THE VNMASKING of a Masse-monger WHO IN THE COVNTERFEIT Habit of S. AVGVSTINE hath cunningly crept into the Closets of many English-Ladies OR THE VINDICATION of Saint AVGVSTINES Confessions from the false and malicious Calumniations of a late noted Apostate By M. S. D. of EXETER 1. TIM 1.19 20. Hauing Faith and a good Conscience which some hauing put away and as concerning Faith haue made shipwracke Of whom is HYMENIVS and ALEXANDER whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they may learne not to blaspheme PSAL. 22.16 Dogges are come about mee and the counsell of the Wicked hath assaulted mee LONDON Printed by B.A. and T. FAVVCET for NICH BOVRNE and are to bee sold at his Shop neere to the Royall Exchange 1626. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND HIS VERY WORTHIE Friends Sir BAPTIST HICKES Knight and the good Lady his Wife AS the holy Apostles Right Worshipfull so all faithfull Christians deriue their faith from CHRIST Acceptam à CHRISTO disciplinam fideliter nationibus assignarunt sayth * De praescript TERTVLLIAN speaking of the Apostles Hee is the Foundation that cannot fayle and the Truth that cannot erre and therefore are the Faithfull sayd to bee built vpon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2. because they first Preached CHRIST the onely Corner-stone and mayne Foundation of the Church Vpon the Foundation of CHRIST and his Apostles both St. AVGVSTINE and all the ancient Fathers built their Faith Doe wee then thinke that the Translator of St. AVSTINES Confessions a notorious Rinegate from the Faith of the Church of England hath reason out of that Father to draw his Romish Doctrine Sure no the poyson of his Heresie cannot be found in that holy Fathers Workes All his Confessions are directed to GOD and neyther to Saints nor Angels nor to the Virgin MARY as is the vse and practise of the Synagogue of Rome The Popes two Swords and his triple Crowne his supreme Power to judge his Cardinals Hierarchicall Orders and Vniuersall Monarchie ouer the whole Church hee knew not The reall presence of CHRISTS Body vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and the eating thereof by the mouth of the Faithfull yea by the mouthes of the Reprobate and brute Beasts hee neuer taught Neyther did hee teach the monstrous Doctrine of Transubstantiation and the reft of the abominable Heresies established against vs in Trent Hungry Dogges may dreame of Bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth THEOCRITVS in Piscatorib And as ATMANASIVS sayth in Apolog. Defug Heretikes forge opinions according to their owne pleasure Pro libidine sua id opinâtur quod volunt But Truth will alwayes stand firme Wherefore seeing this Apostate so vnkind to his Parents so false to his Countrey so malicious to Religion hath some yeares since published St. AVGVSTINES Confessions translated into English in a long Preface and diuers false marginall Notes Obseruations and Calumniations endeuouring to induce the simple to dislike the Truth professed in this Church and to affect and approue the corruptions of Popery as if S. AVGVSTINE did fauour his Sect and dislike our Confession I haue thought it a Worke worth my labour to Vindicate that holy Father out of this impure fellowes false fingers Not that you need to bee resolued of the truth of Religion wherein I know you are firmely established but to the end that what I write for the establishing of the weake comming foorth vnder the Patronage of your name might remayne as a perpetuall testimony of that loue and respect which I haue borne and alwayes shall beare you These fellowes impudently arrogate to themselues the Name of Catholikes But as ATHANASIVS saith in his 2. Orat. against the Arrians How can they bee reputed among the members of the Catholike Church whose Faith is not Apostolike This young Nouice may please himselfe with his childish Annotations and Prefations but I shall show they are no better then those Childish fables and fooleries which S. AVSTINE Lib. 2. contr Academic would haue cast out of mens hands Nay diuers points of Poperie are no better then those monstrous Fancies which ORIGEN condemneth writing against CELSVS And this I shall God willing hereafter plainely demonstrate and not onely take from him all that hold that hee thinketh to haue eyther in Saint AVGVSTINES Confessions or in any other Booke of his This Treatise I consecrate to GOD vnder the Patronage of your fauour beseeching him that it may profit many so that the Thankes may remaine to you and that thereby you may vnderstand how much I honour you and that I shall alwayes remayne Yours much obliged and deuoted M. SVTCLIFFE THE PREFACE TO the Christian Reader FRom the excellencie of S. AVGVSTINES Pietie Vertue and Learning we purpose not Christian Reader to derogate any thing nay we doubt not to preferre him before many others both ancient and late Prelates Let the whole List of late Popes and their purple Cardinals and Mitred Prelates be produced and compared with that holy Father I suppose he will surpasse them all neyther doe we doubt but he is more worthie then manie others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet doth hee not exempt his Writing from other mens iudgement Id genus literarum sayth he writing against Faustus lib. 11. c. 5. Quae non praecipiendi authoritate sed proficiendi exercitatione scribuntur a nobis non cum credendi necessitate sed cum iudicandi libertate legendum est so hee permitteth others to iudge of his Writings Neyther doth he disdaine in the same place to preferre the Canonicall Bookes of Scripture before them nor doe wee thinke it any disparagement vnto him or other Fathers to haue the Apostles preferred before them as hee writeth vnto Hierome Epist 19. There also hee giueth that priuiledge to Scriptures onely Not to erre in any thing The Apostate doth in diuers places call him an incomparable Doctor yet neuer did S. Augustine so thinke of himselfe nor doe other learned men