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A13160 A challenge concerning the Romish Church, her doctrine & practises, published first against Rob. Parsons, and now againe reuiewed, enlarged, and fortified, and directed to him, to Frier Garnet, to the archpriest Blackevvell and all their adhærents, by Matth. Sutcliffe. Thereunto also is annexed an answere vnto certeine vaine, and friuolous exceptions, taken to his former challenge, and to a certeine worthlesse pamphlet lately set out by some poore disciple of Antichrist, and entituled, A detection of diuers notable vntrueths, contradictions, corruptions, and falsifications gathered out of M. Sutcliffes new challenge, &c. Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1550?-1629.; Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1550?-1629. Briefe replie to a certaine odious and slanderous libel. 1602 (1602) STC 23454; ESTC S117867 337,059 440

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spred thorowout the world and conteineth not only those that now liue but those also that are past and are yet to come The catholike faith is the faith of Christ Iesus which the apostles first taught and which all true Christians both haue holden and do holde and shall holde to the worlds end In this catholike church saith b De haeres c. 3. Vincentius Lirinensis we are to hold that which alwaies hath beene beleeued of all Christians for that is truely and properly catholike he c De haeres c. 34. teacheth vs also that the property of catholiks is to keepe the doctrine committed to them and left with them by the ancient fathers and to auoid profane nouelties finally he determineth that those onely are truely and rightly called catholikes which onely beleeue and holde that which the catholike church in olde time did vniuersally holde Saint d De vera relig c. 5. Augustine doth take catholikes to be nothing els but Christians and true beleeuers which mainteine the sincere faith and follow that which is right Apud eos solos saith he quaerenda est religio qui Christiani catholici vel orthodoxi nominantur he doth also oppose catholikes against heretikes e Epist 81. ad monach palaest epist 95. Leo saith also that there is one true only perfect and inuiolable faith whereto nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken If then the papists be hereticks and no true beléeuers then are they no catholikes if they holde a faith grounded vpon priuate opinions of men and not alwaies nor vniuersally holden then doe they not holde the catholike faith but that they holde diuers heresies and false opinions shall be shewed in the chapter following that they hold many new points altogether vnknowen in ancient time and when the Gospel began first to be preached we haue alreadie proued and demonstrated in the last discourse f That papists hold points of doctrine not catholike It resteth then now that I héere declare that the papists mainteine diuers points of doctrine neuer generally holden of all Christians nor vniuersally taught in the church of Christ and that may appeare first by the doctrine of the church of Rome concerning the foundations of Christian religion next by the doctrine of that church that cōcerneth both the law and the Gospell thirdly by the faith of the Romish church concerning the sacraments fourthly by their faith concerning praier and the whole seruice of God fiftly by their doctrine concerning repentance ordination of ministers marriage almes and fasting and finally by their doctrine concerning the church and the gouernment of it argument 1 Concerning the foundations of religion they teach first that scriptures are an g Bellar. lib. 4. de ver● Dei c. 12. vnperfect rule of faith as hath béene declared in the chapter going before and h Bish of Eureux some of them haue not feared to write books of the insufficiency of scriptures but the i 2. Tim. 3. apostle saith they are able to make the man of God perfect and wise to saluation and true catholikes alwaies held the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule both for faith and maners Saint k Lib. 2. de doct Chr. c. 9. Augustine saith that all things necessarily belonging to faith or maners are conteined in plaine places of scriptures argument 2 The papists will not allow the scriptures to conteine all that word of God which we are now to follow for albeit they do not in expresse termes say so much yet it is necessarily inferred of their doctrine where they l Bellar. de verb. Dei teach that we haue one word of God written and another vnwritten and m Sess 4. concil Trid. determine that we are with equall affection to embrace vnwritten traditions and the holy scriptures but the catholike church neuer taught that after the writings of the prophets and apostles once perfected and published we had a word of God vnwritten which is to be placed in equall ranke with the holy scriptures n Aduers gent. Athanasius saith that the holy and diuine scriptures are sufficient to instruct vs in all trueth S. o In Mich. 1. Hierome calleth the scriptures the limits or bounds of the catholike church Non est egressa de finibus suis saith he id est de scripturis sanctis What saith p Regul 80. Basil is the propertie of a faithfull man forsooth to beleeue with certine fulnesse of minde whatsoeuer is conteined in scriptures and neither to reiect any part thereof nor to adde any new thing vnto them Saint q Lib. de paradis c. 13. Ambrose saith we may no more adde to Gods commandements than take from them and S. r In Ioan. tractat Augustine electa sunt quae scriberentur quae saluti credentium sufficere videbantur that is those things are chosen out and thought fit to be written which séemed to be sufficient for the saluation of the faithful and albeit the fathers mention traditions which were sometime vnwritten yet if they were necessary they signifie that now they are written Si aut in euangelio praecipitur saith * In epist ad Pompeium Cyprian aut in apostolorum epistolis aut actibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio he signifieth that no tradition is to be admitted vnlesse it be conteined in scriptures argument 3 The papists also teach that the pope and his Sée is the foundation of the church est Petri sedes saith ſ In praefat ante lib. de pontif Rom. Bellarmine lapis probatus angularis preciosus in fundamento fundatus these words also he applieth to the pope whom he calleth Christes vicar in another t Lib. 2. depont Rom. c. 31. place he calleth the Pope the foundation of the church and Sanders in his Rocke of the church disputeth that the pope is that rocke is not then the Romish church a weake building that in euery vacation is without foundation and relieth wholly vpon one man true Catholikes certes neuer applied the words of Isay ch 8 28. to the pope nor thought him to be an approoued stone or corner stone or a precious stone laid in the foundation of the church the u 1. Cor. 3. apostle teacheth vs that no man can lay any other foundation then that which is laid that is Christ Iesus and in another place he x Ephes 2. saith that the church and citizens of saints are built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone with him also consenteth all the company of true catholikes argument 4 Stapleton in plaine tearmes denieth the scriptures to be the foundation of his religion aliud hodie saith he y In praefat ante relect princip doctrin Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus and afterward ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud the same z In analysi ante
