for a Pennie take thine owne and goe thy way Is it not lawfull for mee to doe as I will with mine owne Is thine eye euill because I am good I will giue to this last as much as to thee B. C. S. Austen sayth As Death is rendered to the Merite of sinne as a stipend so Eternall life to the Merite of iustice is rendered as a stipend T. B. I answere that our Jesuite is a shamelesse impudent and deceitfull dealer he both wrongeth S. Augustine and more then a litle abuseth his reader He clippeth S. Austens wordes that goe afore and cutteth away his wordes that follow and that done he triumpheth before his Reader as if the victorie were his owne But when I shall haue truly related S. Austens words as well precedent as subsequent the Fryer may returne to the Pope with a broken head and bloody face and truely tell his Holynesse that Poperie is ouerthrowne In one place S. Austen hath these wordes Misericordia et veritas obuiauerunt sibi vt nec misericordia impediat veritatem qua plectitur dignus nec veritas misericordiam qua liberatur indignus Quae igitur sua merita iactaturus est liberatus cui si digna suis meritis redderentur non esset nisi damnatus Sequitur Quod est ergo meritum hominis ante gratiam quo merito percipiat gratiam cum omne bonum merituÌ„ nostrum non in nobis faciat nisi gratia et cum Deus coronat merita nostra nihil aliud coronat quam munera sua Sicut N. ab initio fidei misericordiam consequuti sumus non quia fideles eramus sed vt essemus sic in fine quod erit in vita aeterna coronabit nos sicut scriptuÌ„ est in miseratione et misericordia Non itaque frustra Deo cantatur et mifericordia eius praeueniet me et misericordiae eius subsequetur me Vnde et ipsa vita aeterna quae vtique in fine sine fine habebitur et ideo meritis pracedentibus redditur tamen quia eadem merita quibus redditur non a nobis parata sunt per nostram sufficientiam sed in nobis facta per gratiam etiam ipsa gratia nuncupatur non ob aliud nisi quia gratis datur nec ideo quia meritis non datur sed quia data sunt et ipsa merita quibus datur Mercie and Veritie haue met togeather so as neither Mercie hindreth Veritie in which he is punished that is worthy neither Veritie is hinderance to Mercie which deliuereth the vnworthy What Merites therefore hath hee to boast of in his deliuerie who could not but be damned if he had as his merites do deserue What merite therefore hath man before Grace with which he may receiue Grace seeing all the good Merites we haue doe onely proceed of Grace and seeing God when he crowneth our Merites crowneth nothing else but his owne giftes Like as from the beginning of Fayth we attayned Mercie not because we were faythfull but that we might be faythfull euen so in the end that is in eternall life he will crowne vs in mercie and compassion The Prophet therefore sayth not to God in vaine His Mercie shall both goe before and also follow mee Wherevpon eternall life which in the end shal be possessed without end is rendred to precedent Merites howbeit because the same Merites to which it is giuen proceede not from any sufficiencie in our selues but are wrought in vs by Grace it is called Grace for no other end but for that it is freely giuen not for that it is not giuen to Merites but because the Merites them selues are giuen to which it is giuen All these golden sentences goe before that which our Fryer Jesuite citeth for his best ground Out of which learned Discourse I obserue these most worthy Lessons First that all men are sinners and stand in great need of mercie Secondly that the best liuer on earth should be damned eternally if hee found not more fauour then his best merits doe deserue Thirdly that all our goodnesse and best merites proceed of meere grace Fourthly that when God rewardeth our merites then doth he reward nothing els but his owne gifts Fiftly that as in the beginning in mercie we attained faith so also in the end in mercie we shall possesse eternall glory Sixtly that albeit eternall life be rendred to our merites yet doth it proceed wholly of Grace seeing our merites to which it is rendered are freely giuen vs and issue onely out of mercie and meere grace Now let vs see what followeth the words which our Fryer bringeth out of S. Austen in an other place he hath these words Et haec ne praeter mediatorem aliqua aâ—ia via quaereretur adiecet in Christo Iesu Domino nostro tanquam dicero audâ—to quod stipendium peccati sit mors quid â—e desponis eâ—tollere contrariam mortâ— vitam aeternaÌ„ tanquam debitum stipendium flagitare cui debetur vita aeterna vera iustitia est Si antem vera iustitia est ex te non est desursum est descendens a patre luminum vt haberes eam si tamen habes eam profecto accepisti quid N. habes quod non accepisti quapropter ô homo si accepturus es vitam aetornam iustitâ—ae quidem stipendium est sed tibi grati est cui gratâ—â— est ipsa iustiâ—â—ae tibi N. tanquâ—m debita redderetur si ex tâ— tibi esset iustiâ—â—â— cui debetur Nunc ergo de plenitudine eius accepimus non solum gratiam qui nunc iustè in laboribus vâ—que in finem vinimus sed etiam gratiam pro hac gratiâ— vt in requie postea sine fine vinamus And least Eternall life should bee sought for by some other way then by the Mediatour he added in Christ Iesu our Lord as if hee should say hearing that death is the stipend of sinne Why doest thou extoll thy selfe and desirest as a due stipend Eternal life which is contrary vnto death Eternall life is true iustice to him to whom it is due But if it be true iustice it is not of thy selfe it descendeth from aboue from the Father of Light that thou mayest haue it yet if thou hast â—t thou hast vndoubtedly receiued it For what hast thou which thou hast not receiued Wherefore O man if thou shalt receiue eternall life it is the stipend of iustice but to thee it is Grace to whom iustice it selfe is Grace for it should be giuen to thee as due vnto thee if thou haddest of thy selfe that iustice to which it is due Now therefore wee haue receiued of his fulnesse not Grace onely with which we now liue iustly in trauell vnto the end but Grace also for this grace that wee may afterward liue in rest world without ende In an other place Saint Austen hath these expresse and golden Wordes Humana quippe superbiâ— tanquam praesumens de viribus liberi
