Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	believe_v	faith_n	true_a	5,505	5	5.0466	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15431	Tetrastylon papisticum, that is, The foure principal pillers of papistrie the first conteyning their raylings, slanders, forgeries, vntruthes: the second their blasphemies, flat contradictions to scripture, heresies, absurdities: the third their loose arguments, weake solutions, subtill distinctions: the fourth and last the repugnant opinions of new papistes with the old; of the new one with an other; of the same writers with themselues: yea of popish religion with and in it selfe. Compiled as a necessarie supplement or fit appertinance to the authors former worke, intituled Synopsis papismi: to the glorie of God for the dissuading of light-minded men from trusting to the sandie foundation of poperie, and to exhort good Christians stedfastlie to hold the rockie foundation of faith in the Gospell.	Willet, Andrew, 1562-1621.	1593 (1593)	STC 25701; ESTC S119967	179,229	213

head of the vniuersal Church neither hath he any thing to do in purgatory as other of the popish sort haue written 11 Bellarmine confesseth that the pope is not Peters successor Iure diuino By diuine right neither by Christes institution in the Gospel Lib. 2. de pontif cap. 17. How then commeth it to passe that they haue made it an article of their faith To beleeue the pope to be the head of Christes Church Seeing Bellarmine him self confesseth in these words Nihil est de fide nisi quod Deus per Apostolos aut Prophetas reuelauit aut quod euidenter inde deducitur Nothing is of faith but that which God hath reuealed by his Apostles or prophets or that which is euidentlie deduced from thence Bellarm. de verb. Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 9. But that the pope is Peters successor it is neither expressed nor euidentlie deduced out of scripture therefore it is no point of faith 12 Bellarmine and likewise the rest make the perpetuall succession of the Bishops of Rome to be a manifest argument of the Church he calleth it insolubile and euidentissimum argumentum and yet afterward being pressed with the example of the patriarchicall sea of Constantinople which hath had alwaies a perpetual succession he aunswereth that succession is an argument of the Church Negatiuely that is where there is no succession there is no Church not affirmatiuely that where there is succession there is straightway a Church lib. 4. de notis Eccl. c. 8. Thus wee see what is become of their euidentissimum argumentum of this their most euident argument 13 It is confessed by our aduersaries that the Church of Rome was founded both by Peter and Paule Rhemist annot Galath 2. sect 6. And that they are both patrones of that sea How then commeth it about that the pope chalengeth rather to be Saint Peters successor then Saint Paules 14 In the popish Church they do deuide the cup from the other element in the Eucharist ministring the sacrament in one kinde onelie to the lay-sorte Cleane contrarie to the Canon of Gelasius which is to be found among the popes owne decrees in these wordes We vnderstand that there are some which receiuing onely the portion of the Lordes body do abstaine from the cup of his sacred blood to whome we inioyne that either they receiue the whole sacrament in both kindes or else that they receiue neither for the deuiding of that whole and one sacrament cannot be done without great sacriledge Canon Gelas. de consecrat Who seeth not now that their practise is contrarie to their owne decrees 15 Now vnto these repugnant and contrarie pointes in popish Religion we may adde also their vncertainties vndetermined articles As first it is not yet knowen at what time Peter came to Rome Orosius ●aith he came thither in the beginning of Claudius raigne Ierom● saith the second yeare of his raigne other say the fourth yeare other the thirteenth yeare Damasus would haue him come thither in Nero his raigne This dissentiō of writers sheweth that the matter may be doubted of whether Peter were euer at Rome or not Againe they can shew no certaine succession from Peter of the which they bragge so much Tertulliā maketh Clement the next to Peter Optatus first nameth Linus then Clement Irenaeus after Peter placeth Linus and Cletus and Clement in the fourth Thus also their succession is made vncertaine and doubtfull 16 They hold Lent to be an Apostolical tradition warranted by the example of our Sauiour Christ Irenaeus witnesseth that some fasted one day some two daies some fortie howers day and night Epiphanius saith the wednesdaies fast also was an Apostolike