we shall haue further occasion to speake hereafter Secondly seeing the Papistes are not certaine of their grounds it must needes follow that the religion of Papists is most vncertaine that they cannot be certain of their grounds diuers arguments declare for neither are they certaine whether Clement Leo or any other sitting in the Popes chayre be true Pope nor canne they assure themselues whether the decretales which goe vnder the names of Popes were indeed their decretales whose names they cary Antonius Contius a learned Papist in a certaine annotation of his added to the ch sancta dist 15. in Plantins edition saith that all the decretales set out vnder names of Popes before Siluester are false and this he saith he hath shewed manifestly further it cannot be proned that all the determinations of the Popes are right and equall nay contrarie we haue by diuers most certeine demonstrations prooued that both concerning scriptures faith the law sacraments praier the worship of God and diuers pointes of faith they haue determined contrary to the rule of saith as shall hereafter more particularly appeare Thirdly it were plaine impudencie to say that the Apostles instituted the consecration of the Paschal Lambes the forme of hallowing of churches salt water and all Popish trinkets the form of praying vpon beades and the rest of the Romish traditions neither shall Kellison euer be able to iustifie all those reportes which his teachers haue receiued by tradition and publikely heretofore set forth and now read out of their legendes Fourthly diuers of those 84. canons which goe vnder the names of the Apostles are disclaymed by the Papists themselues and the rest cannot be proued that they were made by the Apostles of the actes of the Nicene Councell the Papists themselues haue no certainty Most confesse 20. as Ruffin and Pope Stephen others in c. vigint dist 16. Gratian vnder the testimony of Athanasius telleth vs of 70. c. septuaginta dist 16. now one Alphonsus a pisa a Iebusite hath published 80. canons the acts of the councell supposed to be held vnder Siluester Bishop of Rome are all conterfeit as the barbarous stile and strange forme of gouernment represented in those acts and diuers barbarous names and other arguments doe signifie sometimes Peter Crabbe the collector of councels doth set downe diuers actes of councels not only differing but also repugnant one to another fiftly diuers bookes are set foorth vnder the name of fathers that no man can certeinly say were written by the fathers whose names they cary Nay some of them doe containe doctrine contrary to the faith professed by the fathers sixtly they are not certaine either what is the sense of the Romane church diuers doctors yeelding diuers interpretations of scriptures or what is the old Latine translation for Sixtus Quintus setteth out the old vulgar Latin translation after one sort and Clement the eight after another and he that alloweth the translation of Sixtus Quintus must nedes condemne that of Clement the eight contrariwise finally seeing diuers Papists assigne diuers grounds of their faith and scarce two of many doe agree in all points concerning their foundations and the assurance of them how can they pretend either vnity or certainty in their religion Thirdly the foundations of Popery being laid vpon false decretals and lying legends hardly shall our aduersaries be able to deny their religion to be false and full of lies that the Popes doe in their decretales report notorious lyes it is apparent by the decretale set out vnder the name of Innocentius c. quis nesciat dist 11. where he denieth that anie taught or gathered churches in France Spaine Afrike Italy beside S. Peter and those which were sent by him and his successors and likewise by the decretale of Gregorie the 4. c. in praeceptis dist 12. where it is said that all causes are to be referred to the church of Rome as to the head and from thence to receiue direction from whence it receiued his beginning and by the chapter in nouo dist 21. where it is said that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their Prince and infinit others that the legendes which are the ground and receptacle of many traditions are ful of lies I haue shewed els where if Kellison the Suruey or deny this let him proue vnto vs that S. George killed a dragon ready to deuour the kings daughter of Silena and conquered Palestine that Catharine ouercame 50. Philosophers and conuerted the Empresse and the general of the emperors army and broke a wheele with her praiers that with turning killed 4000. pagans that S. Nicholas being an infant fasted Wednesdaies and Fridaies that Bernacus yoked harts that Saint Brendan sayled into Paradise that a crucifixe of wood resaluted Bartilmew a monke of Durrham that the blessed Virgins body was caried into heauen by Angels that her house was carried ouer the seas first into Dalmatia and then into Italy and lastly to Loreto and the rest of those tales Fourthly the Pope being the foundation of the church it followeth that as oft as the Pope dieth the church is without foundation it followeth also that the Pope going to hell as it appeareth by the chap. Sipapa dist 40. that he may the foundation of the Church should lie in hell that the Pope falling into heresie as Liberius Honorius 1. Iohn the 22. and diuers others haue done that the Church should faile which be matters absurd and impious to affirme Fifthly feeing diuers old traditions are now out of vse as for example that of celebrating baptisme at Easter and praying standing betwixt Easter and Whitsontide and of praying with our faces turned to the East and such like it must needes be granted that the foundations of Popery are ruinous for why may not the like happen to other traditions as to these and if traditions be temporary and ruinous which they make equall to holy scriptures what can they alleadge for the continuance and perpetuity of the Popes decretales which are not only contrarie to holy Scriptures but also repugnant one to another Sixthly the old translation differing from it selfe in the editions of Sixtus Quintus and Clement the eigth and others set out at Colein Louain and Antwerpe and much more from the originall bookes of the old Testament in Hebrew and new in Greeke and the interpretations of the scriptures being so diuers in the chiefe doctors of the Romish church and so repugnant to the meaning of the holy Ghost it doth necessarily follow that Popish religion is composed of contrary pieces and cannot be the faith of Christ which is one and hath onely one firme foundation Finally there can bee no consent or vnity in the points of Popish doctrine for that the same consisteth of contrary opinions of Popes and is grounded vpon contrary traditions contrary legends contrary interpretations of fathers and schoolemen and either of traditions or decretales contrary to scriptures or of sentences of fathers contrary to
both of heauenly things and of men on earth and that God himselfe as sarre as is requisit for mans defence doth at her pleasure gouerne the earth the sea the heauens and nature and at her becke giueth diuine treasures and heauenly gifts matrem suam praepotens ille dens diuinae maiestatis potestatisque sociam quatenus licuit asciuit huic olim caelestium mortaliumque principatum detulit ad huius arbitrium quoad hominum tutela postulat terras maria coelum naturamque moderatur hac annuente per hanc diumos the sauros mortalibus coelestia dona largitur Bernardinus likewise in Mariali doth say that all graces come downe from God by Mary as sense and vigor descend from the head to the other members of the body Bonauenture or rather some wicked falsary vnder his name hath transformed the praises and honor of God set out by the Prophet Dauid to the Virgin Mary Commonly they giue power to the Virgin Mary ouer her sonne iure matris saie they impera redemptori In the Roman Breuiary she is called dulcis amica dei and the happie gate of heauen and to her they pray to haue their bands loosed In the missal of Sarum they pray thus per te mater aboleri filiorum slagitamus crimina nosque omnes introduci insempiterna paradisi gaudia as if she were the sauiour of the world The missals and breuiaries are full of impieties for beside the confession of sinnes made iointly to Angels and Saints with God first they offer the Masse-cake as they say for the redemption of their soules pro redemptione animarum suarum secondly they make the Priest a mediator to God for the body and bloud of Christ as if by his praiers God did accept his owne and onely begotten sonne supraquae propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris say the Masse-priests speaking of Christs body and bloud thirdly they compare Christ to brute beasts and the sacrifice of Christs body and bloud to the sacrifice of Abel that offered brute beasts digneris accepta habere saie they sicut accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui iusti Abel fourthlie they desire God that Angels maie carie Christes bodie into Heauen fifthly they make God oftentimes a mediatour or intercessor to Saints as appeareth by this praier praesta quaesumus vt quem doctorem vitae habuimus in terris intercessoreÌ„ habere mereamur in coelis the same is also proued