same booke confuteth it selfe so plainlie as none vvith reason can esteeme it worth a straw For in that verie booke the author thereof who soeuer he were alleageth S. Austens opinion and confuteth the same These are the wordes quod quam vis licet de eius salute Augustinus potuit dubitare credo quidemilli qui dixit quacunque hora peccator ingemuerit conversus fuerit vita viuet because although S. Augustine doubted of his saluation yet do I beleeue him that said at what houre soeuer a sinner shall repent and be converted hee shall live These are the wordes of this vvriter which doubtlesse cannot be S. Augustines because S. Austen would never speake of him selfe as of a strange third person and purposelie confute himselfe as this author confuteth Augustine Besides this S. Augustine in his bookes of confession doth vtterlie condemne confession of sinnes vnto Priestes as I haue prooved in the chapter of auricular confession but alas the Papistes as they haue but one onelie place of the Machabees for their forged pugatorie so haue they but onelie this place of S. Augustine for their popish confession And therefore no marveile if they invent poore miserable shifts to have them both reputed authentical if it would be The 9. Preamble THe cheefest and principall thing that seduceth and maketh so manie wilfull papistes is this gentle reader for certaintie when so ever anie one of what degree calling or condition soever shall become a papist and yeeld himselfe to the slanedome of popish religion that person must bye and bye prosesse ipso facto to beleeue and imbrace all the popes decrees of faith and maners as the verie selfe decrees of the holie ghost and also to obey his ordinances and censures as the lawes of God and not of man their reason whereof is because as they say the holie Ghost doth so direct couduct and guide the Popes tongue and pen that he can neither define commaund or write anie thing in iudiciall and difinitiue maner but it must perforce proceed from the holie ghost out of which falslie supposed ground two most pernicious euils follow of necessitie The one that whensoeuer anie difficultie doubt or controversie ariseth about anie matter of religion then by and by the Papistes consider first of all what the pope holdeth whether it be in the decrees decretals the sixt booke Clementines extravagants and that done they will coine one distinction or other by which they vvill racke the meaning of the question difficultie reason father or scripture propounded to agree with that which the pope holdeth For they wil neuer examine the popes decrees by the scriptures fathers or coūcels but the fathers or councels scriptures by the Popes faith constitutions practise for if anie can once say the Church that is the pope holdeth so then is the controversie at an end he shall be demed an heretike that proceedeth one iot further for their canon law hath made it sacriledge to dispute of the popes power Read the first chapter the other that none may or dare reade either the scriptures trāslated into their vulgar tongue or any expositours vpon the latine Bible or anie booke of controversies or anie writer whosoeuer in anie matter of religion popish writers onelie excepted vnlesse they first haue a licence from the pope which license is neuer graunted but to special persons vpon speciall considerations And out of this sharpe vnchristian and diabolical prohibition issueth the third euill to wit that not one papist among ten thousand knoweth anie thing perteining to religion save onely a few special pointes of popish doctrine For they are taught that to beleeve as the fable of the Colier teacheth them is sufficient the devil as cardinall Hosius reporteth disputed with a poore colier asking him how he beleeved I beleeue said the colier as the church beleeueth then the deuill demaunding how the Church beleeued the colier answered in this maner I beleeue as the church beleeueth and the church beleeueth as I beleeue there he rested and would not remoue one iote At the same stay are all papistes this day who beleeue as the church of Rome beleeueth though they cannot tell how it beleeueth but onelie in a generall and grosse maner and so they often times beleeue they know not what Marrie our English papistes for feare of the statute dare not stand vpon this beleefe though it be their staie indeed but flee to another bulwarke as they deeme it to wit it is against my conscience when yet in verie deede they can no more tell what conscience is then they know what the romish church beleeveth The 10. Preamble THe religion this day established by godlie lawes in this realme of England is the aunciēt christian catholike and apostolike doctrine which was taught by Christ and his apostles practised in the primitive church euer continued in the heartes of the faithfull vntill this houre and shal no doubt to the worlds end And though the common people for the greater part call it the new religion yet is that a meere childish vanitie and the popish doctrine the new religion in verie deed For the old Romish religion is this day holden and observed in this Realme which thing is proued at large throughout my second booke for example the profession of the romish Capuchenes is not a new profession in religion but the old franciscan profession newlie reformed and therefore doe they terme themselues the reformed franciscanes which yet the other corrupt and dissolute franciscans will not acknowlege and euen so in our case the religion now established in England is not a religion opposite to the first old Romish religion but the old Romish religion newlie reformed and purged from the corruptions and abuses crept into the same From which auncient and pure religion the pope and his adherents are departed like as the franciscans are also gone from their old popish franciscan profession The 11. Preamble THe ignorant papistes that is all papistes or verie few excepted doe greatlie loth and abhorre the christian catholike religion now established in this land by godlie lawes in a godlie maner And this they doe vppon a ground falslie so supposed by reason of their ignorance therein their falslie conceiued ground is that our religion contemneth good workes and iustifieth the most wicked liuers vpon earth which if it were as they imagine then were it indeede a great motiue to dislike of our religion But gentle reader it is a most notorious slaunder doubtlesse as I shal evidentlie proue vnto thee Hieronymus Zanchius writeth thus Primi affectus regenerationis ac spiritus sunt amor iustitiae legisque divinae odium peccati The first affects or fruites of regeneration and of the spirit are loue of iustice and of the law divine and hatred of sinne and a litle after he saith thus Fily Dei diligunt faciunt iustitiam filii autem diaboli amant
