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But, forsomutche as these menne auouche the Vniuersal posses∣sion of the Catholique Churche to be their owne, and cal vs Here∣tiques, bicause we agree not in iudgemente with them, let vs know, I beseeche you, what proper marke, and badge hathe that Churche of theirs, whereby it maie be knowen, to bee the Churche of God. Yewis it is not so harde a matter to finde out Goddes Churche, if a manne wil seeke it earnestly, and diligently. For the Churche of
God is sette vpon a highe, & glisteringe place, in the toppe of an Hille, and builte vpon the Fundation of the Apostles, and Prophetes: There,* 1.1 saithe Augustine, lette vs seeke the Churche: there lette vs trie oure maters. And, as he saithe againe in an other place, The Churche muste be shevved out of the Holy, and Canonical Scriptures: and that, vvhiche can not be shevved out of them, is not the Churche. Yet for al this, I wote not how, whether it be for feare, or for conscience, or despaire of victorie, these menne alwaie abhorre, and flee the VVoorde of God, euen as the Theefe fleeth the Gallowes. And no woonder truely. For, like as menne saie, the Can∣tharus by and by perisheth, & dieth, as soone as it is laide in baulme, notwithstandinge Baulme be otherwise a moste sweete smellinge ointemente: euen so these men wel see, their owne matte is damped, and destroied in the VVoorde of God, as if it were in poison. Therefore the Holy Scriptures, whiche oure Saueour Iesus Christe did not onely vse for Authoritie in al his speache, but did also at laste seale vp the same with his owne Bloude, these menne to the entent they mighte with lesse businesse driue the people from the same, as from a thinge daungerous, and deadly, haue vsed to cal theim a Bare Letter,* 1.2 Vncertaine, Vnprofitable, Doūbe, Killinge, & Deade: whiche seemeth to vs al one, as if they shoulde saie, The Scriptures are to no pourpose, or, as good as none at al. Hereunto they adde also a Similitude not very agreeable, how the Scriptures be like to a Nose of VVaxe, or a Shipmans Hose: how thei may be fashio∣ned, and plied al manner of waies, and serue al mennes turnes.
VVhere ye saie, the Churche is builded vpon the Fundation of the Apostles and Prophetes, and shewed by the Holy Canonicall Scriptures: we confesse the same with S. Augustine. VVhen ye adde, the Churche, whiche can not be shewed out of the Scriptures, to be no Churche, we saie, that though * 1.3 S. Augustine haue no suche woordes in the Chapters, whiche ye alleage in the Margent, yet were it neuer so muche graunted, that he had those woordes in that place, they shoulde make nothinge for your pourpose. S. Augustine in that Booke disputeth againste the Donatistes, who would restraine the Catholike Churche to the onely Countrie of Aphrike, denieinge other Christen menne to be mem∣bers thereof. S. Augustine refutinge their Heresie, declareth the Sonne of God to be Heade, and all the true Faithfull to be the Body of the Churche: and that it is not sufficient to holde with the Head alone, or with the Body alone: but we muste holde with bothe together, if we will be saued.
The Donatistes did graunte the Heade Iesus Christe, and denied his Body the Churche. For this cause saithe S. Augusiine, Ipsum Caput de quo consentimus, ostēdat nobis Corpus suum, de quo dissentimus: Let the Heade, vpon whom we agree, shewe vnto vs his Body, whereupon we dis∣agree. The Head is Christe, who spake firste by his Prophetes, afterwarde by him selfe, and laste of all by his Apostles. In his igitur omnibus quaerenda est Ecclesia. In all these (saithe he) the Churche muste be sought.* 1.4
If thou marke, good Reader, that, whiche I haue here rehersed out of S Augustine, it is to be seene, that he bindeth not the proufe of the Churche simply to the Holy Scriptures,‡ 1.5 but onely in a case, when he hath to doo with an Heretike, who wil not admitte the auctoritie of the Churche. Therefore* 1.6 a true Churche maie be founde, whiche is not shewed in the Scriptures, so the contrarie
thereof be not shewed in the Scriptures.* 1.7 Now if these Defenders will haue that to be no Churche, which can not be shewed out of Scriptures, they shall vnderstande, that as therein they plaie the Do∣natistes, so we must needes folow's. Augustine in bringinge Scripture against them, not as the‡ 1.8 onely proufe in deede (whiche they falsely saie) but as a very good and chiefe kinde of proufe, moste profi∣table in all cases, and necessary at suche time, as the aduersarie will admitte none other proufe, &c.
