Pope verie sharplie both of pride and ignorance read the third chapter and last conclusion The 6. Preamble ALl the Apostles had not onely the same povver and auctoritie but iurisdiction also as vvholly largely effectually and in all respectes as Peter had Read the sixt chapter and first conclusion The 7. Preamble POpish purgatorie vvas invented by Popes and Popish parasites neither vvas it ever admitted liked or beleeved of the greeke church vntil this day Read the 7. chapter and 2. conclusion and here I vvill alleage the verie vvordes of our Roffensis sometime bishop of Rochester a man so renovvmed not in England onely but through out the vvorld amongst papists as his vvords may carie credit sufficient vvith them thus he vvriteth I vvil not alter or change one vvord Sed graecis adhunc vsque diē non est creditū purgatoriū esse legat qui velit Graecorum veterum commentarios nullum quantum opinor aut quam rarissimum de purgatorio sermonem inveniet sedneque latini simul omnes ac sensim huius rei veritatem conceperunt paulo post nō absque maxima sancti spiritus dispensatione factum est quod post tot annorum curricula purgatorij fides indulgentiarum vsus ab Orthodoxis generatim sit receptus quumdiis nulla fuer at de purgatorio cura nemo quaesivit indulgentias nam ex illo pendet omnis indulgentiarum existimatio si tollas purgatorium quorsum indulgentijs opus erit his enim si nullum fuerit purgatorium nihil indigebimus contemplantes igitur aliquandiu purgatorium incognitum fuisse deinde quibusdam pedetentim partim ex revelationibus partim ex scripturis fuisse creditum atque ita tandem generatim eius fidem ab orthodoxa ecclesia fuisse receptissimam facillime rationem aliquam indulgentiarum intelligimus quum itaque purgatorium tam sero cognitum ac receptum ecclesiae fuerit vniversae quis iam de indulgentijs mirari potest quod in principio nascentis ecclesiae nullus fuerat earum vsus caeperunt igitur indulgentiae postquam ad purgatorij cruciatus aliquandiu trepidatum er at The Greekes to this day do not beleeue that there is a purgatorie read vvho vvil the commentaries of the auncient Grecians and he shal find either verie seldome mention of purgatorie or none at all for neither did the Latine Church conceive the veritie of this matter at one time but by leisure neither vvas it done vvithout the great dispensation of the holy ghost that after so manie yeares Catholikes both beleeved purgatorie and received the vse of pardons generallie so long as there vvas no care of purgatorie no mā sought for pardons for of it dependeth all the estimation that vve have of pardons if thou take avvay purgatorie to vvhat end shall vve neede pardons for if their be no purgatorie vve shall neede no pardons considering therfore hovv long purgatorie vvas vnknown then that it vvas beleeved of some by litle and litle partly by revelations and partly by the Scriptures and so at the last beleeved generally of the vvhole church vve do easilie vnderstand the cause of perdons since therefore purgatorie vvas so lately knovven and received of the vniversal church vvho can novv admire pardons that there vvas no vse of them in the primitiue Church pardons therefore began after the people stood in some feare of purgatory these are the vvords of this popish bishop vvhich vvordes if they be vvel marked vvith all the circumstances are able vvithout more adoe to persvvade anie man to detest the Romish religion for vvhich cause I have alleaged them at large 1 First therefore vvee learne here that the greeke church never beleeved purgatorie to this day 2 Secondly that the Latine church and church of Rome did not beleeve the said purgatorie for manie hundreds of yeares after S. Peters death vvhose successor the pope boasteth himself to be 3 Thirdlie that this purgatorie vvas not beleeved of all the latine church at one and the same time but by litle and litle vvhere note by the vvay that poperie crept into the church by litle and litle not all at one time vvhich is a point that galleth the papistes more then a litle I vveene 4 Fourthly that purgatorie vvas beleeved in the latter daies by speciall revelation of the holie ghost 5 Fiftlie that pardons came not vp till purgatorie vvas found out for in purgatorie resteth the life of pardons as vvhich there being no purgatorie are not worth a straw 6 Sixtly that purgatorie vvas a long time vnknovven 7 Seventhly that purgatorie could not be found in the scriptures of a long time 8 Eightlie that it vvas not vvholie found out by the scriptures but