for that Saints know nothing done in earth as some of them suppose vnlesse it please God to reucale matters vnto them which if he do then is God a mediator betwixt the Papists and Saints sixthly they pray to the crosse for increase of iustice and pardon for sinne augepijs iustitiam reisque dona veniam seuenthly in coniuring salt they pray it may be salt exorcised for the saluation of them that beleeue vt essiciaris sal exorcisatnm in salutem credentium it were infinite to report all their blasphemies and these may serue for a tast only this may not be forgotten how praying before a certeine counterfet picture of Christs face giuen as they say by Christ to Veronica they pray thus salue sancta facies impressa panniculo nos ab omni macula purga vitiorum atque nos consortio coniunge beatorum haile holy face printed in a cloute purge vs from all blot of sinne and icine vs to the companie of blessed spirits in heauen Bellarmine alloweth this common saying of Friers speaking to the crucifixe thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father as we may read lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 23. That the Gospell is a rule of perfection they denie but they doubt not to giue that honour to the rules of Benet Brendan Francis Dominicke and such authours of sects of the holy scriptures they speake more blasphemously than the Turkes and Saracens for they honour the bookes of the old testament albeit they oppugne the Christian faith wheras the papists professe the faith but speake euil of scriptures some call them a nose of waxe others a dead letter the Rhemists call them a killing letter Stapleton in his doctrinall principles end enoureth to proue that all heresies proceed from scriptures the surueying Kellison p. 158. of his suruey saith the diuell doth wrap himselfe from top to toe in scriptures as if scriptures were the habit of the diuell pag. 41. he saith the letter of scripture with a false meaning is the word of the diuell Turrian writing against Sadeel doth cal scriptures Delphicum gladium or an instrument to all purposes Bellarmine de verbo Dei accuseth them as imperfect and insufficient neither is there any swad amongst them but he hath somewhat to say against scriptures To the images of the crosse and crucifixe they giue as much honour as they giue to God they giue the same also to the images of the Trinity teaching their followers that it is but one honour that is giuen to the image the thing represented by the image but the things being two and that so different as there is no proportion betwixt them they must needs blaspheme giuing the name and honour of God to these base creatures The Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is worshipped and refuseth not the name and titles of God in the chap. satis dist 96. he is called God and heereupon Steuchus in his treatise for defence of Constantines donation audis saith he summum pontisicem à ConstaÌ„tino Deum appellatum habitum pro Deo In the chap. quoniam de immunitate in 6. he calleth himselfe the spouse of the church in the chap. inter corporalia de transla praelat we read these words quando Papa dissoluit matrimonium vnletur quod Deus solus dissoluit matrimonium he is called a God in the earth by Felin in c. ego N. de iureiuraÌ„do and by Baldus m lâ—g vlt. C. sententiâ—e reseindendae Abbas Panormitanus expresly saith that Christ and the Pope haue but one consistory the glosse in c. cum interextr Ioan. 22. de verb. signif doth call the Pope our Lord and God Further he maketh a scorne of Christian religion Iulius the second vpon Easter day sought with the French at Rauenna Gregory the seuenth his armie vpon their good Friday fought with Henrie the 4. in S. maries church he sought to murther the Emperour by throwing downe a stone vpon his head from a vault Sixtus the fourth his agents at the eleuation of the sacrament indeuoured to murther Laurence and Iulian de medicis as Volaterran Geograph lib. 5. testifieth that of Gregory is written by him that wrote the Emperours life and by Beno Cardinalis Leo the tenth called the gospel a fable commonly the Popes send the sacrament before them together with their baggage and the scullery And as if Christ had giuen vs no sufficient rules of religion so he inuenteth and confirmeth daily new religions as for example of late the religion of the
say as much and greatly complaineth of Roman Caursins and vsurers Are not then our moderne Papists simple to continue vnder the gouernment of Antichrist where they are pilled both aliue and dead and spoiled by diuers fraudes and brought to extreme pouerty through manifold oppressions and exactions CHAP. XLI That the Popish church hath no true Bishops nor Priests THe gouernment of the Popish church being so burdensome and dangerous cannot well be tolerated by rules of policy but if the same be against both scriptures and canons of the church then as repugnant both to religion and Christian policy it is to be abandoned of all Christian common-wealthes let vs then consider what allowance it may haue either of scriptures or ancient canons The Apostle Act. 20. saith that the holy ghost hath appointed Bishops to gouerne the Church of God in quo vos spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere ecclesiam dei saith he speaking of the Bishops of Asia but the popish church hath no true Bishops and that is prooued first for that bishops cannot be orderned but by true Bishops but the prelats of the Romish church are ordeined by the Pope that is no Bishop the proposition is granted of the assumption the first part is not denied in the second part our aduersaties insist firmely and affirme the Pope to be a true bishop but how can he be a Bishop that neither preacheth nor can preach nor administreth the Sacraments nor succeedeth the Apostles in their Apostolicall office the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. sheweth that the office of a bishop consisteth in the worke and not in the title qui Episcopatum desiderat bonum opus desiderat Secondly antichrist can ordeine no true bishops but that the Pope is antichrist I haue declared in my fist booke de Pontif. Rom. and it is apparent in that he teacheth doctrine contrary to that which we haue receined from Christ Iesus and is plainly described in the Reuelation by the whoore of Babylon Apocalyps 17. and by the beast like a lambe rising out of the earth Apocalyps 13. which are figures of Antichrist Thirdly none but the successors of Christs apostles can ordaine true bishops but the Pope succeedeth Iulius Caesar rather then Simon Peter for Simon Peter fed Christs flocke he murdreth Christs lambes Fourthly neither heretikes nor simoniacall persons haue power to ordeine bishops as the master of the sentences lib. 4. dist 25. prooueth by the authoritie of Cyprian Innocent the first and Leo. and this is the practise of the Romish church at this day who refuseth to allow them for bishops that are ordred by such as they repute heretikes or schismatikes some determine otherwise but they repugne against the Romish churches practise Finally no woman can ordeine bishops but Pope Ioan was a woman and therefore all ordeined by her and their successors are no bishops by the confession of the aduersaries themselues Howsoeuer it is the Papists cannot assure themselues that they haue any bishops for no man is ordeined bishop vnlesse he that ordeined him had an intention to order him a bishop but of this intention no man can assure himselfe Furthermore the Popish synagogue hath no true priests for their priests are all ordred to sacrifice for quicke and dead The forme of priesthood say the Masse-priests assembled at Florence is this accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium in ecclesia pro vinis mortuis and this is prooued also by their rituall bookes and by Bellarmines confession lib. deord c. 9. but such priests were neuer appointed by Christ or his Apostles neither is there any footestep of such an ordination to be found in ancient fathers Secondly no true priests can be ordeined by other then true bishops and the Apostles successors but such bishops the synagogue of Rome wanteth Lastly true priests and ministers of the Gospell are ordeined to preach Gods word truely and to administer the Sacraments sincerely but popish priests are not ordered to this end If then that cannot be the church that wanteth priests and bishops then are we not to looke for the true church among the papists but Hierome in dialog contr Lucifer denieth that to be the church that hath no priests and Cyprian lib. 4. epist 9. teacheth that the church is a people or flocke vnited to the bishop Againe if all the ordination of bishops and priests in the Romish church dependeth vpon the Pope and the Pope be not mentioned either Ephes 4. or 1. Cor. 12. where all the ministers of the church giuen to the same by Christ are mentioned then doth the ordination of Roman priests and prelates take his beginning not from Christ but from Antichrist Lastly if the function of masse-priests doth consist in saying Masse and the Masse be prooued to be an humane inuention then is the Romish priesthood an humane inuention but otherwhere we haue sufficiently declared that the Masse was by little and little peeced togither and