God Wherefore he requireth Gods Promise to be added to mans Merite as Aquinas Durandus and Angles had done before him In one place he hath these expresse wordes At vt bono operi debeatur merces ex iustitia conuentio vel promissio necessaria est Non enim tenetur vnus alterius obsequium acceptare nisi conuentio interuenerit Deus autem non promisit mercedem vitae aeternae nisi per Christi gratiam regeneratis et adoptatis But that reward be due of iustice to good Workes a couenant or promise is necessarie For one is not bound to accept the seruice of another vnlesse there be a couenant But God promised not the reward of eternall life saue onely to the regenerate through the grace of God In an other place he hath these words Sed facilis est responsio Nam dicitur Deus reddere debita nulli debens quia nihil vlli debet absolutè sed solum ex promissione dono suo Pari ratione dicimus Deo reade quia promisisti non dicimus redde quia accepisti quoniam fundamentum primum debiti diuini non in opere nostro sed in eius promissione consistit But the answere is easie For God is said to pay debts though he be debtor to none because he oweth nothing to any absolutely but onely in respect of his promise and free gift In like manner wee say to God giue because thou hast promised We say not giue because thou hast receiued Because the chiefe foundation of Gods debt doth not consist in our worke but in his Promise freely made vnto vs. In an other place he hath these wordes Primum igitur opera iustorum remoto pacto vel promissione non esse meritoria vitae aeternae ex condigno siue ex iustitia ita vt non possit Deus sine iniustitia talē negare mercedem satis probatum est scriptura siquidem patres vbicunque dicunt Deum fidelem esse iustum in reddendo praemio semper aut ferè semper mentionem faciunt promissionis First it is prooued sufficiently that the workes of the iust Gods couenant and promise set apart are not meritorious of eternall life condignely and iustly so as God can not deny such reward without iniustice For the Scripture and the fathers whensoeuer they say God is faithfull and iust in rendring reward do euer or almost euer make mention of his promise Thus writeth Cardinal Bellarmine that famous Iesuited Fryer Out of whose doctrine I obserue many worthy Lessons to the confusion of the Pope and all his Popish vassals First that Gods promise is so necessarie to attaine reward that without it no reward can iustly be required Secondly that no reward is due to any but onely to the regenerate Thirdly that the reward is not promised for any merit in mans worke but for Christs sake and merit Fourthly that man can require nothing of God absolutely but onely for his couenant and promise sake Fiftly that God is no mans debtour absolutely but onely by reason of his free gift and promise made to man Sixtly that the chiefe foundation of Gods debt consisteth in Gods free gift and promise made to man Seuenthly that the workes of the best liuers doe not merit eternall life iustly and condignely but onely by reason of Gods couenant and promise Eightly that both the Scripture and the Fathers do either euer or almost euer make mention of gods promise wheresoeuer they tell vs that God is faithfull and iust in rewarding mans workes Much more I could say out of Bellarmine but this is sufficient to euery indifferent Reader The 12. Conclusion Condigne merite of Workes was not an Article of popish faith for more then a thousand fiue hundred and fourtie yeares after Christ. And consequently it must needs bee a rotten ragge of the new Religion as which was hatched so long after the old Roman Catholique Apostolike religion The proofe of this Conclusion is at hand because the late popish Councell of Trent made it an Article of popish Faith accursing condemning to hell all such as deny or not beleeue the condigne merit of mans works The Iesuit S. R. in his pretensed answere to the Downfall of Poperie had no other shift in the world to saue the credite of their Councel and as it were to hide the nakednesse of that vnchristian and plaine diabolical course but to denie the councel to haue decreed cōdigne merite to be an Article of Popish faith For saith hee the Councell hath no word of condigne merit but onely of true merit And after he hath cited the words of the Councell he addeth these of his owne Here are good works defined to be true merite of Glory without determining whether they be condigne merite thereof or no. Thus saith our Iesuite shewing himselfe to be either too too malicious or else a very noddie For to merite truely and condignely is all one Otherwise our Iesuite must tell vs which is vnpossible to be done how one can merite a thing truely and for all that not worthily and condignely deserue the same Well we haue it freely granted because it can not be denied that the Councell of Trent defined true merite but not condigne merite of workes to bee an Article of popish faith And consequently the Iesuite must volens nolens confesse that the Councell defined condigne merit vnder the name of true merite For better confirmation whereof I will adde a testimonie that woundeth the Iesuite at the heart and is indeed incurable It is the Iesuites owne sword which he hath put into my hands to kil him as one wearie of his life because Poperie is prooued the new Religion These are his owne expresse words I neither adde nor take any word syllable or iote away as I desire to be saued Because as I thinke saith our Iesuit onely condigne merite is true merite O sweete Iesus O heauen O earth O all Saints in heauen and all creatures on earth be ye this day iudges betweene the Iesuites and mee The Iesuite denieth the Councell to define condigne merite but graunteth it to define true merite This done O wonderment of the world the same Iesuite within two leaues next following as a madde man bereeued of his wits and senses constantly affirmeth onely condigne merit to be true merit but doubtles if onely condigne merit marke well my words for Christs sake be true merite as the Iesuite truely writeth against himselfe his Pope and Councell and withall if the Councell defined true merit as the Iesuite likewise truely granteth and my selfe affirme it followeth of necessitie that the same Councell defined condigne merit equiualently and Poperie to be the new Religion The truth Gods name be blessed for it must needes in time preuaile now sir Fryer let vs heare your goodly sermon B. C. Bell denieth the Fathers to haue ascribed any Merite to Good workes proceeding from Grace for any dignitie or
