Patrum non sunt regulae nec habent authoritatem obligandi that is The Writs of the Fathers are not Rules neyther haue they authoritie to astrict vs to them The reason whereof their owne Roffensis doeth render saying Nec diffitemur errasse Patres Homines enim erant sicut nos that is Neiâ—her deny wee but the Fathers haue erred for they were Men even as wee are Imo constat sayeth Bellarmine quosdam ex praecipuis eorum in quibusdam non leviter lapsos ut Hilarium vix dolores corporis in CHRISTO agnovisse Cyprianus improbabat Sacramenta tradita ab Hereticis aut Schismaticis that is Yea it is sure that some of the chiefe of them erred and that not lightlie in some things as Hilarie did who searce did acknowledge that CHRIST suffered any paine in His Bodie and Cyprian denyed that they were Sacramentes which were ministred by Heretickes or Schismatickes Item Iraeneus contendit sayeth hee CHRISTUM fere ad annum 50 pervenisse antequam passus est that is Ireâ—â—us also did holde that CHRIST almost came to bee fiftie yeares of age before Hee suffered which is flat contrarie to Scripture and S. Iohns relation who showeth that hee was baptized at 30 and at the third Passeover thereafter that hee suffered Death c. I omit their confession how manie were millenaries as also Augustines condemning of Children vnbaptized to hels fire with Ieromes errour of second marriages c. Therefore sayeth Aquinas Authoritatibus canonicae Scripture utitur sacra doctrina propriè ex necessitate arguendo authoritatibus autem aliorum doctorum Ecclesiae arguendo proâ—abiliter Innititur enâ—m fides nostra revelationi Apostolis Prophetis factae qui canoâ—â—â—cos libros scripserunt non autem revelaâ—ioni siqua fuit aliâ—s doctoribus facta vnde dicit Augustinus in Epistola ad Hieronymum Solis enim Scripturarum Libris qui canonici appellantur didici hunc honorem deferre ut nullum authorem eorum in scribendo errasse aliquid firmissime credam Alios autem it a lego ut quantalibet sanctitate doctrinaque praepolleant non ideo verum putem quia ipsi ita senserunt vel scripserint that is Holie doctrine vseth the authoritiâ— of canonicke Scripture properlie and necessarilie concluding out of them buâ—â—â— gueth onlie probablie out of the authorities of other Doctors of the Church for our fayth is grounded on that which was revealed to the Prophets and Apostles who wryte the canonicall Bookes but not to that which was revealed to anie other Doctors if any such thâ—ng was wherefore sayeth Augustine in his Epistâ—e to â—â—â—â—rome For I haue learned sayeth hee to giue this honour onlie to the Bookes of Scripture which are called Canonicke that I most firmlie belieue that no Author of any of them in their writing erred in a jet but as for others I so reade them that altho they were never so excellent eyther in godlinesse or learning yet I doe not belieue that it is true because they thought or wrote so Wherefore in Patribus legendis sayeth their Salmeron servanda videtur sententia Quintiliani qui sic scribit Neque statim inquit id legenti persuasum sit omnia quae magni Authores dixerunt utique esse perfecta nam labuntur interdum oneri cedunt indulgent ingeniorum suorum voluptati summi sunt homines tamen acciditque lectoribus ut quicquid apud ipsos reperiunt dicendilegem putant ut deteriora imitentur that is In reading of the Fathers the judgement of Quintilian would bee kept who wryteth foâ— neyther instantlie sayeth hee let the Reader bee assured that all thinges which great Authors haue sayde are everie way perfect for they erre sometyme and succumbe and giue loose reines to the pleasure of their own wits It is true they are great Authors but yet they are men and it befalleth their Readers that whatsoever they finde in them they thinke it a Law to their speaches that so they may follow the worse thinges And for a particular practise of this fore-saide direction Lyra setteth downe his owne example saying Nec debet aliquis moveri si in hoc ob opinione Hieronymi discâ—ssero nam dicta sanctorum non sunt tantae authoritatis quin liceat contrarium tenere in iis quae per Scripturas non determinantur ut ait Augustinus ad Vincentium de sanctorum doctorum scriptis hoc genus scribendi à canonicis Scripturis distinguendum est nam testimonia ex eis non depromuntur quasi non liceat aliter sentire that is Neyther should any man bee moved if I depart in this from the opinion of Ierome for the sayings of the holy Fathers are not of so great authoritie but it is lawfull to hold the contâ—arie to them in those things which are not determined by the Scriptures as Augustine sayeth to Vincentius of the writs of the holie Doctors This sort of writing is to bee distinguished from canonicke Scriptures for Testimonies are not taken out of them as if it were not lawfull to any other-wyse to thinke Now then if any Protestant say farder than the foresayde Popish Doctors avouch concerning the Fathers eyther in exposition of Scripture or other points of Faith let the most malicious Adversarie instance and the vnpartiall Reader judge and discerne CHAP. III. Hovv they reject Them all when They make not for