Non verbum verbo curabit reddere fidus Interpres Horat. in Art poet but retayning the strength and sinew of the Sentence I haue rendred it as best fitted the property of speech in our owne language Where the Kings words were to be inserted I haue chosen rather to follow his Maiesties owne Coppy then the French Translation which sometimes varyeth from it neyther haue I therein wronged mine Author Wherefore omitting those smaller mistakes which the discreete will passe ouer with an easie censure whether they bee wordes redundant as in or the twice repeated Or Syllables disioyned as often for often or letters transposed as villaines for villanies or wordes ill orthographized as Epostle and daceiue in one page for Apostle and deceiue Likewise Alminacke Letonies terent for Almanacke Letanies torrent c. Those other which are represented in the end of the booke I leaue to thy courtesie necessarily to be amended being such as import the matter and in which the Composers omitting or not well reading the wordes interlined wherein I sometimes corrected my selfe haue thrust in their owne coniectures Farewell TO THE READER MAy it please thee gentle Reader to vnderstand that after we had finished our worke and that the booke was now ready to come forth there came to my hands certaine corrections and amplifications of some points from the Author himselfe earnestly intreating to haue them inserted which because they could not conueniently be brought in in their proper places the booke being already printed yet that we might doe him right against the malice of his captious Aduersaries I thought it good to bestow them in this page requesting thee of thy charity which couereth a multitude of sinnes at once to pardon both our faults Page 30.14 reade the last Canon 45.25 r. as though he affirmed it without knowledge and spake it onely vpon trust 80.23 r. iudged to be vniust 181.7 r. the earth is almost full of the chips and pieces thereof Page 338.16 after the word men leaue out the whole sentence ending with the word Saluation then adde as followeth Onely we must note that this word Dulia hath a double and doubtfull signification and that there be two sorts of Dulia The one is a Religious action the other is onely a seruice an humane respect which is yeelded also to the liuing As for that kinde of Dulia which is a Religious worship the holy scripture forbiddeth it to be giuen to any saue onely to God alone as 1. Sam. 7.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prepare your hearts to the Lord and yeeld Dulia or Seruice to him alone And S. Austin Quaest 94. vpon Exodus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debetur Deo tanquam Domino Doulia is due to GOD as to him who is MASTER And de Ciuit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 1. Religio non est nisi Dei cultus Religion is nothing else but the seruice of God plainly shewing that the seruing of the Creatures is not an action of Religion But if we take the word Dulia for a respect and seruice done vnto men and not for a religious action our aduersaries doe amisse to say that they serue the Saints or other Images with Dulia seeing they yeeld them a religious seruice and a voluntary worship tending to the attainment of saluation Againe ibid line 29. reade that then no miracles were wrought by their Images Page 367.13 r. the whole earth is full of the peeces of it 399.27 Modicum quodque delictum mora resurrectionis illic luendo Page 425.27 r. in the 9. Distinction and the 9. Canon of the Councell of Antioch and the 17. Canon of the Councell of Chalcedon These wordes of the Canon of Antioch are for a marginall note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Page 433. blot out the 8. last lines and the first line of the next page Page 440.21 read So in the 6. generall Councell Pope Honorius is condemned as an Hereticke and cast out of the Catholicke Church in the 13. Act and the same Councell assembled in the palace in the 13. Act doth by name condemne the Church of Rome c. Page 441.17 reade the 11. Homily of S. Chrysostome vpon Matthew Page 454.14 reade that Christ is an head more absolute and greater then the Pope and that the Pope is of lesse vertue then the holy Ghost Page 470.12 reade vpon the foundation layd by another Apostle The fame and good report and the mutuall communication of the strangers that were Christians with the Romanes had planted the Christian Religion at Rome but the Church of Rome required the presence of some Apostle for her full establishment A Table of the principall matters contained in this worke THE FIRST BOOKE ¶ Of the Vsurpation of Popes ouer Kings CHAP. 1. The occasion why IAMES the first King of Great Brittaine wrote his Booke together with a iudgement vpon Doctor Coeffeteaus Booke Pag. 1. CHAP. 2. Remonstrations of D. Coeffeteau with his iudgement touching the Treasons and attempts vpon the life of the King of England Pag. 16. CHAP. 3. Of Cardinals Pag. 23. CHAP. 4. Of Iesuites Pag. 39. CHAP. 5. Of the power of the Pope ouer the Temporalties of Kings and that he cannot take from Kings their Crownes nor free Subiects from the Oath of fidelitie and thereupon the reasons of Bellarmine are examined Pag. 45. CHAP. 6. Of the Clergie and their Exemptions Pag. 88. CHAP. 7. Of the Authoritie of Emperours and Kings ouer the Bishops of Rome that they haue chosen them punished them and degraded them That Princes haue had power ouer Bishops and their Temporalties The first seede of Poperie in England Pag. 105. CHAP. 8. That they who haue written against the King of Great Brittaine his Booke haue vniustly called him Apostata and Hereticke Pag. 128. THE SECOND BOOKE ¶ A defence of the Confession of IAMES the first King of great Britaine ARTICLE 1. Of the Creede Pag. 133. ART 2. Of the Fathers in generall Pag. 134. ART 3. Of the authority of the Fathers each apart by themselues Pag. 135. ART 4. Of the authority of the holy Scripture Pag. 143. ART 5. Of the Canonical and Apocrypha books Pag. 145 ART 6. Of the memory of Saints and of their Holy-dayes Pag. 154. ART 7. Of the Virgin Mary Pag. 164. ART 8. Of the suffrages of Saints and of the seruice due vnto them Pag. 173. ART 9. Of the Masse without Communicants or Assistants and of the Sacrifice of the Masse Pag. 202. ART 10. Of the Communion vnder one kinde Pag. 246. ART 11. Of Transubstantiation Pag. 258. ART 12. Of the Adoration of the Host Pag. 271. ART 13. Of the eleuation of the Host that it may be adored Pag. 274. ART 14. Of carrying their God in Procession Pag. 275. ART 15. Of workes of Supererogation and of super abundant Satisfaction and of the Treasury of the Church Pag. 276. ART 16. Of the baptizing of Bels. Pag. 308. ART 17. Of the Reliques of Saints Pag. 311.
