A Brief Confutation of a Popish Discourse, Part 1 · Answer 4
The fourth Reason.
THE fourth cause why a catholicke may not goe to the church (saith he) is because it is sinne, and breaking of the vnitie of the catholick churche. And then discourseth at large, how perilous it is to break the Unitie of the Churche, and how néedfull to kéepe it, in whiche Argument hée hath all true Christians to take his parte, sauing that hée séemeth to vrge this vnitie so farre, that in the Churche of Christ, there should bée not alone one only forme of beliefe, but also One forme of seruice, one forme of Sacramentes. For which hée quoteth. Ephes. 2. 4. If hée meane of one essentiall and substantial forme of Sacramentes and Seruice, I doe willingly admitt that hée sayeth, but if he speake of one external …orme in woordes and ceremonies, as for example, that which the Popishe Church doeth vse. Sainte Paule neyther in the place by him noted, nor any… where els, teacheth that it is necessary to bée in the whole Church of Christ, neyther was it in auncient times, but eueryevery Church… vsed suche forme of prayers and administration of the Sacramentes, as they thought most conuenient, whereof not onelie so many differing formes of Ly…urgies, yet extant, but almost al the Auncient Writers are witnesses. Neyther at this day is there in all Churches of Christ, one forme of seruice and Sacramentes, no not in the Popishe Churche, wherein howe many diuersities of seruices, there are in other places, it is to be gathered by so many differing formes, as were héere in Englande, according to the vse of Sarum, of Yorke, of Rome, or of Hereforde. Neyther did Gregorie, when hée sent Augustine into Englande, to plant the fayth and religion that was at Rome, thinke it expedientBede. lib. 1. cap. 27. to bynde the Saxons to the forme of Ceremonies and seruice, vsed in the Church Romayne, but willed him to choose out of eueryevery Churche what hée thought conuenient, for the newe Church of the English Saxons.
But procéeding to shewe how grieuous the sinne of Schisme isDe vnit. eccl. cap. 4. out of Augustine, our reasoner putteth vsus in minde, what Augustine meaneth by cōmunicating with the vnitie of the Churche, in these woords, That their Communion bée with the whole body of Christes Church dispersed ouer the whole world, and not with any one parte separate, or els it is manifest, that they are not (saith he) in the Catholike Churche. Uerely, these wordes of Saint Augustine, with many other that he hath to the same effect against the Donatistes, doe cleere vsus of Schisme, who willingly communicate with all the whole bodie of Christes Church dispersed ouer the worlde, and charge the Popishe faction bothe of Schisme and heresie: Of Schisme, because they mainteine the Church to be onelyonly in a part of Europa. As the Donatists did in Asia, which heresie▪ because they differ not onelyonly in the bodie of Christ, which is his Church, as theEphe. 5. &c. Donatistes did, but also in the head thereof, which is none but Christ borne, suffered, risen agayne, and ascended in heauen, that he might be the onelyonly head Sauiour, Redéemer, of his spouse and Aduocate of his Church with GOD his Father. But now that this acte of goyng to the Protestantes Churches and prayers is a Schismatical act and such a one as deuideth from the vnitie of the churche, it is easie (saith hee) to bee prooued. If you hauehave suche facilitie in prouing, I trust you will no more charge vsus with your necessary suppositions. Then let vsus see what you say. Schisme according to Sainte Augustine, is a separation of them that thinke the same thing. That is aLib. 2. cont. Creson. ca. 3. different kynde of seruice of GOD in those menne that doe not differ in opinion of religion. Once agayne a little more Logicke woulde doe you good, too teache you too expounde thinges vttered generally by spéeche as generall, and not as you dee heare by particular: For Augustines generall terme of separation, you restreine to a different kinde of seruice of GOD, as though there mighte not bee scisme, where there is one, and the same kinde of seruice of GOD acknowledged. But let vsus see the difference also that Augustine maketh betwixt an here…ike and a scismatike, Scismatikes are made, not by differing in fayth or beliefe, but by the breaking of the societie or vnitie of the communion. Hitherto we dissent not in the matter for wee allowe both the discription and the difference, being vnderstoode according to Augustines meaning, which eueryevery wise and good man, will think to be such, that the crime of scisme and name of Scismatiks,Aug. quest. 11. in Mat. must be appropried not to eueryevery one that departeth from any sect but to them onelyonly, which departe from the Church of the liuing GOD. Howe then doeth our discourser prooue, that we are not in the Communion of the Churche of God? The communion or vnity of the churche (sayth hée) consisteth in these three things, To wit that all Christians hauehave one Sacrifice, one & the selfe same Sacramēts also one & the selfe same seruice of God. Let vsus search the ground of this foundation. First, if hée meane that all Christians hauehave one SacrificeHeb 10. … ▪ Propitiatory, it is true. For by one Sacrifice once offered, hée hath made perfect for euer them that are sanctified. With whiche onelyonly Sacrifice and once oblation therof, séeyng the Papistes are not content by this rule, they are …ounde too bée without the compasse of true Christians, and the Communion of Gods Church. But if by one Sacrifice, hée meaneth but one sacrifice in al, the principle is false, for Christians beside ye only propitiatory sacrifice of Christs death, hauehave y• sacrifice of prayse & thanksgiuing of wt there are many kinds. That al Christiās must hauehave … sel…ame▪ sacraments, it is cléerer, then that it néede any probation.
