THOMAS BELS MOTIVES CONCERNING ROMISH FAITH AND RELIGION Exod. cap. 8. vers 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Printed by Iohn Legate printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1593. And are to be sold at the signe of the Sunne in Paules Churchyard in London TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY very good Lordes the Lordes of her MaIESTIES MOST HONOVRABLE PRIVIE COVNSELL IF Tertullian right honourable erred montanizing if Cyprian rebaptizing if Origen corporizing if Nazianzen angelizing if Eusebius arrianizing if Hieronymus monogamizing if Ambrose millenizing if S. Paul gentilizing if Augustine retracted many things if Aquinas Navarrus Victoria and many others best learned papists haue often changed their opinions if all this I say be true as true it is indeed it will not I trust for it can not iustly I wote be imputed as blame-worthy that I vpon better advise submit my selfe to my vndoubted Soveraigne most gracious and bountifull Queene Elizabetb that I recognize mine errours that Ireclaime my former vnsoundly conceived opinions as best learned writers have done before me Which alteration he hath mercifully and wonderfully wrought in me qui attingit à fine ad finem fortiter disponit omnia suaviter Our mercifull God I meane who hath of late revealed in time that which in his eternall purpose he ordained before the worlde was made For our good God who according to his common course of proceeding directeth things inferiour by superiour and vseth humane meanes in producing visible externall effects first inclined my heart to peruse more seriously some learned papists before studied and that done to provide and revolve other most renowmed papists which before I had neither read nor seene By meanes whereof God illuminating mine vnderstanding I haue by litle and little perceived the popes owne doctours to impugne his Romish religion and so detested all popish faction As who at this houre God be thanked for it beholde as in a glasse of christall the false erroneous and execrable doctrine of the Church of Rome And because omne bonum est sui diffusivum as saith Areopagita neither can I with safe conscience hide that light vnder abushell which God of his great mercy hath bestowedon me no doubt as well for the benefite of others as of my selfe I haue thought it worth the labour to set downe my chiefest motives by which and through which next vnder God I was perswade to renounce the Romish faith and religion as who per swade my selfe constantly that what soever papist in the whole world shall with an indifferent iudgement peruse the same having are solved mind to embrace the truth when it appeareth that selfe same papist will vtterly renounce with me the false erroneous execrable doctrine of the Church of Rome For I will proove the saide Romish doctrine by Gods holy assistance to be of such qualitie as is already said not onely by scriptures authorities and reasons though such proofes I purpose to vse but which is most forceable against papistes by the evident testimonies of best learned papists and who are of best account even in the Church of Rome And consequently that great learned men of all ages since popery began yea in the very altitude of popedome and in the Church of Rome have approoved holden and defended weighty and important points of doctrine contrary to the doctrine of the Church of Rome Which thing so soone as I once vnderstood my mind and will was by and by alienated from the Church of Rome This rare methodicall discourse my right honourable good Lordes all as in which papistry is effectually confuted and confounded by papistry it selfe I have presumed to dedicate vnto your honours for two especiall consider ations First that so I might exhibite some signe of a gratefull and dutifull mind for your Lordships most honourable countenances and rare great good willes towards me Secondly because this my discourse will not want many potent and mightie adversaries and so stand need of honourable wise and grave patrons for the honest and lawfull approbation of the same The Almighty graunt vnto your Lordships many ioyfull and happy yeres with much increase of zeale in true religion to his eternall glory the faithfull service of her Maiestie and the common good of our native countrey most noble England Amen From Cambridge the third of November 1593. Your Lordships in all dutifull manner THOMAS BELL. The Preface generall to the Christian Reader ALbeit I will not now dispute whether the Bishops of Rome be that Antichrist of whome the Apostle speaketh to the Thessalonians or no notwithstanding the affirmative be the iudgement of sundry great learned men yet dare I and doe I boldly avouch that Bishops of Rome have for many yeres past bene the precursors and fore-runners of that very Antichrist whereof mention is alreadie made which to hold and thinke many weightie and important reasons have mooved me For first who but Antichrist or his precursor will either ascribe or suffer to be ascribed unto him such power of maiestie and titles of Deietic as are proper and peculiar to God aloue And yet is this to be verified of the pope undoubtedlie by the popes owne doctrine and his popish doctors The pope if we will beleeve him telleth us that God when he instituted two great lights in the firmament to wit the Sunne and the Moone signified thereby the autoritie of popes and of kings giving us to understand that the pope is as farre above a king in authoritie as is the Sunne above the Moone in excellencie yea he addeth further that Kings and Emperors have no power to draw the sword against popish bishops priestes as who forsooth are not subiect to their iurisdiction And least I should be thought to father untruthes upon the pope I will which is my wonted manner throughout my whole booke alledge his owne wordes which are these Ad firmamentum coeli hoc est universalis ecclesiae fecit Deus duo magna luminaria id est duas instituit dignitates quae sunt Pontificalis autoritas Regalis potestas sed illa quae praeest diebus id est spiritualibus maior est quae vero carnalibus minor ut quanta est inter solem lunam tanta inter Pontifices Reges differentia cognoscatur To the firmament of heaven that is of the universall Church God made two great lightes to wit ordeined two great dignities which are the authoritie of the Pope and the power of the King but that power which ruleth spiritual things is greater and that which ruleth things carnal is lesser that so great difference may be knowen betweene Popes and kings as is betweene the sunne and the moone The popish glosse in the same place setteth downe precisely how farre the King is inferiour to the Pope in these words Restat ut Pontificalis dignitas quadragesies septies sit maior regali dignitate It therefore remaineth that the pontificality of the Pope is seven fourtie
of the Church all the Churches of Asia together with others adioyning and very bitterly inveigheth against them by his letters Which fact of Victor Irenaeus and other Bishops sharpely reprooved in their letters to the said Victor Which thing Ruffinus plainely testifieth in these words Sed hoc non omnibus placebat Episcopis quin potius è contrario scribentes ei iubebant vt magis quae pacis sunt ageret concordiae atque vnanimitati studeret denique extant ipsorum literae quibus asperius obiurgant victorem velut invtiliter ecclesiae commodis consulentem Yet this his dealing pleased not all Bishops but contrariwise they wrote vnto him bidding him to practise rather that belonged to peace and to studie for concord and vnitie Finally their letters are also extant in the which they sharpely chide Victor as one that respected vnprofitably the good of the Church Thus saith Ruffinus In like manner though with more modestie dissented Anicetus an other bishop of Rome from S. Polycarpe bishop of Smyrna Of which variance thus writeth Eusebius Neque tamen Anicetus Polycarpo poterat persuadere vt suum observandi morem deponeret neque Polycarpus Aniceto persuasit vt consuetudinem Asiaticam vllo modo observaret Neither could Polycarpus perswade Anicetus to keepe the custome and tradition of Asia Now gentle Reader what neede more to be said for the vncertentie of traditions 1 For first these Bishops that thought thus diversly of traditions lived within one hundred yeeres of Christ at what time the Church was in good estate and stained with very few or no corruptions at all 2 Secondly the one side doubtles was seduced with false traditions 3 Thirdly S. Polycarpe and other holy bishops of that age made no more account of the bishop of Rome his opinion or authoritie then of an other mans 4 Fourthly they were so farre from acknowledging him to be the supreame head of the Church that they all reputed them selves his equals and controlled him as sharply for his doctrine as S. Paul reprooved S. Peter for his conversation 5 Fiftly if S. Polycarpe had cause in his time beeing the flourishing age of the Church to doubt of Romish traditions much more have we cause in these latter daies to stand in doubt thereof For now hath iniquitie the vpper hande nowe are corruptions more frequent no we doe errours in every place more abound Let vs therefore follow