tradition and to fast the six daies of Esther with bread and water and salt which the papistes them selues obserue One therefore is as like to be an apostolike tradition as the other But it is certaine neither of them was for then they would haue beene kept more vniformely of the Church and not euery man left to his owne choice 17 It is a matter yet vndetermined and not concluded vpon of all sides whether the pope be aboue Councels or Councels aboue the pope And both opinions are maintained and defended in the popish Church 18 As also it is vncertaine among papistes whether the Virgin Marie were conceiued without Original sinne for both opinions are permitted and suffered among them both of them that say she was and that hold she was not Bellarm. decultu sanctor lib. 3. cap. 16. Likewise they leaue it as vncertaine whether Mary were assumed and taken vp into heauen in bodie Ex Fulk annot 1. Act. vers 14. 19 About and concerning purgatorie they haue many doubtes which they are not yet resolued vpon as first in what place purgatorie should be 2. How many yeares purgatorie continueth whether an hundred 200. or 1000. yeares 3. Whether it be materiall fire that burneth in purgatorie they are vncertaine 4. They make doubt how corporall fire should worke vpon the soules in purgatorie which are spiritual and incorporal Bellarm. lib. 2. depurgator cap. 12. 5. It is doubted whether the deuils or Angels are ministers of the torments in purgatory 6. Whether the paine of purgatorie be at all time alike or by litle litle slaked toward the end and whether it exceed al the paines and sorrowes of this life Bellarm. cap. 14. All these pointes remaine yet vndetermined among them and yet for all this the Iesuite telleth vs sadly that it is an article of faith to beleeue purgatorie and that he which beleeueth it not is sure to goe to hell Bellarm. lib. 1. cap. 11. 20 Lastly that wee may see at once the fraile and brittle foundation of popish Religion the Rhemistes boldly affirme that iustice is reputed to men or that they are iustified by beleeuing onely the articles of Christes death and resurrection and this they call the Catholike faith Annot. Rom. 4. Sect. 9. If this be Catholike faith to beleeue onely the articles of faith to be true then reprobates yea and the diuell himselfe may bee true Catholikes for the diuels beleeue and tremble Iames 2. 19 yea they confesse Iesus to be the sonne of God Math. 8. 29. Mark 5. 7. Is not this a proper faith for Christians to saue themselues by It is not then a bare knowledge or generall beleefe of the articles of faith or giuing assent or credite vnto them only that is sufficient to iustifie vs as the Rhemistes affirme but such a beleefe of these articles as is ioyned with an assured trust and confidence in God and vndoubted perswasion that all the promises of God and whatsoeuer Christ wrought in his flesh are not onely true but euen do belong and appertaine to vs. Thus I thinke I haue requited Bellarmines kindnesse towardes vs who chargeth vs with no lesse than an hundred seuerall dissensions in opinion amongst our selues I haue here repayed him for his bare hundred sixe

will adde also good proceedings and the Lord both vnto your good proceeding and vertuous beginning shal giue an happy end In te nūc puta cunctorum ora oculos conuersos ad spectaculum vitae tuae totam consedisse Angliam Al mens eies are vpon your Honor and haue as it were set led themselues to behold your doings God grant and we trust that all things shall be answearable to their expectation Lastly the Lord prosper your godlie enterprises and giue a blessing to your holy Counsels euen the blessing of Caleb That as Caleb droue the Anakims great Giantes by strong hand out of Hebron so at the length by your prudent godly counsaile with the assistance of the rest of the Honorable Lords of the Counsell Nobilitie vnder the leading of our happy Iosua gracious Soueraigne the Romish Anakims traiterous Iesuites and Seminaries with other rebellious and hollow harted Cananites may be weeded out of the Lords fielde in England that you with faithfull Caleb and Iosua may also haue an euerlasting inheritance in the heauenlie Canaan through the onely merites of Iesus Christ to whom bee praise for euer Tui honoris studiosissimus ANDREAS WILLET ❧ The preface to the Christian Reader IT is the common and vsuall practise of wrangling and cauilling spirites who to preuent other mens accusations doe themselues first begin to accuse and challenge others of the same crimes which they are guiltie of Thus Sathan the accuser of the brethren sometime dealt with Iob saying vnto God that if he would but stretch foorth his hand a little and touch all he had hee would not spare to blaspheme God to his face whereas nothing is more common with that old Serpent then to curse and blaspheme God Thus our aduersaries of the Popish religion which indeed is no religion but meere superstition haue subtillie sought to vndermine vs crying out against vs that wee are lyers Idolaters blasphemers and such like which are titles and epithetes fitter and more proper to themselues They charge vs with rayling Harding Confut. apolog cap. 16. diuis 2. with lying Defens apolog pag. 597. with corrupting and altering of scripture Rhemist 2. Corinth 2. sect 8. with fables Rhemist 1. Timoth. 