they professe their religion will neuer prooue ancient nor catholike not ancient for that diuers doctrines and traditions which they hold are new and vnheard of in the ancient catholike church argument 1 First they teach vs that the holy canonicall scriptures are no perfect canon of our faith for this doctrine is gathered out of the decrée of the councell of Trent that with equall affection embraceth vnwritten traditions and canonicall scriptures e Lib. 4. de verbo Dei c. 12. Bellarmine saith that scriptures are a part of the canon or rule of faith and not a whole rule dico secundò saith he scripturam etsi non sit facta praecipuè vt sit regula fidei esse tamen regulam fidei non totalem sed partialem f De doctrin princip li. 7. c. 1. Stapleton beside scriptures frameth a new rule which he calleth the order of tradition but this doctrine is new and contrary both to scriptures and fathers The g 2. Tim. 3. apostle he teacheth vs that the scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect and furnished for euery good worke he teacheth vs also that they are able to make vs wise to saluation likewise the fathers testifie that the scriptures are a perfect canon sufficiunt sanctae ac diuinitus inspitatae scripturae saith h Lib. contr idola Athanasius ad veritatis indicationem Basil in serm de fid confess saith it is an argument of infidelity and pride either to reiect scriptures or to bring in matter not conteined in scriptures he meaneth in questions of faith cum habeamus omnium exactissimam trutinam gnomonem regulam diuinarum legum assertionem saith i In 2. ad Corinth homil 13. Chrysostome oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quid huic vel illi videatur de his à scripturis haec omnia inquirite Tertullian writing against Hermogenes saith that he adoreth the fulnesse of scriptures And saint k Lib. 2. de doctr Christian c. 9. Augustine teacheth that all things concerning faith and maners are found in scriptures clearely propounded to conclude this point most derogatory it were to Gods diuine wisedome if any man should suppose the scripture to be an imperfect canon or halfe a rule or maimed doctrine as the papistes lately haue begun to teach argument 2 They haue made the bookes of Tobia Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Machabeies and such fragments of bookes as are in the old Latin interpreter and not in Hebrew equall to the bookes of Moyses and other prophets and to the writings also of the apostles this is the determination of the councell of Trent and the common doctrine now of the Iebusites and papists but new and no way approoued by the ancient church for these bookes were neuer allowed by any prophets or by the church of God before Christs time nor did the ancient fathers allow them Gregory in his morals lib. 19. c. 16. directly affirmeth the bookes of Machabeis not to be canonicall sicut ergo Iudith Tobiae Machabaeorum libros legit quidem ecclesia saith l In Prouerb Solomon Hierome sed eos inter canonicas scripturas non recipit he saith m In praefat in lib. paralip also where controuersie is concerning Apocryphall writings we must haue recourse to the Hebrews neither doth Augustine so make them canonicall as he reputeth them equall to other scriptures as appeareth by his words lib. 18. de ciuit dei c. 36. conrra Gaudent lib. 2. c. 23. nay Sixtus Senensis albeit he make all these bookes canonicall yet doeth he not giue to all equall authoritie let vs therefore sée any ancient writer that alloweth the decrée of the councell of Trent if the papists will not haue all men sée that they haue innouated the very canon of the Christian faith argument 3 They haue also made the old Latin translation authenticall contrary not onely to reason séeing it differeth not onely from the originall bookes but also is contrary to it selfe as may appeare by the editions of Sixtus Quintus and Clement the 8. but also to antiquity which as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome and Augustine alwaies preferred the originall bookes in matter of difference before translations argument 4 Concerning the interpretation of scriptures the conuenticle of Trent n Sess 4. determineth that no man shall interpret them against that sense and meaning which the holy mother church holdeth to whome it belongeth to iudge of the true meaning and interpretation of scriptures end by the church they vnderstand the the pope and church of Rome but this act is altogether new for we do not finde that euer the easterne or African churches were forbidden to interpret scriptures as well as the church of Rome or that the fathers of the church were tied to expound scriptures after the opinions of the bishop of Rome nay we finde that no interpretations are more absurd then theirs or more contrary to the meaning of the holy ghost as for example may appeare in these two points In the law of Moyses we are expresly forbidden to make grauen images to worship them but the church of Rome interpreteth these words so galantly that men may both make grauen images and worship them our sauior Christ saith bibitē ex hoc omnes but the Romanistes turne it contrary and will haue no communicantes to drinke of the Lords cuppe but the priest onely argument 5 In time past o Dist 15. c. sancta Romana Christians were forbidden to read the legends of Quiricus Iulitta and George the 8. books of Clement the acts of Tecla and Paul the booke of the assumption of the virgine Mary and such like The acts also of Siluestre bishop of Rome and writings concerning the inuention of the holy crosse and of the head of Saint Iohn Baptist were doubted of but now these legends for the most part are the grounds of Romish traditions which the church of Rome placeth in equall ranke with holy canonicall scriptures is it not then apparent that the very grounds of Romish traditions are laid vpon fables and of late inuention argument 6 The foundation of the ancient apostolicke faith was laid vpon the scriptures as is euident for that the city and church of God is built vpon the prophets and apostles Christ Iesus being the corner stone p Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Ieremy saith that the apostles first preached the gospell and afterward by the will of God deliuered the same in scriptures that they might be a foundation and piller of our faith but now Bellar. teachech vs that the pope is the foundation of the church and Stapleton doubteth not to q De doctr princip in praefat say that the pope is the chiefe subiect of ecclesiasticall authority and r Cancanonicis dist 19. Gratian like a shamelesse fellow vnder the name of Saint Augustine doubteth not to recken the popes decretale epistles among the canonicall scriptures argument 7 Stapleton
pennance that is inioyned them Otherwise in his life time he is shut out of the Church and after his death prohibited christian buriall The councell of Trent Sess 14. c. 6. saith that auricular confession is necessary vnto saluation by the law of God Francis à victoria lib. de sacrament c. de confessione saith that a man being at the point of death is bounde by Gods law to confesse to a Priest If I say he had but one sparke of honestie or graine of modestie he would not haue affirmed that this maner of auriculer confession had béene ordayned by Christ hauing neither testimony of scriptures nor standing with the doctrine of the fathers Delicta sua quis intelligit saith the Prophet Psalm 18. How then can a man confesse all his sins which no mā is wel able to conceiue nor the papists in their multiforme cases of consciences able to e●presse Secondly the Prophet saith that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne God will put all his wickednesse out of his remembrance If a sinner therefore repent he may haue remission of sinnes without auriculer confession Thirdly the fathers doe refell this confessionall doctrine nondico vt confitearis peccata conseruo tuo saith Chrysostome Homil. 2. in Psalm 50. qui exprobret dicito deo qui curet ea I say not confesse thy sinnes to thy fellow seruant which may reproch it to thee but speake to God which careth for such matters Ambrose vpon the 10. of Luke c. 96. saith hee readeth of Peters teares but not of his satisfaction And againe let teares saith he wash your sinnes that by word you are ashamed to confesse Lib. 10. confess c. 3. what haue I to doe saith Saint Augustine with men that they should heare my cōfessions as if they were to heale my griefes Cassian also collat 20. c. 9. teacheth men to confesse to God such thinges as they blush to confesse to men Fourthly it is an absurd thing to say Christ ordained cōfessiō not to be able to proue it out of the scriptures Fiftly if confeson of all sinnes were necessarie then who should escape damnation Sixtly Papistes themselues bring diuers cases wherin they say cōfession is not necessary the Pope dispenseth in case of omisssion of confession which sheweth that confession is not iuris diuini nor necessary to saluation Finally Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople tooke a way a kind of auriculer confession for publike sinnes which was vsed in that Church as Sozomenus testifieth And this is sufficient to cleare me of all vntruth obiected against me by Owlyglasse If he thinke otherwise or if any man will not be perswaded let him orderly answere this and other latin treatises which I haue written concerning diuers of these seuerall causes If they cannot let them leaue for