them altho consenting in one And first In doctrinall points of Fayth BELLARMINE answering to Hermannus in the matter of Traditions layeth this as a ground Etsi enim erraverint aliqui patrum sayeth hee in quibusdam dogmatibus nunquam tamen omnes simul in eodem errore convenerunt proinde cum ostendimus omnes convenire in Traditionibus non scriptis asserendis satis efficaciter probamus in eo illos non errasse that is Albeit some of he Fathâ—rs haue erred in some points of fayth yet they never agreed all in anie one errour thereâ—ore when wee show that they all agree for the estâ—blishing of vnwritten Traditions wee pâ—oue sufficientlie that they erred not in that Salmeron yet commeth nearer and sayeth Non sunt improbanda veterum testimonia quando omnes vel fere omnes in unam sententiam conveniunt vel in uno aliquo Scripturae loco interpretando concordant quia tunc Patres certissimum inevitabile reddunt argumentum veritatis catholicae certae ac legittimae interpretationis that is The Testimonies of the Fathers are not to bee rejected when they all or almost all agree in one opinion or in the exposition of any place of Scripture because then the Fathers giue a sure and inevitable argument of catholick veritie and of a sure and lawfull exposition of Scripture And yet how they deale with Antiquitie in this point let these particulars heereafter declare FIrst in the freeing of the Virgine Maries owne conception from all originall Sinne Bellarmine is so resolute a decreeter that hee
those same Fathers agaynst them which they obtrude vnto vs as true 1. Disclayming some as counterfeyt 2. Alleadging of others That perhaps only they are so THE Rhemists call this an olde Tricke of Hereticks when they were preassed with the Testimonies of ancient Fathers to deny that those were the Authors but some others of a later age and Rose-weed the Iesuit sayth That this was a common Shift of Hereticks when they were straited with anie cleare Testimonie of Antiquitie to cry out That the booke was counterfeit or corrupt Evasionem saith Harding omnium miserrimam à ratione conjuetudine doctissimâ—rum alienissimam that is A most miserable sort of escaping saith hee and most contrarious both to Reason and Custome of the most Learned And yet notwithstanding how guiltie these Iesuiticall Impostors are of this Practise which they vpbrayde to others and how vnmindfull they are of that saying Omni vitio debet carere qui in alterum paratus est dicere let these few Examples that doe ensue testifie First Bellarmine as also the Rhemists to prooue the Pope's Supremacie as also Popish Reall presence bring their Testimonies out of S. Ambrose his Commentaries on Paul's Epistles and yet when wee object a place out of the same to proue that the Sacramentall Bread is the representatiue Bodie of CHRIST onlie Bellarmine plainlie then disclaimeth those Commentaries and saith they are not S. Ambroses Againe Bellarmine adduceth Augustine Ad Orosium against vs as the true Father to prooue Ecclesiasticus to bee Canonicall Scripture but declareth him counterfeyt when wee oppose him to him agaynst the Order of the Masse Arnobius also is brought foorth as a most ancient Father against vs in the matter of Free-will but disclaimed else-where when hee maketh against him as 〈…〉 and a miere counterfeit In like manner Augustine's Questions on the Olde and New Testament are produced against vs as Augustine's owne worke both to proue the Masse to bee a Sacrifice properlie in one place as also to be propitiatorie in another but are rejected by the same Bellarmine as counterfeit and hereticall when wee prooue out of the same That Sacraments conferre not Grace Ex opere operato Lyke-wyse Bellarmine citeth S. Basill's Questions to proue Monasticall lyfe and a man's incertayntie of his owne Salvation but when wee vrge agaynst them those same Questions agaynst their Distinction of Sinne into Veniall and Mortall he disclaymeth that book to bee Saynct Basill's but one Eustatbius Sebassenus a condemned hereticke More-over Bellarmine adduceth Saynct Cyprian's Sermon Le â—oena 〈…〉 poyntes of Poperie as Transsubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Masse and Purgatorie c. And yet when the same is objected agaynst their Mutilation of the Sacrament by taking away the Câ—p from the People he disclaymeth that Sermon to be Cyprian's but some vncertayne Author's Agayne Bellarmine produceth Chrysostome on Matthew to proue manie Popish poyntes as Monasticall lyfe Veniall sinnes Free-will Transsubstantiation Adoration of the Host and agaynst the Magistrates lawfull power in matters of Reâ—igâ—on But when wee proue out of that same Commentarie on Matthew the perfection of Scripture that the people should reade the same opposeth him in the matter of Matrimonie then he disclaymeth that worke to be Sainct Chrysostome's but some Hereticke's as hee pleaseth to style him In lyke manner Bellarmine bringeth out Clement's Recognitions for Free-will Harding bringeth him for Traditions and yet when they are alleadged agaynst the Pope's Succession to Peter proving that Peter died not at Rome then hee