professe Christ to be true God yet they teach that dogges and hogges doe eat his body as ofte as they eate consecrated hosts The Turkish Priests beleeue that Christ was true man that his body is visible and palpable but the Masse-priests giue him a body in the sacrament that is neither visible nor palpable nor in any respect like to our bodies The Turkes doe teach that after this life some are placed in paradise some damned to hell as Postell writeth in his history of Turkes a third place they know not nor doe they beleeue that their Calipha or high Priest is able to deliuer soules out of the nether part of the earth by his indulgences but the Papists beleeue a third place beside heauen and the place of the damned and suppose that the Pope is souereigne lord of purgatory and can deliuer soules thence by his indulgences Among the Turkes we doe not read of anie that euer doubted of the immortality of the soule as Menauinus de relig Turc testifieth but among the Papists many doubt of it for else why should Leo the x. lateran concil sess 8. forbid men to dispute against the immortality of the soule some deny it as did Iohn the 23. as is testified in the appendix to the councell of Constance and many other atheisticall Papists who haue nothing of religion but an outward bare profession Turkes do beleeue that God hath a body yet doe they not suffer any image or similitude of God to be made but Papists albeit they professe God to be a spirit yet most absurdlie they doe make diuers corporeall Images of God The law of God prohibiting the making and worship of grauen images and other likenesses is diligently obserued of Turkes Georgeuitz in his booke de moribus Turcarum saith he neuer saw any images in the temples of Turkes with him also in effect concurreth Zigabenus in elencho Ismaelit and sheweth that such as worship images by the Turks are called idolaters but Papists fill al the corners of their churches ful of images and idolatrously doe they worship them nay because they perceiue their practise to be contrariant to the law of God therefore in their briefe catechismes they raze out the commandement against images Mahomet neuer called himselfe God but the Prophet of god only neither did his followers euer giue him the title or honor of God nay some of them beleeue that Cosdroes was vanquished by the romans because he called himselfe God but Papists call the Pope God as we read in Baldus in c. vlt. cod sent rescind and the Pope calleth himselfe God after a cunning sort c. satis dist 96. The Turkes are not so absurd as to beleeue that their Calipha Mufti or high Priest cannot erre because he succeedeth Mahomet and sitteth in his chaire but the simple Papists most absurdly thinke that their Pope albeit he bee ignorant and foolish yet cannot erre as long as he teacheth out of the papall chaire In all the histories of Turkes we cannot finde where any Ianizars or Turkish Friers thought it lawfull or attempted to blow vp the Turkes pallace or parliament house but Thomas Percy Catesby and their consorts attempted and thought it lawfull to blow vp the parliament house the king and principall men of England the Papists therfore passe Turkes in barbarous and perfidious cruelty We do not reade that any Calipha of the Turkes did skin any of his Priests but Iohn the 22. as Platina recordeth did pull the skinne from the Bishop of Cahors happy had he beene if his body had beene inuisible and impalpable as the Papists make Christs imaginary body in the sacrament Mahomet as Zigabenus in Saracenicis telleth vs wrote only 113. fables but the Papists in their legends and breuiaries and Caesar Fabulonius I would say Baronius haue written more then x. M. fables and commend to their followers most fabulous fooleries Among the Turkes the Priests may not begge but the Iebusites and other mendicant Friers count beggery a peece of perfection and much it were to be wished that they did only begge for oftentimes they either take by force or steale most cunningly Septemcastrensis de relig Turc c. 14. testifieth that the Turkes in their fasts abstaine from all meat and drinke doth it not then appeare that they fast better then Papists that drinke wine and eate all dainty fishes and banketting meats vpon their fasting daies The Turkes doe not beleeue their religion to be true or their Alcoran to bescripture because their Calipha doth tell them but because they take it to haue come from God but the Papists neither beleeue scriptures nor the articles of faith vnlesse the Pope doth particularly tell them that the scriptures came from God and that their Christian faith is Apostolicall and most true The Turkes beleeue not that any can be iustified by extreme vnction or eating red-herrings and salt-fish but the Papists both teach it and beleeue it and burne all that shall hold beleeue or teach the contrary The Turkes albeit seruile in their manner of life yet neither kisse the feete of their Calipha nor heaue him vp to be adored by his followers are not then the papists in this point more slauish and miserable then the Mahometans Finally Mahomet neuer taught his followers to kill Kings excommunicated by the chiefe Priest of Turkes or to rebell or take armes against the Sultan or Emperor of Saracens as oft as their chiefe priest should command them nor did he teach his followers that the Calipha of Turkes could dispense with the law of God or assoile subiects from their oathes made to princes but the Popes bastardly children the Iebusites doe giue all this power to their holy father and he is nothing nice in taking it vpon him and so farre haue they proceeded in this damnable doctrin that no prince can stand assured of his life that hath any of this generation about him this doctrine cost Henry the third of France and the prince of Orenge their liues and put both Henry the 8. of England and his daughter Elizabeth and Henry the 4. of France to their plunges and brought them into great danger And of late time the King the Queene their children the Nobles and prelates of England and the Commons assembled in parliament were deseined to the slaughter and had beene destroied if God had not discouered the trechery Were Christians then so patient as to tolerate heresie yet it argueth great stupidity if they should endure a religion more absurd foolish and abominable then Mahometrie CHAP. XLVIII That Christians are lesse oppressed vnder the Turke then vnder the Pope HOw great miseries they endure that liue vnder the Turks gouernment those can best relate that haue trauailed Turkie and haue experience of their lawes and customes we doubt not but they are many and extreme considering the rigour of the Turkish tyranny yet if we will beleeue those that are as well acquainted with the gouernement of the Pope and his
of her image there to be idolatrous 14. They celebrate the feast of our Ladies conception and of the assumption of her body into heauen as appeareth by their missals and breuiaries but Catholickes drslike both as grounded vpon apocryphall fables and lying legends S. Bernard epist 174. speaking against the feast of her conception saith she needed no false honours 15. Catholickes neuer beleeued that Christ had a body inuisible impalpable and not comprehended in a place S. Augustine de essentia diuinitatis saith that Christ according to his humane nature is visible corporal and local but our aduersaries teach that his true body is in the sacrament where it is neither seene felt nor circumscribed in a place 16. They speake reuerentlie of Christs body and hold it blasphemy to say that the same may be cast into the fire or eaten of dogs or hogs or other brute beasts but the Papists doe not so much as goe about to cleare themselues of this blasphemy 17 They teach that Christ had a body like to ours in all things sin except the Papists beleeue that his body is really in the sacrament and conteined in the compasse of a consecrated host and that the same is inuisible and able to penetrat other solide bodies without the dissolution of their substance but such abodie no man euer yet had nor by nature can haue 18 They beleeue that euery body is continued to it self or as Logicians call it continua quanutas but Papists beleeue that Christs body is in heauen and earth and euery altar and yet not in the middle places whereby it followeth that Christs head in heauen is not continued to his feet being in a consecrated host in earth 19. Vigilius lib. 4. cont Eutych saith that Christs body being now in heauen is not on earth and that is the faith of Catholickes but the false and pretended catholickes beleeue that his body is both in heauen and earth and diuers distant places at one time 20. Catholickes beleeue that Christ only is our redeemer for so the Apostle teacheth vs Rom. 3.1 Cor. 1. and diuers other places but Bellarmine in his first booke of indulgences teacheth vs that saints and others may be called redeemers all his consorts also teach that the Pope by his indulgences redeemeth soules out of purgatorie 21. Catholickes acknowledge that Christ is our iustice for so the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. expresly saith they beleeue also that we are iustified by faith in him as we read Rom. 5. but Kellison in his suruey and his consorts teach that he is onely the meritorious cause of our iustification and that we are formally iustified and saued by our owne workes 22. Catholickes doubt not to make their election sure and being iustified by faith haue peace with God and are perswaded that nothing shall separate them from the loue of God for all this is Apostolike doctrine but Papists teach their followers to doubt of their election and of the grace of God towards them and depriue them both of peace of conscience and of all assurance of Gods grace 23. Catholickes beleeue that Christ was wounded for our transgressions and that he hath borne our infirmities and that by his stripes we are healed for so the Prophet Isay cap. 53. teacheth vs. but the pretended popish catholickes do lash themselues and hope by their owne stripes to heale their sinnes and to satisfie for them and without