1. sect 4. with execrations and blasphemies Iud. 3. with heresies Bellarm. de notis eccles lib. 4. cap. 9. They obiect against vs the weaknes of our proofes and arguments Harding defeus apolog p. 625. often innouating and changing of Religion Rhemist 2. Corinth 2. v. 8. Diuisions dissensions among ourselues Harding defens apolog p. 239. Yea that wee may see how true their other accusations are they are not ashamed to charge vs with Idolatrie and worshipping of Idols Rhemist 1. Corinth 10. sect 9. Wherfore that it may appeare to the world how vniustly they haue accused vs how subtilly they would vnburden exonerate thēselues of those crimes which are theirs not ours to this ende I haue vndertaken this labour in this treatise to detect and bewray their guiltines in this behalfe that we may bee purged from their slaunders and our cause iustified and that the shame blame may fall vpon them that haue deserued it As for vs wee raile not neither vse reuiling speech yet sometime we tell them roundly their owne and this may bee done without rayling vnlesse they will say Christ rayled when he tolde the Iewes that they had made his fathers house a denne of theeues But their rayling and venemous dartes which they shoot at vs are notoriouslie knowen and cannot be hide It is the grace of popish writers both old and new to stuffe their bookes full with cursing rayling Stapleton that blacke-mouthed Sophister of Louaine hath of late set foorth a booke against D. Whitakers wherein beside the badnesse of his cause he hath disgraced his profession with bitter and filthie tearmes calling that learned and godly man Rusticum fatuum asinum asininum professorem morionem stolidum Foole clowne asse doit yea he is so impudent that he spareth not to reuile the deade most shamefully calling Caluine that worthie Minister of the Gospel Egregium Nebulonem a notable knaue I thinke Stapletons owne friendes and patrones here in England will blush and be ashamed of him when they find such stuffe in his booke Neither doth Stapleton thus take on in his moode as carried away with some intemperate heate but being in his wittes if in his right wittes and well aduised and of purpose he falleth into this cogging vaine giuing M. Whitakers warning thereof aforehande age Whitakare ●t ad patientiam te compone willing him to take patiently what he saith Indeed M. Stapleton your counsell is good for shoote out your venemous dartes as long as yee will wee care not wee haue a sense for them and a buckler to latch thē as Augustine saith verie well Quaeso mi frater quasi has diaboli sagittas ad petram quae est Christus allidens sume scutum fidei I giue thee counsel my brother to rebound these arrowes of Sathan vpon the rocke which is Christ taking the shield of faith And such patience is in this case necessarie for M. Whitakers and the rest of vs protestantes as the same father speaketh of else where Quemadmodum parentes a filis vel pueris vel phreneticis multa patiuntur donec infantia vel aegritude transeat ita Christianus ab impijs tanquam phreneticis multa pati debet Like as parents do suffer manie things at their sons hands while they are children or phrentick til their childishnes or phrensie be past thus Christians must patiently beare manie things of the wicked as of men taken with phrensie Such intemperate and railing speeches then of Papistes we attribute either to their childish ignorance or phrentike malitiousnes Concerning the other accusations of heresie blasphemie lying corruption of scriptures and such other it shal appeare I trust in this discourse that they are the men none other that are faultie herein As for fables they do vs great wrong to cast them vpon vs their owne legend of lies and infinite fabulous stories do plaintie tell vs that poperie is fuller of fables then the heresies of the Valentinians or the Manichees Their other charge concerning iunouation and dissention is returned vpon themselues for who knoweth not that the Iesuites of these daies haue innouated and changed in the most pointes the old popish profession and haue cast it into a newe mould and brought in a new forme of Pope catholike doctrine But we in substance retaine the same Religion which at the first reuiuing of the Gospel was maintained 40. yeares ago by the Protestants As for dissensions in fundamental pointes and articles concerning faith we haue none In other matters there haue bene some contentions among vs more we graunt then needed more hotely pursued of some then was requisite yet they are neither in weight so great or in number so many nor so