so esteeme him but that Athanasius Gregorie Nazianzene Chrysostome Basil Hierome Ambrose and others might bee compared with him But the more excellent hee is the more is our gaine the lesse the Apostates aduantage For this I affirme and I doubt not but to make it good against all the packe of Iesuites and not onely against this silly Translator whose soule is lately turned and translated Popish First that S. AVGVSTINE neuer beleeued the Popes infallible judgement in matters of Faith nor his sublime and vniuersall Monarchy ouer the whole Church nor the Doctrine of the Popes Schooles and Decretals and secondly that hee holdeth nothing as a matter of Faith and necessary to bee beleeued that is contrary to the Articles of Religion publikely professed in the Church of England In proofe whereof that wee may proceed more particularly and punctually wee shall God willing declare in the first Chapter that S. AVSTINE neuer knew eyther the Decrees of Trent enacted against vs or that part of Romish Religion which this Church of
gaue the Church Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Teachers and true Catholikes beleeue that these onely are sufficient for the worke of the Ministerie and building of the Church But the Papists beside these haue in their Synagogue vniuersall Popes Cardinals Inquisitors dumbe Woluish Prelates that neyther feede nor worke any good sacrificing Priests Monkes Fryars and Nunnes which haue no institution from Christ How then are they Catholikes Among Catholikes none were chosen Bishops in time past but by the Clergie and People nor consecrated but by conprouinciall Bishops as our Aduersaries themselues confesse c. nulla ratio Dist 62. and c. in nomine Dist 23. And this was an Ordinance allowed also by Leo the first But Popish Bishops are intruded into their Seats by the Pope without any allowance of the Clergie or the People or any conprouinciall Bishops and the Pope himselfe is neyther elected by the Clergie or People of Rome but onely by a few Cardinals the most part strangers And doe you call them Catholikes that haue no Pastors lawfully instituted by Christ or called by the Church The Apostles and their successors were sent by Christ to preach the Gospell to baptize and to administer the Eucharist according to Christs institution and those are only true Catholikes whole Prelates and Priests doe performe that Office which Christ enioyned them But among Papists Priests are ordained not to preach but to sacrifice for quicke and dead and Prelates are not ordered by the Church but by Antichrist the Aduersarie of Christ and the Church and preach not the Gospell but humane Traditions and the Popes Decrees Further they obserue not Christs institution in administring the Sacraments according to Christs institution How then are they true Catholikes among whom neyther the Word is truly preached nor Sacraments are duly administred and where in Doctrine and Chayre there is no Apostolicall succession Among ancient Catholikes onely the successors of the Apostles preached and baptized but among Papists Monkes and Fryars preach albeit they be no successors of the Apostles nor instituted by Christ but by Antichrist and Women sometime are permitted to baptize as if Women could succeed the Apostles Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God sayth the Apostle Rom. 10. and this Faith onely is the Catholike Christian Faith But among Papists no Faith is allowed as good but that which commeth from the proposition of the Church as Canisius teacheth in Catech. c. de Fide Now this Church is nothing but the Pope and their Faith is grounded vpon Traditions not written and the Decrees of the Pope Can this Faith then be Catholike and Diuine Tiue Catholike Faith is also ioyned with firme Hope and assurance of faluation together with the certaine knowledge of God and his will and with feruent Charitie towards God and our neighbour But the Faith of the Apostate and his consorts is onely a bare assent to the word of God Knowledge of God they haue little contenting themselues with an implicite Faith and denying all assurance of saluation and warring against all that submit not themselues to the Pope and his sect But such a Faith is a dead faith a diuelish faith an erronious and wicked perswasion and not a true Catholike and Apostolike faith Finally if any man did well vnderstand the particulars of that Faith which the Apostate seeketh to commend to his Countrimen and which the Church of England reiecteth as comming from Antichrist hee might plainely see that the Papists are neither Catholikes nor hold the Catholike Faith in any thing which the Church of England disliketh Wherefore least any hereafter should boast that his Popish religion is Catholike I will hereafter specifie diuers points thereof which themselues will be forced to confesse to bee vncatholike An Appendix vnto the third Chapter contayning some principall points of the vncatholike moderne Romish Doctrine WHen wee speake against the Church of Rome and her Doctrine wee vnderstand not either the ancient Church of Rome or any Article of her Faith but the new Church of Rome as shee is subiect to the Pope and embraceth his new Faith contained in his Decretals and established in the late conuenticle of Trent and is maintained by the Schoole-men and other his factors And of this Doctrine these are some of the chiefe heads First as wee acknowledge Christ to be the author and finisher of our Faith so Papists deriue their Faith from the Pope as the Author and principall Founder thereof For whatsoeuer God speaketh to vs in Scriptures yet they allow nothing but what the Pope propoundeth We beleeue no head of the Church but Christ Iesus who is also the Sauiour of his body They professe the Pope to be the head of the vniuersall Church Wee are taught 1. Cor. 3. That Christ Iesus is the onely foundation of the Church Stapleton and his followers beleeue That the Pope and his determinations are the Churches foundation