shame to belche out their wicked slaunders against vs that shall alway be able to iustifie our allegations and writings better then the aduersaries that care not much how falsely they speake or write CHAP. II. An answere to Owlyglasses exceptions concerning thirteene falsifications pretended to be committed in M. Sutcliffes late Challenge Sect. I. Of two allegations of Epiphanius and Augustine pretended to be falsified SICVT canis qui reuertitur ad vomitum suum saith Salomon Prouerb 26. sic stultus qui iterat stultitiam suam for if a foole haue a toye or fancie in his head you shall hardly bring him from it This appeareth plaine by the foolish and fond deuises of our aduersaries who hauing a conceit to worke vs some disgrace vnder pretence of vntruths and falsifications are still talking and prating of falsifications wherein notwithstanding the cause being examined all the disgrace will fall vpon themselues Robert Parsons being at Rome and hearing of the conference that had passed betwixt M. Plessis and M. d' Eureux would needes forsooth send a pamphlet concerning that matter into England with a request that a triall might also be made concerning allegations by men of our side with vs as it had passed before in France The which pamphlet albeit he might sée to haue beene answered two yeares agone and his challenge concerning matters of falsification to be accepted by me and that I haue begone to obiect against him diuers notorious and most materiall falsifications whereupon Romish religion séemeth to depend yet is Owlyglasse our aduersarie still returning to his vomit and still babling of falsifications himselfe being not able either to answere one word in defence of those falsifications which I shewed to haue beene committed by the Romish church and principall men actors in the Popes cause or well able to declare what falsification is albeit by practise he be most cunning in it And that appeareth by the first section of his third chapter page 47. for albeit I doe not set downe any words either of Saint Augustine or Epiphanius yet he pretendeth that I haue falsified both A strange matter that a man should commit a forgerie in writing and yet neither make nor preduce any writings at all But I quote them in the margent for that hée may alleadge in excuse of his dizardrie as if euery man that quoted an author in the margent either vnfitly or erroneously were to be charged with the crime of falsification The worst therefore that he is able to say against me is error and mistaking but if I haue not erred or mistakene ither Saint Augustine or Epiphanius I hope some cacolike massepriest will tell Owlyglasse that himselfe was much ouerseene in the verie first setting out of the harbour which is a verie euill presage and a most certaine signe that he will make no good voyage as long as he dealeth with me in this cause That I haue said truely it will appeare by comparing S. Augustines and Epiphanius his words with mine I say the Heracleonites did annoint their followers departing out of this life and gaue them a certaine kinde of extreme vnction And I quote Augustine de haeres c. 16. and Epiphanius de haeres 36. Let vs then sée whether S. Augustine and Epiphanius doe not prooue my words true Heracleonitae saith he feruntur suos morientes nouo modo quasi redimere id est per oleum balsamum aquam Likewise saith Epiphanius H quandoque aliqui ex ipsis oleum aqua mixtum capiti defuncti immittunt I say further that those heretikes said prayers for the dead and that is prooued both out of Augustine and Epiphanius Augustine said they vsed certaine inuocations inuocationes saith he quas Hebraicis verbis dicebant super capita scilicet morientium Hoc faciunt saith Epiphanius vt hi qui has inuocationes in vitae exitu accipiunt cum aqua oleo aut vnguento permixtis incomprehensibiles siant So it appeareth that these heretikes did annoint their Disciples with oyle hoping thereby to redéeme them and saue them It appeareth also that they said praiers ouer the dead in a tongue not vnderstood Do not then the
obseruation againe desire me to procure him a free conference but what shall that néede when I yéeld him more then is desired Notwithstanding if he thinke to winne any thing at my hands by conference let him procure me first a frée conference at Paris and Salamanca and I doe promise to procure him a frée conference at Cambridge and Oxford In the meane while I pray him I prouoke him I by all means vrge him to answere in writing such lies as I auerre his consorts to haue made and to cleare the Church of Rome and her principall proctors of such notorious falsifications as I say they haue committed If he be not able as indéede I take him to be altogither vnsufficient let Robert Parsons Frier Garnet or the Archpriest answere and maintaine the quarrell which this idle compagnion hath begun And let them set their names to their writings and come foorth with bare faces that wee may know what they are we deale with and not as hitherto fight with N.D.E.O. and such like hollowe fellowes and meere shadowes If not let them assure themselues I wil by publike writing discouer such a packe of impostures lies falsifications villanies and treasons committed by Rob. Parsons and his consorts that they shall wish Owlyglasse hanged that first prouoked me and beganne this quarrell I will also make it knowne that they are so guiltie that they cannot answere His second obseruation is that no credit is to bee giuen vnto me concerning matter of fact because in matters of faith and learning as he saith I make no scruple to corrupt and vse broad falsification But his collection is so childish and foppish that his owne clients if they list may sée that he knoweth not what concerneth fact and what concerneth faith and learning that distingusheth learning from matter of fact as if no learning were required of Ro. Parsons to discusse matters of fact and would make f●ith and learning both one as if his consorts that take themselues to be learned were also faithfull christians and teacheth that the controuersie concerning falsifications and vntruthes obiected by him toucheth faith and not fact as if we did not as well contend about matter of fact as faith in this idle quarell begonne by our aduersarie and wherein the state of the mayne controuersie is whether I haue spoken vntruth or not and whether I haue falsified any authors alledged by me or not Secondly if no credit be giuen to those that tell lyes and falsifie authors as Owlyglasse affirmeth then by his sentence we are not to beléeue either the pope of Rōe or his agents the most notorius lyers falsifirrs that euer the world sustained Againe if no credit be to be giuē vnto my discourse concerning the packing trechery of his consorts why doth he not answere me and conuince mee of vntruth And what reason hath he to desire his readers not to beleeue that which himselfe is not able to controule Is not such a bald compagnion ashamed to take to him as much authority as the Pope that all the generation of antichriste is to beleeue vpon his owne bare word Thirdly if all his idle obiectiōs concerning pretended corruptions and falsifications he so cleared as that I looke for no more answere of so nastie a disputer as this Owlyglasse is then it can be no credit for him to cry so loud or to vse these odious and slaundrous termes of corruptions and falsificatiōs but he ought rather to looke downe vpon his owne and his consorts filthy factes then to pinche at others mēs faultes Fourthly if the papistes his clients be so cleare as he maketh them why doth he not answere for them playnly and honestly refuting euery point of my charge If they be guiltie why doth he not rayle a spirt at Rob. Parsons that so foolishly brought them forth to this triall and there left them to speake for themselues Fifthly if he list not to excuse any Papist for the cariage of his life as he confesseth what reason hath he to blame me if I vpon so iust occasions giuen me by that rinegat and false traytor Rob Parsons haue toulde them some parte of their faultes Sixtly if he will not haue my verdict admitted against his clients though conuinced by playne euidence witnesse he hath no reason to require that the verdict of Robert Parsons a most notorious and infamous libeller and a knowne and professed traytor and an infamous person conuicted by his owne wicked and treasonable writings and by the testimony of his owne consorts or the accusations of such libellers as Owlyglasse and such worthlesse and