ART 18. Of Images Pag. 329. ART 19. Of the Image of God Pag. 356. ART 20. Of the Crosse Pag. 361. ART 21. Of Purgatory Pag. 375. ART 22. Of the Anarchy and degrees of Superiority in the Church Pag. 406. ART 23. Of the Popes Supremacy Pag. 413. THE THIRD BOOKE ¶ Of the accomplishment of Prophesies OF THE VSVRPATION OF POPES Ouer KINGS THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. The occasion that moued IAMES the first King of great Britaine to write his booke with the iudgement on COEFFETEAV his booke IT happeneth often that the Lightning falling vpon a man without hurting the flesh breaketh the bones because they onely in the body do make resistance to it and herein the lightning which GOD sends from aboue imitates the nature of him that sendeth it who bruseth the proude and such as withstand him but taketh mercy on the humble which bow vnder his iudgments and tremble at his word But the fulminations of the Bishop of Rome are of a contrary nature for they hurt none but such as feare them nor breake none but such as bow vnder them but he that sets them light is neyther endamaged by them nor breaketh his sleep for them but they fall like the Thunder-bolt into the Sea nay they rather drawe from God a blessing vpon the heads of those that are thus threatned according to that of Dauid Psal 109.28 Though they curse yet wilt thou blesse The happy raigne of the late Queene ELIZABETH will furnish vs with a faire example thereof who notwithstanding the excommuniations of Pope Pius the fift by whom England was interdicted she long time enioyed a Peace without any disturbance or interruption and a prosperity almost beyond example And finally when it pleased God to take her to peace and to gather her to his rest many supposed that the end of her life would be a beginning of troubles and confusions in England and thereupon the opinions and feares were diuers according to the diuersitie of mens desires For the English that were of the Romane Church attentiue and heedy to all occasions had conceiued hope of some great chaunge whether it were that they were led into their hope vpon false grounds or that after the death of a soueraine Prince better things are euer expected from the succeffor or whether that such as are discontented are euer desirous of a change so it was that in this Crisis of humours the spirits of the English waued and floated betwixt hope and feare till by the happy arriuall of IAMES the first the lawfull Successor all things were appeased and cleared euen as by the rising of the Sunne mists and fogges are dispersed and scattered He in the sweetnesse and fairenesse of his owne nature enclined to giue content vnto all his subiects with free liberty of conscience But this his in clination was ouer-ruled by necessity when his wisedome entred into consideration that the matter now in question was not onely Religion but the peace of his estate and the security of his crowne for that it was a thing dangerous to permit publike Assemblies of such persons as had taken Oath to others then himselfe who hold that the Pope may pull downe Kings from their Thrones and dispense with subiects for the oath of their alleageāce Moreouer he called to his remembrance the kings his predecessors whom the Popes had reduced to extream seruitude so farre as to make England parte of the Popes Demaines and in Fee to the Church of Rome and further to make it pay impost and to cause the King to goe beneath his Legats and to giue vp the Crowne into their handes These are considerations that one cannot square or apply to those of the Reformed Religion which liue vnder a Soueraigne of a contrary profession for they take oath to no other but to their Soueraigne Prince They cast their eyes vpon no Forrainer they maintaine that it belongs not to the subiect out of the Religion of the Prince to frame occasions of disobedience making piety the match and kindler of rebellion We are ready to expose our liues for the defence of our King against whomsoeuer though he be of our owne Religion and whosoeuer should doe otherwise should not defend Religion but giue way to his owne ambitions and should draw a great scandall vpon the truth of the Gospell Notwithstanding his Maiestie hath vsed his subiects of the Romane Church in such sorte that excepting the liberty of publique exercise he desired to haue them in like and equall condition with others being vnwilling to haue them disturbed for matter of conscience knowing well that Religion is not by force but by perswasion to take impression and that in this case men will rather follow then be drawne and that persecutions begin when Arguments are at an end Notwithstanding this gentle proceeding those of the Church of Rome now fallen from great hopes which they had imagined turned their despaire into choller and indignation and thereupon plotted an enterprise that should haue enfoulded the King the Queene their children his Maiesties Councell and the Parliament in one and the same destruction the plot was to make a Mine vnder the house of Parliament and so to send the King and his royal family with the chiefe of his Countrey to heauen by a new found way Hatred is an ingenious Mistris of inuention for neyther ancient nor moderne Histories can parallel this with any example The Prince of the world reserued to our times which are the very sinke of former ages something more exquisitely cruell and horrible then euer before hath beene mentioned In the meane time through all their houses there was a certaine forme of prayer prescribed by the Priests and Iesuites for the happy successe of this enterprise to whom the complices did mutually binde themselues by oath sworne vpon the holy Sacrament both for secrecie and perseuerance in the designe The Mine was already finished and the Gun-powder laid ready and nothing wanting but the execution when God who as he is himselfe a King so consequently he is the protector of Kings whom he hath established miraculously discouered this treason the conspiratours being taken suffered according vnto law and amongst others two Iesuites Garnet and Ouldcorne who are now inserted into a catalogue of * It is a table printed at Rome Anno 1608. apud Paulum Mauperinum Matheum Gruterum dedicated to R. Farnesius Prince of Parma in which are the pictures of such Iesuits as haue beene killed and executed sinc◠the yeare 1549. Martyrs imprinted at Rome which is the Spring-head and Forge of all such enterprises Lesse cause would haue sufficed an impatient King to haue exterminated all their complices and to haue let loose the raines of his iust anger but hee with a rare example of clemency suffered punishment to passe no further then to the principall delinquents inuenting and framing to himselfe Causes and Reasons how he might pardon he considered that Superstition might alter