also And this is also the Doctrine of Bellarmine The Church being a chast virgin admitteth no Spouse but Christ Iosus But the adulterous Sinagogue of Rome receiueth the Pope as her Spouse as appeareth C. Vbi periculum de elect in 6. When any question ariseth about matters of Faith the Church of Rome will haue the Pope to be supreame Iudge a matter vnreasonable that an Heretike and an enemy should sit judge in matters of Faith and in his owne cause When Christ ascended into Heauen they say he left the Pope to be his Vicar But of this he sheweth no commission or proofe They beleeue also that the Pope is S. Peters onely Successor and the vniuersall Bishop and chiefe Monarch of the vniuersall Church But neither doth he teach or loue Christ. as did Peter nor doth hee demonstrate how this vniuersall Monarchy came vnto him They say he hath power to dispense against the Law the Gospell and the Apostle And so he doth indeed dispensing with periured and most flagitious men and neither regarding Law nor Gospell nor what the Apostle teacheth Suarez lib. 6. Defens Cath. Apost fid c. 4. 6. Teacheth that the Pope hath power not onely to depose Kings but to command them to bee killed Christ fled away when the people sought to make him King But the Pope challengeth not onely to be a Bishop but a King also The Popes Decretals concerning matters of Faith they say are cleare from all errors so doe the Turkes also thinke of their Alchoran Of holy Scriptures they speake euill calling them a dead Letter a dumbe Judge matter of strife a killing Letter a Nose of Waxe a Lesbian Rule They receiue the vnwritten Traditions of the Church of Rome with equall affection as they receiue holy Scriptures and yet doe they not certainly know them nor can demonstrate to others what they are The Doctrine of the Church of Rome they say is the Rule of Faith But what Rule then hath this Doctrine Some say Traditions not written added to the Scriptures make vp
England admitteth not and which this Apostate and his Consorts hold to bee Catholike In the second Chapter shall bee demonstrated that many of these Points of Romish Religion which wee reject are also contradicted by S. AVGVSTINE Thirdly because the Apostate and his Consorts doe euer and anon challenge to themselues the name of Catholikes wee propose in the third Chapter by Arguments inuincible to conuince them that they are neyther Catholikes nor hold the true Catholike and Apostolike Faith The fourth Chapter shall contayne the examination of the Apostates Title page and his Epistle dedicatory In the fift Chapter the Apostates absurd tedious and malicious Preface is scanned and refuted The sixth Chapter setteth downe Notes and Animaduersions vpon the Translators idle Aduertisement Jn the seuenth and last Chapter the false wicked and absurd Notes of the Translator vpon S. AVGVSTINES Text are refuted and expugned Now how contrary S. AVGVSTINES writings are to Popery here I will giue a touch in generall Non sit nobis religio sayth hee c. 55. de Ver. Relig. in phantasmatibus nostris Let vs not frame Religion according to our fancies But Popish Religion is wholly grounded vpon the Popes fantasies and fantasticall Decretals In the same Booke and Chapter he sheweth that true Religion doth tye vs to one God that is Almightie But Popish Religion doth oblige men to serue Saints and Angels and to worship many Gods on euery Altar that haue no power And againe Non sit nobis Religio humanorum operum cultus And afterward Non sit nobis Religio cultus hominum mortuorum And speaking of Angels he sayth Honoramus eos charitate non seruitute nec eis Templa construimus So he declareth that Religion consisteth not in the worship of Images or the workes of mens hands or in the worship of dead men or Saints or in the seruice of Angels shewing that then Temples were not built in the honor of Angels or any Seruice giuen to them all direct contrarie to the practise of the Romish Church In ijs quae aperte in Scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi sayth hee lib. 3. de Doctr. Christ c. 9. So hee holdeth Scriptures to be both sufficient and perspicuous in all matters concerning saluation And Lib. de Bon. Viduit c. 1. Sancta Scriptura nostrae Doctrinae regulam figit ne audeamus supera plus quam oportet All contrarie to the Doctrine of false Romish Catholikes which hold the Scriptures to be obscure and darke imperfect and no sufficient Rule without Traditions Disp 2. contr Fortunat. After that man sinned by Free-will wee were cast headlong into a necessitie of sinning And Enchirid. ad Laurent c. 30. Man ill vsing Free-will lost both himselfe and it But false Catholikes denie that it is so lost but that we may freely doe well Lib. 4. contr Iulian. he denyeth that Infidels can doe works pleasing to God which Papists admit not In his Booke de Vnit. Eccles c. 1. he acknowledgeth no Head of the Church but CHRIST IESVS the onely begotten Sonne of the liuing God who is also the Sauior of his Body False Catholikes make the Pope to be the Head of the Church Omnes homines sub Lege constitutos reos facit Lex sayth S. Austine But false Papists seeke for iustification by the Law Iustitia nostra quamvis vera sit tamen tanta est in hac vita vt potius peccatorum remissione constet quam perfectione virtutum sayth S. Augustine lib. 19. de Ciuit. Dei c. 27. He sayth Our iustice standeth in remission or sinnes and not in the perfection of vertue The Papists teach contrarie Lib. 2. contr Epist Parmen c. 8. he denyeth that S. Paul or other Apostles are our Mediators And againe Pro quo nullus interpellat sed ipso pro omnibus hic vnus verusque Mediator est But this Apostate and his Consorts vse the mediation of the Virgin Mary of Angels and Saints Cum Petro dicitur ad omnes dicitur pasce Oues meus sayth S. Austine de Agon Christ c. 30. Papists contrarie beleeue that these words doe properly belong to Peter and the Pope When it was sayd to Peter I will giue thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen the Church Vniuersall was signified sayth S. Austine Tract 124. in loan The Apostate contrarie restraineth this to the Pope S. Austine in Epist ad lanuar 118. Lib. 3. de Doctr. Christ c. 9. mentioneth onely two Sacraments which our Church alloweth False Catholikes adde other fiue and hold they iustifie ex opere operato which was a Doctrine neuer knowne by S. Augustine Lib. de Fid. ad Petrum c. 19. he sayth The Church ceaseth not to offer the Sacrifice of Bread and Wine wherein there is action of Graces and a commemoration of Christs Flesh which he gaue for vs and of his Bloud which he shed for vs. Contrariwise the Apostate and his fellowes denie that Bread and Wine are effered and suppose that his Flesh and Bloud is really offered for vs in the Eucharist Tract 30. in Ioan. S. Austine sayth that Christs Body in which he rose againe must be in one place And Serm. 53. de Verb. Dom. Christus caput nostrum sursum in coelis est The Aduersaeries of Truth say he is here below on euerie Altar and beleeue that the Pope is the Head of the Church Tractat. 26. in Ioan. in Psal 77. he sayth that the Sacraments of the Old and New Testament are equall in the thing that is signified though diuers in signes Which ouerthroweth the carnall reaell presence of Christs Body and Bloud vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament De morib Eccles Cath. lib. 1. c. 3. S. Austine condemneth such as worship Sepulchres and Pictures Et de Fid. Symb. c. 7. Tale simulachrum Deo nefas est Christiano in Templo collorari sayth he condemning the making of the Image of God and placing it in Churches In his Booke de Haeres he sheweth that the Simonians Carpocratians were reputed Heretikes yet the worship of Images and Saints Reliques is reputed no small part of the Romish Faith In his 6. Booke of Confessions c. 5. hee sheweth that God perswadeth vs to beleeue Scriptures condemning such as aske how wee know that the Scriptures were deliuered to men by the ministration of the holy Ghost But false and counterfeit Christians and this Apostate doe make this question commonly and beleeue not Scriptures without Tradition Quid mihi est cum hominibus vt ipsi confessiones meas audiant sayth S. Austine lib. 10. Confess c. 2. But the Apostate and his Apostaticall Consorts thinke it a matter necessarie to confesse and reckon vp all sinnes and the circumstances thereof making Confession a necessarie ingredient of the Sacrament of Penance Finally it were an easie matter to shew that S. AVGVSTINE doth discord with the Papists in all those Points wherein they differ from vs
but this may serue for a tasse in the interim vntill we discourse hereof more particularly in the second Chapter of the Treatise following Now this is sufficient to shew the falsitie and pouertie of the Translator and his Notes and Obsernations vpon S. AVSTINES Confessions wherein most simply and weakely hee endeuoureth to make that worthie Father of his partie Quid est egere sayth S. AVSTINE de Vit. Beat. And he answereth Sapientiam non habere And againe he sayth Nihil est aliud habere egestatem quam habere stultitiam So that by Saint AVSTINES iudgement this man being void of Wisdome and full of Foolerie is but a poore Translator wracking himselfe vpon S. AVSTINE vpon whom he meant to lay the ground of his foolish and vaine Religion Therein also we may percciue how vainely our Aduersaries boast of Fathers and especially of S. AVGVSTINE who in all important matters of Faith are directly opposite vnto them But leauing all further preambular speeches we will now begin to handle such matters as the rinegned Translator doth principaelly insist vpon THE VNMASKING of a Masse-monger WHO In the counterfeit habit of S. AVGVSTINE hath cunningly crept into the Closets of many English Ladyes OR The Vindication of S. AVGVSTINES Confessions from the false and malicious Calumniations of a late noted Apostate CHAP. I. That S. AVSTINE neuer knew either the Decrees of the conuenticle of Trent enacted against vs or that part of the Romish Religion which the Church of England admitteth not and which the Apostate and his consorts hold to bee Catholicke MVch doe our Aduersaries insist vpon the name of Catholikes and title of the Catholike Church So doe also all other Heretikes as saith Lactantius lib. 4. Diuin instit c 30. Singuli quique haeriticorum caetus se potissimum Christianos suam esse ecclesiam eatholicam putant But if that be Catholike which at all times of all Christians and in all places hath beene holden as Vincentius Lirinensis aduers haeres teacheth vs then certes the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is not Catholike In the judgement of S Augustine it cannot be accompted either Catholike or soundly Christian For first S. Austine referreth himselfe in all matters of faith to holy Scriptures and speaketh most reuerently of them Canonica scriptura veteris noui Testamenti saith he Lib. 11. contr Faust c. 5. Est in sede quadum sublimiter constituta cujus authoritati seruiat omnis fidelis pius intellectus Hee placeth their Authoritie aboue all Councels Fathers and Popes and would haue all pious Christians to submit their vnderstanding vnto them but such as rayled vpon them and called them a dead and killing letter and said they were imperfect obscure ambiguous and flexible he neuer did acknowledge to be Catholikes or Christians He neuer beleeued nor knew the traditions of the Church of Rome concerning the consecrating of Crosses and Images their greasing and crossing of Altars their-hallowing of Churches with oyle holy-water and ashes their consecrating of paschall Lambes Salt Holy-water Ashes the baptizing of Bells the blessing of Priests garments the mysseries of the Masse their shauing and greasing vsed in giuing Orders nor the rest of their traditions He beleeued not that traditions not written were to be receiued with like affectiō as we receiue holy Scriptures Nay contrary he gaue the highest place