting the flock of Christ? who are these false prophets but false preachers; who are these false Apostles but adulterous Euangelizators; who are these Antichrists now, and all­waies, but rebels against Christ, hurting and persecuting the Church with the secret impiety of their heresy as­much as Antichrist shall then doe with his open cruelty and tyranny.’ So he.

35. Secondly Vincentius goeth further, and though he liued twelue hundred yeares agoe, yet speaketh he so par­ticulerly to this point of vnmasking heresy, & hereticks, as if he had liued in the very dayes of Luther, Caluin, and the Protestāts Apostasie, which inforceth me vpon an of­ten & scrious meditation to conclude, that his spirit was inspired, and his pen guided by the immediate hand, & finger of God. Let vs heare him then speake & interpret. ‘What is this sheepes cloathing (saith he) but the oracles of the prophets, and Apostles? who be these rauening wolues, but the cruell, virulent, & violent interpretatiōs of Hereticks, who alwaies infest the fouldes of the Church, and teare in peeces the flock of Christ, by al meanes that possibly they can? But that they may deceiptfully steale vpō thevnwary sheep, they put of their wolwish shape, continuing in their woluish cruelty, and they wrap and couer themselues, [Page 28] with sentences of holy Scriptures, as it were with certaine fleeces, that when any man shall perceiue the softnes of their woll, he may not feare the sharpenes of their teeth. A notable interpre­tation of Vincenti­us Lyri­nensis of the place aboue cy­ted. But what saith our Sauiour? You shall know them by their fruits, that is, when they beginne not only to bring, but also to expound the places of Scripture: nor yet to brag of thē on­ly, but further to interprete them: then their bitternesse, then their sharpenes, then their madnes is perceyued: then their new poison shalbe vented forth: then their prophane nouelties shalbe detected: then shalt thou see the hedge & fence to be cut, and broken downe: then shalt thou see the ancient meares, and boundes of the Fathers to be transla­ted, and remoued: then Catholicke faith shalbe violated: then Ecclesiasticall doctrine anihilated, and destroyed.’Hither to my Authour.

36. And can any thing be spoken more effectually? Or is it possible that men, or Angels can interprete this place more truly? Are not all Heretickes here vnmasked? Are not the Protestāts palpably discouered, couering their hereticall faces with the visard of Scriptures, when other­wise they durst not appeare in their woluish and theeuish shapes? If this be not so, or that I wrong thē in ought, nay if they be not guilty in their owne consciences of much more, then I can charge them withall, let the iust doome of heauen reuenge it vpon my soule, and let me neuer see the face of God, haud ignotaloquor, what I speake, I speake vpon long practice, and experience which I haue had amongst them. And if this be so, then are they of the number of those false Prophets, concerning whome our Sauiour giueth vs admonition heere, Beware of false Pro­phets which come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ra­uening wolues: you shall know them by their fruites &c. Why, but the Protestāts will plead in generall, that they haue Scrip­tures to confirme euery assertion of their Religion. To this I answere in generall, that the Diuell and all Here­tickes had their Scriptures as well as they, as many, and [Page 29] more then they: but the truth is, sheeps clothing belongeth not to wolues, nor Scriptures to them, their possession of thē is meer intrusiō into thē, & therfore according to that excellent prescription of Tertullian, first they should prooue their right of possession of them, before they so bouldly aduentured vpon the interpretation of them: which since they could neuer yet do, it is apparant and out of questiō, that they haue no more right vnto the Scriptures, then the Diuell himselfe, and all former Heretickes haue had vnto them.

37. Yf besides the Scripture they plead the spirit, for this is their other ground, and these two be all the groūds The excuses of Pro­testants refuted. that euer I could perceyue they had for their Protestāticall Religion: I answere, this spirit is a spirit of priuate inter­pretation, their owne proper inuention, and election: it is not the spirit of the Church, it is not the spirit of the holy Ghost, that breathed these Scriptures, and therefore it is the spirit of the Diuell, & the spirit of all their Grād­progenitors ancient Hereticks. And now to cut of with one blow the heades of all pryuate spirits, let S. Bernard himselfe speake for me, and strike for me: Nonnulli adesse pu­tant spiritū, cùmnon adest, suum (que) sensum prosensu spiritus sequūtur, deuiantes: Many thinke they haue the spirit, when they Bern. ser. 17. s [...]per Cant. haue it not, and fall into error, following their own sense, for the sense of the holy Ghost. Dare any man hereafter vaunt of his priuate spirit? All this, and much more is im­plied in the heauenly admonition of our Sauiour, Beware of false prophets, and which was my first place of Scripture a­gainst Hereticks. I come to the second, which followeth thus.

38. The Apostle S. Paul, that trumpet of the Apo­stles, Preacher of the world, and discloser of heauen­ly mysteries, thundereth out a terrible commination a­gainst an Hereticke, whereby he insinuateth to leaue a pre­monition to all succeeding posterity to be ware of heresy. And albeit I haue touched the place somwhat in the for­mer [Page 30] Consideration, in disclosing the nature of heresy: yet here I must returne to the same againe, for better laying forth the miserable effectes therof, and the care the said Apostle had to haue it eschued. Auoid (saith he) an hereti­call Tit. 3. 10. 11 man, after the first or second reprehension, knowing that he that is such a one, is peruerted, and sinneth as damned by his owne iudgment. S. Pauls iudgment of an He­reticke. Vpon which place S. Hierome writeth thus: Haeretici senten­tiam in seipsos ferunt, suo arbitrio ab Ecclesia recedenies: quae recessio propriae conscientiae videtur esse damnatio. Heretickes giue sen­tence vpon themselues, and are damned vpon their owne iudgment, for that they depart from the Church, euen out of their owne selfe will: and this departure seemeth to be the damnation of their owne conscience, expressely mentioned by S. Paul. So S. Hierome. And can there be any thing more terrible, or dreadfull then this? Againe, Auoid an Hereticke propter periculum, propter consortium, prop­ter 2. Tim. 2. 17. poenam, so S. Thomas vpon this place. ‘First auoid them in regard of the perill of infection, serma enim illorum serpit vt cancer. Secondly auoid them in regard of their fellow­ship and communion, that you be not wrapped and intan­gled in their sinne, whilest you seeme by your familiarity with them to consent vnto the same. Lastly auoid them propter poenam, euen for feare of the punishment of condem­nation, which hangeth ouer their heads: and yet monea­tur, let him be admonished, to see whether he will amend. If he amend not after once or twice admonition, auoyd him, si curari poterit, non est vitandus: si non, dimittend us est. If he can be healed of his heresie, he is not to be auoided: If he cannot be cured, he is to be shunned.’ Hitherto S. Thomas.

39. My third place is out of S. Iude, conteining a very dreadfull description of Hereticks, yea so terrible that the very consideration therof were able to make a man to treamble, lest he should be any way intangled, and infe­cted with this fearefull sinne of heresie, either in being an Hereticke himselfe obstinate and malicious, or in be­leeuing [Page 31] them, as being seduced by them. For after the Apostle had premised the salutation, togeather with the motiue of his Epistle, which was to beseech them, Super­certare semel iraditae Sanctis fidei, to stand fast, and fight for the faith once deliuered vnto the Saintes (which were the first Christians) presently he giueth a most serious warning to all sorts of Christians, of the approach, and intrusion of Heretickes: Subintroierunt enim quidam homines Ep. Iuda [...]. &c. There haue crept in certaine men (saith he) prescribed, or prepared from the beginning vnto this terrible iudgment, wicked men, who haue turned the grace of God into wantonnes &c. And then he thundreth out a terrible commination against them sāy­ing: VVoe be vnto them, that haue gone in the way of Cain, and haue for reward powred out themselues with the errour of Balaam, and haue perished in the contradiction of Chore. So he. And that this contradiction of Chore against Moyses & Aaron (for which he, & his conspirators were by Gods iust wrath swallow­ed S. Iudes sentence of Here­tickes. quicke vp into hell, the earth opening her mouth & de­uouring thē) represented the contradictiō of all Hereticks against the Catholicke Church and Gouernours thereof, no man that hath any insight into Deuinity can deny: and therfore our Apostle S. Iude (who alludeth and com­pareth betwixt them) denounceth Gods vengeance yet further against them: Quibus procella tenebrarum seruata est in aternum: for whom a tempest of darknes (or of torments in darknes) is reserued for all eternity. And this being so, will any one call another hereticke in iest? Or is there any cry me so dreadfull as this?

40. But if we passe from the Apostles and Scriptures them selues vnto the succeeding Primitiue Church, and withall hould their iudgment, sense, and feeling concer­ning Heresy; we shall find, that all of thē, without excep­tion of any one, had this very spirit of detesting, anathe­matizing, flying, and auoiding Heretickes aboue all o­ther sinners and malefactors vpon earth: yea wheras to­wardes others neuer so great, greieuous, and heyncus of­fendours, [Page 32] wee are exhorted, willed, and ioyned to be benigne, sweet, meeke, compassionate and the like: The dete­station of hereticks and here­sies by an­cient Fa­thers. the cleane contrary is counsailed vnto vs against Here­tickes, to witt, not to salute them, not to eat or drinke with them, not to receiue them into our houses, not to conuerse with them, but to fly them, abhorre them, de­test and auoid them, as pests and plagues, and poyso­ned serpents, infecting vs with the inuenomed poyson of hell, as damned soules, already vpon earth damned by the guilt of their owne conscience, and by the irreuokable 2. Iohn 1. 10. 11. sentence of diuine Iustice, as before we haue signifyed. And that which is most worthy our obseruation, such seruantes of God as were otherwise most compassio­nate, nay whose bowels burned with compassion within them, towards the greatest and grieuous sinners (as for example we read in that notable story of S. Iohn the Euan­gelist, who ranne vp and downe the mountaines againe and againe after the first relapse to gaine a yong man that was a theefe, as S. Hierome and other Church storyes wit­nes:) yet these selfe same men were so seuere against the enemies of Gods truth, that they neuer could so much as indure the very sight and conuersation of an Hereticke. And so we haue not only S. Iohn counsailing vs not to sa­lute, or conuerse with an Hereticke, but also the said A­postle De Scrip­tor. Eccle. in Ioan. practizing the same, euen in his owne person, in his heroicall factes, whensoeuer any iust occasion was of­fered. For S. Irenaeus (who liued in the next age after him and recounted it vpon the relation of S. Policarpe that liued with S. Iohn, and happily might be present whē the thing was donne) recordeth that S. Iohn being in the Citty of E­phesus, Lib. 3. ad­uers. hae­ces. cap. 3. at a common bath, whither many did resort, and vn­derstanding that an Hereticke of his time named Cerinthus was within the bath, he instantly departed againe, would not enter into that bath with him, who had departed out of the Church from him, could not be perswaded to stay any while there, affirming that he doubted lest [Page 33] the very foundation of those bathes would fall downe, where such an enemy of God was presēt, who had as much as in him lay, ruinated the very foundation of Christian Religion, denying the diuinity of the Sonne of God. A notable example of this great Apostle left to all posterity, giuing them a sufficient caueat, euen by his owne person and example for auoiding of Heresy and hereticall com­pany.

41. And the same Irenaeus in the very same place before cited, registreth this story of S. Policarpe himselfe, to wit how he reiected and defied an Hereticke named Marcion, that met with him, and spake vnto him, calling the said Marcion, Primogenitum Diaboli, the first begotten of the Diuell: Irenaeus ibidem. and then the Authour endeth his narration with this most graue, and memorable Conclusion, saying: So great feare had the Apostles, and Disciples, not to communicate in any one word, with any of those, that haue adulterated, and corrupted the truth, euen as S. Paul saith: Auoid an hereticall mā after one reprehension know­ing that such a fellow is peruerted, & damned of himself. So S. Irenaeus.

42. And truly this one point ministred vnto me store of matter, and exceedingly enlarged my meditation, to con­sider on the one part, how carefull, and not only carefull, but fearefull these ancient Fathers, and Apostles were (as Irenaeus testifieth) to admit any conuersation, or to enter into communication with Hereticks, flying them as mō ­sters, serpents, and Diuels vpon earth, and starting, affrigh­ted as it were, with the bare name of Heresy, and Here­ticke: and on the other side, that now in our dayes the name, and thing it selfe is growne to be so common and familiar, as that we seeme to haue no sense, or feeling ther­of: so senselesse and benummed are we in our spirituall vn­derstanding. But this proceeds from a supine negligence and carelesse inconsideration; for such as seriously ponder, and earnestly debate the matter more deeply, doe appre­hend farre otherwise therof, especially such as are addi­cted to the reading of ancient Fathers, the surest refuge, [Page 34] and pillars for a resolued soule to rely vpon for true dire­ction in religion, in these miserable dayes of Schisme, He­resy, and Apostasy: Nulla (saith the old holy martyr S. Cy­prian) cum talibus commercia copulentur, nulla &c. And let noe ☞ Cyprian l. 3. cp. 1. trafficke, or conuersation be ioyned with such men, noe banquets be made, no speach had, but let vs be as separate from them, as they are separated fugitiues frō the Church.

43. And after this Father againe, that Atlas of his age, and great Saint S. Athanasius, writing the life of S. Antony the Monke, doth set downe the opinion, and feeling of them both in this point. S. Antony (saith he) did so detest Hereticks, as that he tould all men, that they must not so much as come neere them, alleaging the authority of S. Paul for the same, who often, and seriously talking of Hereticks, doth inculcate these wordes: Et hos ☞ Athanas­in vita Antonii. deuita, and these you must auoid. And yet my author goeth fur­ther in this relation of S. Antony, adding this, that when the said holy man was at the point of death, ready to breath out his soule into the hands of his Creator, whome he had with all fidelity and seuerity so faithfully serued, practising ouer and aboue the precepts of the law, Christs high coun­sailes of perfection, he exhorted the standers by, especially and aboue all other things, to beware of Heretickes, and Schifmatikes, and to auoid their poison, Meum (que), saith ☞ The sene­rity of S, Cypriā S. Athanas. & S. An­tony in a­uoyding Here­ticks. he, circacos edium sectamini. Seitisipsi, quod nullus mihi, ne pacifi­cus quidem sermo, cum eis vnquam fuerit. And do you imitate my hatred towardes them. For your selues can beare me wit­nes, that I had neuer so much as any peaceable speach with them. This was S. Antony his resolution in this point, and this was his last charge that this dying Saynt left vn­to his lyuing friends.

44. And of the same spirit, and iudgment were all o­ther Saints, and holy Fathers ensuing, that euerliued, and dyed in the vnion, and communion of the Catholicke Church, and namely S. Leo the Great, first of that name, a most compassionate man other wayes, as by his chari­table workes of piety well appeared: yet in this point [Page 35] of Heresie he was so inflamed with the zeale of God his true Religion, so rigorous and seuere against the enemies of God his truth, that he burst forth into this vehement exclamation against them: Viperea Haereticorum vitate collo­quia, nihil nobis commune sit cum eis, qui Catholicae aduersantes fidei solo Leo ser. 18. de passions Christicap. 4. nomine sunt Christiani. Do you auoid the viperous and ser­pentine speaches, and conferences of Heretickes, & haue you nothing at all to do with them, that being aduersa­ries vnto Catholicke faith, are only Christians in name. So S. Leo. And in this point, that Heretickes be not Chri­stians, That He­reticks are no Chri­stians. but only in name and appellation, he hath cōmon­ly all the ancient Fathers concurring with him, with v­niforme consent, as namely S. Irenaeus, S. Cyprian and Ter­tullian before mentioned, which Fathers do euidētly proue Lib. 2. ad­uers. hae­reses cap. 9. that Heretickes are worse then Heathens, Pagans, or In­fidels. This argument is handled in like manner by S. Chrysostome, and that largely in his 50. Homily ad populum Antiochenum, and by S. Augustine in his 21. Booke de Ciuitate Dei cap. 25. & by many other Fathers after them: the rea­son whereof is set downe by S. Thomas in the beginning of this second Consideration.

45. Vpon these groundes then, reasons, causes, and contemplations the whole streame, and ranke of Ancient Fathers do with full consent concurre in this one point, & do inculcate the same often in their writings, to wit, that it is impossible for an Heretick excluded from the Ca­tholicke Church to be saued, or to auoid euerlasting dam­nation, and perdition of body and soule, though he should That He­reticks by no good works can be saued. liue morally neuer so well, giue neuer so great almes, do neuer so many good workes, suffer neuer so much by the losse of his goods, countrey, liberty, or life it selfe. Which point is oftentimes inculcated, reiterated, and repeated by that renowned Martyr S. Cyprian in that worthie Tract of his de Vnitate Ecclesiae: as, Nunquam perueniet ad praemiū Christi qui scindit, aut diuidit Ecclesiam Christi: he shall neuer partici­pate of heauenly felicity, that makes a rent, and breach in [Page 36] the Church of Christ, by the cryme of heresy. Againe the same Authour, in another place, to argue his assured con­fidence of this poynt, addeth, and denounceth further: Macula ista nec sanguine abluitur, this blot of heresy, or separa­ting De vnitate Ecclesiae. himselfe from the Church of Christ, cannot be wa­shed away with bloud; inexpiabilis culpa, nec passione purgatur: It is a fault so inexpiable, that it cannot be purged by death it selfe. Nay he goeth yet further and saith: Non erit fidei corona, sed perfidiae poena: Such sufferings or death it selfe Ibidem. shall not be vnto them any crown or reward of their faith and right beleeuing, but a punishment of their perfidious­nes, and false dealing.

46. Conforme to S. Cyprian is S. Chrisostome, who in his 11. Homily vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians repeateth & iustifieth the former words, vsed by S. Cyprian, which may well be called his last doome that he passed vpon Here­ticks. And the same is confirmed by S. Pacianus before men­tioned in his second Epistle to Sempronianus a Nouatiā Here­ticke. Aug. l. 1. de ser. Dom in monte c. 4. et ep. 24. ad Donat. presb. & l. 4. de bapt. contra Do­nat. c. 17. et tract. 6. in Euāg. loā. et l. 2. cont. Petil. c. 98. et l. 1. cont. Gaudēt. c. 33. et alibi. And after these S. Augustine himselfe (whose places I haue noted in the margent) doth so fully, clearly, and with such effectuall wordes treat, and auerre the same, as that it were labour lost & time misspent to add any more in confirmation thereof.

47. And now that I may come to the vpshot of all which is the sume and substance of what hath hitherto beene spoken in this Consideration; my principall conclu­sion thereof is this, to wit, that the greatest misery and ca­lamity that may possibly be imagined in this life, to light vpon any, and the greatest dereliction, I meane departure of Gods sauing grace or punishment, that Almighty God for his sinnes can possibly lay vpon a Christian man, is to leaue him so far vnto himselfe, and to his owne choice and election, as to suffer him to become an Hereticke, or to admit any participation or communication with He­retickes. And surely if God euer punished sinne with sinn, as you shall read he did, Rom. 1. 24. which is that fearfull [Page 37] falling into the hands of God: then surely is sinne puni­shed with sinne in this fearfull sinne of Heresy. Which premises being granted, as they cannot be denied, had not his Ma ^tie of England then great reason (trow you) to endeauour so diligently and prudently as he doth, to cleare himselfe of that foule imputation, & to put of that abhominable and damnable Name of an Hereticke? And Heresy the greatest sinn of all other. haue not his Catholick subiects of Englād the greatest mo­tiue & reason that possibly may be, to stand & suffer so co­stantly as they do, for auoyding of all participation with Hereticks, or with that Religion which in their opini­on grounded vpon the Churches resolution, is flat heresy? Which being seriously considered of his said Ma ^tie, and deeply and duely weighed (as the weighty importance of the matter craueth at his handes) in his vnderstanding hart: It may first be hoped (for which hope sake we lift vp handes and hartes, prayers and teares, sighes & grones vnto the Highest) that he will himself out of his Christi­an piety, separate from his Royall Person all liking of He­resies, as farre as the same is separated from God and from his Church. And secondly, it may be presumed (for why should we euer despayre, our cause being so iust) that out of his Royall Clemency, & Princely Equity, especial­ly vpon a conscionable view of our Innocency, that he will deliuer vs from the great rigour of persecutiō, which we suffer for that cause. And this we verily hope his Ma­iesty will the rather do, for that we follow but the di­ctamen of our owne Consciences, guided by infallible groundes, which heere are partly opened, and will ap­peare more fully in the sequele of this discourse.

The third Consideration.

IF then the issue, and vpshot of all that is premised in How a mā may dis­cerne be­tweene Catholick religion & Heresie. the two precedent Considerations (to reassume & reca­pitulate the summe of both in a word) be in effect but this, that the riches & honour of being a Catholick on the one side (to vse the words of S. Augustine) be so inestimable: and that on the other side the disreputation, misery, imminent danger, and most certayne damnation in being an Here­ticke to be so intollerable, and insupportable on the other: Aug. de verb. A­post. serm. 1. it is more then probable, yea infallible, as most consonāt vnto the all-sauing mercy, and iust dooming equity of Al­mighty God, the most righteous Iudge of all the world, that he hath designed, yea as one of the last legacies of his Testament bequeathed vnto vs, some eminent, and eui­dent way, that by better direction, and most certaine pre­scription of the same, we may come to know, and discerne what is truely Catholicke religion, and what hereticall in­nouation. And albeit this may in part be vnderstood by that which already hath byn treated: yet shall it be made more perspicuous, by that which is to be handled in the ensuing Consideration.

49. For first since the knowledg of these things (as being of the greatest weight in the world) doth so high­ly import our soules-weale, or woe euerlasting; it follow­eth consequently, that Christ our Sauiour had not suffici­ently prouided for our safty in that behalfe (which can be no lesse then open blasphemy against Heauens Maiesty, accusing the Wisdome of the Father of imprudency, as Caluin blasphemously doth of ignorance) if he had not left, In Commē ­tar. in 24. Matt. v. 36. and commended vnto vs some certaine, knowne, and infal­lible way, as a sure thred to direct our iudgments aright to the knowledg of these things. For if no man can arriue to the designed port, the hauen of heauen, and there be sa­ued, [Page 39] but he that is really a Catholicke: nor any escape the soules ship-wrack vpon the seas of this world, and vn­doubred damnation, that is formally an Hereticke, or par­taker of heresy (according to that of Tertullian: Quihabent cō ­sortium praedicationis, habeant etiam necesse est consortium damnationis De prae­scrip. c. 34. they that with hereticall preachers hold cōmunion, must of necessity participate with their damnation:) to what purpose then was it, that Christ should leaue his throne in heauē, descend frō his Fathers bosome into the wōb of the euer-blessed Virgin, inuest there his glorious Deity with the weaknes & frailty of our mortality, teach, preach, ex­pose him selfe to all the world, iniuries, miseries, extremi­ties: & lastly why should be so plentifully out of so many seuerall places of his body, as there were seuerall wounds in the same, shed his most pretious bloud for the sinnes of the world, and redemption of mankind, if after all this done and suffered for man, he should haue left him no cer­tayne meanes or infallible way, for his obteyning the fruites therof, by discerning betweene heresy, and Ca­tholicke religion?

50. Furthermore since heresy (as all ancient, and mo­derne Orthodoxe Deuines notify) is nothing els but to choose, or make choice, that is yet more plainly, to adhere obstinately to a mans owne priuate opinion, and proper election, when soeuer different points of religion are pro­posed vnto him: if thē there be not some perspicuous & ap­parant rule and reason left by Christ to conuince vnto ech The ne­cessity of cleere and vniuersall rule in matters of beliefe. mans conscience, and vnderstanding, or at least to make a sufficient conuiction, which is truth, and which is not, which is Heresy, and which is Verity, which to be im­braced, and which is to be abandoned; I say, if this way, rule, and reason be not most clearely left in the Church whereby a man may guide him selfe, then why may not a man make his proper choice, and vse that benefit of his owne election in spirituall matters, which God hath be­stowed vpon him in morall and ciuill affaires, permitting [Page 40] therin a choice to his free will? Why may he not choose, or be a chooser (which in our sense and the Churches ac­ception and appropriation of the word importeth an He­reticke) without so greiuous, and damnable a sinne as Heresie is by vs already disclosed to be? Why should a man be damned by his owne iudgment, be left inexcu­sable, for that no plea of pretended ignorance will serue his turne, since being such a chooser, or hereticall man, as S. Paul calleth him, and brandeth him for, he cannot say Nemo corripuit, as S. Chrysostome, S. Ambrose, Theophilact, & Oe­cumenius ioyntly expound the place? For if the meanes, and way of conuiction, & decision be not infallible, it should seeme that man may make his choice: but this particu­ler choice, and election, out of a mans owne head, and priuate iudgment (which makes a choosier or Hereticall man) is seuerely prohibited, and condemned; and that by the iudgment of S. Paul, as you haue heard at large: & ther­fore it must follow by force & of necessary and ineuitable consequence, that Almighty God out of the depth of his mercy, wisdome, equity, and piety hath left vnto vs some euident, vniuersall, certaine, and infallible way for deciding of all doubts, and controuersies in Religion. For so he promised, when Isay prophesied thus, saying: Isa. 38. That at the comming of Christ, there shalbe a holy path, and a way, and it shall be vnto you a direct way, so as fooles may not erre therin. Thus he prophesied. And is there any doubt, that he perfor­med it? Hath he promised, and shall not he make it good? Hath he spoke it, & shall he alter the thing that is gone out of his lippes? Atheisme, Heresy, and Infidelity may Num. 23. 19. question it: but all religion, piety, and Christianity will vndoubtedly belieue the same.

51. Wherfore this ground being presupposed and gran­ted as a chiefe principle in Christian Religion, that there How this generall rule may be found out is some such way left vnto vs, whither we must haue re­course in all doubtfull causes and controuersies of Religi­on: the Question then is betwixt the Protestants and [Page 41] those of the Catholicke Roman Religion, where, and what this way is, how we may come to the notice of it, and in what manner it is to be followed, after it is once found out. The Protestant commonly of what Sect or fa­ction soeuer he be, auerreth, that the written word of Ca­nonicall Scripture is this infallible way & directory-guid: and this he doth not, in my conscience, so much for any honour and reuerence that he beareth vnto the oracles of Gods sacred Writ (as he would falsely beare the world in hand he doth:) but only vpon an hereticall intent, that he may auoid therby the iudgement of the Church. And no meruaile, for, Qui malè agit, odit lucem, the guilt of his Ioan. 3. 20. Heresy flyeth the censure of the Church. Some others do add, that when the Canon of Scripture is not perspicu­ous, and obuious vnto euery man, then for explication of the word they may inquire of the spirit of God, which inspireth ech man, and that will instruct him, and lead him vnto all truth. But now this falsely supposed and i­maginary spirit, can be no infallible rule of direction. For The way of euery mans pri­uate spirit that S. Iohn hath giuen vs a Caueat touching these false spi­rits. Beloued, belieue not euery spirit, but try the spirits, whether they be of God, for many false Prophets are gone sorth into the world. And was not this the common tricke of all condemned Heretickes and heresies? Did they not all of them plead the spirit of God, against the liuely authority and spea­king voice of the Church? Doth not the whole ranke of ancient Fathers that wrote against thē, thunder out that terrible comminatiō, threatning a fearefull woe and ven­geance vnto all priuate, lying, and deceyuing spirits: Vae illis qui sequuntur spiritum suum: Woe be vnto them that fol­low their owne spirit? Lastly haue not all ancient Here­sies and Heretickes, Arians, Nestorians, Pelagians &c. beene vniustly condemned, and therefore must not their heresies be raked out of the ashes of Hell againe, and set fresh foo­ting in the Church, if the rule of interpreting Scripture be ech man his priuate spirit? It cannot be denyed, for [Page 42] that all of them vaunted of the spirit, as the Sectaries do at this day. Well then the conclusion is, that this vaun­ting of the spirit, is nothing else, but a horrible belying, and presumptuous blaspheming of the spirit of God, ma­king that spirit of vnited verity, a spirit of distracted he­resy: And therfore this their priuate spirit can be no rule to direct them any longer. And so much of this way, in following euery man his owne spirit.

52. And now for the former way of following Cano­nicall Scriptures, for this only rule and sure direction, though this be euer to be graunted, as most true, that the holy Scriptures breathed by the instinct of the spirit be diuine, and of infallible truth and direction, when they are by the Church both known to be Scriptures, & right­ly interpreted by the assistance of the spirit in the Chur­ches voice & sense: yet forasmuch as the Scriptures subli­mity fitteth not with euery meane, and ordinary capacity (for the most part of people are vnlearned, and cannot read, or vnderstand what they read, much lesse those learned tongues wherein the Scriptures were originally written:) It followeth euidently that the Scriptures alone, can be no sure, vniuersall, & infallible way for the discer­ning of Catholicke Religion, and discouering of heresie. Or at least wise this rule is not generall to all, as it ought to be: for as much, as all must haue sufficient meanes left for their saluation.

53. But here me thinketh I heare the Protestāt obiect, that howsoeuer the Scripture is no way for the ignorāt & vn­learned: yet is it the only rule, and Canon of faith vnto Whether only scrip­ture be the infal­lible way. the skilfull and learned: and that whereas the Canon of the Scripture is perfect, and is of it selfe alone sufficient i­nough for all points, what needeth the authority of Eccle­siasticall interpretation to be added vnto this Canon? To this I answere, and first this waie we now speake of, must be a way for all, semita, via, & via sancta: a path, a way, & holy way; yea such a way if we belieue Almighty God, [Page 43] speaking by the mouth of Isay: Stulti non errent per eam, the most ignorant and vnlearned cannot mistake it. For that Christ the way of all hath left this way vnto all, & that af­ter Isa. 35. 8. his Incarnation & Passion, for to that time the prophet Isay alludeth: & therfore the Scripture excluding the Igno­rant for want of tongues and other learning, & the greatest part of it being writen before the said Christs Incarnation and passion, cānot be this way. Secondly I answer, that as the Scripture alone cānot be the way vnto the vnlearned, no more can it be the rule vnto the learned, for that not only fooles, but such as thought themselues both learned and wise, haue erred by that waie of Scripture alone, and their priuate spirit to help them: and hereof we haue as many liuely testimonies and examples, as there haue byn learned hereticks in the Church, who thinking thēselues wise and learned, and yet pretending Scriptures, haue run awry, so dangerous a way is this way of the Scrip­tures, without the guide of the Church to walke in. Thirdly and lastly, touching the sufficiency of holy Ca­non without any addition of Ecclesiastical Interpretatiō, I answere, this obiection (which is the maine position and foundatiō for all the Protestants Heresies at this day) is as ancient as twelue hundred years ago, and it is pro­posed by Vincentius Lyrinensis in the person of the Hereticks of his time, and answered thus: ‘To sacred Canō (saith he) Cont. haer cap. 2. the Ecclesiasticall Interpretatiō must be added, because in regard of the Scriptures sublimity all men expound it not in one & the selfe same sense, but this man & that man do diuersly interpret the selfe same places of Scripture, that in a manner how many men there be, so many senses may be wrested from it. For Nouatian expounds Scripture one way, Photinus, Sabellius, Donatus, Arius another way &c. And therfore in regard of the manifold turnings and win­dings of seuerall errour and heresy, it is very needfull, that the line of Propheticall and Apostolicall Interpretation be directed, according to the rule of Ecclesiastical and Ca­tholicke [Page 44] interpretation.’ Hitherto Vincentius Lyrinensis.

54. And what (I pray you) are all our materiall contentions with the Sectaries, and their owne capitall dissentions amongst themselues, falling by the eares, and damning ech other to the pit of hell (let them pretend neuer so great brother-hood to cozen the world) but a­bout the Scriptures, and the true sense thereof? to wit, which are to be receiued into Canon, and how they are to be interpreted, according to the intent, and purpose of the holy Ghost, wherein all Heretickes haue vpon their own wilfull electiō run out of the way, as all the an­cient Fathers do continually charg them: Scripturis pugnantes (as they cōplaine) contra Scripturas: they abuse Gods word August. tract. 18. in Ioā. & lib 7. in Gen. ad lit [...]. cap 9. against himselfe: And, Scripturis bonis non bene vtentes: the Scriptures are with them as a sword in a madde mans hand, they turne it against themselues, making that vnto them a sauour of death, vnto death, which is giuen them by God to become a sauour of life, vnto life, as S. Paul professed himselfe and all true Pastours of the Church to 2. Cor. 2. 16. be. For do not Hereticks receaue some Scriptures, & reiect others? And those that they do receaue, do they not turne them and wind them, add to them, & detract from them of purpose to peruert them for their purpose Do they not expound them according to their owne fancy & braine? De prae­script. cap. 17. This was Tertullian his complaint against the Hereticks of his time aboue fourteene hundred yeares agoe. And yet more sully to cur point in hand the same Father sheweth that it is but lost labour and vexation of mind, to enter into conflict with an Hereticke by Scripture, saying: Congressio Scripturarum cum Haereticis nihil preficiat, nisi planè, vt Ibidem. aut stomachi quis ineat eu [...]sicuem, aut cerebri. The cōflict about Scriptures with an Herericke, serues to no other purpose, vnlesse it be to ouerturne a mans stomake or his braines. Againe, to the same purpose he demandeth. Quid premoue­bis exercitatissmè Scripturarum, cùm si quid descnderis, negetur, si Ibidem. quidnegaueris, desendetur: & tu quidem nihil perdis, nisi vocem in [Page 45] contentione; nihil consequeris, nisi bilem de blasphematione. What shalt thou gaine, albeit thou be most ready, and expert in Labor lost to deale with He­reticks by only Scripture. the Scripture, for so much as if thou defend any thing, it will be denyed, and if thou deny any thing, it will be affirmed: and thou truly for thy part leesest nothing, but spendest thy voyce in contentiō, and shalt gaine nothing, but choler by his blaspheming, And then afterwardes he flatly concludeth againe against them. Wherfore (saith he) there is no appealing to the Scriptures, neyther is the Cap. 20. combate to be placed in thē, wherin there is either no vi­ctory at all or very vncertaine, or at least wise not any cer­taine can be hoped for, Frgo non ad Scripturas prouecandum est, nec in his constituendum certamen, in quibus aut nulla, aut incerta, aut parùm certa est victoria. So he.

55. This was Tertullian his iudgement touching Scrip­tures, cited by the Heretickes in his time. And doth not this prescription serue against the Sectaries of our dayes? Well then I may conclude with Tertullian his sense, that this way of remitting ech man and woman to only Scri­ptures for certificatiō of their faith, and that promiscuou­sly without an interpreter, can be no certaine or possible way, euident rule, or Canon of faith. Now if the Here­ticke being thus pressed & followed vpon, that his groūd of Scripture alone be inforced, for auoyding of all incon­ueniences and absurdities, to adioyne and admit an Inter­preter; then the question plainely is, who this Interpre­ter shall be, and of what faction in Religion; for of what Sect soeuer he be, to that side will he wrest, and draw the interpretation of Scripture: Et tunc (saith Tertullian) tan­tùm De praescript. c. 17. veritati obstrepit adulter sensus, quantùm est corruptor stylus. And then will an adulterous sense of the Scriptures as much brabble against the truth, as he that corrupteth the text it selfe: wherof he alleageth this reason for it. ‘Holy Writ is so fruitfull to serue for ech matter and point, that commeth in question, as nothing seemeth to an Hereticke so vaine if it please his fancy, but that it may be proued [Page 46] from thence: neither do I hazard ought to say, that the very Scriptures them selues are so ordered by the will of God, that they minister store of matter vnto Heretickes, when I read in Scripture, oportet haereses esse, there must be heresies, which cannot be without Scriptures.’ And this Ibid. c. 39. is my former Author his iudgment of the Scriptures wre­sted and peruerted by seuerall Heretickes in his dayes, for maintenance of their seuerall heresies. Which being so, here is neither certainty, nor generality, nor facility, nor perspicuity, nor infallibility in this way of the Scripture barely and nakedly proposed of it selfe alone: neither can it euer be inferred by any seeming probable conclusion, that the Scripture alone is this infallible way, which we do further illustrate by this familiar example obuious vn­to euery mans capacity.

56. If some rude, and vnlearned countreymen, re­payring vp to the Metropolitan Citty of the kingdome to prosecute some suites in law, touching a Farme or house, or matter of lesse moment: yt these men, I say, after con­ference had with their learned counsaile, should receaue no other answere nor comfort, nor direction of them for further managing of their suites, but be remitted by them vnto the body of the law it selfe, without any Iudge or Counsailour, they being of themselues not able either to read or vnderstand the law, much lesse to apply it to their A perspi­cuous ex­ample. proper cases, and peculiar suites; would not euery reasona­ble and conscionable man condemne these lawyers? And had not the poore Coūtreymen themselues, being vndone by this meanes in their worldly estates, iust cause to com­playne, and cry out against the falsehood, and treachery of their Coūsailours? And yet behold here in a suit of of suits, and matter of greatest moment and importance in the world, not in a title or triall of a Farme, or house, but con­cerning our interest and right of inheritance vnto the hea­uenly mansion, we are this way worse then thus (since the matter is of far greater importance) abused, deluded, [Page 47] betrayed: we are promiscuously sent, learned, vnlearned men, women, yong, old, to the body of the Scripture & mysticall volume of God his sacred, and seauen-fold-sealed book, as S. Iohn speakes of the Reuelation, Apocal. 5. 1. we must seeke, search, confer, cōpare, expound, interprete, euery man must there be a chooser, euery woman an expo­sitor, and euery creature must be his owne caruer: all must presume of the spirit, that they cannot erre, all presume to be taught immediatly from God, without the ministery of the Church: Sola Scripturarum arsest (saith S. Hierome against Heretiks of his time) quam omnes sibi vēdicant: hanc garrula anus hanc delirus senex, hāc sophista verbosus, hanc vniuersi praesumunt, lace­rant, docent antequam discunt &c. Only the art of Scripture is it, In Epist. ad Paulin. Presb. which euery one challengeth to himselfe: this the prating ould wife, this the doting old man, this the babling So­phist, this all of them togeather presume to know, and teach, and teare in peeces, before they learne it. So he. Presump­tion of Hereticks in the Scri­ptures. And this is all the way, and ground, prescription, dire­ction, rule, and line, that our hereticall Sectaries can af­foard vs for the guiding of our soules, and the grounding of our faith. Will any man therefore hereafter, that hath but the least care, or that can intertaine but one thought, either of the present of future wellfarre of his soule, rely v­pon such false guides & blind teachers, since this ground of Scripture alone sensed by a priuate spirit, was, is, & euer shalbe the cōmon ground, nay rather desperate shift, and refuge of all condemned heresies and hereticks, and that purposely, that they may auoyd the censure and tri­bunall of the Church?