his fellowes where he saith that the rebellion of a Clergie man against his King cannot be treason in that he is not subiect to the King which agreeth with that which is written by the Iesuite Saunders in his second booke of his visible Monarchie whereof the King of great Britaine in his first booke cyteth many passages Now whereas the Iesuites of France did make a booke intituled * In the pag. 70. of the Edition of the bigger print 1595. you shall finde these wordes The Pope pretendeth nothing ouer Souerainty but to correct as a father as a Iudge such as are pernitious to the Church For then he may not alone but he is bound to shew himselfe their Superior Security wold make thee peruerse froward but thou must be kept down be made to confes that thou hast neyther reason nor conscience For it is fit that Princes shold be often held in and curbed by feare of their temporalities The defence of the truth against the pleading of Anthony Arnold In which they maintaine at large that the Pope may as Iudge depriue Princes of their temporalties This is wholly to be imputed to the times for then it was fit to speake in that manner but now they reserue those Maximes for fitter seasons Diuinity is to be applyed as occasions serue and wee are now in an age that if wee would know how wee were to teach and moue the people we must first looke into the Aâ—minake and accommodate our selues to the affaires of the Common wealth and therefore it is to be hoped that such * The which are produced in the Chapter following passages of Bellarmine that do make the liues and Crownes of Kings subiect to the Pope will be mended in the next Edition And as for the troubles and seditions which these Fathers haue stirred in Polonia which hath cost Demetrius his life and as for the causes which haue moned the Venetians to banish them out of their estate this a thing wholly to be imputed to the Climate or to the strange humors of the Country which is farre differing from Fraunce All this being considered it is to be hoped that the King of great Britaine following the counsell of Doctor Coeffeteau will take them to be neare about his person The other Reasons which are brought to recommend them seeme not to me of any great weight It is said that they carefully instruct youth if it be so how commeth it to passe that since they haue vndertaken to teach learning is so much decayed I would willingly that one could shew mee in Fraunce any of their Disciples that were of exact and exquisite learning or whom haue they in their society that may bee compared with those that were the Schollers of Turnebus or of Cuias Who are yet as many of them as are left the very lights and ornaments of the Court where is now the Vniuersitie of Paris which had wont to haue in it thirty thousand schollers but hath declined towards barbarisme euer since this kinde of people haue vndertaken to teach by their abridgements and Epitomies the which haue beene framed and composed by a rable of Pedants that teach all by rote in stead of drawing their instructions from the Fountaines of the Greeke and in stead ofâ—etling their iudgements by the course of auncient Philosophy And as for humane learning Scaliger Casaubon Passerate Lipsius and diuers like vnto them were they brought vp in their schooles Or indeede whom haue they brought vp comparable to them But Coeffeteau saith that the most Christian King is serued by them dealeth well with them and taketh them neere vnto his person our condition is too low and our vnderstanding too weake to search out the Counsels of so great a King whom God hath endued with an incomparable wisedome but yet I thinke that this serues not to iustifie them for who can tell whether his Maiesty doth this onely to put in practise that rule of the Gospell which is To doe well to those that hate vs Or whether he endeauoureth by his goodnes to master and ouercome their wickednesse and so by that meanes to binde them to fidelity Or who can tell whether his Maiestie herein imitateth the example of God who imployeth the wicked spirits for such causes and to such purposes as are best knowne to his diuine wisedome Or who knoweth whether in this he doth like Vlisses who for auoyding of tempests would keepe the winds with him shut vp in a leather bagge This great King whose paines and industry procureth our generall repose whose vigilancy makes vs to sleepe securely who bereaueth himselfe of himselfe and bestoweth himselfe on the publique and who maketh peace to flourish vnder the shaddow of his victories Long may hee enioy that quiet and repose which he hath broght euen to those that hate him Let his Counsels be euer blessed with happy successe his life with safety his subiects with fidelity his Crowne with glory and his Kingdome with prosperity CHAP. V. Of the power of the Pope ouer the temporalities of Kings and that he cannot take from Kings their Crownes nor free subiects from the Oath of fidelity And thereupon the reasons of Bellarmine are examined THe King of great Britaine in his Apology complayneth of two Breues or letters Apostolique of Clement the eight sent into England a little before the death of the late Queene ELIZABETH which were produced at the arrainment of Garnet the Iesuite by which the said Pope excludeth him from the succession of the Kingdome by a generall debarring of all such as were not of the Romane Religion This thing being so notoriously vniust and so publique yet notwithstanding Coeffeteau saith that there hath beene a wrong interpretation made of this Popes intentions and that it hath beene some particular mens drift to put it into his Maiesties head that he went about to hinder his establishment in the Kingdome These are insurious speeches to say that the King of great Britaine hath beene circumuented and that men haue only made him beleeue things but that he hath not seene any such Breues but speaketh this onely vpon trust There likewise turning to the side of Kings against the consent of the whole Romish Church he speaks thus It is a thing without doubt Fol. 6. pag. 2. that if the Pope would inuade Kingdoms and giue them in prey to whom he pleaseth deuesting the right possessors of them he well deserueth that Princes should stand stiffe against his viosence and should ioyntly runne vpon him as vpon a robber and spoiler of their inheritances And a litle after The Popes pretend nothing ouer the temporalties of Kings are contented only to make their authority appear ouer the crimes of men which he bindeth or looseth without stretching of it tyranically to dispose of their possessions otherwise then such as are fallen vnto him what causes here moued Coeffeteau thus to fauour Kings and to pare the Popes nayles so neare
I will not enquire But I well know that in other times and in other places he would for these wordes haue beene sent to the Inquisition For he opposeth himselfe against all the actions of Popes and the iudgement of the whole Romish Church The examples fallen out in England shall be most pertinent to this purpose and such as shall represent vnto his Maiestie of England how farre the Pope had set footing vpon the temporalties of his predecessors and how much dishonoured their Crowne Pag. 117 Cum Rex Archiepiscopus in partem sesessissent bisque descendissent his equos ascendissent his habenaÌ„ Archiepiscopi Rex tenuit cum equum ascenderet Mathew Paris a Monke of the order of S. Bennet at S. Albans in England and a diligent Historian witnesseth that in the yeare 1170. HENRY the second being reconciled to THOMAS BECKET Archbishop of Canterbury he twice helde the bridle whiles the said Archbishop got to horse what submission then should he haue yeelded to the Pope himselfe seeing that one of his Prelates and the King subiects would mit that his King and Master should make him so seruile a submission The same Authour testifieth Pag. 125. Carnem suam nudamdisciplinae virgarum supponens a singules viris religiosis quorum multitudo magna conuenerat ictus ternos vel quinos accepit that the aforesaid HENRY was scourged by way of penance vpon his bare flesh by a company of Monks some of which gaue him three stripes others fiue The Pope not content therewith amerced him to keepe two hundred souldiers in pay for the warres of Palestina and to suffer that his subiects of what quality or condition soeuer might thenceforward euoke their suites out of his Courts and appeale to Rome Of which punishment Michauel in the first booke of his storie of Florence dedicated to Pope Clement the seuenth speaketh in this