S. Peter Redeemed with corruptible thinges as Siluer and Gold but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot S. Iohn the Baptist speaking of Christ admonisheth vs to behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world S. Paul proclaymeth that Christ hath Redeemed his Church with his owne Blood not with the Blood of Thomes Becket or of any other The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes auoucheth constantly that Christ entred in once vnto the Holy place and obtained eternall Redemption for his Elect. And S. Peter boldly affirmeth to Annas Caiaphas Iohn Alexander and the rest that there is Saluation in no other saue onely in Iesus Christ. Secondly that both Becket and other Popish supposed Saintes are not Mediators of Saluation in some lower and inferiour degree but euen in the highest in the selfe-same with our Lord Iesus Of Thomâ—s Becket besides that which we haue heard of his Blood I find in an other Prayer made to him these expresse wordes Mores actus et vitam corrige et in pacis nos viam dirige Sâ—lue gregis tutor egregie saelua tuae gaudentes gloriae Correct our manners deedes and life guide vs into the way of peace Haile noble Patron of the flocke saue them that reioyce in thine honour Of S. Paul I find this Prayer O beate Paule Apostole te deprecor vt ab Angelo sathanae me eripias et a ventura ira liberes et in caelum introducas O blessed Apostle Paul I pray thee that thou wilt deliuer me from the Angel of Sathan and free me from wrath to come and bring me into Heauen Of S. James this O faelix Apostole magna martyr Iacobe to colentes adiuua peregrinos vndique tuos clemens protege ducens ad caelestia O happy Apostle and mighty Martyr Iames helpe them that worship thee defende curteously thy Pilgrimes on euery side and bring them to Heauenly ioyes To S. Martin they pray thus Caecis das viam mutisque loquelam tu nos adiuua mundans immunda qui fugâ—â— daemonia nos hic libera O Martin thou causest the blind to see and the dumbe to speake helpe vs and cleanse the vncleane thou that castest out Deuils deliuer vs heere The Papistes pray in this maner to the blessed Virgin O Maria gloriosa in delitijs delitiosa praepara nobis gloriaÌ„ O Mary glorious in dainties delitious prepare thou glorie for vs. Againe in an other place thus Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae tu nos ab hoste protege et hora mortis suscipe O Mary the mother of Grace the mother of Mercie defend thou vs from our ghostly enimie and receiue vs at the houre of death Againe in an other place thus Veni Regina Gentium dele flammas reatuum dele quodcunque deuium da vitam innocentium Come ô Queene of the Gentiles extinguish the firie heate of our sinnes blot out whatsoeuer is amisse and make vs lead an innocent life Againe in their old Latine Primers the people are thus taught to pray In extremiâ— diebus meis esto auxiliatrix et saluatrix et animam meaÌ„ et animam patris mei et matris meae fratrum sororum parentum amicorum benefactorum meorum et omnium fidelium defunctorum ac viuorum ab aeterna mortis caligine libera ipso auxiliante quem portasti Domino nostro Iesu Christo filio tuo O glorious Virgin Mary be thou my helper and sauiour in my last dayes and deliuer from the mist of eternall death both mine owne soule and my Fathers soule and the soules of my Mother Brethren Sisters Parentes Friendes Benefactors and of all the Faythfull liuing and dead by his helpe whom thou didest beare our Lord Iesus Christ thy Sonne Againe after two or three leaues in this maner Vt in tuo sancto tremendo ac terribili iudicio in conspectu vnigeniti filij tui cui pater dedit omne iudicium me liberes et protegas a paenis inferni et participem me facias caelestium gaudioruÌ„ I beseech thee most mercifull and chast Virgin Mary that in thine holy fearefull and terrible iudgement in the sight of thine onely Sonne thou wilt deliuer and defend mee from the paines of Hell and make mee partaker of Heauenly ioyes These Prayers if they be well marked will be found to conteine in them euery iote of Power Right Maiestie Glorie Soueraigntie whatsoeuer either is or ought to be yeelded to our Lord Iesus Christ. Yea these two last praiers make the blessed virgin Mary not only equall with Christ but far aboue him For first the Virgin Mary is desired to defend vs from the tortures and paines of Hell Secondly to bring vs to the ioyes of Heauen Thirdly the last Iudgement is called her Iudgement Fourthly she is called Our sauiour Fiftly she is requested to saue father mother brother sister friendes benefactors the quicke and the dead and all this must be done euen by the helpe of Christ her Sonne Now by the former Prayers she is made equall with Iesus Christ and by the last farre aboue him For she is the Sauiour and he the Intercessour which I gather out of these wordes ipso auxiliante c. by the helpe of our Lord Iesus Christ. For by these words and the rest afore-going the Virgin Mary doth saue vs and Christ is but the instrument that helpeth her in the worke of our Saluation Which how intollerable Blasphemie it is let the indifferent and iudicious Reader iudge dixi B. C. The Merites of Christ and his Saintes may auaile vs for the obtaining of spirituall giftes the merites of Christ as the principall cause the Merites of Saintes as dependent of his and the secondarie cause T. B. I answere first that Popish Saintes by Popish doctrine are not the Secondarie but euen the Chiefe and Primarie causes of mans Saluation This is already prooued Secondly that it is intollerable Blasphemie against the Sonne of God to make his Creatures either principall or secondarie causes of mans Saluation This is likewise already prooued Yea the blessed Virgin Mary the most holy pure Creature that euer was on Earth or is in Heauen was so farre from challenging to her selfe to be either the Principall or Secondary cause of Saluation that she in the spirit of true humilitie proclaymed the flat contrarie to the world in these most Christian golden wordes My Soule doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour B. C. That God and his Creatures may in this maner without any iniurie to his name be ioyned togeather we learne out of sacred Scripture Iacob desired God his Angel to blesse his Children The Israelites cryed out The Sword of our Lord and Gideon In Exodus wee read thus They beleeued our Lord and Moses his seruant Saint Paul testified before Christ Iesus and the elect Angels