there is any such Canon in the olde Roman Councell that no man should come to seruice said by a Priest well knowen to keepe a Concubine It is also false and slaunderous that Concubines are let out to ferme to Priestes Harding pag. 559. Yet for the one the words of the decree stand thus Nullus audiat Missam presbyteri quem scit Concubinam indubitanter habere Let no man heare the Masse of that Priest whome hee vndoubtedly knoweth to keepe a Concubine Distinct. 32. Nullus And for the other it is certaine that the Bishoppe of Argentine hath a Florence by the yeare of euerie Priest that keepeth a Concubine and if shee beare a Childe hee hath foure Ex Iuell pag. 559. apolog defens These apparant vntruthes and impudent denials I thought good for example to note out of our countri-mans works Who list to know more of his honest dealing if he will resort to Bishop Iewels learned treatises shall finde his desire satisfied both in this and in all other matters which he can require And concerning M. Hardings great licentiousnesse in auouching falshods the said reuerend father thus writeth of him Note that master Harding in his 3. articles of aunswere to master Iuell hath published threescore and nine great vntruthes Defens Apolog. pag. 597. in Margin Iudge now good Christian reader considering how easie and vsuall a thing it is with our aduersaries to denye whatsoeuer truth neuer so manifest which they are pressed withall if it may not be more truely saide of them that their religion standeth onely vpon destructions and negatiues then of vs whome the Rhemistes falsely accuse hereof In deede wee affirme and auouch boldly that which is true and denie and destroy heresie and falshood But I trust they cannot neither shall euer prooue against vs that wee haue denied or gainsaid manifest truthes as they haue done Vnto these strange denyals of open and euident truthes ioyne also if you please their bold and strange affirmations of vntruthes That their doctrine of transubstantiation is no lesse auncient than the Gospell it selfe Harding pag. 290. Whereas it is confessed by Gabriel Biel a doctor of their owne that how the bodie of Christ should be in the Sacrament whether by changing of somewhat into it or Christes bodie begin to be there together with the bread Manentib substantia accidentib panis The substance and accidents of the bread remaining still non inuenitur saith he expressum in canone Bibliae It is not found in the Canon of the Bible Gabriel in canon lect 40. and D. Tonstall saith liberum fuit ante Concilium Lateranum before the Councell of Laterane it was left at libertie namely concerning the manner of the presence of Christs bodie for euery man to thinke as he would de Eucharist lib. 1. pag. 46. And yet master Harding will needes beare vs in hande that it is as auncient as the Gospell It hath beene an order from the beginning receiued hetherto continued to haue the Church seruice in the Latine tongue Hard. pag. 382. Whereas they them selues know the contrarie In Augustines time such a tongue was vsed as the people vnderstood Loquendi saith hee omnino nulla est causa si quod loquimur non intelligunt propter quos vt intelligant loquimur There is no cause why wee should speake at all if they vnderstand not what wee say for whose sake wee speake that they might vnderstand vs August de doctrin Christian. lib. 4. cap. 16. He saith Constantine gaue place to Siluester Bishop of Rome when hee was baptised pag. 453. Whereas it is certaine that Siluester was dead long before Constantine was christened consul Iuell ibid. That England receiued the true faith from S. Gregorie Bishop of Rome and was conuerted to the faith by Augustine his Legate Hard. pag. 539. But it is manifest out of histories that the faith of Christ had been planted in this land 400. yeares before the comming of Augustine as Origen testifieth Terra Britanniae consensit in religionem Christi The land of Britannie hath consented to Christes religion in Esech homil 4. who liued not much lesse than 400 yeare before