S. Augustines advise let vs admit nothing rashly let vs examine all doubtfull traditions and doctrines by the touchstone of veritie the holy Scriptures And least any man thinke S. Augustine to be of another minde these are his owne expresse wordes Non audiamus haec dico haec dicis sed audiamus haec dicit dominus sunt certe libri dominici quorum ant horitati vtrique consentimus vtrique credimus vtrique servimus ibi quaeramus ecclesiam ibi discutiamus causam nostram Let vs not heare I say this thou saiest that but let vs heare this saith the Lord for our Lord hath bookes whose authoritie we both admit we both beleeve we both obey let vs there seeke the Church let vs there decide our cause But what neede many words For either popish vnwritten traditions are repugnant to the Scriptures or consonant to the same If they be repugnant then is there great reason to reiect them if they be consonant that must be tried by comparing them to the Scriptures which is the conclusion I defend But the Papists perceiving them selves to be convinced by the Scriptures tell vs plainly that they must have their cause tried by other meanes For so writeth my L. of Rochester in these expresse tearmes Contendentibus itaque nobiscum haereiic is nos alio subsidio nostram oportet tueri causam quam Scripturae sacrae When therefore heretikes he meaneth all not Papists dispute with vs we must vse other helpe in defense of our cause then the Scripture Loe they dare not be tryed by the Scripture Which if a papist had not spoken who would haue beleeved it The Corollarie FIrst therefore since the written Word conteineth in it selfe every thing necessarie for our salvation secondly since no traditions are to be admitted but such as are consonant to the holy Scripture thirdly since Papists load vs with huge numbers of traditions without warrant of the written word fourthly since popish traditions were in old time most doubtfull and vncerten I conclude that it is a sufficient motive for me to renounce the Romish religion as false erroneous and pernicious doctrine Thus much of the ninth Motive CHAP. ix Of Popish auricular confession ALthough popish doctours doe wonderfully magnifie their auricular confession perswading the vulgar sort that they can not attaine salvation without the same yet is it in deede a meere invention of man the bitter torment of conscience and the readie way to desperation For manifest probation whereof I proceede in this manner The first Conclusion ALL Christians must confesse their sinnes to God with internall contrition of heart with full purpose to amend their lives and with stedfast hope of remission by the mercie of God through the merites of Christ his Sonne our sweete redeemer Of this kinde of confession the Scripture speaketh abundantly Delictum meum cognitum tibi feci iniustitiam meam non abscondi dixi confitebor adversum me iniustitiam meam domino tu remisisti impietatem peccati mei I have made my sinne knowne vnto thee and mine iniustice I have not hid I said I will confesse to the Lord my iniustice against my selfe and thou hast forgiven the impietie of my sinne Qui abscondit scelera sua non dirigetur quiautem confessus fuerit reliquerit ea misericordiam consequetur He that hideth his offenses shall not be directed but who shall confesse and forsake his sinnes shall attaine mercie Sidixerimus quoniā peccatum non habemus ipsi nos seducimus veritas in nobis non est si confiteamur peccata nostra fidelis est iustus vt remittat nobis peccata nostra If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs but if we confesse our sinnes c. That this confession must be ioyned with hope of remission S. Chrysostome teacheth in these words Quid proderunt lachrymae confessio sinulla adsit abolitionis fiducia What shal teares confession availe if there be no hope of forgivenes And that we must adde herevnto amendment of life S. Hilarie teacheth vs when he saith Quid aliud est confessio erroris quam confessio desinendi ab errore What other thing is the confession of errour then to confesse that we will forsake errour So then when we be wayle our sinnes confesse them and purpose to amend our former lives with stedfast hope of Gods mercie through attonement made in Christes bloode wee shall doubtlesse have remission of our sinnes Then though our
estimation in that their Latine vulgata edition vvhich their tridentine councell hath most straitlie charged all chistendome to observe as all papistes now a daies repute the same a stable bulwarke for their purgatorie the wordes are these sancta ergo salubris est cogitatio pro defunctis exorare vt à peccatis solvantur it is therefore a good and godlie consideration to pray for the dead that they may bee cleansed from their sinnes these wordes are so plaine and so easie as not onelie the vvhole church but my lord Bishop yea and euerie scholer that but meanlie knoweth the latine tongue must needes vnderstand the same And consequentlie must needes knovv purgatorie by them if hee can vse anie discourse at all as my lord of Rochester could doe right well vpon these observations then I inferre first that the church of Rome not knowing purgatorie for manie yeares after she had received the scriptures in which purgatorie was so plainlie and effectuallie conteined as they now graunt did not repute the bookes of Machabees for canonicall scriptures and consequentlie did not beleeue purgatorie mentioned therein For this indeed is most true of the old and good church of Rome as Roffensis hath proved against his vvill I inferre secondlie that the church of God never had or can haue other scriptures or other faith then the apostles had and beleeved in their time For the latter church neuer had nor ever shall haue authoritie to coine anie new scriptures or nevv faith The church of Rome therefore taught most wicked doctrine in my L. Bishops time vvhich he well perceiued and acknowledged in his ovvne conscience or els was in that point infatuated become a verie foole according to this saying of the Gospel Confiteor tibi pater domine coeli terrae quia abscondisti haec à sapientibus prudentibus revelasti ea parvulis I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and reuealed them vnto babes The 8. Preamble ALbeit the papistes doe reproue others bitterlie when they reiect some authotities though vpon important and grounded reasons yet themselves with all libertie reiect contemne authorities at their pleasures They reiect the fourth booke of Esaias as Bellarminus confesseth They reiect the last clause of the Lords praier as Arius Montanus witnesseth They reiect the 65. canon of the Apostles as graunteth Bellarminus in these wordes Respondeo canonem istum supposititium videri solum n. quinquaginta canones apostolorum ecclesia recipit I answere that this canon is a counterfaite for the church of Rome receiveth onelie 50. canons of the apostles Marke gentle reader that this canon reproveth the practise of the Church of Rome and so the church si dijs placet will not receiue it They reiect the sixt generall councell because forsooth it prescribeth limits to the bishop of Rome and denieth his vsurped iurisdiction That they reiect this solemne and vniuersall councel Bellarminus auoucheth stoutlie but pope Adrian reputed a most graue vvriter by the learned papists received and reverenced the said councell for these are his vvords cited in their ovvne canon lavve Sextam synodum sanctā cum om nibus canonibus suis recipio I receiue the sixt holie synode vvith all the canons thereof Loe the Pope himselfe and their ovvne canon lavv confirme this councel to be of good autoritie Reade the next chapter in the said canon lavy for there is large matter vttered for the approbation of the same They reiect that part of the councell of Constance vvhich Pope Martin vvould not allovv And vvhy vvould not hee allovv that part as vvell as he approued the other parts because for sooth it denieth the Popes authoritie to be aboue the councel but because I vvill not rip vp popish licentious libertie to the bottome I vvill rest vvith recitall of that onelie libertie vvhich Bellarminus vseth in defense of popish masse these are his vvordes Porro epistolae duae quae circumferuntur de hac re Damasi ad Hieronymum Hieronymi ad Damasum supposititiae sunt Furthermore the tvvo epistles vvhich are carried about of Damasus to Hierome and of Hierome to Damasus are counterfaite But the absurdest Epistles Canons and vvritinges that euer vvere or can be are verie authentical vvith them and most currant so they make for our holie father the pope his vsurped iurisdiction For proofe of this point I vvil content my selfe vvith tvvo examples for brevitie sake For by them and the disproofe thereof the reader may haue a sufficient coniecture of the rest The former example is taken out of S. Clements epistle to S. Iames. in this and the other epistles follovving put forth in the name of S. Clement is commended vnto vs auricular confession the sacrifice of the masse the subiection of kinges to bishops the primacie of S. Peter and such like for vvhich respectes the said epistles are currant and authenticall amongst the papistes but magna est veritas praevalet great is the truth and it preuaileth for the verie