much Chapter 9. Proouing That true Merite and condigne Merite is all one That the regenerate doe Good works and receiue reward aboue their desertes That Good workes doe follow Iustification but goe not before the same That the best Workes of the regenerate are stayned with sinne and in rigour of Iustice deserue eternall death That Good workes are so necessarie to attaine eternall life as the way and meanes by which God hath decreed to bring his chosen to it but not as the cause thereof as without them it can not be had That Good workes are the effectes of Predestination depending vpon it not it vpon them That Good workes in a godly sense may be called Meritorious that is they so please God that of mercie he rewardeth them That without the mercie and promise of God they doe not merite Heauen That Charitie is not the forme of Fayth That Fayth as a worker doth not iustifie but respectiuely as an instrument apprehending Christes merites and applying them vnto vs. That Good workes though they be neither the efficient nor the formall nor the finall cause of Iustification which euer goeth before them yet are they the materiall cause and cause sine qua non as the Schooles tearme it the cause or condition without which Iustification shall not haue effect That Good workes must be done for three respectes That Gods Promise doth not make Good workes to be condignely worthy of the reward That condigne merite of Workes was not an Article of Popish fayth for more then 1540. yeares after Christ. Chapter 10. Proouing That Transubstantiation is a Monster lately begotten in Germanie and borne in Rome Chapter 11. Proouing That popish Inuocation doth not onely make Saintes the mediatours of Intercession but also of Redemption That it maketh Saintes ioynt purchasers of saluation with Christes most sacred blood so it be not in the same degree That it was not hatched for more then 1160 yeares after Christ. Chapter 12. Of the popish Communion vnder one kind Chapter 13. Of popish priuate Masse Chapter 14. Of Pope Martins Dispensation Chapter 15 Of worshipping of Images Chapter 16. Of Church-seruice in the vulgar tongue Chapter 17. Of the peeces of popish Masse Chapter 18. Of the mysteries of the popish Masse Chapter 19. Of kissing the Popes feete Chapter 20. Of praying vpon Beedes Chapter 21. Of changing the Popes name Chapter 22. Of the Paschal Torch Chapter 23. Of the popish Pax and the mysterie thereof Chapter 24. Of the Popes Bulles Chapter 25. Of the popish Agnus-dei Chapter 26. Of Candelmas-day Chapter 27. Of the dolefull Oath which popish Byshops make to the Pope Chapter 28. Of the popish Lent-fast Chapter 29. Of the annulling of popish Wedlocke Chapter 30. Of the Popes falsely pretended Superioritie ouer and aboue a generall Councell Chapter 31. Proouing That the Fayth and Doctrine of the Church of England is the old Romane Religion The Iesuites Proeme B. C. INtending to note the principall vntruethes of Bels Pamphlet I haue thought good first to salute his Epistle and see what holsome stuffe hee presenteth in that to his Patrons T. B. I Answere First that If I should stand vpon euery falsehood slaunder and coozening tricke which the Iesuite hath published and handsomely paint him out in his best beseeming colours time would sooner fayle me then matter whereof to speake Howbeit as I meane for the most part to let passe his slaunders his rayling wordes his fooleries his absurdities his contradictions and his impertinent trifles so will I by Gods holy assistance confute all the partes and parcels of his foolish and ridiculous Pamphlet not omitting any thing of any moment in the same Secondly that our Iesuite hath passed ouer in deepe silence my principall and chiefest groundes argumentes authorities reasons as not able to say any thing against them which the iuditious and honest Reader will soone perceiue with all facilitie Thirdly that our Fryer doth but snatch at peeces heere there with the which he thought he might best deale at the least in some colourable shew of wordes But let vs hearken I pray you to that attentiuely which he saith he found in my dedicatorie Epistle B. C. The Minister falleth roundly to the matter presenting his Patrons with a tricke of his occupation in his very first entraunce his wordes be these The visible Church sayth Bell as writeth Egesippus remayned a Virgin free from all heresies and corruptions during the life of the Apostles that is to say about one hundred yeares after Christ to which time S. Iohn the Euangelist was liuing but after the death of the Apostles sayth hee errours by litle and litle crept into the Church as into a voyde and desart House This Collection which Bell hath made is powdred with lies and iugling trickes thicke and threefold Bell belyeth both Egesippus and also Eusebius whom be quoteth in the third Booke of his Historie in the two and thirtie Chapter as the relator of those wordes of Egesippus Read the place he that please no such thing shall there be found nor the name of Egesippus so much as once mentioned The Minister both abuseth his Patrons and others with a notorious vntrueth of his owne fathering that vpon Eusebius which is not there to be found Neither can this dealing of his proceed from other roote then meere malice as whose braines are employed about nothing more then the hammering of lyes cauils and corruptions against the Catholicke fayth T. B. I answere First that the Jesuites accusation which here he maketh against mee is too too grieuous and more then intollerable vnto godly eares For he chargeth mee first to haue powdred mine assertion with lyes and iugling trickes Then to haue done the same thicke and threefold Thirdly to haue belyed both Egesippus Eusebius Fourthly he impudently affirmeth that no such thing can possibly be found as I haue alleadged out of Eusebius Fiftly that my position is so false and so farre from the trueth that the name of Egesippus is not so much as once mentioned Sixtly that I haue of meere malice slaundered Egesippus and Eusebius being men of great learning Secondly that seeing the Diuell is the Father of Lyers the Jesuite may very well be thought to be his only Sonne But how shal this be prooued All that shal read his booke must needes thinke he sayth the trueth because he affirmeth it so impudently confidently I would say This text of Christes holy Ghospell may well be verified in the Jesuites their accursed Iesuited crew They loued the prayâ—e of men more then the glory of God The truth is neuer ashamed she will shew her selfe to the confusion of the newly hatched sect of Jesuites of the late start-vp Romish fayth and religion These are the expresse wordes of Eusebius as Ruffinus a very learned Father who liued aboue 1200. yeares agoe hath translated them Post haec idem scriptor