Gregories time No maruell if they affirme and maintaine many things contrarie to the course of all true histories for they dare be as bold with Scripture Harding saith that Christ neuer saide to any of the Apostles as vnto Peter feede ye pag. 118. When Christ said as much in effect notwithstanding to the rest Receiue ye the Holy Ghost And Christ said vnto all Go teach all nations Math. 28. If Peter then had no more the Holy ghost than the rest if he had no more authoritie to preach to the whole world than the rest it belonged no more to Peter to feede the Lords flocke than to the rest for what is it to feede but to preach what is it to feede but to receiue the gifts of the Holy Ghost to teach and instruct It is in vaine for you to say that the Church of Rome hath erred when the Holy Ghost hath signified that it cannot erre Hard. pag. 485. But where euer I pray you did the Holy Ghost make any such promise if in that place as you beare vs in hand where Christ saith I praied for thee Peter that thy faith should not faile S. Augustine may answere you Nunquid pro Petro rogabat pro Iohanne Iacobo non rogabat did Christ praye for Peter and did he not pray for Iohn Iames also in quaestion nou Testament quaest 75. And it is beside a seelie and childish argument Christ prayed for Peter that his faith should not faile Ergo the Church of Rome cannot erre Here then is another bold true affirmation without Scripture grounded vpon Scripture But what say yee to father Robert Bellarmine hee lasheth out lustelye and in plaine termes belyeth the Scripture Habemus saith hee in testamento veteri Heliam Helisaeum ac filios Prophetarum sine vxoribus in hoc mundo vixisse Wee haue in the olde testament that Helias and Helisaeus and the sonnes of the Prophets liued in this world without wiues de Monachis lib. 1. cap. 5. The text is flat contrarie which affirmeth that the sonnes of the Prophets were married 2. King 4. 1. And one of the wiues of the sonnes of the Prophets cryed vnto Elisha saying thy seruaunt my husband c. Whether now is it more reasonable that we should beleeue the Scripture or Ballarmine But concerning the errors and vntruthes which they hold and affirme directly opposite to scripture we haue ordeined another place which followeth in the next Piller of Papistrie more fully to handle them I will of purpose passe ouer manie other vntruthes and lies which our aduersaries without shame haue forged as how Cardinall Campeius saide openly to the Magistrates of Strausburgh that the Greekes do not giue libertie to their Priestes to marrie which is a notorious lie for their Priest● to this day make

Pardons are not knowen to vs by the authoritie of the Scriptures but by the authoritie of the Church Bishops of Rome Apostoli quaedam scripserunt non vt scripta illa praeessent fidei religioni nostrae sed potius vt subessent The Apostles wrote certaine things not that their writings should be aboue our faith religion but rather that they should be vnder Albert. Pigghius Hierarch lib. 1. cap. 2. Gratian is not ashamed to say that the Canons of the Councels are of the same authoritie with the Scriptures distinct 20. can decretales And Gregorie 1. epist. 24. saith he doth reuerence the 4 generall Councels as the 4 Euangelistes Yea our Rhemists are not ashamed to protest that whatsoeuer the pastors Priests do teach in the vnitie of the Church is the worde of God 1. Thessal 2. v. 12. So saith another Determinatio ecclesiae appellatur Euangelium The determination of the Church is called the Gospell Iohannes Maria Uerractus editus an 1561. And Hosius quod ecclesia docet expressum Dei verbum est whatsoeuer the Church teacheth meaning the Church of Rome it is the expresse word of God lib. de express verb. Dei p. 97. Thus they make the decrees ordinances of men equall to Gods worde nay aboue it vt suprà loc 8. It was obiected against certaine good Christians by D. Benet Chauncellor to Fitziames bishop of London that vpon a certaine night they did read certaine Chapters of the Euangelistes in English containing in them diuers erronious and damnable opinions conclusions of heresie Fox pag. 804. Here behold with Papists the Scripture containeth heresie Eckius thus said before the Emperour at the citie of Wormes turning him selfe to Luther if he may once get this aduantage to be conuinced by the Scriptures we shall haue nothing certaine and established in Christendome Fox P. 851. Lo the Scriptures with Papists breedeth vncertaintie of matters An. 1553 the Kings Lieuetenant at Lyons vttered these horrible blasphemies vnto Lodouicus Marsacus martyr of the 4 Euangelistes but two were pure Mathew and