The orthodox faith and vvay to the Church explaned and iustified in answer to a popish treatise, entituled, White died blacke; wherein T.W. p. in his triple accusation of D. White for impostures, vntruths, and absurd illations, is proued a trifler: and the present controuersies betweene vs and the Romanists are more fully deliuered and cleared. By Francis White Bachelour in Diuinitie, and elder brother of Doctor Iohn White.

The first vntruth, wherewith T.W.P. chargeth M. White, concerning triall of faith by antiquity.

T. W. Maister White speaking of the Fathers of the primitiue times, and of their iudgement in matter of faith, betweene the Protestants and vs, writeth; We are so well assured, (meaning of the resolution of the Fathers) that we embrace that kind of triall which is by antiquity, and daily finde our Aduersaries galled thereby. But this is ac∣knowledged to be a vast vntruth by Doctor Humphreyt, who taxed Bishop Iewell for giuing the Papists too large a scope: saying; That he was iniurious to himselfe, and after a ma∣ner spoiled himselfe and his Church. Also by Doctor Whi∣takeru,

who writeth; That the Popish religion is but a pat∣ched couerlet of the Fathers errors sewed together. Last∣ly, Lutherx traduceth the Fathers, calling them most blind and ignorant in the Scriptures, &c.

Answ. No man can better report anothers meaning, then the Author himselfe: and Campiany the Iesuite in his challenge, obiecting this place of Doctor Humphrey, was answered by the same Doctor himselfe then liuing, in this manner:z That he neuer blamed the reuerend Bishop Iewell, for challenging the Papists to a disputation out of the Fathers, but greatly commended the same: onely he iudged that the Bishop had yeelded the Papists a greater scope then was conuenient; to wit, in the largnesse of his offer, which was, that if in 27. Articles propounded by him, the Papists were able to produce one place out of any one Father of the first 600. yeares, plainely testifying the contrarie doctrine to those Articles propounded by him, he would then yeelde them the cause.

Doctor Humphrey affirmes, that Bishop Iewell lear∣nedly maintained his challenge, and failed not at all in the performance thereof, but did supererogate with his aduersaries more then he was bound. See his own wordsa in the margent.

2. Doctor Whitakers in all his writings, is resolute to submit the Protestants cause, to be tried by the Fathers, as witnesses of the truth: and he proclaimeth against Cam∣pianb and all other Papists, saying; Hearken, O Campian, the same most true and constant speech, which Iewell vttered at that time, when he challenged all you Papists to triall of an∣tiquitie,

of the first sixe hundred yeares, offering you, that if you were able to produce out of any Father or Councell, during that time, any one plaine and euident testimony, he would yeeld you the victorie: This very profession doe we all of vs make, we all vndertake the same, and will not breake pro∣mise.

So farre is this reuerend Doctor from allowing the primitiue Fathers to be patrones of Papistry, that he af∣firmes, they are wholly oursc in all materiall points, and he honoreth and preferreth them before other writers, commen∣ding the studie and reading of their bookes, to all iudici∣ous Diuines, and by their testimony in his disputations, he defendeth the truth of our faith.

Obiect. But he calleth Popery a patched couerlet, fra∣med of the errors of the Fathers.

Answ. It is confessed by our Aduersaries, that the Fa∣thers had their errorsd, and themselues in diuers cases challenge and censure them. There is none of the Fathers, saith Stapletone, in which something erronious may not be obserued. And Anselmef saith; In the bookes of those holy Doctors which the Church readeth as authenticall, some things are found wicked and hereticall: And Mulhusinusg the Iesuite; We know the Fathers were men, and erred some∣times.

Chrysostome and other of the Fathers, are charged by Stapleton, Sixtus Senensis, Tolet, Pererius, and Mal∣donate, to haue erred about freewill; and Clemens of A∣lexandria, Chrysostome, Theodorit, Hierom, Ambrose,

and Euthymius, erred about originall sinne, saith Doctor Stapletonh.