addidit etiam hoc quod vsque ad illa tempora virgo munda et immaculata permanset ecclesia sequitur Vt vero et apostolorum chorus et omnis illa aetas quae a domino susceperat viuae vocis auditum de hac luce discessit tum velut in vacuam domum falsae doctrinae impius se error immersit After these things the same writer Egesippus added this also That vnto those dayes the Church continued a pure immaculate virgin but after the death of the Apostles and all that age which had heard our Lord speake in liue voyce vnto them false and erronious doctrine began to intrude her selfe as into a voyde house or desart place Thus writeth Eusebius in that very Booke and Chapter where our Jesuite impudently auoucheth that no such thing can be found no not so much as Egesippus once named albeit both the whole matter and the wordes be in very deed as I haue heere truely put them downe yea Egesippus is named in the very beginning of the sayd Chapter as the relator of the Storie and in these words the same writer eftsoones insinuated to the reader Is it now true sir Frier Jesuite that I haue powdred mine assertion with lyes Is it true sir lyer that I vsed Iugling trickes therein Is it true that I haue done the same thicke and threefold Haue I belyed both Egesippus and Eusebius Can no such thing be found in Eusebius Is not Egesippus once named in that Chapter Is he not once named expressely and twise virtually If all this be true as it is must true in deed what shall I say or what can I say to this shamelesse and impudent Fryer Apagè apagè Out vpon rotten Poperie out vpon lying Jesuites out vpon the new Romish Religion which can be defended by no better meanes then by impudencie falsehood and flat lying What shall or what can the Reader expect at the handes of this shamlesse impudent and lying Jesuite in the rest of his Pamphlet who intertayneth him in the very beginning with such leasings such iugling trickes and such diabolicall accusations What hath this shamelesse and impudent Jesuite deserued the Whetstone nay rather with Chore Dathan and Abyram to goe downe quick into Hell This doubtlesse if nothing els should be said were enough to proue Poperie to be the new Religion I woonder how the Jesuite durst publish such notorious slaunders but on the one side being at a non-plus and not able in truth to say any thing for the antiquitie of Poperie and on the other side choosing rather to consecrate his soule to the Diuell by lying slaundering and deceitfull dealing then to graunt Poperie to be the new Religion He thought to face out the matter by imputing that to mee which most iustly and properly pertayneth to him-selfe And withall he very politikely considered the maister Diuell of Hell suggesting it vnto him that his best course was to doe the same in the beginning These thinges thus standing all wise Papistes I trow will looke more carefully into the matter and from hence foorth not giue credite to such lying Doctors such false Teachers such notorious slaunderers of the innocent If all Jesuites in England all Dominicans in Spaine all Franciscans in France and all Cardinals in Rome should conspire togeather how to accuse the innocent I know not it is aboue my reach and capacitie how they could surpasse this impudent lying Jesuite in such kind of treacherie This one thing I will now say which will appeare before the end of this Discourse that as he here beginneth so he continueth vnto the end For if his lyes slaunders cauils coozening trickes false dealing ridiculous sophistications be once taken away very litle or rather nothing at all will remaine in this his pretenced answere to the triall of the new Religion It woundeth the Pope and his Jesuites to heare Poperie tearmed the New Religion they are not able to endure the sound thereof The Iesuites first Chapter of this name and word Pope B. C. ALbeit the name Pope was attributed also to other Byshoppes yet was it in such speciall maner giuen to him that it sufficiently declared his Supreame authoritie ouer all other T. B. I answere First that S. Epiphanius called Athanasius Pope in these expresse wordes Eusebius praedictus Nicomedia episcopus erat totius ipsorū collectionis administrator ac concinnator detrimenti in ecclesia et aduersus papam Athanasiū Eusebius the forenamed Byshop of Nicomedia was the administrator of their whole collection and the contriuer of the detriment in the Church and against Pope Athanasius Secondly that S. Hierome called S. Augustine Pope in sundry Epistles written to him in these wordes Domino verê sancto et beatissimo Papae Augustino Hieronimus in domino salutem Hierom to the truly holy and most blessed Pope Augustyne sendeth salutations in our Lord. Thirdly that S. Austyn called Aurelius Pope who was but his fellow-Byshop in many things far inferiour to him Fourthly that not onely S. Austyn but Alipius also called the same Aurelius Pope Fiftly that S. Hierom callen not onely S. Austyn Pope but also S. Epiphanius Pope in like manner Sixtly that the Priestes Moses and Maximus with the Deacons Nicostratus and Ruffinus and sundry confessours did all with one vniforme assent call S. Cyprian most blessed Pope Seuenthly that the Clergie of Rome writing to the Clergie of Carthage called the same Cyprian Pope But doubtles neither would neither durst the Clergie of Rome haue called Cyprian the Byshop of Carthage Pope if the name had then been proper or any way peculiar to the Byshop of Rome Eightly that Laurentius Valla a very learned and famous Writer yea and a Romane borne is Consonant to the Clergie of Rome in that most excellent and learned Declamation which hee published against the counterfeit Donation of Constantine these are the expresse wordes of that great Learned Roman Transeo quod rasuram coronam vocas et Papam pontificem Romanū qui nondū peculiariter sic appellari erat captus I let passe that thou calles his shauing a Crowne and the Byshop of Rome Pope who began not yet to haue that name peculiarly Loe for more then 330. yeares the Byshop of Rome did not begin to chalenge that name B. C. Which appeareth first because when any was called Pope without further addition it was vnderstood onely of the Bpshops of Rome as is euident out of the Councell of Chalcedon where it is sayd The most blessed and apostolicke man the Pope doth commaunde vs this thing Secondly because the Byshop of Rome was called Pope of the whole Church as we read in the same Councell where Leo is called Pope of the vniuersall Church And Liberatus affirmeth that there is no Pope ouer the Church of the whole world but the Byshop of Rome Thirdly because he is called the Pope or Father of generall