disclaymeth them as Apocryphall and counterfeyt Damasus lyke-wyse an ancient Pope his Pontificall is cited by Bellarmine to proue the tyme of Peter's sitting at Rome and for the setting vp of Images in Churches but is rejected as a Counterfeyt of vncertayne authoritie when out of the same wee proue that Linus whome they make Pope after Peter Clement died before Peter him-selfe so improveth the Line of their Papall Succession as false and absurd Agayne Damasus Epistles are vrged agaynst vs to proue Papall Supremacie and Popish Confirmation But are disclaymed as none of his when they are opposed agaynst Appeales to Rome Lyke-wyse Damascen is cited by Bellarmine agaynst vs to proue the Adoration of Saynctes but is disclaymed as a Counterfeyt when the absurd Tale of their Popes and other Saynctes their Freeing of Soules which were damned out of Hell is objected to them Epiphanius also his Epistle to Iohn of Ierusalem is cited by Bellarmine in the matter of the Sacrament but when the same Epistle is opposed agaynst their Images hee disclaimeth those words thereof to bee but forged and counterfeyt In lyke manner Eusebius Emissenus Homilies are cited by Bellarmine for Adoration of Reliques that Consecration is by these wordes Hoc est Corpus meum and yet are elsewhere freelie acknowledged to be none of his Ignatius also a Greeke Father is oft tymes cited by Bellarmine for sundrie poynts of Poperie as Transsubstantiation and others but when he is adduced clearlie agaynst their Mutilation of the Sacrament Bellarmine aunswereth That Ignatius Greeke Wrytinges are not much to bee trusted to Agayne Martialis as Christe's owne Disciple is produced by Bellarmine for the Vow of Chastitie and other poyntes and yet in his Recognitions hee acknowledgeth both Abdias booke and Martialis to bee miere Counterfeyts and of no Authoritie Lyke-wyse Synopsis Dorothei is cited by Bellarmine to prooue Peter's sitting at Rome as Bishop of that Citie but when the same Synopsis is produced prooving That it was not Peter but rather Barnabas that founded that Church hee dâ—sclaymeth that booke then as full of Lies and Forgerie After the lyke manner hee disclaymeth that booke of Pope Gelasius agaynst Eutyches as none of his when he is cited clearly against Transsubstantiation altho hee bee so styled Romanus Episcopus in their owne Bibliotheca Patrum and that their Massonius lyke-wyse in the lyues of the Popes comming to Gelasius maketh mention of this worke And no lesse causelesse also disclaymeth hee with a shamelesse fore-head the foure bookes of Charles the Great agaynst Images as lyke-wyse that Epistle of Vdalricus to Pope Nicolas agaynst forced Continencie alleadging those former to bee none of theirs and that onelie because they make agaynst him I omit the lyke answere of Gretzer to Athanasius Synopsis agaynst Apocryphall Bookes Of Parsons to Elentherius Epistle to Luciâ—s agaynst the Pope's temporall Supremacie Of the same Parson 's impudent lyke answere to Bertram's booke agaynst Transsubstantiation Of Harding's disclayming also Hilarius Epistle to his Daughter Afra agaynst forced Continencie Of Baronius lyke rejecting of Pope Leo's Epistle which proveth That Pope Honorius was an Hereticke And Of Dureus disclayming that Testimonie of Saynct Bernard's
men and Catholicke-instructed doe wonder and admire Agayne thus saith Sixtus Senensis of Fisher late B. of Rochester In the aboundance of Learning sayth he and sinceritie of Godlinesse and in constancie of mynde Cuiqueue ex sanctissimis acerrimis Ecclesiae propugnatoribus merito comparandus that is Worthilie to bee compared with anie who-so-ever of the most holie Fathers and most cowragious Defenders of the Church In lyke manner thus sayeth Pererius of his Fellow Tostatus A man sayeth hee surelie not onelie for the multitude of Wrytinges but also for the subtiltie and rypnesse of Wit gravitie of Iudgement and excelling in sundrie kyndâ— of Learning Antiquis illis magnisque patribus doctoâ—ibus merito annumerandus that is Who is worthilie to bee numbered with the ancient Fathers and great Doctors of the Church Next for preferring their newe Doctors to the most auncient Fathers let their bishop Fisher testifie vvho sayeth That it cannot be obscure vnto anie that manie things as well in the Gospels as in the rest of the Scriptures are now more exquisitelie discussed by later Wryters and more clearlie vnderstood than they haue bene heere-to-fore Againe when Frier Stella hath rejected the Exposition of all the Fathers on Luke 10 21 hee sayeth That tho it bee farre from him to condemne the common Exposition given by the ancient Fathers yet hee knoweth verie well that Pigmeis beeing put vpon Giants shoulders doe see farther than Giants them-selues Like-wise when the Iesuit Salmeron getteth the whole Fathers as Erasmus showeth in his Teeth against the conception of the Virgine Marie without original Sinne in their exposition of Rom. 5 12 yet hee answereth That the whole devotion towardes the Mother of God did not consist in Bernard Bonaventure and other Fathers for she had manie then as shee hath now better knowne to