is a meere humane inuention nay an inuention contrarie to Christs institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist CHAP. XLII That Popery cannot be mainteined without forgery and falshood THis point of it selfe alone would require a large discourse if we should prosecure particularly and distinctly whatsoeuer our aduersaries haue herein offended for whether we respect the diuers kinds of forgeries or the places of authors forged and falsified by them it were a great worke to comprehend them all we will therefore choose out some few examples out of many whereby all true Christians may haue cause sufficient to suspect them in the rest First then we charge them with falsity for that as much as in them lieth they haue gone about to suppresse Gods eternall word comprised in the old and new testament that this is falsitie it is apparent by the law qui testamentum ff ad legem corneliam de falsis for by that law they are condemned qui testamentū amouerint celauerint that is which shall amooue or conceile a testament but the Pope and his complices forbid expressely all translations of the new testament made by our doctors and only grant certaine translations made by themselues and that with hard conditions as is declared in the index of forbidden bookes reg 3. and 4. but publikely they will not haue scriptures red in vulgar tongues Secondly they burne the holy scriptures vnder pretense of false translations but the law formerly cited doth pronounce him a falsarie that shall abolish or cancell or burne a mans testament the words of the law are these si quis testamentum deleuerit that is if any shall cancell a testament Thirdly it is falsity to cancell or breake the seales of a testament as the practise of the law of this land declareth how then can the Popish synagogue of Rome excuse it selfe that depriueth the lords people of the cup which our sauiour Christ calleth the new testament in his blood is not this all one as if the same should breakē the seales of Gods testament
yet they say Christians sinne mortally if they heare not Masse euery Sunday and holiday Of grace they speake as men deuoid of grace and knowledge for by grace by which we are saued and made acceptable to God they vnderstand nothing else but either charity or a habit not distinct from Charity so that albeit they exclude not grace from the worke of our saluation yet making grace a habit or vertue they ouerthrow grace and ascribe the merit of our saluation not to Gods mercie through Christ nor to the merit of his Passion but properly to our owne workes and merites diuers of them saie that men are predestinated for their merites foreseene and all hold that men were reprobated for their sinnes foreseene before they say further that the vnregenerat hath freewill as well as the regenerat and that not onely in matters of this life but also to doe workes of piety and other supernaturall effectes The doctrine of faith they haue also much corrupted for they make Charity the forme of faith as if faith were without forme or life of it selfe and as if the iust man did not liue by faith to this purpose they say that not onlie wicked and reprobat men but also the diuels of hell maie haue true and iustifying faith they hold further that by faith we are not onely to hold whatsoeuer is conteined in holy scriptures but also whatsoeuer is deliuered by tradition or determined by the Pope and lastly that no man is to beleeue that he shall assuredly be saued but rather to hold that he that is truly iustified may be damned Concerning the law of God they teach both contrary to reason and law for first they cut out the 2. commandement in their offices of our Lady and their primers because it cannot well stand with the Popish worship of images secondly they teach that concupiscence without our consent is not sinne albeit the law say non concupisces thirdly they say that it is sinne as well to transgresse the Popes decrees as Gods lawes fourthly they beleeue that the Pope is able either to dissolue the law as for example where he absolueth subiectes from their obedience to princes and children from their duty to parents or at the least to dispense with the transgressors of the law as for example with periured persons adulterers Sodomites murtherers assassinors theeues sacrilegious persons and such like fiftly they beleeue that a man is able perfectly to fulfill the law of which it followeth that man is able to liue without all sinne which as Augustine sheweth lib. 4. de bono perseuerat c. 2. 5 and Hierome aduers Pelag. is flat Pelagianisme In their doctrine of praiers they offend much yet is the practise of Papists farre worse than their doctrine in this point our Sauiour teacheth vs to goe to his father in his name they go to God by the intercession of Saints nay oftentimes they run to Saints Angels and the blessed Virgin without once thinking of God especially if they thinke no more than they vtter in their praiers they pray in a tongue which they vnderstand not which is rather prating than praying they pray for remission of sinnes for the dead not knowing whether they bee damned or no. they pray before stockes and stones nay they put their trust in them for if this were not so why should they hope for better successe at the image of our Lady of Loreto or Monserat than at any other image or forme of our Lady They beleeue that almes satisfie for sinnes and that those are best bestowed that are giuen to Monkes and Friers and such idle vagabonds and plagues of states whereas the first ouerthroweth Christs merits and satisfaction the second is an occasion of all the mischiefes brewed by these mothes of religion and blemishes of state They teach that it is mortall sinne not to fast on Saints vigiles embre daies and other times appointed by the Pope and that fasting standeth in eating fish and abstaining from our suppers and such obseruances and finally that such fasts doe not only satisfie for sinnes but also merit heauen Conscience they know not for they make no conscience to cut Christian mens throats for not yeelding to all their abhominations and thinke it conscience to obey the Popes decrees though very vnlawfull Neither can they well auoid sinne that know not what sinne is The virgin Mary by most of them is acquited from originall sinne and they define sinne to bee not onely the transgression of the law of God but also euery transgression of the law of the Pope nay euery breach of the law of man which vtterly taketh away the difference betwixt the lawes of God and man Of the state of soules departed they seeme to know little truly although some say they know too much for they do not say as we doe that there are two waies after this life the one of the faithfull to eternall life the other of the wicked to eternall death but they say that some go into purgatorie and others into limbus puerorum and out of purgatory they say soules are deliuered partly by masses and partly by indulgences All these points of erroneous false doctrine and all others which either contrarie or beside the word of God the Pope and his complices haue inuented and brought into the church of Rome we call Popery and this is the subiect of this discourse and the doctrine against which we dispute let no man therefore thinke because the Papists maintaine many points of Christian religion that either we reprehend that truth which they and we defend or that they can defend the errors of Popery because they hold some trueth but either let them iustifie their errors or else they shall bee forced to confesse that the proper doctrine of Popery is wicked and erroneous CHAP. II. Of the grounds and foundations of Popish religion AS Popery is diuers from Christian religion so hath the same other foundations than Christian religion The doctors of Trent in the fourth session of that synode hauing pronounced them anathema that shall not receiue all the bookes of the Bible as they are found in the old Latin vulgar translation and read in the church of Rome for holy and canonicall or that shall wittinglie contemne the traditions of that church doe signifie that this is the foundation of the confession of faith which they meant to publish so it appeareth they ground their faith beside canonicall scriptures vpon apocryphall writings of Tobiah Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees and diuers fragments of books not found in the Hebrew text of the Bible and vpon traditions not written but deliuered from hand to hand from the Apostles as they say and so come to their hands but where they speake of scriptures it is to be obserued that they doe not simply allow them but as they are contained in the old vulgar translation and as they are expounded by the Church of Rome those which vnder any