namelesse fellowes should be admitted or receiued Againe if he wil haue nothing to be affirmed without authenticall testimony proofe then must he and his malicious mates forbeare to send forth so many vaine and fabulous pamphlets 7. Further if hee charge me hereafter with wilfull and witting falsification as he sticketh not very boldly and often to doe then must he proue first falsification then this quality of wilfull knowledge wherof hytherto he hath done neither againe if I obiect that to him which he cannot deny then modesty would require that he should confesse shame force him not to defend any more matters knowne notoriously to be false 8. If hee take to himselfe and his consorts the name of Catholike Church and will néedes charge me with a setled malice and desperat resolution against the Catholike Church he must proue two thinges First that Popish religion is the ancient catholike religion and next that I oppugne the catholike faith Vnles he doe this his reader will take him for a lewd begging compagnion that taketh that for granted that is in controuersie and we must accompt him for a paltry fellowe that is not able to answere our arguments whereby we proue that Popish religion which we refuse is neither catholike nor ancient 9. If boldly and falsely he will denie that our faith hath had continuance and succession from Christs time and challeng both to himselfe he must then deny that the faith taught in the Apostles créede and established in the fowre first general counsels and contained and grounded vpon the holy canonicall scriptures hath alwayes continued since Christs time and hath had continuall succession vntill our dayes And to prooue the Popish faith he must shew that the Apostles taught and that the holy fathers beléeued First that Christ had a body inuisible and impalpable and that might be in heauen and earth and many distant places all at one time secondly that Christs body did not fill the place wherein it was 3. That accidentes may subsist without foundation or subiect 4 that préestes may celebrate masse without communion 5 that the préestes may take away the cuppe of the newe testament from Gods people 6 that christians are to worship the crosse and the sacrament with Latria or diuine worship 7 that the préest doth offer vp the true body and bloud of Christ to God the
heathen more superstitiously worship Diana at Ephesus then the Romanists worship the image of our lady at Loreto falsification 17 Speaking of fastes in Lent on ember daies and on the vigiles of saints he saith that antiquitie is plentifull viz. of testimonies in this case and yet the wooden fellow doeth not bring any one testimony for the fastes vpon vigiles of saints nor can he prooue the practise of the Romish church by any one testimony alledged by him precisely falsification 18 Pag. 28. chap. 2. he denieth that papists hold that Christian men may live without sinne an impudent vntrueth and wherein he contradicteth himselfe for if Christians can fulfill all the law of God as he goeth about with all his little skill to prooue and that by diuers arguments then doeth it necessarily follow that they may liue without all sinne falsification 19 Pag. 31. he affirmeth that the forme of confirmation is as ancient as the apostles a lie of great length reaching to the apostles times thereof to conuince him no man néedeth to go farther then his own confession who is not able to alledge either the testimony of the apostles or any ancient father for this forme of confirmation signo te signo crucis confirmo te Chrismate salutis falsification 20 In the same place very impudently he blusheth not to say that the forme of consecration practised by the Romanists hath alwaies beene holden and would therefore prooue it to be a constituion apostolicall but his assertion is refuted both by histories and fathers and especially by his owne silence that speaketh more in a line then he will prooue all his life falsification 21 Pag. 34. he saith papists grant that there is but one mediator of redemption but doubteth not to hold that there are many mediators of intercession but he lieth in both these points for in the masse the priest is said in plaine tearmes to offer pro redemptione animarum and sure if they offer vp Christ Iesus properly and really then are they mediators of redemption the second point I haue declared to be a notorious lie in my former discourse falsification 22 Pag. 43. he hudleth vp diuers lies vpon a heape first hée saith auricular confession was ordeined by Christ secondly that by the law of God men in mortall sinne were bound to repaire to the sacrament of auricular confession thirdly that mortall sinnes are not remitted without auricular confession the first lie is refuted by the testimony of scriptures wherein neither forme nor institution of auricular confession is to bée found The second is conuinced by the booke of Gods law wherein we finde no colour of such an ordinance the third is manifested by diuers testimonies of scriptur●s which declare Galat. 3. that we receiue the promise of the spirit through faith that Act. 15. faith purifieth our hearts that we are washed by Christ his blood whom we put on not by outward confession but by our faith and inward conuersion to God Furthermore all these lies may be refuted also by the silence of Oulyglasse that is not able to iustifie any one of his assertions by any text of scripture beside that all papists hold that confession is a sacrament of their new law and not established vnder the law of Moyses as Oulyglasse would insinuate finally the decretale of Innocentius vpon which auricular confession dependeth being long after the times of the apostles and ancient fathers is a plaine conuiction of Oulyglasses false dealing for how can that be either instituted by Christ or authorized by the law or déemed necessary that before Innocent the thirds time was neither established nor déemed necessary falsification 23 Most impudently he affirmeth Pag. 49. that saint Iames maketh mention of the sacrament of extreme vnction but that may appeare to be a lie both for that there is no mention of a sacrament there and for that sacraments are not to be instituted by men but by God finally no ancient father did euer expound these words of popish extreme vnction falsification 24 Pag. 113. he saith that I deny that the matter of the reall presence concerneth any fundamentall point of faith but if hée cannot prooue it out of my words I hope he will not deny but that after his woonted fashion he hath told vntrueth The rest of his lies you shall finde noted in my answere to his exceptions to my challenge if then he hath begun to lie so fast what are we to looke for if he continue his course of writing and if his clients doe commend him for these lies what will they if he procéed on as he hath begun I for my part will giue my voice to haue him canonized for lying CHAP. XIII Corollaries and conclusions gathered out of the former challenge and the answeres to the exceptions taken to the same I Néed not as I suppose make any large discourse in drawing out particular conclusions out of the former challenge and answer for he is very simple that doth not perceiue whereto they both do tend Beside that I haue héeretofore touched some principall points which especially séeme to deserue consideration but séeing Robert Parsons in his relation sent vs from Rome beside the report of matters then passed began first to draw out certeine idle obseruations and perceiuing well that his woodden scholar Owlyglasse doth second him and hath likewise endeuored to make obseruations and to draw great conclusions out of his slender and misshapen premisses I haue thought it not amisse to encounter him although not in so weake maner with the very like course and for his obseruations to send him likewise other obseruations and conclusions being very loth to be behinde him in any course that may serue either to manifest the trueth or to correct the error and trechery of such leud companions observation 1 First then I doe obserue if the Iesuites and their adherents be false prophets and false teachers that then they are most diligently to be sought out and punnished the sequele is grounded vpon the law of God Deut. 13. Moyses speaking of false prophets saith propheta ille aut fictor somniorū interficietur quia loquutus est ut auerteret vos à domino deo vestro that is that prophet or dreamer of dreames shall be slaine because he hath spoken to disturne you from the Lord your God where it is to be noted that false prophets and teachers are fitly ioined with dreamers of dreames for that he that teacheth doctrine not grounded vpon the infallable word of God is no better then a dreamer of dreames Christian kings they ought to be nurses of Gods church and haue the sword committed vnto them not onely to represse seditious persons and wicked malefactors but also such idolatrous massepriests as disturbe the peace of the church and séeke to disturne men from the trueth by their false doctrine with princes also all true Christians ought to concurre in the detecting of such wicked members If thy brother