punire et damnare popoteram non simpliciter assumpsi sed elegi vos multis alijs neglectis ex massa corruptionis Sequitur docet igitur Christus hoc verbo quod ipse sit author nostrae salutis Deinde quod gratia est quicquid habemus siue sint dona illa iustificantia Fides Spes Charitas Spiritus sanctus c. Siue externa illa dona quae alio nomine dicuntur gratiae gratis datae I saith hee haue chosen you This Text may bee vnderstood either of Election to the Apostleship or of eternall Election to Saluation For in both there is grace but no merit and both are wrought by Christ for in him and through him did God chose vs euen before the world was made I saith he who am God and therefore stand in need of nothing I who can punish and condemne haue not simply taken you but reiecting many others haue chosen you out of the masse of corruption Christ therefore doth by these words teach vs that hee is the authour of our saluation Then that whatsoeuer we haue the same is grace whether they be those iustifying gifts faith hope charity the holy Spirit the like or other externall gifts which by another name are called graces freely giuen That which our Sauiour sayth of Marie Magdalene that many sinnes were forgiuen her because shee loued much doth serue well to illustrate that which is here obiected of the kingdome of heauen For Christes Argument is not drawne from the cause but from the effect as if Christ had sayd we may know by her great loue that great gifts are bestowed on her that many sinnes are forgiuen her for that not remission of her sinnes proceeded from her loue but her loue from the forgiuenesse of her sinnes the similitude of the debtors doth plainly insinuate the same vnto vs. Christ told Peter of two debters whereof the one owed fiue hundred pence the other fiftie and that when they had not wherewith to pay the creditour forgaue them both he therefore demaunded of Peter whether of the debtours loued the creditour more Peter answered that he to whom more was forgiuen Christ approoued Peters answere and concluded thereupon that seeing Marie Magdalene loued more he might know that shee had more forgiuen her Because saith Christ to whom little is forgiuen the same loueth little neither is it possible to draw any other meaning out of Christs wordes The reason is euident because Christ saith plainely that the debts were freely forgiuen the debters who were not able to pay the debts For otherwise Maries forgiuenesse could haue no coherence with the similitude of the debters Out of this discourse these points are euidently deduced First that wee are the sonnes of God not by nature for so wee are his enemies and the children of wrath but by grace and adoption in Iesus Christ. Secondly that God chose vs to be his children before wee were borne Thirdly that he chose vs not because wee were holy but that we might bee holy and immaculate in his sight Fourthly that he predestinated vs to be his children by adoption not for any good workes which we either had done or could doe but for his owne good pleasure to the glorie of his grace for as to doe any workes at all before we be borne is altogether impossible so to doe good workes when we are borne seeing we are conceiued in sinne borne in sinne and by nature the children of warth is impossible in like manner Fiftly that all our good Workes are the effects and fruites of our predestination For if it be true as it is most true els the Apostle were a lyer that we were elected to be holy and to doe good Workes it is also true it can neuer be denyed that holy life and good Workes are the effects of our Election and Predestination in Christ Iesus For this cause saith the Apostle that Predestination proceedes freely of Gods eternall purpose Iustification of Predestination and Glorification of Iustification For first he choseth vs in Christ then he iustifieth vs in Christ thirdly and lastly he glorifieth vs for his owne Names sake B. C. And beside in the same place Damnation is giuen to had Workes Get ye away from me ye cursed saith Christ into euerlasting fire which was prepared for the deuill and his angels For I was an hungry and you gaue mee not to eate Seeing then the Scripture declareth plainely that bad workes deserue damnation and hee the cause thereof as plainly doth it also signifie that good Workes merit heauen and be the cause thereof T. B. I answer that there is great disparitie between saluation damnation therefore that good works can not merit saluation though euil works be enough for damnation The reason hereof is euident both in Phylosophy and Diuinitie because as S. Dionysius Areopagita sayth and the popish angelicall doctour Aquinas approueth the same Bonum ex integra causa existet malum ex quolibet defectu Good is of an intire and whole cause but euill comes of euery defect Yea that more is required to good then to euill dayly experience teacheth vs for one may soone doe that hurt to his neighbour which can not without great cost and long time bee cured againe For euery childe can tell