them Math. 18. 20. Ergo it belongeth to the Pope to cal and congregate couÌ„cels for to be assembled in the name of Christ is nothing else but to be gathered together by the popes authoritie which he hath receiued from Christ Bellarm. de concil lib. 1. cap. 12. So by this reason if two or three of the faithfull meete together in the feare of God Christ wil not be present vnlesse they haue the popes leaue to come together Christ said to Peter Put vp thy swoord into the scabberd Ergo the pope hath both swordes Harding ex Iuel pag. 579. A simple argument Peter was rather rebuked for striking with the swoord then commaunded to vse it The Church that is at Babylon saluteth you 1. Pet. 5. 13. Ergo Peter was at Rome for by Babylon here he meaneth Rome Bellarm. lib. 2. de pontif cap. 2. A silly argument to prooue Peters being at Rome he was at BabyloÌ„ Ergo at Rome yet by their owne confession Rome is Babylon which is the seate of Antichrist Your faith is published through the whole world Rom. 1. 5. Ergo the Church of Rome can not erre Rhemist ibid. So S. Paule saith of the Church of the Thessalonians Your faith is spred abroad into all quarters 1. Epist. 1. 8. Ergo neither could their Church erre in faith God tooke of the spirit that was in Moses and gaue it among the 70. Elders Num. 11. 16. Ergo Bishops haue their authoritie from the pope Bellarm. Ans. The pope might rather chalenge to be Aarons successor who was the high priest then Moses And hath the pope then such abundance of the spirit of God that he can afoord a portion thereof to all the Bishops in the world and yet keepe enough for himselfe Melchisedech was both King and Priest Ergo the pope is also a temporall prince Bellarm. lib. 5. de Rom. pontif cap. 9. This argument beside that it hath no sequele at al containeth blasphemic for Melchisedech was onelye a type and figure of the spiritual kingdom and priesthood of Christ as the Apostle maketh the application Hebr. 7. Then beganne men to call vpon the name of the Lord Gen. 4. 26. Ergo there were Monkes before the flood Bellar. de Monach. lib. 1. cap. 5. Suffer little children to come vnto me Math. 19. Ergo young men and children may be made Monkes Bellarm. de Monâ—ch lib. 2. cap. 35. God said to Abraham Go out from thy kinred and from thy fathers house Gen. 12. 1. forget thine owne people and thy fathers house Psal. 25. 10. Ergo it is lawfull for children without their parentes consent to enter into profession of Monkerie Bellarm. ibid. cap. 36. Nowe for purgatorie which they imagine to be a place of temporall torment after this life they reason thus out of scripture The prophet Dauid saith Lorde rebuke me not in thine anger nor chastise me in thy wrath Psal. 38. 1. Wee went through fire and water Psal. 66. 12. Who shall abide the day of his comming for hee is like a purging fire and as fullers sope Malach. 3. 2. Ergo there is a purgatorie fire after this life These arguments are too vaine for children As though where the Scripture speaketh of fire it must needs bee vnderstood of purgatorie fire whereas the prophet Dauid by water and fire vnderstandeth the afflictions of the Church and the Pophet Malachie the day of the Lords visitation The like pithie argumentes they ground out of the newe Testament as Math. 5. 22. Hee that is angry with his brother is culpable of iudgement hee that saith Racha shall bee iudged by a Councell Luke 23. the thiefe vppon the crosse sayd to Christ Remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome Act. 2. 24. whom God hath raysed vp and loosed the sorrowes of hell as they read for it was impossible for him to be holden of it Ergo there is a purgatorie after this life Bellarm. de purgator lib. 1. cap. 4. loc 5. 7. 8. These bee their goodly arguments which if they prooue any thing do insinuate thus much that Christes kingdome is purgatorie as in the second place and that Christ himselfe was in purgatorie as it followeth by their collection out of the third place alledged And that a man for a rash word speaking shall be tormented in purgatorie which they say exceedeth all the paines and punishments of this life as out of the first place The like argumentes they haue for purgatorie drawen from prophane authoritie as from the Turkes Alcaron out of Plato in Gorgia out of Cicero in somnio Scipâ—onis and Uirgils Aeneads and last of all flames of fire doe breake foorth from the great hil Aetna and out of other places ergo there must needs be a purgatory Bellarm. cap. 7. 