57. There followeth then the way indeed appointed by God, reuealed by the holy-Ghost, designed by Christ The only true way of iudging by the Church. and proposed by the Catholicks, and Catholicke Church, and this is the sure, easy, euident, generall, and infallible waie indeed, which is the vniuersall knowne Catholicke Church in euery age, which is perspicuous and notorious easy to be found, for that it cannot be hidden: it is compa­red [Page 48] by holy Scripture to a Citty placed vpon a hill as S. Augustine in diuers prolixe Treatises of his doth euidently Aug. in psal. 44. et 47. & l. 2. cont. Petil. c. 32. & de vnit. Eccl. c. 14. & in Epist. Ioā. tract. 1. & 2. in Bre­uic. collat. 3. diei, c. 4. demonstrate: it is a light vpon a candlestick, it lighteneth all through the Egiptian darkenes of this worlds schisme and heresy, and leades their soules into the way of truth: it is that pillar of fire, that leadeth all Gods chosen people through the vast, and roaring wildernes, yea and all the nightes darkenes of this world, vnto the promised land of Canaan, I meane the heauēly Hierusalem: it is generally also figured by the dew that fell vpon the floore, as well as vpō the fleece, when Gedeon required the miracle to be doubled, which was a mysticall representation of the Iewish Syna­gogue, and Christian Congregation, implying also that the dew of Gods truth and sauing grace should at last passe Matt. 5. 14 Ibidem 15. Exod. 13. 12. from the fleece of the Iewes to the floore of the Gentils, and all to teach vs that this Catholick Christian Church should extend to all, serue for all, learned, vnlearned, yong Iud. 6. 37. 38. 39. 40. ould, high, low, great, small, for that all sortes, sexes, ages and conditiōs of people may repaire vnto her, receiue her doctrine, admit her instructions, and directions by the continuall successions of her Bishops, Pastors, and teachers of euery age. And finally this way is a most sure, certaine, and infallible rule, for that Christ hath expresly assured and promised vs, that he will be continually with this Church vnto the worlds end, that he would send the holy Ghost to instruct, direct, and induce this Church in omnem veritatem, into all truth, & suggerit vobis omnia, quae dix­ere vobis, and it shall suggest vnto you all that I will from heauen speake, or notify vnto you. It was Christ his pro­mise vnto his Apostles, & in their persons vnto his Church for euer. And lastly the gates of hell (which are the gates of errour, and heresies) shall neuer preuaile against this Matt. 16. 18. Church.

58. This then (to exclude all by-pathes, and blind waies of Heretickes) is the way indeed: this is that rule of faith as Tertullian speaketh, instituted by Christ, and it is such [Page 49] a rule and so certaine, that Nullas habet apud nos quaestiones, ni­si quaes haereses inserunt, & quae haereticos saciunt: no questions are De prae­sctipt. c. 14 so much as moued with vs, concerning this rule, but such as heresies cause, and which very questions moued concer­ning the Church, do cause and breed hereticks.

59. This Church being once published by our Saui­our, and the promises he had made vnto her being once diuulged; what followed, but that all men presently that had any care of the saluation of their soules, flocked vnto her, began to lay handfast and houldfast on this way, and to haue recourse in all doubts and controuersies, vnto the common knowne Catholicke Church of their age, for explication, and finall decision therof? So shall you read Act. 15, 6. that the Apostles immediatly after the Ascention The au­thority of the primi­tiue Church. of our Sauiour assembled the Church togeather for the de­tiding of that great doubt, that then arose in the Church, to wit, whether the obseruation of the ould law of Moyses should be ioyned necessary with the new law of Christ, and because they would leaue a patterne for all succeeding ages to follow, they determined the matter; and thēselues, I meane the Apostles and Prelates of that first age, decided the doubt by those high wordes of authority taken from the foresaid commission of our Sauiour, Visum est spiritui Sā ­to, Ibid. v. 28. & Nobis, it seemeth good vnto the holy Ghost, and vs: for the Church and the true spirit of the holy Ghost go in­separably Matt. 28. 20. togeather, in regard of Christ his promise made vnto the Church: so that the holy Ghost euer keepeth his residence in her, guideth her, gouerneth her, directeth her, and sitteth as President in all her consultations and assē ­blyes; and therefore this vmpiring, and determining forme of speach hath euer since beene vsed, in the lawfull succession of the said visible Church, vntill our daies, & will be frequented still, especially in generall Councels, e­uen vnto the worlds end, to put a firme period, and full conclusion vnto all controuersies that come in question. And the reason is, for that the same authority, and assi­stance [Page 50] of the holy Ghost, which that first Church had for directing of mens soules vnto their saluation, the very self same and none other, hath the visible Catholicke Church of our age, and hath had in all ages, and shall haue in all to come: Verum enim non variat: It is an ancient prescrip­tion and no more ancient then true: Gods giftes and graces conferred vpon his Church are without repētance, the holy Ghost is euer one and the selfe same spirit of truth in Patriarkes, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and other succeding Pastours and Doctors: and Christ his promise was, not for one age only, he shed not his pretious bloud for those of his age alone, but for all, all were alike neere vnto him, all were alike deare vnto him: he tooke our nature in generall, to saue mankind in generall, and ther­fore the care he had for one age of the Church the same he had for all succeeding ages of the same, as well for the last, as for the first, and this care of his continueth so long as the sunne and the moone endureth.

60. This remittance then, and reference vnto the Authority of the Church originally proceeded from the Apostles themselues, was continually perpetuated by all succeeding ages of the Catholicke Church, and therfore as S. Paul in a controuersy of lesser importance, writing to the Corinthians about women being veyled in the Church, saith to shut vp the dore to all further cōtention, that, If 2 Cor. 11. 16 any man will seeme to be contentious, we haue no such custome, nor yet the Church of God (repressing the contentious man as you see with the Authority and Custome of the Church:) so did all subsequent Fathers of the orthodox Church, whe­ther it were in the priuat writings or in the worlds grand Parlament in Generall Councells, in all their conflicts with Hereticks, they euer vsed to repell, and represse them by one, and the selfe same meanes, and that was with the authority of the knowne Catholicke Church. And looke what sentence they pronounced against thē for their contumacy, see what censure they inflicted vpon [Page 51] them for their heresy, it remayned good against them, and irreuocable: it was ratyfied as the law of the Medes and Persians, which could not be altered, their authority Dan. 6. 15. was grounded immediatly vpon those wordes of Verity, VVhat soeuer you bynd on earth shall be bound in heauen, and the Tri­bunall of heauen confirmed the authority of the Church Mat. 16. 19 vpon earth, nay standeth expecting what is done by it v­pon earth, such is the mysticall dependency betwixt the one and the other; such is the mutuall correspondency be­twixt the head, and his members, Christ and his Church. Dare then any man hereafter oppose his priuate spirit a­gainst the authority of this Church? Or will he impu­dently presume to preferre his owne conceipt, and opini­on before her publicke tradition?

61. Ancient S. Irenaeus (who was in manner [...] Apostolorum, for he liued in the very next age after them) writing against the heresies of his dayes, and hauing first declared how the primitiue Church was visibly planted by Christ, and his Apostles, and how it was continued to his time, doth then pourtraict out vnto vs, & discourse at large of the authority, sufficiency, treasury, tradition, and absolute perfection of this Church, for the repelling of all heresy, and deliuering of all truth: his wordes are Iren. lib. 3. cont. hae­res. cap. 4. these. Tantae igitur ostensiones cùm haec sint &c. ‘Wheras these thinges which I haue said, are so great demonstrations of the truth, we must not yet seeke the truth from others A notable testimony of S. Iren. for the au­thority of the Visi­ble Church. which is easely taken from the Church: wheras the Apo­stles did most fully lay vp in her, all thinges belonging to the truth, as in a certaine rich treasure-house: so as euery man that will, may take from thence the liquor or suste­nance of life, for that is the intrance vnto life euerlasting (to belieue the Church:) & all others that flie this way are theeues and murtherers, and therfore we must auoid them that are such, but with great diligence we must affect those things, that are of the Church, and from her take the tra­dition of truth. And truly if our contention were but a­bout [Page 52] some small question in Religion: yet ought not we to haue recourse vnto the most ancient Churches, wherin the Apostles had once bene conuersant and so take from them that which is certaine and cleere for deciding of the question? And what if the Apostles had left vnto vs no Scriptures at all, had it not bene needfull notwithstan­ding to follow the order of tradition, which they haue left vnto vs, to whome they (to wit the Apostles) had committed those Churches?’

62. Thus farre S. Irenaeus, which I haue of purpose cho­sen to cite more at large, for that it is sufficient alone to disclose his iudgement, and the Iudgment of that first age next after the Apostles, how farre the authority of the vi­sible vniuersall Church then stretched, and was esteemed for, especially for clearing, soluing, and deciding of all doubtes that possibly could arise in religion. And the reason there rendred by the same Father, is this: She is the store-house wherein Christs merits, and the Chur­ches treasure is laid vp: ‘She is the way of life, whereby we may come to eternall life, and escape euerlasting death: that all are theeues, yea murtherers of soules, that doe im­pugne her, or seeke other wayes of tryall then her, and her tradition from hand to hand: That this tradition is sufficient, though there were no Scripture: That from her, and her alone, the truth is to be taken, and not els To what triall the ancient Fathers prouoked the here­tickes of their tyme. where: That by her, and her authority alone, all doubts and questions are to be so ued, and decided.’ Can any thing be spoken more effectuall then this? Or is there any more playne, easy, euident, and vniuersall direction? Can any rule be more probable and infallible, then the rule of the Church? And to this do agree both my foresaid Authour in many other places of his workes, as also all that succee­ded him, & tooke the like enterprize in hand of writing, and prescribing against Hereticks, as Tertullian, S. Cyprian, S. Augustine, S. Athanasius, Epiphanius, Theodoret, S. Hierome S. Leo, Vincentius Lyrinensis in his goulden booke against the [Page 53] prophane innouations of the Hereticks of his time, and diuers others, which to auoyd prolixity I omit: all these do principally, and really prouoke, and challenge all the Heretickes of their tyme vnto this only and sure waie of the Catholicke Church in their dayes, for the triall of the truth, and for discerning what is truly Catholicke and what is Hereticall: their seuerall sentences are to prolixe to be conteyned within the strict precinctes and narrow boundes of my briefe intended Confiderations,

63. And now to put a period to this my third Consi­deration, least it exceed a due proportion, the vpshot is this. For asmuch then as this visible Christian Church, begun and founded by our Sauiour vnder the Apostles, was a visible Church, made, and consisting of visible men, gouerned by visible Pastors, hath visibly descended from age to age through the centuries of the Church by all law­full, and ordinary succession of Bishops (which Tertullian Videsupr, required of the Hereticks of his time, as they would auoid the blot of heresy) that haue lineally come downe to our dayes. Secondly, for asmuch as the authority of his Church was esteemed in euery age, to be the same (for infallible direction) that it was in the former first ages, through the assurance of Christ his promise to that effect. And lastly for as much, as the whole vniuersall Church of the fifteēth age hath in a generall Coūcell examined, decyded, condēned the doctrine of the Protestants for heresy in more then an hundred maine points by name, & hath accursed, and ana­thematized The issue of this Conside­ration. both them, and all their participants to the pit of hell, & that according to the very selfe same groūds, wherby the ancient Fathers did vse to curse, & anathema­tize all ould heresies, and Hereticks in former tymes: these things, when I considered with more attention & made a generall reflection thereon, a suddaine feare and care, a­stonished, yea as it were, ouerwhelmed me, for that my euerlasting saluation depending vpon this point, I had beene so negligent in examining the premises. And now I [Page 54] plainely saw, as in a perfect glasse of most impartiall iudg­ment, that vnlesse I could imagin with my selfe (as diuers others fanatically do) that Christes promise had fayled, & that the first visible Christian and Catholicke Church founded by him, and spread ouer the whole world had fayled, vanished, and perished, as being ouercome by hel­gates, and ouer growne with the weedes of errour & he­resy; I could neuer haue any hope of saluation, as long as I continued in the Protestant Religion. And this was the issue of that Consideration.

The fourth Consideration.

THERE remaineth now a fourth consideration, the subiect wherof (which notwithstanding perhaps is How out of the premises euery mā may iud­ge in what state he standeth, for being Heretick, or Catholicke. of greatest importance of all the rest) is this, to wit, how out of the premisses a man may probably collect, nay ne­cessarily conclude, whose opinions be Catholicke, and whose Hereticall, and therevpon may reflect vpon him­self in what state or condition he standeth betwixt both as eyther affected to the one, or interessed in the other. And albeit this hath beene partly discouered by that which hath beene spoken in the first Consideratiō, touch­ing the name Catholicke, that signifieth Vniuersall and whole, and not a part or singularity in opinions by choice of a mans owne will and iudgement (for so Hereticke doth signifie as hath beene laid forth in the second Consideration:) yet shall it be made more manifest by the particular practice of the things themselues, when the name shall passe into na­ture, and appellation be turned into application. And first to speake to the point in a word, the Catholike admitteth all wholy, and intierly. without addition, or detraction, which the knowne Catholicke Church proposeth to be belieued of her sonnes, as she hath it reuealed vnto her [Page 55] from God her Father. But as for the Hereticke, and the chooser, tamquā Dominus propryiuris, as he that will take his owne swing, though it be in Schisme and heresy, he ma­king himselfe iudge ouer all, I meane God, the Scripturs and the Church, admitteth some, and reiecteth the rest, as it pleaseth his priuate fancy, or displeaseth his peeuish iudgmēt: he neither respects the authority of the Church nor regardes his owne obedience due therunto: his ground is either Scriptures falsely by him interpreted, or a priuat lying spirit (such as Micheas the Lords true Prophet pro­phesied to be in the false Prophets of Baal) wherein he is deluded, or other arguments of reason & nature against 3. Reg. 22. faith and the God of nature. And thus he is bewitched & peruerted, contrary to all true, and onely sauing Catho­licke grounds, contrary to that sure, certaine, and infalli­ble way of triall, which erst while we treated of in the third Consideration, and purpose now by Gods holy assistance to make vse of all in this.

65. Some men I find to intertaine this concepit, that English Protestants and Roman Catholickes may liue in their seuerall professions of Religion, and be saued togea­ther and much more they are of opinion, that all Prote­stants of different professions and Sectes, as Lutherans and Sacramentaries, and much more the different sortes of one and the selfe same sect, as Caluinists in England, distinguished by the names of Molles and Rigidi, moderate Protestantes, Whether men may be saued in disterēt Religions and feruent Puritans. And the reasons for this their opi­nion, are first of doctrine, for that euery one of their dif­ferences do not make heresies: or if they do, yet not so grie­uous heresies as the Fathers of the Primatiue Church con­demned and anathematized: they meane such heresies as impugned the persons of the B. Trinity, the Natures of Christ, God and Man, the Incarnation, and Passion, and the like; & cōsequently though those ancient heresies were damnable: yet are not those of our daies (plead the Pro­testants) but that both partes liuing well, may be saued, [Page 56] as his Ma ^tie in this his Premonition to Princes doth testifie, that his noble Mother sent him word not long before her Martyrdome by the Maister of her Household, a Scotish Gentleman yet liuing, that his Ma ^tie might persist in his Premonit. pag. 34. Protestant Religion, and yet do well inough, if he liued vertuously, and gouerned accordingly.

66. But surely, how farre the credit of that maister of Household, being a Protestant (as I heare he then was, M. Mel­uin. and now is) may extend it selfe to be belieued, against the mistresse and highest Lady of that Household, in a matter of that quality and consequence, I know not: yet certaine I am of this, that the opinion (that a man may be so saued) is most false and absurd in it selfe, and very vnlikely also to proceed from her Ma ^ties wise, and religious hart, who with that opinion might haue made herselfe a Pro­testant, & therby haue escaped the greatest part of her trou­bles, and perhaps also haue auoided the violent stroake of the Axe, which is well knowne to haue bene vrged vpon her, especially in respect of her Religion, and of the feare that was conceyued, least in time she might come to the Crowne and defend the same (I meane her Religion) with publicke authority.

67. And now whosoeuer it was (wherein I remit my selfe to his Ma ^tie, as most interessed therin, both in Honour, body and soule, as her only Child and heyre & chiefest Iewell in the world) euident it is, the opinion cannot stand (as now hath bene said) eyther in reason or religion, and may be presumed to proceed from such as haue little care of any religiō at all; onely they would liue quietly, enioy their sensuality, passe the time without any trouble or scruple or repugnant conscience for any thing Secret A­theisme touching religion, or that whole subiect. And this (if I take not my ayme amisse) commeth very neere to the point of secret Atheisme.

68. S. Augustine recordeth the like opinion of many in his daies, who thought it did not materially import [Page 57] them, whether they were Donatists, or Catholicks, so as they professed the Christian faith. Multi (sayth he) nihil in­teresse Aug. epist 48. ad Vincent. credentes, in qua quis (que) parte Christianus sit, ideo permane­bant in parte Donati, quia ibi nati erant &c. Many beleeuing that it concerned them not in what side or part ech man were a Christian (so he were a Christian) therefore they remayned on the party or faction of Donatus the Hereticke for that they were borne therein. But S. Augustine vehe­mently confuteth this false, pestilent, and indulgent per­swasion aswell in the place heere cyted as in many other places of his workes, confidently teaching, and auerring that a man is made an Hereticke by houlding any one er­rour obstinately against the Church, and consequently damned also. In Ecclesia Christi (saith he) qui morbidum aliquid prauum (que) sapiunt, si correcti, vt sanum rectum (que) sapiant, resistunt Aug. l. 18. de ciu. Dei cap. 5 [...]. contumaciter, Haeretici fiunt, & foras exeuntes, habentur inimici. Those who in the Church of Christ are infected with corrupt and naughty opinions, if being admonished to be­lieue wholsome and true doctrine, they kicke against it with contumacy, then do they become Heretickes, and going forth of the Church, are held for enemies. So he. And with the same seuerity holdeth he in his booke of he­resies, intituled, Ad Quod-vult-Deum, that the belieuing of any one heresy condemned already by the Church, or to be condemned, if rising afterwards, is sufficient to make the belieuer & obstinate defender no Christian Catholicke, & consequently an Hereticke, & so impossible to be saued.

69. To this opinion subscribeth S. Cyprian, who shew­ing that euery least heresy or schisme is able to damne a man, that adhereth vnto it, writeth expressely thus: Bea­tus Ioannes Apostolus, nec ipse vllam haeresim aut schisma discreuit: sed Lib. 1. epist. epist. 1. ad Magn. vniuersos qui ex Ecclesia exijssent, Antichristos appellauit. S. Iohn the Apostle himselfe did not put any difference or exception of any heresy or schisme at all: but called them Antichrists, whosoeuer were gone forth of the Church for any heresy or schisme whatsoeuer.

[Page 58] 70. And yet this point is pressed further by many other holy fathers, yea strained to euery heresie, were it but in one word or sillable. And this was the opinion of Hierom. l. 3. Apol. aduersus Ruff. post. medium. S. Hierome. His wordes are these: Propter vnum verbum, aut duo, quae contraria essent fidei, multas haereses eiectas esse ab Ecclesia: we shall read that many heresies haue beene cast out of the Church for one or two words, that were contrary to the receyued faith.

71. To this purpose conduceth that of S. Basill registred by Theodoret, to wit, that a good man ought to loose his life if neede require for the defence of one only sillable, pro Basil. apud Theod. l. 4. bist. c. 17. desensione vnius syllabae diuinorum dogmatum. The reason where­of is touched as well by S. Athanasius in his Creed, where he saith, That he shall most certainely be damned that houldeth not en­tirely and inuiolably the whole Catholicke faith; as also by Nazian­zen, when he saith, That heresy consisteth sometimes in one word. Nazianzē tract. de fi­de Ruff. in­terprete nō lōgé ab in­itio. His wordes are these: Nothing can be more perilcus then Here­tickes, who running wholy ouer all, do notuill standing in some one word, as by a drop of poyson, infect the sincere & simple faith of our Sauiour, comming downe by Apostolicall tradition. This was the iudgment of Antiquity: so seuere Censurers were all those holy Fa­thers of the least dram of Heresy.

72. Thus then you apparently see, that for making of an errour or heresie damnable it is not required of absolute necessity, that it deny some thing of the blessed Trinity directly, or some maine article of the Creed &c. as many of the first ould heresies did, when the doctrine therof was not so well explaned, as now it is, though this be a des­perate shift of the Protestant, and most miserable euasion, and yet it will not serue his turne, he being guilty of here­sy in all those high pointes, yea & of misbeliefe almost in euery article of the Creed: for that, as before hath beene touched in the third Consideration, the greatnes of the sinne of heresy dependeth more of malice, and malig­nity What sort of he­resy is more dā ­nable. of the sinner, then of the materiall obiect, about which the Hereticke erreth; for that he sinneth of obsti­nacy, [Page 59] and contumacy by his owne choice, and therefore is said by S. Paul to be damned by his owne iudgement, quia eligit sibi in quo damnatur, saith Tertullian, he chooseth to himselfe wherin to be damned: or els as S. Leo doth more Leo tract. cont. Eu­tich. largely giue the glosse; Propria pertinacia perit, & sua à Christo discedit in sania, qui eam impietatem, per quam multos ante se scit pe­russe, sectatur, & religiosum at (que) Catholicum putat id, quod sanctorū Patrum iudicio damnatum esse constat. That is, he perisheth by his owne pertinacity, and through his owne peculiar madnes departeth from Christ, who imbraceth that im­piety which he knoweth hath beene the destruction of many, houlding that for religious and Catholick, which manifestly appeareth to be condemned by vniforme iudg­ment of ancient Fathers. So blessed Leo expoūds the place: the reason followeth, for that such a one preferring him­selfe by pride and vanity before the whole visible and Catholicke Church, he chooseth to hould that which his owne iudgment, and fancy doth lead him vnto. VVhence it may come to passe, that one man erring with lesse pride, and obstinacy about some pointes of the blessed Trinity, may sinne lesse damnably, then another that erreth in points of lesser moment, but with more malice, as about the doctrine of the Sacraments, or other pointes of the like nature. And the reason therof is, for that this second erreth with more obstinacy, and malice (which corrobo­rateth the very essence of heresy) then the first, though both of these men being out of the Church, must be dam­ned, but yet with different measure of punishment.

73. This fearefull Conclusion then of damnation stan­ding a foote and remaining in full force to be inflicted vpon all kind of Hereticks: we are now, and next to cō ­sider, whether the Protestants opinions at this day wher­in they differ from the Catholicks, be truely heresy, being cōpared with the Romā faith and Religion: and secondly we are to discusse, whether the different sortes, sects, and professions of the said Protestant religion, among them­selues, [Page 60] especially the principall, as Lutherans & Sacramentaries in Germany, be heresies to the other: and the like of Puritans and Protestants in England, all originally rising from Mar­tin Luther: I say we are to consider, whether all these se­uerall heades, be Hereticks indeed, the one to the other, or may be saued togeather, ech man dying in his owne Religion.

74. To proceed then in order vnto the examination of the particulers. And first that Protestant Religiō in ma­ny great points throughout the mayne corps of contro­uersies now in hand, is truly heresy to those of the Roman That Pro­testants o­pinions are truly heresies. fayth and Catholick Religion: this point being so cleare needeth no further dispute, for asmuch as the Protestants do openly auouch aboue an hundred positions, against the same Roman Catholick Church, defending the same with obstinate resolution. And the late generall Councell of Trent (where the flower, piety, and learning of the whole Catholicke Christian world vnder one spreame Pastour, and infallible conduct of God his holy Spirit were assembled) hath discussed, examined according to ancient grounds of holy Fathers, discouered for Hereti­call, and thereupon hath anathematized 125. points by name, and that in so many different Canons enacted, con­cerning the Sacraments only, and the controuersy of Iusti­fication: Besides all the rest, I say, the case being thus cleare against them, and their conuiction so manifest, there needes no further dispute. For if by S. Augustine his iudg­ment, euen now alleadged, and other Fathers of greatest learning and credit in the Church, one only erroneous proposition, or assertion held with obstinacy against the doctrine of the knowne Christian Church, be conuinced for a point of heresy, and held for a matter of most cer­taine damnation to the houlder, for that it casteth a man out of the said Church (out of which is no saluation) what is to be inferred where so many condēned assertions are held against the knowne Church, & authority therof?

[Page 61] 75. To the second also, to wit, whether Lutherans and Sacramentaries (who made the first diuision of Protestants, whilst Luther himselfe was yet aliue) be truly and proper­ly Hereticks, the one to the other, and consequently that the saluation of one is the damnation of the other, were it possible that any Sectary could be saued: This is with as great facility proued as the former, and that first by the testimony of Martin Luther himselfe, the originall Authour of all these later Sectes: and then by the mutuall, and con­curring consent of all the Lutheran Doctors, Pastours, and Prelates that succeeded him.

76. First I say, it is well knowne that Luther himselfe euer reputed the Sacramentaries (that comprehend both Zuinglians and Caluinists) for dāmnable, and intollerable He­reticks. Let his owne testification often reiterated, and seriously aggrauated in diuers of his bookes be a sufficient cōfirmation of this. His first serious Censure denounced against them all, is this: Haereticos seriò censemus, & alienos ab Ecclesia Dei Zuinglianos, Sacramentarios omnes, qui negant Christi Luther. in art. ad Lo­uaniens. Corpus, & Sanguinem ore carnali sumi in Venerabili Eucharistia: We do seriously censure for Hereticks, and Aliens from the Church of God the Zuinglians, and all other Sacra­mentaries, who do deny that Christes sacred body, and Luther condem­neth all Zuingliās and Caluinistes for hereticks. bloud is receaued by our carnall mouth in the Venerable Eucharist. Can any thing be spoken more clearely, or de­termined more effectually then this? Or can any Calui­nist with any face hereafter exempt himselfe from out of the number of them that are accursed, and condemned by their owne grand Progenitour?

77. The same in effect he hath in his Epistle ad Iacobum Presbyterum Ecclesiae Bremensis: his wordes are these: All Sacra­mentaries that deny the Reall Presence are Hereticks, and for such to be auoided. And yet in a third place (least any man should thinke he had altered his iudgement) de Coena Domini, of the supper of the Lord, he condemned by name for dam­ned Hereticks, the very first Authors of Sacramentary [Page 62] doctrine, to wit, Carolostadius, Oecolampadius, and Zuinglius, (and questionles Caluin had neuer escaped his singers, as sly an Hereticke as he was, had he bene then either of name, or note:) well his finall and irreuokable doome (for it was denounced against thē in his decrepit age) was this: Ego tamquam alterum pedem iam habens in sepulchro &c. ‘I being now ould, and hauing as it were one foote in my graue, do yet carry this testimony & glory with me to the tribu­nall of Iesus Christ, that with all my hart I haue condem­ned, as enemies of the Sacrament, Carolostadius, Zuinglius, and Oecolampadius, and all their disciples and followers, and haue auoided their company, & haue no familiarity with them, eyther by letters, writings, wordes, or deedes, as the Lord hath commanded not to haue with Heretickes.’Thus much of Luther himselfe.

78. And now if we should prosecute the seuerall iudg­mentes and Censures of all others the most learned Luthe­rans, against Sacramentaries in this matter of heresy, and namely against Caluinistes, who were of no reckoning in Luthers daies, for that their new heresy was but then a hat­ching, there would be no end; and I should rather fill a large volume, then cōteine my selfe with in the precincts of my briefe intended Considerations. Let one or two of the principall serue for all. Matthias Illyricus a great Lutheran Superintendent of Saxony, and one of those foure that com­piled the lying Centuries, doth in a certaine booke, intitu­led, Desensio Consessionis Martinistarum, (or Luther anorum) cen­sure Caluinistarum Lyturgiam, the Lyturgy or seruice of the Caluinists, not only for hereticall, but to be Sacrilegious also: Et proh dolor (saith he) innumeras animas aeterno exitio inuoluere: And to inuolue (alas) innumerable soules with euerlasting perdition.

79. Franciscus Stancarus also, no meane Authour, one of the Lutheran side, writing to the King of Polonia in his days, pronounceth confidently of all those new professors vn­der Caluin in Geneua, that they were Publici & manifesti haeretici, [Page 63] notorious and manifest Hereticks. And yet as though this were little, the same Author in his booke de Trini­tate, prescribeth this Caueat to the Christian Reader, con­cerning Caluin (and would to God it were as well remem­bred and practised in the Vniuersities of England, where yong Deuines are for the most part poysoned with the drugges and dregges of Caluins doctrine (my hart bleedeth to thinke of it) before they can tast of the pure liquor of Beware of Iohn Cal­uin. antiquity:) well the admonition is this: Caue Christiane Lector &c. ‘Beware Christian Reader of the bookes of Iohn Caluin especially in the articles of Trinity, of the Incarnation, of the Mediator, of Baptisme, of Predestination &c. for that they doe containe most impious, and blasphemous doctrine.’ So he. VVhereby is vnderstood, not only the censure of the Lutheran Church, concerning the Caluinists The Cal­uinists cō ­demned for here­tickes by the Luthe­rans. doctrine, but also in what articles the difference betwixt them doth principally consist: and these are neither few in number, nor meane in nature, as you see, confirmed by the particular exceptions. VVhich articles are reitera­ted by other Lutheran writers, as namely by Albertus Gra­uerus in his booke, intituled, The warre of Iohn Caluin with Ie­sus Christ, which booke was set forth in the yeare of our The war of Iohn Caluin with Iesus Christ. Redemption 1598. wherin he sheweth, that the Articles wherby the Lutherans do cheifly differ from the Caluinists hereticall doctrine, are of the person of Christ, of the Sup­per of our Lord, of Baptisme, and of Predestination. And Iacobus Halbruneir another Lutheran Doctor, published an other booke the same yeare before, to proue Caluinisme to be heresy: and to the former articles of Albertus, he addeth other two, wherin Lutherans and Caluinists do deepely dissent, which are, de Maiestate Christi, & Ministerio Verbi; wherby he maketh it euident, that Caluinists are truly and properly Hereticks to Lutherans. And this for the second point.

80. Yt resteth now, that I come vnto the third ranke of English Protestants, and Puritans, which are two dif­ferent [Page 64] sects of Caluins doctrine which are found togeather in no state or Kingdome perhaps of Christendome, but on­ly in England. And although some Protestant writers for dissembling their owne diuisions, when they deale with Of the dissention & disagree­ment of Protestāts and Puri­tans, & whether they be he resies one to the o­ther. Catholickes, will needes (forsooth) acknowledge them for brethren, as not differing from them in any substanti­all point of Doctrine: yet in all their other writings, ey­ther against them, or of them, they disclose playnly what they thinke of ech other, holding them both for Schisma­ticks and Hereticks, in respect of their Protestant Church. Which being presumed by them (as they must needes pre­sume) to be the only true Catholike Church: it must needes follow, that Puritans, who from their innermost soules detest the same and the communion thereof, as Antichri­stian, must needes be Sectaries, nay Heretickes to that Church. And this is consonant to the doctrine of these Scriptures, and most conformable to the opinion of anci­ent Fathers, as is before copiously in the precedent Con­siderations asseuered.

82. For confirmation of which dissention capitall, and reall hostility, betweene our Puritans and Protestants in sundry mayne points of their Religion, I might heere al­ledge and produce infinite authorityes, and innumerable arguments, if I should not surcharge my Treatise. The two bookes yet extant printed by publicke authority, in one and the selfe same yeare, I meane the Suruey of the holy pre­tended Discipline, compiled, as it is thought, by him that is now arriued to the highest pitch of Ecclesiasticall dignity in that Kingdome: and the other, bearing the inscription of daungerous Positions, ascribed to Doctour Sutcliffe, both of them receyuing presse at London by Iohn VVolfe, Anno Dom. 1593. do sufficiently notifie vnto the world, how recon­ciliable the Puritan position is with the Protestant Religi­on, and that in sundry Articles of great weight and mo­ment. And amongst many others (which to auoid pre­lixity I purposly omit) the titles of the 22. and 23. Chap­ters [Page 65] of the Suruey are these: That they (to wit the Puri­tans) do take from Christian Princes, & ascribe vnto their pretended regiment, the supreme and immediate authority vnder Christ in causes Ecclesiasticall, and in the oppugning theros do ioyne with the Papists. Whereupon I inferre, that if this spirituall Supremacy be any substantiall point of doctrine amongst the Protestants, then the obstinate repugnance therof by the Puritans must needes be Schisme and Heresy.

82. I pretermit diuers other bookes whereof I haue beene an eye witnesse, how purposely, and directly they treat of these matters, as namely the Answere of the Vice­chancelor & Doctors of Oxford vnto the petition of a 1000. Puritans, Anno Dom. 1603. wherein it is plainely conuin­ced, that the Puritans hould their platforme of Ecclesiasti­call Answere pag. 20. gouerment, of the gouerment of Christ vpon earth, for a thing of no lesse importance, then is the Ghospell of Jesus Christ. They hold it further for an essentiall part of their said Ghospell, for a matter of faith, to be receyued vpon paine of damnation, for an essentiall marke of the true Church, without the which the Protestants Church is no Church, their faith no faith, their Ghospell noe Ghospell &c. And to conforme to that which M. Rogers writeth in his Preface to the Bishops Articles, where he testifieth that the Puritans do hold their platforme, differing from the Protestants, to be a speciall part of the Ghospell, yea the very Ghospell it selfe, & to be of such importāce, as if euery haire of their heades were a life, they ought to affoard them all in defence therof. So they. And in sober sadnes, supposing their principles to be true, haue they not great reason, for that their differences be in so maine & very substantiall points, if we refere them to their heades, wherof there is extant a very substantiall declaration and conuiction (as to me it seemeth) in the Preface of the Catholicke Deuine in his answere to Syr Edward Cookes fifth part of Reportes, whither I referre the ingenous, & iudicious Reader for further per­usall of this point: for there it is shewed, and irrefragably, [Page 66] against all impugners therof, proued, how essentiall and substantiall difference of doctrine there is about the origen The dif­ferent ori­gen of Ec­clesiastical power in the Prote­stant, Pu­ritan and Catholick Church. of Ecclesiasticall power, and authority betweene the Pro­testantes, Puritans, and Catholickes of England; the one, that is the Protestāt, ascribing it to their temporall Prince; the other challenging it, as most properly pertayning to their priuate Conuenticles & Assemblies: the last & third to the Succession of Bishops from the Apostles, the con­sequence wherof is this, that whosoeuer of the three par­ties haue the right in this point, there only is the true Church, there alone is the true Ecclesiastiall Authority of preaching, teaching, or dayning Ministers, admini­string Sacraments, exercising Censures, and Iurisdiction, binding or loosing, remitting or retaining sinnes, and the like &c. And for the other two Churches, they do re­mayne as secular and prophane Congregations, without any vitall spirit of Ecclesiasticall power at all. Let them then contend neuer so much about the keys of Ecclesiasti­call Iurisdiction: yet the plaine truth is, they shall neuer be able to open or shut the gates of heauen, vnto their owne friendes, or against their enemies.

83. And for as much as the Puritans also in their plea, do perswade themselues to haue the right on their side, Barorwes booke &c. Perpetuall gouerment of the Church. they must needes inferre the other consequence against the Protestant Church, houlding it to be no Church, as the foresaid answere of Oxford Doctors pag. 15. doth confesse that the Brownists do ancrre against thē, saying: The Brow­nists do confidently reproach vs, that our Church is no Church, our Sa­craments no Sacraments, our Prince and people Infidells, as not being baptized at all, our Christiā Congregations prophane multitudes &c. Thus write they, animated as say these Answerers, by the Millenary Puritan Petitioners, wherby it may be pro­bably presumed, that they also, to wit, the said thousand Petitioners (in most poynts at least) are of the same opini­on.

84. These thinges being so, as no man of modesty can [Page 67] deny, my demaund is; how can these men, differing in so mayne a poynt, be of the same Church? Or how can any man of the meanest vnderstanding, so he haue any capacity at all, imagine how these and the Protestants can be saued togeather? Nay truly the booke inti­tuled, The picture of a Puritan, licenced to come forth by authority Anno 1605. contayning a comparison of the opinions of the Anabaptists in Germany with those The Puri­tans ex­cōmunicated as schisma­tickes and Hereticks by the Prote­stants. of the Puritans in England, in Dialogue wise, betweene an English man and a German: this booke, I say doth pregnantly proue, that the Protestants do hold the Puri­tans, not only for Schismatickes and Sectaries, but for Heretickes also, as the Anabaptists are: yea the Author hol­deth them farre worse then the Anabaptists: Your Ana baptists (saith he) come not neere to our Puritans, in pride and contempt &c. And then he proceedeth in comparing and paralleling them as well in their opinions, and vse of Sa­craments, as in many other points of Religion with the said Anabaptists most damned heretickes, as all English Pro­testants themselues generally acknowledge them to be: yea this Author called O. O. Emanuel aggrauates the point so much against them, that he compareth them with Iewes and other such like Infidells. And euery where through­out his whole discourse, detecteth and censureth them for obstinate, and wicked Sectaries. And finally to wast no more labour in a matter so cleare, I find them ipso sacto ex­communicated by many Constitutions & Canons Eccle­siasticall of the Bishops and Protestant Church of Eng­land; Constitut. Can. 4. 56. Can. 7. 8. Can. 9. 10. & 12. as namely for impugning their Church, as also the Rites and Cerimonies established in the said Church; for denying the authority of their Archbishops, Bishops, their consecrating and ordering of the inferiour Clergy, for de­nying of Deanes & Collegiate Churches, for being Au­thours of Schisme, and separating themselues as Schisma­tickes, for maynteyning of Constitutions made in Con­uenticles, and the like.

[Page 68] 75. And to conclude, euery where almost throughout the same Constitutions, they are sharpely censured for Se­ctaries and Schismaticks: which censure proceeding from the Protestant Church with so full a stroke of authority must of necessity in their owne iudgement depriue the o­thers of all meanes of saluation in that Church, they stan­ding out with pertinacy against the same, as they doe: & consequently this doome must needes fall vpon one of their heades, that the Protestants, and they can in no case be sa­ued togeather.

The fifth Consideration, With the Conclusion of this whole Chapter to his Maiesty.