to Canonicall Scripture That traditions should be added to the rule of Faith was more then he could euer imagine Sancta scriptura saith he Debon viduit c. 1. Nostrae doctrinae regulam figit Holy Scripture giueth vs a fixt and certaine rule And l. 2. con Donatist He accounteth the Scriptures to be a diuine ballancer wherein Doctrines may be justly weighed But other ballancers he accounteth deceitfull Non afferamus stateras dolosas saith he Vb◠appendamus quod volumus quomodo volumus pro arbitrie nostro dicentes hoc graue hoc leue sed afferamus diuinam stateram de Scripturis sanstis tanquam de the sauris Dominicis in illa quid sit grauius appendamus imò non appendamus sid à Domino appensam recognoscamus The Church of Rome beleeueth that the old vulgar Latine translation of the Bible is authenticall and neither the Hebrew text of the old nor the Greeke of the new Testament But S. Austine gaue no such credit to that or any other tranflation Nay contrary lib. 15. de ciuit D.c. 13. hee preferreth Originals before all Translations Ei linguae potius credatur saith hee vnde est in aliam per interpretes facta translatio And lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 11. He would haue men to haue recourse to the Hebrew and Greeke text for the variety of Translations Lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 15. he saith Translations ought to giue place to the Greeke text of the New Testament To come to the Pope who is the founder of the grand Idoll of the Masse and the Oracle from whom his followers deriue the certainty of their Romish traditions S. Austine neuer knew the man Nay if any man in his time had said that the Bishop of Rome had two Swords and power to depose Kings and dispose of their Kingdomes and that he was the Vniuersall Bishop of the Church the head foundation and Spouse ministeriall of the same and finally that hee was the supreame judge of Faith and had Authoritie to make new Articles of the Faith doth any man thinke that so holy and wise a man could haue contained himselfe within the limites of patience hearing such monstrous Paradoxes The Schoole doctrine concerning Merites of congruitie and condignitie Iustice by workes bodies being in many places at once and filling no place accidents nourishing like substances and yet subsiding without any subiect Popish dispensations for all flagitious sinnes Diuels tormenting just mens soules in Purgatory satisfactions for sinne by Whipping and going Bare-foot washing away sinnes with Holy-water and expiating them by knocking the brest and the Priests blessing and such other Schoole-points were not knowne to S. Austine nor heard of in his time All the authenticall Doctrine of the Romish Synagogue is contayned in the Popes decretals and decrees and was published and confirmed in the second Nicene Synode in the assemblies of Laterane Constance Florence and Trent How then could that holy Father know a Faith that was so long after his time established Could he Prophecie that the men of Trent would decree that Christians should be justified by the Popes law That the Images of the Trinitie should bee worshipped with Latria That Saints and Angels should be inuocated That men should beleeue Transubstantiation auricular Confession seauen Sacraments and such like late doctrines S. Austine lib 11. contr Faust c. 5. Would haue all pious vnderstanding made subiect to the high authority of Scriptures Neither did he beleeue that the same might be confirmed by any mans writing Is it then likely that he should teach or thinke that Scriptures in respect of vs receiued their
authority from the Churches of Romes decrees or from the Pope That the Pope should bee an infallible Interpretor of Scripture and supreame Moderator of Religion S. Austine neuer heard Nay disaduowing all the Popes decretals and other mens writings he signifieth that hee oweth his consent without all exception onely to canonicall Scriptures In quorumlibet hominum scriptis saith he lib. de natur grat Liber sum quia solis canonicis scripturis debeo sine vlla recusatione consensum S. Austine neuer prayed to the Virgin Mary nor call vpon her and other Saints and Angels or teach that they were to be worshipped with Dulia If he had dedicated his Confessions to the Virgin Mary as doth the Apostate his absurd translation I should beleeue that he had learned somewhat from that holy Father He neuer beleeued that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without sinne or that she was the mediatrix or redemptrix of Mankind together with her Sonne or that her body is already assumed into heauen as this Apostate her deuout slaue and others hold Nor did hee euer teach that Saints in heauen heard the prayers and vnderstood the thoughts of all men and in all places here on earth or that they could helpe them giue them grace and deliuer them Hee might make a commemoration of the names of the faithfull hence departed and commend his Mother to God But neuer taught or beleeued that his mothers and other faithfull mens soules which he mentioned at the Lords table were tormented in Purgatory Hee was no Masse-priest nor euer offered Christs body really for quicke and dead nor said Masse for sicke horses as Masse Priests doe That Christs body and blood should bee contained vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and that seuerally is so extrauagant a Paradoxe that it could neuer be found in the holy Fathers writings Nor could he beleeue that either reprobates or brute beasts did eat Christs flesh and drinke his blood The Sacrament hee neither adored nor carried it about nor put it into a Pixe neither did he allow any such thing done by others He neuer confessed his sinnes to the Virgin Mary or to Angels or Saints or pray them to intercede for him as doe Masse-Priests Much lesse did hee pray for Christs body that it might bee graciously accepted as was the Sacrifice of Abell and Melchisedech and carried into heauen as doe the Apostates consorts