manner Le quali coscfurono da Enrico accettate sattomessesi a quel giudico vn tanto Rè che hoggi vn huomo priuato sivergognarebbe a sottomettersi which things Henry yeelded vnto and he so great a King submitted himselfe to that censure which a priuate man now a dayes would be ashamed to vndergoe And further addeth that the Citizens of Rome scornefully vsed and curbed that very Pope who did thus domineere in England and would not suffer him to dwell in their Citie and thereupon he taketh vp this exclamation tanto le cose che patono sono piu discoste che d'appresso temute that things did appeare more to be feared farre off then neere at hand After this HENRY succeeded RICHARD whom the Pope sent into the Leuant and he being dead his brother IOHN came to the Crowne Matt Paris pag 215. This IOHN complayned that the Pope drew more money out of England then out of any Countrey on this side of the Aples Pag. 223. Papa ex consilio Cardinalium Episcoporum aliorum virorum prudentium senteÌ„tialiter definiuit vt Rex Anglorum a solio deponeretur Ad huius quoque sententiae executionem scripsit Dominus Papa potentâ—ssimo Regi Francorum Philippo quatenus in remissionem omnium suorum peccaminum hunc laborem assumeret c. and because hee therein withstood Pope Innocent the third who couered his tyranny vnder a title of The liberties of the Church he was by the said Pope in the yeare 1212 declared to be fallen from the Crowne and his Kingdome giuen in perpetual title to Philippus Augustus the French King and his successors with condition that he should conquer him graunting him thereupon remission of all his sinnes and causing the Croisade to be preached against the sayde King IOHN of England by meanes whereof he was brought into that perplexity that he was constrayned to vndergo all the conditions which Pandulphus the Popes Legate imposed vpon him as namely that King IOHN to obtaine remission of his sinnes should render vp his Crowne into the Legates handes and should giue vp his Kingdomes of England Ireland to the Pope that he should yeelde faith and homage to the Pope as holding his said Kingdoms in fee from the Church as parts of the Popes Demaines and of the patrimony of S. Peter * Saluis per omnia denarijs beati Petri Ecclesiae Romanae mille marcas Estrelin gorum percipiat annuatim The same Peters tribute was afterward brought into Poland as Albert ' Krantz writeth Hist Vandal li. 8. c. 2. and in acknowledgement hereof hee should pay yearely to the Pope a thousand Markes in money to be payd at two seuerall times besides the Peter-pence which were paide by the pole All which was executed accordingly and the homage solemnly and formally done the King himselfe tendered the money in all submission which the Legate †Pandulphus autem pecuniam quam in arram subiectionis Rex contulerat sub pede suo conculcauit trod vnder his feete in token to Lordly dominion following the custome which the Pope began then to put in practise ouer the Emperours of Germany to wit * Imperator genu flectit demuÌ„ ad Pontificis pedes peruenit illos in reuerentiam Saluatoris deuotè osculator Iterum genu flectns aurimassam ad pedes Pontificis offert c. that they should be bound to come and take the Crowne at his handes and after three lowly curtesies on the knee and kissing of the Popes feete the Emperour was to lay downe at the Popes feete sitting in his Throne a masse of golde thanking his Holinesse humbly vpon his knee as it is at large set downe in their holy Ceremonies Lib 1. Sect. 5. cap. 3. The like is reported by Polydore Virgill in the fifteenth booke of his Storie and by Blondus Decad. 2. lib. 6. Howbeit the abouesaid King IOHN bare this yoake very impatiently His Barons also hated him for hauing enthralled his Kingdome and England was so farre exhausted by cruel exactions that the said King IOHN out of extreame dispaire resolued to cast himselfe and his Kingdome into the hands of the Mahumetans and to that effect hee sent Ambassadors to Morocco in Barbary to Amiral Murmelin King of Barbary and of Granada to make him offer of his Kingdome but the Barbarian would not accept it Whereupon the Pope made his yoake more greeuous vpon the King and his land the Oath of subiection was renued and ingrossed in writing the instruments which before were onely sealed on waxe were now sealed on golde and in stead of one thousand Markes the King was condemned to pay * According to Pope Innocents Letters reported by Math. Paris Ann. 1214 pag. 239. twelue thousand Markes Since that time the Popes haue called the Kings of England their vassals and England their Demaines Vpon which consideration Ann. 1216 the Pope sent letters of inhibition to Philip Augustus and Lewes his sonne being then at Lyons to forbid them to passe ouer into England but Philip answered the Popes Nuncio in these
he combined against the Christians and both together massacred the poore religious men of Bangor and flew no lesse then 1200. of them The same Ethelfred assisted by the petty English Kings to despite the Christians inhabiting the Countrey remoued the Archiepisopall seate from London and translated it to Canterbury where ordinarily he made his residence Now the principall difference betweene the Christians and the Romish faction was about the day of Easter the single life of Priests and the Church-musique processions and Letany after the order of Rome consider further that some of the people were Pelagians for there was no speech then of transubstantiation nor of the Popes grand Pardons and indulgences nor of the Sacrament vnder one kinde nor of such heresies as were hatched in the after ages Whereof we haue sundry witnesses as Amandus Zirixensis in his his Chronicle Beda in the second booke of his Ecclesiasticall History of England Mantuan in fastis and Polydore Virgill Mantuanus Adde quòd Patres ausi taxare Latinos Causabantur eos stulte imprudentur aequo Durius ad ritum Romae voluisse Britannos cogere c. but especially obserue the wordes of Geffery of Monmouth in his eight booke de Britannorum gestis * In patria Britonum adhuc vigebat Christianitas quae ab Apostolorum tempore nunq tam inter eos defece rat Post quam autem venit Augustinus c. In the Countrey of the Brittà nes Christian Religion flourished which neuer failed among them from the time of the Apostles For Austen being arriued there found seuen Bishoprickes and an Archbishopricke in their Prouince all furnished with very religious Prelates and Abbots men that liued by the labour of their hands The King of England produceth also the Statute of Richard the second King of England by which all English-men were forbidden to holde or sue for any Benefice from the Pope which was in the heigth of the Popes vsurpation and this as the greatest part of the booke doth Coeffeteau passe by being content to scratch where he cannot bite CHAP. VIII That they which haue written against the King of great Britaines booke doe vniustly call him Apostata and Hereticke OVR Aduersaries are as open-handed in bestowing titles vpon vs as they are niggardly in giuing any reason of their doings Bellarmines booke vnder the name of Tortus sayth that the King of great Britaine is no Catholique but shewes neyther in what sense nor for what reason and as vniustly doth he call him an Apostata for an Apostata is one that hauing followed doth againe doth forsake the true Religion Now his Maiestie of England hath not forsaken the true Religion inasmuch as hee still maintaineth the same and should his Religion be as hereticall as it is sound and holy yet could he not be called an Apostata because he neuer professed any other Religion He that hath alwayes done euill is not a backeslider from