authority from the Churches of Romes decrees or from the Pope That the Pope should bee an infallible Interpretor of Scripture and supreame Moderator of Religion S. Austine neuer heard Nay disaduowing all the Popes decretals and other mens writings he signifieth that hee oweth his consent without all exception onely to canonicall Scriptures In quorumlibet hominum scriptis saith he lib. de natur grat Liber sum quia solis canonicis scripturis debeo sine vlla recusatione consensum S. Austine neuer prayed to the Virgin Mary nor call vpon her and other Saints and Angels or teach that they were to be worshipped with Dulia If he had dedicated his Confessions to the Virgin Mary as doth the Apostate his absurd translation I should beleeue that he had learned somewhat from that holy Father He neuer beleeued that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without sinne or that she was the mediatrix or redemptrix of Mankind together with her Sonne or that her body is already assumed into heauen as this Apostate her deuout slaue and others hold Nor did hee euer teach that Saints in heauen heard the prayers and vnderstood the thoughts of all men and in all places here on earth or that they could helpe them giue them grace and deliuer them Hee might make a commemoration of the names of the faithfull hence departed and commend his Mother to God But neuer taught or beleeued that his mothers and other faithfull mens soules which he mentioned at the Lords table were tormented in Purgatory Hee was no Masse-priest nor euer offered Christs body really for quicke and dead nor said Masse for sicke horses as Masse Priests doe That Christs body and blood should bee contained vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and that seuerally is so extrauagant a Paradoxe that it could neuer be found in the holy Fathers writings Nor could he beleeue that either reprobates or brute beasts did eat Christs flesh and drinke his blood The Sacrament hee neither adored nor carried it about nor put it into a Pixe neither did he allow any such thing done by others He neuer confessed his sinnes to the Virgin Mary or to Angels or Saints or pray them to intercede for him as doe Masse-Priests Much lesse did hee pray for Christs body that it might bee graciously accepted as was the Sacrifice of Abell and Melchisedech and carried into heauen as doe the Apostates consorts This Apostate cannot demonstrate that St. Austine euer thought that Salt and Water consecrated would cause Thunder to cease and driue away Diuels Let him bring forth the testimony of any man or Diuell to proue this and then his deuoted followers may perchance beleeue him That Christians should be burned for holding that flesh may be eaten on Frydayes or Saints Vigils as this vncharitable Apostate and his Teachers beleeue he cannot prooue that so holy a Father as S. Austine eyther taught or allowed The Precepts of the Romish Church concerning Holy-dayes Fasts Masses auricular Confession and prohibition of Marriage were neuer knowne to S. Augustine nor could be being brought in by diuers Popes that liued since his time Neyther did he teach or beleeue that Treasons against Princes and States heard by Priests in Confession were not to be reuealed or that the seale of Confession of which the Masse-Priests talke as of a diuine Mysterie was ordained by God Of the cases reserued to the Pope which are a principall bulwarke of the Papall authoritie S. Austine neuer heard newes Neyther was hee acquainted with the Popes Penitentiarie Taxe or the rules of his Chancerie nor thought it fit that Periurie Incest Murder and all irregularities should bedispensed withall or pardoned for Money Finally all those Heresies and Nouelties which the Romanists now hold and maintaine with all sraud and force were eyther reiected by S. Austine or vtterly vnknowne vnto him CHAP. II. That those principall points of Romish Religion which we reiect are also reiected and contradicted by S. AVSTINE NEyther doth S. Austine onely passe ouer in silence the new-forged Religion of Papists maintained by this Apostate but also directly oppugne the same They euery where vilifie holy Scriptures as imperfect difficult ambiguous calling them a Nose of Wax a Delphian Sword a dead Letter Matter of Contention S. Austine contrariwise extolleth them as placed in a sublime place of authoritie and from them he would haue none to depart Extat authoritas sacrae Scripturae vnde mens nostra deuiare non debet saith he Lib. 3. de Trinit cap. 11. They admit Traditions and the Popes Definitions for a Rule of Faith but this holy Father admitteth no Rule but holy Scripture Canon Ecclesiasticus saith he constitutus est ad quem certi Apostolorum Prophetarum libri pertinent The words are extant Lib. 2. contr cresc gram c. 31. In the same place he would not haue any to iudge of Scripture but to iudge according to it but the Pope taketh vpon him to taxe and iudge of Scripture yea to pronounce without it and against it The Apostate and his Consorts esteeme the Scriptures to be hard and ambiguous S. Austine lib. 2. de Doct. Christ c. 9. saith That whatsoeuer is necessarie to saeluation is contained in plaine places of Scripture The Iesuits muster against vs Traditions Decretals Fathers and such like testimonies but S. Austine reiecting all the rest would haue all proofes deriued out of Scriptures Lib. de vnit Eccles c. 3. Auferantur saith he ille de medio quae aduersus nos inuicem non ex Diuims Canonicis Libris sed aliunde recitamus They goe about to marke out a Church by Vnitie Vniuersalitie Antiquitie and Succession but S. Austine de vnit Eccles c. 1. would haue the question of the Church to be decided by Scriptures Inter nos Donatistas quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus saith he in verbis nostris eam quaesituri an in verbis capitis sui Domini nostri Iesu Christi These presumptuous fellowes preferre themselues before Scripture determining according to the Popes Decretals what Bookes are Canonicall and what the meaning is of euery Text but S. Austine lib. 2. contr Cresc c. 21. sheweth that neyther any particular man nor the Church it selfe is to preferre it selfe before Christ Now who knoweth not that Christ speaketh to vs in Scriptures Ecclesia saith he non debet se Christo praeponere And Confess 13. c. 23. he would not haue any to iudge of the sublime authoritie of the Booke of God They receiue not holy Scriptures vnlesse the Church that is the Pope propose them and declare them to be Canonicall S. Austine lib. 6. Confess c. 5. blameth such as are not by Scriptures perswaded to accept them They hold the old Latine vulgar Translation to be authenticall but contrarie to S. Augustines iudgement Bellarmine Leo Castrius Lindaue and diuers other Papists taxe holy Scriptures in the Originals of Impuritie and Corruption but contrarie to S. Augustines iudgement
THE VNMASKING of a Masse-monger WHO IN THE COVNTERFEIT Habit of S. AVGVSTINE hath cunningly crept into the Closets of many English-Ladies OR THE VINDICATION of Saint AVGVSTINES Confessions from the false and malicious Calumniations of a late noted Apostate By M. S. D. of EXETER 1. TIM 1.19 20. Hauing Faith and a good Conscience which some hauing put away and as concerning Faith haue made shipwracke Of whom is HYMENIVS and ALEXANDER whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they may learne not to blaspheme PSAL. 22.16 Dogges are come about mee and the counsell of the Wicked hath assaulted mee LONDON Printed by B.A. and T. FAVVCET for NICH BOVRNE and are to bee sold at his Shop neere to the Royall Exchange 1626. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND HIS VERY WORTHIE Friends Sir BAPTIST HICKES Knight and the good Lady his Wife AS the holy Apostles Right Worshipfull so all faithfull Christians deriue their faith from CHRIST Acceptam à CHRISTO disciplinam fideliter nationibus assignarunt sayth * De praescript TERTVLLIAN speaking of the Apostles Hee is the Foundation that cannot fayle and the Truth that cannot erre and therefore are the Faithfull sayd to bee built vpon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2. because they first Preached CHRIST the onely Corner-stone and mayne Foundation of the Church Vpon the Foundation of CHRIST and his Apostles both St. AVGVSTINE and all the ancient Fathers built their Faith Doe wee then thinke that the Translator of St. AVSTINES Confessions a notorious Rinegate from the Faith of the Church of England hath reason out of that Father to draw his Romish Doctrine Sure no the poyson of his Heresie cannot be found in that holy Fathers Workes All his Confessions are directed to GOD and neyther to Saints nor Angels nor to the Virgin MARY as is the vse and practise of the Synagogue of Rome The Popes two Swords and his triple Crowne his supreme Power to judge his Cardinals Hierarchicall Orders and Vniuersall Monarchie ouer the whole Church hee knew not The reall presence of CHRISTS Body vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and the eating thereof by the mouth of the Faithfull yea by the mouthes of the Reprobate and brute Beasts hee neuer taught Neyther did hee teach the monstrous Doctrine of Transubstantiation and the reft of the abominable Heresies established against vs in Trent Hungry Dogges may dreame of Bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth THEOCRITVS in Piscatorib And as ATMANASIVS sayth in Apolog. Defug Heretikes forge opinions according to their owne pleasure Pro libidine sua id opinâtur quod volunt But Truth will alwayes stand firme Wherefore seeing this Apostate so vnkind to his Parents so false to his Countrey so malicious to Religion hath some yeares since published St. AVGVSTINES Confessions translated into English in a long Preface and diuers false marginall Notes Obseruations and Calumniations endeuouring to induce the simple to dislike the Truth professed in this Church and to affect and approue the corruptions of Popery as if S. AVGVSTINE did fauour his Sect and dislike our Confession I haue thought it a Worke worth my labour to Vindicate that holy Father out of this impure fellowes false fingers Not that you need to bee resolued of the truth of Religion wherein I know you are firmely established but to the end that what I write for the establishing of the weake comming foorth vnder the Patronage of your name might remayne as a perpetuall testimony of that loue and respect which I haue borne and alwayes shall beare you These fellowes impudently arrogate to themselues the Name of Catholikes But as ATHANASIVS saith in his 2. Orat. against the Arrians How can they bee reputed among the members of the Catholike Church whose Faith is not Apostolike This young Nouice may please himselfe with his childish Annotations and Prefations but I shall show they are no better then those Childish fables and fooleries which S. AVSTINE Lib. 2. contr Academic would haue cast out of mens hands Nay diuers points of Poperie are no better then those monstrous Fancies which ORIGEN condemneth writing against CELSVS And this I shall God willing hereafter plainely demonstrate and not onely take from him all that hold that hee thinketh to haue eyther in Saint AVGVSTINES Confessions or in any other Booke of his This Treatise I consecrate to GOD vnder the Patronage of your fauour beseeching him that it may profit many so that the Thankes may remaine to you and that thereby you may vnderstand how much I honour you and that I shall alwayes remayne Yours much obliged and deuoted M. SVTCLIFFE THE PREFACE TO the Christian Reader FRom the excellencie of S. AVGVSTINES Pietie Vertue and Learning we purpose not Christian Reader to derogate any thing nay we doubt not to preferre him before many others both ancient and late Prelates Let the whole List of late Popes and their purple Cardinals and Mitred Prelates be produced and compared with that holy Father I suppose he will surpasse them all neyther doe we doubt but he is more worthie then manie others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet doth hee not exempt his Writing from other mens iudgement Id genus literarum sayth he writing against Faustus lib. 11. c. 5. Quae non praecipiendi authoritate sed proficiendi exercitatione scribuntur a nobis non cum credendi necessitate sed cum iudicandi libertate legendum est so hee permitteth others to iudge of his Writings Neyther doth he disdaine in the same place to preferre the Canonicall Bookes of Scripture before them nor doe wee thinke it any disparagement vnto him or other Fathers to haue the Apostles preferred before them as hee writeth vnto Hierome Epist 19. There also hee giueth that priuiledge to Scriptures onely Not to erre in any thing The Apostate doth in diuers places call him an incomparable Doctor yet neuer did S. Augustine so thinke of himselfe nor doe other learned men so esteeme him but that Athanasius Gregorie Nazianzene Chrysostome Basil Hierome Ambrose and others might bee compared with him But the more excellent hee is the more is our gaine the lesse the Apostates aduantage For this I affirme and I doubt not but to make it good against all the packe of Iesuites and not onely against this silly Translator whose soule is lately turned and translated Popish First that S. AVGVSTINE neuer beleeued the Popes infallible judgement in matters of Faith nor his sublime and vniuersall Monarchy ouer the whole Church nor the Doctrine of the Popes Schooles and Decretals and secondly that hee holdeth nothing as a matter of Faith and necessary to bee beleeued that is contrary to the Articles of Religion publikely professed in the Church of England In proofe whereof that wee may proceed more particularly and punctually wee shall God willing declare in the first Chapter that S. AVSTINE neuer knew eyther the Decrees of Trent enacted against vs or that part of Romish Religion which this Church of
England admitteth not and which this Apostate and his Consorts hold to bee Catholike In the second Chapter shall bee demonstrated that many of these Points of Romish Religion which wee reject are also contradicted by S. AVGVSTINE Thirdly because the Apostate and his Consorts doe euer and anon challenge to themselues the name of Catholikes wee propose in the third Chapter by Arguments inuincible to conuince them that they are neyther Catholikes nor hold the true Catholike and Apostolike Faith The fourth Chapter shall contayne the examination of the Apostates Title page and his Epistle dedicatory In the fift Chapter the Apostates absurd tedious and malicious Preface is scanned and refuted The sixth Chapter setteth downe Notes and Animaduersions vpon the Translators idle Aduertisement Jn the seuenth and last Chapter the false wicked and absurd Notes of the Translator vpon S. AVGVSTINES Text are refuted and expugned Now how contrary S. AVGVSTINES writings are to Popery here I will giue a touch in generall Non sit nobis religio sayth hee c. 55. de Ver. Relig. in phantasmatibus nostris Let vs not frame Religion according to our fancies But Popish Religion is wholly grounded vpon the Popes fantasies and fantasticall Decretals In the same Booke and Chapter he sheweth that true Religion doth tye vs to one God that is Almightie But Popish Religion doth oblige men to serue Saints and Angels and to worship many Gods on euery Altar that haue no power And againe Non sit nobis Religio humanorum operum cultus And afterward Non sit nobis Religio cultus hominum mortuorum And speaking of Angels he sayth Honoramus eos charitate non seruitute nec eis Templa construimus So he declareth that Religion consisteth not in the worship of Images or the workes of mens hands or in the worship of dead men or Saints or in the seruice of Angels shewing that then Temples were not built in the honor of Angels or any Seruice giuen to them all direct contrarie to the practise of the Romish Church In ijs quae aperte in Scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi sayth hee lib. 3. de Doctr. Christ c. 9. So hee holdeth Scriptures to be both sufficient and perspicuous in all matters concerning saluation And Lib. de Bon. Viduit c. 1. Sancta Scriptura nostrae Doctrinae regulam figit ne audeamus supera plus quam oportet All contrarie to the Doctrine of false Romish Catholikes which hold the Scriptures to be obscure and darke imperfect and no sufficient Rule without Traditions Disp 