speaches of Pope Leo against him B. C. The Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon made suite to the Pope to confirme their Decrees T. B. I answere first that this Epistle is like to the other of the Nicene Fathers that is to say a bastard and counterfeite This is soundly prooued in the fift Aphorisme in the first sixt and seauenth Obiections Let them be well remembred Secondly that the suite which the Fathers of the Councell made to Pope Leo did argue onely a prerogatiue of Honour not any soueraigntie of Power Which I prooue by a triple meane For first these are the wordes of the request Rogamus igitur et tuis Decretis nostrum honera iudicium We therefore desire you to honour our iudgement with your Decrees Hee was the chiefe Patriarch and Byshop of that Citie which at that time raigned and was reputed Caput mundj and so his consent was of great authoritie in that behalfe Secondly his Messengers would not agree to that prerogatiue of honour which the Councell had confirmed to the Byshoppe of Constantinople and therefore they requested him to consent thereto because the Emperour Theodosius had so commaunded them Thirdly the Fathers say plainely that the Emperour confirmed the Councell these are the wordes Opportunum credidimus esse honoris eâ—us confirmationem ab vniuersalj Concilio celebrarj Wee thought it meete and conuenient that the whole Councell should celebrate his Honours confirmation To which I adde that seeing the Fathers of this Chalcedon Councell did approue and confirme the Canons both of the Nicene and of the Constantinopolitane Synode in which Synodes this pretended Prerogatiue is condemned it must follow of necessitie that the sayd Epistle or relation is a counterfeit B. C. It can not truly be called a Decree of the Councell which was not confirmed by the Head no more then that an Act of Parliament which is not confirmed by the King T. B. I answeere first with the famous popish Byshoppe Melchior Canus that it is not in these affaires as in humane assemblies Which the holy Prophet doth plainely insinuate while in the person of God he vttereth these wordes For my cogitations are not your cogitations neither are your wayes my wayes sayth the Lord. Secondly that there is great disparitie betweene the Pope and the King concerning the subiect now in hand For first the King hath a sacred soueraigntie ouer all the people within his dominions as ouer his naturall Subiectes and loyall Seruantes But the Pope hath no soueraigntie ouer transmarine and forraigne Christians as I haue already prooued Secondly the King though negatiuely he forbid Lawes to be enacted yet doth he not make any new Lawes affirmatiuely to tie all his Subiectes without the consent of his Lordes spirituall Lordes temporall and the Commons of his Kingdomes But the Pope challengeth Power though most impudently and against sacred Canons to make Lawes to tie all Christians in the whole world no way subiect to him Thirdly the King taketh not vpon him solely of himselfe to abrogate cassiere or disanull any act of Parliament to which he formerly gaue his consent But the Pope taketh roundly though fondly vpon him solely of himselfe to abrogate cassiere disanull any Decree of Councell though formerly approoued by himselfe Fourthly no text of holy Writ no Canon of any auncient Councell no Father of approoued antiquitie denyeth to Kinges sacred soueraigntie within their Kingdomes Territories and Dominions ouer any persons whatsoeuer borne within the precincts thereof But all the foure first most famous generall Councelles of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon all which S. Gregorie reuerenced as the foure Gospels denie the Popes falsely pretended Primacie in all forraigne and transmarine Kingdomes and confine his iurisdiction to the Citie of Rome and to the suburbican territories of the same All which is soundly and plentifully prooued in the Conclusions and Aphorismes next aforegoing B. C. But it may bee Bell will say that the confirmation of the Councell belonged not to the Pope It is not possible that he dare offer it T. B. I answere first that seeing the Pope as is alreadie prooued taketh vpon him to change the nature of thinges by applying the substantiall partes of one thing to an other to make some thing of nothing the proper action of God in creation to depose Kinges to translate Empires and to bestow the same at his good pleasure to make it Sacriledge to dispute of his power to terrifie men so with Fire and Faggot and with thunderboltes of cursing Excomunications that though hee carry thousandes to Hell yet may no man say Why doest thou so It may seeme no maruell if Bell poore soule be afrayde to anger his Holinesse Neuerthelesse because the trueth is neuer ashamed but will in time preuayle Bell post deosculationem pedum and to prooue our Jesuite in this as in many other thinges a most impudent and notorious lyer dare boldly tell the Pope that the Confirmation of Councels belongeth not vnto him Yea Bell will not barely say it but he will produce such strong arguments such waightie authorities and such inuincible reasons as will make the Popes eares to tingle when hee shall read or heare the same Marke well this my Discourse vnto the end I purpose in God to proceed by way of Sections for the better illustration of the businesse now in hand The first Section of reasons in generall concerning the subiect now in hand I haue alreadie prooued in my Booke of Motiues that euery Monarch hath supreame soueraigntie ouer all Persons and causes within his Dominions and consequently that no Lawes can be of force in his Kingdomes without his royall assent approbation and confirmation of the same King Josaphat appoynted in Hierusalem Leuites Priestes and Princes of the families of Israel that they should iudge the iudgement cause of the Lord to the inhabitants thereof And he commanded them saying Thus shall ye doe in the feare of the Lord faythfully and with a perfect heart Yea he distinguished limitted the offices and functions both of Zabadias the ciuill Magistrate and of Amarias the Hie Priest thereby insinuating euidently that the chiefest power iurisdiction rested in the King not in Amarias the Hie Priest The same King to gather the Church which was decayed sent Preachers into sundry partes of his Kingdome appoynting Noble-men to accompany assist theÌ„ to couÌ„tenance their ministerie to compel the people to heare theÌ„ K. Asa vsed his authority in coÌ„manding Iudah to seek the Lord threatning them with death that should refuse so to do King Josias after he had abolished Idolatry compelled all his Subiectes to serue the true God to liue in his feare Ezechias commanded all Israel Judah to come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem there to keepe the Passeouer which had been a long neglected and not obserued in such sort perfect maner as God had