11. Are not these substantial arguments to ground a mans faith vpon for Bellarmine sayth it is an article of fayth to beleeue purgatorie and that hee which beleeueth it not is sure to goe to hell Lib. 1. de purgat cap. 11. Thus the vnbeleeuing Turkes the heathen philosophers and poetes are become maisters of Christian mens fayth Christ raysed Lazarus from the dead Ioh. 11. the rulers daughter Mat. 9. the widowes sonne Luk. 7. Ergo Wee ought also to pray for the deade Bellarm. lib. 2. de purgat cap. 15. Rom. 2. 7. To them which continue in weldoing glorie honor and immortalitie Ergo Saintes are to bee worshipped Bellarm. de Sanctor beatitud lib. 1. cap. 13. argum 7. Moses prayeth thus Remember O Lord Abraham Isaac Israel thy seruantes Exod. 32. Iob sayth haue pitie vpon me O my friends Iob. 19. 21. Ergo wee may and ought make our prayers vnto Saintes Bellar. ibid. cap. 19. these argumentes doe rather mooue laughter then minister any matter worthy of confutation The Israelites were commanded to strike the bloode of the Paschal Lambe vpon the two side postes of the doore and the vpper doore post Exod. 12. 7. Iacob laying his handes a crosse did blesse Iosephs sonnes Gen. 48. Apocalyps 14. 1. hauing his fathers name written in their foreheades this is the signe of the crosse Ergo it is an holy and venerable signe Bellarm. de imaginib Sanctor lib. 2. cap. 29. Is not this well reasoned for the crosse The Israelites were commaunded thrise a yeare to go vp to Ierusalem Deuteron 16. Christ went vp with his mother and Iosepth to Hierusalem Luk. 2. Paule made hast to go vp to Ierusalem to keepe the feast of Penticost Act. 20. Ergo now also Christians may go in pilgrimage to Ierusalem and to the holy Land Bellarm. de cult sanctor lib. 3. cap. 8. Thus we learne a new point of popish diuinitie that our sauiour Christ and the Apostles went in pilgrimage Whereas Christ him selfe saith the contrarie The time commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor in Ierusalem worship the father Iohn 4. 23. This agreeth with an other popish tale that Christ came in pilgrims weede to S. Gregories table
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
a little touch those Popish forgeries which they haue in their idle and phantasticall braine deuised against some particular men amongest vs sorted out from among the rest And first of all they lay load vpon poore Wickliffe charging him with many things which he neuer helde As that he should teach that a Prince is not to be obeyed being in deadly sinne Rhemist Rom. 13. Sect. 4. 1. Peter 2. Sect. 8. which wee haue shewed before to be a great vntruth That Wickliffe did condemne degrees of schooles titles of Doctors and masters Rhemist Math. 23. Sect. 4. This is a meere slaunder of Wickliffe Fulk ibid. That he should saie that God ought to obey the diuell Bellarmine Praefat. in controuers and addeth for the proofe hereof that this his heresie was condemned in the Councel of Constance Sess. 8. Wee take this to be a meere slaunder as the rest for there is no such thing found obiected against Wickliffe neither in those 18 articles exhibited against him in the conuocation of certeâ—n Bishops at Lambeth Fox P. 432 nor yet amongst those 9 articles which were condemned as hereticall nor those 23 which were condemned as erronious Fox P. 435. Yet concerning this matter three schollers of the said Wickliffe that followed not long after shewed their opinion namely Nicholas Herford Phillip Repingdon Iohn Ayshton And thus they say that God ought not to obey the diuell in his owne person or essence nor with the obedience of necessitie for so to affirme say they it is heresie Fox P. 438. And againe they graunted that they meant an obedience of â—oue because God loued the diuell and punished him as he ought P. 439. The phrase and maner of speech is somwhat strange but who seeth not that their meaning is sound and good First that God not in his owne persoÌ„ but in his creatures yeeldeth obedience to the diuel that is sometime giueth him power ouer his creatures Secondly yet not of necessitie for God can when it pleaseth him tie Sathan short exempt his creatures from his power Thirdly that God loueth him as his creature so he doth also the wicked suffering the Sunne to shine vpon them Mat. 5. Fourthly that the Lord in his iustice is to punish the diuel so doth they are reserued in euerlasting chaines of darknesse Iud. 6. In this sort also