THOMAS BELS MOTIVES CONCERNING ROMISH FAITH AND RELIGION Exod. cap. 8. vers 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Printed by Iohn Legate printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1593. And are to be sold at the signe of the Sunne in Paules Churchyard in London TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY very good Lordes the Lordes of her MaIESTIES MOST HONOVRABLE PRIVIE COVNSELL IF Tertullian right honourable erred montanizing if Cyprian rebaptizing if Origen corporizing if Nazianzen angelizing if Eusebius arrianizing if Hieronymus monogamizing if Ambrose millenizing if S. Paul gentilizing if Augustine retracted many things if Aquinas Navarrus Victoria and many others best learned papists haue often changed their opinions if all this I say be true as true it is indeed it will not I trust for it can not iustly I wote be imputed as blame-worthy that I vpon better advise submit my selfe to my vndoubted Soveraigne most gracious and bountifull Queene Elizabetb that I recognize mine errours that Ireclaime my former vnsoundly conceived opinions as best learned writers have done before me Which alteration he hath mercifully and wonderfully wrought in me qui attingit à fine ad finem fortiter disponit omnia suaviter Our mercifull God I meane who hath of late revealed in time that which in his eternall purpose he ordained before the worlde was made For our good God who according to his common course of proceeding directeth things inferiour by superiour and vseth humane meanes in producing visible externall effects first inclined my heart to peruse more seriously some learned papists before studied and that done to provide and revolve other most renowmed papists which before I had neither read nor seene By meanes whereof God illuminating mine vnderstanding I haue by litle and little perceived the popes owne doctours to impugne his Romish religion and so detested all popish faction As who at this houre God be thanked for it beholde as in a glasse of christall the false erroneous and execrable doctrine of the Church of Rome And because omne bonum est sui diffusivum as saith Areopagita neither can I with safe conscience hide that light vnder abushell which God of his great mercy hath bestowedon me no doubt as well for the benefite of others as of my selfe I haue thought it worth the labour to set downe my chiefest motives by which and through which next vnder God I was perswade to renounce the Romish faith and religion as who per swade my selfe constantly that what soever papist in the whole world shall with an indifferent iudgement peruse the same having are solved mind to embrace the truth when it appeareth that selfe same papist will vtterly renounce with me the false erroneous execrable doctrine of the Church of Rome For I will proove the saide Romish doctrine by Gods holy assistance to be of such qualitie as is already said not onely by scriptures authorities and reasons though such proofes I purpose to vse but which is most forceable against papistes by the evident testimonies of best learned papists and who are of best account even in the Church of Rome And consequently that great learned men of all ages since popery began yea in the very altitude of popedome and in the Church of Rome have approoved holden and defended weighty and important points of doctrine contrary to the doctrine of the Church of Rome Which thing so soone as I once vnderstood my mind and will was by and by alienated from the Church of Rome This rare methodicall discourse my right honourable good Lordes all as in which papistry is effectually confuted and confounded by papistry it selfe I have presumed to dedicate vnto your honours for two especiall consider ations First that so I might exhibite some signe of a gratefull and dutifull mind for your Lordships most honourable countenances and rare great good willes towards me Secondly because this my discourse will not want many potent and mightie adversaries and so stand need of honourable wise and grave patrons for the honest and lawfull approbation of the same The Almighty graunt vnto your Lordships many ioyfull and happy yeres with much increase of zeale in true religion to his eternall glory the faithfull service of her Maiestie and the common good of our native countrey most noble England Amen From Cambridge the third of November 1593. Your Lordships in all dutifull manner THOMAS BELL. The Preface generall to the Christian Reader ALbeit I will not now dispute whether the Bishops of Rome be that Antichrist of whome the Apostle speaketh to the Thessalonians or no notwithstanding the affirmative be the iudgement of sundry great learned men yet dare I and doe I boldly avouch that Bishops of Rome have for many yeres past bene the precursors and fore-runners of that very Antichrist whereof mention is alreadie made which to hold and thinke many weightie and important reasons have mooved me For first who but Antichrist or his precursor will either ascribe or suffer to be ascribed unto him such power of maiestie and titles of Deietic as are proper and peculiar to God aloue And yet is this to be verified of the pope undoubtedlie by the popes owne doctrine and his popish doctors The pope if we will beleeve him telleth us that God when he instituted two great lights in the firmament to wit the Sunne and the Moone signified thereby the autoritie of popes and of kings giving us to understand that the pope is as farre above a king in authoritie as is the Sunne above the Moone in excellencie yea he addeth further that Kings and Emperors have no power to draw the sword against popish bishops priestes as who forsooth are not subiect to their iurisdiction And least I should be thought to father untruthes upon the pope I will which is my wonted manner throughout my whole booke alledge his owne wordes which are these Ad firmamentum coeli hoc est universalis ecclesiae fecit Deus duo magna luminaria id est duas instituit dignitates quae sunt Pontificalis autoritas Regalis potestas sed illa quae praeest diebus id est spiritualibus maior est quae vero carnalibus minor ut quanta est inter solem lunam tanta inter Pontifices Reges differentia cognoscatur To the firmament of heaven that is of the universall Church God made two great lightes to wit ordeined two great dignities which are the authoritie of the Pope and the power of the King but that power which ruleth spiritual things is greater and that which ruleth things carnal is lesser that so great difference may be knowen betweene Popes and kings as is betweene the sunne and the moone The popish glosse in the same place setteth downe precisely how farre the King is inferiour to the Pope in these words Restat ut Pontificalis dignitas quadragesies septies sit maior regali dignitate It therefore remaineth that the pontificality of the Pope is seven fourtie
