after their death being depriued of the communion of Christians and of buriall Alexander the 4. c. quicunque haereticos de haereticis in 6. excommunicateth and depriueth of Christian buriall all such as goe about to bury heretikes or their fauorers neither doe they admitte the repentance of such as are adiudged relapsed but deliuer them ouer to be burnt by their executioners as we may reade in the chapter super co de haereticis in 6. The spanish inquisition is yet more rigorous then the former laws of Popes for vpon any wicked or lewd fellowes accusation an honest man may be attached imprisoned tortured and if he acquite himselfe not the better either famished in prison or burnt most cruelly And by these lawes we finde that infinit Christians haue beene done to death in Spaine Italy France Flanders England Scotland Germany and other Christian countries Meteraâ—â— in his history of the troubles of the low countries reporteth that fiftie thousand persons were executed by the actes of iudges and inquisitors in the low countries during the reigne of Charles the fift In England during the times of Queene Mary they spared neither old nor yongue noble nor base learned nor vnlearned nor did they respect eithe sexe of women or the simplicitie of the common sort Pius quintus testifieth that Philip the 2. spared not his owne and onely sonne Charles being accused by the inquisitors in the daies of Gregory the 13. a gentleman of Valedolid in Spaine cut wood and set fire to burne two of his owne daughters condemned for the Gospell in that countrey called heresie and if king Henry the 8. had liued longer it is thought the Papists would haue perswaded him not to haue spared his Queene so cruel was the Popish faction in prosecuting the innocent nay if either Queene Mary had longer liued or Popery longer reigned in England this bloody crew had caused the daughter to disenterre her own father and to burne his bones as some haue reported Sometime without forme of law they murder infinit numbers of innocent persons for the least suspicion of doctrine contrary to the opinions of the church of Rome for this cause Innocent the 3. and his successors proclaimed open warre against the Albigians and Valdensians and ceased not vntill hee had destroied all that durst manifestly oppose themselues vnto their heresie and tyranny In Bohemia they had not the like successe their armies being often ouerthrowne by the poore people of the country which defended their liues against their cruelty but neuer did they cease to persecute that nation Paul the 3. sent great forces into Germany seeking by the armes of Charles the fift to reestablish his antichristian kingdome in that countrey the same Pope stirred vp rebels both in England and Ireland against Henry the 8. that had shaken off his heauie yoke Pius the fift in his Bull commanded Queene Elizabeths subiects to rebell against her and raised many troubles both in England and Ireland seeking to ouerthrow the state if he could the same man not preuailing by intestine sedition sought to set both French and Spanish vpon the English as we may reade in his life written by Hicrome Catena In the times of Gregorie the 13. that bloody massacre that for euer shall make Papistes insamous was committed in France Natalis Comes histor lib. 23. testifieth that sixtie thousand persons were massaacred at that time Circiter sexaginta hominum millia saith he varijs in locis per illud tempus trucidata suisse dicta sunt in Gallia and so extreme was their crueltie that like bloody wolues they neither spared sexe nor age nor qualitie vel puberes vel impuberes saith he trucidati sunt neque vllius sexits vel aetatis vel dignitatis habita est ratio Anno 1588. they brought vpon England great forces with fire and sworde seeking the vtter subuersion of this kingdome but the Lord from heauen blew vpon his enemies and dispersed them In France they conspired against the king and bound themselues by oath to exclude the house of Bourbon from the right of the crowne and to roote out all that should speake against the Pope his erroneous doctrine and for that cause raised great tumults and stirres as we may reade in the memorials of the league The like course for many yeeres haue they taken in the Low countries where the strength of Italy and Spaine hath beene consumed and a way made for the good successe of the common enemy of Christendome the Turke Finally the Popes and their emissaries the Iebusites doe delight in nothing more then in tumults warres seditions massacring and shedding of the blood of innocent Christians The massacre of Paris is painted in the Popes palace as a matter wherein he taketh chiefe delight The Iebusites albeit once banished out of France cease not to sound the alarme against such as are opposite to their faction Andreas Fabritius in praefat in harmon August confess set out 1576. speaking to the Emperor exhorteth him to gird his sowrd vpon his thigh and to subdue heretikes the most pernitious enemies of Christians accingatur gladio suo super femur potentissimus imperator haereticos christiani nominis pernitiosissimos hostes sub iugum mittat Pius Quintus as we may read in his life exhorted his Italian troups that went into France against them of the religion to kill all and to take none aliue Posseuinus also a cholerike Iebusite in a treatise entitled il soldato Christiano speaking vnto the same soldiers assirmeth that it is their duty to kill al professing our religion or otherwise that they shall betray their faith and lose all hope of saluation In England of late perceiuing themselues to be too weak to preuaile by plaine force certaine vndermining Papists set on and resolued by fiery Iebusites and murdrous Masse-priests conceiued such a treason as caÌ„not be sampled by any former precedent nor found described in any old or new history their intention was at one instant with fire and gunpowder to consume the King the Queene the Prince the Prelates of the Church the Nobles Knights and Burgesses of the realme the Iudges and all that attended the honourable court of Parliament nay not content herewith they had a further practise to destroy the Kings roiall lignage to massacre all the professors of religion throughout the kingdome and to deliuer their country as a praie into the hands of Strangers The principall actors were Thomas Percy Catesby and Fauxe the principall counsellors Garnet Hall Baldwin and diuers other of the damned crew of Iebusites their aiders the damned crew of reconciled recusants Can we then thinke these men to belong to Christs flocke that vse this woluish cruelty longè diuersasunt carnisicina pietas saith Lactantius nec potest aut veritas cum vi aut institia cum crudelitate coniungi that is piety and butcherly cruelty are two diuers things and neither can truth with force nor iustice be coupled with crueltie Matthew
church of late time by the Popish faction in England France Flanders Italy and else-where we reade that diuers haue beene betraied by their owne kinsfolks brethren and friends and finde that fulfilled which our Sauior Christ foretold vs Luc. 21. how Christians should be betraied of their parents brethren kinsmen and friends In Spayne they force parents to bring woode to burne their children and children to set fire to their parents Alphonsus Dias came poste from Rome and caused his owne brother to be murdred for that he had embraced true religion it is reported that in England Queene Marie if she had liued any longer would haue caused the bones of her owne father to haue beene digged vp and burned It is also a common practise of children in places where Popery reigneth to abandon their parents and to professe monkerie Airault of Angiers in France a man of good note lost his onely sonne by the entisement of the Iebusites perswaded to enter into their superstitious order neither could the father euer after heare what was become of him and so haue many parents beene depriued of their sonnes and daughters vnder colour of religion oftentimes drawen away to serue the Masse-priests abominable lustes this among Papists is counted religion but the example sauoureth rather of Turkish then Christian religion for as the children of Christians are taken from their parents and friends and made Ianizars and so emploied in the warres against Christians so these nouices are by fraud and wilie deuises stollen from their Christian parents and friends and afterward emploied in the defence of antichristian doctrine against truth and the professors thereof Finally they that professe Popery zealously doe forget oftentimes all lawes of common ciuility lately the pouder-men Papists had thought to cut all their countrimens throtes the Masle-priests esteeme lay-men no otherwise then dogges and hogges commonly when they appeare before magistrates that are not of their owne religion they giue them no reuerence Alexander the third trode vpon the Emperor Fredericke Barbarossaes necke Adrian the 4. suffered him to hold his stirrop other Popes haue vsed Kings and Princes as their stassiers and for their hands they giue Christians their feete to kisse Neither is this a fault of the practise but also of the doctrine of Popery for these facts they commonly defend and forbid al speech communication dealing with excommunicate persons os orare vale communio mensa negatur saith Nauarrus in enchirid c. 27. these words spoken of Leui Deuter. 33. which said to his father and mother I know you not are applied to all that enter into any order of monkish religion as we may perceiue by the doctrine of Bellarmine lib. de monach c. 36. Whosoeuer therefore looketh for filiall obedience at the hands of his children had neede â—o looke that they be not nouzled in Popery whoso expecteth for kind and frindly vsage must not consort himselfe with Papists who towards Christians vse neither respect of kinred nor of friendship vpon euery warrant of the Pope take themselues absolued from their obedience to their superiors whether they rule in church or common welth and by all meanes suppose themselues bound to cut Christian mens throts CHAP. XXXVI That Popish religion either disannulleth or greatly preiudiceth the authoritie of Kings and Princes CHristian religion doth giue an eminent authority and prerogatiue to Kings S. Peter 1. epist 2. exosteth all Christians to subinit themselues vnto them and S. Paul Rom. 13. teacheth euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers Tertullian in his treatise ad Scapulam sheweth that the Emperor was next vnder God supreme gouernor colimus imperatorem saith he sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit vt hominem a deo secundum we honour the Emperour c. as a man that hath the next place to God can we then with any reason suppose Popery to sauour of Christian religion that either maketh the Emperour and other Kings subiect to the Pope or else taketh awaie a great part of his authoritie That the Papists hold all temporall Princes to bee inferiour and subiect to the Pope it cannot be denied Innocentius the third in c. solitae de maior obed disputing this matter compareth the Pope to the Sunne and the Emperour to the Moone as if the Emperour were as many degrees inferior to the Pope as the Moone is to the Sunne quanta est inter solem lunam tanta inter pontifices reges differentia cognoscitur Clement the sift in the chapter Romani principes de iureiurando declareth that the Emperors of Rome haue submitted their heads to the bishop of Rome sua submittere capita non reputarunt indignum againe he sheweth how they ought to take an oath of fealtie and obedience to the Pope The author of the Glosse in c. Romani clem de iureiurando assigneth all this subiection of Princes to Christ his institution Iesus voluit saith he In the chapter Pastoralis clem de sent reiudicat the Pope determineth that by right of the Papacie he hath superioritie ouer the Empire and that in the vacancie of the empire himselfe hath the right of the Emperour Bonisace the 8. writing to the French king gaue him to vnderstand that he was the Popes subiect both in spirituall and temporall matters scire to volumus saith he quod in spiritualibus temporalibus nobis subes in the chapter vnam sanctam extr de maior obed hee determineth that the Pope hath both the swords and that he hath power both to make kings and to depose them spiritualis potestas potestatem terrenam instituere habet iudicare si bona non fuerit that is the spirituall power hath right to ordeine the earthly power and to iudge the same if it be not good Iosephus Vestanus lib. de osculat pedum Pontisicis p. 137. among the dictates of Gregory the 7. setteth downe this for one that it is lawfull for the Pope to depose the Emperour Pius the fist in his blundring bull against Queene Elizabeth our late dread soueraigne blusheth not to affirme that the Pope alone is made a Prince and set ouer all nations and kingdomes to pull vp to destroy to dissipate and spaile to plant and to build hunc vnum saith he super omnes gentes ommae regna principeÌ„ constituit qui cuellat destruat dissipet disperdat plantet aedisicet This also is the doctrine of modern Iebusites and their complices Bellarm. lib. 5. de Pontis Rom. c. 6. speaking of the Pope teacheth that he hath power to change kingdomes and to take from one and to giue to another if it be necessary for saning soules and this he offreth to prooue Potest mutare regna saith he vni auferre atque altericonserre si id necessarium sit ad animarum salutem vt probabimus The Iebusites of France in a discourse intitled la veritè defendue blush not to defend the Popes vsurped power in
AN ABRIDGEMENT OR SVRVEY OF Poperie Conteining a compendious declaration of the grounds doctrines beginnings proceedings impieties falsities contradictions absurdities fooleries and other manifold abuses of that religion which the Pope and his complices doe now mainteine and wherewith they haue corrupted and deformed the true Christian faith Opposed vnto Matthew Kellisons Suruey of the new Religion as he calleth it and all his malicious inuectiues and lies By MATTHEVV SVTCLIFFE LONDON Printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for Cuthbert Burbie 1606. TO THE WORTHY and noble Lord Prince HENRY sonne and heire to the most puissant King and our dread Souereigne IAMES by the grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith THere are two principall offices most worthy excellent Prince of a true Christian the first is To decline from euill the second is To do good And these two as they are necessarily required in all so principally in those which are to command and gouerne others But the ground of both is the true Catholike and Apostolike Faith without the knowledge wherof not only good things are often times refused as euill but also things euill embraced for good Seeing then our aduersaries the Papists of late time haue both violently and fraudulently sought to bring backe into his Maiesties Dominions whereof your Grace by the grace of God is vndoubted heire not onely the heresies and superstitions of Popish religion but also the tyrannicall gouernment of the Pope that is so preiudiciall both to Princes and their states and also to all Christians their liberties I haue thoght I could not doe either to God or my Countrey better seruice then to declare to the world both their weake and absurd grounds and their impious and wicked doctrines and how they haue proceeded in the maintenance and defence of the same And this I doubt not would appeare far more cleerely if without preiudice of mens persons or respect of priuat mens interests matters might be debated before indifferent Iudges and soundly tried by the touchstone of holy Scriptures and none of those excluded from hearing that professe true Catholicke religion My purpose is not God I take to witnesse to touch any man particularly but onely to set forth the trueth of all matters that the obstacles of Christian vnity and the causes of the good successe of the Turke being remoued we may all for the most part consent in the vnity of the Catholicke faith and conioyne our mindes and forces the better to resist publike enemies This I present to your Grace as the first fruits of my affection and seruice that thereby learning to eschew euill and to embrace that which is good and pious you may as it followeth in the 34. Psalme seeke peace follow after it Nay you may the better be instructed not only in following the true meanes of peace but also obtaine your desires and for euer truly possesse it This your affection in pious promoting the true seruice of God preuēting of the trecherous plots of the factious complices of Antichrist shall be the foundation of your prosperous estate It shal increase the ioy of your noble Father our Souereigne Lord and King and glad your Mother whose hearts ioy you are S. Iohn reioyced to see the children of that noble lady to whom he directed his second Epistle walking in trueth And this is the affection of all your friends and wel-willers who reioyce to see the heroicall vertues of your Father budding forth in your Grace The Prophet Psal 112 doth assure vs That his children that feareth the Lord shal be mighty vpon earth and that the generation of the righteous shall be blessed On the other side the aduersaries of religion shal weepe and lament when they shall see the Prophesies of S. Iohn Apocalyp 17. and 18 concerning the destruction of the great whore and the ruines of the city of Babylon accomplished and the rather as we hope by your Fathers and your godly endeuours and meanes Vouchsafe therefore most gracious Prince to giue reading to this Discourse made in opposition of that infamous libell which not long since one Matthew Kellison a Priest of Baal and a marked slaue of Antichrist presumed to direct to the King your Father and consider what reason he had to talke of the surueying of religion seeing his owne religion can so euill abide any examination or suruey The Lord of heauen blesse you with all spirituall graces and the rest shal be added vnto you This is also the continuall prayer of all the seruants of God your Fathers true subiects That your Grace may be made a worthy instrument to aduance Gods glory and that the vowes of your Parents and all well affected to his Maiesty and to your Grace may plentifully be performed in you Your Graces most affectionat seruant MATTHEW SVTCLIFFE THE PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader MVch it were to be wished Christian Reader that the same affection and feruent desire were in all true Christians and especially in those that are Pastours and Teachers to mainteine the truth which we finde to be in false teachers and heretikes to vpholde and mainteine their errors The Scribes and Pharisees in time past as our Sauiour Matth. 