her selfe that were of the contrarie minde then they were knowne to the World and there-after hee concludeth in favours of the new Romish Clergie saying Quo Iuniores â—o perspicaciores esse Doctores that is That the later their Doctors bee that they are the more wittie and clearer sighted In like manner in another Question of great moment Whether the Law of Moses concerning Degrees forbidden in Marriage belong to Christians where-in from the authoritie of ancient Fathers affirming the same when the Church of Rome is attainted as patrons of Incest by her Dispensations with such forbidden Degrees the Author of Apologia tumultuaria answereth heer-in thus Let the Fathers sayeth hee haue their owne reverence c. But I dare say that the more recent Divines in manie places are more pertinent and pithie yea more exquisite diligent watchfull And even so sayth Costerus That as the Church is grown now in number so is the same in Learning and Sharp-sightednesse CHAP. XII By what partiall absurd Rule the Romanists do admit or reject the Testimonies of Fathers FIrst for clearing here-of sufficientlie Bellarmine giveth evidence who amongst the diverse Expositions of Fathers others vpon that place of the Romanes 14 5 which sayth One man esteemeth one day aboue another taketh that onelie and admitteth as true Quae nobis maxime faveâ— sayth he that is Which most favoureth our side being heere-in like Faustus the Manichean who by this Rule admitted some Apostolicall Writs rejected others Qula hoc pro me sonat sayde hee illud nequaquam that is Because this maketh for me and the other not so Partiall Iniquitie but not precious Veritie and no wise the loue of the Trueth but selfe-loue bearing the whole swey Againe whether the same vnction bee meaned Marke 6 and Iames 5 in this point for defence of extreame vnction to be by Christ's institution Bellarmine rejecteth the judgement of Beda Theophylact and OEcumenius who are contrarie to his mynde he receiveth a newer Exposition of their owne Divines saying of the same Miâ—i saue eo nomine gratior est quia video Lutherum Calvinum Chemnitium in priori opinione that is Surelie this Exposition is the better liked by mee because I see Luther Calvine and Chemnitius of the first opinion Thus is our consent with Antiquitie wee see a sufficient ground to them of dissenting there-from direction of Reason not inducing but distraction of Affection seducing them from the Trueth In like manner Maldonat on the sixt of Iohn giving an Exposition of the 63 verse saith I deny not saith hee that I haue no Author before me of this Exposition Sed bane eo magis probo quam illam alteram Augustini caeterâ—rumque alioquin probabilissimaâ— quod haec cum Calvinistarâ—m sensu magis pugnet that is But I approoue this Exposition the rather preferre it before the other of S. Augustine's and the other Ancients altho other-wise the same bee most probable and lykliest to bee the true meaning because this Exposition fighteth or is more contrarie to the meaning of the Calvinists Thus wee see Faction not Affection to the Trueth Prejudice not sound Iudgement and the hatred of persons and not the regard of Cause simplie so in these to prevaile that we may loose hope that wee can availe them THE SECOND BOOKE OF COUNSELS CHAP. XIII As the Romanists deale with the Fathers so how they manie vvayes deale injuriouslie vvith ancient Councels 1. By adding to them AS for the Tomes of Councels in the generall thus farre doeth Bellarmine ingeniouslie coÌ„fesse Quod Libri Conciliorum negligenter conservati sâ—nt sayeth hee multis vitiis scatent that is That the bookes of the Councels being negligentlie kept doe indeed abound with manie Errours And so howe sure reasoning in matters of Fayth can bee now out of their Canons for most part may easilie bee seene And of the truest and most vnsuspect Canons of the most ancient Councels most impudentlie doeth Bellarmine professe speaking thus of that most famous Councell of Chalcedon which their Pope Gregorie did reverence as one of the foure Gospels That the Canons thereof had not authoritie with them Nisi quatenus sunt renovati sayth hee à Romanis pontificibus that is But in so farre as they are renewed by the Popes of Rome In particular therefore to show how this Fyning and Forging is practized in the Romane Mint before the Canons of Councels passe for currant Money in the Papall Kingdome wee will first instance their Popish Patching and adding to the same A notable Example where-of wee haue in that fact of Pope Zozimus who added to that famous first Councell of Nice a Canon in his owne favours whose Fraude was detected his Pryde checked and his Vsurpation prevented by that famous Councel of Carthage which standeth vp yet in the faythfull Records thereof as a Clowde of Witnesses to testifie the same even vnto this day Next whereas the fourth Councell of Carthage decreeth expresselie That no Woman baptize yet not-with-standing for mayntayning their Popish Practise in the contrarie they haue added as Bellarmine
