not a manifest applying of the words to the matter proposed to be occupied That wee would make the simple beleeue that no punishment of a mans owne person for sinnes committed nor penance enioyned by the Church is necessarie but all such things to be superfluous because Christ hath satisfied ynough for al 2. Corinth 2. Sect. 2. This is a malicious slaunder Wee affirme in deede that no punishment laid vpon any mans person either by himselfe or by the Church is any satisfaction to the iustice of God for our sinnes because Christ onely was able and hath made such satisfaction yet temporall punishment for chastisement ecclesiasticall discipline for satisfaction of the Church and amendment of open offenders are necessarie by the ordinance of Gods worde and in our Church are practised Fulk ibid. They saye that Luther Caluine and such wicked Libertines as it pleaseth them to terme vs do teach that Contrition is altogether a meane to make sinners eyther hypocrites or to put them in despaire Annotat. 2. Corinth 7. Sect. 3. Wee speake onely against the Popish heresie of penance or sorrowe to be satisfactorie for sinne and not against such sorrow which worketh true repentance and true contrition for all their sinnes past That wee refuse all mans attestation and approbation and will bee tryed by Scriptures onely and that wee count it a great absurditie to haue the Scriptures approued by the Churches testimonie Galath 2. Sect. 4. But wee affirme no such thing neither doe wee refuse to bee tryed by men iudging according to the Scriptures The approbation of the Scriptures by the Church wee allowe but wee count it a great absurditie that the authoritie of the Scripture shoulde depende vppon the Churches approbation and tryall which is the thing in question betweene vs. That wee teach that the charge of the Apostles was so distinct that none could preach or exercise iurisdiction but in those seuerall places which by Gods appointment or their lot for more particular regard of peace and orders sake were limited to euery one Galath 2. Sect. 6. But we teach contrariwise That euery one of the Apostles had as large and as generall authoritie as the other and that any of the Apostles by their commission might lawfully haue preached at Rome as well as Peter or Paul But after this distinction was made by God it was not lawfull for the Apostles to leaue or forsake their special charges and to intrude them selues into anothers limits as Saint Paul saith wee do not stretch our selues beyond our measure 2. Corinth 10. 14. That we haue no other arguments against the reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament but such as wee borrow of Aristotle and his like concerning quantitie accidents place position dimensions sight taste and other straites of reason to the which they bring Christes mysteries Coloss. 2. 1. We haue other arguments out of holie Scripture and the auncient writers Neither haue wee any arguments out of Philosophie but such as are grounded vpon the Scriptures which teach the perfect humanitie of Christ and all essentiall properties of a true and naturall bodie They say wee applie that text of Saint Paul Hee that will not labour let him not eate 2. Thessal 3. 2. against the vacant life of the Clergie Annot in hunc locum But wee require no such thing as to labour with the hands of such of the Clergie as labour in studie and teaching Against the idle life of Monkes Nunnes Friers and the rest of that crue as also against idle Masse-priests this text is strong That we hold nothing to be necessarie to saluation but the Scriptures 2. Timoth. 3. Sect. 3. We hold no such thing for so wee should exclude Christ him selfe as vnnecessarie to saluation But we affirme that the Scripture containeth all things necessarie to be learned to saluation and this is the true state of the question That wee plainly denie Melchisedech to haue bene a Priest Hebr. 7. Sect. 8. Here without shame they slaunder vs. This wee neuer denied neither by Gods grace will euer though we affirme that his Priesthood consisted not in offering of bread and wine neither doth the Apostle or any text of Scripture so teach They charge vs with this heresie That Christ was not the first man that entred into heauen Hebr. 10. Sect. 1. They belie vs to say we holde that Christ was not the first man that entred into heauen with his bodie or whole humanitie as the text is Hebr. 10. 20. And that dedicated and prepared away for all his members to enter into heauen both with their bodies and their soules by vortue of whose death all the faithfull from the beginning were receiued into heauenly rest in their soules That we will haue no difference betweene the laitie and the Clergie 1. Pet. 5. Sect. 2. It is false which here they obiect against vs. Wee onely mislike their Popish difference who do in such sort set apart their Clergie from the rest of the people as though they onely were the Lords lot and inheritance the rest excluded That we say the Scriptures be so easie that they may be not only safely read but also expounded boldly of all the people as wel vnlearned as learned and consequently euery one by himselfe and his priuate spirite without respect of the expositions of the learned fathers or expectation of their pastors iudgement may determine make choice of such sense as himselfe liketh 2. Pet. 3. Sect. 1. All these are great vntruthes In deede we do hold that the people may safely be admitted to the reading of the Scriptures though we denye not but that there are certain places therein hard to be vnderstoode yet we giue them not libertie to expound scripture as themselues listeth not staying for the iudgement of their pastors For we plainly protest that whosoeuer despiseth the ordinarie Ministerie of the word which God hath established in his Church for the direction of vs in the truth shal neuer attaine vnto true knowledge As for the expositions of the fathers we are so far from reiecting them where they interprete according to the sense of the Scriptures that they do in a manner anow all our interpretations which you mislike That wee affirme that wee neither keepe neither possiblie can keepe Gods commandements 1. Iohn 2. Sect. 7. Wee say not so but that we can not keep them in such perfection as the iustice of God requireth though by his grace we doubt not but we are enabled in such measure to keepe them as his mercie in Christ accepteth Fulk ibid. Thus wee see with how many slaunders our countrimen of Rhemes doe vnkindly charge and load vs withal neither are these all more who pleaseth may collect out of that blacke booke of theirs The want of the rest which I haue not here set downe I will supply out of another countrey-mans booke of ours to whome we are much beholding for afoording of vs such plentie of so good stuffe First
Pardons are not knowen to vs by the authoritie of the Scriptures but by the authoritie of the Church Bishops of Rome Apostoli quaedam scripserunt non vt scripta illa praeessent fidei religioni nostrae sed potius vt subessent The Apostles wrote certaine things not that their writings should be aboue our faith religion but rather that they should be vnder Albert. Pigghius Hierarch lib. 1. cap. 2. Gratian is not ashamed to say that the Canons of the Councels are of the same authoritie with the Scriptures distinct 20. can decretales And Gregorie 1. epist. 24. saith he doth reuerence the 4 generall Councels as the 4 Euangelistes Yea our Rhemists are not ashamed to protest that whatsoeuer the pastors Priests do teach in the vnitie of the Church is the worde of God 1. Thessal 2. v. 12. So saith another Determinatio ecclesiae appellatur Euangelium The determination of the Church is called the Gospell Iohannes Maria Uerractus editus an 1561. And Hosius quod ecclesia docet expressum Dei verbum est whatsoeuer the Church teacheth meaning the Church of Rome it is the expresse word of God lib. de express verb. Dei p. 97. Thus they make the decrees ordinances of men equall to Gods worde nay aboue it vt suprà loc 8. It was obiected against certaine good Christians by D. Benet Chauncellor to Fitziames bishop of London that vpon a certaine night they did read certaine Chapters of the Euangelistes in English containing in them diuers erronious and damnable opinions conclusions of heresie Fox pag. 804. Here behold with Papists the Scripture containeth heresie Eckius thus said before the Emperour at the citie of Wormes turning him selfe to Luther if he may once get this aduantage to be conuinced by the Scriptures we shall haue nothing certaine and established in Christendome Fox P. 851. Lo the Scriptures with Papists breedeth vncertaintie of matters An. 1553 the Kings Lieuetenant at Lyons vttered these horrible blasphemies vnto Lodouicus Marsacus martyr of the 4 Euangelistes but two were pure Mathew and Iohn the other two Marke Luke were but gathered out of the other The Epistles of S. Paul further saith hee but that the Doctors of the Church had authorised them hee would otherwise esteeme them no better than the fables of Aesop ex Crisp. pantat Fox pag. 908. So also said Hermannus a blasphemous Papist that the Scripture should be of no more credite than Aesops fables without the approbatiō of the Church Which his saying is defended by Hosius lib. 3. de authoritat scriptur to be godly spoken The said Lieuetenant to a maiden speaking somewhat of the lawe vttered these blasphemous words Cursed be the God of that law ibid. Fox pag. 908. What more vile blasphemie could any of the diuelish sect of the Manichees haue spued out The Bishop of Cauaillon in France examining certaine Christians of Merindoll was angrie with them when they made mention of some demonstration to be made out of the word of God and in a furie cursed and gaue him to the diuel that first inuented that meane Fox pag. 949. And yet Christ for the trial of truth biddeth vs search the scriptures Ioh. 5. No mar uei then if these fellowes curse men seeing they spare not Christ himself A certaine blinde Popish Doctour reasoning with master Tindall boldly said We were better to be without Gods law than the Popes pag. 1076. Lodouicus the Prothonotarie stepped vp in the Councell of Basill and said There was no argument to be gathered of the Acts of the Apostles whose examples were more to be maruelled at than followed Fox pag. 678. Lo here a great blasphemie Scripture is not to be followed Andradius thus vnreuerently writeth of the Scriptures to say no more Neque in ipsis libris quib sacra mysteria conscripta sunt quippiam inest diuinitatis quae nos ad credendum quae illis continentur aliqua religione constringat In those books wherein the holy mysteries are written there is not one iot of diuinitie which by any force of religion can tie or binde vs to beleeue what is there contained in 3. lib. defens concil Tridentin A most impious and vngodly speech for where is there els any true diuinitie to be found but in those holie writings Cardinall Cusanus scripturae saith he adaptatae sunt ad tempus varie intelliguntur ita vt vno tempore secundum currentem vniuersalem ritum exponantur mutato ritu iterum sententia mutetur The scriptures are applyed to the time and may haue sundrie vnderstandings so that at one time they may be expounded one way according to the vniuersall currant order of the Church and the same rite or order beeing broken they may haue another meaning Cusan ad Bohem. epist. 2. What heretike could haue said more than this that the scriptures are mutable and changeable Our Rhemistes also shew great boldnes in giuing their rash censures of the holy writers for these are their words if the Euangelistes and other writers of holie Scripture had not vsed all humane diligence to search out the truth of matters the Holie Ghost would not haue assisted them Act. 15. Sect. 10. And yet it is certaine that S. Paul had the Gospell by reuelation without the help at all of humane diligence for he communicated not with flesh and bloud Galath 1. v. 16. Againe they saie that S. Paul for feare of missing the line of trueth notwithstanding he had the Holie Ghost went to conferre with Peter the rest Rom. 12. Sect. 1. What is blasphemie if this be not to say that the Apostle who was perswaded he had the Spirite of God 1. Corinth 7. 40. was afeard to misse the line of trueth how can this be vnlesse it be imagined that the Holy ghost was not sufficient to keepe him in the right line of trueth In deede he went vp to conferre with the Apostles not to receiue any further direction from them for they did cōmunicate nothing with him Galath 2. 6. but that they might giue testimonie of their consent in doctrine with him to stop the slaunderous mouthes of false brethren who reported the contrarie And now to fil vp the measure of their blasphemies let vs heare what is credibly reported to haue bene vttered by no small person but euen one of their late Popes in the heating of his Cardinals O quantum nobis profuit fabula ista de Christo O what aduantage saith he hath this fable of Christ brought vs ex Iuello defens Apolog. P. 273. Thus by these few examples we may see what blasphemous opinions many of the Papists for we do not in this case charge them all do hold concerning the scriptures Some making humane ordinances equall vnto them in authoritie some preferring them before scripture others calling them hereticall bookes vncertaine mutable mute dumbe Iudges not to be followed in all things with such like blasphemies and these
matrimonia As though now a daies very many priestes are not maried Aduers Iouinian lib. 1. And Damasus testifieth Complures inueniuntur qui de sacerdotib nati Apostolicae sedi praefuerunt Many are found that being priestes sonnes ruled the Apostolique sea of Rome as pope Syluerius pope Deusdedit pope Adriane 2. pope Iohn 15. and diuers other ex Gratian. M. Harding therefore hath faced vs out here in denying so euident a trueth We say plainely that S. Augustine affirmeth purgatorie and that it cannot be shewed where he doubteth of it Hard. pag. 354. And yet Augustine writeth thus speaking of purgatory Tale aliquid etiaÌ„ post hanc vitam fieri incredibile non est vtrum ita sit quaeri potest Some such thing to be after this life it is not incredible whether it be so or no it may be a question ad Dulcitium quaest 1. Let any indifferent man now iudge whether Augustine doubteth of purgatorie or not That fornication was neuer allowed in the catholike Church he meaneth the Church of Rome Hard. pag. 7. defens apolog Neither haue the Canonistes euer taught the people that simple fornication is no sin pag. 411. For triall of this matter let vs heare what their canonistes say Etsi notoria sit fornicatio presbyteroruÌ„ tamen non propter eaÌ„ abstinendum est ab officijs illorum Although the fornication of priestes be notorious yet may no man therefore refraine from their seruice distinct 32. Nullus Iohan. Andreâ— M. Harding himselfe calleth the open Stewes in Rome a necessarie euil forauoiding of other disorders that would be greater Againe Qui non habet vxorem loco illius concubinam habere licet It is lawfull for him that hath no wife in stead of her to haue a concubine distinct 34. 15. qui. An other saith Si clericus amplectitur mulâ—erem laicus interpretabitur quòd causa benedicendi eam hoc faciat If a priest embrace a woman a lay man must iudge that he doth it with intent to blesse her 11. quaest 3. absit in glossa By this it may appeare what account the Church of Rome in time past hath made of fornication and whether it were tolerated amongst them or not Harding saith that the whores in Rome haue not free libertie of dwelling in the haunted streetes and pallaces but onely in outhouses and by-lanes neither is it lawfull for them to ride in Coches or Chariots but only to go a foote in the streetes and that by their short vailes a note of dishonestie they are discerned from honest women pag. 423. All these are descried to be manifest lyes and vntruthes for the Cardinals gaue cleane contrarie information to Pope Paul the third Meretrices in hac vrbe vt matronae incedunt mula vehuntur habitant insignes aedes the courtizans of this citie goe like honest matrones being carried vpon Mules dwel in the fairest houses ex Iuello defens Apol. 426. Thus we see what credite is to be giueÌ„ to master Harding what small conscience he maketh of a liâ— Master Harding impudently denyeth and so do other Papistes that a woman named Ioan was euer Pope of Rome that there is no such image representing a woman in trauaile nor no such chaire for proofe of the Popes humanitie at his creation neither that the Popes in their procession refraine to go that way where the said Pope Ioane in the middest of a solemne procession fel in trauel P. 428. Yet the storie is reported by Marianus Scotus that liued an 1028. Sigibert Gemblacens that liued ann 1100. Martinus Polonus the Popes Penitentiarie who wrote ann 1320. witnesses of great antiquitie B. Iuell reckoneth vp 16. authors beside that report the same thing none of them all Lutherans That there is such an image representing such a fact that the Pope of purpose refraineth that way it is testified by Theodoricus Niemus the Popes Secretarie And concerning the holow chaire of Porphyrie stone which is kept for such an vse Sabellicus doth report Enead 9. li. 1. plura apud Iuell P. 433. Now who is more like to be the lier M. Harding a new vpstart writer or these so many auncient witnesses I thinke it is not hard to iudge He denieth the storie of Iohn Diazius death how hauing bin a doctor of Sorbona in Paris afterward conuerted to the Gospel was most traiterously slaine by his owne brothers Alphonsus Diazius man at Nuburg in Germanie how he was sent vp by his master with a carpenters axe to kill him so he did his master Alphonsus waiting below and the quarel was because good Iohn Diazius would not returne to Poperie againe this is the truth of the storie as it is faithfully reported by Iohn Sleidan li. 17. Yet M. Harding saith we â—el manie lies at once P. 435. what now wil not these good fellowes denie That the Pope euer coÌ„maunded any such seruice to be done vnto him as that the Emperour should hold his stirrop lead his horse by the brydle ye can neuer shew it by any credible witnesse Harding Pag. 463. yet in the Popes own booke of Ceremonies ca. 8. it is found thus writen The Emperor coÌ„meth to the popes horse in honor of our Lord Iesus Christ whose person in earth the Pope beareth hee holdeth the stirrop till the Pope be mounted and afterward he taketh the brydle and leadeth foorth his horse This is the Popes owne prescription in his booke of Ceremonies And therefore Pope Hadrian 2. was angrie with the Emperour Frederike for holding his stirrop on the wrong side Gregor Haimburgens in appellat Sigismund It seemeth therefore that the Pope looked for this seruice of duetie It is denyed that the Pope put in armes Henricus 5. against Henrie the fourth his father Hard. 469. Yet is it reported by an author of good credit Paschalis Papa Principes contra Henricum 4. concitauit imo eius proprium filium Pope Paschalis raised vp the Nobilitie against Henry the fourth yea his owne sonne Gregor Haimburgens He denieth that euer any of them taught that Gods sayings and precepts be voide except the Bishop of Rome ratifie them pag. 487. Yet are they the verie wordes of Siluester Prierias master of the Popes pallace A doctrina Romanae ecclesiae Romani Pontificis sacra scriptura robur trahit authoritatem The holie Scripture taketh strength and authoritie of the doctrine of the Romane Church and of the Bishop of Rome Siluest Prier contr Lutherum He saith it is a slaunder that any of them should call the Scriptures dumbe and vnprofitable pag. 535. Whereas it is certaine they be their owne wordes One calleth the Scripture mortuum atramentum dead inke Lodouic in Concil Trident. Another saith Scriptura est res inanimis muta The Scripture is a dead and dumbe thing Episcop Pictauiens Another calleth them Euangelium nigrum the blacke Gospell Eckius consul Iuell defens Apolog. pag. 535. It is denyed that
