The progenie of Catholicks and Protestants Whereby on the one side is proued the lineal descent of Catholicks, for the Roman faith and religion, from the holie fathers of the primitiue Church ... and on the other, the neuer-being of Protestants or their nouel sect during al the foresayd time, otherwise then in confessed and condemned hereticks. ...

THAT THE FATHERS CONDEMNED in ancient Hereticks the opinions of Protestants, con∣cerning Monachisme, the mariage of Priests, and prescribed Fasts. CHAPTFR IIII.

TO make the like trial of such articles, as concerne the state of perfection, as Euangelical Counsels, Vowes, Mortification, and the like: And first concerning Monks and Montastical life,59) 1.1 S. Austin reproueth the Cercumcellians, for that they accusto∣med to say, what meaneth the name of Monks? And againe, what then say they, who insulte against vs, for the name of Monks &c. who say vnto vs, shew where the name of Monks is written (in the Scriptures?) And writing60) 1.2 against Petilianus, he affirmeth, That he proceeded with cursed mouth in dispraise of Monks, and Monasteries. In like sort,61) 1.3 S. Hierome answereth Vigilantius, saying: Whereas thou affirmest those to be better, who vse their goods, and by litle and litle diuide the fruits of their possessions to the poore, then those who selling their posses∣sions, giue al at once, thou shalt be answered, not from me, but from our Lord: If thou wil•• be perfect, go and sel al which thou hast, and giue to the poore, and come follow me. He speaketh to him, who wil be perfect &c. That degree which thou praysest is the second and third, which we also allow, whilest yet we know to preferre the first, before the second and third. Neither are Monks to be terrified from their studie (or labour) by thy viperous tongue, and cruel byting, against whom thou arguest and sayest: If al shal shut vp themselues, and be in the deserts, who shal frequent the Churches? This reproofe of Vigilantius by S. Hierome, is so certaine, that it is further plainly confessed by62) 1.4 Crispinus.

Concerning Virginitye, the equalling of marriage therewith, was con∣demned in Iouinian, by63) 1.5 S. Hierome saying; Iouinian taught that Marriage and Virginitie were of equal merit. A point so certaine that M. Wotton, in defence of Iouinian boldly63) 1.6 auoucheth, that herein the Christian Fathers delt vn∣christianly with Iouinian;(r) 1.7 againe; Iouinian worthily denyed, al difference of merit betwixt a married and single life, which no enemie of Iouinian can disproue. And the same is confessed in Iouinian,65) 1.8 by Pantaleon, and the Centurists. And yet D. Beard acknowledgeth, that S. Austin doth preferre Virginitie (before Marriage) as a greater good. But Luther66) 1.9 much exceedeth Iouinian herein saying: I do conclude that matrimonie is as gold, and the spiritual state (of single life) is as dung: In which absurditie and impuritie he is also defended by67) 1.10 D. Whitaker.

The single life of Priests was impugned by Vigilantius, whom therefore68) 1.11 S. Hierome reproueth in these words: What do the Churches of the East, of Aegypt, and the Sea Apostolick, who take Clergie-men either such as are Virgins, or continent,

or if they haue wiues, yet cease to be as husband.

Agreably hereunto D. Fulk69) 1.12 confesseth that, Iouinian also was condem∣ned for that he taught, that such as could not containe, though they had vowed Vir∣ginitie, should neuerthelesse be married. And D. Morton confesseth, thata) 1.13 Vigilan∣tius and Iouinian are condemned by S. Hierome, for impugning the vnmarried life of Priests,