23 teacheth vs compassed sea and land to make one of their profession And so in time past did the Nouatians Donatists and Arians But what need I to speake of times past when we see before our eyes the present example of the Masse-priests and Iebusites and their complices They spare neither cost nor labour some write some discourse some practise one taketh on him one part of the labour and another performeth the rest So nothing is left vnattempted that either fraud could deuise or malice execute or industry and labour performe Among others one Kellison not long since as is said my L. Vauxes Butler but now a drawer of Popish doctrine hath shewed himselfe very busie and for his part hath gathered together out of the libels of Staphylus Cochleus Bolsec Sanders William Reynolds and other the Popes Parasits agents a whole packe of slanders lies and wicked imputations against Luther Zuinglius Melancthon Caluin Beza and other Teachers of truth To this he hath also added diuers fragments of certeine idle declamations of his owne and the most malicious railing termes that either himselfe could deuise or els finde out in his fellowes inuectiues And all this put together he calleth A Suruey of the new religion by the termes of Noueltie Heresie Impietie and such like seeking to disgrace that Trueth which we professe I did therefore expect that some learned man or other would take this fellow to taske and indeed I doe now vnderstand that a man both learned graue and eminent in this Church of England hath both vndertaken and finished the Answer to his scurrilous discourse but seeing the same is not yet published I thought it not amisse in the meane while to requite his Suruey of religion with this
syncerely than they albeit we detest and renounce all Popery but all those errors and corruptions in doctrine both concerning faith and manners which the synagogue of Rome her louers by colour of the Popes authority and by his perswasion and enforcement from time to time baue receiued professed and taught either contrary to the doctrine institution of Christ and his Apostles or else aboue the same and aboue the faith of the ancient primitiue church Neither doe wee otherwise single Popery from Christian religion than the ancient Catholickes did distinguish Arianisme Macedonianisme Nestorianisme Eutychianisme Pelagianisme and other heresies from the true faith for although the Arians Macedonians Nestorians Eutychians Pelagians and other heretickes did hold in termes the articles of the faith yet for that the first denied the diuinity of the sonne of God the second the diuinity of the holie ghost the third the vnion of the two natures in the person of Christ the fourth the verity of Christes humane nature the fift the necessitie of Gods grace and added diuers nouelties to the ancient faith they were reputed heretickes and by their heresies ancient Christians vnderstood not any point of Christian faith but their singuler opinions which they maintained obstinately against the faith The Apostles in the Primitiue Church did teach that doctrine which they had receiued from Christ Iesus and deliuered the same to their successours and they to others the first Christians likewise receiued the same pure and without corruption but as the enuious man while the men of the house slept sowed tares among good corne as wee read Matth. 13. so false Apostles and heretickes from time to time haue gone about with their cockle and tares to corrupt the syncere doctrine of the faith abusing the negligence of true teachers to their owne aduantage but yet none more cunningly and fraudulently than the Popes of Rome and their complices for other heretickes were soone espied by their opposition to the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christs true Church timely bewraying themselues but these vnder the titles of Apostolicke men and Catholickes haue corrupted the Apostolicke and Catholicke faith and vnder the name and title of the Church haue vndermined the foundations and doctrine of the Church and vnder their sheepes clothing haue couered their rauening and wooluish natures and so haue they lurked many yeeres mingling their traditions and inuentions with the doctrines of faith and for truth deliuering erroneous and superstitious doctrines and vnder the name of Christ endeuouring to erect the kingdome of Antichrist At the first they clogged religion with diuers superfluous and superstitious ceremonies loaded Christians with the burthen of their decretales and censures but in the end they corrupted both the worship of God the doctrine of faith Boniface the 3. obtained of Phocas that the church of Rome should be reputed head of other churches and this was the beginning of the Popes supremacy In the wicked assembly vnder Irene that semipagan empresse at Nice the doctrine of the worship of images began first to be established this the Popes of Rome willingly embraced vsing this occasion to establish their own kingdome to free themselues from the gouernment of the Emperour then also the superstitious worship of Saints reliques began to be authorised and vnwritten traditions vnder the title of Apostolicke authority to be commended as appeareth in the third action of that synode The French king Charles the great and his father Pipin and other their successors endowed the church of Rome with great temporall possessions which made them strong and powerfull Nicolas the 2. in a certein synode at Rome first decreed that Christes body was present in the eucharist and handled with the priests hands and pressed with the teeth and this fell out about the yeare of our Lord 1059. Gregory the 7. first beganne to handle the temporall sword and manifestly to oppose himselfe against the Roman emperor before his time saith Otho Frisingensis we doe not read of any Emperor excommunicated by the Pope Nether did euer anie Bishop of Rome presume to depose the emperour before him some alledge Ambroses example but that sheweth that bishops neuer tooke vpon them to depose princes but only to refrain from communicating with them that which Gregory the seuenth beganne that in the end his successors obteined for by their practises they subdued the emperor and gaue way to the Turke The doctrine of transubstantiation was first established by Innocent the third in a synode at Lateran about the yeare of our Lord 1215. then also came in the necessity of auricular confession The communion vnder one kind was brought in first by the synode at Constance about the yeare of our Lord 1414. there also it was decreed that the accidents in the eucharist did subsist without a subiect In the conuenticle of Florence about the yeare of our Lord 1439. the doctrine of purgatorie and the Popes supremacy was decreed by the authority of the synode there also the doctrine of the 7. sacraments was first propounded to the Armenians as proceeding from the synode neither doe we read of the forme of extreme vnction and other Popish sacraments there set downe before this time The rest of the errors and superstitions of Popery were established and confirmed in the conuenticle of Trent about the yeare of our Lord 1564. for before that time the schoolemen disputed pro and contra but since that they haue made it vnlawfull to hold otherwise then that synode prescribeth in matters there newly determined Now they haue as it were giuen a perfect forme and full authoritie to that doctrine which before was not either perfectly knowen of all or in all pointes allowed of all so that whatsoeuer the Papistes vant of the antiquitie of their doctrine yet it is most euident that the full establishment of it as it is now deliuered cannot be proued or shewed before this conuenticle then their missals Breuiaries and offices receiued a great alteration or rather a new forme then they innouated diuers points of doctrine both concerning faith and manners To relate all the particular errors and abuses of the Romish Church were a matter infinite for there is no point almost wherein the Papists varie not from the auntient Church the article concerning the holy Trinitie excepted beside that they vary in their doctrine and practise dailie but the principall points of Popery wherein we charge them to haue digressed from the doctrine of the Apostles and primitiue Church of Christ are these First they haue taught nouelties and false doctrine concerning the verie grounds of faith the Apostle teacheth vs that the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the Cheefe corner stone but they beleeue the church to be built vpon the Pope Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 1. saith that the Apostles did first preach the Gospell and afterward deliuer the same in scriptures that they might be a
yet they say Christians sinne mortally if they heare not Masse euery Sunday and holiday Of grace they speake as men deuoid of grace and knowledge for by grace by which we are saued and made acceptable to God they vnderstand nothing else but either charity or a habit not distinct from Charity so that albeit they exclude not grace from the worke of our saluation yet making grace a habit or vertue they ouerthrow grace and ascribe the merit of our saluation not to Gods mercie through Christ nor to the merit of his Passion but properly to our owne workes and merites diuers of them saie that men are predestinated for their merites foreseene and all hold that men were reprobated for their sinnes foreseene before they say further that the vnregenerat hath freewill as well as the regenerat and that not onely in matters of this life but also to doe workes of piety and other supernaturall effectes The doctrine of faith they haue also much corrupted for they make Charity the forme of faith as if faith were without forme or life of it selfe and as if the iust man did not liue by faith to this purpose they say that not onlie wicked and reprobat men but also the diuels of hell maie haue true and iustifying faith they hold further that by faith we are not onely to hold whatsoeuer is conteined in holy scriptures but also whatsoeuer is deliuered by tradition or determined by the Pope and lastly that no man is to beleeue that he shall assuredly be saued but rather to hold that he that is truly iustified may be damned Concerning the law of God they teach both contrary to reason and law for first they cut out the 2. commandement in their offices of our Lady and their primers because it cannot well stand with the Popish worship of images secondly they teach that concupiscence without our consent is not sinne albeit the law say non concupisces thirdly they say that it is sinne as well to transgresse the Popes decrees as Gods lawes fourthly they beleeue that the Pope is able either to dissolue the law as for example where he absolueth subiectes from their obedience to princes and children from their duty to parents or at the least to dispense with the transgressors of the law as for example with periured persons adulterers Sodomites murtherers assassinors theeues sacrilegious persons and such like fiftly they beleeue that a man is able perfectly to fulfill the law of which it followeth that man is able to liue without all sinne which as Augustine sheweth lib. 4. de bono perseuerat c. 2. 5 and Hierome aduers Pelag. is flat Pelagianisme In their doctrine of praiers they offend much yet is the practise of Papists farre worse than their doctrine in this point our Sauiour teacheth vs to goe to his father in his name they go to God by the intercession of Saints nay oftentimes they run to Saints Angels and the blessed Virgin without once thinking of God especially if they thinke no more than they vtter in their praiers they pray in a tongue which they vnderstand not which is rather prating than praying they pray for remission of sinnes for the dead not knowing whether they bee damned or no. they pray before stockes and stones nay they put their trust in them for if this were not so why should they hope for better successe at the image of our Lady of Loreto or Monserat than at any other image or forme of our Lady They beleeue that almes satisfie for sinnes and that those are best bestowed that are giuen to Monkes and Friers and such idle vagabonds and plagues of states whereas the first ouerthroweth Christs merits and satisfaction the second is an occasion of all the mischiefes brewed by these mothes of religion and blemishes of state They teach that it is mortall sinne not to fast on Saints vigiles embre daies and other times appointed by the Pope and that fasting standeth in eating fish and abstaining from our suppers and such obseruances and finally that such fasts doe not only satisfie for sinnes but also merit heauen Conscience they know not for they make no conscience to cut Christian mens throats for not yeelding to all their abhominations and thinke it conscience to obey the Popes decrees though very vnlawfull Neither can they well auoid sinne that know not what sinne is The virgin Mary by most of them is acquited from originall sinne and they define sinne to bee not onely the transgression of the law of God but also euery transgression of the law of the Pope nay euery breach of the law of man which vtterly taketh away the difference betwixt the lawes of God and man Of the state of soules departed they seeme to know little truly although some say they know too much for they do not say as we doe that there are two waies after this life the one of the faithfull to eternall life the other of the wicked to eternall death but they say that some go into purgatorie and others into limbus puerorum and out of purgatory they say soules are deliuered partly by masses and partly by indulgences All these points of erroneous false doctrine and all others which either contrarie or beside the word of God the Pope and his complices haue inuented and brought into the church of Rome we call Popery and this is the subiect of this discourse and the doctrine against which we dispute let no man therefore thinke because the Papists maintaine many points of Christian religion that either we reprehend that truth which they and we defend or that they can defend the errors of Popery because they hold some trueth but either let them iustifie their errors or else they shall bee forced to confesse that the proper doctrine of Popery is wicked and erroneous CHAP. II. Of the grounds and foundations of Popish religion AS Popery is diuers from Christian religion so hath the same other foundations than Christian religion The doctors of Trent in the fourth session of that synode hauing pronounced them anathema that shall not receiue all the bookes of the Bible as they are found in the old Latin vulgar translation and read in the church of Rome for holy and canonicall or that shall wittinglie contemne the traditions of that church doe signifie that this is the foundation of the confession of faith which they meant to publish so it appeareth they ground their faith beside canonicall scriptures vpon apocryphall writings of Tobiah Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees and diuers fragments of books not found in the Hebrew text of the Bible and vpon traditions not written but deliuered from hand to hand from the Apostles as they say and so come to their hands but where they speake of scriptures it is to be obserued that they doe not simply allow them but as they are contained in the old vulgar translation and as they are expounded by the Church of Rome those which vnder any