Pope verie sharplie both of pride and ignorance read the third chapter and last conclusion The 6. Preamble ALl the Apostles had not onely the same povver and auctoritie but iurisdiction also as vvholly largely effectually and in all respectes as Peter had Read the sixt chapter and first conclusion The 7. Preamble POpish purgatorie vvas invented by Popes and Popish parasites neither vvas it ever admitted liked or beleeved of the greeke church vntil this day Read the 7. chapter and 2. conclusion and here I vvill alleage the verie vvordes of our Roffensis sometime bishop of Rochester a man so renovvmed not in England onely but through out the vvorld amongst papists as his vvords may carie credit sufficient vvith them thus he vvriteth I vvil not alter or change one vvord Sed graecis adhunc vsque diē non est creditū purgatoriū esse legat qui velit Graecorum veterum commentarios nullum quantum opinor aut quam rarissimum de purgatorio sermonem inveniet sedneque latini simul omnes ac sensim huius rei veritatem conceperunt paulo post nō absque maxima sancti spiritus dispensatione factum est quod post tot annorum curricula purgatorij fides indulgentiarum vsus ab Orthodoxis generatim sit receptus quumdiis nulla fuer at de purgatorio cura nemo quaesivit indulgentias nam ex illo pendet omnis indulgentiarum existimatio si tollas purgatorium quorsum indulgentijs opus erit his enim si nullum fuerit purgatorium nihil indigebimus contemplantes igitur aliquandiu purgatorium incognitum fuisse deinde quibusdam pedetentim partim ex revelationibus partim ex scripturis fuisse creditum atque ita tandem generatim eius fidem ab orthodoxa ecclesia fuisse receptissimam facillime rationem aliquam indulgentiarum intelligimus quum itaque purgatorium tam sero cognitum ac receptum ecclesiae fuerit vniversae quis iam de indulgentijs mirari potest quod in principio nascentis ecclesiae nullus fuerat earum vsus caeperunt igitur indulgentiae postquam ad purgatorij cruciatus aliquandiu trepidatum er at The Greekes to this day do not beleeue that there is a purgatorie read vvho vvil the commentaries of the auncient Grecians and he shal find either verie seldome mention of purgatorie or none at all for neither did the Latine Church conceive the veritie of this matter at one time but by leisure neither vvas it done vvithout the great dispensation of the holy ghost that after so manie yeares Catholikes both beleeved purgatorie and received the vse of pardons generallie so long as there vvas no care of purgatorie no mā sought for pardons for of it dependeth all the estimation that vve have of pardons if thou take avvay purgatorie to vvhat end shall vve neede pardons for if their be no purgatorie vve shall neede no pardons considering therfore hovv long purgatorie vvas vnknown then that it vvas beleeved of some by litle and litle partly by revelations and partly by the Scriptures and so at the last beleeved generally of the vvhole church vve do easilie vnderstand the cause of perdons since therefore purgatorie vvas so lately knovven and received of the vniversal church vvho can novv admire pardons that there vvas no vse of them in the primitiue Church pardons therefore began after the people stood in some feare of purgatory these are the vvords of this popish bishop vvhich vvordes if they be vvel marked vvith all the circumstances are able vvithout more adoe to persvvade anie man to detest the Romish religion for vvhich cause I have alleaged them at large 1 First therefore vvee learne here that the greeke church never beleeved purgatorie to this day 2 Secondly that the Latine church and church of Rome did not beleeve the said purgatorie for manie hundreds of yeares after S. Peters death vvhose successor the pope boasteth himself to be 3 Thirdlie that this purgatorie vvas not beleeved of all the latine church at one and the same time but by litle and litle vvhere note by the vvay that poperie crept into the church by litle and litle not all at one time vvhich is a point that galleth the papistes more then a litle I vveene 4 Fourthly that purgatorie vvas beleeved in the latter daies by speciall revelation of the holie ghost 5 Fiftlie that pardons came not vp till purgatorie vvas found out for in purgatorie resteth the life of pardons as vvhich there being no purgatorie are not worth a straw 6 Sixtly that purgatorie vvas a long time vnknovven 7 Seventhly that purgatorie could not be found in the scriptures of a long time 8 Eightlie that it vvas not vvholie found out by the scriptures but partlie by revelations 9 Ninthly that pardons vvere not heard of or knovven to the primitive church 10 Tenthly that then pardons began when men began to feare the paines of purgatorie Behold novv gentle reader vvhat a vvorthie fisher vvas my popish Lord of Rochester hee hath caught vvith his net at one draughtten goodly fishes that is to say ten vvorthy observations for Christian aedification Further then this out of the seventh and eight observations I gather three special documents by a necessarie and irrefragable consecution First that the second booke of the Machabees is not Canonical or penned by the holie ghost For if that booke vvere of canonicall authoritie vvhich the papistes purgatorie could not but haue bene knovven so soon as that booke vvas knovvn vvhich yet Roffensis denieth The reason is evidēt because purgatorie is verie effectuallie plainlie conteined therin Secondlie that the Church of Rome for of that church speaketh the Bishop reputeth the vvorkes of God vnperfect albeit Moyses avoucheth the contrarie Dei inquit perfecta sunt opera The vvorkes of God saith he are perfect I prooue this because as the Bishop saith the scriptures made purgatorie knovven to the church but vnperfectlie yet the truth is that if God make purgatorie knovven by the scriptures then purgatorie is made knovven perfectlie by them or else Gods vvorks that is the holie scriptures must be vnperfect but I vvil rather beleeue Moyses the holie prophet of God then my lord our fisher though the popes canonized martir Thirdlie this Bishop for this his doctrine must either come againe to retract his opinion or else wil he nil he condemne the pope and church of Rome This I wil proove by a most plaine and evident demonstration For the better vnderstanding vvherof I shal desire the gentle reader to observe three thinges vvith me First that the church of Rome preacheth novv and did in this Bishops time that the bookes of Machabees are canonicall scripture and penned by the holie ghost Secondlie that the church of Rome neither beleeued nor knevv purgatorie for manie years together after the receite of holie scripture and these bookes of Machabees Thirdlie that purgatorie is effectuallie and plainely conteined in the second booke of Machabees by popish
