The By-Way, Treatise · Section 10
SECT. X. Our Aduerſaries make great boaſt of the teſtimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall, yet when they come to ſifting particular poynts, either by ſecret evaſion they decline them, or openly reiect them.
Cant. 1.7. and 6.1.TEll mee then, O thou whom my ſoule loueth, where thou feedeſt, whither is thy beloued turned ſide, that wee may ſeeke him with thee? Shall wee ſeeke him in the Fathers? Oh (ſaith Campian) If wee once name the Fathers, Camp. Rat. 5.the field is fought, the wager is won on our ſide, for they are all ours. Yea, (ſaith Briſtow) In moſt matters of Controuerſie they are ſo plain on our ſide, Briſt. Mot. 14.that it cannot with any colour bee denied, or called in queſtion. Yea Duraeus the Ieſuit claimes a peculiar intereſt in the behalfe of the Roman Church:Nos Patrū veri filii ſumus. Dur. coutr. Whitak p. 125. & 140. Wee onelyonly are the true ſonnes of the Fathers, wee doe not cite them by the halues, ſometimes allowing one part of their doctrine, ſometimes reiecting another, but we embrace them all. And for confirmation of this aſſertion, the Romaniſts in their Apologie, or Petition of Lay Catholikes, make this generall acclamation:Apolog. or Pet. of Lay Cath. 1604. cap. 4. For one place of a Father, ſometimes ill cited, ſometimes falſified, ſometimes mutilated, and ſometimes wholly corrupted, (by Proteſtants) we can produce a thouſand, not by patches and mammockes, as they doe, but whole pages, whole chapters, whole bookes, and the vniforme conſent of all the ancient Fathers, and Catholique Church.
Thus the wicked Iewes claimed Abraham for their Father; and thus the frantike Grecian claimed all the ſhips in Athens to bee his,Thraſilaus. when the poore man had leaſt intereſt in them. If Campian and his fellow Ieſuites had been liuing in the dayes of the ancient Fathers, ſurely they had been branded with the markes of heretikes for their falſe alarums: for Caroſus the Eutychian heretike, although his claime reach not to all the Fathers,Ego ſecundum expoſitionem trecentū octodecem Patrum, ſic credo &c. Concil. Chalc. Act. 4 p. 877. yet (ſaith he) according to the Expoſition of three hundred and eighteene Fathers, ſo I beleeue, and in this faith was I baptized; what ſhould ye ſay more to mee, I cannot tell. And Dioſcorus the heretike, much like the Ieſuit, makes an open outcry in the Councell of Chalcedon: Ego cum Patribus eiicior, ego defendo Patrum dogmata, ego horum habeo teſtimonia non ſimpliciter aut tranſitoriè, ſed in ipſorum libris expreſſum. Concil. Chalc. Act. 1.I hauehave the teſtimonies of the holy Fathers, Athanaſius, Gregorie, Cyril, I varie not from them in any poynt, I am throwne foorth and baniſhed with the Fathers, I defend the Fathers doctrine, I hauehave their iudgement vttered, not by chance, or vnaduiſedly, but remaining expreſſed in their books. Thus Paynims & heretikes, Iewes and Ieſuits claime Antiquitie and Vniuerſalitie in Traditions and Fathers: yea, the heretikes did glory and vaunt of the Fathers in the two famous Councels of Nice and Chalcedon, in the very preſence of the Fathers themſelues; yea Pelagius the heretike, when he diſagreed from the doctrine of the Fathers, (like a true Romaniſt, thought to aduance his owne hereſie, by magnifying the Faith of Ambroſe an ancient Father: Bleſſed St. Ambroſe (ſaith he) that Biſhop, Pelag. lib. 3. de lib. Arbitrio. q.in whoſe bookes the Roman faith eſpecially appeareth, who like a beautifull flower ſhined amongst the Latine Writers, whoſe faith and most pure vnderſtāding of the ſcriptures, the enemy himſelfe dares not reprehend. This is the very practiſe of the Romane church in theſe daies. They glory in the name of the Fathers, as if they were the true children, & only heires of their doctrine, when as in truth their chiefeſt points of faith were ſcarſe known, much leſſe beleeued de fide, in their dayes. Neither do I conceiue that the Romaniſts doe thus vaunt of the Fathers, becauſe they are fauorable to their cauſe, but becauſe they knowe the common people can learne nothing of the Fathers, but what they heare and vnderſtand from the report of their owne Prieſts.