will take the paines to lay open to the Reader the expresse wordes of the Byshop their glorious Martyr Thus doth hee write I will not alter adde or take away one word vpon my saluation to answere it Sed et Graecis ad hunc vsque diem non est creditum Purgatorium esse Legat qui velit Graecorum veterum commentarios et nullum quantum opinor aut quam rarissimum de Purgatorio sermonem inueniet Sed neque Latini simul omnes at sensim huius rei veritatem conceperunt Et Paulo post non absque maxima sancti spiritus dispensatione factum est quod post tot annorum curricula Purgatorij fines et Indulgentiarum vsus ab orthodoxiâ— generatim sit receptus Quamdiu nulla fuerat de Purgatorio cura nemo quaesiuit Indulgentias nam ex illo pendet omnis Indulgentiarum existimatio Si tollas Purgatorium quorsum Indulgentijs opus erit His. N. si nullum fuerit Purgatorium nihil Indigebimus Contemplantes igitur aliquandiu Purgatorium incognitum fuisse deinde quibusdam pedetentim partim ex reuelationibus partim ex Scripturis fuisse creditum atque ita tandem generatim eius fidem ab orthodoxa Ecclesia fuisse receptissimam facillime rationem aliquam Indulgentiarum intelligimus Quum itaque Purgatorium tam sero cognitum ac receptum Ecclesiae fuerit vniversae quis iam de Indulgentijs mirari potest quod in principio nascentis Ecclesiae nullus fuerat earum vsus Caeperunt igitur Indulgentiae postquam ad Purgatorij cruciatus aliquandiu trepidatum erat The Greekes to this day doe not beleeue there is a Purgatorie Read who will the Commentaries of the auncient Greeke Writers and he shall either find very seldome mention of Purgatorie or none at all But neither did the Latine Church conceiue the veritie of this matter all at one time but by litle and litle Neither was it done without the woonderfull dispensation of the Holy Ghost that after so many pluralities of yeares Catholikes both beleeued Purgatorie and receiued the vse of Pardons generally So long as there was no care of Purgatorie no man sought for Pardons for of it dependeth all the estimation that wee haue of Pardons If thou take away Purgatorie to what end shall wee need Pardons For if there be no Purgatorie wee shall neede no Pardons Considering therefore how long Purgatorie was vnknowne then that it was beleeued of some by litle and litle partly by Reuelations and partly by Scriptures and so at the last beleeued generally of the whole Church wee doe easily vnderstand the cause of Pardons Since therefore Purgatorie was so lately knowne and receiued of the Vniuersall Church Who can now admire Pardons that there was no vse of them in the primatiue Church Pardon 's therefore began after the people stood in some feare of Purgatorie These are the wordes of M. Fisher sometime our Byshoppe of Rochester a Popish so supposed glorious Martyr and a man for his great Learning renowned throughout the Christian world who writing against M. Luther in defence of Poperie to which he was woonderfully addicted spared not so say and to plead what possibly he could inuent for the free passage and credite of the same Whose best pleading which hee possibly was able to affoorde the Pope and Poperie doth roundly and clearely turne it vp-side downe I desire the Reader right heartily euen in the bowels of our Lord Iesus to marke attentiuely and then to iudge and giue his censure Christianly betweene the Jesuite and my selfe Which if he shall indeed performe all partialitie set apart hee can not but euidently perceiue my life I gage for the tryall that Poperie is the New Religion He can not but see that the trueth is that which I defend He can not but behold as clearely as the noone day that the Fryer is condemned in his owne conscience and can not tell what to say For first their most Learned Byshoppe and glorious Martyr telleth vs constantly and plainely that the famous Fathers and Writers of the Greeke Church neuer beleeued Purgatorie And who were those Greeke Writers S. Basill for his great skill surnamed the great S. Gregorie Nazianzene for his surpassing knowledge in Diuinitie surnamed Theologus S. Chrysostome for his Learning and Eloquence surnamed the Golden mouth to say nothing of all the rest If these auncient Fathers these Holy men these so learned and so famous Writers with all the rest of the Greeke Church did not beleeue there was a Popish Purgatorie for the space of 1517. yeares for so long after Christ was this Byshoppe lyuing who for all that as we haue seene affirmeth vnawares against himselfe the Pope and Poperie that they beleeued it not in his time What noddies what fooles how voyd of all feeling of all sense of all reason may they iustly be censured Who to the eternall perill of their soules and saluation will needs beleeue such erroneous hereticall and most execrable Doctrine such diabolicall Fayth and plaine Heathenish Religion Secondly that the Latine Church and consequently the Church of Rome did not beleeue the aforenamed Purgatorie for many hundreds of yeares after S. Peters death whose successor the Pope boasteth himselfe to be Thirdly that this Purgatorie was not beleeued of the Latine Church at one and the same time but by litle and litle Fourthly that Purgatorie was beleeued in the latter age by speciall Reuelation of the Holy Ghost Fiftly that Pardons came not vp vntill Purgatorie was found out as which without Purgatorie can haue no vse Sixtly that Purgatorie was a long time vnknowne Seuently that Purgatorie could not be found in the Scriptures of a long time Eightly that it was not wholly found out by the Scriptures but partly by Reuelations Ninthly that Pardons were not heard of or knowne to the primatiue Church Tenthly that then Pardons began when men began to feare the paines of Purgatorie Behold heere gentle Reader what a worthy Fisher was my Popish Lord of Rochester hee hath caught with his Net at one draught tenne goodly Fishes that is to say tenne golden and worthy Lessons for Christian edification Which effect will appeare more euidently before the end of this Chapter B. C. Secondly that the Church of Rome beleeued it not that is Purgatorie for the space of 250. yeares after which time it increased by litle and litle This either hee meaneth is gathered out of the testimonie of Roffensis and that is not true for nothing doth Roffensis speake of 250. yeares or deny that Purgatorie was alwayes beleeued in the Church although hee confesseth that the Doctrine thereof was not so well knowen as now it is which is farre different from this Proposition Purgatorie was not beleeued of the Church of Rome for the space of 250. yeares after Christ. Or else he affirmeth of himselfe that Purgatorie was not beleeued vntill that time and then must I be so bold to tell him that it