Mariage is honourable amongst all men Heb. 13. The Rhemistes also are not a whit ashamed to say that the mariage of Priestes is the woorst sort of incontinencie Annot. 1. Cor. 7. Sect. 8. Pope Siricius epist. ad Himerium Taraconens applyeth that saying in the Scripture against marriage Qui in carne sunt Deo placere non possunt They that are in the flesh cannot please God Now as their doctrine is so is their practise whereby they do not onely make fornication equall to mariage but euen preferre it It was one of the greeuances of the Germanes exhibited to Cardinall Campeius that the Bishops and their Officials did not onely suffer Priestes for their money to haue Concubines but compelled continent and chaste Priestes to pay their tribute to the Bishop and so it might be lawfull for them to liue chaste or keepe Concubines Fox pag. 862. But honest mariage in Ministers they punished with death as anno 1525. Petr. Sponglerus was condemned to die for no other cause but that hee had married a wife ex Oecolampad Thus it is manifest both by the doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome that they do not only with these heretikes match fornication and honest mariage together but giue it the preferment before mariage 5 The Cataphriges did make or mingle their Eucharist with the bloud of children haeres 26. The Papistes much like vnto them haue shewed the people in the sacrament the bloud of Duckes and Pigeons making the people beleeue that it was the bloud of Christ as here in Englande the bloud of Hales which men from all partes of the lande came in pilgrimage vnto many yeares taking it to bee the bloud of Christ was in the ende found to be but the bloud of a Drake and openly shewed at Paules crosse by the Bishop of Rochester the King himselfe being present Fox 1188. 6 The Pepuzians allow women to be priestes haeres 27. So the Papistes suffer women to execute the priestes office in baptizing of children vide suprà haeres obiect 4. 7 The Catharistes did so name them selues as being pure and cleane haeres 38. Such are the Papistes which affirme that some are so iust in this life that they neede no repentance Rhemist annot Luk. 15. 1. That iust men in this life may keepe the lawe of God and by their iustice be free frō the curse therof Galat. 3. Sect. 4. That habitual concupiscence without consent of will is not properly forbidden in the law neither doth make vs guiltie before God Rom. 7. Sect. 5. 10. Do not these men nowe in effect say that they are pure and cleane in this life 8 The heretikes Angelici were so called because they worshipped the Angels haeres 39. which sect Epiphanius saith Augustine thought to be worne out and extinguished But if Epiphanius were now aliue hee should see this heresie reuiued by the Papistes for they doe maintaine the worship and adoration of Angels Rhemist Apocal. 3. Sect. 6. Annot. in cap. 19. 22. 9 The heretikes called Apostolici did not receiue into their communion those that had wiues or proper possessions haeres 46. 10 The Hierachites did receiue onely Monkes and Nunnes to their societie haeres 47. Papistrie sauoureth strongly of these heresies for professed Monkes are with them the deuoutest men how impure soeuer their life be in so much that the profession of Monkerie hath obtained amongst them the name of religion the rest that liue in the world they call seculares mundanos secular men and of the world The Rhemistes affirme that Monkes come neerest to the imitation of Christ 1. Thessal cap. 1. v. 6. That maried priestes cannot conueniently be occupied about prayer or the Sacraments but ought to abstaine from all matrimoniall actes 1. Corinth 7. v. 5. 1. Timoth. 5. v. 5. contrarie to the Councell of Gangra cap. 4. where it was decreed that if any man make difference of a married priest by occasion thereof refraine from his oblation should be accursed Lastly the Apostolici would in no wise suffer those which had vowed single life afterward to marrie though they found themselues vnable to keepe their vow Epiphan haeres 61. So the Rhemistes allow virgins after their vow vpon no occasion to marrie Annot. 1. Corinth 7. v. 28. 11 The Euchites did nothing els but pray helde that it was not lawful for Monks to labour with their handes for the sustenance of their life haeres 57. The Papists encline to both those heresies for first what els do their Monks Nunnes but mumble vpon their beads a certaine stint of praiers in the Latine tongue which most of them vnderstand not at all times houres almost both of day night as they haue their Nocturns Primes their morning euening midnight seruice their third sixt and ninth houres Rhemist annot act 10. sect 6. Secondly we see that most of the Cell-birds both cockes hennes Monkes Nunnes I would say do liue idlie and they beare them out in it for religious men say our Rhemistes such as they count their Masse-munging Monkes to be are not bound to worke annot 2. Thess. 3. Sect. 2. 12 There is another heresie saith Augustine or sect that walketh with bare feete because God said to Moses put off thy shooes haeres 68. So among the Papistes there are sectes of sryers that go barefoote as their friers Flagellantes Franciscans 13 The Priscillianistes did make the Apocrypha that is bookes not canonical of equal authoritie with scripture Haeres 70. So do the papists the bookes of Tobie Iudith the Machabees others which are not found in the Canon of the Hebrue they make them bookes of Canonicall scripture and part of the word of God yea their blind and vncertayne traditions they are not ashamed to call the worde of God vnwritten And yet further whatsoeuer say they the Pastors of the Church doe teach beside scripture in the vnitie of the Church is to bee taken for the word of God Rhemist annot 1. Thess. 2 sect 2. 14 There were certaine heretikes that helde that by Christes descending into hell the incredulous and vnbeleeuers beleeued and that all were deliuered thence at his comming Haeres 79. This heresie I see not howe the papistes can shift off from them selues who doe all generally vnderstand that place of Saint Peter 1. Epistle 3. verse 19. of Christes descending into hell Where the Apostle speaketh of the incredulous and disobedient persons of the olde worlde who perished in the waters and afterwarde remayned in prison onely eight persons beeing saued in the arke If Christ then should deliuer all these incredulous persons how can they auoyde this heresie that Hell was in a manner emptied by the descension of Christ 15 The Coluthians affirmed Deū non facere mala that no euil was wrought by God contrary to that saying of the scripture Ego Deus creans mala I am the God that createth euil Shall there be euill in
the signe of the crosse and whereas the originall onely hath Hauing his fathers name written in their fore-heads they put in this clause Hauing his name and his fathers name after the vulgare latine So in the canon of the masse they adde these words vnto the Gospel Mandueate ex hoc omnes Eat ye all of this whereas Christ said onely after the cup Bibite ex hoc omnes drinke ye all of this Bellarmine faith it is supplied by â—adition de sacram Eucharist lib. 4. ca. 25. So 1. Ioh. 4. 3. where the authentical Greeke hath Euery spirit which confesseth not Iesus they read after their corrupt latine text Euery spirit which dissolueth Iesus Without any senso whereas the text approueth the former reading for the 2. verse speaketh of spirits confessing Iesus so that consequently this verse must treat ofspirits not confessing Iesus Vnto this place may be added al the corruptions of the vulgar latine translation which are maintayned by the Church of Rome disagreeing from the true originall in Greeke Lastly they do not onely alter and chaung scripture but make scripture of their owne as one of their side prooueth the Pope to bee Dommus reruÌ„ temporalium Lord ofall worldly goods por illud dictum Patri dabo tibi omnia regna mundi by those words of Peter I wil giue thee al the kingdoms of the world These wordes notwithstaÌ„ding Peter neuer spake but they were spoken by the deuill a fit text sure to ground the popes Lordlike dominion vpon Archidiacon Florentin ex citation Iuel pag. 615. defens apolog More who list to see of our aduersaries maner of corrupting scripture I referre them to that which hath beene before said of this matter 1. Piller part 3. a loc 46. ad 5â— I say vnto them now as Augustine to certaine heretikes in his time Mortuus fine sensuiacet valent verba ipsius sedet Christus in coelo contradicitur testamento eius A man lieth deede without sense and his will remaineth in force Christ sitteth in heauen and dieth not yet his testament is gainsaid in Psal. 21. Thus wee see the weake answeres and beggerlie shiftes which our aduersaries through the weakenesse of their cause are driuen vnto Who may fitly be compared to vse Augustines comparison vnto subtle crafty foxes Vulpes solent habere tales foueas vt ex vnaparte intrent ex alia exeant Foxes are wont to haue such holes that they may goe in one way and goe out another Euen so doe our aduersaries seeke starting holes playing fast and loose with vs sometime denying the fathers sometime affirming with them sometime appealing to scripture otherwhile running from scripture to tradition so going in and out at their pleasure Sed ad vtrung foramen as Augustine saith captor vulpium retia posuit But the fox-taker seeing their craft hath laid his nettes in both holes that comming in and going out they are sure to be taken in Psal. 80. So God be thanked our Sauiour Christ this wise taker of foxes hath so armed the defenders of his trueth that whether these wilely foxes goe in or goe out pretend scriptures fathers or goe against them we doubt not buttheir feete shalbe caught with the snare of trueth Sophisticall distinctions and cunning sleightes deuised for the maintenance of popery Part. 3. VEe are now come by the grace of God to shake one of the principall pillers of papistrie for herein lyeth the very strength of their cause the very pith of popish schoole-diuinitie in deuising and inuenting subtile and sophistical distinctions thinking thereby to obscure the light of the trueth and to shift off most euident places of scripture The chiefe of their distinctions though not all yet some and the better part of them we will set down in their order and weigh them in the balance of Gods word that their lightnes may appeare Distinct. 1. I will beginne with that distinction concerning the authoritie of scripture they say that secundumse of it selfe the scripture and in it selfe is of sufficient authoritie but Quoad nos in respect of vs it dependeth of the approbation of the Church that we can not know neither are boundto beleeue the scriptures but because of the testimonie and allowance of the Church Bellarm. de concil lib. 2. cap. 12. Rhem. annot Galath 2. sect 6. Ans. This is but a subtile sleight to steale away the credit of the word of God for the scriptures were wholly written for vs our vse al the authority they haue is for the benefit of men in respect of vs If then they haue no authority with vs nor we bound to beleeue them vnlesse the Church doth approue them then they receiue their authority froÌ„ the Church for scripture was written for men not for God himselfe or Angels So this distinction is contrary to the word of God I receiue saith Christ no witnes of meÌ„ Ioh. 5. 34. But the scripture is the voice of Christ therfore it needeth not the approbation of men The spirit beareth witnesse that the spirite is the trueth 1 Ioh. 5. 6. That is the scriptures are discerned known by the same spirit the which they were written withal The Church in deed is to testify of the trueth but the trueth is to be beleeued for the truths sake although it haue no testimony of men for my sheepe saith our Sauiour heare my voice Ioh. 10. 2. Distinct. They distinguish of the word of God there is VerbuÌ„ Dei scriptuÌ„ the word of God writteÌ„ which is contained in the scriptures VerbuÌ„ Dei non scriptuÌ„ the word of God not written that is their traditions Bellarm. de scriptur lib. 4. cap. 2. Ans. This is a vaine distinction for the whole word of God reuealed is conteined in scripture as outof scripture we proue it thus The word written that is the holy scriptures are able to make a man perfect to euery good worke 2. Timoth. 3. 17. and so vnto saluation But whatsoeuer is ouer and beside that which is perfect is superfluous But no part of Gods word is superfluous therefore no part of the worde beside scripture 3 Distinct. The Church is built say they vpon Peter and Peters faith but faith here hath a double consideration for it may be eyther absolutely considered or with relation to Peters person But faith generally and absolutely respected is not the foundation of the Church but as it was in Peter Bellarm. de Roman pontif lib. 1. cap. 11. Rhemist annot Math. 16. sect 1. Ans. That Peters faith which was in Peter by Peter confessed as a portion IndiuiduuÌ„ of the general sauing faith of the Church is the foundation of the same Church wee denie not But Peters personall faith cannot be this foundation forthen when Peter died his faith being a particular accideÌ„t to his person going away with him the Church should haue wanted a foundation Againe in Peter these two thinges are respected his person faith
to amend what is amisse to restore what is decayed to supplie what is wanting and to redresse what is out of order and so to seeke chiefly to aduance Gods glorie Thus shall we haue peace at home peace abroad our dissensions shall slacke within and by our peace our strength and courage shall increase against our enemies without We shal runne vpon them as one man ten shall chase an hundred and an hundred a thousand Thus the Gospell by Gods grace shall still florish in this land superstition shall decrease and weare away and poperie shall bee weeded and rooted out which God grant for his welbeloued and onely begotten Sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lord to whom bee praise for euer Amen The first Piller of Poperie consisting of intemperate rayling with shamefull slaunders and vntruthes WHat our purpose is in this treatise following we haue alreadie partly declared in the preface that our intent is not in this enterprise so much to charge our aduersaries with such matter as may be iustly obiected against them as to discharge our selues of such vniust crimes as they doe burthen vs withall not to accuse but to excuse not to fight but to fense not to dare them with our dartes but to arme our selues against their venemous arrowes which they shoot at vs. Wheras therefore they euerie where almost in their bookes and pamphlets doe lay sore vnto our charge that wee are raylers reuilers lyers blasphemers heretikes cauillers sophisters deuided into many sectes schismes disagreeing amongst our selues our best and saâ—est way to free and deliuer both vs and our cause from these so vniust vntrue and vncharitable accusations is to returne them vpon them selues to whom they do more properlie belong and to cloth them with their owne liuerie which wil sit more comely without pleate or wrinkle vpon their backe First of al therefore according to that order which we haue set downe we wil trie and examine the modesty sobriety and teÌ„pâ—rance of their spirite wherewith they are enflamed against vs. First of their reuiling bitter speech then of their malicious slaunders against vs our cause thirdly of their for geries fourthly of the manifold vntruthes which in plaine english are no better then lies which they are not ashamed in heapes to vtter First then concerning their contumelious and reprochfull speeches and their adders tongues which they smite and sting vs withall I would we might say vnto them as Agustine sometime did vnto Vincentius a yong malapart springal that vnseemely taunted that reuerend father in his writinges Si quid inter disputandum saith Augustine quod ad meam contumeliam redundat expressit non eum conuitiantis voluntate crediderim seâ— diâ—ersa sentientis necessitate fecisse vbi enim hominis erga me animus ignotus est et incertus melius arbitror meliora sentire quam inexplorata culpare If any thing fall out in disputation which may redound vnto my reproch I thinke that he did it not so much with a minde to reuile me as being enforced by diuersitie of opinion for where a â—â—ns minde is vnto me vncertaine and vnknowen I hould it better to thinke the best then to blame what I knowe not So if our aduersaries were carried away onely in the heate of their cause and with a blinde zeale of superstition when they spit such venemous wordes at vs and had not an especiall purpose as we haue but too much experience in so doing to maligne the trueth and disgrace the professors thereof wee should be able better to brooke their speeches and to beare their outrages then now knowing the contrarie wee either can or will This then is that that sometimes thrusteth vs forward when wee see not so much our persons to be striken and gaulled with their tongues as the trueth to be wounded through our sides to speake home vnto them and to tel them their owne not reuiling but reproouing not taunting but telling them their fault and follie Cresconius an Archdonatist doeth roundly take vp Augustine because he vsed these words against them Sicut nonpotest Satanas Satanam excludere c. As Sathan saith he can not driue out Sathan so the error of the Manichees cannot ouerthrowe the errour of the Donatists Augustine aunswereth very wel Quasi inquit Petilianum Satanâ— comparauerim ac non errorem potius Apostolicaenim mansuetudo cum quibus modestè agipraecepit eos ipsos docet a diabolo captiuatos nec tamen quam commendauit amisit lenitatem quiaeam quam docebat tacâ—re noluit veritatem As though saith he I compared Petilian himselfe to Sathan and not his errour rather for so the Apostle doth say that euen they whom notwithstanding he wisheth to be gentlie delt withal were captiued and snared of the Deuill neither did he in so saying offend against that lenitie which he commendeth while he vttereth the truth which was not to be concealed Thus Augustine defendeth himselfe by S. Paules example sheweth though it be not lawful to speake euil or to reuile yet freely to opeÌ„ our mouthes and to crie out against the enemies of the truth it is not forbidden Bernard a later writer one of their Catholike Doctors vsed the like libertie of speech in his dayes and thought he offended not As inueying against the Cleargie of his time he saith Ministri sunt Christi et seruiunt Antichristo They are the Ministers of Christ and yet serue Antichrist yea of the Bishops themselues and the chiefe of the Cleargie hee doubteth not to say hauing first rehearsed those wordes of Christ to his Apostles Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a Deuil Sic facit Iesus hodie eligens sibi multos diabolos episcopos Euen so doeth Iesus saith hee nowe a daies choosing many Deuils to be Bishops He stayeth not here but climeth vp euen vnto the popes chaire Tristes vidimus tristes eloquimur honorem ecclesiae Honorij tempore non minìmè laesum Wee haue seene it with griefe and we speake it with griefe that in pope Honorius time the honor of the Church was not a litle endamaged And in an other place finding fault with the Cardinals of Rome that they had fetcht Eugenius out of his cloyster and of an Abbot made him a Pope he taunteth them in these wordes Ascendit Iericho incidit in latrones He is gone vp from Ierusalem to Iericho he is fallen among theeues thus comparing Rome to Iericho and the Cardinals to theeues If Bernard then a Doctor of their owne could assume vnto himselfe such liberty of speech as to terme euill Ministers the seruaunts of Antichrist Bishops deuils Cardinals theeues in hatred detestation of the corruptions of those times I thinke we may be excused if for loue and zeale of the trueth wee deale plainely manie times with our aduersaries and doe not slatter them a whit though I thinke few or none of vs haue vsed like freenes of speech as