Popes regard them not one straw if they talke against their triple crowne two swords or glorious and pompous state as may appeare by the light accompt made of S. Bernardes bookes de consideratione ad Eugenium all of them if the Pope defineth otherwise reiect the fathers with great facility Bellarmme lib. 1. de verb. dei c. 3. declaring his opinion of the new testament departeth from the exposition of Chrysostome Theodoret and other fathers Generally in the accompt of the bookes of canonicall scriptures of the old testament they reiect the testimony of Hierome in prologo Galeato of Ruffine in the exposition of the Creede of the councell of Laodicea c. 59. of Athanasius in synopsi of Gregory Nazaanzen in his verses of Epiphanius lib. de ponderib mensuris and diuers other fathers and will haue the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Machabees to bee of equall authoritie with the law and the Gospell in despight of all the fathers Contrarie also to their opinion they preferre the old Latine vulgar translation of the bible before the Hebrew text of the old and the Greeke text of the new testament that is the standing puddles before the cleare fountaines of holie scriptures The fathers exhort Christians the Papists dehort them from reading and hearing scriptures read in tongues vnderstood Origen homil 2. in Isaiam wisheth that all Christians would performe that which our Sauiour Christ speaketh of searching scriptures Hierome writing vpon the Coloss c. 3. heere saith he it is shewed that lay-men ought to haue the word of Christ not only sufficiently but also abundantly and that they ought to teach and admonish one another Ghrysostome also in his 9. homily in 1. ad Corinth attend saith he as many of you as are secular persons and gouerne wife and children how the Apostle doth command you also to read the scriptures aboue all and that not lightlie and careleslie but with great diligence That the Pope should be aboue all councels it neuer entred into the fathers thought nay all of them haue recourse in matters of doubt concerning faith not to the decretales of Popes but to the determination of generall councels next after holy scriptures The bishop of Rome oftentimes consulted with learned fathers concerning the interpretation of scriptures and no learned bishop did in time past attribute more to the bishop of Rome then to other bishops the Papists therefore making the Pope that is often blind in matters of religion supreme interpreter of scriptures digresse from all the fathers and haue not so much seuce heerein as litle children that know that blinde-men cannot iudge of colours The conuenticle of Trent determining that traditions and holy scriptures are with equall affection to be receiued digresse from all the fathers that make not traditions but the scriptures to be canonicall and of sacred authority The Papists that say that scriptures are not authenticall to vs without the determination of the Pope and Romish church are of an opinion contrary to all the fathers who deriue their authoritie and credit from God and not from man Bellarmine lib. 3. de eccles c. 16. saith that Hierome Apollinaris and Hippolytus were deceiued in the exposition of the ninth chapter of Daniel concerning the times of Antichrist In his 2. booke de Purgatorio c. 1. he reiecteth the opinion of Ambrose Hilary Lactantius Hierome and Aleuinus that teach that as well good as bad neede to be purged In the number of 7. Sacraments the conuenticle of Trent departeth from the opinion of all the fathers for not one can be alledged that saith there are iust 7. Sacraments and neither more nor lesse Ambrose in his books de Sacramentis and de initiandis in myster mentioneth onely two so doth Iustine Martyr long before him in his 2. apology S. Augustine lib. 3. de doctr Christ c. 9. reckneth only the Sacrament of baptisme and of the body and blood of Christ where he talketh of sacraments he saith also Christ left but few and easie but Popish sacraments are many and hard to be performed The fathers no where mention spittle salt blowing light and such ceremonies as the Pope hath added to baptisme These words this is my body are expounded figuratiuely by Tertullian lib. 4. contr Marcion Origen in leuit Chrysostome homil 46. in Ioan. Augustine contra Adimantum and lib. 3. de doctr c. 16. in comment in psal 3. but the Papists in this exposition forsake all the fathers Gregory dial lib. 2. c. 43. willeth those to depart that communicate not si quis non communicet saith he det locum the Apostles canons doe excommunicate him that departeth before communion the same is also confirmed by the chap. si quis dist 2. de consecrat the Masse-priests therefore in the practise of their priuate Masses depart from the canons of the Apostles and all the fathers Innocentius the third lib. 4. de myster missae c. 6. thought that Christ consecrated without words others beleeue hee consecrated by praier the moderne Papists reiect both Bellarmine lib. 4. de eucharist c. 26. maketh the best proofe hee can for the communion vnder one kind but it appeareth by his silence that the fathers are all aduerse to him Gelasius in the chap. comperimus de consecrat dist 2. condemned those of sacriledge that receiuing one kind abstained from the cup. and Lyra in 1. Cor. 11. declareth that in the primitiue Church all Christians receiued both kinds The fathers speaking of the sacrifices of Christians call them sacrifices of praise and spirituall sacrifices and signifie that the eucharist is a commemoration of Christs only sacrifice on the crosse that is confirmed by the testimony of Iustin in dialog cum Tryph. of Tertullian lib. 4. contr Marcion of Eusebius lib. 1. de demonstr euangel of Cyprian aduers Iudaos c. 16. of Basil in Isaiae c. 1. and others this is proued partly by the same authours and by Chrysostome in Psal 95. in epist ad Hebr. homil 13. and Theodoret. in epist ad Heb. c. 8. 10. and by diuers others amplie cited by mee in my bookes de missa against Bellarmine all which doe shew that the Papists bringing an external and reall sacrifice of Christs body and bloud actually offered as they teach by euerie Masse-priest into the church are departed quite from the doctrine of the fathers Canus lib. 7. loc Theol. c. 1. confesseth that all the fathers which speake of the Virgin Maries conception teach that she was conceiued in originall sinne as Ambrose in Psal 118. ser 6. Augustine in Psal 34. Chrysostome Eusebius Emissenus Remigius and others yet most of the Popes proctors especiallie the Franciscans reiect these fathers The fathers with one confent teach that we are not to fast between Easter and Pentecost nor vpon Sundaies as Bellarmine de bon oper in part c. 23 consesseth yet doth he reiect their authority and all Papists doe contrarie Leo in epist ad Rusticum Narbonensem and
his body be really present in euery Popish altar and consecrated host but it implieth a contradiction to be continued and not to be continued both which do follow if a bodie which is continua substantia be discontinued in place Seuenthly denying Christ to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and affirming that his diuine essence had a beginning from some other they fall within the compasse of the errour of the Tritheits affirming that there is one essence not begotten another begotten another proceeding which heresie doth teare the vnitie of the Godhead into pieces and plainly make more Gods then one so running with violence vpon Caluin without cause they run themselues out of breath and fall headlong into most grosse heresies Eighthly the scholemen determine that the sonne of God might haue assumed any other nature beside that of man of which it followeth that as God was made man so he might haue beene made a stone or other creature which is an opinion most blasphemous and derogateth from the mystery of Christ his incarnation 9 They deny resolutely that Christ as man profited in wisdome but that is contrary to the words of the holy ghost to the doctrine of the fathers and ouerthroweth his humane nature Ambrose in his booke de incarnat dom sacrament c. 7. saith that Christ did profit in humane vnderstanding habet in Christo scientia aetates suas saith Tertullian lib. de pudicitia that is Christs wisedome was diuers according to diuers ages Maxentius in profess fid cath saith he profited in yeares and wisedome according to his humane nature and not according to his diuinitie 10 Generally they hold that Christs soule was omniscient and not ignorant of any thing but the scriptures shew that Christ according to his humane nature was ignorant of the day of iudgement as wee read Marc. 13. Nazianzen lib. 2. de filio saith he knew it as God but was ignorant of it as man neither doth this imply any imperfection or defect for then is ignorance a fault and an imperfection when we are ignorant of things which wee ought to know 11 The master of sentences lib. 3. dist 6. saith that Christ as man by grace hath both all knowledge and all power sola gratia habuit ille homo non meritis vel natura vt osset Deus siue Dei silius vt haberet omnem scientiam potentiam quam habet verbum cum quo est vna persona now if Christ as man haue all knowledge and all power transfused into his humane nature why should the Papists condemne the Vbiquitaries or how can they denie his presence in all places 12 By reason of their opinion of Christs fruition of the vision of the Godhead and his glorification they affirme that Christ was neuer troubled in soule with any perturbation or sadus Christi anima iaminde ab initio saith Bellarmine omnibus alijs spiritus sancti donis ita repleta fuit vt nulla vnquam vera perturbatio aut tristitia locum in cahabuerit lib. 4. de Christo. c. 2. but this doth crosse the plaine text of scripture nunc anima mea perturbata est that is now my soule is troubled saith Christ Iohn 12. and Matth. 