plaine hereticall condemnation For I pray you sir Fryer are not those sinnes Mortall of their owne nature which are onely Veniall by mercie and fauour Doth not Veniall onely by Mercie exclude Veniall by all other wayes and meanes For doubtles whatsoeuer is Veniall of it owne nature can not be Veniall onely by Mercie Onely our fond Iesuiticall Fryer not able to defend Poperie from being the New religion is forced for want of matter to say it The nature of euerie thing is intrinsecall and essentiall to the thing and can not be taken away from the thing without the vtter destruction of the same But euerie meane Logitian euerie young Gramarian euerie wittie Ploughman and euerie Boy of discretion is able to teach and tell our Jesuite that Mercie is extrinsecall and meere accidentall to the thing and may be added or taken away from the thing without the destruction of the same Ergo whatsoeuer is Veniall not any other way but by the Mercie of God onely is vndoubtedly Mortall of it owne nature And consequently seeing all Sinnes were Mortall of their owne nature vntill the dayes of Pius and Gregorius as our Jesuites freely graunt it followeth by a necessarie and ineuitable illation that Veniall sinnes of their owne nature were neuer knowne to the Church of God vntill the irreligious and plaine hereticall Decrees of Pius the fift and Gregorie the thirteenth that is to say for the space of one thousand fiue hundred threescore and fiue yeares after Christ. For the supposed errour of Roffensis Gersonus Almaynus Baius and Durandus who all were verie learned Papistes and for all that taught and defended euery Sinne to be Mortall of it owne nature was not condemned as we see and heare it freely confessed by our Aduersaries vntill the time of Pius the fift of that name The trueth therefore is this viz. that the Church for the space of 1565. yeares after Christ beleeued euerie Sinne to be Mortall of it owne nature For as we haue seene alreadie in the first Conclusion of this Chapter God may most iustly condemne euerie least Sinne to eternall Death and Hell fire Yea as M. Gerson learnedly writeth he that holdeth the contrarie must perforce hold withall that in some case Sinne may be done lawfully and be no Sinne at all And it is but a very childish and friuolous cauill to say at our Fryer heere doth viz. that it was an Article of Popish Faith long before Pius the Pope to beleeue Veniall sinnes For such Venialles were of necessitie such either of their owne nature or else of mercie onely If our Jesuite graunt the latter I haue my desire it is the trueth which I defende If the former a double refutation is at hand First because the opinion of Almaynus Roffensis Baius Durandus and Gersonus was verie currant in the Romish Church vntill the dayes of Pius and Gregorius as our Iesuite S. R. affirmeth and the Fryer B. C. his deare Brother willingly admitteth Againe because to be Veniall both by Mercie by Nature implieth contradiction The reason is euident both for that sinnes Veniall of their owne Nature stand not in need of any Mercie and also for that Mercie mittigateth that punishment which by the Nature of the subiect might iustly be inflicted O miserable Poperie What sillie shiftes and childish cauils are inuented to defend thee from being the New Religion If any shall hencefoorth call or thinke thee the Old Religion that shall heare thine age truely discouered I shall thinke him so wise as not to know when to come out of the raine Thirdly that our Iesuite sheweth himselfe more impudent then Impudencie it selfe while he beareth his Readers in hand that I haue cut away these wordes of mine Author the Iesuite his Learned brother By the Mercie of God For I referre my selfe to the expresse wordes of the Iesuite in his pretensed Answere to the Downe-fall of Poperie which I haue truely recited in the Tryall of the New religion as I will answere at the dreadfull day of doome But our Jesuite not able to defend Poperie from being the New Religion addicteth himselfe wholly to forgerie falsehood and lying for otherwise both hee and all his Jesuited crew are at a Non-plus and haue nothing at all to say B. C. The same Catholike writer noted him in the place cited by himselfe of two vntruthes The one for calling Byshoppe Fisher the Popes Canonized Martyr the other for styling Gerson a Byshoppe Neither of which be true but he skely passeth ouer them as not knowing poore wretch what to say in his owne defence into such straites doth this dominering Doctor driue himselfe by his talent of ouerlashing T. B. I answere first that the Pope may haue a cold heart when he seeth Poperie bleeding vnto death and no Popish Doctor able to stanch the same Our controuersie is of the Nature and Essence of Sinnes whether euerie Sinne be Mortall of it owne nature or no Our Jesuite being confounded and not able to prooue any sinne to be Veniall of it owne nature answereth me thus That neither Fisher is a Popish canonized Martir nor yet Gerson a Popish Byshoppe O worthie defender of the Pope and of the late Romish Religion I demaunde of our Fryer Iesuite how farre it is to London Hee forsooth answereth a Pokefull of Plumbes I aske him What hee saith to his learned Popish Doctors Almaynus Baius Roffensis Durandus and Gersonus who all with vniforme assent affirme resolutely as the Fryer hath confessed that euerie Sinne is Mortall of it owne nature The Fryer almost frighted out of his wittes telleth mee roundly and blusheth not thereat That neither Gerson is a Byshop nor Fisher a Canonized Martyr Is not this a Learned and Clerkly answere trow yee Hath not the Jesuite much to say for the antiquitie of Poperie when he fleeth to such miserable shiftes pitifull digressions sillie cauils and ridiculous euasions What if Byshoppe Fisher were not a Popish canonized Martir What if M. Gerson the famous Chauncellour of Paris were not a Byshoppe yee know the Prouerbe Cucullus non facit Monachum Your selues can not denie that both Fisher and Gerson were verie learned Popish Writers and so it skilleth not whether the one was a Byshoppe and the other a canonized Martir or no. Secondly that our Jesuite belieth mee heere as his wonted manner is else where I referre the censure hereof to mine Answere in the Downe-fall it selfe Thirdly that M. Gerson was in his old dayes the Byshop of Paris as a litle Treatise published by the Doctors of Paris and sometime printed or bound in one volume with the Maister of Sentences plainely auoucheth to the Reader Fourthlie that Fisher was Canonized priuately at the least as Alphonsus the rector of the English Colledge at Rome did Canonize Campian in my time with a White Surplesse on his backe himselfe then singing a collect of Martirs and
