Psal 1. meditating in Gods holy Scriptures and aboue all by conseruing his soule c Jacob. 1. 2. Pet. 3. Luk. 8 Matth. 3 impolluted from alliniquity of sinne and the contagion of al worldly desires and solicitudes by exercising d 2. Ad Corint 9 chearefully plentifullie all charitable offices to all such as are in affliction and necessity by keeping his bodie e 1. Ad Thess 4 a cleare vessell from all impurity and impudicity and his tongue from all scurrill f Ad Ephes 5 Ad Rom. 13 and vnseemely speeches seriously to endeauour to make g 2. Pet. 2 sure his vocation and to h 1. Pet. 2. stop the mouthes of such who in respect that some of the reformed Churches especially of the Clergy liue not conformably to their doctrine do blaspheme the sacred Truth of Christs immaculate Gospell I haue seene much into the liues of the Aduerse part the which although I find to bee more impure auaricious proud vncharitable then euer I could haue imagined yet that is not the cause why I left them but the impurities abominations and superstitious impertinencies of their doctrines worships laws and customes which my soule hateth assuring it selfe that if I should still continue in communion with them I could haue no part with Christ my Sauiour to whom for hauing most mercifully i 2. Ad Corint 5. reconciled mee to his Father in himselfe bee onely and alonely with his Father and the holie Ghost Honour and Glorie for euer Amen Yours in Christ Iesus R. S. The Contents of this booke of MOTIVES THe Preface shewing the first occasions inducements and maner of the Authors conuersion The diuision of the Motiues 1. Into Motiues out of the Pontificious Erroneous Doctrines 2. Out of their dangerous and wicked Lawes 3. Out of certaine obseruations touching the dangerous Spirits of sundrie Chiefe English Romanists Page 1. Motiues of Doctrine FIrst Motiue touching Doctrine is out of the Pontifician vnsound rule of Faith to wit the Popes sole Iudgement defining ex Cathedra out of the Chaire as Pastor of the Church Pag. 2. Second Motiue is out of another rule of their faith to wit Apocriphall Scriptures Pag. 27. Third Motiue is out of their most Idle rule of Faith traditions as they doe pretend them Pag. 31. Fourth Motiue is out of the vsurped transcendent power of Popes in Temporals and Spirituals Pag. 41. Fifth Motiue is out of the most Superstitious Romane Doctrine for the Adoration and worshipping of Images Pag. 69. Sixth Motiue is out of diuers obseruations touching sundry superstitious fooleries contradictions and impertinences of the Romane Masse Pag. 86. Seuenth Motiue is out of their most vaine and intollerable Doctrines and abuses touching Indulgences Pag. 119. Eight Motiue is out of their irreligious Doctrine against the vse of the publike Liturgies and Church seruices in knowen tongues pag. 128. Ninth Motiue briefly toucheth their most vnchristian Doctrine of Aequiuocation pag. 137. Tenth Motiue briefly taxeth their tyrannicall denying of Indifferent Reading of holy Scriptures in the vulgar tongues pag. 140. Concerning their wicked Customes and Lawes the Author toucheth onelie a few FIrst the wicked custome and Law by which their Popes strictly forbid that there be any publike commemoration in their Masses for the conuersion of any Infidels Heretikes or excommunicated persons c. or for the temporall prosperity and safety of Soueraignes being by them reputed Heretikes pag. 144. Second hypocriticall law and custome touching their fastings and daies of fasting pag. 148. Third most impure permissiue law for their houses of prostitution euen in Rome it selfe not without great gaine to the Popes Coffers pag. 151. Fourth most vnchristian law that in case of no extremity the venerable Sacrament may bee celebrated without their Massing vestiments altarstones c. and such like humane deuises and institutions pag. 152. Fifth most iniurious law by the which the Laity contrary to the Institution of Christ and practise of all antiquity is debarred of the cup in the most holy and dreadfull Sacrament pag. 153. Sixth vnchristian law is the necessary annexing of the vow of Chastity to all their greater holy orders by occasion of which law the vile impurities of the Romane Cougregation are growne innumerable and inexpressible pag. 154. Touching certaine obseruations out of the Pontifician Spirits FIrst the Author discouereth by diuers notable particulars the disloiall and vnnaturall Spirits of the Ignatian Cheefetaines of the English in the maner of their preaching and their propagation of the Romane Gospell in England pag. 1. alpha 2. Secondly he sheweth in diuers particulars how they doe most shamefully calumniate the Church of England for her Doctrines and her publike Liturgie pag. 13. alpha 2. Thirdly hee sheweth how generally all Pontificians denie consent of Ancient Fathers being produced against diuers points of their nouell Doctrines pag. 20. Fourthly he sheweth how the younger Ignatians doe imitate the vnnaturall and disloiall Spirits of the old pag. 24. In the Conclusion he sheweth more largely both out of Scriptures and Fathers that the Church of Rome notwithstanding her visibility and Conspicuity may Iustly and in respect of her corruptions necessarily ought to be forsaken pag. 32. THE NOVELL AND HERETICALL Rule of the Romane FAITH Diuision of the Motiues THE Sauiour of mankind who hath vouchsafed to illustrate the eyes of him who sate in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death to know his truth will also I hope vouchsafe so to confort him that hee may rather conuert some then confound any of those who call themselues true Iewes and Catholikes which they are not but are indeede only the Synagogues and Congregations of the Bishops of Rome who in a Dictatus Greg. 7. apud Baron anno 1175. As Bell. admitteth Papa properly signifieth a Father that begetteth children and therfore all begotten of him and to him are denominated of him Papists Gregorie the V 11. did first of all by decree assume vnto themselues excluding all other Priests and Bishops from that name Papa the name of Fathers of the whole Church to wit to be only called Papae from which name all their children by denomination are called Papists rather then from Christ Christians which Papae Fathers also somewhat before that time at that time and now also doe peremptorily challenge to bee the only Vniuersall Catholike and immediate Pastours and Fathers of all who do b Ad Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a greek preposition signifieth properly as much as the Latine preposition pro for so taken Math. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Math. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in composition it signifieth properly for insteed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In some words of composition it signifieth also opposition as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is also in such a signification to be indifferētly vsed according to the naturall signification of the word inuocate the name of
being therevnto vrged by manifest truth and reason that it is not enough for them vpon their bare wordes to affirme this or that is a tradition Apostolicall or this or that is a doctrine Apostolicall because it is now generally obserued through out all those Churches which communicate with the Bishop of Rome no though at such times when there was no notorious or famous Church on earth to oppose against her and whereof no expresse beginning can bee shewed vnlesse they can withall for such their Traditions ascending vpwards euen vnto the Apostles times or the dayes of their immediate Successors and Schollers clearly and soundly deduct by graue testimonies of Ancient and Catholike authours that such thinges were euer more or lesse obserued and receiued as from the Apostles themselues throughout the Church of Christ if they will refuse this honorable triall of their Traditions and stand only vpon this idle answere and defence that the Church Romane now generally hath them and there is no beginning of them to bee shewed ergo they are Apostolicall they shall shew themselues to be meere wranglers wilfully wedded to most corrupt errours as I will most clearly demonstrate And herein I dare boldly challenge being most confident of this truth any Pontifician whatsoeuer be he Benedictine Fransciscan or Ignatian to shew me some ancient sufficient authority out of Councels or ancient Fathers that whatsoeuer might be obserued or should bee obserued in the later times of the Romane Church whereof no expresse beginning could be shewed should be therfore accounted Apostolicall because generally obserued in her g Epist 118. ad Ianuar. St. Austen indeede is vrged by the Aduersaries to affirme so much of some vnwritten Traditions in his time generally obserued throughout the whole Church but St. Austen is misvnderstood and his rule commonly cited not without corruption misvnderstood because his rule is of such Traditions whereof although nothing is written in holy Scripture yet they are mentioned in approued Authours and Historians more or lesse from the Apostles daies till his times besides great is the difference of 1200. yeares for so long is the time from St. Austens daies to vs for carrying downe of Traditions from the Apostles and in so many ages many thinges vnapostolicall h See Onuphr Genebrard and Platina supra pag. 3. might creepe into particular Churches and consequently into the whole whereof no certaine beginning might be shewed Againe St. Austens rule is commonly mis-cited For whereas that Father writeth thus in effect in his Epistle to i Epist 118. Ianuarius If the authority of diuine Scripture prescribe in any of these rites and ceremonies what is to bee done I I cite not the expresse words of the Father because editions are so different but all haue thus in effect answere there is no doubt to be made but that wee must doe as we reade the like I say if any of these rites which we obserue and the whole Church throughout the world at this present time obserueth for to dispure that we should doe otherwise were insolent madnesse but the Aduersaries commonly when they cite this place leaue out first what he writeth in the beginning of the sentence touching the authority of Scriptures Againe they leaue out commonly those words which restraine his meaning to his daies And in Saint Austens time it is manifest that the Christian Churches were not so diuided as since his times they haue beene and withall that a little before his time the generall Councels of Nice and Sardica had ordered most things and brought many things to light and yet notwithstanding this rule it is well knowne how Saint S. Aust in the same Epistle pronounceth that Christ instituted very few ceremonies Epist 118. Austen complained against multiplicitie of rites and ceremonies brought into diuers particular Churches in his daies wherewith the Christians were more heauily clogged then the ancient Iewes had beene vnder Moses which if it were euer true then it is now amongst the Pontificians most true who haue from their Popes some 1000 of rites and haue also innuerable lawes binding vnder the censure of their curses and heauiest excommunications and so frequently that a man may iustly suppose that there are few of that profession who are not more or lesse touched It is not credible to what number their Excommunications are growne since their tyranical vse of them See Nauar. Man cap. 27. num 50. by their lesser or greater excommunications his holinesse onely excepted who will be bound to no lawes no not to those which he sweareth inuiolably to keepe â—e being indeed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exlex iniqnus outlaw which Saint k 2. Thes 2. Paul hath prophecied should sit in the Temple of God as I will more fully declare hereafter But I will demonstrate that there are diuers practises and customes obserued throughout their Roman Church vniuersally wherof no beinning can be shewed which themselues wil not dare to affirme to be Apostolicall and so their rule by their owne confessions shall to the ground First is it not an vniuersall though impious practise throughout the Pontifician Church to paint God the Father in the forme of an old man and God the holy Ghost in the forme of a Doue by the same not onely to represent two persons of the most inenarrable and inexpressible Trinitie but also by the same and in the same to adore and worship those two infinite Persons what will they or can they shew me when this custome prâ—cisely began No I wis what must it therefore be a tradition Apostolicall it were impudencie or meere ignorance so to affirme and I thinke there is none of them as yet so shamelesse as to affirme it Nouell I am assured it is vtterly forbidden by the ancient Fathers of the sixt l Sinod 6. Cano. 82. generall Councell reputed an impudent thing by worthy Iohn m Damas Orthodox sid lib. 4. â—ap 17. Sinod Nicen. 