vvordes of the epistle betray and bevvray the same and make it manifest vnto all the world that it is a counterfait These therefore are the vvordes Clemens Iacobo domino episcopo episcoporum regenti Hebraeorum sanctam ecclesiam Hirosolymis sed omnes ecclesias quae vbique Dei providētia fundatae sunt cum patribus diaconibus caeteris omnibus patribus pax tibi sit semper Clement to lord Iames the bishop of bishops that governeth the holy church of the Hebrevves at Hierusalem as also that governeth all churches founded by Gods providēce throughout the vvorld vvith the fathers and deacons and all other fathers peace be to thee alvvaie Novv gentle reader thou hast heard the vvords and so beholdest no doubt the vanitie thereof for if S. Iames vvere not only bishop of Hierusalem but the bishop of bishops and the governor of all Churches in the christian vvorld as this epistle affirmeth then doubtles vvas S. Iames the pope and supreme head of the church not S. Peter and yet doth the selfe same epistle avouch that S. Peter vvas the head of the church and that S. Peter lying sicke in his bed called S. Clement vnto him and told him that his houre of death vvas at hand and that therefore he appointed the said Clement to be his successour and to sit in his chaire at Rome But S. Iames succeeded Christ himselfe at Hierusalem vvho vvas indeede the head of holie Church and therefore S. Iames should rather be Pope then S. Clement if there vvere indeed anie such pope at all the latter example is taken out of that vvorke vvhich is fathered vpon S. Augustine of true and false repentance vvhich booke because it seemeth to approove confession of sinnes to priests is good and authenticall vvith papistes but as God vvould haue it the selfe
his written disputations abridged by Robert Persons his brother Iesuite defendeth and approoveth another opinion plaine opposite to all yet rehearsed and maketh in deede the Popes pardons not woorth a button which is the cause as I probably coniecture that the third and last part of his disputations is not permitted as yet to come abroade and either will never be published or wholly omitted or at least changed before it come abroad The Councell of Trent speaketh very slenderly and coldly of the Popes pardons The third Conclusion TO give pardons as the Pope doeth is a straunge and newe doctrine of a most damnable Religion which neither Christ nor his Apostles ever taught or practised This I will proove as I doe other things by the expresse testimonies of the Popes owne renowmed Doctors that so all the worlde may perceive and beholde Papistrie confuted and confounded by papistrie it selfe Sylvester reputed and as it were surnamed absolutus Theologus hath these verie wordes Indulgentia nobis per Scripturam minimè innotuit licet inducatur illud Apostoli si quid donavi vobis sednec per dicta antiquorum Doctorum sed modernorum The Popes pardons saith the Popes owne deare Doctor were never knowen to us by the Scriptures although some alleadge Saint Paul for that purpose neither were they knowen by the auncient Fathers but onely by late writers Antoninus in his first part hath the verie wordes alreadie cited and holdeth the selfe same opinion with fryer Sylvester Petrus Lombardus who with great diligence collected into one volume all worthie sentences of the auncient fathers and therefore was surnamed the Master of sentences maketh no mention of the Popes pardons at all as which he could not finde notwithstanding his painefull industrie imployed in that kinde of exercise For as Sylvester truly writeth the olde writers were not acquainted with any such thing The like may be said of S Cyprian S. Augustine S. Hierome Nazianzene and others of antiquitie for which cause Durand Caietain and sundrie other schoolemen affirme the popes manner of pardoning to be a newe thing in the Church of God Neither can Dominicus Soto deny the same indeede albeit he busieth him selfe more then a little in the Popes defence if it would be Yea the originall of popish pardoning is so very young as their famous martyr and bishop M. Fisher in his aunswere to M. Luthers articles was enforced to admit the newnesse and young age of the same and to yeeld this reason in defence thereof to wit that purgatorie was not so well knowne at that time to the Church as it is nowe which saying I weene is true indeede because purgatorie and pardous were not heard of in olde time and nowe onely knowen by vaine grosse and sensuall imaginations O worthie pardons O brave purgatorie O holy pope of Rome what stronge reasons what forcible arguments what grave authorities are alleadged in your behalfe Let us heare with attention the finall resolution hereof set down by Sylvester and Antoninus for their holy father the pope Quia inquiunt Ecclesia hoc facit servat credendum est ita esse Because the Church this doeth and thus observeth we must beleeve that it is so Loe a short and sweete conclusion as if they should say though we can proove the popes pardons neither by Scriptures nor by fathers nor by reasons yet must we beleeve them because the Church that is the pope saith so who can not erre which saying gentle Reader both hath bene and is the sole and onely foundation of all notorious Papistry The 4. Conclusion THE Popes manner of pardoning argueth aswell inordinate affection of filthie lucre as also want of charitie His want of charitie is prooved and convinced in that he can deliver as his religion teacheth all soules out of purgatorie with his word and neverthelesse suffereth them to abide most bitter torments so many yeeres in that affliction For the papistes holde that the paines of purgatorie are as great and painefull as be the torments of hell and that they differ accidentally in this only because the paines of purgatorie shall once have an ende but the paines of hell never Thus writeth Sylvester Prieras Sicut potest Papa liberare à poena peccatorum debita in hoc mundo omnes qui sunt in mundo si faciant quod mandat etiamsi essent millies plures quà m sunt it a liberare potest omnes qui sunt in purgatorio siquis pro eis faciat quod iubet As the Pope can deliver al in this world from paine due for sinne in this world if they doe that which he appointeth though they were thousands more then they be even so can he deliver all that are in purgatorie if any doe that for them which he commandeth and lest any man should thinke that impossible or a verie difficult matter which the Pope requireth to be done Sylvester in another place telleth us that it is a thing most easie These be his wordes Indulgentiae simplicitèr tantum valent quantum praedicantur modò exparte dantis sit autoritas ex parte recipientis charitas ex parte causae pietas Pardons are simply worth so much as they are preached so there be autoritie in the giver charity in the receiver piety in the cause or motive But so it is that the souls in purgatory be in charity by popish confession for else they could not be out of hel and that the pope hath authoritie as also that he graunteth his Pardons for good and godly causes I suppose no Papist will denie if they doe my argument is the stronger and my selfe shall easily agree there to Bartholomaeus Fumus confirmeth this point when he thus writeth Papa posset liberare omnes animas Purgatorij etiamsiplures essent si quis pro eis faceret quod iuberet peccaret tamen indiscretè concedendo The Pope could set at libertie all the soules of Purgatorie though never so many if any would doe that for them which he appointed marrie he should sinne by his undiscreete pardoning And the popish schole-doctor Viguerius proceedeth further and avowcheth it to be neither inconvenient nor against the justice of God these are his expresse wordes Nec est inconveniens quòd Papa Purgatorium posset evacuare non enim per hoc aliquid detraheretur Divinae iustitiae Neither is it inconvenient that the Pope can harrowe hell for that doeth nothing derogate from the iustice of God Nowe to say that he can this doe but yet doeth it not to keepe him selfe from sinne is altogether vaine and frivolous For first he should no more sinne in delivering all then he doeth in setting one onely at libertie as is alreadie prooved by Sylvester and Viguerius Againe plenarie Pardons are so common at the houre of death as none that either have friendes or money are or can be destitute thereof which yet is a poynt more undiscreete then the other by their owne
