Patrum non sunt regulae nec habent authoritatem obligandi that is The Writs of the Fathers are not Rules neyther haue they authoritie to astrict vs to them The reason whereof their owne Roffensis doeth render saying Nec diffitemur errasse Patres Homines enim erant sicut nos that is Neiâ—her deny wee but the Fathers haue erred for they were Men even as wee are Imo constat sayeth Bellarmine quosdam ex praecipuis eorum in quibusdam non leviter lapsos ut Hilarium vix dolores corporis in CHRISTO agnovisse Cyprianus improbabat Sacramenta tradita ab Hereticis aut Schismaticis that is Yea it is sure that some of the chiefe of them erred and that not lightlie in some things as Hilarie did who searce did acknowledge that CHRIST suffered any paine in His Bodie and Cyprian denyed that they were Sacramentes which were ministred by Heretickes or Schismatickes Item Iraeneus contendit sayeth hee CHRISTUM fere ad annum 50 pervenisse antequam passus est that is Ireâ—â—us also did holde that CHRIST almost came to bee fiftie yeares of age before Hee suffered which is flat contrarie to Scripture and S. Iohns relation who showeth that hee was baptized at 30 and at the third Passeover thereafter that hee suffered Death c. I omit their confession how manie were millenaries as also Augustines condemning of Children vnbaptized to hels fire with Ieromes errour of second marriages c. Therefore sayeth Aquinas Authoritatibus canonicae Scripture utitur sacra doctrina propriè ex necessitate arguendo authoritatibus autem aliorum doctorum Ecclesiae arguendo proâ—abiliter Innititur enâ—m fides nostra revelationi Apostolis Prophetis factae qui canoâ—â—â—cos libros scripserunt non autem revelaâ—ioni siqua fuit aliâ—s doctoribus facta vnde dicit Augustinus in Epistola ad Hieronymum Solis enim Scripturarum Libris qui canonici appellantur didici hunc honorem deferre ut nullum authorem eorum in scribendo errasse aliquid firmissime credam Alios autem it a lego ut quantalibet sanctitate doctrinaque praepolleant non ideo verum putem quia ipsi ita senserunt vel scripserint that is Holie doctrine vseth the authoritiâ— of canonicke Scripture properlie and necessarilie concluding out of them buâ—â—â— gueth onlie probablie out of the authorities of other Doctors of the Church for our fayth is grounded on that which was revealed to the Prophets and Apostles who wryte the canonicall Bookes but not to that which was revealed to anie other Doctors if any such thâ—ng was wherefore sayeth Augustine in his Epistâ—e to â—â—rome For I haue learned sayeth hee to giue this honour onlie to the Bookes of Scripture which are called Canonicke that I most firmlie belieue that no Author of any of them in their writing erred in a jet but as for others I so reade them that altho they were never so excellent eyther in godlinesse or learning yet I doe not belieue that it is true because they thought or wrote so Wherefore in Patribus legendis sayeth their Salmeron servanda videtur sententia Quintiliani qui sic scribit Neque statim inquit id legenti persuasum sit omnia quae magni Authores dixerunt utique esse perfecta nam labuntur interdum oneri cedunt indulgent ingeniorum suorum voluptati summi sunt homines tamen acciditque lectoribus ut quicquid apud ipsos reperiunt dicendilegem putant ut deteriora imitentur that is In reading of the Fathers the judgement of Quintilian would bee kept who wryteth foâ— neyther instantlie sayeth hee let the Reader bee assured that all thinges which great Authors haue sayde are everie way perfect for they erre sometyme and succumbe and giue loose reines to the pleasure of their own wits It is true they are great Authors but yet they are men and it befalleth their Readers that whatsoever they finde in them they thinke it a Law to their speaches that so they may follow the worse thinges And for a particular practise of this fore-saide direction Lyra setteth downe his owne example saying Nec debet aliquis moveri si in hoc ob opinione Hieronymi discâ—ssero nam dicta sanctorum non sunt tantae authoritatis quin liceat contrarium tenere in iis quae per Scripturas non determinantur ut ait Augustinus ad Vincentium de sanctorum doctorum scriptis hoc genus scribendi à canonicis Scripturis distinguendum est nam testimonia ex eis non depromuntur quasi non liceat aliter sentire that is Neyther should any man bee moved if I depart in this from the opinion of Ierome for the sayings of the holy Fathers are not of so great authoritie but it is lawfull to hold the contâ—arie to them in those things which are not determined by the Scriptures as Augustine sayeth to Vincentius of the writs of the holie Doctors This sort of writing is to bee distinguished from canonicke Scriptures for Testimonies are not taken out of them as if it were not lawfull to any other-wyse to thinke Now then if any Protestant say farder than the foresayde Popish Doctors avouch concerning the Fathers eyther in exposition of Scripture or other points of Faith let the most malicious Adversarie instance and the vnpartiall Reader judge and discerne CHAP. III. Hovv they reject Them all when They make not for them altho consenting in one And first In doctrinall points of Fayth BELLARMINE answering to Hermannus in the matter of Traditions layeth this as a ground Etsi enim erraverint aliqui patrum sayeth hee in quibusdam dogmatibus nunquam tamen omnes simul in eodem errore convenerunt proinde cum ostendimus omnes convenire in Traditionibus non scriptis asserendis satis efficaciter probamus in eo illos non errasse that is Albeit some of he Fathâ—rs haue erred in some points of fayth yet they never agreed all in anie one errour thereâ—ore when wee show that they all agree for the estâ—blishing of vnwritten Traditions wee pâ—oue sufficientlie that they erred not in that Salmeron yet commeth nearer and sayeth Non sunt improbanda veterum testimonia quando omnes vel fere omnes in unam sententiam conveniunt vel in uno aliquo Scripturae loco interpretando concordant quia tunc Patres certissimum inevitabile reddunt argumentum veritatis catholicae certae ac legittimae interpretationis that is The Testimonies of the Fathers are not to bee rejected when they all or almost all agree in one opinion or in the exposition of any place of Scripture because then the Fathers giue a sure and inevitable argument of catholick veritie and of a sure and lawfull exposition of Scripture And yet how they deale with Antiquitie in this point let these particulars heereafter declare FIrst in the freeing of the Virgine Maries owne conception from all originall Sinne Bellarmine is so resolute a decreeter that hee