doctrine Thirdly the three condicions required for the legitimation of Popish Pardoning concurre as sweetely in delivering all together ioyntly as in delivering one by one severallie His inordinate affection of lucre is convinced in this that albeit he can with one onely pardon set open the gates of Purgatorie and so set all the prisoners at libertie yet will he not extend that compassion to them but taketh this course with them that they shall appoint Pia Legata by their last willes and testaments for Masses Diriges and Trentals to be said yeerely or rather perpetually if their abilitie will extend so farre with which Masses Diriges and Trentals his pardons shall concurre and so deliver them by discretion By reason of which ungodly pollicie we may this day behold with our eyes so many altars erected so many Churches sumptuouslie decked so many Priestes richly maintained especially in Saint Gregories Church at Rome For which Masses Diriges and Trentals huge summes of money are given daily yeerely perpetually not for the Masses formallie concedo but yet formally for the Priestes paines and materially for the Masses constanter assero The 5 Conclusion THE foundation of the Popes pardons is wicked blasphemous and derogatorie to the most pretious blood of Christ shed for mans redemption This is the proofe of this conclusion the Pope and many of his popish Doctors tell us that the foundation of their popish pardons is this Thesaurus meritorum Christi Sanctorum eius the treasure of the merites of Christ and of his Saintes For say they not onely Christ but many of his Saintes also suffered much more then was due for their owne sinnes which workes of supererogation or satisfactions they call the treasure of the Church and because say they Gods Saintes did not applie those their superaboundant passions to this or that person the Pope therefore must make application thereof at his pleasure as one that hath Christes full authoritie or plenitudinem potestatis being his Vicar generall upon earth And here note by the way gentle Reader that for the execution of this Vicars office there be ever in Rome two Vicars generall and one substitute Vicar whereof two neither preach teach or execute any priestly function usuallie but the poore substitute must doe all that is done So in my time Gregorie the foureteenth was Vicar generall to Christ si dijs placet Cardinall Sabello Vicar-generall to Gregorie and our Goldwell sometime Bishoppe of Saint Assaph substitute to Sabello which poore Bishoppe tooke all the paine and had the least gaine For it is not the usuall maner of Popes and Cardinals in these latter dayes to say Masse to preach to teach and so foorth I speake of Cardinals resiant at Rome but to joyne living to living benefice to benefice promotion to promotion and which is more absurd in their owne religion to be so lordly Abbots or rather so idle Lubbards that they will take and snatch all the commodities of the whole Abbeyes unto themselves and neither graunt sufficient foode and rayment for the Monkes nor competent allovvance for the necessarie maintenance of the house it selfe for their Masse Mattins and service Such is their charitie to their neighbors zeale to their office reverence to their own religion This is also true as if any Papist wil deny the same his owne breath will witnesse against him For to omit others S. Laurence and S. Pancratius their Abbeyes and Churches are so poore and beggerly through the pilling and polling of Cardinals their Abbots that when priestes come thither to say Masse as the usuall manner there is they can neither finde wine nor candles without money which default when any one obiecteth as a disgrace to their profession and Religion the poore Monkes answere in this manner Alas we can not doe withall my L. Cardinall hath all the living and alloweth us a small portion not able to fill our bellyes But to leave this digression and to returne to the scope and matter in hand this foundation of pardons to be the superaboundant merits and satisfactions not onely of Christ but of his Saintes also holdeth Thomas Aquinas Dominicus Soto Sylvester Pryeras Antoninus and others Sylvester hath these wordes Ratio quare valere possunt indulgentiae est unitas corporis mystici in qua multi supererogaverunt admen suram debitooum suorum multas tribulationes iniustè sustinuerunt patientèr per quas multitudo poenarum poterat expiari sieis deberetur quorum meritorum tantaest copia quòd omnem poenam debitam nunc viventibus excedunt praecipue propter meritum Christi The cause that pardons are of force is the unitie of the mysticall bodie in which many have supererogated in the workes of penance to the measure of their owne demerits and have sustained patiently many uniust tribulations through which the multitude of paines might be purged if it were due unto them of whose merites there is such plentie that they exceede all paine due for those that nowe be living and especially for the merite of Christ. This is the testimonie of Sylvester and Aquinas their angelicall Doctor proceedeth further and sayeth thus Christus poterat relaxare ergo Paulus potuit ergo Papa potest qui non est minoris potestatis in Ecclesia quà m Paulus fuit Christ could pardon therefore Paul could pardon therefore the Pope also can pardon as who is of no meaner authoritie in the Church then Paul him selfe was So then à primo ad ultimum by Aquinas his doctrine the Pope can doe as much as Christ. He can make the deafe to heare the dumbe to speake the lame to walke the blinde to see and the dead to arise to life which I must first see before I beleeve it howsoever their holy Aquinas write and yet should this follow necessarily if Aquinas his reason were good And doubtlesse this which Aquinas here attributeth to the Pope is not farre from the peculiar marke of Antichrist but I will not nowe stande upon that point VVe see evidently the foundation of Popish pardons confessed by the best learned Romish doctors which manner of establishing popish pardons to be blasphemous and derogatorie to the blood of Christ I proove many and sundrie wayes First by the testimonie of holy writte Advocatum habemus apud Patrem Iesum Christum iustum ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris VVe have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiation for our sinnes And as it is said more significantly in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is the attonement and reconciliation for our sinnes it is he through whome we are accepted of God Of him onely saide the voyce from heaven This is my beloved Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whome I am well pleased Againe Si autem in luce ambulemus sicut ipse est in luce societatem habemus ad invicem sanguis Iesu Christi