The impugning of prescribed Fasts, was condemned in Aerius, of whom confesseth D. Fulk, that he taught that fasting-dayes are not to be obserued. D. Feild (17) sayth: He disliked set Fasts &c. He was iustly condemned. Osiander72) 1.14 re∣porteth him to say that, set Fasts are not to be obserued &c. According to libertie, a man is to fast, when he wil. This errour was reproued in Aerius, by S. Austin,73) 1.15 and S. Epiphanius. And S. Austin74) 1.16 reporteth Iouinian to say: Fasts,70) 1.17 or abstinence from certaine meates, do nothing profit. Yea he75) 1.18 auoucheth further, that to beeleeue, that such as abstaine from wine and flesh, haue no greater merit, is not the part of a Christian, but of a Iouinian; which Censure of S. Austin, is con∣fessed in him by Chemnitius.71) 1.19 76) 1.20

And whereas Protestants keepe their strictest Fasts vpon Sundayes, S. Epiphanius77) 1.21 witnesseth, that the Aerians desired rather to fast vpon Sunday, & to eat vpon Wednesday, and Friday: And S. Austin78) 1.22 affirmeth, that to fast on the Lords day, is a great offence, especially since the detestable Heresie of the Manichees &c. who appoint vnto their hearers, this day, as lawful to be fasted vpon. This saying of S. Austin, is alleaged by D. Whitguift,79) 1.23 and the Centurists, and the like of S. Ambrose, by80) 1.24 M. Parker.

From these few premisses, I may inferre, first, that the Protestants im∣pugning Monkes and Monastical life, are condemned in the Hereticks Circum∣cellians, Petilianus, and Vigilantius, by S. Austin, and S. Hierome. Secondly, their impugning of voluntarie pouerty, is condemned in Vigilantius, by S. Hie∣rome. Thirdly, their equalling of marriage with Virginitie, was condemned in Iouinian, by the same S. Hierome. Fourthly, their impugning the vnmaried life of Priests, was condemned in Vigilantius also by S. Hierome. Fiftly, their denyal of set Fasts, and abstinence from certaine meats, is condemned in Aerius, by S Au∣stin, and S. Epiphanius, and in Iouinian, by S. Austin. Lastly, our Protestants Sunday-fast, was condemned in the Manichees, by S. Austin; and in the Arians, by S. Epiphanius; So perfect harmonye we euer finde, between the ancient Hereticks, Vigilantius, Petilianus, Iouinian, Aerius, and the Manichees, and our Moderne Protestants: And between the ancient Doctours, S. Au∣stin, S. Hierome, S. Epiphanius, and the present Roman Church.

Notes

• 59) 1.1

  In Ps. 132.
• 60) 1.2

  Cont. liter. Petil l. 3. c. 40.
• 61) 1.3

  Cont. Vigil. prope fin.
• 62) 1.4

  Of the Estate of the Church p. 131. 132.
• 63) 1.5

  L. 1. cō••. Iouin. c. 2.
• 63) 1.6

  Def. of Parkins p. 500.
• (r) 1.7

  Retra∣ctiue from Romish Re∣ligion p. 312.
• 65) 1.8

  Chron. p. 32. and cent 5. col. 5••8.
• 66) 1.9

  Tom. 5 Wittemb. in 1. Cor. c. 7. fol. 107.
• 67) 1.10

  Cont. Camp. Rat. 8. p. 151.
• 68) 1.11

  Cont. Vigil. c. 1.
• 69) 1.12

  Answ to a Count Cath. p. 45. & see Hier. l. 1. cont. Iouinis: c. 14 and 19. and Apol. ad Pamachius c. 8. Epiph. her. 59.
• a) 1.13

  Appeal. p. 604.
• 72) 1.14

  cent. 4. p. 434.
• 73) 1.15

  her. 53. Epiphan. her. 75.
• 74) 1.16

  her. 82.
• 70) 1.17

  answer. to a Count. Cath. p. 44. 45.
• 75) 1.18

  de Eccl. dog. c. 68.
• 71) 1.19

  of the Church. l. 3. p. 138.
• 76) 1.20

  Exam. part. 4. p. 142.
• 77) 1.21

  her. 75.
• 78) 1.22

  Ep. 86.
• 79) 1.23

  Defen. p. 502. and cent. 4. col. 445. 401.
• 80) 1.24

  Against Symbo. part. 2. p. 38.