Before the Pelagian heresie arose, Augustine was de∣ceiuedi in the matter of diuine grace and freewill; and although the same Father is many times Orthodoxe in the question of Purgatoriek, yet at other times he vari∣eth (at the least doubtfullyl) from his owne sounder iudgement.

In these and the like cases it is verified, which Cyrilm speaketh vpon other occasion: That as Horseleaches sucke the naughtie blood out of the veines: so Papists excerpt that which is most imperfect and vnsound from the Fa∣thers; and thus Poperie, according to D. Whitakers, is, a patched couerlet, framed of the Fathers errors. But hence it doth not follow, that the said Doctor would not stand to their iudgment in such maner as my Brother vn∣dertaketh, that is, to the vnanimous consent of the Fa∣thers, or to the iudgement of the learnedest Fathers, or to the aduised or deliberate doctrine of the Fathers. It is possible for some Fathers to erre, and yet others to iudge aright. The same Father may sometimes vtter a strag∣ling and exorbitant sentence, and yet in other places cor∣rect himselfen.

Lastly, the Papists of a small error of the Fathers, may occasionally procreate a great one; as from praying for the dead, vsed in one respect by the Fatherso, the grosse praying for the dead, with a reference to Purgatorie. Now this is the patched couerlet which Doctor Whita∣taker meaneth, implying no scurrility as this Popish priest obiecteth, but truly taxing the slipperie dealing of Popish Hucksters in abusing Fathersp.

3. Concerning Luther, euen as in sacred Scripture the

Prophets, Esa. 1.11. and 66.3. and the Apostles, hauing to deale with Hypocrites, which placed iustice in out∣ward ceremonies, vtter diuers speeches in disgrace of le∣gal rites, not depressing the same in themselues, but shew∣ing they were vnprofitable to such as abused them: So Luther being opposed by Aduersaries, which preferred the Fathers before the Scriptures, correcting that abuse, vseth some broad speeches, (such as our Aduersarie na∣meth) against the errors of some Fathers, (not generally of all:) But otherwise, When Fathers are lawfully vsed, as witnesses and interpreters of truth, he esteemethq them according to their worth, and yeeldeth as much vnto them as themselues requirer.

But as for our Aduersaries, there is nothing more or∣dinarie with them, then to reiect the testimony of the Fa∣therss, and they professe to doe thus whensoeuer their authorities repugne the articles of their Roman churcht.

Notes

• t

  Vita Iuel. p. 212 taken out of Briarly his apo∣logie tr. 1. §. 3. pag. 140.
• u

  Cont. Dur. le fui•• •••• pag 4••3.
• x

  De ••eru. a••bit. pag. 434.
• y

  Campian. Rat. 5.
• z

  Humphr. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 suitism. p 2. ad 5. Ra••. Camp. pag. 6••8. Dixi quidē Iuellum, qua e∣rat multiplici doctrina & he∣roino animo praeditus, non modo ad scrip∣turas, sed etiam ad tot centurias, &c. prouocasse: sed vobis maio∣rem ansam re∣clamandi prae∣buit, & vobis ni∣mium largitus est, vobis plus aequo concessit, sibi interim ni∣mis iniurius. &c. Au cuiquam vi∣deri potest haec oratio acris re∣prehēsio? immo excuso illum & laudo, quod pugna difficilior sit pulchrior.
• a

  In vita Iuel. Atque hic pro∣testatio illa & denunciatio, quam vanam & futilem esse aduersarij calumniantur, repetenda est: quam tamen veram esse, ipsi qui paulo maiori ingenio & excellentiori doctrina valent, non negabunt: SI QVIS VLLVM ANTIQVVM DOCTOREM ET PATREM, &c.
• b

  Whitak. cont. Campian. ad Rat. 5 pag. 114. alledged by Briarly apol. tr. 1. §. 3. pag. 135.
• c