Looke vponupon the practiſe of the greateſt champions in the Roman church: doth not Andradius, Card. Bellarmine, and Card. Caietan (contrary to the Article of the Roman Creed) decline the Expoſition of the ancient Fathers? Doth not Cardinall Baronius profeſſe that the Church of Rome doth not alwayes follow the conſent of Fathers? Doth not their owne Lyra witnes, that the ſayings of the holy Fathers are not of ſo great authoritie, Nam dicta Sanctorum Patrum nō ſunt tantae authoritatis, quin liceat contrarium tenere in tis quae per Scripturas non determinātur Lyra. in Math. 1.but that it is lawfull to hold the contrary to them, in thoſe things which are not determined by the Scriptures? Doeth not their Biſhop Canus acknowledge, that the ancient Fathers ſometimes erre, and against the ordinary courſe of Nature bring forth a monster? Canus loc. Theol lib. 7 c. 3 n. 7.Nay more, doe not their own Diuines at Doway make this publike declaration:Cum igitur in Catholicis veteribꝰ aliis plurimos feramꝰ errores, & extenuemꝰ, excuſemus, excogitato commento perſaepe negemus, & cōmodum iis ſenſum affingamus, cū opponuntur in diſputationibꝰ aut in confictionibus cum aduerſariis. Ind. Expur. Belgi…. p. 5. Edit. Antw. An 1. 1571. We beare with many errours in the old Catholike Writers, wee extenuate them, wee excuſe them, and by inuenting ſome deuiſed ſhift, we oftentimes deny them, and faine ſome commodious ſenſe for them, when they are obiected in diſputations, or conflicts with our aduerſaries? If therefore the beſt learned Romaniſts, ſometimes excuſe them, ſomtimes decline them, ſometimes condemne them, ſhall we think the Fathers are all theirs? I appeale to their owne confeſſions. Firſt, touching the words of Chriſt. Thou art Peter, and vponupon this Rocke I will build my Church. Maldonat the Ieſuite makes this confeſſion. The meaning of theſe words (viz. Mald. in Math. 16.19. p. 352.) That the Rocke is Chriſt) ſeemes not to mee to bee the true meaning, which all the Fathers thinke to be ſo, whom euer I remember to hauehave read, Hillary excepted. In like maner touching the words; Whatſoeuer thou looſeſt on earth, ſhall be looſed in Heauen, &c. he makes this publike profeſſion; I will not interpret, Idem. Ibid.that this which is heere ſpoken to Peter, is ſpoken alſo in the ſame ſenſe to the other Apoſtles, although I ſee all Interpreters to be of that mind, Communis ſententia Theologorū admittit ſimplicitèr meritū de cōdigno, quae ſentētia veriſsima eſt. Bell. de Iuſtif. l. 5. c. 16Origen onelyonly excepted. Will you hauehave inſtances without exception? It is the common ſentence of all Diuines (ſayeth Bellarmine) ſimply to admit merit of condignitie, which ſentence is moſt true. Yet their owne Fryar Walden proteſted confidently,Sicut omnes ſancti priores vſus que ad recentes Catholicos & communis ſcripſit Eccleſia. Wal. Tom. 3 de Sacram. tit. 1. cap. 7. that he was the ſounder Diuine, and more faithfull Catholike, who doth ſimply denie ſuch merit, —as all the former Saints, that is, (all the ancient Fathers) and the vniuerſall Church (vntil the late Schoolemen) hauehave written. Againe, it is the generall vote of the later Romaniſts, that the words (This is my body) are the very formall and efficient cauſe of Tranſubſtantiation: yet their owne Archb. of Caeſarea witneſſeth,Chriſtoph. li. 1. pa. 115. that all the orthodox Fathers both Greek and Latin, teach that Conſecration is made by Christs prayer and benediction, and not by thoſe words, This is my body. Laſtly, it is the generall Tenet of the Roman Church at this day, that the bleſſed Virgin was conceiued without original ſinne: in ſo much as Bellarmine profeſſeth,Inter Catholices non ſunt numerandi. Bell. de Amiſſa gra. l. 4. c. 15 they are not to be numbred amongst Catholikes that thinke the contrary: and yet their owne Biſhop Canus witneſſeth with vsus, that Sansti omnes, Sancti omnes vno ore aſſeuerarūt beatam virginē in peccato originali conceptam fuiſſe. Canus loc. Theol lib. 7 c. 1 n. 1. n. 3.All the holy Fathers, (vno ore) with one conſent affirme, the bleſſed virgin to hauehave been conceiued in originall ſinne. The Fathers then, by their good leaue, are not all theirs; & in ſome capital points, by their own confeſſions they are none of theirs, nay, they are reputed no good Catholiques by their own Tenets that teach not contrary to the Vniforme conſent of Fathers. I proceed to the examinanation of more witneſſes in the fundamentall poynts of their Roman faith. Touching the Communion in one kind,Patres & Primitiua Eccleſia populum à Cō munione calicis non prohibebant nos arcemꝰ. Aene. Syl. Epiſt. 130. it is the confeſſion of Aeneas Syluius: The Fathers in the Primitiue Church did not forbid the people to drinke of the Cup, but wee driue them from it.