the Apostles Preachings And in a word Reserving to GOD and sacred inspyred Scripture their prerogatiue royall wee protest that wee afford as much authoritie as Pietie will permit Reason require Equitie admit or themselues doe desire So farre are wee from vilifying Antiquitie disdaining the Fathers contemning of Councels or rejecting their Authorities as most impiouslie we are belied and more impudentlie slandered by those who are of alike temper in their Faces as Nebuchadnezar's Image was in his yron legs being suteable of a whorish fore-head that cannot bee ashamed who are the supporters of that Whoore of Babylon While as they as shal be showne God-willing eyther contradict openlie castrate craftilie vilifie disdainfullie reject contumeliouslie corrupt wilfullie counterfeit audaciouslie or glose shameleslie and slander injuriouslie not onelie Fathers severallie but the most innocent proceedings in the first and most famous Councels 3. Of Historie ANd as for Histories the Vnfolder of Prophecie the Light of Times the Lyfe of Memorie the Eternizer of Actions the Glasse of Sufferings Detecter of Trueth wee admit the same more than our Adversaries dimit them as probable Witnesses with farre lesse Injurie wherein wee clearlie see that Sainct Peter and his true Successours were never more busie to found Reâ—igion than his pretended Successours at Rome haue bene there-after to confound Religion on the ruines thereof to ground their usurpation which made their owne Author of Fasciculus temporum to cry out of the 900. yeare of GOD that in that most wicked time and in the Papall Seat both Pietie and Veritie was altogether decayed and Platina to say Quod eo tum Pontificatus devenerat ut qui plus largitione ambitione valeret is tantummodo dignitatis gradum bonis oppressis rejectis obtineret that is that at that time the Popedome came to that passe that hee who was able to doe most by bryberie and ambition good men being borne downe and rejected did onlie obtaine the place of honour Thus is made plaine the falling of that Starre from Heaven to whome was given the Key of the bottomlesse Pit Thus did that Beast rise out of the Earth horned like the Lambe but speaking lyke the Dragon and aspire both to such matchlesse power and pompous pryde Thus began that Whoore to sit on manie Waters and that Mother of Harlots to make the Earth drunke with the Wine of her Fornications beeing drunke her selfe with the Blood of the Saincts Thus out of cleare Storie we see how what budded both in Demas and Diotrephes had its perfection in the Apex of the Papacie never ceasing till that which before was a preaching Church became thereafter a pompous Court and those whose Predecessours were made Martyres became themselues by cruell massacring Martyr-makers So that as in the first period of the Church there was trueth and patient suffering against Satans force with holie simplicitie and in the second there was learned and pithie wrestling against Satans fraud by errour and Heresie So in the third poysonable corruption entred in the Romane Church by Pelfe and Pryde Mammon and Monarchie till at last Sodomiticall ease and fulnesse of Bread bred tyrannous securitie which being joyned with Craftinesse and obstinacie doth now with bloodie crueltie and impudencie fill vp the Cup and summe vp the Mysterie All which is made manifest by their owne Friends and Favourers who howsoever they be the brood of their Bowels yet like Vipers who discover the bowels of their venomous Mother so these declare the lamentable decay of the light of religious Trueth vnder the cloud of Papacie and the worlds dolefull declyning to that palpable and mistie darknesse of ignorance and Apostacie They likewise detect the Schismes and Simonies of the Romane Church the pride and prevailing of that Apostaticke Synagogue the craft and crueltie of that brutish Beast the licentious luxurie of that lustfull Harlot the cloaked hypocrisie of that false Prophet with the damnable entries desperate liues dreadfull deathes of those men of Sinne Sometimes a Whoore possessing the Seate of that Whoore of Babylon as wee reade of Pope Ioane Sometimes a Whoore obtaining that Seate to her filthie Whoore-master as wee reade of Theodora advancing Iohn X. Sometimes the Whoorish Bastard of a Pope and a Whoore sitting therein as Iohn XI procreated betweene Sergius III. and Marozia Meretrix famosissima a most notorious Whoore sayeth Onuphrius Sometimes by Monsters for filthinesse and all sort of Vice as Iohn XII Steven VII Sylvester III. Bennet IX Sometimes entring by pactioÌ„ with the Devill as Sylvester II. Sometimes by Simonie or violent intrusion as wee see was common by Histories consent and sometimes by such craftie cousenage as wee see in Boniface VIII who entred lyke a Foxe lived like a Lyon and died like a Dog saith their owne Fasciculus All these Witnesses of their owne wee produce faithfullie wee desire them to bee heard indifferentlie acknowledging their pens by GODS providence to haue beene guided carefullie and for them wee thanke the LORD for their detection of veritie But how they are of late belied in their Works disgraced in their Writs rejected in their Testimonies and vilified by our Adversaries