this satisfaction they beleeue that no man can obteine remission of sinnes 24. Catholickes euer spared their owne bodies but certaine heretickes and idolaters did vsually afflict their bodies and lash themselues before their idols in lashing of themselues therefore the Papists imitate the Priests of Baal and not true Catholickes 25. Catholickes beleeue that their sinnes are purged by the bloud of Christ as we read Hebr. 1. but Papists beleeue that their sinnes are purged in purgatory and by their owne satsifactions 26. The Greekes to this day neuer beleeued Purgatory neither doe any of the ancient fathers beleeue that after our sinnes are remitted Christians are to satisfie for temporall paines either in this life or in purgatory the doctrine therefore of purgatorie will neuer be proued Catholicke 27. The Apostles and ancient fathers neuer knew nor heard of the doctrine and treasure of the Popes indulgences this doctrine of Papists therefore is to bee abolished as not Catholicke 28. True Catholickes neuer beleeued that Christians were iustified by mariage the master of the sentences saith it is onely a remedy against sinne but Papists hold they are iustified by marriage aswell as by other Sacraments 29. The doctrine of the conuenticle of Florence concerning the forme of priesthood popish confirmation extreme vnction and their number of seuen sacraments cannot bee proued to be Catholicke 3. Bellarmine lib. 2. de effectu sacrament c. 3. and other his consorts affirme that Christians are instified by the sacraments ex opere operato or by their owne act and worke wrought whereby it followeth that they are iustified by greasing crossing and such like acts but this doctrine is not catholicke the Greekes to this day acknowledge no such doctrine nor is any such thing to bee found in ancient writers 31. The Greekes to this day renounce the Popes supremacy the ancient fathers neuer heard of a triple crowned Pope with a crossed slipper and a guard of Suitzers the doctrine therefore of the Popes generall vicarship taught by Bellarmine in his bookes de pontisice Rom. and by others is not Catholicke 32. Papists teach that some sinnes are done away by holy water and without repentance and that such sinnes deserue not death but the Apostle Galat. 3. sheweth him to be accursed that abideth not in all the words of the law to doe them and Rom. 6. saith that the wages of sinne is death this is also the faith of all Catholickes but of the efficacy of holie water to doe awaie sinnes true Catholickes say nothing 33. Papists offer the sacrifice of the masse pro redemptione animarum suarum for the redemption of their soules but Catholikes doe not hope for redemption but by the sacrifice of Christ once offered vpon the crosse 34. They make Christians eaters of mans flesh and drinkers of mans blood really and literally as their words in the chapter ego Berengarius dist 2. de consecrat do import but our Sauiour saith that the spirit quickeneth and Saint Augustine tract 25. in loan sheweth that Christs flesh is not to be receiued with our mouth or teeth vt quid paras dentem saith he why doest thou prepare thy teeth 35. They make their Priests creators of their creator as Innocentius in his bookes de myster missae stella Clericorum and Boner in his speech to the Priests in Queene Maries time in expresse words doe declare but Christians and Catholikes abhorre to heare Priests called creators or God to be made a creature 36. They make the Priest to intercede for Christs bodie and blood saying supra quae propitio
commandement concerneth the sanctifying of the Sabbath but the Papists profane it by worshiping Idols and frequenting the idolatrous masse Iulius the second vpon the solemne day of Easter fought a bloudy battell with the French at Rauenna and the Duke of Guise vpon the sabbath massacred the Saints of God at Vassi and so little do they respect the Lords honour that they make more account of our ladies festiuals and of the daies of Francis Dominicke and Thomas Becket then of the Lords day The fifth commandement requireth obedience of children to parents and of subiects to princes yet Gregory the seuenth Paschall the second Alexander the third and diuers Popes by their decretales haue armed the sonne against the father and the subiect against his prince neither was the late league of the French rebels against Henry the third and Henry the fourth set forward and confirmed by other more then by the Pope the Popes of Rome stirred vp rebellion against Henry the eight in England and against Queene Elizabeth both in England and Ireland Allen and Parsons in their wicked libell against Queene Elizabeth directed to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland endeuor by all meanes to perswade her subiects to rebellion and to laie violent hands vpon her Cardinall Como in his letters to Parry that came into England with a full resolution to murder the Queene doth promise in the Popes name not only indulgence and pardon for his sinnes but also reward on earth and merit in heauen The sixth commandement forbiddeth murder But Papists thinke they doe God good seruice when they murder true Christians from this fountaine haue proceeded all their cruell executions in England France Italy Germany Spaine and other countries Natalis Come in his history testifieth that in the massacre of France An. D. 1572. they murdred aboue sixty thousand of all sorts of persons their garments are died in the blood of innocentes nay they cruelly poison and murther those of their owne religion if they be opposite vnto them in faction Gregory the seuenth caused not only bloody warres to be stirred vp against the Emperor but tormented and murdred such as he pleased at Rome Alexander the sixth for euery word put men to death Iulius the second promised reward to him that could kill a Frenchman as Budaeus de Asse testifieth but as Lactantius saith massacring and piety cannot stand together longè diuersa sunt carni ficina pietas nec potest aut veritas cum vi aut iustitia cum crudelitate coniungi The seuenth commandement as it forbiddeth adultery fornication Iust and all vncleanenesse so it requireth purity of life and chaste and vndefiled behauior but among Papists adultery and fornication is reckened among lesser sinnes as appeareth by the Chapter si clerici de iudicijs the Pope permitteth whores in Rome and exacteth tribute of them as is notoriously knowen to the world the same is also testified by the glosse of the constitution prouinciall beginning with the word licet de concubin cleric remouendis by Agrippa de vanit scient c. de lenocinio by Sansonino lib. dei gouerni c. corte de Roma and diuers others of late in the castle of Wisbich among the Iebusites and Masse-priests one defended that whores were in Rome cum approbatione and with as good authority as any citizen or as the Pope of Romc the Popes and their complices disallow honest wedlocke of priests and yet allow or at the least winke at such as keepe concubines and whores Theodoric à Niem tract v. nemoris vnionis c. 33. sheweth that in Gascoigne Spaine Portugall and other countries it was lawfull for Popish Bishops and Priests to keepe concubines The commandement against theft as Canisius in his catechisme confesseth c. de decalogo forbiddeth also vsury simony rapine sacrilege and all vniust gaine yet vsury and simony yeeld no small reuenues to the Popes coffers the historie of Matthew Paris doth in euery kings reigne declare infinit pillages what by vsury what by simony committed in England by the Popes speaking of Gregory the ninth his factors he saith they vexed England by vsury per Caursinos vsurarios Angliam vexarunt he saith also how they held vsury for a little fault and simony for none vsuram pro paruo simoniam pro nullo inconueniente reputauit saith he speaking of the Popes agent Felin sheweth that without the rent of Symony the church of Rome would come to contempt in Rome of late times the Popes haue erected diuers banks of vsury called monti di pieta as appeareth in Onuphrius in the liues of Iulius the third Paul the fourth and Pius the fourth and there money was to be had for ten or twelue in the hundred and sometime for lesse Vrbane the sixth as Theodoric à Niem lib. 1. de schism c. 22. testifieth sold chalices crosses and images the same man doth make strange reports of the practises of Boniface the ninth to get money omnia benesicia vendidit si non potuit habere pecunias accepit porcos sues c. lib. 2. de schism c. 10. he sayth he solde all benefices and when he could not haue money he tooke pigs cattell and such wares the merchants of Babylon now take money for masses sacraments and indulgences and extort both from quicke and dead the secular Priests charge the Iebusites to be most cunning fellowes in extorting of money in Spaine they haue a rime shewing that they haue turned all Gods commandements into practises of gaine es el primero ganar dinero that is the first commandement is to get money all Gods commandements they haue turned into these two Todo para mi nada para vos all for me nought for you The ninth commandement doth directly forbid false witnesse and whatsoeuer is vnder that conteined as lying detraction and all leud speeches tending to the hurt or disgrace of our neighbour but the Papists as if lying slandering and bearing false witnesse had beene commanded so forge and falsifie scriptures fathers councels histories and all good authours as their expurgatory tables counterfeit decretall epistles and false allegations of bastard authours and others do testifie and shall more at large be declared hereafter their late books also are full of execrable lies and slanders against M. Wickliffe M. Husse Hierome of Prage Luther Caluin Zuinglius Melancthon and all the professors of truth the Pope he hireth men to speake lies slanders and his complices delight to heare them Allen and Parsons in their resolutions of cases of conscience teach their disciples how to dissemble lie and forsweare themselues cunningly the canonists and other the Popes parasites call him a god on the earth the head and spouse of the church and beare him in hand that he cannot erre Finally where the last law saith thou shalt not couet the conuenticle of Trent teacheth that concupiscence is no sinne the Papists hold also that it is lesse sinne for Friers Masse-priests to lust and