they dealt with Iohn Husse deuising strange Articles against him which he neuer thought As that he should saye that Saint Gregorie when they alleaged his authoritie against him was but a rimeâ— wherein Iohn Husse himselfe aunswered that they did him great iniurie for so much as he alwaies esteemed and reputed S. Gregorie for a most holie Doctor of the Church Fox pag. 606. Thus it was falsly obiected against the same Iohn Husse in the Councel of Constance where he was most vniustly condemned that he saide there should be a fourth person in diuinitie and that a Doctour heard him to speake the same Iohn Husse desired the Doctour might be named which not obtaining he thus cryeth out O miserable and wretched man that I am which am forced and compelled to beare such blasphemie and slaunder Fox P. 622. This was as wee see the guise of the olde Papistes thus without all feare to slaunder the children of God whose of-spring I meane the Papists of latter time do tread in the same their fathers steppes So was M. Tindall that faithfull seruant of God abused by them vpon whome they fathered manie false articles As that he should saie that it is impossible for vs to consent to the will of God Fox P. 1247. Artic. 3. Whereas he meant and so spake that by nature it is impossible no otherwise than the Apostle saith That the wisedome of the flesh is not subiect to the law of God neither in deede can be That he should say euery maÌ„ is lord of another mans goods as though he should fauour the Anabaptisticall communitie P. 1248. Articl 18. Tindals wordes be these If thy brother or neighbour neede and thou haue to helpe him and yet shewest no mercie but withdrawest thine handes from him thou robbest him of his owne That he should saye the woorst Turke hath as much right to my goods at his neede as mine housholde or mine owne selfe P. 1248. Articl 20. Tyndall saith and writeth thus If thy neighbours which thou knowest be serued and thou haue yet superfluitie to the verie Infidels wee are detters if they need as farre foorth as we maintaine them not against Christ. Lo here is no mention made of any Turke and expressely he saith that our neighbors so our owne familie is to be preferred the rest to haue of the remainder superfluitie Is not this great heresie thinke you That Christ tooke away all lawes and maketh vs free and at libertie P. 1251. Articl 5. Tyndall saith thus Hee hath not deliuered vs from the Law but from the power and violence of the Lawe but for all that he hath not taken away from the powers and officers their right sworde and authoritie to punish the euill That hee should affirme that by workes wee decaie from the faith P. 1252. Articl 16. But Tyndall faith By trusting in workes wee decay from the faith That keeping of virginitie and chastitie of Religion is a diuelish thing P. 1253. Articl 20. Tyndall hath not the chastitie of Religion but of the Religious meaning Monkes Friers vpon whom the yoke of single life was imposed violently enforced which S. Paul himselfe calleth a doctrine of diuels That he should say if we beleeue that God hath promised euerlasting life it is impossible we should perish P. 1255. Articl 6. But Tyndall thus writeth when with a perfect courage we put all our trust in God and in his promises it is impossible we should perish for he hath promised vs euerlasting life He speaketh not of a generall beleefe only but of an assured trust and confidence in God That he should hold that the Gospell maketh all true Christian men seruants to all the world P. 1257. But Tyndall thus By the rule of charitie not of office dutie euery Christian man is bound one to help another Thus deceitfully they clip and mangle the good mans wordes to make him to speake what they list themselues And as wee see their falshood in collecting these articles the like craft they vsed in a great number more against this good man master Tyndall they falsifie 29. articles out of his booke called the wicked Mammon 25 out of the booke entituled the Obedience of a Christian man 37 out of his booke called the Reuelation of Antichrist 41 out of his booke named the Summe of the Scripture consul Fox a P. 1247. ad P. 1257. The number in all is 132 articles some forged some wrested some mangled none sincerely alledged which they obiect against him Now let vs see how they deale with Martin Luther â—urely after the same fashion as they doe vnto the
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