our Iesuite that one stroake is able to kill a man but twentie potions and twentie chirurgicall actions can not restore him to life againe So one leape is enough to cast one into the bottome of a pitte or deepe gulfe but twentie hops skippes or leapes will not bring him vp againe This Saint Austen well obserued when hee left in Writing to all posteritie That it is a greater thing to iustifie the Wicked man then to make Heauen and Earth Free-will of it selfe is able to doe euill in the highest degree but of it selfe it hath no power at all either to doe well or to will well For it is God that worketh in you saith the Apostle both the will the deed euen of his good pleasure Againe in an other place thus To will is present with me but I find no meanes to performe that which is good Againe in an other place thus No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Againe in an other place thus we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God All which and much more our sweete Sauiour compriseth in these few pethy and most golden wordes For without me yee can doe nothing Much more I could say to the same effect but I refraine for two respectes First because I haue regard to breuitie Secondly for that this matter is disputed at large and soundly prooued in the Conclusions afore-going especially in the first sixt and seuenth B. C. Wee find also in Scripture that men are sayd worthy of Reward That you may be counted worthy of
And the Apostles doubted not to say It hath seâ—med good to the holy Ghost and to vs. If in these and such like speaches God and his Creatures be ioyned togeather without being made ioynt purchasers but as the Creator and the secondarie cause in like manner may the Merites of Christ and his Saintes be conioyned as hath been sayd T. B. I answere first that the more our sillie Iesuite striueth against the trueth the more he still woundeth rotten Poperie Fiue examples he heere produceth and neuer one to the purpose as by by God willing shall appeare Secondly that if Poperie were not the New religion in very deed such paultry and beggerly shiftes would neuer be vsed in defence thereof Thirdly that the question is not of those actes which Gods Saintes doe alone and of them-selues but of those effectes in producing whereof Gods Saintes are sayd to concurre and to be ioyned with Christ our Sauiour And therefore of the fiue Examples three are altogeather impertinent viz. the first the third the fourth For in the first place the Angel doth not connotate a Creature but God himselfe which I prooue by a double argument First because the Text speaketh of that Angel which deliuered Israel or Jacob from all euill which effect can not possibly be ascribed to any Creature but To God alone the fountaine of all Grace and giuer of euery good guift And it is confirmed because the same God which in the 15 verse is said To haue fed Israel all his life long is likewise sayd in the verse following To haue deliuered him from all euill Secondly because two other places of Scripture doe interpret the Angel to be God himselfe The God of Bethel the God that did keepe Jsrael whither soeuer he went In the third place as also in the fourth the actes are onely ascribed to the Israelites and to S. Paul but neither the Apostle nor the Jsraelites are sayd to concurre with Christ in producing the same effect Let the wordes be well marked and the case is cleare The second and fift or last Examples doe prooue indeed that Gods Saints are ioyned with Christ in producing the same effectes but for all that are as far from concluding the Iesuites purpose as Rome is distant from Roan or the East from the West For albeit I willingly graunt that Gods Saintes may concurre and be conioyned with Christ in producing al those effectes to which they are deputed of God as instrumentes meanes and inferiour causes vnder him hauing to that end receiued of him actiue power in some measure yet doe I constantly denie and vtterly defie that most vnchristian blasphemous and hereticall Popish assertion which brutishly and more then cruelly auoucheth that Beckets Blood and Christes most pretious Blood concurre in working mans Saluation For as the Israelites truely sayd that the Sword of God and Gideon destroyed their enimies so may it truely be sayd in like manner that God and the Phisition cure inward sores God and the Surgion externall woundes that God and Masons builde Churches God and Taylors make Garmentes God and Meate nourish men and so foorth But we can neuer truly say that Christes Blood and Beckets Blood doe worke mans Saluation The Sword of Gideon Masons Surgions Phisitions Meate and Taylors haue a certaine actiue power inherent in them to produce such effectes but mans Saluation is such a diuine supernaturall supereminent effect as Beckets Blood hath no actiue power at all neither more nor lesse to produce the same For this respect grauely writeth S. Augustine That if the best liuer on earth should be rewarded according to his best desertes yet could he not but perish euerlastingly For this respect wisely sayth the learned and religious Fryer Ferus That our Saluation consisteth onely and solely in the Merite of Christ not in our owne Workes He addeth the reason because we are not able to make satisfaction no not for the least sinne we commit For this respect sayth Abbot Bernard That the sinne which maketh deuision betweene God and vs can not be wholly taken away in this life This Subiect is handled at large in the ninth Chapter afore-going in the eleuenth Conclusion to which place I referre the Reader for his better satisfaction herein B. C. Bell else-where telleth vs That popish Inuocation and Adoration was not knowen vntill the yeare three hundred and seauentie Yet is it no thing comparable to thâ—s heere