  Ibid. Toti ad nostras partes peruolant, & vos acerrime lacessunt atque oppugnant. In summis causis habemus omnes astipulantes. Patres & magni facimus, & assi∣due legimus, & cunctis accura∣tioris theologiae studiosis legen∣dos proponi∣mus. Duplic. contra Stapl. pag. 187. Plus tribuen∣dum est eccle∣siae primitiuae, quam subse¦qu••ntium secu∣lorum eccle∣sijs.
• d

  Bannes 2. 2. q 1 ar. 8 Licet sancti Patres errare potuerint, & de facto errauerint aliquando &c. Guid. Carm de haere••. gene∣rat. c. 7. In dictis Sanctorum extra canonem bibliae, non est infallibilis veritas, certa & indubitata.
• e

  Stapl. Rel c. 6. q. 4.
• f

  Ansel. com. 2. Cor. cited by Sixtus Senensis biblioth l. 5. in praef. p. 329. Posseuin. sel. bib. l. 12. c. 23. Villauinc. de rat. stud. theol. l. 4. c. 6. obseru. 1.
• g

  Mulhusin. disp. de fid. pag. 43. Bannes 2. 2. q. 1. ar. 8. Errauit Bernardus, &c. errauit Cyprianus, &c.
• h

  De Iustif l. 1. c. 10.
• i

  Aug. de prae∣d••st. sanct. c. 3. Q••em meu n errorem, non∣nulla opuscula mea satis indi∣cant, &c.
• k

  Aug. de temp. ser. 232. Duo loca sunt, & ter∣tius non est. De verb. Apost. ser. 14. Hypog. l. 5. Ter∣tium locum pe∣nitus ignora∣mus.
• l

  De sid. & oper. c. 16. Enchir. c. 69. Tale aliquid po••t hanc vitam fieri incredibile non est, & vtrū ita sit quaeri po∣test.
• m

  Cyril. l 6. contra iulian.
• n

  Aug. contra Cresc l. 2 c. 31 & 32. De orig. a∣••••••n••r l. 4. c. 1. De bo••. perseu. c. ••1 l. 1. Retract c. 19.
• o

  Reade D. Field of the Church, l. 3 c. 17.
• p

  ••ee Briarly apol. p. 1 §. 3. •• 1••. pa 128.
• q

  Lu••h. ••d Marc••. Brande∣burg. tom. 2. Germ. pag. 243. Periculo um & horrendum est, quicquam vel andire vel cre∣dere, quod ad∣uersatur vnani∣mi testimonio fidei & doctrinae sanctae Catholicae ecclesiae, quam inde vsque ab initio, vnanimiter seruauit. Com. in c 5. Gal Patres euangelium & fidem in Christum, absque vlla hypocrisi, pure & simpli∣citer tradiderunt, & ecclesiam ab innumeris erroribus expurgarunt.
• r

  Aug. epist. 19. & ep. 111. de orig. anim. l. 4. c. 1. & de bon. perseu. c. 21. Hieron. cited by Biel, Can. Miss. lect. 41.
• s

  Bellar. de verb. D. l. 4. c. 11. Can. loc. l. 7. c. 3. Stapl Rel. c. 6. q. 4. Greg. Val tom. 3. d. 1 q. 1. p. 7. §. 45. Carb. introd. l. 4. c. 19. Viguet. instit. theol. c. 17. v. 2. Vasqu. p. 1 d. 12. c. 1. Guid. Carmel de haeres. in Gen. c. 7. Thyr. de appar. visib. l 1. c. 25. Stapl. Rel. c. 3. q 1. ar. 1. Vega de iustif. l. 11. c 6. D••••edo de eccles dog. l. 4. c. 6. Suar 3. p 2. d. 2. § 3. Bannes 2. 2. q. 1. ar. 8.
• t

  Hos. cou. Brent l 3. pag. 167. Cum ecclesia Doctores admittimus. Baron. annal. 1. ann. 34. n. 213. Matta. de iurisd par. 4. pag. 273. Bannes 2. 2 q. 1. ar. 8. Omnes sancti conueniunt B. Virginem contraxisle originale pecc. & tamen, &c. Maldon. com. Ioh. 2. v. 4.