purgatorie and yet by vvay of suffrage no such thing can bee assured no more then vvhen an other devoute papist shall offer vp his prayers for them vvhich thing seemed so to trouble Bellarminus that in his written dictates hee knovveth not vvell vvhat to holde or vvrite concerning romish pardons Thirdly because the pope can not applie Christs satisfaction more effectuallie to them by his pardoning then the same is applied to them by the saying of masse as vvhich by popish religion is the selfe same sacrifice reallie that vvas offered vpon the crosse and yet doth no papist saye or thinke that our saying of masse can or vvil deliuer his friends soule from purgatory For othervvise there vvould not be so many masses said so many times for the selfe same persons as hath beene and is daily seen amongst the papists For to this end doe they celebrate and obserue yerely anniuersaries for soules departed 10. 20. 30. 40. 60. yeares before vvhich the pope cardinals and monkes had taught the people to frequent as most necessarie for their friends soules in purgatorie Fourthly because it cannot be proued that after God hath pardoned our sinnes and the eternall paine due for the same there still remaineth some temporal paine remissible by the popes pardons Fiftly because al the three thinges required of papistes in popish pardoning are most firm certaine and readie in the soules of purgatorie to vvit auctoritie in thhe giuer charitie in the receiuer and the cause of pietie For first the soules of purgatorie bee in charitie as all papistes confesse as vvho othervvise could neuer be saued 2 Secondly it is mere crueltie not to helpe the faithful in such vvofull case Thirdlie if they denie the popes auctoritie I vvill vvillinglie denie it vvith them though he accurse me as hee hath alreadie done for my paines For I nothing doubt but God of his great mercie vvill conuert his curse to my greater ioy and blisse And here because the Seminaries neuer ceasse to boast in corners amongest the simple that none in this realme dareth to dispute with them I offer publique dispute with what seminarie in England soeuer he be no one or other excepted who soeuer so it may stand vvith the honourable licence and good liking of higher povvers whose mindes I am of dutie bound to obay in that behalfe For I nothing doubt if my option may bee graunted but that it will tend to the glorie of God the service of my soveraigne the honour of my countrie the edification of the auditours and the comfort of myne owne soule The reason is for that I know verie sufficientlie the foundations groundes auctorities and reasons of both sides and vvithal behold as in a glasse of christall the euident confutation of all whatsoeuer can possibly bee said in defense of papistrie which if I had not first seene I had neuer departed from popish doctrine The 7. Conclusion IF the popes pardons be not of so great force and worth so much as they are said and preached to be then is the popes religion vaine and of no credite at all This proposition both is and must be graunted of all papistes if they will defend their now professed Romish religion Thomas Aquinas whose doctrine and bookes divers popes haue approoved for good and godly writeth thus Ecclesia praedicando indulgentias non mentitur ita tantum valent quantum praedicantur sicut enim dicit Augustinus si in sacra Scriptura deprehenditur aliquid falsitatis iam robur authoritatis sacrae Scripturae perit Et similiter si in praedicatione ecclesiae aliqua falsitas deprehenderetur non essent documenta Ecclesiae alicuius autboritatis adroborandam fidem The Church preaching pardons doth not lie and so they are worth no lesse then they are preached For as Augustine saith if in holy Scripture any falshood be found euen then the full authoritie of holy scripture perisheth utterly And in like manner if in the preaching of the Church any falshood should be found the doctrine of the Church shoulde not be of any force to establish our faith These are the wordes of their canonized saint and renowmed doctour Aquinas which shewe unto us so plainely as more plainely nothing can be told that if the Church of Rome erre in any one point as in giving pardons or such like then must we giue no credit to it in other pointes of religion Neither is this the opinion of Aquinas onely but their other great Thomist Dominicus Soto singeth the same song These be his wordes Alij dixerunt indulgentias nihil prorsus valere nisi quantum unusquisque devotione sua faciendo quodindulgentia praecipit moeretur Attamen isti seu blasphemi non sunt audiendi sanè qui authoritatem Ecclesiae infringunt si enim de hac re nos Ecclesia seduceret nulla ei esset in reliquis adhibenda fides Some said that pardons were no more woorth at all then every man doeth merite by his owne devotion But these fellowes are to be reiected as blasphemous because they infringe the authoritie of the Church for if the Church should in this point seduce us then were there no credite to be given unto it in other pointes These are the expresse wordes of the Popes owne and best Doctors Aquinas and Soto whose testimonies with that which is said in other conclusions disable altogether the authoritie and religion of the Church of Rome For if the Church of Rome deceive us in her pardons as is sufficiently prooved that she hath done then is she not to be credited in other things as both Aquinas and Soto tell us whose doctrine the pope yea sundry Popes of Rome have confirmed THE COROLLARIE FIRST therefore since the Popes pardons be foolish and repugnant to common sence Secondly since the veritie and efficacie of pardons be so uncerten as the best learned Papistes can not tell what to say or write thereof Thirdly since to give pardons as the Pope doeth is a strange and new thing as which neither Christ nor his Apostles ever taught or practised Fourthly since the Popes manner of pardoning ordinarie popish practise considered is most absurd Fiftly since the Popes pardons in Romish doctrine are reputed aequivalent with holy martyrdome Sixtly since the Popes pardons be not such nor so forcible as they are preached to be Seventhly since the foundation of Popish pardons is blasphemous and derogatorie to Christes passion Eightly since the Pope taketh upon him by his pardons to deliver soules from purgatorie which he can not perfourme Nynthly since Aquinas Soto and Sylvester his owne renowmed Doctors doe affirme that if the Pope preach falsely in his pardons all his other doctrine is false and naught I conclude that it is a sufficient motive for me to renounce the Romish religion as false erronious and pernicious doctrine Thus much of the first Motive THE THIRD CHAP ter Of the Popes maners Faith and Religion ALbeit concerning Sanctimonie of life and honest conversation