This Apostate cannot demonstrate that St. Austine euer thought that Salt and Water consecrated would cause Thunder to cease and driue away Diuels Let him bring forth the testimony of any man or Diuell to proue this and then his deuoted followers may perchance beleeue him That Christians should be burned for holding that flesh may be eaten on Frydayes or Saints Vigils as this vncharitable Apostate and his Teachers beleeue he cannot prooue that so holy a Father as S. Austine eyther taught or allowed The Precepts of the Romish Church concerning Holy-dayes Fasts Masses auricular Confession and prohibition of Marriage were neuer knowne to S. Augustine nor could be being brought in by diuers Popes that liued since his time Neyther did he teach or beleeue that Treasons against Princes and States heard by Priests in Confession were not to be reuealed or that the seale of Confession of which the Masse-Priests talke as of a diuine Mysterie was ordained by God Of the cases reserued to the Pope which are a principall bulwarke of the Papall authoritie S. Austine neuer heard newes Neyther was hee acquainted with the Popes Penitentiarie Taxe or the rules of his Chancerie nor thought it fit that Periurie Incest Murder and all irregularities should bedispensed withall or pardoned for Money Finally all those Heresies and Nouelties which the Romanists now hold and maintaine with all sraud and force were eyther reiected by S. Austine or vtterly vnknowne vnto him CHAP. II. That those principall points of Romish Religion which we reiect are also reiected and contradicted by S. AVSTINE NEyther doth S. Austine onely passe ouer in silence the new-forged Religion of Papists maintained by this Apostate but also directly oppugne the same They euery where vilifie holy Scriptures as imperfect difficult ambiguous calling them a Nose of Wax a Delphian Sword a dead Letter Matter of Contention S. Austine contrariwise extolleth them as placed in a sublime place of authoritie and from them he would haue none to depart Extat authoritas sacrae Scripturae vnde mens nostra deuiare non debet saith he Lib. 3. de Trinit cap. 11. They admit Traditions and the Popes Definitions for a Rule of Faith but this holy Father admitteth no Rule but holy Scripture Canon Ecclesiasticus saith he constitutus est ad quem certi Apostolorum Prophetarum libri pertinent The words are extant Lib. 2. contr cresc gram c. 31. In the same place he would not haue any to iudge of Scripture but to iudge according to it but the Pope taketh vpon him to taxe and iudge of Scripture yea to pronounce without it and against it The Apostate and his Consorts esteeme the Scriptures to be hard and ambiguous S. Austine lib. 2. de Doct. Christ c. 9. saith That whatsoeuer is necessarie to saeluation is contained in plaine places of Scripture The Iesuits muster against vs Traditions Decretals Fathers and such like testimonies but S. Austine reiecting all the rest would haue all proofes deriued out of Scriptures Lib. de vnit Eccles c. 3. Auferantur saith he ille de medio quae aduersus nos inuicem non ex Diuims Canonicis Libris sed aliunde recitamus They goe about to marke out a Church by Vnitie Vniuersalitie Antiquitie and Succession but S. Austine de vnit Eccles c. 1. would haue the question of the Church to be decided by Scriptures Inter nos Donatistas quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus saith he in verbis nostris eam quaesituri an in verbis capitis sui Domini nostri Iesu Christi These presumptuous fellowes preferre themselues before Scripture determining according to the Popes Decretals what Bookes are Canonicall and what the meaning is of euery Text but S. Austine lib. 2. contr Cresc c. 21. sheweth that neyther any particular man nor the Church it selfe is to preferre it selfe before Christ Now who knoweth not that Christ speaketh to vs in Scriptures Ecclesia saith he non debet se Christo praeponere And Confess 13. c. 23. he would not haue any to iudge of the sublime authoritie of the Booke of God They receiue not holy Scriptures vnlesse the Church that is the Pope propose them and declare them to be Canonicall S. Austine lib. 6. Confess c. 5. blameth such as are not by Scriptures perswaded to accept them They hold the old Latine vulgar Translation to be authenticall but contrarie to S. Augustines iudgement Bellarmine Leo Castrius Lindaue and diuers other Papists taxe holy Scriptures in the Originals of Impuritie and Corruption but contrarie to S. Augustines iudgement
Ep. 108. and Lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 13. The Bookes of Toby Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees the Papists receiue as Canonicall but S. Augustine Lib. 2. contr Cresc c. 31. placeth no Bookes in the Canon of the Old Testament but such as were written by the Prophets of which number these will hardly be proued to be They make Christ to be our Mediator according to his Humanitie onely which is contrarie to S. Augustines Doctrine who in his Homily de Ouibus c. 12. doth attribute this worke of Mediation to his Person in both Natures Diuina humanitas saith he humana Diuinitas Mediatrix est The worship and inuocation of holy men departed are a great part of the Romish Religion but S. Austine de ver Relig. c. vlt. forbiddeth vs to place Religion in Reliques and the inuocation of dead men Non sit nobis Religio saith he culius hominum mortuorum And Lib. 22. de Ciuit. Dei c. 10. he saith Christians departed are named at the Altar but not called vpon S. Augustine de Morib Eccl. Cath. c. 34. saith hee knew some that worshipped dead mens Tombes and Pictures but such are condemned by him In his Booke de Haeresib hee condemneth it as an Heresie of the Simonians and Carpocratians that they worshipped Images and burnt incense vnto them Yet doth not the Apostate nor his Apostaticall mates forbeare to worship Reliques of Saints and Images and to burne incense vnto them Hee acknowledged but two Sacraments properly so called which as