vertue and no man can forsake that which he neuer had Now graunt that hee had beene baptized in the Church of Rome yet it followes not that he therefore receiued their faith that baptized him for the Church of Rome conferring any thing vpon him that is good bindes him not to follow her in that which is euill But because it may be presumed that the Queene his mother being of the Church of Rome might haue giuen him some impressions of that Religion his Maiesty therefore meeteth therewith and testifies that she adhaered not to the grosser superstitions of Poperie and that in the christening of the King her sonne she charged the Archbishop that baptized him not to vse any spittle in the Ceremonies saying that shee would not haue a rotten and pocky Priest to spit in her childes mouth that at her entreaty the late Queene ELIZABETH who was an enemy of Popery was his God-mother and christened him by her Ambassadour that she neuer vrged him by any letters to adhaere to Popery that euen her last words befor her death were that howbeit she were of a diuers Religion yet shee would not presse him to change the Religion he professed vnlesse he found himselfe moued therevnto in his conscience that if he ledde an honest and a holy life if he did carefully administer iustice and did wisely and religiously gouerne the people committed to his care she made then no question but he might and ought to perseuere in his owne Religion By these Demonstrations doth his Maiesty of England prooue that this great Princesse had no sinister opinion of our religion Hereunto Mr. Coeffeteau sayth hee will giue credite for the respect hee beareth vnto the King although it will with great difficulty bee generally perswaded that some Princes allied vnto his Maiestie could shewe some letters to the contrary Which is as much to say that although that which the King sayes be false yet to doe him a pleasure he will beleeue it and so giues him the lye very mannerly as if he should spit in his face doing him reuerence like the Iewes that cryed all haile to our Sauiour when they buffeted him His Encounter should haue had some coulerable matter at the least for what can argue more weakenesse in him then to mention letters that no man euer saw Or what strength hath it to weaken the testimony of a King concerning his own mother For to whom should she haue opened her minde more familiarly then to her sonne Or what wordes are more serious or more vndissemblingly spoken then such as are the last that dying persons doe vtter For then doth the hand of necessity pull off the maske from the deepest dissemblers then is it no time to hide themselues from men when they must mâ—ke their appearaÌ„ce before God But especially she then speaking to her onely sonne with whom to haue dissembled had beene a most iniurious dissimulation and an vnnaturall skill which if it bee blameable in a mother in any part of her life how much more at the time of her death His Maiesty of England being thus cleared from the crime of Apostasie he dooth likewise acquite himselfe from the imputation of heresie which is the ordinary wrong they doe him The word Heresie signifies a Sect by which name the Christian Religion was in auncient time traduced for so the Iewes speake to the Apostle S. Paul in the last of the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as concerning this Sect or heresie We know that it is euery where spoken against And his Maiesty of England may very rightly say with the same Apostle cap. 24. vers 4. This I confes that after the way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they call Heresie I worship the God of my fathers beleeuing all things which are written in the law and the Prophets After which phrase of speech Tertullian and Cyprian doe call the Christian religion a Sect Tertul de Pallio c. 6. Denique etiam diuinae sectae ac disciplinae commercium pallio conferri Cyprianê° l
nothus de passione Clauis sacros pedes terebrantibus It is a thing also to be wondred how the nailes were found in the same place with the Crosse Seing that the custome of the Aunciens was to burie togither with the bodies of malefactors Inueniuntur ossa inserta catenis implicita the chains and yrons wherewith they suffered as appeareth in Plinies Epistles lib. 7. Epist. 27. where he reciteth the stories of a Ghost that appeared to the Philosopher Athenodorus And in Chrysostome in his Oration against the Gentils And Welserus * In coÌ„mentarijs rerum Vindelicarum coÌ„firmeth it in his seauenth booke of his Commentaries of Ausbourge In the meane time it appeareth by the place of Athanasius heretofore alleaged and by the simplicity of Constantine that this abuse began from that time to slide on and increase which was so farre growne in some places 400. yeares after Christ Noui multos esse sepulcrorum picturarum adoratores Noui multos esse qui super mortuos luxuriosissimè bibant that S. Austin in his first booke de Moribus Eccles doth greatly complaine of it I know saith he that there are many that adore Sepulchres and Pictures I know that there are many that drinke at large ouer the dead The same Austin in the 28. chapter of his booke of the labour of Monkes for in those daies they had each man his trade complaineth of some gadders vp and downe Membra martyrum Si tamen martyrum carriers about of reliques which they reported to be the limmes of Martyrs Yea saith he if so be that they be members of Martyrs The auncient Christians in the three first ages were wont to warme their zeale by the imbers of the Martyrs And because they had no Temples they assembled together in the Church-yardes where the Tombes of the Martyrs serued them for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tables to administer the Lords Supper This being at the first done onely as occasion and the present opportunity would permit was afterward made a law For in the fift Councell of Carthage the Altars are called Monuments or Tombes Where is to be noted that the Councel complaineth that many such false monuments were erected vpon dreames and vaine illusions and commaundeth to plucke them downe if the tumult of the people shall not hinder them which sheweth that superstition was already growne strong in this point Gregorie Bishop of Rome in the first booke of his Dialogues chap. 2. speaketh of one called Libertinus who alwaies carried about a hose of S. Honorate In those times our Kinges planted their whole Religion in founding of Monasteries and getting Relikes together thinking by these means to be saued King Dagobert tooke away all the Reliques from the other Saints to enrich the Temple of S. Denis S. Rusticus and S. Eleutherius whereupon there fell out great strife and debate among the Saints if wee beleeue the Chronicles of France For the Saints whom he had robbed and riffled as S. Hilarie S. Fremin c. adioyned themselues to the Deuils See this Story in Nicolas Gilles anno 645. and it is taken out of Turpin craued their helpe to carry the soule of this good King to hell But hee cal ed to the Saints whom he had enriched for succour who so valiantly resisted the other Saints and the Deuils that they plucked away his soule from them and carried it into Paradise Now a daies many superstitious persons are ashamed of their reliques and mocke at them And yet for all that it is held for an absolute and inuiolable Decree that euery Altar must haue his Reliques vnderneath it otherwise they cannot consecrate For after the Introite of the Masse the Priest bowing himselfe ouer the Altar asketh of God pardon of al his sins through the merits of those Saints whose bones lie hidde vnder the Altar This greatly auaileth to strike the people with a