doctrine Thirdly the three condicions required for the legitimation of Popish Pardoning concurre as sweetely in delivering all together ioyntly as in delivering one by one severallie His inordinate affection of lucre is convinced in this that albeit he can with one onely pardon set open the gates of Purgatorie and so set all the prisoners at libertie yet will he not extend that compassion to them but taketh this course with them that they shall appoint Pia Legata by their last willes and testaments for Masses Diriges and Trentals to be said yeerely or rather perpetually if their abilitie will extend so farre with which Masses Diriges and Trentals his pardons shall concurre and so deliver them by discretion By reason of which ungodly pollicie we may this day behold with our eyes so many altars erected so many Churches sumptuouslie decked so many Priestes richly maintained especially in Saint Gregories Church at Rome For which Masses Diriges and Trentals huge summes of money are given daily yeerely perpetually not for the Masses formallie concedo but yet formally for the Priestes paines and materially for the Masses constanter assero The 5 Conclusion THE foundation of the Popes pardons is wicked blasphemous and derogatorie to the most pretious blood of Christ shed for mans redemption This is the proofe of this conclusion the Pope and many of his popish Doctors tell us that the foundation of their popish pardons is this Thesaurus meritorum Christi Sanctorum eius the treasure of the merites of Christ and of his Saintes For say they not onely Christ but many of his Saintes also suffered much more then was due for their owne sinnes which workes of supererogation or satisfactions they call the treasure of the Church and because say they Gods Saintes did not applie those their superaboundant passions to this or that person the Pope therefore must make application thereof at his pleasure as one that hath Christes full authoritie or plenitudinem potestatis being his Vicar generall upon earth And here note by the way gentle Reader that for the execution of this Vicars office there be ever in Rome two Vicars generall and one substitute Vicar whereof two neither preach teach or execute any priestly function usuallie but the poore substitute must doe all that is done So in my time Gregorie the foureteenth was Vicar generall to Christ si dijs placet Cardinall Sabello Vicar-generall to Gregorie and our Goldwell sometime Bishoppe of Saint Assaph substitute to Sabello which poore Bishoppe tooke all the paine and had the least gaine For it is not the usuall maner of Popes and Cardinals in these latter dayes to say Masse to preach to teach and so foorth I speake of Cardinals resiant at Rome but to joyne living to living benefice to benefice promotion to promotion and which is more absurd in their owne religion to be so lordly Abbots or rather so idle Lubbards that they will take and snatch all the commodities of the whole Abbeyes unto themselves and neither graunt sufficient foode and rayment for the Monkes nor competent allovvance for the necessarie maintenance of the house it selfe for their Masse Mattins and service Such is their charitie to their neighbors zeale to their office reverence to their own religion This is also true as if any Papist wil deny the same his owne breath will witnesse against him For to omit others S. Laurence and S. Pancratius their Abbeyes and Churches are so poore and beggerly through the pilling and polling of Cardinals their Abbots that when priestes come thither to say Masse as the usuall manner there is they can neither finde wine nor candles without money which default when any one obiecteth as a disgrace to their profession and Religion the poore Monkes answere in this manner Alas we can not doe withall my L. Cardinall hath all the living and alloweth us a small portion not able to fill our bellyes But to leave this digression and to returne to the scope and matter in hand this foundation of pardons to be the superaboundant merits and satisfactions not onely of Christ but of his Saintes also holdeth Thomas Aquinas Dominicus Soto Sylvester Pryeras Antoninus and others Sylvester hath these wordes Ratio quare valere possunt indulgentiae est unitas corporis mystici in qua multi supererogaverunt admen suram debitooum suorum multas tribulationes iniustè sustinuerunt patientèr per quas multitudo poenarum poterat expiari sieis deberetur quorum meritorum tantaest copia quòd omnem poenam debitam nunc viventibus excedunt praecipue propter meritum Christi The cause that pardons are of force is the unitie of the mysticall bodie in which many have supererogated in the workes of penance to the measure of their owne demerits and have sustained patiently many uniust tribulations through which the multitude of paines might be purged if it were due unto them of whose merites there is such plentie that they exceede all paine due for those that nowe be living and especially for the merite of Christ. This is the testimonie of Sylvester and Aquinas their angelicall Doctor proceedeth further and sayeth thus Christus poterat relaxare ergo Paulus potuit ergo Papa potest qui non est minoris potestatis in Ecclesia quà m Paulus fuit Christ could pardon therefore Paul could pardon therefore the Pope also can pardon as who is of no meaner authoritie in the Church then Paul him selfe was So then à primo ad ultimum by Aquinas his doctrine the Pope can doe as much as Christ. He can make the deafe to heare the dumbe to speake the lame to walke the blinde to see and the dead to arise to life which I must first see before I beleeve it howsoever their holy Aquinas write and yet should this follow necessarily if Aquinas his reason were good And doubtlesse this which Aquinas here attributeth to the Pope is not farre from the peculiar marke of Antichrist but I will not nowe stande upon that point VVe see evidently the foundation of Popish pardons confessed by the best learned Romish doctors which manner of establishing popish pardons to be blasphemous and derogatorie to the blood of Christ I proove many and sundrie wayes First by the testimonie of holy writte Advocatum habemus apud Patrem Iesum Christum iustum ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris VVe have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiation for our sinnes And as it is said more significantly in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is the attonement and reconciliation for our sinnes it is he through whome we are accepted of God Of him onely saide the voyce from heaven This is my beloved Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whome I am well pleased Againe Si autem in luce ambulemus sicut ipse est in luce societatem habemus ad invicem sanguis Iesu Christi
purgatorie and yet by vvay of suffrage no such thing can bee assured no more then vvhen an other devoute papist shall offer vp his prayers for them vvhich thing seemed so to trouble Bellarminus that in his written dictates hee knovveth not vvell vvhat to holde or vvrite concerning romish pardons Thirdly because the pope can not applie Christs satisfaction more effectuallie to them by his pardoning then the same is applied to them by the saying of masse as vvhich by popish religion is the selfe same sacrifice reallie that vvas offered vpon the crosse and yet doth no papist saye or thinke that our saying of masse can or vvil deliuer his friends soule from purgatory For othervvise there vvould not be so many masses said so many times for the selfe same persons as hath beene and is daily seen amongst the papists For to this end doe they celebrate and obserue yerely anniuersaries for soules departed 10. 20. 30. 40. 60. yeares before vvhich the pope cardinals and monkes had taught the people to frequent as most necessarie for their friends soules in purgatorie Fourthly because it cannot be proued that after God hath pardoned our sinnes and the eternall paine due for the same there still remaineth some temporal paine remissible by the popes pardons Fiftly because al the three thinges required of papistes in popish pardoning are most firm certaine and readie in the soules of purgatorie to vvit auctoritie in thhe giuer charitie in the receiuer and the cause of pietie For first the soules of purgatorie bee in charitie as all papistes confesse as vvho othervvise could neuer be saued 2 Secondly it is mere crueltie not to helpe the faithful in such vvofull case Thirdlie if they denie the popes auctoritie I vvill vvillinglie denie it vvith them though he accurse me as hee hath alreadie done for my paines For I nothing doubt but God of his great mercie vvill conuert his curse to my greater ioy and blisse And here because the Seminaries neuer ceasse to boast in corners amongest the simple that none in this realme dareth to dispute with them I offer publique dispute with what seminarie in England soeuer he be no one or other excepted who soeuer so it may stand vvith the honourable licence and good liking of higher povvers whose mindes I am of dutie bound to obay in that behalfe For I nothing doubt if my option may bee graunted but that it will tend to the glorie of God the service of my soveraigne the honour of my countrie the edification of the auditours and the comfort of myne owne soule The reason is for that I know verie sufficientlie the foundations groundes auctorities and reasons of both sides and vvithal behold as in a glasse of christall the euident confutation of all whatsoeuer can possibly bee said in defense of papistrie which if I had not first seene I had neuer departed from popish doctrine The 7. Conclusion IF the popes pardons be not of so great force and worth so much as they are said and preached to be then is the popes religion vaine and of no credite at all This proposition both is and must be graunted of all papistes if they will defend their now professed Romish religion Thomas Aquinas whose doctrine and bookes divers popes haue approoved for good and godly writeth thus Ecclesia praedicando