26. my soule is sad vnto the death and it taketh from Christ all humane affection Ambrose de fide ad Gratianum sicut susceperat voluntatem meam suscepit tristitiam meam as he hath taken our will so he hath taken on him our sadnesse 13. Bonauenture in 3. sentent dist 15. saith that Christ in the time of his most bitter passion was in the greatest ioy that might be in summo gaudio but the scriptures do with diuers words of great dolour expresse his passion the Prophet saith he was broken for our iniquities and that he was a man full of sorrowes and the fathers are full in describing of the bitternesse of his sorow Thomas Aquinas also 3. q. 15. art 6. holdeth that there was in Christ true dolor and true sadnesse and the ordinary glosse in Psal 87. ex persona Christi dicitur repleta est malis anima mea 1. doloribus that is in the person of Christ it is said my soule is filled full of euils that is of greefes neither will the distinction of the sensitiue and reasonable soule serue for any couer of this error for mans soule according to the essence thereof cannot be diuided 14. That Christ hath satisfied the wrath of God for our sinnes the words both of the Prophets and Apostles doe assure vs verè languores nostros ipse tulit saith the Prophet Isay c. 53. he hath truely borne our infirmities and caried our sorowes the Apostle also saith that we are reconciled to God by the death of his sonne but the Papists doe diminish the merit of Christ his satisfaction and deny that he hath satisfied for the temporall paines of our sinnes 15. Bellarmine lib. 4. de Christo c. 11. holdeth that the fathers before Christ were not freed from hel before he came from limbus patrum but both scriptures and fathers teach vs that all the faithfull were redeemed and deliuered out of the handes of our enemies by the death of Christ vpon the crosse and not by his harrowing of hell or limbus patrum so it appeareth that they doe eneruat as much as in them lieth the crosse of Christ and the effect of his death and passion 16 Bellarmine lib. 4. de Christo c. 16. saith that Christs soule for three daies passed the place of the damned and the receptacle of heathenish children but neither doe scriptures nor fathers speake of any that came out of the place of the damned but rather the contrary for the Prophet saith that out of hell there is no redemption and Origen is therefore placed among heretikes because he beleeued that the diuels and the damned should in the end be saued are not these fellowes then damned teachers that place the Sauior of the world among the damned 17. the master of the sentences lib. 3. dist 12. § 3. doth aske the question whether the man Christ could sinne and so be damned non immerito quaeritur saith he vtrum homo ille potuerit peccare vel non esse deus and if he could sin then he doubteth not but he might also be dāned si potuit peccare potuit dānari in the end he concludeth wisely that if the soule of Christ had not been vnited to the God head he might haue sinned est sine ambiguitate verum saith he candem si esset non vnita verbo posse peccare nay Durandus in 3. sent dist 12. saith in a certein case Christ might be damned and that it is no more inconuenient to say that Christ is damned then to say that Christ hath suffred and is dead non est magis inconueniens dicere Christum esse damnatum quà m passum mortuum heere therefore Kellison and Parsons and their consorts may finde those blasphemies in their good masters
si huius quae ab ipso docebatur fidei particeps esset so likewise the Popes grant indulgences to all those that fight for their sect whatsoeuer outrages and villanies they haue committed neither do Priests refuse absolution to any of their sect if they be ruled by them Bellarmine lib. 2. de eccles c. 2. requireth neither faith nor vertue in a Christian if he professe outwardly the Romish faith 43. The Apostle 1. Tim. 4. doth condemn them as heretiks that forbad men to mary entoined them abstinence from certaine meats recte posuit prohibentium nubere saith Theodoret in 1. Tim. 4. neque enim caelibatum aut continentiam vituperat sed eos accusat qui lege lata ea sequi compellunt but Papists by lawes forbid the mariage of Priests and of such as haue vowed single life and haue made diuers lawes against eating flesh burning all that teach otherwise 44. The heretikes called Anomi were condemned for corrupting the law of God but I haue shewed that the Papists by their irregular doctrines and traditions haue not only corrupted it but also disanulled it for the most part 45. Irenaeus aduers haeres c. 2. rangeth them among heretikes that accuse scriptures as if they were not right or not of authority or diuersly to be vnderstood or not sufficient without tradition quasi non rectè habeant neque sint ex authoritate quia variè sunt dictae quia non possit ex his inueniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem all which qualities are incident to the Papists for they complaine of their flexibility and insufficiency and without the churches determination make them to vs of no authoritie Tertullian lib. de praescrip aduers haeret saith some heretikes by their hand others by expositions peruert scriptures alius saith he mancel scripturas alius sensu expositiones interuertit the Papists excell in both for by their additions and false versions they haue falsified scriptures and their commentaries in cases controuersed are nothing but peruersions and false expositions of scriptures Turrian writing against that worthy seruant of God Master Sadeel doth call the scriptures delphicum gladium or an instrument seruing to diuers purposes others call them a nose of waxe or a shipmans hose some esteeme them a matter of strife 46. Isidore lib. 8. orig c. de haeres doth declare them to be heretikes that doe otherwise vnderstand the scriptures then the meaning of the holy ghost requireth quicunque aliter scripturam sacram intelligit saith he quà m sensus spiritus sanâ—â—i flagitat licet de Ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus potest appellari but this is a common fault of Papists throughout all their bookes of controuersies and commentaries 47. As the Herodians did giue the title and honour of Christ to Herode and were therefore reputed heretickes by Damascene lib. de haeres so the Papists do giue Christs titles and honour to the Pope calling him the head and foundation and spouse of the Church yea the king of kings and Christ why then should they not be called papall heretickes aswell as the other Herodian heretickes 48. Damascene accounteth them heretickes that were enemies to the knowledge of Christians and misliked their study of scriptures Gnosimachi saith he omni Christianorum cognitioni ac scientiae ita aduersantur vt vanum minus necessarium laborem esse dicant corum qui in diumis scripturis aliquam exquirunt scientiam the Papists likewise condemn lay-men that read study scriptures especially in vulgar tongs and commend ignorance they doe also speake high commendations of a colliars faith and thinke it sufficient without more adoe that they beleeue as the Church doth 49. The Ethnophromans are likewise put in the role of heretickes for that they brought in diuers heathenish dustomes into the church as we may read in Damascene de haeresibus if then the Papists haue their right they are there also for their carnenal candle bearing holie water censing of images and infinite such trickes to bee calendred among heretickes 50. The dislike of second mariages expressed c. de his 31. q. 1. and for that they debarre such from Priesthood is borrowed from the Montanists 51. In the Roman Cathechisme part 1. in exposit 3. art fid they teach that our Sauiour passed out of his mothers wombe as the raies of the sunne do pearce through the substance of glasse quomodo solis radij concretam vitri substantiam penetrant but this heresie doth quite ouerthrow the article of the natiuity of our Sauiour 52. The conuenticle of a sect 6. Trent teacheth vs alwaies in this life to doubt of Gods fauour towards vs and of our own saluation but this heresie sheweth that the Papists teach infidelity rather then true faith 53. Finally if heresie be an opinion contrarie to faith as Ocham saith or to scriptures as Robert Grosthed affirmeth apud Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. or to conclusions deduced out of scriptures as the councell of Basil signifieth apud Aen. Sylu. de gest concil Basil lib. 1. then are all the opinions of Papists condemned by the church of England for heresies as being repugnant to canonicall scriptures and the faith deduced out of them And these heresies albeit anciently condemned are yet generally holden by the Papists but if I should rehearse the particular heresies of Popes and their chiefe doctors there would be no end of the rehearsall Gelasius the Pope in his epistle to the Bishops of Picenum saith that the substance of man is depratied by originall sinne which importeth rather the destruction of nature than the losse of grace according to his opinion The master of sentences lib. 2. dist 31. teacheth that the flesh only and not the soule is made vncleane by originall sinne Likewise lib. 1. dist 24. he saith that names of number put nothing in the Trinity which ouerthroweth the real distinction of the three persons in the Trinity Againe lib. 1. dist 17. he saith that the holy ghost is nothing but charity whereby we loue God his addendum saith he quòd ipse idem spiritus sanctus est amor siue charitas qua nos diligimus Deum proximum which ouerthroweth the subsistence of the holy ghost Iohn the 22. as we read in the letters of Michael Cesenas placed after the workes of Occham denied the personall distinction of the father the sonne and the holy ghost he denied also that the soules of the faithfull do see God before the day of iudgement The abbot Ioachim as we read in the chap. damnamus de sum trin sid cath saith that the father the sonne and the holy ghost are one non vnitate essentiae sed collectionis tantum not by vnity of essence but by vnity of collections as diuers citizens make one people which ouerthroweth the vnity of the diuine essence Albert vpon the first booke of sentences dist 9. and Thomas Aquinas in scripto confesse that speaking of the persons of the