superstitious horrour and astonishment of hart and with a trembling deuotion it being done out of singular wisdome and vpon great consideration For it is credible that when Christ did administer his last supper that he closely conueighed vnder the table some bones of Samuel or some tooth of Sampsons Asses law bone And if Christ did not seeke saluation throgh their merits it was because those old Saints were worse stored and prouided of merits then they whom the Pope hath Canonized for Saints as S. Iuniper or S. Thomas of CaÌ„terbury defender of the crowne of England Concerning the Fathers whom Coeffeteau opposeth hereunto Chrysostome Ambrose and Austin are of the minde that the bodies of the Saints ought indeede to be honored and their sepulchres beautified and adorned But what is this against the King of England who saith asmuch As for those miracles which were done at those Sepulchres of which S. Austin speaketh God by them did authorize the doctrine of the Gospell which his faithfull seruants had vttered in word and signed with their bloud Such were the miracles wrought by the touch of Elizeus his body and by the Kerchiefes of S. Paul But it followeth not thereupon that they adored or yeelded any religious seruice to those Reliques Vnlesse perhaps we must adore the shadow of S. Peters body as Bellarmine will haue it Bell. lib. de reliquijs cap 4 §. Ad tertium Scriptura approbat cultuÌ„ vmbrae Petri. of which shadow doubtlesse some peece may bee found stored vp among the Reliques aswell as at Cour-chiuerni neare Blois they keepe the Labour of S. Ioseph when hee cleft wood for hee was a Carpenter Howbeit there be two thinges which I will not here dissemble the one is that Heretikes at that time Doctores haereticos maximè doctrinae suae fidem onfirmasse mortuos suscitasse de bilâ—s reformasse futura significasse vt Apostoli crederentur Nunquid non Africa sanctoruÌ„ Martyrum corporibus plena est Et tamen nusquam hic scimus talia fieri did more miracles as Tertullian witnesseth lib. 3. against Marcion cap. 3. and in his 44 chapter of his Prescript where he saith that the Heretikes did raise the dead heale the sicke foretell thinges to come The other is that the place in S. Austin De Ciuitai Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. is to be suspected For he speaketh of miracles done in Africa and neare vnto Hippo where he was Bishop by touching the Reliques of Saints Whereas himselfe Epist 137. saith that in some places of Italie as at Nola and at Millan such miracles were done neare vnto the monuments of the Saints but that in Africa there were not any wroght in any place And that which is more to be obserued is that this Epistle was written to the people and clergie of Hippo who would easilie haue controuled him if such miracles had beene wrought in Africa What shall we now beleeue Here is S. Austin who saith in one place that many miracles were done in Africa neare vnto the place of
or whether one man should haue superiority ouer one onely flocke or ouer many It is another question and tendeth nothing to the kings purpose which is only to withstand the Monarchy of one single man ouer the vniuersall Church For admitting it should be yeelded that in euery Countrey and Prouince there ought to be one soueraine Prelate It would not follow thereupon that therefore there must be one Monarch ouer all Prelates or one head of the Vniuersall Church no more then if a man by proouing that a Monarchy is the most exact forme of Gouernement should by that conclude that therefore there must be one Monarch ouer the whole world No there are no shoulders of strength enough to beare so great a head the prouidence of no one man can stretch or extend it selfe so farre or deuide it selfe into so many peeces Such Countries as are placed vnder an other Hemisphere and fall vnder the tyranny of Lieftenants and officers ouer whose gouernement a carefull eye could not be had The same inconuenience or rather much greater would be in the Church for besides this difficulty pride is much more pernitious in Diuine then in humane things And it would be very hard that any man should climbe so high but that his head would be giddy for if pride get in amongst beggars whom we see quarrell and contest whilst whilst they sit ridding themselues of vermine how much more would it fasten it selfe to such a height of glory which inuesteth a weake man and many times a vitious with the title of the head of the Church which title the Scripture giueth not but to the onely Sonne of God Now the end and scope of the gouernement of the Church and of Ecclesiasticall Discipline is the peace of the Church the reformation of manners suppressions of scandals and the conseruation of the purity of doctrine to which end I conceiue we may attaine by different wayes And he should be rash that would tye all other Churches to that exterior Ecclesiasticall policy which is practised in his owne Countrey or by a peeuish presumption prescribe his particular example for an vniuersall rule Farre is it from the charitable opinion of the King of England who towards the end of his book declareth that he no way intendeth to condemne those Churches which hold a differing forme of gouernement since in the grounds and in all the points of doctrine we fully agree with the English Churches which are our brethren in our Lord Iesus members of the same body sensible of our common greefes and whose quarrell we esteeme to be our owne as persons tending to the selfe same end and by the selfe same way though cloathed perhaps in colours differing For the suspition of Mr. Coeffeteau is ill grounded when vpon the protestation which the King of great Britaine maketh that he disliketh the Puritanes hee inferreth that his confession of faith published in Scotland was a supposed confession made by the Scottish Ministers in which they make him speake like a Puritane for that confession agreeth in substance with that which the same King inserteth into his booke the defence whereof we vndertake But if in Coeffeteau his opinion to pray to God onely in the name of Iesus Christ to denie the fire of Purgatory to reiect the Popes Indulgences to pray in a knowne tongue and to abstaine from Idolatry if this be to be a Puritane there is none of vs that had not rather be a Puritane with the Apostles then be impure with the Bishop of Rome So that his Maiesty by the same wisdome by which he prudently gouerneth his Kingdomes can well discerne in this matter of Ecclesiasticall gouernment betwixt such of his subiects as oppose themselues meerely for contradiction and whose heat is accompanied with contempts from such who though they differ somewhat in opinion yet walke in obedience and with a good conscience desiring nothing more then the establishment of his Throne and are ready to lay downe their liues for his seruice such are the faithfull Ministers who carefully employ themselues to root out those tares which Sathan soweth whilst we sleepe and to pull vp Popery out of mens hearts the encrease whereof being nourished by our petty discords cannot choose but be a weakening to the greatnesse of Kings and the diminution of their Empire for it is certaine vnto himselfe in England so many subiects his Maiesty doth gaine vnto his Crowne seeing that according to the rules of Popery a King is an vsurper if he be not approued by the Pope and that his subiects are bound to rebell assoone as the lightnings of the Vatican haue beene cast forth vpon any soueraigne Prince And seeing that also the Cardinal Bellarmine dareth to affirme and to maintaine that England is part of the Popes Demaines and that the King is Feudatory and Vassall to the Bishop of Rome