pretence doe reiect the old translation or vse any interpretation contrary to the Romish Churches meaning they condemne Stapleton in his booke intituled Principia doctrinalia doth deliuer vnto vs seuen grounds or principles of his religion the first is the Church the second the Pope the third the means vsed by the Pope in iudgement the fourth the Popes infallibility in iudgement the fifth his power in taxing the canon of Scriptures the sixth his certaine interpretation of Scriptures the seuenth his power in deliuering doctrine not written these I say are his grounds and principles absurdly deuised confusedly disposed and ridiculously propounded as God willing shall be shewed otherwhere now it is sufficient to declare that whatsoeuer he bableth elsewhere of scriptures councels fathers yet heere they are all suppressed in this diuision or at the least concealed vnder the name of the Church or Pope which in his preface to Gregory the 13. hee calleth supremum numen in terris that is the supreme God of the world and who to him is all in all likewise in his preface to his relection of doctrinall principles hee seemeth directly to exclude the scriptures Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus saith he ab ipsis literis apostolicis euangelicis uliud that is we haue another foundation of Christian religion diuers from the writings of the Apostles Prophets if he exclude not scriptures yet he admitteth them no otherwise than according to the interpretation of the Pope and his complices nay without the Popes declaration he doth tediouslie discourse that Christians are not to receiue the canon of scriptures The decretale epistles of the Pope no doubt they admit for the foundation of their faith for in the rubricke of their decrees c. in canonicis dist 19. they doe determine that the Popes decretales are to bee numbred among canonicall scriptures inter canonicas scripturas say they decretales epistolae connumerantur likewise Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. defineth that the Popes decretale epistles are to bee receiued with veneration In the same decretale Gelasius authoriseth the Romane martyrologe or legends of martyrs neither can Kellison or his kettle companions deny this to be one of the grounds of his rammish I would say Romish religion seeing these martyrologes and legendes conteine diuers traditions which the conuenticle of Trent will haue all Papistes to receiue with equall affection to scriptures Canus lib. 1. loc theolog c. 1. assigneth tenne places out of which he saith diuines are to draw arguments the first is the authority of scriptures the second the authority of traditions not written the third is the authority of the catholike church the fourth the authority of councels the fifth the authority of the church of Rome where wee are to note that more honestly than his companions hee maketh the church of Rome to differ from the Catholike church the sixth is the authority of ancient fathers the seuenth the authority of Romish schoole doctors the eighth naturall reason the ninth the authority of Philosophers the tenth the authority of writers of stories so wee see how hee buildeth his faith vpon men as well as vpon God and matcheth traditions not written with the most diuine writings of the Prophets and Apostles and conioyneth the authority of councels and fathers nay of schoolemen and Philosophers with the testimony of holy scriptures framing to vs rather an humane then a diuine foundation of Christian faith Martin Perez a plaine dealing Papist knowing that all those points of doctrine which are in controuersie betwixt his fellowes and vs are grounded rather vpon tradition then scripture doth entitle his whole discourse of these matters de traditionibus that is a discourse of traditions Finally Bellarmine lib. 2. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 31. doth call the Pope the foundation of the building of the church Fundamentum aedisicij ecclesiae and in his preface before his bookes de pontisice Rom. he saith that the seat of Peter or the Popes chaire is the approued stone the corner and pretious stone placed in the soundation of which the Prophet I say speaketh c. 8. and 28. and with him concurreth Sanders in his booke of the Rocke of the church Stapleton also declareth the matter most plainely in praefat in relect princip doctr where he saith that the foundation of the knowledge of Christian religion is necessarily placed in the authority of the Pope teaching vs in whom he saith he heareth God speaking to vs. his wordes are in hac docentis hominis authoritate he speaketh of the Pope in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscenda fundamentum necessariò pom credimus and this others must necessarily also hold for they hold him to be the supreme interpreter of scriptures and an infallible Iudge of all controuersies of religion and a law-giuer to our consciences binding all mens consciences by his lawes which is the common opinion as Bellarmine lib. 4. de Pontifice Rom. c. 16. saith of all casuistes a pitifull case therefore it is wherein the Papistes stand whose consciences are chained with so many bondes This then being found in the suruey of the grounds of Popish religion let vs also consider what conclusions may be hence inferred that we may as well suruey the conclusions as the premisses First it followeth that these grounds being blasphemous both in regard of the spirit of God which is the enditer and author of holy scriptures and also in regard of Christ Iesus the foundation of the church and finisher of our saith the doctrine and religion of Popery cannot be cleere of blasphemie for to match Popish decretales with holy scriptures and the Popes determination with Gods law is derogatory to Gods holy spirit and a plaine disparagement to Gods holy law likewise it is blasphemous to accuse the holy scriptures of insufficiencie and imperfection and to attribute more certaintie and perspicuitie to the decretales of the Pope then to the lawes of God it is also blasphemous either to remoue Christ out of the foundation of the church or at the least to ioyne the Pope with him in the foundation and that as a more necessary foundation for the knowledge of Christian religion as Stapleton saith the same also is directly contrary to the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. Ephes 2. and of S. Iames. c. 4. in the first of which places we finde that no other foundation can be layd of the church but Christ Iesus in the 2. we reade that the Church is founded vpon the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the cheefe corner stone in the 3. we vnderstand that there is only one Law-giuer and Iudge which is able to saue and destroy it is finally very impious and blasphemous to assirme that the Pope is a more certaine and superiour Iudge then God himselfe speaking to vs in scriptures or then the Apostles and Prophets that were ledde into all truth by the spirit of God of other blasphemies of Popery
we shall haue further occasion to speake hereafter Secondly seeing the Papistes are not certaine of their grounds it must needes follow that the religion of Papists is most vncertaine that they cannot be certain of their grounds diuers arguments declare for neither are they certaine whether Clement Leo or any other sitting in the Popes chayre be true Pope nor canne they assure themselues whether the decretales which goe vnder the names of Popes were indeed their decretales whose names they cary Antonius Contius a learned Papist in a certaine annotation of his added to the ch sancta dist 15. in Plantins edition saith that all the decretales set out vnder names of Popes before Siluester are false and this he saith he hath shewed manifestly further it cannot be proned that all the determinations of the Popes are right and equall nay contrarie we haue by diuers most certeine demonstrations prooued that both concerning scriptures faith the law sacraments praier the worship of God and diuers pointes of faith they haue determined contrary to the rule of saith as shall hereafter more particularly appeare Thirdly it were plaine impudencie to say that the Apostles instituted the consecration of the Paschal Lambes the forme of hallowing of churches salt water and all Popish trinkets the form of praying vpon beades and the rest of the Romish traditions neither shall Kellison euer be able to iustifie all those reportes which his teachers haue receiued by tradition and publikely heretofore set forth and now read out of their legendes Fourthly diuers of those 84. canons which goe vnder the names of the Apostles are disclaymed by the Papists themselues and the rest cannot be proued that they were made by the Apostles of the actes of the Nicene Councell the Papists themselues haue no certainty Most confesse 20. as Ruffin and Pope Stephen others in c. vigint dist 16. Gratian vnder the testimony of Athanasius telleth vs of 70. c. septuaginta dist 16. now one Alphonsus a pisa a Iebusite hath published 80. canons the acts of the councell supposed to be held vnder Siluester Bishop of Rome are all conterfeit as the barbarous stile and strange forme of gouernment represented in those acts and diuers barbarous names and other arguments doe signifie sometimes Peter Crabbe the collector of councels doth set downe diuers actes of councels not only differing but also repugnant one to another fiftly diuers bookes are set foorth vnder the name of fathers that no man can certeinly say were written by the fathers whose names they cary Nay some of them doe containe doctrine contrary to the faith professed by the fathers sixtly they are not certaine either what is the sense of the Romane church diuers doctors yeelding diuers interpretations of scriptures or what is the old Latine translation for Sixtus Quintus setteth out the old vulgar Latin translation after one sort and Clement the eight after another and he that alloweth the translation of Sixtus Quintus must nedes condemne that of Clement the eight contrariwise finally seeing diuers Papists assigne diuers grounds of their faith and scarce two of many doe agree in all points concerning their foundations and the assurance of them how can they pretend either vnity or certainty in their religion Thirdly the foundations of Popery being laid vpon false decretals and lying legends hardly shall our aduersaries be able to deny their religion to be false and full of lies that the Popes doe in their decretales report notorious lyes it is apparent by the decretale set out vnder the name of Innocentius c. quis nesciat dist 11. where he denieth that anie taught or gathered churches in France Spaine Afrike Italy beside S. Peter and those which were sent by him and his successors and likewise by the decretale of Gregorie the 4. c. in praeceptis dist 12. where it is said that all causes are to be referred to the church of Rome as to the head and from thence to receiue direction from whence it receiued his beginning and by the chapter in nouo dist 21. where it is said that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their Prince and infinit others that the legendes which are the ground and receptacle of many traditions are ful of lies I haue shewed els where if Kellison the Suruey or deny this let him proue vnto vs that S. George killed a dragon ready to deuour the kings daughter of Silena and conquered Palestine that Catharine ouercame 50. Philosophers and conuerted the Empresse and the general of the emperors army and broke a wheele with her praiers that with turning killed 4000. pagans that S. Nicholas being an infant fasted Wednesdaies and Fridaies that Bernacus yoked harts that Saint Brendan sayled into Paradise that a crucifixe of wood resaluted Bartilmew a monke of Durrham that the blessed Virgins body was caried into heauen by Angels that her house was carried ouer the seas first into Dalmatia and then into Italy and lastly to Loreto and the rest of those tales Fourthly the Pope being the foundation of the church it followeth that as oft as the Pope dieth the church is without foundation it followeth also that the Pope going to hell as it appeareth by the chap. Sipapa dist 40. that he may the foundation of the Church should lie in hell that the Pope falling into heresie as Liberius Honorius 1. Iohn the 22. and diuers others haue done that the Church should faile which be matters absurd and impious to affirme Fifthly feeing diuers old traditions are now out of vse as for example that of celebrating baptisme at Easter and praying standing betwixt Easter and Whitsontide and of praying with our faces turned to the East and such like it must needes be granted that the foundations of Popery are ruinous for why may not the like happen to other traditions as to these and if traditions be temporary and ruinous which they make equall to holy scriptures what can they alleadge for the continuance and perpetuity of the Popes decretales which are not only contrarie to holy Scriptures but also repugnant one to another Sixthly the old translation differing from it selfe in the editions of Sixtus Quintus and Clement the eigth and others set out at Colein Louain and Antwerpe and much more from the originall bookes of the old Testament in Hebrew and new in Greeke and the interpretations of the scriptures being so diuers in the chiefe doctors of the Romish church and so repugnant to the meaning of the holy Ghost it doth necessarily follow that Popish religion is composed of contrary pieces and cannot be the faith of Christ which is one and hath onely one firme foundation Finally there can bee no consent or vnity in the points of Popish doctrine for that the same consisteth of contrary opinions of Popes and is grounded vpon contrary traditions contrary legends contrary interpretations of fathers and schoolemen and either of traditions or decretales contrary to scriptures or of sentences of fathers contrary to