Iohn the other two Marke Luke were but gathered out of the other The Epistles of S. Paul further saith hee but that the Doctors of the Church had authorised them hee would otherwise esteeme them no better than the fables of Aesop ex Crisp. pantat Fox pag. 908. So also said Hermannus a blasphemous Papist that the Scripture should be of no more credite than Aesops fables without the approbatiō of the Church Which his saying is defended by Hosius lib. 3. de authoritat scriptur to be godly spoken The said Lieuetenant to a maiden speaking somewhat of the lawe vttered these blasphemous words Cursed be the God of that law ibid. Fox pag. 908. What more vile blasphemie could any of the diuelish sect of the Manichees haue spued out The Bishop of Cauaillon in France examining certaine Christians of Merindoll was angrie with them when they made mention of some demonstration to be made out of the word of God and in a furie cursed and gaue him to the diuel that first inuented that meane Fox pag. 949. And yet Christ for the trial of truth biddeth vs search the scriptures Ioh. 5. No mar uei then if these fellowes curse men seeing they spare not Christ himself A certaine blinde Popish Doctour reasoning with master Tindall boldly said We were better to be without Gods law than the Popes pag. 1076. Lodouicus the Prothonotarie stepped vp in the Councell of Basill and said There was no argument to be gathered of the Acts of the Apostles whose examples were more to be maruelled at than followed Fox pag. 678. Lo here a great blasphemie Scripture is not to be followed Andradius thus vnreuerently writeth of the Scriptures to say no more Neque in ipsis libris quib sacra mysteria conscripta sunt quippiam inest diuinitatis quae nos ad credendum quae illis continentur aliqua religione constringat In those books wherein the holy mysteries are written there is not one iot of diuinitie which by any force of religion can tie or binde vs to beleeue what is there contained in 3. lib. defens concil Tridentin A most impious and vngodly speech for where is there els any true diuinitie to be found but in those holie writings Cardinall Cusanus scripturae saith he adaptatae sunt ad tempus varie intelliguntur ita vt vno tempore secundum currentem vniuersalem ritum exponantur mutato ritu iterum sententia mutetur The scriptures are applyed to the time and may haue sundrie vnderstandings so that at one time they may be expounded one way according to the vniuersall currant order of the Church and the same rite or order beeing broken they may haue another meaning Cusan ad Bohem. epist. 2. What heretike could haue said more than this that the scriptures are mutable and changeable Our Rhemistes also shew great boldnes in giuing their rash censures of the holy writers for these are their words if the Euangelistes and other writers of holie Scripture had not vsed all humane diligence to search out the truth of matters the Holie Ghost would not haue assisted them Act. 15. Sect. 10. And yet it is certaine that S. Paul had the Gospell by reuelation without the help at all of humane diligence for he communicated not with flesh and bloud Galath 1. v. 16. Againe they saie that S. Paul for feare of missing the line of trueth notwithstanding he had the Holie Ghost went to conferre with Peter the rest Rom. 12. Sect. 1. What is blasphemie if this be not to say that the Apostle who was perswaded he had the Spirite of God 1. Corinth 7. 40. was afeard to misse the line of trueth how can this be vnlesse it be imagined that the Holy ghost was not sufficient to keepe him in the right line of trueth In deede he went vp to conferre with the Apostles not to receiue any further direction from them for they did cōmunicate nothing with him Galath 2. 6. but that they might giue testimonie of their consent in doctrine with him to stop the slaunderous mouthes of false brethren who reported the contrarie And now to fil vp the measure of their blasphemies let vs heare what is credibly reported to haue bene vttered by no small person but euen one of their late Popes in the heating of his Cardinals O quantum nobis profuit fabula ista de Christo O what aduantage saith he hath this fable of Christ brought vs ex Iuello defens Apolog. P. 273. Thus by these few examples we may see what blasphemous opinions many of the Papists for we do not in this case charge them all do hold concerning the scriptures Some making humane ordinances equall vnto them in authoritie some preferring them before scripture others calling them hereticall bookes vncertaine mutable mute dumbe Iudges not to be followed in all things with such like blasphemies and these