partlie by revelations 9 Ninthly that pardons vvere not heard of or knovven to the primitive church 10 Tenthly that then pardons began when men began to feare the paines of purgatorie Behold novv gentle reader vvhat a vvorthie fisher vvas my popish Lord of Rochester hee hath caught vvith his net at one draughtten goodly fishes that is to say ten vvorthy observations for Christian aedification Further then this out of the seventh and eight observations I gather three special documents by a necessarie and irrefragable consecution First that the second booke of the Machabees is not Canonical or penned by the holie ghost For if that booke vvere of canonicall authoritie vvhich the papistes purgatorie could not but haue bene knovven so soon as that booke vvas knovvn vvhich yet Roffensis denieth The reason is evidēt because purgatorie is verie effectuallie plainlie conteined therin Secondlie that the Church of Rome for of that church speaketh the Bishop reputeth the vvorkes of God vnperfect albeit Moyses avoucheth the contrarie Dei inquit perfecta sunt opera The vvorkes of God saith he are perfect I prooue this because as the Bishop saith the scriptures made purgatorie knovven to the church but vnperfectlie yet the truth is that if God make purgatorie knovven by the scriptures then purgatorie is made knovven perfectlie by them or else Gods vvorks that is the holie scriptures must be vnperfect but I vvil rather beleeue Moyses the holie prophet of God then my lord our fisher though the popes canonized martir Thirdlie this Bishop for this his doctrine must either come againe to retract his opinion or else wil he nil he condemne the pope and church of Rome This I wil proove by a most plaine and evident demonstration For the better vnderstanding vvherof I shal desire the gentle reader to observe three thinges vvith me First that the church of Rome preacheth novv and did in this Bishops time that the bookes of Machabees are canonicall scripture and penned by the holie ghost Secondlie that the church of Rome neither beleeued nor knevv purgatorie for manie years together after the receite of holie scripture and these bookes of Machabees Thirdlie that purgatorie is effectuallie and plainely conteined in the second booke of Machabees by popish
primo capit 2. contra haereses Adrianus sextus papa in questione de confirmatione qui omnes non in pontisice sed in ecclesia siue in concilio generali tantum constituunt infallibilitatem dicij de rebus fidei 2 The second opinion is that the pope euen as pope may bee an heretique and teach heresie if he define without a generall councell and that this hath in verie deede sometime chaunced so this opinion doth Nilus follovve and defend in his booke against the popes primacie The same opinion haue some of the vniuersitie of Paris followed as Gerson Alma in in their books of the churches povver and of their opinion are also Alphōsus and pope Adrian vvho all do not ascribe the infallibilitie of iudgement to the pope but to the church or to a generall councell onely in all matters of faith out of vvhich vvords I note 1 First that the pope as pope may erre when he alone decreeth anie matter of faith 2 I note secondlie that the pope as pope may erre vvhen he defineth anie matter of faith vvithout a generall councell and consequentlie that he may erre vvith a prouinciall councell 3 I note thirdly that popes as popes that is as publique persons haue erred alreadie and de facto vvhen they haue decreed vvithout a generall councell 4 I note fourthlie that all this is testifyed by foure great learned papistes vvhereof one vvas pope himselfe These testimonies are important doubtlesse verie sufficient to establish my conclusion But I vvill alleage yet another proofe so excellent so evident and so irrefragable as more cannot be vvished The proofe standeth thus Pope Stephanus vvith a councell of all the bishops and priestes of Italie defined flatlie against rebaptization vvhich decree of councell vvith the popes assent thereto Saint Cyprian contemned after it defending his former opinion constantlie yea he vvas so far from acknowledging that prerogatiue in popes vvhich they of latter daies chalenge vnto them selues that he vvould not take pope Stephanus for his superiour or to haue anie iurisdiction ouer him but termed him superbum imperitum caeeae ac prauae mentis proud ignorant blind and naughtie as is euident to such as reade his epistle to Pompeius Out of vvhich I note 1 First that Cyprian vvas an holie martir novv a saint in heauen 2 I