2. contr Fortunat. After that man sinned by Free-will wee were cast headlong into a necessitie of sinning And Enchirid. ad Laurent c. 30. Man ill vsing Free-will lost both himselfe and it But false Catholikes denie that it is so lost but that we may freely doe well Lib. 4. contr Iulian. he denyeth that Infidels can doe works pleasing to God which Papists admit not In his Booke de Vnit. Eccles c. 1. he acknowledgeth no Head of the Church but CHRIST IESVS the onely begotten Sonne of the liuing God who is also the Sauior of his Body False Catholikes make the Pope to be the Head of the Church Omnes homines sub Lege constitutos reos facit Lex sayth S. Austine But false Papists seeke for iustification by the Law Iustitia nostra quamvis vera sit tamen tanta est in hac vita vt potius peccatorum remissione constet quam perfectione virtutum sayth S. Augustine lib. 19. de Ciuit. Dei c. 27. He sayth Our iustice standeth in remission or sinnes and not in the perfection of vertue The Papists teach contrarie Lib. 2. contr Epist Parmen c. 8. he denyeth that S. Paul or other Apostles are our Mediators And againe Pro quo nullus interpellat sed ipso pro omnibus hic vnus verusque Mediator est But this Apostate and his Consorts vse the mediation of the Virgin Mary of Angels and Saints Cum Petro dicitur ad omnes dicitur pasce Oues meus sayth S. Austine de Agon Christ c. 30. Papists contrarie beleeue that these words doe properly belong to Peter and the Pope When it was sayd to Peter I will giue thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen the Church Vniuersall was signified sayth S. Austine Tract 124. in loan The Apostate contrarie restraineth this to the Pope S. Austine in Epist ad lanuar 118. Lib. 3. de Doctr. Christ c. 9. mentioneth onely two Sacraments which our Church alloweth False Catholikes adde other fiue and hold they iustifie ex opere operato which was a Doctrine neuer knowne by S. Augustine Lib. de Fid. ad Petrum c. 19. he sayth The Church ceaseth not to offer the Sacrifice of Bread and Wine wherein there is action of Graces and a commemoration of Christs Flesh which he gaue for vs and of his Bloud which he shed for vs. Contrariwise the Apostate and his fellowes denie that Bread and Wine are effered and suppose that his Flesh and Bloud is really offered for vs in the Eucharist Tract 30. in Ioan. S. Austine sayth that Christs Body in which he rose againe must be in one place And Serm. 53. de Verb. Dom. Christus caput nostrum sursum in coelis est The Aduersaeries of Truth say he is here below on euerie Altar and beleeue that the Pope is the Head of the Church Tractat. 26. in Ioan. in Psal 77. he sayth that the Sacraments of the Old and New Testament are equall in the thing that is signified though diuers in signes Which ouerthroweth the carnall reaell presence of Christs Body and Bloud vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament De morib Eccles Cath. lib. 1. c. 3. S. Austine condemneth such as worship Sepulchres and Pictures Et de Fid. Symb. c. 7. Tale simulachrum Deo nefas est Christiano in Templo collorari sayth he condemning the making of the Image of God and placing it in Churches In his Booke de Haeres he sheweth that the Simonians Carpocratians were reputed Heretikes yet the worship of Images and Saints Reliques is reputed no small part of the Romish Faith In his 6. Booke of Confessions c. 5. hee sheweth that God perswadeth vs to beleeue Scriptures condemning such as aske how wee know that the Scriptures were deliuered to men by the ministration of the holy Ghost But false and counterfeit Christians and this Apostate doe make this question commonly and beleeue not Scriptures without Tradition Quid mihi est cum hominibus vt ipsi confessiones meas audiant sayth S. Austine lib. 10. Confess c. 2. But the Apostate and his Apostaticall Consorts thinke it a matter necessarie to confesse and reckon vp all sinnes and the circumstances thereof making Confession a necessarie ingredient of the Sacrament of Penance Finally it were an easie matter to shew that S. AVGVSTINE doth discord with the Papists in all those Points wherein they differ from vs
weakenesse A place ill translated S. Austines words are Firmit as nostra quando tu es tunc est firmit as cum autem nostra est infirmit as est How then can man of himselfe will or doe that is good or prepare himselfe to iustice or before grace beleeue and repent and loue God Where in the Text S. Austine Lib. 5. Confess c. 1. hath Heale thou all my Bones the Translator in the Margent noteth the powers of his Soule as if his Apostaticall Soule were full of Bones S. Austine also sayth God doth open the heart when he will Which sheweth that man cannot resist his grace nor receiue it before it be giuen him The picture of an Heretike saith hee in a note vpon the 5. Booke and 6. Chap. is set out in Faustus who was very shallow albeit hee made a faire shew What then need wee goe further to seeke out an Heretike then to this shallow-pated Apostate who notwithstanding his shewes and brags is a Translator of small substance such also are his pedanticall Masters the Jesuites that talking brauely of the Church and Tradition runne their barkes vpon the sands of the Popes Decrees impudently bragging and yet performing nothing Like to Faustus who was Magnus laquens Diaboli as S. Austine saith Lib. 5. Confes c. 3. as they are Erat memoria B. Cypriani saith S. Austine Lib. 5. c. 8. This the Apostate translateth there was the Shrine of S. Cyprian As if that godly Martyr were Shrined like Thomas of Canterbury and worshipped with Lights Masses Musicke solemne accesse of Pilgrimes and such like Ceremonies There also he saith S. Cyprians Reliques were kept but he sheweth not what Reliques nor is able to proue that they were there worshipped S. Augustine hath no such thing It was onely a memory of Cyprians martyrdome Monica there prayed to God and not to Cyprian as may bee collected out of S. Austines wordes The Manichees as the Translator noteth Lib. 5. c. 9. beleeued that our Sauiour CHRIST had not a naturall Body And can hee and his consorts beleeue otherwise that in the Sacrament giue him a Body that is neyther felt nor seene nor suffereth any thing There also he addeth that Monica went euery day to Masse corrupting S. Austines wordes who speaketh of an Oblation no day pretermitted by her But I trow the Apostate will not say shee sayd Masse neyther was there any Masse framed by Scholasticus or patched together by Popes in her time Shee went euery day to Church as S. Austine saith a plaine conuiction of Recusants that goe no day to Church Hee addeth that God by his promises maketh himselfe a debtor therefore for mens Merites hee is no debtor remitting daily their debts The Manichees as S. Austine reporteth Lib. 5. c. 10. beleeued that God had the bulke of a Body And doe not the Papists paint figure God the Father and the Holy Ghost and giue them bulkes of bodies As the Manichees salsified the Scriptures as witnesseth S. Austine Lib. 5. Confes c. 11. So doe the Hereticall Papists both by Translations and wicked Interpretations 2. They doe also suppresse Gods eternall Testament prohibitng the reading of it in vulgar Translations without licence 3. They falsifie the Fathers as their Indexes Expurgatory and later Editions compared with Manuscripts and former Prints declare In vaine therefore doth this poore Translator thinke to wipe away so foule a fault with a megre Marginall note S. Ambrose did Preach to the people as S. Austine relateth Lib. 5. Confes c. 13. hee did also substantially teach Saluation whereas Faustus the Heretike did wander vp and downe by certaine fallacies But the Pope and his proud Prelates Preach not The Masse-Priests also and Iesuwides wandring in diuers fallacies and Schoole-trickes teach the Popes fancies and leade their Disciples out of the way of saluation as did the Hereticall Manichees Vpon the 5. Booke 14. Chap. in a Marginall note he saith God deceiueth men of their soules most impiously making God a deceiuer who deceiueth none but draweth men by a right course into the way of Truth Monica as S. Austine testifieth Lib. 6. Confes c. 2. brought Bread and Wine to the memories of Martyrs