they neither any way can they be worthy condigne or truly Meritorious of eternall Glorie But as the troublesome way by which a man passeth to possesse the inheritaunce which his father hath freely giuen him may be sayd to worke and procure the actuall possession of the Inheritaunce not condignely or worthily to deserue the same euen so may our sufferinges be sayd to worke and procure our Glorification as a condition required at our handes or the way by which we must passe to it but neuer to be condigne worthy or meritorious of the same The reward is freely giuen by the Grace of our Adoption but that Grace maketh not our Workes meritorious and worthy of Heauen which they neither doe nor euer can deserue The 2. Conclusion Good Workes follow Iustification but they neither doe nor can goe before the same The latter part is euident because Without Fayth we can not please God Neither Can an euill tree as our maister Christ telleth vs bring foorth good fruite To which I adde with Christes Apostle that Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne The former part is clearely deduced out of these wordes of our Lord Iesus Euery good tree bringeth foorth good fruite S. Austin pithily prooueth both the partes in these sweete short and golden wordes Opera sequuntur iustificatum non precâ—dunt iustificandum Workes follow him that is alreadie iustified but they goe not before him that is to be iustified The 3. Conclusion The best Workes which the regenerate doe are vnperfect polluted with sinne and in rigour of Iustice Mercie set apart deserue eternall Death I prooue it first because the Prophet of God telleth vs that all our righteousnesse is as filthy cloutes spotted and stayned with sinne Vpon which wordes holy Bernard yeeldeth this most excellent and Christian CoÌ„mentarie Nostra enim siqua est humilis iustitia recta forsitan sed non pura nisi fortè meliores nos esse credimus quam patres nostrâ—s qui non minus veraciter quam humiliter aiâ—bant omnes iustitiae nostrae tanquaÌ„ pannus menstruatae mulieriâ— For our base Iustice if wee haue any is perchaunce right but not pure or perfect vnlesse perhappes we beleeue that we are holier then our Fathers were who sayd as truely as humbly All our Righteousnesse is as filthy Cloutes Thus writeth the Popish Abbot an excellent Learned man Out of whose wordes I obserue first that the best Workes we doe are impure and vnperfect Secondly that our forefathers were as holy and perfect as we are who for all that confessed not onely of humilitie but most truely that our best Workes are vnperfect and stayned with sinne Secondly because S. Paul denied himselfe to be perfect Not saith he as though I had already attayned to it either were already perfect But Christ is our Iustice our sanctification our redemption in him we are perfect and consuÌ„mate Thirdly because the same Bernard hath these golden wordes Quomodo enim pura iustitia vbi adhuc non potest culpa deesse recta quidem interim videri potest iustitia hominum si tamen peccato non consentiant vt non regnet in eorum mortali corpore For how can their Iustice be pure who can not be without sinne Yet may the Iustice of men be right if they consent not to sinne nor suffer it to raigne in their mortall bodyes In which respect S. Iohn sayth That the faythfull sinne not because they suffer not sinne to raigne in them Fourthly because The reward of sinne is death and yet doe the best lyuers offende in many thinges Fiftly because the same Bernarde saith in an other place thus Omne quod natum est ex Deo non peccat sed hoc dictum est de predestinatis ad vitam non quod omnino non peccent sed quod peccatum ipsis non imputetur All that is borne of God sinneth not but this is spoken of the Predestinate to life not because they sinne not at all but for that sinne is not imputed to them Fiftly because S. Austen declareth this so plainely as none that ponder his words seriously can longer stand in doubt thereof these are his expresse wordes Ecce quemadmodum qui ambulant in vijs Domini non operantur peccatum et tamen non sunt sine peccato quia iam non ipsi operantur iniquitatem sed quod habitat in eis peccatum Behold how they that walke in the wayes of the Lord doe not sinne and yet are they not without sinne because now they themselues do not worke iniquitie but the sinne that dwelleth in them This Golden assertion of S Augustine Bernardus that learned religious Abbot coÌ„firmeth in these words Cupiâ—bat dissolui et cum Christo esse sciens quod peccatum separans inter nos et Deum penitus auferri non poterit donec liberemur a corpore Th'apostle desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ knowing that sinne which maketh a diuision betweene God and vs cannot wholly be taken away while we remaine in this body Out of these Testimonies of these great learned Doctors I obserue these memorable documentes First that the Children of God walke in his wayes Secondly that such their walking is vnperfect and polluted with sinne Thirdly that they are not without sinne Fourthly that this their sinne is not actuall and voluntarie but inuoluntarie and originall Fiftly that this originall sinne which still remayneth in the regenerate is such a sinne as maketh a separation betweene them and their God Sixtly because our Reconciliation with God doth not wholly purge vs from all sinne really but onely imputeth not the sinne remayning in vs vnto our charge or condemnation I will alledge the very wordes of the Latine vulgar edition to which all Papistes are tyed by their late councell of Trent Thus writeth the holy Apostle Quoniam quidem Deus erat in Christo mundum reconcilians sibi non reputans illis delicta ipsorum Because God was in Christ when he reconciled the world to him selfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them Thus discourseth S. Paul out of whose wordes I note two Lessons viz. the thing that was done and the manner of doing the same The thing done was the reconciling of the world vnto God The manner thereof was in not imputing their sinnes vnto them not in taking away their sinnes from them Sixtly this Conclusion is prooued at large both in the Chapter of Veniall sinnes in this present Triumph and in the Antepast in the Chapter of Originall Concupiscence See and note well the 7. Conclusion The 4. Conclusion Good Workes are so necessarie to attaine eternall life as the vsuall ordinarie and vndoubted way and meanes by which God in his great mercie and loue decreed from eternitie to bring his Elect to saluation as without the same none euer were are or shal be saued world without end when possibilitie time