vttered making that Article a thousand yeares younger then in his former Booke T. B. I answere first that in my Suruey I haue disputed at large how Inuocation of Saints increased by degrees For the better cleering of which difficultie I there put downe many Canons and Conclusions In one Canon I affirmed the Church of God to haue liued vnacquainted with the Merites Intercession of the Saints in heauen for the space of two hundred thirtie yeares after Christ. In an other Canon I prooued soundly that the first seed of Popish inuocation of Saintes began not to besowen till about the yeare 233. after Christ. In an other Canon that about the yeare 250. after Christ some of the Fathers held constantly that the Saintes in heauen did pray for the lyuing vpon earth In an other Canon that some of the Fathers about the yeare 350. after Christ did by Rhetoricall Apostrophes apply their Orations to the dead Many other thinges concerning the Inuocation of Saintes I disputed in that Booke at large To which Booke though published about thirteene yeares agoe neither this Jesuite nor any other euer had any courage to this day to frame any answere at all In my Tryall of the new Religion which this Jesuite hath taken in hand to confute I constantly affirme that to Pray to be saued by the Blood of Thomas Becket is flat blasphemy against the Sonne of God And as I affirmed afore in my Suruey that Poperie sprang vp by degrees in such and such yeares so now I constantly auouch that to be saued by the Blood of Becket was vnknowen to the Church for the space of a thousand yeares and odde In the Margent the Printer hath negligently set downe 1407 for 1047. yeares after Christ. I would that were the least of many schores of faultes which haue escaped in my Bookes partly of ignoraunce and partly through the negligence of careles Printers Now where I assigne diuers times and yeares precisely and distinctly to the birth of seuerall degrees of Poperie our Iesuite being at a flat non-plus what to answere fleeth malitiously to ridiculous cauils and most foolish and false imputations Yea the Fryer Iesuite B.C. bloody cut-throate if his name so be doth bewray his owne malice vnawares For these are his expresse words Let him be vrged with that which he teacheth else where and then his refuge will be that he speaketh not of the Inuocation of Saints in
creature no Angell in heauen or Saint vpon earth hath any power at any time to alter or change the least iote of the Catholique fayth This Obseruation all learned Papistes willingly imbrace acknowledging the same for an vndoubted truth And Biel my Doctor now in hand approoueth the same in these expresse wordes Quaedam sunt de necessitate sacramentorum et de iure diuino sic quod nulla authoritate vel consuetudine oppositum induci possit Some thinges are of the necessitie of Sacramentes and of the Law diuine so that whatsoeuer is opposite or repugnant to the same can neuer be established by any Custome or Authoritie To which I adde fourthly that the Church hath no new reuelations in matters of Fayth So writeth the famous Byshoppe and great learned popish Doctor Melchior Canus in these expresse wordes Nec vllas in fide nouas reuelationes Ecclesia habet The Church hath no new Reuelations in matters of Fayth This is true Catholique doctrine in very deed no denyall may be made thereof For once a matter of Fayth is and must euer be a matter of Fayth And in like maner once no Article of Fayth neither is nor euer can be an Article of true Fayth indeed B. C. S. Thomas of Aquine doth not say That this was in some few places onely as Bell maketh him to speake but that in some Churches it was so obserued which might be very many as well as some few T. B. I Answere that in my Suruey of Poperie I set downe Aquinas his expresse wordes as mine accustomed manner euer hath been though our Iesuite dare not performe so much In my Tryall I onely gaue the true sense and meaning for breuitie sake His wordes are these Ex parte quidem ipsius sacramenti conuenit quod vtramque sumatur sez et corpus et sanguis quia in vtroque consistit perfectio sacramenti Sequitur ideo prouidè in quibusdam ecclesijs obseruatur vt populo sanguis sumendus non detur sed solum a sacerdote sumatur On the behalfe of the Sacrament it is meete and conuenient that both be receiued to weet both the Body the Blood because in both consisteth the perfection of the Sacrament Therefore it is prouidently obserued in some Churches that the Blood be not giuen to the Lay people but be onely receiued of the Priest Thus writeth Aquinas out of whose wordes I note two speciall Documentes Thâ—one that the perfection of the Sacrament consisteth in both kindes and consequently that the Communion of the Lay people is this day vnperfect in the Church of Rome This is a note of great consequence let it be well remembred Th' other that both kindes were vsually receiued euen of the Lay people in the dayes of Aquinas both in the Church of Rome and in all other Churches some few excepted For if Aquinas should meane by some Churches very many Churches as our Fryer would perswade his readers he should not haue sayd in some Churches but in very many or in all Churches for the most part For two which are a few not very many may determine some Churches very sufficiently But to extend some Churches to very many is to offer no small violence to the Text. For example sake If our Jesuite should promise to giue me some Money for my paines as I thinke he will not if then I did challenge very much Money vpon his Promise hee perperhaps would deny the same and my selfe for any helpe the wordes would affoord me should by Law recouer the great summe ad Calendâ—â— Graetaâ— In my Suruey this Lay call Communion vnder both kindes is prooued at large out of Origen