But concerning the third thing which is one and the selfe same seruice of God, if it be vnderstood of the substance, either of the internall and proper woorship of God, which is in spirit and veritie, or of the externall manner of seruing of God, which must be directedIohn. 4. according to the holy Scriptures, it is very true, and thereby our Church may be discerned, to be the companie of true Christians, which detest the intollerable multitude of bodily ceremonies and shadowes, wh…with the popish seruice is ful fraught & in a manner onlie consisteth of them, and admitteth in the whole order of ministration and prayers nothing as necessary to the seruice of GOD, but that whiche it findeth warrant…d by the holie Scriptures.
Wheras ye popish seruice is pa…ched of prophane Legēds, & Fabulus reports of prayers to creatures, not méete for the seruice of the Creator, and if it be deuided into ten partes, bestoweth seuen at the least in the seruice of creatures▪ rather then the Creator which is to be woorshipped for euer, directly contrary to the Law of God, and commandement of Christ: Thou shalt worship the Lord thyDeut. …. Math. 4. 10. God, and him only shalt thou serue. Otherwise if by one and the selfesame seruice of God he meane the externall forme of praiers and administration of the sacramentes necessarye for al christians I hauehave shewed the vanitie of his assertion before. The principles thus vewed, let vsus behold the application. But they which go to the protestants churches, hauehave no sacrifice at all: neither hauehave they any more then two of seuen sacraments, & those two also so mangled, that of the two scarce one is a sacramēt, as they vse thē. And as for their seruice it hath no part of the catholik seruice as I wil shew herafter. If this assūptiō be true, they ye go to ye Protestants seruice, breake ye vnitie of ye cō munion of the Church, and commit schisme. But if this be shewed to be vtterly false, what harme is it to goe to the Protestantes seruice? First concerning the Sacrifice which he affirmeth they hauehave none at all, It is a manifest vntrueth, for they hauehave the daylye sacrifice of prayse and thankesgeuing, which Malachie prophecieth, shoulde bée offered among the Gentiles, from the rysing of the sunne, vntounto the going downe of the same, whiche Sacrifice ofI…stinus Deut. cum Tryphon. cont. Indeos. prayse and thankesgeuing, as Iustinus Martyr testifieth, are the onelyonly sacrifices which Christians hauehave receyued to offer. Wherefore the Papists which pretend to offer another sacrifice▪ and of an other kinde, namely, Propitiatorie, by Iustinus his iudgement, agréeyng with the holie Scriptures, are no true Christians. That wée hauehave but twoo Sacramentes, it is sufficient, seeyng twoo onelie are left into the Churche by Christe, as is necessarily collected out of Saynt Paule. 1. Cor. 10. Where intending to proue that the Israelites were equall vntounto Christians in the externall tokens of Gods fauour, hee nameth onelyonly baptisme, and the Lordes supper wherein he had reasoned very vnskilfully, if of seauen he should hauehave left out but fiue. The fewest number of Sacramentes, is allowed also by S. Augustine, and the church in hisAug. Ep…. 118. I…. time, which he nameth to be baptisme and the Lordes Supper, which onelyonly are found in the scriptures. And where he chargeth vsus with mangling of the sacramentes, which we hauehave, so that of twoo, we hauehave scarce one, it procéedeth of meruellous impudency, séeing we say and doe whatsoeuer Christ and his Apostles sayde and did, and commaunded to be sayde, and done, in the administration of them. Whereas the Papistes with most horrible sacriledge, by confession of Gelasius bishoppe of Rome, cited in their Cannon lawe, doe mangle one and the same mysterie, as hee speaketh, depriuing the lay people, cleane of the cup of Christes blood,Mat. 26. whiche hee in expresse woordes, commaundeth to hée drunke of all men. And Saynt Paule by his authoritie chargeth euerye man after due examination, as well to drinke of that cuppe1. Cor. 11. …. as to eate of that breade of the Lorde woorthily. As for our seruice when he bringeth any argumentes (as hee promiseth) to prooue that it hath no part of the Catholike seruice, hee shall receiue his answere and our defence accordingly. Hitherto therfore, although with many whot woordes, he hath concluded nothing against vsus, at length he commeth to answere an obiection of colde Catholikes, as hee calleth them, whiche are, that they goe not too the Churche willingly, but by constraynt of the Publike Lawes of the Realme.