NOW therefore to returne with all humble obedi­ence & loyalty vnto your Ma ^tie, conteyning my selfe within all due, and iust boundes of duty, fidelity, obser­uance, obedience, subiection, and submission, which eyther the law of God, of Nature, of Nations, Reason, Religion, or of my owne natiue Countrie can require of a subiect towards his Dread Soueraigne: I do euen from my in­nermost, and hartiest affections, implore this one thing of your sayd Excellency, and must euer persist to beg it at your Highnes handes; to wit that after these foresaid pre­mised Considerations to the Reader, your owne Princely Person would deigne to condescend to enter into some se­rious Consideration, and mature deliberation, and that with some earnest attention, within the secret closet of your owne most wise, iudicious, and vnderstanding hart, what is, and may be the great consequence of all this that hath beene hither so generally discoursed of, in the mayne body of the whole: as also to weigh & ponder the weight and importance of ech particuler treated, and inferred in [Page 69] their seuerall passages.

87. And first, may it please your Highnes to lay to­geather, English Protestāts do not make one part often of those Christians which cō ­dēne thé for here­tickes. and compare the seuerall partes, and distinct per­tyes of different Professions in Religion, all dissenting frō the English Protestant Church, and doctrine therein esta­blished, as before hath beene sufficiently proued. The in­stances we bring for a plenary, and particuler confirma­tion, are these: As first the ROMAN Catholickes which possesse the greatest part of Europe. Secondly, the Lutherans professing throughout Saxony, Denmarke, Suecia, and some other States in Germany. Thirdly the Sacramentaries, Zuin­glians, and rigid Caluinists, tearmed by vs for their motefer­uēt supposed zeale, Puritans, and these be dispersed through­out Suitzerland, Sauoy, Germany, Hungary, France, Holland, & Scotland, and some parts of England. All these, I say, con­ioined togeather, and compared only with the English Parliament Protestants, do make often partes of Christen­dome nyne at the least: which proportion, or rather dis­proportion, as indeed it is, especially in Religion, when I seriously consider, and weigh it in the euen and impar­tiall ballance of an indifferent iudgement, I can in all du­ty do no lesse, but most humblie propose vnto the Christiā Prudency and Religious Piety of your Ma ^tie, to consider of what importance this is, in regard of life euerlasting, that nine partes of ten should hould the English Protestant re­ligion for damnable heresy, by which your Ma ^tie expe­cteth to receaue an eternall & neuersading crowne of glo­ry, awarded by Almighty God the most righteous iudge of all the world.

88. Yf in a sumptuous, and Royall banquet prepa­red of purpose to intertaine the person of a King, or po­tent Monarch, there were neuer so many pleasing and al­luring dishes, neuer such great store of delicate viandes, fetched from the sea, or prouided by land, neuer so great appetite in the Princely party inuited, if often learned Phisitions that were then present, attending vpon the per­son [Page 70] of this Prince to consult, and prouide for his bodily health and welfare, nyne of them should confidently a­uouch vpon their learning and iudgement, nay life it selfe Two im­portant Conside­rations. that all those daynties, and pleasing dishes were infected with the drugges of some mortall, and deadly-killing poy­son, some one dish only excepted, which they could not also well discouer; I thinke it would make the party in­uited to looke about him, to stay himselfe, and examine well the matter, before he would desperately aduenture to please his palate. Or if in a great suite of law, concerning the interest to a Princely inheritance pretēded by the plain­tife, it should be eyther by Parliament or vnder the great Seale, or by some other Statute enacted, yea, and without faile executed, that if the plaintife fayled in his suite, be­ing either dryuen to non-suite, or ouercome in his suite, that then he should vndergoe extreme misery, be expo­sed to infinite calamities, most certaynely incurre euerla­sting bondage and slauery; though some one lawyer of ten that were of his counsaile, should animate, and giue him all the encouragement that possibly he could, to proceed in his suite: yet if the nyne other of equall worth and weight with him should be of contrary opinion, disswade him frō the suite, assuring him vpon their learning, that he would be cast in the same, yea and condemned, if he proceeded therein, would not this man now beginne to consider more seriously of his suite intended? Of his right preten­ded? Would he not view ouer, and ouer his writings? ex­amine all his euidences againe and againe, least in aspiring to be made for euer, he chance for euer to be vndone? Euē so the case standeth in the point we haue in hand. Here is a royall banquet prouided for your Princely Maiesty, here is a Princely inheritance indeed, an incorruptible Dia­deme of glory, prepared for your Excellency: this banquet is not to continew for an hundred and fourescore dayes, as that of Assuerus did, to set forth the maiesty of an earthly Hester. 1. Monarch, but it endureth for euer and euer, throughout [Page 71] all eternity, to disclose the honour, and power, and glory and riches of the heauenly Diety, & diuine Omnipotency: the food of this banquet is neither earthly nor materiall, but heauenly and spirituall, Agnus occisus ab origine mundi: It is the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world, that is to be set and serued on this table, nay, Deus est qui nobis 1. Cor. 15 28. futurus est omnia in ommbus: It is Almighty God himselfe, who will then, as S. Paul teacheth, become vnto vs all in all, that is all in the eye for our vision, and all in the tast for our refection, and all in the touch for our fruition, all in the eare of our consolation, and all in our smell for delectation; in a word, all in the senses of our body, and all in the faculties of our soule, Deus omnia in omnibus, for our plenary perfection.

89. Besides this banquet, there is a Princely Inheritāce, and an incorruptible Crowne of glory prepared for your Ma ^tie, and this Crowne so farre excelleth all earthly Crownes, as immortall exceeds mortall, incorruptible corruptible; in a word, as farre as God excelleth man, and a thing infinite surmounteth a thing finite, betwixt all which there can be no proportion: and is there not cause now, that your Ma ^tie should beware of the poison of Heresy that killeth both body and soule? And will not your zealous and religious Hart hereafter peruse ouer all forged writings, and neuer cease searching, vntill you haue found the euidences of the Catholicke Church, wher­by your Ma ^tie can only lay clayme to this Crowne of im­mortality.

90. And this is all that we your Maiestyes humble subiects, and seruants do in our dayly sighes, teares, and prayers to Almighty God begge at his handes; to wit, that our gratious God would of his mercifull goodnesse, vouchsafe so to inspire your Princely hart with the prin­cipall spirit, that you may once at the least come to make this reflection vpon the course that you are in now, con­cerning Religion. Then should you easily discouer the [Page 72] fraudes and impostures of the Protestant cause: Then should you disclose the poysoned. and inuenomed druggs of their erroneous opinions, wherby they would insect both the body, and the soule of your Princely Person (su­specting no guile, fearing no such treachery) and that to your euerlasting destruction. Lastly then should you desery how false, and counterfait their euidences are, con­cerning Religion, and that they can neuer hould plea for the foresaid Princely inheritance, wherunto your Noble Person is interessed.

91. Your Maiesty was borne amongst the Protestāts, as S. Augustine compassionately complained of diuers borne amongst the Donatists, & therby you could not but receaue that impression, that was infused, and instilled into you by your first educators, and therby you haue bene made (as I trust) rather credens Haereticis, then Haereticus, as the same Father said of his friend Honoratus. Your Maiesty is earnest now against the Catholicke Romā faith, and pro­fessors therof, and so was I my selfe too once, and so was S. Augustine, whilst he was a Manichean, and soe was that great Apostle S. Paul, perswading himselfe no doubt, that he ought, yea that he should do God good seruice, persecuting that Act. 26. 9. way of Christian profession, vntill God had opened his eyes, & inlightened his mind to see the erroneous course, wher­in he then was.

92. And now may it please your Ma ^tie to consider of this one reasō, which though it be the last, yet is it not the least, viz. that so many of your Ma ^ties loyall Subiectes, men of considerable birth, worth, and quality, yea and some of them such, that haue spent much pretious time, and haue bene content to exhaust their Patrimonies in your Noble Vniuersities, and all in the pursuite of lear­ning and truth of Christian Religion: these men, I say, hauing now iust reason to expect some preferment with other their equalls, after their long wearisome labours & endeauours, would not so suddenly change their minds, [Page 73] as they do daily in this point of Religion, forgo all future hopes and fortunes, abandon Countrey, kith and kinne, expose themselues to all temporall difficulties and losses, The daily conuersiō of so ma­ny lear­ned men in Englād. and that without constraint of any, euen voluntarily: and after all this to be ready to shed their blond, and sacri­fice their innocent liues for their Resolution made, con­cerning Religion: all which they could neuer do, were it not that a higher hand than humaine, euen the hand of heauen leadeth them into the bosome of the Church; were it not vpon the force, and efficacy of euident truth, when it pleaseth almighty God so to inlighten their vnderstan­ding, as in the middest and thickest of the darknes of he­resy, to shew them the only and alone sauing Catholicke Truth and Church, as also to frame their wills, and in­flame their affections, to yield all obedience therunto, notwithstanding any obstacles whatsoeuer.

93. Alas (my dread Soueraigne) what is Rome to vs English men that we should so mind it? Or the Church of Rome that we should much affect it? Or the Pope of Rome that we should so highly honor him? were it not that Rome euer was, is, and shall be the Chaire of S. Peter: the present faith of Rome the former faith of S. Peter: were it not that this conuerted our Iland, this Church first plan­ted the Christian faith in our Iland, this Bishop from time to time repayred, renewed, and continued the decaying faith in our Iland: In a word, were it not that all that se­parate themselues from this head and origen of vnity in the Christian Church, are as beames cut of from the sunne, as boughes violently broken downe from the tree, as Cyprian. l. de vnit. Ec­cles. channels & streams deuided from their fountaine, which must needes dry vp, wither and consume to nothing. This is the sole cause my Liege Lord, that Rome is so neare and deare vnto vs: the Bishop of Rome so honored by vs: the faith of Rome so receaued of vs. This is (may it please your Ma ^tie) the only cause of our suddaine change, and con­stant resolution in Region.

[Page 74] 94. And in all this we haue not iustly offended the King our Soueraigne: let heauens Tribunall be witnesse of our innocency, and we must against all detractions, and calumniations of our vniust aduersaries plead yt also before your Ma ^tie. And this same change in like manner will I hope, and pray for, in your Maiesty; and with this hope will I for this time againe dutifully depart frō your Highnes, and passe to the Christian Reader to examine now in particuler the foure heades most Prudently, and Religiously proposed, and resolued vpon by your Ma ^tie. The God of Salomon inspire into your Princely breast the wisdome of Salomon, and make your Ma ^tie as an Angell of god, that you may discerne betwixt the right hand & the left, the right and the wronge, Catholicke Religion, and Hereticall innouation: that you may be able to put a difference betwixt those of your Subiects that serue God, and such as feare him not.

The first Consideration.

AND first, if this were all, & that on Scriptures behalfe there were no more to be required to proue, & make a man a Christian Catholicke, but a franke and ingenious The belie­uing of Scriptures not suffi­cient to make a man a Ca­tholicke. acknowledgement to assent vnto, and to belieue all those Scriptures which we deeme for Canonicall in our opini­on, and for the sense to iudge it agreeable and correspon­dent to our own priuate imaginations: I say, if this were all, all controuersies of Religion betwixt all parties neuer so opposite & different in opinion might easily (no doubt) surcease, and speedily without either further delay or dif­ficulty, be accorded, for that all sides and parties do freely [Page 77] and voluntarily offer to professe this point, and that as I verily thinke from their hartes.

4. But (alas) this is neyther all, nor any sound part of all: all is but we deeme, and we iudge this is Scripture, and this is the sense: here is nothing in all, but that which marreth all, & that in the very maine point which should make all, and that is proper choice, priuate election, which we know by that which hath bene formerly treated, and sufficiently proued, must needes be heresy, and consequēt­ly this mayne ground of Scripture it selfe thus from our selues taken, and thus laid for auoiding of heresy, openeth the very mayne gap vnto all heresy. And yet I must here (though now with no small griefe, and vexation of spirit, I do remember it,) liberally acknowledge, that for some yeares togeather (when I framed Religion in the shop of my owne brayne, proper inuention, and priuate glosses, as An exam­ple of the Authors case him­selfe. all Sectaries vsually do) I was so hartily affected, sincerely (as I thought) delighted, yea as it were rauished with this alluring consideration, and best pleasing perswasion of Sa­cred Scriptures alone, whose sole authority I seemed to my selfe then to follow, and no other humane or terrene motiue whatsoeuer, no not so much as once reflecting backe vpon the authority of the Church (whence as I re­ceaued the Scriptures themselues, so much more ought I to haue receaued the sense) as I thought my selfe more then halfe in heauen, when God knoweth I was ready to tum­ble into the pit of hell, thinking this way of the Scriptures alone of all other waies, the most infallible, and so cer­taine, as that I could not possibly erre therby.

5. And being in this peremptory presuming veine, and straine of Scriptures, to adde as it were fuell vnto the fire of this my strong conceipted imagination, I often tymes remembred, and with wonderfull admiration repeated, yea reiterated againe and againe that animous, couragious heroicall sentence and speach of Apostolicall, and Pro­pheticall fortitude (as to me it then seemed) of Luther him­selfe, [Page 78] who alleadging Scriptures for his cause, and contem­ning all other proofes, thus triumphantly insulted ouer King Henuy the eight: Hic sto, hic sedeo, hic glorior, hic trium­pho, Luther. l. cont. Regē Angliae. f. 342. tom. 1. hic insulto &c. Here I stand, here I sit, here I do glory, here I do triumph, here I do insult ouer Papists, Thomists, Henricistes, and Sophistes, and all the gates of hell, much more ouer the sayings of men, be they neuer so ho­ly. The strāg presūptu­ous speach of Luther. God his word is aboue all: the diuine Ma ^tie maketh for me: so as I passe not if a thousand Augustines, a thousand Cyprians, and a thousand King Henries Churches should stand against me. God cannot erre, nor deceiue, but Augu­stines and Cyprians may erre, and haue erred. So he.

6. And truely this bould kind of free speach affected me very much as then, for that it seemed to me simply to proceed out of the exceeding great confidence of his cause, and me thought that I felt and perceiued some part, and measure of the same spirit in my selfe at that time, which brought me also to this peremptory resolution, to wit, that whatsoeuer I spake forth of Scriptures, or could make but the least shew of wordes and warrant for out of Gods holy booke, that must nedes be true, certaine and infalli­ble, in the very selfe same sense that I speake it, and could not possibly, no not by men, or Angells be controlled. The same spirit also did I obserue in many others of my brethren of the English Ministry, who in like manner, & some of them with great zeale, grounded themselues vp­on Scriptures, euen as I did; which concurrence in opini­on did not a little cōfirme me in this my owne headstrong imagination.

7. But afterwardes vpon better insight of matters ma­ny occurrences, and circumstances of no small importance for the shaking and ruinating of this false and tottering foundation, interposed themselues to the view of my vn­derstanding: and these greatly calmed this feruour of mine and abated the edge of my appetite vnto the bare letter of the Scripture, and my owne Commentaries therupon.

[Page 79] 8. For first I found, that euen Luther himselfe, that did thus confidently triumph vpon alleadging of Scripture a­gainst Luther not euer belieued by vs, al­though he cyte the Scriptures all ancient Fathers, Thomists, Sophists, Henri­cistes, and the like, is not admitted nor followed by our English Church, in many of his maine positions of Reli­gion, though we of England did, and do hould him for a great Saint, a flying Angell, one that had Primitias spiritus the prime spirit of the new Protestant Ghospell: where­upon I haue heard some that haue presumed in their popu­lar pulpit declamations, amidst their owne Sectaries to inuest him with the tytle of a fifth Euāgelist: I say, he is not belieued by vs, though he cyte neuer so many Scriptures, and neuer so confidently in sundry weighty positions and cōtrouersies now in hand, as namely about the Reall presence wherein he most of all pretended, yea and had indeed foū ­ded himselfe vpon cleare and euident Scriptures. And is it any meruaile, when heresy departing from vnity, must needes breed variety, and cause diuersity betweene the Sect-maister and the Sectaries? the Father of innouation and the followers? the author of Schisme and the mantai­ners? the inuentors of nouelties and the imbracers thereof? Let vs heare what old Tertullian saith to the same aboue 1400. yeares agoe, when heresies were yet but yong and as it were in their infancy. Mentior (saith he) si non etiam àregulis suis variant inter se, dum vnusquis (que) proinde suo arbitrio mo­dulatur quae accepit, quemadmodum de suo arbitrio eadem composuit De prae­script. cap. 42. ille qui tradit. Agnoscit naturam suam, & originis suae morem prosectus rei. Idem licuit Valentinianis, quod Valentino, idem Marcio­nitis, quod Marcioni de abitrio suo fidem innouare. Denique penitus inspectae haereses omnes in multis cum Auctoribus suis dissentientes de­prehenduntur. I am deceaued, if they do not yet differ from their owne rules amongst themselues, whilest euery man therfore tuneth the things which he receaued after his owne fashion, as the author deliuered them according to his fancy. The issue of the thing agniseth her nature and argueth the manner of her origen. The same is lawfull [Page 80] for the Valentinians, that was lawfull for Valentinus, and for the Marcionites, that was lawfull for Marcion to bring in an innouation in Religion at their pleasure. To conclude, all heresies being throughly looked into, are found in ma­ny things to dissent from the first Authors and broachers of them. Hitherto Tertullian. Can any more effectually prescription be made, then this, against the Heretickes of our daies? Do they not seeme to expresse and present the conditions and qualities of their ancient progenitors and forerunners? This then was my first cogitation, that albeit our English Protestants did well allow and admire that insolency in Luther of pressing Scriptures neuer so madly vnderstood, against Catholickes: yet when he vr­ged neuer so cleare Scriptures against themselues, and their opinions, they reiect and contemne both him and his Scriptures.

9. Secondly, I considered that when the Diuell temp­ted Christ he came not without his Scriptum est, he had the Word for his warrant, and therefore the lesse I meruailed Abuse of Scriptures by Here­tickes. that all Sectaries and Hereticks, from the very first foun­dation of Christan Religion, had principally founded themselues, and their heresies vpon pretence of Scripture, as may appeare by the seuerall workes of all the ancient Fathers, that confuted them: Frequentes sunt in citandis Scrip­turis (saith Tertullian:) they are frequent in citing Scrip­tures. They runne ouer the Law, Psalmes, Prophets, Ghospells, Epistles and the residue of holy Scripture with great facility (sayth Vincentius Lyrinensis) and euen in compi­tis & conuiuijs, in market places and banquets, amongst their owne Sectaries, amongst strangers, priuatly, publickly in Cont. haer. cap. 35. See the place, it is well worth the reading. their bookes, in sermons, will they be full of Scriptures: Nihil vmquam penè de suo proserunt, quod non etiam Scripture verbis adumbrare conentur: they bring nothing in manner of their owne, which they shaddow not and cloake with some Scripture or other, (not vnlike our London Dames, and the wiues of other great Towns and Cytties at this day. I had [Page 81] almost added Shrewsbury.) Omnes tument &c. ‘all of them swell with pride, all of them promise knowledg, they are per­fect Catechistes before they can their alphabet, Ipsae muli­eres De prae­script. c. 4. hereticae quàm procaces, quae audeant docere, contendere, &c. their very hereticall women how saucy, and malepert they are, which dare teach, contend &c.’ So Tertullian. And then further as S. Nazianzen before alledged well no­teth, these hereticall Scripturians running ouer all the corps of sacred Writ, nay galloping ouer the whole field of the Scriptures, as though the whole were but a horse­rase, they do here and there, vno verbo vel altero, tamquam ve­neni gutt a inficiunt, ‘with a word or two (of false exposition) as with a drop of poyson, infect the whole, peruerting the true faith of Christ by their false sense of the Scrip­ture, and that to their owne damnation, and damnation of their followers, as the Apostle S. Peter doth signify.’

10. Thirdly, I considered that not onely the ancient Hereticks, but also the moderne Schismatickes and Secta­ries of our time, did by the one and the same spirit appeale to the tribunall of Scriptures, and that both generally a­gainst Contro­uersies grow end­les by ap­pealing only to Scriptures those of the Roman beliefe, & particulerly among themselues, the one against the other, as Lutherans against Sacramentaries, and Sacramentaries against Anabaptists, and those against these, and euery Sectary against his fellow, and all directly against God, his Church, and his Truth. And though ech Sectary professe to alledge Scripture, and pretendeth neyther to build vpon the sandes nor vpon the shore of priuate fancy, or his owne vnstable iudgment, but vpon the mayne rocke of God his word: yet Heresies grow on all sydes, and thereupon controuersies become endlesse and interminable. I remember not long since, that lighting vpon a little booke of the Anabaptists, I fell vpon thirty places of plaine Scripture, and euery one of these places seemed by the externe letter, to make perspi­cuously for the aforsaid Anabaptists, and their heresies, which yet in England we do condemne, and consequently doe [Page 82] hold all those places of Scriptures to be misalledged, abu­sed, and falsely interpreted by them, be they neuer so ma­ny, seeme they neuer so plaine or pregnant.

11. But here I would demaund of any ingenious Pro­testant how the Anabaptist can euer be conuinced of his he­resies by any groundes of Protestant Religion? VVill the Protestant appeale him to the Scripture? The Anabaptist can produce more texts, and alleage more plentifull places of Scripture, then he can. Will he referre the interpretation of the places cyted on both sides to the spirit? The Anabap­tist presently presumeth and braggeth of a greater measure of the spirit then he. Will the Protestant accuse his spirit, as erroneous, and authour of a wrong interpretation, as 3. Reg. 22. 20. 21. 22. 23 Micheas truly charged the false Prophets of Iezabel, when he could them that Sathan had offered vnto Almighry God, that he would go forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all Achabs false prophets? Then will he reply againe, as Zidkiah did, And when departed the spirit of the Lord from me to Ib. v. 24. speake in thee? VVill he conuent him before the Consistory, and sribunall of the Protestant Church, & Bishops ther­of, as diuers haue bene, and were burned by them? The Anabaptist presently complayneth, and in this very iustly, that, it is no indifferēt kynd of tryall to be iudge in their owne cause. Finally will the Protestant remit it to the vmpiring of any other present Church, or be content that all Controuersies betwixt them shall fall to the decision of the Fathers? The Anabaptist kicketh against that, & cut­teth of all meanes of triall with this text of Scripture, Spi­ritualis [...]. Cor. 2. 25. homo omnia dijudicat, & ipse à nemine iudicatur. The spiri­tuall man iudgeth all thinges, and needeth not to be iud­ged of any. Thus we see euen amongst Sectaries thēselues, Controuersies grow endlesse by Scriptures, though all pre­tend to belieue Scriptures, and plentifully to cyte the same.

12. Moreouer where the Puritans actiō in England swaicth most, as very vsually in good towns & great citties it doth: [Page 83] there shall you find all their Preachers of this humour, they haue nothing in their mouthes but the Ghospell of Christ, the Ghospell of Christ, the pure Word of the Lord, as though their false & corrupted Geneuiā Translatiō were eyther part of the Ghospell or Word of God. And they seeme so farre forth to confide to their English translatiō, as that they affect to alleage Scriptures only, putting one vpō the necke of an other, disdayning as it were to quote any Father or ancient writer for interpretation of Scriptures or confirmation of their doctrine, esteeming their own ex­positions, though neuer so vaine and impertinent, to be firme groundes for building any thing thereon, as out of the Scriptures.

13. And here I remember that not many moneths past perusing priuately with my selfe the foresaid booke of O. O. Emanuel, written by a Protestant against the Puritans Scriptures ridiculously allead­ged by the Puritan. he among other things discouereth vnto the German, with whome he maketh his Dialogue, some 15. seuerall places of Scripture, so falsely, and impertinently alleadged by Puritan writers, that the German is inforced to conclude, Thus I see already how ridiculous they are. And verily he that shall read the places alleadged, & weigh them with any iudge­ment, will confesse that they are ridiculously applyed in­deed, and yet with their followers all must be Scriptures which they speake, and the pure word of God vttered by the instinct of the spirit, be it neuer so fantastically or fa­natically applyed.

14. VVell then, to come to the Conclusion, when I saw, and considered all this, and had weighed the same, with that indifferency of iudgement that I possibly could, as, in a matter so much impotting my soule, it stood me vpon; I began first to suspect this spirit of Luther, that auer­red so confidently his assurance of the Scriptures, and true vnderstanding thereof, against a thousand Cyprians, a thou­sand Augustines, hauing no other ground thereof, then his owne particuler perswasion to that effect: which perswa­sion [Page 84] notwithstanding was, and is in many points, held & proued to be erroneous, by such as followed his breach, and namely by the Church of England: in which I saw many that reiected him, to be as confident in their owne perswasion, and to auerre for Scriptures, and the true Word of God, whatsoeuer themselues did found out of the Bible in their owne sense, and consequently I did in­ferre, as a most certayne sequele, that this profession of admitting, beleeuing or following Scriptures, ech man out of his owne sense and iudgement, without any cer­tayne rule, band, or limit of exposition, cannot be suffi­cient to proue a man a Christian Catholicke, and no Hereticke, for that it may open the way to be an Here­ticke, if his choice of interpretation be erreneous. And thus much of this first Consideration. There followeth the second.

The second Consideration.

VVHEN Almighty God of his infinite goodnes & mercy, after that immeasurable space of eter­nity, wherein the Blessed Trinity had raigned, & glory­ously That Scriptures were not writtē for many yeares af­ter their Church began. triumphed without any creatures, condescended to make a world, and to create man, and consequētly vouch­safed therby to institute a visible society, company, or Church vpon earth, to acknowledge, serue, and honour him leauing vnto them sufficient directions whereby they might accomplish their seruice to him, and thereby to ar­riue to the hauen of happines: the same most wise God gouerned the said Church for more then two thousand yeares, without any writtē word, that is now extant. And after this large space, when it pleased the Diuine Maiestie, that the history of the worlds creation, mans propagation &c. should be committed to writing for the benefit of suc­ceeding posterity, he stirred vp that great gouernour of [Page 85] his people, and Prophet Moyses, inabled him with a great measure of his principall, and propheticall spirit, inspired him, and then appointed him to compyle those famous bookes commonly called in Greeke Pentateuch, the first fiue bookes of the Byble, to wit, Genesis the booke of creation, Exodus the booke of their departure out of Egipt, Leuiticus the booke of Priests and Sacrifices, Numeri the booke of numbring the people, and Deuteronomy the booke of the lawes repetition.

16. In like manner the same God, whose pleasure was euer to be with the sonnes of men, houlding the high hand of his diuine prouidence ouer his Church, inspired likwise and appointed others also after the example of Moyses, holy men, to compose and write other bookes afterwards vpon diuers, and sundry occasions offered, as in the ould Te­ment may be seene. But yet we shall not find, that any of those bookes of Moyses, or any of the rest, that were written by the other Authors were digested, and collected in man­ner, and method of orderly institutions, as in all other arts, and sciences is wont to be done, but rather by peece­meale, and by parts as occasion fell out, the Authors ther­of principally intending an historicall narration, rather then any exact doctrinall instruction: and the reason is this, for that the ordinary institution, and instruction of How Scriptures were first. written. euery man how he ought to beleeue, liue, feare, and serue God, was for all this tyme (before the law written) to be taken only from the Church by traditions of Fathers to their children: and after the said law was written, also e­uery man, and woman was not remitted promiscuously, hand ouer head, to the reading of those bookes: but he was sent to take his instruction, and institution from the ordinary Superiours, Doctors, Gouernors of that Church and these were to expound the law vnto him. For which direction, and tradition we find this warrant and com­maunding, yea prescribing authority, Aske thy Fathers, and Deut.. 2. 7. they will tell thee, thy elders, and they will declare vnto thee. Againe, [Page 86] The lipes of the Priest preserue knowledge. And yet in a third place I know that Abraham will demaund and teach his sonnes, and house­hould, Gen. 18. 19. that they walke in my wayes &c.

17. And now to come from the law to the Ghospell, from Moyses vnto Christ, and so to proceed orderly with the hi­story of the Church: as God is no changling, but euer like himselfe, euen so the beginning, proceeding, establi­shing of the new Christian faith, and Church, was not much vnlike, if not altogeather resembling the former. For first this Church was planted by our Sauiour at Hierusalem and speedily by the industrious ministery of the holy A­postles, assisted by the instinct of the holy Ghost, spread ouer the face of the earth: and yet neyther the Church, nor the Apostles, the principall pillars of the Church, had as at this time any written instruction or methodicall insti­tution deliuered vnto them, concerning their teaching, preaching, or beleeuing, except only the articles of the Creed, deliuered by tradition in the Church, as will appeare in the subsequent Considerations. Secondly, the institution that they had, they receyued it by instruction from our Sauiour his mouth, and from the immediate in­stinct, suggestion and inspiration of the holy Ghost; who was promised by Christ himselfe (who could not lie, nor deceaue) to assist the Church continually vnto the worldes end: and by this institution, and inspiration a­lone Matt. 23. 20. they taught, and conuerted both Iewes, and Gentils, instituted Churches, establishing lawes and orders of life by word of mouth, and tradition only from hand to hand before any thing of the new testament was committed to writing. And this was the condition of the Church for some yeares, and that in the infancy and purity of Chri­stian Religion, as the Protestant must perforce confesse. Thirdly, when the Wisdome of heauen thought it expe­dient, that somthing should be written, the first thing cō ­mitted vnto writing in the new Testamēt, was the Ghos­pell of S. Matthew, and this was collected, and digested in [Page 87] that very order, as it is now presented to the Church, and that some eight yeares after the ascension of our Sauiour: then the Ghospell of S. Marke some fiue yeares after that: & then that of S. Luke written twelue yeares after the former, wherin diuers thinges omitted in the other Ghospell of are recorded. And last of all was written the Ghospell of S. Iohn, conteyning in it many great, and important mat­ters, which are not found in any of the rest: and this was not written of 66. yeares after the first visible Christian Church was planted, and established by the comming of the holy Ghost.

18. And now as all the rest were written vpon parti­culer The Chu­rch conti­nued ma­ny yeares without written Scriptures occasions, so especially was this famous Ghospell of S. Iohn, which is the very key, opening the dore vnto the vnderstanding of all the rest, and particulerly vpon the occasion of Ebion, and Cerinthus their heresy, which impug­ned the Diuinity of the Sonne of God. Whereupon I do inferre, that for that which concerneth the new Testa­ment, the Church was for diuers yeares without any Scriptures at all: and for 66. yeares (which is the age of a man) the points related by S. Iohn more then were vtte­red in the other Ghospells (which are many and most im­portant) were receiued and belieued in the Church by tradition onely. And now for Conclusion of all, I would demaund but one thing of the Protestants, that make such shew of appealing vnto Scriptures, and the Primitiue A­postolicall Church: & this was demāded aboue 1400. yeares agoe by S. Irenaus before cyted, who liued in the very next Iren. lib. 3. cont. har. cap. 4. age after the Apostles vpon the very like occasion: Sine (que) Apostoli Scripturas reliquissent nobis &c. If the Apostles had left vnto vs no Scriptures at all, yet ought not we to follow that order of tradition, which they left to those to whom they committed their Churches? So that holy Bishop and Martyr: especially ought we not to follow that or­der of tradition, since the true worship of God, and the sa­uing doctrine of the Ghospell of Christ cōtinued for 2000. [Page 88] yeares in the time of the law, and for many other yeares in the dayes of the Ghospell; and that in the brest of the Church, to be deliuered by tradition only without the help of any word written?

19. Wherby we cannot but discerne, and must acknow­ledge that Scriptures or the written word of God, were not so absolute necessary for the reuealing of God his will vnto man kind, and the continuing of man in that sauing knowledge of him: but that his Diuine Maiesty might haue propagated, and preserued his doctrine, and man in the truth by tradition only of word of mouth, without any Scriptures at all, if it had so pleased him, as he did for many ages and generations togeather, both before the first great diluge by water, in the dayes of our first Patri­arkes, vntill Abrabā his time, whome he chose for the head of his people: as also afterwardes when he directed the same people by like tradition, as well in Egipt, where they remayned in most cruell bondage for 400. yeares, as else where, before Moyses wrote his forenamed bookes. And the like he might haue done with Christiās to the worlds great generall consummation & last inundation by a flood of fire (according to S. Irenaeus his sentence) if he had listed, as hauing instituted a more orderly, exact, and authori­zed Church; yea, and hauing indued it with greater pri­uiledges, according to the perfection of the new law, a­boue the old, then he had done vnto the former of the Iewes. Whereupon it must needes follow by force of neces­sary consequence, that the tradition of this Church, and pure authority therof, both in propounding Scriptures vnto vs, and discerning the same which are truly Scrip­tures, and which are not, as also for deliuering vnto vs the true sense, and meaning therof in their interpretation, and exposition, is much more to be respected by vs then was that of the Iewes. Forasmuch as Christ our Sauiour promised the continuall assistance of his spirit vnto this Church, and that in such measure, as that it should alone [Page 89] be able to withstand all the infernall power of Sathan, and the gates of hell, idest, the very entrance of all kynd of er­rour, or herely into it whatsoeuer.

20. These then, that neuer so solemnely and neuer so How He­reticks do handle Scripturs. confidently professe that they for their partes do belieue, and follow the Scriptures, without due reference, or re­spect to the Church, forsomuch as all Sectaries, and Here­tikcs, that are no Catholicke Christians do professe the same, as hath bene already euidently shewed, that is to say, they will openly beare the world in hand, that they build their whole Religion vpon the maine foundation of the Scriptures: wheras notwithstanding it is out of que­stion that they rather build vpon their owne idle heades and fanaticall spirits; forsomuch as they deduce their ac­knowledgement of Scriptures, and the interpretation thereof from their owne braine, sense, and priuate fancy, and not from any more stable authority at all.

21. This is made euident, and perspicuous, if we ex­nmine any the least sect, or sectary in the world, or com­pare many of sundry sectes togeather, for that euery one of them, though as opposite among themselues, as heauen and hell, light and darkenes, God and Beliall: yet will all pretend to build vpon God his word, all will appeale vnto Scriptures, the Lutheran, Caluiuist, Anabaptist, Brownist, Protestant, and euery other sectary: but when you tye them to the point, bring them to the examination of the Scrip­tures, question them concerning these two particulers, to wit, which is Scripture, & how it is to be vnderstood, then do they appeare in the liuely colours of Heretickes, then do they discouer their owne hereticall fancies to be both all, and the chiefe groundes, that euer they had to build their religion vpon, as by the ensuing Considerati­ons will better appeare in both the heads before touched.

The third Consideration.

IF the Oracle of the Prophets, and Apostles, the diuine VVrit, I meane so called, because the holy Scriptures were written by the ministery of Propheticall, and Apo­stolicall men, be in their owne nature of that sublime ex­cellency, and transcendent eminency, as hath bene for­merly How to know what is truly Scri­pture. decyphered and discouered vnto vs: If the autho­rity of the said sacred Writ be not humane, but diuine, not the word of any mortall mā, nor proceding frō any earth­ly spirit, but the word of the immortall God, breathed nō his heauenly spirit: and consequently, if it be not in it selfe most holy, sacred, sure, certaine, and of infallible truth; then let vs assuredly know, that as on the one side, it is a capitall crime of sacriledge to decree any thing for Scrip­ture which is not, or to intrude any humane writing in­to the participation or association of Gods Diuine word: so it is a sinne no lesse damnable on the other side to call rashly into question, or to disauthorize any part, or par­cell of that which is Scripture indeed, or to deny therun­to the honour due to diuine and sacred Writ: and ther­fore it highly importeth vs aswell in the one as in the o­ther to mannage our selues with all humility, sobriety, modesty, and circumspection, in a matter so weighty as the Scripture is, and so neerely concerning the eternall saluation or damnation of our soules.

23. Now then if the point standeth thus, it behoueth vs indeed (if in any other matter, then especially in this) to vse all carefull and exact diligence, that we may find out that certaine rule, and infallible direction before men­tioned, that by the immediate guidance thereof we may most certainely attaine vnto this, to wit, to know, what is truly Scripture and what is not: & if euer this were ne­cessary, [Page 91] then much more in these later and worser daies, and times of schisme and heresie, when as no small contro­uersies are stirred vp about the same.

24. For wheras so many dangerous Sects, and here­sies of perdition (to speake in the phrase of the holy Ghost) The place is aboue ci­ted. are raised vp from hell in these our vnfortunate times (vn­fortunate indeed in respect or them,) and that within the compasse of one age, since one luxurious Luther opened the first gappe to the generall detection; all which schismes, and heresies (as before hath bene notifyed) couertly shroud themselues vnder the name and pretensed veile of Scrip­ture: the first contention, and now most necessary questi­on How to know what is Scripture and what is not. to be discussed with them, is what books of the Bible or partes therof are truely Scripture, & what are to be wiped away, & to be cut offrō the sacred Canō of holy writ: and all to this end, that we may vndoubtedly, know vpon what groundes we may stand safely, in citing authorities from thence.

25. Furthermore, forasmuch as all the bookes of the sacred Bible, Gods holy volume, haue cōmonly, & anciēt­ly hitherto bene deuided into these three orders or rankes: the first into such as were neuer called into questiō by Ca­tholick Apud Tre­naeū l. 1. c. 20. 22. 29. A pud Aug. l. 32. cōt. Faust. c. 2. & l. 334 cap. 3. men though there neuer wanted hereticks calling thēselues Christians, & reformed Christians, as the Prote­stants do at this day, that impugned the same, as the Basilidi­ms, and the Marcionists, reiecting the ould Testament, as in­dited by an euill God, and Faustus Manichaeus contemning all the foure Ghospelles, as written by impostors.

26. The second into such bookes, as albeit some men did for some time doubt, whether they were Canonicall or not; yet afterwardes they are receiued into Canon by the whole Church: that is, held for diuine books, writ­ten by the spirit of God, and of such infallible truth, as they may be a Canon or rule, or sure direction vnto our infirmity, for any thing that is found in them. For so S. Augustine, from the Etimology of the word describeth the [Page 92] meaning of the word Canonicall, being applied as a fit Epe­thete vnto the Scriptures.

27. The third order is into such bookes, which not­withstanding they go ordinary in the common Bibles, and containe in them many good morall instructions of piety, and were sometimes by some particuler men estee­med for essentiall partes of the Scripture: yet were they neuer so accompted by the vniuersall Church, and ther­fore they are called Apecrypha, that is hidden or obscure, for that their authority was neuer receaued, or published generally in the Church, and for such are reckoned the third and fourth of Esdras, the Appendix of the booke of Iob, the booke of Hieremy, intituled Pastor, the prayer of King Manasses, and finally the 151. Psalme.

28. I say now, this tripartite diuision of holy Writ, being thus generally admitted, and receiued by all ortho­doxe Deuines, doth it not concerne euery man that is care­full of his soules saluation, to inquire diligently after the pursuite and knowledg of these things, especially in this generall sommoning, and appealing of all vnto the Scrip­tures for the finall decision of all Controuersies?