Apostolicae traditionem approbentur non habent Romanae Ecclesiae authoritatem nec aliter se habent quam sià Concilio sine Lega tis prodijssent paulò pòst Solidam auctoritatem quam in confirmandis fratribus dogmatibus Petrus habet in Legatos transferre non potest If the Legate doe anie thing contrary to instruction given him hee must not be deemed to proceede of power delegate and so there is no cause why the pope shall be thought to approve the decrees The decrees therefore which the Legate shall approove against tradition of the Church of Rome have no authoritie from the Church of Rome neither are they of anie more force than if they had proceeded from the Councell without consent of the Legates The sound authoritie therefore which Peter hath in confirming his brethren and decrees he cannot transferre unto his Legates These are the expresse wordes of Canus that great piller of popish doctrine Out of whose wordes I note first that decrees of Councels bee of no force without consent of the Legates I note secondlie that the decrees of Councels even when they have the consent of the Legates are yet of no force when the Legates condiscend to anie thing against the Popes minde I note thirdlie that the Pope cannot translate or give his authoritie unto the Legate and consequentlie the Pope greatlie abuseth the whole world when he calleth together all bishops in the Christian world and yet will allowe nothing that they doe unles it be the same that hee decreeth in his chaire at home Now that hee never commeth to Councels in his owne person Bellarminus recordeth in this maner Summus Pontifex nunquam interfuit Concilijs Orient alibus per se c. The Pope was never present at the Councels in the East Church in his owne person and why was not the Pope present at generall Councelles in the East Church Bellarminus giveth two reasons the one forsooth because it was not convenient that the heade should follow the members The other because the Emperour would ever sitte in the highest place which our humble Father the Pope coulde not endure Out of vvhose wordes I note two thinges the one that the highest place in Councels was in olde time reserved to the Emperour the other that the Greeke Church did never acknowledge the Popes primacie The second Conclusion IN these latter dayes since the Pope attained his usurped iurisdiction generall Councelles are so destitute of the holie Ghostes asistance though the Papistes never cease to bragge thereof that they decree altogether against the holie Ghost This is manifest by the solemne decrees of the late Councel of Trent as after due examination will evidentlie appeare First therefore the saide Councell decreed flatlie that to be no matrimonie which was approoved Matrimonie by the uniforme consent of the auncient Catholike Church and which is this day perfect Matrimonie by Christes institution These be the wordes of the Councell Qui aliter quam praesente parocho vel alio Sacerdote de ipsius seu ordinarii licentia duobus vel tribus testibus matrimonium contrahere attent abunt eos sancta synodus ad sic contrahendum omnino inhabiles reddit huiusmodi contractus irritos nullos esse decernit presenti decreto They that shall goe about to marrie otherwise than in the presence of the parish Priest or of some other priest by his licence or graunt of the Ordinarie and with two or three witnesses those the holie Counsell maketh utterlie uncapable of Mariage and defineth by this present decree such contracts to be frustrate and of no force By which words and by which decree we see plainelie that this day those persons are made uncapable of matrimonie and their mariage disanulled whom Christ pronounceth capable and whose marriage hee approoved For before this decree of the late Councell of Trent all papistes in the worlde approoved private and secrete matrimonies for true and perfect yea all learned papistes doe confesse constantlie such clandestine matrimonies to be true mariages in England albeit that such contracts be of no force neither in Spaine nor Italie by their religion The reason hereof is because promulgation of the said Tridentine Councels decree was not yet made in England as appeareth by the first Cannon in the eight section dereformatione This constant opinion of all Divines the Councell it selfe acknowledged in these wordes Dubitandum non est clandestina matrimonia libero consensu facta rata vera esse matrimonia quandiu Ecclesia ea irrita non fecit There is no doubt but clandestine and secrete matrimonies made with free consent were perfect and true matrimonies so long as the Church did not disanull the same Yea the Councell of Trent acknowledgeth matrimonie to be one of the seven Sacraments of the newe Testament instituted by Christ and yet accurseth all such as beleeve not the Church of Rome to have authoritie to dissolve the same These be the wordes Si quis dixerit matrimonium non esse verè propriè unum ex septem legis Evangelicae sacramentis à Christo domino institutum sed ab hominibus in Ecclesiam invectum neque gratiam conferre anathemasit If anie shall say that matrimonie is not truelie and properlie one of the seven Sacraments of the Evangelicall law instituted by Christ our Lord but brought into the Church by men neither to give grace accursed be that man And in another place it hath these wordes Si quis dixerit Ecclesiam non potuisse constituere impedimenta matrimonium dirimentia vel in ijs constituendis errasse anathemasit If anie shal say that the Church could not appoint impediments which dissolve matrimonie or that the Church erred in appointing them accursed be that man These bee the decrees of the holie Councell of Trent which as the Papists beleeue had the assistance of the holie Ghost and therefore could not erre Out of which decrees we have first that matrimonie is a contract instituted by Christ himselfe we have secondlie that it is an holie Sacrament with the Papistes Wee have thirdlie that it is now no Sacrament with the Papistes which by Christs institution is a Sacrament in their religion We have fourthlie that matrimonial contractes made without the presence of a Priest are true and perfect matrimonies by Christes law and institution We have fiftlie that such matrimonies to wit clandestine are disanulled and made no matrimonies by the Pope and his Tridentine Councell neither will it help to say as the wiser sort of Papists doeth that the Councell doeth not unmarie persons alreadie married but onelie disableth unmaried persons so as their prohibited marriages cannot be of force For first the Councell pronounceth that to be no Mariage by reason of mans prohibition which without such prohibition should bee perfect mariage by Christs institution as is alreadie prooved out of the said Councell Secondlie that