indulgentias non mentitur ita tantum valent quantum praedicantur sicut enim dicit Augustinus si in sacra Scriptura deprehenditur aliquid falsitatis iam robur authoritatis sacrae Scripturae perit Et similiter si in praedicatione ecclesiae aliqua falsitas deprehenderetur non essent documenta Ecclesiae alicuius autboritatis adroborandam fidem The Church preaching pardons doth not lie and so they are worth no lesse then they are preached For as Augustine saith if in holy Scripture any falshood be found euen then the full authoritie of holy scripture perisheth utterly And in like manner if in the preaching of the Church any falshood should be found the doctrine of the Church shoulde not be of any force to establish our faith These are the wordes of their canonized saint and renowmed doctour Aquinas which shewe unto us so plainely as more plainely nothing can be told that if the Church of Rome erre in any one point as in giving pardons or such like then must we giue no credit to it in other pointes of religion Neither is this the opinion of Aquinas onely but their other great Thomist Dominicus Soto singeth the same song These be his wordes Alij dixerunt indulgentias nihil prorsus valere nisi quantum unusquisque devotione sua faciendo quodindulgentia praecipit moeretur Attamen isti seu blasphemi non sunt audiendi sanè qui authoritatem Ecclesiae infringunt si enim de hac re nos Ecclesia seduceret nulla ei esset in reliquis adhibenda fides Some said that pardons were no more woorth at all then every man doeth merite by his owne devotion But these fellowes are to be reiected as blasphemous because they infringe the authoritie of the Church for if the Church should in this point seduce us then were there no credite to be given unto it in other pointes These are the expresse wordes of the Popes owne and best Doctors Aquinas and Soto whose testimonies with that which is said in other conclusions disable altogether the authoritie and religion of the Church of Rome For if the Church of Rome deceive us in her pardons as is sufficiently prooved that she hath done then is she not to be credited in other things as both Aquinas and Soto tell us whose doctrine the pope yea sundry Popes of Rome have confirmed THE COROLLARIE FIRST therefore since the Popes pardons be foolish and repugnant to common sence Secondly since the veritie and efficacie of pardons be so uncerten as the best learned Papistes can not tell what to say or write thereof Thirdly since to give pardons as the Pope doeth is a strange and new thing as which neither Christ nor his Apostles ever taught or practised Fourthly since the Popes manner of pardoning ordinarie popish practise considered is most absurd Fiftly since the Popes pardons in Romish doctrine are reputed aequivalent with holy martyrdome Sixtly since the Popes pardons be not such nor so forcible as they are preached to be Seventhly since the foundation of Popish pardons is blasphemous and derogatorie to Christes passion Eightly since the Pope taketh upon him by his pardons to deliver soules from purgatorie which he can not perfourme Nynthly since Aquinas Soto and Sylvester his owne renowmed Doctors doe affirme that if the Pope preach falsely in his pardons all his other doctrine is false and naught I conclude that it is a sufficient motive for me to renounce the Romish religion as false erronious and pernicious doctrine Thus much of the first Motive THE THIRD CHAP ter Of the Popes maners Faith and Religion ALbeit concerning Sanctimonie of life and honest conversation
Apostolicae traditionem approbentur non habent Romanae Ecclesiae authoritatem nec aliter se habent quam sià Concilio sine Lega tis prodijssent paulò pòst Solidam auctoritatem quam in confirmandis fratribus dogmatibus Petrus habet in Legatos transferre non potest If the Legate doe anie thing contrary to instruction given him hee must not be deemed to proceede of power delegate and so there is no cause why the pope shall be thought to approve the decrees The decrees therefore which the Legate shall approove against tradition of the Church of Rome have no authoritie from the Church of Rome neither are they of anie more force than if they had proceeded from the Councell without consent of the Legates The sound authoritie therefore which Peter hath in confirming his brethren and decrees he cannot transferre unto his Legates These are the expresse wordes of Canus that great piller of popish doctrine Out of whose wordes I note first that decrees of Councels bee of no force without consent of the Legates I note secondlie that the decrees of Councels even when they have the consent of the Legates are yet of no force when the Legates condiscend to anie thing against the Popes minde I note thirdlie that the Pope cannot translate or give his authoritie unto the Legate and consequentlie the Pope greatlie abuseth the whole world when he calleth together all bishops in the Christian world and yet will allowe nothing that they doe unles it be the same that hee decreeth in his chaire at home Now that hee never commeth to Councels in his owne person Bellarminus recordeth in this maner Summus Pontifex nunquam interfuit Concilijs Orient alibus per se c. The Pope was never present at the Councels in the East Church in his owne person and why was not the Pope present at generall Councelles in the East Church Bellarminus giveth two reasons the one forsooth because it was not convenient that the heade should follow the members The other because the Emperour would ever sitte in the highest place which our humble Father the Pope coulde not endure Out of vvhose wordes I note two thinges the one that the highest place in Councels was in olde time reserved to the Emperour the other that the Greeke Church did never acknowledge the Popes primacie The second Conclusion IN these latter dayes since the Pope attained his usurped iurisdiction generall Councelles are so destitute of the holie Ghostes asistance though the Papistes never cease to bragge thereof that they decree altogether against the holie Ghost This is manifest by the solemne decrees of the late Councel of Trent as after due examination will evidentlie appeare First therefore the saide Councell decreed flatlie that to be no matrimonie which was approoved Matrimonie by the uniforme consent of the auncient Catholike Church and which is this day perfect Matrimonie by Christes institution These be the wordes of the Councell Qui aliter quam praesente parocho vel alio Sacerdote de ipsius seu ordinarii licentia duobus vel tribus testibus matrimonium contrahere attent abunt eos sancta synodus ad sic contrahendum omnino inhabiles reddit huiusmodi contractus irritos nullos esse decernit presenti decreto They that shall goe about to marrie otherwise than in the presence of the parish Priest or of some other priest by his licence or graunt of the Ordinarie and with two or three witnesses those the holie Counsell maketh utterlie uncapable of Mariage and defineth by this present decree such contracts to be frustrate and of no force By which words and by which decree we see plainelie that this day those persons are made uncapable of matrimonie and their mariage disanulled whom Christ pronounceth capable and whose marriage hee approoved For before this decree of the late Councell of Trent all papistes in the worlde approoved private and secrete matrimonies for true and perfect yea all learned papistes doe confesse constantlie such clandestine matrimonies to be true mariages in England albeit that such contracts be of no force neither in Spaine nor Italie by their religion The reason hereof is because promulgation of the said Tridentine Councels decree was not yet made in England as appeareth by the first Cannon in the eight section dereformatione This constant opinion of all Divines the Councell it selfe acknowledged in these wordes Dubitandum non est clandestina matrimonia libero consensu facta rata vera esse matrimonia quandiu Ecclesia ea irrita non fecit There is no doubt but clandestine and secrete matrimonies made with free consent were perfect and true matrimonies so long as the Church did not disanull the same Yea the Councell of Trent acknowledgeth matrimonie to be one of the seven Sacraments of the newe Testament instituted by Christ and yet accurseth all such as beleeve not the Church of Rome to have authoritie to dissolve the same These be the wordes Si quis dixerit matrimonium non esse verè propriè unum ex septem legis Evangelicae sacramentis à Christo domino institutum sed ab hominibus in Ecclesiam invectum neque gratiam conferre anathemasit If anie shall say that matrimonie is not truelie and properlie one of the seven Sacraments of the Evangelicall law instituted by Christ our Lord but brought into the Church by men neither to give grace accursed be that man And in another place it hath these wordes Si quis dixerit Ecclesiam non potuisse constituere impedimenta matrimonium dirimentia vel in ijs constituendis errasse anathemasit If anie shal say that the Church could not appoint impediments which dissolve matrimonie or that the Church erred in appointing them accursed be that man These bee the decrees of the holie Councell of Trent which as the Papists beleeue had the assistance of the holie Ghost and therefore could not erre Out of which decrees we have first that matrimonie is a contract instituted by Christ himselfe we have secondlie that it is an holie Sacrament with the Papistes Wee have thirdlie that it is now no Sacrament with the Papistes which by Christs institution is a Sacrament in their religion We have fourthlie that matrimonial contractes made without the presence of a Priest are true and perfect matrimonies by Christes law and institution We have fiftlie that such matrimonies to wit clandestine are disanulled and made no matrimonies by the Pope and his Tridentine Councell neither will it help to say as the wiser sort of Papists doeth that the Councell doeth not unmarie persons alreadie married but onelie disableth unmaried persons so as their prohibited marriages cannot be of force For first the Councell pronounceth that to be no Mariage by reason of mans prohibition which without such prohibition should bee perfect mariage by Christs institution as is alreadie prooved out of the said Councell Secondlie that