29. And now to speake something to the point con­cerning these three rankes and orders of books. The third What books are now in Contro­uersy. of these is generally reiected by all, as well Catholickes as Protestants: the first is admitted by all. All the question then is concerning the second, and this comprehendeth sundry bookes both of the old and new Testament, as of Hester, Baruch, certaine parcelles of Daniel, the bookes of To­bias, Iudith, Sapientia, Ecclesiasticus, and the first and second of Machabees out of the ould Testament, and certaine parts of the Ghospell of S. Marke, S. Luke, and S. Iohn, with the Epistles of S. Iames, S. Iude, the 2. of S. Peter, the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn, and the Apocalyps out of the new. All these I say are receiued by those of the Roman Religion for Cano­nicall Scriptures, in the sense before defined out of S. Au­gustine: that is to say, for holy and diuine bookes, written [Page 93] by the finger of Almighty God, by the ministery of those who were Pennes of a ready writer, and consequently these of the second ranke, were of no lesse authority, nor in­fallible verity, then those of the first order, for that in things immediatly, and a like proceeding from God his spirit, there can not be lesse or more truth, but all are of equall credit, and so equally to be receaued, honoured, e­steemed, and belieued. And thus much for the Catho­lickes, who for a infallible ground, and assured directi­on in this matter follow not any priuate erring spirit, but the neuer-deceiuing authority of the Church; which Church and spouse of Christ being guided by the spirit of God, according to the promise of Christ her bridegrome, hath from all ancient time in former ages, in her Coun­cells, Synodes, and Ecclesiasticall Decrees, notified, de­clared, determined, and established the authority of these foresaid bookes of the second rew for infallible and Ca­nonicall: that is to say, declared them to be such, and euer haue bene such, to wit, of most certaine and infalli­ble truth, though sometimes and amongst some men there haue bene doubt thereof. And this is the manner of the Church to declare what is Scripture, but not to make it.

30. But as for the Protestants, I find such diuersity and contrariety, such opposition, and contradiction among them, that they seeme vnto me as mē in tangled, shall I say, nay perplexed, and distracted, not knowing what to doe, or whither to fly, or which way to turne them in this great busines of discerning, and admitting Scriptures. And surely the reason of all this misery ariseth from them­selues alone: Perditio tua ex te, it was spoken of Israells trans­gression, but neuer more truly verified, thē of hereticall in­nouation: Hos. 13. for that these miserable deceiued, and deceiuing soules leauing the high rode of the Churches prescription, can neuer possibly attaine vnto any infallible direction, one following one thing, and another another, and that in this maine point of the Scriptures importance, Quot ca­pita, [Page 94] tot sententia, euery man will be a chooser, euery one will shew himselfe an Hereticke: whence it commeth to passe, that Gods word is wretchedly abused, blasphemed, re­iected Protestāts follow their own choice or electiō in admitting or reie­cting Scri­ptures. by some, rent and torne in peeces by others, and that which on God his part was ordained, and prepared for them to be a sauour of life, vnto life, becommeth by their misusage of it a sauour of death, vnto death: and to speake all in a word, through the fault of their owne peruerse will con­curring, and God his most righteous iudgment follow­ing them hard at the heeles, it commeth to passe, that, 2. Cor. 2 15. 16. that word which was giuen as a pillar of fire to direct, and lighten them into all verity, is turned into a pillar of smoke, so darkening and infatuating their vnderstanding, that they rush headlong into all kind of heresie.

31. This being well peceiued by his Maiesty of Eng­land, according to that notable apprehension of his No­ble Nature, he, as it were out of a pious, zealous, and Re­ligious disposition (though wrongly missed by some time­seruing, and Statizing Theologue, who is somewhat to neere vnto his Royall Person) writeth as in part before you haue heard, concerning the Scriptures, and it is in effect as followeth: As for the Scriptures, no man doubteth, I will Premonit. pag. 36. belieue them. But euen for the Apocrypha, I hould them in the same ac­compt that the Ancients did: they are still printed and bound with our Bi­bles, and publikely read in our Churches, I reuerence them as writings of holy and good men, but since they are not found in the Canon, we ac­compt them to be secundae lectionis or ordinis (which is Bellar­mines owne distinction) and therefore not sufficient, wherupon alone to ground any article of faith, except it be confirmed by some other place of Canonicall Scripture. Thus writeth his Maiesty, out of a good meaning no doubt, and therefore great pitty it is, that so Vertuous and Religious a Hart should erre, or con­ceipt amisse. But who shall determine, whether these Scriptures here called Apocrypha (which are those of the second order before mentioned) be Canonicall Scriptures or not? Herelyeth the substance of the questiō. His Ma ^tie [Page 95] heere, vpon the suggestion of his Domesticall Ministers of England, saith no: but the ancient Church of Christen­dome saith yea, as doth also the present: and her iudge­ment being in this case aboue all earthly authority, is to strike the stroke betwixt God, and man. Let the word of my Soueraigne in all otherthings stand as the strong moū ­taine, that may not be remoued, and as the law of the Medes and Persians, which could neuer be altered; only let not my lord the King be displeased with his seruant, and Dan. 6. 15. subiect in this, if his word may not stand, but must of ne­cessity fall to the ground: as being countermaunded by the word of God, that cannot, nor will not be disautho­rized by the word of any mortall man.

32. It was suggested to his Ma ^tie (but sinister was the information) that Cardinall Bellarmine in his first booke de Verbo Dei, cap. 4. held the former distinction of secundae le­ctionis or ordinis, and that in his Maiesties sense: but it is nothing so, in the sense that here is set downe by his Ma­iesty, to wit, that this second order of bookes, are of lesse authority then the first. For albeit Bellarmine doth (as be­fore hath bene said) deuide all the bookes that are in the Bible into three ranks or orders, first into such as were ne­uer called in question by any Catholicke men: Secondly into such as notwithstāding sometimes haue byn doubted of by some, yet were afterwards admitted by the whole v­niuersall Church: And thirdly and lastly, into Apocry­pha: Bellarm diuision of the bookes of Scripture. yet doth he not either call those bookes of the second order Apocrypha, or secundae lectionis, as here is set downe, nor yet secundi ordinis in his Maiesties sense, as though they were lesse to be belieued, and of lesse authority then those of the first ranke; but rather he auerreth the quite contra­ry, that they are all of one and the selfe same authority. And therfore whosoeuer he was that suggested this place of Bellarmine vnto his Ma ^tie, he dealt not well and sincer­ly therin with his Prince, and he is bound by the law of conscience, and by the law of a subiect towards his Soue­raigne [Page 96] to acknowledge his errour; were it of malice, or of ignorance committed, and humbly prostrate vpon his knees, to craue pardon for this abusing of his Lord, and euer after to beware how he presume to whisper any such vntruth palpable, and notorious falshood into the eares of his dread Lord and King.

33. But now forasmuch as this point of denying the infallible authority and irrefragable credit of any the least booke, part, or parcell of Scripture, is so heynous, and temerarious a sinne as before we haue touched; yea, and that committed against the Blessed spirit, that breathed them all, and streamed these pure waters of life from one and the same liuing, and life-giuing fountaine: Let vs in the name of God, in timore & tremore, euen with feare, and trembling, since the horror of the sinne committed re­quireth this at our hands, examine a little in what a dange­rous, nay damnable state the Protestants of our dayes do stand in, about their disauthorizing of Scriptures, not in blotting out one booke alone, but in wiping out many togeather from the number of the sincere Canon: and let vs further consider in what a gaze, and maze they stand, being vncertaine of their ground also, what they ought to belieue, hould, or determine, after they haue lost the sure and stable-staying anchor of the Churches authority in this behalfe.

34. As for example, the Catholickes do belieue all A sufficiēt Prescrip­tion for authori­zing these books for Diuine Scripture being 1200 years agoe. those bookes before mentioned, which are secundi ordinis in Bellarmine, both the ould and new Testament, to be Ca­nonicall Scriptures of infallible truth: and the reason is drawne from the Church, for that she in her anciēt Coū ­cells hath admitted the same for such, at least wise since the 47. Canon of the third Councell of Carthage was enacted, wherin S. Augustine himselfe was present, and subscribed to the said Canon, which Canon auerreth them to be bookes of true Canonicall Scriptures: amongst which for exam­ple goeth the Epistle to the Hebrewes: and of this, my pur­pose [Page 97] is at this present to make some particuler Considera­tion, for that the time (within whose limyts I am strai­ted) will not easily permit me to treat of all.

35. This Epistle then is belieued of the Catholicks, to be a true part of Canonicall Scripture, and written by S. Paul as well as the rest, for that it was so receaued by the Church in old time, as namely in the Councell of Laodicea, the 59. Canon. And after that againe in the third Coun­cell Touching the Epi­stle of S. Paul to the He. brewes. of Carthage before mentioned, and cyted in diuers o­ther Councells, and namely in the first Nicene (whose authority his Ma ^tie of England offereth to stand vnto) in the first Ephesine, and of that of Chalcedon, in all the grand Parlaments of the worlds Generall Councells it was recea­ued, and acknowledged as the genuine Epistle of S. Paul. But now in these our vnhappy times matters be raked in­to Controuersies againe, and that after the whole Church hath in diuers Synods established the thing: and euery sort of Sectaries will needes adhere to their owne brayn-sicke fancyes, and will preferre their owne priuate opinion be­fore the publicke determination and resolution of the Church. Amongst all others, as the Captaine and ringlea­der of the rest vpstarts, Martin Luther (but it was after he had broken vow, and cloyster, and married a Nunne) taketh vpon him to censure the matter in his Prolo­gue to that Epistle, reuersing, as erroneous, the graue and infallible iudgement of so many Generall Councells dire­cted by the spirit of God; his wordes be these: This Epistle (saith Luther) was neither written by S. Paul, nor by any other Apostle, and it conteineth in it some thinges contrary to the Euangeli­call and Apostolicall doctrine. This was Luthers heady and gid­dy censure of this admirable parcell of holy Writ. Will any man hereafter so desperately cast away himselfe in cre­diting him, who thus discrediteth Gods word?

36. With Luther in this poynt conspire all the learned Lutherans about the disauthorizing of this holy Writ, and namely Ioannes Brentius in his Confession of Wittemberg, [Page 98] cap. de sacra Scriptura, and the foure Magdeburgian good fel­lowes in their first loud-lying Century, the 2. booke, the fourth Chapter, Col. 55. and that audacious, and impudent Exa­myner, and Censurer of all the learning, and learned men of the whole Christian world, I meane Martinus Kemni [...]ius in his examen of the 4. Session of that famous Councell of Trent: And vpon this these men aduenture all their soules. VVill any man suffer himselfe any longer to be deceaued by such pure reformers, nay rather impure impostors? But Iohn Caluin the next succeeding reformer of these Refor­mers being to beginne a new fect of his owne head, he thought it most conuenient to oppose himselfe against the Lutherans in this point, and therefore in his first Institutions printed in the yeare of our Lord 1554. cap. 8. §. 216. he pro­ueth that the Lutherans do erre in this poynt in houlding it not to be an Apostolicall Epistle: yet he will not affirme that it was written by S. Paul, but rather perhaps by Ban­naby, or Luke, as may appeare in the same Institutions, Chap. 10. §. 83. and Chap 16. §. 25. Vpon which scruple raysed by How Cal­uin oppo­seth him­selfe to Luther & yet agre­eth not with the Catho­lickes. M. Caluin, the Caluinian Ministers at a certaine Conuenti­cle of theirs, held at Poysy in France in the yeare 1562. do in the third article of their Confession, set downe this Epi­stle to the Hebrewes to be diuine Scripture: but yet incerti au­thoris, they leaue the authour of it to be doubtfull. And this is a subtill trick peculiar to Caluin his inuention, to wit, to differ from other Protestants, and yet not fully to agree with the Catholickes, but to haue something sin­guler to himselfe, as you see in this controuersy, and it might be proued in many other.

37. And here now I would demaund, vpon what war­rant in the world doth Iohn Caluin, and his Sectaries con­tradict, and oppose themselues against Luther, and his fol­lowers in this point? Certaine it is, he agreeth not with the Catholickes at a [...]l: and it seemeth then, nay it is more then certaine he followeth a seuerall way, and straine by himselfe, and hath no ground, or guide therin but his [Page 99] owne will, iudgement, choice, and election.

38. The like dispute I might propose about other bookes, or partes of Scriptures, and namely concerning the Epistle of S. Iames and the Apocalyps: the former wher­of is reiected both by Luther, and all the forenamed Luthe­ran writers, Brentius, Kemnitius, and the Magdeburgians; all these auouch it to be no Scripture: but yet it is asserted, and asscuered by Caluin and the Caluinists for genuine, and vndoubted Scripture. The second, which is that mysti­call booke of the Reuelation composed by that high-soa­ring, and Egale-winged Iohn, S. Iohn syrnamed the Deuine this booke, though it be in like manner discredited, and Why the Apocalips reiected by Luther is accep­ted of Caluin & Caluinists disauthorized from Canon by Luther, and most of his fol­lowers, as namely by Brentius & Kemnitius in the places be­fore alleaged; yet is the same booke eagerly defended a­gainst them by Caluin and his followers, and good reason haue they in their iudgment for it, forasmuch as thence they take vpon them to demonstrate the Pope to be Anti­christ, and the VVhore of Babylon, in regard of the seauen hilled Citty, & I know not vpon what imaginations be­sides. And this Consideration may be presumed to haue beene an especiall motiue vnto those chiefe Lutherans the Magdeburgians, causing them to forsake both their Father Luther, and their Lutheran brethren in this cause, and to con­curre, and conioyne themselues with Caluin, and the Cal­uinists in defence of the Apocalyps.

39. And yet I do not perceiue how his Maiesties as­sertion here about these bookes, doth not rather agree with the Lutherans then with the Caluinistes, for so much as he holdeth all those bookes for Apocrypha & no Canonicall Scripture, which are named by Bellarmine to be secundiordi­nis: in which second order (as before hath beene declared) the Cardinall comprehendeth also these Epistles, to wit, the Epistles to the Hebrewes, that of S. Iames, and the Apocalyps and consequently it is necessarily deduced, and inferred vpon his Maiestyes wordes and discourse, that he houldeth [Page 100] these for no Canonicall Scriptures. And this is contrary vnto Caluin, and vnto the Church of England, and vnto his Maiesty himselfe: for he auoucheth them to be Scrip­tures, and so vpon my knowledge doth the present Church of England. And lastly his Maiesties so long standing vp­on the Apocalyps in this his Premonition, doth well shew that he esteemeth it for Scripture: and this contradiction also must light vpon him, who against knowledge and con­science (if he hath eyther) wrongfully suggested the place of Bellarmine vnto his Ma ^tie.

40. But my maine Conclusion of all is this, that no­thing can be certaine, as here it is sufficiently prooued, The con­clusion of this Con­sideration when a man once departeth from the Authority of the Church (for this is a certaine rule vnto all, & such a rule as is authorized by God himselfe:) for then euery man may make and vnmake Scripture at their pleasure, & vpon their owne perill. But sure I am, that he can ney­ther giue, nor take away diuine authority from the Scrip­tures. And if you say, that neyther the Church can do this, I demaund first, who art thou that comparest thy self with the whole Church? I graunt it to be true, but yet let me tell thee this withall, that though the Church can­not giue diuine authority to any writing which from the beginning was not truely Scripture, nor take away the same from any part of that, which from the very begin­ning was Scripture: yet may the Church declare what bookes were written by Propheticall or Apostolicall men, as before hath bene said, and consequently by the finger of the holy Ghost, and so were Canonicall Scriptures, and of infallible truth: and this might the Church know partly by tradition (others not knowing the same, might without suspition of heresy doubt of their authority be­fore the said declaration of the Church) and partly also by the euer guiding assistance of the holy Ghost in her Sy­nodes, when any such weighty matters, for direction of the whole Church, were treated: in which Councells [Page 101] the said Church after due inquisition made, and inuoca­tion of the holy Ghost (as her common custome is) might no lesse conclude, and bind all with Visum est Spiritui Sancto, & Nobis, then did they of the first Councell in the Actes of the Apostles, which no priuate man hath authority to do, though Luther and Caluin presumed to determine the same.

The fourth Consideration.

THE briefe summe of all hitherto treated of in this se­cond Chapter concerning the Scriptures, is in effect How the true sense of Scrip­ture may be tryed. thus much: first, euery belieuing & appealing vnto Scri­ptures, is not sufficient to proue a man a Christian Catho­licke, for that ech Sectary doth offer this. Secondly, that tradition without Scriptures might haue continued as sufficient for instruction, if God had so pleased, accor­ding 1. to that of S. Irenaeus before cited: and this is proued for that both the Church vnder the law, and vnder the 2. Ghospell, were instituted & ordayned by tradition with­out Scriptures, as appeareth by the very time of the wri­ting of the Scriptures, both of the old and new Testamēt after that the Church was first planted. Thirdly the writ­ten 3. Scriptures are distinguished & discerned what is Scri­pture, and what not, what Canonicall, and what Apo­crypha, and that by tradition, and this is all about the letter of the Scripture only. There resteth yet the greatest 4. point of all, and of most importance behind, and this is, how true Scriptures are to be rightly sensed and interpre­ted. For if that of Tertullian be true in the 17. Chapter of his Prescriptions, Tantùm veritati obstrepit adulter sensus, quan­tùm & corruptor stylus: A false glosse marreth the truth, as much as a naughty text. Or that of S. Hierome: Nec putemus in verbis Hier. c. 3. in epist. ad Ephes. Scripturarum esse Euangelium sedin sensu, non in superficie, sed in medulla, non in sermonum foliis, sed in radice rationis. Neither [Page 102] let vs thinke, that the Ghospell resteth in the wordes of the Scriptures, not in the sense of the Scriptures, not in the rind or barky letter of the wordes, but in the marrow of the meaning, not in the wordy leaues, but in the root Aug. in psal. 140. praef. pro­pe initiū. of reason, by a right vnderstanding thereof. Or that of S. Augustine to the same effect: Si in Scripturis fanctis profunda sunt mysteria, quae ad hoc absconduntur, ne vilescant, ad hoc quaeruntur, vt exerceant, ad hoc aperiuntur, vt pas [...]ant: if there be profound mysteries in holy writ, which are therefore hid that they become not vile, therefore sought after, that men may be exercised, and set on worke, therefore disclosed, that they may feed. Lastly, Si mare sit diuina scriptura, habens in se sen­sus Lib. 3. Ep. epist. 19. Constant. prosundos, altitudinem Propheticorum aenigmatum, as S. Ambrose auerreth: If diuine Scripture be a sea, contayning in it bottomles depth of profound senses, that is, the depth of propheticall riddles, questions and predictions &c. Si ma­chera &c. as the same author hath it: If it be a sword with a sharpe and cutting edge, oh then how warily ought we Ambros. l. 3. c. 3. in Lucem. to walke in this way of sensing Scriptures? Quae nihil aliud est nisi Epistola quaedam omnipotentis Dei ad creaturam suam, as S. Gre­gory speaketh; which is nothing else but a certaine Epistle Lib. 4. Epist. re­gist. epist. 40. of the omnipotent God vnto his owne creature.

42. If a subiect should eyther maliciously, or negligent­ly misinterprete the letter of his Prince, and that in a mat­ter of some great moment, should he escape seuere punish­ment? And shall the treacherous hereticke who wilfully The dan­ger of rash vsing or abusing the Scrip­tures. and maliciously vpon his owne peruerse choice depraueth corrupteth, and misinterpreteth the Scriptures, the letter, Epistle, and proper hand-writing of his God, escape deser­ued condemnation? Grande periculum est in Ecclesia loqui, ne for­tè interpretatione peruersa, de Euangelio Christi, hominis fiat Euan­gelium, aut, quod peius est, Diaboli. So S. Hierome. It is no small In Cōmen­tar. ad Ga­lat. 2. hazard to speake in the Church, least happily the Ghospell of Christ, become the Ghospell of man, or that which is worse, the Ghospell of the Diuell, and all by a peruerse, and naughty interpretation. Is the Scripture a bottom­lesse [Page 103] sea, and is there no daunger of drowning, nay dam­ning in hell, if men be to busy with it to abuse it? Is the Scripture a sword, as S. Ambrose resembleth it, or a two­edged sword, for so S. Paul to the Hebrewes compareth it; & is there no danger of cutting, and wounding, and killing by this sword, if it be vnwarily handled? Scriptura sancta (saith S. Ambrose) attento animo legenda, ne quis has cum legerit, Lib. 3. in Lucā c. 3. prope finē lib. & cap. quasi puer macheram tractare per injantiam fortiora arma nesciret, magi (que) vulnus ex imprudentia, quàm salutem ex lectione sentiret. In­firmos enim tela sua vulnerant: nec potest bene vti armis, qui ea ferre non nouerit. Sacred Scripture must be heedfully read, least a­ny man that readeth them be vnskilfull to handle these stronger weapons, as a child, by reason of his infancy, skilleth not how to handle a sword, and consequently ra­ther receaueth and incurreth the wound of damnation through his imprudency, abusing them, then the help of saluation by the right reading of them. For the weake are wounded by their owne weapons: neyther can he vse weapons well, who knoweth not to weild them.

43. It is excellently obserued by Theophilact, and it is the common obseruation of all the Fathers, that when the Apostles curiouslly inquired (nondum enim ex Alto Spiritu sancto repleti, for as yet the holy Ghost was come vpon none of them) afterthe knowledge of the day, and houre of iudg­ment, when the time precisely should be, occultat Christus, non ignorat diem, he hideth the day, he is not ignorant of the day (let Caluin, and his sectaries blaspheme, as long as they will against the knowledge of Christes sacred huma­nity:) and the reason rendred of this, Ne cognitio diei iudicij tanquam machera &c. Least the knowledge of the day of iudgment (reuealed by Christ vnto his Apostles) should proue a sword put into a childes hand. Thus then you see both by all former examples, and especially by this last of the Apostles themselues, what a dangerous way the path of the Scriptures is to walke in, if we be not warily guided therin. For as by the natiue, and genuine inter­pretation [Page 104] of Gods sacred Epistle (as S. Gregory stileth holy VVrit) men are directed aright through the sourges of the seas of this world, to ariue securely at the hauen of saluati­on: euen so by the erroneous, and false exposition of the same Scripture, men are deceiptfully misguided, & wrong­fully lead, as it were blind-folded, into the brakes, and briers of pestiferous, and pernicious heresies, to the e­uerlasting damnation both of the beginners, and fol­lowers.

44. S. Paul calleth the Scripture the sauour of life vnto life, and the sauour of death vnto death; which as it is true in that place, in respect of the sauing of some, and the perishing of others: so it is most true in regard of the right sensing of it by the sonnes of the Catholick Church, who follow Catholicke interpretation, and the wrong interpreting of it by others, as are out of the Church, and adhere vn­to false exposition, and hereticall innouation.

45. Tertullian of opinion, that the Scriptures them­selues are so disposed by the will of God, that they should Cap. 39. praescript. minister matter vnto Hereticks: his reason is, because he readeth in Scripture, that there must be Hereticks which without Scriptures could not be, and yet his meaning is not, that the Scriptures are the cause thereof. Christs pro­pheticall prediction, was no cause of Iudas treason, but ra­ther mans temerarious presumption vpon Gods word, and The cause of Here­sies. precipitate intrusion into his booke, by erroneous and false conceipted opinion, is the true cause of all errour and heresy.

46. S. Augustine writing to Consentius, doth excellently discouer the cause of heresy in these words: Omnes Haeretici Scriptur as sibt videntur scrutari, cùm suos potiùs scrutentur errores; & per hoc, non quòd eas contemnant, sed quód eas non intelligant, Hae­retici fiant. All heretickes to seeme to themselues to fol­low Scriptures when in very deed, they rather follow their owne errours; and hereby it commeth to passe, that they are made hereticks, not for that they contemne the [Page 105] Scriptures, but for that they vnderstand them not.

47. But heere me thinks, I heare the Hereticks ob­iect The here­ticall ob­iection that the Scripture is easy & open, an­swered. (as I haue heard them often, whilest I did frequent their hereticall Conuenticles, and Sermons) that the Scriptures are easy to be vnderstood: That the Word is neare vs, not farre from vs: That it is a lanterne vnto our stepps, and a light vnto our pathes. And thus will they fly through the law, and the psalmes, the Prophets, and Apostles, as Vincentius noteth of the Heretickes of his time, to proue the facility of the Scriptures. To this I answer, Psal. 1▪ 8. and grant it to be true in respect of sundry passages of holy Cont. haer. cap. 35. Writ, where the lambe may wade as well, as the Elephant may swymme; yet that other places of Scripture are hard, intricate, mysticall, and very apt to be mistaken, besides many proofes, and those most pregnant that might be brought out of the Scriptures and Fathers, the experience of our vnfortunate dayes doth most clearely euince.

48. For otherwise how commeth it to passe, that all Christendome is in an vprore about the exposition of Scriptures? How grow so many contentions amongst the learned at this day? Why haue we so desperate, and obsti­nate heresies, grounded (as the heretickes thinke) vpon such apparent, and pregnant places of Scripture, as that the Authors thereof (being deceaued themselues, and de­ceiuing others by the Scriptures) will rather desperatly choose to loose their liues, & their soules togeather, then to forgoe, and abiure their opinions in matter of religion, which once by the least apparent shew of Scripture, they haue begunne to defend: These men though neuer so learned, neuer so wise, neuer so morally vertuous, yet are they deceiued. Shall I say by Scripture? nay rather they wilfully by their owne hereticall choice against the knowne interpretation of Catholicke Church, Roman Church, ancient Church, abuse the Scriptures, and so are deceaued, intangled, blindfolded: and this they could neuer be brought vnto, if the Scriptures were so easy that [Page 106] a priuate spirit might interprete without the publicke spirit, and interpretation of the Church. And to this S. Augustine alludeth, saying: Multis & multiplicibus obscurita­tibus, & ambiguitatibus decipiuntur, qui temerè legunt Scripturas, Aug. l. 1. de doctrina Christiana cap. 6. aliud pro alto sentientes. They which do rashly read Scriptu­res, are deceaued with many and sundry obscurityes, and ambiguities, taking one sense for another: which would not be if all were easy in the holy Scriptures as all Sectaries do pretend.

49. The vnderstanding then, and true sense of the Scriptures is the very mayne point which importeth and importuneth vs for our saluation: and in seeking out this, if euer by seeking we meane to find it, we must first abandon our owne iudgment, and particuler election, and imbrace the common & publicke iudgment of Christ his Church: This is the interpreter of the Scriptures, this is the con­troller and guider of all certayne and sure exposition: Ex­petit (que) hic sensus certae interpretationis gubernaculum, to cite the whole sentence out of Tertullian; this sense requireth the De prae­script. c. 9. stay of a sure interpretation: and this is only that which can make a man a true Catholicke Christian.

50. S. Augustine amongst those manifould cōflicts which he had with the Manichees, concerning the Catholicke Church & her authority, openly and ingenuously profes­sed S. August. would not haue belieued the Ghos­pell but for the au­thority of the Church. vnto the said Manichees, that he would not haue belieued the Ghospell, if the authority of the Catholicke Church did not moue him therunto. Whence I do obserue, that if we receiue the Ghospell vpon the credit of the Church, for that the Ghospell would not be belieued to be the Ghospell, vnlesse the authority of the Church did tell vs that it were the Ghospell: then followeth it necessarily (for the argument is drawne àmaiore ad minus) that much more should we depend and rely vpon the Church, and take from her the true sense, meaning, and exposition of the Ghospell, from whom we haue belieued and receaued that it is the Ghospell: and therefore saith the same Father [Page 107] to his friend Honoratns: Multò facilius mihi persuaderem, Christo non esse credendum, quàm de illo quidquam, nisi ab his, per quos credidissem, esse credendum. I should much more easily per­swade my selfe, that we ought not to beleeue in Christ at all, then that any thing were to be learned cōcerning him, of any man, but only of those whom I was taught to be­lieue in Christ. Can any thing be spoken more effectually for the Authority of the Church, since this is the sole cause of his belieuing the Ghospell? This is the onely motiue of his imbracing the faith of Christ?

51. But now whether Protestants do follow this trade, and way of true Catholicisme in their sensing, and vn­derstanding of Scriptures, that is not hard to discouer. For when wee come to particuler controuersies, and to ioyne issue togeather, and that they and their aduersaries do alleage Scriptures, and expound the same; then doth it The diffe­rence be­tweene Catho­lickes and Protestāts in gathe­ring the sense of Scripture. appeare, as cleare as the sunne, who followeth a priuate interpretation, and who adhereth to the true Catholicke Churches exposition. For the Roman Catholicke first de­syring to find out the truth, and then willing to imbrace nothing but the truth, reflecteth vpon the former inter­pretation of ancient Church, when the present contro­uersy was not yet in hand; and consequently when the exposition cannot be so much as in any semblable reason suspected to be wrested, or wrongly interpreted by men of those ages (who neither feared, nor fauoured any par­ty) but must needes be according to the common meaning and sense of the Church in those ancient tymes: and this interpretation (which the Protestants also in some of their better humours do admit for good) the Catholicke fol­loweth; & vpon this, as vpon the rock of God his word, truly sensed by the Church, he stayeth himselfe, & buil­deth his religion.

52. Now the Protestāt being guilty in his conscience, and knowing well, that antiquity detesteth, and hath al­ready anathematized his heresy, he by all meanes possible, [Page 103] by vociferatiōs and exclamations seeketh to extenuate the authority of this Church (much like to the theefe or ma­lefactor, who arested by the law to abyde the triall of the same, beginneth to raile, & exclaime against his law­full ludge, and iurours:) and then in his imagination he deuiseth certaine Chymera's and Idea's of his Church in for­mer times, in the ayre, of his owne braine, which line­ally, saith he (but God knoweth how, for he knoweth not) descended vnto Luther, and Caluin &c. And from these people partly, and partly from himselfe frameth the Pro­testant his exposition of Scripture, and vpon this founda­tion buildeeh he all his religion of his owne deuice.

53. And albeit all Fathers do not allwaies agree in one and the selfe same sense, and exposition of Scripture (for that there may be be diuers senses of one & the selfe same place of Scripture, as before you haue heard at large:) yet doth the holy Ghost so rune, and strike vpon the stringes, the tonges and pens, I meane of these ancient Wortnies of the Church, that all the variety, that euer I could find yet amongst them, sounded forth a heauenly harmony, and neither iarred, not yet was dissonant from Scripturs verity, or faiths Analogy: so farre is the Churches vnity from all contrariety. And verily this diuersity of antiquity in the execution of Scriptures without all repugnancy, or any contrariety, was no small motiue vnto me to im­brace the present Roman Catholicke Religion (which all so I found in them) for I could not but conclude, that as one spirit breathing out these Scriptures, intended all these senses: so the same spirit guided all. And therefore no mer­uaile, that neither the ages, wherin such Fathers liued, nor any succeeding Century of the Church reprehended their expositions. For the wisedome of the spirit euer con­tinued in the Church, and thereby they know that such variety breeded no contrariety; whilst one Father sensed the Scripture literally another Allegorically, and ano­ther mystically, or Anagogically; but yet all to a pious [Page 109] sense, and with no obstinate proteruity, or animosity against that which the Church did hould or determine for truest.

54. And now to come vnto some particuler exposition or Scripture by the Fathers, let vs instance in the age of S. Augu­stines po­sitions of the church S. Augustine, for the Protestants are wont to graunt that the true Church florished in his time, and his Maiesty also condescendeth to extend the triall of Controuersies to his time, and somwhat further. The same Father writing of this Church (we haue formerly mentioned) proued the Aug. l. 2. cont. Petil. c. 33. & lib. devnit. Ec­cles. c. 14. same first to be visible, and obuious vnto euery mans eyes, against the assertion of the Protestants inuisibility of the Church: and this he confirmeth out of the wordes of our Sauiour, registred by the Euangelist Matth. 5. A Citty vpō a hill cannot be hidden: that is to say, the Church cannot be in­uisible: which is many times repeated by the same Father Aug. in ep loan. tract. 2. to this effect As also forth of those wordes of the Psalmist, Psal. 18. In sole posuit tabernaculum suum, he put his taberna­cle in the sunne: that is, he placed his Church in the sight of the world, to be seene of all men.

55. In like manner the same Father applyeth, and expoundeth those wordes of Christ Matth. 5 about the That it [...] visible. Candle placed on the Candlestick, to signify the visibility of the Catholicke Church; crying out against them, Qui contra lucernam in candelabro positamoculos claudant, who will­fully Aug. ibib. shut their eyes against the candle placed on the can­dlestick: Qui tammagnam montem non vident, who cannot see so great a hill, as the Church is. And lastly for conclusion of all, he giueth his censure of them in these wordes: Quid amplius sum dicturus qùam caecos esse? What shall I say more of them, but that they are blnd? Thus did S. Augustine inter­pret, and apply these Scriptures, and many more to this purpose, as you shall read throughout his whole Tract de Vnitate Ecclesiae contra Petilianum, andels where.

56. And the same S. Augustine to proue that this Catho­licke visible Church doth not consist of the good and elect [Page 110] only (which is another erroneous position of Protestant Religion, and proued largely by S. Augustine, to haue bene That it cō ­sisteth of good and bad. the heresy of the Donatists, and Pelagians their bretheren) but of good and bad togeather vnto the worlds end: and for confirmation thereof he doth produce, & interpret those Parables vsed by our Sauiour Matth. 3. to wit, of the good corne, and chaffe in the floore, and of the net cast in­to the sea that brought vp both good, and bad fish; and lastly of the weedes, and good corne, commaunded to be permitted to grow togeather. Vpon which place S. Leo the first giueth the glosse thus: In extremo iudicio sunt quaedam vrenda flammis sunt alia condenda horreis: In the last iudgement, some things are to be burned with the flames of dānation, other thinges are to be gathered into Gods granary. All these places, and many more, both S. Augustine, S. Leo, & many of the Fathers do interprete of the good and bad, that are promiscuously mixed in the Church togeather. Do our Protestants follow these expositions?

57. Thirdly my foresaid Authour goeth yet fur­ther, for prouing of a third assertion, as contrary to the Protestants, as they are opposite vnto truth, to wit, that That it ca­not faile or perish. this publike, and visible Church (granted once by Pro­testants themselues to haue bene the true Church) could neuer faile, or euer fall away to the worlds end. For pro­uing of which assertion, he alleageth sundry passages of holy Writ, farre different for interpretation, from the Protestants sense. His wordes be: That Church (saith he) that was once of all Nations (he meaneth the Catholicke) is it not now? Aug. cōc. 2 in psal. [...]01. Hath it perished? They say so, that are not in her. O impudent voice! Is not she, because thou art not in her? This abominable and detestable voice full of presumption and falsity, susteined by no truth, illuminated by no wisedome, seasoned with no salt, vaine, temerarious, precipitate, and pernicious is preuented, and refuted by the holy Ghost &c. And then doth he cyte seuerall places of Scripture, to proue, that (notwithstanding all exposition, and contradiction of Hereticks) that the said visible Church bring once col­lected [Page 111] of all Nations, and placed vpon the open hill, and mount of this world, and conspicuous vnto the eyes of al could neuer possibly vanish away againe, or fall frō Christ, as Protestants do falsely charge the Mother Romā Church: and consequently, they would neuer agree to expound these Scriptures as S. Augustine did. But whom shall we rather belieue? VVhether is a Luther or a Caluin, or S. Augu­stine to be followed? Or which Church, his, or this of the Protestants is likest to go neare the truth, and to light vp­on the true meaning of the holy Ghost in expoūding these Scriptures? For certaine I am, their expositions vary, and are repugnant one to the other.

58. And in this manner might I proceed in disclosing this great Doctor, and famous pillar of the Church S. Au­stine his iudgement, for the exposition of Scriptures, con­cerning S. August fully a­greeing with the opinion of the moderne Ca­tholicks. all controuersies (or the most of them) betweene the Catholickes and the Protestants at this day, wherein the sayd Father is no lesse perspicuous, and copious, then as if being an eye-witnesse, and an eare-witnesse of all poynts now controuerted, he had written in these very dayes of sirife amongst vs. And eyther this is, or I know not what can be a manifest demonstration, that the holy Ghost guided the pen of this worthy Doctor, to taxe and prescribe against the manifould heresies of our times. As for example, touching the doctrine of Purgatory (whome Doctor Field out of a fanaticall spirit, and spirit of heresie surchargeth, and falsely traduceth of heresy) what wri­ter of this time can deliuer, and set downe his opinion more resolutely, then he doth his, prouing the same irre­fragably, both by the allegation and exposition of sundry passages of holy Scripture, as namely by those wordes of our Sauiour, Matth. 12. It shall not be remitted vnto him, eyther Aug. l. 21. deciuit c. 13. & l. 6. cont. Iuiiā. cap. 5. in this life, or in the next. Whereupon this great Doctor in­ferreth, that some sinnes are remitted in the next, & con­sequently, there must be a Purgatory. And so that place of S. Paul 1. Cor. 3. (Euery mans worke shalbe tryed by the fire, of what [Page 112] sort it is,) S. Augustine doth also apply to proue the same pur­ging fire to remaine for some sinnes, or bad workes in the In Psal. 31. prope init. Enchir. c. 67. & 68. & l. de fid. & oper. c. 25. l. 21. de Ciuit. Dei c. 21. & 26. next life. And these expositions of Scripture confirming Purgatory, deliuered by S. Augustine, and oftentimes reitera­ted in his workes, were neuer reprehended by any as false, nor the Father taxed, as teaching any erroneous doctrine dissonant from the doctrine, and beliefe of the Catholicke Church (which doubtlesse he could neuer haue escaped, had his assertion of Purgatory bene erroneous, liuing in the age of S. Ambrose, S. Hierome, and other learned Fathers, who wanted neyther learning, nor zeale, to haue both matched him, and confuted him, had he swarued in ought from sound faith, and the doctrine of their present Church:) and consequently Purgatory was then held for no errour or heresy. And the like I might aboundantly proue in many other pointes, both out of S. Augustine, and sundry other of like antiquity, learning, and sanctity.

59. Finally the conclusion of all this mayne Chapter, and Treatise of sacred Scriptures, must of necessity fall out to be this: that not all belieuing of Scriptures, nor appea­ling The con­clusion of this chap­ter & con­sideratiō. vnto Scripture, nor sensing of Scriptures, nor pre­suming of the spirit, is sufficient to make a man a Chri­stian Catholick, for that as hath beene formerly noted forth of S. Bernard, many men presume of Gods spirit, when it is not, but their owne spirit, or rather the spirit of Sathā, and consequently take, or rather mistake their owne spi­rits expositions, for the interpretation of the holy Ghost. Againe, some when they erre in expounding Scriptures, are notwithstanding of opinion, that they follow Scriptures, when indeed they follow their owne errours. So S. Augu­stine obserueth.