Iebusites and in former times the rules of Benet Francis and Dominike His followers fall downe like beasts before him and worship him as God Paulus Aemilius lib. 2. telleth how the Ambassadors of Sicily cried thus to the Pope thou which takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs thou which takest away the sinnes of the world giue vnto vs peace and Simon Begnius bishop of Modrusa in the Councell of Lateran ses 6. calleth Leo the 10. his sauiour te beatissimâ— Leo saluatorem exspectauimus saith he Stapleton writing to Gregory the 13. calleth him supremum numen in terris his epistle is extant before his doctrinall principles they call him the vicar of Christ the monarch of the church the head the spouse and foundation of the church most blasphemously ascribing to him the honor due to Christ Most shamefully also they racke scriptures to apply them to the Pope Thomas Waldensis that fleering frier in his prologue before the first tome of his works turneth the words which the apostle spoke to Christ to Martin the fift Domine saith he salua nos perimus Lord saue vs we perish declaring that the Pope is the sauiour of friers Cornelius bishop of Bitonto in the conuenticle of Trent vttereth these blasphemous speeches the Pope the light is come into the world but men loued the darknesse more then light Antoninus part 3. doth compare Dominike with Christ and saith he wrought more miracles then Christ dominus Christus saith he est dominus absolutè authoritatiuè Dominicus possessiuè that is Dominicke is Lord of the world by possession Christ by authoritie and absolutely likewise the booke of conformities of Christ and Francis doth conteine nothing but blasphemous comparisons betwixt them two Francis they call the figuratiue Iesus and in heauen they say he and his company is kept in Christs side To S. Dominike his company they giue a place vnder our Ladies gowne Fulbertus bishop of Charters saith Radulphus niger was nourished with our Ladies milke they tell also blasphemous tales of Alane de rupe the author of our Ladies Rosary and say that he was very familiar with the blessed virgin Finally it is no maruell if Romish religion be full of impieties and blasphemies seeing the same was deuised by Popes that were most impious and great blasphemers Benet the 9. and Syluester the second gaue themselues to the diuell as Beno testifieth Gregory the 7. in a solemne Councel was condemned for a sotthsayer a necromancer and a wicked fellow the Councell of Pise as Theodoric à Niem lib. 3. c. 44. reporteth condemned Gregory the 12. and Benet the 13. as notorious wicked men Alexander the 6. as is said beleeued not that there was a God Iohn the 23. in the Councel of Constance was conuinced that he beleeued not the resurrection Leo the 10. and Clement the 7 by Papistes themselues were reputed atheistes Paul the 3. was a great magician and very familiar with Cecco d'ascoli Iulius the 3. called for his gambon of bacon al dispet to di dio that is in despite of God and said that he had more reason to be angry for a peacocke then God for an apple Boccace in his second nouell bringeth in a Iew maruelling how Reme could stand in which there was no religion at all If I should report all the blasphemies of particular authors I should fill vp a whole volume with them onely thus much I thought good to say for to giue you an assaie of greater matters Faber in his booke aduers anatomen missae fol. 25. compareth Christ to the drunken Silenus annon saith he mirisiâ—us Silenus suit Christus in another place he calleth Christ an iuchanter Bellarmine lib. 1. de sanct beat c. 13. alledging a place out of Iustine martyr but most falsely placeth angels before the holy ghost and would haue them worshipped together with the holy Trinitie to the Pope also in his Preface before his bookes de Pontif. Rom. and in his booke de Pontif. Rom. c. 31. he giueth the proper titles of Christ but I cannot in this short treatise report all he that list to see diuers examples of Parsons his impieties and blasphemies let him read my answer to his Warneword and 3. conuersions Kellison is conuinced of the same crime in my answer to his Suruey CHAP. X. That Popery is a sinke of heathenish idolatry OF this argument I haue spoken at large in my last challenge much therefore I shall not need to say in this briefe suruey yet for that we perceiue that by the secret and cunning practise of the Diuell the idolatrie of the heathen nations ouerthrowen by the preaching of the Gospell is brought backe againe vnder colour of Christianity briefly we are to say somwhat of the former argument It may please God percase to open the eies of some Papists and to worke a detestation in them of popery if they may see that as a sink it hath together with heresie receiued into it self most grosse and heathenish idolatrie but this is prooued first by these words of the law Exod. 20. thou shalt haue no other Gods before me for this being directed principally against the heathenish worship of more Gods than one certaine it is that whosoeuer doth worship more Gods than one or giueth the honour of God to creatures is an idolater but this fault is diuersly incurred by the Papists for first they call the Pope their Lord and God in gloss in c. cum inter extrau Ioan. 22. de verb. signific and both Felm and Baldus as I shewed in the last chapter doe call him a God on the earth absolutely also he is called God in the chap. satis dist 96. and diuers other places secondly they cal the sacrament their Lord and God as appeareth by Allens treatise de sacrsic eucharist c. 41. and Bristow in his 26. motiue neither will they deny but they giue vnto it diuine honour as to God thirdly Bellarmine lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 9. doth call Saints Gods by participation but whosoeuer is God by participation hee is absolutely God for the deity is not communicable to any creature lastly to the sacrament and to the crosse they giue diuine honor saying to the crosse ô crux aue spes vnica and falling downe like beasts before the pixe they doe also make vowes to Saints sweare by Saints and confesse their sinnes iointly to them and to God therefore plainly are they idolaters for these are honours not due to any but to God as at large I haue shewed in my treatise against Bellarmines disputes de culiu sanctorum My second argument is drawn from the second commandement directed against the heathenish idolatrie of those which worshipped God in grauen images for that forbiddeth the making either of grauen image or likenesse to the intent to adore it or worship it but the Papists both make such images and pictures and fall downe before them and worship them to the crosse they pray
Bishops of Rome or else he must know that whatsoeuer he fableth of his three supposed conuersions the same will make for the destruction of Popery and the ouerthrow of the cause which he mainteineth Secondly we are able to prooue that all these corruptions of doctrine superstitious deuises impieties blasphemies which we refuse haue beene receiued and established in the synagogue of Rome not onely since the Apostles times but also since the time of Eleutherius and Gregory the first the idolatrous worship of images was first confirmed by the second coūncell of Nice vnder the Empire of Irene and by little and little brought into the Westerne church being long oppugned by the bishops of France Germany and Britain That the images of the crosse and Trinity should be worshipped with latria was not allowed in that idolatrous councell but first taught by Thomas Aquinas and his followers and grounded not vpon Gods word but vpon this rule of Philosophy that the same motion is directed to the image and the thing imagined which rule by him is mistaken being meant of the species or representation of things in our vnderstanding and not of materiall images that come not within our vnderstanding The Popes authority began to be established first by the rebellion of Gregory the second and Gregory the third that caused Italy to reuolt from the Emperour vnder pretence of worship of images and afterward the same was confirmed by Gregory the seuenth and his successors