which this jugler translateth shrines but was forbidden by the doore keeper because it was a Heathenish custome Yet this Heathenish custome the heathenish Priests of Baal leaue not Feasting and Banquetting riotously on the festiuall dayes of their Saints which they worship Idolatrously The Translator in a certaine Note doth insinuate that Ostiarius was then an Office in the Church as it is now But S. Austine doth neyther make an Order of Doore-keepers nor a Sacrament nor can the Translator with any Art draw that out of him The Communion of the Body of our Lord saith the holy Father was celebrated at the Tombes of Martyrs But neyther doth hee mention Masse nor doe Masse-Priests alwayes make this Sacrament a Communion eating and drinking all alone albeit this Iugler would willingly draw his Masse out of these Boxes God hath no Children saith the Apostate in Lib. 6. Confes c. 3. but such as are members of the Catholike Church How then can the Apostate and his fellowes claime to bee Gods children being the members of Antichrist and hauing forsaken the Catholike Church and Faith S. Augustine saith God spirituall Children are by him Regenerated by Grace But the Apostate doth attribute Regeneration to the Priest and Sacrament and that ex opere operato Are they not then rather the Popes Bastards then Gods spirituall Children Persuasisti mihi saith S. Austine Lib. Confes 6. c. 5. non qui crederent libris quos tanta fere in omnibus gentibus authoritate fundasti sed qui non crederent esse culpandos nec audiendes esse si qui forte mihi dicerent vnde scis illos libros vnius veri veracissimi Dei Spiritu humano generi esse ministratos So hee saith first that God perswaded vs to beleeue holy Scriptures to bee of God 2. That Scriptures haue their authority from God and not from the Pope or Church 3. That it is impious to make a question how we know that Scriptures came from God But this false Translator contrary to S. Austines wordes and meaning maketh the Scriptures to receiue Authoritie from the Church in regard of vs. 2. He would haue vs to beleeue the Scriptures not because God perswadeth vs but because the Church teacheth vs as if the Church receiued her perswasion from herselfe and not from God Lastly continually they question vs how we know that the Scriptures are of God which this good Father condemneth as impious To resolue that the Scriptures are Diuine because the Pope saith so is most ridiculous The like fraud this Iugler vseth in a Note vpon the 11. Cap. of this Booke deriuing that Authority which S. Austine giueth to holy Scriptures to his Church that is to euery ignorant and faithlesse Pope Alipius is commended by S. Austine Lib. 6. conf c. 8. for
that hee shut his eyes least hee should behold the Gladiators intimating that we are to auoid all occasions of sinne Why then did not this Translator shut his eyes in Italy and Spaine where are so many baits for sinne Did he drop into the Brothel blind-fold In the Margent Lib. 6. c. 12. he telleth vs that the Diuell is euer putting Tricks vpon him And doe we maruell that he and his fellowes are so lewd and vaine-glorious seeing the Diuell doth put so many Tricks vpon them and hath entangled their feet with his snares Lib. 6. c. 13. he seemeth to insist much vpon Visions and Reuelations But S. Austine sayth Monicaes Visions were vaine and fantasticall and that there was great difference betweene God reuealing and the soule dreaming And such Dreames commonly are the Visions and Reuelations of Monkes and Fryars God therefore directeth vs Isay 8. to the Law and Testimonie and not to Visions nor the Reuelations of Spirits S. Austines Concubine as is related Lib. 6. Conf. c. 11. vowed to God she would no more know man so it may be many beastly women vow they will forsake their lewd life But this is but a simple argument to proue Vowes of Chastitie albeit the best the idle Translator could draw out of Saint Austine who yet hath nothing to say of Nuns or their Rules Lib. 6. c. 16. the Translator noteth Merits in the Margent But he is a poore disputer that out of such Merits as Epicunus had thinketh to prooue that mens Workes doe merit eternall life A fit man rather to follow Epicures then to translate good Bookes Lib. 7. c. 1. he placeth this profound Note in the margent That the Catholike Church is our Mother A point which no man doubteth But if hee beleeue that the Pope and moderne Church of Rome is the true Catholike Church or the Mother of faithfull Christians hee is foully mistaken not discerning the chaste Spouse of Christ from the abominable Whore of Babilon Further when Rome was the Church yet was shee but a particular Church The cause of sinne is our owne will as S. Austine teacheth vs Lib. 7. Conf. c. 3. And this that worthy man M. Caluin knew very well who neuer said nor thought as the damned Apostate chargeth him that God maketh men to sinne that he may afterward damne them neyther doth he say that any doe sinne by necessarie constraint These are the rayling Rinegates vaine and blasphemous Conceits and no Doctrines of M. Caluin as by the Texts by him falsely cited may appeare The Authoritie of the Church commendeth holy Scriptures to particular persons as S. Austine sayth Lib. 7. c. 7. But he sayth not that holy Scriptures receiue their Authoritie from the Catholike Church as the Aduersaries of the Church and Scriptures conceiue and much lesse from the Pope and Church of Rome For if that were so how could the Church beleeue Scriptures May the Church authorise and deliuer Scriptures to it selfe Lib. 7. c. 18. S. Austine maketh Christ his only Mediator shewing that hee was God and man How then can the Schoole-men and their followers accord with him making the Virgin Mary together with Saints and Angels to be Mediators and holding that Christ is our Mediator according to his Humanitie only That the Virgin Mary being a Virgin still did conceiue and beare Christ Jesus is not doubted by any Christian it is also confessed that Christ was knowne to betrue man by Tradition as S. Austine teacheth Lib. 7. c. 19. But that this was knowne by Tradition vnwritten onely or that holy Scripture is knowne by Tradition as the Translator noteth S. Austine sayth not neyther is it true for the natures of Christ are knowne by Scripture one Booke of Scripture testifieth of another Neyther doth he say that the holy Virgin was conceiued liued without sin these be only Friars fancies dreames and not this holy Fathers doctrine We are to finde the ioyes of Heauen not without Penance in this life sayth the Translator worthie to be translated and made the Popes Penitentiarie to impose Penance and to giue pardon to all that are troubled with the Collick in their Braines And this he noteth in Lib. 8. Confess c. 3. Yet S. Austine neuer thought that the way to Heauen was by whipping knocking the breast wearing hayre-cloth and going bare-foot Vpon the 8. Booke of Confess c. 6. the Translator noteth that Anthonie the Aegyptian was a Monke and that he wrought Miracles and that there were many Monasteries before S. Austines time and one neere Milan But out of all these Monasteries he cannot find one that held the Moderne Romish Religion or that liued in obedience to the Bishops of Rome or receiued their Rules from them Further they now worke no Miracles nor are like to them eyther in their liues or studies nay it appeareth they rather dwelt in Cells and poore Cottages then in any sumptuous Buildings S. Anthonie and S. Austine were conuerted by reading holy Scriptures as is testified Lib. 8. Confess c. 12. Why then are Christians denyed libertie to reade holy Scriptures in Tongues vnderstood by them Why are Scriptures reputed to be dumbe Teachers Finally why are Scriptures denyed to haue power to worke Faith vnlesse the Church propose them Out of Scriptures certes Monkish Vowes and their pretended Euangelicall perfection will neuer be proued albeit the Postiller should resolue himselfe into sweat endcuoring to doe it These words Goe and sell all thou hast Matth. 