therefore thinke that either the Christians there made the images of God the father and the holy ghost or else worshipped and burnt incense to them and very absurd it were if any man should suppose that the Popish inuocation and worship of Saints and Angels is to be proued by their practise Philo in legat ad Caium saith the Iewes thought it impious either in picture or grauen worke to represent God that is inuisible inuisibilem Deum pingere aut singere nefas duxerunt maiores nostri saith he neither if we runne through the Bible shall wee find any precedent of the popish inuocation and worship of Saints vsed in the Romish church Finally if the Church of Hierusalem had knowen or suspected that S. Peter or his successors had been designed Christs vicars general and monarchs of the Church and appointed to giue lawes to the whole world then would they neuer haue suffered him to depart from Hierusalem The Pope and his complices therefore must seeke some other place than Hierusalem whence to deriue their doctrine lawes ceremonies and formes of gouernment or else they will neuer find out the true descent of their church In Babylon certes they shall rather find out these matters than in Hierusalem CHAP. XII That popish religion was neuer taught either by the old Prophets or by the Apostles of Christ Iesus FAithfull Christians as the Apostle teacheth vs Ephes 2. are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone and this the Papists must needs confesse although much to their griefe vnlesse they will denie the words of the Apostle but popery is built vpon the Pope and vpon his decretales and determinations and supported stoutly by his purple Cardinals and the merchants of Babylon the Masse-priests and neither vpon Christ nor the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets The Apostle 2. Tim. 3. sheweth that the scriptures are able to make vs wise to saluation and are giuen of God that the man of God may be absolute and made perfect vnto all good workes but Papists teach that they are an imperfect rule and without traditions vnsufficient for that is the doctrine of Bellarmine and all his consorts they doe also raile against holy scriptures and call them a dead and killing letter The holy Prophets brought no message to those nations to whom they were sent but they confirmed the same by the testimony of God that sent them saying thus saith the Lord. and the Lord hath spoken it but the conuenticle of Trent confirmed their doctrine by their owne pleasures for the most part and albeit sometime the same alleadgeth scriptures yet their best and common argument was placet nobis their schoole doctors also for matters controuersed doe more commonly alleadge the Popes decretales than holy scriptures Rom. 10. we read that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God but Camsius in his catechisme de sid symb signifieth that we are not to beleeue Gods word reuealed vnlesse the same be also propounded by the church and by the church he vnderstandeth the Pope and his adherents Peter and Iohn Act. 4. shew that God is rather to be obeied than man but the Romish church doth excommunicate all that hearken not to the Pope whatsoeuer is contained in the scriptures to the contrary The conuenticle of Trent Sess 4. teacheth vs that we are to imbrace traditions not written with equall affection to traditions and holy scriptures but this doctrine was not knowen either to the Apostles or Prophets nay Moyses doth teach quite contrary ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you nor shall ye take ought therefrom saith he Deut. 4. and S. Paul Galat. 1. if any man preach vnto you otherwise than that ye haue receiued saith he let him be accursed this curse therefore doth fall on the Friers and Masse priests that preach the Popes doctrines which they shal neuer proue to haue beene receiued from the Apostles though they read vntill their eies drop out of their heads The religion of Papists doth for the most part consist in praiers to Saints Masses and offices in the honour of Angels the Virgin Mary martyrs confessors and the Popes canonized creatures in erecting of crosses and crucifixes and other images in burning incense before images nay they giue diuine honour to creatures which themselues cannot denie to bee idolatrous cum Christus adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quòd cius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda seeing Christ saith Thomas Aquinas p. 3. q. 25. art 3. is worshipped with latria or honour properly belonging to God it followeth that his image is also to be worshipped with the adoration of latria or diuine worship either therefore must our aduersaries shew that the Prophets and Apostles offered sacrifices in honour of Angels and Saints and made praiers vnto them and set vp images to be worshipped in temples and vsed to burne incense vnto them and to honor them after the manner of Papists or else they must confesse that their religion proceedeth not from the Prophets and Apostles how hard this proofe will bee it may appeare in this that Gods lawes Deut. 4. and Exod. 20. directly forbid the making of grauen images after the likenesse of God and the worship of idols and Christ ordeined the eucharist to be receiued in commemoration of his death and passion and neuer so much as mentioned the offering of his owne body and bloud or other sacrifices in the honour of Saints and Angels The Masse-priests that plotted the ruine of religion at Trent sess 6. ascribe mans iustification to his workes and exclude iustification both by Christs iustice and by faith apprehending Christ and beleeuing in him but both the Prophet Abacuc chap. 2. and S. Paul Rom. 1. affirme that the iust do liue by faith the Apostle also 1. Cor. 1. saith that our Saour Christ is made wisedome and righteousnesse vnto vs. which if it were wrought by our workes then should we haue beene made wisedome and righteousnesse vnto our selues nay the Apostle Rom. 3. saith if Abraham were iustified by workes that then he had wherein to reioice but not with God Popish religion consisteth most in externall ceremonies as for example in salt holy water holy candles incense ringing of sacring belles adoring crosses and images greasing of sicke men and masse-priests shauing of crownes vowes Monkish rules and such like toyes but these fooleries were neuer knowen either to the Apostles or Prophets Nay our Sauiour Matth. 15. teacheth that in vaine they seeke to worship God that teach for doctrines the precepts of men he sheweth also Iohn 4. that true worshippers worship God in spirit and truth and the Apostle Coloss 2. condemneth such as put religion in touching fasting and such like vaine ceremonies The Masse-priests call the Pope the spouse and head of the church but if he meane to deriue his authoritie from the writings of the Prophets and
sereno vultu respicerâ— digneris c. vpon which vouchsafe saith the Priest speaking of Christs body and blood to looke with a propitious and serene countenance but true Catholikes do hope that God will looke vpon them fauourably for the sacrifice once offred on the crosse by their Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus 38. They compare the sacrifice of Christs body blood in the Masse with the sacrifice of Abel that offered brute beastes which no Catholike euer did 39. They make God an intercessor to Saints praying to him that by the intercession of saints they may obteine their desires and saying that God reueleth our thoughts to saints which is farre from the doctrine and beleefe of Catholikes 4. True Catholikes neuer added these words aterni and mysterium sidei to the words vsed by Christ in the consecration of the cuppe as the Papists doe in the Masse 41. True Catholikes beleeue that Christ was once onlie offered to his father for the sinnes of the world the Apostle Hebr. 9. saith that Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many but the Papists say that Christ offered himselfe twise and that euery priest doth offer him vp and cat him vp continually in the Masse 42. True Catholikes neuer confessed their sinnes in the celebration of the Lords supper to the Virgin Mary to Michael the Archangell and to other Angels and Saints let Kellison but name vs one Catholike father that made such a confession or els we must needes conclude that he and his consorts be idolatrous Masse-priests 43. True Catholikes neuer beleeued that they could doe pennance by a procurato or atturnie as the Papists beleeue they may 44. Neither did they euer beleeue that no Christians could be absolued from their sinnes without auricular confession and the Priests absolution as the false Romish Catholikes doe 45. The false catholikes beleeue that the Popes are the successours of Peter but true Catholikes neuer beleeued or thought them to be successors of that holy apostle that neither taught nor administred the sacraments and in liew of feeding cause Christs sheepe to be massacred and killed 46. True Catholikes are often persecuted but persecute none Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen speaking of himselfe and his fellow catholikes which of vs saith he hath persecuted any man but the Papists like cruel wolues persecute all that are not of their owne opinions 47. Catholikes keepe their words and performe thehir promises yea though it bee to their hindrance Papistes teach that faith is not to be kept with heretikes and burned Iohn Husse in the conuenticle of Constance contrarie to the emperors safe conduct and faithfull promise 48. In the 13. session of the conuenticle of Trent the masse-priests curse al that shal affirm that the principall fruit of the eucharist is remission of sinnes which falleth vpon al Catholikes that shall beleeue Christs words Matth. 26. this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes 49. Christ taught true Catholickes to pray to the father in his name neither euer do we read that true Catholickes did pray thus aue maris stella Dei mater alma atque semper virgo foelix coeli porta solue vincula reis profer lumen caecis or that they hoped to come to heauen or to haue remission of sinnes by the Virgin Maries praiers and intercession 50. True Catholickes neuer said to a crucifixe of wood thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father nor did they pray to the crosse as the Papists doe saying ô crosse of Christ protectâ—mâ— nay Ambrose de obitu Theodosij sheweth that Helen finding the crosse did not worship it but Christ that hanged vpon the crosse 51. True Catholickes neuer consecrated anie paschall lambes as the Masse-priests are prescribed to doe in their missals 52. True Catholickes neuer said any Psalter in the honor of our Lady nor repeated an hundred and fifty aue Maries and after euery fifty aue Maries one creed and after euerie tenne Aue Maries one Paternoster as he Papists doe after the prescription of their ladies psalters and rosaries 53. Neuer did true Catholikes deuise new religions nor allow the swarmes and sects of Iebusites Franciscans Dominicans and the filthy rable of Friers which we see in the Romish church Finally all those deuises trickes fooleries nouelties and impieties of Popery which we refuse were neuer admitted by true Catholikes or allowed in the practise of Catholike religion CHAP. XVI That Popish religion is not the auncient religion of the primitiue church ID verius quod prius saith Tertullian lib. 4. contra Marcionem that is true that is former and that is former that was from the beginning and that was from the beginning that came from the Apostles Hierome also epist. 65. ad Pammach Ocean said to a certaine newly vp-start teacher in his time cur profers in medium quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt why dost thou now bring foorth that which neither Peter nor Paul would euer teach if then Popish religion were that auncient religion which the Apostles first published then had the Papists cause to reioice but if Popery be nothing els but cockle that hath beene by heretikes and others the diuels ministers sowen in the Lords field since the first plantation of the Gospel and if the principall points thereof prooue new deuises brought in by the Pope and his complices many ages since the Apostles time then I hope euery Christian will reiect the same as nouelties and Papists hereafter will blush to talke of antiquitie That Popish religion is not the auncient religion of the primitiue church it may be proued first by the grounds of Popery that are of a later standing next by the founders and cheese authors of this sect that are not ancient thirdly by the particular points of Popery whose originall is found in later authors and lastly by the repugnance betwixt the doctrine of Popery and Christian religion The principall grounds of Popery are the Popes decretales the acts of certain late councels the disputes of schoolmen and glosses and commentaries of the Popes canonists and proctors but the Popes decretales had no authoritie of law before the time of Gregory the ninth who first published them and authorized them before his time Gratian and others had made diuers rapsodies and collections of the Popes decrees but the canonistes themselues doe not allow them for law beside that not one of the Popes before the time of Gregory the 7. who is the first that tooke vpon him to giue law to the whole church and whose epistles are first recorded in the great bullary took vpon him to publish his decretales for lawes if any decretales be set out before his time vnder the names of auncient bishops of Rome the stile arguments simplicity and fooleries conteined in them bewray them to be counterfet The Popes authority beganne to flourish about the times of Boniface the 3. who as
the Popes lawes as the resistance of the churches of Asia against Victor of the churches of Afrike against Sozimus and other Popes declare 20. Of late time friers especially the Capucins haue attired themselues like chimney sweepers burners of houses 21. The rules of monks and friers are diuers from the rules of Christian religion and can not be elder then the orders of monkes and friers 22. Gregory the seuenth as Otho Frisingensis sayth was the first that did excommunicate the Emperour and taught that he had power to assoile subiects from the others of obedience to Princes 23. The vse of priuate masses without communion is but new as the old ordinall of Rome that hath no masses of that nature declareth the canons of the Apostles forbid Christians to depart before they receiued the communion 24. Innocent the third in the chap. omnis vtriusque de poenit remiss did first bring in a necessity of auricular confession he also was the first father of the monster transubstantiation as we find by the chapter firmiter de sum Trinit fid Cathol 25. Purgatory for satisfaction for temporall paines of sinnes whose guilt before was remitted was first deuised by schoolemen 26. The Iubiley among Christians was first deuised by Boniface the eigth he also decreed first that all temporall princes and others vpon paine of damnation must bee subiect to the Pope 27. Popish indulgences are but of a late stampe and the schoole doctrine thereof much latter the Papists themselues being as yet not fully resolued what to thinke of them 28. Clement the sixth first deuised the treasure out of which indulgences are supposed to be granted as appeareth by the chap. vnigenitus extr depoenit remiss 29. The doctrine of cases reserued to the Pope is not once spoken of in the writings of the fathers and yet the Masse-priests make a great matter of them 30. The doctrine of the Popes penitentiarie taxe for dispatch of pardons for murders incest sodomie and all villanies I thinke Kellison will not contend to bee verie ancient 31. Bellarmines doctrine lib. 1. de verb. Dei c. 3. concerning the new Testament where he saith it is nothing else but the loue of God shed into our harts by the holy Ghost is new for it contradicteth Chrysostome Theodoret and others in 2. Cor. 3. who teach that the new Testament is God grace remitting sinnes 32. The prohibition of mariage betweene spirituall gossips is a late deuice of the Pope for gaine 33. The separation of maried couples for religion before consummation of mariage without consent of both the parties is both new and wicked 34. The popish ceremonies vsed in baptisme are of a late inuention as for example salt spittle candles and popish exorcismes 35. Of late they haue begun to exorcise salt in salutem credentium for the saluation of the faithfull and holy water to cast our Diuels and to driue awaie discases these consurations are not found in the old Romish ordinals 36. The Masseppriests haue now gotten a new tricke to sprinkle the altar with holy water and to say thou shalt sprinkle mee with hyssope and I shal be clensed applying the scriptures contrary to the meaning of the holy ghost 37. Honorius the third in the chapter sane cum olim de celebr miss did first ordaine that the sacrament should bee worshipped and safely kept and caried with light to those that are sicke 38. Halfe communions are direct contrary to Christs institution and the practise of the church and first established in the conuenticle of Constance 39. The Masse cannot be old for that Nauclerus Platina Polydore and others confesse is was innented by diuers authors long after the Apostles times 40. The praiers for the dead now found in the Masse are not to be seene in the booke called Ordo Romanus 41. In old time the fathers neuer beleeued that Christ had a body inuisible and incircumscriptible and that might bee in heauen and earth and many places at one time 42. The godly bishops of old time did neither swinge the chalice about their head nor make crosses about it when they celebrated the eucharist 43. The saying of seruice and administration of Sacraments in tongues not vnderstood is a foolish noueltie 44. Now in the Roman Catechisme they teach that euery Masse-priest consecrating worketh three miracles but in old time they were neuer taken for such workers of miracles 45. The Papists after their Pater noster say their aue Maria and pray to our Lady which practise is neither ancient nor Apostolicall 46. The Psalter of our Lady and her peculiar offices and Masses in honour of Saints will not be iustified by ancient precedents 47. Hardly will the Papists bring a precedent of 300. yeers old to prooue that Christians praied to the crosse for encrease of iustice and remission of sinnes 48. In the missall of Sarum the Priest saith to the sacrament aue or haile and boweth to it contrarie to all ancient practise 49. The worship of Papists must needs be new for that both their Saints are new and their praiers and offices new 50. The missals breuiaries and offices of our Lady haue their antiquity from the conuenticle of Trent 51. Popish idolaters worship the sacrament and the crosse with diuine honour but they shall neuer bring allowance of antiquitie for this practise 52. They burne also incense to dumbe images kisse them and bow to them but these vnchristian trickes were not knowen in old time 53. Of late time they haue decreed that the Pope is aboue the councell but it is since the councell of Constance 54. Now the Pope pretendeth right to handle the temporall sword but that did not the Bishops of Rome for a thousand yeeres after Christ 55. Of late time the Pope hath troden vpon the necks of Emperours but in ancient time the bishops of Rome were subiect to Emperours 56. In time past the bishops of Rome were persecuted and martyred now the Popes of late time persecute and martyr others Finally all the points of doctrine differing from the faith o this church which the Pope and his complices seeke now to thrust vpon Christians are for the most part nouelties And this doth clearely appeare in this for that they are contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as before hath beene particularly declared the same is also coutrary to the doctrine of the fathers and ancient churches practise as we shall declare heerafter Further the Papists haue turned the whole seruice of God into a massing mommery Finally for God they worship Saints and dumbe images the institution of Christ Iesus in the eucharist they haue altered new sacraments they haue deuised are they not then ashamed to call popery ancient Christian religion CHAP. XVII That Poperic is repugnant to auncient councels MVch doc Papists bragge of councels Campion saith the first last and midst are his concilia generalia mea sunt generall councels saith he are all for me