VVherefore it remaineth, that it is the Synagog of Antichriste, and Lucifer. VVho as he fell out of Heauen like a lightninge, so he maketh a blase and shewe of a Churche in the Earthe for a time. But as we can tell when it was not borne, so shall it not be longe, but that through Gods power it will vanishe awaie dispersed, and be scattered by the lightsome Maiestie of Christes true Churche, whiche from S. Peters time to this daie florisheth in her Head the Bishop of Rome, and in her mem∣bers throughout the worlde.‡ 1.9 vvhiche abide in the Vnitie of the same Bishop.
VVee esteeme and vnderstande the Scriptures to be the sense and the woorde. If they can pre∣tende the bare woorde, they thinke themselues good inough to make a sense of their owne. VVhiche bare woorde, as they misuse it, Pighius perhaps compareth to a nose of waxe. But the Scriptures he neuer meante to dishonour with that similitude. If it were lawfull for vs to vse Scripture after our owne interpretation, as they doo, we shoulde not lacke sufficient matter in the Holy Bookes to ouerthrowe by our owne applieinge all theire false opinions and Heresies.* 1.10 But we are bounde to that religious awe, and reuerence of them, that excepte we haue an Authour to auouche the sense, whereof we take holde, we dare bringe foorthe nothinge. And yet reade our Bookes who will, he shall lacke neither Scriptures in them, nor witnesses of our interpretation in any controuersie of this age. Let it be agreed, that for decision of controuersies, suche sense of the Scriptures be taken for Scripture, whiche the Holy Ghost hath taught the Churche, and then let the worlde iudge, who flieth the woorde of God, as the Theefe dothe the Gallowes.
Contrarie to that, wée haue here alleged of S. Augustine, ye saie, A true Churche maie be founde, whiche is not shewed in the Scriptures: Whereby it appeareth, ye are lothe, your Churche shoulde comme to the trial of this Standerde. But, for as mutche as this quarrel groweth of S. Augustine, let S. Augustine him selfe be the Iudge. And, to allege a fewe woordes in stéede of many, thus he saithe, Vtrùm ipsi Ecclesiam teneant,* 1.11 Diuinarum Scripturarum Canonicis Libris ostendant. Ecclesiam Christi, sicut ipsum Caput Christum, in Scripturis Sanctis Canonicis de∣bemus agnoscere: VVhether they haue the Churche, or no, let them shewe by the Cano∣nical Bookes of the Holy Scriptures. VVee muste knowe the Churche of Christe, euen as wee likewise knowe Christe, whiche is the Heade of the Churche, in the Holy Canonical Scrip∣tures. Againe he saithe,* 1.12 Ecclesiam sine vlla ambiguitate Sancta Scriptura de∣monstrat: The Holy Scripture sheweth the Churche without any doubtefulnesse.
Againe, Quaestio est, vhi sit Ecclesia. Quid ergo facturi sumus? Vtrùm in verbis nostris eam quaesituri, an in Verbis Capitis sui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi? Futo, quòd in illius potiùs Verbis eam quaerere debemus,* 1.13 qui Veritas est, & optimè nouit Corpus suum: The question, or doubte is, where the Churche should be. What then shal we doo? VVhether shal wee seeke the Churche in our owne woordes, or in the VVoordes of her Heade, whiche is oure Lorde Iesus Christe? In my Iudgemente wee ought rather to seeke the Churche in his VVoordes: for that he is the Truthe, and beste knoweth his owne Body.
Againe,* 1.14 Non audiamus, Haec dico, Haec dicis: Sed audiamus, Haec dicit Domi∣nus. lbi quaeramus Ecclesiam: Ibi discutiamus causam nostram: Let vs not heare these woordes, This saie I, This saiste thou: But these woordes set vs heare, Thus saithe the Lorde: there let vs seeke the Churche: there let vs discusse oure cause. And againe,* 1.15 Nolo Humanis Documentis, sed Diuinis Oraculis Sanctam Ecclesiam de∣monstrari: I wil not haue the Holy Churche to be shewed by Mannes Iudgemente, but by Goddes VVoorde.