S. Cyprian S. Hierome S. Chrysostome S. Jgnatius S. Justinus S. Ambrose S. Austen S. Gregorie and Haymo It shall now suffice to cite the testimonies of Iustinus and Haymo Iustinus hath these expresse wordes Qui apud nos vocaÌ„tur Diaconi atque Ministri distribuunt vnicuique praesentium vt participet eum in quo gratiae actae sunt Panem Vinum et Aquam Sequitur Nam Apostoli in commentarijs a se scriptis quae Euangelia vocantur ita tradiderunt praecepisse sibi Iesum They that we call Deacons and Ministers doe distribute to euerie one that is present the sanctified Bread Wine Water to be made partaker thereof For the Apostles in their Commentaries that is in the Ghospels haue taught vs that Iesus so commaunded them to minister the holy Communion Haymo an auncient Father and learned Byshoppe hath these expresse wordes Ego N. accepi â— Domino quod et tradidi vobis id est mysterium corporis et sanguinis Domini quomodo debeatis sumere sicut mihi reuelauit ita tradidi vobis For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I deliuered to you that is the mysterie of our Lords Body Blood in what maner yee ought to receiue it Euen as he reuealed it to mee so haue I deliuered it to you Thus write these holy auncient learned Fathers very resolutely and plainely teaching vs that Christ commaunded all sortes of people to Communicate vnder both kindes I therefore must conclude with this ineuitable illation That seeing the Communion vnder one kind was not an Article of popish Fayth for the space of 1414. yeares after Christ as is already prooued it both is and must perforce be so reputed a very rotten ragge of the New religion The .13 Chapter of Popish priuate Masse B. C. THE Minister speaketh of the dreadfull Mysteries as homely as though he were talking of the English Communion which is had in such high reuerence that the fragmentes remayning are appoynted for the Ministers priuate vses and leaue giuen him to feed with them his Chickens or to soppe his Pottage T. B. I answere first that our cogging Iesuite is as vnreuerent in speaking as he is impudent and shamelesse in lying Secondly that all wise discreete and zelous Christians in our Churches doe come with more true reuerence to our holy Communion which we acknowledge to be sacramentally Christes true Body and pretious Blood then Papistes doe in the Romish Church to their transubstantiated Bread-god Thirdly that the Papistes giue leaue to Dogges Mice and Rattes to eate the remainder of their Bread-gods in so much that Petrus Lombardus their reuerend Maister of Sentences not able to expresse what the Mouse doth eate answereth to the great mysticall difficultie in these wordes Deus noâ—u God knoweth what the Mouse doth eate Fourthly that God by the mouth of holy Moses pronounced to the Isâ—â—eâ—uâ— that the remnant of the Meat-offering should be Aaron and his Sonnes And the reason is added immediately in these expresse wordes For it is most Holy of the Lordes Offeringes made by Fire Againe in an other place thus The Priest that offereth any mans Burnt offering shall haue the Skinne of the Burnt offering which he hath offered And all the Meate offering that
a Vaile hanging in the Doores of the same Church dyed and painted which had the Image as it were of Christ or some Saint for I doe not well remember whose Image it was Therefore when I saw in the Church of Christ a mans Image against the authoritie of the Scriptures I tore it in peeces and aduised the Keepers of that place of the Church in Anablatha to burie some poore body with it I pray you commaund that hencefoorth such Vailes which make against our Religion be not hanged vp in the Church of Christ. The same Epiphanius in an other place hath these expresse wordes Re vera sanctuÌ„ erat corpus Mariae non tamen Deus Re vera virgo erat ipsa virgo et honorata sed non ad adorationem nobis data sed ipsa adorâ—ns eum qui ex ipsa carne genitus est de caelis vero ex finibus paternis accessit Sequitur Neque Helias adorandus est etiamst in viuis sit Neque lohannes adorandus neque Thecla neque quisquam Sanctus adoratur Non. N. dominabitur nobis antiquus error vt relinquamus viuentem et adoremus ea quae ab ipso sacta sunt Sequitur Sit in honore Maria Pater et Filius ei Spiritus sanctus adoretur Muriam nemo adoret non dico mulierem imò neque virum Deo debetur hoc mysterium Neque Angeli capiunt talem glorificationem Sequitur Etsi pulcherrima est Maria et sancta et honorata a non ad adorationeÌ„ The body of Mary was holy indeed but she was not God The Virgin was a Virgin indeed and honorable but not giuen to vs to be adored But she adoreth him who being borne of her according to the flesh came downe from Heauen euen from his Fathers Throne Helias ought not to be Worshipped if he were this day liuing amongst vs. Neither is John to be Adored neither Thecla neither any other Saint For the old Errour may not so farre ouerrule vs that we forsake the liuing God and Adore the Workmanshippe of his handes Let Mary be had in honour let the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost be Adored Let none Adore Mary I say not the Woman but neither the Man this mysterie is due to GOD alone The Angels are not capable of such glorification Though Mary be most beautifull and holy and honourable yet is she not to be Adored Thus discourseth S. Epiphanius affirming resolutely that onely GOD ought to be Worshipped and Adored not any Saintes in Heauen or on Earth much lesse their Images The 16. Chapter of Church seruice in the Vulgar tongue B. C. TO prooue that the Publique Seruice of the Church ought to be in the Vulgar tongue he citeth the names of many Authors without euer setting downe their Sentences thinking it sufcient to referre the Reader 〈◊〉 his Suruey where he hath layd out their wordes at large T. B. I