It is to be presumed that his Maiesty hath sent him his picture drawne out of the Apocalips to pay him his Arrearages and to yeelde homage to his Lord in cheefe These things considered the best meanes to be reuenged of so great an iniury is to giue order that the people bee carefully instructed and that the Countrey Churches be not vnprouided of faithfull Pastors who may watch carefully ouer their Flockes and may expound plainly the benefites of Iesus Christ and the doctrine of the Gospell In presence of which Poperie doth vanish and fall downe as DAGON fell before the Arke of the Couenant ARTICLE XXIII Of the Popes Supremacy ANd for his temporall Principality ouer the Signory of Rome The KINGS Confession I doe not quarrell it neyther let him in God his Name be Primus Episcopus inter omnes Episcopos and Princeps Episcoporum so it be no otherwise but as Peter was Princeps Apostolorum But as I well allow of the Hierarchie of the Church for distinction of Orders for so I vnderstand it so I vtterly denie that there is an earthly Monarch thereof whose word must be a Law and who cannot erre in his Sentence by an infallibility of Spirite Because earthly Kingdomes must haue earthly Monarches it doth not follow that the Church should haue a visible Monarch too for the world hath not One earthly temporall Monarch Christ is his Churches Monarch and the holy Ghost his Deputy Reges gentium dominantur eorum vos autem non sic Luke 22.25 Christ did not promise before his ascension to leaue Peter with them to direct and instruct them in all things but he promised to send the holy Ghost vnto them for that end Iohn 14.26 And as for these two before cyted places whereby Bellarmine maketh the Pope to triumph ouer Kings Matth. 18.18 I mean pasce oues and Tibi dabo claues the Cardinall knowes well enough that the same wordes of Tibi dabo are in another place spoken by Christ in the plurall number And he likewise knowes what reason the Auncients doe giue why Christ bade
terms England neyther is nor euer shall be the patrimony of S. Peter Math. Paris p. 270. Anno 1216 A King cannot giue his Kingdome without the consent of his Barons And thereupon all the French Nobility cryed out that they would fight to the death in that quarrell IOHN being dead Math. Paris pag. 425. Rex inclinato ad genua eius capite vsque ad interior a regni deduxit officiosè his sonne and successor HENRY the third did homage to the Pope and payed the accustomed tribute Shortly after the Pope sent into England a new Legate one Otho a Cardinall before whom the King bowed himselfe soâ—low as to touch the Legates knees with his head which Cardinall behaued himselfe more like a King then a Legate This Cardinall being desirous to haue entred into Scotland the King would not receiue him Non me memini Legatum in terra mea vidisse nec opus esse Pag 530. Rex in ampliori regia Westmonasterij pransurus Legatum â—uem inuitanerat in eminentiori loco mensae scilicet in Regali sede quae in Medio mensae crat non sine muliorum obliquantibus oculis collocauit saying that he had neuer seene Legate in his Kingdome neyther had he neede of them But in England he was his owne caruer cutting and paring away at his pleasure euen so farre as that he presumed to sit at table in the Chaire of State aboue the king as hee did at a feast which king Henry the third made at Westminster as Matth. Paris witnesseth which Authour also Ann. 1241. speaking of his Legates returne saith that according to the account then made he carried away more money with him then he left in all the kingdome besides hauing rifled and spoyled it like a Vine brouzed and troden downe by wilde Boares yea all the Historians of England doe complaine of the pillages and exactions of Rome which sucked the Englishmen to the very blood And as I vnderstand Cardinall Bellarmine hath lately made a booke against the king of England Bellarm. in his new booke pa. 19. Rex AngloruÌ„ duplici iure subiectus Papae vno communi omnib ' Christianis ratione Apostolicae potestatis quae in omnes extenditur iuxta illud Psal 44. Constitues eos principes super omnem terram altero proprio ratione recti Dominij c. wherein he maintayneth that the Pope is direct Lord of England and Ireland and that these kingdomes are the Churches fee Farmes and the King the Popes vassall or feudatary Things which I thought good to represent at large to the end that his Maiesty of England may know and acknowledge how much the Crowne which God hath giuen him is beholding to the purity of the Gospell the preaching whereof hath broken that yoake and hath made libertie to spring forth together with the truth dissipating at once both superstition and tyranny Iesus Christ saith Ioh. 8. You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free which saying may after a sort bee applyed to this purpose for there our Lord speaketh of the seruitude of sinne and here we speake of the slauery vnder the man of sinne there our Lord speaketh of the freedome and deliuerance from the bondage of the father of lies here we speake of being enfranchized from the thraldome of the sonne of perdition and indeede that temporall seruitude of the Crowne of England came from the spirituall bondage of the conscience For the Popes laid this subiection vpon men as a meanes and condition of obtayning remission of sinnes Then England enioyed the happy golden age in which euery man for his money might enter into Paradise but Iesus Christ ouerthrew this bancke of money-changers set vp in the Temple and detecting the abuses sheered asunder those inuisible chains of Custome and Opinion which held mens soules ensnared in and vniust seruitude Certainely then the doctrine of the Gospell is the setling and establishment of Thrones and that which exalteth raiseth Kings seeing that it doth not subiect their Crownes to any man liuing and further stoppeth vp all wayes and accesse to rebellion and disloyaltie Now out of that which aboue hath beene said it is euident that Coeffeteau telling the king of great Britaine that the Pope doth neyther expose kingdomes as a prey nor pretend any thing vpon the temporalties of kings thought the king a stranger at his owne home and one that knew not his Genealogie nor the story of his owne house or else deemed him blinde and bereft of sense when hee complayneth in his Apologie that Bellarm. writing against him dooth importunately inculcate this position that the Pope may depose kings in that he may excommunicate them It must needes be then if we beleeue Coeffeteau that the king of great Britainecy ther did not read or else vnderstood not the booke of his Aduersary If we would seeke out examples of the like cases besides these of England we might fill a iust volume How many Germane Emperours haue beene degraded from their Empire by excommunications and Papall fulminations and their Imperiall Diadem giuen in prey to him that could catch it Did not Pope Iulius the second Anno 1511. take from king Iohn of Nauarre his kingdome and giue it to Ferdinand king of Castile This Bull of Alexander is found in the beginning of Francisco Lopez de Gomara his Story of the â—ndies Did not Pope Alexander the sixt Anno 1492. diuide the Indies betweene the Portugals and the Spaniards allotting the west Indies to the Spaniards and the East to the Portugals whereat Atabalippa the poore king of Peru asked who the Pope was that gaue that which did not belong vnto him To omit the confusions and hurly-burlies of later times which of fresh memory haue blasted and singed our kings with the lightnings of excommunications and almost burnt them to powder and haue made the people to rise in rebellion against their soueraigne Prince the soares doe yet bleede neyther is the wound yet soundly cured Now if experience be not strong enough to enforce the certainty of Papall vsurpations ouer kings let vs heare the Popes themselues speake Clementina Pastoralis de sententia reiudicata Nos tam ex superioritate quam ad imperium non est dubium nos habere quam ex potestate in quam vacante imperio Imperatori succedimus In ipsa vrbe vtriusque potestatis Monarchiam Romanis Pontisicibus declararet and let vs learne what their intent is rather from their owne mouthes then from the fearefull and doubtfull termes of this Iacobin Clement the fift being in the Councell of Vienna speaketh thus We aswell by that Superiority which wee haue ouer the Empire as by the power whereunto we succeed the Empire being vacant c. As it is contayned in the Clementine Pastoralis And in the Chapter Fundamenta de Electione in 6 Pope Nicholas the third sayth that Constantine hath graunted to the Bishoppes of Rome both the one