the Reader may heereafter see and the peruser consider CHAP. II. What the Romanists say of all the Fathers and Ancients in generall both in exposition of Scripture and Dogmaticall pointes of Fayth HOwsoever Thrasonicklie their great Goliaâ— Bellarmine doth brag of the consent of Antiquitie with them in everie point of controversie saying to vs Vos nihil aliud fere afferre soletis quam vestram ipsorum interpretationem Nos vero patrum consensum that is You vse to bring no other thing almost but your owne interpretation but wee bring the consent of the Fathers And howsoever hee slanderouslie vpbraideth vs saying Adversarij parum aut nihil tribuunt patribus imo nihili faciunt mille Cyprianos mille Augustinos that is Our Adversaries giue little or no credit to the Fathers yea they count nothing of a thousand Cyprians and a thousand Augustines forgetting himselfe when else-where for communion of the Cup to all hee sayeth Multa loca Adversarij ex patribus citant that is Our Adversaries cite manie places of the Fathers for them yet notwithstanding what hee especiallie sayeth of them all in generall and thereafter how hee and others dealeth with them in particular both severallie one by one conjunctlie conveaned in Counsell wee shall heereafter God willing declare First then speaking of their interpretation of Scripture he sayeth as much as anie Protestant affirming that they expone Scripture More Doctorum solum non Iudicum ideoque sententiam eorum non necessariò sequendam sed quatenus ratio suadeo that is As Doctors only and not as Iudges therefore the Sentence is not necessarilie to be followed but so farre as reason perswadeth Next speaking of their other writtes of dogmaticall pointes of Faith hee sayeth Scripta
the Monks of Weingart and Bellarmine's own Testimonie of their forging of Chrysostome's Homilies on Marke cited by the Rhemists for monasticall lyfe Againe in the works of Fulbertus B. of Chartres published at Paris anno 1608 fol. 168 are set downe these words of Augustine Vnlesse yee eate saith Christ the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his Blood yee shall haue no lyfe in you Facimus vel flagitum videtur jubere figura ergo est dicet haereticus praecipiens passioni Domini esse communicandum c. That is Hee seemeth to command a great wickednesse it is therefore a figure will the Hereticke say requyring vs onely to communicate with the Lord's Passion and sweetly and profitably to lay vp in our memorie that His flesh was crucified and wounded for vs. Remarke then how the publisher hath put in of his owne these wordes dicet Haereticus into Augustine's Testimonie cited by the fore-saide Fulbertus and by so doing thinking to meete with the Hereticks of this time as hee calleth vs was not a-ware that hee made Augustine lyke-wyse an Hereticke for Companie whose verie words these are and no other mans Lib. de doct Christ. cap. 16. Like-wise Gratian relating the second Councell of Cavaillon their words concerning Confession setteth them downe thus Quidam veve sacerdotibus confitenda esse percensent ut tota fere sancta Ecclesia That is But some are of mynde that our sinnes are to bee confessed vnto the Priest as almost the whole holie Church thinketh But that these wordes ut tota fere sancta Ecclesia are favourablie added for Popish Confession to insinuate that the same was a catholicke doctrine and practise in the Church then not onlie the preceeding wordes comprehending the whole Greeke Church their minde in the contrarie verefieth Qui Deo solummodo confiteri peccata dicunt saith the Canon That is Who sayth that sinnes should bee confessed onelie to God but also the Note vpon this place of their Canon Law latelie published by Gregorie the 13 freelie granteth that these words ut tota fere sancta Ecclesia are added and are not neither in the Capitular nor Councell What forged and farsed Additions like-wise are everie-where through-out S. Cyprian's workes put in by that impudent Patcher Pamelius let that Edition of his of S. Cyprians workes conferred with ancient Copies as Gulartius hath verie well observed them to all men testifie one example where-of I will onelie instance of the alleadgeance of a testimonie of S. Cyrian's of that Edition adduced for the Pope's Supremacie in a written Popish Pamphlet sent of late to a Brother of our Presbyterie to answere vnto and which for evidence of the trueth there-of wee yet keepe beside vs containing foure grosse Additions even in one onelie Testimonie besides a most fraudfull Alteration of most materiall words The Testimonie then or S. Cyprian printed amongst them-selues of olde as I haue the Booke to exhibite is thus The Lord speaketh thus to Peter sayeth Cyprian I tell thee sayeth Christ that thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church c. And Hee sayeth vnto him againe after His Resurrection Feed My Sheepe And albeit after His Resurrection marke this he gaue a-like power to all His Apostles and said As My Father sent Mee so sende I you receiue the holie Ghost to whom ye forgiue sinnes they shall be forgiven c. Yet that Hee might manifest that