60. Thirdly, others by a peruerse interpretation make of Christs Ghospell mās Ghospell, or that which is worse the Diuells Ghospell, as S. Hierome noteth: and yet all these with the Diuell, and all former heretickes pretend to vrge, and build vpon Scripture. But no meruaile, if all [Page 113] these appeale vnto Scriptures vpon a false confidence, thinking that the word of God maketh for them, when it maketh against them. For let these Scripturians be but marked, let them be vnmasked, that is, as Vincentius Lyri­nensis Vincent. cont. haer. cap. 36. excellenly deliuereth the obseruation against them, let not only their sayings, but their meanings, not their wordes but their senses of Scripture be noted, then their bitternes shall be detected, their madnes disclosed, their A notable speach of Vincenti­us Lyri­nensis. new poyson vented forth, their prophane nouelties reuea­led: then the hedge shalbe cut, then the boundes of Fa­thers shall be translated, then Catholicke faith shall be violated, and the Churches position cancelled. Hitherto Vincentius.

61. The only way then to make a man a true Christi­an Catholicke indeed, if all ancient rules and Canons of the Church fayle not, is first to admit, and reuerence that for Scripture, which the vniuersall Catholicke Church hath by lineall descent of tradition deliuered, and com­mended vnto vs for Scripture, and that after all doubts, and controuersies discussed about the same; and not that which Luther or Caluin (who could make & vnmake Scrip­ture at their pleasure) or our owne priuate spirit shall con­ceipt to be Scripture: and secondly for the sense and true meaning of the Scripture (if we haue any care of that, or imagine that it doth import vs at all) we are no lesse to stand to the iudgement of the sayd Church, for the exposi­tion and interpretation therof, then we did before, for the deliuering of Scripture vnto vs. And so much for this Chapter.

The first Consideration.

AS the skilfull, and carefull Phisitian imployeth noe lesse industry, sparing neither Counsaile in phisicke, How the first three Creeds & why they were or­dained, & how greatly they are to be reuerēced. nor prescription in dyet, for the conseruing, and conti­nuing of the bodily health of his patient, vntill he haue brought him to former health, and full strength, then he did bestow paines, and trauaile in recouering him of his infirmity, and raising him from the bed of his malady: euen so the Apostles, as so many soueraigne soules best phi­sitians, most painefully and diligently watched ouer the soules of men, their sick patients, to vphould and continue them in Christian piety, and Catholicke verity, as well as they had cured them of their spirituall leprosy, and ray­sed their soules which had long laine sick vpon the bed The cause of orday­ning the Apostles Creed. of heathenish infidelity; and all, that they might recouer full strength in sauing and belieuing faith, and grow to be perfect and whole men in Christ Iesus. And here you haue the occasion, motiue, drift, reason, & intention of Christs holy Apostles in compiling the perfect platform of whol­some faith and Christian beliefe, I meane this methodi­call, and Apostolicall forme of Creed, which inuolueth in it eyther explicite, or implicite, in plaine wordes, or ne­cessary supply, whatsoeuer belongeth to the obiect of our faith. And therfore saith S. Augustine: Sancti Apostoli cer­tam regulam fidei tradiderunt, quam secundum numerum Apostolorum Aug. ser. 181. de tēp. &c. The holy Apostles did deliuer a certaine rule of faith, which rule being comprehended in twelue sentences ac­cording to the number of the 12. Apostles, was called by them (by a Greeke word and borrowed metaphor) Symbo­lum, a Symbole, or collation of many thinges togeather. And their intention (as is before intimated) was, that by this Symbole, signe, and summe of Christian faith, and [Page 118] doctrine, Catholicae fidei veritas ab haereticae prauitatis falsitate dis­cernatur (as Vincentius Lyrinensis speaketh of his goulden rule of faith deliuered vnto him from all his ancestors) that Cap. 2. cōt. haereses. the truth of Catholicke faith and verity, might be discer­ned from the falshood of hereticall prauity: This haue our ancestors left vs by tradition. And for the first in sti­tution of it, it was in this sort, as the history of Antiqui­ty, the very life of memory, hath by writing registred, and commended it vnto vs.

5. After the glorious visible Ascension of our Sauiour from the lowest pitch, and vale of the earths misery, into the highest toppe of heauen, and bosome of his Fathers e­ternity, this being terminus ad quē, aswell as it was terminus à quo, in that great motion of heauen, Christs Incarnation and mans Redemption, the place whither he ascended, as it was the place whence he descended, according to that: Exiui à Patre, veni in mundum: relinquo mundum, vado ad Patrem: I say after this Ascension, & descension of the holy Ghost in the visible shapes of fiery tongues vpon the Apostles, in abling them, and qualifying them with the tongues of na­tions for the conuerting of nations, then the Apostles be­ing ready to separate themselues, and to depart into all parts of the earth to preach the Ghospell for the conuer­sion of the whole world, they did compose, and lay down a perfect platforme of their future preaching, and others belieuing, by deuising a certaine squared rule, and Ca­non of fayth: and that not so much for their owne dire­ction (being so assisted with the inward inspiration of the spirit, that they could not possibly erre in their doctrine, though their teaching was euer to be conforme vnto these heades) as for the Christian Churches instruction, and pre­munitiō, that by hauing recourse vnto these general heads of fayth, commēded vnto them by the true Apostles, they might more easily discerne, and auoyd the hereticall do­ctrine of all false disciples. VVherefore the Apostles being assembled togeather, and met as it were the second time [Page 119] in Councell being ech of them seuerally replenished with the holy Ghost, and all of them ioyntly directed by the selfe same neuer-erring spirit, who was both now, and euer in such assemblies as these, to sit as President in the Church: I say, being thus prepared, euery one proposed as he belieued, and all being put togeather in the vpshot, did make the shot, or symbole of a breife, yet entire me­thodicall summe of Christian doctrine, including all points of faith, either to be preached afterwardes by the Apostles, or to be belieued by their disciples. And this summe did the Apostles thēselues appoint to be deliuered by tradition, or from hand to hand vnto euery one that belieued, ad directionem, ad distinctionem, both for a directi­on vnto that which they were to preach, and others were to belieue; as also to discerne and put a difference betwixt all faithfull Christians, and misbelieuing Infidels.

6. Thus S. Augustine (whose sense I haue kept, though I haue somewhat dilated vpon his wordes) relateth the matter, which before him had beene recorded by Ruffinus, Vbi supra serm. 181. de temp. in the Exposition of this Creed: so that S. Augustine borro­weth not only sense, but the selfe same words also for the most part are taken from Ruffinus. And further the said Ruf­finus doth adde another signification of the word Symbole, besides a collation, or contribution of many things vnto Significa­tion of the word Symbol or Creed. one, saying, that it signifieth also a signe or badge, wherby one sort of souldiers are distinguished from others. And in this acception also of the word, it consorteth well to our present purpose, that by this briefe summe of Doctrine as by a badge, or cognisance, true Catholicke Christian men may be distinguished heere from Infidels, and Here­ticks, since after death there is such an externall distincti­on, and separation to be made. And for this purpose at the beginning this Creed serued, but afterwards charity, & the loue of God, and Christian piety decaying, and the malice of men exceedingly multiplying vpon the earth, this breife, and playne summe would not serue the turne, [Page 120] against infernall, and hereticall subtility, for that, as S. Au­gustine before hath well obserued sundry sortes of Hereticks presumed to shrewd their heresies vnder the articles of this Creed, peruerting also the meaning, and misunderstanding aswell the wordes thereof as the sense: so as in fine, the bare, and outward profession of belieuing this Creed be­came at last, to be no certaine argument of prouing a man to be a true Christian Catholicke, except other due con­uincing circumstances concurred, as we haue before she­wed of the Canonicall Scriptures themselues.

7. Furthermore the Fathers and Doctors of the Church do ioyntly affirme, and expresly S. Augustine in the place before cyted, that albeit the wordes be few, and briefe of this Creed: yet are they so substantiall, punctuall, and materiall, as that they containe the full and entyre summe of whatsoeuer is to be belieued by vs: his wordes be these: The great substance of the A­postolicall Creed. Quicquid praefiguratum est in Patriarchis, quicquid denunciatum in Scripturis, quicquid praedictum in Prophetis, de Deo ingeni [...]o, vel ex Deo in Deum nato &c. Whatsoeuer was prefigured in the Pa­triarkes, whatsoeuer was denounced in the Scriptures, whatsoeuer was foretold in the Prophets, eyther of God the Father vnbegotten, or of God the Sonne begotten, or God the holy Ghost, or of receyuing any Sacrament, or of the death of our Lord, or of the mystery of his Resurre­ction, all this is briefly contayned in this Creed: so that the obseruation hence deduced must needs be this, that albeit in the bare wordes of the Creed many thinges be­longing to fayth, are not literall, and syllabically expres­sed: yet were they implyed, comprehended, and inten­ded by the Apostles: and namely, and particularly about the admitting of Sacraments, of their nature, number, necessity, efficacy, manner of administration, and the like (as S. Augustine doth here expound) which yet in the wordes are not expressed, but were locked vp with in the sacred breast and closet of the Church, as in the safest trea­sury, there to be expounded, dilated, amplified more [Page 121] largely, and particulerly vnto the faithfull, as eyther the Churches necessity requiring, or hereticall pertinacy, and importunity oppugning, should at any time, or occasion require: which exposition of the Church as the soundest Commentary vpon the Creed, he that in all humility of iudgment and opinion, submitteth not him selfe to be­lieue & obay, cannot be truly said to belieue this Creed, notwithstanding he should protest & confesse openly ten thousand times, that he admitteth all the words and eue­ry syllable therof.

8. It is also to be considered, that it is most worthy of a Christian man his obseruation, especially, if he hath eyther care, or make any conscience to preserue himselfe The Apo­stolicall Creed no Scripture & yet ne­cessary to be belie­ued. sound in the faith, and therby to saue his soule; that albeit, the ancient Fathers do with vniforme verdict affirme that these articles of the Apostolicall Creed, were set downe by the holy Apostles, replenished and directed with no small measure of the holy Ghost, as now hath bene obserued (I will not stand to discusse at this present, whether euery seuerall article of the twelue which it con­teyneth, were set dowue by seuerall Apostles, though di­uers graue, and ancient Fathers do affirme it:) yet were these articles neuer held for Canonicall Scripture, no nor yet are they at this day, eyther by Catholicke or Prote­stant. And if any man reply, that they are consonant vn­to Scriptures, and may be thence deduced, I deny not that, only I say this is nothing to argue that authority that they haue obteyned in the Church, since that all o­ther writings of orthodox men are both consonant vn­to Scriptures, and to be deduced from them, and yet they are not held in that esteeme, as the Creed: but my conse­quence that hereupon I inferre, is this, that something must be graunted of necessity besides Canonicall Scrip­tures to haue bene necessarily belieued in the Christian Catholicke Church, and that by tradition only; without any other foundaation, and that from the very beginning [Page 122] of Christian Religion.

9. This appeareth by the former words of S. Augustine, that this Creed came down along through the Cēturies of the Church by tradition, and Ruffinus saith in his expositi­on of this Creed: ‘ Idcirco haec nonscripta funt chartulis, at (que) mem­branis Ruff. in Symbolum &c. & therfore did the Apostles deliuer these thinges not written in paper and parchment, but to be retayned in mens hartes, to the end it might be certaine, that no man should by reading haue the same, for that writinges are accustomed to come also into the handes of Infidels, aswell as Christians, but that it should be sufficient to haue learned the same from the tradition of the Apostles.’ And this is the reason that Ruffinus giueth of the tradition of the Creed.

10. The very same hath S. Hierome: his wordes are cleare. In Symbolo fidei, & spei nostrae (saith he) non scribitur in chartis, & atramento, sed in tabulis cordis carnalibus &c. In the Creed that conteineth our fayth and hope, which be­ing deliuered by tradition from the Apostles, is not writ­ten The force of tradi­tion in the Church. in paper and inke, but in the fleshly tables of our harts &c. And all this doth euidently conuince vnto the iudge­ment of any vnderstanding man, that these articles of the Apostolick Creed were deliuered by word of mouth vnto Christians, and the Church was put in trust with them to teach them vnto her children before that any Scripture of the new Testament was committed to writing, and that many thinges of great moment about the mysteries of Christian Religion were left to be vnderstood, and ex­pounded therin, and that according to the wisedome, learning, and iudgment of the whole Catholick Church, especially concerning Sacraments, which are not expres­sed. And this is the cause why S. Augustine, and other Fa­thers before him do often reiterate, and frequently vse that impsoving kynd of speach, Norum fideles, the faithful do know, what belongeth vnto these matters, which pur­posely they did not reueale vnto the eares of new Christi­ans, [Page 123] least infidels might take any aduantage thereby to the disaduantage of the Church. So as my conclusion of this must of necessity hould correspondence with that former conclusion touching the argument of Scriptures, to wit: whosoeuer he be, that neuer so opēly, & plainly professeth that he doth accept, admit, and belieue this Creed of the Apostles, but refuseth the vnderstanding thereof, expoun­ded by the Church, and deliuered in her sense, he belieueth it not at all to saluation: neither shall it auaile him any more to admit the words and not receiue the sense, then if at once, and altogeather he reiected both wordes and sense.

11. And here may some demaund: But where now shall we be sure to find this exposition of the Church, es­specially A questiō solued where the voice of the Church may be found. in these distracted times of schisme, whē so many seuerall Sects plead for the Church, crying out according to Christ his Propheticall prediction, Here is Christ, and there is Christ, heere is the Church, & there is the pure Chos­pell, here is the word truly preached, & there are the Sacra­ments sincerely administred &c? To this I answere, we shal easily come by this orthodox exposition of the Creed, if we haue recourse vnto the publike doctrine of the Church de­liuered from age to age, euen vntill our time throughout euery Century of the Church: and this Church is euer vi­sible, vnlesse it be vnto such, as are blind, as S. Augustine hath already obserued.

12. S. Ambrose in his tyme remitted vs vnto the Church of Rome (the supreme Pastor whereof was then Siricius) for our direction herein. Credatur Symbolum Apostolorum (saith he) quod Ecclesia Rom ana intemeratum semper custodit, & seruat. Let faith be giuen to the Apostles Creed, which the Ro­man Church hath euer kept, and preserued inuiolated; & yet was this vpon the very point of 400. yeares after Christ his Ascension. So as in that tyme, and in this great Saint, and Doctors iudgement, the Roman Church was then the best, and surest direction to know the true contents, [Page 124] and meaning of this Apostolicke Creed, and consequently if our English ministry, who at their Ordination do sub­scribe vnto this Creed, would follow also the same dire­ction, for the true vnderstanding, and sense thereof, all matters would quickly be reconciled, & controuersies ac­corded: but in default of this, and for that pride, and selfe will, hath so be witched the minds of many, that they can­not in humility stoop downe their priuate censures, vn­to the publike iudgement of the Church, it commeth to passe, that this great discord and difference (that now is) raygneth betwixt Catholicks & Protestants, and amongst Protestants themselues, concerning the exposition thereof. And this shall appeare in part in the next ensuing Consi­deration of this Chapter. But yet before we enter into the other Consideration, we shall speake a word or two of the other Creedes, mentioned here by his Maiesty.

13. The other Creedes then, are the Nieene (concluded De fide ad Gratian. as S. Ambrose noteth with the suffrages of 318. renowned Fathers, alluding to the iust number of Abrahams souldiers when he rescued Lot) and of S. Athanasius. And these were written vpon occasion of heresies afterwards arising, and impugning some fundamentall poynt, & consequent­ly The creed of the coū cel of Nice & of S. Athanasi­us. were but explications of the former, as his Maiesty doth learnedly, and excellently obserue: and therefore these do principally depend theron. This is euident, if we reflect a litle vpon the principall subiect of the 2. Creedes: for do not they both expound, and vnfould that high and obstruse mystery of the Godhead of Christ, his identity, and equality of substance, power, and glory with God his Father? witnesse those wordes added and vsed in the Councell of Nice, about 310. yeares after Christ: Deum Conc. Ni­cen. l. 4. p. 565. edit. Venet. de Deo, Lumen de Lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum non fa­ctum, consubstantialem Patri: God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made, being consub­stantiall to the Father &c. Witnesse S. Athanasius his Creed that was made by him in Rome for Confession of his fayth [Page 125] some 15. yeares after that againe, wherein there is found that exact manner of speach, distinguishing the persons of the Blessed Trinity: Qualis Pater, talis Filius, talis Spiritus Sanctus: Such as the Father is, such is the Sonne, and such is the holy Ghost: and then he setteth downe more particuler­ly, the distinctiue appellations and peculiar proprieties belonging vnto euery person: as the Father vnbegotten, the Sonne begotten of the Father, the holy Ghost procee­ding; asmuch, as if in plaine tearmes he had said, the Fa­ther distinguished with this personall propriety of beget­ting a Sonne is a Father, and no Sonne: the Sonne distin­guished with his personall propriety of being begotten, is a Sonne and not a Father: the holy Ghost distinguished by his personall propriety of proceeding, is an holy Ghost, & neyther Father nor Sonne.

14. By all which we see the exceeding great authority of the Church in determining these different manners of speach, in disclosing this ineffable and inutterable my­stery of the Trinity, which are not found at all, totidem verbis, in the Scriptures, and therefore were denied by the Scripturian Heretickes (for as learned Hosius noteth, and it is the obseruation of S. Ambrose, against one only article of our Sauiours consubstantiality with his Father, they alleaged 50. places of Scripture:) I meane the Arians, who Ambros. de fide. Hos. de expresso Dei verbo did beare great sway, and insinuated themselues into the fauour of the Emperors, for the better supporting of their damnable heresies, as the Protestants do creepe into the fauour of our King at this day, for the vphoulding of their errors, and therefore great pitty it was, that the Prote­stants and Arians had not liued in one age togeather, that they might haue ioyned hands ech one with another, who do so neare resemble ech one the other in their behauiour and manner of proceeding.

15. VVell then, we see that the former mysteries of the Diety and Trinity could be determined by no other power and authority vpon earth, then by that supreme [Page 126] power of the Church, for that expresse warrant of Scrip­ture there was none in their pretence: for many of these wordes that are now vsed, and frequented by the Church in the explication of these Creedes, were not then in vse, but inuented and applied afterwads by the Church, ac­cording to the present necessity. And yet notwithstanding haue they beene so acknowledged, and receaued euer since by all Christendome, that the authority of the Church in that behalfe determining and expounding, hath stood inuiolable: and such as haue not admitted the same, haue euer beene reputed, and accompted for wicked, and dam­ned Heretickes. And this is to be noted with attention, as before I haue partly touched in generall, that albeit the Councell of Nice, representing the whole Christiā Church of that age, did not, nor could not make any new article of beliefe, that was not true before, but only did more fully, and plainely explane, and declare such things, as the impudency, and importunity of Heretickes called in­to doubt and question: so did not the said Councell ex­playne all that belonged to the diuine persons, for they left at Credo in Spiritum sanctum, I belieue in the holy Ghost, and there brake of, not vnfoulding any thing particuler­ly The great authority left in the Church for deci­ding Con­trouersies. touching the procession of the holy Ghost from the Fa­ther and the Sonne (about which there was afterwards so great strife and contention, and is to this day, with the later obstinate Greekes, affirming the same Person to pro­ceed only from the Father, & not from the Sonne) but left that by Gods prouidence to be expounded afterwardes by other Councells, when that poynt should be called into question, and so it was. So that it is more then euident vnto euery one, that will not wilfully shut his eyes against the cleare sunne shine of truth, that there is left continuall power in the Church to explayne and determine with au­thority, and that irrefragable, and vnresistable, any doubt neuer so weighty, about the Persons of the Trinity, or any other article of beliefe, or any other high point of diuine [Page 127] mystery, that shall arise among Christians, and that vnto the worlds last ending: & euery one vnder paine of dāna­ble obedience against Christs spouse, and the holy spi­rit the director thereof, is bound to submit, and capti­uate his iudgment, and vnderstanding thereto, and not to stand in contention against the same. And thus much of these three Creedes in generall, how they are to be reue­renced: now let vs descend vnto the seuerall articles, and positions therof in particuler.

The second Consideration.

NOvv succeedeth our second Consideration, about the examining of certaine particulers of these three That the Ministers of Englād belieue notwholy & entirely, the faith of the 3. Creeds. Creedes, how they are receiued and belieued. You haue heard before how the Ministers of the Church of England do subscribe vnto the same at their Ordination. Now let vs examine, whether this English Cleargy, notwithstan­ding all their subscription thereunto, do indeed truly belieue them, and expound them in the selfe same sense, interpretation, and meaning, as the Generall Councells, and ancient Fathers that collected them, meant them, as they do perswade his Ma ^tie they do. A man would think, that so solemne an Oath taken before an Ecclesiasticall Iudge, at the Tribunall of the Church, and that for pre­seruation of Religion, and conseruaaion of the integrity of ancient faith laid downe in ancient Creedes, and ge­nerall Councells, should religiously bynd before God and men, people of their quality and condition: but behold heresy that neither feareth God, nor reuetenceth man, obserueth no band at all, but draweth euery thing to euery mans particuler iudgment, and censure: and therefore it doth little auaile the ministers of the Church of England to reuerence, and receaue the wordes of the Creed, whilst [Page 128] they reiect the Churches sense, and true meaning of the same, to sweare vnto them in wordes by subscription at their Ordinatiō, but to forsweare them in deedes by a per­uerse, and sinister interpretation, and exposition. And this God willing shalbe made good against them in the subsequent Considerations, directed, and addressed for this especiall purpose.

17. First then it is set downe, and denounced in the Creed of S. Athanasius, read euery sunday in the English Church by order of the communion booke, that, VVhoso­uer No salua­tion with­out belie­uing the whole Ca­tholicke sayth en­tirely. doth not belieue wholy, and inuiolably the Catholicke fayth, shall without doubt perish euerlastingly. By which Catholicke fayth, he vnderstandeth the whole Catholicke fayth, and euery article or point thereof, not only of those articles which he there setteth downe principally against the Arians, and other heresies (as did also the Councell of Nice) for that otherwaies some man might obiect, and say that the ninth article of the Apostles Creed, I belieue in the holy Catho­lick Church, the Cōmumō of Saints (which S. Athanasius mētioneth not) were no article of beliefe, and that a man may be saued without the faith therof: especially for so much, as the said article, with the other three next ensuing, to wit, I belieue the remission of sinns, the Resurrection of the flesh and Life e­uerlasting, togeather with the fifth article, he descended into hell (all which are permitted by the Nicen Creed) do not be­long to the integrity of the whole Catholick fayth, which were an Heathenish absurdity to imagine.

18. S. Athanasius then, as also that ancient Orthodox Councell of Nice, albeit they set downe, and expounded those articles in their Creedes, which the Churches ne­cessity instantly required to be explayned in those tymes against the heresies which then most infested, and trou­bled the Church: yet were they ioyntly euer of this opi­nion and beliefe, that whosoeuer did not belieue all and euery point of the whole Catholicke fayth, and that firmiter, fideliter (que), that is both firmely, and faithfully (as S. [Page 129] Athanasius his wordes are) shall most certainely be damned euerla­stingly. And conforme vnto this, I haue shewed before in the first Chapter of this booke, the vniforme consenting seuerity of all antiquity, that any the least heresy, or er­rour defended obstinately, and with pertinacity against the Church, be it but one sentence, word, fillable, nay letter, is sufficient to cast a man out of the bosome of the Churches vnity, into hereticall prauity and Diabolicall nouelty, and consequently to bring a man vnto euerla­sting perdition and destruction, both of body and soule. And this we haue already proued by the vnanime verdict of S. Athanasius, S. Basill, S. Nazianzen, S. Hierome, S. Augustine and others: which S. Augustine in the very closing period of his booke of heresies, directed to Quod-vult Deus, pronoun­ceth bouldly, and denounceth confidently against all here­tickes and heresy, that whosoeuer doth hould any one of these heresies registred in that booke of his, or any other that should spring vp afterwardes, he cannot be a Catho­licke Christian, and consequently cannot be saued, for that he houldeth not the whole Catholicke fayth entirely and inuiolably.

19. And now to descend from the generall to the Protestāts do not re­ceaue the whole faith, but mingled with ma­ny here­sies. speciall, and to make iust proofe of all the former accusa­tions and imputations laid vpon the Clergy of England, first the Ministers of that Church do stiffly hould sundry of those heresies, which S. Augustine hath recorded for he­resies, and as condemned of the Church in his tyme in that booke of his before cited.

20. And for example, it cannot be gainesaid, but they deny all externall Sacrifice, and Prayer for the dead with the Hereticke Aerius: this is one heresy, and a capitall one too, if we do belieue S. Augustine. Secondly the Prote­stants fall into another heresy of Aerius, for they deny, Sta­tua solenniter celebranda esse ieiunia sed cùm quis (que) voluerit ieiunan­dum, ne videatur esse sub lege: that solemne fasts appoynted by the Church were not to be obserued, but that euery man [Page 130] should fast, when he would, least he may seeme to be vn­der the law: These are the words of S. Augustine out of Epi­phanius: and is not this the very speach of our Ministers, & Preachers of England at this day? Nay I haue heard some of them my selfe proceed so earnestly in their rayling hu­mour against this sacred, and Angelicall abstinence, that they haue not sticked to condemne the holy time of Lent, as Popish, and superstitious, tending quite to the ouer­throw of mans health and bodily constitution: and ther­fore, that the authors therof (said they) wanted wisdome and discretion, for instituting it in such a time of the yeare as the spring is, when man his body requireth the best and purest nutriments.

20. Thirdly, there is also recorded by S. Augustine, haeres. 69. the heresy of the Donatists, that affirmed, that the Vni­uersall Church was wholy corrupted, and perished, ex­cept only amongst their followers. And do not the Pro­testants to auoid the iudgement of the Church vtter the same contumelious slaunder at this day, condemning all others to iustify themselues?

21. Againe do not the Protestants fall into the heresy of the Iouinianists (as it is registred by the same S. Augustine, haeres. 88.) that held the equality of sinnes, and did equall marriage with Virginity? And therupon was the cause Diuers ancient Heresies held now by Prote­stants. (saith S. Augustine) that diuers sacred Virgins consecrated to God, by the holy and lawfull vow of sacred single life, left their profession and married. And is not this also pra­ctized and defended by protestants at this day? do they not deny all Euangelicall Counsailes of perfection, delu­ding Scriptures, and reiecting Fathers, though neuer so many, neuer so pregnant for prouing, and conuincing of this? Witnesse a Treatise lately published by a former M Hū ­frey Liech Minister of your Church in defence of the doctrine of Euangelicall Counsailes not long since preached by him in the Vniuersity of Oxford.

22. I pretermit the heresie of the Manichees that denied [Page 131] Free-will, and of the Nouatians, who would not grant that Priestes had authority in the Church to remit sinnes. All which ancient heresies (with many more which I pur­posely omit) being held in like manner in some degree or other, yea defended with great resolution by our English Ministers, they cannot be accompted to belieue entirely and inuiolably the Catholick faith, and Creeds, which condemne all these for heresies.

23. And furthermore if besides this, we will but con­sider the variety and multiplicity of other new sects of these our dayes, with which our English Ministers do par­ticipate, and make open profession to communicate, as with their brethren: we shall diserne clearely, that they cannot so much as pretend to hould the sincere integrity of one only faith. And the reason is, for that they haue euer hitherto admitted for brethren, and men of one faith, the Lutherans for example, who expressely condemne them for hereticks, and professe in the open eares of the world themselues to dissent really from them in diuers weighty, and capitall pointes, as touching the Reall Pre­sence, the person of Christ, Iustification, freewill, the law, the Ghos­pell, and many other more of like nature, as by their owne bookes, and writings doth appeare. And how then may they be sayd to agree with the sense, and meaning of S. A­thanasius his Creed, which pronounceth damnation a­gainst all such, as do not faithfully, and firmely hould the whole entyre Catholicke faith, without any violation, in any one article at all? And so let vs passe vnto the two other Creedes, to wit, vnto that of the Councell of Nyce, and the Apostlicall.

24. In the Nicene Creed, for the better, and further explication of Christ his Godhead, and equality with his Father, against the Arian heresie, there are certaine wordes purposely deuised, and set downe by the said Councell, and they be these that follow: Deum de Deo, Lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero &c. That is, God of God, Light of [Page 132] Light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father &c. By all which words, the meaning of the sacred Coūcell is not only to proue the About the Nicene Creed. Equality of Godhead, betwixt the Father and the Sonne, most blasphemously impugned, and denyed by the Arians but further to illustrate the very identity of essence imme­diatly, soly, & wholy communicated from the Father vn­to the Sonne, in his eternall generation: and therfore do those thrice blessed Fathers call Christ Lumen de Lumine, to intimate thus much vnto our vnderstanding, for the better comprehending of that mystery, that as a light importeth his whole, full, and perfect light vnto another, and yet retayneth the whole in it selfe: euen so in that mysticall and inscrutable generation of God the Sonne begotten of God the Father, the Father as a light imparteth vnto the Sonne, as a another Light (in regard of his distinctiue Per­sonall substance) his whole light, that is, his whole en­tyre nature, essence, substance and Godhead, without se­ction, diuision, motion, mutation, or alteration in the Father (according to that of S. Nazianzen prescribing a­gainst a certaine curious Hereticke too busy in this point, [...], Cast away thy fluxions, thy diuisi­ons, and sections, let the generation of God be reuerenced with silence) and yet the Father retaineth the whole in himselfe. This forme and manner of speach so materially and methodically set downe by this great Councell, and that doubtlesse by the immediate instinct and appa­rent assistance of the holy Ghost, against so great enemies of the sacred Person and Diuinity of our Sauiour as the Passim in Epist. ad Polonos. & l. cont. Gentilem. Arians were, M. Ihon Caluin falling into the old vayne of his Arianizing humor (as Doctor Hunnius proueth) doth vtterly mislike and condemne, and presuming to censure it thus: Impropriè ac durè dictum esse in Symbolo, Filium dei esse Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumen &c. that it is improperly, and hardly spoken in the Creed, that the Sonne of God is [Page 133] God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, be­gotten, not made, consubstantiall to the Father &c. affir­ming moreouer Christum esse [...], that is, that Christ is God of himselfe, & not God of God the Father. But may not I say (and haue therein the whole Christian world to beare me out) Catholicè dictum à Patribus, haereticè mutatum à Caluino, that it was Catholickly spoken by the Fathers, and heretically changed by Iohn Caluin?

25. And though here his disciples will go about to free 2. lib. de Christ. c. 19. their maister by vrging Cardinall Bellarmine his defence for him, in a certaine place of his works, wherin he excuseth the said Caluin in some part of his meaning and sense: yet poore, and miserable is the defence, for that the Cardinall expressly condemneth the manner of Caluin his speach, as Caluin his Autotheis­me here­ticall. hereticall, and intolerably proud: and it is hereticall (saith he) quia pugnat cum Scripturis, because it contradicteth the Scriptures: it is intolerably proud, quia pugnat cum Concilijs, cum Patribus, it impugneth generall Councels, and resisteth the vniforme consent of all pious, and religious Antiquity. Thus the Cardinall: to whome I remit the iudicious Reader for more ample and learned proofe of the same.

The third Consideration.

OVR third & last Consideratiō of this present Chap­ter In what particuler article of the Creed English Protestāts do not a­gree with vs. shall insist vpon sundry articles of the Apostles Creed in particuler, wherein the Ministers of England (that make a profession, and that by subscription to admit the whole Creed as it lieth) do notwithstanding differ from the sense, interpretation, and exposition of ancient Church: and to exemplify some particuler article, the fifth Article is, Descendit ad inferos: Christ descended into hell, which the ancient Fathers did vnderstand litterally, as it lieth (for so all the articles of the Creed are literally [Page 134] to be expounded) to wit that our Sauiour Christ after the consummation of our Redemption by the pretious bloud of his passion, leauing his body in the Sepulcher, he des­cēded victoriously like a triumphant conquerour of death, Sathan, and all the power of hell, with his soule into the lower partes of the earth; shewing and exhibiting him­selfe thereby a conquerour of death, and deliuering from thence diuers prisoners, and namely the soules of the an­cient Fathers, Patriarkes, and Prophets, who ardently expected his comming to open vnto them the gates of hea­uen according to that in the Hymne of Te Deum (which is in wordes acknowledged by the Church of England) VVhen thou hadst ouercome the sharpnes of death, thou didest open the Kingdome of Heauen to all beleeuers.

27. Thus the ancient Church vnderstood this article, as may be easily proued by vnamine consent of all Anti­quity, that expounded it so. For first the fourth Coun­cell About Christs descēding into hell. of Toledo cap. 1. and the Lateran gathered vnder Innocen­tius the third expound the Article so, as appeareth by their wordes, plaine to that purpose: Descendit ad inferos, vt animas quae illic tenebantur erueret: Christ descended into hell that he might deliuer the soules which were detayned there.

28. Secondly, Thaddeus one of Christs 70. Disciples, who as he liued in the very time of the Apostles, so was it most like, nay it could not be otherwaies, but he knew the Apostolicall sense of this article, and yet he (as Eusebius recordeth) deliuereth the sense thus, Descendit ad inferos, & disrupit maceriem, quam in saeculo nemo disruperat: qui descendit quidem solus, ascendit autem cum grandi multitudine. Christ des­cended Lib. 1. hist. cap. vlt. into hell, & brake down the partitiō-wall, which no man had broken from the foundation of the world, who indeed descended alone, but ascended with a great multitude: which being supposed, then haue you the te­stimony of one of Christs holy disciples, and no doubt in­spired with the spirit of God for warrant of this doctrine

[Page 135] 29. With Thaddaus agreeth Ignatius, another great Saint and Martyr, that liued immediatly after the Apostles, and had conuersation with some of them. Descendit solus (sayth In epist. ad Trallian. the same Father) ascendit cum grandi multitudine. Christ des­cended into hell alone, but he ascended with a great mul­titude. With these two so ancient so Apostolicall men ac­cordeth Iustinus Martyr an ancient and renowned Author, in the selfe same age next after the Apostles, who in his conference or dispute cum Triphone Iudaeo (for so is his Dia­logue intituled) complayneth of the impiety of the Iewes, for razing forth the testimony of Hieremy, where our Lord is said to descend to hell, vt liberaret mortuos suos, that he might deliuer his dead thence.

30. And now with these three, doth all antiquity con­sent: to wit, S. Irenaeus in his fifth booke, towardes the end, Clemens lib. 6. stromatum, Origen in his 15. homily vpon Ge­nesis, his 2. booke against Celsus, and 5. booke vpon the Romans, Eusebius lib. 4. demonst. Euang. cap. 12. S. Cyril of Ie­rusalem Cateches. 4. Descendit ad inferos, vt iustos inde liberaret: Christ descended into hell, that he might deliuer his iust from thence; S. Athanasius de Incarnatione, and in diuers o­ther places of his workes; S. Basil vpon the 14. Psalme, and 48. S. Gregory Nissen in his first Oration de resurrectione Christi; S. Gregory Nazianzen oratione 2. de Paschate; Epiphanius in Ancor. S. Cyril de recta fide ad Theodosium, and Theodoret vpon the 15. Psalme.

31. To these Greeke Fathers I may add these latin: Tertullian in his booke de anima cap. 31. 32. Hyppolitus the Martyr in oratione de Antichristo, S. Cyprian in his sermon de vnctione Chrismatis; S. Hilary vpō the Psalme 138. & in his 10. booke de Trinitate Philastrius de haeresibus, cap. de descensu Christi ad inferos: Gaudentius tract. 6. de Exod. Prudentius hym. 9. & 10. S. Ambrose de fide cap. 3. & de mysterio Paschae cap. 4. and cap. 10. vpon the Romans, and 4. to the Ephesians, 3. of Eccles. and vp­on the 9. Chap. of Zachary: Ruffinus vpon his exposition of the Creed; S. Augustine Epist. 47. ad Dardanum, the first questi­on, [Page 136] and infinite other places of his workes: S. Leo sermon the first de resurrectione: Fulgentim lib. 3. ad Thrasimundum, cap. 23. Vigilius the Martyr in his booke against Eutiches: Arator the subdeacō in his first booke vpon the Actes, the 2. chap­ter: S. Gregory in the 13. booke of his Morales, cap. 20. and 21. vpon the Psalme De profundis: Beda in his third booke vpon Iob, the 7. chapter: All these, and many others may be alleaged as all consenting about the litterall mea­ning of this Article.

32. And yet do the Protestants of our vnhappie time differ from all these in the vnderstanding of this Article of Christ his descent into hell, though they do professe to admit the whole Creed. And amongst the rest, the very wordes of this Article of the Creed: for some of them, by descending into hell, vnderstand that he descended into his se­pulcher: this is the opinion of Bucer, that was Regius Pro­fessor Bucer. in cap. 27. Matth. and publike reader of Diuinity in Cambridge in King Edward the sixt his dayes: and the same houldeth Beza in his Commentary vpon the second Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles. And Caluin himselfe misliketh not this inter­pretation in his commentary vpon the 15. Psalme, where he interpreteth these wordes (Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell) thus: Thou shalt not leaue my soule in the graue or se­puscher: But how improbable an interpretation this is, ech man of common reason will discerne. For who euer heard, that soules were shut vp in sepulchers?

33. But M. Caluin after his fashion persisteth not long in in this, but nath another more solemne interpretation in Caluins horrible opinion a­bout the article of Christs descensiō into hell. Cal. 2. inst. c. 16. 6. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. his second booke of Institutions, and in diuers other bookes of his, and the exposition is this, that Christ did suffer the very selfe same paines of hell it selfe, and all the torments of the damned, in his soule vpon the Crosse, as feare, des­paire, distrust, horrour, and the like, by apprehending God his heauenly Father to be angry with him. And in this Caluin is so confident, that he feareth not to go further, and to blaspheme and say, that without this his corporall [Page 137] death had beene to no purpose: Nihil actum erat (saith he) si corporea tantùm morte desunctus fuisset Christus. Nothing had byn Item in Ca­techismo paruo. itē psych. item in harmo. Euangelica cap. 27. Math. effected, if Christ had only dyed a corporall death. And so according to this interpretation of Caluin, Christes bo­dily death on the Crosse did not deliuer vs, without these paynes of Christes soule: and yet, saith he, the soule went not downe locally to any place of punishment (for this doth he not only deride, saying there is no such place, but especially doth he hould it for a fable as presently we shall see:) but rather endured, as he affirmeth, and suffered the 2. Inst. cap. 16. §. 10. paines of hell, and of the damned, as is before said. But the truth is, this is a blasphemous speach, and quite ouer­throweth the whole mystery of our Redemption. For let vs search the Scriptures from the Alpha to the Omega, from the beginning of Genesis, or booke of Creation, to the end of that mysticall booke of S. Iohns Reuelation, and we shall not only find not any the like speach to this, but the cleane contrary in infinite places, all and euery where ascribing the whole mystery of our Redemption to Christ his pre­cious bloudshed, and bodily passion. And vnto this will euery indifferent Protestant easily subscribe and yeald.