And héere out of Aristotles Ethickes Lib. 3. The Acte of goyng to Churche, is prooued voluntarye because the constraynt is conditionall, eyther to doe that is commaunded, or too beare that punishment that the Lawe appoynteth. Where is then the sore charge agaynst them, that compell men against theyr willes, to sweare to goe to Churche &c: contayned in his Preamble before the first reason? It is a greate force of cunning, of one and the same matter to geue a contrary iudgement, as it serueth best for your aduantage? Nowe therefore you woulde hauehave these vnwise and fonde noble men and Gentlemen too consider I vse your owne termes, that it is a badde shifte of dissemblers To say that hee goeth to churche agaynst his will, thinking thereby to excuse himselfe of Schisme.
But beside this to proue it schisme, yea and that obstinate and rebellious Schisme it were sufficient to knowe that the meaning, will and commaundement of the generall and vniuersall catholike churche at this day, is, that catholike men shoulde not present themselues at Protestants churches. UUhy Sir, is not the Pope by your reede the best Interpreter of the Catholike Churches meaning? And hath not hee graunted diuers dispensations, for Papistes to presente themselues in Protestantes Churches? But they hauehave beene denounced open enimies (say you) by the Councell of Trent, as the doctrine of Arius was condemned in in the firste generall Councel of Nice. Nay rather as the Homousians were in ye Councel of Ariminium, & in many other Councels of the East. And as the doctrine of the Catholikes, was in the seconde of Ephesus, Nice the seconde, and many other blasphemous and heretical coūcels: I passe ouer your slaunder of the Nobility of Englande, by certaine of which, you affirme, that the heretical and schismaticall cōuenticle of Trent, was moued, whether they might not lawfully without offence go to Church, to do some meere temporal Acte, as to beare ye swoord before her Maiesty, &c. Except you meane of such of the Nobility, as hauehave openly declared their disloyalty, by entring into rebellion or otherwise.
But as touching ye forbidding to goe to heretical churches, which you labour so vehemently to proue, yt you father it vponupon a Cannon of the Apostles themselues, which must needs be obserued. Can. 63 You should hauehave done more wisely, to hauehave confirmed it, by theyr Canonicall writinges, rather then by those Apocriphall Canons, which if we should receiue thē as authentical, wil prooue euē your popish churches to be hereticall, & your selues to bee Heretikes, because you goe against many thinges decreed in those Canons. As ye you admit no married persons to the office of a priest, or bishop, agaynst the 6. Canō. That you forbidd any that is maymed or imperfect in body to be a bishop against the canon, 77. y• your bishops, priests, deacons, and cleargie are often present at the celebratiō, & yet doe not cōmunicate, al which, by the 8. Canon are excōmunicated. But that it is not lawful to pray in the Conuenticles of heretikes,Tit. …. it is more cleer by the Scriptures, then y• it needed to be proued by the example of Origen, of Heraclas, of Athanasius or anye other. The example also of the people of Rome, whiche refused to communicate with Felix might hauehave heene spared, but that vnderunder colour of certaine wordes of Theodoret, you would hauehave it seem▪ as though not one of the Inhabitants of Rome, was infected with Aurianisme. UUheras ye matter is other wise, seeing that Felix, although himselfe of the Catholike religion, was chosen bishop by the more part of the Clergie, and people of Rome, which were of the faction of the Arrians. And therfore where Theodoret saith, that none of the Inhabitants of Rome would enter into the church so long as Felix was within, it must of necessitie be vnderstood, of the Catholike Inhabitantes. For that there was neuer an Arrian dwelling at Rome, at such time as Constantius came thither, I thinke no man but lightely acquaynted with the hystory of that time, that can bee perswaded. But after that Liberius himself hadIn Catal. subscribed to the Arrians, as Saint Hierom writeth, and returned after hee hadde consented too Constantius the Heretike, as PopeIn lib. yonti… cus. Damasus himselfe writeth, by whome Pope Felix whiche was a Catholike was deposed, and great persecution followed: This I say declareth, that neyther the head nor the body of the Churche of Rome, was in that time frée from the here…e of the Arrians. Insomuche that Constantius helde there a counsell with Heretiks, together with Vrsutius and Valens, as the