Touching the doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, it is the confeſſion of Card. Cuſanus: Certaine of the ancient Fathers are found of this mind, Cuſan. exercit. lib. 6.that the bread in the Sacrament is not tranſubſtantiated, nor changed in nature.
Touching Priuate Maſſe, it is the confeſſion of Cardinall Bellarmine: Bell. de Miſſa. lib. 2. c. 9.There is no expreſſe teſtimony amongst the ancient Fathers, but it may be gathered by coniectures.
Touching Prayer & Seruice in an vnknown tongue, it is the confeſſion of Caſſander: Caſſand. Liturg. cap. 28.The Canonicall Prayers, and eſpecially the words of Conſecration, the ancient Fathers did ſo read it, that all the people might vnderſtand, and ſay Amen.
Touching Adoration of Images, it is the confeſſion of Maſſonus, a learned Papiſt:E Bibliothecâ Papirii Maſſoni …eius libellis de picturis et imaginibus. There is no example in Scriptures or Fathers, for Adoration of Images: they ought to bee taken for ornament to pleaſe the ſight, not to inſtruct the people.
Touching Indulgences, and Pardons, it is the confeſſion of Cardinall Caietan: There is no authoritie of Scriptures or Fathers, Caiet. opuſc. 16. c. 1.Greeke or Latine that bring them to our knowledge.
Touching Purgatory, it is the confeſſion of Fiſher Biſhop of Rocheſter:Roff Art. 18. contra Lutherum. Of Purgatory there is very little or no mention amongst the ancient Fathers.
Touching the number of ſeuen Sacraments, it is Bellarmines confeſſion:Bell. de effect. Sacrament. lib. 2. cap. 24. The Proteſtants ought not to require of vsus to ſhew the number of ſeuen Sacraments in Scriptures or Fathers.
Laſtly, touching the Expoſition of the Scriptures, Cardinall Baronius makes this ingenious acknowledgment:Baron. Annal. ad An. 34. nu. mar. 213. Although the holy Fathers for their great learning bee rightly termed the Doctors of the Church: yet the Catholike Romane Church doeth not follow them alwayes, and in all things, in expounding of the Scriptures.
Theſe men therefore, which ſo much magnifie the Antiquitie of their Church, and doctrine of the ancient Fathers, vponupon examination and triall of their cauſe, plainly intimate vntounto vsus, that the moſt ſubſtantiall poynts, and chiefeſt articles of the Roman Faith, were altogether vnknowne, or at leaſtwiſe did want the vniforme conſent of Fathers: And that you may yet further know, notwithſtanding they ſeemingly magnifie the Fathers amongſt the cōmon people; yet there is ſcarce any ancient Father of note, but either they cite him by the halues, or condemne him as erronious, or reiect him for a counterfet at their pleaſure. Nay more, there is ſcarce any poynt of the Roman Faith, which is not ratified and confirmed by our aduerſaries from the authorities of ſome pretended ancient Father; the which authorities vponupon other occaſions are decreed by their owne fellow Romaniſt for vpſtart and counterfet opinions: as for inſtance.
Linus the pretended ſucceſſor of St. Peter, is cited by Coccius for proofe of Purgatory: Cocc. tom. 1 l. 5. de ſanct. art. 9.VponUpon an other occaſion his fellow Bellarmine makes anſwer:Bell. de Pōt. lib. 2. c. 9. The hiſtory of Linus is truely counterfet, and therefore of no authority at all.
Pig. Hier. lib. 6. c. 6.Anacletus Epiſtles are cited by Pigghius and Stapleton for proofe of the Supremacie: Cuſan. Cō cord. Cath. li. 2. c. 34.their fellow Cardinall Cuſanus pronounceth them to be a matter of forgerie.
Primaſius vponupon the Hebrewes, is cited by Bellarmine for the Carnall preſence, Bell. li. 2. de Euch. c 31.and the Sacrifice of the Maſſe: his fellow Salmeron makes anſwer:Salm. lib. 1. de Miſſ. c. 6. Primaſius neuer wrote them, but Haymo a late Biſhop in Germany.