answere first that our Jesuite is so troubled with my Bookes as he seemeth to haue lost his wittes For in his Preface of this present Pamphlet hee obiecteth against me as a fault that I iterate some thinges in one Booke which I haue published in an other Neuerthelesse heere he chargeth me of insufficiencie for that I referre the Reader to my Suruey where I haue handled the controuersie at large What a fellow is this Jesuisicall Fryer If I iterate that which afore I vttered in an other Booke hee is like a madde man and cryeth out that I trouble him with often repetitions If I referre him to that which I haue written else where he accuseth me as in this place that it is not sufficient so to deale Secondly that himselfe in the .14 Chapter of this Pamphlet yeeldeth no other Answere touching Pope Mâ—rtins Dispensation saue onely that he referreth me to an vnknowen and as yet inuisible Booke which he calleth The dolefull Knell B. C. This prooueth not that the Publique Seruice of the Church was in any other Language then in the sacreâ— Tongues of the Greeke Latine c. For the Grecians might vnderstand the Priest though their Seruice were in Greeke because that Tongue was to them the vulgar and common T. B. I answere first that our Iesuite confesseth plainely that his purpose is not to examine my whole Tryall and I beleeue him in this point albeit this Chapter consisteth onely of sixteene lines But those few lines containe such sound and pithy Doctrine as all the Jesuitees in Christendome are not able truely to answere the same Secondly that I am heere content to iterate part of that which I haue else where set downe at large and yet I can hardly thinke that the same will be to our Fryers contentation Howbeit volens nolens he must put it vp seeing he hath prouoked me thereunto Theodoretus a great Learned man and a very famous Historiographer who liued almost one thousand and two hundred yeares agoe affirmeth constantly that in his time the Scriptures were translated into all maner of Languages and that they were not onely vnderstood of Doctors and Maisters of the Church but euen of the Lay people and common Artificers also These are his expresse wordes Hebraici verò Libri non modo in Graecum idioma conuersi sunt sed in Romanam quoque linguam Aegyptiam Persicam Indicam Armenicamque et Scythicam atque adeo Sanromaticam semelque vt dicam in linguas omnes quibus ad hanc diem nationes vtuntur Sequitur Fossoresque adeo ac bubuleos inuenias plantarumque consitores de diuina Trinitate rerumque omnium creatione discertantes The Hebrew Bookes are turned not onely into the Greeke tongue but also into the Romane language into the Egyptian Persian Indian Armenian and Scythian as also into the Sanromaticall tongue and to speake all in a word into all tongues which this day are in vse amongst Nations We may find Ditchers Deluers Neatheards and Gardiners disputing euen of the blessed Trinitie and of the Creation of all thinges Thus discourseth this auncient Father and great learned Writer shewing most clearely vnto his Readers that in the auncient Church and old time euery Nation had the holy Scriptures in their Vulgar language and that in those dayes all Christians did read the holy Scriptures so seriously that both men and women of all trades and conditions were able to dispute of the holy Trinitie and of the Creation of the world Which two poyntes for all that are the most difficult obscure hard and intricate Articles in the whole course of Theologie S. Ambrose hath these expresse wordes In oratione totius plebis tanquam vndis refluentibus stridet tum responsorijs Psalmorum cantu virorum mulierum Virginum parvulorum censonus vndarum sragor resultat When all the people pray togeather there is a noyse as if the Waues of the Sea did beate one against an other then with the answering of Psalmes with the singing togeather of men women maydes and
the kingdome of God for which also ye suffer T. B. I answere that it is one thing to be counted or reputed worthy an other thing to be worthy in very deed For God chose vs before the world was made in his sonne Iesus not because we were worthy as is alreadie prooued but that we might be reputed worthy for the merites of our Lord Iesus For God sayth th'Apostle was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them And this is confirmed in the wordes following which are these For hee hath made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him But more hereof in mine answere to the Iesuites next Obiection which I wish the Reader to ioyne with this and to ponder them both seriously B. C. They shall walke with mee in whites because they are worthy T. B. I answere that they are worthy in deede yet not for any proper worthinesse in themselues but for the worthinesse of Christ Iesus which sense and meaning I haue already prooued and S Iohn himselfe in another place yeeldeth the selfe same interpretation in these wordes These are they that came from great tribulation haue washed their robes made them white in the blood of the Lambe Loe as before hee called them worthy so now he termeth them white as hauing no spot or blemish in them but as white pure and free from all sinne but doubtlesse they were not free from sinne and pure or white in themselues seeing S. Iames teacheth vs that the best of all sinne many wayes but they were white and pure in Christ Iesus whose blood and condigne merites were imputed to them as if they had beene their owne for as our sinnes were truely and indeede imputed to Christ so is his righteousnes and his merites truely and in deede imputed to vs which the Prophet well considered when he said Blessed is the man to whom God shall not impute sinne Which the Apostle well considered when he told vs that Abrahams Faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse and that the same was not written onely for him but for vs also that beleeue in Christ who dyed for vs and rose againe for our iustification Which Saint Augustine well considered when he pronounced woe to the best liuer vpon earth if Gods mercie were set apart all which S. Pauâ— knitteth vp in these pithy and golden wordes Christum pro nobis peccatum fecit Deus eui reconciliandi sumus hoc est sacrificium pro peccatis per quod reconciliari valeremus ipse ergo peccatum vt nos iustitia nec nostra sed Dei nec in nobis sed in ipso sicut ipse peccatum non suum sed nostrum nec in se sed in nobis constitutum similitudine carnis peccati in qua crucifixus est demonstrauit God made Christ sinne for vs to whom we are to be reconciled that is a Sacrifice for sinnes by which wee might be reconciled He therefore was made sinne that we might be made iustice not our iustice but Gods iustice neither in vs but in him as he declared sinne not be his but ours not placed in him but in vs by the semblance of sinfull flesh in which he was crucified Heere I admonish the Reader to remember well these words of S. Augustine Jpse ergo pecâ—atum vt nos iustitia c He was made sinne that we might be made iustice not our iustice but Gods iustice neither in vs but in him To remember well I say these wordes because they are of great consequence for they prooue euidently that our formall iustice is not inherent in our selues but in God Which testimonie of S. Austen a Father so auncient so graue so holy so learned so renowmed both in the Romish Church and throughout the Christian world can not but perforce it must confound the Papists and strike them starke dead for it conuinceth mans inherent iustice to be imperfect and the popish supposed condigne merit of Workes to be plaine hypocriticall I wish the Reader likewise to remember well that mans formall iustice is of two sorts subiectiue relatiue This distinctioÌ„ may not be forgotten Our formall iustice subiectiue is imperfect our relatiue most perfect Our subiectiue and imperfect is inherent in our selues our relatiue and perfect is in Christ Iesus not in our selues This distinction though subtile yet most excellent and necessarie is clearely deduced out of S. Austens words not formally I graunt but virtually I constantly affirme it serueth to many vses and therefore ought it to bee well remembred Yea it is Jmpliciâ—è and virtually comprised in the Doctrine of Saint â—aul in very many places of his Epistles First he telleth vs that he who knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be the righteousnesse of God in him Secondly he plainely anoucheth that as by the disobedience of Adam many became sinners so by the obedience of Christ many shal be made righteous Thirdly he constantly affirmeth that Gods children haue not their owne righteousnesse but the righteousnesse of God through Fayth in Christ Iesus Fourthly that such as sought to stablish their owne righteousnesse could not attaine the righteousnesse of God Fiftly he boldly proclaimeth that Christ is made to vs Wisedome Iustice Sanctification and RedemptioÌ„ In all which places if due application be made thereof to the subiect now in hand the distinction deducted out of S. Austen will easily appeare For larger discourse whereof I referre the Reader to my Booke intituled The Iesuites Antepast B. C. S. Hierom not inferiour to Bell in Latin Greeke or Hebrew translateth thus That wee may fight against Gabaa Beniamin and render vnto it for the workes it deserueth And yet the formall word Deserueth is neither in the Greeke or Hebrew but thus According to all the foolishnesse which they haue done in Israel T. B. I answere that S. Hierome respected the true sense and meaning rather then the formall wordes Neither skilleth it that the word Deserueth is not formally expressed seeing it is virtually implyed I haue alreadie prooued that more is required to Good then to Euill In euill factes condigne desert is neuer wanting as which hath it perfection of euery defect whatsoeuer But in supernaturall and diuine effectes or actes it is farre otherwise If the wicked should not condignely demerite Hell God were vniust in condemning them therevnto Yet if he should deny Heauen to the best liuer on earth as Bernard truly writeth and is already prooued he should thereby doe no wrong to any For to punish one more then he deserueth is crueltie but to reward one aboue his desertes is mercie This our Sauiour himselfe did plainely demonstrate in the Parable of the Workemen sent into his Vineyard Friend sayth Christ I doe thee no wrong didest not thou agree with me
can possibly be alleadged or produced out of the holy Fathers concerning this Subiect now in hand To this Booke in the third part and tenth Chapter I referre the Reader for his full satisfaction in this behalfe Secondly that aswell the thing it selfe as the name was first hatched in the Councell of Lateran For no Text in the Law of Moses no Sentence in the Prophets no Word in the Psalmes no Affirmation out of the Ghospell no Testimonie out of the Epistles of the Apostles no Verdict out of the holy Fathers no specialtie out of the auncient Councels can now or euer be found extant which once maketh mention either of Transubstantiation or of accidentes without subiectes Thirdly that this Popish fondly imagined Transubstantiation is farre different from that Reall presence with which the Pope and his Romish Synode most cruelly assayled Berengarius That Reall presence though most absurd as I haue prooued demonstratiuely in the Iesuites Antepast may well stand with Consubstantiation and nothing at all change the substaunce of Bread For it is a Popish foundation though foolish and ridiculous as is prooued in my Suruey that two Bodyes may be in