they what a principall sectmaster with his blasphemous mouth or penne vttereth saying In the verie best times such was partlie the ambition of Bishops partlie their ignorance and foolishnesse that the verie blinde may easely perceiue Sathan verely to haue beene president of their assemblies And in the margent they note Bezaâ— blasphemie against the first general Councels Rhemist act 15. sec. 10. In this place Beza speaketh not one word against the first general councels but against the assemblies of proud vnlearned light-headed Bishops of Greece which liued in those best times whereof it is manifest by the Church stories that many of them were heretical and blasphemous It is a loose argument Beza saith there were wicked Bishops in the best times Ergo he blasphemeth against the first generall councels That Beza saith Melchisedeches priesthoode was wholly spirituall Annot Hebr. 8. sec. 3. He saith not that Melchisedeches priesthoode was onely spirituall as the spirituall priesthoode of the faithfull is but that Melchisedeches priesthood was figuratiue hauing a spirituall relation to Christes eternall priesthoode Fulk ibid. But no maruell if they make not daintie to slaunder the ministers of the gospell when they dare open their lying mouthes against christian princes and offer violence to the Lordes annointed As Bellarmine most slaunderously giueth out of our gracious Soueraigne I am reipsa Caluinistis in Angliamulier quaedam summus Pontifex est And nowe in trueth a certaine woman in England taketh vpon her to be chiefe Bishop of the Caluinistes Bellarm. de notis Ecclesiae lib. 4. cap. 9. A foule and a disdainefull slaunder Whereas our prince doth not vsurpe vpon the office of Bishops and ministers but as all godly princes haue done as Dauid Hesekiah and others she thinketh that it belongeth to her princelie charge to haue a care of Religion and to looke to the house of God Beside these slaunders which they haue raised concerning the opinions and doctrine of our Church they haue deuised and forged lies also concerning other matters Staphylus and furious Surius say that Luther learned his diuinitie of the deuill An other maintaineth that he has borne of the deuil An other that he died of drunkennesse vid. Fox pag. 1257. Bellarmine reporteth out of railing Cochleus that Luther died sodainely for saith hee hauing supped verie daintily and being made merrie with good cheere and with his ieastes made al at the table to burst foorth into laughter he immediatelie sickened and died the same night Bellarm. lib. 4. De notis eccl cap. 17. And he maketh himselfe pretie sport in telling a lying tale out of the same Cochleus how Luthers bodie being clapt in lead in the midst of winter in the frost and cold sodainly beganne so to stincke that the verie smell pearced the lead and whereas they were purposed to conuey his corps to Wittemberge to be buried they were constrained to leaue it by the way lib. 4. De notis eccles cap. 14. They may be ashamed to forge such shamefull lies for neither was Luthers death sodaine who had an old infirmitie hanging vpoÌ„ him being accustomed to be much troubled with oppression of humors in the orifice or opening of his stomach Neither died he the same night but the next morning betweene 8. and 9. of the clocke Reported by Melancthon who better was acquainted both with Luthers life and death then any papist of them all Luther made a most comfortable end made a most sweete praier before his death which is rare I thinke with the popish sort consul Fox Pag. 864. The rest which they report of his body is as true as that which they fained of M. Bucer that he should denie at his death that Christ our Messiah was come Fox Pag. 1257. colum 2. whose maner of death D. Redman that preached at his funerall and many other English men knewe to be contrarie to their vngodly reportes Of like credite is that foule sorgerie of M. Caluins departure as Bellarmine though not the deuiser therof yet blusheth not to be the reporter That Caluine calling vpon the deuill blaspheming and swearing gaue vp the ghost and that he accursed the day and houre when euer he began to apply him selfe to studie and writing Bellarm. lib. 4. De notis eccles cap. 8. Whose eares now would not tingle to heare these malicious and deuilish reportes of so godly a man as though M. Beza who was an eie-witnesse both of his life and death and hath penned the storie thereof could not better testifie for this matter then they which haue al by hearesaie Wel M. Caluin liued well and died the Lordes seruant whatsoeuer these blacke-mouthed and cankred-harted papistes say to the contrarie It were better for them rather to make Balaams wish that they also may die the death of the righteous then thus to blaspheme Gods Saintes As though we were ignorant of their popish custome and practise in belying the seruantes of God When Horsey that wicked Chauncelour had with his owne handes murthered Rich. Hun in the prison was it not giuen out that he had hanged him selfe Fox pag. 867. How cruellie was the congregation at Paris persecuted and most vilely slaundered of theÌ„ Ann. 1558. The priestes and friers in their rayling sermons perswaded the people that the Lutheranes assembled together to make a banquet in the night and there putting out the candles they went together Jacke with â—ill as they said after a filthy beastly maner Other Sorbonistes accused them that they maintained there was no God and denied the diuinitie and humanitie of Christ the immortalitie of the soule the resurrection of the dead and briefly all the articles of true religion Fox pag. 927. with such like malicious misreportes and slaunders the auncient Church in the primitiue time was slaundered who were accused of incest conspiracie sacrificing of infantes putting out of candels and filthy whoredome with such like Fox pag. 36. Therefore it neede not seeme strange vnto vs that the enemies of the Church doe in these daies also whet and sharpen their tongues against the professors of the trueth especially seeing that they which doe euen now scourge and afflict vs with their scorpion tongues are not ashamed to speake broadly yea and vntruly of the primitiue Church for these are the Rhemistes owne wordes In the primitiue Church when Infidels dwelt among the Christians and oftentimes came to their publike preachinges it was both vnprofitable and ridiculous to heare a number talking teaching singing psalmes one in this language an other in that all at once like a blacke Sauntes Annot. 1. Corinth 14. sect 5. Although there were some disorder among the Corinthians yet it is lewdly done generally to charge the whole primitiue Church And thinke ye these men haue not a verie reuerent opinion of the labours of the Apostles that compare the publike exercises of the Corinthians who were a Church planted and founded by S. Paule to a blacke Sauntes Barke on now ye papistes and seeing
the Church of Rome was in those daies of persecution deuided into cures and parishes whereof they shoulde haue their titles And this constitution seemeth rather to take his beginning at the Councell of Chalcedone where it was enacted that no priest no entituled should be ordained neyther is there any mention made in that place of any former decree prouided by Euaristus Fox pag. 39. To Zepherinus be 2. epistles ascribed one written to the Bishops of Sicilia the other to the Bishops of the prouince of Egypt which containe no manner of doctrine or consolation fit for those times but certaine rituall decrees to no purpose which argue the said epistles neither to fauor of that man nor to tast of the time for the poore persecuted Bishops in that time were so farre from hauing any lust or leisure to seeke for any primacie or to driue other Churches to appeale to the sea of Rome or to exempt priestes from the accusation of lay-men as in those epistles is to be seene that they would haue beene glad to haue had any couert at all to put their heades in Calixtus Bishop of Rome and martyr hath 2. epistles decretall appointed him wherein these ordinances amongest other are founde that no action or accusation against the teachers and prelates of the Church should be admitted And in the ende of the epistle hee confuteth the error of them which hould that they which are fallen are not to be receiued againe But Nouatus was the first author of this error wo followed in Cornelius time after Calixtus how then is it like that Calixtus could confute him And againe concerning actions and accusations it is not like that the time of so grieuous persecution would serue them to commense any law against their Bishops Vrbanus followeth to whome also is ascribed an epistle decretall comming out of the same forge containing not one worde of consolation fitte for those times but certaine straite preceptes for not transporting or alienating of the goods of the Church and to pay truely their offeringes which they vowe and such like But it is not like that in those heauie times of persecution the Church was so greatly enriched the constitution for tithes and oblations being not yet ordained and when as men sought generally rather to spoyle and take from the Churche then to giue vnto it that there needed such straite prouision for disposing of Church goods Pontianus who succeded Urbanus and was banished for the name of Christ is fained in his epistles decretall thus to write That God hath priestes so familiar with him that by them he accepteth the offeringes and oblations of other and forgiueth their sinnes and reconcileth them vnto him What could be said more of Christ whome the Scripture maketh our onely mediator and aduocate The decretall epistles of Fabianus Bishop of Rome are euen as good stuffe as the rest of that sort vnto him are ascribed these ordinances as of accusations against Bishops of appealing to the Sea Apostolike which decrees how vnfit and vnbesitting they were those times of persecution we haue shewed before as also of not marrying within the fift degree of communicating thrise a yeare whereas Augustine lyuing after this Fabian almost 200. yeares writeth thus of this matter Omnibus diebus dominicis communicandum suadeo hortor Vpon euery Lords day I doe perswade and exhort all men to communicate De eccles dogmatib cap. 54. How then is it like that Fabian decreed the contrarie of manie yeares before Also it is to bee seene that the most part of the third Epistle standeth worde for word in the epistle of Sixtus the third who followed almost 200. yeares after him Beside the vnseemely doctrine conteyned in the end of the epistles where hee contrary to the tenor of the Gospell applyeth remission of sinnes onely due to the bloode of Christ vnto the offerings of bread and wine by men and women euery Sunday in the Church Cornelius succeeded next to Fabianus who is slaundered with 2. epistles decretall which are apparant to bee none of his both by the stile which is most rude and barbarous but Hierome reporteth of him that hee was a verie eloquent man and partly also by the matter for in the first he writeth to all Ministers and brethren of the Church concerning the lifting vp of the bodies and bones of Peter and Paul De catechumenis transposed to Vaticanū In the second writing to Ruffus a Bishop of the east he decreeth that no cause of Priests or Ministers be handled in any strange or forraine Court without his precinct except only in the court of Rome by appellation Who seeth not now by this litle that these epistles were rather forged by the ambitious latter Bishops of Rome who labored altogether to aduance the dignitie of their Sea then by Cornelius whom the troubles of the Church would not suffer to thinke of any such matter And it is verie like that he would haue interserted some word of comfort and consolation fit for those times and made some mention of the great stirres betweene him and Nouatus whereof there is not one word in these decretals Vnto Lucius Bishop of Rome is referred by Gratian distinct 81. Ministri this constitutiō that no Minister whatsoeuer after his ordination should at any time reenter into the chamber of his owne wife Such homely stuffe is not like to haue proceeded from those good Bishops that died in Christs cause Vpon Stephanus Bishop are also fathered certayne epistles decretall which by this may be gathered to be none of his In the end of the second epistle hee saith thus Which thing is forbidden both by lawes ecclesiastical and also secular But what secular lawes could bee in that time in fauour of Bishops as that no accusation should be laid against them till they were restored to their estate when as the Iudges were all then heathen and their lawes tending to the destruction of the Christians and their faith Againe in the 5. canon of the said epistle he intreateth verie solemnlie of the difference betweene Primates Metropolitans Archbishops which distinction of titles and degrees rather sauouring of ambition then of persecution may verilie giue vs to suppose that these epistles were not written by that Stephanus Fox pag. 67. Of the same stamp are the epistles ascribed to Caius Marcellinus Eusebius Milciades Bishops of Rome Caius in his epistle decretal willeth and commandeth all difficult questions in all prouinces whatsoeuer emerging to be referred to the Sea Apostolike How is it like that this was decreed by Caius when as aboue an hundred yeare after ann 420. in the 6. Councell of Carthage where Augustine was present this priuiledge was denied to the sea of Rome and the contrarie concluded that no appeales should bee made thither from forraine countries Plura apud Fox pag. 96. col 2. The epistle of Marcellinus to get more authoritie with the reader is admixed with a great part of S. Pauls
of their Metropolitanes and also of the councel to the sea of Rome alleadging for him selfe certaine wordes as he pretended taken out of the Nicene councell Hereupon the councell sent their Legates to Cirillus patriarke of Alexandria for the auncient copies in Greeke of the Nicene councell wherein they found no such canon as was pretended but the contrarie howe the decrees of the Nicene councell had committed all and singular persons Ecclesiasticall vnto the charge of their Metropolitanes Thus then to beginne this game withall the Bishops of Rome them selues are proued to bee forgers and falsifiers of auncient writinges Plura apud Fox pag. 10. Canisius reporting Augustines wordes for the continuall succession of the Bishops of Rome from Peter alleadgeth onely the former part of the sentence Cathedra quid tibi fecit Ecclesiae Romanae in qua Petrus sedit in qua hodie Anastasius sedet What hath the sea of the Church of Rome offended thee wherein Peter sometime sat and Anastasius now sitteth but he craftilie leaueth out that which followeth Vel ecclesiae Hierosolymitanae in qua Iacobus sedit in qua hodie Iohannes sedet Or what hath the sea of Ierusalem offended thee wherein Iames sometime sat and Iohn nowe sitteth these wordes he cunningly suppresseth because they made little for him Canis oper catechistic cap. de praecept eccles artic 9. Christoforson translating Eusebius storie into latine where Nouatus is brought in thus adiuring the people that came to the oblations holding both their handes in his sweare to me by the bodie and blouds of the Lorde Iesus that thou wilt not leaue me and go to Cornelius and he refused to distribute vnto them till that they swearing vnto him in steade of Amen to be saide at the receiuing of breade shoulde aunswere I will not returne to Cornelius Christoforson I say comming to these wordes craftilie leaueth out the name of breade because the author so calleth it in plaine termes after consecration Christofor lib. 6. cap. 43. The Rhemist 1. Corinth 10. sec. 8. speaking of their popish sacrifice of the Masse alleadge the authoritie of Ciril Alexand in concil Ephesin Anathem 11. where he should call it The quickening holy sacrifice the vnbloody hoast and victime But this is a false forgerie for there is no such worde found there Likewise in the same place they quote Tertullian de coron militis Chrisost. homil 41. in 1. Corinth Ciprian epist. 66. August Enchirid. 109. That the Masse is a propitiatorie sacrifice for the liuing and dead which is founde to be a great vntrueth for those authors in some of these places speake of praier for the dead but of any such propitiatorie sacrifice not one word Fulk ibid. Gregor Nyssen oration cap. 37. is made to speake much of the transmutation of the bread in the sacrament and it is often repeated but there is no such thing found in many auncient copies And Nicephorus writeth that many things were foisted into him by heretikes Niceph. lib. 11. cap. 19. The wordes of Ciprian de vnitat Eccles. are falsified by Pammelius for whereas Ciprian writeth thus Uerilie the rest of the Apostles were the same thing that Peter was endued with equall fellowship both of honor and power but the beginning proceedeth from one that the church may be declared to be one But the Rhemistes according to their corrupt edition reade thus But the beginning proceedeth from one the primacie is giuen to Peter that the Church of Christ may be shewed to be one and one Chaire Fulk Iohn 21. sect 4. In like sort haue the papistes corrected as they say but in deede corrupted other writinges of the auncient fathers and especially Bertram amongest the rest who is a great enemie to their popish opinion of transubstantiation They meane to deale with him as with other ancient writers In whom say they we beare verie many errors and extenuate them excuse them and verie oftentimes by deuising some pretie shift wee doe denie them and doe fayne some commodious sense vnto them when they are opposed against vs This is the iudgement of the vniuersitie of Doway in their owne words approoued by the Censors according to the Councell of Trent And thus they meant to haue filed nay rather defiled althe auncient writings where they seemed to contradict them as it appeareth in their Index expurgatorius lately printed to their perpetual shame which they purposed to keepe in secret Hee that will resort to that booke shall not want proofe of their Popish falsifying of writers And it were to bee wished that they would haue stayed here though this bee shamefull enough onely to haue defaced the writinges of men but when they take vpon them to correct and amend the sacred Scriptures which are the Lords owne writings who will not crie out against so great impietie As Dan 11. 37. Where the text according to the Hebrue is Hee shall not regard the Gods of his fathers nor the desires of women Bellarm. readeth cleane contrarie taking vpon him to correct the text Erit in concupiscentijs mulierum He shalbe giuen to the pleasures of women Whereas S. Paul sayth Tit. 3. 10. Reiect him that is an heretike after once or twise admonition Bellarm. denieth the text and saith it should rather be thus read after once admontion De laicis cap. 22. Likewise where the true reading is agreeable to the originall Galath 2. 9. Iames Cephas and Iohn Bellarmne not well content that Iames should be named before Peter sayth the more auncient reading is thus Peter Iames and Iohn De Roman pontif lib. 1. cap. 18. Iudith cap. 5. ver 18. The text sayth That the Temple of the Iewes had bene cast downe to the ground Bellarmne to make his opinion stande that the storie of Iudith fell out before the captiuitie saith flatly that these words are supposititia are foysted into the text And this booke of Iudith though it be not with vs yet is Scripture with them Bellar. lib. 1. de verb. dei 12. Leuit. 18. 16. Whereas the text is plaine Thou shalt not discouer the shame of thy brothers wife There steppeth me foorth a bold shamefull papist and saith plainely Illud praeceptum vitio scriptorum superadditum That this precept was put into the text through the default or ouersight of the writer Iohan. Maior in 4. sentent distinct 40. qu. 3. And as they are not ashamed thus boldly and wickedly to defaulke clippe from the Scriptures so an otherwhile they will bee so saucie as to adde thereunto and put to of their owne Thus Pope Sixtus the 4. added this clause to the salutation of Marie which is commonly called the Aue Marie hayle Marie full of grace the Lord is with thee blessed art thou amongest women then followeth that blasphemous addition Et benedicta sit Anna mater tua de qua sine macula tua pro cessit caro virginea And blessed is Anna thy mother of whom thy Virgines flesh hath proceeded without