and Councels make close agaynst the Romanistes and then how they turne their Osanna to Crucifie their Praysing to Depressing and their High Valuing to Low Vilifying let their owne Mouth and these Examples verifie Their ancient Pope Gregorie declareth that hee reverenced the foure first Councels as the verie foure Gospels holding firmlie that they only stood for Trueth and only with-stood Errour and yet what is it that Bellarmine accuseth the verie second of these Councels of Even the standing for decreeing of a most grosse Heresie and the with-standing of such a necessarie Trueth which by the definition of Pope Boniface the eight is of such importance to belieue that by him who holdeth not the same there is no salvation to bee expected because hee is without the Church And this great Poynt is the Pope's Supremacie Bellarmine's owne wordes then are these The first sayeth hee Godâ—81 â—81 would haue the Bishop of Constantinople who before was not a Patriarch at all preferred notwithstanding to the three Patriarches of the East and in the second roome next the Bishop of Rome And this may bee vnderstoode sayeth hee by the second Generall Councell Wher-vnto he might haue joyned like-wise the sixt Canon of the first Nyceâ— Councell no lesse peremptor against the fore-saide Supremacie Where it is to be noted that Papall Supremacie which the Greeke Orthodox Church never would admit can no-wise therefore bee called as the Papists tearme it a Catholicke point of Doctrine as also if the Pope cannot erre ex Cathedra it will follow according to Boniface fore-said definition that all the Greeke Fathers are absolutelie damned Next hee spareth not to blotte those holie Fathers of that fourth and famous Councell of Chalcedon both with Fraud and Deceit in the fore-named point saying Thereafter in the yeare 451 the Greeke Fathers sayth he not being content with their former Determination they preassed to make the Bishop of Constantinople equall alway to the Bishop of Rome for in the Councell of Chalcedon in the sixteenth Act thereof the Grecian Fathers decreed but not without deceit sayeth hee and the Romane Legates beeing absent that the Bishop of Constantinople should bee so in the second Roome after the Bishop of Rome that notwithstanding thereof bee should haue the same equall Priviledges as the other had Now if anie grosser Imputations can bee layde vpon anie than hee doeth vpon these holie Fathers and famous Councels let any man consider making them hereticall in Mind and Opinion and false or fraudulent in Manners and Action Yea what farther falsehood and fraude hee layeth to the charge of that famous Orientall Church in corrupting the works of others let his owne wordes testifie For it was the ordinarie Custome of the Grecians sayeth hee to corrupt the Bookes of other men Where-of hee cleareth the Occidentall or Latine Church by a reason to be laughed at for the palpable evidence of the contrarie as shall bee showne saying Quoniam Romani sicut non accumina it a nec impostur as habent That is Because the Romanes as they haue no sharpnesse of wit so they cannot vse deceit sayth he while as all men know experience hath taught that there are none that haue beene more subtill nor sharper witted than they Secondlie how they deale with the Greeke Fathers severallie and a-part FIrst when Chrysostome is adduced for peoples reading of Scripture Bellarmine answereth That continuallie hee exhorted all men sayeth hee to reade the Scriptures Non quod vellet omnes rudissimos id facere That is But not that hee would had all men altho never so vnlearned so to doe And so hee imputeth to this holie Father that hee spake farre other-wise than hee meant and dissimulatelie required that to bee done which hee would not haue done in earnest Next when wee vrge Ireneus testimonie for proving the Pope to bee Antichrist that the number of the name of the Beast most fitlie is Lateinus according to the olde forme of pronouncing as Lipsius witnesseth thereby showing that hee was to bee a Latine Bishop having his Seate in the Latine Church and more particularlie in Latium or Italie his Decrees also in Latine and all publicke Service in these Churches subject to him in Latine like-wise Vnto this Testimonie of Ireneus Bellarmine answereth thus Conjectura illa Irenei sayth he quae tunc aliqua fuit nunc nulla est That is That light conjecture of Ireneus which was some-what in his dayes is of no account with vs now As if such Varlets were best Valuers or Trueth changed with Time and Veritie ran on the Wheeles of vnconstant Varietie Agayne when Saynct Cyprian is opposed agaynst Traditions Bellarmine answereth that Cyprian wrote so sayeth hee when hee would defend his Errour which hee calleth elsewhere the Heresie of Anabaptisme and therefore it is no marvell that he reason after the manner of Heretickes By which answere hee condemneth not onlie Saynct Cyprian but Augustine lyke-wyse who in this poynt of requyring recourse to bee had onlie vnto holie Scripture greatlie commended Saynct Cyprian Lyke-wyse when Theodoret is objected agaynst Transsubstantiation witnessing in his second Dialogue called Inconfusus That after Consecration the Elements remayne still in their former substance Valentia answereth saying That some of the Ancients in this Matter