he speaketh flowed out of Christs side He soecifieth also two Sacraments in his 118. Epistle viz. Baptisme and the Lords Supper Manauit sanguis aqua Ecclesiae gemina Sacramenta saith he Lib. 2. de Symb. c. 6. But the Apostate not regarding S. Austines authoritie acknowledgeth fiue Sacraments beside these two He saith Visible Sacraments without the sanctification of inuisible grace profit nothing as we reade in Quaest. super Leuit. Lib. 3. q. 84. But the Apostate and his Consorts beleeue that visible Sacraments conferre grace ex opere operato S. Augustine in Psal 3. calleth the Sacrament a figure of Christs Bodie and Lib. contr Adimantum c. 12. Christ as he writeth doubted not to say This is my Bodie when he gaue a signe of his Bodie But Papists cannot brooke that this Sacrament should be called a signe or a figure of Christs Bodie Take away the spaces of places from Bodies saith S. Austine Epist 57. ad Dardanum and they will be no where and because they are no where they will not be at all Spatia locorum tolle corporibus nusquam erunt quia nusquam erunt non erunt And in his 20. Booke contr Faustum he faith Christ according to his corporall presence could not be at one time in the Sunne and Moone and on the Crosse And in his 30. Treatise on Joan. he saith The Bodie of Christ must be in one place But this rinegate Apostating as well from S. Austiue as from the Christian Faith holdeth that Christs true Bodie is in euery Altar and diuers Countries at one instant and yet filleth no place It is against Pietie saith S. Austine as hee is alledged c. vtrum Dist 2. de Consecrat to thinke that Christs Bodie is deuoured with teeth Christum vorari dentibus fas non est He faith also that his flesh is no meat for mens teeth but for their soules Tract 25. in Ioan. But this impietie of deuouring and eating Christ with teeth and with the mouth is part of the Apostates impious Religion He saith also The wicked which accord not with Christ doe not eat Christs Bodie or drinke his Bloud as is alledged c. qui discordat Dist 2. de Consecr Yet this fellow rineguing from S. Austines Doctrine holdeth that not only the wicked but also brute beasts eating the Sacrament both eat his Bodie and drinke his Bloud Simul sumimus simul bibimus quia simul viuimus Wee doe take the Sacrament and drinke together because wee liue together saith S. Augustine in Serm. ad Neoplast which is alledged c. quia passus Dist 2. de Consecrat And can the rinegate in his rinegued Conscience beleeue that S. Austine allowed priuate Masses and halfe Communions Free-will being captiuated saith S. Augustine contr 2. Epist Pelag. lib. 3. c. 8. is of no strength but to sinne Liberum arbitrium captiuatum non nisi ad peccandum valet And will this captiuated slaue of Antichrist contradict such a holy Father and say that Free-will is not captiuated but hath power to doe well The same Father de Nupt. Concupisc lib. 1. c. 3. contr Julian lib. 4. c. 3. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 5. c. 19. in Psal 31. in Praefat. teacheth that Infidels sinne in all their workes but the rinegate and his Mates will not submit themselues to S. Austines iudgement nor denie but that Infidels may doe good workes The Church as S. Austine saith Lib. 5. contr Donatist c. 27. consisteth of iust and holy men and in his Exposition on the 56. Psal hee saith it consisteth of all the faithfull that are the members of Christ And will the Apostate hold that wicked Popes Cardinals Masse-Priests Monkes and Fryars whereof some are Infidels are the true members of Christs Body His Master Bellarmine de Eccles c. 2. saith a man may be a true member of the Church if he communicate outwardly in Faith and Sacraments with the Church and be subiect to the Pope albeit he haue neyther inward Faith nor Vertue But who will not rather beleeue S. Austine then these two Pseudo-Catholikes Sine bonorum operum meritis per fidem iustificaetur impius saith S. Austine in Psal 67. Yet this rinegat doubteth not but as he hath the sinnes of his youth and scabs inherent so he is iustified by charitie inherent and good works if he haue any S. Austine in his Commentaries in Psal 36. doth expressely condemne mens Merits esteeming all our sufferings vile and not worthie of that which we receiue And in Psal 83. Quicquid promisit indignis promisit Whatsoeuer God promised saith he he promised to men vnworthie that the reward might be not of Workes but of Grace Afterward hee saith Our iustice is not of Merites of men but of Gods gift And yet this vnworthie fellow and his thrice-vnworthie Mates boast continually of their worth and teach mens Merites The same holy Father also Confess lib. 10. c. 42. denyeth all reconciliation to God made by Angels and in his Booke de Haeresib condemneth such for Heretikes as pray to Angels How then can such rinegates reconcile themselues to S. Austine praying to Angels and trusting to be reconciled by Angels and holpen by their intercession Lib. de Haeres c. 88. hee condemneth Pelagius for an Heretike holding that man may by free-will dispose himselfe to grace and that iust men can liue without sinne and be saued by their owne strength The which Fancies being embraced by this Heretike who