neither the Pope nor his complices regard councels if they make against their profit or pleasure Bishops Priests Deacons committing adultery and practising vsury are greuously punished by the councell of Eliberis c. 18. and 20. but now these offences are common among Masse-priests and the Pope sheweth them by the chapter si clerici d◠indicijs and by his example how little he regardeth the actes of councels against these sinns in the same synode can 34. Christiās are forbidden to light candles in the churchyarde in the day time and c. 36. to set vp pictures in Churches cereos per diem saith the councell placuit in coemiterio non incendi and againe placuit picturas in ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus deping atur yet Papists do superstitiously set vp lightes in church yards and fill their churches with images and pictures Those which accuse their brethrē falsly by the first councel of Arles c. 14. are shut from the communion to then dying day de his qui accusant fratres suos placuit saith the councell cos vsij ad exitum non comunicare the same councel decreeth that no bishop should tread downe his fellow Bishop yet the Popes and their complices doe hire parasites and scrrilous companions to traduce and falsely to accuse their brethren and all good bishops are now troden downe by the Pope The Councell of Gangra condemneth those that dispraise mariage or doe taxe him that eateth flesh or that despise the oblation of a maried priest or make meetings without the church qui extra ecclesiam scorsim conuentus cilebrat or that take a pride in virginity or vse peculiar habits and despise those that vse common apparell or depart from their parents vpon praetence of religion quicumque silij à parentibus praetextu diuini culius abscedunt the same likewise condemneth those women which cut their haire propter dminum cultum for religion sake or that contrarie to scriptures and ecclesiasticall canons shall b ring in new precepts but Papists despise matiage as pollutions and fleshly life and esteeme monkes that eate no flesh more holy and perfect then other Christians they despise also the oblations of married Priests Monks and Friers haue their conuenticles apart further the Masse-priests extoll their pretended virginity and Monkes and Friers vse peculiar habits and despise such as vse common apparrell Children among them depart from their parents and creepe into monasteries and nunnes cut their haire when they vow to enter into religious houses finally according to the diuersity of monkish sects they obserue diuers rules and precepts without warrant of holy scriptures or ecclesiasticall canons and doe many things contrarie to holy scriptures The second councel of Arles c. 23. pronounceth that Priest to be sacrilegious that shall suffer men superstitiously to light candles or to worship trees fountaines or stones and those that worship such things are condemned as Infidels and yet maste-priests suffer Christians at Candlemas and in diuers processions to goe about with candles and great pilgrimages are made by their followers to stockes and stones and welles after a paganicall fashion The councell of Laodicea c. 35. condemneth such as worship Angels or assemble together to honour them and c. 36. that vse exorcismes or enchantments or that read bookes in the church that are not canonicall the same excludeth the bookes of Tobia Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees out of the canon the which acts forasmuch as they condemne the superstitious worship of Angels the coniurations of Masse-priests in casting out of Diuels and the reading of lying legendes and the false canon of the conuenticle of Trent are no more regarded by Papists then as if there neuer had beene any such made The councell of Constantinople c. 2. restreineth the ambition of Bishops that began to stretch forth their hands to the diocesses of their neighbours and c. 5. giueth the next place of dignity after the Bishop of Rome to the bishop of Constantinople which also was confirmed by the authority of the councell of Chalcedon that councell also addeth this reason because Constantinople was called new Rome but the pope neither regardeth the acts of this councell nor the reasons thereof but encrocheth vpon euery bishops iurisdiction calling himselfe vniuersall bishop and challenging his authority not from the priuiledge of the city but from Christs institution The 3. councell of Carthage c. 24. decreeth that nothing more be offered in the sacrament of the Lords body and blood then he hath appointed to wit bread and wine mingled with water but this ouerthroweth the masse vtterly wherein the Masse-priests say they offer neither bread nor wine but Christs body and blood the same synode decreeth that the bishop of the metropolitan see shall not be called the Prince of Priests or cheefe priest or any such title which ouerthroweth the pride and arrogance of the Pope that will needes be called the cheefe Priest the head and monarch of the church and other farre more arrogant titles The formes of ordring Priests and deacons prescribed by the fathers of the fourth councell of Carthage the Popes complices in the synod of Florence haue quite altered likewise haue they abolished those canons of the councell that concerne his house apparell study preaching nay they accompt him now a bishop sufficient that preacheth not if he be formally greased and apparelled in the 100. canon women are forbidden to baptize mulier baptizare non praesumat the Popes decretales contrariwise allow women to baptize The fist councel of Carthage c. 14. reproueth altars erected by vaine reuclations and dreames and it meaneth such as are supposed to be made ouer some martirs reliques but that is the case of many Popish altars who are erected for the most part vpon supposall of reliques and vaine dreames By the 4. canon of the first councell of Toledo it appeareth that subdeacons married wiues the same synod condemneth those that receiue the eucharist and cat it not and which beleeued Christ to haue an imaginarie body such as that is which the Papists suppose to be in the eucharist The councell of Mileuis c. 22. forbiddeth appeales to Rome ad transmarina qui putauerit appellandum à nullo infra Africam in communionem suscipiatur this canon therefore cannot stand with the Popes supremacy The councell of Agatha c. 13. forbiddeth Nunnes to bee vailed before the age of forty yeares the synagogue of Rome admitteth them before twenty and few after forty the same councell separateth the monasteries of men and women the Papists put them neere together The councell of Orevge pronounceth them guilty of Pelagianisme that say the liberty of the soule remained after the fall of Adam and that a man can doe that which is good of himselfe The 8. canon of the councell of Turon sheweth that bishops had wiues dwelt with them although they are commanded to vse them as sisters The 3. councell of Toledo
for it Ambrose Catharine tractat de imaginibus saith God prohibited images simply but that this prohibition was positiue others deny both images to be forbidden and the second commandement to be positiue Occham Maior and Richardus are of opinion that a sacrament cannot be defined Scotus in 4. dist 1. q. 2. holdeth that it may be defined imperfectly Ledesma in tract de sacrament in genere q. 1. art 2. saith it may properlie bee defined Finally to shew the contradictions of Papists we need to seeke no further than to Bellarmine who in euery controuersie bringeth in different opinions of men of his side Gardiner a pillar of popery did oftentimes contradict himselfe and his fellowes sometimes hee swore against the Popes supremacy sometime like a forsworne creature hee stood for it somtime he consented to the dissolution of monasteries as sinkes of Sodomy and all tibaldrie and villany sometime be spoke for them his booke entituled Marcus Constantius is full of contradictions M. Foxe hath scored vp great multitudes The contradictions of Robert Parsons in his book of three Conuersions I haue noted in my answeare to that treatise The whole masse also of Poperie doth consist of contrary pieces as I haue shewed in the contradictions of the doctrine of the Masse of purgatory of indulgences of the Pope and diuers other principall points and haue proued the same in treatises of that argument For example they say the Masse is an vnbloudy sacrifice and yet teach that euerie Priest doth really offer and drinke Christs bloud Sometime they say the sacrifice is but one sacrifice yet in the canon they say sacrifices in the plurall number Sometime they say the Priest only offereth this sacrifice but in the canoÌ„ they make the people to offer sacrifices In the canon they pray that Angels may carry Christs body vnto Gods high altar but all confesse that Christs body is in heauen before There also they make the Priest a mediatour for Christ. but where they speake soberly they make Christ a mediator both for the Priest and others In heauen they say Christ is visible and palpable on the altar they make him inuisible and impalpable They say the Masse is an externall sacrifice yet no man euer yet could see Christs body externally sacrificed In purgatorie they say soules suffer extreme paines but in the Masse they saie they slâ—epe in peace They teach that Christians may performe the law of God perfectly but they will not grant that they may liue without sinne which is all one Talking of auricular confession they make it necessarie but in the chap. Petrus doluit and lachrymae dist 1. de poenit they denie it The Pope calleth himselfe seruant of seruants yet doth he take vpon him as lord of lords Order they say is one sacrament yet they teach also that there are seuen Orders and euerie one of them a sacrament which is as much as if they should make one seuen and seuen one The Pope they saie is head of the Church but that is as much as if they should teach that their Church in the vacatio nis headlesse If then the catholicke faith be one and those that professe the faith agree in one then cannot popery be the true Catholicke faith that containeth so many contradictions CHAP. XXVII That popery is a most foolish and absurd religion AS the lawes of God are full of wisedome and giue vs a true vnderstanding so when man of his owne braine vndertaketh to adde vnto his commandements the same in proofe falleth out to be nothing but vanity and foolery the same wee sind verified in the additions of the superfluous religion of Papists for although it haue a shew of wisedome as the voluntarie worship of Angels had of which the Apostle Coloss 2. speaketh yet compared with the wisedome of God reuealed in the Gospell it is meere foolery For first what is more foolish then to forsake the liuing springs of holy scripture out of which do sally waters of life and to follow after the puddle streams of Romish traditions of scriptures we are assured that they are the word of God but no man can affirme that of Romish traditions or the Popes decretales that either professeth piety or loueth truth is it not then strange that any Christians should bee so foolish as to match the word of man with Gods word and where we haue a certaine rule to seeke for a broken vncertaine and crooked rule Againe it is most absurd not to beleeue the scriptures without the Popes warrant but to say that Christians are not to beleeue in God nor in Christ Iesus nor to receiue the rest of the articles of our Creed vnlesse the church of Rome doe deliuer them vnto vs is not only a peece of great foolery but also a very high streine of madnesse and yet this is the doctrine of Popery for Stapleton saith that the church must needes consigne the scriptures vnto vs and the authoritie of the church both he and others giue to the Pope likewise in their catechisme the Papists signifie that faith is of things onely proposed to vs by the church so that if the church propose not the articles of faith we are not to beleeue them if these men teach truth further this sheweth the Romish church to consist of a packe of infidels for if the same beleeued not without the authority of the church then did she beleeue nothing of Christ seeing the Papists acknowledge no other Church but that of Rome and no church can teach it selfe Finally this is as much as if they should say that the law of the Prince is not to be receiued vnlesse it be proposed by the crier or other such like officer The Masse-priests of Trent sess 4. most absurdly prefer the old Latin vulgar translation of the Bible before the originall text which is as much as if they should preferre S. Hierome and other interpreters before the Prophets and Apostles and the streames before the fountaines Generally they forbid scriptures to bee read publickely in vulgar tongues but they permit most fabulous legends to bee read publickely The holy scriptures they will not permit to bee read in vulgar tongues of the multitude without licence but they are content that any of their followers should reade the Popes decretales or the miracles of their god of paste or the history of our Lady of Loreto and other such lying legends without licence To say that the Pope is the head of the vniuersall church is meere foolery for grant that and it will follow that the Church is sometime without head as in the time of vacation of the papacy and sometime a monster with two or three heads as when two or three Popes reigne at once and sometime a mad Church as hauing a mad and franticke head The church they say albeit catholicke yet is alwaies visible but this being granted it followeth that vniuersall things may be the obiect of sense and that the church of