neyther thought nor wrote truely nor consideratelie as they ought Or hee might haue added At least as the Iesuits now would haue had them In lyke manner when Chrysostome is produced to proue that the Virgine Marie had originall sinne because shee sinned actuallie when Christ rebuked her at the Marriage of Cana in Galile Cardinall Tolet answereth thus onlie In hoâ— Chrysostomus probandus non est that is sayeth hee Chrysostome is not to be approved in saying so More-over when Ignatius a Greeke Father is opponed agaynst the mutilation of the Sacrament Bellarmine answereth Non multum fidendum est Graecis condicibus Ignatii that is sayeth hee The Greeke Writinges of Ignatius are not greatlie to bee trusted Agayne when Origen is objected to proue that Marriage is no Sacrament Bellarmine answereth Origines autem non est tantae authoritatis in Ecclesia ut ejus sententia neâ—essario approbanda sit that is Origen sayeth hee is not of such authoritie in the Church that his opinion necessarilie is to bee followed And yet how frequentlie hee obtrudeth him agaynst vs as of great authoritie let his citation of him and his fellow Iesuits in their Bookes testifie Lindanus when hee citeth him calling him Illustre Alexandriae lâ—men that is The bright light of Alexandria and Durie calling him Testis omni exceptione major that is A Witnesse without all exception greatest Lyke-wyse when Euthimius is alleadged in the matter of the Sayncts beatitude Bellarmine answereth Non est â—ac in re usque adeo magni faciendus that is layeth hee In this matter bee is not so much to
bee esteemed Now to resume if with imputations onelie of double Dissimulation conjecturall Lenitie damnable Heresie rash Inconsideratenesse seducing Errour and such lyke wee should thus aunswere the Testimonies of Fathers consenting clearlie with Scripture affirming them vnworthie of Christian approbation of honest mens trust wyse mens regard or Fatherlie Authoritie what clamours of Indignitie done to Antiquitie should wee heare of our opposed Partie forgetting that Precept of Equitie Quod tibi fieri non vis alterine feceris CHAP. V. How the Romanists deale with the Latine Fathers conjunctly and apart AS Canus sayeth of the Fathers in generall The canonick Authors sayth he as they are supream heavenlie and divine so they keepe a perpetuall and firmè constancie of trueth but other holie Wryters being inferiour and humane they erre some-times yea and bring foorth Monsters against the convenient order and ordinarie course of Nature So doth Alphonsus de Castro declare that they are oftentimes found coÌ„tradictorie to themselues saith he the particular examples where-of Iansenius in his Concordance of the Evangels hath laboured to show in Ierome Ambrose and Augustine Like-wise with levitie and inconstancie thus doeth both Bellarmine and Alphonsus brand holie S. Ierome who when hee is objected vnto them against their Pompaticall and Papall Hierarchie alleadging no difference to bee in Scripture betweene a Bishop and a Presbyter Bellarmine answereth Est autem observandum Hieronymum in hâ—c sententia non adeo constantem videri That is It is to bee observed sayeth hee that Ierome in this point seemeth not to bee so constant as hee should bee The like sayeth Alphonsus in these wordes Ex quibus verbis apparet B. Hieronymum sibi ipsi in hac parte minime constare That is By which words it is evident that S. Ierome was no wise constant in this point Yea more-over when Ierome is produced consenting with a number of Fathers whom their Medina nominateth to prooue the same point that primitiuelie a Bishop and Presbyter were all one Bellarmine answereth grossely giving him the Lie saying Videtur revera Hieronymum in ea opinione fuisse quae falsa est That is It appeareth indeede that Ierome was of that opinion but yet the same is false After the same manner doeth Pigbius also vse Augustine whose doctrine when hee hath brought in two pointes concerning originall sinne agreeable to Scripture yet thus he speaketh thereof Quae Augustini sententia sayth hee non solum incerta sed falsa est That is Which doctrine of Augustine's is not onlie vncertaine but lyke-wyse vntrue or false Yea little lesse vnreverentlie doth Bellarmine vse one of their own Popes to wit Pius the secoÌ„d whose testimony when we oppose against Papall Supremacie proving that no such thing was knowne nor acknowledged in the primitiue Church the fore-saide Pope testifying Quod ante Nicenam Synodum parum respectus habebatur ad Romanam Ecclesiam That is That little regard was had to the Romane Church before the Councell of Nice Bellarmine thus answereth Quae sententia sayth he partim non est vera That is Which declaration of his heere-in is in a part false and vntrue Agayne when Tertullian is produced agaynst the Pope's infallibilitie proving Pope Zepherin to haue beene a Montanist Bellarmine answereth roundlie That Tertullian is a Liar saying Non est omnino Tertulliano hac in parte fides adhibenda that is In that matter there is no credit at all to bee given to Tertullian So lyke-wyse when the same Tertullian is adduced for proving Christian libertie in fasting Bellarmine answereth thus Tertullian saith hee in that booke expoundeth the Catholicke Doctrine after that manner as at this tyme the Lutherians vse that is everie-where mixing in Calâ—mnies and Lies More-over when Augustine in his Retractions interpreting the Rocke where-on Christ was to build his Church is adduced agaynst the Papists to signifie not Peter but CHRIST Him-selfe Bellarmine answereth Ex sola ignorantia linguae Hebreae esse deceptum that is that Augustine was deceived heere-in onelie by his ignorance of the Hebrew tongue And agayne when he is produced agaynst Transsubstantiation showing that Christ's wordes saying I will not drinke hence-foorth of the fruit of the Vine were spoken of the consecrated Cup Bellarmine answereth Augustinum non expendisse hunc locum diligenter that is that