2. act 4. 5. 6. 7. Damascene reputed a renowned Saint in their Church and a famous Patrone for the vse of other Images and by their Italian n Polid. lib. de inuentor Polidore Virgil accounted meere folly and which of their own men o Abulens Lira Alij commenting vpon the fourth of Exodus do not more or lesse condemne it and yet now the present Romane Church is so generally infected thereby with the leprosie of superstitious Idolatry that no man whose heart is zealous of Gods honour cannot seeing it but lament therefore Of this kinde also is the prostrate adoring of the Crucifixe it selfe vpon good Friday generally obserued throughout the Romane Church Can their best antiquarie amongst them shew me a beginning hereof no God wot what is it therefore a tradition Apostolicall shame will not suffer them to affirme it To this I adioyne their most Catholike and vaine custome of adorning their Images like as the old Paynims adorned Venus Iuno Ceres their vaine Gods
Anall Platin. in Adrian Irene caused the same by a Synod of Bishops to bee decreed in Nice And I pray you doe you thinke worse of your Iubilies because y Platina in Bonif 8. Walsing in Edward 1. Polychron lib. 7. cap. 40. Boniface the 8. who entred most ambiciously like a Foxe liued like a Lion and died like a Dogge brought them in beware of such mislikes it will not be for the profit of Romes purse Againe the Church of England is calumniated euery day by all the Ignatians as though she had no true orders or iurisdiction I dare affirme that in it there is as certaine and as assured a succession of orders spirituall iurisdiction as in the Church of Rome it selfe which hath so often tottered with so many schismes and hath bin pestered with so many Apostatical Popes as both Baronius and Genebrard deliuer I my selfe very lately searched for my own satisfaction the Records and I find clearly that Archbishop Parker was sufficiently truly and canonically ordered and consecrated by such Bishops as had receiued orders and consecration according to the Romane Church he swore not thou wilt perhaps obiect obedience to the Bishop of Rome a toy Where in all antiquity finde you the vse ofswearing subiection to the Bishop of Rome Romane Tyranny brought it in to the Church and Christian liberty hath exploded it It is indeede the soule of your Religion that subiection to the Bishop of Rome is a meane necessary to saluauation as necessary as Baptisme it selfe O prodigious Doctrin it is not enough say these men to saluation to be vnited with Christ and subiected to our immediate Pastors who are in vnion with the whole Catholike Church touching the Catholike faith vnlesse we be also vnited by immediate subiectiō vnto the Pope of Rome who may both be an Heretike and also contaminate the Church with his pernicious Lawes So that if a Pope Nerolike as Boniface the 8. would by pernicious Lawes draw you from Christ and like as a Heliogabalus as Iohn the 12. would draw you to all impurities and teach you to diuide the Church by opposing against the true Pope after his iust deposition by the whole Romane Clergy most Bishops of Italy assembled in a Synod or Ottomanlike as Paul the 5. will teach you against Christs institution not to yeelde temporall obedience to your lawfull Soueraigne if hee out of his throne take vpon him to dethrone him vnlesse forsooth you be subiect to such Vicars of Christ you cannot haue saluation in Christ O prodigious and vaine Doctrine of these times the holy Prophets O ye Britaine 's haue forewarned vs let vs beware of them What vile calumniation is that by which the reformed Churches of England are charged to deny the seeing of Gods face and glory vnto the Saints departed vntill the day of Iudgement What a slander that she respects no Holy daies of Christ or his Apostles I dare say that the memories of the Apostles are in many places of this Kingdome as religiously obserued as the Sundaies are with them but in the obseruation of the Sabbath our Lords day the Church of England doth so farre surpasse all Papistical Churches yea of Rome it selfe that it were a sinne to make any comparison therein betwixt them a Caluino Turcismo William Rainolds calumniateth Caluin that hee teacheth that Christ by his corporall death redeemed not mankinde A meere Calumnious imputation his doctrine is that Christ by his meere Corporal death had he not subiected himself to haue vndergone his fathers displeasure against mankinde and to haue clothed himselfe as it were with the deserts punishment and guilt of man he had not fully made that satisfactiō for mankind of which the Scripture so often speake of which doctrin who can be ignorant who is acquainted with holy writ Great is their spight against that man but notwithstanding all their malice against him he liued peaceably laboured faithfully and died Christianly leauing such a posterity of books behinde him which checketh the daily continual innouations of Rome Grieuous is the imputation to the English Church for condemning and contemning the ancient Fathers whereas the most it striueth for is to support that of b Tertull. lib. de prescriptio Tertullian Quod antiquissimum verissimum that which is most Ancient euen in the Fathers is most true At first when counterfeit Martials Abdias Clements Markes Dionises were produced the Prelats of the reformed Churches were more afrighted then hurt and to such Fathers they might iustly giue the Anatheme because such fathers had impugned and contradicted that Gospell of Christ the which whosoeuer though an Angell from heauen shall doe we are warranted by the c ad Galat. 1. Apostle to giue him the Anatheme But in and for true Fathers the Church of England reuerently and constantly auoucheth that of d Vincent Lirin contra Heres cap. 4. Tertull. de praescript Vincentius Lirinensis to take place Quicquid non unus aut duo c. Whatsoeuer not one or two but al together with one and the same consent openly frequently and constantly shall bee knowne to haue held written and taught that she also without any doubt knoweth must by her bee beleeued and this most iustly the English Church admitteth it being as cleare as the verie no one daies that all Fathers of the Ancient Church neuer taught helde nor wrot any thing in this sort which is not clearely agreeing to Gods word which is the onely Rule of Christian faith But iustly to retort vpon them who knoweth not that for most of their Roman nouel positions the Aduersaries haue no Ancient Fathers and therefore to defend themselues being vrged they do not produce Fathers but stand to their imagined Traditions written no where in Antiquity but only reserued in the Romane Bishops and Churches brests as they pretende this is their City of refuge as for example When a world of Fathers concurring with sacred Scripture is produced to shew that the Virgin Mary whose name bee euer blessed amongst and aboue all women was conceiued in Originall sinne yea some of them with S. Anselme auouching that shee was borne in sinne which I can hardly beleeue doe they heere sticke to the Fathers nothing lesse their imagined traditions must take place Againe when whole centuries of Fathers and those assembled in Synods bee produced to affirme that Popes haue beene and may bee Heretikes will they heare admit of the Fathers nothing lesse all records must be coūterfeit their own best Authors deceiued rather then the Fathers authorities admitted against their Popes infallibilies When irrefragable authorities of most ancient Fathers are produced to shew that the holy Scriptures are the onely inerrable rule of Christian Catholike faith and the square by which the writings and faith of all men and all Churches must be examined and tried will they heere allow the Fathers No alas they flye the field and seeke after some maimed sentences
Images with rich attire imbrodered garments and robes vpon their massie bodies crownes of gold vpon their stony heads rings vpon their marble or wodden singers bracelets of Amber or Pearle vpon their wristes rich Iewels of Pearle and precious stones hanging about their neckes downe euen to their shining and lasciâ—iouslike breasts drawen by the painters rather to giue occasion of impudike thoughts then religious cogitations Of this their prophane and heathenish custome in their most religious places can they precisely shew me a beginning no I warrant you belike therefore it is an Apostolicall tradition so to affirme I could account it no lesse then blasphemie At least if it will please the Ladies amongst the Pontificians to heare with patience it is no tradition Apostolicall that their sacred Images are often trimmed with the rayments of strompets a thing very frequent in other countries like as in England where very often their Priests * This is a custome so frequent and so common in England that no Priest who hath either shame or honestie can denie it Massing vestiments are framed of the petticotes kirtles or gownes of such persons whereof some are not of the best fame so loathsome a thing that doubtlesse if their images which they adore had sense they would exclaime against the abuse thereof and cry fie These Romane customes so vniuersally obserued doth any man once imagine to be Apostolicall Reade two of Saint p Grèg Epist ad Secundin Epist ad Seren. Gregories epistles read q Epipha Epist ad Johan Hiero. Epiphanius read Thrasius the Patriarks discourse in the seuenth synode at Nice Saint r Augu. in Psal 113. de fid Symbol Austen vpon the Psalms and you will vnderstand what manner of Tradition the vse of God the fathers image and the adoration of images is But here of more anone Againe touching their vniuersall and generall custome of receiuing of the Sacrament vnder one kind as so onely necessary so onely sufficient so onely commaunded for a mans whole life can they shew me an expresse beginning thereof no God wot what must it be therefore a tradition Apostolicall I will not deny but that perhaps some ancient particular Churches might sometimes practise in one kind and yet most of their examples which they bring for that purpose are either of counterfeit bookes or else little to the purpose but I denye and challenge the Aduersary to prooue the contrary that euer any Ancient Apostolicall Church held it sufficient as onely necessary onely commanded to receiue the Sacrament in one kind for a mans whole life They bring some places of Å¿ Luc. 24. Act. 2. 