sheepe So then that text of Scripture which with the Papists is the foundation of popish primacie to wit Feede my sheepe maketh no more for Peters superioritie then it doth for the supremacie of other Apostles For as you have heard out of S. Augustine it was as well spoken to all as to Peter Yea the grosse imagination of papists concerning the building of the Church vpon Peter is lively and evidently confuted of S. Augustine in an other place where he thus writeth Tu es inquit Petrus super hanc Petram quam confessus es super hanc Petram quam cognovisti dicens tu es Christus filius dei vivi aedificabo Ecclesiam meam id est super meipsum filium dei vivi aedificabo Ecclesiam meam super me aedificabo te non me super te Thou art Peter saith Christ and vpon this rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this rocke which thou hast acknowledged saying Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God will I build my Church that is vpon my selfe the Sonne of the living God will I build my Church I will builde thee vpon my selfe but not my selfe vpon thee Marke well these wordes gentle Reader with the other last rehearsed out of Saint Augustine and doubtlesse if plaine and manifest exposition of the Scripture will content thy minde thou canst not but nowe have thy desire The great generall Councell of Constantinople maketh the Church of Constantinople equall in Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction with the Church of Rome These be the words Renovantes quae à s. patribus 150. qui in hac regia vrbe convenerunt à 630. qui Chalcedone convenerunt constituta sunt decernimus vt thronus Constantinop aequalia privilegia cum antiquae Romae throno obtineat in Ecclesiasticis negotijs vt illa emine at secundus post illam existens We renewing the Canons which were set downe by the 150. holy fathers assembled in this royal citie by the 630. fathers gathered together in Chalcedon doe define that the See of Constantinople have equall priviledges with the See of old Rome and that it excell as Rome in Ecclesiasticall affaires beeing the second after Rome And long before all this that famous Councell of Nice distributing circuits and assigning determinate iurisdictions to the Patriarchall seates appointed to the Church of Rome prefixed limits as to the rest These be the wordes Mos antiquus perduret in Egypto vel Lybia Pentapoli vt Alexandrinus Episcopus horum omnium habeat potestatem quoniam quidem Episcopo Rom. parilis mos est Let the olde custome continue in Egypt or Lybia and Pentapolis that the Bishop of Alexandria may have power over them all because like custome hath the Bishop of Rome Which Canon is reported in the Councell of Carthage and there vttered in plaine tearmes Antiquiores obtineant qui apud Egyptum sunt Lybiam Pentapolin ita vt Alexandrinus Episcopus horum omnium exhibeat solicitudinem quia vrbis Romae Episcopo similis mos est similiter autem est circa Antiochiā in caeteris provincijs privilegia propria reserventur metrapolitanis Ecclesiis Let the auncient obteine which are at Egypt and Lybia and Pentapolis so that the Bishop of Alexandria may have the charge of them all because also the Bishop of Rome hath the like custome In like manner also let the proper priviledges be reserved to metropolitain Churches about Antioch and other Provinces By which wordes we see evidently that this auncient and famous Councell maketh no other account of the Church of Rome then it doeth of other Patriarchall seates Which Ruffinus himselfe though reputed a great Papist hath confessed bountifully in these wordes Vt apud Alexandriam vel in vrbe Roma vetusta consuetudo servetur vt vel ille Aegypti vel hic subvrbicarum Ecclesià rum sollicitudinem gerat That the old custome may continue and that the Bishop of Alexandria may have the charge of Egypt as the Bishop of Rome hath charge of the Churches nigh to Rome Loe in Ruffinus his dayes the Bishop of Rome had his iurisdiction limited which extended onely to certaine speciall Churches of Italie For which cause Saint Hierome a deare friend and great favourer of the Church of Rome confessed for all that the Bishop of Rome to be of no greater merite excellencie or auctoritie then other Bishops are as also that the custome of Rome could not over-rule other Churches These are S. Hieromes owne and expresse wordes Si auctoritas quaeritur orbis maior est vrbe vbicunque fuerit Episcopus sive Romae sive Eugubij sive Constantinopoli sive Rhegij sive Alexandriae sive Tanis eiusdem meriti eiusdem est sacerdotij potentia divitiarum paupertatis humilitas vel sublimiorem vel inferiorem Epi scopum facit caeterùm omnes Apostolorum successores sunt Sed dicis quomodo Romae adtestimonium diaconi presbyter ordinatur quid mihi profers vnius vrbis consuetudinem If we looke for authoritie the world is greater then one citie Where so ever a bishop shall be whether at Rome or at Eugubium or at Constantinople or at Rhegium or at Alexandria or at Tanis he is of the same merite and of the same priesthoode The magnificence of riches the basenes of povertie doth make him higher or lower but all are the successours of the Apostles But thou wilt say how is a priest made at Rome by the testimonie of a Deacon why doest thou alleadge vnto me the custome of one onely citie Thus S. Hierome agreeth with Ruffinus Ruffinus with the Councell of Nice and the Councell of Nice with other Councels fathers Scriptures And all ioyntly conclude the equalitie of other Bishops and Churches with the Bishop and Church of Rome The second Conclusion ALL the Apostles received their vniversall power immediately from Christ and not from Peter at all and consequently their iurisdictions were no lesse ordinarie then Peters was This to be so though this day much impugned by the Papists prooveth a great popish Doctour Franciscus a Victoria in these words Omnem potestatem quam Apostoli habuerunt receperunt immediatè à Christo. All power which the Apostles had they received it immediately from Christ. And in an other place the said Victoria hath these words Lex iniusta Episcopi non obligat ergo nec Papae Antecedens est notū concessum ab omnibus consequentia videtur not a quia nō habet maiorem auctoritatem Papa adinferendum iniuriam quam Episcopus circa ea enim quae sunt sui officij in proprios subditos non minus potest quà m Papa The vniust law of the Bishop doth not binde a man ergo neither doth the vniust lawe of the Pope binde a man The antecedent is knowne and graunted of all and the consequence seemeth manifest because the Pope hath no more auctoritie to doe an iniurie then hath the Bishop For in those things
which perteine to his office and to his proper subiects he can doe as much as the Pope Loe this great learned Papist who for his learning is reverenced of all Papists in the world ascribeth no lesse auctoritie to every Bishop in his diocesse then to the Pope himselfe Againe he affirmeth that no bishops authoritie is dependent vpon the Pope but is immediately from Christ so that papistrie is still confuted and confounded by it selfe and that by the best doctours of greatest authoritie even in the Church of Rome Iosephus Angles though otherwise he flatter the Pope and advance his auctoritie yet hath Gods Spirit enforced him to testifie the same truth These are his wordes Si comparemus B. Petri aliorum Apostolorum potestatem ad gubernationem omnium credentium tantam alij Apostoli habuerunt potestatem quantam B. Petrus habuit it a quod poterant quemlibet Christianum totius orbis sicut modo Rom. Pont. excommunicare in qualibet Ecclesia Episcopos sacerdotes creare ratio est quia omnis potestas B. Petro promissa tradita fuit caeteris Apostolis collata hoc sine personarum loci vel fori discrimine If we compare the power of S. Peter and of the other Apostles to the government of all the faithfull other Apostles have even as much power as S. Peter had so that they could then excommunicate every Christian in the whole world as the Bishop of Rome doth now and also make Bishops and Priests in every Church The reason is because all power promised and given to S. Peter was also given to the rest of the Apostles and