Augustine did not weigh or consider this place diligentlie to wit not so friendlie for the Pope's behoofe and his Darling of Transsubstantiation which was hatched after In lyke manner when the foresayde Augustine and Pope Gregorie's expositions on 1 Cor. 3 13 are adduced showing by that Fyre which is spoken of there are meaned the Troubles of this lyfe and no other Fyre of Purgatorie Bellarmine summarilie goeth to worke and sayth Sed hoc jam rejecimus that is But as for this exposition of theirs sayth hee wee haue alreadie rejected it And when hee hath showne how many ancient and famous Authors haue vehementlie oppugned their ydle begging Orders yet he answereth At â—ihileminus vitam mendicantium tanquam sanctam perfectam approbarunt multi Pontifices that is Not-with-standing of all those Ancients and Authors it is enough that manie Popes haue approved the lyfe of begging Friers as holie and perfect Yea more-over when both a Romane Councell and a Romane Pope are produced forbidding the vayling of Nunnes before 60 years of age according to that Apostolicall Precept of receiving of Widowes Bellarmine there-vnto answereth His non obstantibus licere in quacunque aetate si adsit usus liberi arbiâ—rii talia vota nuncupare that is Not-with-standing of all that is alleadged to wit out of Scripture Councels or Fathers it is lawfull sayeth hee of what age so-ever they bee provyding that they haue the vse of Free-will to vnder-goe such Vowes I omit how hee answereth the Authorities of other Fathers onlie with imputation of Ignorance and want of Learning vnto them when they are objected as where hee sayeth Procopius was a better Orator than a Divine sayeth hee Lactantius also was better seene in Cicero's Bookes than hee was in the Scriptures and Victorius was indeed sayeth hee a Martyr but he wanted Learning To conclude therefore if with baser Money anie can bee payed who exacteth Satisfaction to the Testimonies of Fathers than you see by our Adversaries layde down heere let anie one judge Or if Imputations to those Auncientes of Monstrous Births crosse Contradictions grosse Errour light Inconstancie base Lying vilde Slandering blynde Ignorance carelesse Neglect with vndeserved Distrusting them and open Rejection can passe for currant eyther on their bare word to satisfie vs or to expresse their so much pretended and bragged of reverence to venerable Antiquitie then let Light and Darknesse and GOD and Beliall be agreed or as the Poet sayth Iungentur jam gryphes equis aevoque sequenti Cum canibus timidi venient ad pocula damae
those same Fathers agaynst them which they obtrude vnto vs as true 1. Disclayming some as counterfeyt 2. Alleadging of others That perhaps only they are so THE Rhemists call this an olde Tricke of Hereticks when they were preassed with the Testimonies of ancient Fathers to deny that those were the Authors but some others of a later age and Rose-weed the Iesuit sayth That this was a common Shift of Hereticks when they were straited with anie cleare Testimonie of Antiquitie to cry out That the booke was counterfeit or corrupt Evasionem saith Harding omnium miserrimam à ratione conjuetudine doctissimâ—rum alienissimam that is A most miserable sort of escaping saith hee and most contrarious both to Reason and Custome of the most Learned And yet notwithstanding how guiltie these Iesuiticall Impostors are of this Practise which they vpbrayde to others and how vnmindfull they are of that saying Omni vitio debet carere qui in alterum paratus est dicere let these few Examples that doe ensue testifie First Bellarmine as also the Rhemists to prooue the Pope's Supremacie as also Popish Reall presence bring their Testimonies out of S. Ambrose his Commentaries on Paul's Epistles and yet when wee object a place out of the same to proue that the Sacramentall Bread is the representatiue Bodie of CHRIST onlie Bellarmine plainlie then disclaimeth those Commentaries and saith they are not S. Ambroses Againe Bellarmine adduceth Augustine Ad Orosium against vs as the true Father to prooue Ecclesiasticus to bee Canonicall Scripture but declareth him counterfeyt when wee oppose him to him agaynst the Order of the Masse Arnobius also is brought foorth as a most ancient Father against vs in the matter of Free-will but disclaimed else-where when hee maketh against him as 〈…〉 and a miere counterfeit In like manner Augustine's Questions on the Olde and New Testament are produced against vs as Augustine's owne worke both to proue the Masse to bee a Sacrifice properlie in one place as also to be propitiatorie in another but are rejected by the same Bellarmine as counterfeit and hereticall when wee prooue out of the same That Sacraments conferre not Grace Ex opere operato Lyke-wyse Bellarmine citeth S. Basill's Questions to proue Monasticall lyfe and a man's incertayntie of his owne Salvation but when wee vrge agaynst them those same Questions agaynst their Distinction of Sinne into Veniall and Mortall he disclaymeth that book to bee Saynct Basill's but one Eustatbius Sebassenus a condemned hereticke More-over Bellarmine adduceth Saynct Cyprian's Sermon Le â—oena 〈…〉 poyntes of Poperie as Transsubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Masse and Purgatorie c. And yet when the same is objected agaynst their Mutilation of the Sacrament by taking away the Câ—p from the People he disclaymeth that Sermon to be Cyprian's but some vncertayne Author's Agayne Bellarmine produceth Chrysostome on Matthew to proue manie Popish poyntes as Monasticall lyfe Veniall sinnes Free-will Transsubstantiation Adoration of the Host and agaynst the Magistrates lawfull power in matters of Reâ—igâ—on But when wee proue out of that same Commentarie on Matthew the perfection of Scripture that the people should reade the same opposeth him in the matter of Matrimonie then he disclaymeth that worke to be Sainct Chrysostome's but some Hereticke's as hee pleaseth to style him In lyke