and last resolution for matters of faith argument 15 The Church of Christ neuer burned the scriptures no albeit there were errors in the Gréeke translation of Theodosion and Symachus and the seuentie interpreters and in all the Latin translations the vulgar and olde edition not excepted z yet did the true church neuer burne the scriptures for that was practised by Dioclesian and other persecuters of the church and by heathen men rather than by any that carried the name of Christians but the church of Rome hath caused Gods holy word to be burnt vnder pretence of false translations which notwithstanding she was neuer able to prooue to be false she doth therefore plainly declare her selfe to be the synagogue of Satan and not of Christ argument 16 The true Church did neuer prohibit the scriptures to be publikely read in such tongues as the people of God were able to vnderstand nor did she euer condemne them and burne them for hereticks that read them in vulgar tongues for our sauior commanded his apostles to teach all nations and no question but it was lawfull to teach them as well by writing as by word In Psal 86. S. Hierome saith that scriptures do not only belong to priests but also to the people Non scripserunt saith he speaking of the holy apostles paucis sed vniuerso populo and our sauiour where he commanded his auditours to search the scriptures meant that it should be lawfull for all to read them finally what is more vnreasonable séeing the scriptures conteine Gods holy lawes and his eternall testament than that the lawes of God should not be red in a knowen tongue and that it should not be lawfull for children to vnderstand their heauenly fathers testament and last will but the Romish congregation prohibiteth the scriptures to be publikely read in vulgar tongues and i Index libr. prohib à Pio 9. prohibiteth all translations but such as themselues set forth which are most wicked peruerse The bloody inquisitors haue also burned diuers poore people for reading scriptures in English as appeareth by the Registers of Lincolne and London in king Henry the eighth his daies Finally Nauarrus a braue Romish doctor teacheth that it is mortall sinne for a lay man to dispute of religion Laicus disputans de fide saith k In primum praecept c. 11. Nauarrus peccat mortaliter argument 17 Our sauior Christ l Iohn 4. teacheth vs that all true worshippers do worship God in spirit and trueth Venit hora nunc est saith our sauior quando veri adoratores adorabant patrem in spiritu veritate And God by his prophet m Isay 29. Matth. 15. Isay doth condemne his people that honored him with their lips their hearts being farre from him The apostle also Coloss 2. would not haue Christians condemned in respect of meat drinke and holy daies and reprooueth those that make decrées concerning touching and tasting and such like ceremonies he doth also vtterly n 1. Cor. 14. condemne praiers in a strange language and not vnderstood of those that vse them but the worship of God which the papists vse and most commend doth wholly consist in externall ceremonies as knocking lifting vp of the Sacrament censing lights and such like they also rather honor God with their lips then their hearts not vnderstanding what they say thinking that to gaze on the masse is to serue God finally they haue many decrées concerning meats drinks saints daies and also concerning touching and tasting and such like is it not then apparent that they are no true worshippers argument 18 The Church of o Exod. 20. Christ doth worship but one God according to this commandement Thou shalt haue no other gods but me and according to the words of p Matth. 4. Christ Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue but the papists worship the images of God as God himselfe and giue as much honor to the image as to the originall Cum Christus saith q P. 3. q. 25. art 3. Thomas Aquinas adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quod eius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda Séeing as Christ is honored with diuine worship saith he it followeth that his image is also to be worshipped with diuine worship and friers in their sermons speaking to the crucifix are wont to say to it Thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father which r Bellar. de cult imag lib. 2. c. 23. Bellarmine himselfe can not deny he confesseth also that images may be worshipped with that honor that is due to the originall Admitti potest imagines posse col● improprie vel per accidens eodem genere cultus quo exemplum ipsum colitur they also worship the Sacrament with diuine worship and fall downe before it but neither are images gods nor is the Sacrament God Finally they confesse that the worship of seruice or doulia is due to saints and this they wil not deny how then can they shew that they worship and serue one true God argument 19 The catholike church only saith ſ Instit 4. c. vlt. Lactantius doth reteine the true worship of God neither can any society be termed Gods church which reteineth not Gods true worship but the papists doe not reteine Gods true worship for first they worship God according to the doctrines and commandements of men which our Sauiour t Matth. 15. Christ condemneth secondly they giue diuine honor to creatures as we shewed in our last argument thirdly their worship consisteth principally in the sacrifice of the masse which is nothing els but a masse of many superstitions impieties and blasphemies as I haue shewed particularly and largely in my treatise of the masse against Bellarmine argument 20 The true church of Christ beléeueth that Iesus Christ is perfect God and perfect man and that Christ Iesus is ascended vp into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his father for these two points are articles of our faith the first being in termes conteined in the créed of Athanasius the second being expressed in the apostles créed but the papists attributing to Christ in the sacrament such a body as is neither visible nor palpable and can neither sée nor féele nor helpe himselfe nor others being oftentimes deuoured by mise and other brute beasts cannot shew how these qualities can be in a perfect man neither can they shew that a perfect man is both in heauen and in earth and in many places at once or that the flesh of Christ can be properly in heauen and earth and not onely beléeued but also apprehended with mens hands and téeth u Cōtr. Eutyth lib. 4. c. 4. Vigilius saith that the flesh that is in heauen is not in earth Fulgentius writing to Thrasimundus saith that the bodie of Christ hath the properties of a true body x De resur carn Tertullian teacheth vs that the body of Christ