no vow of chastitie Fox P. 187. artic 17. Likewise to let passe how the Pope himselfe maketh a lowd lie in his Bull against Luther saying that he offred money to Luther to come vp to Rome whereas it is certaine that there were 300 crownes giuen to ruffians catchpoles to murder Luther P. 1287. But I will not rub this sore too long that which I haue alreadie said may serue as a taste trial of their lying spirite Vnto these vntruthes and lies may be added also the fables and deuised tales which go for currant among Papistes which are not the least proppes and staies of Popish superstition Of this kinde is that fabulous storie that the wise men which came froÌ„ the East to worship Christ were 3. Kings of Persia whose names were as the tale goeth Gaspar Melâ—htor Baltasar whose bodies were translated to Cullen and there remaine Here are many vntruthes and vnlikelihoodes in this short tale First there was neuer but one King of Persia at once Secondly though the Magi or wise men were of great account with the Kings of Persia yet were not the Kings called Magi. Thirdly they returned Eastward from whence they came how then could their bodies be transported so many hundred nay thousand miles Fourthly If their bodies lie buried at Cullen how can they be at Millaine too for they also lay as good claime to them Yet for all this the Rhemistes tell vs in good sooth that it is a true storie Annot. Math. 2. Sect. 4. The like fiction they haue of Gregorie Thaumaturgus who remoued a mountaine to make roome for the foundation of a Church yet verie soberly auouched by the Rhemistes Math. 17. Sect. 6. Such another proper tale how Christ came in a Pilgrims weed to Gregories ordinarie table of poore men Rhemist Heb. 13. Sect. 2. which fiction that Christ in his humanitie should be seene vpon earth is contrarie to the Scriptures which testifie that The heauens must conteine him til his comming againe Act. 3. 21. Many such fables went for good paymeÌ„t amongst the Papists in times past in the daies of ignorance but since that by the springing of the Gospell greater light is come into the world they themselues begin to reiect diuerse of their Legend stories which were not called in question before Bellarmine confesseth that the stories which are reported out of Abdias others vt plurimùm non sunt prorsus indubitatae for the most part may be doubted of The stories also of S. George S. Christopher and S. Katherin he iudgeth to be Apocryphall and worthie of small credite though hee would haue their persons still kept in memorie Bellarmine li. 1. de sanctor beatitud 20. The tale how thorough the prayers of S. Gregorie the soule of Traian the Emperour was deliuered out of hell is reiected by Bellarmine de Purgator lib. 2. 8. Yet our countri-man master Harding is somewhat strait laced in iustifying all the Legend stories which were wont to be read in their Churches and saying that wee belie them pag. 571. Yet Polidore Uirgil saith Multorum diuorum vitas recitant licet parum ad fidem scriptas They read manie Saints liues though not written according to the truth And Lodouicus Viues Legenda aurea plenissima est impudentissimis mendacijs Their golden Legend as they call it is full of most impudent lies Consul Iuell Defens Apolog. pag. 571. Thus much of our aduersaries shamelesse reiecting of truthes and of their bolde bolstring out of vntruthes as also of their fables lies which things if they shall persist still to auouch I will say with Bernard Iustius oâ— loquens talia fustibus tunderetur quà m rationib refelleretur He that speaketh such vaine things deserueth rather to be beaten with clubbes than to bee confuted by arguments Epist. 191. And as Augustine saith writing against Petilian the Donatist Quemadmodum si mihi diceres quod ego Petilianus sum non inuenirem quomodo te refellerem nisi aut iocantem riderem aut insanientem dolerem hoc mihi nunc faciendum esse video Euen as if thou shouldest say vnto mee that I am Petilian I could not tell how to refell thee but either in laughing at thy folly or mourning for thy madnesse So must I be faine to doe nowe contra Petilian lib. 2. cap. 38. And so must we be faine to doe when wee see our aduersaries to passe the boundes of modestie and to violate the law of reason in making true false and false true in calling white blacke and blacke white wee must needes doe one of these two either to scorne their follie or to bewaile their blindnesse and ignorance and hardnesse of heart And thus haue we the first Piller of Poperie consisting of rayling slaunders forgeries vntruthes and fables The second Piller of Papistrie consisting of Blasphemies opinions contrarie to Scripture Heresies ridiculous absurd positions The first part of Popish blasphemies THE Rhemistes do lay great blasphemies to our charge writing in these words No heretikes euer liker Antichrist than these in our daies specially in blasphemies against Gods Church sacraments Saints all sacred things Apocal. 1â— Sect. 2. But I trust in God for all their great words that they shal neuer proue one blasphemie against vs. No be it knowen vnto them that wee maintaine no blasphemies they mistake the matter they are themselues blasphemers which do belch out blasphemies against God his Church the Scriptures and against all holie things This then must be the issue whether of vs be these notorious blasphemers they or wee thus therefore beginneth our plea. First we will set downe their beadrol of blasphemies which they haue vttered concerning the Scriptures Lodouicus a Canon of Laterane in Rome pronounced in the late Chapter of Trent Scriptura est quasi mortuum atramentum The Scripture is as it were dead Inke The Bishop of Poiters in the same Chapter Scriptura est res inanimis muta The Scripture is a dead and dumb thing Iuell pag. 521. defens Apol. Albertus Pigghius sunt scripturae muti Iudices The Scriptures are dumb Iudges Controu 3. de Eccles. Eckius calleth the scriptures Euangelium nigrum theologiam atramentariam The blacke Gospell and inken diuinitie Pigghius againe saith they are as a nose of waxe Nasus Cereus to be drawen euerie way Hierarch lib. 3. cap. 3. Hosius speaking of Dauids Psalmes when it was obiected that Dauid the author therof was no Bishop but a temporall Prince he maketh this heathenish scornefull answere Quidni scriberet scribimus indocti doctique poemata passim No great matter if he writ them for as Horace saith wee write ballades euery bodie both learned and vnlearned tagg and ragg Hosius li. 2. cont Brentium Thus he maketh the holy Prophet Dauid but a writer of ballades Siluester Prierias contr Luther thus writeth Indulgentiae authoritate scripturae non innotuere nobis sed authoritate Romanae Ecclesiae Romanorumque Pontificum quae maior est
immediately by Iesus Christ Galath 1. 1. and verse 16. he saith he did not immediately being now called and appointed of Christ communicate with flesh and bloode Faith which iustifieth is not the efficient or instrumental cause of saluation Rhemist Galath 6. sect 4. But the contrarie is proued out of scripture 2. Corinth 5. 7. We walke by faith and not by sight As the eie then is the instrument whereby wee behold thinges present so is faith the organon or instrument of the soule whereby we apprehend thinges absent and inuisible That also is an euident place to this purpose Ephes. 2. 10. By grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God and not of workes What else can be the meaning of this place but that we are saued by grace apprehended by faith So that grace is the efficient cause faith the instrumental And least that any man should say that faith saueth vs as other vertues wrought in vs by grace not by an apprehension of grace but as a meritorious cause as the Rhemistes affirme the Apostle addeth that faith is the gift of God and therefore meriteth not and he excludeth workes euen workes of grace ordained for vs to walke in from beeing any cause of Iustification before God And so faith also is excluded as it is an act or worke of the vnderstanding onely and hath place onely in the matter of saluation in respect of the apprehensiue facultie and power thereof Whereas the Apostle saith the gift of God is eternall life Rom. 6. 23. The Rhemists take vpon them to correct the Apostles wordes saying thus The sequele of speech required that as he said Death or damnation is the stipend of sinne so life euerlasting is the stipend of iustice and so it is Rhemist Rom. 6. sect 8. What can be more contrarie to the Apostle then this Life euerlasting saith he is the gift of God Nay say they it is as properlie the stipend of righteousnes as damnation is the stipend of sinne but the Apostles declination from that sequele sheweth the contrarie Christes paines were of no account of their owne nature compared with his glory Rhemist Rom. 8. sect 5. A monsterous blasphemie and contrarie to scripture for if there were no comparison betweene Christes sufferinges and the glorie which he hath purchased for vs by them then his sufferinges were no satisfaction to Gods Iustice Wherefore his passion being the passion of the sonne of God was both a full satisfaction and a worthie desart of that glorie which hee hath obtained for vs Thou art worthie to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou was killed Reuelat. 5. sect 9. Christ therefore in respect of his passion did fully deserue all that glorie which hee hath obtayned for vs but there is no desert where there is not a proportion betweene the labour and the reward yet wee affirme not that Christ merited for him selfe for his owne glorification was due vnto him before the worlde was Iohn 17. 5. That our afflictions are meritorious of heauen Rom. 8. 18. Saint Paul sayth cleane contrary that the afflictions of this time are not worthy of the glory which shall be reuealed ibid. They deny that the Iewes did receiue the trueth or substance of Christ in their sacramentes as we doe in ours or that they and wee do eate and drinke of the selfesame meate and drinke Rhemist 1. Corinth 10. sect 2. and yet the Apostle saith plainely That they did all eate the same spirituall meate and all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall rocke which followed them the rocke was Christ. ibid. Doth not the Apostle now say here that they did drinke the same spirituall drinke with vs for Christ was their spirituall drinke and so is he ours That where the Apostle sayth This is not to eate the Lords supper 1. Corinth 11. 20. Hee meaneth not the Sacrament which Christ instituted at supper but the feastes of loue which were vsed in the primitiue Church Rhemist ibid. And yet it is most manifest by the circumstance of the place that S. Paul reprooueth them for the abuses in the Lords supper and therefore putteth them in minde of the institution of Christ verse 23. which had beene a matter impertinent if hee in so saying the Lords supper had not meant the Sacrament That the force and efficacie of common prayer dependeth not vppon the peoples vnderstanding hearing or knowledge and that the infant idiote and vnlearned man taketh no lesse fruite of diuine office than any other Rhemist 14. sect 10. And therefore it is not repugnant to saint Paul to pray in the latine that is an vnknowen tongue ibid. sect 15. Yet in trueth S. Paul flatly condemneth the vsing of an vnknowen tongue in publike prayers and thankesgiuing Hee that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned can not say Amen at thy giuing of thankes seeing hee knoweth not what thou saiest for thou verilie giuest thankes well but the other is not edified And it followeth verse 19. I had rather in the Church speake fiue woordes with mine vnderstanding that I might instruct others then ten thousand words in a strange tongue What could haue beene spoken more plainely against the vse of an vnknowen and vnedifying tongue in the Church That man hath a proper freedome and motion in his thoughtes doings and all is not to be referred vnto God 1. Corinth 3. sect 2 Rhemist that man was neuer without free will but it is made onely more free by grace Rhemist Iohn 8. sect 2. That the Gentiles doe beleeue by their free will Act. 13. 2. All this is flat opposite to scripture Which saith wee are not able to thinke a good thought of our selues 2. Corinth 3. 5. And that God worketh in vs both the will and the deed Philipp 2. 13. That wee are not formally made iust by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto vs but by a iustice inherent and resiant in vs. Concil Trident. sess 6. can 10. Rhemist Rom. 2. sect 4. yea they condemne it as hereticall to say that a man hath no iustice of his owne to be iustifyed by but the iustice onely of Christ Rhemist Philip. 3. sect 3. And yet S. Paul sayth thus in plaine termes That I might be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith Philip. 2. 9. Here the Apostle refuseth his owne inherent righteousnesse and cleaueth onely to the imputatiue iustice of Christ to bee iustified by though wee denie not an inherent righteousnesse in the faithfull but imperfect not a meanes of their iustification before God but the fruites thereof and is no other but that which we call Sanctification They doe set vp Idols or images to bee adored and attribute vnto them religious worship contrarie to the scripture Children keepe your selues
same Augustine also holdeth this perilous heresie quaest 127. ex vtroque mixtim or who so was the author of those questions Sanctus Petrus vxorem habuisse cognoscitur vt primatum acciperet inter Apostolos non ei obstitit generatio filiorum Hinc Apostolus eum qui vxorem habeat si in caeteris seruet mandata sacerdotem fieri debere posse ostendit S. Peter is knowen to haue had a wife and the begetting of children was no hinderance to his primacie among the Apostles a primacie of order he meaneth Whereby the Apostle sheweth that lie which hath a wife if in other things he keep Gods commaundements may and ought neuerthelesse to be made a Priest or Minister 4 Vigilantius fourth heresie as it pleaseth Bellarmine to call it was that it profited not a man to leaue all his riches and to betake himselfe to a religious that is a Monasticall life and the same saith he is defended by vs. Ans. Is not this a great heresie As though it were an euil thing to be rich or riches might not be well vsed S. Paul biddeth not rich men cast away their riches but that they do good and be rich in good works 1. Timoth. 6. 18. So saith Augustine Diuitiae seculares si desunt non per opera mala quaerantur in mundo si autem adsunt per opera bona seruentur in coelo Worldly riches if they be wanting do not seeke them by euill doing in the worlde and if thou haue them by good workes lay them vp in store in heauen epistol 1. epistolar 21. And againe speaking of Lazarus he saith Non est in hoc Lazaro meritum paupertatis sedpietatis There was not in Lazarus any merite or worth of pouertie but of godlines in Psal. 51. 14 In the next place the Iesuite laboureth by his cunning to intangle vs with the heresies of the Pelagians but he speedeth no better here than he did in the rest The first Pelagian heresie is they denied that there remained any originall sinne in the faithfull Of this heresie the Iesuite falsely accuseth Bucer Zwinglius Caluin Ans. First the Papistes themselues rather are guiltie of this heresie who affirme that concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne nor against the commaundement Rhemist annot Rom. 6. 8 What is this els but to take away originall sinne cleane which if it be at all must of necessitie be sin Secondly Bellarmine did not here remember that olde saying Mendacem oportet esse memorem a lyer had neede to haue a good memorie for a little before Haeres 5. he accuseth the Protestants as if they should affirme that sinne euen in the regenerate raigneth and is aliue but here he casteth vpon vs the cleane contrarie opinion that wee should holde no originall sinne at all to remaine in the faithful See so well the Iesuite agreeth with himselfe Thirdly Our opinion then concerning originall sinne is this that it neither ruleth in the regenerate nor yet is cleane extinguished but as Augustine confesseth Concupiscentia Lex peccati cum paruulis nascitur in paruulis baptizatis a reatu soluitur ad agonem relinquitur Concupiscence the law of sinne commeth with children into the worlde the guilt thereof is loosed in baptisme but yet it remaineth still that wee may haue somewhat to striue against The seconde heresie of the Pelagians was that euerie sinne was mortall and worthie of death which the Iesuite also saith is affirmed by vs. Ans. First Augustine in none of his large and learned treatises which hee wrote against the Pelagians with whose heresies hee was as well acquainted as either Hierome or any els doth charge them with this opinion Secondly And no maruell for if this were a point of Pelagianisme hee was a Pelagian himselfe who thus writeth Inexcusabilis est omnis peccator vel reatu originis vel additamento propriae voluntatis siue qui nouit siue qui ignorat Quia ipsa ignorantia in ijs qui intelligere noluerunt sine dubitatione peccatum est in ijs qui non potuerunt paena peccati Euerie sinner is left without excuse either by the guilt of originall sinne or by default of his owne will whether hee that sinneth of knowledge or of ignorance for ignorance it selfe in those which refuse to vnderstande is sinne without doubt in those that can not the punishment of sinne Ergo in vtrisque saith hee non est iusta excusatio sed iusta damnatio Therefore in both there is no iust excuse but iust damnation Epistol 105. Here Augustine is of opinion that euen the least sinnes those which proceede of ignorance are in themselues mortall if God should deale with vs in the rigour of his iustice As the Scripture testifieth The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. which wordes are generally pronounced of all sinne Can it then be heresie in vs to affirme by the worde of God that all sinne is mortall 15 Bellarmine accuseth Beza of Nestorianisme that hee shoulde affirme two persons or hypostases to be in Christ which was the heresie of the Nestorians Ans. Whatsoeuer Beza hath thought or write in times past as that there are two hypostaticall â—nions in Christ one of his diuine and humane nature the other of his soule and bodie it is not nowe materiall as Saint Paul sayeth what they were in times past it maketh no matter to mee Galath 2. 6. Beza holdeth now no other opinion of the person of Christ than the Church of God euer helde for these are his own words Fatemur inquit personam filij ab ipso momento quo caro ipsius concepta fuit vnitam fuisse humanae naturae inseparabiliter ita vt non sint duo filij Dei sed vnus sit proprie Dei filius Iesus Christus verus Deus verus homo Wee confesse that the person of the sonne from the verie first moment of the conception of his flesh was so inseperablie vnited vnto the humane nature that there are not now two sonnes of God but one onely sonne of God properly Iesus Christ verie God and verie man lib. confession articul de Iesu Christo cap. 22. This is sound and Catholike doctrine and the same is the confession of Augustine Fatemur Christum carnem animam quoque humanam verbo vnigenito coaptasse quod esset vna persona vt Christus est verbum homo sed ipse homo anima caro Wee do confesse that Christ hath so ioyned his humane flesh and soule to the onely begotten worde to make one person that the same Christ should be both the worde and man but man consisting both of soule and bodie de Trinita Unitat. cap 7. This then is our beleefe that there are two natures in Christ the diuine and humane but both these do concurre to make one person 16 The sixteenth heresie which he obiecteth is al one with the twentieth to that place therefore we referre it 17 The Eutychians were condemned for heretikes