manner Bellarmine bringeth out Clement's Recognitions for Free-will Harding bringeth him for Traditions and yet when they are alleadged agaynst the Pope's Succession to Peter proving that Peter died not at Rome then hee disclaymeth them as Apocryphall and counterfeyt Damasus lyke-wyse an ancient Pope his Pontificall is cited by Bellarmine to proue the tyme of Peter's sitting at Rome and for the setting vp of Images in Churches but is rejected as a Counterfeyt of vncertayne authoritie when out of the same wee proue that Linus whome they make Pope after Peter Clement died before Peter him-selfe so improveth the Line of their Papall Succession as false and absurd Agayne Damasus Epistles are vrged agaynst vs to proue Papall Supremacie and Popish Confirmation But are disclaymed as none of his when they are opposed agaynst Appeales to Rome Lyke-wyse Damascen is cited by Bellarmine agaynst vs to proue the Adoration of Saynctes but is disclaymed as a Counterfeyt when the absurd Tale of their Popes and other Saynctes their Freeing of Soules which were damned out of Hell is objected to them Epiphanius also his Epistle to Iohn of Ierusalem is cited by Bellarmine in the matter of the Sacrament but when the same Epistle is opposed agaynst their Images hee disclaimeth those words thereof to bee but forged and counterfeyt In lyke manner Eusebius Emissenus Homilies are cited by Bellarmine for Adoration of Reliques that Consecration is by these wordes Hoc est Corpus meum and yet are elsewhere freelie acknowledged to be none of his Ignatius also a Greeke Father is oft tymes cited by Bellarmine for sundrie poynts of Poperie as Transsubstantiation and others but when he is adduced clearlie agaynst their Mutilation of the Sacrament Bellarmine aunswereth That Ignatius Greeke Wrytinges are not much to bee trusted to Agayne Martialis as Christe's owne Disciple is produced by Bellarmine for the Vow of Chastitie and other poyntes and yet in his Recognitions hee acknowledgeth both Abdias booke and Martialis to bee miere Counterfeyts and of no Authoritie Lyke-wyse Synopsis Dorothei is cited by Bellarmine to prooue Peter's sitting at Rome as Bishop of that Citie but when the same Synopsis is produced prooving That it was not Peter but rather Barnabas that founded that Church hee dâ—sclaymeth that booke then as full of Lies and Forgerie After the lyke manner hee disclaymeth that booke of Pope Gelasius agaynst Eutyches as none of his when he is cited clearly against Transsubstantiation altho hee bee so styled Romanus Episcopus in their owne Bibliotheca Patrum and that their Massonius lyke-wyse in the lyues of the Popes comming to Gelasius maketh mention of this worke And no lesse causelesse also disclaymeth hee with a shamelesse fore-head the foure bookes of Charles the Great agaynst Images as lyke-wyse that Epistle of Vdalricus to Pope Nicolas agaynst forced Continencie alleadging those former to bee none of theirs and that onelie because they make agaynst him I omit the lyke answere of Gretzer to Athanasius Synopsis agaynst Apocryphall Bookes Of Parsons to Elentherius Epistle to Luciâ—s agaynst the Pope's temporall Supremacie Of the same Parson 's impudent lyke answere to Bertram's booke agaynst Transsubstantiation Of Harding's disclayming also Hilarius Epistle to his Daughter Afra agaynst forced Continencie Of Baronius lyke rejecting of Pope Leo's Epistle which proveth That Pope Honorius was an Hereticke And Of Dureus disclayming that Testimonie of Saynct Bernard's
CHAP. VI. How the Romanists haue shamefullie corrupted the Fathers both by adding to them payring from them and altering their wordes AS the particulars of the proofe here-of are heere-after set downe of Popish corrupting of Fathers making theÌ„ either to suffer if not for their works a Purgatorie heere-after yet in their workes a sure Purgatorie heere or else making them against their willes to speake the Language of Israel and Ashdod together So what was the sensible seene experience of that worthie and learned Iunius which him-selfe relateth let his owne wordes and protestation bona fide testifie I will relate sayeth hee truelie that vvhich I saw vvith mine eyes vvhen I remayned in Lions in the Yeare of GOD 1559. and the next Yeare after I vvas familiarlie acquainted vvith the Correcter of a PRINTING-HOUSE there named Ludovicus Saurius vvho dwelt not farre from Mercurie Street in the Lodging close adjacent to the signe of the three Doues Now vvhen I had come to salute this Man it fell out by chance or rather by the singular providence of GOD that I found him busied in revising over the Workes of S. Ambrose vvhich then Frelonius vvas printing and after much talke hither and to vvhen I shewed him that I vvould no longer bee a vvith-drawer of him from his work hee having begun againe the reading over of one Page saide to mee See yee not the manner of this our Edition of S. Ambrose how prettie and perfect it is and to looke vpon it is vvorthie to bee preferred before anie Edition that ever hitherto came out And after I had behelde and praysed the finenesse of the Edition hee saide then vnto mee But if I vvere to buy anie Copie of S. Ambrose Workes I vvould buy anie other Copie vvhat-so-ever before I bought this vvhich thou seest And vvhen I had asked the reason vvhy hee saide so Then hee taking out some Pages foorth of the Hutches or Drawers vnder the Table vvhich vvere all razed and cancelled either in part or in vvhole hee saide to mee This is the first Impression sayeth hee of the Pages vvhich vvith-in those few dayes vvee printed most faithfullie according to the Copie of the Olde and true Impression but two Gray-Frâ—ers since then according to the authoritie given to them haue blotted out in all these Pages as thou seest and haue causâ—d those new ones to bee put in the place of the former against all credite of these our Books vvhich thing hath bred both Charges and exceeding great fashrie to the Printer