Manichees They held that flesh was vncleane by creation the papistes by reason of the curse for God cursed the earth and not the waters say they and therefore vpon fasting daies fishe is preferred before flesh Durand lib. 6. cap. de alijs ieiunijs So they both agree in this that flesh is a thing vncleane and impure for if they had not so thought why did not the popish Bishop of London Stokesly rather suffer the pigge to be eaten which was found in one Frebornes house in Lent time his wife great with childe longing for a piece thereof then commaund it as an vncleane thing to be buried in Finsburie fieldes and so the good creature of God to be spilled and lost Fox pag. 1585. 22 There was also another most blasphemous opinion of the Manichees for they held that the partes and members of Christ were dispersed euerie where and that in their meates and drinkes they did deliuer the members of Christ which were tied and bounde in the creatures Tales saith Augustine sunt electi eorum vt non sint saluandi a Deo sed saluatores Dei liberant enim membra Christi cum manducant The elect amongest them for so they call their principals and ringleaders are such that they looke not themselues to be saued of God but professe rather to be the sauiours and redeemers of God for they doe set at libertie as they imagine the members of Christ in their daily eating Compare now the opinion of the papistes with these heretikes see if they be not cosen germanes for as they made them selues Saluatores Christi The sauiours of Christ so is it a saying among papistes that Sacerdos est creator creatoris sui That the priest doth make his maker by fiue wordes speaking in the masse But herein the papistes goe beyond the Manichees for they deliuered the bodie and members of Christ from the prison of the creatures and sent them vp to heauen but the papistes bring them down from heauen and close them in the creature vnder the shape of breade and wine 23 Lastly there was a notable heretike one Rhetorius who affirmed that all other heretikes did Rectè ambulare Walke the right way and holde the trueth Haeres 72. But this seemeth so absurd a thing to Augustine that he doth not giue credit vnto it Who if he were now aliue woulde not thinke it so incredible a thing for excepting those heresies which haue beene raised concerning the natures of Christ his person where notwithstanding the papistes are not free from error what heresie hath there bene held about the officies of Christ his kingdome priesthoode and propheticall office which is not this day either in whole or in part maintained by the Church of Rome as it may partly appeare by that which we haue said alreadie And thus I thinke we haue in some measure recompensed our aduersaries courteous dealing who so kindly vpbraid vs with heresie Let all the world now iudge who are neerest cosens to heretikes they or we Wee may say vnto them as Augustine sometime to the Donatistes Videsne quemadmodum ista non sententia sua sed vesica non solum inani sono verumetiā in capite vestro crepuerit Doe ye not see how this their vaine sentence puffe of a bladder hath giuen a cracke and is broken vppon their owne head cont Petilian lib. 2. cap. 101. So this stormy blast of heresie which they haue puffed at vs is blowen vpon their owne faces and they onely are found to be the heretikes If they speede no better in other matters the worst end of the staffe is like to be theirs And this shall suffice for this part Of the grosse absurdities and inconueniences of Popish Religion WEe will nowe the Lord assisting vs lay together some of those absurd and vnreasonable positions which are boldly without shame affirmed by our aduersaries hauing alreadie sufficiently detected and discouered their blasphemies opinions contrary to scripture together with their heresies And herein the papistes doe bewray such ignorance and blindnesse that wee neede not doubt to say as it is alleadged by the holie Apostle That God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eies that they should not see and eares that they should not heare to this day Rom. 11. 8 And as in an other place the same Apostle prophesieth God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleue lies 2. Thess 2. 11. But now to the matter in hand They affirme that no general councel is of sufficient authoritie without the allowance of the pope And that he is in such sort aboue al councels that he cannot though he would submit him selfe to their sentence Bellar. de concilijs lib. 2. cap. 11. 