auncient Agate stone which the people kissed and that himselfe beholding the ingrauing he found it to bee a Venus weeping ouer her Adonis lying by her And further that to Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Condee being in the same Towne there was brought amongst other Reliques an arme of siluer which being opened there was found within it a knaue of spades with a loue ditty And that at Bourges there was found in a casket of Reliques a little wheele turning round vpon a staffe hauing a little scroule written about it When this wheele about shall turne My loue with me in loue shall burne How can a man reconcile S. Iohn of Angerie with Amiens and Arras seeing that these three Townes doe bragge that they haue the head of Saint Iohn Baptist How many houses might there be built with that which is said to be the wood of the true Crosse Or who could recken the thornes of Christ his Crowne Or the milke or the haire of the Virgin Marie In England only in the beginning of the reformation of religion there were found aboue a bushel full of S. Apollonies teeth And alwaies the bason to receaue the offering is at hand Wee see many Churches founded by this meanes What semblance of these thinges was there amongst the auncients nay was there euer any grosser cosenage in all the Heathen Paganisme In all this abuse of Reliques finde me out any Relique or remnant of Pietie or any trace of Christianity ARTICLE XVIII Of Images The KINGS Confession BVt for worshipping either them or Images I must account it damnable Idolatrie I am no Iconomachus I quarell not the making of Images either for publike decoration or for mens priuate vses But that they should bee worshipped be prayed to or any holinesse attributed vnto them was neuer knowne of the Ancients and the Scriptures are so directly vehemently and punctually against it as I wonder what braine of man or suggestion of Sathan durst offer it to Christians and all must be salued with nice Philosophicall distinctions As Idolum nihil est And they worship forsooth the Images of things in being and the Image of the true God But the Scripture forbiddeth to worship the Image of any thing that God created It was not a nihil then that God forbad onely to be worshipped neither was the brasen Serpent nor the the body of Moses a nihil and yet the one was destroied and the other hidden for the eschewing of Idolatrie Master Coeffeteau answers Fol. 57. that the Church of Rome doeth not beleeue that there is any Deitie in Images nor doeth worship them nor make any petition vnto them or repose any confidence in them but doeth onely honour them for that which they represent Iust as the men of Reuben and Gad and the halfe tribe of Manasses beyond Iordan Ios 22. erected another Altar beside the Tabernacle only for amemoriall for their posteritie but not for the offering of sacrifices So Coeffeteau saith that the Church of Rome doth not erect Images vnto Saints that they should bee accounted either Gods or Images of God nor to offer sacrifices vnto them but to testifie that we are not depriued or seperated from the Communion of our holy brethren that dwell beyond Iordan in the Land of promise That as in ciuill Gouernements Statues are aduanced for those that haue spent their liues in the defence of the Commonwealth both for honour and example so for the same purposes are Martyrs adorned with triumphant Statues that they are faire Church ornaments and that thereby we make protestation that we liue in the same Church and in hope to attaine the same societie He addeth thereunto the testimonie of the Fathers alleadging one of the second age Lib. de pudic c. 7. to wit Tertullian speaking of an Image in a Chalice two of the fourth age First Gregorie Nyssenus Secondly Basil speaking of the Images of certaine Saints engrauen vpon a seeling and Painted vpon the Walles Lib. 5. byst c. 21. Three other Authours of the fifth age namely Sozomen who speakes of the Image of Iesus Christ broken by Iulian the broken pieces whereof were brought afterward into the Church and the Poet Prudentius and Paulinus speaking of Painting in Churches And farther he addeth that the distinction of an Image and an Idoll is grounded vpon the Scripture That the Cherubins were Images and not Idols That an Idoll either presenteth things that neuer were in being or representeth them in the nature of a God Which doth no way agree to the Images of Saints who haue had a true being and whom men doe onlie honour as the seruants of God That the brasen Serpent was broken and the bodie of Moses concealed for that the Iewes were humorouslie enclined to Idolatry and would readily haue acknowledged Moses for their Sauiour and worshipped and burnt incense vnto the brasen Serpent And that therefore Ezechias did religiously breake it but that he medled not with the Cherubins in the Temple because this was abused but those were not Whereupon Coeffeteau concludeth that the abuse not the Images is to be blamed the good vse of them being not forbidden especially in Churches This is the substance of his discourse Answere which hee loades with so many and such tedious wordes that the matter is hardly perceiued By which discourse he sheweth that he is ashamed of his religion For he speaketh of Images as of memorials or meere representations whereas the Church of Rome commandeth men to reuerence them to performe religious worship vnto them nay to adore them In the second Councell of Nice Pope Adrian writing to Tharasius Bishop of Constantinople speaketh thus a Act 2. Imagines omnium Sanctorum beatitas vestra colere adorare pergat Let your beatitude continue to serue adore the Images of all Saints This commandement is repeated through the whole Councell aboue twenty times These wordes are to be found in the seauenth Act. b Virginis Mariae Deiparae intemeratae quin etiam gloriosorum Angelorum omnium Sanctorum has quoque adorandas salutandas putamus Qui vero non est ita animatus sed circa venerādarum imaginū adorationem laborat dubitat cum anathematisat sancta venerāda nostra Synodus We hold that the Images of the pure Virgin Marie the mother of God and also of the glorious Angels and of all Saints are to be adored and saluted That if so be any be otherwise minded and doe wauer and be of a doubtfull opinion concerning the adoration of venerable Images our holy and reuerend Synod doth anathematise him And which is more in the first Act of this venerable Councell it is declared * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that a Church without Images is nothing worth Which is againe affirmed that to oppose Images is the worst of all heresies In the fourth Act it is said that c Vt etiam meo iudicio cum sanctis Euāgelijs venerāda