34. And now touching his contemptuous censuring of all antiquity in the poynt of Limbus Patrum (which was the place where the soules of the ancient Fathers, and Patriarches remayned and were detayned, vntill Christs Resurrection:) Haec fabula de Limbo Patrum (saith he) ad quos 2. Instit. c. 16. §. 9. liberādos Christum descendisse narrant; tametsi magnos habeat auctores, nihil tamen aliud quàm fabula est. This fable of Limbus Patrum, or prison of the Fathers, for whose deliuerance they recount Christ to haue descended, albeit it hath great authors, that make for it, yet is it nought els but a fable.

35. And who be these authors whom M. Caluin both accompteth great, & yet reiecteth, but those principally, whom before we haue named, pillars of the Church in the primitiue ages? And did euer any man since the first foundation of Christian Religion speake so of all the light [Page 138] learning, piety, deuotion, and Religion of all the whole Christian world togeather, this one wretched impostor excepted?

36. Thus then we see, that Caluin, though in words he admit this article of the Creed: yet he dissented from A story of the con­tention of English Ministers about the descent of Christ in­to hell. all antiquity in the exposition thereof. Now as for the Church of England what they hould therein, it is hard to say, though many, and sore conflicts there hath beene amongst Ministers and Preachers of my quality for many yeares togeather, about the exposition of the article, He des­cended into hell. Only two memorable things I call to mind that passed there in my tyme in diuers partes of that King­dome, and all about the exposition of that article, which heere I haue thought good, historically as it were, to in­terlace. The first was in manner as followeth. It happened, that some dozen yeares since, I light by chance vpon a cer­taine Exercise (for so the brethren call it) held by a cer­tayne number of Ministers of the purer straine (as vsually these kind of Exercises are.) The towne (where this mee­ting of Ministers was) is called Maxfield, in the very vt­termost skirt, and confines of Cheshire, and the text then, and there treated vpon by the brethren, was the Psalmists Propheticall prediction of Christs descensiō into hell, as it is mē ­tioned Psal. 15. v. 8. & repeated againe Act. 2. v. 27. Quoniā non Psal. 15. relinques animam meam in inferno: Because thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell. And the place is very pregnant, for pro­uing the point. The bench being set, the Ministers ech in time, and order spake (but God knoweth how few wise and true words were spoken amongst them:) The first starts vp, and expounds it of Christ his suffering vp­on the Crosse: a second vnderstands it of the Graue: a third extended it to Christ his sufferings of hell torments in soule: and the fourth yet added, and interpreted it of Christs being in the state of the dead. The Moderator (for such a one they haue in all their Exercises) he as wise as the rest insteed of mending all, he marreth all: for he com­mendeth [Page 136] all, approueth all, and receiueth all, and then falleth out into a wonderfull admiration of the diuersity of the gifts of the spirit, that euery one of his fellow la­bourers in the Ghospell, should haue his seuerall expositi­on, and yet all to agree, and all to be intended by the ho­ly Church. But this is iust according to Tertullian his pre­scription: Nihil interest haereticis, licèt diuersa tractantibus, dum Tertul. de praescript. ad vnius veritatis expugnationem conspirent: it importeth not a­mongst hereticks, though so many men be of so many mindes, whilst they can conspire to impugne one truth. And do not so many seuerall, and erroneous expositions, banded against one true meaning of the article, forcibly make good this prescription, and note of Tertullian?

37. And for my part, as then so now, I am of abso­lute opinion, that if all my brethren, and their Modera­tor with them had bene as farre out of the towne, as they were euery one of them from the truth of the text, and meaning of the holy Ghost, in that place, they would ne­uer more haue returned, either to wiues or Cures, or made such an other fanaticall exposition, tending only to the o­uerthrow of the Article.

38. But yet my second obseruation goeth farre beyond all this, and for the nouelty, and absurdity of the exposi­tion it deserueth to be registred in the record of eternall memory, that all the world may take notice of the palpa­ble blindnesse of heresy: and it is of diuers stipendary Preachers, who as they seuerally succeeded one the o­ther in a very eminent place of that Kingdome: so they di­uersly expounded the article: one of them expounded it of hell torments in Caluins sense: a second succeding, of the graue, in Beza his meaning: the third and last, because he would be sure to proue himselfe an hereticke, addidit de suo, he found out such an exposition, as was neuer heard of before, vnlesse it were by one Iacob, a turbulent and Schismaticall spirit that opposed himselfe against the Bi­shop of VVinchester (impar congressus, I say no more) touch­ing [Page 140] this article. His exposition in plaine words was this: Christ descended into hell that is sayth he, he ascended into heauen, A strange & ridicu­lous ex­position of the Ar­ticle Descē ­dit ad infe­ros. and this he thought he proued substantially out of the Greeke wordes [...], which said he, signifieth no more, thē that Christ went [...], that is, said he, to an inuisible place, and this must be proportioned according to the dignity of the person, and consequently must be heauen. For what place can be fit for the Sonne of God being thus in the state of the dead, but heauen? And so as before, his conclusion for a full and perfect exposition of this article was, he descended into hell, that is, he ascended into heauen. And is not this (as Luther merily gibeth at the Ca­nonicall exposition of, Hoc est corpus meum) as if a man ta­king vpon him to interpret this text, God created heauen and earth, should interpret it thus, acroked staffe was made a kite, or the cuccow did eat vp the kitling bones and all? For certaine I am, there is as much truth and correspondency betwixt the one, as the other. Oh miserable Preachers! o thrice miserable people, that thus suffer their eyes to be put out, and their soules to be deluded, beguiled, and betrayed by such hereticall impostors!

39. And now to proceed forward, and to see what the Church of England doth hould in this point, M. Thomas Rogers Minister of Horninger and Chaplaine to the Lord of Canterbury, hauing taken vpon him to set forth in print of late, The faith, doctrine, and religion prosessed and protected in En­gland (for so are his wordes) in 36. articles agreed vpon (as he saith) by the Bishops and Clergy of England, when he commeth vnto this article, he seemeth not to know what to say, for hauing laid forth this article of Christs descent into hell he hath these wordes: That Christ went downe into hell (saith Tho. Ro­gers in his 39. articles pag. 15. 16. &c. he) all sound Christians both in former times, and now liuing do ac­knowledge: howbeit in the interpretation of the article, there is not that consent that were to be wished. And so after he hath set downe diuers opinions of others, forgetting to put downe his owne, he passeth and posteth the matter ouer in such [Page 141] sort, as that no man can tell what they of England do hold, or what it is that is agreed vpon by the Bishops, or whether they hold any thing at all, though in the title of The Chu­rch of En­gland ad­uersary to many of her owne: for many hould that Christ des­cēded not into hell at all. his booke he doth promise to set downe 39. Articles vni­formely agreed vpon by the said Bishops and Clergy: be­like he found no concord or agreement in this behalfe, only he recounteth the aduerse opiniōs which he holdeth for opposite erours, and aduersaries to the truth, and then going on futher he sayth: But vntill we know the natiue and vndoubted sense of this article, and mystery of Christian Religion, we persist aduersaries vnto them that say that Christ descended not into hell at all, or that Christ descended into the place of euerlasting tormentes or indured in soule the paynes of damned spirits &c. which opinions you haue heard now to haue bene partly of Caluin, partly of other Protestants: so as with them the Church of Eng­land holdeth not, nor yet with the Papists, sayth he, for that presently he addeth for an opposite errour vnto them, That Christ in soule went downe into Limbo lake, to fetch from thence Thaddaeus Ignatius, Iustinus Martyr, I­renaeus, & all anti­quity are dreaming Papists in M. Rogers definitiue opinion. the soules of our forefathers, which soules (saith he) before Christs death, as Papists dreme, were shut vp in the close prison of hell. Now then to reflect vpon the premises, and out of them to inferre the conclusion, the illation must needes be this: Though all partes do in wordes admit this article of Christ his descent into hell: yet do they greatly differ in the sense and the ministers of England as it seemeth, haue no cer­taine faith therin at all, neither do they ascribe so much assistance of the holy Ghost to their Church (which the true Church could neuer want (as to be able to explaine the natiue, and vndoubted sense of this article, and Mystery of Christian Religion to vse M. Rogers wordes: so as their beliefe herein is only negatiue (as their whole Religion) is which is to belieue, that all others are deceiued besides themselues and yet do they affirme nothing in particular. And let this suffice for this article.

40. Let vs now a litle cast about, and take a view of the ninth article in order, as the Creed naturally bran­cheth [Page 142] it, and it is this: Credo Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam &c. I belieue the holy Catholicke Church: the wordes of this article are agreed vpon, on all partes, but the senses framed Credo Ec­clesiam Ca­tholicam. thereupon and belieued of different Christians, are most different, and repugnant. For first those of the Roman, & truly Catholicke Religion do according to the expositi­on of ancient Fathers (which is a most certaine, and infallible rule of their fayth) vnderstand by this Catholicke Church, that visible Congregation of the first belieuing The visi­ble begin­ning of the Catholicke Church. Christians gathered togeather in Hierusalem at the time of our blessed Sauiour his Ascension, at which assembly the holy Apostles themselues (who made this article) were present, togeather with the Blessed Virgin Mother of God, and other holy men and women, vpon whome the holy Ghost descended, inlightened them, and infla­ming them to preach the name of Christ, and further esta­blishing, and confirming them in the truth, encouraging them to go forwardes manfully without feare of any op­posite humane power, and promising them, that the po­wer of Christ, & assistance of the same holy Ghost should be with them, and the directors of them, vnto the worlds end, to preserue this Church and holy Congregation in all necessities and extremities, so that the gates of hell, and damnable errour should neuer preuaile against it.

41. Moreouer the said Catholicke Christians did euer vnderstand this Church to be called holy, in respect both of the great sanctity of her doctrine, and the holines of many of her children, who besides the precepts of the law, as S. Gregory speaketh, nay ouer, and aboue the precepts of the law, as S. Basill, and S. Chyrsostome ioyntly speake Lib. 25. in ob. c. 24. 5. should endeauour, etiam praecepta legis perfectiori virtute transcen­dere, to transcend the precepts of the law, by deuouting themselues vnto the obseruation of Christ his high Coun­sayles of Euangelicall perfection.

42. Also this Church is called holy, for the immediate and perpetuated assistance of the holy Ghost, inspiring [Page 143] her inwardly, directing her outwardly, and especially for the meanes of sanctificatiō conuaied vnto her through the conducts of her Sacraments, as chiefest and most holy instruments to that effect, conferring grace for our assi­stance in the performing of all good works, wherof none can be partakers to saluation out of this Church.

43. This Church is also called Catholicke, for the rea­sons before set downe in the first Chapter and first Consi­deration; to wit, that it is vniuersally spread ouer the world by the ministery of the Apostles in the very begin­ning, and so hath hitherto continued still, and euer shall to the worldes end: and further it hath these signes and markes to be knowne by, and to be distinguished from all hereticall Congregations whatsoeuer, to wit, Anti­quity, Vniuersality, Vnion, and Succession by descent of Bishops. And finally for full complement, it hath that communion of Saints, both by vnion in fayth, and com­munion of Sacraments, which no other Schismaticall Cō ­uenticle or hereticall congregation hath: and out of this communion there can be no possibility of life, or saluati­on. Vincent. Lyrinensis aduersus hareses c. 3. Tertull. de praescript. cap. 32. All this, and much more (which here I am constray­ned to omit) do those of the Roman Religion vnderstand by this article, I belieue in the holy Catholicke Church, the commu­nion of Saints: and it would require a whole volume to set downe the seuerall sentences, discourses, and authorities of ancient Fathers, that iointly concurre in this expositi­on, and explanation.

44. But now on the other side, if we cast our eyes vp­on the state of the English Clergy, we shall find that Thè Pro­testantly meaning about this 9. arti­cle. howsoeuer they do admit the same in wordes, yea, and subscribe therunto in their Ordination (for that they teach their Rligion to follow their State, as their State brought in their Religion:) yet exceeding great is the difference, and large are their consciences in vnderstan­ding the same, as may appeare in part out of the 19. ar­ticle, published by M. Rogers, as agreed vpon by our En­glish [Page 144] Bishops, concerning the Church: about which he hath seauen seuerall propositions, first agreeing in some of them, somwhat with the Catholicks, and they haue learned it from the Catholicke Religion, and as their v­suall practice is; and then making their owne choyce, to dissent, and disagree at their pleasure, as the inured cu­stome of all Hereticks hath euer bene.

45. His first proposition then is this: There is a Church 1. of Christ not only inuisible, but also visible, wherto supposing him to vnderstand of the true Catholicke Church, (for other­wise he saith nothing) we do also agree, as their Bishops Later pro­positions of the Protestáts about the Church. in like manner may be supposed to do: and yet can I speake this vpon my owne knowledg, that it is against the common knowne tenent & practice of their Academicall Schooles: for there the question is amongst the most for­ward Protestants, An Ecclesia sit inuisibilis, whether the true Church be inuisible; and yet is held affirmitiuely, to wit, Rogers ar. 19. pag. 86. that it is inuisible, and not visible to manseies, for the vi­sibility of the Church tendeth to flat Popery, which they cannot indure.

46. His second proposition is, That there is but one Church; 2. which we affirme also, and they from vs haue learned so to speake: and yet I do not see how the Protestant, Puri­tan, and other Sectaries, Lutherans, and Sacramentaries can make one Church, they differing so fundamētally amongst themselues, and in such weighty points of faith and reli­gion, as they do.

47. His third assertion is; The visible Church is a Catholick Church: 3. M. Rogers would haue said, or at least wise should haue said, that the Catholicke is a visible Church: and the reason is, for that all visible Churches, are not Catholicke, but all Catholick Churches are visible. And what was the rea­son of this his incongruity of speach I do not see, vnlesse he meant thereby to steale the name of Catholicke vnto e­uery visible Congregation of Sectaries, which is clearly ouerthrowne by the definition, and large explication of [Page 145] the word Catholicke, set downe in the first Chapter.

48. His fourth proposition is: The word of God was, and 4. for tyme is before the Church: which being vnderstood of the Scripture, or written Word (for otherwise it is nothing to our purpose,) it contayneth in it a senseles, & grosse absur­dity, for therupon it would follow, that before Moyses tyme, the first writer of the Bible (which was more then two thousand yeares after the creation of man) God had no Church, because there was extant no written Word or Scripture, which were very ridiculous to affirme. But the only refuge that I can possibly perceaue that M. Rogers hath left him to make good his fourth assertion in proouing the word of God more ancient then the Church, is to fly to the vnwritten word: but this will not serue his turne neither, since we haue only in this place to do with the litterall, or written word of God, begūne by Moyses the first pen man of the holy Ghost, and so successiuely vpon sun­dry occasions continued.

49. M. Rogers his first proposition is, That the markes, 5. Markes of the Church. and tokens of their visible Church, are the due, and true administration of the VVord, and Sacraments: but these markes are not admit­ted by the Catholickes, but worthily reiected, for that they are as hard, and obscure to find out, and as much controuerted as the thing it selfe whereof they should be markes: for that all partes, yea all sectes, and heresies doe pretend to haue due and true administration of the word, and Sacraments, and it is as hard a matter to determine this controuersy as the other, viz. to find out, which is the true Church. But the Markes of Antiquity, Vniuersa­lity, Vnity, and Succession before mentioned, and gi­uen by Catholickes (for such were Tertullians 1400. yeares ago, when he wrote that excellent booke of Prescriptions, and Vincentius Lyrinensis 1200. years since, to take away your late imputation, and denomination of Papist vnto Ca­tholickes) are so cleare, and euident in themselues, that presently they will distinguish betwixt one Church and [Page 146] another, betwixt Roman Catholickes and all hereticall Sectaries. And albeit some Sectaries being pressed there­with, will pretend to haue these markes in their Church, and will set a good face vpon the matter, and challenge them also, yet are these wordes out before they be aware: for the matter being so euident against them, they present­ly giue ouer their clayme, they are content to hold hāds of, running to other obscure markes (the common Plea of all condemned Heretickes) of the due and true administra­tion of the Word and Sacraments, when God wotteth they haue neyther Word nor Sacrament, according to the Catholicke integrity and sincerity.

50. M. Rogers sixt proposition about the Church is: That the visible Church (to wit the true & Catholick Church) 6. may, and hath from time to time erred both in doctrine and conuersa­tion: which assertion the Catholick in his sense doth hold for so blasphemous, and absurd, yea ridiculous also, as nothing can be more. For if this be true, that the true vi­sible Catholicke Church spread ouer the whole Christian world, can erre, and induce into errour, then is there no surety, or certainty in the world, no not in the promi­ses of Christ, and his Apostles, who assured vs the contrary.

51. But let vs take a view of M. Rogers proofes out of Scripture for confirming this his sixth assertion, which Ridicu­lous proofs that the Church may erre surely are so fantasticall and impertinent for any conse­quence to be drawne from them, so absurd in reason, and ridiculous in religion, that no man of iudgement, or con­science can read them without indignation, and laugh­ter, as by the view will appeare. For thus he setteth them downe in his owne wordes, only I will add the inference vpon euery probation out of Scriptures. His first place is: Take heed, Matth. 24. 4. therefore the Church may erre. Belieue it not, Matth. 23. 26. therefore the Church may erre. Beware of the leauen of the Pharisyes, and of the leauen of Herod, Mar. 8. 15. therefore the Church may erre. Many shall be deceiued, [Page 147] yea the very elect, were it possible, Matth. 24. 11. therefore the Church may erre. Shall he find faith vpon the earth, Luc. 18. 8. therefore the Church may erre. VVe know in part, 1, Cor. 13. 12. therefore the Church may erre. Beware of Dogges, there­fore the Church may erre, Beware of euill workes, beware of concision, Philip. 3. v. 2. therefore the Church may erre. God shall send them strong illusions, that they should belieue lyes. 2. Thess. 9. 10. therefore the Church may erre. And is not this a sound proofe out of the Scriptures?

52. These are those cleare texts, that M. Rogers brin­geth forth to proue, that the vniuersall Christian visible Catholicke Church (for that only we now treat of) may be deceiued, and hath erred, determining matters of do­ctrine: and yet as you see, here is not one word that is spo­ken, or may be applyed to the said vniuersall Catholicke Church, but only caueats giuen to the Church, to beware of particuler deceauers, Heretickes, Pharisies, Herod, & the like. And consequently these places are so idly vrged, and so absurdly applied by the Authour, that I should wast time in spending any more labour about perusing them any further. Only one of his places, I will but touch in one word. Many (saith Christ) shall be deceiued, yea the very elect, if it were possible: out of which place, for the ouerthro­wing of M. Rogers proposition, and inferring the cleane contrary assertion, I reason thus, and let Tribunal Syllogis­mi vmpire betwixt vs both, which is the better, and fit­ter consequence deduced out of this place: if it be impossi­ble that the elect shall be deceiued, though many be de­ceiued, then the Church comprehending the elect, as a part of her, cannot be beceiued: sed verum primum, for truth it selfe hath spoken it, (and this is the true meaning of those wordes, if it were possible &c.) ergo & secundum. The like consequence I would inferre out of all the rest, but the places are so absurdly, and against all common sense and reason vrged, that they are not longer to be stood vpon.

[Page 148] 53. The like miserable course, or rather more pitifull (if possibly it may be) doth he take to proue the second part of his proposition, which is, that the said Catholicke visible Church may erre in determining matters of life, and manners (for that is the question, and not his ydle word of erring in conuersation.) And first he doth alleag the words of Christ, Iniquity shalbe increased, and the loue of many shall wax could, Matth. 24. 12. therefore the Church may erre in de­termining matters of life, and manners. Secondly he ci­teth that of S. Paul, Restore &c, least thou also be tempted, Gal. 6. 1. therefore the Church may erre in determining mat­ters of life, and manners. Thirdly, I do not the good thing which I would, but the euill which I would not, that doe I: if I doe that which I would not, it is no more I that do it, but the sinne that dwelleth in me, Rom. 7. 19. 20. therefore the Church may erre in determining matters of life, and manners. Fourthly, There is a fight euen in the best men, and mēbers of Christ, Rom. 7. 23, therfore the Church may erre in determining matters belōging to lyfe, and manners: for this must be his conclusion out of euery one of these places, as his former of doctrine was out of the other. And are not these goodly argumentes to proue his assertion? His assertion (as you haue often heard) was, that the visible Catholicke Church might erre in determining matters belonging to manners, to wit in defining and finally determining, this is good, that is bad, this is lawfull, that vnlawfull, and the like; and he commeth in with his misapplied texts, to proue that particuler men may haue infirmities in them, and fight of their passions, or concupiscence. Doth he not hit the naile on the head thinke you?

54. But now lastly let vs come to his seauenth, and last exposition vpon this article of the Creed. The Church of Rome (saith he) hath most shamefully erred in life, Cerimonies, and matters of sayth, this he should haue proued, according Rogers p. 96. as he vndertaketh in other articles from the warrant of di­uine Writ, but here he leaueth Gods word, and runneth [Page 149] to Poets that say, Roma mares &c. Rome loueth boyes: as who would say, that this horrible, and execrable sinne (if it be, or haue bene in Rome) is not also in other Citties of the world, or as if this alone were sufficient to proue his purpose, if he could shew, that there were many lewd liuers in Rome. The thing he ought to proue is this, that the whole Church of Rome (that is to say, the Catholicke Roman Church, spread ouer the whole world, acknow­ledging Rome for the chiefe head, and member thereof) had erred from her publike decrees set forth to be deliuered throughout the whole Church, eyther for position of faith or direction of manners: for this only is the point in con­trouersy and not whether any man haue liued loosely in Rome, or any Popes haue bene naughty men, or may be hereafter. So as for the point controuerted, he brin­geth not one word of proofe, and all that he hath scraped together of spitefull slanders, & contumelious reproaches against diuers Popes, and other Prelates of that Citty, as in consequence of argument, they are nothing to the pur­pose, nor can make any inference at all against the matter in question, so are they in fact, proued by diuers Catho­licke Authours to be shamefull lyes, contrary to the testi­mony Lib. de Pōt. à cap. 8. ad finem vs (que) ad cap. 15. of the best, and most Authenticall authours, that haue written, whereof the reader may see effectuall proofes in Bellarmine, and others that do answere those slan­ders against Rome.

55. Now then we see how out of this one article of the Apostles Creed (which all parts do admit) what diffe­rent doctrine there is drawne by different expositions: and I might shew the same in sundry other articles, as namely in that which ensueth immediatly after, Credo remissionem peccatorum: I beleeue the remission of sinnes: which article those of the Roman fayth do vnderstād accordingly as the ancient Fathers do, and this is not only of the remission of sinnes by our Sauiour his passion, and grace thereby merited to this effect, but also of the ordinary meanes left [Page 150] by our said Sauiour in the Church for ordinary remission of sinnes, and namely by faith and baptisme, for such as enter first into the Church, and the holy Sacrament of Pennance, which is (according as anciēt Fathers do call it) secūda tabula post nausragium, the second table of the soule after baptismes ship wrack, for such as sin after baptisme, and o­ther Sacraments: all which Sacraments, & other meanes to this effect do worke their effects in the power, and ver­tue of the said passiō of our Sauiour. So houldeth the Ca­tholicke. But the Protestant that commeth forth with a not imputation, saith, that this remission of sinnes consisteth only in this that they are not imputed, and consequently draweth a farre other sense vpon this article; so as I must perforce conclude with that which often hath bene said, and repeated, that it is not sufficient to admit these Creeds in words as the Ministers of Englād are said to do in their Ordination, but the true sense, and meaning is especially to be stood vpon: which meaning being farre dissonant frō the vnderstanding of the knowne Catholicke Church (as lately we haue shewed) their orall and verball admissi­on of the said Creeds cannot be sufficient to make them Christian Catholicks, or deliuer them from the imputa­tion of being Hereticks: for that this very choice and e­lection which they do make of particuler senses, and in­terpretations of the Articles of these Creeds, opposite vnto our former rules, and Considerations before set downe at large, properly and effectually conuince them to be here­ticks indeed. And so much of this matter for the present,

The first Consideration.

MY first Consideration (which I promise, as the ve­ry Why and how these foure first Councels were ga­thered, and how therby it is conuin­ced that the church cānot err. ground-worke, and foundation of all the rest) must of necessity be this, that the Parlament, and Church of England admitting these foure first generall Councells of Nyce, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon for Orthodoxe, and truly Catholicke (as representing in their Bishops the complete, and entyre body of the Catholicke Church in their seuerall ages) must needes acknowledge in like manner, that for these first foure hundred and fifty yeares (or rather fiue hundred, for that it is not probable, nay possible, that within the compasse of fifty yeares, the same should now faile which had allready by vertue of Christ his promise continued foure hundred and fifty yeares) the Vide Aug. de vnit. Ec­cles. in plu­ribus locis. true Catholick Church of Christ, consisted not only of the elect, and consequently was invisible, but of good and bad, and therupon was visible, vnder visible heades. And this was figured by the Parables of the net that caught both good and bad fish, and by the field that brought forth good corne, and weedes. And further, that this vi­sible externall Church in those dayes was the very same, wherof Christs wordes were to be vnderstood, when he gaue this in charge to one vpon occasion, and supposal of Mat. 18. 15 16. 17. 18. 1. Tim. 3. 15. a complaint made against his brother, which if he succee­ded not, then, Dic Ecclesiae, tell the Church: as also that o­ther of S. Paul that the Church is Columna, & firmamentum ve­ritatis, the Pillar, and foundation of truth: so as, if a man in those dayes would haue had any controuersy in Religi­on debated, and resolued, if he would haue knowne what Scriptures the Apostles, and Euangelists had com­mitted vnto the custody of the Church for Canonicall, & Authenticall: and further if he desired to know which they were, how they might be knowne from counterfait, [Page 156] how they might be truly sensed, and rightly vnderstood, what and how many Sacramēts were left by Christ vnto his Church, which they were, what were their effects & operations, how they were to be administred, and such other like. And if he were a Iew, or Gentill, that thus de­maunded, questioning these doubts, and would vpon the resolution therof become a Christian, but being vnlear­ned, would be instructed in all these cases, and the like he was to haue made his repayre, and recourse vnto this externall visible Church, and to haue stood in all points whatsoeuer, vnto her finall determination, decision, di­rection, instruction, and perpetuall gouerment in all these first fiue ages, without malepart repugnancy, or obstinate reply, if he euer intēded to be saued. And if vpon any ani­mosity, or peruicacity any mā were cast out of that Church in all that time eyther for interpreting Scriptures in his owne sense, according to a priuate spirit, or for peruerting or innouating de nouo, de suo, of his owne head or braine, in any the least poynt of faith, and mystery of Christian religion, as the Protestants do both, his damnation was by all held and concluded for certaine, except he repen­ted, and listened, yea and obeyed the voice of the Church his mother, that sought to reclaine him: for that the au­thority of this Church was euer held for God his high­est tribunall vpon earth, and therfore irrefragable, since the tribunall of heauen standeth expecting what is here done by the Church vpon earth, being euer ready to loose, or bynd, to deliuer ouer vnto Sathan, or to release from the bandes of sinne, errour, and heresy, according vnto the former passed doome, and sentence of the Church, as among other Fathers, S. Iohn Chrysostome in his bookes of Chrys. l. 3. de sacerdot. Preisthood doth very well declare.

4. And now to come vnto these Councels, and Councell of Nice as­sembled anno. 327. to speake particulerly of euery one of them, as they lye in order. The Councell of Nice was gathered togeather somewhat more then three hundred yeares after Christ: [Page 157] and the occasion of this first great Ecclesiasticall Assembly of all the world met togeather by their Bishops in this ge­nerall Councell, was for the censuring and suppressing of two capitall, and damnable heresies, that then inuaded, and infested the Church of Christ. The first was the he­resy of the Arians, and this impugned, nay flatly deny­ed the second Person, his identity of essence, to wit, the Sonne his equality of substance, and hodhead with the Father, granting him to be [...], like vnto the Father, but denying him to be [...], of the same substance with the Father, which was the fayth and beliefe of the Ca­tholicke Church in those dayes.

5. The second heresy, was the heresy of the Quartadeci­mans, concerning the celebrating of Easter-day, of which heresy to speake any thing in particuler at this tyme I in­tend not, since it is not to my present purpose; only I refer the reader vnto the author of the Three Conuersions of England, where this point is both substantially, and punctually dis­cussed. The mayne point wherof I am to treat in this place, is to intimate vnto the Reader, how both these he­resies of the Arians, and the hereticall Quartadecimans were determined, censured, and anathematized by the autho­rity of this soueraigne and supreme Ecclesiasticall Tribu­nall, I meane the first Generall Councell of Nice, which consisted (as S. Ambrose obserueth, alluding to the iust num­ber De fide ad Gratian. of Abraham his souldiers) of three hundred & eighteene Bishops gathered from all partes of Christendome. And this was the first Generall Councell that could be Assem­bled vntill that time, in respect of the most bloudy and cruell persecutions, that had continued for the greatest part of the prcedentages.

6. And here we are to obserue, that albeit that three other Prouinciall nationall Councells are recorded to haue bene celebrated before this of Nice, and after that of the Apostles Act. 15. to wit, one at Rome of 60. Bishops against Nouatus, vnder Decius the cruell Emperour, and Cornelius the [Page 158] martyred Pope, another at Ancyra in Galatia vnder Dioclesian, the third at Neocaesarea vnder Constantines Father, and Pope Anno. 252 Melchiades according to Prateolus his accōpt: yet this Coun­cell Anno. 308 of Nyce was the first great, & glorious Ecclesiasticall tri­bunall, which was publikely erected in the Christian Adno. 311. Church for al Nations to repayre vnto, after the first plan­ting of the faith of Christ.

7. The second generall Councell was that of Constan­tinople somwhat more then fifty yeares after, in the yeare of The secōd generall Councell of Constā ­tinople, an. 383. our Lord 383. and it consisted of an hundred and fifty Bishops, gathered togeather against Macedonius Patriarch of Constantinople, who openly denyed and blasphemed against the diuinity of the holy Ghost: for which damnable heresy of his, both he, and all that partaked with his hereticall faction, were condemned, censured, and cast out of the Church, and deliuered ouer to Sathan, for that they blas­phemed against the third sacred Person of the blessed Tri­nity. And this second, great, and generall Councel was held vnder Gratian, and Theodosius Emperours, and vnder Damasus then Bishop of Rome.

8. The third Generall Councell was that which was The third generall Councell of Ephesus Ann. 434. assembled at Ephesus almost other fifty yeares after that a­gaine, in the yeare of our Lords incarnation 434. This Councell consisted of two hundred Bishops, gathered a­against another Archbishop of Constantinople named Nestorius but an Arch-hereticke: and it was held vnder the Empe­rour Theodosius, and Pope Celestinus. ‘This Nestorius (as Vincen­tius Lyrinensis in his goulden tract against heresies, and 17. chapter describeth his heresy) whilst he made shew of di­stinguishing two natures in Christ, he suddainly brought in two persons, and by an execrable impiety thereby made two Christs, the one God, the other man, the one begot­tē of God the Father, the other borne of the Virgin his mo­ther, and therfore he did further auerre, that holy Mary was not to be called, [...], but [...], the mother of God, but the mother of Christ, because (forsooth) that Christ [Page 159] which was God, was not borne of her, but the Christ which was man.’Hitherto my Authour. And for this damnable heresie was Nestorius condemned by this third Councell, & worthily cast out of the Catholicke Church: howbeit I must confesse, that I cannot see, how Caluin & Beza vpon the point of Christs incarnation and hyposta­ticall vnion with diuers others Protestants following thē, Lib. 1. Inst. c. 13. §. 9. 23. 24. can possibly auoid this ould condemned heresy, but that Nestorianisme must follow, as a necessary consequence of the doctrine which they deliuer vpon the point of Christs in­carnation, and vnion.

9. The fourth generall Councell was that of Chalcedon, and this was some twenty yeares and vpwardes after the The 4. generall Councell was that of Calcedō 20. yeares after. foresaid counsaile of Ephesus, in which Councell there were assembled six hundred and thirty Bishops, Arch­bishops, and Patriarches. This great assembly was gathe­red against on Eutiches an Archimandrite, or Abbot of Constan­tinople in like manner, who so confounded the natures in Christ, that he absolutely denied, that there were two distinct natures in him. For which monstrous opinion of his, differing frō the Canon of Catholick faith, he was cō ­demned, togeather with his fautor, & partener of his here­ticall faction, I meane Dioscorus Archbishop of Alexandria, as was Nestorius another Archbishop before him for houlding two persons in Christ. And this famous and through the whole Christian world renowned Councell was assebled and held vnder Martian that then swayed the Empire, and S. Leo the first then Bishop of the Apostlicall Sea of Rome.

10. And now to make vse in generall of that which hath bene spoken concerning the foure Councels by some particuler application, and illation: the inference must needes be this, that if the Church of England do indeed admit, and reuerence these foure first Generall Coun­celles (as it should seeme his Maiesty is of opinion it doth, and their Acts of Parlament confirme the same) then doth it follow by necessary, and ineuitable consequence (though [Page 160] the conclusion ouerthrow a mayne ground of Protestanti­call Religion) that they must needes (will they, nil they) graunt the Catholicke Church not only to haue bene vi­sible at this time, but also to haue bene in great splendor, and magnificence; otherwise how could it possibly be, that fix hundred, and thirty Bishops could assemble, and meet so readily togeather, and all these for the most part out of the Easterne parts of Christēdome only, to speake nothing of the west.

11. Furthermore, for as much as our English Church in admitting these Councels, and that in the greatest Con­sistory of the Kingdome, the high Court of Parliament, doth therby acknowledge, and condescend vnto: that this externall visible Church, consisting of good, and bad is Christs true Church, indued with all the priuiledges aboue mentioned of Ecclesiasticall power, piety, purity, sanctity & the rest; I would aske first, how this so visible a Church, so conspicuous for maiesty, so illustrious for san­ctity, An euidēt declaratiō that the whole Church cannot erre. so adorned and beautified with all sorts of heauen­ly grace, and eclestiall verity, should or could afterwards grow to be inuisible, be spoiled of her dignity, bereaued of her authority, be robbed of her sanctity, and loose all her graces and verity? Or how of the spouse of Christ is it possible, that she should become the enemy of Christ? of the Church of God, the Sinagogue of Sathan? Protestants principles may imagine this, but this ouer throweth the very principles of all Christian Religion. For how can the later be preserued inuiolably, if the former be so vn­stable? Or from whome can we sucke the pure milke of Christian Religion, or receaue the stronger food of the high mysteries of Diuinity, if it be not from the breasts of the Church? If it be not from the hand of our mothers learning, wisdome, and tradition? And now to follow this heathenish and irreligious principle of the Protestāts a little further: if the Church, I meane the former men­tioned visible Catholicke Church of these generall Coun­cells; [Page 161] if this I say haue thus fallen by false doctrine (as the Protestants imagine) then this Apostacy, and defection must eyther beginne first from all, or from one, or from a few only. To the parts then: if from all, how is it possi­ble, that so great a body, nay Christes owne body mysti­call (for so S. Augustine calleth it) founded by the bloud of Christ, propagated by the mynistery of the Apostles, wa­tred continually with the bloud of many millions of Mar­tyrs, & dispersed ouer the visible face of the whole world, I say and demaund, how is it possible, that this Church should be corrupted all at once, and that by willing cor­ruption of affection, and iudgment?

12. But if this defection vainely and ydlely supposed by the Protestants did beginne eyther from one, or arise from a few priuate men, contrary to the mayne current of the Churches doctrine, and tradition, which had con­tinued, and lineally succeeded in the Centuries of the Church from Christs time to the Councell of Chalcedon; then would no doubt the Prelates of the Church (which now were in possession of the Ecclesiasticall keyes, and practice of the power, and authority of the same, by cen­suring and condemning Archbishops, Abbots, & Patriar­ches as hath bene seene) haue resisted & seuerally punished these supposed noueltyes and new fangles in religion. And truly albeit we should set aside the promise, and proui­dence of our blessed Sauiour for cōseruing this his Church which he had bought with so great a pricc, as his owne pretious bloud, and brought vnto such eminent greatnes, at this very time of the Councell of Chalcedon, which was more then foure hundred yeares after his Ascension: yet in all humane reason (setting the light of religion apart) it cannot be so much as imagined, how such a body, Christ his body with such a vigilant Senate, and head ouer it, should by secret stealth, or little, and little, be infected, cor­rupted, poysoned and consumed (as their phrase is) with Popery, heresy, superstition, or innouation, and all with­out [Page 162] sense, or feeling, resisting and complayning, or a­ny record left therof in Authour of Antiquity? And yet if we will giue credit vnto the Protestants, and suffer their religion to set the least footing in the Church, we must against all sense, reason, faith, and religion imagin and be­lieue all this, and much more, to wit, that such, and so po­tent a body, so fortified with defences by our Sauiour, was so stolen away frō it selfe, and from God also, as that it was lost, peruerted, corrupted, conquered by the gates of hell, made Babylon, the seat of Antichrist, and Citty of Sathan, before any man was aware of it: and are not these posi­tions of Protestants monstrous Paradoxes, strange Idea's & Chymera's which no man of perfect sense can belieue?

13. I read in the ancient Fathers, that were inlight­ned with so great a measure of Gods, holy spirit, very ear­nest reprehensions, and seuere inuectiues against the ab­surdity of these imaginations. Let S. Augustine (one that was wont to be full of reuerence in some of the Protestantes mouthes) speake for all. Illa Ecclesia (saith he) quae fuit omni­um gentium, iam non est? periji? Hoc dicunt qui in illa non sunt. Aug. in Psal. 101 ô impudentem vocem! illa non est quia tu in illa non es. Vide ne tu ideo non sis: nam illa erit, etiamsi tu non sis: That Church which was propagated, and spread ouer the world, consisting S. Aug. excellent speach of the perpe­tuity of the Church. of all nations (as now at the time of Chalcedon) is it now no more? Is she perished, or vanished away? So say those, that are not in her. O impudent voyce! Is not she, because thou art not in her? See lest therefore thou be not, for she will be, though thou be not.