that by force and violence ouerthrew the empire and made way by the diuisious of Christendome to the victories and conquests of the Turkes and Saracens Boniface the third obteined of Phocas that the church of Rome should be reputed head of other churches Boniface the 9. as Theodoric à Niem in his booke of schisme testifieth by fraude vsurped first the temporall gouernment ouer the Citie and territorie of Rome which before that belonged either to the emperor or to the citizens and thus by fraud and violence the Pope made himselfe great and by little and little exalted himselfe in the church and erected the kingdome of Antichrist The carnall eating and presence of Christs body in the sacrament was first decreed by Nicolas the second in the Chap. ego Berengarius dist 2. de consecrat for there we read first that Christs true body is handled with the hands of Priests broken and torne with the teeth of the faithfull his words prescribed to Berengarius are verum corpus sanguinem domini nostri Iesu Christi esse sensualiter non solum sacramentum sed in veritate manibus sacerdotum tractari frangi fidelium dentibus atteri Transubstantiation got reputation first by the decree of Innocent the 3. as we read in the chapter Firmiter de sum Trin. fid cath for there he decreeth that the bread is transubstantiate into the body and the wine into blood by the power of God but yet two inconueniences will heere fall out if we yeeld to his words for there he saith that Christ is both the priest and the sacrifice and that this transubstantiation is wrought by the power of God whereof the first ouerthroweth the priesthood of the polshorne priests of Baal the second doth take away the efficacie from these wordes hoc est enim corpus meum and hic est sanguis meus and ascribeth all to the power of God absolutely In the conuenticle of Constance we finde it first resolued that the accidents of bread and wine doe remaine without subiect and that the Pope is Christs immediate vicar and sess 13. that although Christ did institute the eucharist in bread and wine yet lay-men were onely to receine it vnder one kinde Auricular confession was established by Innocent the 3. in the chap. omnis vtriusque sexus de poenit remiss for before that it was free to confesse or not to confesse the doctrine of confession was enlarged by the canonistes and schoole-men In the conuenticle of Florence we reade that the forme of ordring masse-priestes of popish confirmation and extreme vnction and of other popish sacraments was then first setled by law there also Purgatorie and the Popes supremacy was first enacted by force of law Clement the 6. in the chapter vnigenitus extr de poenit remis did first deuise the treasure of indulgences Boniface the 8. and Sixtus the 4. ordred the Popish Iubiley That the Pope is aboue the Councel it was first decreed in the councel of Lateran vnder Leo the 10. who also begā first to thunder out his excommunications against M. Luther Finally the conuenticle of Trent gaue finall complement to the Popish doctrine of Traditions of the Latine vulgar translation of concupiscence of formal iustification by charitie and works of seuen sacraments of the sacrifice of the masse of purgatorie and indulgences of framing the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost and the rest of their heresies and abuses for what before the schoolemen had taught vainlie that began now by the decrees of the Pope and his complices to be established and held for law then also the missals breuiaries offices and other rituall bookes began to be confirmed by the Popes authoritie Thirdly it is an easie matter to prooue that the doctrine of S. Peter and of the times wherein Ioseph of Arimathaea Eleutherius and Gregory the first liued is direct contrarie in diuers points to popish religion S. Peter 1. ep 2. exhorted all Christians to submit themselues to kings and gouernors but the Pope commandeth subiects to rebell and take armes against princes and excommunicateth such as refuse so to doe as appeareth by the excommunication of Paul the 3. against king Henry the 8. and of Pius the fift against Queene Elizabeth both which are extant in Sanders his libell de schismate S. Peter 1. ep 1. would haue Christians to trust perfectly on gods grace the Papists teach their disciples to distrust gods grace and to doubt of their saluation and to trust rather in their owne works and merits he saith we are not redeemed with corruptible things but with Christes most precious blood these teach that men are redeemed after a sort by indulgences and by the satisfaction and merites of Saints to whom Bellarmine in his booke of indulgences doubteth not to giue the title of redeemers S. Peter exhorteth Christians to desire the sincere milke of Gods word that they may grow thereby the papistes barre men from hearing Gods word in tongues which they vnderstand and send them to beleeue the traditions of the church of Rome and the impure trash of the schoolemen and the Popes decretales he excludeth the lordship of Popes ouer Gods inheritance these false teachers enforce it he exhorteth vs to make our election sure these fellowes teach that Christians cannot be assured of their election or make it sure Ioseph of Arimathaea and the godly bishops that liued in his time and diuers hundred yeeres after him continued we doubt not in
thus saith Campion and great crackes doe others also make when they come once to mention councels but if councels doe make so much for the Popes cause as these Popish agents praetend what is the reason why the Pope is so much afraid when he doth but ouce he are the name of councels Gaguine in Carolo 7. saith that the Popes resuse to assemble generall councels searing lest their large authority should be restrained by their decrees Petrus de Alliaco also in his treatise de reformat ecclesiae sheweth that many supposed that the Popes were negligent in gathering councels that they might more fully rule at their pleasure and vsurpe the right of other churches the author also of the booke entitled onus Ecclesiae doth alledge the same reason why councels were so slowly assembled experience certes teacheth vs that nothing is more fearefull to the Pope then the name of a lawfull and christian councell Gregory the 12. and Petrus de Luna as Theodorio à Niem testifieth by all meanes delaied the assembly of a councel and Martin the fifth notwithstanding the decree of the councell of Constance for assembling councels from euery ten yeares to ten yeares would no more heare of the matter of late time Clement the 7. reiected the petition of diuers princes requiring a generall councell and Paul the third would not yeeld to haue one before such time as he had so setled his affaires that no man should dare to speake the truth freely or to touch his authority Nay albeit Trent were no indifferent place for vs yet did not Iulius the third thinke himselfe safe inough there nor did he rest vntill such time as he had remoued the councell to Bononic lastly whatsoeuer they heere speake magnifically of the councell yet otherwhere they say the Pope is aboue the councell and that without his confirmation the actes of the councell are of no force and so they bring the authority of councels to a low price But admit the authority of councels to be as great as the Papists would haue them yet neither doe they esteeme much of councels nor doe councels make much for them For the time of assembling prouinciall councels we find diners canons the councell of Nice c. 5. decreed that prouniciall conncels should be assembled twise euery yeare visum est per singulos annos in singulis prouincijs bis in anno concilium episcoporum sieri the like course we finde taken in the 20. canon of the councell of Antioch but the Pope regardeth neither The councell of Constance sess 39. an 1417. decreed that from thence foorth generall councels should be celebrated vt amodò concilia generalia celebrentur and that the first should beginne within siue yeares after the end of the councell the second 7. yeares after that and that so from tenne yeares to tenne yeares councels should perpetually be celebrated deinceps de decennio in decennium perpetuò celebrentur but the Popes haue made a scorne of this decree The cannons of the Apostles decree that a bishop should be ordeined by two or three bishops but the Pope supplieth the roome of Bishops oftentimes with Abbots tituler bishops as is proued by practise confessed in part by Bellarmine the sixth canon excommunicateth bishops and Priests that vnder pretence of religion put away their wiues the Masse-priests separate such violently from their wiues and forbid men to marie vpon pretence of religious vowes The ninth and tenth canons determine them worthy to be excommunicated which being present at the oblation of the eucharist doe not communicat qui facta oblatione non communicauerint and againe qui sacram communionem non percipiunt the Papists esteem them that heare masse only good Christians and doe little regard these canons The seuenteenth Canon pronounceth him vnworthie nay vncapable to bee Bishop or Priest that keepeth a concubine which is a plaine sentence against most of the Romish clergie The 28. canon forbiddeth Bishops and Priests to strike Christians