Rhem. in Rom. 3.20.St. Hierom vponupon the Epiſtles is cited by the Rhemiſts for Iustification by workes: Their aſſociate Bellarmine elſewhere declareth: That this booke is a ſhameleſſe counterfet, Bell. li. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 5.and hath for his Author, rather the heretique Pelagius, then ſuch an holy Father.
St. Austen de Eccleſiae dogmatibus, Rhem. in 1. Cor. 11.28.is cited by the Rhemiſts for Auricular confeſsion: Alph. haereſ. 10. tit. Bapt.Alphonſus à Caſtro denies the Tract to bee Auſtens, and condemnes it for a craftie counterfet.
Athanaſius Sermon,Bell li. 3. de Sanct. c. 16. De Sanctiſsimâ Deiparâ, is cited by Bellarmine for Inuocation of Saints: Baron. tom. 1. ad 48. num. 19.his fellow Baronius profeſſeth that the Sermon is a meere counterfet.
Anſelme in his Commentaries,Bellar. de Purg lib. 1. cap. 6. Lib. 2. de Euch. c. 36. is cited by Bellarmine for Purgatory, for the Reall preſence, for the bleſſed Virgines immaculate Conception, for Freewill: yet his fellow Poſſeuine profeſſeth,Lib. 4. de amiſſa. grat. cap. 15. Lib. 5. de grat. & lib. arbit. c. 26. Poſſeu. Appar. verbo Herucus. that one Herueus Natalis, liuing about 250 yeeres ſince, is the writer of thoſe Commentaries falſely aſcribed to Anſelme. And thus the Romaniſts reſemble bad debters, who would ſatisfie their creditors, ſome with light gold, ſome with crackt, ſome with ſoldered, ſome with counterfet; proteſting, that if they be not all Engliſh Angels, yet they bee Flemiſh: at leaſt they are ſtampt with the image of an Angel. But that which is moſt proper for eueryevery mans obſeruation (eſpecially for thoſe that ſtudy the Controuerſies of theſe times) let them peruſe the workes of their greateſt Champion Cardinal Bellarmine, and they ſhall find, as in eueryevery point of Controuerſie the Fathers are cited plentifully by him, in behalfe of the Romane faith: ſo likewiſe vponupon other occaſions, when the ſame Fathers in the ſame Tractates are produced againſt them in our behalfe, he reiects the ſame Fathers and their authorities as counterfet, and accounts them rather as children, then ancient Fathers. As for example.
Dionyſius the Areopagite is cited by Bellarmine for Inuocation of Saints, for Pugatory, Bell. lib. 1. de Sanct. cap. 19. Idem l. 1. de Purg. c. 6. Idem lib. 2. de Monach. cap. 5. Idē de confirm. l. 2. c. 7.for Monaſticall life: yet elſewhere he confeſſeth, it is vncertaine whether the booke bee St. Denys, whoſe name it beares.
Bel. de grat. & lib. arb. l. 5. c. 25. Idem lib. 2. de Pont. c. 2Clemens Recognitions is cited by Bellarmine for Freewill: yet when they are alledged againſt the Popes Succeſſion, ſhewing that Peter dyed not at Rome, hee diſclaimeth them as Apocryphall bookes.
Bell. lib. 2. de Euch. ca. 2. initio. Idē de Euch. l. 4. c. 26. Reſp.Ignatius a Greeke Father is cited by Bellarmine for Tranſubſtantiation, but when hee is produced by vsus for the Communion in both kinds, he anſwereth, that Ignatius Greeke writings are not much to be truſted to.
Bell. li. 3 de Euch. l …0. Lib. 2. de Miſſ. c. 2. Lib. 1. de Purg c. 6. Bell. li. 4. de Euch. c. 26. § Tertius locus. (v)Cyprian de Coena Domini is alleadged by Bellarmine for the Sacrifice of the Maſſe, for Purgatory, for Tranſubſtantiation: but when it is produced by vsus for the Cup to the Lay people, hee diſclaimeth the Sermon to bee Cyprians.
Abdias his workes are cited by Bellarmine for Monaſticall life: Bell. l. 2 de Mon. c. 27.yet elſewhere he confeſſeth that the learned of his owne Church hold the ſame for counterfet;Ego certe nullum ab eo teſtimonium petii. Idē de bonis oper. l. 2 c. 24. and for my part (ſaith hee) Ego nullum, &c. I hauehave had no teſtimony from him.