laieth 7. principles or grounds of Christian doctrine ſ Lib. 1. doct● princip c. 1. whereof the first concerneth the church of Rome the second concerneth the pope the third the meanes that the pope vseth in iudgement the fourth the popes infallible iudgement the fift his power in taxing the canon the sixt his certaine interpretation of scriptures the seuenth his power in deliuering doctrine not written Which principles are not onely new but the most rascall deuises that euer procéeded out of the mouth of a diuine or man of learning for among all these principles neither the scriptures nor ancient rules of faith are numbred nay in plaine termes he doubteth not to affirme that Christian religion is built vpon the popes authority in hac docentis hominis authoritate saith t In praefat ante relect princip doctrinal he in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentū necessario poni credimus but if this be the foundation of popish religion then before Stapletons time that religion had no foundation for no man euer heard of either such principles or such a foundation so laid argument 8 We finde that the religion of papists concerning the masse and transubstantiation and diuers other points of faith is founded vpon the decretales of popes but these decretales were not collected into forme nor established for law before Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. Clement the 5. and Iohn the 22. by whose authority as appeareth by the seuerall prefaces of Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. and Iohn bishop of Rome that published the Clementines secondly it appeareth for that in all these bookes there is but very few constitutions of ancient bishops of Rome thirdly for that by the lawes of the Code and canons of councels it appeareth that the church for aboue a thousand yeares was gouerned by the lawes of Emperors and generall councels fourthly for that Aeneas Syluius confesseth that before the councell of Nice the church of Rome was not respected and finally for that he that maketh the collection of the Popes lawes and Bulles that were authenticall u In Bullari● beginneth with Gregory the 7. that was a thousand yeares after Christ which he would not haue done if he could haue found any lawes more ancient than his Indéed I confesse that now and then our aduersaries produce the decretales of Clement Anacletus Euaristus and others but the matters conteined in those epistles and the stile doth so much differ from those times that euery modest and learned papist is ashamed to say these epistles were those whose names they cary argument 9 The power and authoritie likewise of popes in receiuing appeales granting rescripts aswell of fauor or iustice dispensing in cases reserued electing and translating of prelates and all other matters dependeth vpon the decretals of late popes and this appeareth not only by the decretals of Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. Clement the 5. and Iohn the 22. but also by the rapsody of decrées which Surius collecteth in his first tome of councels for albeit he alledgeth the names of Anacletus Zepherinus Calixtus Fabianus and others yet they speake onely great words and vse generall termes for the particulars of the popes authoritie he can not alledge them albeit such counterfeit and rifferaffe stuffe would aduantage him nothing if they were truly alledged argument 10 The foundation of the ancient church is strong being built vpon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles our Sauiour Christ being the chiefe corner stone but the church of Romes foundation being laied on the pope and his decretales is weake and not durable Videtur nostra ecclesia saith x Lib. 5. de prouident Dei Saluianus ex vna scriptura foelicius-instituta aliae habent illam aut debilem aut conuulneratam habent veterem magistrorum traditionem corruptam per hoc traditionem potius quàm scripturam habent the foundation therefore of papisticall religion is both new and weake being grounded vpon men both subiect to errors and other grosse sinnes argument 11 Scriptures in the apostles times and long after were neuer forbidden to be translated into tongues that could not be vnderstood of the vulgar sort but now the papists suffer them not to be so translated y Index libr. prohib reg 4. that euery man may vse them Cum experimento manifestum sit z Ibidem say they si sacra biblia vulgari lingua passim sine discrimine permittantur plus inde ob hominum temeritatem detrimenti quam vtilitatis oriri they punish also both the bookesellers and the readers that haue vulgar bibles without licence albeit translated by themselues argument 12 In ancient time the gouernors of the church exhorted Christians to reade the scriptures our Sauior a Ioan. 5. Christ speaking to the people exhorted them to search the scriptures and the Beraeans were b Act. 17. commended for searching the scriptures S. Paul writing to the Colossians c Coloss 3. wished that the word of God might dwell in them plentifully in all wisdome the fathers also teach that the reading of Scriptures belonged also to lay men S. Hierome writing vpon the third chapter to the Colossians Hic ostenditur saith he verbum Christi non sufficienter sed abundanter etiam laicos habere debere docere se inuicem monere and Chrysostome homil 9. in epist ad Coloss Attend saith he as many of you as are secular persons and gouerne wife and children how the apostle doth command you also to reade the scriptures aboue all and that not lightly and carelesly but with great diligence d In Isai homil 2. Origen finally wisheth that all Christians performed that which is written of searching the scriptures but the papists haue a contrary spirit speaking of the vulgar bibles translated by their owne side they say thus Qui absque tali facultate ea legere e Index libr. prohib reg 4. seu habere praesumpserit they punish also the booksellers f Ibidem that haue such books without licence argument 13 In the times of the ancient fathers we do not reade that any holy bishop condemned bibles translated into vulgar tongues or burnt them albeit some errors were conteined in the translations neither did they repute lay men to be heretikes and burne them because they read the scriptures in their mother tongue but now the papists burne the holy scriptures vpon pretence of errors which notwithstanding they are not able to proue to be errors they haue also burned Christians for reading scriptures as appeareth by the register of Bishop Longland in king Henry the 8. his daies g Index libr. prohib reg 4. and now they punish both such as reade bibles and such as sell them argument 14 The ancient fathers of the church beléeued the church to be catholike but our papists now beléeue no church but the Romane church and without the Romane church they will not
apostles did not commit all things necessary to saluation to writing cum ex scripturis arguuntur saith e Aduers hares lib. 3. c. 2. Ireney in accusationem conuertuntur scripturarum quasi non rectè habeant neque sint ex authoritate quia varie sunt dictae quia non possit ex his inueniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem norrenim per literas traditam illam sed per vinam vocem ob quam causam Paulum dixisse sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos Tertullian saith it is a tricke of heretikes either to falsifie or by false interpretations to peruert scriptures alius manu scripturas saith f De praescript aduers haeres he alius sensu expositiones interuertit he saith againe that hereticks cannot stand if they be brought to try their cause by scriptures aufer haereticis saith g De resurr caernis he quae cumque ethnici sapiunt vt de scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant stare non possunt in these points therefore these two fathers haue stricken the papists albeit generally they speake of hereticks for first h Bellar. de verb. Dei non scripto they deny that the scriptures containe doctrine sufficient to saluation or that we can learne all trueth necessary out of them without their traditions secondly they speake euill of scriptures as before hath bene shewed thirdly they say that scriptures receiue authority from the church fourthly they accuse them of vncertenty Turrian aduers Sadeelem lib. 1. doth call them Delphicum gladium and others call them a nose of waxe fiftly they allow no sence but such as the synagogue of Rome authorizeth sixtly either Sixtus Quintus or Clement the 8. hath corrupted the scriptures for both pretending to set our the olde latine translation the one is in diuers places contrary to the other finally they will not haue the scriptures to decide controuersies about matters of faith argument 42 i Lib. 8. Orig. c de haeres Isidore doth declare them to be heretikes that doe otherwise vnde●stand the scriptures then the meaning of the holie Ghost requireth quicunque saith he aliter scripturam sacram intelligit quam sensus spiritus sancti flagitat a quo conscripta est licèt de ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus potest appellari if then we list to reade the popes decretales or the writings of the popish faction we need not doubt but they are tresgrand heretikes hauing so notoriously peruerted the Scriptures and turned them to sences neuer intended by the holy Ghost as for example these words of the k Isai 1. prophet à planta pedis vsque ad verticem non est in eo sanitas which he spoke of the people of Israel being then most sinfull Clement the sixt in the chap. vnigenitus extr de poenit remiss doeth turne to our Sauiour Christ as if our Sauiour had béene vnsound from the foot to the head or that the prophet had ment that our Sauiour had shed all his blood that the pope might make sale of the frute of it at his pleasure God by his prophet l Hierem. 