that without difference of persons place or consistorie This is the sentence of fiyer Ioseph who vnwittingly and vnwillingly such is the force of veritie doeth wonderfully advance the trueth even while he seeketh to oppugne the same 1 For first he graunteth that every Apostle had as much auctoritie as S. Peter 2 Secondly that every Apostle had then as much auctoritie as the Pope chalengeth now 3 Thirdly that every Apostle had auctoritie from Christ to create Priests and Bishops every where 4 Fourthly that all this their authoritie was given them without difference of person place or consistorie O mercifull God blessed be thy holy Name for ever such is the maiestie of thy holy Gospell that the enemies thereof iustly infatuated for their sinnes doe vnwares even then illustrate thy trueth when they thinke the most to obscure the same This I did not see O God when I was abandoned from thee this I nowe behold O God when thou of thy mercy hast called me to thee Graunt O sweete Father that all seduced Papistes may behold the same with me to the glorie of thy holy Name the honour of thy Church and the eternall solace of their owne soules For more then the Popes owne deare doctours doe teach vs we desire not at the Popes hands The generall Councels of Constance and Basil decreed this matter in these manifest tearmes Ipsa synodus in spiritu Sancto legitimè congregata generale concilium faciens Ecclesiam militantem representans potestatem immediatè à Christo habet The Synode lawfully assembled in the holy Ghost making a generall Councell and representing the Church militant hath power immediately from Christ. Thus saith the Councell and doubtlesse where power commeth immediately from Christ it can not be derived from the Pope Thirdly S. Paul had speciall auctoritie over the Gentiles and largely as much as Peter if not more and consequently since all Christians now were Gentiles then the Pope if he will needes have superioritie over his brethren Bishops must reduce his succession from S. Paul For thus saith S. Paul of himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gospell of the vncircumcision was committed to me even as the Gospell of circumcision to Peter The third Conclusion KInges have power coactive over Popes but Popes have no coactive power over Kings albeit Popes of late dayes have not onely excommunicated Princes but deposed them also For proofe of this conclusion many texts of holy Scripture are consonant King Salomon deposed Abiathar and placed Sadock in his roome For so the booke of Kings saith Abiathar quoque sacerdoti dixit rex vade in Anathoth ad agrum tuum quidem vir mortis es sed hodie te non interficiam quia portasti arcam domini dei coram David patre meo sustinuisti laborem in omnibus in quibus laboravit pater meus eiecit ergo Salomon Abiathar vt non esset sacerdos domini paulò post Sadoc sacerdotem posuit pro Abiathar Then the King said to Abiathar the priest goe to Anathoth vnto thine owne farme for thou art worthie to die but I will not this day kill thee because thou barest the Arke of the Lord God before David my father and because thou hast suffered in all where my father hath beene afflicted Salomon therefore cast out Abiathar from beeing priest vnto the Lord and set Sadock the priest in the roome of Abiathar King Iosaphat appointed both Ecclesiasticall and secular Magistrates commanding them strictly to looke vnto their charge These be the words of holy writ In Hierusalem quoque constituit Io saphat Levitas sacerdotes principes familiarum ex Israel vt iudicium causam domini iudicarent habitatoribus eius Praecepitque eis dicens sic agetis in timore domini fidelitèr corde perfecto King Iosaphat appointed in Hierusalem Levites and Priests and Princes of the families of Israel that they should iudge the iudgement and cause of the Lord to the inhabitants thereof And he commanded them saying Thus shall ye doe in the feare of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart And it followeth in these wordes Omnem cau sam quae venerit ad vos fratrum vestrorum qui habitant in vrbibus suis inter cognationem cognationem vbicunque quaestio est de lege de mandato de caeremonijs de iustificationibus ostendite eis vt non peccent in Dominum Every cause which shall come vnto you of your brethren which dwell in their cities betweene kindred and kindred where soever question is of the law of commandement of ceremonies of iustifications tell them that they sinne not against the Lord. It followeth thus Amarias autē sacerdos Pontifex vester in his quae ad deum pertinent praesidebit porro Zabadias filius Ismaelqui est dux in domo Iuda super ea operaerit quae adregis officium pertinent Amarias the Priest and your Bishop shall beare rule in those thinges which perteine to God and Zabadias sonne of Ismael captaine in the house of Iuda shall be over those workes which belong to the office of the King These are the expresse words of holy Scripture which I have alleadged at large because if they be once applied effectually they can not but proove my opinion fully 1 First therefore as the Queenes
the spirit of man that is in him These are S Augustines owne words so plaine and effectuall against popish vnchristian foolish and execrable confession as nothing more needeth to be said therein The fifth Conclusion ALbeit Popish auricular confession be so magnified with Papistes that every one is commanded vnder paine of damnation to beleeve the same as instituted by Christ himselfe yet was it not an article of popish faith for the space of one thousand and five hundred yeeres after Christ. This conclusion because it is very important I shal desire thee gentle Reader to ponder deepely with me my discourse Iosephus Angles Valentinus a popish fryer and bishop of Bosana in the second tome of that worke which he dedicated to the Pope himselfe Sixtus Quintus hath these expresse words Ante concilium Later erat haereticum negare necessitatem confessionis negantes tamen non erant haeretici ratio est quia nondum erat ab ecclesia declaratum Before the councell of Lateran it was hereticall to denie the necessitie of confession but yet they were not heretikes that denied it The reason is because the Church of Rome had not yet declared it to be an article of faith Loe these words conteine effectually the exact proofe of this conclusion if they be well marked 1 We must therefore observe first that who soever beleeveth not stedfastly every decree of the Church of Rome in matters of faith is holden of that Church for an heretike 2 We must observe secondly that the councell of Lateran whereof this fryer speaketh was holden in time of Pope Iulius the second and Pope Leo the tenth that is 1500. yeeres after Christ. 3 VVe must observe thirdly that vntill fifteene hundred yeeres after Christ were expyred they that beleeved not popish auricular confession to be ordeined by Christ were no heretikes For so as you see this fryer teacheth and the Pope him selfe graunteth 4 VVe must observe fourthly that the Church of Rome hath no authoritie to coyne any new article of faith 5 VVe must observe fiftly that the Church of Rome hath no new revelations in matters of faith but the very same which it had in the Apostles time both which latter observations their owne deare Canus telleth vs in these words Omnia siquidem fidei dogmata ab Apostolis accepit ecclesia vel scripto vel verbo quoniam ij ministri fuere sermonis nee vllas in fide novas revelationes ecclesia habet For the Church received all doctrines of faith from the Apostles eyther by word or writing Because the Apostles were the ministers of the word neither hath the Church any new revelations in faith Now out of these observations which are evident it followeth necessarily that confession this day ought not to be an article of faith no not in the Church of Rome 1 For first during the time of fifteene hundred yeeres after Christ it was no article of faith in the Church of Rome 2 Secondly the Church of Rome can not make that an article of faith now which was no article of faith in the Apostles time 3 Thirdly the Church of Rome hath no new revelations in matters of Christian faith For so as you have heard hath their owne Melchior Canus avouched Neither will it helpe to say that auricular confession was an article of faith in the Apostles time but not then revealed to the Church For as Canus hath told vs plainly the Church receiveth no newe revelations of faith This doctrine is confirmed by their famous Cardinall Caietan who avoucheth two speciall grounds against popish auricular confession For first although Christ by his opinion instituted confession yet did he make it voluntarie and left it in mans election whether he would confesse or not confesse Againe he telleth vs that the manner of popish confession to wit to confesse secretly in the priests eare was not ordeined by our Saviour Christ. Out of which assertion I inferre a double conclusion against the Papistes The one that confession is not necessarie to salvation For that which is voluntarie as to be a Monke a Nunne a Priest a Iesuite is not necessarie to salvation as every papist graunteth but is as a counsell worke of supererogation The other that popish lawe vrging men to auricular