offend against the lawe of charitie Leuitic 5. 4. 1. Samuel 25. 22. Dauid breaketh the oth or vowe which he had rasblie made in his anger That Christ was Verèmendicus A meere begger and wanted both the vse and dominion of temporall thinges Bellarm. de monach lib. 2. cap. 45. But Augustine according to the scriptures saith Nisi putetis quia dominus petebat indigebat cuiseruiebant angeli qui de quinque panibus tot millia pauit Vnlesse ye thinke saith he that Christ begged was in want vnto whom the Angels ministred and who was able of fiue loaues to feede so many thousand in Psal. 146. This opinion which the Iesuite holdeth that Christ was a begger was condemned by Pope Paulus 2. for heresie Ann. 1465. ex histor sca. mundi Howe dare hee then controule his Pope holy fathers determinate sentence Diabolus odit imagines The deuill himselfe hateth and cannot abide an image Bellarm. de imaginibus sanctor lib. 2. cap. 12. yet S. Paul saieth what is offered or sacrificed to Idols is sacrificed to deuils 1. Corinth 10. 20. He doth so abhorre an image that who so worshippeth them doth the deuill great seruice Whensoeuer wee see either a maunger to be painted or grauen to represent the natiuitie of Christ or a post or piller to represent his scourging Non carent veneratione sua There is some religious reuerence to be done vnto them Bellarm. de sanctor imaginibus lib. 2. cap. 30. So in the Iesuites iudgment euerie Alehouse painted cloath shewing any such picture must be adored and worshipped That the sacrament doth conferre grace Ex opere operato by the very worke that is wrought that is the externall action not for the worthines of the minister or the receiuer Neither doth faith giue efficacie to the sacrament no more then the drines of the wood is the cause that it burneth which is the fire Bellarm. lib. 2. de effect sacrament cap. 1. not 4. These are foule absurdities as to thinke that any action of it selfe pleaseth or is acceptable vnto God without faith contrarie to the scripture Hebr. 11. 6. And to make the sacramentes to be more principall then faith whereof they are but seales Rom. 4. 11. And faith being the verie life of a righteous man Rom. 1. 17. Thata Pagane or Infidell may baptize in a case of necessitie or extremitie Bellarm. de Baptism lib. 1. cap. 7. A verie absurde thing that one by Baptisme may be receiued into the Church and made a member of Christ by him that is not in the Church nor of the bodie of Christ nor euer was Whereas Christ said onely to his Apostles Goe and teach al nations baptizing them c. Math. 28. 19. That it is very probable that Iohn Baptist vsed no forme of words at all in his baptisme Bellarm. de sacram Baptis lib. 1. cap. 20. Which is an absurd saying and contrary to S. Paul who testifieth of Iohn that he baptized the people saying vnto them That they shoulde beleeue in him which should come after him that is in Iesus Christ Act. 19. 4. That the Apostles were first made priests in the institution of the Lords supper and Bishops afterwarde when Christ was risen from the deade Bellarm. de sacram Confirmat cap. 12. resp ad 2. argum But what neede they be ordained priestes or Bishops who already were called to be Apostles which is the first and chiefest office in the Church Ephes. 4. 11. And includeth other inferior functions for the Apostles together with their Apostleship were made pastors and doctors Bishops to if you wil of the Church so that they needed not any new inuesting to these functions That the Bishop is the onely pastor of his diocesse and that inferior ministers teachers are not pastors properlie Bellar. de Concil lib. 1. cap. 15. Yet S. Peter maketh Elders Presbyteri as they translate priestes to be the proper pastors of their seuerall charges Feede the flocke of God which dependeth on you 1. Pet. 5. 3. But if a particular flocke or congregation depend on their teacher and instructer then is he properly their pastor The regiment of the Church is easier then the gouernment of the common wealth Facilior est gubernatio ecclesiastica quam politica Bellarm. de Roman pontif lib. 1. cap. 9. respons ad obiect 4. Here the Iesuite bewraieth his great ignorance seeing there is no greater charge thē that which concerneth the soules of men the care wherof Bellarmine confesseth not at al to belong to the politicall or ciuill magistrate And therefore S. Paul crieth out in admiration of this waightie and wonderfull calling Who is sufficient for these thinges 2. Corinth 2. 16. And therefore calleth the care which he had of the Churches a trouble a cumbrance 2. Corinth 11. 28. It is not therefore so light and easie an office as the Iesuite thinketh to haue charge of mens soules Tantum abest saith Bellarmine vt negatio Petri obsit primatui vt potiùs eum confirmet Peters deniall of Christ was so far from hindering his primacie that it did rather further it De Roman pontific lib. 1. cap. 28. A greate absurditie for it was so sarre from being any helpe or furtherance to Peter that it had bene sufficient without the great mercie of God to haue hindred his saluation And if Peter receiued such a benefite by his deniall of Christ he might haue spared some teares and not haue wept so bitterly for his fault Whereas we alleadge against our aduersaries that it is like that Peter was not at Rome when S. Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romanes because he is not remembred amongest so many in the Apostles salutation cap. 16 They shape vs these and the like aunsweres It might be that Peter at that time was out of the towne or that there were special leters sent to Peter beside or this epistle might be sent enclosed to S. Peter by his means to be deliuered to the Church Rhemist annot Rom. 16. sect 4. Who seeth not the absurditie and insufficiencie of these aunsweres That Peter failed in charitie when he denied Christ and not in faith if he failed in faith he lost the confession of faith not faith it selfe Bellarm de Roman pontif lib. 4. cap. 3. But how I pray you can a man faile in charitie and not in faith seeing a liuely faith alwaies worketh by loue Galath 5. 6. and can not be separated or diuided from it And it is as absurd a thing to say a man may loose the confession of his faith and yet keepe his faith sound for these two are the principall fruites of faith to Beleeue with the heart and confesse with the mouth Rom. 10. 10. And where either of these is wanting there cannot be a right perfect faith That the pope as he is pope can not erre And yet whether he may erre or not Est ab omnibus fidelibus obedienter audiendus He is obediently to be heard and
followed of all the faithfull Bellarm. de Rom. pontific lib. 4. cap. 2. What an absurd thing is this to binde the Church absolutely to obey a man as wel when he erreth as when he erreth not S. Paul durst require no more of the Corinthians but to follow him as he followed Christ. 1. Co. 11. 1. In the late deuised doctrin of their imagined Antichrist our aduersaries are driuen to graunt many absurdities 1. That Antichrist shal come of the tribe of Dan Rhemist 2. Thess. 2. sect 8. Whereas it is certaine that the tribes of the Iewes are now shufled together the distinction of their kinreds families is not kept for if in Ezra his time after the captiuity their genealogies were not perfitly known and therefore some were put from the priesthood Ezra 2. 62. how much more now the Iewes hauing beene dispersed in the worlde almost 16. hundred yeares is it like that their petigree and descent from their fathers is not obserued 2 Antichrist say they shall haue his imperiall seate at Ierusalem and reedifie againe the temple and commaund circumcision to be vsed Bellarm lib. 3. de pontif cap. 13. This is a great absurditie contradicting the trueth of scripture for Haggai the prophet calleth the temple builded by Zorobabel the last house 2. 10. But if it shal be the third time erected how was that the last 3 That Antichrist shall raigne but 3. yeares and an halfe and yet in this space shall fight with the three Kinges of Lybia Aegypt Aethiopia and persecute the Christians through the whole worlde Bellarm. cap. 16. But let any man say how is it possible that in so short a time Anti-christ should conquere and subdue the whole world In the which space a man can hardly compasse or goe through the world The popish religion preferreth the rich before the poore euen in spirituall matters Ideo in hoc solo casu melior est conditio diuitis quam pauperis quia habet vnde suffragia fiant pro ipso In this case only the estate of the rich is better then the poore because hee hath where with all suffrages shoulde be made for him that is hee is able to giue largely for Masses Albert. Mag. de offic missal tract 3. But the scripture biddeth otherwise that wee shoulde not haue respect vnto the rich that hath a golde ring or weareth gay apparell Iam. 2. 2. The signe of the crosse euen by the very act and making of the signe though it be done by a Iew Infidel or pagane is offorce to driue away the Deuill Bellarm. de imaginib sanct cap. 30. Yea but carnall weapons such as the signe of the Crosse is profit not good Christians against their spirituall enemies 2. Cor. 10. 4. how much lesse Paganes or Infidels The Iesuite maketh two representations of the death of Christ there is simplex repraesentatio a simple plaine representation and that is in the sacrament of the Eucharist and there is repraesentatio ad viuum a full and liuely representation of Christ that is vpon good Friday when Christs death is set foorth by diuers gestures actions instruments copes and vestmentes Bellarm. lib. 1. de Miss cap. 1. But how absurde a thing this is euery man may see that the representation of Christes death in the Sacrament instituted of the Lord himselfe to be a shewing foorth of his death should be but a plaine and simple representation and the other deuised by man being done without a Sacrament should bee called a liuely representation What is this else but to set the spirit of God to schoole as though a more liuely shewing foorth of Christes death could bee deuised by man then was ordained by Christ It is not necessarie they say in euery Sacrament to haue a visible signe and therefore the wordes of absolution which are audible though not visible may bee the externall signe in penance Bellarm. lib. 1. de poenitent cap. 11. See what an absurde saying this is for by this reason the preaching of the word may be a sacrament because there is an audible sound Likewise in the Popish Sacrament of matrimonie the Iesuite maketh the parties contracted both the matter of matrimonie and the Ministers and the forme to be these words I take thee c. Bellarm. de matrim cap. 6. Here are two great absurdities for first the preachers Ministers of the word only are the dispensers of the mysteries sacraments of the Church 1. Cor. 4. 1. therfore the parties themselues cannot be the ministers of matrimony which they say is a sacramēt Secondly it is not euery word that sanctifieth but the word of God 1. Timoth. 4. 5. but these wordes I take thee c. are no part of the word therefore they haue no power to sanctifie The Rhemistes holde opinion that Henoch and Elias doe yet liue in their bodies in Paradise Apocal. 11. sect 4. But paradise is nowe no other place but heauen 1. Corinth 12. 2. 4. But there they say Henoch and Elias are not for they shal come againe in their own persons as they hold and resist Antichrist and in the end be stayne of him but bodies once glorified in heauen can no more die neither are subiect to violence If then they bee not in heauen they are not in paradise which is no other place but heauen Let now any indifferent man iudge how handsomely these things agree together That the Angels shall be are the signe of the Crosse before Christ comming to iudgement Bellarm. de sanctis lib. 2. ca. 28. This also is a phantasticall conceite of theirs without any ground of Scripture or anie good reason But of all other popish absurdities these are most grosse and palpable which they are driuen to confesse about their deuise of transubstantiation in the Eucharist First they doe graunt that the body of Christ may bee and is in many places at once locally and visiblie that his flesh is at the same time in heauen and in earth in the Eucharist Bellarm. de sacram Eucharist lib. 3. cap. 4. Yet the Angell sayth contrary Hee is risen for hee is not here Math. 28. 6. Which had beene no good argument if Christes bodie be in many places at once Secondly they further affirme that Christes body in heauen and at the same time in earth are not sundry bodies or diuers partes of one body but one whole body not deuided or discontinued from it selfe Bellarm. ibid. Thus they make Christ a monstrous body that can fill heauen and earth and indeed they in so saying destroy his humanitie Thirdly they graunt that the body of Christ is in the Sacrament with all his partes and dimensions hands face feete Bellarm. lib. 3. de Eucharist cap. 7. But what an absurde and impossible thing is this that the body of a man as of three cubites in height and hauing other dimensions answearable to the proportion and stature of an humane body should bee inclosed in a thinne wafer cake such
auoiding of offence That the hearing preaching of the word of God is a necessarie note of the Church we conclude out of our Sauiour Christs words Iohn 10. My sheepe heare my voice Bellarmine aunswereth it is a note whereby a man may gesse of his election to heare the word of God but not a visible note to know the Church by Bellarm. de notis eccle lib. 4. cap. 2. A grosse aunswer as though whereby a man is knowne to be a true member of the Church the Church it selfe also is not knowen to be a true Church If one man be knowen to be of the Church because hee obeyeth the voice of Christ why shal not a congregation of many men be knowen to bee the Church of God likewise by embracing the worde of God Againe our Sauiour Christ saith Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest Math. 18. Hence we conclude that to assemble togither in the name Christ that is to heare his worde receiue the sacraments is a most manifest note of the true Church Bellarmine aunswereth this place sheweth not where the Church is but where Christis Bellarm. ibid. A most ridiculous and vnskilful answere as though where Christ is knowen to be present there is not necessarily the church for where els is he to be found but in his Church Christ said to Peter dic Ecclesiae Tel it to the Church an obstinate sinner must be referred to the censure of the Church Ergo Peter his successors are not the supreame iudges for here he is referred to the Church Bellar. So the Pope doth dicere Ecclesiae tel it to the Church id est sibi ipsi that is he telleth it to himselfe lib. de Concil 2. ca. 19. Ans. Is not here good stuffe the Pope is now become the whole Church contrarie to the sense of this place for in censuring of offendors wee must proceede by degrees first one must rebuke him that sinneth the 2 or 3. last of all it must be declared to the Church so then as two or three are more than one so the Church is more than 2 or 3. But the Pope is not 2 nor 3 much lesse can hee stande for the whole Church That the Apostles were al equal in authoritie we shewe it out of Saint Paul Ephes. 2. 20. where the Church is said to be built vpon the foundation of the Apostles indifferently Bellarmine answereth that they had all chiefe authoritie committed vnto them as Apostles but Peter as ordinarie Pastor Ans. But the Apostleship was the highest office in the Church A pastor or Bishop was inferior to an Apostle first Apostles faith S. Paul 1. Corinth 12. 28. If then they were equall as Apostles there could be no superioritie amongst them but such are their fond childish aunswers Whereas we reason thus against reliques that therefore the Lord buried the bodie of Moses lest the Israelites should haue worshipped his bodie and so committed Idolatrie Bellarm. telleth vs that men are not so prone to Idolatrie nowe as the Israelites were and therefore may more safelie be admitted to worship reliques de Reliqu Sanctorum lib. 2. cap. 4. Whereas daily experience of Popish idolatrie sheweth the contrarie for there was neuer no not in the most corrupt times of that Church such grosse idolatrie and superstition and with such boldnes committed so vsually as is now among Papistes And these with such like are their aunswers to such places of scripture as we bring against them The like aunswers also they giue vs in other matters Whereas wee tell them that this name Latinus in Greeke letters thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth conteine the mysticall number of 666. Apocal. 13. The Iefuit maketh this simple aunswere that Lateinus with e. i. maketh that number not with single i. lib. 3. de Pontif. cap. 10. Ans. Herein first hee sheweth his ignorance as though the Greeke dipthong ei be not vsually expressed by a single i. in Latine And what if e. be left out wee want but 5 of the number But what a poore shift is this we haue founde out the name of Antichrist in Latinus sauing one small letter Where wee tell them that Rome is the citie built vpon seuen hilles they aunswere vs that it now standeth in a plaine in Campo Martio Sander A sillie shift But it is certaine at that time when Saint Iohn wrote the Apocalypse that it stoode vpon seuen hilles and to this daye there are auncient monuments and goodly buildings Churches chappels Abbeyes or such like vpon euerie one of those hilles It were too long particularly to set downe all their absurde and aunswerlesse aunswers their sillie shifts and starting holes As whereas Gregorie maketh one Scholasticus author of the Canon of the Masse they aunswere S. Petrus Scholasticus dicipotest that S. Peter may well be termed a schooleman Bellar. de Miss li. â— ca. 19. which is in deede to set the spirite of God to schoole to say that the Apostles were brought vp in schooles Thus in another place he is constrained to graunt that marriage betweene Infidels ought to be after they are baptized the second time contracted solemnized Bellarm. de Matrim li. 1. 5. as though they had liued in adulterie before for if the first contract were firme what neede a second and if the first contract be dissolued by baptisme then are the parties free to marrie where they wil. See what an absurd answere this is Whereas we tell them that Sylâ—ester the second was a great coniâ—rer Necromancer as it is recorded in authenticall stories The Iesuite thus pretily would excuse the matter that because he was well seene in Geometrie in the Mathematikes therefore that rude vnlearned age iudged him to be a Sorcerer Bellarm. de Pontif. lib. 4. cap. 13. So another telleth vs whereas wee worthily vpbraid them with that whore Pope of theirs dame Ioane that sate 2 yeares in the Papacie that the Pope might be an Hermaphrodite or Herkinalson that is both a man a woman or being first a man might afterward be turned into a woman Corpus dialog 1. p. 47. And all this might be more likely in their opinion than that a woman should step into the Popes chaire What now will these men be ashamed to speake or write that dare vtter such follies It were too long to declare all their shiftes of descant as wee saye as when they are pressed with the authoritie of auncient writers whome in words they will seeme to make great account of if they cannot readily finde some cauil or other to shift it off they wil not stick boldly to refuse and denie them as where wee report the storie out of Sozomene vpon what occasion Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople abolished the custome of auricular confession Bellarmine steppeth in boldly and saith Non ignoramus Sozomenum in historia multa esse mentituÌ„ We are not ignorant that Sozomene hath told many