Frelonius The veritie of which Relation if anie should doubt there-of he may easilie perceiue by collation of S. Ambrose works printed at Paris anno 1529 by Claudius Chevallonius which I haue beside mee or at Basill by Hieronymus Frobenius anno 1538 with that Impression at Lions by Frelonius anno 1560 and as the particulars ensuing shall giue proofe of others First Examples of Popish adding to the Fathers FIrst of adding to the Fathers and their Decrees being conveaned in Councell wee haue a notable evidence in that impudent and audacious fact of Pope Zozimus who added a Canon in his owne behalfe to the verie first Councell of Nice which by that famous sixt Councel of Carthage was as a notable Forgerie detected and declared and could never hitherto by all the croaking Frogges of that Iesuiticall Crew bee soothed sufficientlie or colourablie excused Againe in the matter of appeals where-as the Councel of Milevi decreed vnder paine of Excommunication That none with-in Africke should appeale to any part beyond Sea Bellarmine is forced to grant a forged addition in favours of the Pope to haue beene there-after grosselie by Gratian added to the Canon saying Addidit ad hunc Canonem exceptionem nisi forte ad Apostolicam sedem appelletur sed haec exceptio non videtur quadrare sayth hee nam praecipue propter Romanam Ecclesiam Africani statuerunt ut non liceret appellare ultra mare That is Hee added to this Canon this exception to wit Except perhaps the appeale bee made vnto the Sea Apostolicke but this exception sayeth Bellarmine seemeth not to agree with the Canon for it was chiefelie for the Romane Churches cause that it was decreed to bee vnlawfull to anie to appeale out of Africke to anie part beyond Sea Thus wee see for the Pope's advancement and gratifying how false and trickie his Supposts haue beene of olde even by our Adversaries owne confession clearlie Like-wise when that grosse and blasphemous place in Gratian alleadged on S. Augustine is vpbraided affirming that the Pope's Decretals ought to bee accounted amongst canonicall Scripture Bellarmine answereth Deceptum esse ex depravato codice quem ipse babuit B. Augustini cui tribuit illum canonem codices vero veri emendati B. Augustini non habent ut Gratianus refert That is Gratian sayth hee was deceived by a corrupt Copie of S. Augustine's which hee had beside him to whom bee attributeth that Canon but the true and mended Copies of S. Augustine since then haue not these words as Gratian reporteth theÌ„ How bolde then the Pope's Parasites haue beene with the works of the Fathers in corrupting them for supporting that Whoore of Babylon wee may clearlie see by this confession of Bellarmine's others who now in their latter and mended Copies are forced for shame to haue razed out of their olde Copies such grosse corruptions and openlie to disclaime the same In like manner to proue that in Purgatorie some sinnes are remitted Bellarmine citeth a place of Augustine which their owne Vives in his Notes vpon that Chapter denyeth anie wayes to bee found in the olde Copies and Manuscripts of Augustine kept amongst themselues in their chiefest and Metropolitane Bibliotheakes saying In Antiquis libris Brugensibus Coloniensibus non habentur isti decem aut duodecim qui leguntur versus That is In the ancient Copies which are at Birges and Colen these ten or twelue Lynes which are heere read are not to bee had there More-over the same Ludovicus Vives in his Notes vpon the 8 Chapter of the 22 Booke of Augustine De Civitate Dei sayeth plainlie In hâ—c capite non dubium quin multa sunt addita veluti declarandi gratia ab iis qui omniuÌ„ magnorum authorum scripta spurcis suis manibus contaminabant That is In this Chapter sayth hee without doubt many thinges are added as it were for explanations sake by those who with their filthie Handes haue defyled the Wrytings of all Authors that are of great Authoritie And more particularlie who those are who haue done so their owne Erasmus telleth vs clearlie saying Monachi Patrum corruperunt Scripta That is It was the Monkes saide hee that haue corrupted the Wrytings of the Fathers as is cleare both by that addition in the fore-alleadged corrupt Copie of Gratianus his Augustine making onlie for the Pope and as shall bee Godwilling here-after also shown of
the Monks of Weingart and Bellarmine's own Testimonie of their forging of Chrysostome's Homilies on Marke cited by the Rhemists for monasticall lyfe Againe in the works of Fulbertus B. of Chartres published at Paris anno 1608 fol. 168 are set downe these words of Augustine Vnlesse yee eate saith Christ the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his Blood yee shall haue no lyfe in you Facimus vel flagitum videtur jubere figura ergo est dicet haereticus praecipiens passioni Domini esse communicandum c. That is Hee seemeth to command a great wickednesse it is therefore a figure will the Hereticke say requyring vs onely to communicate with the Lord's Passion and sweetly and profitably to lay vp in our memorie that His flesh was crucified and wounded for vs. Remarke then how the publisher hath put in of his owne these wordes dicet Haereticus into Augustine's Testimonie cited by the fore-saide Fulbertus and by so doing thinking to meete with the Hereticks of this time as hee calleth vs was not a-ware that hee made Augustine lyke-wyse an Hereticke for Companie whose verie words these are and no other mans Lib. de doct Christ. cap. 16. Like-wise Gratian relating the second Councell of Cavaillon their words concerning Confession setteth them downe thus Quidam veve sacerdotibus confitenda esse percensent ut tota fere sancta Ecclesia That is But some are of mynde that our sinnes are to bee confessed vnto the Priest as almost the whole holie Church thinketh But that these wordes ut tota fere sancta Ecclesia are favourablie added for Popish Confession to insinuate that the same was a catholicke doctrine and practise in the