20. Scripture for this purpose But first if the places proue their vse then it is not onely a tradition but a written truth Againe it is as manifest as the sunne that those places they bring doe proue as well against them that their Masse may bee vsed in one kind the Sacrament consecrated in one kind which they detest as the greatest impiety and sacriledge making the sacrifice to consist most intrinsecally and essentially in both kindes that no Pope can dispense against it Again t Rhemist in ca. 1. act Baron annalib anno 48. Christ num 17. Zuares Isingr Catherinus aâ—â—â— their beleefe touching the assumption of the blessed Virgin Maries body at whose due honours I greatly reioyce and beseech Iesus her sonne and Sauiour euer to indue me with a reuerent respect of her greatnesse and her blessings aboue all Women is it not generally receiued and the feast thereof vniuersally practised throughout the Romane Church And is there any one who can shew the time when this beleefe began no God wot What must it bee therefore a Tradition Apostolicall nothing lesse u Baron anno Christ 48. num 9 12. 13. Baronius his Doctrine will ouerthrow that Tradition The x Annotations vpon the first of the Acts verse 14. Rhemists in their annotations vppon the Acts of the Apostles endeuor to proue it out of a counterfeit book of Dionise of Areopage Saint Pauls scholler and they are not there with content vnlesse they may abuse egregiously the same booke also by their manifest and wilfull corruption for they dare assirme that St. Dionyse in that y Dionis lib. de Diuin nomin the Rhemists cite it Epist ad Timoth. booke reporteth that he himselfe heard the melodious singing of Angels at the Virgins monument which lasted for three daies together a thing no where to bee found in that book Again they affirm that Dionyse of Areopage was present at the Virgins departure which hapned as themselues z Their Table of S. Paul and Baro. affirmeth anno Christ 52. deliuer the 48. of Christ And yet withal they auouch that S. Paul came not to Athens til the 52. of Christ where and when S. Dionyse was with Damaris a Acts 17. conuerted so that by their contradictorious account Saint Dionyse was conuerted and made a Christian and presently also at the blessed Virgins death before his conuersion Thus the Rhemish lights of the English Pontificians are caught in their folly when of late I obiected this wilfull corruption and mayne contradiction of the Rhemists to a certain graund b I. C. cheefetaine in this place where I now am I had onely a kind of â—ush for an answere with this graue epiphoneme it is an ill bird that beraieth his owne neast might not I more iustly inueigh against such seducers of youth who by such deprauations seduce their young Fâ—ye and beray their young birds in the neasts of their seminaries where they must take all vpon trust euen as their masters shall please to dictate vnto them and be you most assured they shall heare nothing that shall iarre from the Popes behests and Romane Churches practise whose Souldiers they are trained to fight his battell or holy quarrel as * Sanders in his Letters to an Irish Gentleman Saunders calleth it Againe concerning the vniuersall practise of â—ating of bloud and strangled meates throughout the Pontifician Church can they precisely tell mee when the same began no in sooth what is it therefore a Tradition Apostolicall aske the Apostles and whole Church of Hierusalem concerning this Tradition who decreed by expresse c Acts 15. Canon that Christians should absteine from things immolated to idols from bloud from strangled meate and fornication Loe here is a custome generally obserued no beginning thereof be â—ound and yet no tradition Apostolicall Further it is manifest that the vow or promise of Chastity is d Thom Aquin. 2. 2. q 88. Durand lib. 4 Dist 35 37. aly Scholastâ—c communiter ibidem Sotâ—s de iure iustitia lib. 7. Petrus de Soto in institut sacerd lect 5. Valentia de Celibatu lib. 2. Scotus 4. dist 37. Caiâ—t quod 1. q. â—2 See S. Athanasius Epist ad dracont Sincsius Epist ad Euoptium Polid. lib. de inuento 5. Alphonsus a Castro
verbo sacerdot here 's 4. Euseb li. 4. ca 23. Niceph. lib. 4. cap. 55. not by Gods institution either in the olde or newe Testament annexed to priesthood or Episcopacy and yet as euident it is that now it is generally obserued throughout the pontifician Church to promise chastity but not to keepe it and can any pontifician shewe mee when the custome of adioining of the promise of chast life to priesthood and other holy orders begun no I wis some attributing it to Siricius Pope others to Gregory the first others to Gregory the second others to Gregory the seuenth and what must it be therefore an Apostolicall tradition The Apostles will tell you in one of their Canons where they haue thus decreed e Can. 6. Let not a Bishop or Priest by any meanes vnder pretence of Religion cast off his owne wife but if he shal cast her off let him be excommunicated and if he perseuere let him bee deposed thus they This their tradition they learned not of f Ignati Epist ad Philadâ—lp Ignatius nor g Iâ—â—o Epist 85. Leo the first Pope nor out of the sixth Generall Synode nor the Councell of Gangres nor out of the first Councell of Toledo out of which Gratian h Dist 34. Can. is qui noâ— habet relateth a Canon the seuenteenth in number that he who hath not a wife must or may haue a concubine vnlesse those fathers thought a wife or a Concubine necessary for the laickes only in that hot climate but were perswaded sufficiently of the Continency of their Clergy if so out alasse how is Spaine now become so reretrograde and therefore the permission for concubines in steed of wiues excuseth not them yet by their leaue curteous Reader I cannot but thinke that the like merry custome with that which i Lib. de praesulib simâ—â—iacis Clemangis recordeth is some occasion out of this Canon to wit that the people were so perswaded of their Clergies incontinency that in many parishes they would not otherwise accept of their Priests vnlesse they had their concubines thereby as they thought prouiding for the chastity of their wiues And truly if they would but seriously consider what turpitudes impunities nefarious and abhominable lusts haue repleated the Romane Clergy both religious and secular they would haue little cause to bragge of this their Tradition Apostolicall but this surely is as much Apostolicall as that their other most friuolous and irreligious vse of their hallowed graynes meddals c. the which as they are generally obserued receiued and beleeued throughout the whole Pontifician Church so it is as manifest that they are meere nouelties without any seeming shew of Antiquity at all And yet as nouell as they are to find out the precise beginning of them it would trouble their best Antiquary Let any one of them do it and he shall weare the Lawrell bough for his paines Their vniuersall vse of their round Wafercakes which they vse in their most religious seruice at Masse and for their consecrations will they call them Apostolicall who would not laugh thereat and yet very nouell they are although no expresse beginning of them can be shewed by any aduersary What said I no expresse beginning of them yes the Author of the Roman order as Cassander in his Liâ—urgick reporteth at the beginning bringing in of them into the Church greatly complaineth against them because insteed of great loaues which were offered before by It is very probable that Round wafers and eleuation came into gether but it can not by any Pontifician whatsoeuer be specified when they precisely were brought in although Gâ—mma animae seemeth to bring them in aboue a thousand a hundred yeeres after Christ Gem. an cap. 29. some cite idly a sentence out of Epiphan in Ancorat for this purpose the people now such scraps to vse his words were brought and offered Doubtlesse when Idolatry grew ripest and the eleuation most frequent then came in the round wafers for in all antiquitie there is no other mention made of other bread of the Eucharist then such as good Christian women made at home brought with them to the Churches to be offered and distributed Whereof themselues also tooke part at the holy communion and carried also part away home in cleane linnen cloathes to receiue at conuenient times as Tertulian k Tertul. lib. 2. ad vxorem reporteth whose saying the Papists abuse Such is also their obseruations of Lent as it precisely consisteth of fortie sixe daies of fast and abstinence containing Sundaies and Feries and I challenge any aduersary to shew me a beginning of such a precise Lent of sixe and fortie daies They cannot doe it What must it be therefore in this precise fashion a tradition Apostolicall who would not smile thereat to heare of such a tradition who haue read l Euseb lib. 5. hist cap. 24 Socrat lib. 5. ca 21 Zozamen lib. 7. cap. 19. See Niceph lib. 11. cap. 34. 35. Eusebius Socrates Zozomenus three ancient Historians well acquainted wiâ—h the Lents of the Primitiue Churches who doe so differently distinguish the different obseruation of Lent in diuers Apostolicall Churches of the East and West that whereas Saint Hierome and Saint Ignatius affirme that the fast oâ— Lent or Quadragesme is a tradition Apostolicall they must not be vnderstood of the precise fast of forty daies or sixe and fortie daies abstinence vsed by the Romanes but of some certaine set fast before the holy feast of Easter which was diuersly obserued according to the diuers acceptances of the Catholike and Apostolicall Churches of those times Heare Saint Austen much for this purpose clearly pronouÌ„cing If you m August Epis 8â— ad Cassâ—â— aske my opinion concerning this matter of fasting I finde in the writings of the Euangelists and the Apostles and all the new Testament that we are commaunded to fast but what daies must we fast and what daies we must not fast I finde it not determined by any commaundement of Christ or his Apostles Thus he I haue beene very large courteous Reader in producing many instances to shew that rule of theirs to be vaine vpon which their traditions are built to wit that whatsoeuer the Romane Church generally obscrueth whereof no beginning can be shewed that must needs be a tradition Apostolical infinite like instances might be made yea and most iustly and soundly in all such rites lawes customes and articles of faith which they teach contrary to the true reformed Churches But I haue heere produced so many that I thinke my selfe to haue beene too carefull in prouing that which otherwise of it selfe is most cleare but seeing the life of the Romane religion resteth vpon traditions which they pretend to be Apostolicall ouerthrow them and downe must all that same religion as a learned Priest lately in this house acknowledged to my selfe being vrged thereunto by force of argument and euidence of truth And so to