Likewise saithe S.* 1.16 Chrysostome, Nunc nullo modo cognoscitur, quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi, nisi Tantummodò per Scripturas: Now can noman knowe, whiche is the true Churche of Christe, but Onely by the Scriptures. Againe he saithe, in like fourme of woordes, Volens ergo quis cognoscere, quae sit Vera Ecclesia Chri∣sti, vnde cognoscat in tanta confusione similitudinis,* 1.17 nifi Tantummodo' per Scri∣pturas? If a man be desirous to knowe, whiche is the true Churche of Christe, how can he know it in sutche a confusion of likenesse, but Onely by the Scriptures? These woordes be so euident and so plaine, that noman with modestie maie wel denie them.
And, whereas you saie, Al this notwithstandinge, A true Churche maie be founde, whiche is not shewed in the Scriptures. S. Ambrose saithe,* 1.18 Ecclesia fulget, non suo, sed Christi Lumine: The Churche shineth (or is knowen) not by her owne Lighte, but by the Light of Christe, whiche is, by the VVoorde of God.
And chrysostome saithe,* 1.19 Qui Sacra non vtitur Scriptura, sed ascendit aliunde, id est, non concessa via, hic Fur est, & Latro: Who so vseth not the Scripture, but geateth vp an other waie, that is, by a waie, that is not lawful, he is a Theefe, and a Murtheier.
Againe he saithe,* 1.20 Hierusalem hîc semper Ecclesiam intellige, quae dicitur Ciuitas Pacis: cuius Fundamenta posita sunt super Montes Scripturarum: Here by Hie∣rusalem euermore vnderstande thou the Churche, whiche is called the Cittie of Peace: The Fundations whereof are saide vpon the Mountaines of the Scriptures.
Ye magnifie your Churche of Rome, and saie, It shieth on highe vpon the Mounte. Yet S. Bernarde saithe to the Pope, and his Cleregie, as it is alleged before, Vos estis Tenebrae Mundi: Ye are the Darkenesse of the VVorlde. Therefore ye maie not wel vaunte your selues so mutche of the brightnesse of your Beames. As for that, ye cal our Churche the Synagoge of Lucifer, and Antichriste, we maie wel suffer it to blowe euer, as the vaine vnsauery smoke of somme impatiente Cholerique humoure. Our cause is not the woorse, M. Hardinge, in the Iudgemente of the wise, for that you haue learned so readily to speake il.
But what Louanian vanitie is this, to saie, The Members of the Churche of Christe abide in the Vnitie of the Pope? What Scripture, or Doctoure, or Father euer tolde you of sutche Vnitie? S. Paule saith, Wee are alone not in the Pope, but) in Christe Iesu. And what so greate Vnitie, can you saie, there is, or hathe benne in your Popes?* 1.21 Platyna saithe, Post Stephanum semper haec consuetudo seruata est, vt acta Priorum Pontificum sequentes ant infringereat, aut omnino' tollerent: It hathe benne an ordinarie custome emonge the Popes euer sithence the time of Pope Steuin, that the Popes, that folowed afterworde, would euermore either breake, or abolishe the Actes of the Popes,* 1.22 that had benne before them. Erasmus saith, Iohannes. 22. & Nicolaus totis Decretis inter se pugnāt, id{que} in his, quae videntur ad Fidei negotium pertinere: Pope Iohn. 22. and Pope Nicolas in theire whole Decrees are contrarie the one againste the other: yea, and that in maters, that seeme to belonge to cases of the Faithe.
To be shorte, the Popes haue fouly corrupted the Scriptures: they haue corru∣pted the Decrees, & Canons of Councelles: they haue benne Sorcerers, Idolaters, Scribes, & Phariseis: Thei haue benne Arian Heretiques: Nestorian Heretiques: Monothelite Heretiques: Montaniste Heretiques: thei haue mainteined damna∣ble Heresies against y• Godhed of Christe: against y• Personne of Christe: against y• VVil of Christe: & against the Immortalitie of the Soule: they haue henne con∣trarie to themselues, one directly, and expressely againste an other: Yet muste the Pope beare vp the whole Churche of God, euen as Atlas beareth vy the Heauens? and onlesse al the worlde abide in him, is there no Vnitie in the Churche?
Thus saith Hosius,* 1.23 Vnum praeesse toti Ecclesiae, vs{que} ade ò est necessarium, vt abs{que} hoc Ecclesia Vna esse non possit: It is so necessarie a thinge, that one haue the gouernmente of the whole, that otherwise the Churche of God cannot be One.