say as much and greatly complaineth of Roman Caursins and vsurers Are not then our moderne Papists simple to continue vnder the gouernment of Antichrist where they are pilled both aliue and dead and spoiled by diuers fraudes and brought to extreme pouerty through manifold oppressions and exactions CHAP. XLI That the Popish church hath no true Bishops nor Priests THe gouernment of the Popish church being so burdensome and dangerous cannot well be tolerated by rules of policy but if the same be against both scriptures and canons of the church then as repugnant both to religion and Christian policy it is to be abandoned of all Christian common-wealthes let vs then consider what allowance it may haue either of scriptures or ancient canons The Apostle Act. 20. saith that the holy ghost hath appointed Bishops to gouerne the Church of God in quo vos spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere ecclesiam dei saith he speaking of the Bishops of Asia but the popish church hath no true Bishops and that is prooued first for that bishops cannot be orderned but by true Bishops but the prelats of the Romish church are ordeined by the Pope that is no Bishop the proposition is granted of the assumption the first part is not denied in the second part our aduersaties insist firmely and affirme the Pope to be a true bishop but how can he be a Bishop that neither preacheth nor can preach nor administreth the Sacraments nor succeedeth the Apostles in their Apostolicall office the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. sheweth that the office of a bishop consisteth in the worke and not in the title qui Episcopatum desiderat bonum opus desiderat Secondly antichrist can ordeine no true bishops but that the Pope is antichrist I haue declared in my fist booke de Pontif. Rom. and it is apparent in that he teacheth doctrine contrary to that which we haue receined from Christ Iesus and is plainly described in the Reuelation by the whoore of Babylon Apocalyps 17. and by the beast like a lambe rising out of the earth Apocalyps 13. which are figures of Antichrist Thirdly none but the successors of Christs apostles can ordaine true bishops but the Pope succeedeth Iulius Caesar rather then Simon Peter for Simon Peter fed Christs flocke he murdreth Christs lambes Fourthly neither heretikes nor simoniacall persons haue power to ordeine bishops as the master of the sentences lib. 4. dist 25. prooueth by the authoritie of Cyprian Innocent the first and Leo. and this is the practise of the Romish church at this day who refuseth to allow them for bishops that are ordred by such as they repute heretikes or schismatikes some determine otherwise but they repugne against the Romish churches practise Finally no woman can ordeine bishops but Pope Ioan was a woman and therefore all ordeined by her and their successors are no bishops by the confession of the aduersaries themselues Howsoeuer it is the Papists cannot assure themselues that they haue any bishops for no man is ordeined bishop vnlesse he that ordeined him had an intention to order him a bishop but of this intention no man can assure himselfe Furthermore the Popish synagogue hath no true priests for their priests are all ordred to sacrifice for quicke and dead The forme of priesthood say the Masse-priests assembled at Florence is this accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium in ecclesia pro vinis mortuis and this is prooued also by their rituall bookes and by Bellarmines confession lib. deord c. 9. but such priests were neuer appointed by Christ or his Apostles neither is there any footestep of such an ordination to be found in ancient fathers Secondly no true priests can be ordeined by other then true bishops and the Apostles successors but such bishops the synagogue of Rome wanteth Lastly true priests and ministers of the Gospell are ordeined to preach Gods word truely and to administer the Sacraments sincerely but popish priests are not ordered to this end If then that cannot be the church that wanteth priests and bishops then are we not to looke for the true church among the papists but Hierome in dialog contr Lucifer denieth that to be the church that hath no priests and Cyprian lib. 4. epist 9. teacheth that the church is a people or flocke vnited to the bishop Againe if all the ordination of bishops and priests in the Romish church dependeth vpon the Pope and the Pope be not mentioned either Ephes 4. or 1. Cor. 12. where all the ministers of the church giuen to the same by Christ are mentioned then doth the ordination of Roman priests and prelates take his beginning not from Christ but from Antichrist Lastly if the function of masse-priests doth consist in saying Masse and the Masse be prooued to be an humane inuention then is the Romish priesthood an humane inuention but otherwhere we haue sufficiently declared that the Masse was by little and little peeced togither and is a meere humane inuention nay an inuention contrarie to Christs institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist CHAP. XLII That Popery cannot be mainteined without forgery and falshood THis point of it selfe alone would require a large discourse if we should prosecure particularly and distinctly whatsoeuer our aduersaries haue herein offended for whether we respect the diuers kinds of forgeries or the places of authors forged and falsified by them it were a great worke to comprehend them all we will therefore choose out some few examples out of many whereby all true Christians may haue cause sufficient to suspect them in the rest First then we charge them with falsity for that as much as in them lieth they haue gone about to suppresse Gods eternall word comprised in the old and new testament that this is falsitie it is apparent by the law qui testamentum ff ad legem corneliam de falsis for by that law they are condemned qui testamentū amouerint celauerint that is which shall amooue or conceile a testament but the Pope and his complices forbid expressely all translations of the new testament made by our doctors and only grant certaine translations made by themselues and that with hard conditions as is declared in the index of forbidden bookes reg 3. and 4. but publikely they will not haue scriptures red in vulgar tongues Secondly they burne the holy scriptures vnder pretense of false translations but the law formerly cited doth pronounce him a falsarie that shall abolish or cancell or burne a mans testament the words of the law are these si quis testamentum deleuerit that is if any shall cancell a testament Thirdly it is falsity to cancell or breake the seales of a testament as the practise of the law of this land declareth how then can the Popish synagogue of Rome excuse it selfe that depriueth the lords people of the cup which our sauiour Christ calleth the new testament in his blood is not this all one as if the same should breakē the seales of Gods testament
alleadged both Greeke and Latine writers vnder the name of Clement they haue published diuers constitutions and doe alledge them verie frequently yet doth Gelasius c. sancta dist 15. set a marke vpon them as Apocryphal to him also they ascribe certaine recognitions and epistles which sauour not of an apostolicall spirit Vnder the name of Origen they publish certaine Commentaries vpon Iob which conteine plaine Arianisme and his lamentation which is noted by Gelasius as Apocryphal Tertullians and Russins treatises are diuersly cited yet not allowed by Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. Vnder the authoritie of Abdias Martialis Prochorus Amphilochius and diuers ancient fathers they couer diuers of their owne bastardly inuentions no way agreeing with those times Cyprian is said to haue written the treatise de reuelatione capitis Ioannis wherein mention is made of king Pipin and a booke de montibus Sion Sinah and diuers other treatises neither according with his phrase nor with those times Hierome is made to father a sermon de assumptione B. Mariae a tract de 7. gradibus ecclesiae the rule of monkes and diuers other counterfet treatises and yet the rule of monks is said to be collected by one Lupus in the time of Martin the fift The sermons ad fratres in eremo and diuers others de tempore sanctis attributed to S. Augustine are plainely counterfet so are his meditations also and soliloquies in those meditations the worship of Angels is taught which Augustine in his booke de haeresib condemneth for an heresie in the soliloquies we reade the fable of Longinus in his manual c. 16. we reade that it is in mans power to merit the kingdome of heauen which is plaine Pelagianisme condemned by S. Augustine the bookes entituled scalae paradisi de duodecim abusionum generibus de vita Christiana de assumptione beatae Mariae and diuers others of that nature set out vnder the name of S. Augustine are but grosse deuises of slow bellied monkes and friers Vnder the name of Basil and Chrysostome they haue set out counterfet Masses and diuers epistles homilies and treatises that are no where found in Greeke nor any whit sauour of the diuine spirit of those fathers nay so shamelesse they are that they sticke not to set out Masses vnder the name of Iames and Marke The like practise they haue vsed in the workes of other fathers but to father bastardes vpon wrong fathers is a notorious tricke of falsitie as appeareth by the law cum suppositi Cod. ad l. Corn. de falsis By their expurgatorie Indexes they cause the fathers writings to be changed not onely by false additions but also by detractions Sixtus Senensis in epist ad Pium 5. antè biblioth sanctam sheweth how that Pope did handle or rather mangle and change the fathers writings expurgari emaculari curasti saith he omnia catholicorum scriptorum ac praecipuè veterum patrum scripta haereticorum aetatis nostrae faecibus contaminata venenis infecta so vnder this colour it was an easie matter to take out what he listed In Bertram they change visibiliter into inuisibiliter and cut out whole lines and sentences Posseuin a shamelesse Iebusite teacheth his schollers how Hermes Melito Cabasilas Anastasius Antonius Abbas and other authors were to be corrupted and framed to his purpose Fourthly they haue corrupted diuers lawes and some they haue forged vnder the name of diuers Emperours and Kings vnder the name of Constantine the Pope challengeth a right to most kingdomes of the Westerne Empire but the donation set out vnder his name both by testimony of learned men and by diuers arguments is prooued counterfet Likewise the constitution of Ludouicus dist 63. c. ego Ludouicus is a plaine bastard for it contradicteth Constantines donation was neuer executed and differeth from it selfe as appeareth by the diuers editions of Gratian and Volateran Geograph lib. 3. The law inter Claras Cod. de sum Trin. fid cath is not found in ancient copies as Alciat testifieth Parerg. lib. 5. c. 23. likewise the same is disprooued by diuers other arguments alledged by me in a treatise of Popish forgeries and lies In the Popes archiues they shew a solemne donation of the crowne of England made by king Iohn and the state to the Pope but the same is cleerely counterfet being neither executed by the king nor allowed by the state The statute anno 2. Henr. 4. c. 15. is plainly falsified by the Popish clergie in a prouinciall constitution made at Oxford by adding ac etiam communitates regni whereas in the originall role yet extant in the Towre there are no such wordes found it appeareth therefore that by forgery they haue made statutes to serue their turnes for the burning of Christians and that they haue murdred them hitherto contrarie to forme of law Finally vnder the names of ancient bishops of Rome they haue published diuers counterfet epistles differing from their forme of writing in stile and conteining matters not agreeing with the times when they are supposed to be written Clement epist 1. writeth to Iames of the death of Peter who died diners yeeres before Peter and epist 2. taketh vpon him to instruct Iames an Apostle Anacletus in his first epistle would haue all matters referred to the church of Rome but at that time the church of Rome had no such prerogatiue neither was it reason that S. Iohn the Euangelist then liuing all matters should be referred rather to Anacletus then to him in his 2. epistle he saith the 72. disciples were instituted by the Apostles which the Gospel saith were appointed by Christ Euaristus in his epistle talketh idlely of ordeining Priestes without titles and consecrating churches and stone altars whereas these customes came not into the church vntil many yeeres after Sixtus beginneth his epistle thus Sixtus vniuersalis apostolicae ecclesiae episcopus but Gregory the first long after him condemneth this title as proud and Antichristian Hyginus wrote to the Athenians but it is not like that a Greeke would write to Greekes in Latin Calixtus mentioneth those heretikes which denied repentance to such as fell in time of persecution but this was the heresie of Nouatus who troubled the church long after Calixtus his time Pontianus ioineth Christ with Peter but that was no stile in his time Marcellinus in his 2. epistle doth insinuate that the Emperour then professed Christian religion and disputeth against the Arians that were not in the world in his time Melchiades 12. q. 1. c. futuram ecclesiam telleth vs how Constantine was christened and gaue his seat and other possessions to the church of Rome and yet it is apparent that he died before Constantines Christening and before any thing was giuen by him to the church It is an easie matter to shew other epistles attributed to ancient bishops of Rome to be counterfet but it is needlesse considering how Antonius Contius in annot ante c. viginti dist 16. confesseth that
and that none taught in those countries beside S. Peter and such as he sent a lie directly repugnant to Scriptures which testifie that S. Paul preached in those countries being appointed by God thereto and not by man and refuted by diuers ancient histories and fathers who write that diuers others preached there beside S. Peters priests and messengers S. Augustine epist 162. sheweth that the Gospel came into Aphrike out of other countries then those that belonged to the church of Rome Gregory the 4. c. in praeceptis dist 12. saith that all bishops causes and the discussing of matters of religion belongeth to the See of Rome and that religion tooke her beginning from thence a matter apparantly false for religion began at Hierusalem and not at Rome and Councels in ancient time determined the differents in causes of Religion and not the bishop of Rome who was as well subiect to the decision of the general councell as other bishops Anacletus c. in nouo dist 21. saith that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their Prince which is contradicted by the Papistes themselues that deriue Peters authoritie from Christ. Nicolas dist 22. c. omnes telleth vs that Christ gaue to Peter the right of the kingdome both of heduen and earth but of this earthly kingdome belonging to Peter this is the first man that euer told newes Anacletus dist 22. c. sacrosancta affirmeth that both Peter and Paul were crowned with martyrdome in one day and at the some time but this leasing is refuted by Prudentius peri stephan Hymno 12. Arator in act Apost lib. 2. Augustine serm 18. de sanctis and others Innocent the 4. c. ad apostolicae de sent re iudicat affirmeth that Sicily is the speciall patrimony of Peter est speciale patrimonium Petri. but no where doe were reade where either Christ gaue or Peter claimed this patrimony Clement the fifth c. Romani Clem. de iureiurando most boldly and impudently writeth that Emperors hauing the crowne set vpon their heads sweare fealty to the Pope a matter certes which Bellarmine the Popes proctor would blush to affirme for albeit he would willingly gratifie the Pope whith any thing yet dare he not say that the Roman Empire is holden in fee of the Pope and thus the Popes runne on headlong heaping priuileges on Rome and building the tower of Babel by lies The same is also practised by Bellarmine as I haue shewed in diuers discourses written against him by Baromus as my speciall exceptions taken to his volumes fraught with lies and fables do declare by Parsons and Kellison as by my answeres to their bookes it may appeare Turrecremata lib. 3. sum c. 9. affirmeth that Helena and 3000. Iewes were conuerted to Christian religion in a councell at Rome vnder Siluester but other more true stories report that she was alwares a Christian and holpe to conuert her sonne Constantine Lib. 2. sum c. 300. he saith that Paul did some things which he afterward retracted quaedam fecit quae postea reuocauit The Emperor Henry the fourth by the Romanists is most vniustly standred as if he had prostituted his owne wife to his sonne and done other such like abominable actes matters merely deuised by the Popes agents Fridericke the 2. was a most noble Prince and greatly praised by the Cardinall of Cusa Aegidius Romanus and others yet was he most vniustly reuiled and standred by Gregory the 9. Innocent the 4. and their agents as it doth appeare by the testimony of Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. Capgraue telleth how a hundred and fifty of Ioseph of Arimathaea his company sailed out of France into great Britany vpon Iosephes shirt a small barge certes for so many passengers Antoninus hist part 3. reporteth how an innumerable troupe of the order of Dominske were seene in heauen couered vnder the blessed virgins gowne Stapleton in his prompruarie dominica 2. aduentus brocheth vs a barrell of lies first he saith that Sebastian a certeine musician was put in prison for demaunding liberty of conscience by