of God as if he haue loue and liue inwardly by the spirite of Christ Secondly Veritate finis siue permanentiae If he continue and attaine vnto the ende The first way men not predestinate may be saide truely to be the members of Christ Bellarm. de Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 7. Ans. 1. Charitie is not the essence or forme of the childe of God but faith and beleefe Iohn 1. 12. 2. It is absurd that he which hath the forme and essence of a thing should not obtaine the thing it selfe 3. Though such in respect of their present state may after a sort be called the sonnes of God yet they are not Vere filij Dei Truely and properly his sonnes 4. For in this sense none are truely the sonnes of God but they which shall be heires of saluation If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ Rom. 8. 17. Distinct. 12. Bellarmine disputing of the true notes of the Church in his opinion as of succession antiquitie vniuersalitie and such like he saith though they doe not Efficere euidentiam veritatis simpliciter Yet they doe Efficere euidentiam credibilitatis Though they worke not the euidence of trueth that is doe not certainely demonstrate the Church yet they worke the euidence of beleefe or likelyhood they shew great probabilitie of the Church Bellarm. lib. 4. de notis eccles cap. 3. Ans. How can there be Euidentia the euidence of any thing which is but gessed at not certainly knowen for that is saide to be euident which is put out of doubt 2. How can these be said to be verae notae true notes of the Church if by these notes a man cannot certainly find out the Church 3. Therfore the true notes do bring Euidentiā veritatis An euidence of trueth shewing demonstrating the Church without doubt My sheepe saith Christ heare my voice Iohn 10. Where the voice of Christ that is the worde of God is heard and obeied there certainly are the sheepe sheepfold of Christ and where two or three are assembled in my name there am I in the midst Math. 18. to assemble in the name of Christ to heare his worde and duely receiue the sacramentes is an infallible note of Christes presence and so also of his Church These therefore are the true notes the worde and sacramentes rightly taught and administred Distinct. 13. They make a difference betweene Euangelicall precepts and Euangelicall counsels to leaue a precept vndone is sin euery Christian is bound vnto it But Euangelicall counsels are giuen onely to the perfect which they are not bound to keepe neither do they sin in not keeping of them yet if they obserue them they merite more Such counsels of perfectiō are these such like to giue al to the poore to vow chastity such like Bellar. de Monach. cap. 7. Rhem. ann Mat. 9. sect 9. Ans. We acknowledge no such difference betweene precepts counsels for whatsoeuer is to the glory of God we are bound to doe Math. 5. 48. Ye shal be perfect therfore al coūsels tending to perfectiō are cōmandements And that a man can do no more when he hath done al then is his duetie to do our Sauiour Christ sheweth in plaine words Luk. 17. 10. It is therfore a vaine distinctiō Distinct. 14. A vow is twofold Simplex votum A simple or single vow which is made before God alone Votum duplex vel solenne A double or solemne vow made in the presence of the Bishop or Abbate Mariage made after a single or simple vow standeth in force but it cannot make voide a solemne vow made before Harding pag. 547. defens apolog Ans. A single vow bindeth as streitly before God as a solemne vowe neither is it any thing to the Lord whether we vow in the hearing of others or before witnesse therefore the scripture knowing no such distinction generally biddeth men that haue vowed vnto God to pay their vowes Num. 30. 3. Eccles 5. 3. And as for the other point neither a single nor a solemne vow is a sufficient cause to deny mariage to him that cannot containe as the Apostle saith to avoide fornication let euery man haue his wife 1. Cor. 7. 2. Distinct. 15. Whereas the Apostle saith perfect loue expelleth feare Belmine distinguisheth there is Timor poenae and Timor culpae propter poenam Feare of punishment and feare of sinne for the punishment sake Loue expelleth not the first kinde of feare but the second Bellar. de purgator lib. 2. cap. 3. Ans. I pray you what difference is there betweene feare of punishment and feare of sinne because of the punishment or howe can these two be separated for he that is afraid to be damned will be afraid to sinne which causeth damnation Loue therefore expelleth these seruile kindes of feare which haue painfulnes as the Apostle saith but it retaineth the reuerence or feare of children which bringeth comfort rather and boldnes in the day of iudgment Ibid. vers 17. Distinct. 16. A mediator may be vnderstood two waies First he is mediator that payeth the debt vnto the creditor for the debter so Christ onely is our mediator who hath paid the ransome for vs Secondly he that entreateth the creditor to forgiue the debter so the Saintes may be and are mediators in praying for vs Christ is the mediator of Redemption they of intercession Bellarm. lib. 1. de Sanct. cap. 20. It is a very blasphemous distinction and contrarie to scripture for our mediator betweene God and man must be both God and man 1. Timoth. 2. 5. Therefore no creature can be our mediator Againe to make intercession to God for vs belongeth to the priesthoode of Christ who as the high priest was wont to go into the most holy place to pray for the people is nowe entered into the heauens to appeare in the sight of God for vs Hebr. 9. 24. But Christ onely is our priest in heauen neither Angel nor Saint Ergo he onely is our mediator and intercessor Distinct. 17. The question arising betweene vs whether Christ be our Mediator in respect of his manhood onely as they hold or as hee is both God and man as we teach they doe coine vs this sophisticall distinction that Christ is our Mediator in both his natures Ratione suppositi nō ratione formalis principij in respect of the suppositum or hypostasis of the Mediator not in respect of the formall beginning to speake this more plainely The mediator must of necessitie bee both God and man but the forme of his mediation or that whereby hee worketh his mediation is his humane nature Bellarm. de Christo lib. 5. cap. 3. Answ. The scripture attributeth the mediation of Christo to both his natures God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe here God is a reconciler and Christ a reconciler that is Christ reconcileth vs both as God and man 2. Corinth 5. 19. Distinct. 18. The saintes are our
for they which are in darknes excluded from the presence of God do not onely sustaine the losse of that benefit but they must needs also be in paine sorow for as the Psalme pronoâ—ceth of other creatures If thou hidest thy face they are troubled Psal. 104 29. so is it also true of men that the hiding of Gods face the absence of his spirit bringeth sorrow trouble withal So our Sauiour saith They shalbe cast into vitter or exterior darkenes there shalbe weeping gnashing of teeth Math. 8. 12. darkenes then is accompanied with weeping and extreme horror It is called the vtter or exterior darkenesse because without the kingdome of heauen there is nothing but darkenes But if they will haue it so called in respect of hell it selfe as though some darknesse were Exterior or outward some interior or inward the darkenesse of Limbus patrum which they say is in the brimme of hell must be this exterior darknesse because hel the place of the damned is lower and more inward and that must be the Interior darkenesse Thus wee see howe easely their vanities are blowen away Distinct. 28. The Iesuite maketh two kindes of voluntarie worship that is properly called Cultus voluntarius Voluntarie worship Qui sine ratione suscipitur Which is taken in hand without any reason or grounde There is an other kinde of worship or seruice Qui exhibetur Deo per actus virtutum Which is performed vnto God by some act of vertue and this is not properly a voluntarie worship or Religion though it be not commaunded of this sort they say their pilgrimages are and such like Bellar. de sanct lib. 2. cap. 8. Contra. 1. Saint Paule forbiddeth all voluntarie worship Coloss. 2. 23. the worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherfore al thinges brought into the worship of God without his commandement by the wil of man what reason or cause soeuer is pretended is but will-worship 2. The Apostle speaketh not of such a will-worship as is fondly enterprised without any cause as if a man should vowe not to sit downe at the table till he haue twise washed as the Iesuite putteth the example but euen of such worship as is commended by the Iesuite which is not rashly begunne but with aduise and performed by some vertuous act for the Apostle saith that euen will-worship hath a shew of wisedome it is not sine ratione but habet rationem sapientiae Againe there is submission and humblenesse of the minde and not sparing or not satisfying the flesh al these our aduersaries cannot denie to be vertuous actes for such are their fastinges and other workes of penance Wherefore euen such thinges do make but a will-worshippe The Iesuite then hath saide iust nothing Distinct. 29. Bellarmine graunteth that vowes may be made properly vnto Saintes as vnto God but with this distinction Wee do promise and make a vowe to God in signe of our thankefulnesse to him as vnto the author of all good thinges but vnto Saintes we vow to betoken our thankefulnesse vnto them as our mediators and intercessors by whose meanes wee doe receiue these good thinges of God Bellarm lib. 3. de sanct cap. 9. Contra. Thus they are not ashamed to rob God of his honour The scripture reacheth vs that vowes onelie are to bee made to God Esay 19. 21. In that day the Aegyptians shall knowe the Lorde and shall doe sacrifices and vowe vowes vnto God Heere vowes and sacrifices are ioyned together but sacrifices no manner of way are due to Saintes therefore neither vowes Againe the scripture maketh this a reason why we should vowe vnto God and pay our vowes For the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee Deut. 23. 21. But God onely is able to require and exact a vowe at our handes and to call vs to accounte for it Ergo wee must vowe onely vnto him Distinct. 30. Daies among Christians are partlie Equall partlie vnequall Vnequall they are by reason of the precept and determination of the Church and for the mysticall signification which they haue Equall they are Quoad essentialia festi In respect of the essentiall matters of an holy day As a man priuately by him selfe may vpon any day receiue the communion heare the word and keepe the memorie of Christes resurrection Bellarm. de câ—lt Sanctor lib. 1. cap. 10. Contra. The difference and distinction of daies for signification and in respect of more holinesse is meere Iudaicall as the Apostle testifieth This man esteemeth one day aboue another day another man counteth euery day alike Rom. 14. 5. Wherefore daies are all equall and alike vnto Christians not in respect onelie of those essentials for so were they also equal to the Iewes they might by them selues vppon any day if they would read the law remember Gods benefites and such like but they are equal in nature holines and goodnes so that difference of daies amonge Christians is rather for Christian order and pollicie sake for the people to meete together to heare the word and serue God then as setting apart some daies for greater holines in themselues Distinct. 31. Whereas wee obiect that place of the Gospell The poore ye haue alwaies but me ye shall not haue alwaies Math. 26. against the Reall and bodily presence of Christ in the Eucharist They answere by this distinction that Christ is not now present in bodie Uisibili corporali praesentia By his visible or corporall presence or Secundum humanam conuersationem After his conuersation or as he was conuersant amonge men but inuisiblie he may be present and after another maner Bellarm. de Eucharist lib. 1. cap. 14. resp ad loc 4. Contra. This distinction is thus by scripture ouerthrowen S. Peter saith The heauens must containe or receiue Christ till his comming againe Act. 3. 21. He cannot in his body be absent from heauen till that time therefore he can not any way be present in earth If they answeare as they doe that he may be in Heauen and in the Eucharist all at one time wee confute them by an other place of scripture Hee is not heere saith the Angell for he is risen Math. 28. 6. which had beene no good argument if the body of Christ were likely to be in two places at once Distinct. 32. Some thinges are properly attributed to the bodie of Christ in the Eucharist as whatsoeuer signifieth motion from place to place as the bodie of Christ may be said to be lifted vp and to be laid downe and such like but other mutations and chaunges as to wake hoate or colde to sower or be mouldie doe very improperly or not at all agree vnto the body of Christ Bellarm. de Eucharist lib. 1. cap. 3. Contra. We graunt in deede that Christes bodie is not now subiect to heate or colde nor any such thing and therefore wee denie that his bodie is present in the Eucharist because the Elements doe receiue these alterations Let them tell vs then when the breade mouldeth
the scripture alloweth that speech Wee are messengers for Christ and for Christ or in Christes steede we beseech you 2. Corinth 5. 20. 21. He saith not as Christ but for Christ and the highest dignitie that the pastors of the Church haue is to be ministers only of reconciliation 2. Corinth 5. 18. and to be dispensers or disposers of the mysteries of God 1. Corinth 4. 1. See then what is become of this distinction Distinct. 37. There is an action in the Church which is both a sacrifice and a representation of a sacrifice beside there is also an otherthat is no sacrifice but a representation onelie the first is the Masse the second the Eucharist Bellarm. lib. 1 de missa cap 1. Contr. 1. The Eucharist also is a sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing as the word signifieth for other sacrifice externall in the Church we acknowledge none but these spirituall ones Hebr. 13. 15. 16. 2. Such distinction of a sacrifice representing and a representing without a sacrifice they learne not out of the word nay it is coÌ„trary to it for al that Christ commaundeth vsis to doe this in his remeÌ„brance and this doing is nothing else but eating drinking according to his institution in the sacrament 1. Corinth 11. 26. vers 2â— This do as often as ye drinke it This doing is coÌ„municating by drinking not sacrificing as they fondly imagine Distinct. 38. There is Duplex diuortium a double kinde of diuorce in matrimonie quoad thorum cohabitationem quoad vinculum A diuorce from bed and bourd onely the mariage knot or bond remayning still as in case of adulterie and an other kinde when the knotte or bond it selfe is dissolued and loosed Bellar. de matrim lib. 1. cap. 14. Contr. This distinction is contrarie to the Apostle as wee shall shew marriage cannot bee dissolued in respect of bedding and bourding together but the bond Vinculum must needes be vntied What the Vinculum or bond of mariage is Saint Paul sheweth The wife hath not power ouer her owne bodie but her husband and so likewise the husbande c. 1. Corinth 7. 4. and that this is the bond it is gathered out of the 15. verse where speaking of the departure of infidels hee sayth that a brother or sister is not in subiection that is is no longer bound to performe these duties and debtes of mariage verse 27. Art thou bound to a wife secke not to be loosed Ergo the bond may bee loosed the word here vsed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the which worde commeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vinculum â— bond Therefore by not being in subiection or vnder power one of an other is to be freed and to be no longer bound If the marriage knot or bond could not be vntied among christians the apostle needed not to haue saide Seeke not to bee loosed for who will seeke for an impossible thing Distinct. 39. Some vertues are Morales moral some Theologica theologicall repentance which they call penance is a vertue Morall saith the Iesuit faith a vertue Theologicall Bellarm. lib. 1. de poenitent cap. 29. Contr. First this distinction is not currant for if you vnderstande by Theologicall that which is diuine for so wee englishe Theologia Diuinitie then are all the vertues of christians Theologicall that is Diuine both in respect of the author for they are all the giftes of God Iam. 1. 17. as also in respect of their operation and effect Yee are partakers sayth S. Peter of the diuine nature if ye flie the corruption of worldly lusts 2. Epist. 1. 4. Lo the flying of worldly lustes which is with them a Morall vertue is now become a theologicall or diuine vertue because thereby wee are made diuine or like to the diuine nature Secondly if they bee morall vertues which consist in manners and practise they theologicall that consist in knowledg and speculation Faith in that sense is not theologicall but morall Faith working by loue Gallath 6. 5. Thirdly what needeth such distinction and separation of vertues seeing the apostle ioyneth them all together Ioyne vnto your faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance 2. Peter 1. ver 6. 7. Therefore it is no good argument which the Iesuite maketh â—ayth belongeth not to repentance because one is of this kind another of that seeing the apostle both in nature practise ioyneth theÌ„ together Distinct. 40. In contrition Propositum non peccandi duplex there is a double purpose not to sinne any more Virtuale siue implicitum formale seu explicitum an inward and vertuall purpose and a formall and explicate purpose the first is not sufficient but it is necessary that he which is iustified from his sinne should make a formall expresse purpose not to sin any more beside the detestation which he hath of sinne Bellarm. lib. 2. de poenitent cap. 6. Contr. First the Lord saith by his prophet If the wicked will returne from all his sinnes and keepe my statutes hee shall surely liue Ezech. 18. 21. Here is nothing required but a forsaking of sinne and doing of righteousnes which may be done without any such formall or expresse purpose yet a purpose of heart is necessary Act. 11. 23. which must needs accompanie the detestation of sinne and amendement of life Secondly I pray you where was this formall expresse vowe or purpose in the theese vpon the crosse vnto whoÌ„ Christ notwithstanding promised paradise Luk. 23. verse 42. 43. Distinct. 41. They distinguish thus of merites There is Meritum de congruo merite of congruitie as the workes which goe before instification though they be not simplie meritorious Ex debito iustitiae by the due debt of iustice yet they deserue of congruitie Meritum de condigno merite of condignitie followeth iustification whereby a man by his meritorious works is worthy by iustice of the kingdome of heauen Rhemist annot Ro. 2. sect 3. Bellarm. lib. 2. de poenitent cap. 12. Contr. First that there is no merite at all of condignitie S. Paul sheweth saying The afflictions of this life are not worthie or as they reade Condigne of the glory to come Rom. 8. ver 1. 8. The Rhemistes distinction vpon that place of condigne to and condigne of is but a Iesuiticall toye and not worth the answere Secondly that there is no merite of congruitie before iustification it is thus prooued Without faith there is no merit for without faith it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11. 6. and saith is not before iustification Rom. 5. 1. Ergo. Distinct. 42. Workes of the lawe or of nature done without or before sayth merite not but workes done by Gods grace are truely meritorious Thus they answere vs when we obiect that place Rom. 3. 28. Wee holde that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Rhemist in hunc locum Contr. The Apostle himselfe taketh away this distinction Ephes. 2. By grace are