19. and put on the Lord Jesus belong not to Monkes onely nor did the Romans or the young man in the Gospel put on Monkes Cowles vpon hearing these words Finally he that will find out the originall of Monkes and Fryars he must search not holy Scriptures but the Popes Decretals That man had free-will to do euill S. Augustine confesseth Confess Lib. 9. c. 1. but that he had a power by free-will to doe well that is a surmise of the Pelagianizing Translator for albeit grace moue vs to submit our selues to Christs yoke yet is it not our free-will that worketh what is good but Gods grace Lib. 9. Conf. c. 2. the corrupter of S. Austines Confessions endeuoreth to proue Graduall Verses and Procession out of them but his labor is in vaine he may as well out of them draw from thence the Tricks of the Missall Breuiarie But had the Jewes any such Ascension or Procession yet are not the Traditions of the later Jewish Rabbins any warrant for him his Consorts to warrant their superstitious Deuices Scripsi haec in Caera sayth S. Austine Lib. 9. Confess c. 4. And this the Buzzard translateth This I wrote in Waxe As if men did then write in Waxe and not in Tables layd ouer with Waxe mixed with other stuffe so he thinketh they wrote in Dust where the Writing was on Tables plastred ouer with Waxe and Dust That men went bare-foot in Deuotion S. Austine doth not affirme albeit this thred-bare Translator doth hold that to
Ep. 108. and Lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 13. The Bookes of Toby Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees the Papists receiue as Canonicall but S. Augustine Lib. 2. contr Cresc c. 31. placeth no Bookes in the Canon of the Old Testament but such as were written by the Prophets of which number these will hardly be proued to be They make Christ to be our Mediator according to his Humanitie onely which is contrarie to S. Augustines Doctrine who in his Homily de Ouibus c. 12. doth attribute this worke of Mediation to his Person in both Natures Diuina humanitas saith he humana Diuinitas Mediatrix est The worship and inuocation of holy men departed are a great part of the Romish Religion but S. Austine de ver Relig. c. vlt. forbiddeth vs to place Religion in Reliques and the inuocation of dead men Non sit nobis Religio saith he culius hominum mortuorum And Lib. 22. de Ciuit. Dei c. 10. he saith Christians departed are named at the Altar but not called vpon S. Augustine de Morib Eccl. Cath. c. 34. saith hee knew some that worshipped dead mens Tombes and Pictures but such are condemned by him In his Booke de Haeresib hee condemneth it as an Heresie of the Simonians and Carpocratians that they worshipped Images and burnt incense vnto them Yet doth not the Apostate nor his Apostaticall mates forbeare to worship Reliques of Saints and Images and to burne incense vnto them Hee acknowledged but two Sacraments properly so called which as he speaketh flowed out of Christs side He soecifieth also two Sacraments in his 118. Epistle viz. Baptisme and the Lords Supper Manauit sanguis aqua Ecclesiae gemina Sacramenta saith he Lib. 2. de Symb. c. 6. But the Apostate not regarding S. Austines authoritie acknowledgeth fiue Sacraments beside these two He saith Visible Sacraments without the sanctification of inuisible grace profit nothing as we reade in Quaest. super Leuit. Lib. 3. q. 84. But the Apostate and his Consorts beleeue that visible Sacraments conferre grace ex opere operato S. Augustine in Psal 3. calleth the Sacrament a figure of Christs Bodie and Lib. contr Adimantum c. 12. Christ as he writeth doubted not to say This is my Bodie when he gaue a signe of his Bodie But Papists cannot brooke that this Sacrament should be called a signe or a figure of Christs Bodie Take away the spaces of places from Bodies saith S. Austine Epist 57. ad Dardanum and they will be no where and because they are no where they will not be at all Spatia locorum tolle corporibus nusquam erunt quia nusquam erunt non erunt And in his 20. Booke contr Faustum he faith Christ according to his corporall presence could not be at one time in the Sunne and Moone and on the Crosse And in his 30. Treatise on Joan. he saith The Bodie of Christ must be in one place But this rinegate Apostating as well from S. Austiue as from the Christian Faith holdeth that Christs true Bodie is in euery Altar and diuers Countries at one instant and yet filleth no place It is against Pietie saith S. Austine as hee is alledged c. vtrum Dist 2. de Consecrat to thinke that Christs Bodie is deuoured with teeth Christum vorari dentibus fas non est He faith also that his flesh is no meat for mens teeth but for their soules Tract 25. in Ioan. But this impietie of deuouring and eating Christ with teeth and with the mouth is part of the Apostates impious Religion He saith also The wicked which accord not with Christ doe not eat Christs Bodie or drinke his Bloud as is alledged c. qui discordat Dist 2. de Consecr Yet this fellow rineguing from S. Austines Doctrine holdeth that not only the wicked but also brute beasts eating the Sacrament both eat his Bodie and drinke his Bloud Simul sumimus simul bibimus quia simul viuimus Wee doe take the Sacrament and drinke together because wee liue together saith S. Augustine in Serm. ad Neoplast which is alledged c. quia passus Dist 2. de Consecrat And can the rinegate in his rinegued Conscience beleeue that S. Austine allowed priuate Masses and halfe Communions Free-will being captiuated saith S. Augustine contr 2. Epist Pelag. lib. 3. c. 8. is of no strength but to sinne Liberum arbitrium captiuatum non nisi ad peccandum valet And will this captiuated slaue of Antichrist contradict such a holy Father and say that Free-will is not captiuated but hath power to doe well The same Father de Nupt. Concupisc lib. 1. c. 3. contr Julian lib. 4. c. 3. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 5. c. 19. in Psal 31. in Praefat. teacheth that Infidels sinne in all their workes but the rinegate and his Mates will not submit themselues to S. Austines iudgement nor denie but that Infidels may doe good workes The Church as S. Austine saith Lib. 5. contr Donatist c. 27. consisteth of iust and holy men and in his Exposition on the 56. Psal hee saith it consisteth of all the faithfull that are the members of Christ And will the Apostate hold that wicked Popes Cardinals Masse-Priests Monkes and Fryars whereof some are Infidels are the true members of Christs Body His Master Bellarmine de Eccles c. 2. saith a man may be a true member of the Church if he communicate outwardly in Faith and Sacraments with the Church and be subiect to the Pope albeit he haue neyther inward Faith nor Vertue But who will not rather beleeue S. Austine then these two Pseudo-Catholikes Sine bonorum operum meritis per fidem iustificaetur impius saith S. Austine in Psal 67. Yet this rinegat doubteth not but as he hath the sinnes of his youth and scabs inherent so he is iustified by charitie inherent and good works if he haue any S. Austine in his Commentaries in Psal 36. doth expressely condemne mens Merits esteeming all our sufferings vile and not worthie of that which we receiue And in Psal 83. Quicquid promisit indignis promisit Whatsoeuer God promised saith he he promised to men vnworthie that the reward might be not of Workes but of Grace Afterward hee saith Our iustice is not of Merites of men but of Gods gift And yet this vnworthie fellow and his thrice-vnworthie Mates boast continually of their worth and teach mens Merites The same holy Father also Confess lib. 10. c. 42. denyeth all reconciliation to God made by Angels and in his Booke de Haeresib condemneth such for Heretikes as pray to Angels How then can such rinegates reconcile themselues to S. Austine praying to Angels and trusting to be reconciled by Angels and holpen by their intercession Lib. de Haeres c. 88. hee condemneth Pelagius for an Heretike holding that man may by free-will dispose himselfe to grace and that iust men can liue without sinne and be saued by their owne strength The which Fancies being embraced by this Heretike who