same Damasus writeth, and cast o…t Felix o…t of his Bishopricke, which was a Catholike and called backe Liberius. Nowe come we to the conclusion of this reason, where hée gathereth by the opinions of the Forefathers, how greate a sinne it is, to breake the vnity of the Church, or to disobey the same. But not cōtent with this conclusion, which is true, hée addeth a false position, without proofe, saying It is certayne that the Church telleth vsus, (if the voyces of all the Byshops and Learned menne in Christendome and of the supreame pa…our to, be the voyce of the church,) that the goyng to Protestantes churches, is forbidden vsus. The certeyntie of this Assertion, dependeth vponupon the necessitie of trueth, in his first supposition. But hée addeth an exception, if the voyces of all the Bi…ops and learned men in Christendome, &c, be the voyce of the Churche. But I suppose that all the bishops in Christendome hauehave not giuen their voyces y• way. For none of the Bishoppes, of the Protestantes, would giuegive their voyces, to condemne their owne Church. And many hundreth Bishops of the Orientall Churches in Europe, Africa and Asia, neuer heard of the controuersie betweene the Papistes an… Protestantes, wherefore they coulde neuer giuegive their voyces to condemne them, whose cause they neuer vnderstood of. But let it be another supposition that there are noe bishops, but such as are members of the Antichristian Church of Rome: except you will adde the third necessary supposition, that al learned men bee Papistes, or that no Protestantes are learned men, you hauehave not prooued, that the going to the Protestantes Church is forbidden by the Church. And because you speake of the voyce of the Supreame Pastour of the Churche, except you bring the voyce of Christe, your argument is to weake, to condemne the Protestantes Churche. For Saint Peter teacheth vsus, that Christ is foreign the Supreame Pastour of his Churche which hath no fellowes in office: but that the Pope shoulde bee the generall Pastour of all, whose Communion it is not lawfull to breake Hée cyteth a place out of Cyprian. epi. 55. ad Cornel. Heresies and Schismes hauehave sprong of none other cause, thē for that men do not obey Gods Prieste. And for that they doe not thinke or con…der, y• there is one only priest, who is iudge in Christes stéede for ye time: Unto whom if all the vniuersal brotherhood would obey, in diuine functions no man would moue any thing against the Colle…ge, of priests, neyther after ye iudgemēt of God, the suffrage of the people, y• bishops consent once put downe in any matter, would any man dare to make himselfe a Iudge of the Bishop, and consequently of God: nor by breaking vnit…e, teare or rēt the Church of Christ. To this authoritie I answere, that except you wil adde a fourth supposition: that Cyprian speaketh of one bishoppe in all the worlde, whiche hée sayeth of one bishoppe in eueryevery Dioces, it maketh as much for the Byshop of Rochester, as for the Byshop of Rome. For the whole argument of the Epistle declareth, that hée speaketh of herelickes and scismatikes, that in scisme were made byshops in his owne Church, & in other me…s Churches, and when they were of them reiected, or for their crymes deposed, sought approbation of the Byshop of Rome, and other Prelates beyond the sea. As his wordes are manifest. Post ista adhuc insuper, After these thinges, hauing made them a false Byshop by heretikes, they dare bée bolde to sayle, beyond the Sea, and to cary prophane letters fr…m Schismatiks, vntounto the Chayre of Peter, and that principall Churche, from whence the vnitie of priestood arose, and not to consider that they are Romaines, whose fayth is praysed by the commendation of the Apostle, to whome false dealyng can hauehave none accesse. Agayne, hée saith: Neque rescindere, &c. Neyther canne it vndoe the ordination rightly made, that Basilides after his crymes detected, and his conscience made bare by his owne confession, trauailing to Rome, deceaued our fellowe Byshoppe Stephanus, dwelling farre off, and being ignoraunt of the matter, as it was done, and of the trueth that hée shoulde ambytiously séeke to bee restored into his Bishopprick, from which hée was iustly deposed, &c. Fynally, it is worth nothing, for hee falsifieth the wordes of S. Cyprian in translation, Post Coepiscoporum consensum, which is after the consent of the fellow Byshops, which he tearmeth The Byshops consenrors once put down, as though Cyprian spake stil of that one Byshoppe, which is to bée obeyed in eueryevery Church, as this man s…rmiseth in the whole Church.