vnitie should bee amongst them by His authoritie Hee disposed it so that the beginning of this Vnitie should bee at one yet were the rest of the Apostles the verie same as was Peter remarke this againe endued with alike fellowship both of Honour Power but a beginning proceedeth from Vnitie that it may bee showne that Christ's Church is one Thus we may see that this Testimonie sincerelie cited and considered maketh no wayes for Peter's Supremacie of Iurisdiction over the rest of the Apostles or the Pope's as his Successor over all other Bishops but is flat agaynst the same seeing it is sayde That the rest were the same as hee was and all had the a-lyke or equall power as hee had But this fore-sayde Testimonie as it is clowted and clamped and by him who out of his Pamelius hath cited and set downe the same with his owne hand is thus Loquitur Dominus ad Petrum c. that is The Lord speaketh thus to Peter saith Cyprian I say vnto thee sayeth Christ that thou art Peter and vpon this Rockâ— I will build my Church c. And Hee sayeth to him agayne Feede my Sheepâ— Super illum unum aedificat Ecclâ—siam 〈◊〉 illi pâ—scendas mandat oves suas that is Vpon him alone did Christ build His Church and to him onelie recommended Hee His Sheepe to bee fed This is the first Addition to this Testimonie And al-be-it sayeth Cyprian after His Resurrection Hee gaue equall power to all His Apostles and sayeth As my Father sent mee so send I you and to whom yee forgiue their sinnes they shall bee forgiven c. Yet that Hee might manifest that Vnitie that should be amongst them Vnam Cathedram constituit that is He appointed one only Chayre to bee sayth the clowting Tinker And by His authoritie He disposed it so sayeth Cyprian that the beginning of this Vnitie should bee at one yet were the rest of the Apostles the verie same as was Peter endewed with the lyke Priviledge Honoris Potestatis sayeth Cyprian that is of Honour and Iurisdiction But Honoris Dignitatis sayth our metamorphosing Exchanger nimirum ante illa verba Christi ad B. Petrum Pasâ—e Oves meas that is And the rest of the Apostles had this honour of equall dignitie onelie before these wordes of Christ were spoken to Peter saying Feede my Sheepe This is the third new Patch But a beginning proceedeth from Vnitie sayeth Cyprian primatus Petro datur that is And the Primacie is given to Peter sayeth our false Recorder in Cyprian's name that Christ's Church may bee showne to bee one sayeth Cyprian Et cathedra una monstretur that is And that lyke-wyse one Chayre to wit of Infallibilitie may bee demonstrate sayeth this monstrous Mungrell Thus haue they sowne in their Tares in anothers Fielde thus also haue they put in their Colloquintida in the Pottes of the Lord's Prophets and the Asse hath joyned to plow with the Oxe together And by so doing they haue made the workes of manie ancient and worthie Wryters lyke Hermophrodites which are hardlie knowne to which Sexe they inclyne most joyning their newe Clowt to the others graue Garment and so marring both Colour and Credit of the whole Vesture Secondlie examples of Popish purging from the Fathers AS in the former Examples we haue seene their illicite Lincie-wolsie mixture of Addition So wee will show now God willing how these cunning Arithmeticians are as perfect in their manner of Substraction and so cannot
who would haue Mothered her dead Chylde vpon her who truelie did owe the living So haue they Fathered their Bastardlie Brood vpon the LORD'S Worthies as if they had beene their legittimate seed and brought them with-in the Sanctuarie Vt ementitis titulis fidem authoritatémque erroribus suis conciliarent as sayeth Senensis that is That by their counterfeyt Titles they might conciliate trust and authoritie vnto their owne Errours and which practise of bringing vp such deluding Counterfeytes for true Samuels Erasmus showes was so ryfe in the tyme of the seventeenth Generall Councell when Errour began to prevayle that hee sayeth Scatebant omnia libris falso celebrium virorum titulo commendatis that is All places were full of Bookes set foorth vnder the false Title of excellent Mens Names The Devill having begun this Practise even in the Apostles owne tymes when the Mysterie of Iniquitie began to worke which made the Apostle Paul to bee therefore so carefull to fore-warne the Thessalonians That they should not bee deceived neyther by worde or alleadged Tradition nor by Writ as from him that is by counterfeyt Epistles in his name to belieue the Lord's Day to bee then at hand And which Practise wee see continued after the Apostles dayes most perniciouslie Therefore the Arrians wrote a Letter to Constantine vnder the name of Athanasius the Eutychians also a Letter agaynst Cyrillus Alexandrinus beeing dead vnder the name of Theodoret and the Maniâ—heans and others manie Bookes some Fathered on Adam some on Enoch â—ome on the Apostles and Disciples of Christ and some on Christ Himselfe vvho were rejected as Augustine sayeth Non quod eorum qui Deo placuerunt reprobetur authoritas sed quod ista non credantur esse ipsoâ—um that is Not that the authoritie of such Men