14. But the scripture saith he that refuseth to heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an heathen man or publicane Math. 18. 17. Therefore if the pope shal refuse the sentence of the Church assembled in generall councels he is no better by the voice of Christ then an heathen The papistes being further vrged that if the pope were aboue councels there shoulde bee no waye to resist a wicked pope Bellarmine aunswereth like a Clerke that there is no other remedie left in such a case but to pray to God who will eyther conuerte or confounde such a pope Lib. 2. de Concil cap. 19. An answere as absurde as the opinion is for by this meanes the Church shall runne into ruine and decay when it is in mens power to helpe it which is nothing else but to tempt God then to depend of his extraordinarie worke when he hath appointed an ordinarie meane of redresse That to haue beene twise maried is a greater let and impediment to the election of a Bishop then either adulterie or fornication Bellarm. de clericis lib. 1. cap. 24. Whereas these are euery where prohibited in scripture but not one place can be shewed where second mariage is forbidden That a man may attaine vnto a greater measure and higher degree of the loue of God then is commaunded in the law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy Godwith all thy soule with all thy strength Bellarm. de Monach. lib. 2. cap. 6. respons ad Melancthon Whereas it is certaine that it is not possible for vs to loue God in such perfection as we ought and are commaunded much lesse can we do more then is our duety to doe Luk. 17. 10. That it is not lawfull for a votarie to marrie though he were sure by mariage to cure some mortall or deadly disease that otherwise is incurable Bellar. de monachis lib. 2. cap. 32. resp ad 4. rationem Yet S. Paul counsaileth Timothie to drinke wine whereas his manner was to drinke water not for any mortal disease he had but because of his infirmitie and weaknesse onely 1. Timoth. 5. 23. And all such vowes as are made rashy to the hurt and hinderance of our selues or others may better be broken then kept because they
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
6. Bellarmine also varieth from other papistes of these dayes as well as from the Rhemistes and they varie from him 17 Heskius a papist affirmeth that the sacrifice of Christ vpoÌ„ the crosse was after the order of Aaron Li. 1. c. 13. Bellar. saith plainly that it was not properly either after Aarons order or Melchisedecks Lib. 1. de miss c. 6. resp ad 5. arg 18 The councell of Trent concluded thus concerning the adoration of Images Honor qui eis debetur refertur ad prototypa quae illae repraesentaÌ„t The honor due vnto theÌ„ is to be referred to those things which they represent Sess. 25. But Bellarmine holdeth that there is a religious worship properly due vnto them Et non solum vt vicem gerunt exemplaris and not onely as they represent another thing De imaginib Sanctor lib. 2. cap. 22. 19 Bellarmine denyeth that Augustine vnderstood those words of our Sauiour figuratiuely This is my body wheÌ„ his words are most plaine writing thus Non dubit auit dominui dicere hoc est corpus meum cum signum daret corporis sui The Lord doubted not to say this is my body when he gaue a signe of his body yet Bellarmine laboreth by subtile and fraudulent distinctions to shift of and obscure the euidence of these words Lib. 2. de Euch. cap. 24. By other papists notwithstanding of no meane account it is confessed that Augustin did expound those words figuratiuely Fox p. 1428. col 1. Secret Bourne Fecknam Concerning the story of Pope Ioane and the circumstances thereof it is preatie sport to see what shiftes the papistes are driuen vnto and howe they iarre one with another to obscure if it were possible the light of that storie Harding denieth that whereas the storie saith vpon that occasion in the election of the Popes they vsed a chaire with an hole to trie the Popes humanitie hee flatly denieth that there was any such thing Or that the Popes do refrayne to go that way in procession where Pope Ioane trauelled with child Or that there is any Image representing such a thing hee counteth all these fables But Bellarm. which is better acquainted with Rome then it shoulde seeme Harding was doth some what more cunningly excuse the matter to the first he sayth there is indeed a porphyrie Chaire but to shewe the Popes humility not to trie his humanitie to the next he confesseth the pope refrayneth to goe that way but not vpon any such occasion but onely because it is a streite way and not fit for his trayne to the thirde hee graunteth there is an Image not without fashion or shape as Harding saith who compareth it to some of the ragged stones at Stonage but it rather resembleth sayth he a heathenish priest going to sacrifice then a woman Harding defens apolog pag. 428. Bellarm. lib. 3. de pontif cap. 24. Thus we see that neither the old papistes agree with the new nor the new among themselues Now to the third part Bellarmine at variance with himselfe Part. 3. 