1. saith I haue appointed thee ouer nations and kingdomes ergo saith m C. vnam sanctam ext de maior obed Boniface the 8. if earthly princes goe out of the way they must be iudged by the pope Againe out of these words of the apostle the spirituall man iudgeth all things he n Ibidem o Ibid. collecteth that the pope hath no superior iudge thirdly because Christ saith to Peter put vp thy sword into the sheath he concludeth that both Peter and his successors ought to haue a temporall sword fourthly of these words ecce duo gladij hic p Ibid. he inferreth that the pope is to command and exercise both the swords The q Isai 8 28. prophets and r Rom. 9. 1. Pet. 2. apostles by the corner stone placed in the foundation of the church doe vnderstand Christ Iesus but Bellarmine in his preface prefixed before his bookes de potifice Rom. draweth these words to the pope and forceth them to serue to make him to be a corner stone and a foundation also of the church he will also haue these words super hanc Petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam to be ment of the pope these words of our Sauiour drinke yee all of this the papists expound in such sort as if Christ had said drinke not all of this the words of our Sauiour to Peter when he said pasce oues meas they appropriate to the pope that féedeth not as if none were to féed but the pope The apostle saith mariage is honorable among all men yet will they not allow that mariage is honourable among nunnes and monks and friers and masse priests and the rest of the Romish clergy where our Sauiour Christ saith scrutamini scripturas they say contrary search not the scriptures the apostle saith they are profitable they ſ Index libror. prohibit regul 4 say they are pernicious our sauiour saith that those doe in vaine worship him that teach doctrines of men these doe teach humane traditions and yet doubt not but that God is well pleased with them The spirit of God commandeth that praiers be made for princes and willeth euery Christian man to submit himselfe to the magistrate and to higher powers but the papists doe so expound these words as if it were lawfull for the pope to curse Gods annointed to excommunicate kings and emperors to massacre them if they can to raise rebellion against them It were infinite to reherse all the false interpretations of Scriptures deuised by papists beside that in this place it is not necessarie séeing by these few which we haue alledged already it may in part appeare that neuer any heretikes alledged Scriptures more peruersly nor more direct contrarie to the meaning of the holy Ghost then they argument 43 As the t Damascene de haeres Herodians gaue the name and honour of Christ to Herode so the papists doe giue the names and honour of Christ to the pope allowing these words of Bernard to Eugenius vnctione Christus es they cal him the foundation rocke of the church the head and spouse of the church the monarke of the church and Christes vicar generall u In epist dedic ante princip doctrin Stapleton doth call him supremum numen in terris some teach that he and Christ haue but one consistory betwéene them x Lib. Caerem others saie that all power is giuen to the pope in heauen and earth which words our Sauiour Matth. 28. speaketh of himselfe if then the Herodians deserue for honouring Herod with Christs titles to be reputed heretikes who can cleare the papists from the note of heresie that farre more impudently and wickedly giue Christs honour to the pope argument 44 y De haeres c. beicetae Damascene numbreth those
forgery endeuoring by notorious vntruthes to set the crowne of england vpon the Infantaes head yet is it a fault also worthy to be censured to father his bastard writinges vpon others that this is forgery it is apparent by the testimony of the doctors in L. Cornel. de falsis and their iudgement is grounded vpon great reason For if it be forgery to adde one clause to a testament or other writing then it is a mayne forgery to publishe a false testament a false booke or other false writing vnder other mēs names falsification 2 D. Bagsh in his answere to his late apology chargeth him with 8. sundrie libels Secondly he hath published vnder the name of Sanders and Rishton diuers enormous and wicked slanders against King Henry the 8. of famous memory against her maiesty and the principall persons of this church and realme of Enland setting out his owne vilanous lyes vnder the name of Sanders long before dead and of Rishton a man no way likely to commit any such wickednesse against his Prince and country of Howlet Dolman and others As for Rishton it is now well knowne he had small intelligence of state matters Neither did he vse to meddle or practise in them Further those that know him doe testifie that the stile of Sanders his booke is farre vnlike his Thirdly his credit was not such as that he was able to get his bookes printed especially being of that nature Finally we doe not beléeue that Rishton hauing receiued grace at her Maiesties hands and being deliuered from death which he had deserued by her great fauour would thus requite her or that being a man of milde disposition he would rayle so maliciously and falsely against his prince and contry And therefore I beleeue if the man be aliue and were examined vpon his oth that he would deny that booke to be his and declare it to be Robert Parsons his worke And though he doe it not yet diuers others doe playnly declare so much we haue great reason to beléeue their declaration to be true For he is a great stickeler in matters of state and he hath writen such like libels before Furthermore at his request Ribadineira his fellow Iebusite seemeth to haue set forth the same booke translated into spanish Finally I doe not thinke that Parsons will vpon his oth and without all equiuocation affirme that he had noe finger in the making and publishing of that most wicked and slaunderous booke falsification 3 In those bookes which goe vnder the name of Sanders and Rishton Robert Parsons hath committed diuers particuler falsities and namely in publishing diuers letters in the name of Frier Forest and others which neuer were made by the authors whose name they carry For first we doe not finde them in the first edition of that booke anno 1585. Secondly it is absurde to thinke that either Forest or simple women did write as is reported Finally they doe rather sauor of Parsons his veine who is able to make to speake and to write whome he pleaseth and what himselfe listeth So plentifull and impudent he is in forging false writings falsification 4 Fourthly vnder the name of Iohn Houlet whome nowe all the seculer masse préestes in England doe wonder at like an Owlet he hath set forth an impudent discourse concerning reasons why papistes goe not to the Church He will not I thinke deny it to be his how then can he deny himselfe to be a falsary To come to particuler falsifications albeit in his booke of resolution he hath noe reason to falsifie any place alleadged winning no aduantage by it yet hath he so dealt therein and so hath he enured his fingers in this practise that he cannot forget to forge and falsifie falsification 5 In the margent of his preface fol. 8. he saith it is an old tricke of heretikes to abuse simple people with obscure places of the scriptures and for this he quoteth Epiphanius contra haereses and Augustine ad quod vult deum as if they should say so He would also inferre that it is a matter very dangerous to alledge scriptures But if he doe not exhibit their testimonies it will be an easie matter to proue that this is an old tricke of Parsons to father his owne bastardly fancies both vpon the fathers and vpon others Is not this then bastardly dealing falsification 6 In the same preface fol. 10 he ascribeth this sentence to Luther in epist ad Iohan. Her●agium Typographum Argentinensem their opinion of the sacrament they beganne with lyes and with lyes they doe defende the same And they doe broch it abroade with wicked fraud of corrupting others mens bookes Likewise he affirmeth of Zuinglius that in his booke de sacrament fol. 412. he should call Luther a fowle corrupter and horrible falsifier of Gods word and one that followed the Marcionistes and Arians that razed out such places out of holy writte as were against them He maketh also Carolus Molinaeus in translat testam noui part 11. to accuse Caluin that he made the text of the gospell to leape vp and