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
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
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
when he wrote his Booke A high point of the Translators learning as if old men could not write the storie of their younger yeeres the Translator himselfe if he please may write what he did in the Brothels of France Italy and Spaine when he was younger then now Further he chargeth vs as if we should say that S. Austine was but a young man when he wrote his Confessions and that afterward he grew wiser As if any of vs did taxe S. Augustine of indiscretion for writing this Booke if he know any such why doth he-not name them if he name none himselfe seemeth to be a false accuser who albeit growne in yeeres is neyther more honest nor wise then when he was young He in his Retractations sayth he confessed his sinnes and good deeds An example which the Aduertiser meaneth not to follow for his enormious sinnes he will not confesse and good deeds I know none he hath to relate He addeth that his Confessions much pleased many of his Brethren Yet we heare of no Confession that this prodigall and Popish Apostate hath made nor doth he greatly care to please his Parents Brethren and Friends neyther doth his Translation please any man but himselfe S. Austine in his fourth Booke of Confessions saith Hee made rather a light Declamation then a serious Confession But the aduertiser although hee make both idle Declamations and friuolous and false Annotations yet neyther in jest nor earnest doth hee confesse his faults but rather proudly and vaine-gloriously boast of his doings In the end the Aduertiser beseecheth his discreet Reader to admire the humility and exactnesse of the Saint A request that concerneth himselfe nothing that is neither Saint nor humble nor exact nor discreet nay foolishly hee admireth himselfe and his doings albeit his Prefaces Notes and Aduertisements containe nothing but foolery vanity and lyes S. Austine saith the Aduertiser beleeued what hee taught But neyther did hee teach any thing in fauour of his Popish Heresies nor preiudiciall to the Faith of the Church of England Vainely hee boasteth that the moderne Faith of Rome is Catholike But we haue conuinced it to be neither Catholike nor Apostolike nor true Let him answer to our arguments and hee shall be forced to confesse so much himselfe This aduertisement therefore howsoeuer it pleased the Translator therein to mention S. Austines Retractations maketh nothing for his owne glory and commendation He should haue shewed more wisedome if hee had retracted both his Preface and Aduertisement After his Aduitisement he confesseth that his Copie was euill written and that many errours escaped in Printing But this should easily haue beene pardoned if that his whole labour had beene well performed and grosse Errours had not been committed in his Preface Annotations and Translations Now then wee come to speake of his Annotations and Translations reserued for the last Chapter CHAP. VII Of the false wicked and absurd Annotations of the Apostate vpon S. AVGVSTINES Confessions and how euill-fauouredly they and hee answere the Text. SAint Augustine in the first Booke of his Confessions Cap. 2. Doth inuocate his Lord and God which made Heauen and Earth and which notwithstanding was not contayned in them But this Apostate and his fellowes doth inuocate and call vpon Angels and Saints yea vpon their God of the Altar that neither made Heauen nor Earth nor any thing else but as themselues say was made by a Priest and is contayned vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and shut vp in a Pixe and hanged ouer the Altar This the Apostate did well perceiue made not for his profit and therefore hee was content to passe by this Chapter in sad silence Chap. 4. S. Augustine saith Supererogatur tibi vti debeas which the Apostate translateth thus By our Supererogation thou becommest our debtor and noteth that God maketh vs able to doe workes of Supererogation But neyther doth that holy Father say or thinke that God was made our debtor for our Workes but onely for his Promise nor account Monkish vowes to be workes of Supererogation nor teach that man was able to performe the whole Law and more Chap. 5. lib. 1. the Translator noteth That S. Austine did oblige God to bee good vnto him A patch stitched to the Text and not in one word signified by that holy Father and most false For by what obligation can God that is aboue all be obliged to a sinfull man that is so farre vnderneath him Nay in this very Chapter hee declareth his sinnes against himselfe and confessing the impietie of his heart and disclaiming his Merites and Workes saith Hee will not stand in judgement with God In the Margent Chap. 10. the Translator noteth that there are Sectaries who blasphemously affirme that God appointeth men to sinne But he durst not name any party least touching M. Caluin he should be deprehended in a manifest Lye and conuinced of his ordinarie Crime of Calumniation Howbeit if men should appoint men to worship the Pope and to embrace his Heresies to worship Saints and Images after the practise of Rome to rebell against Princes excommunicated by the Pope which the Apostaticall Faction of Rome sayth he doth then by their Doctrine he should appoint men indeed to sinne Wee say onely God forbiddeth all sinnes and directeth all mens actions Chap. 11. he obserueth the vse of signing with the Crosse but S. Austine there speaketh of signing and salting Infants newly come out of their Mothers Wombe and sometime before Baptisme Ceremonies not now vsed in the Romish Church Hee talketh therefore of no matters of Faith nor helpeth the Translator who so often and superstitiously abuseth that signe S. Austine Chap. 13. toucheth the buyers and sellers of Grammar but the Translator addeth Rules as if Rules of Grammar were sold so that a man might haue licence to speake false Latine In Rome the Pope selleth Rules Lawes and Dispensations but the Translator careth for none of that nor doth the Pope care for Grammar Rules or good Latine Lib. 1. Chap. 16. S. Austine speaketh of a Floud but the Translator turneth it into a Torrent and noteth in the Margent A noble Discourse as if it were a noble thing to talke of Torrents of Custome and drying vp of Flouds Afterward he talketh of learning these words the Golden Shower the Lap the Ornament and the Temple of Heauen and the Translator noteth an extreme abuse still on foot but sheweth not what it is nor wherein it consisteth These words Qui templa Coeli summo sonitu conculit he translateth thus which shakes the whole Vault of Heauen with his soueraigne Voyce as if the Heauen were like a Vault of a Cellar and euery great noyse were a soueraigne Voyce O the soueraigne dizardrie of a transcendent Translator whose words soare aboue all vnderstanding and reason God is the Centre of all true sweetnesse sayth the Apostate in a Marginall Note vpon the first Chapter of the second Booke of Confessions But in the Text