the entire Rule They forbid holy Scriptures to be read in vulgar Tongues to the people being afraid belike least the light thereof should discouer their false errors and foule deeds Contrarie to the Doctrine of the Fathers they make the Bookes of Tobia Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus the Machabees and those peeces of Bookes that are in the old vulgar Latine Translation and not in the Originals to be Canonicall Scriptures equall to the Law and Prophets The old Latine vulgar Translation they make authenticall and neyther the Hebrew nor Greeke Originals of the Old and New Testament They forbid all interpretations of Scriptures contrarie to the sence of the Pope and Roman Church and might as well forbid all Scriptures They teach that the worship of Dulia is due to Saints and Hyperdulia to the Virgin Mary They worship Images of Gold and Siluer and fall downe before the workes of their owne hands Before a Stock they say Pater noster and before Images of Stone and Mettall they say Mater nostra praying helpe of them that neyther heare nor see nor walke nor speake They desire the Picture of Christs Face giuen as is said to Veromca to blot out their sinnes and to bring them to the societie of Saints They call vpon Angels and Saints in all places as if they were euery where present and could heare their prayers and vnderstand their thoughts and could helpe Praying to the Crosse they say Aue spes vnica and desire it to encrease instice in them and to pardon their sinnes They giue diuine honor to the Crosse and to the Images of Christ and the Trinitie which is vnexcusable Idolatrie Consecrating a Crosse they desire it may be to them a Foundation of Faith and a Defence in Aduersitie They beleeue that the Image of the Virgin Mary can helpe the faithfull and that the Image of S. Iohn the Euangelist hath power to driue away Diuels as appeareth by their prayers in the Pontificall when they consecrate them They pray without vnderstanding in a strange Tongue and call vpon Saints and Angels that neyther are present nor heare them They make the Images of the Trinitie and not onely of Angels but mens soules in Heauen The Apostle sayth there is but one Mediator betwixt God and man they employ all Angels and Saints as Mediators Yea they call vpon S. George S. Katherine S. Christopher and XI M. Virgins yet are not assured that there are any such Saints in Heauen or euer were in the World In the Masse the Priest presumptuously taketh vpon him to be a Mediator for Christ Jesus beseeching the Father to looke vpon his Sonne with a serene countenance and to send Angels to carrie vp his Bodie into Heauen Masse-Priests beleeue that they are Priests according to the Order of Melchisedech but the Apostle Hebr. 5. 7. sheweth how that Office belongeth only to Christ They beleeue that Christ is by them continually offered to God but the Apostle sayth he was but once offered and that by that one Oblation he persited all that are sanctified They offer Masses for the redemption of their Soules as if men were redeemed by Masse-Priests as well as by Christ They say Masses also for Hogges and sick Horses which is an intollerable impietie presuming that Christ dyed for brute Beasts They hold the Masse to be a Sacrifice propitiatorie as if sinnes could be remitted without bloud which the Apostle denyeth Hebr. 9. S. Iohn 1. Epist 1. sayth Christs bloud doth cleanse vs from all sinnes quite contrarie to the Doctrine of the Romanists holding that sinnes are cleansed by Purgatorie fire and by our owne and the Saints sufferings They whip themselues thinking by their owne Penance to purge away sinnes like Baals Priests not considering that we are healed by Christs wounds The Apostle Ephes 2. sayth we are saued by grace they beleeue they are saued by the merits of their workes Hee sayth God called vs not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace They hold that God doth predestinate and call such as by free-will admit that calling and iustifie men that first prepare themselues to iustification Rom. 9. he sheweth That it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth They teach that euery one that will may be saued if he run well They doe also teach that God giueth sufficient grace to all to be saued as if euery one were chosen and called and had grace giuen him to beleeue The Apostle Rom. 3. sayth We are iustified freely by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus They beleeue they are iustified by their workes and merits Christ breaking Bread sayd This is my Body These denie that he gaue Bread or called it his Body Christ distributed the Cup to all that had receiued the Bread They suffer not any but Priests to drinke of the Cup. They say Christ did eate himselfe and offer himselfe at his last Supper but for a man to eate himselfe it is absurd and for Christ to offer two Sacrifices was superfluous In priuate Masses the Priest doth eate and drinke all alone but that is contrarie to Christs Institution Christ bad his Disciples preach the Gospel The Popes Emissaries preach Traditions and Doctrine contrarie to the Gospel Among Papists Women baptize and sometime preach as Katherine of Siena and Joane of the Crosse did They thinke it is sufficient to beleeue implicitely Christ sayd eternall life consisted in knowing God and Christ Jesus They beleeue in a God that neyther made Heauen nor Earth and in Christ made of Bread contrarie to the words of the Creed Priests take vpon them to be creators of their Creator as if they had power ouer God They beleeue that Christs Body is in many places at once as if euery body were not circumscribed by place and continued to it selfe now what is this but to destroy Christs humane Nature Christs true Body in the Sacrament they say neyther seeth nor feeleth nor moueth How is that Body then a true humane Body that hath no sence nor motion The Masse they say is an externall Sacrifice How then is Christ offered in the Masse which is not externally seene Christ in the Capernaites condemned the reall eating of his flesh yet doe Papists beleeue they really eate his flesh and drinke his bloud with their mouthes Christ sayth they liue for euer that eate his fiesh Yet Papists say Reprobates eate his flesh which cannot attaine eternall life The Faith of Papists being founded on the Pope and his Decretals is meerely an humane Faith and therefore not true Christian Faith The Cardinals hauing elected a new Pope place him on the Altar and adore him Great Princes also kisse his feet and common people esteeme him as a God They forbid certaine Meates and prohibite their Votaries to Marrie which the Apostle 1. Tim. 4. calleth no better then Doctrines of Diuels They teach rebellion against Princes excommunicated contrary to the Apostle Rom. 13. that teacheth
fourthly he was not subiect to the Pope nor liued vnder any certaine Rule fiftly he whipped not himselfe as the Fryars now doe sixtly he retyred not into a solitarie house but into his owne house as Possidonius reporteth Was hee not then ashamed to tell so many vntruths with one breath He addeth that a principall Caualier offered to depend on his aduice in the way of spirit and that there were many Monasteries alreadie erected in S. Austines time A grosse Leasing deuised not without the instigation of some wicked Spirit For first the Monasteries of Aegypt and Syria were of another fashion secondly Benct brought the Orders of Monkes first into Italie thirdly Possidonius calleth the man Agentem in Rebus A Factor for the Emperour fourthly of the dependance vpon S. Austine by way of spirit there is no mention in Possidonius Another grosse Leasing related by the Translator is that which is related concerning a Monasterie built by S. Augustine in a Garden Possidonius sayth it was in the Church and there liued not Canons regular as this irregular and prodigall fellow reporteth but some seruants of God that followed the Apostles rule and not the fashions of Monkes or the Decrees of Popes The Order of Priesthood he tooke but not the Orders of Masse-Priests sacrificing for quicke and dead Nay he preached the Gospel which Masse-Priests doe not and was made Bishop without any Bulls of the Pope being chosen by the Clergie and People That Euangelicall perfection consisteth in Monasticall Obedience hee neuer thought nor did hee found a Monasterie for Canons Regular These be Fictions and Lyes deuised by the Apostate for the