the Church as to sell Bishoprickes and Ecclesiasticall liuings these the Pope might dispense withall O Petre saith hee quantam animarum multitudinem cateruatim transmisit transmittit ad Infernum haec superstitialis damnanda distinctio O Peter Peter how many soules hath this superstitious and damnable distinction sent by heapes and yet doth dayly send to hell Aureum speculum ex citation Iuell pag. 614. So the Papistes by their blasphemous distinctions of merites satisfactions iustifications adoration and such like doe subuert the truth peruert the soules of manie euert and ouerthrow the course of religion and tread them a high way and a beaten path to Hell and damnation The fourth Piller of Papistrie consisting of Papists contradictions amongst themselues IT is an vsual accusation of the popish sort against the professors of the Gospel that wee are at variance dissension amongst our selues cannot agree of the pointes of our religion Harding saith with a stinking vncleane mouth that the puddle of Lutherans runneth down by manie sinkes that we agree not within our selues and that each one often times disagreeth with himselfe Defeus Apolog. pag. 289. The Rhemistes falsely obiect that we would euery yeare haue a new faith 2. Cor. 2. v. 18. Bellar. saith that we haue 200 seueral expositions of these words of our Sauiour This is my body with lie all de Sacram. li. 2. ca. 1. Now then to cleare and purge our selues of this false occusation we will consider who they are that cast vs in the teeth with our dissensions who for one dissension that is among vs haue tenne among themselues yea if I said for one an hundred I thinke the saying might be iustified This Piller of Papistrie hath foure partes First we wil shew the dissensions of the later new Papistes with the old Secondly of the contradictions of the new among themselues Thirdly because they say that amongst vs one disagreeth many times with himself we wil lay open the nakednes of their stoutest champion Bellarmine how shamefully he forgetteth himselfe saying vnsaying now of one opinion by by of another Fourthly We wil shewe the repugnances inconueniences and inconsequent opinions which popish religion hath in it selfe The contradictions diuers opinions of old Papists new BEcause our aduersaries would beare vs in hand that their dissentions are not in material points but lighter matters which concerne not the faith Wee will make choice of such opinions of theirs leauing the rest wherein they dissent as shall easily appeare to be no triuiall or comon matters but of great weight moment Lyranus Hugo Cardinalis Caietanus do hold the bookes of Tobie Iudith Macchabees Ecclesiasticus the wisedome of Salomon to be Apocryphall bookes no part of Canonicall Scripture Arius Montanus also holdeth all the bookes of the old Testament not found in the Hebrue Canon to be Apocryphall ex Whitacher controu qu. 1. cap. 6. The contrarie is nowe maintained by Papistes that all the aforesaid bookes are Canonicall and part of the Scriptures Canus affirmeth that the Scriptures in the Hebrue text are wholly corrupt defaced by the malice of the Iewes Bellarm. confesseth some corruption in them yet not concerning the doctrine of faith maners And that those corruptions defaults came rather by reason of some faultie Libraries imperfect copies than by the malicious deprauation of the Iewes Bellar. de Verb. Dei li. 2. cap. 2. They differ much in many points concerning Antichrist Some of them thinke that the number 666. Apocal. 13. doth describe the time of Antichrists comming as Lyranus Some that it sheweth the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they thinke shalbe the name of Antichrist Anselmus Richardus Bellarm. thinketh his name shal not be known til he be come de Rom. Pont. li. 3. c. 11 Some that he shalbe borne of a woman of fornication Some of the tribe of Dan as Anselmus Richardus Bellarm. holdeth neither ibid. cap. 12. Dominicus a Soto is of opinioÌ„ that the Christian faith shall vtterly be extinguished in the great persecution vnder Antichrist Bellarmine thinketh no ibid. cap. 17. Their Canon law saith that no mortall man must here presume to reproue the faults of the Pope because he himselfe being to iudge all men is to be iudged of none Part. 1. distinct 4. Cap. Si Papa Yet the Rhemistes affirme the contrarie that Popes may be reprehended are iustly admonished of their faults ought to take it in good part if it proceed of zeale and loue Annot. 2. Galath Sect. 8. Some of them do thinke that the Pope euen as he is Pope may fall into heresie so become an heretike if he take vpon him to define or determine without a generall Councel Gerson Alphons de Castro Adrianus 6. Papa Some affirme the cleane contrarie that the Pope cannot possibly fall into heresie nor define any hereticall point no not by himselfe alone Albert. Pighius Others do teach that whether the Pope may be an heretike or not he cannot determine any thing that is hereticall sic Driedo Caietanus Hosius Eckius and to this subscribeth Bellarmine lib. 4. de Roman Pontif. cap. 2. That place of the Gospel where Christ saith I haue praied for thee Peter that thy faith should not faile the Diuines of Paris vnderstand generally of the whole Church that Christ praied that the Catholike faith should not faile But Bellarmine and the rest take these words as meant of Peter onely and his successors that they should not erre at any time in faith Bellarm. ibid. cap. 3. Durandus a popish author confesseth that Gregorie 1. was found in an error for permitting priests to confirme but Bellarmine chargeth him rather with error in so writing ibid. cap. 10. Melchior Canus affirmeth that Honorius 1. was an heretike Bellarmine holdeth the contrarie de Pontif. lib. 4. cap. 11. Celestinus 3. an heretike so saith Alphons de Castro Bellarmine is of the contrarie opinion ibid. cap. 14. Iohn 22. was in a great error who held that the soules of the righteous should not see God before the day of the resurrection Guilielmus Oekâ—â— Adrianus Bellar. notwithstanding taketh vpon him to excuse him of heresie Bellarm. cap. 14. Benedictus 13. condemned for an heretike in the Councel of Constance Eugenius 4. in the Councel of Basile Bellar. denieth notwithstanding that they were heretikes but the Councels to haue erted rather in condemning them ibid. Some of the Papists thinke the Bishops as the Apostles before them do receiue their iurisdiction immediatly at Gods hands So Franciscus Victoria Alphons de Castro Others that the Apostles receiued their iurisdiction not from Christ but from Peter Bishops from Peters successor so Iohan. de Turre cremat Dominicus Iacobatius A third sort hold that the Apostles immediatly receiued power from Christ but Bishops must look for it at the Popes hands sic Caietanus Dominicus a Soto Bonauenture Durand so also Bellar. ca. 22. They are
much troubled about this question whether the Pope may be deposed for heresie Albert. Pighius holdeth that the Pope cannot be an heretike therefore not for any cause to be deposed Iohannes de Turre cremat is of opinion that the Pope for secrete heresie is actually deposed of God may be by the Church declared to be so deposed Others helde that the Pope neither for manifest nor secrete heresie either is actually or may be deposed Caietanus that the Pope for manifest heresie is not actually deposed but may be deposed by the Church There is a fifth opinion that the Pope being a manifest heretike doth cease of himself to be pope that he may be iudged by the Church yet they iudge not the Pope for he is now no Pope Iohan. Driedo Melchior Canus Bellarmine consenteth lib. 2. de Pontif. cap. 30. Concerning the popes temporal iurisdiction some of them teach that the pope by the worde of God hath full plenarie power in all matters both Ecclesiastical ciuill Augustin Triumphus Hostiensis Others that he hath not directly immediatly any temporal authoritie but only spiritual yet indirectly imediatly by reason of his spiritual power he hath chiefe authoritie also in temporal matters Sic Iohan. Driedo Iohan. de Turre cremat Pighius Caietanus Bellar. lib. 5. de Pontif. ca. 1. They are much busied about the Councel of the Iewes that condemned Christ whether it erred or not Some hold that the question was de facto non de iure not by what right Christ should be put to death but they consulted only of the fact to put him to death therefore in a matter of fact might erre Others think that they erred in their own mind affectioÌ„ toward Christ not in the sentence for Christ was worthie of death bearing our sinnes But Bellar. is of an opinioÌ„ by himself that the Councel did erre for they were priuileged only froÌ„ error before Christs coÌ„ming not afterward li. 2. de Concil ca. 8. Thus they wearie theÌ„selues in their owne foolish conceits Some think that generall Councels cannot erre though they haue not the Popes confirmation so the diuines of Paris Others hold the cleane coÌ„trarie that they may as Caietanus Turrecremat Bellar. li. 2. de concil c. 11. Some hold opinion that a general Councel is aboue the Pope Nichol. Cusanus Panormitanus Abulensis So also it was concluded in the Councels of Constance Basile The Canonists teach that the Pope by right is aboue the Church Councels but he may if he please submit himself to their iudgement giue them authoritie ouer him But others think that he hath such an absolute authoritie that he cannot submit himself to the sentence or censure of Councels though he would So Antoninus Iohan. de Turre cremat Caietanus Pigghius with others vnto this Bellarm. subscribeth the Popes waged champion to fight for his triple crowne Alphons de Castro is of opinion that heretikes are members of the Church Bellarm. bestoweth some labour to confute his opinion Thus one Papist maketh worke for another Bellarm. de Eccl. li. 3. ca. 4. Iohan. de Turre cremat requireth faith as necessarie to make a true member of the Church which is a true sound opinion but he is confuted by Bellarm. who holdeth faith in this case to be needlesse li. 3. de Eccl. ca. 10. Iohannes de Turre cremat saith it is against the Catholike faith to affirm that the faith of the Church did not only rest or was preserued in the virgin Marie in the passioÌ„ of Christ Bellar. thinketh that faith was preserued as well in the Apostles as in Marie that theirs failed no more than hers li. 3. de Eccles. ca. 17. And herein the Iesuite coÌ„meth nearest the truth The Apostles faith was not lost but greatly shaken at the death of Christ and they remained wauering doubtful til they were by Christ risen again confirmed Some affirme that the vow of continencie or single life is annexed to priesthod by the law of God Iohan. Maior Clictouaeus Others that it is not grounded vpon the diuine law but onely brought in by the constitution and decree of the Church and may be dispensed withall Tho. Aquinas Caietanus so thinketh also Bellarm. de clericis lib. 1. ca. 18. The Canonistes holde that the constitution of tithes euen in respect of the quantitie proportion of the tenth is established by the law of God therefore cannot be altered to any other quantitie Bellarm. calleth it an error of the Canonists confuteth it determining the matter thus that the paiment of tithes is De iure diuino quoad substantiam non quoad quantitatem is by the word warranted in respect of the substance or equitie not in regard of the precise quantitie de Clericis lib. 1. cap. 25. The Canonists hold that clergie men are exempt from the power of secular Princes not only in Ecclesiastical but in politike ciuill affaires by the law of God Others affirme that they are freede their persons their goods onely by humane constitution Franciscus Victoria Dominicus a Soto and Bellarm. de Clericis lib. 1. cap. 28. Scotus did hold that venial sinnes were remitted in the verie instant of the separation of the soule from the bodie but they were remitted per merita prâ—cedentia by vertue of the merites which went before in the life Tho. Aquinas held the contrarie that they were not remitted then but afterward in Purgatorie To this agreeth Bellarmine and the rest Bellar. libâ—â— de Purg. ca. 10. Some Papistes holde that the soules in Purgatorie are vncertaine of their saluation and though they shalbe saued yet they know it not Dyoâ—is Carthusianus Michael Baij but the general opinion of the Papists now is that they are certaine of their saluation Bellarm. de Purg. lib. 2. ca. 4. Some of them thinke that veniall sinnes by nature deserue eternall death that they are but venial of Gods mercie wherein they holde the truth for the stipend of all sin is death Rom. 6. 25. so Michael Baij Gerson Iohan Roffens But now the Iesuits generally hold the contrarie that venial sinnes are pardonable of their own nature Bellarm. ibid. Some are of opinion that prayers may be made for soules that are in Hell Bellarmine generally all that rable holde it onely to be lawfull to pray for soules in Purgatorie But the truth is the dead are not to be praied for at all Bellarm. de Purg. lib. 2. ca. 5. The papistes generally hold that the soules which neede no â—lensing in purgatorie do streight-waies go to heauen yet Bellarmine hath a trick by himself thinketh it not improbable that there should be another place not so ful of ioy as heauen is nor in paine equal to purgatorie li. 2. de Purg. ca. 7. But we acknowledge neither the one nor the other for Scripture no where maketh mention of moe places than heauen hell Th. Aquinas holdeth that the least
namely Christ and yet againe that they were yet Bellarmine affirmeth both the first lib. 2 de Sacram. cap. 17. resp ad argument 3. The latter lib. 1. de Miss ca. 20. 19 To say that faith goeth before repentance or as they terme it Penance and that repentance goeth before iustification is all one to say that repentance goeth before iustification and that iustification likewise goeth before repentance for by faith are wee iustified Roâ— 5. 1. As soone as faith commeth iustification doth accompanie it If faith go before so doth iustification and if iustification follow repentance so doth faith yet are they both affirmed by Bellarmine de Poenitent lib. 1. cap. 19. 20 Manie such contradictorie and repugnant sayings are easily to be found in Bellarmines volumes in the writings of other papistes so that they neither agree with others nor with themselues as the Rhemists sometime say that the meritorious workes of the Saints the verie ground of popish indulgences are to be disposed by the Pastors of the Church 2. Corinth 2. Sect. 5. Sometime that they are applicable by the sufferers intention Annot. 1. Coloss. 1. Sect. 4. Harding Sometime calleth their Legend storie an old moth-â—aten booke and confesseth that among many true stories it may haue some fables Defens Apolog pag. 166. And yet forgetting himselfe hee stoutly affirmeth that there are no fables nor lies in that booke pag. 750. Thus much of the personall contradictions among the papistes both olde and newe Nowe wee will set downe for a taste and tryall the repugnances and contrarieties which their religion hath within it selfe Popish Religion contrary within it selfe Part. 4. 1 IT is generally taught and beleeued in the popish Church that Baptisme is necessary to saluatioÌ„ which errour they would ground vpon those wordes Iohn 3. 5. That vnles a man be borne of water and the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen yet they themselues also affirme that baptisme was not necessarie before the passion of Christ but beganne in the day of Pentecost after to bee necessarie Bellarm. lib. 1. de baptis cap. 5. Yea and nowe also they make two exceptions of Martyrs and penitent persons who without baptisme may bee saued Bellarm. cap. 6. The Rhemistes adde vnto these a third exempt case of those that depart this life with vowe and desire of the sacrament of baptisme Annot. Iohn 3. sect 2. But if they ground the necessitie of baptisme vpon those words of our Sauiour it beganne to bee necessarie when those words were vttered and therefore was necessary before the passion of Christ. Secondly the wordes are general in so much that there is no priuiledge graunted to Martyrs or penitent persons if they stande strictlie vpon that place In this poynt therefore papistrie is not at vnitie in it selfe 2 Bellarmine with the rest do affirme that Christ gaue the cup onelie to his Apostles whom at that instant they say he made priestes and therefore priestes onelie not lay-men are bound by the word of God to receiue in both kindes Yet the practise of their Church is contrary For neither doe priestes if they communicate onely and minister not the sacrament receiue in both kindes according to the decree of the Tridentine chapter Bellarm. de sacram Eucharist lib. 4. cap. 25. 3 Againe in their priuate masses the priest saith Quotquot ex hac altaris participatione sumpserimus As many of vs as haue beene partakers of this altar When as there be no communicantes beside the priest himselfe how can this hang together ex canon missae 4 The priest also being at masse saith commaund these to be caried by the handes of thine Angels vnto the highest altar in heauen and anone he swalloweth downe the host into his belly that he would haue conueyed into heauen how can these thinges agree 5 The papistes generally make but seauen degrees of ecclesiastical orders as priestes deacons subdeacons Acolythistes or Attenders Readers Exorcistes doore-kepers Bellarm. de Cleric cap. 11. And yet Bellarmine the mouth of the rest affirmeth that Ordinatio episcopalis the ordaining of Bishops is a sacrament as the other ministerial orders be Ergo it is also a distinct degree from the rest and so there are eight in al Bellarm. de sacram Ordinis cap. 5. Further if there be eight distinct Orders euery one by it selfe is a sacrament as Bellarmine teacheth then haue we eight sacraments of Order beside the other six for al these seuerall orders cannot make one sacrament seeing they differ one from another both in forme of wordes in the externall signes or ceremonies that are vsed Consul Bellarm. lib. de Ordin cap. 5. 6. 7. 8. 6 In wordes and outward profession they affirme that matrimonie is a sacrament And yet some of them call it a pollution or prophanation of orders Gregor Martin And that the mariage of ministers is the worst sort of incontinencie fornication Rhemist 1. Cor. 7. sect 8. Haue not these men now a very reuerent opinion of their sacramentes 7 Againe they preferre continencie before matrimonie as a state far more excellent and meritorious before God Yet they hold matrimonie to be a sacrament and to conferre grace of iustification how then is it not more excellent then single life which is no sacrament neither a conferrer of grace 8 Bellarmine saith Bonum est a Deo petere tum vt sanctos pro nobis orare faciat tum vt illos pro nobis orantes exaudiat It is good for vs to craue of God that he would cause the Saintes to pray for vs and that then he would heare them entreating for vs De Miss lib. 2. cap. 8. Thus they make God a mediator between the Saintes and vs. And what an absurde thing is this to pray to God that the Saints may pray for vs whereas in thus saying they confesse that we haue accesse vnto God our selues without their mediation 9 It is the opinion of the schoolemen approued by Bellarmine that the fathers of the lawe were iustified by the merite of Christes passion as we are but herein to stand the difference that the merite of Christs Death is applied vnto vs by the sacramentes Hebrâ—is autem per solam fidem But vnto the Hebrues by onely faith Bellarm. de sacram lib. 2. cap. 13. I pray you now if they were iustified by faith onely who liued vnder the law which is contrary to faith The law is not of faith saith the Apostle Galath 3. 12. shal not we much more vnder the Gospel which is by S. Paule called the word of faith Rom. 10. 8. Who seeth not nowe the packing and iugling of papistes 10 Now coÌ„cerning the pope they euery where beare vs in hand that he is heade of the Catholike vniuersall Church And yet in the end being vrged they confesse that he is Christes vicar but in the regiment of that part which is on the earth Rhemist Annot. Ephes. â— sect 6. He is not then