the last Queene and that one Gifford was imprisoned by her likewise for the same cause after he had enterteined the Queene very bountifully at his house and that Shelley was committed for presenting a request in the behalfe of the papists matters meerely imagined and deuised by lying companions and foolishly reported by him the two first we cannot learne euer to haue beene committed the third was imprisoned for plaine treason The Papists accused the people of Zuricke for teaching that the virgine Mary had more sonnes then one and that Iames died for them as we may reade in Sleidan lib. hist. 4. and Bellarmine lib. 4. de iustific c. 1. saith we little regard good works and lib. 2. de amiss grat c. 1. he accuseth the Albrgians as they are called and Caluin for holding the error of the Manichecs which they alwaies renounced and detested In his boâ—ke de Matrimonio c. 2. he blusheth not to charge them whom he calleth Lutherans and Caluinists with holding that matrimonie is not of God a point expresly denied by them Finally it is an easie matter to shew that the foundation of Popery is laid vpon lies and that the charge which Papistes giue vpon their aduersaries is ordinarily enforced by most wicked imputations and standers CHAP. XLIIII That the cause of Popery is mainteined by fire and sword MVch are simple people abused by calumniations deuised against good men and hardly are Christians able to discerne falshood from truth and to iudge what is truely alledged what falsly vntill such time as matters be duly examined yet neither can trueth be vtterly suppressed nor do lies passe alwaies for good paiment Those therefore whom they cannot abuse with lies and false allegations the Pope and his complices seek cruelly to destroy with fire and sword The holy Ghost Apocalyps 17. sheweth vs that the purple whoore should be drunke with the blood of the saints and Apocalyp 13. that the 2. beast should kill such as would not worship the image of the beast that is that the Pope should persecute to the death such as would not submitte themselues to the kingdome of Antichrist in which the image of the Roman Empire was after a sort reuiued and this wee see verified by experience in the cruell gouernement of the Popes of Rome and their adherents Their lawes against all such as dissent from them in opinion concerning the sacraments are most rigorous they are degraded and deliuered ouer to the secular power to be burned as it appeareth by the law ad abolendam de haereticis nay they punish such as are suspected if they cannot cleere themselues with no lesse rigor then the rest all that communicat with them receiue them or succor them are in great danger such as giue them counsell are reputed infamous as is determined c. si aduersus de haereticis the goods of heretikes are adiudged confiscate neither are they punished only while they liue but also
Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. doth testifie Alexander the third sent the soldan Fridericke Barbarossaes portrayt then seruing against the Saracens persuading him to kill him if he would settle his affaires Gregory the 9. inuaded the emperors dominions in Italy and drew Fridericke the 2. out of Asia to defend his owne possessions at home when he was almost in possession of the victory abroade Lastly it is publikely knowne that they haue set French and Spanish together about the quarrell of the kingdome of Naples Innocent the thrid by his excommunication of king Iohn set both his subiects and the French against him and was the cause of the losse of Normandy to the English Iulian the Cardinall set the Germans against the Bohemians Paul the third was the principall motiue of the warres of Charles the sift against the Germans and to shut vp this discourse in few words not only Nicholas Machiauel in his Florentine history affirmeth but also all histories testifie that the Popes of Rome haue beene the principall causes of all the warres and stirres of Europe that haue beene for this 4. or 5. hundred yeres last past they are the causes of the massacres of France of the troubles of the low-countries of the late rebellions in England Scotland and Ireland of the contentions betwixt French and Spanish in Italy of the persecutions in Germany and Spaine and other countries Fourthly the Popes of Rome by deuising and confirming many orders of Monkes and friers by admitting such swarmes of idle lozels into orders and mainteining them by chanting of Masses for soules forcing them to forsweare mariage haue not only caused many vnnatural murders but also hindred the propagation and increase of men they haue also withdrawne men from defence of the common-wealth and placed them in dennes of licentious idlenesse and laid the charge of the common defence vpon few Fiftly exempting both the goods and the persons of religious men and clerkes from common charges of the common-wealth they haue weakened the states of princes and laid all the burthen vpon the weakest part Finally by their idolatries they haue displeased God and by their periuries haue made good the leud cause of the Turkes Therefore we are not to maruell if the Christians haue not prospered in their expeditions into the holy land for what successe could Christians looke for considering the notorious abuses cōmitted in the army by worshipping idoles blaspheming Gods holy name violating Christs institution of the Eucharist by celebration of prophane masses Could Ladislaus king of Poland and his army preuaile against the Turkes hauing begun the warre contrary to articles of peace solemnely sworne but let vs mainteine the religion of Christ and not of antichrist and let vs abolish the idolatrous worship of images and the inuocation of saints and let vs abandon the damned Masse and serue God as he hath appointed and finally let vs not violate our promises and oathes nor abuse gods holy name and then no doubt but we shall prosper in all our enterprises against the Turke or other enemies of the Church for hitherto not the Turks forces but the multitude of the sinnes idolatries blasphemies and other abuses of Christians haue made them flie before their enemies and ouerthrowne their armies CHAP. L. That the moderne church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romans THe Church of Rome when Paul wrote vnto it excelled in all pietie and vertue and was famous throughout the world but as al things else so both faith and vertue through tract of time fainted and in the end began to faile in that citie of late time we finde that neither that zeale in matters of religion nor that integritie and honesty of maners which was in the ancient Romanes doth continue in their posterity Adrian the 6. in his instructions giuen to his legate that was sent into Germany confesseth freely that many and grieuous offences for many yeeres haue beene committed at Rome and from the toppe of the Popes crowne passed downe to the inferior gouernors of the church and that no man did his dutie but that all went astray and none was voide of faults Plurimis nunc annis saith he grauiter multisque modis peccatum est Romae inde à Pontificio culmine malum hoc atque lues ad inferiores omnes ecclesiarum prafectos defluxit neminem enim esse qui suum faciat munus aberrasse omnes ne vnum quidem ex omni numero vacare culpa Duarenus in praefat in lib. de eccles minist benefic confesfeth that the manners of such as were called church-men were decaied and that the later constitutions of Popes were woorse then the first illud saith he fateri velinuiti cogimur mores hominum ecclesiae titulo insignitorum ita paulatim degenerasse vt posteriores constitutiones Pontificumfere anterioribus cedant Guicciardine lib. hist 2. sheweth how the authority of Christian religion grew euery day lesse and lesse by reason that in the affaires of the church men were altogether departed from ancient customes Le cose della chiesa saith he allontanatesi totalmente dalli antichi costumi faceuano ogni di minore l'authoritâ della Christiana religione Machiauel in his Florentine history directed to Clement the 7. confesseth that by reason of the mutation that had hapned in Christian religion great scandales and discords had growne in the world Many of the chiefe rulers of the church saith Picus Mirandula in orat ad Leon. x. after whose example others ought to conforme themselues haue either little or no religion no order in their liuing no shame nor modesty apud plerosque religionis nostra primores ad quorum exemplum componi formari plebs ignara debuisset aut nullus aut certè exiguus deicultus nulla bene viuendi ratio atque institutio nullus pudor nulla modestia Platina in Gregor 4. wisheth that Lewes Pius in his time had beene aliue so much did the church stand in neede of his lawes Res pietatemiampridem perdidimus saith Auentinus lib. 3. annal Boiorum virtuti nullus est honos inuicem inuidere fraudare fallere longinqua consuetudo est that is we haue long since lost our substance and pietie there is no honor giuen to vertue we haue vsed to enuy one another and to practise fraud and deceit a long time together Primitiui Theologi saith Petrus de Aliaco lib. de reformat eccles ecclesiam aedificauerunt quam nunc quidam Baritatores destruxerunt the Diuines of the Primitiue Church built the church but now certaine later barators haue destroied it And that this is true it may be prooued by diuers particulars in time past the bishops of Rome suffered for true religion now they cut the throats of all such as professe truth The ancient bishops of Rome fed Christs flocke and were subiect to Christian Emperours now the Popes kill Christs lambes and set their feete vpon the neckes of emperors In the
rest also may reuoke their errours see their deformities returne with a sincere heart to Gods true church and so be saued CHAP. LV. A briefe recapitulation of the principall points of the former discourse and an exhortation both to Papistes and true Christians THus we see and I pray God all Christians may diligently consider what is meant by popish religion briefly it is a collection of diuers corruptions and errors mainteined by the Pope and his adherents either contrary or aboue the Apostles doctrine this religion we haue shewed to haue beene built vpon weake vncerteine and salse foundations and auerre that it is contrarie to the doctrine of Gods law and of true faith and iustification through Christ the same also teacheth erroneously of the Gospell and diminisheth the merits of Christ our mediator and redeemer Further it hath corrupted the doctrine of the sacraments and brought in many old and new heresies it is compacted of diuers impieties blasphemies and idolatries and neuer came from Hierusalem it was neuer taught by the Prophets or Apostles nor professed by ancient Christian Kings It is not that religion to which the ancient Britans and English were conuerted nor doth it deserue to be called Catholike or ancient it is found to be repugnant to ancient councels and to the faith of the ancient fathers It is a religion diuers from that of the ancient Martyrs of Christ Iesus A religion deuised by man and not deriued out of holy scriptures A religion whose founders defenders doe wickedly wrest and abuse scriprures fathers and other writers A religion consisting of heathenish and Iewish obseruances A religion full of contradictions and contrarieties A religion steined with many fooleries and absurdities A religion keeping Christians in ignorance of true pietie and loosing the reines to all voluptuousnesse and disorder A religion deuoid of good workes and piety A religion that maketh a base accompt of Gods people and teacheth doctrines of Diuels A religion of whose grounds and doctrines the professors thereof haue no assurance A religion repugnant to lawes of nations of kinred alliance and common ciuilitie A religion preiudiciall to the authority of Kings and dangerous in regard of their states and persons A religion that laieth greeuous burthens on mens consciences and eateth vp Christians through manifolde exactions A religion without true bishops and priests and wholy mainteined by false allegations forgeries calumniations lies fire and sword periury and breach of couenant A religion whose chiefe founders and mainteiners haue beene commonly noted for wicked and profane men A religion more absurd in diuers points and that oppresseth Christians more greeuously then Mahometry A religion by whose practise the empire of Christians is decaied the power of the Turke enlarged A religion professed by degenerated Romans neither for faith nor life comparable to their ancesters and by a church that was neuer visible vntill of late time nor can shew better markes or bring better motiues to induce men to embrace her doctrine then the Turks and Paynims To conclude a religion whose professors can neither be esteemed true subiects nor true Christians nor iustlie pretend either assurance or hope of their saluation I doe therefore exhort all true Christians as they desire either that the true faith of Christ Iesus may be publikely receiued or that doctrines contrary to piety Christian charity policy reason and common humanity may be suppressed to beware of the leuain of Popery to concurre with those which both teach and set forward the true Catholike faith according to the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and which seeke to resiste all corruptions false doctrines sects and heresies and to roote vp the seeds of all trecherie and rebellion On the other side I beseech all Papists to cast away all preiudice and passion and diligently to consider of the premisses that as they professe themselues true subiects wel affected to Catholike the ancient religion of the church of Christ so they may abhorre their former treasons and rebellious detest the masse-priests and powder-men their consorts reiect all heresies errors and false doctrines masked with glorious titles of vniuersality and antiquity and set foorth by the Pope and his complices teaching a late particular faith and finally endeuour to be gathered together into that society whereof Christ is the head and without which there is no saluation The God of all truth confirme and establish all true Christians in truth and discouer all trecheries and errors that such as now are disloially minded and wander astray may acknowledge their former disloialties and errors and embrace the true Catholike faith and that such as stand may be confirmed in the truth that so both they and we iointly may liue loyally vnder our Princes and truely serue one true and euerliuing God and glorifie his holy name through Christ our Lord to whom together with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God we render all praise and honour now and for euer A briefe note of the contents of euery Chapter of the former discourse Chap. 1. VVHat is ment by Popery or popish religion in this whole treatise Chap. 2. Of the grounds and foundations of popish religion Chap. 3. Of the wicked doctrine of Papists concerning the law of God and the performance thereof Chap. 4. Of the damnable doctrine of Papists concerning faith and iustification Chap. 5. What Papists doe meane speaking of the Gospel Chap. 6. Of the impious doctrine of Papists concerning Christ our Sauiour Chap. 7. The strange contradictory and false opinions of Papists concerning the Sacraments Chap. 8. That Popery is a mixture of old and new heresies Chap. 9. A catalogue of diuers notorious impieties and blasphemies conteined not onely in popish bookes but also in the corps of popish religion Chap. 10. That Popery is a sinke of heathenish idolatry Chap. 11. That popish religion neuer came from Hierusalem Chap. 12. That Popish religion was neuer taught either by the old Prophets or by the apostles of Christ Iesus Chap. 13. That Popery was either condemned or not know â—s by kings professing Christian religion in old time Chap. 14. That the ancient Britanes and English were not first conuerted to popish religion Chap. 15. That popish religion is most falsly termed catholike religion and papists Catholikes Chap. 16. That popish religion is not the ancient religion of the primitiue church Chap. 17. That Popery is repugnant to ancient Councels Chap. 18. That popery is not the faith of the ancient fathers of the church Chap. 19. That popish religion was neuer testified by the blood of Christian martyrs Chap. 20. That popery is a meere humane denise and not in any sort to be deduced or proued out of holy scriptures Chap. 21. That popish religion in diuers points is directly contrarie to holy scriptures Chap. 22. That the founders and desenders of popery doe most wickedly abuse holy scriptures Chap. 23. That the Pope and the