maintenance of his Popish Religion the North-starre of his Discourse by which hee directeth his broken Barke He confesseth that hee was frequent in Preaching Catechizing and teaching of youth A plaine conuiction of the sloath and negligence of the Romish woluish Prelates which neither Preach nor Teach nor Catechise He addeth that hee compounded Differences and exercised himselfe in workes of Charity But Popish Prelats enflame Warres vexe poore Christians Murther Innocents and are voyd of Charitie and full of vices and villany That his Bishoppricke should be worth 40. M. Crownes by the yeare is a pleasant conceit of a foolish Factor of the Pope measuring times past wherein the Church was poore and needy with the time present wherein Popish Prelates exceed in Luxurie and Pride To error in beleefe and sensuality of Life he confesseth hee was admirably opposite To which the Apostate and his consorts are admirably addicted being Heretikes by profession and sensuall Epicures in life and conuersation Yet did S. Austine neuer vant of his noble Cooperation with Gods grace or say he made a superabundant satisfaction for his former offences These bee glorious vaunts of Popish Heretikes which take to themselues power of satisfactions and merites due to Christ. Hee maketh S. Austine also vnspeakably pure from a Papist turning to be a Puritane and giueth that to S. Augustine that he neuer tooke to himselfe He addeth that S. Austine did expiate 16. yeares of his Youth vncleanly spent As if a man were able to purge his sinnes and to make an attonement for them Making S. Austine a Redeemer and a teacher of perfect Iustice the first being Blasphemy and the second Pelagian Heresie Of the tendernesse of S. Austines Conscience and the rigour vsed by him in examination of his small imperfections hee talketh idly himselfe and his Consorts hauing Consciences seared with hot yrons and not examining their most flagitious Offences following sensuall Lusts falsifying their Words and Oathes murthering Gods Saints maintaining Stewes teaching Rebellion and open wickednesse He accumulated sayth the Apostate a huge stocke of Merites But S. Austine alwayes disauowed his owne Merites and fled to Gods mercy Cor. 2. in Psal 36. hee saith All thinges are to bee esteemed vile to vs when wee consider what we are to receiue Vt justi ficrent merita non fuerunt sayth he Epist 150. And in his Preface in Psal 31. Nihil boni fecisti datur tibi remissio peccatorum And de Verb. Apost Serm. 2. hee sayth God doth crowne vs in pitie and mercie of a stocke of Merites he neuer spoke one word Nay so absurd is the Doctrine of Merites of condignitie that the sounder Schoole-men doe disauow it Hee addeth That he came not short in paying his Debts contracted with God and his Church by reason of his erroneous Beleefe But if he came not short of payment what needed he to begge forgiuenesse of Debts If he confuted Pelagius and other Heretikes then he was no great friend of Papists that teaching puritie of Life and perfection of Iustice and the power of Free-will in our Regeneration and doing good Workes ioyne with Pelagius and other Heretikes condemned by S. Austine The Donatists as he sayth pretended that the vniuersall Church hath erred and was perished But he lyeth grossely for they onely sayd that it erred and perished in all places saue in Afrike not as Papists say that it is perished and erreth in all places saue in the Popes Iurisdiction Hee establisheth sayth hee the supreme Authoritie vnder God of the true visible and vniuersall Church of Christ in matters of Faith But if the true Church were visible in S. Austines time then is not the Romish Church consisting of Popes Cardinals Inquisitors dumbe Prelates sacrificing Masse-Priests Monkes Fryars Nunnes fierie Ignatians and such Vermine the true Church for such a Church was not visible in S. Austines time nor long after If the Churches Authoritie be Supreme then is not the Pope Supreme nay God speaking in Scriptures is not Supreme Finally if the Church be Vniuersall then is it not confined within the Limits of the Popes Authoritie Saint Austine certes neuer beleeued the Popes supreme Iudgement nor thought the Church of Afrike to be of lesse Authoritie then that of Rome Concerning the Canon of Scripture it selfe or the Translation or interpretation thereof or the tryall of Apostolicall Tradition or whatsoeuer other Point in difference by the iudgement of great Saint Augustine the Catholike visible Church is that which must be resorted vnto as the Supreme and finall Judge on Earth as hee sayth Hee telleth vs also That hee gaue certaine generall Rules whereby all Controuersies of Faith may bee composed But first the Pope doth much scorne to follow Saint Austines Rules or Iudgement Secondly Saint Austine neuer knew any Rule of Controuersies but holy Scriptures The Rule of Faith sayth he Lib. 5. de Ciuit. Dei c. 33. is sufficiently knowne to the Faithfull by the Bookes of Canonicall Scriptures A Regula Fidei quae per alias eiusdem Authoritatis Sacras Literas satis fidelibus nota est non vberrauimus Thirdly Saint Austine Lib. 2. de Doctr. Christ. c. 11. 15. and Lib. 15. de Ciuit. c. 13. will haue Translations examined by the Originals and inferiour to them Fourthly the blinde Papists doe not follow the Iudgement of the
to bee followed Was not then this Rinegate impudent that tooke the Authority which S. Austine bestowed on Scriptures and by a tricke of Legierdemaine conueyed it to the Church of Rome and to euery blind Pope That one place of Scripture hath diuers sences as the Apostate blindly auoweth in his Notes on the 12. Booke of S. Austines Confessions Chap. 18. hee shall neuer bee able to proue by the testimony of that Father who confirmeth that to be the sence of Scripture which the Enditor meant who is Truth and speaketh but one thing Thus wee see for a Translator we haue here a corrupter falsifier of S. Austine Afterward lib. 12. c. 20. he sayth diuers Expositors may diuersly interprete one place but he sayth not that one place hath diuers sences as the Apostate without all sence inferreth For how can that which differeth be true And how can God in one sentence vnderstand diuers things he being alwayes one and vnchangeable The Postiller vpon the Margent of this 12. Booke c. 25. sayth Truth is a Catholike Benediction and S. Austine there confesseth that Truth belongeth not to any one man but is common to all the louers of Truth But he is an absurd fellow to suppose the Pope and his followers embracing the refuse Doctrine of Trent and the Schooles to be Catholikes or Truth to be a Benediction bestowed on Papists that wee haue found and declared to be forgers lyars slanderers and a packe of Heretikes Further if Truth belongeth not to any one man why doth euery false Pope that is but a priuat man pretend that he is the onely supreme Iudge of Truth and infallible interpreter of holy Scriptures In the Title of the 30. chapter of the 12. Booke of S. Austines Confessions the Translator sayth Charitie is to be maintained among men of contrarie opinions So hee pronounceth sentence against the Pope and his Inquisitors and all their Faction which persecute Christians and cut their throats for not holding euery one of their trifling Heresies S. Augustine would haue Truth to make friends But the Apostaticall Sect will not heare him being offended for nothing more then that we teach Truth against the Brood of Antichrist and their wicked Errors Lib. 13. Confess c. 1. the Postiller noteth that without Gods inspiration a man cannot thinke a good thought which is also S. Austines Doctrine and both contrary to the Popish Doctrine of Papists that giue free-will to a naturall man both to say well and to doe well Cap. 7. the Translator intimateth that man riseth from sinne and is iustified by the helpe of Charitie inherent in vs. And this he endeuoreth to picke out of S. Austine but sooner shall hee picke Gudgeons out of Flint stones for that holy Father doth not speake there of Charitie inherent in vs but of Charitie giuen vs and working in vs by Gods holy Spirit Lib. 13. c. 9. ridiculously he endeuoreth to proue his Popish Procession by the example of the Jewes