Likewise it is noted in the Popes ovvne Gloses vpon his Decretalles, Constat Ecclesiam ideo esse vnam, quia in Vniuersali Ecclesia vnum est caput Supremum, scilicet, Papa: It is plaine, that the Churche is one, for that in the Vni∣uersal Churche there is one Supreme Heade, that is, the Pope. An other of your Do∣ctours doubteth not to steppe yet a litle farther,* 1.24 and thus to expounde the woordes of Christe, Fiet Vnū Ouile, & Vnus Pastor: Quod quidem de christo intelligi non potest: Sed de aliquo alio Ministro, qui praesit loco eius: There shalbe one Folde, and one Shepehearde. These vvoordes vvee maie not vnderstande of Christe, but of somme other Minister, that ruleth in his roome. By whiche Doctours Catholique Iudgemente wée finde, that the Vnitie of the Churche hangeth not of Christe, but of the Pope.
But these be ouer vaine, and grosse vanities. For though the Pope, were no Pope, yea, though Antichriste were the Pope, yet is Christe hable to holde his Churche in perfite Vnitie.* 1.25 S. Paule saithe, Christus est Caput, ex quo totum Corpus coagmentatur, & connectitur: Christe is the Heade, of whom the whole Bo∣dy (of the Churche) is framed faste, and ioined togeather. Therefore S. Chryso∣stome saithe,* 1.26 Ex hoc capite Corpus habet, & vt sit, & vt bene sir. Quid relicto Capite Membris adhaeres? Of this Heade (that is Christe) the Body hathe bothe to be, and also wel to be. What cleauest thou to the Members, and leauest the Heade?
This is the Vnitie of the Churche, that the whole Flocke maie heare the voice of that One Shepehearde, and folowe him. And that one Shepehearde is Christe the Sonne of God, and not the Pope. Therefore S. Augustine saithe, Per hanc Potestatem, quam solùm sibi Christus retinuit, stat Vnitas Ecclesiae, de qua dictum est, Vna est Columba mea: By this Power, whiche Christe (he saithe not, hath geuen ouer the Pope, but) hath reserued onely to him selfe, standeth the Vni∣tie of the Churche: of whiche Vnitie it is saide, My Dooue is One.
Ye saie, there appeareth in your Bookes sufficient abundance of Scriptures, touchinge any controuersie of this age, and that accordinge to the very sense, and meaninge of the same, togeather with the consente, and Iudgemente of the Holy Fathers. But as for vs, ye saie, wée builde onely vpon the bare woordes, and make a meaninge of oure owne.
In déede it is no greate Maisterie for you, to arme your selfe with somme shew of Scriptures.* 1.27 The Diuel was not altogeather voide of sutche furniture, when he came to tempte Christe. S. Cyril saithe, Omnes Haeretici de Scriptura diui∣nitùs inspirata sui colligunt erroris occasiones: Al Herotiques out of the Heauenly inspi∣red Scriptures geather occasion of their erroure. Athanasius saithe, Haeretici Scriptu∣tarum Verbis pro esca vtuntur: Heretiques vse the woordes of the Scriptures for a baite.
Tertullian saithe, Fidem ex his impugnat, ex quibus constat: An Heretique as∣sausteth the Faithe by the same woordes of God, that breede the Faithe.
But for as mutche as ye saie, yee beare sutche awe, and reuerence vnto the VVoorde of God, and in the interpretation thereof folowe onely the sense of the Holy Ghoste, and the Iudgemente of the Doctours and Fathers of the Churche, for somme trial of your truthe herein, let vs sée, how discretely, and reuerently ye haue vsed the same.
In your late Councel holden at Laterane in Rome, one Simon Begnius, the Bishop of Modrusia,* 1.28 saith thus vnto Pope Leo, Ecce venit Leo de Tribu Iuda, Radix Dauid &c. Te Leo Beatissime Saluatorem expectauimus &c. Beholde, the Lion is comme of the Tribe of Iuda, the Roote of Deuind &c. O moste Blessed Leo, wee haue looked for thee, to be oure Saueour. In your late Chapter at Tridente Cornelius the Bishop of Bitonto saide thus,* 1.29 Papa Lux venit in Mundum: & di∣lexerunt homines tenebras magis, quàm Lucem. Omnis, qui màlè agit, odit lucem, & non
venit ad Lucem:* 1.30 The Pope beinge the Lighte is comme into the VVorlde: and menne haue loued the Darkenesse more then the Light. Euery man, that doothe euil, hateth (the Pope that is) the Lighte, and commeth not to the Lighte.
Pope Adrian saith,* 1.31 Papa non iudicabitur à quoquam: Quia Scriptum est, Non est Discipulus supra Magistrum: No man shal Iudge the Pope: for it is written, the Scholar is not aboue his Maister.