one place at once This Transubstantiation sendeth the substance of Bread neither my selfe nor yet the Papistes can tell whither That Reall presence altereth not Christes Body but this Transubstantiation changeth the substaunce of Bread into Christes Body That Reall presence causeth not accidentes without subiectes but this Transubstantiation inferreth Miracles vpon Miracles aboue ten thousand times a day Popish Reall presence is one thing of which I dispute not in my Tryall Popish Transubstantiation is an other thing which is the subiect now in hand Fourthly that the Papistes them-selues doe not know what to thinke or say of their lately inuented Transubstantiation Durand as I haue prooued in the Downefall of Poperie affirmeth constantly that onely the forme of Bread is changed and that the matter of Bread remaineth still in the Eucharist Rupertus the Popish Abbot holdeth that the Bread is vnited Hypostatically to the Sonne of God Cardinall Caietanus Henricus and Capreolus are of an other different opinion Iohannes Parisionsis held also that the Bread was assumpted but in a different manner from the opinion of Rupertus An other opinion yet remaineth which affirmeth the Annihilation of the Bread Yet Cardinall Bellarmine holdeth with the Councell of Trent for hee that at Rome holdeth otherwise must be burnt that the Bread is transubstantiated into the Body of Christ. What Childe in the fyre would not come foorth to heare this harmonie Will yee heare what the learned Fryer S.R. sayth to this discordant melodie these are his expresse wordes in his pretensed Answere to the Downefall of Poperie The first Contradiction which this contradictions fellow findeth in the Masse is that Durand Caietan and foure Catholiques more before the Councell of Trent did otherwise explicate the manner of Christes Reall presence in the Eucharist then was trueth and since the Church hath defined and explicated in the sayd Councell Thus answereth S.R. that Learned man as B.C. his brother calleth him By whose learned Assertion we are giuen to vnderstand that Transubstantiation was not an Article of Popish sayth vndoubtedly vntill the late Popish Councell of Trent that is 1547. yeares after Christ. The Eleuenth Chapter of Popish Inuocation of Sainctes B. C. TV per Thomae sanguinem c. By the blood of Thomas which hee for thee did spend bring vs thyther ô Christ whyther Thomas did ascend I vtterly deny that any of these wordes or altogeather make Thomas a Mediator of Redemption or doe prooue that wee inuocate him as the Sonne of the liuing God and the onely Sauiour of the World T. B. I answere that this Popish manner of Praying prooueth euidently that Thomas Becket is to the Papistes a Mediator not onely of Intercession but also of Redemption I prooue it by sundry meanes and irrefragable reasons First because there is no Saluation in any but in Iesus Christ neither any other Name vnder Heauen whereby we must be saued Secondly for that the auncient Catholique Church hath euer desired Remission of sinnes of God the Father for and through Iesus Christ his onely Sonne and our onely Sauiour Thirdly because onely the Blood of Iesus Christ not the Blood of any other is able to bring vs to Heauen Fourthly because Iesus Christ with his owne Blood not the Blood of others hath perfectly accomplished the saluation of his Elect and that hath he done once for all Fiftly because an Angell came downe from Heauen and imposed the name Iesus vpon the Sonne of God yeelding this reason thereof for that he should saue Gods people from their sinnes Sixtly because all the workes of God are perfect Which for all that could not be so if Beckets Blood be a cause of our going to Heauen Seuenthly because all Gods Children are rewarded farre aboue their condigne desertes as I haue foundly and plentifully prooued in the Conclusions of the ninth Chapter immediately aforegoing Eightly because S. Austen affirmeth constantly that the best liuer vpon earth shall perish euerlastingly if he find not Mercie farre aboue his Desertes But doubtlesse hee that is rewarded aboue his Desertes and standeth in need of Mercie for his owne Sinnes that mans Blood is not a fit cause or meane to bring others vnto Heauen B. C. The Pope and many thousandes more vse the Romane Breuiarie Missall in neither of which any such Prayer is conteyned and as I suppose it is not found but in those of Sarum vse which be now antiquated and out of date T. B. I answere first that our Jesuite now beginneth to tell vs wonders euen the mutabilitie of Romish Fayth and Religion of which I disputed in the Chapter of Veniall sinnes Secondly that as the Pope hath reformed the Romish Fayth and Religion in this and some other poyntes euen so hath our English Church abolished all Popish errours and superstition whereby wee are the true Reformed Catholiques in very deed For as your Capuchones are the true reformed Franciscanes at Rome so are wee the true reformed Catholiques in England B. C. An vntrueth it is that Saintes merites are ioynt purchasers of saluation with Christes blood if he meane that the Merites of Christ and his Saintes doe alike availe to saluation T. B. I answere first that our Jesuite not able to defend Poperie nor to answere the reasons by mee produced doth highly blaspheame Christ and the sacred Merites of his most precious Blood For as we see hee absurdly and most impiously auoucheth that the Merites of Saintes may be ioynt purchasers of saluation with Christes most sacred Blood so it be not in the same degree Let his wordes be well marked for they import as much as I do say O monstrum horrendum What blasphemie what impietie what crueltie what infidelitie is diabolically implyed in rotten Poperie You were not saith
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