downe at his pleasure and that he vsed violence to the same and added of his owne to the very letter for drawing it to his purpose But who so list to peruse the writings of Luther Zuinglius and Molineus shall plainly perceiue that like a falsary he changeth and altereth their wordes at his pleasure neither can he excuse himselfe vnlesse he be able to shewe these wordes out of the authors which he mentioneth He chargeth Beza also for that in the preface to his new testament set out anno 1556. he accuseth Oecolampadius with all his brethren the diuines of Basil for great impietie in abusing the sacred scriptures translated by them But he abuseth his reader in laying that to Bezaes charge that was neuer vttered by him nor is to be found in his preface falsification 7 Fol. 11. of his preface he quoteth Saint Augustine lib. 8. confess c. 12. as if he should say that Saint Anthony had reuealed to his mother a religious rule of life which he should followe And fol. 12. he saith that Saint Augustine did so reuerence Anthonies doings that he made the same a principall motiue to his owne conuersion But Saint Augustine doth not so much as in one word mention any rule of religious life nor did he follow Saint Anthony in other matter then in reading the scriptures Nor doth he say that Saint Anthony reuealed any religious rule to Monica S. Augustines mother In this therefore Rob. Parsons followeth his olde rule or rather vnruly course of forgery falsification 8 Pag. 64 of his bookes printed at Louan he alleadgeth for his ground the counterfeit writings of Aristaeas which he calleth Aristeus and vpon his credit telleth diuers histories But such false grounds are more likely to peruert then to confirme men in the faith falsification 9 Pag. 259. he corrupteth Saint Augustines wordes de fid operibus c. 14. and peruerteth
sciret ab homine non posse fieri so likewise the papists say if we had not fréewill that then God would not command vs to doe things but he confuteth both their reasons in the words following quis hoc nesciat saith he sed ideo iubet aliqua quae non possumus vt nouerimus quid ab illo petere debeamus he saith not that we haue frée will to doe good works because God commandeth vs to doe them but rather sheweth that God commandeth vs to doe things which we are not able of our selues to doe that we may learne what to craue and begge at Gods hands we may therefore well conclude that the papists are farre declined towards Pelagianisme and that long before vs did o Lib. 1. de grat aduers Pelag. Thomas Brandwardine perceiue declare and therefore doubteth not to call the popish schoolemen Pelagians totus mundus saith he post pelagium in errorem abiit exurge deus iudica causam tuam this man wrote about 300. yeares agone but now our aduersaries are growne woorse and woorse argument 34 The Donatists as saint p De haeres c. 69. Augustine writeth beléeued that the church was onely conteined in Afrike and consisted in the obedience or part of Donatus quod ecclesia Christi saith hée in Africa Donati parte remanserit they did also rebaptize catholike Christians if this then be heresie the papists may not escape scot frée that beleeue the catholike Romane church onely and take none for Christians but such q Geronym● Campos catetechism Brist motiut 12. as take the popes part and liue vnder his obedience they doe also presume sometimes to rebaptize such as haue béene baptized in our churches argument 35 The Circumcellions shought it a matter meritorious to kil those that were contrary to their sect immania facinora perpetrando as S. r De haeres c. 69. Augustine saith nay that holy man himselfe did hardly escape their ambuscadoes laid for him like to them also doe papists teach that it is lawfull and meritorious to kill princes excommunicate by the pope both pope Pius the fift and Sixtus the fift vpon paine of excommunication commanded her Maiesties subiects to take armes against her Sixtus quintus that shamelesse frier did ſ La fulminante highly commend Iames Clement the Dominican frier that murdred his liege prince Henrie the third king of France Iohn Ghineard a Iebusite did mainteine this doctrine of murdring princes and was therefore by arrest of the parliament of Paris condemned executed by these desperate Assassines and hired murderers the papists killed the prince of Orenge and Iames the regent of Scotland and poisoned diuers others Alphonsus Diazius did most wickedly murder his owne brother and yet was protected by the pope finally by diuers meanes they haue sought to murder the Queenes Maiestie king Henry the 4. of France Graue Maurice and all that stand in their way farre passing not onely the hereticall circumcellions but also the Turkish assassins argument 36 The Audaeans or Anthropomorphites did imagine God to haue an humane shape parts like a mortall man Cogitatione carnali saith t De haeres c. 50. Augustine Deum fingebant in similitu dinem hominis corruptibilis The papists likewise cannot imagine but that God is like man when they expresse God the father in likenesse of an olde man or at the least imagine such images to be like God they doe also make the image of the incomprehensible trinity let the people be taught say the men of u S●ss 25. Trent that the Godhead is not therefore figured as if it could be seene with corporeall eies or expressed wirh colours or figures it appeareth therefore they meant it should be represented though it could not be well expressed by figures argument 37 Origen beléeued that sinnes might be purged and done away after this life and therefore x Augustine de haeres c. 43. imagined that euen the damned after some long time might be saued he delighted also to draw scriptures to serue allegoricall sences if then it be heresie to say that great sinnes are to be remitted after this life why is it not heresie to holde that small sinnes may be then remitted seeing we haue but one meanes to obtaine remission of sinnes againe why should allegoricall interpretations be more allowable in papists then in Origen finally why should not other damned soules be as well saued as Traians soule and the soule of Falconilla an idolatresse at the intercession of Gregory as Damascen and the papists beléeue argument 38 Eunomius taught that so a man were of his religion it skilled not greatly what sinnes he committed asseuerabat saith y De haeres ● 54. Augustine quod nihil cuiquam obesset quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseuerantia peccatorum si huius quae ab ipso docebatur fidei particeps esset vnto which heresie the papists come very nere for the pope to all his followers promiseth heauen if they beléeue as he doth and will come to confession his canonists teach that the pope albeit he draw innumerable soules to hell and continue in all wickednesse yet he is Christes true vicar and the head of the church z Lib. de eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine requireth no inward vertue in the true members of the church which he defineth so they professe outwardly and communicate with the pope let the world then iudge what church the papists build when they admitte Piers Lacy Tirone the white knight and such wicked rebels to be true parts and members of their society argument 39 The a 1. Tim. 4. apostle condemned them as hereticks that forbad men to marry and to abstaine from certaine meates whereupon saith b In 1. Tim. 4. Theodoret rectè posuit prohibentium contrahere matrimonium neque eum Caelibatum aut continentiam vituperat sed eos accusat qui lege lata ea sequi compellunt if then the papists by sharpe lawes forbid priests and monks to marry and to eat certaine meates are they not within the compasse of these false teachers argument 40 The hereticks called Anomi were condemned as heretiks for that they either contemned or corrupted the law of God is it not then some blemish to papists that they make the law of God to be vnperfect and c Sess 4. concil Trid. make their owne traditions equall to Gods law and is it not heresie to make a new lawgiuer as the papists doe c. translato de constitutionibus and to cut off the second commandement concerning the making of grauen images finally doe they imagine that it is no error to d Concil Trid. sess 5. say that concupisence is no sinne which is direct contrary to the apostles doctrine Rom. 7. and to the law of God argument 41 Ireneus and Tertullian doth range them among hereticks which flie from scriptures and when they are conuinced by them fall to accuse them affirming that the