who haue pleased God is rejected but because it is believed that those are not the workes of such Men but of other men sayeth Beda vnder those mens names But the last tho not the least craftie Counterfeyts and Corrupters that ever Satan prevayled by for erecting his kingdome of Darkenesse and a Throne to the Vicar of his Power was that Locust brood which came out of the bottomlesse Pit even that numerous and noysome swarme of Monks other Popish Clergie to whome I may say as Ierome sayde to Ruffinus for preassing to substitute a certayne Arrians Booke for Theophilus Martyr In the Day of Iudgement consider what they will answere to the Complayntes of such holie Men Whose Reverend Names they haue so Roguishlie abused vnto most wicked purposes AN APPENDIX For discerning of Counterfeyts FIrst there are 30 Epistles or there-about of ancient Romane Bishops obtruded vnto vs for the Pope's Supremacie and other Popish Errours vvhich to bee altogether counterfeyt heere-by may bee knowne 1. By the matter contained in them of pleading for Supremacie which was never so much as once thought vpon by those holie Bishops as their owne Duaren out of ancient Records testifieth and concludeth saying Nec dubium est quin vetustiores sancteorâ—sque urbis Romae Episcopi sede Ecclesiaque propria contenti â—eâ—quis Episcopis Ecclesiarum ipsis commissarum liberam administrationem reliquerint quasi urbis unius magis quam orbis Episcopi that is It is no doubt but that the more ancient and holie Bishops of Rome contenting them-selues with their owne proper Seat and Church did leaue to other Bishops the free administration of their Churches in like manner as being Bishops rather of one Citie than of the whole World to wit by the new and now claimed vniversall Supremacie A Pope of their owne testifying likewise that before the Councell of Nice small respect vvas had to the Church of Rome but everie Bishop lived to himselfe and as the same Duaren and Cardinall Cusanus testifieth it beeing but later that the Bishops that succeeded those did farre transgresse those limits of ancient Moderation Next those Epistles are farced vvith the injunction of an heape of Ceremonies vvhich were not not onlie in their times heard of but a long time after in the Church of CHRIST as Augustine and Rbenanus witnesseth and the reason vvhere-of their owne Salmeron giveth to bee this Quia primitivi magis essentialibus fidâ—i plantandis quam ceremoniis vacabant that is Because the primitiue Bishops did vake more and â—ooke care to plant the essentiall Doctrines of Faith than to plant Ceremonies in the Church of CHRIST 2. By the manner or forme of speach vsed in them as by a cleare Shibboleth they may bee discerned counterfeyt beeing written in such a barbarous sort of Diction vvhich was no wayes to bee heard especiallie amongst such learned Bishops as then vvere in Rome the Latine Language in those times being there as it were at the Fountaine head pure terse and neate in the mouthes of all Men. 3. Their Style is all one which never hapneth to bee so vvithout diversitie amongst diversitie of Wâ—â—ters except these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onlie vvho vvere the Spirits Pen men of Sacred and holie Scripture where one was onlie Indyter altho the Scribes were diverse 4. There is no alleadgeance of them in the most famous Councels by anie Romane Bishops or their Deputies where either Lawes were made against anie such Supremacie as in the Councels of Constantinople Chalcedon and Ephesus or where hottest contestation was for anie such either by the Bishop of Rome for himselfe as in the fact of Zozimus at the Councell of Carthage or in the impugning the vsurpatioÌ„ of it by another as in the writings of Gregorie is apparent against the Patriarch of Constantinople 5. There is no mention of those Epistles in the works and writings of the most ancient and primitiue Doctors that either lived then or a long time there-after in the first 400 yeares aboue which doubtlesse if anie such had beene they had not escaped so their notice nor they omitted some-where and vpon some occasions to made mention thereof Secondlie for discerning betweene the true vvrytinges of Fathers and those that are counterfeyt and palliate vnder their names 1. The diversitie of the Stile discovers the diversitie of the writers to a judicious Remarker so that as Augustine speaketh of Cyprian saying Cypriani stylus habet propriam quandam faciem qua possit agnosci that is Cyprian's Style hath a certayne proper Face or resemblance where-by it may bee knowne Even so the verie lyke may bee sayde of others And by this Note of Cognisance Bellarmine him-selfe maketh sequestration of sundrie Patches from the other Workes of ancient Wryters whose name they pretende 2. The grosse Slips which are found in those counterfeyt Additions show that they goe masked onelie vnder false Titles which proceedeth from Ignorance or neglect of computation of Tymes and those Slips are eyther in nomination of persons or recording of Heresies or mentionating of Actions By the first sorte are discovered Iustinus Questions to bee