respuunt they beleeued not also that children dying yong should possesse the kingdome of heauen and doe not all sects of Monkes and Friers among the Papists exclude married folkes out of their cloisters doe not the Masse-priests also exclude all children dying before baptisme yea where it was much desired out of the kingdome of heauen 33. Priscillian saith Augustine haeres 70. disioined married folkes his words are coniuges disiungens his followers to hide their filthie opinions and beastlinesse make no account to forsweare themselues propter occultandas contaminationes turpitudines suas habent in suis dogmatibus iura periura secretum prodere noli they refuse also to eat flesh as vncleane meat and come not the Papists neere them in these points that separate Monkes and Priests that doe marrie from their wiues and teach their schollers to forsweare themselues the Rhemistes in Act. 23. say that oathes taken against Papists which they falsly call Catholikes may and must be broken vnder paine of damnation this periury is also allowed by 2. rinegued English traitours Allen and Parsons in their resolutions of cases of conscience wherein they teach their schollers to play the villaines and to periure themselues with a good popish conscience the Carthusians also and diuers Monkes forsweare eating flesh which they cannot doe in reason but that they thinke it lesse cleane than fish 34. The Helcesaites make Christ in heauen to differ from Christ on earth as Theodoret. de haeret fab c. de Helcesaeis doth testifie Christum non vnum dicunt saith he sed hune quidem supernè illum infernè so Papists aboue make Christ visible and palpable but in the Sacrament neither visible nor palpable 35. The Eutychianistes deny that Christ after the vnion of the two natures had a true body but as Leo signifieth ser 6. de teiumo 7. mensis a body without shape dimensions or circumscription they said also that Christ was both in heauen and earth at one time against whom Vigilius disputing lib. 4. contr Eutych c. 4. saith that the flesh of Christ when it was on earth was not in heauen and being now in heauen is not on earth and these points of Eutychianisme the Papists haue reteined for they say Christs body is really in the eucharist where no shape nor dimensions of a body do appeare they saie also that Christs body is both in heauen and earth at one time which taketh away all circumscription from Christs body and is contrarie to the doctrine of Vigilius Theodoret also Dial. 2. doth refute this heresie by similitude of the eucharist for that the substance of bread remaineth in the Sacrament after consecration 36. The Papists also in many points conspire with the enemies of Gods grace the Pelagians Augustine de haeres c. 88. saith that they hold that without grace a man may performe all Gods commandements and Bellarmine de grat lib. arb lib. 5. c. 5. 9. hath these words solis naturae viribus posse aliquem ad breuissiâ—uÌ„ tempus omnia sernare scilicet diuina mandata he shifteth off the matter by adding quoad substantiam operis but the Pelagiani no doubt being pressed would say so much nay if man haue freewill as well to obserue the law as to breake the same then must he needes be able alwaies to performe all the law by force of his freewill The Pelagians beleeue that a man may bee without all sinne so likewise doe the Papists in effect for they say that euery man hath freewill to abstaine from all sinne and Bellarmme lib. 4. de iustific c. 11. saith that man is able to performe the law of God perfectly of which it followeth necessarily that he may be without sinne for he that performeth the law of God perfectly is without all sinne They teach that concupiscence by baptisme is sanctified and being before euill doth afterward beginne not to be euill as may be collected out of S. Augustine lib. 6. contr Inlianum c. 6. and their argument is for that the guilt of concupiscence is remooued by baptisme the Papists also hold that concupiscence after baptisine is no sinne and of this it followeth that concupiscence is sanctified by baptisme The Pelagians say that we haue a strong and firme freewill not to sinne and the censurers of ColeinÌ„ and Bellarmine in diuers places affirme that sinne is subiect to our will and that man by freewill hath power to doe good and to abstaine from euill he that list to fee diuers other points of concordance betwene Papists and Pelagians let him read my last challenge Andradius handling the point of freewill saith that Philosophers by force of their freewill were able to atteine true faith and iustice by which they might be saued doe not then Papists come neere Pelagians 37. The Donatistes as S. Augustine saith haeres 69. beleeued that Christs church was confined in Afrike and remained in the faction of Donatus quod ecclesia Christian Africa Donati parte remanserit they rebaptized also catholike Christians the Papists likewise confine the church within the iurisdiction of Rome and saction of the Pope they presume also to rebaptize better Christians then themselues 38. As the Circumcellions so the Papists thinke it meritorious to kill all that are opposite to their sect as the practises of Pius the fifth Sixtus the fifth and other Popes against Queene Elzabeth the French King Henry the third and fourth Prince Maurice and diuers other Christian Kings and Princes the massacres of France and Flanders doe shew Sixtus Quintus did commend the execrable murder committed by Iames Clement a Dominican Frier Iohn Ghineard a Iebusite was hanged for mainteining the bloody doctrine of murdring Princes excommunicat by the Pope 39. Sigebertus Gemblacensis doth accompt it an heresie to beleeue that the Pope can assoile subiects from their obedience or excommunicat such as will not rebell against Princes haresis saith he pestilentissima populuÌ„ percellit yet this heresie doe Papists mainteine both by their doctrine and practise 40. The Audeans or Anthropomorphites did imagine God to haue a shape and figure like to a man which if the Papists doe not beleeue then why doe they worship God the father in the similitude of an old man and if this bee not the likenesse of God but of an apparition why doe they giue Gods honor to their owne fancies 41. Origens heresie was that he beleeued that the damned might in the end be saued as Augustine de haeres c. 43. sheweth from this they digresse not far that beleeue that Traiaus soule was fetched out of hell by the praiers of Gregorie furthermore if Purgarorie be in hell why may not soules as wel be fetched out of other partes as that part of hell 42. Eunomius taught that so a man were of his religion it skilled not greatly what sinnes he committed asseuerabat saith S. Augustine de haeres c. 54. quod nihl cuiquam obesset quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseuerantia peccatorum
both of heauenly things and of men on earth and that God himselfe as sarre as is requisit for mans defence doth at her pleasure gouerne the earth the sea the heauens and nature and at her becke giueth diuine treasures and heauenly gifts matrem suam praepotens ille dens diuinae maiestatis potestatisque sociam quatenus licuit asciuit huic olim caelestium mortaliumque principatum detulit ad huius arbitrium quoad hominum tutela postulat terras maria coelum naturamque moderatur hac annuente per hanc diumos the sauros mortalibus coelestia dona largitur Bernardinus likewise in Mariali doth say that all graces come downe from God by Mary as sense and vigor descend from the head to the other members of the body Bonauenture or rather some wicked falsary vnder his name hath transformed the praises and honor of God set out by the Prophet Dauid to the Virgin Mary Commonly they giue power to the Virgin Mary ouer her sonne iure matris saie they impera redemptori In the Roman Breuiary she is called dulcis amica dei and the happie gate of heauen and to her they pray to haue their bands loosed In the missal of Sarum they pray thus per te mater aboleri filiorum slagitamus crimina nosque omnes introduci insempiterna paradisi gaudia as if she were the sauiour of the world The missals and breuiaries are full of impieties for beside the confession of sinnes made iointly to Angels and Saints with God first they offer the Masse-cake as they say for the redemption of their soules pro redemptione animarum suarum secondly they make the Priest a mediator to God for the body and bloud of Christ as if by his praiers God did accept his owne and onely begotten sonne supraquae propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris say the Masse-priests speaking of Christs body and bloud thirdly they compare Christ to brute beasts and the sacrifice of Christs body and bloud to the sacrifice of Abel that offered brute beasts digneris accepta habere saie they sicut accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui iusti Abel fourthlie they desire God that Angels maie carie Christes bodie into Heauen fifthly they make God oftentimes a mediatour or intercessor to Saints as appeareth by this praier praesta quaesumus vt quem doctorem vitae habuimus in terris intercessoreÌ„ habere mereamur in coelis the same is also proued for that Saints know nothing done in earth as some of them suppose vnlesse it please God to reucale matters vnto them which if he do then is God a mediator betwixt the Papists and Saints sixthly they pray to the crosse for increase of iustice and pardon for sinne augepijs iustitiam reisque dona veniam seuenthly in coniuring salt they pray it may be salt exorcised for the saluation of them that beleeue vt essiciaris sal exorcisatnm in salutem credentium it were infinite to report all their blasphemies and these may serue for a tast only this may not be forgotten how praying before a certeine counterfet picture of Christs face giuen as they say by Christ to Veronica they pray thus salue sancta facies impressa panniculo nos ab omni macula purga vitiorum atque nos consortio coniunge beatorum haile holy face printed in a cloute purge vs from all blot of sinne and icine vs to the companie of blessed spirits in heauen Bellarmine alloweth this common saying of Friers speaking to the crucifixe thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father as we may read lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 23. That the Gospell is a rule of perfection they denie but they doubt not to giue that honour to the rules of Benet Brendan Francis Dominicke and such authours of sects of the holy scriptures they speake more blasphemously than the Turkes and Saracens for they honour the bookes of the old testament albeit they oppugne the Christian faith wheras the papists professe the faith but speake euil of scriptures some call them a nose of waxe others a dead letter the Rhemists call them a killing letter Stapleton in his doctrinall principles end enoureth to proue that all heresies proceed from scriptures the surueying Kellison p. 158. of his suruey saith the diuell doth wrap himselfe from top to toe in scriptures as if scriptures were the habit of the diuell pag. 41. he saith the letter of scripture with a false meaning is the word of the diuell Turrian writing against Sadeel doth cal scriptures Delphicum gladium or an instrument to all purposes Bellarmine de verbo Dei accuseth them as imperfect and insufficient neither is there any swad amongst them but he hath somewhat to say against scriptures To the images of the crosse and crucifixe they giue as much honour as they giue to God they giue the same also to the images of the Trinity teaching their followers that it is but one honour that is giuen to the image the thing represented by the image but the things being two and that so different as there is no proportion betwixt them they must needs blaspheme giuing the name and honour of God to these base creatures The Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is worshipped and refuseth not the name and titles of God in the chap. satis dist 96. he is called God and heereupon Steuchus in his treatise for defence of Constantines donation audis saith he summum pontisicem à ConstaÌ„tino Deum appellatum habitum pro Deo In the chap. quoniam de immunitate in 6. he calleth himselfe the spouse of the church in the chap. inter corporalia de transla praelat we read these words quando Papa dissoluit matrimonium vnletur quod Deus solus dissoluit matrimonium he is called a God in the earth by Felin in c. ego N. de iureiuraÌ„do and by Baldus m lâ—g vlt. C. sententiâ—e reseindendae Abbas Panormitanus expresly saith that Christ and the Pope haue but one consistory the glosse in c. cum interextr Ioan. 22. de verb. signif doth call the Pope our Lord and God Further he maketh a scorne of Christian religion Iulius the second vpon Easter day sought with the French at Rauenna Gregory the seuenth his armie vpon their good Friday fought with Henrie the 4. in S. maries church he sought to murther the Emperour by throwing downe a stone vpon his head from a vault Sixtus the fourth his agents at the eleuation of the sacrament indeuoured to murther Laurence and Iulian de medicis as Volaterran Geograph lib. 5. testifieth that of Gregory is written by him that wrote the Emperours life and by Beno Cardinalis Leo the tenth called the gospel a fable commonly the Popes send the sacrament before them together with their baggage and the scullery And as if Christ had giuen vs no sufficient rules of religion so he inuenteth and confirmeth daily new religions as for example of late the religion of the
Iebusites and in former times the rules of Benet Francis and Dominike His followers fall downe like beasts before him and worship him as God Paulus Aemilius lib. 2. telleth how the Ambassadors of Sicily cried thus to the Pope thou which takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs thou which takest away the sinnes of the world giue vnto vs peace and Simon Begnius bishop of Modrusa in the Councell of Lateran ses 6. calleth Leo the 10. his sauiour te beatissimâ— Leo saluatorem exspectauimus saith he Stapleton writing to Gregory the 13. calleth him supremum numen in terris his epistle is extant before his doctrinall principles they call him the vicar of Christ the monarch of the church the head the spouse and foundation of the church most blasphemously ascribing to him the honor due to Christ Most shamefully also they racke scriptures to apply them to the Pope Thomas Waldensis that fleering frier in his prologue before the first tome of his works turneth the words which the apostle spoke to Christ to Martin the fift Domine saith he salua nos perimus Lord saue vs we perish declaring that the Pope is the sauiour of friers Cornelius bishop of Bitonto in the conuenticle of Trent vttereth these blasphemous speeches the Pope the light is come into the world but men loued the darknesse more then light Antoninus part 3. doth compare Dominike with Christ and saith he wrought more miracles then Christ dominus Christus saith he est dominus absolutè authoritatiuè Dominicus possessiuè that is Dominicke is Lord of the world by possession Christ by authoritie and absolutely likewise the booke of conformities of Christ and Francis doth conteine nothing but blasphemous comparisons betwixt them two Francis they call the figuratiue Iesus and in heauen they say he and his company is kept in Christs side To S. Dominike his company they giue a place vnder our Ladies gowne Fulbertus bishop of Charters saith Radulphus niger was nourished with our Ladies milke they tell also blasphemous tales of Alane de rupe the author of our Ladies Rosary and say that he was very familiar with the blessed virgin Finally it is no maruell if Romish religion be full of impieties and blasphemies seeing the same was deuised by Popes that were most impious and great blasphemers Benet the 9. and Syluester the second gaue themselues to the diuell as Beno testifieth Gregory the 7. in a solemne Councel was condemned for a sotthsayer a necromancer and a wicked fellow the Councell of Pise as Theodoric à Niem lib. 3. c. 44. reporteth condemned Gregory the 12. and Benet the 13. as notorious wicked men Alexander the 6. as is said beleeued not that there was a God Iohn the 23. in the Councel of Constance was conuinced that he beleeued not the resurrection Leo the 10. and Clement the 7 by Papistes themselues were reputed atheistes Paul the 3. was a great magician and very familiar with Cecco d'ascoli Iulius the 3. called for his gambon of bacon al dispet to di dio that is in despite of God and said that he had more reason to be angry for a peacocke then God for an apple Boccace in his second nouell bringeth in a Iew maruelling how Reme could stand in which there was no religion at all If I should report all the blasphemies of particular authors I should fill vp a whole volume with them onely thus much I thought good to say for to giue you an assaie of greater matters Faber in his booke aduers anatomen missae fol. 25. compareth Christ to the drunken Silenus annon saith he mirisiâ—us Silenus suit Christus in another place he calleth Christ an iuchanter Bellarmine lib. 1. de sanct beat c. 13. alledging a place out of Iustine martyr but most falsely placeth angels before the holy ghost and would haue them worshipped together with the holy Trinitie to the Pope also in his Preface before his bookes de Pontif. Rom. and in his booke de Pontif. Rom. c. 31. he giueth the proper titles of Christ but I cannot in this short treatise report all he that list to see diuers examples of Parsons his impieties and blasphemies let him read my answer to his Warneword and 3. conuersions Kellison is conuinced of the same crime in my answer to his Suruey CHAP. X. That Popery is a sinke of heathenish idolatry OF this argument I haue spoken at large in my last challenge much therefore I shall not need to say in this briefe suruey yet for that we perceiue that by the secret and cunning practise of the Diuell the idolatrie of the heathen nations ouerthrowen by the preaching of the Gospell is brought backe againe vnder colour of Christianity briefly we are to say somwhat of the former argument It may please God percase to open the eies of some Papists and to worke a detestation in them of popery if they may see that as a sink it hath together with heresie receiued into it self most grosse and heathenish idolatrie but this is prooued first by these words of the law Exod. 20. thou shalt haue no other Gods before me for this being directed principally against the heathenish worship of more Gods than one certaine it is that whosoeuer doth worship more Gods than one or giueth the honour of God to creatures is an idolater but this fault is diuersly incurred by the Papists for first they call the Pope their Lord and God in gloss in c. cum inter extrau Ioan. 22. de verb. signific and both Felm and Baldus as I shewed in the last chapter doe call him a God on the earth absolutely also he is called God in the chap. satis dist 96. and diuers other places secondly they cal the sacrament their Lord and God as appeareth by Allens treatise de sacrsic eucharist c. 41. and Bristow in his 26. motiue neither will they deny but they giue vnto it diuine honour as to God thirdly Bellarmine lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 9. doth call Saints Gods by participation but whosoeuer is God by participation hee is absolutely God for the deity is not communicable to any creature lastly to the sacrament and to the crosse they giue diuine honor saying to the crosse ô crux aue spes vnica and falling downe like beasts before the pixe they doe also make vowes to Saints sweare by Saints and confesse their sinnes iointly to them and to God therefore plainly are they idolaters for these are honours not due to any but to God as at large I haue shewed in my treatise against Bellarmines disputes de culiu sanctorum My second argument is drawn from the second commandement directed against the heathenish idolatrie of those which worshipped God in grauen images for that forbiddeth the making either of grauen image or likenesse to the intent to adore it or worship it but the Papists both make such images and pictures and fall downe before them and worship them to the crosse they pray
the Popes lawes as the resistance of the churches of Asia against Victor of the churches of Afrike against Sozimus and other Popes declare 20. Of late time friers especially the Capucins haue attired themselues like chimney sweepers burners of houses 21. The rules of monks and friers are diuers from the rules of Christian religion and can not be elder then the orders of monkes and friers 22. Gregory the seuenth as Otho Frisingensis sayth was the first that did excommunicate the Emperour and taught that he had power to assoile subiects from the others of obedience to Princes 23. The vse of priuate masses without communion is but new as the old ordinall of Rome that hath no masses of that nature declareth the canons of the Apostles forbid Christians to depart before they receiued the communion 24. Innocent the third in the chap. omnis vtriusque de poenit remiss did first bring in a necessity of auricular confession he also was the first father of the monster transubstantiation as we find by the chapter firmiter de sum Trinit fid Cathol 25. Purgatory for satisfaction for temporall paines of sinnes whose guilt before was remitted was first deuised by schoolemen 26. The Iubiley among Christians was first deuised by Boniface the eigth he also decreed first that all temporall princes and others vpon paine of damnation must bee subiect to the Pope 27. Popish indulgences are but of a late stampe and the schoole doctrine thereof much latter the Papists themselues being as yet not fully resolued what to thinke of them 28. Clement the sixth first deuised the treasure out of which indulgences are supposed to be granted as appeareth by the chap. vnigenitus extr depoenit remiss 29. The doctrine of cases reserued to the Pope is not once spoken of in the writings of the fathers and yet the Masse-priests make a great matter of them 30. The doctrine of the Popes penitentiarie taxe for dispatch of pardons for murders incest sodomie and all villanies I thinke Kellison will not contend to bee verie ancient 31. Bellarmines doctrine lib. 1. de verb. Dei c. 3. concerning the new Testament where he saith it is nothing else but the loue of God shed into our harts by the holy Ghost is new for it contradicteth Chrysostome Theodoret and others in 2. Cor. 3. who teach that the new Testament is God grace remitting sinnes 32. The prohibition of mariage betweene spirituall gossips is a late deuice of the Pope for gaine 33. The separation of maried couples for religion before consummation of mariage without consent of both the parties is both new and wicked 34. The popish ceremonies vsed in baptisme are of a late inuention as for example salt spittle candles and popish exorcismes 35. Of late they haue begun to exorcise salt in salutem credentium for the saluation of the faithfull and holy water to cast our Diuels and to driue awaie discases these consurations are not found in the old Romish ordinals 36. The Masseppriests haue now gotten a new tricke to sprinkle the altar with holy water and to say thou shalt sprinkle mee with hyssope and I shal be clensed applying the scriptures contrary to the meaning of the holy ghost 37. Honorius the third in the chapter sane cum olim de celebr miss did first ordaine that the sacrament should bee worshipped and safely kept and caried with light to those that are sicke 38. Halfe communions are direct contrary to Christs institution and the practise of the church and first established in the conuenticle of Constance 39. The Masse cannot be old for that Nauclerus Platina Polydore and others confesse is was innented by diuers authors long after the Apostles times 40. The praiers for the dead now found in the Masse are not to be seene in the booke called Ordo Romanus 41. In old time the fathers neuer beleeued that Christ had a body inuisible and incircumscriptible and that might bee in heauen and earth and many places at one time 42. The godly bishops of old time did neither swinge the chalice about their head nor make crosses about it when they celebrated the eucharist 43. The saying of seruice and administration of Sacraments in tongues not vnderstood is a foolish noueltie 44. Now in the Roman Catechisme they teach that euery Masse-priest consecrating worketh three miracles but in old time they were neuer taken for such workers of miracles 45. The Papists after their Pater noster say their aue Maria and pray to our Lady which practise is neither ancient nor Apostolicall 46. The Psalter of our Lady and her peculiar offices and Masses in honour of Saints will not be iustified by ancient precedents 47. Hardly will the Papists bring a precedent of 300. yeers old to prooue that Christians praied to the crosse for encrease of iustice and remission of sinnes 48. In the missall of Sarum the Priest saith to the sacrament aue or haile and boweth to it contrarie to all ancient practise 49. The worship of Papists must needs be new for that both their Saints are new and their praiers and offices new 50. The missals breuiaries and offices of our Lady haue their antiquity from the conuenticle of Trent 51. Popish idolaters worship the sacrament and the crosse with diuine honour but they shall neuer bring allowance of antiquitie for this practise 52. They burne also incense to dumbe images kisse them and bow to them but these vnchristian trickes were not knowen in old time 53. Of late time they haue decreed that the Pope is aboue the councell but it is since the councell of Constance 54. Now the Pope pretendeth right to handle the temporall sword but that did not the Bishops of Rome for a thousand yeeres after Christ 55. Of late time the Pope hath troden vpon the necks of Emperours but in ancient time the bishops of Rome were subiect to Emperours 56. In time past the bishops of Rome were persecuted and martyred now the Popes of late time persecute and martyr others Finally all the points of doctrine differing from the faith o this church which the Pope and his complices seeke now to thrust vpon Christians are for the most part nouelties And this doth clearely appeare in this for that they are contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as before hath beene particularly declared the same is also coutrary to the doctrine of the fathers and ancient churches practise as we shall declare heerafter Further the Papists haue turned the whole seruice of God into a massing mommery Finally for God they worship Saints and dumbe images the institution of Christ Iesus in the eucharist they haue altered new sacraments they haue deuised are they not then ashamed to call popery ancient Christian religion CHAP. XVII That Poperic is repugnant to auncient councels MVch doc Papists bragge of councels Campion saith the first last and midst are his concilia generalia mea sunt generall councels saith he are all for me
followers to haue other gods The law forbiddeth vs to make grauen images and similitudes to the intent to worship them the Pope commandeth his followers to make them and to worship them and burneth such as teach contrary The Apostle calleth concupiscence in himselfe sinne the Masse-priests of Trent denie it to bee sinne in the regenerate Our Sauiour in the fifth of Iohn commanded his followers to search the scriptures these followers of Antichrist forbid Christians to search the scriptures translated into vulgar tongues without licence At his last supper after the blessing he said take and eate but these good fellowes say gape and gaze on the Priest saying masse and eate not but rather keepe the sacrament in the pixe He said doe this in remembrance of me they doe it in remembrance of Angels and Saints and obserue not that forme which hee prescribed The Apostles of Christ did receiue and eate the sacrament the false Apostles of Antichrist commaund their schollers to heaue it to adore it and to carrie it about in procession In the conuenticle of Constance the Popes adherents establish the communion vnder one kind and where Christ said drinke yee all of this they say drinke not all of this Christ taught his Disciples to pray to his father and to say Pater noster they teach their Disciples to praie to our Lady and to say mater nostra or at least mater miscricordie God in the 50. Psalme saith inuoca me call vpon mee and the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. sheweth that there is but one onely mediator betwixt God and man they teach vs to call vpon Saints and say they are our intercessours When S. Iohn Apocalyps 22. would haue worshipped the Angell he said to him see thou doe it not these say see thou doe it The Apostle 1. Cor. 14. commandeth him that speaketh in a strange tongue or that is not vnderstood to keepe silence in the Church he addeth that praiers in a strange tongue or without vnderstanning are without fruit but the Romanists contrarie do enioine their Priests to reade scriptures and to say seruice in Latine which of the vulgar sort is not vnderstood Coster in his Enchir c. de precibus latinè recitandis saith that he that praieth in Lattin albeit he vnderstand not what he praieth receiueth fruit by his praier hune tertium fructum orationis non minus percipit saith hee qui non intellecta à se lingua precatur quà m qui verborum intelligentiam assequitur S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. teacheth vs that scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo Dei saith they are imperfect and insufficient without traditions The Apostle Hebr. 1. saith God spake by the Prophets and this is to be vnderstood when the holy Prophets deliuered scriptures to Gods people Staple ton de author eccles in diuers places denieth that God speaketh in scriptures and his meaning is that he speaketh in the Pope Both Prophets and Apostles teach that the iust shall liue by faith but the Masse-priests say faith of it selfe is dead and that the life and forme thereof is charity The Scripture saith it is better to marrie than to burne the Papists teach that it is better to burne with lust then to marrie after the vow made of single life The Apostle 1. Tim. 3. will haue a bishop chosen that is the hush and of one wise and Hebr. 13. saith that mariage is honourable among all the Papists admit no maried men liuing with their wiues to be bishops and count marriage in Priests pollution The Apostle saith the law is the ministration of death and that by the workes of the law no flesh is iustified the Masse-priests teach their followers to seeke for life in the law and by the workes thereof say that all the faithfull are to bee iustified Finally poperie in effect is nothing else but a contradiction in most things to the words of holy scripture CHAP. XXII That the founders and defenders of popery doe most wickedly abuse holy scriptures ALl which notwithstanding the Papists for proofe of their false doctrines doe alleadge scriptures but yet so as any man may see if hee be not wilfully blind that they wickedly abuse scriptures and wrest them contrarie to their true sense and meaning Auentinus lib. 7. annal Boior speaking of Gregory the seuenth saith he forced the scriptures to serue his purpose by false interpretations diuinas scripturas falsò interpretando sâ—â—e causae seruire coegit and Aeneas Syluius lib. 1. de gest concil Basil speaking of other Popes saith they expound the words of Christ not as the meaning of the holy ghost requireth but according to their owne humor verba Christi non prout sensus sancti spiritus exposcit sed suopte ingenio interpretantur so in times past false teachers as S. Peter testifieth 2. Pet. 3. peruerted scriptures to their owne destruction and I would to God that it were to their owne destruction only but helas such seducers destroy both themselues and their credulous followers Innocentius 3. c. solitae de maior obed expoundeth these words Hieremy 1. behold I haue placed thee ouer nations and kingdoms of the Pope as if the holy Ghost had appointed him ouer Nations and kingdomes and made him superior to the emperor whereas he seemeth rather to be appointed by the diuell then the holy Ghost Likewise these words Genes 1. God made two great lights in the firmament of heauen the greater to rule the day the lesser to rule the night he supposeth to be meant of the Pope and Emperor as if the Pope were the great light ruling by day and the Emperor the lesse light ruling by night In the chapter nouit de iudicijs he doth vnderstand these words Deut. 1. thou shalt iudge the great as the small neither shalt thou accept any mans person of the Pope and of kings as if by the law of God the Pope were made iudge of kings and were as well to ouerrule them as the most contemptible Masse-priest of his owne rascall retinue Againe where we read 1. cor 5 that the seruant standeth or falleth to his owne master he concludeth in the chapt nimis de iureiurando that lay-men are not to compell clerkes to take oathes before them as if all clerkes were the Popes slaues and to fall downe before him and to serue him Clement the fift c. si dominum de reliq venerat sanct out of these words praise God in his Saints concludeth that we are to keepe the feast of Corpus Christi day Boniface the 8. extr de maior obed c. vnam sanctam concludeth that the Pope is aboue all men because we read Genes 1. that in the beginning and not in the beginnings God made heauen and earth as if the Pope were the beginning mentioned in that place Likewise of these words 1. Cor. 2. the spirituall man iudgeth all and is iudged of none he concludeth very wisely that the Pope is iudge
Rome before our times is not the church because no man can now see it They hold also that the true church may alwaies be seene and discerned but this being so how happeneth it that the Pagan Emperors in time past and the Turkes now doe neither see it nor discerne it for we may not thinke that if they knew the church they would hate it and persecute it They beare men in hand that the Pope desining out of his chaire cannot erre but it is as much as if they should say that a blinde man sitting in a chaire cannot do amisse in iudging colours or that the Pope should be more wise sitting in a chaire then standing in a pulpit or walking in a hal sitting at the table in his chaire and feeding daintily then disputing in schooles They call him Christes vicar yet our Sauiour did neither weare triple crowne nor thunder out his excommunications against Gods children nor persecute cut the throates of Christians By the right of S. Peter the Pope challengeth power to depose Princes and to translate kingdomes yet it is absurd to thinke that Peter had any such power They know that Peter was charged to feed Christs sheepe are they not then absurd fellowes that beleeue the Pope to be S. Peters successor that neuer feedeth nor teacheth but rather murdroth and massacreth Christians Peter was neuer borne vpon mens shoulders nor did he giue his feete to be kissed of his followers as a fauour nay when Cornelius fell downe at his feete he willed him to rise vp and would not suffer himselfe to be worshipped are they not then strange fellowes that beleeue the Pope to be S. Peters heire who is heaued on mens shoulders and requireth that Princes and all others should kisse his feete and worship him They permit publicke stewes and forbid honest wedlocke they dispence with adulterie and fornication very easily as appeareth by the chap. siclerici de iudicijs but depose and burne their priests and friers if they ioyne themselues in honest marriage with lawfull wiues are they not then absurd fellowes that make good euill and euill good Euery continued quantitie is in one place are they not then strange teachers that say Christes body is in many places at once and that it is in heauen and in earth and not in the middle place nor continued to it selfe Reason teacheth vs that accidents haue their being in a subiect but these fellowes against reason say they subsist in the Sacrament without a subiect The Aegyptians absteined from eating such creatures as they worshipped for God but the Masse-priests as men more senselesse then the barbarous heathen nations haue no sooner made their God but they deuoure him and heereof proceeded such a scandale that Auerroes for this onely cause pronounced the Romish religion to be the most foolish and absurd religion of all others Christes body in heauen they confesse is to be felt and seene how then commeth it to passe that this bodie being at the same time in the Sacrament as Papistes say is neither felt nor seene is not this notorious patcherie They confesse also that Christes body is of a iust length breadth and thicknesse are they not then absurd fellowes that beleeue that such a body can be conteined in a piece of an host no bigger then a counter and are they in their wits that teach that one host being consecrated Christes whole body is there and that the host being broken Christs body is also whole in euery peece thereof Are they not also impious and absurd fellowes that say that a dogge a hogge a mouse or a sparrow may cate vp the Sauiour of the world That the same man should be both a creature and a creator nay a creator of his owne Creator is an absurditie passing the boundes both of religion and reason and yet this is a peece of Popish diuinitie Innocentius lib. 4. de myst missae c. 19. sayth that dayly a creature is made the creator ita ergo quotidie creatura sit creator and in Stella Clericorum we finde these words Sacerdos est creator sui Creatoris that is a Priest is the creator of his creator Papistes also make Christians barbarous Canibales and eaters of mans flesh and drinkers of mans blood Nay when they eate his flesh they suppose they drinke his blood by a necessarie concomitance making Christians both to cate and drinke with one breath and in a certeine prouinciall constitution beginning ignorantia de summa Trinit the Masse-priests teach their followers neither to cate nor to drinke Christes body but to suppe it vp perfectly tritum modicè sorbere perfectè Christes blood hath redeemed vs and saued vs as holie Scriptures teach vs. but the papistes say that Christes bloud is really in the chalice after consecration in which notwithstanding we reade in stories that both Victor the third and William archbishop of Yorke that liued in the daies of Anastasius the 4. was poisoned In the Sacrament they confesse that wormes may be engendred and that the consecrated wine may be corrupted is it not then a most absurd peece of doctrine to hold that Christs body and bloud should be in the Sacrament where vermine is engendred and which is subiect to corruption Is it not also extreme folly to abandon Christ in whose name we are commanded to pray to the Father and to pray to God in the name of Saints which is no where commanded but rather forbidden as derogatory to Gods honour In the office of our Ladie at Matins in a certeine antiphona they say gaude Maria virgo cunctas haereses sola interemisti in toto mundo Resoice virgin Mary thou onely hast killed all heresies in the whole world but what more foolish then without warrant to ascribe this to the virgin Mary and to take this honour from almightie God They also say their Pater noster before stockes and stones but what is more absurd then to pray to those that cannot heare and to looke for helpe of them that cannot helpe themselues The Masse-priests in their praiers looking vpon a little woodden crucifixe say thou hast redeemed vs. thou hast reconciled vs to thy Father as Bellarmine lib. 2. de cultu sanct c. 23. confesseth may we then thinke that these are well in their wits that make a peece of wood or mettall their Sauiour and take this honour from the Sonne of God to giue it to a dumbe image In their breuiaries they pray thus to the crosse auge pijs iustitiam reisque dona veniam inerâ—ase iustice in the godly and grant pardon to sinners are they not very blockish then trow you that thus pray to a blocke and hope to finde pardon of a dumbe creature At Cahors in France they pray to Christs winding-sheete which they call sudarium saying holy sudary pray for vs and againe sudarium Christi liberet nos à peste morte tristi the winding sheet of Christ let it deliuer vs from the plague
away of the power of the enemy for the same end also candles are blessed but that these creatures haue these effects we doe not learne but out of lying traditions and the authors of them From traditions also the bishops suffragan doth challenge power to baptize belles and belles so baptized say they doe driue away diuels this is recorded by Martinus de Arles tractat de superstit numer 3.9 14. and of this abuse the Germans complaine in their greeuances Agnus dei as the Papists feine doth purge sinnes as well as the blood of Christ but this is a lying tradition and contrary to scripture for there we learne that sinnes are purged not by lambes of waxe but by the blood of Christ the immaculat lambe that taketh away the sinnes of the world Such are also the rest of those Romish traditions which the conuenticle of Trent maketh equall to holy scriptures The legendes conteine more lies then leaues for proofe I reporte me to the legendes of S. George S. Christopher S. Catherin S. Margaret and the rest S. George bad the Kings daughter of Silena to cast her girdle about the Dragons necke which she did and the dragon followed her like a gentle dog sequebatur eam velut mansuetissmus canis when S. George was put into a frying pan full of boiling lead making the signe of the crosse he was therein refreshed as if he had beene in a bath coepit in eo quasi in balneo refoueri S. Christophers staffe being pitched into the ground began to beare leaues and 8. M. men presently beleeued in Christ saith Iames de voragine he telleth further how diuers arrowes being shot at S. Christopher did still flote in the aire and could not come at him and that one arrow among the rest leaped backe and stroke out King Dagnus his cie matters very improbable and to say no more not found in any authenticall history Catherine King Costus his daughter being but 18. yeares of age is said to haue beene learned in all liberall sciences in the legend also we read how Maxentius the emperor would haue forced her to sacrifice to the Gods and for that purpose prepared a wheele which was turned by an Angel with such violence that it killed 4000. gentiles it is said also that she conuerted the Empres and one of the Emperors cheefe capteines called Porphyrius matters contrarie to all stories and not only not spoken of in histories S. Margaret was swallowed of the diuell in the figure of a Dragon but making the signe of the crosse the Dragon burst and out came S. Margaret safe and sound as we reade in the legend it is there said also that she tooke the diuell by the haire of the head and bette him but how these lies may be beleeued that is the question S. Francis as Bonauenture and Bartholomew de Pisa recount was diuers times taken vp into the aire called wolues his brethern and swallowes his sisters and had the markes of Christ imprinted in his hands feete and sides and these fables the Romanists beleeue Speculum exemplorum dist 7. c. 41. telleth how frier Leo saw two ladders reaching from the earth to heauen and that Christ sate at the toppe of the one and threw downe all the Friers that came that way but that our lady that sate at the toppe of the other receiued all that came that way Caesarius Hesterbach lib. 7. c. 35. telleth that a nunne called Beatrix ranne away with her louer and liued certeine yeares in a publike bordell yet because she serued our lady deuoutly it is said that our lady supplied her place and was taken for Beatrix all the time of her absence and in the end procured her as good grace in the nunnery as any of her fellowes Thus the Papists can confirme any point of their doctirne with leasings infinite such like leasings are conteined in the legendes The miracles reported in the legendes are nothing but miraculous lies Alexius staid so long in the church porch that the image of our lady spoke and bad the sexten let him in as we reade Lombard leg 89. S. Christina being placed vpon a wheele by her own father and hauing fire kindled vnder her and oile cast vpon it for her further torment the legende saith that the flame breaking out burnt 1500. men there also we reade how Christ descending tooke her to himselfe and baptized her in the sea and that hauing her tong cut out she spake notwithstanding and that her brests being cut milke issued out for blood loe I pray you a maid that gaue milke When Eustachius a soldier sometimes of Traians followed a hart it is said that the hart standing still Eustachius saw a crucifixe betweene the harts hornes which spoke to him through the harts mouth and asked him why he did follow that hart it is reported also in the legend that being put into a bull of Brasse burning red hot he continued there 3. daies without hurt S. Brice being accused to be father of a base child he caused the same child not being yet 30. daies old to confesse that Brice was not his father he did also carie hot coles in his bosome without burning his flesh or clothes Our English Saints also wrought great and strange miracles if we may beleeue Capgraue S. Aidus espying 8. wolues that were fore hungred gaue them 8. lambes of meere compassion afterward being sory for the losse of his lambes he praied and had the same 8. lambs safe and sound out of the wolues belly when wild beasts were hardly pursued they came to him as to a sanctuary S. Adrian being called vpon by a boy that was beaten the masters hand was staid in the aire and could no more touch him S. Dunstane being in his mothers wombe as is sayd wrought miracles lighting and putting out all the candles in the church being a man he tooke the Diuell by the nose as he looked in at a window at the least as we read in the legend S. Eanswide perceiuing a peece of timber to be too short for the work where she would employ it drew it out to a iust length by praier the same saint caused also water to runne vp a mounteine S. Goodric with the signe of the crosse tamed wolues and serpents in such sort that they lay with him by the fire side without offering any hurt I cannot stand long to recount many of this kinde of lying miracles neither shall I greatly need to rehearse more seeing these doe shew how much our aduersaries relie vpon lies Neither doe Popes or their agents absteine from lying In the 3. booke of Gregories dialogues we reade how a beare was commanded to keepe the Hermite Florences sheepe I doubt whether euer Gregory told any such fable it was sure some later Pope Innocentius in the Chap. quis nesciat dist 11. telleth vs that none founded churches in Italy France Spaine Africke and Sicily but those whom Saint Peter and his successors made priests
Christs humane nature as Aquinas 3. q. 5. art 2. confesseth if hee had taken a heauenly body as Valentine beleeued saith Aquinas then could not the truth of Christs humane nature haue beene saued which requireth flesh and bones In the 24. of Luke our Sauiour sheweth that he had a body that both had flesh and bones and was to be selt and seene 31. In their abominable masse they make their polshorne Priests mediators for Christ making them to pray that God would looke vpon the body and bloud of Christ with a propitious and serene countenance supra quae saith the Priest looking vpon the sacrifice as they call it of Christs body and bloud propitio ac sereno vultu respacere digneris accepta habere c. 32. They compare also the sacrifice of the body bloud of Christ to the sacrifice of brute beasts offered by Abel and to the sacrifice of Melchisedech praying that God would accept Christs body and bloud as hee accepted the sacrifices of Melchisedech and Abel which is a most blasphemous comparison 33. In the masse also they confesse their sins to God to Angels and Saints iointly and not to Christ. nay they vse the mediation of Christ in their confession of sinnes to Angels and Saints preferring them as much before Christ as a Prince is to be preferred before mediators and hushiers 34. In a certaine prouincial constitution beginning authoritate de sentent excom they excommunicate by the authority of God Almighty and of Saints and leaue out Christ 35. They say Masses in honour of Angels and Saints but he in whose honour a sacrifice is offered is greater then the sacrifice doth it not then appeare that while they pretend to offer Christs body and bloud in honour of Angels and Saints that they make him inferiour to Angels and Saints 36. They call the Pope the head king spouse and foundation of the church but this cannot bee without extreame wrong to Christ for one king dome cannot admit two kings nor a viceking while the king is present nor can one woman haue two spouses or one body two heads or one house two diuers foundations the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. sheweth that no man can lay other foundation then that which is alreadie laid Ephes 5. he saith Christ is the head of the church the Sauiour of his body the synagogue of Rome therfore sheweth her selfe a strange beast that will needs haue two heads and two foundations being altogether so diuers 37. S. Iames sheweth that there is but one lawgiuer of the Church that is able to saue and destroy the doe therefore spoile Christ of his honour that giue this title of lawgiuer to the Pope 38. They doe also preferre the Pope before Christ for Christs body when the Pope goeth on progresse is sent before with the baggage and when the Pope is neere goeth out to meet him while all the gallants of rome attend on the Pope 39. They giue authority to the Pope to draw soules out of purgatory by his indulgences and to make portsale of Christs merits but he that is sold is neuer equal to the seller neither can the Papists shew that euer Christ deliuered one soule out of Purgatory 40. Papists beleeue that the Pope hath often times created his creator or at the least made Christs body and bloud but that Christ made the Pope it cannot be shewed doth it not then appeare that by many degrees the Pope excelleth Christ in the opinion of Papists 41. Nay they make S. Francis and Dominicke equall to Christ in diuers things and in some things superiour as their bookes of conformities and legendes doe testifie they call S. Francis Iesum typicum that is a figuratiue Iesus and say that Dominicke and Francis did more miracles then Christ but the Pope gaue both these two all their credit he must therefore needs surpasse Christ in accompt of Papistes 42. In the conuenticle of Trent Cornelius Bishop of Bitonto said papa lux venit in mundum the Pope the light came into the world and Simon Begnius in the councell of Lateran called Leo the tenth the lion of the tribe of Iuda and cried out Te Leo beatissime saluatorem expectauimus that is we blessed Leo haue looked for thee our Sauiour 43. Beno the Cardinall sheweth that Gregory the seuenth cast Christs body into the fire burning the Sauiour of Papists Pius the fifth also is said to haue cast an agnus Dei into the fire as Catena in his life reporteth into this contempt haue the Pupists brought their Gods 44 Theodorie à Niem lib. primo de schismate sheweth that Vrbane the Pope melted crosses and images of siluer to paie souldiers thus that which they pretend to honour as God they sell and giue away in seruice of the Diuell 45 They giue equall honour to a crosse of woode and mettall and to Christ and looking on a wooden crucifixo they say thou hast redeemed vs. who then seeth not what little accompt they make of Christ 46 A trentall of Masses the Masse-priests sell for lesse sometimes than sixe pence and yet they say Christs bodie is offered in euery Masse are they not therefore more wicked traitors than Iudas who would not fell Christ for lesse then 30. pence 47 The Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech is proper to Christ by the Apostles doctrine but the Papists make euery pild pated companion a Priest after the order of Melchisedech Finally the office of mediator properly belonging to Christ they communicate with the virgin Mary whom they suppose to be more mercifull then Christ they giue it also to Angels and Saints and Masse-priests Turrecremata summae lib. 1. c. 40. speaking of Priests saith they are mediators reconciling sinners to God ministerium peragunt mediatoris omnipotenti Deo qui offensus fuerat peccatores reconciliando the schoolemen say also that Saints may be called redeemers and that is confessed by Bellarmine lib. 1. de indulgentijs Infinite it were to report all the blasphemous speeches and practises of Papists against the honour of Christ Iesus but this may serue to shew that they rather blaspheme than honor Christ speaking so wickedly of his person so blasphemously of his bodie so falsly of his actions and taking away his honour and giuing the same to others CHAP. VII The strange contradictorie and false opinions of Papists concerning the sacraments AS Sacraments are seales of Gods grace and holy mysteries by the which God worketh our sanctification so are they enemies of Gods grace and the sanctification of Christians that peruert the Apostles doctrine and Christs institution concerning sacraments how then the doctors of the synagogue of Rome shal be able to excuse themselues and to prooue themselues not to be enuious of the good of Christians I report me to their common doctrine and practise concerning this argument for first they denie that the sacraments of the law of Moyses did open heauen and thereupon thrust all the
ancient fathers downe to hell and place Abrahams bosome there as appeareth by the doctrine of Francis a victoria art 1. de sacrament in com but this argueth first that God worketh diuersly by the sacraments of the law and gospell and is changeable in his operation which is absurd and next that Christ is not one yesterday and to day as the Apostle teacheth and thirdly placeth the father of all faithfull people in hell damning all that beleeued in Christ before his comming to hell and fourthly denieth that their sins were remitted that beleeued in Christ before his comming and lastly ascribeth more to sacraments deuised by men such as is extreme vnction and other Popish sacraments than to circumcision and the Paschal lambe and other sacrifices and sacraments instituted by God 2. The master of the sentences dist 1. lib. 4. holdeth that all that died before circumcision vnder the law were damned but others contradict their master 3. The synode of Trent pronounceth them anathema which shall say that there are either more or fewer sacraments of the new law than seuen to wit baptisme confirmation the eucharist penance extreme vnction order and matrimony but this curse falleth first vpon the old Latin interpreter that Apocalyps 17. calleth the mystery of the great whore sacramentum mulieris the same also falleth vpon Saint Augustine and most of the ancient fathers that neuer knew nor acknowledged more than two sacraments properly and truly so caled to wit baptisine and the Lords supper de latere dormientis prosluxerunt sanguis aqua quae sunt nostrae redemptionis sacramenta that is out of Christs side sleeping on the crosse flowed water and bloud which are the sacraments of our redemption as saith Augustine in gloss in 4. ad Ephes super Psal 40. Iustin in his 2. apologie Ambrose de sacramentis Tertullian Dionysius called Areopagita Chrysostom Cyril Gregory Cyprian Rahanus Paschasius whersoeuer they talke of the number of the sacraments of our redemption mention only baptisme and the eucharist and where they speake in general 〈◊〉 of holy mysteries mention diuers more and others than the seuen popish sacraments beside that it is absurd to thinke that mariage and Priesthood and penance were of one nature vnder the law and of another vnder the gospel 4 The same synode doth curse them also that shall say that all the aboue named 7. Sacraments were not instituted by Iesus Christ where it is apparent that mariage was instituted in paradise and priesthood vnder the law it is certein also that the fathers before Christ did rise by repentance from their fals furthermore what man among the Papists is able to shew where the determinat words and the externall signes and rites of popish sacraments were instituted by Christ if then Canisius in his catechisme c. de sacramentis teach truely that Sacraments haue certaine determinat words and set rites then is it certaine that neither Popish confirmation nor Popish orders nor Popish penance nor matrimony nor extreme vnction was instituted by Christ and therefore Francis à victoria de Sacramentis in cō deriueth the determination concerning seuen sacraments from the Florentine councell vnder Eugenius the 4. hoc determinatum est saith he speaking of seuen sacramēts in concilio Florentino sub Eugenio 4. and there indeed we finde first that the matter of Popish confirmation is chrisme made of oile and balme and the forme set downe in these words signo te signo crucis confirmo te Chrismate c. and yet now the Papists haue left off balme the matter of extreme vnction is oile and that for a strange medecine the Priests put in the eies and other organs of sences the forme of extreme vnction is this per istam sanctam vnctionem suam pijssimam misericordiā indulgeat tibi dominus c. The matter of priesthood is the Chalice and the host and the forme take power to offer Sacrifice in the church for liuing and dead and so foorth but no man will affirme that Christ instituted the forme and matter of these Sacraments vnlesse he be either starke mad or mad-like desperate in matrimony they are neither able to afrigne certaine forme nor certaine matter 5. All Papists hold that the Sacramentes of the new law both conteine grace and conferre grace ex opere operato that is by the worke wrought as may appeare by the canons of the seuenth session of Trent by the common proctors of the Popes cause Sacramentum confert gratiam ex opere operato saith Nauarrus in his enchiridion and Bellarmine lib. 1. de sacrament c. 14. saith they iustifie and this is the common opinion of all but first it is absurd to attribute as much to matrimonie confirmation and extreme vnction as to baptisme and the lords supper secondly it is absurd to make Priests forsweare matrimony seeing it contemeth grace and worketh it as they say for of this grace the Masse-priests haue extreame neede thirdly if grace bee nothing else but charitie or a habit not distinct from it it will be a hard matter to shew how charity may be conteined in oile or the rites of matrimony or externall signes fourthly no Papist can shew that such as receiue their popish confirmation or order or extreme vnction or are maried are more iust then they were before finally God worketh by Sacraments that which he promiseth but we doe not read that euer he promised iustification or grace to maried folkes or to such as are greased in order or extreme vnction the master of the sentences lib. 4. dist 2. § 1. saith that some Sacraments giue remedies against sinnes and helpefull grace others only giue a remedy as wedlocke alia in remedium tantùm sunt sayth he vt coniugium 6. Bellarmine lib. 1. de sacramentis and Canisius in the Catechisme teach that sacraments are externall signes and yet the inward contrition of penitent sinners and the consent of the parties maried appeareth not externally further this being granted it will follow that the body and blood of Christ in the eucharist are no sacrament because they appeare not to the eyes nor can be discerned with other senses so the Papists whatsoeuer they bragge of their masse giue no sacrament to their followers but onely bare accidents shewes and shadowes 7. In the seuenth session of the conuenticle of Trent they curse such as shall say that the receiued and approued rites of the Catholicke church may be contemned omitted or changed but this curse falleth vpon their owne pates for themselues haue omitted loue feasts frequented at the time of the Communion the old rite of Christians then kissing one another and the vse of milke and hony in baptisme of which Tertullian speaketh lib. de coron milit and of milke and wine mentioned by Hierome in Isaiae c. 55. and the formes of dipping in baptisme 8. Thomas Aquinas 3. p. q. 64. art 8. sayth that the intention of the minister is required in the