note secondly that he vvas a verie ancient father and a great learned clarke 3 I note thirdly that he knevv vvhat the pope and his councell had decreed 4 I note fourthly that he iudged a romish coūcel to be of no greater force than a Councell African I note fiftlie that hee iudged the Councell of Italie to bee of no greater force for the Popes consent then was the Councell of Afrike for his owne consent I note sixtlie that provinciall Councels are of no greater authoritie for the Popes confirmation than for the confirmation of another bishop all which pointes are necessarilie deduced out of Saint Cyprians fact and writings And Bellarminus answere hereunto is frivolous and not worth the rehearsall The Pope defined not the controversie as a matter of faith saith Bellarminus because he did not excommunicate Saint Cyprian A sweet dish of a messe of mustarde The Pope utterlie disliking Saint Cyprian his opinion and deeming it repugnant to Christes Gospell and for that ende convocating all the Clergie men of Italie did define the controversie but not as a matter of faith saith Bellarminus The controversie was about rebaptization which was either flatlie with the Gospell or flatlie against the same If it were flatlie with the Gospell then erred the Pope and his Councell egregiouslie If it were flatlie against the Gospell and the Pope decreed it then decreed he against it as against a matter of faith or els opinions against the Gospell are not against faith The Corollarie First therefore since the Popes lives have bene most wicked most notorious and scandalous unto the world secondlie since Popes have aspired unto their Popedomes by naughtie and ungodlie meanes thirdlie since Popes may not onelie erre and hold false opinions but also become notorious heretiques and for their heresies be deprived of their Popedoms fourthlie since manie Popes have de facto forsaken the Christian faith and become flat heretiques fiftlie since manie Popes have erred in their publike doctrine of faith and manners sixtlie since not onelie the Pope as hee is Pope may erre in his publike decrees when hee alone defineth matters of faith and manners but also when hee so defineth with a provinciall Councell 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 second motive THE FOVRTH CHAPTER Of the authoritie of generall Councelles in these our dayes I Haue sometymes had the decrees of generall Councelles aswellatter as former in great admiration thinking them the determinations and resolutions of the holy Ghost but of late yeares I have changed my opinion upon sundrie waightie motives the chiefest whereof I will set downe by way of conclusions The first Conclusion THe decrees of generall Councels in these latter dayes are nothing els but a meere mockerie and sophisticall subtiltie to deceive Gods people withall For although there be before everie generall Councell solemne convocation sumptuous preparation and chargeable peregrenation and before the end long costlie and tedious abode yet neither doe or can the Fathers of the councels determine anie thing there which the Pope hath not before concluded sitting in his chaire at home This may seeme strange unto thee gentle Reader as sometimes ir did unto my selfe but I shall God willing unfold the obscuritie with such evident perspicuitie as never man henceforth can stand in doubt thereof This shall bee perfourmed if I prooue 4 things First if I proove that the decrees of Councels be of no force with papists unles the Popes Legates consent unto the same Secondlie if I proove that though the Popes Legates agree unto the decrees of Councels yet are the said decrees of no force if the legates shal consent unto anie one iot contrarie to the Popes appointment Thirdlie if I proove that the pope cannot delegate his authoritie unto the Legates whome he sen deth to the Councell Fourthlie if I proove that he wil not come to the Councels himselfe but determine everie thing at home in his chamber the proofe hereof shall be the flattestimonie of Melchior Canus a most profounde Schoolman in reasoning a most reverend Bishop in dignitie a most sound papist in opinion and sometime the chiefest and most excellent pofessour of Divinitie in Salmantica This Canus writeth in this manner Si Legatus contra instructionem agit non censetur ex potestate delegata agere atque adeo non est cur eo modo act a superioris auctoritate probata esse credantur Et paulò pòst Decreta igitur quae à Legato contra sedis
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