Church then not onlie the preceeding wordes comprehending the whole Greeke Church their minde in the contrarie verefieth Qui Deo solummodo confiteri peccata dicunt saith the Canon That is Who sayth that sinnes should bee confessed onelie to God but also the Note vpon this place of their Canon Law latelie published by Gregorie the 13 freelie granteth that these words ut tota fere sancta Ecclesia are added and are not neither in the Capitular nor Councell What forged and farsed Additions like-wise are everie-where through-out S. Cyprian's workes put in by that impudent Patcher Pamelius let that Edition of his of S. Cyprians workes conferred with ancient Copies as Gulartius hath verie well observed them to all men testifie one example where-of I will onelie instance of the alleadgeance of a testimonie of S. Cyrian's of that Edition adduced for the Pope's Supremacie in a written Popish Pamphlet sent of late to a Brother of our Presbyterie to answere vnto and which for evidence of the trueth there-of wee yet keepe beside vs containing foure grosse Additions even in one onelie Testimonie besides a most fraudfull Alteration of most materiall words The Testimonie then or S. Cyprian printed amongst them-selues of olde as I haue the Booke to exhibite is thus The Lord speaketh thus to Peter sayeth Cyprian I tell thee sayeth Christ that thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church c. And Hee sayeth vnto him againe after His Resurrection Feed My Sheepe And albeit after His Resurrection marke this he gaue a-like power to all His Apostles and said As My Father sent Mee so sende I you receiue the holie Ghost to whom ye forgiue sinnes they shall be forgiven c. Yet that Hee might manifest that vnitie should bee amongst them by His authoritie Hee disposed it so that the beginning of this Vnitie should bee at one yet were the rest of the Apostles the verie same as was Peter remarke this againe endued with alike fellowship both of Honour Power but a beginning proceedeth from Vnitie that it may bee showne that Christ's Church is one Thus we may see that this Testimonie sincerelie cited and considered maketh no wayes for Peter's Supremacie of Iurisdiction over the rest of the Apostles or the Pope's as his Successor over all other Bishops but is flat agaynst the same seeing it is sayde That the rest were the same as hee was and all had the a-lyke or equall power as hee had But this fore-sayde Testimonie as it is clowted and clamped and by him who out of his Pamelius hath cited and set downe the same with his owne hand is thus Loquitur Dominus ad Petrum c. that is The Lord speaketh thus to Peter saith Cyprian I say vnto thee sayeth Christ that thou art Peter and vpon this Rockâ— I will build my Church c. And Hee sayeth to him agayne Feede my Sheepâ— Super illum unum aedificat Ecclâ—siam 〈◊〉 illi pâ—scendas mandat oves suas that is Vpon him alone did Christ build His Church and to him onelie recommended Hee His Sheepe to bee fed This is the first Addition to this Testimonie And al-be-it sayeth Cyprian after His Resurrection Hee gaue equall power to all His Apostles and sayeth As my Father sent mee so send I you and to whom yee forgiue their sinnes they shall bee forgiven c. Yet that Hee might manifest that Vnitie that should be amongst them Vnam Cathedram constituit that is He appointed one only Chayre to bee sayth the clowting Tinker And by His authoritie He disposed it so sayeth Cyprian that the beginning of this Vnitie should bee at one yet were the rest of the Apostles the verie same as was Peter endewed with the lyke Priviledge Honoris Potestatis sayeth Cyprian that is of Honour and Iurisdiction But Honoris Dignitatis sayth our metamorphosing Exchanger nimirum ante illa verba Christi ad B. Petrum Pasâ—e Oves meas that is And the rest of the Apostles had this honour of equall dignitie onelie before these wordes of Christ were spoken to Peter saying Feede my Sheepe This is the third new Patch But a beginning proceedeth from Vnitie sayeth Cyprian primatus Petro datur that is And the Primacie is given to Peter sayeth our false Recorder in Cyprian's name that Christ's Church may bee showne to bee one sayeth Cyprian Et cathedra una monstretur that is And that lyke-wyse one Chayre to wit of Infallibilitie may bee demonstrate sayeth this monstrous Mungrell Thus haue they sowne in their Tares in anothers Fielde thus also haue they put in their Colloquintida in the Pottes of the Lord's Prophets and the Asse hath joyned to plow with the Oxe together And by so doing they haue made the workes of manie ancient and worthie Wryters lyke Hermophrodites which are hardlie knowne to which Sexe they inclyne most joyning their newe Clowt to the others graue Garment and so marring both Colour and Credit of the whole Vesture Secondlie examples of Popish purging from the Fathers AS in the former Examples we haue seene their illicite Lincie-wolsie mixture of Addition So wee will show now God willing how these cunning Arithmeticians are as perfect in their manner of Substraction and so cannot
Scripsit librum binc in primordiis conversionis suae that is He wrote that booke in the beginning of his Conversion Which Answere how little it is to the purpose anie Man may see seeing wee finde no-wise that ever hee retreated the same Like-wise hee citeth Chrysostome for the same manner of Reall Presence but vvhen hee is cited to prooue that the Virgine Marie was conceived in originall Sinne because shee actuallie offended Tolet rejecteth Saynct Chrysostome and sayeth That heere-in hee is not to bee allowed In like manner Bellarmine adduceth Cyprian for the same point yet of Reall Presence but hee rejecteth him flatlie when he maketh against Traditions saying That hee wrote that when hee would defende his Errour against the Romane Church Sainct Ierome also is brought foorth as a Patron of the same Reall Presence but is roundlie rejected in the point of Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie saying that hee maintained a verie false Opinion More-over Ireneus is cited by Bellarmine for the same preceeding point but is rejected in his Exposition of the Number of the Beast's Name that it is Lateinus Lactantius like-wise as a most ancient Father is adduced by Bellarmine to prooue Popish Satisfaction but is rejected roughlie with this Dittie when he maketh against him as in the matter of Images c. Lactantius sayeth hee fell in manie Errours Againe through all his Controversies Origen is cited by Bellarmine for speciall Confirmation as of Monasticall life workes of Supererogation and such like but when in the matter of Traditions or other pointes hee is opposed then hee is rejected as one saieth Bellarmine of no Authoritie Yea more-over hee showeth where hee was seene in Hell with Arrius and Nestorius Like-wise Prudentius is adduced by Bellarmine for Popish Confirmation Pilgrymage and vowing to Sainctes c. But when he maketh against him hee is rejected roundlie saying More poetico lusisse Prudentium that is That Prudentius playeth him-selfe after a poeticall manner When Ruffinus also seemeth to make for Adoration of Reliques he is cited by Bellarmine as a most ancient and Reverende Father But when hee clearlie maketh against the Pope's Supremacie hee is verie vnmannerlie rejected as one that is false and vntrue In like manner Theophylact is frequentlie cited by Bellarmine as for Monasticall lyfe and Papall Supremacie but is rejected thus whē hee maketh against him saying That hee lived in the time of a Schisme and therefore his authoritie is not worthie to bee received Enthymius like-wise is cited by Bellarmine as one of great authoritie when hee maketh for him but is thus casten at his heeles when hee maketh against him saying Nō est adeo à nobis magnifaciendus that is Hee is not much to bee esteemed by vs. Thus may it truelie bee spoken of the Romanistes vvhich Anastasius Sinaita Patriarch of Antioch reporteth of the Hereticke Severus in his booke written against the Severians to wit Even as hee had beene the Iudge of the quicke and the dead hee so vsed at his pleasure the Fathers of the Church receiving vvhome hee pleased and rejecting in them what-so-ever hee listed And that this same is done now by our Adversaries the preceeding Examples doe evidentlie show AN APPENDIX Of the Romanistes their other shamelesse and fraudulent forme of Answeres to cleare Testimonies of Fathers objected against them 1. By giving a Sence cleare contrarie to their wordes EXamples heere-of we haue in that Directorie of the Duay Seminarie where they ordaine in the booke of that auncient Bertram not onlie Invisibiliter to bee put for Visibiliter but thereafter that the words Secundum creaturarum substantiam that is According to the substance of the Creatures shall bee expounded Secundum externas species Sacramenti that is According to the externall qualities or accidents of the Sacramēt No lesse absurdlie like-wise doeth Bellarmine affirme That by the substance of the Elementes vvhich Theodoret avoweth to remaine still as they were before after Consecration that he meaneth not onelie bare Accidentes to remaine but the nature onlie of Accidents to abide saying While Theodoret affirmeth saieth hee that the substance of the Elements abideth and is not changed hee speaketh of the Essence and Nature of the Accidentes But a most pregnant Example of anie which wee haue of late is that which is in the Compende of Becanus Manuell a Iesuit who aunswering to those wordes of Chrysostome which are so cleare against the Popish Mutilation of the Sacrament to wit Omnibus unus Panis proponitur unum Poculum that is To all men who-soever one Bread is offered and one Cup together Becanus answereth That by the Cup the Cup is not meaned but the Blood which by concomitance is the Bodie and which after that manner the Laicks receiue Whereas the holy Father Chrysostome could not haue meaned by the Cup the blood in the bodie seeing by the contrarie the Cup is ever called and that by Christ Him-selfe The blood that is shed and powred out of the bodie neyther could hee possiblie more clearlie haue spoken distinguishing betweene the Bread and the Cup and declaring that vnder both kindes Eating and Drinking the people of olde did duelie communicate 2. How they answere by tempering the words of the Fathers OF this fraudfull Shift by tempering as they call it the wordes of the Fathers to play to their Tune wee haue a notable Example in our fore-saide Bellarmine vvho treating of the Irremissiblenesse of the Sinne against the Holie Ghost and that it is helde to bee absolutelie such he saieth This appeareth to be the minde of Athanasius Hilarie Ierome and Anselmus on the twelft of Matthew Videtur tamen temperanda saieth hee id est irremissibile esse ordinarie ut plarimum that is But their speach would bee tempered to wit that this Sinne is ordinarilie irrimissible and for the most part Which is both contrarie to the wordes of those Fathers as also contrarie to the verie absolute speach of Christ and last of all crosseth his owne Rule saying Non oportet restringere quod Deus amplum esse voluit that is We must not make a restriction of those words which God will haue to bee absolutelie taken The like Example we haue also in qualifying of Sainct Bernard's wordes which wee adduce against popish Merites out of his 310 Epistle where-in hee declareth that his whole life even to the verie last period there-of which hee calleth Calcaneum was al-to-gether destitute of Merites But how aunswereth Bellarmine and qualifieth or tempereth hee this Speach Perhaps saieth hee hee spake this humbly but not truely Which sense against sense Bernard him-selfe else-where pithilie over-throweth saying When ye haue done all things that are commanded say that yee are vnprofitable Servantes But thou wilt say saieth Bernard that hee willed vs to say so for Humilities sake Yes indeede But willed