offending but popish prelats cut Christian mens throats albeit they offend not The 36. canon prescribeth bishops their limits and forbiddeth them to ordeine clerkes out of their iurisdiction but this is not obserued by the Pope nor his complices that ordaine certaine Priests of Baal and send them for England where they haue no iurisdiction The 83. canon deposeth him that shall vse reprochfull words against the Emperour or Magistrate qui imperatorem aut magistratum contumelia affecerit yet doe Popes raile vpon Emperours and Magistrates that displease them at their pleasure The 84. canon leaueth Iudith and Tobia Wisedome out of the catalogue of holy bookes of scripture the conuenticle of Trent reckoneth them in the canon as well as the best When diuers in the councell of Nice went about to prohibite the vse of wiues to Bishops Priests and Decons Paphnutius resisted their determination and the synode consented vnto him as Socrates lib. 1. c. 8. Sozomen lib. 1. hist c. 22. Nicephorus lib. 8. hist c. 9. doe testifie There it was determined also c. 5. that those which by one bishop were excommunicated should not bee receiued of others vt hi qui ab alijs excommunicantur ab alijs ad communionem non recipiantur all which notwithstanding the Pope separateth married Priests from their w iues receiueth most infamous offenders being e xcommunicated when they appeale to him The Pope also manifestly breaketh the 6. canon which boundeth his iurisdiction and giueth like iurisdiction to the bishop of Alexandria and Rome The 18. Canon forbiddeth clergy-men to follow filthy gaine and to put out their mony to vsury all which notwithstanding the Popes taske rents of publike whores at Rome as is publikely knowen and testified to the world and ordinarily haue their b ankes of vsury called by them monti di pietà where men may borow mony at 12.10.8 and sixe in the hundred as Onuphrius witnesseth in the liues of Iulius the 3. Paul the 4. and Pius the 4. In the councell of Ancyra c. 10. deacons protesting that they would mary and could not conteine were permitted to continue in the ministery aster mariage hopostea si ad nuptias venerint maneant in ministerio the same councell c. 16. condemneth Sodomits that liue against reason to 15. yeares penance and can 20. putteth adulterers to 7. yeares penance and c. 23 inflicteth vpon soothsaiers or magicians 5. yeares penance but the Pope as he neglecteth the punishment of adulterers Negromancers Sodomites which in Rome and Italy aboūd as euery trauailer knoweth that is acquainted with the manners of that country so he forbiddeth the mariage of deacons and separateth such as mary notwithstanding any protestation they can make The councell of Neocaesarea can 2. condemneth her that shall mary two brethren yet doe the Papists accompt the mariage of Queene Catherine to prince Arthur and Henry the 8. King of England his brother lawfull because the Pope dispensed with that mariage so we see
c. in canonicis dist 19. doth falsifie S. Augustine In our country the Papists haue falsified a statute anno 2. Henrici 4. c. 15. by adding these words ac etiam communitates dictiregni thereby to authorise their cruell burning of Christians as by statute whereas in the originall rolle no such words are to be found so it appeareth that all the cruell executions of Christians in Quene Maries time were contrary to law he that looketh into the originall record in the tower shall find this most true We may therefore say of our aduersaries that which Hierome in symbolum Russini saith of men of their quality peruersi homines ad assertionem dogmatum suorum sub virorum sanctorum nomine interseruerunt ea quae illi nunquam scripserunt nonnulli Hiberas naenias libris authenticis praeferunt peruerse men for proofe of their opinions haue interlaced vnder the names of holy men things which they neuer wrote and some preferre idle fables before authenticall bookes May we thinke them then honest men which practise such falsitie CHAP. XXIIII That Popery standeth much vpon heathenish obseruances and customes CHristian religion intendeth the ouerthrow of heathenish impietie and idolatry Yet such is the craft of Satan that by the ministery of the Pope he hath established many heathenish customes vnder colour of Christian religion for first as the lawes of heathen nations were partly written and partly vnwritten so our aduersaries haue one word of God written and another vnwritten as we reade sess 4. concil Trid. do esteeme both with equall affection but the Apostle teacheth vs that the scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation and Ireney lib. 3. c. 1. saith the scriptures are the pillar and foundation of our faith neque hominis consuetudinem sequi oportet sed Dei veritatem saith Cyprian lib. 2. epist 3. that is we are not to follow mens customes but Gods truth our church saith Saluianus lib. 5. de prouident des is more happilie founded vpon the scriptures only videtur nostrae ecclesia ex vna seripturafeliciùs instituta Secondly the schoolemen build their opinions as well vpon Aristotle and other Philosophers and their authority as vpon the Prophets and Apostles Bernard of Luzemburg in catal haeret sheweth how the doctors of Colein defined that Aristotle was the forerunner of Christ in naturalibus as Iohn Baptist was his forerunner in diuinis writing vpon the first booke of Lombards sentences dist 3. they seeke out the distinction of the 3. persons in the Trinitie by similitudes drawen out of Philosophy by the same also they hope to finde out the eternall generation of the sonne of God albeit the Prophet doe declare it to be menarrable and the like they attempt in disputing of the proceeding of the holie Ghost Gratian in the chap. decretis dist 21. talking of diuers orders and degrees in the Romish hierarchy confesseth that this difference was diduced from the gentiles horum discretio saith he a gentilibus maximè introducta est qui suos flamines alios simpliciter flamines alios archislamines alios protoslamines appellabant Gregorie the first writing to Mellitus as we may read in Bede lib. 1. hist Angl. c. 30. permitted the English to build boothes in the day of the dedication of their churches and to kill oxen for the praise of God which were customes of pagans seruing idoles Boniface the 4. consecrated the Church called Pantheon wherein Cybele and all heathen Gods were worshipped to our Lady and all Saints as is testified by Platina Iohn di Pineda and others this sheweth that the worship of Saints is succeded in liew of the worship of Idols and heathen Gods Baruch c. 6. speaking of the Priests of the gentiles saith they haue their heads and beards shauen from them therefore came the Popish shauing of their Prìests heads and beards From them also the Papists borow the scourging themselues before the crosse and other images for before their idoles the Priests of Baal did lance themselues the Priests of Cybele did also whip themselues as Apuleius testifieth The gentiles did keepe secret the mysteries of their religion so doe the Papists likewise vttering the canon of the Masse in a low voice lest the people should heare it and reading the scriptures in vnknowen and strange languages and they yeelde this reason lest holie things should bee cast to dogges The best ground that Bellarmine laieth for proofe of the Popes monarchy is for that the gentiles thought that forme of gouernement best but God in disposing of matters of ecclesiasticall gouernment boroweth no precedents from the gentiles Thomas Aquinas p. 3. q. 59. art 1. by a Philosophicall argument drawen from the similitude betweene our sprituall and corporall life proueth the number of his seuen sacramentes By Philosophy also the Popes agents proue that one body may be in many places at once and yet sill no place out of holy scripture certes they are not able to deriue anie proofe for it The worship of Saints is a meere tricke of Gentilisme for as the Gentiles had one principall god and diuers demie and inferior gods so haue the Papists Ambrose in chap. 1. ad Rom. saith the gentiles vsed the mediation of others to God as men vse to come to princes by tribunes and hushiers so likewise doe the papists they gaue the honor of God to creatures honorem nominis Dei deferunt creaturae so likewise doe Papists Likewise the worship of images is a meere inuention of Pagans in the book of Wisdome c. 14. they are called idoles of the nations this is plainly declared by Athanasius in his treatise against idolatry and Cyprian de idolorum vanitate Ambrose in Psal 118. ser 10. saith gentiles did worship wood because they thought it to be the image of God gentes lignum adorant quia dei imaginem putant so likewise Papists worship images not because of the matter but because they represent the image of God and in his commentaries vpon the first chapter to the Romanes he saith the gentiles changed the glory of God into the likenesse of men so that the forme of a corruptible man is by them called God and so likewise Papists call the image of God God and the image of Christ Christ and change the glory of the incorruptible God into the likenesse of man At Rome the temple of Romulus and Remus is now turned into the church of S. Cosmas and Damianus The temple of Faunus into the church of S. