is in the pallace of heauen neither may we suspect that he supposed that Christs body might at the same time be in earth Saint y Lib. 10. in c. 24. Luc. Ambrose saith that we touch not Christ with corporall handling but by faith and that we are not to seeke him on the earth nor after the flesh if we will finde him finally the scriptures and fathers do teach vs that Christ is so ascended into heauen that we doe not enioy him héere on the earth according to his bodily presence as I haue declared at large in my treatise against Bellarmine concerning the reall supposed presence of his body in the sacrament argument 21 The true church beléeueth that we are iustified by faith in Christ Iesus and not by the works of the law arbitramur iustificari hominem saith the z Rom. 3. apostle per fidem sine operibus legis Rom. 4. si qui ex lege haeredes sunt exinanita est fides this is the faith likewise of the fathers a Dial. 1. contr Pelag. tunc ergo iusti sumus saith Hierome quando nos peccatores fatemur iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito sed ex dei consistit misericordia and that we are not iustified by charitie or by our works it may be prooued by the testimony of saint b Epist 29. ad Hieronymum Augustine plenissima charitas saith he quae iam non possit augeri quamdiu hîc homo viuit est in nemine quamdiu autem augeri potest profectò illud quod minus est quà m debet ex vitio est ex quo vitio non est qui faciat bonum non peccet neither may we suppose where the fathers doe speake of iustice of workes that they meane any other iustice but such as declareth vs iustified and which without remission of sinnes cannot stand before God but the papists both beléeue and teach contrary as appéereth by the c Sess 6. actes of the Trent councell and friuolous disputes of d Lib. 4. de iustific c. 10. seq Bellarmine who endeuoureth to shew that man is able to fulfill the law and that our works doe iustifie vs. whereupon it followeth that contrary to the apostles intention we are iustified by the law if he say truely argument 22 The true church also beleeueth that we are not to boast or glory of our works and that the reward of sinne is death and that eternall life 's the gift of God Si Abraham ex operibus iustificatus est saith the apostle Rom. 3. habet gloriam sed non apud deum and Rom. 6. stipendium peccati mors gratia autem dei vita aeterna in Christo Iesu domino nostro likewise the scriptures shew that when we haue done all we can we are to acknowledge our selues to be vnprofitable seruants and that our sufferings are not woorthy of the glory that is to be reuealed and this the church of Christ also beléeueth and hath from time to time beléeued tua peccata sunt saith Augustine in Psal 70. merita dei sunt supplicium tibi debetur cum praemium venerit sua dona coronabit non merita tua and Hilary in Psal 51. non illa ipsa iustitiae opera sufficenrent ad perfectae beatitudinis meritum nisi misericordia dei etiam in hac iustitiae voluntate humanarum demutationum motuum non reputet vitia but the papists hold that we may trust in our works as appeareth by Bellarmines dispute lib. 5. de iustific c. 7. and say that all sinnes doe not deserue death and that eternall life is due for our works argument 23 The true church doth acknowledge no head of the vniuersall church but Christ alone which is also the Sauiour of his body Christ saith the e Ephes 2. apostle is the head of the church he is sauior of his body neither is the title of head of the vniuersall church due to Peter Peter the apostle saith f Lib. 4. epist 38 ad Joan. Constantinop Gregory is the first member of the holy catholike church and Paul Andrew and Iohn what are they but heads of diuers parishes and yet all are members of the church vnder one head Saint g De agon Christ in Psal 9. Augustine saith that Christ Iesus that is the mediator betwixt God and man is head of the church but this title of mediatour onely belongeth to our sauiour Yet the Romish church doth acknowledge the pope to be her head and h In gloss in c. vnam de maior obed Bertrand blasphemously saith that Christ had not beene discreet if he had not left a vicar generall behind him and this doth i Praefat. in lib. de pontif Rom. lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Bellarmine very well allow and prooue it to be due to the pope is that congregation then the true church that hath either two heads or a head beside Christ Iesus argument 24 The true church is not built vpon the pope for the church was before there was either pope of Rome or chiefe priest among the Iewes but the church of Rome doth acknowledge the pope to be her rocke and her foundation as appeareth by Bellarmines preface before his treatise de pontifice Rom. and doth take the pope to be her foundation k Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Bellarmine among other the popes titles doth reckon this for one that he is fundamentum aedificii ecclesiae that is the foundation of the building of the church argument 25 The true church is Christs faithfull spouse Oseae 2. God speaking to his church saith sponsabo te mihi in fide the church also being Christes spouse harkeneth to him alone and of him is most dearely beloued en dilectus meus saith the l Cantic 2. church loquitur mihi surge propera amica mea columba mea formosa mea veni Cyprian saith that the church cannot be drawne to like of an adulterer adulterari non potest saith m De vnit ecclesiae he Christi sponsa incorrupta est pudica but the n Turrecrem lib. 2. c. 28. Aquin. in 4. sent dist 38. church of Rome doth acknowledge the pope of Rome to be her spouse and o Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Bellarmine doth mainteine that the pope is iustly entituled the spouse of the church and that this is not without the allowance of the pope it may appeare by the popes owne p C. intercorporalia de translat episc c. quoniam de immunit ecclesiae wordes where he challengeth this title of spouse to be due vnto him and yet I hope he will not say of the church sponsabo te mihi in fide nor propera amica mea columba mea nor doth the true church say of the pope en dilectus meus what then resteth but that the church of Rome should be the whoore of Babylon Apocalyp
that saith he hath no sinne deceiueth himselfe and that there is no trueth in him the scriptures also teach vs that euen iust men offend and fall neither may we thinke that these sinnes are trifling and veniall and without breach of charity but sometimes heauy and against the law of God but the papists teach contrary and a Censur Colon holde that the regenerate doe not sinne argument 25 The ancient church of Christ taught that the law was a minister of death and a schoolemaster to Christ but the b Censur Colon f. 22. papists of late teach that we are iustified by the works of the law and that charity is the formall cause of our iustification argument 26 The apostles and ancient fathers taught that we are not able to fulfill the law perfectly in this life no flesh saith the c Galat. 2. apostle is iustified by the workes of the law Saint d Aduers Pelag lib. 1. Hierome saith we are then iust when we confesse our sinnes Saint e De spirit litera Augustine likewise teacheth vs that we shall then performe the law of God withall our soule and withall our hart when we shal see God face to face but the papists of late do teach that we are able to performe the whole law of God perfectly and not that only but also that we are able to do works of supererogation and more then is commanded in the law argument 27 In olde time Christians neuer could beléeue that iustice consisted in the obseruance of holydaies and abstinence from flesh and such like ceremonies but that is a principall point of popery now to beléeue that men are no lesse iustified by obseruance of the popes commandements then of the law of God and to Gods law the papists adioine the precepts of the Romish church argument 28 Papists also accoumpt it mortall sinne to beléeue or doe against the popes lawes as appeareth by the enchiridion of Nauarrus throughout but he that should goe about to proue that doctrine to be receiued by the ancient fathers should be much puzzeled argument 29 Ancient catholicks beléeued that originall sinne passed ouer all and f Rom. 5. that through the offence of one all men were subiect to condemnation but the papists g Decret Sixti 4. sess 5. concil Trid. exempt the virgine Mary from this sinne and commonly teach that Hieremy and Saint Iohn Baptist were sanctified from this sinne in their mothers wombe and by consequent not borne in originall sinne argument 30 Saint g Lib. 1. de Orig. animae c. 9. Augustine saith there is no middle place betwixt the kingdome of heauen and damnation h Lib. de fide c. 3. Fulgentius likewise doth plainly affirme that children dying without baptisme shall susteine endlesse punishments i Lib. 8. c. 16. Gregory in his Morals also saith they shall endure perpetuall torments of hel but the papists make places in the midde-way betwixt the place of ioy and place of paine and will not grant that such children shall endure sensible paines argument 31 k Bellar. de purgat lib. 1. Papists hold that Christians are able to satisfie for the temporall penalty of all sinnes but contrarie to the ancient faith of Christians who depended wholy vpon Christes satisfaction and beléeued that the blood of Christ clensed them from all sinnes and that his sacrifice onely was propitiatorie for the sinnes of the whole world argument 32 Thomas Aquinas and other papists say that veniall sinnes are done away with holy water but contrary to antiquity argument 33 The ancient fathers did not beléeue that any rule was more absolute then the Gospell or that perfection consisted in the rules of Benet of Nursia Francis Dominike Ignatius Loyola and such like fellowes rather than in the doctrine of the Gospell but the papists say that the life of monkes and friers is a state of perfection and that their rules doe teach perfection which praise they will not allow to the Gospel argument 34 The ancient Christians beléeued the doctrine of Christ Iesus who taught vs l Iohn 3. that hee that beleeueth in him should not perish and of the m Rom. 5. apostle that saith that being iustified by faith we haue peace with God but the late papists speake basely of faith making it a bare assent and teaching that the diuels and wicked men haue true faith which is not onely new but also strange for if they haue faith then are they iustified further they should beléeue remission of sinnes and eternall life which I doe not thinke that our aduersaries will grant argument 35 We doe not reade before Gregory the 7. his time that any pope tooke on him to dispence with subiects othes of allgeance or taught that it was lawfull so to do for his n Lib. 2. regest Ioseph vestan deoscul pedum pontif determination it seemeth to be quod papa à fidelitate subiectos possit absoluere but since that the popes haue taught this doctrine and Pius the fift that lousie companion not onely discharged her Maiesties subiects from their obedience but o Bulla Pij 5. contra Elizab. threatned excommunication against such as would still obey her argument 36 The apostles and ancient bishops of Rome did neuer canonize saints but now popes doe not onely canonize saints very impudently but also hire their proctors as impudently to defend it p Op. Catechist de 3. praecept c. 11. Canisius teacheth that vnder the commandement of sanctifying the Sabaoth is conteined the obseruation of holidaies and feastes of Saints and no doubt but he meaneth all the feasts of saints whom the pope hath canonized argument 37 The precepts of the Romish church as they are called are but new deuises for first if we séeke all antiquity we shall not finde where the church of Christ hath commanded vs to kéepe this popes day or that popes day this saints day or that saints day and that it is sinne to worke vpon holy daies dedicated to saint Dominike saint Francis or other such like good fellowes daies secondly Christs church neuer enioined Christians to heare popish masses and such like idolatrous seruice for how could the ancient church enioine men to heare that which of late onely was coined nay contrariwise the q Can. apost 9. 10. ancient church forbad Christians to depart from the church before they had receiued the communion which quite ouerthroweth priuate masses thirdly it is not to be prooued that the ancient church commanded Christians to fast lent by absteining from flesh and white meats after the Romish fashion or to absteine from meat the imber daies or vigiles of saints for saint r Epist 86. ad Casulanum Augustine directly affirmeth that the apostles neuer made law concerning fasting and when Christians obserued lent they were not forced either to absteine from flesh or to fast euery sunday in lent nor were permitted to drinke wine and
body was taken vp into heauen the apostle Peter also Act. 3. declareth that the heauens must conteine him vntill the time that all things be restored and this the ancient fathers which the aduersaries will not denie to haue béene good catholikes doe cléerely expresse according to his diuine nature saith i Tractat. 33. in Matth. Origen he is not absent from vs but he is absent according to the dispensation of his body which he tooke Saint k Lib. 10. in Luc. 24. Ambrose saith that we are not to seeke Christ either on the earth or in the earth or after the flesh if we meane to finde him Saint l Tractat. 50. in Ioan. Augustine saith he hath caried his body into heaueÌ„ although he hath not withdrawne his maiesty from the world m Homil. 21. in euangel Gregory the first also doeth plainely affirme that Christ is not heere on earth according to the presence of his flesh the flesh of Christ saith n Lib. 4. contr Eutych Vigilius writing against Eutyches when it was on earth surely was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certeinly it is not on earth neither did euer any catholike father teach otherwise are the papists then catholikes trow you that contrary to the catholike fathers and catholike faith teach that Christes true bodie is both in heauen and in earth and vpon euery altar at one time and doe you call them catholikes that affime that Christs true body properly may not onely be touched and receiued into mens mouthes but also deuoured of dogges and mise and other beasts that eate consecrated hostes argument 18 All true catholikes firmely beléeue that their sinnes are forgiuen them for Christes sake and that they shall obteine eternall life according to these two articles of the Créed I beleeue the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting for as the apostle saith Heb. 6. God hath promised and sworne that we should haue firme comfort and saint o 1 Iohn 5. Iohn saith these things I write vnto you that beleeue in the name of God that you may know that you haue eternall life and whosoeuer beléeueth not this as p Ibidem he testified maketh God a liar The apostle q Rom. 5. Paule saith that he that is iustified by faith hath peace with God but what peace can we haue vnlesse we beléeue that our sinnes are forgiuen and that assuredly we shall obteine eternall life the sacraments also that are deliuered to euerie Christian are seales of remission of sinnes and of the promise of eternall life for by Baptisme we put on Christ that is we are made members of his body and partakers of his merits and in the Lords supper our Sauiour teacheth vs that the cup is the new Testament in his blood and that Christs body was broken for euery one that is a woorthy receiuer this doctrine is also confirmed by the examples of Abraham and the apostle Paule of Abraham we r Rom. 4. reade that he doubted not of the promise of God and that the same was imputed to him for righteousnesse the apostle Å¿ Rom. 8. saith that he was perswaded that nothing should separate him from the loue of God and this assurance of remission of sinnes and eternall life the catholike fathers teach vs. Si iustus es fide viuis saith t Serm. 4. de mortalit Cyprian si verè in Christum credis cur non cum Christo futurus de domini pollicitatione securus amplecteris u Ibidem againe he saith that we are not to wauer or doubt for that God hath promised vs immortality Saint x Serm. 2â—… de verb. dom Augustine writing vpon these words thy sinnes are forgiuen thee saith it is faith and not pride to acknowledge what we haue receiued y Serm. 2. de annoâ—… Bernard saith that we haue no promise but by Gods fauour and that the spirit of God worketh this in vs that we beleeue remission of sinnes and this doe all true catholikes beléeue how then can the papists be catholikes that will haue men onely to hope for remission of sinnes and eternall life and that not without doubting or what are we to hope of the z Sess 6. doctors of Trent that prouounce them accursed that shall say that a man must certeinly beleeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him finally how shall we beléeue that those are true beléeuers that teach Christians not to beleeue remission of sinnes or eternall life but to doubt of both argument 19 All true catholikes beléeue that the faithfull presently vpon their departure out of this life are happy and enter into ioies that neuer shall haue end as the wicked and vnbeléeuers are presently to enter into euerlasting fire and begin to suffer endlesse paines these shall goe into euerlasting paine and the righteous shall presently possesse the kingdome of heauen prepared for them as may appeare by the sentence of our sauior Matth. 25. the a Rom. 8. apostle doth also plainly testifie that there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus the spirit of God doth likewise b Apocal. 14. pronounce them blessed that die in the Lord. and the reason is added for that they rest from their labours and this likewise is the faith of the catholicke fathers c Ecclesiast hierarch c. 7. Dionyse saith that the godly when they come to the end of their liues shall rest in Abrahams bosome and signifieth that there shall be no griefe nor sadnesse nor sighing d Quaest 75. Iustine Martyr holdeth that the soules of good men shall presently be caried into paradise both e Lib. 1. aduers haeres c. 2. Irenaeus and f Serm. de mortalit Cyprian likewise make onely two sorts of soules departed whereof the first are in blisse the second in paines and endlesse misery and that is also confirmed by the confession of our aduersaries in the canon of the masse where they pray for those that sleepe in a sleepe of peace but the papists teach that all that haue not satisfied here for temporall punishments must be plonged in the vnspeakable paines of purgatory and so after a time passe to heauen argument 20 All catholicks beléeue that Christ hath reconciled vs to his father and that he hath satisfied for our sinnes fully and perfectly the g Isay 53. prophet saith that we are healed by his stripes ipse volneratus est saith he propter iniquitates nostras attritus est propter scelera nostra disciplina pacis nostrae super eum we may therefore well accounpt them no catholicks that h Bellar. lib. 1. de purgat teach that Christians are to satisfie for the temporall punnishment of their owne sinnes either here or in purgatory the which is no where deliuered by the fathers of the church argument 21 True catholicks neuer made the image of God the father or the holy ghost nor did euer the godly
paines as if at the last iudgement all that stand on the left hand as it is written in the 25. chap. of saint Matth. shall not by the sentence of the iudge be adiudged to euerlasting fire or as if that sinne that brought condemnation vpon all should not be punished with sensible paines or as if there might be a place in hell without sensible paines or finally as if there were a middle state betwixt heauen and hell fire Saint f Lib. 1. de orig animae c. 9. Augustine certes saith there is no middle place betweene the kingdome of heauen and the place of the damned g Lib. de fide c. 3. Fulgentius likewise doeth plainely affirme that children dying without baptisme shall susteine endlesse punishments and h Lib. 8. moral c. 16. Gregory the first holdeth that such shall endure the perpetuall torments of hell argument 32 Martin ab Aspilcueta in his Enchiridion writing vpon the first precept of the law chap. 11. saith that it is mortall sinne for a lay man to dispute of matters of faith but catholikes doe not acknowledge any such matter to be mortall sinne argument 33 The papists teach that men haue grace conferred on them by their owne acts ex opere operato and that they are iustified ex opere operato by the sacraments of the new law whereupon it followeth that by the signe of the crosse in confirmation by orders matrimony and extreme vnction men receiue charitie for that is the grace they speake of and are iustified exopere operato for this doeth Bellarmine dispute lib. 2. de effectu sacrament cap. 3. and 14. and other chapters following which doctrine if they doe prooue then ex opere operato let him take the grace of the popedome if he doe not prooue he must néedes confesse that the doctrine of papists is not catholike argument 34 The Iebusites in the censure of Colein teach that the regenerat after baptisme haue no sinne and it followeth necessarily of their doctrine of iustification by the works of the law for by them a man can not be both vniust and iust at one time but the cathotike faith is otherwise S. Iohn saith that they deceiue themselues that say they haue no sinne and other scriptures signify i Prouerb 20. that no man can say his hart is cleane neither is this to be vnderstood of veniall sinnes which the papists say may be done away without repentance for S. k Lib. 2. aduers Pelagian Hierome saith that the most iust man in some things standeth in need of Gods mercy and it is apparent for that euery man transgressing the law of God which is the case of all men maketh himselfe subiect to the curse of the law and to the wrath of God argument 35 Papists teach that some sinnes are done away with holy water and without repentance and deserue not death but no catholike euer taught or thought so for the apostle teacheth vs that by Christes blood we are purged and that wée are made partakers of remission of sinnes by faith In the sixt to the Rom. he declareth that the wages of sinne is death and Galat. 3. that such as transgresse Gods law are accursed by the sentence of the law argument 36 They l Censur Colon. f. 204. teach also that this is the proper doctrine of the Gospel if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements but catholikes know that those that so teach confound law and gospel and ouerthrow the doctrine of the apostles for he m Rom. 1. teacheth that the gospel is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth their doctrine doth take from vs all hope of saluation for how can we hope to be saued by the gospel if that promise life to none but such as perfectly fulfil Gods commandements argument 37 They doe also much derogate from the gospell of Christ Iesus where they teach that the rules of Benet of Nursia Francis Dominike Ignatius Loyola and diuers other founders of monkish and frierlike orders doe shew vs the way to perfection and holde not that the gospel of Christ Iesus is sufficient of it selfe to do it true catholikes certes neuer mainteined any such fantasies nor allowed any such order which may also appeare by this that all these orders of monkes and friers haue their approbation and allowance from the popes of Rome argument 38 Of saith they speake thinke and write very basely for they holde first that faith is onely a bare assent and requireth neither firme hope nor holinesse of life to make it truely Christian secondly that not onely wicked men but also the diuels of hell may haue true faith thirdly that faith is not only grounded vpon holy canonicall scriptures but also vpon traditions and determinations of the pope which if they firmly holde and vary not then must they confesse that we are no lesse to giue credit to lousie legends and lying and erronious decretals of popes than to the eternall word of God But true catholikes haue alwaies beléeued otherwise The apostle n Rom. 1. saith that the iust shall liue by faith and the church beléeueth that o Iohn 3. whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shall not perish but haue euerlasting life and p Rom. 5. that being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God further the apostle q Rom. 10. teacheth that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God but there is great difference betwixt the word of God and traditions of men betwixt the infallible trueth of Gods word and the deceiuable doctrine of popes decretals argument 39 They teach that charity is the forme of faith but catholiks haue alwaies taken this doctrine to be erronious for how can one vertue be the forme of another againe séeing matter and forme be parts in natural bodies is it not absurd to apply these words to qualities that rather resemble forme than matter thirdly if iustifying faith were alwaies formed with charitie then could not faith worke of it selfe for it is the forme from whence actions procéed and not matter but the apostle r Rom. 1. saith that the iust liue by faith and Ephes 2. that wee are saued by grace through faith hereupon ſ Lib. 2. epist 3. Cyprian saith that whosoeuer doth beleeue in God and liue by faith he is found to be iust argument 40 They t Bellar. lib. 1. de fid c. 13. attribute our first iustice to faith and other preparations as for example feare hope loue repentance a purpose of new life and such like but the principall forme and beauty of our iustice they place in charitie and works of the law and that they call our second iustice but true catholikes doe otherwise thinke and speake of iustice The u 1. Cor. 1. apostle saith that our Sauiour Christ is made iustification vnto vs and x Rom. 3. Gal. 2. 3. that we are not iustified by the workes of
to canonicall scripture Opinio ista saith he non est haeretica quia non est contra canonicam scripturam finally the councell of n Aen. Sylu. de gist concil Basil lib. 1. Basil doth determine him to be an heretike thatdoth reiect the catholike faith deduced out of canonicall scriptures and proued by fathers argument 56 They holde also that our sauiour Christ did passe out of his mothers wombe as the raies of the sunne do pierce thorow the substance of the glasse quomodo solis radij concretam vitri substantiam penetrant for these are the words of the Romane o Part. 1. in exposit 3. art fid catechisme but this sheweth that they giue no true flesh to our Sauior and that they ouerthrow the article of Christes natiuitie and a principall mystery of Christian religion argument 51 Peter p Lib. 1. sent dist 14. Lombard teacheth that there is a two fold proceeding of the holy Ghost the one temporal the other eternal but this point his own scholers do mislike as erronious non debet concedi saith Occham writing vpon this place quod spiritus sancti sit duplex processio ne duae spiritus sancti processiones videantur vt sunt duae filij generationes vna aeterna ex patre altera temporalis ex filio they also dislike his doctrine sentent lib. 1. dist 18. § 4. where he doth teach that the Holy Ghost is as properly said to be a gift as to proceed his words are aequè donum esse ac procedere argument 52 q Lib. 3. p. 290. Andradius saith that philosophers by naturall knowledge and by the works of the creation did after a sort know Christ crucified which I hope Robert Parsons will not denie to be erroneous argument 53 The conuenticle of r Sess 6. c. 9. Trent teacheth vs alwaies in this life to doubt of Gods fauour towards vs and of our owne saluation which is nothing els but a plaine demonstratiō that the same teacheth not true faith but rather a superstitious distrust and oppugneth these two articles of our Créed I beleeue remission of sinnes and aeternall life argument 54 Finally all those points of doctrine which before I haue declared to be neither ancient nor catholike and which do plainly declare that the papists are not the true church are also apparently erroneous which in part hath béene proued and shall further be declared at all times if either Robert Parsons or any man of note among the papists leauing off his vaine bangling about quotations dare vndertake particularly to answer my challenge or will aduenture hand to hand to encounter me CHAP. V. That all papists if they mainteine the doctrine of the pope and Romish church are plaine idolaters HOw odious and hainous a sinne idolatrie is the scriptures doe in many places declare Almighty God hauing published his law against idolatrie addeth a very seuere threatning against those that should transgresse it I am the Lord thy God saith a Exod. 20. he strong and jelous and visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of those that hate mee and when the children of Israel departed from their God to worship a molten image Suffer me saith b Exod. 32. he to Moyses that my wrath may waxe hot against them and that I may consume them Idolatry in scriptures is called spirituall fornication but nothing can more displease a man than that his spouse shall forsake him and breaking the couenant of marriage run after strangers In this case therefore c Deuter. 13. God forbiddeth a brother to spare his brother or a father his sonne or a husband his wife if any of them arise and say come and let vs serue other gods Sit primum manus tua super eum saith Moyses neither are idolaters onely punished in this life but also in the life to come Without saith d Apocal. 22. Iohn shall be dogges coniurers vncleane persons murderers and such as serue idoles and in the 21. chapter of the Reuelation he saith that idolaters shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone If then popish religion do plainly mainteine most grosse idolatry as not onely by their practise is prooued but also by diuers godly mens writings verified not onely the magistrates are diligently and seriously to represse the priests of Baal and the mainteiners of idolatry but also all Christians are carefully to take héed of their damnable doctrine if not let them assure themselues that they shall neither auoid Gods iudgements in this life nor the lake of fire and brimstone prepared for idolaters in the life to come And lest any papist should complaine that I doe greatly wrong the Romanists and their religion charging them with idolatry I do now God willing purpose to make my charge good in this chapter What papists are not I declared in the thrée first chapters and I hope I haue made it plaine that they are neither true Christians nor catholikes it followed that I should shew what they are and that in part is performed for I haue declared them to be heretikes it resteth therefore now for a fuller description of their nature that I declare them to be idolaters in the last part we shall God willing examine the loialtie of Rob. Parsons and all the popes agents and adherents That the papists therefore are idolaters it shall be prooued by arguments first drawen out of scriptures secondly out of fathers thirdly out of the confession of some learned papists and lastly out of their owne common doctrine and practise argument 1 e That papists are idolaters arg 1. The first law of the decalogue doeth expresly forbid the hauing of other Gods non habebis deos alienos saith God coram me that is thou shalt haue no strange Gods before me or els thou shalt haue no other Gods but me out of these words I frame this argument whosoeuer doeth worship or serue any other God beside the Lord God that created heauen and earth is an idolater but the papists doe worship and serue other Gods beside the God of heauen and earth ergo the proposition is prooued first by the intention of the law that séemeth principally to be made against idolatry and not onely against worship of idols subiect to our sences but also against idoles which men frame to themselues in their owne imaginations and fancies secondly by the textes of Scriptures that account them idolaters not onely that worship idoles of colour or mettall or other matter but also that honor with religious honor such things as themselues fancie to haue diuine power so couetousnesse is called worshipping of idoles Eph. 5. and those are idolaters that serue f Matth. 6. Mammon or call a wedge of gold their god or that put trust or confidence in any creature visible or inuisible or that serue or worship any thing for God but onely the euerliuing and true God finally
S. Christopher or Saint Catherine in the worlde falsification 29 Likewise doth Capgraue tell strange matters which of English papists were beléeued in time past Capgraue in Bernaco Saint Bernacus saith he killed a mortiferous beast at Rome that before had killed and deuoured much people and cattell but it is not like that Bernac coulde doe more then his holy father the Pope A certaine fellow that stroke S. Bernac was punished with swarmes of flying lice toto corpore pediculis saith Capgraue alatis obsessus He spoke with Angels sayled ouer the sea vpon a broade stone turned oke leaues into loaues viz. by changing one letter stones into fishes water into wine his cow being cut in pieces he restored notwithstanding to life and committed her to be kept by a wolfe Finally ke yoaked Harts and made them draw in a cart which Owlyglasse will hardly defend to be nâ— lies falsification 30 He saith that Christ appeared to Augustine the monke and talked familiarly with him Capgraue in Augustino and telleth also how hee plagued the men of Dorset with fire But the Saints of God in time past did rather pray for poore men then call for fire downe from heauen vpon them Saint Peter also a man of as good credit as Capgraue saith the heauens must containe Christ that is thither ascended vntill the time of the restoring of all things falsification 31 When Bartilmew a monke came to Durrham and saluted the crucifixe the same wodden crucifixe bowing downe himselfe saith Capgraue resaluted him againe He saith also that he sawe the diuell sometime in the forme of a mouse sometime of a cat and that he imprisoned a Hawke two daies and made her to fast for killing him a little bird and many such lies telleth Capgraue of Bartilmew the monke falsification 32 Scripsit ex ore angeli sanctus Brendanus sanctam regulam saith Capgraue In Brendano quae vsque hodie manet that is he wrote his rule as he receiued it of an Angel When as a poore fellow being followed by his enemies that meant to kill him fledde to Brendan desiring succour he willed him to get vp vpon a stone hard by and not to mooue this done his enemies that followed stroke the stone for the man and beleeued the man to bee the stone He caused a fountain also to rise out of a drie ground and was carried into paradise as for dead men hee raised them to life without any difficulty Which things no man can passe for truth vnlesse he be as sencelesse as the stone that Capgraue talketh of falsification 33 Of Edith Capgraue writeth that when she died Angels were heard to sing harmoniously In Editha and seene carying her soule to heauen that she appeared to Dunstane being dead that her body remained without corruption especially her thumbe with which she made the signe of the crosse That she did quiet the seas and deliuered Aldred Archbishop of Yorke being in danger in the Adriaticke sea when he called vpon her All which lies if Owlyglasse will beléeue he must be very credulous and one of those that are giuen ouer to beléeue lies But to make others beléeue that these are no lies he néedeth more eloquence then he hath now ignorance In the 8. session of the councell of Constance as it is called the popish church affirmeth that Wickleffe taught quod deus debet obedire diabolo That is that God must obey the diuell also that Princes being in mortall sinne are not to bee obeyed And diuers other matters neuer taught by Wickleffe which may appeare first by his bookes and neâ—t by the articles collected against him and recorded by Thomas Walsingham Neither haue our aduersaries any arguments to proue the contrary vnlesse a man wil beléeue those infamous articles which were by his aduersaries obiected against him after his death which neither law nor reason will admit to passe for proofe falsification 35 Likewise did the papists deale with Iohn Husse in that wicked assembly condemning him for holding articles which he in open audience denied One reported Sess 15. that he should affirme that there was a fourth person in the trinitie others that he should call Gregory the first rimer matters which hee vtterly disclaymed Yet these and many more lies that conuenticle beléeued of him and condemned him for them and these lies of that holy man the synagogue of Rome now commonly beléeueth falsification 36 Now the church of Rome not being able to ouerthrow our doctrine goeth about to calumniate our principal teachers as Luther Caluin Zuinglius Oecolampadius Bucer Beza and others the principall agents either in shaking of the popes tyranny or the establishing of religion and namely her Maiesties most noble father her mother her brother her selfe her counsellors and principall agens the prince of Condey and his father the Admirall of France Henry the 4. nowe reigning and diuers others in Scotland Germany and otherwhere Vnto Luther Leo the tenth imputeth calumnious assertions which he neuer held Commonly the papists giue out that he taught that if the wife would not yeeld to her husband that the husband might go vnto his maide that he died sodainly that his body did stincke and many such like slanders stincking in the nostrils of all honest men Of Bucer they report that he turned Iewe and died blaspheming a matter refuted by the testimony of his enemies that were present at his death and not onely by his friends Of late they published a lying pamphlet of the reuolt of Beza and of his death which he yet liuing refuted The slanders of Sanders and ribaldry of that ribald Ribadineira which the papists receiue with such applause shall shortly godwilling be made manifest to the world Now it may appeare that they are false being deuised by Sanders and Rishton two lewde lozels vnacquainted with state matters and as it is thought published and much encreased by Rob. Parsons the most notorious traytor and infamous libeller that the congregation of Iesuites euer did affoord vs. falsification 37 Pius the fift in his letters to the Emperor most impudently affirmeth In vita Pij quinti. that the councell of Nice made the Pope which he termeth the successour of Peter Lord and gouernour of all Princes christened and also of all prouinces and nations whatsoeuer and that the same councell did anathematise all that should contradict that authority A matter proued to be a notorious lye by the actes of the councell for therein no such matter is found The same also is refuted by this argument for that councels haue not to doe with the disposing of temporall states falsification 38 Sixtus Quintus in his rayling bull against the king of Nauarre now raigning and swaying the scepter of France and the Prince of Condey publisheth most notorious lies He saith they polluted and spoyled Churches and with torments killed Priests monkes and friers and did compell men to religion with threates and bastonadaes minis verberibusque No one point being to be
they built all vpon Christ Iesus and taught that which immediatly they receiued from God but the Pope receiueth nothing immediatly from God nor doth he now preach Christ as did saint Peter argument 2 Further the true church of Christ is built vpon a rocke most solide and vnmouable against which the gates of hell can neuer preuaile but the church of Rome is built vpon the popes and their see against which the gates of hell both haue already and may further preuaile as appeareth by the Ch. Si papa dist 40. where it is supposed that the Pope may draw with him innumerable soules into hel and m In Matth. 16. Lyra confesseth that diuers popes haue proued apostataes from the faith and that finally is proued by diuers particular examples as of Marcellinus that sacrificed to idoles of Liberius that fell into Arrianisme of Honorius condemned for a monothelite and diuers other popes that fell into diuers heresies and forsooke the true faith neither doe I thinke the papistes will denie but that some of their popes for diuers impieties and wickednesses are damned and cast downe to the nethermost hell How then can that be the true church of Christ which is built vpon a foundation against which the gates of hell haue preuailed argument 3 n Arg. 3. The true church of Christ is neuer without her head for Christ Iesus who is the head of the church was yesterday and to day and the same for euermore he is the head of the church and shall alwaies so continue and of him his church hath continuall dependance but the church of Rome is often without her head the pope and hath no such dependance on him but that she may well subsist without him as the continuall vacation of the papacy doth shew and p Lib. de auferribilitatâ— papa Gerson doth confesse the church of Rome therefore cannot be the church of Christ vnlesse we will grant that the church of God may be without a head or that the church of Rome neuer wanteth a head argument 4 q Arg. 4. The church of God also hath but one faith for as there is but one Lord r Ephes 4. so there is but one faith and one baptisme but the faith of the church of Rome is not that one faith which was professed in the apostles times and in the primitiue church as appeareth by the doctrine of faith published in the wicked conuenticles of Constance and Trent and by ihat profession which Pius the 4. decreed to be exacted of all that are promoted in schooles for neither did the first christians admit all the traditions which the church of Rome now calleth apostolicall nor the 7. sacraments and vsuall rites practised by the church of Rome in the administration of them nor the sacrifice of the masse or transubstantiation or the rest of the doctrine therein contained if any papist thinke otherwise let him shew me either any such like faith or proue me any such doctrine to haue bene in the ancient church of Rome or else we must needs beleeue that this doctrine was first published by the conuenticle of Trent and by Pius the 4. by name but a wicked man for doctrine and life and by other popes confirmed argument 5 Å¿ Arg. 5. The grounds also and foundations of the catholike christian faith are diuers from the grounds foundations of the faith of the church of Rome the t Ephes 2. apostle saith that the houshold of God and citizens of saints are built vpon the foundations of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone neither doeth he admit any other foundation Saint u Apocal. 21. Iohn sheweth that the wall of the city of God hath twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue apostles and this because vpon that doctrine which they deliuered the faith of the church is built for as x Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Ireneus signifieth the canonicall scriptures which she apostles left vnto vs are the foundation of our faith neither may we thinke that Peter was more the foundation of the church then Paule or the rest of the apostles at dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesia saith y Lib. aduers Jâ—uiâ— Hierome licèt id ipsum in alio loco super omnes apostolos cuncti claues regni coelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesia solidetur Theophylact also without giuing any prerogatiue to one saith z In Ephes 2. the church is built vpon the apostles and prophets neither doe the auncient fathers either allow or mention any foundation beside Christ Iesus and the apostles and prophets who in all their writings doe preach Christ Iesus But the faith of the Romish synagogue is now built vpon a diuers foundation for first they acknowledge vnwritten traditions to be a foundation equall to the written word of God a Sess 4. concil Trid. traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mores pertinentes tanquam vel oretenus à Christo vel à spiritu sancto dictatas continua successione in ecclesia catholica conseruatas pari pietatis affectu ac reuerentia scilicet ac scripturas sacras suscipit ac veneratur the conuenticle of Trent maketh traditions as well concerning faith as maners to be equall to the written word of God whereof it foloweth that we must as well beléeue the fashions and ceremonies of the Romish church as the written word of God Demonstrate conabimur saith b Lib 4. de verb. dei c. 4. Bellarmine scripturas sine traditionibus nec fuisse simpliciter necessarias nec sufficientes he denieth also the scriptures to be a perfect canon or rule of our faith without traditions next they receiue the popes decretals and vpon their determinations doe they build their faith as c C. inter dist 19. c. sancta dist 15. appeareth by their decretals though counterfeit and d Jn praefat in relect princip doctr Stapleton sticketh not to affirme so much in expresse words Alij nunc à Christo missi saith he eorumue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt and e ibidem againe Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud We haue saith he another foundation of Christian religion diuers from the writings of the apostles and prophets can then the Romish congregation be the church of Christ that euen in the maine foundation of religion is departed from the church of Christ argument 6 f Arg. 6. The principles likewise of the doctrine of the Romish church are diuers froÌ„ the grounds principles of Christs true church for we haue shewed in our last argument that the true church hath no canon or rule of faith or certeine principle of faith beside the canonicall scriptures but the church of Rome admitteth the books of Iudith Tobia Ecclesiasticus Wisdome of the Machabees by the
fathers how downe to grauen images or worship them the i Exod. 20. commandement of God is direct against such images thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. thou shalt not bow downe vnto it nor worship it k Lib. 2. institut c. 19. Lactantius saith that there is no religion where grauen images are religio nulla est vbîcunque simulachrum est The papists therefore that make the images of God and worship them are no catholicks nor haue any good religion neither can it auaile them that they say they worship not the matter of the image for so did the gentils answere in excuse of their idolatry as testifieth l Institut lib. 2. c. 2. Lactantius argument 22 True catholicks beléeue that by the law we know sinne and that m 1. Iohn 5. all vnrighteousnesse is sinne and thirdly that n Deut. 27. Galat. 3. he is accursed that abideth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them if then the papists teach that all is not sinne that is repugnant to Gods law as the Iebusits doe in the censure of Coleine fol. 26. and as others doe that it is not sinne in this world not to loue God withall our heart and all our soule which is commanded by the law of God then are they no catholicks argument 23 Catholicks holde that we haue but one lawgiuer and iudge that is able to destroy and to saue vnus est legislator index saith Saint o Iacob 4. Iames qui potest perdere liberare that the transgression of the popes lawes is sufficient to condemn vs and the obseruance of them to iustifie vs as papists holde was neuer generally taught or holden argument 24 Catholicks holde that Gods law is perfect and that nothing is sinne but that which is repugnant to the law of God but papists beléeue that it is sinne not onely to neglect the precepts of the church as they are called but also the lawes and decretales of popes as appeareth by the enchiridion of Nauarrus and other books of cases of conscience argument 25 The law of God p Exod. 20. saith directly Thou shalt not couet and catholikes doe expound this law so that it bindeth the regenerat aswel as the vnregenerat as appeareth by the words of the apostle Rom. 7. I should not haue knowen sinne saith he but by the law for I knew not concupiscence but because the law said Thou shalt not couet and this sinne he confesseth to be mortall Who saith he shall deliuer me from the body of this death S. q Lib. 2. contr Faustum Manich c. 27. Augustine also teacheth that whatsoeuer is desired or coueted against the law is sinne and very absurd it is to surmise that baptisme should sanctifie concupiscence and of sinne in the vnregenerate to make no sinne The conuenticle of Trent therefore that r Sess 5. determineth that concupiscence in the regenerate is not sinne and all adherents vnto it are no catholikes argument 26 The scriptures teach vs that euen the iust man falleth seuen times a day and as the apostle saint Iames saith that we offend all in many things our Sauiour Christ taught his apostles to pray for remission of sinnes and to confesse when they had done all they could that they were notwithstanding vnprofitable seruants so likewise teach catholike fathers Saint ſ Lib. 1. aduers Pelag. Hierome saith that then we are iust when we confesse our sinnes and saint t De spirit lit Augustine signifieth that in the frailtie of this life we can not perfectly performe Gods law we shall then saith he performe the law of God with all our soule and all our heart and loue our neighbour as our selfe when we shal see God face to face the papists therefore that teach first that the regenerate are able to performe the law of God perfectly and secondly that they are also able to performe more then is commanded and to doe works of supererogation are no catholikes nor shall they euer be able to prooue that this doctrine of theirs was generally holden by the fathers and by all Christians or by any man of note argument 27 The apostle teacheth vs that the law is the minister of death and u Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 20. Irenaeus affirmeth that the law being spirituall doth onely manifest sinne and not kill it the papists therefore that hold that all our life and saluation doeth consist in the law as appeareth by the censure of Coleyn are no catholikes argument 28 The councell of x Sess 6. c. 10. Trent condemneth those that say they are iustified formally by Christes iustice and their meaning is that we are formally iustified by charity and by the works of the law but the catholike church teacheth vs farre otherwise no flesh faith the y Galat. 2. apostle is iustified by the works of the law he denieth also that z Rom. 4. Abraham was iustified by the works of the law and saint a Lib. 1. aduers Pelag. Hierome saith that our iustice doeth not consist in our merits but in the mercy of God this also is prooued by an inuincible reason for that none are iustified by the law but such as performe the law and are not to be accused of sinne by the law but if our aduersaries will say that all that shall be saued are such they will bring the number of them into a small compasse for as b De inter pellat Dauid Ambrose saith Dauid doeth acknowledge his sinne and Paule doeth acknowledge himselfe guiltie who is then innocent argument 29 The apostle c Rom. 5. teacheth vs that through the offence of one all men were subiect to condemnation and that is the doctrine of all catholikes but the d Bellar. lib. 4. de amissi grat c. 15. papists exempt the holy virgine Mary from originall sinne as appeareth by the determination of Sixtus 4. and conuenticles of Trent doctrine sess 5. some of them also hold that the prophet Heremy and saint Iohn Baptist were sanctified from this sinne and so borne without originall sinne at the least argument 30 Catholikes hold that original sinne is a great sinne as infecting all by ordinary course descending from Adam excluding them out of the kingdome of heauen and which could not be purged but by Christes passion but the papists hold that it is the least of all sinnes as hauing the least force of our fréewill and that it deserueth not sensible paines in hell which in effect is as much as if they should deny that all men sinned originally in Adam or néeded to be saued from sensible paines by Christ argument 31 The e Th. Aquin. dd in 2. sent dist 33. Bellar de amis grat lib. 6. c. 4. papists also teach that children departing without baptisme and with originall sinne onely shall not be punished with hell fire nor with sensible
In offic beat Mariae to a woodden crosse increase in the godly righteousnesse and pardon sinners and also crux Christi protege me crux Christi defende me ab omni malo and which before the printed face which they call Volto santo pray thus Salue sancta facies impresta panniculo nos ab omni macula purga vitiorum atque nos consortio iunge beatorum argument 62 Catholikes beléeue that their sacrifices of praise are accepted through Christ but papists beléeue that Christes bodie is accepted through the mediation of the priest and of saints the priest in the canon beséecheth God to looke fauourably vpon the body and blood of Christ Supra quae saith he propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris and in the missal of Sarum on Batildis day they pray that God would accept their sacrifice viz. of Christes body and blood through the merits of S. Batildis vt haec munera tibi Domine accepta sint say they sanctae Batildis obtineant merita quae seipsam tibi hostiam viuam sanctam bene placentem exhibuit argument 63 Catholikes beléeue that the apostles and their successours receiued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and power to binde and loose onely vpon earth but the papists beléeue that the pope hath receiued the keyes of the kingdome of hell and purgatory Damascen and other authors of Romish legends tell vs that Gregory the first deliuered Traians soule out of hel and euery pety pope thinketh he is abused if any tell him that he can not let out of purgatory as many as he pleaseth Commonly all papists pray for the dead that they may haue a place of rest giuen them and that their sinnes may be pardoned them as if sinnes might be forgiuen after this life argument 64 Catholikes neither worshipped saints departed nor their images nor the crosse of Christ Hierome in an epistle to Ripatius denieth that any creature is to be worshipped or adored d Lib. 22. deciuit Dei c. 10. Augustine sheweth that Christians did not worship martyrs nor erect temples in honor of them and saith that they gaue thanks and praise vnto God onely at their monuments ecclesia catholica mater Christianorum verissima saith e De morib eccles lib. 1. c. 30. he solum ipsum deum cuius adeptio vita est beatissima purissimè atque castisimè colendum praedicat nullam nobis adorandam creaturam inducens cui seruire iubeamur whereby plainly he excludeth the worship of Doulia f De obitu Theodosij Ambrose declareth that Helene finding the crosse worshipped not the crosse but Christ but the papists worship not onely the saints but dumbe images they say masses in honor of S. Francis and S. Dominicke and diuers other saints they knéele to images and burne incense vnto them finally they giue Latriam that is due by their owne confession to God only to the crosse to the crucifix and to the images of the Trinity argument 65 True catholicks neuer made the images of God the father or the holy trinity nor did thinke it lawfull to worship them with diuine worship but the papists both make such images and allow such worship to be giuen to them argument 66 True catholicks neuer had any psalter in honor of our blessed Lady nor vsed to say a hundred and 50. Auemariaes and after euery fifty Auemariaes one Creed and after euery tenne Auemaries one Pater Noster nay our sauiour expressly forbad his desciples to vse battologies and odious repetitions in their praiers But papists put great religion in our Ladies psalter and in their rosaries and often repetitions of the name of Iesu and of their Auemariaes argument 67 True catholicks neuer coniured salt nor holy water nor oile nor chrisme nor superstitiously sanctified candles crosses and images in such sort as the papists vse to doe neither did they grease stone alters or describe the Gréeke alphabet on the pauement of churches to be consecrated or abuse the scriptures as the papists doe in that act as may appeare by the formulary commonly vsed in such cases that ancient catholicks neuer vsed any such ceremonies it may appeare by the writings of the fathers and also in old rituall books for in them such formes of consecrations exorcizations and such abuses are not to be found argument 68 True g Iohn 4. catholicks worship God in spirit and trueth but the papists place most of Gods worship in externall ceremonies and vse in their worship a tong not vnderstood so that their praiers cannot procéed from the spirit nor be true nor catholicke argument 69 True catholicks neuer worshipped angels h Coloss 2. the apostle Paule doth expressly condemne the worship of them as Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumenius writing vpon the 2. and 3. chap. of the epistle to the Colossians do testifie the councell of Laodicea doth also prohibit the worship of Angels and Saint i De hares c. 39. Augustine numbreth the worshippers of Angels among hereticks Neither may we thinke that they were therefore condemned because they atrtibuted the creation of the world to angels but because they worshipped angels and as Chrysostome homil 7. in coloss 2. affirmeth thought we were to come to God by the mediation of angels and yet papists k Horae ad vsum sacrum pray to angels that they would protect them and driue diuils from them and open their sight they say also masses in their honor set vp lights to them make confession of their sinns to them and all this contrary to the practise of the ancient catholicke church argument 70 Our l Matth. 15. sauiour Christ teacheth that those worship God in uaine which worship him according to the doctrines and commandements of men and therefore all true catholicks haue had principall respect herein to the commandements and lawes of God but the Romish church doth wholy depend vppon the decretales of popes and vaine fancies of men their missals breuiaries offices and whole seruice procéedeth from no other fountaine argument 71 The m Psal 32. prophet declareth that they are blessed whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinns are couered and the apostle saith that being instified by faith we haue peace with god and this is the hope of all catholicks that Christ hath reconciled vs to his father and washed away our sinnes and paid a ransome for them on the crosse but this comfort papists doe take from vs that teach and holde that after our sinnes forgiuen we are to satisfie for temporall paines due for our sinnes either here or in purgatory and that such are there to sustaine great torments in which paines and place none but mad men can place felicity argument 72 Catholicks beléeue that through faith we are made partakers of Christs satisfaction the papists beléeue that the pope can apply them by his bulles both in purgatory and in this life according to his lawes argument 73 Catholicks beléeue that no man can satisfie for his
Carranza and others in the canon of Laodicea before recited for angelos write angulos and so hope to hide their filthinesse in corners But Theodoret doth plainly conuince them both of heresie and falshood also Synodus saith he x In epist ad Coloss c. 3. quae conuenit laodiceae lege prohibuit ne precarentur angelos that this worship of angels is superstitious Chrysostome commenting vpon the epistle to the Colossians declareth and especially in his ninth homily vpon that epistle argument 17 The Seuerians were noted as heretikes for their miracles either vainly forged or by the diuels helpe effected their prophetesse y Augustin de hares c. 24. Philumena through a narrow mouthed glasse would put in a prety bigge lofe and draw it out againe without breaking the glasse the Mirabiliaries were likewise condemned for that by miracles and prophecies they sought to confirme their opinions and what doe the papists doe not they likewise confirme all their superstition false religion and idolatry with counterfect miracles doe they not tell vs tales of z Laurent Vall. contra donat Constanim images speaking of men headlesse walking of dead men reuiuing they will not deny it nay Bellarmine maketh these miracles a marke of his church but if they prooue false their church must néeds prooue a false church by a very good consequent argument 18 The Tatians and other heretikes absteined from mariage as a state of life impure and imperfect The Romish priestes therefore together with monks friers and nunnes haue abiured mariage as not compatible with their pretended monkish perfection a C. proposuisti dist 82. Syricius or at least Gratian or some other falsary vnder his name calleth mariage fleshly pollutions In Capgranes legends the Romish saints no otherwise talke of mariage then as if it were vncleannesse sinne and abomination diuers of our aduersaries haue written that it is lesse sinne for priests to commit fornication than to marry argument 19 The papists also agrée with the Manicheyes in diuers points sauoring of heresie for as the Mancheyes condemned mariage in their priests which for their excellency they called electos so likewise doe the papists in their monks and greater orders of their clergie secondly as the Manicheyes abstained from the cuppe in the Lords supper and receiued one kinde onely as appeareth by the testimony of Leo Serm. 4. de quadrages and of the chap. relatum and c. comperimus dist 2. de consecrat so likewise doe the papists diuiding if Gelasius say true one and the selfe same sacrament most sacrilegiously thirdly both Manicheyes and papists destroy Christes humanity the Manicheyes giuing him no true flesh nor solide body and the papists giuing him a body neither visible nor palpable nor indued with the right dimensions and true properties of a body both of them also say the body of Christ may be in many places at once lastly the Manicheyes in their fasts albeit they abstained from flesh yet vsed diuers other exquisite and dainty meates and this is also the rigorous fast of most papists which the rest will not deny to be a good fast after the popes law and a good feast as Christians say argument 20 Montanus did first b Apollonius apud Euseb lib. 5. c. 17. establish lawes of fasting as is recorded in the history of Eusebius and appeareth also by the practise of the church that had no law concerning that matter in his time the same also may be proued by the testimony of Augustine who denieth that any law concerning fasting was made by Christ or his apostles quibus diebus c Epist 86. ad Casulan saith he non oporteat ieiunare quibus oporteat praecepto domini vel apostolorum non inuenio definitum Montanus also began first to d Epiphan in haeres 48. dispute that the scriptures were not perfect and that they were to he supplied by his new paracletus that as he said was to teach all things necessary his e Augustin de haeres c. 26. followers had the prophecies of Prisca and Maximilla in great reuerence both he and his disciples did beléeue Limbum Patrum to be in hell f Lib. de anima in fiâ—t Tertullian hauing learned of Montanus taught that small sinnes after this life were to be purged and that his paracletus did often recommend that doctrine further by the testimony of vnwritten traditions and his paracletus he g Lib. de coron milit proueth that the suffering daies of martyrs were to be kept holy and that sacrifices should be offered for soules departed the doctrine therefore of the church of Rome concerning set fasts the imperfection of scriptures vnwritten traditions legendary prophecies of Brigit and other Romish saints and concerning Limbus Patrum in hell and remission of sinnes after this life and the oblations for soules departed séemeth rather to procéed from Montanus then from Christ or his apostles finally the Montanistes did not more'vant of their Prisca Maximilla then the papists of their Brigit Hildegardis and Mechtildis nor did Montanus offer for the soules departed otherwise then the papists argument 21 As the Pepuzians did honor their towne Pepuza and call it Hierusalem or the metropolis of their religion so doe the papists honor Rome and both papists and Pepuzians suffer wemen to minister the sacrament or baptisme should not then the papists haue great wrong if they were not made equall in ranke with Pepuzians herein they also surpasse them for we doe not read that any woman among the Pepuzians was made pope of Pepuza but Martin Polonus Marianus Scotus Chronicon Chronicorum Platina and diuers authors of great credit report that a woman was made pope of Rome and her picture is to be séene in the dome of Siena among other popes if it be not latele defaced finally the Iebusites contending to shew the contrary shew nothing but their owne impudency and the hardnesse of their faces argument 22 The Catharistes boast much of their merits purity and perfection Mundiores se ceteris praedicant saith h Lib. 8. orig â— de haeres Isidore they doe also deny absolution in somes cases to the repentant and rebaptize those that are already baptized and is not this also the case of papists they cannot well deny it for they say that all monks and friers are in state of perfection and deny that any iust man doth commit a mortall sinne they deny also to hereticks relapsed as they call them all fauour and absolue none in cases reserued to the pope finally the histories of France and Flanders doe shew that the popish priests haue there rebaptized many and in England albeit they doe not rebaptize yet they change the names and vse a number of greasie ceremonies frequented in the Romish church to supply our baptisme as they say argument 23 The Iacobites and Armenians were condemned for hereticks for that they made the images of God the father and God the holy ghost Imagines
sciret ab homine non posse fieri so likewise the papists say if we had not fréewill that then God would not command vs to doe things but he confuteth both their reasons in the words following quis hoc nesciat saith he sed ideo iubet aliqua quae non possumus vt nouerimus quid ab illo petere debeamus he saith not that we haue frée will to doe good works because God commandeth vs to doe them but rather sheweth that God commandeth vs to doe things which we are not able of our selues to doe that we may learne what to craue and begge at Gods hands we may therefore well conclude that the papists are farre declined towards Pelagianisme and that long before vs did o Lib. 1. de grat aduers Pelag. Thomas Brandwardine perceiue declare and therefore doubteth not to call the popish schoolemen Pelagians totus mundus saith he post pelagium in errorem abiit exurge deus iudica causam tuam this man wrote about 300. yeares agone but now our aduersaries are growne woorse and woorse argument 34 The Donatists as saint p De haeres c. 69. Augustine writeth beléeued that the church was onely conteined in Afrike and consisted in the obedience or part of Donatus quod ecclesia Christi saith hée in Africa Donati parte remanserit they did also rebaptize catholike Christians if this then be heresie the papists may not escape scot frée that beleeue the catholike Romane church onely and take none for Christians but such q Geronymâ— Campos catetechism Brist motiut 12. as take the popes part and liue vnder his obedience they doe also presume sometimes to rebaptize such as haue béene baptized in our churches argument 35 The Circumcellions shought it a matter meritorious to kil those that were contrary to their sect immania facinora perpetrando as S. r De haeres c. 69. Augustine saith nay that holy man himselfe did hardly escape their ambuscadoes laid for him like to them also doe papists teach that it is lawfull and meritorious to kill princes excommunicate by the pope both pope Pius the fift and Sixtus the fift vpon paine of excommunication commanded her Maiesties subiects to take armes against her Sixtus quintus that shamelesse frier did Å¿ La fulminante highly commend Iames Clement the Dominican frier that murdred his liege prince Henrie the third king of France Iohn Ghineard a Iebusite did mainteine this doctrine of murdring princes and was therefore by arrest of the parliament of Paris condemned executed by these desperate Assassines and hired murderers the papists killed the prince of Orenge and Iames the regent of Scotland and poisoned diuers others Alphonsus Diazius did most wickedly murder his owne brother and yet was protected by the pope finally by diuers meanes they haue sought to murder the Queenes Maiestie king Henry the 4. of France Graue Maurice and all that stand in their way farre passing not onely the hereticall circumcellions but also the Turkish assassins argument 36 The Audaeans or Anthropomorphites did imagine God to haue an humane shape parts like a mortall man Cogitatione carnali saith t De haeres c. 50. Augustine Deum fingebant in similitu dinem hominis corruptibilis The papists likewise cannot imagine but that God is like man when they expresse God the father in likenesse of an olde man or at the least imagine such images to be like God they doe also make the image of the incomprehensible trinity let the people be taught say the men of u Sâ—ss 25. Trent that the Godhead is not therefore figured as if it could be seene with corporeall eies or expressed wirh colours or figures it appeareth therefore they meant it should be represented though it could not be well expressed by figures argument 37 Origen beléeued that sinnes might be purged and done away after this life and therefore x Augustine de haeres c. 43. imagined that euen the damned after some long time might be saued he delighted also to draw scriptures to serue allegoricall sences if then it be heresie to say that great sinnes are to be remitted after this life why is it not heresie to holde that small sinnes may be then remitted seeing we haue but one meanes to obtaine remission of sinnes againe why should allegoricall interpretations be more allowable in papists then in Origen finally why should not other damned soules be as well saued as Traians soule and the soule of Falconilla an idolatresse at the intercession of Gregory as Damascen and the papists beléeue argument 38 Eunomius taught that so a man were of his religion it skilled not greatly what sinnes he committed asseuerabat saith y De haeres â— 54. Augustine quod nihil cuiquam obesset quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseuerantia peccatorum si huius quae ab ipso docebatur fidei particeps esset vnto which heresie the papists come very nere for the pope to all his followers promiseth heauen if they beléeue as he doth and will come to confession his canonists teach that the pope albeit he draw innumerable soules to hell and continue in all wickednesse yet he is Christes true vicar and the head of the church z Lib. de eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine requireth no inward vertue in the true members of the church which he defineth so they professe outwardly and communicate with the pope let the world then iudge what church the papists build when they admitte Piers Lacy Tirone the white knight and such wicked rebels to be true parts and members of their society argument 39 The a 1. Tim. 4. apostle condemned them as hereticks that forbad men to marry and to abstaine from certaine meates whereupon saith b In 1. Tim. 4. Theodoret rectè posuit prohibentium contrahere matrimonium neque eum Caelibatum aut continentiam vituperat sed eos accusat qui lege lata ea sequi compellunt if then the papists by sharpe lawes forbid priests and monks to marry and to eat certaine meates are they not within the compasse of these false teachers argument 40 The hereticks called Anomi were condemned as heretiks for that they either contemned or corrupted the law of God is it not then some blemish to papists that they make the law of God to be vnperfect and c Sess 4. concil Trid. make their owne traditions equall to Gods law and is it not heresie to make a new lawgiuer as the papists doe c. translato de constitutionibus and to cut off the second commandement concerning the making of grauen images finally doe they imagine that it is no error to d Concil Trid. sess 5. say that concupisence is no sinne which is direct contrary to the apostles doctrine Rom. 7. and to the law of God argument 41 Ireneus and Tertullian doth range them among hereticks which flie from scriptures and when they are conuinced by them fall to accuse them affirming that the
most vnwoorthy to possesse land and office that will not serue her Maiestie by whose fauour and clemency they enioy their lands and offices against the Spaniard or other forren enemy that séeketh to depriue both vs and them percase of lands liuing and life It may be that some papists will not beléeue this to be true of the masse priests and their adherents but if they list to read and sée what the secular priests confesse in their treatise of important considerations they will change their opinions argument 5 Howsoeuer they iudge of this point yet they will not deny that it is treason to adhere to forren enemies In the statute of 25. of Edward the third chap. 2. those that adhere to the kings enemies are adiudged traitors By the u El fuero real tit de la guarda del rey lawes of Spaine likewise it is made treason to ioine with the enemie and to yeeld him succour or helpe by any meanes and the like we may gather out of the Roman lawes ad legem Iuliam maiestatis l. 1. Finally reason may teach vs that they can not be our friends that adhere to our enemies and ioine with them but the masse priests and all that haue dealt hitherto in the popes and Spaniards cause haue adhered to forren foes and to the publike and professed enemies of her Maiesty and this state for first it is apparent that the Pope and Spaniard are publike enemies of the prince state Hostes ij sunt saith x ff de verborum signific l. hostes Pomponius qui nobis aut quibus nos publicè bellum decreuimus that is they are publike enemies either which make warres on vs or vpon whom we make warres The Gréeks of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth warre doe call enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sheweth them to be enemies properly that make warres vpon vs. But the Pope and Spaniard from the yéere 1569. haue not ceased to make warres against the English nation Pope Pius the fift hauing a determination to recouer his authority in England and that rather by the sword than as Peter did gaine men by the word stirred vp Philip king of Spaine to ioine with him against our nation both of them sent money to aide the Northren rebels anno 1569. and were determined to haue sent an army into England vnder the conduct of the duke of Alua had not the practise of the rebels béene discouered and had not the rebellion béene suppressed before the succors came to them y Manolessa The Pope also afterward set vp the duke of Norfolke and sent him mony and encouraged him with great promises to execute his sentence and both these points are prooued not onely by the testimony of the letters of Pius Quintus as they are recorded by him that set out the report of his life but also by the testimony of the secular priests in their treatise called important considerations About the yeere 1578. Stukelcy was by the Pope furnished with money and souldiers to make some enterprise in Ireland and had done somewhat if Gods iudgements had not turned him into Barbarie where he made his end correspondent to his life That string being broken Sanders was sent as agent for the Pope to raise a rebellion in Ireland and not long after the Pope sent certeine forces into the same countrey that openly z Let Parsons shew that euer S. Peter did the like displaied his banners against her Maiestie and the English nation Anno 1588. both the Spaniards and Popes fléet came with fire and sword against England The duke of Parma likewise prouided great land forces against vs in the Low-countreys An. 1597. 1598. the Adelantado of Spaine set foorth twise or thrise from Corona with an intention to descend in the port of Falmouth and to take that countrey And lately Don Juan d'Aquila was sent with diuers regiments for the conquest of Ireland Likewise we for our defence haue since made some attempts against the Spaniard in Spaine in the Indiaes and in the Low-countreys And most of these matters are publikely knowen and can not be denied by the aduersarses themselues The secular priests confesse most of these things in their treatise of important considerations It can not therefore be denied but that both the Pope and the Spaniard are publike enemies of her Maiestie and the state The like may be said of Henry the 2. the French king during the warres in Scotland in the beginning of her Maiesties reigne and of the duke of Guise the duke of Alua the prince of Parma and others that at seuerall times haue done hostile acts against her Maiesty and the English nation Likewise it is a thing very manifest that all our masse-priests and their partakers and consorts haue adhered to the king of Spaine to the pope and to other forren enemies Vpon the first comming of the Quéene to the crowne diuers fled to the French king who pretending a right to the crowne of England for his daughter in law the Quéene of Scots proclaimed her in Paris Queene of England and Ireland not without the consent of some traitorous English as it séemeth Mortua Maria saith a De schi◠li. 3. Sanders Henricus Galliarum rex c. nurum suam Scotorum reginam Henrici octaui proneptim parisijs pro concione Angliae Hiberniae reginam declarandam curauit he sent also forces into Scotland to second his claime which no man may surmise he would haue done but that he was promised a party in England that the seminaries of Doway and Rome adhere to the pope and Spaniard it cannot be denied for of them they haue their maintenance and when the priests of the seminaries are déepely rooted in the grounds of vnnaturall disloialty and treason abroad they come with commission and meanes from them two home into England thirdly Sanders was sent by the pope as his legat into Ireland and both he and his consorts that were sent vpon that businesse were furnished with meanes from the pope and did wholly depend vpon him and on the king of Spaine fourthly it appeareth that the priests held the pope for the chiefe lord and did not so much as vouchsafe to call Elizabeth the Queene of England their Quéene petatur à summo domino nostro say Parsons and Campian in their faculties explicatio bullae declaratoriae contra Elizabetham ei adhaerentes let vs beseech say they our most high lord the pope to make an exposition of the bull against Elizaberh and all that adhere vnto her so it appeareth that they declare themselues opposite to the Quéene and all her true subiects and that they adhere to the pope it may out of that facultie also be gathered that all papists adhere to the pope for that these two prouide for them onely and exclude all the Quéenes subiects for the papists whom those two traitors call catholikes desire that the popes bull may binde
ignorantia contrahuntur coercitio u Ibidem l. legis virtus Modestinus teacheth vs that the life and efficacy of the law consisteth in commanding forbidding permitting and punishing take away execution and punishment and you not only ouerthrow the law but the state also Now if any offence deserue punishment then sure traitors may not thinke to escape that séeke to dissolue both lawes and state Treason saith x Rerum Graec. lib. 2. Xenophon is so much more dangerous by how much it is more difficult to take heed of traitors than of enemies with our enemies we may be reconciled but traitors are neuer to be trusted the offence being so great many extraordinary courses are taken in the repressing of treasons In hoc atrocissimo delicto saith a certeine y Clarus sententiar lib. 5. §. laesae maiest lawyer lex nonnulla specialia introduxit and commonly such persons are most hatefull I haue learned saith z In prometheo Aeschylus to hate traitors neither is any villany more hatefull than treason Traitors are common enemies to all men that loue the state or their liege Souereigne Omnium communis est hostis saith a Lib. 1. accusat in Verrem Tully qui hostis est suorum Who then would not hate them that wickedly consort themselues with the Pope and Spaniard against the state The prince hath principall reason to represse this faction for she carieth not the sword for nothing and if she should neglect the danger in regard of her owne particular yet will shée not neglect their safetie whose estate dependeth so much vpon the saftie of her person further she hath little cause giuen her to extend her clemency to this viperous generation and their adherents that shew extreme malice in séeking the destruction of her kingdome by bringing in forren enemies they haue also slandered her Maiesties noble father herselfe her friends her seruants and the whole state as appeareth by Sanders his booke of schisme by Andreas Philopater Didimus Veridicus and diuers other infamous libels set out by Parsons and other wicked Iesuites Finally no prince can endure such to haue the benefit of subiects that will neither acknowledge his souereignty nor submit themselues to lawes The ecclesiasticall state may not endure either Baals priests to set vp idolatry or false teachers to broch false doctrine and priuily to bring in superstition and heresie Her Maiesties councell assuredly will not winke at any practise or complot against their prince and country but with all seuerity will procéede against the authors of them and all their factious partakers The chiefe officers and nobility of the relme haue no reason to beare with them which by alteration of state séeke to depriue them of their honors and to dispose of their lands and goods at their pleasure neither is it the part of a generous and noble english minde to suffer themselues to be disgraced and ouerruled if not tirannized by Parsons his councell of reformation by Italians and Spaniards and the very scumme of all villany The reuerend iudges will neuer suffer such to escape vnpunished as séeke the subuersion of iustice neither may lawiers endure those that goe about to ouerthrow their countrey lawes and to bring in strange lawes and to rule all by force and violence as may appeare by Parsons trecherous plots and his most infamous councell of reformation All true subiects I suppose will rather die then suffer the tyranny of strangers and therefore I néed not animate either her Maiestie or the ecclesiasticall state or her councell or her chiefe agents or her nobility or iudges or the lawiers or the rest of her subiects to encounter and to resist the plots of these Iebusits and traiterous massepriests that séeke for the establishment of their massing ceremonies and most wicked religion to bring in strangers to cut their owne countrymens throtes to abuse their wiues and daughters and finally to destroy this flourishing kingdome and their owne most deare country the safety of the common welth as all politicks know and b Arist polit lib. 3. c. 3. teach is the common worke of all true citizens and well minded subiects and I doubt not but as all men detest such as oppugne the state so they will all ioine together and haue a vigilant eie to looke to their execrable plots entended against the state Finally reason and experience may teach the papists that howsoeuer some of them hope to win by shuffling of matters of state yet that most of them shall rather loose then winne they may also see that many haue lost their liues and liuings that haue bene practisers in rebellion and treason and forrain aides doe commonly first oppresse those that vse them and finally forsake them examples hereof they may sée in the rebellion of the north and of Ireland if they be not blinde and consider them they may if they will be led with reason Wherefore I doubt not but as all men may sée the treasons of priests and Iesuits and their adherents to be made manifest so they shall shortly sée the execution of lawes against them that such as haue bene executed for practising in the popes cause are no martyrs as papists giue out it may easily be proued for euen the aduersaries themselues will confesse that traitors against the prince and state are no martyrs vnlesse therefore Parsons can cleare his consorts of those points of treason which I haue declared and obiected and shew that they adhered not to forrain enemies nor had intelligence with traitors that sought the destructoon of the prince and state nor offended in any other points of treason before rehearsed he must néeds confesse himselfe and his consorts to be rather in state of treason then martyrdome Secondly martyrs died in time past for the testimony of Christ Iesus but such papists as haue bene executed in England of late yeares haue died for the maintenance of antichrists tyranny and packing with forren enemies and matter of treason against the prince and state and for other offences deseruing death and this is manifestly proued by the enditements framed against them by the depositions of witnesses confessions of the parties and the whole forme of their triall iudgement and execution neither is it materiall that some were accused for bringing in or hauing of medalles or graines others for being made priests by the popes faction others for reconciling men to the pope which are points as the papists say of their popish religion for albeit medalles and graines are not simply of themselues notes of treason yet seeing the pope doeth vse them as marks of his faction it were simplicity not to vnderstand that such as vse them are of his adherents Againe to be a priest simply in it selfe is no treason but if priests that are ordred by the popes faction take an oth of obedience to him that is our enimie and are bound to set foorth his cause for the regaining of England to his
wiues Nay hee sayth in the same place that priestes and deacons haue wiues and keep children albeit against the outwarde rule of the church So it appeareth that this abstinence frō wiues was but an humane ordinance and not obserued in all places which is that which I say Hierome likewise saith that in certain churches they chose clerkes of bachilars widdowes Contra vigilant in princip or such as desisted to be husbands But the question is whether the church vniuersally had any such order And secōdly whether maried priests did promise or vow continency and thirdly whether they might not returne to their wiues in all which points Hierome faileth Owliglasse Nay Hierome saith that certaine bishops ordained none but maried priests seeing the lubricity of others Indeed I cōfesse he disliked it but the question betwixt Owlyglasse and me is concerning the practise of the Church The 2. Councell of Arles is sayd to be celebrated in Siluester and Constantines time But the acts of that supposed Councell describe a forme of the Church farre disagreeing from those times Besides that the copies of it differing much one from another as Surius testifieth do shew the acts not to be authentical But suppose they were yet nothing is contained in the 2. Canon of that Councell quoted by Owlyglasse but that no maried man shall be made priest nisi fuerit promissa conuersio Which if our aduersary do translate vnles he promise continencie from his wife as he doth then must he condemne mariage to be sinfull Which if he do then doth Owlyglasse teach doctrine of Diuels If conuersion signifie turning from wicked life the Canon maketh nothing agaynst me That the 199. Epistle to Ecdicia in the works of Saint Augustine was written by him wee are not bound to beleeue seeing many Epistles dayly foysted in among his that are clearely knowne to be misbegotten But were it his and did he write that Ecdicia her husband promising continencie were to perseuere in that purpose yet that proueth not that if they were not able to performe their vow that therefore they might not come togither For they liued in one house togither tooke no solemne vow Ei obsequi sayth the author of that Epistle in domestica conuersatione debuisti Beside that they had house and goods and the womā was reprehended for that she gaue them away which is contrary to the course of Monkery in our times Finally albeit this were the opiniō of one man is it not ridiculous to thinke that all the Church in externall matters was led and gouerned by one mans opinion To that place which I alledged out of the 19. of Math. hee answereth that the band of matrimony doth cōtinue stil after the vow of continency But if he speake of the vow of continencie after mariage solemnized and not consummate he doth shew himselfe to be ignorant what his own side doth hold For the Councell of Trent Ses 24. cap. 6. doth decree that such mariages by vowes of monasticall religion are quite dissolued The same also doth Bellar. lib. de Monach. 2. cap. 38. by arguments endeuour to proue If he deny that mariage consummate is dissolued by vowes yet Cassian collat 21. c. 10. and the last law Cod. de episc Cleric is against him Likewise seemeth Peter Lomb. to hold lib. 4 sent dist 31. § 2. Angelus in authent de episc cleric Baldus in authen◠sed hodie C. de adulter The same also albeit by the Canonists denied C. ex publico C. ex parte tua de conuersione coniugat Yet in effect by the Popish practise is granted For seeing the maried couples may no more cōpany togither nor liue togither nor yeeld mutuall offices of mariage loue one to another who doth not acknowledge that in effect the Pope doth breake the hands of mariage repugneth against his opiniō that writeth to Ec dicia for he would haue her to serue her husband in all things Inter August Epist 199. Sect. 4. That Masses and praiers for soules departed and speciall offices for the dead were neuer frequented by true Catholikes WHere I affirme that the Papists say Masses and praiers for soules departed for the dead haue appointed special offices that my aduersarie shal neuer be able to proue that such Masses praiers and offices haue bin frequented by true Catholikes there Owlyglas stormeth sheweth great impacience Belike he perceiueth that I touch his freehold wound him mortally For in the Masse the very soule of popery cōsisteth And rather wold the priests loose all the rest of their trinkets then Masses and Dirges which to Masse priests is prora puppis the foundation of all their hope Therfore he saith that this which I say is an vntruth in grain But if he were not a dizard in graine he would not so rashly haue aduentured vppon this point For the first part of my proposition he cannot deny vnlesse he will forsweare the Masse as he hath forsworne his liege soueraigne The second also cannot be denied vnlesse Rob. Parsons or he can proue the contrarie Let vs therefore see if he can proue that Masses and Dirges and set offices for soules departed haue beene frequented of true Catholikes Homil. 69. ad populum First he alledgeth the testimony of Chrysostome that saith that not without cause it was ordained by the Apostles that in the dreadful mysteries cōmemoration should be made of the dead knowing therby that much gaine and profit doth come vnto them Secōdly he alledgeth Epiph. and August that seem to say that Aerius was condemned for denying that sacrifices oblations were to be offred for the dead or that praiers were to bee made for them Thirdly he alledgeth Caluins confession that saith it was a receiued custom 1300. yeres agone to pray for the dead and reproueth S. August Monica for it Finally he calleth out my brother Willet for a witnesse against me in that he saith that diuers ancient writers inclined to maintain commend praier for the dead And yet all this commeth short of that which he would proue For first in all these proofes there is no mention of speciall offices for the dead Secondly there cannot any Masse bee shewed like vnto the Masses of Requiem aeternā Thirdly the Masses set out vnder Chrysostoms Basils other fathers names are of one sort onely Neither shall you find that beside the ordinary forme they had speciales Missas votiuas or Masses proper for the dead Fourthly the commemoration made of the dead in times past was at the first a recitall of the names of the dead without any praier added for remission of sinnes Fiftly in the Canon of the Masse in the old ordinall of Rome the praier for the dead is left out Sixtly Chrysost neuer beleeued Purgatory For in the 3. Hom. vpon the Epistle to the Philip he saith that iust men whether liuing or dead are with Christ He would also haue praiers made for
pennance that is inioyned them Otherwise in his life time he is shut out of the Church and after his death prohibited christian buriall The councell of Trent Sess 14. c. 6. saith that auricular confession is necessary vnto saluation by the law of God Francis à victoria lib. de sacrament c. de confessione saith that a man being at the point of death is bounde by Gods law to confesse to a Priest If I say he had but one sparke of honestie or graine of modestie he would not haue affirmed that this maner of auriculer confession had béene ordayned by Christ hauing neither testimony of scriptures nor standing with the doctrine of the fathers Delicta sua quis intelligit saith the Prophet Psalm 18. How then can a man confesse all his sins which no maÌ„ is wel able to conceiue nor the papists in their multiforme cases of consciences able to eâ—presse Secondly the Prophet saith that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne God will put all his wickednesse out of his remembrance If a sinner therefore repent he may haue remission of sinnes without auriculer confession Thirdly the fathers doe refell this confessionall doctrine nondico vt confitearis peccata conseruo tuo saith Chrysostome Homil. 2. in Psalm 50. qui exprobret dicito deo qui curet ea I say not confesse thy sinnes to thy fellow seruant which may reproch it to thee but speake to God which careth for such matters Ambrose vpon the 10. of Luke c. 96. saith hee readeth of Peters teares but not of his satisfaction And againe let teares saith he wash your sinnes that by word you are ashamed to confesse Lib. 10. confess c. 3. what haue I to doe saith Saint Augustine with men that they should heare my coÌ„fessions as if they were to heale my griefes Cassian also collat 20. c. 9. teacheth men to confesse to God such thinges as they blush to confesse to men Fourthly it is an absurd thing to say Christ ordained coÌ„fessioÌ„ not to be able to proue it out of the scriptures Fiftly if confeson of all sinnes were necessarie then who should escape damnation Sixtly Papistes themselues bring diuers cases wherin they say coÌ„fession is not necessary the Pope dispenseth in case of omisssion of confession which sheweth that confession is not iuris diuini nor necessary to saluation Finally Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople tooke a way a kind of auriculer confession for publike sinnes which was vsed in that Church as Sozomenus testifieth And this is sufficient to cleare me of all vntruth obiected against me by Owlyglasse If he thinke otherwise or if any man will not be perswaded let him orderly answere this and other latin treatises which I haue written concerning diuers of these seuerall causes If they cannot let them leaue for shame to belche out their wicked slaunders against vs that shall alway be able to iustifie our allegations and writings better then the aduersaries that care not much how falsely they speake or write CHAP. II. An answere to Owlyglasses exceptions concerning thirteene falsifications pretended to be committed in M. Sutcliffes late Challenge Sect. I. Of two allegations of Epiphanius and Augustine pretended to be falsified SICVT canis qui reuertitur ad vomitum suum saith Salomon Prouerb 26. sic stultus qui iterat stultitiam suam for if a foole haue a toye or fancie in his head you shall hardly bring him from it This appeareth plaine by the foolish and fond deuises of our aduersaries who hauing a conceit to worke vs some disgrace vnder pretence of vntruths and falsifications are still talking and prating of falsifications wherein notwithstanding the cause being examined all the disgrace will fall vpon themselues Robert Parsons being at Rome and hearing of the conference that had passed betwixt M. Plessis and M. d' Eureux would needes forsooth send a pamphlet concerning that matter into England with a request that a triall might also be made concerning allegations by men of our side with vs as it had passed before in France The which pamphlet albeit he might sée to haue beene answered two yeares agone and his challenge concerning matters of falsification to be accepted by me and that I haue begone to obiect against him diuers notorious and most materiall falsifications whereupon Romish religion séemeth to depend yet is Owlyglasse our aduersarie still returning to his vomit and still babling of falsifications himselfe being not able either to answere one word in defence of those falsifications which I shewed to haue beene committed by the Romish church and principall men actors in the Popes cause or well able to declare what falsification is albeit by practise he be most cunning in it And that appeareth by the first section of his third chapter page 47. for albeit I doe not set downe any words either of Saint Augustine or Epiphanius yet he pretendeth that I haue falsified both A strange matter that a man should commit a forgerie in writing and yet neither make nor preduce any writings at all But I quote them in the margent for that hée may alleadge in excuse of his dizardrie as if euery man that quoted an author in the margent either vnfitly or erroneously were to be charged with the crime of falsification The worst therefore that he is able to say against me is error and mistaking but if I haue not erred or mistakene ither Saint Augustine or Epiphanius I hope some cacolike massepriest will tell Owlyglasse that himselfe was much ouerseene in the verie first setting out of the harbour which is a verie euill presage and a most certaine signe that he will make no good voyage as long as he dealeth with me in this cause That I haue said truely it will appeare by comparing S. Augustines and Epiphanius his words with mine I say the Heracleonites did annoint their followers departing out of this life and gaue them a certaine kinde of extreme vnction And I quote Augustine de haeres c. 16. and Epiphanius de haeres 36. Let vs then sée whether S. Augustine and Epiphanius doe not prooue my words true Heracleonitae saith he feruntur suos morientes nouo modo quasi redimere id est per oleum balsamum aquam Likewise saith Epiphanius H quandoque aliqui ex ipsis oleum aqua mixtum capiti defuncti immittunt I say further that those heretikes said prayers for the dead and that is prooued both out of Augustine and Epiphanius Augustine said they vsed certaine inuocations inuocationes saith he quas Hebraicis verbis dicebant super capita scilicet morientium Hoc faciunt saith Epiphanius vt hi qui has inuocationes in vitae exitu accipiunt cum aqua oleo aut vnguento permixtis incomprehensibiles siant So it appeareth that these heretikes did annoint their Disciples with oyle hoping thereby to redéeme them and saue them It appeareth also that they said praiers ouer the dead in a tongue not vnderstood Do not then the
no part of my meaning but I say that the true Church cannot longe want true bishopes and teachers and that therfore the Romish Church is not the true Church hauing no bishops nor préestes at all but in name And that I proued for that they wanted true priesthood and true ordination and were ordayned and sent by antichrist by heretikes and simoniacall persons and such as had no authority to ordayne or sende forth bishops and preestes He answereth finally that I haue no reason to carpe at the Romish clergie for their bad life and lacke of learning seeing Pag. 96. our Church as he saith admitteth most base lewd vnlearned artisās this he indeuoureth to proue by M. Parries words in his preface before Vrsinus his catechisme But he lyeth like a lewde and base fellow if he suppose that such are admitted by our Church they do thrust in I confesse by the abuse of sōe on or more but the church alloweth thē not nay there are canōs made that none is to be ordained minister but bachilars of art or men otherwise well qualified and knowne to be able to teach If any doe otherwise by indirect meanes come into the ministery which abuse Master Parry noteth yet I hope they are not so rude or so lewde as masse Preests which are the scumme of all vileny for the most part as those that trauell Spayne and Italy knowe by practise and our rinegat English masse Preestes by their lewdnesse and insufficiency playnly proue Hauing answered according to his best skill and broken as he thinketh all our bonds like Dalilaes cords though some of his friends say that a certeine Dalila hath strong hold of him he goeth about to retort this argument vpon vs and saith if the true Church hath alwayes true bishops and preests that the Church of England Pag 100. is not the true Church as wanting true preestes and bishops And with this argument hee hopeth to giue vs such a drie shauing as he doubteth not but he will marre the whole beauty thereof but he sheweth himselfe to be but a simple barber and a worse drie shauer for nowe he cannot shew but that we haue true bishops hauing both lawfull ordination and our bishops exequuting the office of bishops loyally and orderly Before this reformation also our bishops had all that which our aduersaries thinke necessary in the outward calling of bishops Besides that there fayled not among our bishops and préestes at all times diuers men which detested the abominations of the Romanistes as Robert Grosted bishop of Lincolne Richard Vllerston that liued about the councell of Constance Iohn wicleffe and diuers others But saith he who layd hands on bishop Parker He séemeth also to make the like question of Luther and Zuinglius I answere that bishop Couerdale and Skory and others which were bishops in King Edwardes time layde hands vpon bishop Parker I confesse also that bishop Cranmer Luther and Zuinglius had an externall calling though corrupt in a corrupt state yet such as Owlygalsse dare not deny to be sufficient And beside that externall calling it pleased God to reuele to them his will extraordinarily and to call them out of Babylon to the knowledge of his truth our aduersary therefore of all men hath least reason to challenge them for their calling Beside that he cannot conclude because that externall calling was then thought sufficient that now the popish Church hath a calling sufficient For albeit the préestes of the Iewes that worshiped Baal had an externall calling which was not disabled when they returned to the true worship of God yet was not their Idolatrous seruice doon to Baal nor that preesthood lawful the like wee may say of masse préests They should haue serued God aright yet whē they serued at their massing alters they worshipped strange Gods But when they left their Idolatrie then their calling tooke effect they doing that for which they were principally called Furthermore he cannot say because now all Idolatry and superstition being abandoned we are the true church that the papists that reteine still their superstitiōs are the true church for the true church is tryed by true faith true worship and seruice of God not by externall rites and ceremonies and succession without Gods true worship or the true faith Owlyglasse would also gladly haue me to set down the names of those bishops that gouerned our Church euer since Christ As if all bishops that mayntained the Apostles créede and catholike faith were not our bishops If they digressed from the faith we are not to séeke for a new ranke of bishops but to acknowledge them to be true bishops that professed the true faith He talketh also of my being at Cales but it is more honesty for me to goe in the seruice of my Prince and contry against forreine enemies then for him with forreine enemies like a disloyal traytor to fight against his prince and contry and like a base slaue to serue the popes turne And this may serue to iustifie my argument against the popish préesthood It resteth now that I answere his friuolous obiections concerning some points which he supposeth to conteine matter of contradiction which he vanteth that hee will handle to the little commendation of my learning as he saith But if he would indéede haue disgraced me he should haue taken in hand the aunswere of some latine treatise which I haue published against Bellar. For therein he might haue shewed lerning whereas this discourse concerning falsifications and vntruthes is nothing but a little fardle of foolery and a vaine bable for his clients to sport themselues with all Well in the meane while let vs know his worships pleasure concerning these supposed contradictions First he chargeth me with saying that the number of seuen sacraments was not certainly established nor receiued before the late councell of Trent and this he supposeth to be contrarie to that which I affirme in another place viz. that the iust number of seuen sacraments and neither more nor lesse was first deliuered by the councell of Florence vnder Eugenius the fourth and afterward confirmed by the councell of Trent But the poore ideot doth rather bewray his owne ignorance that knew not how this doctrine of seuen sacraments crept into the Romish church and great dulnesse that could not distinguish betwixt instructions and canons talking or mentioning matters and confirming them by solemne act and decree To reforme his errour therefore I must let him vnderstand that the conuenticle of Florence did not by any solemne canon establish the iust number of seuen sacraments but certaine idle Friers or others in that conuenticle or at the least vnder the credit thereof deliuered this doctrine of seuen sacraments to the Armenians Furthermore not all Churches but the Armenians had this doctrine deliuered vnto them I speake therefore warily where I say that albeit that doctrine was talked of perhaps and deliuered to the Armenians yet it was first confirmed by solemne
those that haue beene destroyed by this change of religion A most shamelesse and palpable vntruth For not religion or any alteration therein but the malice of the Pope and wicked practises of Iesuites and there consorts haue caused most of these troubles The rest haue happened vpon other accidentes By the Popes secret practises and Charles the 9. his great disloyalty many thousandes of innocentes were massacred in France the yeare of our Lord 1572. by the working of Claude Matthieu a Iesuite and others his consortes that league was made which brought infinit calamities to the people and kingedome of France Paule the third stirred vp warres against the princes of Germany Pâ—us the fift was the firebrand that inflamed the Northren rebellion in England Sanders the Popes legat was the originall cause of the destruction of the earle of Desmond And happie had the late Quéene of Scots beene if shée had not béene to credulous to beléeue Sammier and other seditions Iesuites entisinge words and promises the attempt of Spaniardes against England anno 1588 was set forward by Frier Sixtus quintus at the solicitation of Robert Parsons and his fellowes albeit here he would gladly discharge himselfe and lay the fault vpon others the Iesuites were the causes of the destruction of the Duke of Guise of Henry the french King that was murdered by Iames Clement of the Duke of Parma of the discontentment of the Prince of Transiluania neither was the losse of Sebastian King of Portugal of his whole army his estate to be ascribed to any other theÌ„ to the wicked counsaile of the Iesuites which gouerned him wholy and drue him into that action they haue also brought the King to Poland in danger to loose his kingdome of Suethland and caused the ouerthrow of Ferdinand of Croatia by the Turkes and finally both haue they ruined as many as haue harkened to their turbulent counsels and will they ruine as many as will be guided by them And this is not only proued by experience but also testified by diuers records and bookes in England and France of late set out by men of their owne religion The diuisions certes which they haue caused in the emperors army in Hungary haue wrought many calamities to christendome falsification 5 In the same encounter he saith that before the late alteration of religion there was one forme of seruice one number of Sacraments one tongue one Sacrifice one heade of the Church throughout all christendome but in my reply pag. 19. I haue shewed that this shorte sentence containeth the truth haue respected temporal commodity or as if we did not vrge them with the truth of apostolicall doctrine and the ancient christian faith falsification 38 In the preface of his directory fol. 13. p. 2 he saith that S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Gregory S. Bernard perswade men by their examples to be afraid of purgatory A fourfold lye for neither did S. Ambrose nor any of the rest speake of a purgatory wherein christians did satisfie for the temporall punishment of sins remitted in earth nor did they beléeue any such purgatory Whatsoeuer they held of another purgatory viz. for veniall sinnes yet false it is that they perswaded men to be afraid of it by their examples falsification 39 In his directory lib. 1. p. 42. he saith that the world knoweth that Socrates was put to death for iâ—sting at the multitude of gods among the gentiles a matter which the world knoweth to be a lie and is refuted by Plato al that write of his death falsification 40 In the same place he saith Plato was wont to report of Zeno the stoike that he should say that either there was one God or no God but the record of the report will not be found Further if Plato liued before Zeno it was not like that he should prophecy what Zeno would say These lyes certes being the grounds of Parsons proofes where he goeth about to shew that there is a God are rather like to make a gentile or heathen maÌ„ obstinate then to make him beléeue in one God falsification 41 Pag. 174. he telleth that the number of infants slaine at Bethlehem was 14. thousand and this he goeth about to proue by the greeke calendar and the liturgy of the Aethiopians but such fables as he bringeth doe rather discredit christian religion then prooue it We beléeue that Herod killed the yoong children in Bethlehem and thereabouts but so many as 14. M. could not be found in that quarter as is very likely falsification 42 Pag. 269. he saith that Philo the Iew doth set forth strange things in the life and exercises of S. Marke and of his disciples that liued in Alexandria But if Philo in his booke de vit conteÌ„plat do neither speake of S. Marke nor his disciples in Alexandria I hope that Parsons disciples will be ashamed of their masters ignorance and confesse that he hath lyed It were an easie matter to set downe infinit lyes of this lying compagnion whoe without lying is not able to speak any thing as his consorts the seculer priests say but when he hath cleared himselfe of these he shall haue twise so many more obiected against him and drawne out of his simple writings In the meane while it may appeare that neither he nor his disciple Owlyglasse had any great reason to challenge the combat of vs for falsifications and lyes CHAP. XI That Owlyglasse himselfe hath falsified diuers authors and allegations in his little lewd Pamplet wherein he chargeth others with falsifications IS it possible thinke you to worke somewhat out of nothing certes no. Strange therefore it may seeme vnto you that I endeuour out of this small Pamphlet that is as nothing to make something Yet if you please to consider the particulers ensuing you shall finde that in this trifling discourse of the woodden detector wherein he hath shewed neither witte learning nor honesty nor any good thing that there are diuers points contained that may conuince him both to bee a falsary and a false lying compagnion falsification 1 Out of Origen pag. 11. c. 2. he citeth these words qui renascitur debet sale saliri Homil. 6. in Ezech. But the fathers words are these oportet ergo eum qui renascitur vtique in Christo renascentem rationabile sincerum lac desiderare prius quam rationabile sine dolo lac desideret debet sale saliri pannorum inuolucris colligari ne dicatur ad eum sale non es salitus pannis non es inuolutus So then by this it appeareth that he cutteth away the words in the midst and leaueth out the words in the end of the sentence and the maliciously to serue his purpose for otherwise it would haue appeared that Oregin spoke allegorically or that al children and others that are to be baptized must as well drinke milke and be lapped in cloutes as salted or touched with salt falsification 2 In his preface he abuseth
not to frequent their company Salomon though a wise prince was seduced by his idolatrous wiues and Iosaphat hardly escaped danger accompanying and assisting the idolatrous king Achab observation 4 If all that adhere to forrein enemies and refuse to acknowledge the princes right and authoritie and that séeme rather willing and ready to take part with forrein enemies then to stand in defence of their prince and country be no otherwise to be accounted of then as traitors and publicke enemies then are all true subiects to deale against massepriests and their adherents as disloyall traitors and wicked enemies of their prince and country for princes cannot subsist vnlesse they maintaine their authority and lawes nor can subiects liue safe hauing this viperous generation dispersed in euery corner In ancient time treason was accounted the greatest crime that could be committed in matters of state and most seuerely and extraordinarily was the same punished at this day neither will the Spaniard nor French nor the Italian princes endure any subiect that shall either deny his authority or adhere to forrein enemies albeit they pretend religion neuer so much naturally euery man is bound to defend himselfe but the prince is not onely bound by the lawes of nature to looke to his owne safetie but also by the lawes of state for that many mens safety and estates doe depend vpon him as for those that feare or deferre to take a course with traitors they are either stupide or else pusillanimous The Iesuits and their adherents will I know deny themselues to be traitors so they will also deny the Sunne to shine pro bono societatis as they terme it and for their cacolicke cause but I haue by arguments conuinced them to be traitors and if they answere not categorically and directly and without all equiuocations they will by their owne silence prooue themselues to be traitors and for the manifestation of their leud disposition I would pray Robert Parsons or his schollar Garnet or Philip woodward that is so busie or any of the combination of the archipresbiteriall congregation of traitors to answere me directly to these questions ensuing First whether they beléeue the pope by his sentence procéeding without error against the Queene and declaring her to be deposed that they are still to acknowledge her to be lawfull Quéene or no and to obay her notwithstanding the popes commandement Secondly whether in that case the Pope commanding them to take armes against her Maiestie they ought not to doe it and are excommunicate and damned like dogges if the pope commande them to doe it vpon paine of his curse and they refuse it Thirdly whether in that case they will not perswade all papists to take armes against her Maiestie and whether themselues will not concurre with them if the pope excommunicate all that refuse 4 Whether they do not beléeue that the pope hath power to take her Maiesties crowne from her head 5 Whether he hath power to dispence with the subiects othes of allegiance and to command them to rebell 6 Whether they thinke her Maiesty can be deposed without violence offered to her Maiesties person and life 7 Whether the pope commanding them they would not deliuer her into the hands of her enemies or kill her as Allen in his traiterous exhortation to the nobility and people of England and Ireland went about to perswade them 8 Whether they thinke it not lawfull so to doe 9 Whether the Spaniards or other forrein enemies comming to execute the popes sentence against the Quéene they would fight against them displaying the Popes banner and publishing the popes lawfull sentence as they suppose against the Quéene or take part with them 10 Whether all are not excommunicate that disobey the popes sentence or contumaciously stand against him it being not knowen but that he hath procéeded iustly nor they hauing power to dispute of his doings or to determine against him 11 Whether they will allow the fact of the erles of Westmerland and Northumberland that rebelled in England of Sanders and the Earle of Desmond that rebelled in Ireland and such like rebells or not 12 Whether they beléeue that Allen Sanders Bristow Parsons and such as allow such facts of treasons be not traitors and haue published trecherous doctrine 13 Whether they doe take themselues bound in conscience to follow the popes sentences and decrées in deposing of princes and bestowing of kingdomes vpon strangers when hée shall command them vpon paine of his curse 14 Whether they purpose not to mainteine the Infantaes title if the pope doe so command them or other prince that he shall set vp against her Maiestie 15 Whether they haue not receiued the popes breeues and enterteined intelligence with him and his agents and whether they haue not receiued pensions and money out of Spaine and thinke it lawfull so to doe and whether they haue not taken an oth for the Spanish Infantaes title nor brought any notes of their faction out of Spaine and Italie as for example medalles graines reliques agnus Dei pictures crosses faculties and such like 16 Whether hereafter they do not meane to enterteine intelligence with the Pope and Spaniard and their agents and to acknowledge the pope for their superior All which if they answere not they must néeds confesse themselues worthy to be expulsed out of this land and sent backe to the Pope and Spaniard if no worse for thereby they declare themselues friends to them and enemies to their countrey observation 5 If it be a matter very equall that euery man should be iudged by such lawes as themselues practise against others as is apparent by the law Si quis ff quod quisque iuris c. then haue the Romanists no reason to require any fauour at the hands of our superiours They put true Christians to death without all remission if they renounce not the true Christian faith and those that are said to deale most mercifully with them as some popish princes and prelates in Germany yet do they banish all such as they suspect not to hold popish religion Why then do not papists acknowledge the great fauor shewed to them by the state when such notorious idolaters and hereticks are not serued as they serue others and why doe these seditious malcontents exclaime against her Maiesties late proclamation and the state that giueth such traitors and leâ—d practisers so faire warning to be packing They pardon none that commit treason in Rome or Spaine Why then should it be more lawfull for Iesuites and factious masse priests to commit treason in England is not our countrey as deare to vs as Rome or Spaine to them They account it a matter very absurd for any to dispute whether the Italian or Spanish lawes concerning treason be iust or no and whether they be to be executed or not and such prisoners as should except against lawes abroad would be laughed to scorne Why then should Parsons and Allen and their traitorous consorts be
say that the forme of confirmation nowe vsed by the Romanists is new not receiued before the councell of Florēce about the yeare of our Lord. 1423. And that I say true it may be confirmed First by the writinges of the Apostles wherein we cannot finde either institutiō forme or matter of that new sacrament Secondly by the practise of the auncient Church wherein albeit wée finde the formes of other sacraments yet we finde nothing of the forme or matter or manner of administration of popish confirmation The old ordinall of Rome hath nothing concerning it Isidore Amalarius and all ancient ritualistes omit it Apud antiquiores authores Lib. de confirmat c. 10. saith Bellar speaking of the forme of confirmation haec omnia verba non habentur nec hoc ordine Thirdly the auncient fathers doe neither mention the institution nor the proper matter nor the forme vsed in this action by the Romanistes Bellar. albeit he searched all corners yet found he nothing to purpose He citeth Iustine Tertullian Cyprian Ierome others Ibid. c. 5. 6. but they speake only of a ceremony of vnction and imposition of handes and that vsed in Baptisme most commonly Further more they haue not any part of that doctrine which the synagogue of Rome teacheth concerning confirmation Fourthly the schoolemen differ about the institution of confirmation some of them holding that it was instituted in a certaine counsell at Meldis concerning the formes also and matter or minister of this sacrament they are not resolued Fiftly we doe not find that confirmation was receiued by any authoritie before the counsell of Trent vnlesse we take the particular instruction of the Armenians for a generall establishment Finally the weake and absurd dispute of Bellarmine that is not able to produce any institution of this pretended sacrament nor to confirme either the forme or the matter or the doctrine of it may resolue a man that the whole as it is practised by the Romish Church is a new inuention Page 31. All this notwithanding our aduersary saith that it is a palpable vntruth viz. to affirme the forme of Popish confirmation to be a new inuention For to omit saith he how the forme of this Sacrament is as auncient as the Apostles But if he had omitted this indeede he should haue omitted a bold and impudent vntruth For how is it to be presumed that this forme of confirmation came from the Apostles when the aduersaries themselues before the conuenticles of Florence and Trent could neuer agree about the forme And what likelyhood is there that the Apostles did practise this forme when we finde no record or memoriall of it in auncient and authenticall histories Is it likely that the auncient church would not mention all the formes of their sacraments He saith also that we cannot shew any later beginning of confirmation as if we did not note the time of the instruction of the Armenians and conuenticle of Trent before which the schoolemen babled their pleasure but they had no certaine resolution on which they depended Lib. 4. contra Donatist He telleth vs also that as S. Augustine saith we are to beleeue that to be descended from the Apostles which the vniuersall Church holdeth and hath alwaies beene obserued and is not instituted by councels But where he saith that this is the case of confirmation he sheweth himselfe to be past shame in auouching so grosse vntruthes For first we shewe that the forme of confirmation was talked of in the conuenticle of Florence and established in the conuenticle of Trent Secondly Owlyglasse shall neuer be able to proue that the vniuersall Church receiued beleeued or taught the Popish doctrine and forme of confirmation Would he shew the same out of the Greeke Fathers and S. Augustine and other doctors of Africke Italy and other countries he might winne himselfe some good credit Finally he cannot shew by any good record that the Church of Rome hath alwaies receiued the doctrine and forme of confirmation that now is This done he proceedeth on and saith To omit this and many notable things els that it is sufficient to conuince master Sutcliffe of vntruth that Thomas of Aquine almost two hundred yeares before the councell of Florence setteth downe the verie same forme affirming it to be the vsuall and common forme practised in the church and Bellarmine noteth this place of Thomas But he sheweth himselfe a simple fellow to omit notable things and to say nothing worthy to be noted But his simplicitie is farre greater to thinke that either Thom. Aquinas is an authenticall witnesse or that his testimonie doth conuince me For albeit Thomas doe speake of such a forme of which he must not thinke me ignorant yet it is a ridiculous conceit to beleeue that all the vaine conceits of schoolemen were receiued generally in the Church great simplicitie not to vnderstand that the church of Rome estéemeth but a little the disputes of schooles vntill their schoole opinions be receiued by the pope or established by councels Further he is not able to shew that Thomas Aquinas saith that the forme of confirmation by him mentioned was the vsuall and common forme generally receiued in the Church Our aduersarie therefore sheweth himselfe first to be a vaine fellow to take exception against me in this point rather bewraying his owne ignorance then conuincing me of vntruth and next a lying compagnion in belying his owne maister Thomas Aquinas Sect. XI That in auncient time the sacrament was not vsually kept in pixes after the fashion of the Romish Church IN my former Challenge I say that the idolatrous adoration of the sacrament and the carying of it about in procession and keeping of it in pixes sauoureth of noueltie Owlyglasse not daring to denie all onely excepteth against that which I say of pixes but if he had remembred the matter of his Pamphlet he would not haue mangled my wordes and accusing others of falsification haue at euerie turne runne into it headlong himselfe Accusing me also of vntruth himselfe most vntruely and impudently affirmeth that testimonies of antiquitie are plentiful for keeping the sacrament in pixes for he is not able to bring one authenticall testimonie for this point The councell of Nice can 14. decreeth that if there be in presence no Bishop or Priest viz. beside him that administreth the sacrament that then the Deacons shall proferre edere that is minister the sacrament and receiue it themselues But this is nothing to the keeping of the sacrament the wordes concerning the time of ministration or communion onely and the canon intending to restraine the insolencie of deacons that at the communion presumed to receiue before eyther byshops or elders not that serued at the altar but that were present at the communion as appeareth by the olde Romish ordinall Can. 12. The same councell also would haue the excommunicat reconciled before they depart this life and to haue the communion deliuered to them but he is a simple
fellow that could not see that the communion might bee administred to the sicke although the sacrament was not hung ouer the altar in a boxe Ambros de Oâ—it Theodos Satyrus kept the sacrament about him in shipwracke and a certaine woman of whom Cyprian maketh mention kept sanctum domini in her chest but our aduersarie is a simple disputer that would haue the abuses of simple women and men vnchristened such as Satyrus then was obserued for lawe Beside that it is one thing to hang the sacrament ouer the altar and another thing to put it in a womans chest or to lappe it vp in a clout for this the Romanistes themselues allow not Caluin 4. institut 17. sect 39. confesseth that the sacrament was in olde time reserued But he doth not say as our aduersarie insinuateth that this was the order of the church Finally our aduersary himselfe purposing to proue that the sacrament was kept in pixes ouer the altar concludeth only that the sacrament was kept abandoning the pixes to be defended by some other his dealing therefore sauoureth of great simplicitie if not of fraud and malice and vanitie But that which I said is most true and is at large iustified in my discourse of the masse against Bellarmine and is prooued first by the wordes of our Sauiour who instituting this holy sacrament tooke bread blessed it and broke it and gaue it to his Disciples saying take eate where I would wish that simple Papists would consider that he said take and eate and not depart without eating or els keepe the sacrament in boxes or hang it ouer the altar Secondly the Apostle 1. cor 11. declareth that the disciples of our Sauiour at his last supper did take and eate and drinke How then happeneth it that the massepriests doe not deliuer the sacrament to the people but hang it ouer the altar Will they prooue themselues to be not onely sacrificers and killers of Christ but also hangmen of Christ and the very famishers of Gods people Thirdly the fathers giue cleare testimonie against our aduersaries that keepe the sacrament in pixes Apolog. 2. ad Antonin De ijs quae cum gratiarum actione consecrata sunt saith Iustine Martyr vnusquisque participat eademque ad eos qui absunt diaconis dantur perferenda Dominus panem saith Origen hom 5. in Leuit. c. 7. quem discipulis dabat dixit accipite manducate non distulit nec seruari iussit in crastinum they both signifie that the sacraments presently vpon consecration were receiued Hesychius also writing vpon Leuit. lib. 2. cap. 8. sheweth that what remained of the sacrament the same was forthwith consumed Fourthly councels haue repressed the lewde customes of such as in auncient time began to reserue the sacrament The first councell of Toledo c. 14. decreeth that he ought to be thrust out of the Church as a sacrilegious person which eateth not the sacrament which he receiueth from the Priest the like decree is found in the councell of Saragossa c. 3. Fiftly we doe finde the practise of Christ his church to be repugnant to this reseruation of the sacrament in pixes as appeareth by the testimonie of Dionysius eccles hierarch c. 3. of Ambrose de sacramentis lib. 4. 5. of Euagrius lib. 4. c. 35. of Nicephorus lib. 17. c. 25. and all auncient formularies of administring the sacraments Finally the aduersaries themselues in this point ouerthrow their owne practise as appeareth by the chapter Tribus gradibus and the chapter Triforme de consecrat dist 2. and the chapter sâ—ne cum olim de celebrat miss that declareth Honorius to be the first bringer in of pixes if then Owlyglasse haue no more to say in this point he will rather carie pixes out then bring them into the church He will also ouerthrow the worthie decrée of Honorius the principall patron of the idolatrous worship of the sacrament in the Romish Church and disgrace himselfe whose words are like painted boxes full of empty words Sect. XII That the prayers of the Romish Church to our Ladie to Saints and to Angels were not in vse in the auncient Church IN most of his obiections Owlyglasse doth not only giue the lye vnto me but to the whole Church for that which I say concerning diuers pointes of popish religion is also mantained by the consent of Christs Church as may appeare by that which already is aunswered concerning the abuse of the sacrament prohibitions of mariage and such like In this place I touch an abuse of Popish prayers and say that auncient Christians had noe mediators but Christ Iesus and that they did not pray to our Lady or to Saints or to Angels but to God onely in the name of Christ Iesus Of which assertion the first parte is proued by the words of the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. Vnus deus saith he Vnus mediator dei hominum homo christus Iesus Likewise by the words of the Apostle Hebr. 7. Whereby we vnderstand that our mediator must be pure and impolluted and offer vp himselfe and Hebr. 9. where Christ is called the mediator of a new testament and hath that office ascribed vnto him only to intercede and mediate for vs with God Secondly by the testimony of S. Austine lib. 2. contra Parmen c 8. Si Ioannes ita diceret saith he haec scripsi vobis vt non peccetis si quis peccauerit nos mediatoreÌ„ habebitis apud patreÌ„ ego exoro pro peccatis vestris sicut Parmenianus quodam loco mediatorem posuit episcopum inter populum deum quis eum ferret bonorum fidelium christianorum Albeit the Bishop doth intercede and pray for the people yet Austine will not haue him called a mediator Thirdly the same is proued by diuers arguments drawne froÌ„ the nature of a mediator He must be pure and impolluted and able to reconcile vs to God by his death and merites he must offer sacrifice for vs he must mediate our peace with God the Father as may be gathered out of the 7. and 9. chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews he must also be able to make a propitiation for our sinnes as it is to be gatherered out of the 1. Iohn 2. and finally he must be such a one as can heare vs and procure our requestes to be granted But neither are Saints departed so pure and impolluted that they can oppose their holinesse to Gods iustice nor are they able to reconcile vs vnto God by their merites Nay themselues néede Christs mediation and therefore cannot mediate for others further it is derogatory to Christs priesthood to make them priests able to reconcile vs to God and then appoynt them mediators to make God propitious vnto vs. Finally Saints cannot be in all places to heare the prayers of those that call vpon them nor are they able to giue vs that we aske nor doe they allow those that leauing Christ Iesus come to theÌ„ Owlyglasse aunswereth to this point and