conclude these my Motiues about their idle rules of faith the Christian Reader who is carefull of his owne saluation and giueth obedient eare to that propheticall light of Gods sacred Scriptures expounded by the ancient Church which Scriptures Saint Peter n 2. Pet. 1. preferreth aboue that vision which he and his brethren had of Christ in mount Thabor he cannot but easily obserue what consequences are likely to follow out of three such corrupt Rules of faith as are in request amongst the Pontificians to wit infallibility solely and onely in the Popes definitiue iudgement authority of Apophricall Scriptures and the vaine authority of their traditions pretended to be Apostolicall where as they are nothing lesse The aduersary will for the validitie of these rules stand vpon the authority of their present Romane Church which hath receiued them of which their defence conformably to all antiquitie and ancient Fathers who taught otherwise we must also conformably to their proceedings search out of Gods word whether the Church of which they bragge so much be the true Church Succession in Sees onely will not suffice as by their owne confession is manifest in the Churches of Antioch Alexandria Constantinople c. but there is required also successioÌ„ in doctrine according to Gods word by which triall must be made of all Churches and of all doctrines and all after-after-traditions to which if they be not agreeable without perill of damnation they must not be receiued and this is the most expresse doctrine and faith of Saint Austen in o August lib. 1. de doctrina Christiana cap. 37. lib. de unitate Ecclesi cap. 2. but cap. 16. so clearly that I do suppose no Pontifician Priest dare scarce read that Chapter to his family sundrie places yea of Bellarmine p Bellarm. lib. 2. de verbo doi cap. 2. Basil serm de fide himselfe though as it may be thought he not very willingly confesseth this truth Other means saith he may deceiue but nothing is more certaine then the Scripture and therefore by confession of all both ancient and moderne writers the triall by Gods word is most firme and assured The fourth Motiue THe fourth Motiue and that very effectuall The fourth Motiue with me is that transcendent power both in all temporals and spirituals which later Popes contrary to Christs institution and practise of holy Primitiue Popes challenge and which the Romane Canonists and Cardinals ouer-liberal of that wherwith they haue nothing to doe doe flatteringly thrust vpon their Romane Monarches In spirituals he challengeth and they grant vnto him to be the onely supreme and immediate Pastor ouer Christs flocke so that looke how ample and immediate Christs iurisdiction for saluation of soules was so is his he glorieth in that title and they giue it him which q Greg lib. 4. epist 38. S. Gregory so much detested as the very badge of Antichrist he will in the gouernment of Christs flocke haue no Peere nor Colleage He is content to be honoured with that title yea and aboue that ambitious title the which Constantius the Arian required for he was content with numen nostrum our power or diuinitie but the Pope can willingly acept of supremum in terris numen the supreme and highest diuinitie or power vpon earth O ye heauens be astonished and euerlasting gates be desolated the pretended only Vicar of Christ the successor in some sort of that poore fisher who r Act 3. gloried in that he had neither gold nor siluer must heare and that from renowned * Proesat ad Grego 13. in principia doctri Stapletons mouth the Spanish kings professor in Louane the English Pontificians chiefe champion thus thy supreme diuinity vpon earth iust God how more iustly may we lament with those words of Saint Gregory against Iohn of Constantinople for his extraordinary fasting surnamed Ieiunator the faster f Grego lib. 4. â—p 38. O alasse all things that haue beene forespoken are come to passe the King of pride is at hand and that which is a wickednesse to be spoken a whole Army of priests is prepared for him because those serue the proud necke of elation and pride who haue beene set to giue example of meekenesse and humility Thus that Father in those times when the mysterie of iniquity began to worke most apparantly in the Patriarke of Constantinople but appeared more clearly in one of his next Successors to wit Boniface 3 who emulating the Constantinopolitan Patriarks for their pride obteined of Phocas that hatefull and traiterous vsurper rather then Emperour to decree by constitution that the title of Vniuersall Bishop should for euer after belong and be giuen only to the Bishops of Rome this is a matter vndoubted of by auncient t Sabel Aenead â— lib. 6. Platin. in Bonifac. 3. Otho lib. 5. Paulus de gostis Longobard Marianus anno Dom. 608. Duerenus de sacris Ecclesioe ministris lib. 1. cap 10 Abbas in Phoca poene emnis aly Sigebert Regino Luitpran Anasta Baron annal ad annum 606. Historians and yet perchance this Boniface did not assume by that title so much vnto him as these latter Popes doe to wit to be immediate pastors of all the whole Church comprehending all Partriarkes Bishops c or that there is no power nor iurisdiction in any Prelate or Pastor of the Church whatsoeuer which is not dependantly from them and of them so that they can and may peremptorily call to their court all causes greater or smaller and according to course of law or otherwise finally and * Iudicare c. to iudge and decree whether it be necessary to depose a Prince belongeth to the Pope of whose iudgement whether it be right or not no man may iudge Bellar. contra Barck ca. 12. vnappellably ende and determine them and if any either Emperour Prince Prelate or Vniuersity would offer to appeale from any of their sentences though most exorbitant and tirannicall they should thereby deserue to bee cursed with Bell Booke and Candle I cannot thinke that in Bonifaces time the Romane Bishops were growne to that height of Antichristian pride that was left for later times when the Diuell was to be let loose after the thousand yeeres of his binding Notwithstanding he challenged by Phocas his constitution to be only called vniuersall Bishop of the Church against which title Saint Gregory so vehemently and Christianly exclaimeth in u Greg lib 4. ep 32. 34. 38. 39. diuers Epistles testifying and demonstrating most plainly that that Antichristian title robbeth all Bishops of their honour and maketh that the Assumer thereof should bee reputed Antichrist This being so in this Auncient Father how durst D. Stapleton x Staple principi doctr lib. 6. cap. 7. that renowned Professour of diuinity endeuour to make Saint Gregory speake against himselfe in this very epistle and out of him labour to proue the present Romane supremacy and Monarchy which that Father so much
Image of Sichem stood which being framed into a picture and representing the image of Sichem was at Saint Omers by the Bishop of that City superstitiously dedicated and set vp to bee adored in the French Ignatians Church with such often incensings adorings bowings prostratings lifting vp of hands that truly it might iustly be meruailed how Gods vengeance did not fall vpon such impudent Idolaters or the earth not open swallow them vp but great was the commodity and profit which thereby redounded to the Ignatians and therefore the rather such contemptible creatures may and ought to bee honoured with diuine worship though they haue neither tradition Scripture nor Ancient Father to iustifie their proceeding herein The Clerke of a poore Church A pretty prank of a Saint Omeristiā Clark in that City obseruing what immense profite came to the Ignatians there by to bring some commodity to his poore neglected Church deuiseth a prety pranke for that purpose He cunningly and secretly remoueth a picture of the blessed Virgin from an obscure place in which it stood into a more eminent and principall place of the same Church making and giuing out as though the blessed Virgins picture discontented with her former standing had remoued it selfe to a place fitter for adoration and worship This picture was by some superstitious people presently admired and frequented and the miracle by the Bishop and the Ignatians also defended as probable considering said the wise men of S. Omers the dayly wondrous operations of the Images at Sichem and Loretto but the Estcheuines and Magistrates of the Citie suspecting some legerdemaine very shortly by great diligence found the knauery and according to his deserts caused the vilanous Clerke to be punished But heere I obserue how easily the superstitious Bishop and Ignatians might haue beene seduced and how credulous they are in such things Like credulity was obserued certain yeers since in the learned and Peerelesse Vniuersitie of Doway where in a certaine small and poore Chappell was the picture of the blessed Virgin Mary as lying in Childebedde after trauaile such fopperies were permitted in that famous Vniuersity the which also was with a linnen veile couered as the fashion is for women lying in Childbed this image vpon a certain time to some deuout and simple women which came to supplicate for happy deliuerance seemed to moue and stirre it selfe the report whereof flew vp and downe the City as if the Virgin her selfe had beene come downe to lye in child-bed againe This report caused admiration amongst the Dowists admiration caused great deuotion deuotion frequentation to the picture frequentation a necessary purpose to remoue the picture and to place it in some more capable Church or Chappell the remoouall wherof being attempted those Masons who went about it insteed of the Mother of Clemency and Virgin Mary felt the wrathfull vengeance of the iust Iudge for one of them was with stones that fell downe vpon him presently slaine the second wounded and the third very hardly escaped Torment a paucorum exempla sunt omnium the Torments of a few are examples for many But a 2. ad Corin. 2. the God of this world hath so blinded the eies of these men that seeing these things they see them not but still most eagerly giue themselues to beleeue lies doubtlesse these are the times of which b Greg. apud Paterium expos in 2. ad Thessal 2. S. Gregory so liuely discourseth shewing that Antichrist and his Ministers shall work so many lying prodigies and wonders that all which the true Church shall doe in comparison of them shall seeme nothing at all But to proceed although this Adoration and worshipping of creatures in this sort be most inexcusable yet more inexcuseable is their inuocation of the pictures crosse it selfe I doe not heere impute this error to the learned who are acquainted with the figure of Prosopopeia taking one person for another and inuocating one in steed of another but in respect of the simple and ignorant for how can they without manifest danger of idolatry vnderstand that inuocation of the Crosse it selfe O crux Aue c. All haile O Crosse the * In passion weeke the crosse or crucifixe is the only hope but at other times whē Salue regina is song the blessed Virgin is their hope and life also It is not imaginable what like abuses of prayers were vsed in the old time deuised by the superstitious monks onely hope in this time of Passion increase iustice to the pious giue pardon to the guilty And how can they vnderstand that the Crosse should increase Iustice giue pardon But there is a praier to be made to the face it selfe of Veronica to the deuout rehearsing of which Iohn the 22. Pope gaue Indulgences of a thousand yeares as it is expressed in a booke intituled Antidotary of the soule This praier cannot be excused by the figure of Prosopopey by one person being taken for another for the praier is directly made to the corruptible figure that it would bring the suppliant to the incorruptible face Thus it is in meeter Salue nostrum gaudium in hac vita dura Labili et fragili cito peritura Nos deduc ad propria O foelix figura Ad videndam faciem quae est Christi pura All haile our ioy in this hard life Both slippery frail and swift in her decay O happy figure bring us all to our true life To see Christ his pure face for euer and for aye In which prayer I cannot but wonder what excellency Iohn the 22. could find to grant to the deuout rehearsing therof a 1000. yeers pardon it may be because he held that the blessed Saints should not see Gods face vntill the general resurrection the same perswasion moued him to giue such a liberall pardon to those who would deuoutly behold and inuocat e a materiall and corruptible shadow and figure of that infinitely resplendant and shining maiesty Surely this kind of inuocating figures and pictures was in some sort practised by those three of tenne wicked Diuels cast out of one Catharine Bus as * Roberts Chambers in his booke of the miracles of Sichem page 214. that the Diuels words were these in french Uine◠nostre Dame de mountagu qui nous sait sortir Which he englisheth thus Honour be to our Lady of Mountagu who maketh vs to depart Chambers reporteth who at their going out cried out thus Viue nostre dame du Sichem Uiue nostre dame du Sichem Liue our Lady of Sichem Liue our Lady of Sichem who constraineth vs to go out What may it bee thought these wicked Fiends did call vppon the most blessed Virgin Mary of Heauen with the name of our Lady of Sichem what meant they tell me O Chambers when they called the Image of Sichem our Lady of Sichem was it because the same is there worshipped and adored too too diuinely yea with more honour then the most blessed Virgin
the Sacrament panem vitae aeternae et calicem salut is aeternae the bread of euerlasting life and the cup of eternall saluation he also desireth God to behold the same sacrifice with a propitious and fauourable countenance like as the sacrifices of Abel Abraham Melchisedech c. The which Priests being of the Law of nature did iustly and necessarily desire God to looke propitiously vpon their sacrifices because they were not perfect with any absolute perfection being only creatures and onely acceptable for the deuotion of the offerers which might bee tainted with sin and imperfection but to say the same of the sacrifice of Christ himself if he were really present and really sacrificed were horrible blasphemy and I demand whether Saint Magdalen kneeling at the foote of the crosse might without sacriledge haue desired God the Father to haue looked downe with a propitious and a fauourable countenance vppon the sacrifice of his infinitely beloued sonne Iesus as he did vpon the sacrifice of Abel to wit a lambe or a sheepe vndoubtedly if Scholasticus beleeued as the Pontificians doe he was an egregious Impostor to ranke the Creator of infinite Maiesty with his creatures and to equalize or compare the sacrifice which was both acceptable and satisfactorious exrigore institiae in the very rigour of Iustice with those imperfect sacrifices of Abel and others which did not nor could not sanctisie the Offerers But further yet in that which followeth he quite ouerthroweth the Papists presence of Christ in the sacrifice for thus he prayeth i Ibid. in Can. Suppliceste Rogamus c. We humbly beseech thee Omnipotent God doe thou commannd these things to be carried by the hands of thy holy Angell vp to thy high Altar into the sight of thy diuine maiesty thus there Here I demaund of them what in their consciences they thinke the Author vnderstood by those words of the praier iube command and haec these things who is heer commanded What Gods speciall Angell Christ himselfe but if you please to vnderstand Saint Michael or some other Angell marke the Consequence Christ himselfe or Saint Michael must carry vp these things either Christ Christ himselfe or Saiut Michael Christ vp to the high Altar before the sight of the diuine Maiesty then what a profound Gramarian was your Scholasticus to call Christ haec these things or else what a Sacrilegious impostor to desire God the Father to command Michael to bring vp and offer vp his infinitely beloued sonne before his Maiesty who euer k Heb. 4. 1. Col. 3. sitteth at his right hand l Rom. 8. making intereession for mankind and all those who seeke to him And if you will vnderstand your demonstratiue Article haec these things of the onely accidents of bread and wine they are in good sooth not worthy carrying so high neither by Christ himselfe nor his Angell Saint Michael Charge not therefore Oye Pontificians Scholasticus with such sacrilegious imaginations had he beleeued as you doe he wold haue prayed either in this or the like sort O most morcifull Father heere before me vpon this Altar lieth onely deere sonne Iesus of infinite dignity and vnspeakeable Maiesty by me sacrificed to thee him in respect of his infinite dignity thou canstinot refuse nor reiect for his sake reiect not refuse not mee thy Priest offering him to thee make me partaker of his graces c. But thou wilt say perhaps Scholasticus did vndoubtedly beleeue Transubstantiation for hee saith that there is a participation of Christs body from the Altar true hee saith so if hee bee not corrupted but what then Christ saide more Eate this is my body know yee not O yee Pontificians that it is a great mysterie It is a Sacrament of the new Testament and as a Sacrament it must be vnderstood vsed practised remember S. m 1. Corin. 10. Paul twice repeating doe this or doe these things in commemoration of me without all question within this space of a 1000. yeares the canon and liturgy of Masse hath beene so often pared clipped that it is hard to say what Scholasticus composed and therfore vnlesse Scholasticus were a contradicting Scholler to himselfe he must needs bee corrupted if in any place of the Canon he seeme to speak for your transubstantiation But I will acquaint thee by the way courteous Reader with a certaine accident when I was writing vpon this very matter in commeth to my Chamber n M. 1. Col. one of the Ancient Priests of this place pretending not to come to conferre but conferring with me perhaps to draw somewhat out of me touching my resolution but he ingenuously confessed to me at last vpon conference that the Apostles did not institute the Canon of the Masse for arguing with him about some other points and about traditios he acknowledged that traditiōs Apostolical must be carried vp hand in hand from Author to Author vntill the Apostles times what then said I thinke you of the Canon of the Masse is it a Tradition Apostolicall yes without all question said hee a tradition Apostolicall shew me then said I how this Canon is carried vp hand in hand from Author to Author from Record to Record till the Apostles times he failed as Bellarmine himselfe must faile for hee could not goe higher then the time of Gregory and yet not authentically and sufficiently to him neither as I easily shewed and so fell downe the Apostolicall Tradition of the Canon but hee replieth for they are resolued to see and not to see yea but the Doctrine of the Canon was a tradition Apostolicall and may bee carried vp to the Apostles times where said I find you then the eleuation and transubstantiation mentioned in or before Saint Gregories time or in Saint Gregory himselfe I came not to reason said hee well then I replied at least you graunt that the very sorme of the Canon as it is now vsed in the Romane Church cannot be carried vp from record to record from Author to Author vntill the Apostles time he ingenuously granted it and so fell downe the Apostolicall tradition of the Canon of the Masse and withall so ended our conference And here also concluding to speake any more concerning transubstantiation out of Scholasticus I passe ouer to another obseruation in this their Canon and wil shew that their Scholasticus did not beleeue Purgatory flames c. And so downe must their suffragatiue and propitiatory sacrifice for the burning soules in purgatory if the Authority of their Masse must stand I finde expressly that those dead persons for whome prayer is now pretended to bee made by the Romane Church as though they were in the flames of Purgatorie are o In Canone msse in erati◠que incipit memente domi c heere most significantly said to rest in Christ to sleepe in the sleepe of peace now I pray the Pontifician Reader to teach mee what peace in Christ what sleepe in rest is it to bee tormented
errour and no Apostolicall tradition because not clearely knowne nor receiued in Saint Austens time who most expresly in the learnedst and perhaps the last booke he euer wrote except his Retractations affirmeth that y August lib. de ciuit dei 21 cap. 26. see also the 16. chapter perhaps it is true note the word perhaps that there is a purging fire after death by which it is most manifest according to other places of him that the Church in his time did not make Purgatorie sire a tradition Apostolicall or article of faith but of late the Pseudosinode and Schismaticall Councell vnder Eugenius the fourth gathered against that of Basil which had deposed Eugenius before and substituted Felix contrarie to the ancient faith of the Latine and Grecke Church determined Purgatotie pains for a point of faith But of these imaginarie and fatuous flames else where perhaps more largely The word of God as it is expounded of the ancient Fathers doth dispell condemne explode them for if there z Epist ad Rom. 8. 2. ad Corinth 5. ad Thes 1. cap. 4. Apoc. cap. 14. be no damnation to those who die in Christ Iesus beleeuing in him with faith working by charitier and if all those who die in him euen from that moment of death rest from their labors and that no sooner the earthly habitation is left off but an heauenly habitation is put on and those who beleeuing Christ loue Christ desiring to be dissolued and to be with him are with him and if generally the Apostle exhorteth and commaundeth that Christians should not be so much as contristated for those who die in Christ in Iesus and by Iesus by whom and in whom they sleepe with many such like sayings who that is not eyther seduced by his education in poperie or else for his ouercredulitie to their Priests misled will beleeue the imaginarie flames of Purgatorie And heere I constantly affirme and the contrarie cannot be shewed to wit that all those Fathers who alowed praier for the dead were more or lesse to be touched with some one of these errours either that the states of the faithfull departed could not be certaine vntill the day of iudgement and that they were to be kept in certaine receptacles till that time and that none of the departed were to see Gods face vntill the day of iudgement a Austen writeth doubt fully here of in his Enchirid cap. 109. where he affirmeth that sacrifice is offered for the dead either that they may haue full remission or else that their damnation may be more tolerable He teacheth the like lib. 1. de orig enime cap 9. 10. lib. de cura pro mortuiâ— cap. 1. Azor. lib. institut 10. cap. 22. affirmeth that it was the doctrine of certaine ancient that their Masse did profit and ease the soules damned in hell or else that the verie soules of the damned in hell might be holden by prayers as Iohn b Damascen erat de mortuis ciacon Aquinas alis Damascene approuingly relating the historie of Trajanes soule doliuered by Saint Gregorie seemeth to hold and all those who account the historie of Falconillas deliuerie by the prayers of Tecla to be authenticall seeme to affirme And as for the historie of Traians deliuerie by Saint Gregories prayers although it be impugned by some later authors yet the historie is to be seene painted in Saint Gregories Monasterie at Rome the which also the great Ignatian Salmeron acknowledgeth by which it is most manifest that the opinion teaching that damned soules in Hell might be holpen or eased by the prayers of some liuing seemed not so extrauagant and improbable in the Romane Church when time was by all which and much * Ciprian seemeth to shew how the commemoratâ—ue sacrifice was offered for martyrs in coÌ„memoration of them Cyprian epist 62. lib. 3. lib. 4. epist 5. in like sort Ciril speaketh in Cateches more that might be said to the same purpose the courteous Reader may obserue how one errour breedeth another to wit vncertaintie of estate of the soules departed vntill the day of iudgement prayers for them prayers for them Purgatorie fire Purgatorie fire requiem Masses and Purgatorie sacrifices for them and their fabulous Indulgences with such like errours There be many other things which I might iustly taxe in the Canon of their Masse as repugnant to all antiquitie and consequently not Apostolicall the dreadfull eleuation of the Sacrament not onely to be reuerenced as a Sacrament of God but to be adored and inuocated as the diuine Maiestie it selfe their carrying vp and downe the said Sacrament in their processions But as execrable rather then as inexcusable I doe abhominate that Papall custome and Nouell fashion of theirs by which they set the Sacrament vpon a white palfrey to be caried before their holinesses whithersoeuer they shall make their progresse to shew perhaps that they will be like the virginall Saints in heauen b Apoc. 14. who follow the Lambe wheresoe uer he goeth O mercifull Sauiour of mankind c Psal 118. tempus faciendi dissipauerunt legem tuam It is high time to doe they haue dissipated thy law in steede of thy diuine Maiestie they haue set vp a God dwelling in their tabernacles in their towers and call the same their God the God of fortitude the God of strength and insteed of that thy onely sacrifice of the Crosse daily honoured inuocated commemorated by thy faithfull Seruants the Chimericall and imaginarie reall carnall sacrifice of your selfe in bread and wine vpon their idolatrous Altars Open their eyes thou who art the onely Sacrifice oblation redemption and deliuerance of all mankinde by that oblation which thou diddest once make for vs all vpon the Crosse looke downe and consider how they abuse thy holy rite and institution which thy Maiestie appointed and all thy ancient Church receiued according as thy d Math. 28. Mark 14. Luke 22. 6. Paul 1 ad corinth 11. Euangelists and Apostle deliuered vnto them that all thy faithfull should receiue the Sacrament whole and intire in both kinds yet now c Conc. Trident. sess 21. comes the Tridentine Fathers and they do not only decree one kind to be enough but they also accurse and execrate they curse and thou wilt blesse all those who shall obserue and teach as necessarie thy institution and shall practise according as all the Prime and ancient Churches did and this their treacherie they will excuse by protesting take a Helen without an excuse so the TrideÌ„tine is named by Espencaus in his Commentarie vpon Titus that the ancient Church neuer vsed the Sacrament vnder both kinds out of opinion of necessity as though your holy institution your commandement deliuered and inculcated by the Apostles and Euangelists did not bind vnder necessitie But they will thus at their pleasures only like the f 2. Thess 2. Outlaw or lawlesse man by whom they were authorised for this described by your
the tyranny by which they denie The tenth Motive the indifferent reading of Gods holy Scriptures in the vulgar tongue is most inexcusable doubtlesse the cause is they do feare the taxing of their most manifest heresies even by the simplest I cannot blame them for their pollicie herein For manifest experience teacheth that wheresoever the word of God is translated into vulgar tongues and the same devoutly read there poperie still falles more or lesse an inuincible argument that the spirit wherewith the holy Scriptures were written worketh in the humble readers Haue ye forgotten ye Pontificians that the Iewish Church had the holy Scriptures written and read vnto them in their vulgar tongue why therefore shall the Christians of the new Testament be debarred of the vse of the same are not the holy Scriptures their riches their treasure and the cause of all consolaion to the devout readers why doe you not then permit vnto them the vse of that which is their owne but I must crie you mercie for the Scriptures are onely the treasure of the Romanes and onely as part of the Popes Patrimonie are at his disposing Would God also he would seriously peruse them and practise them for in them is his Religion condemned if you say they are abused by some of the simplest and that promiscous reading of them breedeth heresies alas alas as though the simple people were the Deuisers or Authors of many heresies how many heresies can you reckon deuised by such as vnderstood none of the learned tongues and what if some doe abuse the holy Scriptures so innumerable abuse pletures innumerable abuse confession to horrible and abominable proiects innumerable abuse your Masses and indulgences and what is there in the world which is more abused then the chaire of Peter it selfe which is so continually bought and sold What must wee away with it therefore and is there no abusing of your voluminous decrees decrees your decrotals extrauagants Clementines c I there no abuse of your Philosophicall learning in your Churches What must all things that are abused my our Church be removed if so doubtlesse you would have a single-souled religion for then away with the pictures of God the Father in the forme of an olde man which to my knowledge and experience hath possest many in this kingdom with the Anthropomorphitan conceive as thogh * In the same Pictures and many idle aparitions one I note in which it is expresly that when Ignatius eleuated the Host Christ apeared miraculously not in the Host but ouer the Host in certaine cloudes in the forme of a maÌ„ Apud Ribad God himselfe had limmes and true members may I not say that some of your Ignatianed with Ignatius were so perswaded in the u Ribadiuer lib. 1. cap. 7. pictures of whose life there is lately described how the misteries of the blessed Trinity was reuealed vnto him in which God the Father was portraited like an old Man with a Globe in his hand the holy Ghost drawne like a Doue and Christ Iesus with a Globe also in his hand O Vanities O horrible abuses O ye Ignatians is this the mystery of the most dreadfull Trinity reuealed to your holy and beatified Father Ignatius Doubtlesse the Deuill deluded him and if his Reuelations from Christ and Saint Peter and his Eleuations vp in the Aire proue no sounder they will proue but rotten and superstitious ware But to proceede if you feare seduction of your simpler Sheepe in reading of the Scriptures why are not your learned Priests more daily in them Why haue they no set Lectures vpon them Why are not your Diuines bound to study some Comments vpon them The true cause is your Spirits your Traditions which you must not leaue vnlesse you leaue Rome and her very word of God agree not together yet for a fashion forsooth the Scriptures must be read as in Rome and Spaine in your refectories when your Schollers are at Dinner and Supper and somwhere vpon full stomacks so full as short Commons can permit after Dinner and Supper in one of your Seminaries for it is not vsed in all and then they must heare some quarter of an hours commenting vpon some peece of scripture the study of one peece whereof requireth a mans life in which exercise how greatly your Priests profit one who lately came from your Famous Dowyan Seminary will liuely discouer It was my fortune lately to see and read a letter directed from this Priest out of the North vnto another Priest remaining in this house with me in which letter he excuseth himselfe with the other Priest his friend heere and defendeth as well as hee can himselfe from touch of inconstancy in friendship which the other had obiected vnto him vsing these and the like words doe not thinke good sir of me as though I were inconstant in my loue to you I am still the same according as the x Hebrews 13. Apostle saith Iesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for euer which application of Sacred Scipture when I read I could not but laugh heartily and I pittied withall the state of the English Seminaries and English Romane Catholikes for I was not then alienated from them in my heart and I thinke that whosoeuer shall reade this will easily obserue what a profound Scripture-Clerke he was many such like Clerkes there are in this Kingdome pardon mee Courteous Reader if I glaunce at one other who hath a good will for hee will forsooth preach commonly euery holy day in a certaine Cathedrall residence of his But his preaching is commonly out of the Legends forsooth or else out of the great looking glasse of examples for as for scripture he is so penurious that one day hearing of him preach vpon the Gospell of Christs tempting in the wildernesse he cited a sentence or two of that daies Gospell and both times broke Priscians head but he scandalized as I thinke Speculum magnum exemploris no mans head there being scarce one besides my self there who vnderstood Latine and such a good â—lde Harry perhaps y Math. 4. as did thinke that the Scripture might vse sometimes false Latine for a mysterie I would not glaunce at this mans insufficiency but that he is so * The Pontificall Spirit of this man you may gather by this being in a Vitling house vpon Tower Wharfe and ready to depart the land being banished with some nine other Priests he puts his Arme out of a window contrary to the liking of al his brethren publikely and Bishoplike hee blesses crosses all the people which caused shame in some loud laughter in others egregious a Champion against the Oath damning all that take it yea and not allowing confessions of those who haue gone to such Priests as allow it he is surely a very worthy Marchant to tell a fable to a Gentlewoman but inough heereof now all things haue their seasons But to conclude this my Motiue it
Ignatians will make outcries against such a man as would in any publike seruice pray but for the conuersion of their Soueraigne by them reputed an Heretike but to adde a prayer for his prosperitie or safeguard it were not sufferable but no more of this it toucheth to the quicke Yet God from whose knowledge nothing is hidde knoweth that this which I write is true c. I haue heard very crediblie of a superstitious Monke who hath often protested that hee will not by name in Masse pray for the conuersion of any one no not of his owne Father O hypocrisin blasphemam O more then most blasphemous hypocrisie damned Diues had in Hell greater charitie when by name and specially in what hee could hee desired and procured the saluation of his Brethren vpon earth Some one will reply perhaps and say that in speciall and by name they pray for all Iewes Infidels and Heretikes vpon Good-Friday I graunt it but heare withall that vpon Good-Friday they haue no Propitiatorie sacrifice offered which may bee polluted with publike prayers for the conuersion of Infidels and here by the way I maruaile what mysterie is in it that specially vpon that Anniuersarie day when Christ suffered they will haue no Propitiatorie sacrifice offered no receiuing of the Lordes Supper vsed in their Churches For some one of their Priests in euery Church receiuing and offering of Christ onely vnder the forme of bread doth not with them offer a perfect and proper sacrifice Christ forsooth must bee vnder both kindes else hee is not a perfect and proper Sacrifice according to the k Bellar. lib. recog pag. 85. where he citeth many for the same opinion Bellarminian doctrine Who detesteth not such fopperies the wise are caught in their wisedome Oh that they were rather conuerted then confounded Further what a maruaile that they who pretend to bee so zealous for conuersion of sinners that they willingly trauaile l Math. 23. ouer Sea and Land for that purpose and to make their Proselytes twofold more children of hell should bee so hypocritically pure that in that sacrifice which themselues make to bee the propitiation of the whole world there should not bee some commemoration had at least for the conuersion of such their Magistrates and Soueraignes whom they repute Heretikes The ancient Iewes and their holy Priests did pray in their publike sacrifices yea offered m 1. Mach. 12. 2. Mach. 3. Esdr 1. cap. 6. Baruch saepe publike sacrifices for such as were Aliens from the worship of the true God although ioyned in amitie with them as the Machabees doe expresly deliuer The ancient n Clemens l. 8. Constitut cap. 15 Ignat. epist ad Smir. Tertnll Apolog ad scapulaÌ„ cap. 2. Ambros Chrysost in hunc locuÌ„ Aug. Epist 59 alibi saepissime Prosp de vocatione Getium l 1. cap. 4. Chrysost hom 79 ad Pop. Antio l. 6. de Sacer. hom 77. in Ioh. homil de Adam Euaâ—â—iturg Iacob Basil Chrysost Some IgnatiaÌ„s to temper this vncharitable position so mince the matter that you may pray for increase of faith in that place where none but Heretikes are prouided that you doe not personat any So my Master in Rome Azor. aly Christians with their most religious Bishops praied publikely and offered sacrifice so saith Tertullian for the health and safetie of the Emperour and all antiquitie concurreth herein with ioynt approuance of publike praier for all If the Aduersarie reply and say such excommunicated persons such Infidels are not capable of any good from the sacrifice what not of conuersion not of repentance not of reconcilement apagesis is your sacrifice so weake that it is not potent and powerfull to doe any good that way yea but the Church hath forbid it for a correction of the excommunicated what for a correction of the Infidels also indeede your Church that is your Pope hath of later yeares since they put on tiphum secli secular pride haue forbid it but it was not so of old let vs aske our Fathers and they will tell vs it was not so of old bring out one ancient Father O yee Pontificians that ioyneth with you in this I am assured you cannot God forbid you could staine ancient Christian doctrine so farre as that it should forbid any publike praier to be vsed for the conuersion of Infidels Heretikes c. or for the temporall prosperitie and safetie of lawfull Soueraignes whatsoeuer by and from such Priests and Prelates as are their subiects The second Law HYpocriticall also and vaine is that custome and law by which they strictly forbid the eating of flesh vpon their appointed Fasts and yet permit and allow the drinking of wines of all sorts and in what quantitie it shal please with eating also of preserues and conserues of any kind marchpanes with spiced and sugred cakes only prouided there be no dramme of butter nor creame in them when they are vsed either in lent or vpon fasting-nights so that their fasts seeme to pinch and afflict only the poore whose purses reach not to dainties not the rich who may drinke wine till they surfet and yet not breake their Papisticall fast And whereas the Primitiue Christians in their solemne fasts according as the ancient Iewes fasted till night which custom continued a long time after o Caput solent de coÌ„secrat dist 2. Epiph. Haeres 80 Tertull. aduers Psychi c. 14. but was afterwards fully broken for aboue some 1000. yeares ago since when the time of eating vpon publike fasting daies beganne to bee vsed about three of the clocke in the afternoone from which custome they are now so farre degenerated that the Ignatianed Pontificians will most commonly preuent noone a whole houre and the precisest of them marke the superstition say it is enough to keepe the fast so that a man be in the middest of his repast iust at noone and now also the precisest fasters will haue their drinkings at night and almost all of them will eate either a good quantitie of bread with sweet meats with fruits or some kind of broth so that their fastings as they are now vsed are indeede meere mockeries I should say as they are commonly vsed and yet forsooth these men must be reputed the precise * The Pontificians who staÌ„d so strictly for their maÌ„ner of fasting I aske them why haue they brokeÌ„ the fast of the fourth sixth Ferie and Saterday in Rome which the ancient Romane Church held for a Tradition Apostolicall See Innocent 1 Epist ad Decent cap. Sabbato de coÌ„secrat dist 3. cap. Quia diâ—s distin 5. de consecrat Conc. Elibert Can 26. Clem. constit lib. 5. cap. 16. 19. vlt. Canon Apost Can. 68. Ignat. Epist. 3. ad Phill. Epiph. â—eres 80. 75. caput de esu carn dist 3. de consecrat Pene omnes antiqui Imitatours of the Apostles in their fasting and none reputed to fast but they no though they abstaine
for Traditions of which Traditions when it is also shewed out of the Fathers that they must also be tried by holy Scriptures will they heerein receiue the Fathers euen as before renounce all and runne to the present voice of their Church which Church is with them the Pope alone or Pope and his Cardinals Againe when all the Fathers that euer commented vpon the 14. of the first to the Corinthians with the authorities of many others bee produced to shew that the publike Church Liturgy ought to be in such a tongue as may be vnderstood by the assembly and for their edification will they heere accept of the Fathers Good God they fleet vp and downe like men in mases to finde some probable reasons for their barbarous seruices Againe when innumerable authorities of ancient Fathers are clearely produced for iustification by onely faith e Ad Gal. 5. which worketh by charity and against their Laterane Transubstantiation will they admit the Fathers Good God their subterfugies are innumerable either they will skippe ouer them and runne onely to the text of Scripture This is my body 〈◊〉 else they will expound all their sayings that 〈◊〉 still remaineth the natures of the creatures are not changed Christs flesh which was crucified is not in the Sacrament Christs flesh is present as in a Mystery as in a Sacrament as in a figure c. with infinite such like most expresse sentences They will I say so figuratiuely expound them all to shew that as they detest any figuratiue exposisition of the words of Scripture in this Sacrament so they themselues delight in nothing more then in figuratiue expounding most plaine sentences of the Fathers discoursing of this mysterie Againe when authorities of all the ancient Fathers that euer had occasion to entreat of the obedience of Subiects towards their naturall Princes and lawfull Soueraignes bee produced to shew that Christians ought to obey them g Ad Rom. 13. euen for conscience sake although they be persecutors of the Christian Religion and that they neuer vnderstood of the Imperiall Papall power ouer Kings and kingdomes which the Romane Bishoppes now assume to themselues will they heere strike saile and doe homage to the Fathers No God wot they flie out of the field and for the most part either they passe ouer the question with silence or else if they bee English and Ignatians or Ignatianed they fall to libelling and with namelesle Pamphlets labour continually to traduce Magistrates Gouernment Maiesty onely striuing by such a nouell Gospell to the Apologies of which they are ashamed to put their names to set vp the maiesty of the Romane Papall monarchy after destroying of the Romane Empire to ruinate such Kingdomes as were according to the predictions of holy Prophets to rise out of the Romane Empire vntill the times of malice bee 〈…〉 I iustly touch them heere for writing of 〈…〉 in defence of this Gospell to which bookes they are ashamed or else afraide to put their names wherein they shew themselues to bee right Parsonians and Ignatians or else deepely ignatianed Those infamous libels of stinking and prophane Pruritanus and the most blasphemous masked Polonian Exetasis against the maiesties glories and gouernments of these Kingdomes and expressely the most disloiall quipping in the Polonian Exetasis of Englands title P. W. The Corrector W. Pater Gib to France Who composed them Ignatians who diuulged them Ignatians and Ignatianed The vnsauory Pruritanus worthy to bee retorted into the Popes bosome but that the Maiesty of Gods Scripture may not bee abused who caused them to bee reprinted againe after that most of them were taken at the Venetian Embassadors Ignatians Who brought new store of them againe ouer into England Ignatians Who were so well pursed as to giue eight shillings apcece yea an angell for such a prophane Pamphlet comprised in a sheet or two of paper The Ignatianed and Brethren of the societie Who composed the late idle Pamphlet of the Puritan and Protestant Sister communing against the Oth of Allegiance A simple and silly Ignatian creature God wot Who was the Authour of the late bragging recapitulation in the title of which the namelesse Composer who as it is reputed resting in S. Iohns Mount should haue put P. W. to the end of the Pamphlet rather then H. I. promiseth a recapitulation together with a declaration but faileth in the latter for he declareth nothing only he recapitulateth a certaine learned booke as it is thought of Leonard Lessius the demonstrating Diuine which booke as yet appeareth not Some say the cause is that the Sorbone Doctours of Paris hearing of it haue written to Rome against the publishing of it to the Popes Holinesse for that say they France is not in a fit temper for such doctrines Others say the French Ignatians haue written vnto their Generall Aquauiua to haue the worke stopped because in this time when their credits are so shaken euery where for like pernicious doctrine it would greatly * That doctrine must not be allowed in France which poore English Recusants must maintaine with all vtter extremity manifest perdition of their soules hurt their cause This is done to saue the Ignatians skinnes whole and yet the poore English Recusants termed both in Italy and France the Popes Asses must beare the brunt of the Popes quarrell though it be to their vtter ruines I rather thinke the booke is kept in out of diffidence of their cause and that the Louanian societie of Ignatians will not permit their Diuine to enter into such an vnsound quarrell leauing it as they say for the English to defend and vndertake Alasse the good English like Asses must vndertake all and vndergoe all yet there was neuer people vpon earth who haue had worse successe with traiterous doctrines and conspiracies then they Againe who was the composer of the late Libel against me the which I neuer read to make my selfe merry therewith But I heartily also reioiced that I was found worthy to suffer contumely and disgracefull slanders for truths sake and for my Countries and Princes sake Some silly Saint-Omeristian boy for his Fathers the Ignatians who as it is reported made themselues oftentimes merie with the same at their recreations after their full meales whom I here leaue to the making of Libels stil if they hold that a fit course to support their desperate cause only giue me leaue Curteous Reader here with two or three particulars to shew how the young Ignatians like Crabs learne of the old like as to write namelesse bookes for their gospell so also to blaspheme maiesty and soueraigntie and to commend and engender disloyall spirits and to discommend and checke the naturall and loyall Some yeere agoe and as much as since Iuly last my selfe with diuers other Priests arriuing at S. Omers we heard there a certaine Ignatian preach vpon that j Matt. 7. text Beware of false Prophets c. In which his Sermon before the
us free by your behests From all the sinnes that vs restraine To whose commaunding subiect are Infirmittes and healthes of all Our ill disposed customes cure And vnto vertue vs recall Whose eyes are not shut if here he doe not plainlie obserue how they haue taken the glory of onelie Redeemershippe and Aduocacy from Christ and haue transferred it vpon his Creature how plaine is it that they beg those things from the Apostles which Christ onely doth giue and from whose onely hands we are to expect them to wit peace and saluation Vouchsafe O Christ to open their eyes that seeing they may see and be conuerted and thou O God heale them thou O God restore them to all vertues I should here declare somewhat how the Romane Church trauaileth to make her Religion to seeme and appeare magnificent pompous glorious by deuised shewes a fitte deuise indeed to draw the simple but wiser trauailers and indicious persons obseruing such artificiall and stagelike representations * Diuerse both noble and very worthy Gentlemen haue taken great offence at the Spanish Fopperies in their processions and haue been greatly confirmed to continue still in the single and sincere integrity of the reformed Churches gather another conclusion thereout to wit that their Religion is humane not diuine not agreeing to the true ancient Christian simplicity of Christs Church Do they think that their sumptuous carrying their God vp and downe streetes their publike incensing and adoring of it their deuising of many rich representations to set forth their solemnities will draw the wiser people of such couÌ„tries as are auerted from the Romance Church no God wot there is nothing more auerteth them then such open and heathenish-like kind of worshippes which were neuer dreamed of in ancient Churches nor commended by any ancient institution of any Gouernours of the same The Conclusion But I will make haste towardes the Conclusion of these my motiues yet before I end I am constrained for the satisfaction of others to shew with what conscience and reason I dare aduenture to leaue communion with that Church which is so famous and so conspicuous and which hath beene euer visible for so much as concerneth externall succession an outward kind of profession of many pointes of Christian Doctrme since Christs time as like continuing of succession can be shewed in the Churches of Hierusalem Alexandria c. It cannot be denied but that the Romane Church in the Apostles time was a pure and sound part of the Christian Catholike Church although in her very infancy shee was sliding if you beleeue Onuphrius which moued S. Peter to hasten and returne vnto her and although Onuphrius in annotatan Platmam in vitam Petri. a Euseb lib. 3. hist cap. 31. Eusebius relateth Egesippus to affirme that whilest the Apostles liued the Church was an immaculate Virgine and pure from errour but they being dead there did presently arise those who did impugne the Apostolicall truth notwithstanding these things I doubt not to say that the Romane Church continued long time found in all substantiall matters of Christian doctrine vntill humane Traditions beganne to entermixe themselues with religion instituted by diuine authority which then most apparantlie began when the Church came to enioy temporall peace and prosperity presently after the dayes of Constantine the Emperour in whose time and by whose donation poyson was powred into the Church as the b Vita Silaestri approbata life of Siluester Pope deliuereth of a certain Angelical voice pronouncing as much the operation of which poison shewed it self partly in effect in the time of Damasus when by reason of the competency and contention which was betwixt him and c Ammian Marcellia lib 27. cap. 2 Ra on in Annal. Vrsisine for the Romane See so much bloud was shed that I hope if d I Cortil 2. Marcellin ibid. Sâ—crates l. 2. ca. 11 affirmeth how the Bishop of Rome exalting themselus aboue the limits of Priesthood into temporall dominion contended for the Primcay ouer all other Churches Saint Pauls argument bee true the Romane Church was then very carnall oppressed with such grieuous contentions and not being in vnity of spirite thinking the same thing but hauing such horrible schismes amongst them and I doubt not to affirme but that Damasus more or lesse as hee was delighted according to the fashion of Romane Bishops with sumptuous attendance in his person so also more or lesse brought in sumptuous seruice and pompous ceremonies into the Church and this the Pontificians cannot deny if diuers thinges that bee in Damasus his Pontificall bee truly attributed to that Popes institution and collection which in sundry thinges I beleeue not but this Bishoppe is made a Saint in the Romane calender the Lord knowes for what vertue or when he was first fainted perhappes for his tumultuous entrance or pompuous conuersation in the chaire of Rome in which respect hee may be reputed in some degree the Protoparent of many his Successors These beginnings and entrances of corruption vanity into the Church of Rome obserued which in succeeding times and in ages after ages grew into most horrible grieuous prophanations by the subtlety of Satan whilest the Gouernours of the Churches g Math. 13. were a sleepe that is were lulled with temporall peace and prosperity I seriously first consider those Propheticall wordes of our h Luc. 13. Sauiour in which hee hath foretold that when hee should come he should hardly find faith vpon earth which defection from faith as it was to bee and generally to ouerwhelme the whole world before Christs second comming so who coulde long agoe precisely say when it was to beginne onely after-experience hath demonstrated it and doth tell vs that according to another Propheticall prediction of the most blessed 2 ad Thes 2. Apostle who hath expresly deliuered that this defection and Apostacy should bee when that man should sitte in the temple that is the Church at whose comming the Romane Empire should be taken out of the way and who should extoll himselfe sitting in the Temple aboue all that is called or worshipped as God vpon earth who should also in himselfe and by his followers worke wonders and miraculous prodigies bosting and bragging therein who should also Apostatat from the charity of truth that is from the iustifying faith in Christ Iesus onely that iustifying faith in Christ Iesus onely which is so much and so often commended in sacred Scripture who also should Apostatate from most Articles of Christian doctrine For vaine is that exposition of the Remists who would faine interprete this Apostasie of which the Apostle speaketh to bee from the Pope and from his Primacie and particular Romane Church vaine I say for who will say that a man might not iustly haue departed from the communion of such Popes as k Genehrard lib. 4 Chronol sâ—â—ulo 10. Baron ad aun 900. anno 908. Plaim in vita sapissime in Bonifa
courteous Reader how Bellarmine tra uaileth to defend this booke from contradiction Bellar de verb. Dei lib 1. c. 12. Iudiths booke in particular I cannot but meruaile how any one can thinke that the holy Ghost would euer approue that decking and trimming vp of her selfe for such an impure and luxurious proiect thereby to draw m Iud. 10. 12 Holofernes into an vnlawfull burning lust and concupiscence of her if so they will teach and affirme may I not heere charge their doctrine with affirming God to bee the approuer and Authour of sinne more iustlie then they charge Caluin therewith Was not that of the holy Ghost in n Rom 3. St. Paul law and right in Iudiths daies Non sunt facienda mala vt eueniant bona Things that are euill are not to bee done that good may come thereby Besides it is too too apparent that in the story there are some vntruths and vnreconcilable contradictions which are clearelie against the other sacred Scriptures And therefore by euident consequence it is to bee affirmed that the booke is Apocriphall and not of that vndoubted and certaine authority which holy Canonicall Scriptures haue by which onely Dogmata fidei articles of Faith are to bee decreed and tried as the ancient Church euer beleft from whose faith because faith must euer be the same no Christian can without hazard of Saluation depart Against the books of Machabees many particular and vnanswerable doubts might be produced I will content my selfe with two or three Doth not the Author of them I should say the abbreuiatour of Iasons larger history as himselfe p 2. Mach. 2. professeth to be against the faith and doctrine of vndoubted Scriptures approue and admire the fact of q 2. Mach. 14. Razias murthering himselfe doth he not craue pardon of the Reader if he haue not answerably to the condition of a good r 2. Mach. vlt. Historian behaued himselfe belike the holy Ghost who is not accustomed nor cannot acknowledge himselfe nor his Scribes to bee subiect to any humane errour in writing thus here left him but not aboue in the 12. Chapter of this Å¿ 2. Mach. 12 booke where he mentioneth prayers and sacrifices for the dead and yet this by the helpe of false fingers also and therefore he here not there craued pardon if he had not arightly performed his office Doubtlesse hee who will thinke the holy Ghost can craue pardon of man as though he might be subiect to errour hath little of the holy Ghosts grace in him Which things considered with diuers other impossibilities against the truth of historie I cannot be perswaded that t Lib. de Ciuit. Dei 18. c. 36. St. Austin and the Fathers of the Councell of Carthage did otherwise approue them to be read then as a probable historie contayning some good morall matter if reade with u Cont. GaudeÌ„t sobriety to vse St. Austens owne phrase but not as to receiue them into the Canon of sacred Scripture of Gods word And if St. Austen may not bee thought to contradict himselfe within the compasse of halfe a dozen of lines some Manuscriber hath egregiously corrupted him for x Aug. lib. 18. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 36. first hee seemeth clearly and absolutely to affirme that they are not Canonicall and proueth thereupon a truth vpon which hee there discourseth and presently he is made to say thus that although the Iewes receiue not the Machabees into Canon yet the Church of Christ receiueth them but who smelleth not false fingers here especially if infinite like forgeries of Manuscribers be obserued Further I am more confirmed in my iudgement against these bookes because y Dist 15. cap. Sancta Romana Gelasius a Pope of Rome before any greater corruptions had deeply tainted that Church did with a whole Synode in Rome recounting a Canon of the Apostles for the same purpose exclude the Machabees out of the Canon of holy Scriptures and although the Canon beginning Sancta Romana c. in which this exclusion was be now so maymed and mangled that no man can iustly say this part or line of it is sound yet z Anton. 3. part summ l. 18. c. 6. Antonine Archbishop of Florence and a Saint in their Church confesseth that he himselfe had read the exclusion of these bookes out of Canon of Scripture in that decree of Gelasius and according to the Canon of the Apostles there mentioned All these things concurring out of Antiquitie and the vndoubted Churches of Christ with the authority also of some learned Pontificians their later Doctors and that of a Tertull. lib. de praescript Tertullian euer taking place in Christs Church Quod antiquissimum verissimum that which is most ancient is most true What may bee thought of that b Conc. Trident. Sess 4. congregation at Trent who hath giuen equal authority to them with the vndoubted word of God and haue accursed with their idle Anatheme all those who shall with the ancient Church of the Iewes the Nicene Councell which St. Gregorie esteemed as the Gospell with the I aodicene reuerend Fathers and almost all other ancient Fathers reiect them as Apocriphaâ—l Doubtlesse the curse of God against the idle curses of men may be iustly giuen vnto them who c Apocal. vlt. haue added the word of man to his word and haue made the word of man equall with his most infallible and inuiolable word d Iud. Epist Imperet illis Dominus The Lord God reproue them It is not possible if these men had esteemed of the vndoubted Scriptures as all the e Aug Epist 71 ad Marcell in prolog lib 3. de Trin. Epist 1â—1 Ep 166. ad Dâ—natist 〈◊〉 Epist 62 Basil 〈◊〉 de si de 〈◊〉 me Chrysost in opere imâ—â—rfect homâ—lia 49. ancient Fathers did who euer required the writings of all men to be examined and tryed by the certaine word of God they would neuer haue coupled humane authority with diuine and haue equalized them in one degree of truth but they may bee excused in dealing so warily and politikely herein for their desperate cause of Porgatorie fire praier for the dead c. otherwise would to the ground with many like of their superstitious trumperies The third Motiue BEsides the corrupting of the true rule of faith by adding the Apocriphall bookes they haue also depraued the same f Conc. Trident. Sess 4. rule by their vnwritten Traditions Anathematizing all who shall refuse or disesteeme the same Traditions and not hold them in equall reputation with Gods most vndoubted word This rule of Traditions they hold to bee an vnwritten Deposit left in the Romane Church and kept inuiolably by her vntill these times which if they can shew what good Christian is there who wil not with reuerenced esteeme receiue or commend whatsoeuer those most irreprehensible Founders of the Church haue deliuered either concerning faith or Church discipline But I must tell them