principall proctors of his cause are great forgers and falsifiers of fathers profane writers and of publike records Chap. 24. That Popery standeth much vpon heathenish obseruances and customes Chap. 25. That popery borroweth also diuers fashions from the Iewes Chap. 26. That popish religion is full of contradictions and contrary opinions Chap. 27. That popery is a most absurd and foolish religion Chap. 28. That popery keepeth Christians in blindenesse and ignorance of God and godlinesse Chap. 29. That popish religion giueth the reines to licentiousnesse of life leadeth Christians the broad way to destruction Chap. 30. That popish religion bringeth foorth such bitter fruites that the professors thereof haue no reason to boast of their workes Chap. 31. That in popery a base accompt is made of princes and all lay-men Chap. 32. That popery is a doctrine of diuels Chap. 33. That Papists can haue no assurance of the truth of their religion Chap. 34. That popery is repugnant to the lawes of nations Chap. 35. That popery dissolueth the bonds of kinred all 〈◊〉 and ciuilitie Chap. 36. That popish religion either disannulleth or greatly preiudiceth the authority of kings and princes Chap. 37. That Kings professing popish religion are either no kings or but halfe kings Chap. 38. That kings liue not in any security of their lines where popery is professed by their subiects Chap. 39. That Popish religion laieth grieuous burthens on mens consciences Chap. 40. That popish religion is very grieuous in regard of the popes and the Masse-priests manfolde taxes and exactions Chap. 41. That the popish church hath no true bishops nor priests Chap. 42. That popery cannot be mainteined without forgerie and falshood Chap. 43. That popery cannot be wel vpholden without calummations and lies Chap. 44. That the cause of popery is not mainteined without fire and sword Chap. 45. That the practises and treaties of popes and their complices with Christians are not to be trusted Chap. 46. That the chiefe founders and mainteiners of popery haue beene commonly noted for wicked and profane men Chap. 47. That popery in many points is more absurde and abominable then the doctrine of Mahomet Chap. 48. That christians are lesse oppressed vnder the Turke then vnder the Pope Chap. 49. That the ambition couetousnesse contention practise of popes is the principall cause of the decay of the Christian empire and a great occasion of the good successe of the Turkes Chap. 50. That the moderns church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romaines Chap. 51. That the Romish church that now is was inuisible in old time Chap. 52. That the markes of the church and motiues to the moderne Romish faith alledged by Papists may as well be alle dged by Turkes and infidels Chap. 53. That true Papists cannot be true nor loiall subiects Chap. 54. That such Papists as positiuely holde all the hereticall and false doctrines of the mederne church of Rome cannot possibly be saued Chap. 55. A briefe recapitulation of the principall points of the former discourse and art exhortation both to Papists and true Christians
their Grammar were a wonderment to their fellowes Neither can it otherwise bee seeing so many for bribery simony and carnall respects were woont to bee preferred to liuings venalitate curiae Romanae saith the author of aureum speculum inaniter praeficiuntur lenones coqui stabularij equorum pueri through the bribery of the court of Rome bandes cookes horsekeepers and boies are vainly preferred to the gouernment of the Church The author likewise of the treatise entituled onus ecclesiae c. 23. saith that bishops admitted vnn orthy men to charges without all choice and due examination indignos beneficiatos admittunt absque omni delectu debita examinatione instituunt Aluarus Pelagius lib. 2. de planct eccles art 20. complaineth that the bishops of Spaine commit thousands of soules to some yongue nephews of theirs to whom a man would be loth to commit two peares Episcopi alicui nepotulo suo committunt multa millia animarum cui non committeres duo pyra What the learning was of their best preachers we may vnderstand by the profound sermons of frier Menot Maillard Bromyard and their fellowes which were full of ridiculous fables and voide of all edification and learning The Germans of late complained to Adrian the 6. Grauam 47. that bishops aduanced vnlearned idiots vnsit vile and ridiculous fellowes to the order of priesthood episcopi say they saepenumero indoctos idiotas inhabiles vilesque ac ludicras personas ad sacerdotij functionem admittunt The ridiculous reasons of Durand in rationali diuinorum and deriuations of wordes in their legends and glostes doe bewray singular ignorance The monks and fries now can scarce reade their canonical houres for the most part in the monastery of Fulda the monkes accused Rabanus Maurus as is testified in his life for that he was so studious in Scriptures and neglected their temporalties and now lest children should mocke the popish priests that cannot reade their masse with true accents euery word in common missals is accented and yet as we reade in the chapter retulerunt de consecrat dist 4. one baptized an infant saying in nomine patria filia spirita sancta Neither is it materiall that diuers are learned in lawes or philosophy for what is that to the instruction of Christians in faith and manners Bernard lib. 1. de consid taxeth Eugenius for this point daily saith he lawes sound in thy pallace but the lawes of Iustinian and not of the Lord. The schoolemen also are skilfull in logicke and in decretals but the Scriptures and fathers they reade not as Ferdinand Vellosillo in the preface of his aduertences ingeniously confesseth they do rather handle curious questions then matters of edification The guides then being thus blind what blindenesse may we thinke is in the multitude guided by them may we not say of them like priest like people Nay Vincentius de sine mundi saith that they did not heare sermons nor know the articles of the faith praedicationes non audiunt articulos fidei nesciunt Iohn Billet in his prologue de diuin offic saith that few in his times vnderstood either what they heard or what they read Commonly Papists are called Catholikes if they heare Masle albeit they vnderstand not what is said but only gape and gaze one the Priest when they saie pater noster qui es in coelis they neither know what is pater nor what is noster nor what is in caelis God giue them therefore the light of his word to direct them and grant that they may vnderstand the truth that they bee not in the number of those that see not light at noone time and perish for want of knowledge CHAP. XXIX That Popish religion giueth the reines to licentiousnesse of life and leadeth Christians the broade-way to destruction TRue religion restreineth mens affections and directeth Christians in the right way the Psalmist ps 119. asking this question wherewith a yoong man shall redresse his way answereth in taking heede thereto according to Gods word the same also directeth vs by a strait and narrow way vnto life enter in saith our Sauior Matt. 7. at the strait gate and afterward for the gate is strait and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life but popish religion looseth the reins to allicentiousnes and leadeth Christians by a broade pleasant and easie way to the end of their desires for first they account adultery fornication small sinnes and giue libertie to euery Bishop to dispence with them as they teach publikely in the Chap. si clerici de iudicijs de adulterijs alijs criminibus quae sunt minora saith Alexander the third potest episcopus cum clericis post peractam poenitentiam dispensare Next they allow publike stewes both in Italy and Spaine and in Rome it selfe the Pope maketh a great gaine of them Cornelius Agrippa de vanit scient c. de Lenocinio saith that the reuenue of the Pope arising of the tribute of whores amounteth to twentie thousand crownes but now it farre passeth that summe the glosse vpon a certaine prouincial constitution of Otho de concubinis cleric remouend saith that it seemeth reason that the church should winke at the sinne of leacherie nam mareschallus Papae de facto exigit tributum à meretricibus for de facto the Popes marshall exacteth a tribute of whores this is also testified by Ioannes Andreas in c. inter opera de spon matrim a certaine Masse-priest also in Wisbich mainteined not long since that whores were in Rome with approbation and with as good right as any citizen of Rome or as the Pope himselfe Thirdly it is notorious that Masse-priests both in Italy and Spaine and other places keepe concubines the same is also testified by Aluarus Pelagius de Planct ecclesiae Theodoric à Niem tractat nemor vnion and diuers others Cornclius Agrippa de vanit scient c. de lenocinio reporteth that they kept whores to hire Ambrosius Ansbertus in Apocalyps 18. saith that archdeacons take mony of adulterous Priests archidiacont a presbyteris adulteris pretium accipiunt Fourthly they teach that concupiscence is no sinne and in Italy and Spaine the common people goe as commonly to common women as if it were no sinne Lastly albeit the Friers and Priests condemne such sins yet if any come vnto them for absolution they deny it not and that vpon some small hope of almes or else some other small satisfaction and this is the reason that lust doth reigne in Popery The Germaines in their greeuances complaine that the facility of granting indulgences was a warrant for men to cōmit all filthinesse and In Italy it is knowen that they that come oftenest to confession are most loose liuers after their offence they come for absolution and after absolution offend againe The way also by which Popish Priests leade their followers is broade easie and pleasant Bellarmine de eccles militant c. 2. requireth in a true member of the Catholike church neither inward faith
nor other vertue but only that he professe outwardly the Romish religion and be subiect to the Pope a matter of no great difficulty If a man take vpon him the habit of a Monke or a Frier they make it a second baptisate and that state they say is a state of perfection so you see how easie a matter it is with Papists not only to be a true member of the church but also a perfect Christian for who cannot take vpon him a Friars or Monkes weede in the apologie for Herodotus it is testified that a certaine Frier taught that the only way for the Diuell to be saued was to put on Saint Francis his coule Further they teach that the Pope hath power to grant pardons for fornication adultery incest rapes murders periurie trechery sodomitrie maranismes and all vices as appeareth by the Popes penitentiary taxes and that for no great sums of money now what more easie then to obteine the Popes pardon If a man heare Masse euery Sunday holyday and confesse at shrouetide and be houseled at Easter and fast from flesh and obserue the rest of the Romish precepts and ceremonies he is taken for a good Catholike but these are matters to be performed without any great difficulty The Papists also teach that Christians are iustified by extreme vnction which is a matter to bee obteined at euery pild Priestes-hands They promise also generall indulgences to such as visit certaine churches at Rome and else where which may bee done with small labour Now for veniall sinnes they say that knocking of the brest and holy water is remedy sufficient for such matters they say Christians neede not to repent them they hold also that holy water is good to driue away diuels but in no place is there want of holy water If a man liue all his life most leudly and loosely yet if he confesse to a priest when he lieth a dying and promise satisfaction he faileth not to haue absolution and if he satisfie not in this life yet they hold that either by Masses or indulgences he may be deliuered out of Purgatory but indulgences are not deare and Masses are dogge cheape a trentall is not valued at 30. pence nor whole fardels at great sums By euery small good worke nay by eating red-herrings and saltfish on fridaies and such obseruances they hope to merit heauen so broad they make the way to heauen and so easie a matter to come thither Finally as Eunomius promised them that professed his faith reward in heauen howsoeuer they liued so likewise doe the Papists promise heauen to their followers so they professe and set forward the Popes cause whether they be murdrers of Kings or massacrers or rebels or filthie whore-mongers or Sodomites it skilleth not the Masse-priests promise not only pardon but also reward in heauen so they die in the Popes obedience and professe his religion This religion therefore that giueth such liberty to sinners and leadeth them such pleasant waies feeding the eies of people with sights their eares with pleasant soundes and satisfying all their senses with carnall pleasures cannot bee true We could also specifie the same by infinit examples and by particulars shew that papists run the broade way but that we reserue it to the next Chapter CHAP. XXX That Popish religion bringeth foorth such bitter fruits that the professors thereof haue no reason to boast of their workes GOod trees are knowen by their fruits let vs then see what fruits haue come of Popery that we may know whether the tree be good or no from whence they haue issued Bristow in his 39. Motiue imagineth that we haue nothing to say against his consorts and therefore braggeth much of workes and despiseth his aduersaries as running the broade-way to destruction but when his consorts shall see our discourse concerning the fruits effects of Poperie and their strange enormous wicked liues they will wish that for this matter we had neuer beene called in question First then wee saie that the Papistes erre in the doctrine of workes and next that their liues are so disorderly as if they did only study to excell in all wickednesse leudenesse and villanie Christians beleeue that the law of God is a perfect rule of good life but they hold that not only Gods lawes but all scriptures are imperfect and insufficient without traditions Christians beleeue that the perfection of Christian life consisteth in the Gospell but these teach that the rules of Benet Francis Dominicke and other monkes and friers doe direct vs to a further perfection then is commanded in the Gospell They doe as well beleeue that the lawes of the Pope do binde our consciences as Gods lawes and thinke that the workes done according to the Popes lawes do as well please God as the works commanded in Gods lawes They make more conscience to absteine from flesh on Friday then to murder Christians as their curiositie in keeping that forme of fast and their crueltie in murdring and massacring Christians doth declare The Masse-priests giue absolution to most haynous sinners and enioyne them penance afterward the Pope granteth indulgences to most horrible offenders They beleeue not that concupiscence is sinne or that it is better for Votaries to marry then to burne or that Veniall sinnes deserue the curse of the law or eternall death They teach that euery Christian is to satisfie for the temporall paines due to sinnes and that either in this life or in the life to come in purgatorie They beleeue that a man may be iustified by extreme vnction and other popish sacraments and by the works of the law and not by faith in Christ Iesus They suppose that euery man is able to performe the workes of the law perfectly of which it followeth that as the Pelagians taught a man may liue without sinne Finally by their workes they hope to merit eternall life which is directly contrary to the Apostles doctrine Rom. 6. who teacheth vs that eternall life is the gift of God If then the Papistes erre so grossely both in the doctrine of works and also in the rule of our works it is not like that their works are excellent Nay we finde by practise that their workes are for the most part impious and displeasing vnto God as for example the adoration of the crosse and sacrament their blasphemous praiers to the virgin Mary to Angels and Saints their sacrilegious taking of the cup of the new testament from Gods people their worship done to Antichrist their periuries and rebellions against Princes their murdring Gods saints their mainteining of publicke stewes and bankes of vsury and such like the rest cannot much please God or man as for example the begging of vagabond friers the forswearing of mariage the eating of muscles cockles and red herrings in Lent the taking of ashes on Ashwednesday the ringing and singing for dead men the shauing of priests crownes the greasing of sicke men of altars bels and such like toies and ceremonies