doe well In his first Booke of Retract c. 21. S. Austine doth vtterly ouerthrow the Popish Doctrine concerning the power of Free-will in doing good For if man cannot change his will vnlesse it be giuen him nor doe good but by grace as hee teacheth then doth it not lye in the power of Free-will to doe well more then it lyeth in the power of the Apostate to be made a Cardinall which is a grace bestowed by the Pope on his fauourites and not obtained by euery loose companions free-will S. Austine doth also confound the Heresie of the Apostate holding iustification by Faith and Workes for if Workes follow him that is iustified and goe not before then doe not Workes iustifie vs. Yet hold we not that Faith deuoid of Workes doth iustifie but that Faith liuely by good Workes doth onely apprehend Christs Mercy and lustice and not our Workes effect Iustice That S. Austine with other Fathers of the Church teach that our Workes are meritorious of Eternall life as this Apostate auoweth is an impudent assertion disauowed by them and meritorious of a sharp censure S. Austine neither in his 105. Epist nor in his 46. Epist ad Valent. doth in one word signifie that Workes are meritorious of Eternal life Nay contrary albeit he doth mention Merits yet he saith men are justified by Grace without merits Which ouerthroweth the Doctrine of Merites de congruo and the Decrees of Trent concerning mens preparations to Iustice Jn Epist 46. ad Valent. he saith Man is conuerted by mercy grace In Conc. 2. in Psal 36. he denieth our Workes to be meritorious of that we shall receiue And in Psal 83. That what soeuer he hath promised he promised to such as are vnworthy And Ser. 16. de verb. Apost He is made our debtor saith he not receiuing anything from vs but promising what pleased him And thus it appeareth that S. Austine is little propitious to Papists euen in those points in which they thinke him to be most fauourable But their maine grounds hee eyther knew not or contradicted them as hath been formerly demonstrated Most idle therefore is his whole Discourse ensuing First he wondreth that any should be so silly or impudent as to auouch S. Austine as a Patron of the Faith which wee professe whom he like a Calfe of the Popes Buls calleth Caluinists But I haue alledged against him so many particulars that I hope he will cease his wonderment I haue also deriued our Faith from Christ his Apostles and not from Caluin or any late teacher S. Austine argued against the Manichies that held Fate and the Pelagians that magnified Free-will and made an Idoll of it But what doth that concerne vs who detest all the Heresies both of the one and the other It rather toucheth the Apostate and his consorts who according to the Doctrine of Thomas 1. P. q. 116. Art 1. 2. allow Fate and with the Manichies condemne Mariage in Priests and giue to CHRIST a phantasticall body that is in many places at one time and refuse Flesh and other meates They also magnifie Free-will as being the Cause of mans conuersion and hauing power to prepare vs to Iustification and hold that the Virgin Mary and some others were borne without Originall sinne and that Iust men may liue without sinne for some time and the vniust doe any good by their Free-will all which are Heresies of the Pelagians He addeth that S. Austine beleeued the inuocation of Saints and Angels to bee a Catholike Doctrine and that hee did not onely approue Prayers made to Saints but also recounteth many Miracles wrought by them Lyes idly repeated and formerly refured See S. Austines Confes lib. 10. c. 42. 43. lib. 22 de ciuit Dei c. 10. and you shall finde hee teacheth contrary The miracles reported Lib. 22. de ciuit c. 8. are thrust in there by some falsary and yet is it not there sayd they were wrought by Saints He supposeth that wee inferre that Scriptures containe all things necessary to saluation because as S. Austine saith lib. Confes c. 5. they are excellent meanes whereby God may hee both beleeued and serued But his supposall is ridiculous and false for neyther hath S. Austine in that place any such words nor doe we ground our selues vpon any thing therein contained but vpon diuers other place Lib. 3. de doctr Christ. c. â— Tract 49. in Joan. Lib. 1. de cousens Euangel c. 35. lib. 3. centr lib. Petil. c. 6. and lib. 3. cantr dâ—â—s epist Pelag. c. 4. Farre hee was saith the Apostate from holding Scripture to hee the supriame Iudge of Controuersies Yes lib 3. de Nuâ—â— Coâ—oâ—pâ—â—… c. 33. hee appealeth to Christ and his Apostle He doth also try all questione in all place by Scriptures and no where by the Pope or his 〈◊〉 That the Gospell with hâ—n had beene no Gospell if the authority of the Church had not obliged him is a wicked speech of this blasphemous Apustate and no saying of S. Austine Hee said onely the Authority of the Church moued him which hee might haue affirmed of any godly Preacher yea of his Mother If S. Austines or other Fathers words seeme to fauour vs the Rinegate pretendeth That so many other places are plaine and expresse for his Romish Religion insomuch that some confesse they contradict themselues Both grosse and impudent leasings For the first we haue refuted by many vnanswerable arguments the second hee cannot chuse but confesse vnlesse he can produce such as charge the Fathers with contradictions But saith he The Roman Church hath preserued S. Austines Workes vntouched secondly shee preserued two Orders of Religious men instituted by him thirdly shee permitted his Images and Reliques to bee kept and honoured his Festiuall to bee solemnized and Churches and Altars to bee erected to God in his name I answer that the first is most vntrue for the Popes factors haue not onely added to his Workes many suppositious Bookes but also haue falsified his true works and if any sinceritie haue beene vsed in the edition of his writings it is much against the Popes minde But suppose the Romanists should haue vsed diligence in preseruing his Writings yet is not the same comparable to the diligence of the Jewes in preseruing the Old Testament by which notwithstanding they are plainly conuinced 2. It is false that eyther Hermites or Chanons regular were instituted by S. Austine they hauing receiued their Originall and Lawes from the Pope 3. The Jewes honored the Prophets albeit they regarded not their admonitions and counsailes 4. It is guibrish to say that Churches and Altars were built to God in S. Austines name for S. Austines Church is built to Saint Austine as Baals Church to Baal 5. Not Gods Church but the Sinagogue of Sathan maintaineth the Idotrous worship of Saints of their Reliques and Images He saith wee disclaime S. Austine and call him superstitious and scornefully trample vpon the head and heart of this