Amphilochius his Vita St. Baſilij is cited by Bellarmine, Bell. li. 4. de Euch c 24.to prooue the Euchariſt was giuen to the ſicke in one kinde: Haud dubio falſa vel. ſuppoſititia. Idem de Scrip. Eccle. de Amphil. Ann. 380.and yet in his Catalogue of Eccleſiaſticall Authors, he pronounceth the ſame book to be falſe and counterfet.
Damaſus Pontificall, is cited by Bellarmine for Images, Bell. li. 2. de Imag. c. 9.and to prooue, that Election of Biſhops onelyonly belongeth to the Pope: Idem lib. 1. de Cler. c. 8. Bellar de Scrip. Eccle.and yet in his Catalogue aforeſaid, hee ſaith, It is known that Damaſus was neuer the writer of that booke, but Anaſtaſius onelyonly the Maſter of the Popes Library.
Ann. 367. Bell. li. 4 de grat & lib. arb c. 14. Idem de Script Eccles an. 380 Obſeru 3 Libri non videntur eſſe S. Greg. Nyſſ. Lib. 2. de Imag. c. 28. Li. de ſcrip Eccles. ann. 290.Gregorie Nyſſen his eight Bookes De Philoſophia, are cited by Bellarmine for Freewill: yet in his Catalogue aforeſaid, he confeſſeth they ſeeme not to be the bookes of Gregory Nyſſen.
Lactantius Verſes are cited by Bellarmine for Adoration of the Croſſe: and yet he confeſſeth elſewhere, that it is doubted whether Lactantius were the Author.
Bell. li 1. de ver. Dei. ca. 14. Nec librum illum eſſe Auguſtini vt erudit fatentur. Bell. de Miſ. lib. 2. c. 12.) Ad locum.Saint Auſten is cited ad Oroſium by Bellarmine, to prooue Eccleſiasticus Canonicall Scripture: but elſewhere when he is obiected in our behalfe in that Tract, hee anſweres it is not Saint Auſtens worke, as learned men confeſſe.
Iustin Martyr, Bell lib de Bap c. 25. Idem lib. de Confir. c. 5. Idem lib. de Euch. c. 2. Idem lib. 1. de Sanct. 1. 4 § 3.his Queſtions are alleadged by Bellarmine for Vnction in baptiſme, for the Sacrament of Confirmation, for Tranſubſtantiation: but elſewhere hee declareth them to be the work of ſome new Authour, and not the workes of Iustin Martyr.
Origen in his Homilies on the Goſpels, Lib. 2. de Euch. c. 8. lib 3. de paenit. ca 7.is cited by Bellarmine for the Reall preſence, and his Homilies on the Pſalmes he cites for Auricular confeſsion: In lib. de Script Eccles.yet the one he diſclaimeth as none of Origens, the other he freely confeſſeth, it is doubted of who is the Author.
Caſsianus is cited by Bellarmine for an ancient Author,Bell de Iuſtif. l. 1. c. 13 for the poynt of Iuſtification, Idē de bon. oper. cap. 2. lib. 2.and ſet times of faſting: yet elſewhere hee acknowledgeth the booke for Apocryphall and counterfet,Bell li. 6. de lib. arb. ca. 4 § accedat. and condemned in a Roman Councell vnderunder Pope Gelaſius.
Bell li. 2. de Pont. c. 14.Euſebius, his third Epiſtle is cited by Bellarmine for the Supremacie: yet he profeſſeth elſewhere,Idem de Confirm. lib. 2. c. 7. it is not certaine who is the Author thereof.
Hee that ſhall reade theſe and many ſuch like authorities of pretended Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Religion, might at firſt ſight happily bee induced to beleeue, that all or moſt of the ancient Doctors of the Church belong to them, when as in truth our aduerſaries vſe them but as Merchants vſe their Counters, ſometimes they ſtand with them for pence, ſometimes for pounds, as they bee next and readieſt at hand to make vp their account.
Thus one while they muſter vp their forces by multitudes of authorities, as if they would make that good by number, which they want in weight. Sometimes they condemne them as counterfet, ſometimes they purge them, as if they were full of corruptions, & according to ſeuerall occaſions they hauehave their ſeuerall deuices, to produce them, or auoyd them at their pleaſure:Si conficta hiſtoria non eſt vllius authoritatis Bell. lib. 2. de Pont. cap. 9. whereas, if they bee counterfeit, (as they are confeſſed to bee) they are of no authoritie: if Catholique and Orthodoxe, they make nothing for the points in Controuerſie, as ſhall bee preſented in the next place.