14. Thus S. Augustine in his dayes argued against the Donatists, who said then iust, as our Protestants do now, when they were pressed with the authority of the Catho­licke visible Church, that indeed, that had bene for a time the true Church, but that afterwardes it perished, it fay­led, and fell into Apostasy: Apostatauit, perijt, it did aposta­tate and perish, except onely in the people, who onely in their owne iudgment made the true Church indeed.

[Page 163] 15. And can any thing in the world be more like then this to our case? Doe not the Protestants, and the Donatists so conspire togeather that a man cannot distinguish them by their voice? The Protestants acknowledgeth the whole body of the Christian Catholicke Church, vnder these foure Councells, for the space almost of fiue hundred yeares togeather: neyther can he chose but confesse (since the poynt hath ben so often extorted from him) the out­ward lustre, Hierarchy, Gouerment, and Authority thereof. But if you aske him fiue hundred yeares after, then he will answer with the Donatist, suit, & non est: it was the true Church, but it is not now, or at least wise not in that perfection of authority, as then it was. And if you demaund of him fiue hundred yeares after that againe about the time, that Luther sprang vp, he will not stick flatly to blaspheme with the same Donatist, Apostatauit, pe­rijt, it hath fallen into Apostacy, it hath perished: which speach you haue heard S. Augustine before call, impudentem vo­cem, an impudent voice, but presently after in the very same place, he termeth it by farre worse Epithetons, as blas­phemous to the holy Ghost, which though I haue touch­ed before, yet will I repeate it heere againe, for the better impression of it in our memory: and the greater detestatiō of the like sinne.

16. Hanc vocem (saith he) abominabilem & detestabilem, praesumptionis & falsitatis plenam, nulla veritate suffultam, nulla sa­pientia illuminatam, nullo sale conditam, vanam, temerariam, prae­cipitem, perniciosamp raeuidit Spiritus Dei. The spirit of God (in the 101. Psalme) did forsee this abominable, and dete­stable voyce (of some that should say that the Catholicke visible Church had perished, and fallen into Apostacy) a speach full of presumption and falshood, susteyned with no truth, inlightened with no wisdome, seasoned with no salt, a vaine, temerarious, headlong, & pernicious speach. So S. Augustine. And then further some few lines after, the same Father bringeth in the said visible Church of his age [Page 164] to expostulate with those furious and franticke Donatists in this manner: ‘ Quid est quod, nescio, qui recedentes à me, mur­murant contra me? quid est quòd perditi &c. What is the cause, I know not, why certaine people that go forth of me doe murmure against me? What is the cause why certaine lost fellowes do contend and say, that I am perished? For this is their saying that I was (the true Church) but am not now &c. The Scriptures (say they) haue bene fulfilled, for that all nations haue belieued, but the Church hath Apo­stated and perished, throughout the world &c. VVhen we vrge the promise of Christ, Behold I am with you vnto the Matth. 29. [...]0. consummation of the world, here they say that Christ promised to be with the Church vntill the end of the world, for that he did foresee that they (the factiō of Donatus) should arise, and continue the true Church vpon earth.’ So. S. Augustine of, and to the Donatists. And surely nothing can occurre, and be represented vnto our vnderstanding, more conforme, and answerable vnto the sense, iudgment, voyce, agreement, and speach of the Sectaries of these our times, concerning their false imputations, and most vniust calumniations against the present Roman Church.

17. Now if this graue, and holy Father S. Augustine one of the chiefest pillars of the latyn Church in his dayes, speaking in the voyce, and sense of the said vniuersall Ca­tholicke Applicati­on of S. Augustins speaches vnto our Sectaries Church in his age, doth so grieuously and dread­fully censure this speach, and blasphemous slander of the Apostacy of the visible Church (so triuiall, and familiar vnto Protestants now adayes) as that he calleth it impudent, abhominable, detestable, presumptuous, false, foolish, rash, temeratious, and pernicious, as you haue heard: If he condemne euen to the lowermost pit of hell, all those that frequent the same, calling, and accompting them for perditos, lost, and dam­ned people, recedentes ab Ecclesia, Apostated from the Church, vpon a false surmise of their owne foolish fancy, suppo­sing that the Church it selfe hath Apostated, or may fall [Page 165] into Apostacy, what shall we say of Protestants that do the same, and stand in the very same case?

18. But here it may be, perhaps, some man will reply, that S. Augustine in the place before cyted, sayth not, that the visible Church cannot Apostate or perish, but that it had not so done, and fallen away in his time, when the Donatists did falsly impute the same vnto it: but that it might erre and fall away from truth in time to come, that S. Augustine doth not deny.

19. To this I answere, that albeit S. Augustine, totidem verbis, do not say in so many wordes, the Church in time to come may not Apostatate: yet in pure force of argu­ment, and true substance of matter he doth affirme it, in that he alledgeth against the Donatists, and vrgeth to con­uince thē, the very promise of our Sauiour, made vnto his Disciples, and in their persons vnto the Church for euer. Ecce ego vobiscum sum vs (que) in consummationem saeculi: Behold I am with you vnto the consummation of the world: which promise holdeth for all times in S. Augustine his iudgment euen vntill the worlds generall consummation: and ther­fore the same Father in another place writing vpon ano­ther Psalme, hauing first shewed how the Church is the Citty builded vpon an hill, he further addeth: Sedfortè ista Ciuitas, quae mundum tenuit vniuersum, aliquando euertetur. Absit: Deus enim fundauit eam in aeternum. Si ergo Deus fundauit Aug. in psal. 47. eam in aeternum, quid times ne cadat? But happily this Citty, that hath possessed the whole world, shall in time to come be ouerthrowne. God forbid: for God hath founded the same for euer (as the Psalmist speaketh:) If therefore God hath founded the same for euer, why dost thou feare least this foundation may fall? Which very poynt S. Augustine repeateth againe in his first booke de Symbolo, and the fifth Chapter, to shew his constant and vnuariable resolution in this matter of the Church.

20. And here I might alledge Father vpon Father, Greeke vpon Latin, and produce so many testimonies of [Page 166] the ancient Worthies and ancient Fathers, as might suffice to fill a large volume, and all of them tending directly to That the Church shall ne­uer Apo­statate. this effect, to wit, that the visible Church planted by our Sauiour (he being the foundation stone) and by his Apo­stles, and spread ouer the face of the whole earth, shall ne­uer perish, or Apostatate from Christ, by any the least damnable errour, or heresy vnto the end of the world, & Christ his second comming vnto iudgement. And to proue this they do all of them alleage and bring many pregnant and euident places of Scriptures.

21. As for example, these two heere vrged by S. Augu­stine, as also that plaine text vttered by way of promise vn­to his disciples, Matth. 16. by our Sauiour, portae inferorum non praeualebunt aduersus eam. The gates of hell shall not pre­uaile against this Church: & on this place S. Chrysostome di­lateth himselfe much, as be by occasion treateth vpon the 148. Psalme, and in an homily made at that tyme when he was to be expelled from Constantinople, he inferred these wordes, vpon that place: ‘ Quòd si non credis verbo, & rebus, ip­sis operibus crede: if you will not belieue Christs wordes, the things themselues here spoken, belieue his workes? How many Tyrants haue gone about to impugne the Church &c. Where are they that went about these things. Quomodo impurissime Diabole, Ecclesiāte putas posse deijcere. How doest thou think, thou most impure Diuel, that thou canst ouerthrow the Church &c.’ Which demaūd this blessed Father would neuer haue vrged vnto the wicked spirit, if the Diuell might haue replyed, that in tyme to come he should be able to ouerthrow it, by sowing the tares of ignorance, errour and heresy in it. And now that S. Chrysostome meāt of the ex­ternall visible Church, it is more then euident, by the in­stāces that he bringeth of the horrible, and inhumane per­secution, raysed, and stirred vp by infidels, and hereticall Emperours against the same most holy Church.

22. And S. Cyprian, that ancient, and renowned Mar­tyr, De vnit. Eccles. treating of this argument, soundeth forth this Eulogy [Page 167] in praise of the Church: Adulterari non potest sponsa Christi, incorruptaest, pudica est, domum vnam nouit, vnius cubiculi sanctitatem casto pudore custodit. The spouse of Christ cannot be adultera­ted, she is vnspotted, she is chast, she knoweth one house, she keepeth the sanctity of one chamber, one bed, and that with a chast shamefastnes, and loue. So S. Cyprian, in that excellent Tract of his devnitate Ecclesiae; which Tract alone, though it be but a very short one, yet is it sufficiēt to be the bane of all heresies, and to keepe any man desirous of truth within the bosome of Catholicke vnity.

23. With S. Cyprian agreeth S. Hilary, writing to the The in­uincible strength of the Church. same effect in expresse wordes, affirming: Hoc Ecclesiae pro­prium est, vt tum vincat cùm laeditur, tum intelligatur, cùm argui­tur, tum obtmeat, cùm deseritur. This is peculiar vnto the Church, that when she is hurt, by persecutions, then she winneth, and ouercommeth, when she is reprehended by heretickes, then is she perceiued, that is to say, when she is misconceiued, she maketh her selfe in her doctrine to be better vnderstood, by declaration of matters called into question, when she is forsaken (eyther by rebellious chil­dren, that go out from her, or by Gods permission exer­cising her by tribulation) then doth she obteine the victo­ry, and gloriously triumph. So as here you see, that they spake not only of the Church of their time, but of all other ensuing ages that it cannot perish or be corrupted. And with these agree S. Ambrose, saying: Haec ergo nauis Ecclesia est, quae si quotidiè saeculum istud tamquam aliquod pelagus sortitur inse­stum, numquam eliditur ad saxum, numquam mergitur adprofundum. So speaketh S. Ambrose in his booke intituled de Salomone, the 4. chapter, that is to say. This ship therefore of the Apostles, that was tossed vpon the seas of this world as the true Church of Christ, which albeit it do dayly find, and feele the world to be troblesome vnto it, as a certaine tempestu­ous, and stormy sea, yet doth it neuer dash and split in pe­ces, by striking against any rock, nor yet is it euer dryuen and drowned to the bottome. All which priuiledges could [Page 268] not be verified of the said Church, if it were possible, that the spouse of Christ could become a harlot, or fall away from Christ, by intertayning any damnable errour, or heresy.

24. And as S. Ambrose, so speaketh S. Hierome in his com­mentary vpon the fourth chapter of Isay: his wordes be these: Super petram sundatur Ecclesia, nulla tempestate concutitur, nullo turbine ventis (que) subuertitur. The Church being founded vpon a rock, is sh [...]uered with no tempest, is ouerwhelmed and ouerthrowne by no fury, & violence of windes what­soeuer. And the same holy Father in another place putting a reall distinction betwixt the Synogogue of the Iewes, & the Christian Church, but especially betwixt the promi­ses of God made vnto both, assumeth the speach of Christ, and speaketh to the Iewes in the person of our Sauiour, Linquetur domus vestra deserta: your house, your Church, your Synagogue shalbe left desolate, and empty vnto you. Matth. 23. But as for the Christian Church (saith he) aeternam habebit possessionem, for that Christ promised vnto his disciples, be­hould I will be with you, or as other Readings haue it, I am with you to the consummation of the world. And the same speaches are reassumed, and reiterated by him in his Commentaries vpon the ninth of the Prophet Amos, and vpon the 28. of the Ghospell of S. Matthew.

25. And here I might tyre out both the reader, and my selfe also, with alleadging the vnamine consent of all the ancient Fathers, to proue, that the visible Catholicke Church of their dayes could neuer perish, Apostatate, or fall away from Christ to the end of the world, in regard of Christ his promise made vnto it, and yet the contrary hereticall tenent is a common receiued doctrine in the Protestants schooles in this last, & worst age of the world. For do not the Protestants, pro aris, & focis, as though it were a matter of the life or death of their Religion (as in very deed it is no lesse) stifly & peremptorily defend that the visible Church that held these foure generall Coun­cells [Page 169] which are admitted by his Ma ^tie and the Church and Parlament of England, and fourteene other no lesse Generall, from that of Chalcedon to the last of Trent: this Church, say I, descending by succession of Christian people, and by lawfull and Ecclesiasticall ordination of Prelats, Pastours, and Bishops for gouernement of the same, hath after the aforesaid Councell of Chalcedon, by little & little (say the Protestants) Apostated from Christ, and his true doctrine, and hath left their roome and place for Protestants to enter and supply their defects. And this is iust like the allegations and pretences of the Donatists in S. Augustines time. And no maruaile that Protestants and Donatists thus conspire against the true Church, for surely the right of the Donatists is as good to lay clayme thereun­to, as the interest of the Protestants, for ought that I can see to the contrary. And let this suffice for my first Consi­deration.

The second Consideration.

MY second Consideration concerning this present subiect of the foure first Generall Councells recea­ued by the Protestants lay Parlament, as is already premi­sed, Why Protestāts do not, nor can reme­dy their diuisions by any Ge­nerall or Nationall Councell. shalbe this; that for as much as this Ecclesiastical deuise and inuention of calling generall Councels, and this spi­rituall authority in erecting this great consistory and su­preame tribunall of the Church, for the deciding, and de­termining of all doubts, and controuersies that may possibly arise therein, eyther by the friendes, or rather ene­myes of the Church, must be presumed to haue come pe­culiarly, and proceeded originally from the holy Ghost: partly for that the first forme, origen, and practice therof was prescribed by the Apostles themselues, as you shal read Act. 15. according to that which we haue formerly noted, [Page 170] and partly, and especially in regard of the infallible assi­stance of the said holy Ghost, that euer-blessed and neuer erring spirit of truth, testified by the words of high, and soueraigne commaunding authority, vsed by the Apostles in that first Councels decree: visum est Spiritu Sancto, & no­bis: it seemeth good to the holy Ghost, and vs: why (I say) this being so, haue the Protestants in our dayes (hauing now almost had a full age, since their defection from Ca­tholicke Roman Religion) neuer as yet called a generall Councell amongst themselues, to repaire their owne brea­ches, reconcile their owne emnities, determine and decide their owne controuersies, which (as before I haue shew­ed) are both many and waighty, implacable, and irrecon­ciliable? Truly it seemeth vnto me, that if they had beene of the same spirit, with the ancient Apostolicke Church, that gathered these foure first generall Councels, to hould all in one vnion and communion; nay if they had not bene led, or rather misled with a contrary spirit of schisme, he­resy and diuision, they would haue troden in the steeps of these ancient Fathers, and haue imitated them in apply­ing the soueraigne remedies of generall Councells for cu­ring the woundes of their owne home-bred diuisions, and damnable dissentions: at least wyse they would, without faile, in a whole age haue called some one, forasmuch as the ancient Church gathered, and assembled foure with­in the compasse of one age, and an halfe: and the Prote­stant Princes; and people do bound, and border nearer to­geather, then did the Christians in former tymes; which were in a manner dispersed here and there, farre and neere ouer the whole face of the earth.

27. If reply be made, that then there was but one Em­perour to affoard his Imperiall consent for the assembling of the Synod, & now since the diuision of the Empyre in­to many Dukedomes, Princedomes, Kingdomes, and free States, there be many particuler Princes, whose wills, and iudgements can more hardly be agreed, whose assents are [Page 171] with greater difficulty to be required, and obtayned: I an­swere, this euasion is but a meere collusion, and therefore must not be suffered to passe without due reprehension. For since the forsaid diuision of the Christian world in­to seuerall Kingdomes and states, many generall Coun­cell haue bene called, and gathered amongst Catholickes, as before hath bene shewed, yea, and that in the middest of tumults, vproares, and garboyles in the temporall e­states of the Christian world; and this a man of common sense, and reason may comprehend, & imagin to haue byna greater let, and impediment vnto the gathering of Gene­rall Councells, then any incumbrance, and inconuenience that the Protestants surmise or pretend. But the truth is, heresy, and schisme originally grounded vpon proper e­lection, Protestāts can abide parly and treaty nei­ther with Catholiks nor amōg thēselues. priuate inuention, stubborne selfwill, and proud conceipted iudgment, togeather with obstinacy against the Churches authority: this, I say can neuer abide that ex­act discussion which a generall Councell doth require. For how can the Protestants thus deuided as they are, and knowing the weakenes of their owne cause, indure par­ly and treaty, eyther with the Catholicks, whome they accompt aduersaries, or among themselues with their owne Sectaries?

28. Not with Catholickes, as may be seene by ex­amples of ancient hereticks, condēned in these 4. first Ge­nerall Councells, to wit, the Arians in the first, the Mace­donians in the second, the Nestorians in the third, and the Eutichians in the fourth, who fled what they could those Councells, appealing only to Scriptures, whereof there is one notable example amongst many others in the last of these foure Councells, I meane that of Chalcedon, wherein the Archimandrite, and Archereticke Eutiches being sent vn­to, with Notaries from this graue and learned Councell, to yield an accompt to the Councell of his hereticall opi­nion, held of one onely nature in Christ after his Incar­nation, he first bethought him of this euasion, to say that [Page 172] he would agree, and subscribe to the expositions of the Fathers that had sate in the Nicen Councell, and that of Ephesus: but this was but meere collusion, for thereby he only meant most craftily, and heretically to euade, and fly both the other two Councells of Constantinople, that had already dealt against him, and condemned him, as also this of Chalcedon that was now gathered against him, to heare his cause, and to be his iudge.

29. But yet secondly, for feare that he might yield also to farre in this, he added presently an exposition, say­ing: Si verè aliquid contingat eos in aliquibus dictis, aut falli, aut Vide Conc. Calced. act. 3. p. 163. edit Venet. errasse, hoc ne (que); se vette reprehendere, ne (que) subscribere: solas autem Scripturas scrutari tamquam firmiores sanctorum Patrum expositioni­bus. If not withstanding it had happened, that the said Fathers of the Nicen and Ephesine Councells had bene decei­ued, and erred in many of their sayings, then would he nei­ther reprehend the same for modesties sake, nor yet sub­scribe therunto: but that he for his part would attend himselfe wholy vnto the Scriptures alone, as being more firme, and sure, then the expositions of any Fathers what­soeuer. And is not this spoken like a Protestant?

30. Thirdly, when he had repeated, and vrged againe his blasphemous heresy of one only nature in Christ, in presence of those graue and reuerend Prelates, that were The tergi­nersation of the he­retick Eu­tiches ful­ly represē ­ting the Protestāts sent by the whole Synod to take his confessiō; and further when he had read vnto them a booke compiled Apologe­tically for defence of the same heresy, he then tould them openly, and plainely, that this was his faith, according vnto the Scriptures, and as for the other (to wit the Ca­tholicke assertion) that Christ consisted of two natures, diuine, and humane, vnited in one person, he said flat­ly, Neque se didicisse in expositionil us sanctorum Patrum, ne (que) sub­scriberevelle, sicontigerit ab aliquo ei tale aliquid legi: quia diuina Scripturae meliores sunt Patrum doctrinis. That he had neither learned any such assertion in the expositions of the holy Fathers (he meaneth the blessed Fathers of the Nicene and [Page 173] Ephesine Councells) nor yet would he, for his part, admit, and imbrace it, if any such thing should happen to be read vnto him out of their writinges: and his reason was that, which is so cōmonly vrged by Protestants, for that the di­uine Scriptures are better then the doctrines of all Fathers: the which though it be true in it self, yet was his meaning to deceiue therby, as you see, thinking by this faire glosle & goodly pretence of Scripture to haue auoyded, and es­caped the tribunall, and censure of the Catholicke Church in that time: but the Councell condemned his opinion, and person, notwithstanding his shifting euasions to the contrary.

31. And truly, the very Consideration of this particu­ler (I meane the conformity of spirits in this ould heretick and diuers of the new Protestants that cry out with sull, and open mouth to haue all thinges in Generall Councells tryed by Scriptures alone) left in me a very great impressi­on: and the matter it selfe seemed vnto me very conside­rable, and worthy of all diligent attention. For I patticu­lerly reflected vpon that sentence of Caluin, wherin in my poore iudgment, and opinion, I rightly compared the two Arch-heretickes togeather: and whether I wrong Caluin, let his owne wordes witnes, and his best fauorites, Lib. 4. Iust. cap. 9. §. 1 [...]. and sectarirs defend their Maister from speaking like an hereticke, I meane like Eutiches. Nulla (saith he) nos Conci­liorunt, Patrum, Episcoporum nomina impedire debent, quo minùs om­nes omnium spirituum ad diuini verbi regulam exigamus, & verbo Do­mini examinemus, num ex Deo sunt. VVe are not to passe for Councels, Fathers, Bishops, it is not in naming of all or any one of them can barre vs from examining all kynd of spirits, according vnto the squared rule of Gods word, and we may call them vnto accompt, & sift them by the word of the Lord, whether they are of God, or no. So far he.

32. And here also I remēbred that I had seene the con­ditions required by the Protestants of Germany, when as they were inuited to come vnto the Councell of Trent, at [Page 174] the very first gathering thereof: and the said conditions were published in a seuerall booke which did beare this Inscription, Causae cur Electores Principes &c. The causes why the Electors Princes, and other addicted to the Cō ­fession of Augusta, do not come to the Councell of Trent: Vide resp. Gaspar. Villapādi ad bas cau­sas. For iustifiing of which causes eight conditions are requi­red by them to be obserued in that Councell, wherof the fourth is, That the decisions be made in all Controuersies onely out of Scriptures, and not out of Ecclesiasticall Canons, or traditions: the fifth is, That decisions be againe made, not according to the plurality of voyces, or suffrages, but according vnto the norme, and rule of Gods Protestāts shifts to a­uoid com­ming to Councels. word. But what this norme, or rule is, they expound not, but do leaue it, as they found it stil to be contended about. VVherunto if we adioyne two other conditions of theirs, which are the last, to wit, that the Protestant Ministers may giue voyces equally with Bishops, in deciding of all questions, & that if they should not be able to defend their cause, yet not only their persons should be secure, but their cause al­so not to be condēned for heresy: These I say, if we add as the later vnto the former, we shall plainely discerne that they had not so much as the least thought to stand vnto that Councell at all, but to their owne heads: and by these to their owne vnreasonable conditions, and vnconsciona­ble, to make their controuersies and heresies endlesse, and indeterminable. For if euery man, or at least euery Mi­nister hath authority to determine out of Gods word, whē will there be an end?

33. And here you see the small, or rather no hope that is of agreement betwixt Protestants, and Catholickes by way of Generall Councells, and that the Protestants re­seruing themselues onely to Scripture, for the decision of matters, and not admitting generall Councells, and Fa­thers to be vmpiring iudges of the sense, & meaning ther­of, they tread first into the steppes, and rake into the sacri­legious ashes of all former ancient condemned heretickes, euen for this very point condemned by the Church in [Page 175] many of her generall Councells: and secondly by such conditions they make themselues sure, and secure from be­ing condemned in such sort, as that they will yeald ther­unto. And the selfe same fundamentall reason, or rather desperate refuge, and euasion of theirs, in prophaning and abusing this sacred Sanctuary of Scripture by their prophane spirits, and vnhallowed glosses, houldeth also for their neuer agreeing amongst themselues, by Meetings Conferences, Colloquies, Disputations, Synods or Coun­cells: for that the Lutherans and Sacramentaries, whether Zuinglians or Caluinists (for of these two only I meane to speake at this time) standing vpon this resolute principle on all handes, that nothing is to be determined but by Scripture, and then ech one interpreting that Scripture differently from the other, & acknowledging no iudge on neither party, how is it possible, that they should euer come to any end of determination?

34. And this will euidently appeare if we cast our eyes vpon those Conuenticles, Meetings, Conferences, Synods, Councels & Colloquies held betwixt these reforming bre­thren for the space of threescore years togeather, to wit, frō the yeare 1530. vnto the yeare 1590. which are set forth Stan. Resc. l. 1. de A­theism. &c by Stanislaus Rescius Embassadour vnto the King of Polonia at Naples vpon the yeare 1596. & which do amount to aboue threescore Synods, & Coūcels & Meetings, held at Smalcaldium, Frankesord, Constance, Tygure, VVittemberge, Berna, Ratisbone, Spire, Norimberge, Lipsia, VVormes, Luneburge, Maulnbourne, Petri­couia, Varadine, Gratz, Brunswicke, Dresda, Alba Iulia, Craco­uia, and diuers other places: all these and many more, if we looke into with an indifferent eye, we shall euer find The Pro­testāts dis­agreemēto in their meetings. that they were so farre from concluding any peace in reli­gion, or reconciling of their Controuersies by these Sy­nodes, and Councells, as that they departed farre greater enemyes, and more disagreeing in their opinions, then when they first met: witnes their departure at one mee­ting of theirs aboue mentioned, when they would ney­ther [Page 176] giue nor take dextras fraternitatis, nor dextras humanitatis, fellowship of fraternity, nor fellowship of humanity, which is a token that they haue not the spirit of vniō, nor any meanes left them to come vnto it, and consequently, that the example, and president of these first foure generall Councells, that determined with authority and vniforme iudgement the controuersies of their times ouer all the world, do preiudice all togeather, and condemne the Pro­testants of our age, and do conuince, that they are not of their spirit, or religion: and that neyther Generall, Nationall, Prouinciall, or particuler Councells, Synods, Tertul. de praescript. Aug. l. 3. cont. epist. Parmen. c. 4. & ser. 11 de verb. Domini &c. or Meetings can bring themselues to any concord, or a­greement togeather, especially diuision, and dissention being a note (as it is ascribed by all ancient Fathers) pecu­liar vnto heretickes, that they were alwaies irreconcilia­ble, and deuided amongst themselues. And this was the effect of my second consideration.

The third Consideration.

MY third Consideration was, that by reading these Councells, I did not only find a complete Hie­rarchy, Particuler points of differēces betweene these 4. generall Councels, & the Protestants of our tyme for do­ctrine and manners. and Ecclesiasticall regiment of the Catholicke Church to be obserued in those former ancient tymes, con­sisting of Bishops, Archbishops, Patriarches, and Prelates gouerning the said Church, conforme to that of the Ca­tholickes of our dayes, and wholy different from the Pro­testants Churches, which they call reformed (though in my iudgment they may more truely be called deformed in that they haue taken away all such Hierarchy of Bishops, except only a small glimpse thereof reserued in England for a shew:) but in many other particuler points also I plainly perceaued their senses, opinions, and iudgments to be far dissonant from these of our Protestants, whether [Page 177] we regard their practice for conuersation, and reforma­tion of our manners, or respect their doctrine for instru­ction, and information of our iudgments, wherof God assisting, I shall lay forth some few briefe and punctuall, obseruations, purposely pretermitting infinite others that may be gathered out of the foresaid foure generall Coun­cells.

36. In the first of the foure, I meane Nicen, and the 3. Canon therof, these wordes represented themselues vnto my view: Omnibus modis interdixit Sancta Synodus, vt ne (que) Episcopo, ne (que) Presbytero, ne (que) Diacono, ne (que) vlli Clericorum omnino licere ha­bere secum mulierem extraneam, nisi fortèmater, aut soror, aut auia, aut amita, vel matertera sit: in his nam (que) personis, & harum si­milibus omnis quae ex mulieribus est suspitio declinatur: qui aliter praeter haec agitpericlitetur de Clero suo. The holy Synod doth forbid by all meanes, and determineth it to be vnlawfull for any Bishop, Priest, Deacon, or any other of the Cleargy to haue any externe woman with them, except perhaps it be their mother, sister, grandmother, or aunt by father, or mothers side: for in these all suspition that may arise a­bout dwelling with women is declyned: and he that shall do contrary to this, shall leese his Clergy. Thus that first, and famous Councell decreed, ratified, and enacted for the Angelicall continency of the Clergy in those dayes.

37. And the true meaning of this holy Councell is according to the playne purport of the wordes as they are set downe in the Canon, to wit, that Clergy men could not marry after they were of the Clergy at least, nor yet vse their wiues that they had married before, it see­meth more then euident by the playne words of the Coū ­cell: for if it had bene lawfull to haue had a wyfe in the house, the Councell would not haue omitted the same, but would first of all other haue excepted the wyfe, when it nameth mother, sister, aunt, and grandmother.

38. Besides this, the Prouinciall Councell of Neocaesa­rea, that was held not aboue some foure of fiue yeares be­fore [Page 178] this Nicence Councel (and of which Councell some of the same Bishops also sate in the said Coūcel of Nice) decre­eth the matter in the very first Canon, in these wordes, Conc. Neo­caes. can. 1. an. 316. which are extant in three different translations. Presbyter si vxorem duxerit, ordine suo moueatur: si autem sornicatus suerit, aut adulterium commiserit, penitus extruaatur, & ad poenitentiam de­ducatur. The de­cree of the Coūcel of Nice and Neocaesa­raea a­gainst the Marriage of Priests. If a Priest do marry a wife, let him be remoued from his order of Preisthood, and if he commit adultery or fornication, let him be vtterly thurst out and brought to pennance. And this Canon was confirmed afterwardes againe, in the sixt generall Councell at Constantinople, com­monly called in Trullo, almost toure hundred yeares after that of Nice, and in the meane space betweene those two generall Councells, there ensued diuers other Prouinciall, or Nationall that confirmed the same, as that of Eliberis, Ann. 711. Anno Dom. 3 2 5. Can. 33. Arelatense the second, Cap. 2. and 3. Carthaginense the third, Anno 397. wherin S. Augustine was present and subscribed Cap. 17. And Carthaginense the Basil. epist. 1. ad Am­phi. c. 3. E­piphan. ha­res. 59. fift Anno 400. c. 3. Andogauense (as Baronius recordeth) Anno 453. Tolet an the second, Cap. 3. Anno 5 3 1. and many others, all cōmonly founding themselues (as diuers ancient Fathers S. Basil, Epiphanius, and many others do) vpon this Canon of the Nicen Councell, which yet as I thinke, our Bishops, & Ministers of England will not accept of. For I am certaine their practice of wiuing is cōtrary to this Canon of Nice, not withstanding their outward shew, and pretence of ad­mitting these foure first Councells▪

39. And albeit I know they haue here a certain shift The an­swere vn­to Caluins obiection about Paphnu­tius. taught them by M. Caluin out of the speach of Paphnutius, who stood vp in the Councell of Nice against a de­cree, that the said Councell would haue made against the vse of wyues in the Clergy that had bene married before they were Clergy men: yet doth this help them very lit­tle. For first Paphnutius only meant that Clergy men should not be barred from the company of their wiues which they had taken vnto them before they were of the Cler­gy, [Page 179] but he doth not grant that they should take wiues af­ter they were made Clergy mē, nay that, with the whole Councell he forbiddeth, and condemneth; but the Eng­lish Church permitteth marrying also after they be Cler­gy men. Thus you see, supposing this a true story of Paph­nutius, it rather maketh against them▪ then for them. But Bellarmine doth proue by most euident arguments, and reasons, and namely by the authorities of Epiphanius, S. Hierome, Ruffinus, and diuers others, that the narration of Socrates, and Zozomenus in this point of Paphnutius (as in ma­ny other stories that they recount) is nottrue.

40. Another place I noted out of the 14. Canon of the said Councell of Nice, whose wordes are these. Peruenit ad san­ctam Another Canon of the Coun­cel of Nice about the Reall pre­sence. Synodum, quòd in nonnullis locis & Ciuitatibus Diaconi dant Pres­byteris Eucharistiam, quod ne (que) Canon ne (que) consuetudo tradidit, vt qui offerendi potestinem non habent, ijs qui offerunt, dent Corpus Chri­sti. It is come vnto the knowledg of this holy Synod, that in diuers places, and Cittyes, Deacons do giue the Eucharist vnto Priests; which neither the Canon of the Church, nor custome hath deliuered, that those that haue not power to offer (Sacrifice) should giue the body of Christ to those that do offer the same. In which wordes though they be but few, yet sundry weighty things are signified, which make directly against the Protestants and Protestant Religion. As first that the Eucharist was reser­ued in those dayes for the present vses of such as should haue need, when there was no Priest to say masse, and in such like necessities of the Church, Deacons that had au­thority to administer the said Sacramēt to others, & might do it lawfully, did presume also to do it vnto Priests, as when they were sick, and vpon such other like occasiōs: and this they could not haue done, except the Eucharist were kept, and reserued: forasmuch as here it is expresly said, that they could not offer, or say Masse.

41. Secondly we may see here how much is ascribed vnto the Canon, and Ecclesiasticall custome; in so much [Page 180] as the whole Councell doth argue negatiuely thereof, for so much as neither Canon nor custome hath deliuered this vse of the Deacon, therfore it was an abuse: how much more would they haue argued affirmatiuely from the au­thority of Ecclesiasticall Canon, and custome, had there bene any to the contrary.

42. Thirdly the Eucharist is heere called Corpus Christi, the body of Christ: it is insinuated also, that it is a true, and reall sacrifice, in that it is said, that the Priest hath po­testatē offerendi, power of offering the same, and the deacons haue not, which cānot stand with the Protestants opiniō of a spirituall, and metaphoricall Sacrifice of thankes-gi­uing only: for certainely this kind of Sacrifice' Deacōs may offer as will as Priests, and consequently this Canon also seemeth nothing to agree with the doctrine of our English communion: as neither do many others, which to auoid prolixity I willingly ouer passe.

43. Out of the second Councell, to wit the first of Constantinople held vnder Pope Damasus in S. Hiercmes time, I saw many things most worthy of due obseruation: but those wordes of the seauenth Canon concerning the re­ceiuing repentant heretickes into the Church I reflected vpon with some diligence, as shewing the Churches man­ner of proceeding in those dayes. Arianos quidē et Macedoni anos &c. recipimus, dantes libellos, & omnē haresim anathematizantes, quae non sentit, vt Sancta Dei Catholica, & Apostolica Ecclesia, &c. ‘We do receaue (saith the Canon) such as haue bene Arians, Ma­cedonians, Sabatians, Nouatians, and the like, when they offer & giue vp vnto vs the supplications, accursing therein all heresies which doth not belieue as the holy Catholicke, and Apostolicall Church of God doth: and we receaue thē signed, and annointed first with holy chrisme, both in their foreheads, their eyes, their noses, their mouthes and their eares, & when we signe them we do say signaculum do­ni Spiritus sancti, this is the signe of the gift of the holy Ghost &c. All these (I say) that desire to be admitted vnto [Page 181] the true fayth, we do receiue them, as Grecians &c. And in the first day we make them Christians, the second day Ca­techumenes, A Canon of the se­cond Coū ­cell much making a­gainst Protestants. and then thirdly we do exorcize, and adiure them, ter simul in faciem eorum, & aures insufflando, breathing three times, one after an other on their face and eares, and so we catechize, consecrate, and cure them, orday­ning that they liue a great while in our Churches and heare the Scriptures, and then we do baptize them.’ So e­nacteth that ancient Canon concluded by an hundred and fifty Bishops. And now whether this antiquity be more obserued, or better resembled by the Protestant, or Ro­man Church, I leaue the point to euery man to consider of; for intending breuity. I meane not to prosecute mat­ters at large, but only to point at these two things by the way, that may shew conformity, or deformity betweene that ancient Church, and the Protestant, or Catholicke Roman Church at this day.

44. Out of the third Councell held at Ephesus in the yeare of our Lord God 42 8. sundry waighty pointes occurred, and represented themselues worthy of obseruation, albe­it all of them be ouer long here to be recited. And first I remembred the manner of proceeding, and condemning of Nestorius the Arch-hereticke, as it is most faithfully re­corded Vincētius Lyrinēsis his relatiō of the Coū ­cell of E­phesus. by Vincentius Lyrinensis in the very bginning of the second part of his Commonitorium the 42. chapter: and it is laid downe by him (who liued in the very time of the Councell, and for ought we know might be present ther at) in this manner. ‘This councell of Ephesus discussing and reasoning touching the establishing of some rule of faith, least any prophane nouelty, like to the Armenian treachery might creep into this Councell, all the Catholicke Bi­shops and Priestes thither assembled (which were almost 200.) concluded, and agreed vpon this, as best, and most Catholick, to wit, that the opinions, and iudgmēts of the holy Fathers should be brought forth before the Councel, such Fathers, as had bene either martyrs, or Consessors [Page 182] or at least constant Catholicke Priests, and according vnto their ioynt consent, and vnamine decree, the point then controuerted betwixt Nestorius, and S. Cyrill should be deci­ded, and finally determined. This was the rule, and Ca­non of faith first enacted: and according vnto this Nestorius as contrary to Catholicke verity was condemned for an Hereticke, and blessed S. Cyrill was iudged consonant vn­to antiquity.’ So Vincentius. And now will the Church of England that maketh shew of receauing this Councell stand to this rule, and canon of faith, about the exami­ning of doctrine by the Fathers enacted, and put in pra­ctice by this Councell against Nestorius? And will they sub­mit all their iudgments vnto the assembly of Fathers, as this councell did?

45. My second obseruation out of this Councell was this, that when great stirres, and troubles were expected by the pious, and religious Emperours Theodosius and Va­lentinianus, by the reason of the great concurse of people of all sorts vnto that place, especially many fauourites of Nestorius the Archbishop of Constātinople, against whom this Councell was gathred, it seemed necessary vnto the said Emperours to send thither an Earle of their Court named Candidianus, who should represent their persons, for seeing peace, and good order kept: but yet with expresse protestation, that it belonged not vnto them, Cōc. Ephes. tom. 1. cap. 22. in epist. Imperat. nor any other secular man to haue any dealing in Ecclesi­asticall causes in that Councell. And this was the thing which I obserued which now followeth. Candidianum (say they) praeclarissimum religiosorum domesticorum Comitem ad sacram pestram Synodum abire iussimus, sed ea lege & conditione vt tum quaestionibus & controuersiis, quae circa fidei dogmata incidunt, nihil quicquam commune habeat. Nefas est enim qui sanctissimorum Episcoporum numero, & catalogo adseriptus non est, illum Ecclesiasti­tis negotijs, & consultationibꝰ sese immiscere. We haue comman­ded the most honorable Count Candidian, one of our religi­ous family, to go vnto your holy Synod, but with this [Page 183] charge, and condition, that he haue nothing at all to doe with any questions of controuersies, that fall out about Secular men may not med­dle in Ec­clesiastical consulta­tions. matters of faith, for that it is not lawfull for him that is not a Bishop to meddle with Ecclesiasticall affaires or con­sultations. So those two Emperours: which conuinceth sufficiently that they hold not themselues for heades of the Church, nor iudges in Ecclesiasticall, matters but inferiour vnto Bishops in that behalfe. And will the Church of England admitting this Councell, admit this also?