head of the vniuersal Church neither hath he any thing to do in purgatory as other of the popish sort haue written 11 Bellarmine confesseth that the pope is not Peters successor Iure diuino By diuine right neither by Christes institution in the Gospel Lib. 2. de pontif cap. 17. How then commeth it to passe that they haue made it an article of their faith To beleeue the pope to be the head of Christes Church Seeing Bellarmine him self confesseth in these words Nihil est de fide nisi quod Deus per Apostolos aut Prophetas reuelauit aut quod euidenter inde deducitur Nothing is of faith but that which God hath reuealed by his Apostles or prophets or that which is euidentlie deduced from thence Bellarm. de verb. Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 9. But that the pope is Peters successor it is neither expressed nor euidentlie deduced out of scripture therefore it is no point of faith 12 Bellarmine and likewise the rest make the perpetuall succession of the Bishops of Rome to be a manifest argument of the Church he calleth it insolubile and euidentissimum argumentum and yet afterward being pressed with the example of the patriarchicall sea of Constantinople which hath had alwaies a perpetual succession he aunswereth that succession is an argument of the Church Negatiuely that is where there is no succession there is no Church not affirmatiuely that where there is succession there is straightway a Church lib. 4. de notis Eccl. c. 8. Thus wee see what is become of their euidentissimum argumentum of this their most euident argument 13 It is confessed by our aduersaries that the Church of Rome was founded both by Peter and Paule Rhemist annot Galath 2. sect 6. And that they are both patrones of that sea How then commeth it about that the pope chalengeth rather to be Saint Peters successor then Saint Paules 14 In the popish Church they do deuide the cup from the other element in the Eucharist ministring the sacrament in one kinde onelie to the lay-sorte Cleane contrarie to the Canon of Gelasius which is to be found among the popes owne decrees in these wordes We vnderstand that there are some which receiuing onely the portion of the Lordes body do abstaine from the cup of his sacred blood to whome we inioyne that either they receiue the whole sacrament in both kindes or else that they receiue neither for the deuiding of that whole and one sacrament cannot be done without great sacriledge Canon Gelas. de consecrat Who seeth not now that their practise is contrarie to their owne decrees 15 Now vnto these repugnant and contrarie pointes in popish Religion we may adde also their vncertainties vndetermined articles As first it is not yet knowen at what time Peter came to Rome Orosius â—aith he came thither in the beginning of Claudius raigne Ieromâ— saith the second yeare of his raigne other say the fourth yeare other the thirteenth yeare Damasus would haue him come thither in Nero his raigne This dissentioÌ„ of writers sheweth that the matter may be doubted of whether Peter were euer at Rome or not Againe they can shew no certaine succession from Peter of the which they bragge so much TertulliaÌ„ maketh Clement the next to Peter Optatus first nameth Linus then Clement Irenaeus after Peter placeth Linus and Cletus and Clement in the fourth Thus also their succession is made vncertaine and doubtfull 16 They hold Lent to be an Apostolical tradition warranted by the example of our Sauiour Christ Irenaeus witnesseth that some fasted one day some two daies some fortie howers day and night Epiphanius saith the wednesdaies fast also was an Apostolike tradition and to fast the six daies of Esther with bread and water and salt which the papistes them selues obserue One therefore is as like to be an apostolike tradition as the other But it is certaine neither of them was for then they would haue beene kept more vniformely of the Church and not euery man left to his owne choice 17 It is a matter yet vndetermined and not concluded vpon of all sides whether the pope be aboue Councels or Councels aboue the pope And both opinions are maintained and defended in the popish Church 18 As also it is vncertaine among papistes whether the Virgin Marie were conceiued without Original sinne for both opinions are permitted and suffered among them both of them that say she was and that hold she was not Bellarm. decultu sanctor lib. 3. cap. 16. Likewise they leaue it as vncertaine whether Mary were assumed and taken vp into heauen in bodie Ex Fulk annot 1. Act. vers 14. 19 About and concerning purgatorie they haue many doubtes which they are not yet resolued vpon as first in what place purgatorie should be 2. How many yeares purgatorie continueth whether an hundred 200. or 1000. yeares 3. Whether it be materiall fire that burneth in purgatorie they are vncertaine 4. They make doubt how corporall fire should worke vpon the soules in purgatorie which are spiritual and incorporal Bellarm. lib. 2. depurgator cap. 12. 5. It is doubted whether the deuils or Angels are ministers of the torments in purgatory 6. Whether the paine of purgatorie be at all time alike or by litle litle slaked toward the end and whether it exceed al the paines and sorrowes of this life Bellarm. cap. 14. All these pointes remaine yet vndetermined among them and yet for all this the Iesuite telleth vs sadly that it is an article of faith to beleeue purgatorie and that he which beleeueth it not is sure to goe to hell Bellarm. lib. 1. cap. 11. 20 Lastly that wee may see at once the fraile and brittle foundation of popish Religion the Rhemistes boldly affirme that iustice is reputed to men or that they are iustified by beleeuing onely the articles of Christes death and resurrection and this they call the Catholike faith Annot. Rom. 4. Sect. 9. If this be Catholike faith to beleeue onely the articles of faith to be true then reprobates yea and the diuell himselfe may bee true Catholikes for the diuels beleeue and tremble Iames 2. 19 yea they confesse Iesus to be the sonne of God Math. 8. 29. Mark 5. 7. Is not this a proper faith for Christians to saue themselues by It is not then a bare knowledge or generall beleefe of the articles of faith or giuing assent or credite vnto them only that is sufficient to iustifie vs as the Rhemistes affirme but such a beleefe of these articles as is ioyned with an assured trust and confidence in God and vndoubted perswasion that all the promises of God and whatsoeuer Christ wrought in his flesh are not onely true but euen do belong and appertaine to vs. Thus I thinke I haue requited Bellarmines kindnesse towardes vs who chargeth vs with no lesse than an hundred seuerall dissensions in opinion amongst our selues I haue here repayed him for his bare hundred sixe
epistle to the Ephesians word for word And how is it like that Marcellinus which died in the 20. yeare of Dioclesian could write of consubstantialitie of the diuine persons when that controuersie and terme of consubstantialitie was not heard of in the Church before the Nicene Councell which was 23. yeares after him Fox ibid. Eusebius in his decretall epistle writeth thus In sede apostolica extra maculam semper catholica seruata est religio That is in the Apostolike Sea alwayes the catholike religion hath beene preserued without any spotte or blemish And yet his late predecessor Marcellinus within his time and remembrance did fall grieuously in sacrificing to Idols though afterward hee repented thereof and was condemned for the same and expulsed the citie by the Councell of 300. Bishops How then could Eusebius this fault and error of his predecessor beeing so fresh in memorie so report of the Apostolike Sea that it was neuer stayned with any blemish in the faith therefore it is apparant that it was none of his doing The decretall epistle also of Milciades bewrayeth it selfe to be counterfeite wherein the forged author sheweth how much more worthie the popish sacrament of confirmation is then baptisme Thus I hope it is a cleare case to anie man that is not wilfully blinde that those decretall epistles are but forged and bastard writings those holy Bishops and Martyrs to be falsely reputed the authors thereof considering that the matter therein conteyned neyther seemeth to be agreeable to those times nor yet besitting the grauitie of their person Beside these counterfeite decretals of the Bishops of Rome they haue also many other of the like inuention In the decrees of Gratian Distinction 10. Quoniam Is set foorth vnder Ciprians name Ciprianus Iuliano imperatori Ciprian to Iulian the Emperor wherein it is affirmed that the imperiall dignitie is subiect to the papall dignitie as the inferior to the superior But Ciprian lyued not in lulian the Apostata his time not by 200. yeares wherefore this is a lying glosse Siluesters constitution whome I should before haue recyted amongst the number of the Bishops of Rome That the Corporal whereupon our Lords bodie lyeth vpon the altar must bee pure and plaine linnen seemeth also to come out of the same forge for the papistes practise is contrarie they lay it vpon a guilt patten and they haue a certayne poke for reseruation lyned indeed with linnen but the out-side is silke gold siluer and pearles Dionisius booke de Eccles. Hierarchia which commonly is thrust vpon Dionisius Areopagita who was conuerted by S. Paul is worthily suspected not to bee of that authors doing for his writings coulde not haue beene vnknowen to Eusebius Hierome Gennadius who continued the catalogue of the principall writers of the Church for 500. yeares after Christ. And Dionisius Bishop of Corinth who lyued in the raigne of Commodus about ann 185. writing of Dionisius Areopagita declareth how hee was first conuerted to the faith by S. Paul as it is in the Actes of the Apostles and afterward was made Bishop of Athens But of his booke de Hierarch he hath not one word Euseb. li. 4. ca. 23. Gulielmus Gracinus did read in his open lecture in the Church of S. Pauls this book de eccl Hierarch who at the first entrance vehemently inueighed against those that held opinion that Dionisius Areopag was not author of that booke but after a fewe weekes being better aduised hee altered his minde and protested openly that in his iudgement Dionisius Areopag mentioned in the Actes was not author of that booke Ex Erasm. ad Parisiens Historia passionis of S. Andrew S. Martialis epist. ad Burdegalens are but counterfeite fables Fulk Hebr. 10. sect 9. No better is that pamphlet which goeth vnder Linus name intituled De Petripassione Which if it were true that is there reported Peter was most iustly condemned for entysing and leading away women from their husbands Beza annot Iohn 21. v. 19. against the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles The Liturgie of S. Iames is but a late deuised toye for Balsamon patriarke of Antioch sayth that the Liturgie of S. Iames was not extant in his time but vtterly worne away Fulke annot 1. Corinth 11. sect 10. No maruell then if these good fellowes make it not dayntie to belie the auncient Bishops and Martyrs with phantasticall and forged pamphlets seeing that they presume without blushing to vtter their forgeries both of the Apostles themselues and vnder their names not much vnlike to the olde heretikes the Manichees and others that scattered abroade hereticall deuises vnder the Apostles names as the Apocalypse of S. Paul whereof S. Augustine maketh mention Tract in Iohann 98. Another booke of S. Thomas the Apostle Augustine epist. 38. Certayne Epistles fathered vpon the Apostles August in Psalm 47. Yea they conteyned not them selues here but in their foolish conceyte deuised fables more auncient then the floode as the booke of Henoch whereof Augustine speaketh de ciuitat Dei lib. 18. cap. 38. And yet were more impudent for they alleadged an Epistle which they say was of Christes owne writing August cont Faust. lib. 28. cap. 4. I would now our aduersaries did not giue vs occasion by these imaginarie and decoytfull writings of theirs which they would notwithstanding to bee reputed as sound and substantiall to compare them in this respect to those heretikes of elder time Let vs now see what other phantasies they haue which doe maske vnder the name of later writers In the Liturgie that beareth the name of Chrysostome which the papistes call Chrysostomes Masse as it is set foorth by Claâ—dius du Sanctis there is a prayer for Pope Nicholas and the Emperour Alexius whereof the one was neare 500. yeares the other 700 yeares after Chrysostome Iudge therefore Christian reader whether it bee likely to bee Chrysostomes The Liturgie bearing the name of Basill sheweth it selfe to bee none of his because it obserueth not that forme of doxologie that is prayse to the holy Ghost with the prepositioÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Basil doth so earnestly maintayne to be deriued from the Apostles tradition de Spirit sanct cap. 27. 28. There are 4. bookes interserted among Cirils commentaries vppon Iohn which were composed by Iodocus Clictouaeus to supplie so many bookes of Cirils wanting yet are they commonly alleadged by our aduersaries in Cirils name Paulinus Bishop of Nola his epistles forged For epistle 1â— hee writeth thus of the wood of the crosse That it hath such an incorruptible vertue that it susteyneth no diminishing but continueth as though it had neuer beene touched men daily taking part of it Which is so grosse a fable that the Censors appointed according to the Councell of Trent in their Ind. expurgat commanded it to be put out How many bookes are foysted into Augustines workes it were to long to rehearse for as he in number of his workes exceeded any one of the auncient doctors of the
Church beside which are reckoned to 232 bookes beside his homilies and epistles which were more then as many againe So foolish men haue presumed to be most bold with his writings defiling his learned workes with ridiculous additions of their owne All I cannot neither is it needful in this place to recite onely for some trial of the matter I will set downe these fewe The questions Veteris noui testamenti are none of Augustines for quest 21. it is affirmed that Melchisedech was the holy ghost which opinion is heresie with Augustine and in his booke de haeresib he numbreth the Melchisedechians amongest other heretikes Therefore Augustine is not the author and this Bellarm. confesseth De sacrament lib. 2. cap. 10. yet is the authoritie of this booke vrged by our Rhemistes as sound Annot. 1. Corinth sec. 5. Saint Augustine not the author of the serm de sanctis for the author of these homilies alleadgeth the testimonie of Isidorus who liued about 200 yeares after Augustine August ser. 91. and 251. none of Augustines the author saith that the mightie men when they come to Church compell the priest to make short his masse this manner agreed not with Augustines age The booke de visitatione infirmorum none of his Erasmus saieth it is the speech of a brabler neither learned nor eloquent and most impudently entituled to S. Augustine The 215. serm de tempore the treatise de rectitud Cathol conuersat none of Augustines Fulk annot Galath 4. sect 2. The booke de dogmatib ecclesiastic none of Augustines for the author of that booke excludeth those from orders that had eyther more wiues then one or one concubine By this rule Augustine could neuer haue beene a Bishop for he had two coÌ„cubines And many other beside these are found to be counterfeit bookes as he that wil take the paines to peruse Erasmus censures vpon Augustines workes shall easily finde The last forgery which I will charge our aduersaries withall in this place shalbe concerning the donation of Constantine vpon the which the Bishop of Rome doth ground his supreame dominion and right ouer al the political gouernmeÌ„t of the west partes The which said donation is but a forged and deuised deede or instrument of their owne For the donation saith that Constantine was baptised at Rome of Siluester and the 4. day after his baptisme this patrimonie was giuen before his battaile against Maximinus and Liâ—inius Here are manie vntrueths couched together 1. Because the trueth of the storie of Constantines baptisme is otherwise reported by Eusebius Hierom Ruffin Socrates Theodoret Sozomen that Constantine was baptized at Nicomedia not at Rome and by Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia not by Siluester and not before that battaile but in the xxxi yeare of his raigne a little before his death 2. whereas the saide donation giueth iurisdiction to the Bishop of Rome ouer the 4. patriarchall seas of Antioch Alexandria Constantinople Hierusalem how could this be done before his battell with Maximinus when as the citie of Constantinople was not yet begunne So this forged donation neither agreeth with itselfe nor with others Plura apud Fox pag. 105. All this notwithstanding which we haue not barely and nakedlie affirmed but I trust sufficientlie prooued and to the indifferent Reader by more then probable argumentes demonstrated that our aduersaries haue vsed much deceit in conueying false and forged writinges vnder auncient authors names yet they will needes beare the worlde in hand that there is no such matter but that they are those authors proper and peculiar workes Whereupon they are boulde in euerie controuersie as they haue occasion to presse vs with their light and vaine authorities As the constitut of Clemens alleadged by the Rhom annot Luk. 4. sec. 1. Ignatius Math. 4. sec. 2. 1. Peter 2. sect 6. Hippolytus Math. 24. sec. 5. Policarpus Act. 6. sec. 1. Decret Alexandri 1. Timoth. 4. sec. 13. Milcâ—adi Fabian Act. 8. sect 6. Dionisi Areop ibid. S. Andrew S. Martial Hebr. 10. sect 11. Leiturg Iacob Basil. Chrysost. 1. Corinth 11. sect 10. Iodoc. Clicton for Cirill Iohn 11. sect 1. Paulinus Iohn 19. sect 2. August serm de sanct Act. 1. sect 7. de rectitâ—d cathol conuers de visitation infirmor serm de tempor Galath 4. sect 2. de ecclesiastic dogmatib 1. Corinth 11. sect 7. Thus we see both the great boldnes of our aduersaries in vrging such authorities which they knowe to be counterfeit as also the apparant weakenesse of their cause that are constrained to vse such beggerlie shiftes But let them vse and vrge these stragling runnagate and fatherlesse bookes neuer so much wee will still holde vs to this point wherein they shall neuer be able to disproue vs that they do deceiue them selues and abuse the world in making men to beleeue that they are the fathers owne writinges Wee say therefore of these and of all such other bookes as Augustine did of that which went in Henoehs name Libriisti ob nimiam antiquitatem reijciuntur These bookes are too old to be true De ciuitat dei lib. 18. cap. 38. And concerning some of them as those which are fathered vpon the Apostles and them that followed in the next age as Augustine saith of the epistle which the Manichees ascribed to Christ Si aliqua huiusmodi epistola fuit ab eis proferri potuit qui illi adhaerebant So if they wrote any such bookes it is like they would haue brought them to light that were the Apostles schollers cont Faust. lib. 22. cap. 79. And of them all and the rest of that sort wee pronounce this sentence with the same father Quae proferuntur ab errantibus sub nomine ipsorum quia non sunt ipsorum improbantur nec acceptantur ab ecclesia Those bookes which are brought forth vnder the name of the Apostles and other auncient writers because they are not theirs are reiected and not receiued or acknowledged of the Churche in Psal. 130. Thus hauing in part declared so much as I thought necessary for the matter in hand how deceitfully our aduersaries haue dealt with the worlde giuing them Quid pro quo as wee say one thing for an other in falsely entituling their friuolous pamphletes with graue and good authors names I will spende a little time before I leaue this place to shewe how they haue not onely thrust vppon those auncient doctors and fathers false writinges but haue also falsified their good woorkes by putting in and putting out by clipping chaunging and altering lines wordes sentences And no maruaile then if by such cunning rather cousoning sleightes they make those good authors to speake what they list them selues Ann. 420. There was a councell held in Africa by 217. Bishoppes called the 6. councell of Carthage whereat Augustine was present vnto this councell sent Zosimus then Bishop of Rome certaime messengers with fower requestes or demaundes whereof this was one that it might be lawfull for Bishops or Priestes to appeale from the sentence