1 BEllarmine for expounding of scripture referreth vs to the fathers of the church from theÌ„ to general Councels lastly to the pope Cardinals Lib. 3. de script cap. 3. but other where he maketh the pope the chiefe Iudge of al controuersies aboue general councels who caÌ„not erre in decreeing concerning faith no nor concerning manners yea it is probable he can not erre as a particular person Lib. 4. de pontif cap. 3. 5. 6. What need hee then ioyne the Cardinals here in commission with the Pope 2 Bellarmine in one place denyeth that faith is necessatie or requisite to make a true meÌ„ber of the Church Lib. 3. de Eccles. cap. 10. And yet else where forgetting himselfe sayth Fide firmissima ac certissima credimus wee by a most certayne and infallible fayth beleeue which is the Church Ibid. cap. 16. If by fayth onely the Church is knowen and so who are the true members thereof much more doe the members themselues stand by fayth and if by fayth they are beleeued of others to bee of the Church much more by faith ought they to be assured of it themselues These things therefore hang not currantly together 3 Bellarm. out of that text Pasce oues meas Feed my sheep would prooue that bishops onely are the pastors of the Church and therefore they onely to giue deciding voices in councels Lib. 1. de Conc. ca. 15. But cap. 19. hee by thâ—â— text prooueth the pope to be vniuersal pastor and so to be president iâ— councels so soone hath he forgotten himselfe 4 Bellarmine in one place maintaineth this point Romani Pontificis ecclesiasticuÌ„ principatum authore Christo principium accepisse that the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction of the Pope tooke beginning of Christ li. 2. de Pontif cap. 12. But els where he saith that the Pope is not Peters successor iure diuine by any diuine right neither is it ex primâ— institutione Pontificatus quae in euangelio legitur of the first institution of that chiefe pastorship whereof wee read in the Gospel cap. 17. In any mans care I thinke these speeches wil make a contrarie sound 5 Bellarmine confesseth that the Church of Rome cannot erre personally yet denieth not but that the Pope may erre personally which is an absurd and a contradictorie speech seeing the Popes being at Rome is the cause as they say of the not erring of that Church and therefore he holdeth that the Church of Rome is sure no longer to be preserued from errour than the popes Apostolike Sea rema 〈…〉 there If the pope then be the cause of their not erring hee is much more free from error himselfe for how then is the Church free from personal error and not the Pope 6 Bellarm. in one place saith that the pope only succeedeth Peter properly Bishops succeede the Apostles non propriè not properly de Pontif. li. 4. 25. But in another place he writeth thus Episcopi proprie succedunt Apostolis Bishops properly succeede the Apostles li. 1. de Clericis ca. 13. propriè non propriè properly not properly to succeed I trow they be contradictorie speeches 7 Bellarm. confesseth that the mariage of Ministers is not forbidden by the worde of God and yet contrarie to his owne opinion he wresteth places of scripture against the marriage of Ministers as that 1. Timoth. 2. 3. No man that warreth entangleth him selfe c. lib. de Clericis 19. 8 Bellarmine saith that the care of children and houshold are a great impediment to the calling of a Minister ibid. 19. and forbidden vnder the name of secular affaires in that place to Timothie And yet elswhere he affirmeth that regimen politicum political gouernement is no hinderance to the Ecclesiasticall calling but that the same man may verie well be both an Ecclesiasticall and politicall Prince de Ro. Pontif lib. 5. cap. 10. ad obiect 5. If then the care charge of a whole citie or countrey may stand verie