46. But now as on the one side the religious Empe­rours disclaymed from this Ecclesiasticall authority ouer the Councell: so I find that Celestinus then Bishop of Rome did acknowledge the same to appertaine vnto him: and it was by the whole Councell, without eyther opposition, or contradiction granted vnto him. For first he being not able to be present himselfe, he designed and deputed S. Cyrill Archbishop of Alexandria to be his substitute, as ap­peareth by his owne letter, read, and approued in the Councell: his wordes are these: Quamobrem nostrae Sedis au­ctoritate Cōc. Ephes. tom. 1. c. 16 ascita, nostra (que) vice & loco, cum potes [...]tae vsus eiusmodi non abs (que) exquisita seueritate sententiam exequeris &c. Wherfore you taking the authority of our Sea vpon you, and vsing our roome, and place with the power therto belonging, shall execute with punctuall seuerity the sentence giuen against Nestorius, to wit, of excommunication, and deposition. And that if he do not reuoke his heresy, within ten dayes after this our admonition giuen vnto him, that you pre­sently prouide the Church of Constantinople of another Bi­shop, and let him know, that he is by all manner of wayes cut of from our body. So he.

47. Thus wrote Pope Celestinus from Rome where he had held a particuler Councell, and condemned the here­sy of Nestorius in the West, before the Councell of Ephesus was gathered in the East: in which Coucell of Ephesus he not being able to be present, as is aforesaid, designed his authority to S. Cyril, as well for presiding in the same [Page 184] Councell, as also for executing the sentence of condemna­tion: which proceedings of Celestinus are recounted after­ward againe by the sayd Councell, and approued in a generall letter which the whole Councell wrote vnto the Con. Eph. tom. 2. c. 17 two Emperors, which beginneth, Vestram, Christianissimi Reges &c.

48. But this is confirmed yet further, for that the said holy Father Celestinus sent from Rome three other Legates, to ioyne with S. Cyrill in that legation for the presidence of the Councell, whereof two were Bishops, Proiectus and Arcadius, the third a Priest only, called Philip, who alwaies being admitted for Legats in the Councell, did firme, & subscribe their names after S. Cyrill before the other Patri­arches of Hierusalem, and the rest: yea when the two Bi­shop-Legates were absent from the Councell vpon any o­casion, this Philip, though but a Priest, did subscribe next after S. Cyrill, as may appeare in the Councell it selfe, Tomo The Su­premacy of the Pope of Rome cō ­firmed by the coun­cell of E­phesus. 2. cap. 13. And moreouer at his first comming and appea­rance in the Councell, he vsed this speach: Gratias agamus Sanctae venerandae (que) huic Synodo quòd literis Celestini Sanctissimi, Beatissimi (que) Papae vobis recitatis, sanctae Ecclesiae membra, sanctis ve­strisvocibuspij (que) preconijs sancto vestro Capiti vos exhibueritis. Non e­nim ignara est vestra Beatitudo totius fidei, ceterorum (que) omnium Apo­stolorum Caput beatum Petrum Apostolum extitisse &c. We yeld thankes vnto this holy and venerable Synod, that vpon the reading of the letters of our most holy, and most bles­sed Pope Celestine, you haue exhibited and shewed your selues by your holy applause, and prayses as holy members of the Church vnder your holy head. For your Beatitude is not ignorant that S. Peter was head of the whole Chri­stian fayth, and of all the rest of the Apostles &c. This, & much more spake he to this effect (which I pretermit for breuities sake) in the assembly of all those great Bishops, that were present: and yet not one of all those zealous and learned Bishops opposed himselfe against his vsurped Su­premacy (as the hereticks slaunder it:) a point very consi­derable, [Page 185] and remarkeable in my opinion, and farre dif­ferent from the groundes of Protestant religion.

49. Out of the 4. Councell gathered at Chalcedon vn­der The Coū ­cell of Chalcedō. the authority of Pope Leo the first, surnamed the Great (a man of singuler holines, wonderfull learning, famous for miracles, renowned through the whol Christiā world) about this Councell, I say, I might produce many thinges of great ponderation, especially, about the said Supre­macy of the Sea of Rome, professed, challenged, practi­zed most euidently, as may appeare in that Councell. For first Lucentius Legate, and one of the three sent from S. Leo in that Councell, vttered freely these wordes: Iudicij sui ipsum (nempe Dioscorum) necesse est reddere rationem: quia cùm Cōc. Calc. act. 1. nec personam iudicandi haberet, subrepsit, & Synodum ausus est facere sine auctoritate Sedis Apostolicae, quod ritè numquam factum est, nec licuit. Dioscorus must needes render an accompt of hys iudg­ment, because when he was not personally inuested with any lawfull power of iudging and vmpiring, he crept and stole in, & durst gather a Synod without authority of the Sea Apostolicke, which was neuer rightly, nor could be lawfully done.

50. And Paschasius another Legate, in the same Coun­cell, addeth: Sed de his, esse regulas Ecclesiasticas, & Patrum in­stituta: Ibidem. But of these thinges (he meaneth the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome) there are Ecclesiasticall Canons, and decrees of Fathers. So farre he.

51. Secondly I obserued, that euery where almost throughout this Coūcell, Pope Leo is there stiled, Vniuersalis Act. 2. in libel. Theo­dor. Ischir Sophō. &c Episcopus, et Patriarcha Magnae Romae; vniuersall Bishop, & Patri­arch of the great citty of Rome. Also he is called vniuersalis Ecclesiae Episcopꝰ, Bishop of the vniuersal Church. And againe in the same third action, it is said to one of Pope Leo his Le­gats: Ibid. in subscript. cōt. Dioscorū. Nūc vestra Sanctitas primatū tenet Sāctissimi Leonis &c. Now your Holines hath the Primacy of most holy Leo: and yet againe, Petimus Vestram Sanctitatem, qui habes, magis autem qui habetis locum sanctissimi Papae Leonis promulgare in eum, & regulis in­sitam [Page 186] contra cum proferre sententiam. We do request your Ho­lines, which haue (or rather who haue, for they were three Legates, to wit, Paschasius, Lucentius, and Caelius Boni­facius) that you will in the place of most holy Pope Leo pro­mulgate against him, and pronounce the sentence, that is conteyned in the Canons. And afterwardes when they came to subscribe against Dioscorus, for his condemnation, first of all the foresaid three Legates of S. Leo do subscribe in these wordes: Paschasius Episcopus Ecclesiae Lylibetanae vice Bea­tissimi Conc. Calc. act. 3. tom. 2. p. 252. e­dit. Venet. at (que) Apostolici vniuersalis Ecclesiae Papae vrbis Romae Leonis san­ctae Synodo praesidens, in Dioscoridamnationem consensu vniuersalis Con­cilij subscripsi. I Paschasius Bishop of Lylibaeum (in Sicilia) in behalfe or steed of the most blessed, and Apostolicall Pope of the vniuersall Church, and Citty of Rome Pope Leo, presiding ouer this holy Synod, haue subscribed, by consent of the vniuersall Coūcell to the condemnation of Dioscorus. So he. And after him subscribed immediatly the other two Roman Legates: and then againe the Pa­triarches of Constantinople, Antioch, and the rest, and the same is repeated, and obserued in many other places, as particulerly in the 4. and sixt actions, where the Bishops names, and Bishops are recorded, being aboue six hundred, as hath bene said: my conclusion of all is this: and wil the Protestants allow this for sound doctrine, when they take vpon them to receiue this Councell, with the rest?

52. But besides this point of the Supremacy of the Bi­shop of Rome in this Councell, I fell vpon sundry other thinges, that inforced me to reflect vpon them, as namely in the Canons themselues. The 16. Canon hath these Marriage of Monks and Nūns forbidden by this Councell. words: Virginem quae se Domino Deo dedicauit, similiter & Mona­chos, non licere matrimonio coniungi. Si autem hoc secisse inuentifuerint sint excōmunicati &c. It is not lawfull for a virgin that hath dedicated her selfe to God, as neither for Monks to marry. And if by chance they should be found to haue done so, let thē be excommunicated. And is this currant doctrine in England? Or is this receiued togeather with the Coūcell?

[Page 187] 53. Another poynt, that I cast my eyes, and bent my mind somewhat seriously vpon, was the 24. Canon of the same foresaid Councell: and it lieth thus: Quae semel vo­luntate Episcopi consecrata sunt monasteria, & res ad [...]as pertinentes seruari ipsis Monasterijs decreuimus, ne (que) vlterius ea posse fieri saecularia habitacula: qui verò permiserint haec fieri, subiaceant his condemnati­onibus, quae per Canones constitutae sunt. The monasteries that are once consecrated by the will of the Bishop, must perpe­tually remayne monasteries, and all things belonging to the same, we haue decreed that they be preserued to the vse of the said monasteries, and that they cannot any more be made seculer habitations: & that they which shall per­mit such thinges to be done, shall vndergo the condemna­tions that are appoynted to be inflicted according to the Canons. So that Canon. And this seemeth also to me ve­ry hard to stand with the Doctrine, and moderne pra­ctice of England, where monasteries are turned into secu­ler vses, without the feare of the threat heere set downe by the spirit, and authority of this generall Councell, as euery one will confesse. Wherfore heere also we must i­magine that albeit the Church of England and Parliamēt do admit this Councell; yet will they not easily yeald to obey the commaundement of restoring the Monasticall landes and houses vnto those religions vses againe, wher­unto they were instituted: and so it seemeth that they will remaine with the name, and curse of the Councell. Let vs passe ouer to the last head of his Maiesties offer.

The first Consideration.

FIRST then touching the different esteeme, which The dif­ferent e­steeme that Ca­tholicks & Prote­stants do make of anciēt Fa­thers whē they agre [...] in one. Roman Catholicks and professing Protestants, doe hould of vnanime consent of Ancient Fathers in matters of Religion, which is the first poynt here touched, & ther­fore of vs, in the first place to be discussed: I considered yet further what I had read in S. Augustine, concerning this point: which holy Saint and great Doctor, though (as now in part we haue shewed) he doth alwayes post­pone what authority of ancient Fathers soeuer to the Ca­nonicall Scriptures, & all particuler opiniōs of some one, or few, vnto the consent of the greater part, but especi­ally vnto the iudgmēt of the Church: yet was the same Fa­ther so respectiue in all his writinges to conserue the re­uerence, and iust deserued reputation of these great Saints, and seruants of God, and renowned pillars of the Catho­lick Church euer most due vnto them for the expounding of those Scriptures, as he did neuer vrge any thing more er­nestly or eagerly against heretickes, then their authority for exposition of sacred Writ, which he knew to be na­turally hatefull vnto thē who were inuentors of nouelty, & enemies to antiquity & false interpreters of Scriptures, which all sectaries are, as was defined, and determined in the second generall Councell held at Ephesus against the He­reticke Nestorius.

14. And therfore saith the said S. Augustine vnto Iulian Aug. l. 2. cō. Iulian. Pelag. ver. sus finem. the Pelagian Hereticke: Probauimus Catholicorum authoritate san­ctorum, qui & hoc asserunt &c. We haue proued this now by the [Page 196] authority of the Catholick Saints, that do affirm it against you: and they are such men and so great in the Catholick sayth, which is spread ouer the world, vt vestra fragilis, & argutula nouitas solo illorum conteratur auctoritate, that your vaine, and subtile nouelty is crushed wholy by their only authority. And then againe: Auctoritate primitus eorum vestra est contumacia comprimenda: First of all your contumacy is to be repressed, or beaten downe by their authority, he meaneth the ancient Fathers. And this was the principal S. Augu­stines opi­nion for the esteem of the Fa­thers. way, that S. Augustine tooke with them, though all these Hereticks, as forerunners of the Protestants were very fre­quent in citing of Scriptures, as fast as any other Here­ticks.

15. But S. Augustine will haue the true meaning of ho­ly Scriptures to be sought out, by the interpretations of ancient Fathers, and so do his wordes flatly proue. Tuns Aug. l. 3. [...]ypo. (saith he) limes sanae fidei defenditur quando termini, quos posuerunt sancti Patres non transseruntur à nobis, imo obseruantur, & defensan­tur. Then the limit of sound sayth (to wit the Canon of Scriptures) defended by vs, when we do not change, and alter the boundes therof, placed by the holy Fathers, but rather do obserue, and defend the same, that is, we do fol­low their interpretations, and ancient expositions.

16. And further yet reasoning of this matter, in his se­cond booke de nuptijs & concupiscentia, to the Count or Earle Valerius, I meane concerning the sincere expositions of the Lib. 2. de nuptiis & concupis. Cap. 29. anciēt Fathers to be preferred before the Nouellāts, he saith: Quid dicam de ipsis sacrarum liter arum tractatoribus, qui in Catholica Ecclesia floruerunt: quomodo haec non conati sunt in alios sensus ver­tere, quoniani stabiles erant in antiquissima, & robustissima fide, non autem nouitio mouebantur errore. What shall I say of the expo­sitors themselues of Sacred Scriptures, which haue flori­shed in the Catholicke Church, how they neuer attemp­ted to turne these places alleadged into other senses then from antiquity they had receaued them, for that they were most firme, and stable in the most ancient, and strong [Page 197] sayth, and were nothing moued with late hatched er­rour. So he.

17. And for confirmation of this, hauing alledged the examples both of S. Cyprian, and S. Ambrose: shewing, and prouing out of them that originall sinne was in In­fants, Scoffes of Pelagiā hereticks a­gainst an­cient Ce­rimonies of Baptis­me. and that for remedy, and remouing thereof, they were baptized in the Catholicke Church with the ould Ceremonies of exorcismes, and exufflations, the Pelagian he­retick that not only denied, but scoffed at these things cal­ling the vse thereof Manicheisme, was answered by S. August. thus: Hosiste audiat dicere Manichaeos, & antiquissimam Eccle­siae traditionem isto nefario crimine aspergat, qua exor [...]izantur, vt dixi, & exufflantur paruuli &c. Let him dare to call those two Fathers Manicheans, and let him lay the same wicked crime of Manicheisme vpō the most anciēt traditiō of the Church by which tradition Infants, as before I haue said, are ex­orcized, and breathed on, at their baptisme, that by these meanes they may be translated frō the power of darkenes of the Diuell, and his Angells, vnto the Kingdome of Aug. ibid. Christ. So S. Augustine: who added presently, that albeit he was scorned at for this by hereticks: yet such was his re­solution, that he burst forth into these wordes following: Nos paratiores sumus cumistis viris, & cum Ecclesia Christi in huiu [...] fidei antiquitate frmati, quaelibet maledicta, & contumelas perpeti, quám Pelagiani cuiuslibet eloquij praedicatione laudari. We are more ready (saith he) with these Fathers, and with the Church of God, rooted in the antiquity of this sayth, to suffer, & Protestāts become Pelagians. in deri­ding anci­ent Ceri­monies. abide all kynd of reproches and contumelies, then to be exalted with the prayses of any Pelagian eloquence what­soeuer. And doth not this fall iust vpon the neck of al our moderne Protestants? Do they not scorne, deride, and iest as much at these two ancient Ceremonies of Exorcisme, & Exufflation, as euer the Pelagian Hereticks did?

18. VVith what face then, can they challenge S. Augu­stine to be theirs? Nay is not Pelagius, and his ranke of he­reticks fitter for their society, since they do so iūp, and con­spyre [Page 198] togeather, and that against S. Augustine, and the Ca­tholick Doctors? Nay I find S. Augustine to go yet much fur­ther in taking vpon him the patronizing of the reuerend ranke of holy Fathers against prophane hereticks, though some of those ancient Worthies whome he cōmendeth li­ued either in his owne time, or not very long before him: for that eyting their Doctrine against Iulian the Pelagian, that made so light accompt of them, and scoffed at them, he expostulated thus: Numquid Iraeneus, Cyprianus, Reti [...]ius, Aug. l. 2. cōt Iulian. Pelagiau. Olympius, Hilarius, Gregorius, Basilius, Ambrosius, & Ioannes Chrysostomus, de plebe a fece sellulariorum, sicut Tullianè iocaris? &c. ‘Are Iraeneus, Cyprian, and the rest here named of the lower house, or haue they vulgar seates in your Parlament as out of your Tullian eloquence you do scoffe? Are they ray­sed vp for enuy of you? Are they yong souldiars, or au­ditory schollers? Are they shipmen, Tauerners, Hostes, Cookes, Butchers,? Are they dissolute yong men, made of Apostata monkes &c.? Whom you by your scoffing vr­banity, or rather vanity do exagitate, vilify, condemne, and contemne?’

19. Thus wrote S. Augustine, that holy Saint and great Doctor in Gods Church against the malepert saucinesse of that heretick, that so little regarded, and so basely accōp­ted of the ancient Doctors. And hauing alleadged their authorities, he maketh this inference of honour, and re­uerence on their behalfe: Talibus post Apostolos Sancta Ecclesia plantatoribus; rigatoribus, adificatoribus, Pastoribus, nutritoribus, creuit; ideo prophanas voces vestrae nouitatis expauit. Vnder such planters (after the Apostles) vnder such waterers, buil­ders, Pastors, and nourishers as these were, and are, hath the Church growne vp, and did tremble at the prophane voyces of your nouelties. And a little after, repeating againe for honours cause, the very same Fathers, with ad­dition only of two more of his time, to wit, Pope Innocen­tius the first, & S. Hierome, he accompteth their testimony, and of such others as held communion, and participation [Page 199] with them, to be the very speaking voice, and liuely o­racle of the whole Church: and that it was plaine mad­nes in the hereticke to make so small accompt of them. Nay, he further resolued, and with mature deliberation concluded that the dogma ticall faith, and belief of all these Fathers, conspiring and agreeing togeather in one, was to be defended against him, and against all other, such like hereticks as he was, no other waies, then Christs Ghospell was to be defended against Infidels. His words are these.

20. Aduersus hanc autem miserabilem, quam deus auertat, in­saniam, sic respondendum video libris tuis, vt fides que (que) aduersus te How con­temptible the autho­rity of he­retickes was to S. Augustin in respect of the an­cient Fa­thers. desendatur istorum, sicut contra impios, & Christiprofessos inimicos, etiam ipsum defendetur Euangelium. Against this miserable desperate madnes of thine, which God turne from thee, I do see, that I must so answere to thy bookes, that the faith of these Fathers be defended against thee, as the very Ghospell it selfe of Christ, is to be defended against im­pious men, and as against the very professed enemies of Christ. So he. And yet in another place pressing againe the authority of the said Fathers, he doth intreat his ad­uersary Iulian to belieue these holy Fathers, and by them to be made friendes with him, yea to be reconciled vnto him, and to the Catholicke Church, from which he stood as yet separate. And is not this the very same offer we make to the Protestants at this day? And then S. Augustine going on forwardes in ratifiing their authority saddeth present­ly for further corroboration of the Doctrine, and tradi­tion of antiquity: Quod credunt, credo, quod tenent, teneo, quod Lib. 2. cōt. Iulian. cir­camed. docent, doceo, quod praedicant, praedico, istis crede & mihi credes, ac­quiesce istis, & quiesces à me &c. What these fathers do belieue, I do belieue; what they hould, I hould; what they teach, I teach; what they preach, I preach; yeald vnto these, and you will yeald vnto me; haue peace with these, and you will haue peace with me. ‘And last of all (saith he) If you will not by them be made friendes with me, at least wise, be not you [Page 200] by me made enemy vnto them (a goulden sentence) and then he goeth forward saying: shall Pelagius, and Celestinus (the Au­thours of your heresy) be of such authority with you, that you for their society will leaue the fellowship, and company of so many, and so great Doctors of the Catho­licke faith and Church, dispersed from East to West, frō North to South, and those both ancient, and neare vnto our age, partly dead, and yet partly liuing?’ So he.

21. Which speach of S. Augustine doth seeme vnto me so fitly, and properly to touch, and concerne the Protestants of our dayes, who for the loue of Luther & Caluin (Authors of their nouelties) do forgo all the Doctors of the Catho­licke Church, not only ancient, but moderne also, as that nothing in my iudgment can be produced of nea­rer affinity, to hould greater correspondency, or be more like, or more semblable.

22. Neither yet doth S. Augustine determine only, that the Doctors of the Church are absolutely the best wit­nesses, and iudges in matters of Controuersy that arise and spring vp after their dayes, but togeather with his autho­rity, which had bene alone sufficient, he yealedeth a ve­ry substantiall, and conuincing reason for the same; and it is this: that the Fathers could not be partiall iudges of such causes, as came into Controuersy after their deaths, for that they gaue forth their verdict, and iudgment be­fore any controuersy was stirred, or moued about the same. And thus much do his wordes import as they follow.

23. Tunc de ista causa iudicauerunt (saith S. Augustine) quan­do cosnemo dicere potest perperàm quicquam, vel aduersari, velsauere Aug. l. 2. cōt. Iulian. propefinē. potuisse. Nondum enim extiteratis &c. ‘The Fathers did iudge of this cause at that time, when no man can say, that they did wrongfully fauour or disfauour any party. For that you (Pelagians) were not then in the world, with whome we might haue contention about this question &c. They did not attend vnto any friendship, eyther with vs, or with you; they did not exercise amity, or emnity with [Page 201] eyther of vs; they were angry neyther with you nor with vs; neyther yet had they commiseration towards any of An excel­lēt reason of S. Au­gustine. our partes; that which they found in the Church, they held; that which they learned they taught; that which they recyued and learned from their Fathers by tradition, they taught and left vnto their children. We did not as yet plead with you before these Iudges, & yet by them was our case decided, and determined: nor you, nor we were knowne vnto them, and yet do we out of their workes produce their sentences against you: VVe had as yet no strife with you, nor pleaded any cause, and yet haue we conquered you by their verdicts.’Hitherto are the wordes of S. Augustine.

24. VVhich when I had considered, & pondered well with my selfe, as also reflected vpon all S. Augustine his for­mer sentences, compared them all togeather, and confer­red them with the state of our present time, and manners of men therein; I seemed to behold, as in a cleare glasse, before the eyes of my vnderstanding, the very person and selfe same cause of S, Augustine, to be in the Catholicke wri­ters of our dayes: as contrariwise also that of the Pelagians, and of other old heretickes to be in the Protestants, the one and the other making like accompt of the ancient Fathers. I meane the Catholickes esteeming them highly, and stan­ding to their iudgment: the others reiecting them, where they make against them; which as it hath bene suffici­ently proued before; so might I here adioyne also many other proofes therof, if I would spend more time in al­leaging their sentences. Let M. VVhitakers assertion speake for all, who of this matter writeth thus: If you argue from the witnes of men, be they neuer so learned and ancient, we yeeld no more to their wordes in cause of sayth and religion, then we perceaue to be agreeable to Scripture. Neyther thinke you your selfe to haue pro­ued any thing, although you bring against vs the whole consent & swarme of Fathers, except that which they say, be iustified, not by the voyce of men, but of God himselfe.

The second Consideration.

AS my first consideration was wholy conuersant a­bout the iust deserued credit of ancient Fathers, agre­ing to geather in generall, eyther in the full voice of all, How Ca­tholicks & Protestāts do esteem of the te­stimonies of parti­culer Fa­thers. or in the greatest part and consent of them: so was my se­cond imployed about the same credit, & authority of par­ticuler Fathers, eyther one, or two, or more, auerring any thing, which was not reprehended by others in mat­ters of religion. About which poynt, I saw lesse ascribed in his Ma ^ties Booke vnto their promerited estimation, then Catholickes do hold in their Orthodox assertions, and much lesse, then I my selfe had purposely read, and obserued in the former mentioned holy Father S. Augustine concerning that poynt. For as his Maiesty yealded lesse to the common consent of Doctors (which must of necessity make the visible Catholicke Church, if euer Christ left behind him any Church at all to continew) when he wri­teth, that he would eyther belieue them, or at least wise would be hum­bly silent, and not condemne them, as before hath bene shewed: So in this very second point of particuler Fathers, I find it thus written by his Maiesty.

26. But for euery priuate Fathers opinion (saith he) it bindeth not my conscience more then Bellarmines: euery one of the Fathers vsu­ally cōtradicting of others The first part of which sentēce, to wit, that euery priuate opinion of euery Father, bindeth not a mans conscience in matter of religion, is so cleare, that it needeth no proofe at all: for it cannot be denyed. For if the opinion be in­deed priuate, then is it not truly Catholicke, and conse­quently being not the opinion of the true Church, it bin­deth no man.

27. But for the later period of the sentence, being who­ly derogatory from the credit of Antiquity, that is to say, [Page 203] that euery one of the Fathers do vsually contradict others in matters concerning religion, this must needes presub­pose to haue some fauorable interpretation affoarded it, to free it from open iniuring, and wronging of the Fa­thers: and so my hope is, that this is the meaning of his Excellent Ma ^tie, to wit, that these contradictions suppo­sed to be a mongst the Fathers, are only diuersities of iudg­ment in matters, that are not determinately de fide, or that do not concerne any articles of beliefe, but eyther such matters as S. Augustine saith, that may without breach of vnion or charity be diuersly disputed of amongst Catho­licke Aug. l. 1. cōt. Iulian. Pelag. cap. 2. men, or els, when diuers Fathers do giue diuers sen­ses of Scripture, some the literall, others the allegoricall, and all true, all intended by the holy Ghost, as we haue formerly noted. Now the rule, that we must heere ob­serue, concerning these poyntes, wherein consent of Fa­thers, is, and must necessarily be had, is that which Vincen­tius Lyrinensis (an Authour that I can neuer sufficiently com­mend) hath excellently laid downe in his 37. Chapter con­tra haereses: his wordes are these: Antiqua Patrum consentio San­ctorum non in omnibus diuinae legis quaestionibus, sed solùm in fidei regu­la magno nobis studio, & inuestiganda, & sequenda est. The anci­ent consent of holy Fathers, is with great care, and study to be both searched out, and followed of vs, not in all their questionings of holy Writ, but only in the rule of fayth.

28. And vnto this S. Augustine alludeth, where he wri­teth thus: Alia sunt, in quibus interse aliquando etiam doctissimi, at (que) optimi regulae Catholicae defensores salua fidei compage non conso­nant, & alius alio de vna re melius aliquid dicit & veriùs. There are Lib. 1. cont. Iulian Pe­lag. cap. 2. some thinges wherein sometimes the most learned, and the best defenders of the Catholick rule do not agree amongst themselues, but one speaketh better, and more truly then another of the selfe same thing: but yet without breach of the linke of faith.

29. But forasmuch as particuler Fathers do often times set downe, and deliuer the publike beliefe of the Church, [Page 204] and not any priuate opinions, though they seeme to speak priuately, and not in name of the whole Church, when they mention this, or that point, concerning religion, some certaine rule, or note for our better direction, and Thesurest rule how to iudge of parti­culer Fa­thers opi­nions or assertions about matters of faith. distinction must be set downe: and the surest rule to dis­cerne how farre forth priuate Fathers opinions, ought to be esteemed, or may bind a man in conscience, is, for a man to consider vprightly in the impartiall iudgment be­twixt God, and his owne conscience, whether that opi­nion of his if he be but one, or theirs, if they be many, haue bene withstood or gainesaid, contradicted or im­pugned by any other Father, or Fathers, Synod, or Coun­cell, Prouinciall, Generall, or Nationall of the same, or other precedent, or subsequent ages. For if this cannot be made good against any one particuler Fathers opinion, then may it more then probably be inferred, that forso­much, as this particuler Father, was generally reputed for a Catholicke Doctor in his time, neuer reprehended, taxed, noted, condemned for this opinion, as false, doubt­full, or erroneous: it must needes be (I say) necessarily in­ferred and concluded, that, that very opinion of his was the opinion, iudgment and doctrine also of the Catho­licke Church in the age, and time wherein he liued, and of which he himselfe, was then a Father and Doctor. For if this were not so, it cannot be so much as with any probability imagined, that this Father could haue taught this opinion in his dayes, or diuulged it, in his writings vnto posterity without some note, or memory of control­ment, or taxation of the same, eyther whilst he liued, or after his death.

30. And hereby it followeth, that albeit this Doctrine should haue but one, or two ancient Fathers, that do ex­presly mention it in their dayes (other Fathers of the same tyme either not hauing occasion to speake therof, or els busied, and incumbred about other as weighty poynts:) yet were this alone sufficient to make vs vnderstand, that [Page 205] in their dayes, that mention the same, the forsaid opiniō of that Father, or Fathers was held for Catholick Doctrine, & throughout the vniuersall Church: for that otherwise without all doubt, it would thē, or afterwardes haue bene When any pri­uate Fa­ther did erre he was pre­sently no­ted by o­thers. descried & censured by the carefull, & vigilant watchmen of Gods Church. Neyther can any instance, as I imagine, be giuen to the cōtrary: for that frō the very first infancy of Christianity vnto our dayes, it cannot be shewed, that any Father, or Doctor, though otherwise neuer so renow­ned for wit, and learning, piety, or sanctity, did euer be­ginne any new doctrine, or erroneous opinion different from the Catholicke beliefe, but that presently the same was excepted against by others. And this is more then euident in the particuler cases, and slippes of Tertullian, O­rigen, Cyprian, Lactamius, and other ancient Fathers of the Church: and yet when any of these transgressed the anciēt boundes, innouating any thing frō the receyued faith, they were all of them excepted, and cryed out against, noted, & taxed for such their priuate, & erroneous opiniōs, as dissen­ting from publick vnion, and Catholick Communion.

31. Neyther doth any man in my iudgment explaine this point better then S. Augustine himselfe and therefore, as I serued my selfe principally of him in the precedēt Consi­deration, soe do I meane also in this. For as on the one side, when many Fathers do agree in their opinion against one, or few (as in the case of S. Cyprian about the rebapti­zing of hereticks yt fell out) the greater part is there to be preferred before the lesse, as the said Father doth often af­firme: so notwithstanding when no such opposition, and contradiction is of the maior part, S. Augustine himselfe ma­keth high, and singular accompt of euery priuate Fathers opinion, as namely when he extolleth the authority O. S. Aug. l. 3. de bapt. cōtra Do­natist. c. 4. l. 2. con [...]. Crescon [...]. cap. 32. Hilarius against lulian, saving: Ecclesiae Catholicae aduersus haere­ticos acerrimum desensorem venerandum quis ignorat Hilarium Epi­scopum Gallum? Who is ignorant, or who doth not know that earnest defendour of the Catholicke Church against [Page 206] Heretickes venerable Hilary the French Bishop?

32. And then againe of S. Amrbose: Audi alium excellen­tem Dei dispensatorem, quem veneror, vt Patrem, in Christo enim Aug. lib. 1 contr. Iulin. cap. 2. Iesu per Euangelium me genuit, Beatum loquor Ambrosium. Har­ken vnto another excellent steward of Gods house, whom I do reuerence as my Father, for in Christ Iesus he begot me by the Ghospell, I meane blessed S. Ambrose. And then of a third also to wit S. Gregory Nazianzen, he giueth this commendation, or rather by an interrogation would in­force his aduersary vnto an admiration of this great Saint and learned Diuine: An tibi parua in vno Gregorio Episcoporum Orientalium videtur authoritas? Doth it seeme vnto thee a small authority, that is in one onely Gregory Nazianzen amongst the Easterne Bishops? And then followeth the reason, which truly is very well worth the marking.

33. Est quidem (saith he) tanta persona, vt neque ille hoc nisi One Do­ctors opi­nion the doctrine of the Church. ex fide Christiana omnibus notissima diceret, neque illi eum tam cla­rum haberent, atque venerandum, nisi hoc ab illo dictum ex regula notissimae veritatis agnoscerent. He is truly so great a person, as neyther would he speake in this matter as he doth, but out of the most knowne manifest Christian faith, nor would men hould him for so excellent, and venerable, except they did know, that what he said, he spake out of the rule of most knowne truth. Thus S. Augustine.

34. And in these his wordes consisteth the whole sub­stance of this my Consideration about priuate Fathers, to wit, that S. Gregory Nazianzē syrnamed Theologus, the diuine, for his admirable, and profound knowledge in the grea­test mysteries of Diuinity, though he had bene but one in that matter against Iulian (as he was not but ac­companied with many, as hath bene made cleare in the former Consideration:) yet so great was the authority of his person in the Church, as that neyther he would haue said as he did, but out of the common sense of the Church in his time, nor should he euer haue bene held for a fa­mous, nor venerable a Doctor, renowned throughout the [Page 207] Christian world, but that the Church was sure, that he would affirme nothing, hould nothing, publish nothing, but out of the common rule, and infallible Canon of the most knowne truth: for that otherwise, he should euen to his face haue bene contradicted by other Doctors, and Fathers his equalls, and compeeres, that liued with him, or ensued after him. So as we see, that particuler Fathers sayings, and opinions when they are not gaynesaid by o­thers, or reprehended, or condemned by the Church, they are not so lightly to be respected, or reiected as Protestants doe both ordinarily teach, and practise. But the maine point to be waighed, and considered is this, to wit, to know in what times they were written, vpon what oc­casion, of what credit, or authority the Father is, whether other doe write the same, and accord with him, whe­ther any exception haue bene taken against it, and then by whome, and when, and how it stood in the Church, ey­ther as iustifyed, or condemned, and many other such like materiall circumstances by me before touched: for that sometymes it may fall out, yea, and often times doth (as now we haue in part shewed, and might do much more at large) that particuler Fathers opinions, and as­sertions not contradicted nor yet on the other side agreed vpon in expresse tearmes by the maior part of Fathers in their writings (though otherwise belieued, and recea­ued by them in the faith, and beliefe of the Church) may make a very strong argument, that the Church did then belieue it, especially if the same were so vnderstood also by the generall consent of the Fathers following in the subsequent age, and Church: and consequently it may bind euery man his conscience to giue more credit ther­unto, then Protestants incredulity will allow. And this shall suffice for my second Consideration.

The third Consideration.

HItherto haue we treated of the Fathers, shewing first, what credit we ought to affoard, & yeald vnto their ioynt cōsent, when in any point of doctrine, they agree in That the Fathers of euery age for the first 500. yeares did make for catholicks & against Protestāts in matters now in cō trouersy. one▪ and that is, sine scrupulo, sine vlla dubitatione, as Vincentius spea­keth, without any further question, contradiction or op­position most faithfully to belieue them and imbrace their iudgement, as the liuely oracles of God, and the whole speaking voyce of Catholick Church in the mouth of her Doctors and Pastors. Which if you consider it well, is a great deale more then the alternatiue allowed vnto them by Protestants, which is eyther to belieue them, or to be humbly silent without condemning them, as though the Protestant were at his liberty in euery thing to make his choice: which as we haue heard in the first Chapter is no lesse thē heresy: and as though the renouncing, and forsaking of Cap. 4. & 42. cōt. haereses. them, let it be promised with neuer so much silence, & re­uerence, were not on the Protestants part a sufficient cō ­demning of them. And this for that poynt.

36. There remayneth yet behind the chiefe, and prin­cipall poynt of all others in this present busines and matter we haue now in hand to be handled, and to be especially considered of, which is this, to wit, to know whether the ancient Fathers of the first fiue hundred yeares after Christ (for so farre doth his Maiesties offer in the last edition of this his English Premonition extend it selfe) do make for Pro­testants, or for vs: which poynt though to discusse at large throughout all the controuersies would both require, and fill a very large volume, and consequently farre surpasse the boundes of my intended breuity: yet shall Iendeauour in this last Consideratiō to giue a sufficient glimpse of the truth therein, in very few words, for any indifferent Rea­der, [Page 183] that will stand attent, and iudge according vnto rea­son, the more by the lesse.

37. For first in generall it may be here seene, by that which his Ma ^tie layeth forth, that the Protestants do deale diffidenter, distrustfully on their owne behalfe with the Fa­thers authority. For they do first limit their yeares with­in the compasse of foure hundred in the first English editi­on, and then of fiue hundred yeares in the next, and last of all they call it back againe vnto foure hundred in the La­tin edition, which argueth that they know not well vpō what ground, nor where, nor when they stay themselues, being still affraid, least that they grant to much vnto thē (as indeed whatsoeuer they grant vnto them it is to much on their behalfes, since that whatsoeuer they graunt, it maketh directly against thē) which would not be, if their friendship with them, or hope in them, were confident, or any at all.

38. Secondly, they restraine their credit yet more, whē they do not promise absolutely to belieue the consent of Fathers, but only they promise silence, and when they say they will belieue the Fathers of those first ages, when with one vnanyme consēt they shall agree vpon any thing to be belieued, as a necessary point of saluation: which seldome falleth out in matters, especially now in contro­uersy, for that they being busied in other matters as before hath bene touched, eyther of writing Apologyes during the times of persecution, or in conuerting, and instru­cting the new conuerted Christians, or in confuting o­ther hereticks, and heresies, it must needes be a rare case to find all the Fathers agree togeather with one consent (ex­cept it were in a generall Councell) and to determine that this or that point was a matter of faith, & article of belief.

39. Neither is it absolutely necessary to the purpose that they should do so, for that our principall scope, and drift being to seeke, and trace out from time to time by testi­mony of the Fathers in euery age, where the true Catho­licke [Page 210] Church went, and whether the Protestants, or our Church at this day haue more resemblance vnto her, there Diuers things may lead vs to discerne the true Church, though they be not arti­cles of ne­cessary beliefe be diuers other arguments, and probable coniectures to seeke out the same (atleast wise probably) then onely ar­ticles of beliefe, agreed vpon by vnanime consent. As for example sundry Cerimonies vsed in baptisme, and other Sacraments, as Exorcismes, Exsufflations, Christening, and the like mentioned by S. Augustine and by diuers other anciēt Fathers, as also the vse of the Crosse, Tapers, Candles, reueren­cing of holy Reliques, and kneeling before Pictures, Images & Cru­cifixes, and other rites testified by the whole Senate of Chri­stian antiquity, which though they be not by the said Fa­thers commended and deliuered as articles of our faith: yet these being practised by the Primitiue Church (which is graunted to be the true Church) and compared to the cu­stomes of Protestants, and vs, in our Churches, will ea­sily disclose, which of the two, they or we, do more imi­tate, or impugne the true Church of antiquity. But con­tenting our selues at this time with the onely mentioning of them by the way, we will make a short, and briefe pas­sage or rather step throughout the foresaid foure, or fiue hundred yeares limited vnto vs: and this God willing we will do, not by citing, but laying downe the Fathers authorities themselues in particuler, for it would be ouer long (as before hath bene said) but rather by producing such witnesses who being of most credit with our aduer­saries cannot be well mistrusted, or discredited, to wit, the Magdeburgians Centuries, who haue in euery age diligently, though partially examined the same, and how substan­tiall a proof this is of Catholick religion by the very cōfes­sion & concession of their greatest aduersaries, I appeale for iudgment vnto the discreet, and indifferent Reader.