confession is flat against Christs institution And thus I weene I have prooved this conclusion The sixt Conclusion IF Popish confession were ordeined by Christ as the papists falsely and grossely imagine yet would it followe by a necessarie consecution that every Pope should be in daunger of his salvation This conclusion may seeme somewhat strange but I proove the fame By popish doctrine every man and every woman of lawfull yeeres are bound vnder paine of damnation to the said confession and consequently the Pope beeing either man or at least woman as is thought of pope Iohn is strictly bound vnto the same Now syr how our Pope his holinesse shall come to confession and have absolution of his sinnes hoc opus hic labor est And that the reader may fully vnderstand the difficultie herein it is to be noted that no priest can absolve any person from his sinnes over whome he hath not superioritie and iurisdiction but his holines hath both the swords his power is above Kings and Emperiours and over him no mortall creature no not an Angel of heaven hath any iurisdiction at all as holdeth popish faith The Pope then being subiect to none must yet be absolved of some which some must haue iurisdiction over him standeth doubtles in great perplexitie and in no small danger of his saluation Let us therefore find some poore shift to helpe his holines if it may be What if we say that the Pope hath no mortal sinne so is not bound to popish absolution But alas all Popes are not Saints as is prooved and so some must perforce have absolution Let us say that he may absolue himselfe as well as he may graunt pardons to him selfe But alas that implyeth contradiction because so he remaining one and the same man should be both superiour and inferiour to himselfe superiour as he did absolve and inferiour as absolved Let vs say that he voluntarily submitteth himselfe and so receiueth absolution But alas so shall his holines still be inferiour to the silly priest because as S. Paul discourseth to the Hebrewes he that blesseth is greater then he that is blessed Let us say that the Pope giueth to the priest power ouer him for that time onely But alas that would be a rare and strange metamorphosis with an impossibilitie annexed therevnto For first by this meanes the simple priest should be Pope in time of absolution as having then greatest power upon earth Secondly after absolution he that was pope should cease to be pope and he that was not pope should without election or consecration be pope again Which is a thing impossible euen by popish proceeding Let vs say that some other
pope hath given this auctoritie to the priest But alas that can not possibly be graunted For this is a constant axiome with the papists par in parem non habet potestatem When two are of equall auctoritie the one can not make a law for or against the other Well since none of these waies can content his holines let vs heare what his owne deare vassals can say in his defense Iosephus Angles vnfoldeth this great difficultie at large when he thus writeth Canus affert tres opiniones prima est S. Thomae D. Bonaventurae quibus adhasit Turrecremata Secunda opinio est Paludani asserentis habere authoritatem absolvendi non à Papa sed à Christo. Tertia est Caietani dicentis iurisdictionem quam habet sacerdos absolvendi Papam nec esse à Christo neque à Papa neque ab ecclesia sed solum ex electione per hoc scilicet quod papa se subiicit illi illumque eligit Est quarta opinio qua tenetur quod quemadmodum in receptione ordinis datur vnicuique simplici sacerdoti potest as iurisdictionis respectu venialis mortalis quae poenitens alias confessus est etiam respectu cuiuscuÌ„que peccatoris in articulo mortis ita datur tunc iurisdictio eidem sacerdoti absolvendi papam Master Canus bringeth three opinions the first is of S. Thomas and S. Bonaventure to whome agreeth Turrecremata The second is the opinion of Paludanus who avoucheth that the Priest receiveth his authoritie not from the Pope but from Christ him selfe The third opinion is Caietans who affirmeth that the Priest hath authority to absolve the Pope neither from Christ nor from the Pope nor from the Church but onely by election to wit in that the Pope submitteth him selfe to the Priest and chooseth him And there is yet a fourth opinion which holdeth that as in receiving of priesthoode power of iurisdiction is given to every simple priest in respect of veniall sinnes and of those mortalls which the penitent nath otherwise confessed and also in respect of every sinner in the point of death so is iurisdiction then given to the said Priest that he may absolve the Pope Thus saith our reverend bishop and worthie fryer Ioseph Out of whose words I note 1 First that since our Lord is the God of peace and not of dissention as recordeth his holy Apostle in many places it must needes follow that this popish doctrine is not of God which is so devided against it selfe and therefore said Caietain truely though vnwittingly and to another ende when he denied the priest to have his authoritie from Christ or from his Church 2 I note secondly that their doctrine is meere opinative as which is onely grounded vpon mans invention 3 I note thirdly that as the priestes iurisdiction is vncerten so is the Popes absolution also as which is consectarie therevnto and consequently that the Pope standeth in daunger of his salvation And so if I be not deceived the obscuritie of this conclusion is made evident The Corollarie FIRST therefore since auricular popish confession is not commaunded by Christ secondly since it was not practised by the Apostles thirdly since it was instituted onely by the positive lawe of man fourthly since the Greeke Church never admitted that lawe fifthly since it is contrarie not onely to the fathers but to popish doctours also sixtly since it bringeth the Pope him selfe to the hazard of his salvation I conclude that it is a sufficient motive for me to renounce the Romish religion as false erroneous and pernicious doctrine Thus much of the tenth and last Motive Peroratio I HAVE in this discourse gentle Reader briefly confuted ten special articles of popish faith and religion 1 First I haue shewed the insufficiencie blasphemie and absurdities of popish pardons 2 Secondly that the Pope both may erre and hath erred defacto not only as a priuate person in priuate opinion but euen as Pope and publike person in iudicial definitions 3 Thirdly that generall councels in these latter daies are nothing els but a meere mockerie sophistical subtiltie to deceiue Gods people withal 4 Fourthly that the Popes dispensations are wicked licentious and intollerable 5 Fiftly that Kings are above Popes that their power is independent that they are subiect to none but to God alone 6 Sixtly that popish dissention is of matters most important and incredible to such as are not wel acquainted with their bookes 7 Seaventhly that the writings of the auncient fathers are to be received with great reuerence yet so as we acknowledge them to be men to haue their errours and to binde vs to their authorities no further then they accord with the holy Scriptures 8 Eightly that all things necessarie for our salvation are conteined in the holy Scriptures and that popish traditions are so vncerten as the best learned papists can not agree therein 9 Ninthly that after this life there is neither merite nor demerite nor satisfaction to be made and that the booke of Machabees can not establish popish purgatorie 10 Tenthly that the specificall enumeration and confession of all our sinnes is not onely not commaunded by the Scriptures but repugnant to the same and impossible to be accomplished by the power of man All which points I have prooued not onely by Scriptures authorities and reasons but euen by the expresse testimonies of best learned papists A thing heretofore never performed by any to my knowledge and yet so forceable against the papists if I be not deceived as nothing can be more My desire was to content all to offend none to confirme the weake to instruct the ignorant to reclaime the seduced and to confound all arrogant disloyall subiects If â—ffect succeede correspondent to my option God be thanked for it who is the chiefe worker of every good act to whome with the Sonne and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all honour power glorie and dominion nowe and ever AMEN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sapient 8. 1. Dionys. Arâ—â— pag. de divinis nominibus c. 4 2. Thess. 2. v. 4 5 6 7 8 9. 1 Greg. 9. lib. 1. decret tit 33. cap. 6. Glossa ibid. Gregor ubi supra Glossat lib. 1. decretat tit 7. cap. 3. Gerson de potestat eccles consider 12. part 3. Gerson ubi supra Bellarminus de Rom. Pont. lib. 5. cap. 8 1 2 3 Secundò principalitèr Bernar. ad Gaufridum epist. 125. 3 Robertus Bellarminus lib. 5. de Rom. Pontif. cap. 7. Bellarm. cod cap. Bellarm. cap. codem Bellarm. ubi supra 1 2 3 Prou. c. 8. 15. Rom. c. 13. v. 1. 4 Sylvest de papa para 2. 5 Bellar. derom pontif lib. 5. cap. 7. Luc. 12. 2. Mat. 16. 13. Mat. 23. 3. Mat. 15. 3. Mat. 15. 9. 1. Ioh. 4. 3. Roffensis cont assertion Luther art 18. prope initium Deut. cap. 2. vers 4. 2. Machab. cap. 12. vers 26. Matt. cap. 11. vers 25. Bellar. lib.