The Pope suffered the Embassadours of Sicilia to lie prostrate on the grounde,* 1.32 and thus to crie vnto him, as if it had benne vnto Christe, Qui tollis Peccata Mundi, miserere nostri: Qui tollis Peccata mundi, dona nobis Pacem: O thou (Holy Father) that takest awaie the Sinnes of the Worlde, haue mercie vpon vs: thou, that takest awaie the Sinnes of the Worlde, geue vs Peace.
Pope Sixtus saithe, Who so accuseth the Pope, can neuer be forgeuen. And his reason is this,* 1.33 Quia qui peccat in Spiritum Sanctum, non remittetur ei, neque in hac vita, neque in futura: He, that sinneth againste the Holy Ghoste, shal neuer be forege∣uen, neither in this VVorlde, nor in the VVorlde to comme. And by these woordes of the Scriptures, so wel applied, he concludeth, that noman maie accuse the Pope. And, to leaue a heape of other examples (for they are infinite), you your selfe, M. Har∣dinge, haue often vsed the Scriptures in like sorte.
Thus ye saie,* 1.34 The Sonne of Man came not to destroie (the Soules of menne) but to saue: Ergo, The substance of Breade in the Sacramente is not annihilate, or consumed to nothinge.
And this, yee saie, was the Sense, and meaninge of the Holy Ghoste: this is the Iudgemente of al the Doctours, and Holy Fathers. Sutche religious awe, and reuerence ye beare towardes the VVoorde of God. Yet saithe your Doctoure Hosius,* 1.35 The Scripture, as it is alleged by vs, is the VVoorde of the Diuel: but as it is al∣leged, and handled by you, so onely it is the VVoorde of God. If yee had not vtterly wypte al shame from your faces, yée woulde neither make sutche mockeries of Goddes Holy Woorde, nor so lewdely abuse the people of God.
Augustin. De V∣nitate Eccle. Ca∣tholicae.
Albertus Pighi∣us in Controuer. De Ecclesia.
Vntruthe. For S. Augustine in the same places, and elsvvhere, oftentimes saith the same.
VVhere the Churche is to be sought,
Vntruthe. For S Augustines vvoordes are ge∣neral.
Here M. Har∣dinge secretely confesseth, that his Churche of Rome cannot be shevved by the Scriptures.
Churche knovven by Goddes vvoorde.
Vntruthe. For S. Chrysostome saithe, Nunc nullo modo co∣gnoscitur, quae sit vera Ecclesia, nisi Tantum∣modò per Scripturas.
In the V∣nitie of the B. of Rome.
Vntruthe ma∣nif•• st, & shame∣lesse. For M. Hard, knovveth, that in the greattest cases, that lie in que∣stion, he can al∣lege neither Scripture, nor Doctoure.
Augustin. De V∣nitate Eccle. Ca. 16.
August. Contra Cresconium Cram. Lib. 1. Ca. 33.
August De Vni∣ta Ecclesi. Ca. 2.
August. Eodem Li. Ca. 3.
In eodē capite.
Vnitie of the Churche in one Pope.
Chrysost. in ope∣re Imperfe. Ho∣mil 49. In Eadem Hom.
Ambrosi, Hexa∣meron. li. 4. ca. 8.
Chrysost. in Io∣han Homil. 58.
Chrysost. in Mat∣thae. Homil. 46.
Platyna in Ste∣phano.
Erasmus in An∣notationib. in 1. Corin. 7.
Hosius in Petri∣couien. Confess. Ca. 27.
Clemen. 5. Ad no∣strum. In Glossa. Iohan. De Pari∣sijs, De Potestate Regia, & Pa∣pali, Ca 3.
••phesi. 4.
Chrysost. ad Co∣lossen. Homi. 7. Citatur in Ca∣thena in 1. Cap. Iohannis.
Matthae. 4. In Con. Chalce∣don. Actione. 2. Athanas. contra Arianos Ora∣tione. 1. Tertullian. De Baptismo.
Concil. Lateran. Session. 6. Pag. 601.
Concil. Trident. Cornelius Bi∣tont inus.
Abusinge of the scriptures.
Concil. to. 2. De∣creta collecta per Adrianum, Pag. 613.
Paulus Aemyli∣us, Lib. 7.
Concil. tomo. 1. In purgatione Sixti.
M. Hard. fo. 99. a
Hosius Contra Brentium. Li. 4. Fol. 178. a.