who as he sayth did sing Psalmes as they went vp the stayres of the Temple As if euery Masse-Priest singing Letanies as they goe vp Newgate stayres or as they goe to Tiburne doe walke in Procession By the Psalmes of the Jewes this Apostate will neuer proue his Letanies or Procession for they sung Psalmes to God Masse-Priests in their Letanies pray to dead men Where S. Austine lib. 13. c. 13. speaketh of the expectation of adoption and the redemption of his body the false Postiller noteth that S. Paul saued Christians by praying for them after his glorification of which that Father giueth not the least signification nay contrarie he expected the fruits of his owne adoption and the redemption of his owne bodie of which other Christians were no members Cap. 14. he sayth the Caluinists affirme their Church to consist only of the elect But the lying Apostate sheweth not who these Caluinists are and where they write so much as he chargeth them with Caluin himselfe saith only that the Catholike Church is a Communion of Saints and properly consisteth of the Elect to whom remission of sins eternall life belong albeit many wicked men may seeme to be of the Catholike Church in regard of their profession are reputed members of particular Churches Quis nisi tu Deus noster fecisti nobis firmamentum authoritatis super nos in scriptura tua diuina saith S. Austine Lib. 13. Confes c. 1.5 that is who but thou our God hath giuen vs a foundation of authority aboue vs in thy diuine Scripture which clearely refuteth the blasphemous Postill of this Apostate who saith the Church that is the Pope hath power to make Scriptures Canonicall to vs. For if they receiue authority from God only how commeth the Pope or the Church to giue them authority and how doth the Church know them to be Canonicall but by diuine Authority Cap. 19. the Translator corrupteth S. Austines text by adding to it about the middle of the Chap. these words a word of Counsell following as it seemeth his Spanish notes and translation He intimateth also that Fryers and Monkes the scum and refuse of the world are an elected generation which S. Austine neyther meant nor could speake of Finally he saith Religious men and Priests are a middle kind of Creatures as you would say Centaures Satyrs Monsters being neither Saints therfore not belonging to the Church that is a Communion of Saints nor ordinary Christians and therefore not belonging to Christ or to the King because they clayme themselues to bee exempt By creeping things Confes lib. 13. c. 20. the Postiller vnderstandeth Masse-Priests Monkes Friers who indeed creepe and crawle like Snakes leape like Toades and swarme like Lice But yet hee is much deceiued if he thinke there were any such vermine in the world in S. Austines time Lib. 13. c. 21. the Translator seeketh for Masse-Priests Monks and Friers in S. Austine and in the 1. of Genesis declaring that they are men as it were seuered from the world But the poore Ideot is as farre wide as Genesis is from the Apocalipse where he may find Locusts newly come out of the bottomlesse pit and Masse-Priests are no where found but in the Popes Decretals and Pontificall Both most noxious Serpents and giuen to carnality and worldly pleasures Spirituales ergo siue qui praesunt siue qui obtemperant spiritualiter iudicant sayth S. Austine Lib. 13. Confess c. 23. that is spirituall men iudge whether they rule or obey but of the sublime authoritie of Gods Booke he will admit none to iudge but would haue all men to submit their vnderstanding vnto it How then doth the Pope take vpon him to be that spirituall man that iudgeth all things Can Boniface the eight c. vnam sanctam extr com de Maior Obed. iudge better then S. Austine What audacious boldnesse is it for euery Pope to challenge a power to himselfe ouer Scriptures to make them authenticall to vs Euery Preacher may expound
Scriptures but the Pope challengeth a power to authorize Scriptures which this Apostate also would auow if he durst but S. Austine doth beat downe both the Apostates and the Popes blasphemous pride Fish he sayth is sometimes a figure of Christ in the Sacrament a proper deuice For so the Priests by their Transubstantiation make of Bread Flesh and this Apostiller by a new figure will make it Fish that they may haue in the same Feast both Fish and Flesh Matters neuer though of by S. Austine Neyther doth he in this place by blessing and calling vpon God vnderstand crossing or sprinkling of holy Water such as Masse-Priests vse but blessing and praysing the Name of God In his Notes vpon the 13. Booke of Confessions c. 25. he would be glad to know as he sayth what Benedictions haue come vnto vs from our Ministers and whether their sound be gone ouer all the Earth And I to giue him satisfaction answere That these Blessings we receiue from them We learne to know God and whom he hath sent Christ Iesus and to discerne Antichrist and to flye from him We learne the true Faith and Gods true worship We vnderstand that we are to auoid the Heresies of the Romish Church and her abominable Idolatry and Superstition We learne how to reforme our liues and walke worthie our profession But of him and his Masse-Priests Monkes and Fryars ignorant people receiue nothing but an implicite Faith Crosses Beades holy Water Masses Agnus Dei Indulgences and such Toyes neyther doe they learne any thing except that which we teach but Heresie Superstition Idolatry Rebellion ignorance of Scripture and corruption of manners nor receiue any thing but shame Bishops made by the Pope preach not Masse-Priests teach little Monkes and Fryars teach without authoritie hauing no power but from Antichrist and if they teach any Truth it is mixed with many Errors and Corruptions That which we teach is the Apostles Doctrine the sound of whose Doctrine is gone ouer the whole Earth the Papists Heresies and false Doctrine is onely receiued in the Popes Iurisdiction Our Sauiour Christ promiseth to him that receiueth a Prophet in his name the reward of a Prophet as S. Austine sayth Confess lib. 13. c. 26. But absurdly is this applyed to Masse-Priests and such false Prophets for such destroy Soules vndermine the State corrupt the Manners of their Disciples and seeke onely to vnderprop the ruinous Kingdome of Antichrist Lib. 13. c. 34. S. Austine sayth God hath solidely built the authoritie of his Booke of Scriptures betweene superiors which should learne of God and inferiors which should be subiect vnto them Solidasti authoritatem libri tui inter superiors qui tibi docibiles essent inferiores qui eis subderentur So he giueth authoritie to Scriptures and would haue all men subiect vnto them which is contrarie to this Apostates mind And therefore by his false Notes he goeth about to corrupt the place not willing to denie the Popes authoritie in making Scriptures Canonicall to vs by that authoritie contrarie to S. austines iudgement which would haue Superiors to learne of God He addeth also that the Scripture is subiect to the exposition of Doctors which is contrarie to that holy Fathers meaning Finally S. Austine lib. 13. Conf. c. 38. hopeth to rest in Gods holy place which he calleth his great sanctificaton not for his merites but by Gods grace and mercie And this doe all good Catholikes hope and beleeue not doubting of their saluation grounded on his holy Word that is most certaine and his sweet Promises that are most comfortable But this Apostate and his peruerse companions neyther beleeuing that Gods Word concerneth them nor trusting to his Promises made to all that beleeue and liue according to their holy profession nor hauing good conscience nor feeling of the holy Ghost but measure all by their owne workes and merites are neyther Catholikes nor Christs Disciples And this I trust will suffice to vindicate the holy Father Saint Austine from the violence and wrong offered to him by this impure Apostate As for the wrong that he hath offered to Religion and the Church of England I trust our Superiors will in time vindicate and albeit they neglect it or cannot redresse it I doubt not but God will reuenge his owne Cause his owne selfe Deo vni trino laus honor gloria in sempiterna secula Amen FINIS