all For first those for whome Iudas offred sacrifice prayer could not be holpen therwith because as the text recordeth they perished for their secretidolatry so saith the Glosse also and consequently Iudas erred grosly in praying and sacrificing for them and the author of the booke likewise in commēding Iudas his fact wherupon it followeth necessarily that the writer was not directed by the holy ghost because he concluded prayer for the dead upō a notorious known fact condēned by the scriptures Secondly this booke saith that the Iewes were led captives into Persia but they were translated indeed not into Persia but into Babylon as their owne Lyranus doth testifie Thirdly the second book saith that Iudas with others wrote their epistle to Aristobolus in the 188 yere but the first book affirmeth Iudas to be dead in the yere 152 so that he must perforce write his epistle 36 yeres after his death Fourthly the first book saith that Antiochus died in Babylon in his bed for sorow but the second book avoucheth that he was slaine in the tēple of Nannea Fiftly because the author of the books of Machabes desireth pardō if any thing be done amisse These be his words Si bene ut historiae competit hoc et ipse velim si autem minus dignè concedendumest mihi If I haue done well and as is decent for the historie that is my desire but if not worthily I must craue pardon And doubtlesse he that writeth by the direction of the holy ghost needeth no pardon at all Sixtly the wilfull murder of Razias is there commended which commendation can not proceed from the holy ghost Seventhly the authour of the Macchabees doeth onely conclude praying for the dead because Iudas offered sacrifice for the dead VVhich general illation vpon a particuler fact is not good in popish maner of proceeding For as their Maxime saith which is true indeede Privilegium paucorum non facit legem communem The privilege of a fewe can not establish a generall law neither will it helpe the papistes to say that saint Augustine and others alleaged this booke For so saint Paul alleaged the testimonies of Ethnickes Epimenides Menander and Aratus and popish divines alleage now and then Esops Fables But in what maner to what end S. Augustine alleaged this book I have shewed out of Augustine alreadie Neither yet will it helpe to say which some repute for a great argument that this booke is in the corps of the Bible For so is the fourth booke of Esdras within the corps of the bible yet doe the papistes themselves repute it no better then a fable yea which is more to be noted they will not haue the last end of the Lords praier to be canonicall albeit it be found in the greeke originall and placed in the corpse of the bible For the great popish linguist Benedictus Arias Montanus telleth the reader in his observation vpō that place that it is not of the text though he can not denie it to be in the greeke first originall To conclude neither did Iudas pray himselfe neither did he will others to pray for remission of sinnes unto the dead neither is it flatly so said in the Greeke copie neither did hee offer sacrifice for the sinnes of the dead but for the resurrection of the body vnderstanding by sinne the death and corruption of the bodie which proceedeth of sinne and followeth the same VVhich my interpretation may be gathered out of these wordes of the text it selfe Bene religiose de resurrectione cogitans Thinking well and religiously of tbe dead And therefore is the illation of the popish latine translation so highly commended and strictly commanded by the synod of Trent vaine frivolous and foolish He that penned the storie hath without all rime and reason infarced the same because no such conclusion can be truly gathered of Iudas his oblation and fact The Corollarie FIrst therefore since there is no purgatorie but Christs blood Secondly since after this life there is no place for merite or satisfaction Thirdly since the booke of Machabees is not Canonicall I conclude that it is a sufficient motive for me to renounce the Romish religion as false erroneous and pernicious doctrine Thus much of the sixt Motive The VIII CHAP. Of dissention amongest the Papistes ALthough nothing is more common with the Papistes then to charge protestants with dissention yet is it their owne peculiar badge as will appeare by due examination thereof The first article of dissention THe first erection of the English seminarie at Rome began with dissention betweene the students on the one part and Master Morice the VVelsh-man on the other part This Morice was appointed the rectour of the seminarie with whome tooke part doctor Lewes an other VVelsh-man who was Arch-deacon to the Arch-bishop of Cambrey and referendarie to the Pope at that time and also Cardinall Morone then the protectour of the English nation With the scholers tooke part the close and politike Iesuites who would seeme to doe nothing in the matter openly but in deede did all in all secretly For the space of some daies in which time the matter was hotely handled on both sides daily sutes being made and supplications exhibited unto his holinesse the Cardinall prevailed and the pope discharged the schollers But the Iesuites laboured so forcibly yet covertly that within three daies notwithstanding all the means that the Cardinall did and could make the schollers were againe restored to their places For Toledo the Iesuite was commaunded by the generall of their societie to fall prostrate on his knees before the popes holinesse and there to make a pitifull lamentation for the overthrowe of England that is forsooth that now were reiected the finest wittes the most towarde youthes the seed of poperie and the onely hope of the English nation who now exiled for zeale in religion and come to be his popish vassals must either be trained up in papistrie after the Iesuiticall maner or els should England never be reclaimed world without end VVhich sweete narration no sooner sounded in the popes eares but he commanded the schollers to be received into the Colledge againe And shortly after by Iesuiticall pollicie Master Morice was officiperda and a Iesuite made rectour in his place This dissention still continueth in that seminarie as in which have bene foure or five to speake of the least notorious combattes or endeavours betweene the rectour and the students who should expulse ech other And sometime the rectour hath so prevailed by pollicie that some fewe haue bene dismissed and other-somtime the generall of the Iesuites hath bin glad to change the rector so to appease the dissention The like agreement is amongst the papistes at home here in England for I pray you did not their holy confessor M. Sherewood even in the time of his bondes for poperie murder his brother
pope hath given this auctoritie to the priest But alas that can not possibly be graunted For this is a constant axiome with the papists par in parem non habet potestatem When two are of equall auctoritie the one can not make a law for or against the other Well since none of these waies can content his holines let vs heare what his owne deare vassals can say in his defense Iosephus Angles vnfoldeth this great difficultie at large when he thus writeth Canus affert tres opiniones prima est S. Thomae D. Bonaventurae quibus adhasit Turrecremata Secunda opinio est Paludani asserentis habere authoritatem absolvendi non à Papa sed à Christo. Tertia est Caietani dicentis iurisdictionem quam habet sacerdos absolvendi Papam nec esse à Christo neque à Papa neque ab ecclesia sed solum ex electione per hoc scilicet quod papa se subiicit illi illumque eligit Est quarta opinio qua tenetur quod quemadmodum in receptione ordinis datur vnicuique simplici sacerdoti potest as iurisdictionis respectu venialis mortalis quae poenitens alias confessus est etiam respectu cuiuscuÌ„que peccatoris in articulo mortis ita datur tunc iurisdictio eidem sacerdoti absolvendi papam Master Canus bringeth three opinions the first is of S. Thomas and S. Bonaventure to whome agreeth Turrecremata The second is the opinion of Paludanus who avoucheth that the Priest receiveth his authoritie not from the Pope but from Christ him selfe The third opinion is Caietans who affirmeth that the Priest hath authority to absolve the Pope neither from Christ nor from the Pope nor from the Church but onely by election to wit in that the Pope submitteth him selfe to the Priest and chooseth him And there is yet a fourth opinion which holdeth that as in receiving of priesthoode power of iurisdiction is given to every simple priest in respect of veniall sinnes and of those mortalls which the penitent nath otherwise confessed and also in respect of every sinner in the point of death so is iurisdiction then given to the said Priest that he may absolve the Pope Thus saith our reverend bishop and worthie fryer Ioseph Out of whose words I note 1 First that since our Lord is the God of peace and not of dissention as recordeth his holy Apostle in many places it must needes follow that this popish doctrine is not of God which is so devided against it selfe and therefore said Caietain truely though vnwittingly and to another ende when he denied the priest to have his authoritie from Christ or from his Church 2 I note secondly that their doctrine is meere opinative as which is onely grounded vpon mans invention 3 I note thirdly that as the priestes iurisdiction is vncerten so is the Popes absolution also as which is consectarie therevnto and consequently that the Pope standeth in daunger of his salvation And so if I be not deceived the obscuritie of this conclusion is made evident The Corollarie FIRST therefore since auricular popish confession is not commaunded by Christ secondly since it was not practised by the Apostles thirdly since it was instituted onely by the positive lawe of man fourthly since the Greeke Church never admitted that lawe fifthly since it is contrarie not onely to the fathers but to popish doctours also sixtly since it bringeth the Pope him selfe to the hazard of his salvation I conclude that it is a sufficient motive for me to renounce the Romish religion as false erroneous and pernicious doctrine Thus much of the tenth and last Motive Peroratio I HAVE in this discourse gentle Reader briefly confuted ten special articles of popish faith and religion 1 First I haue shewed the insufficiencie blasphemie and absurdities of popish pardons 2 Secondly that the Pope both may erre and hath erred defacto not only as a priuate person in priuate opinion but euen as Pope and publike person in iudicial definitions 3 Thirdly that generall councels in these latter daies are nothing els but a meere mockerie sophistical subtiltie to deceiue Gods people withal 4 Fourthly that the Popes dispensations are wicked licentious and intollerable 5 Fiftly that Kings are above Popes that their power is independent that they are subiect to none but to God alone 6 Sixtly that popish dissention is of matters most important and incredible to such as are not wel acquainted with their bookes 7 Seaventhly that the writings of the auncient fathers are to be received with great reuerence yet so as we acknowledge them to be men to haue their errours and to binde vs to their authorities no further then they accord with the holy Scriptures 8 Eightly that all things necessarie for our salvation are conteined in the holy Scriptures and that popish traditions are so vncerten as the best learned papists can not agree therein 9 Ninthly that after this life there is neither merite nor demerite nor satisfaction to be made and that the booke of Machabees can not establish popish purgatorie 10 Tenthly that the specificall enumeration and confession of all our sinnes is not onely not commaunded by the Scriptures but repugnant to the same and impossible to be accomplished by the power of man All which points I have prooued not onely by Scriptures authorities and reasons but euen by the expresse testimonies of best learned papists A thing heretofore never performed by any to my knowledge and yet so forceable against the papists if I be not deceived as nothing can be more My desire was to content all to offend none to confirme the weake to instruct the ignorant to reclaime the seduced and to confound all arrogant disloyall subiects If â—ffect succeede correspondent to my option God be thanked for it who is the chiefe worker of every good act to whome with the Sonne and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all honour power glorie and dominion nowe and ever AMEN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sapient 8. 1. Dionys. Arâ—â— pag. de divinis nominibus c. 4 2. Thess. 2. v. 4 5 6 7 8 9. 1 Greg. 9. lib. 1. decret tit 33. cap. 6. Glossa ibid. Gregor ubi supra Glossat lib. 1. decretat tit 7. cap. 3. Gerson de potestat eccles consider 12. part 3. Gerson ubi supra Bellarminus de Rom. Pont. lib. 5. cap. 8 1 2 3 Secundò principalitèr Bernar. ad Gaufridum epist. 125. 3 Robertus Bellarminus lib. 5. de Rom. Pontif. cap. 7. Bellarm. cod cap. Bellarm. cap. codem Bellarm. ubi supra 1 2 3 Prou. c. 8. 15. Rom. c. 13. v. 1. 4 Sylvest de papa para 2. 5 Bellar. derom pontif lib. 5. cap. 7. Luc. 12. 2. Mat. 16. 13. Mat. 23. 3. Mat. 15. 3. Mat. 15. 9. 1. Ioh. 4. 3. Roffensis cont assertion Luther art 18. prope initium Deut. cap. 2. vers 4. 2. Machab. cap. 12. vers 26. Matt. cap. 11. vers 25. Bellar. lib.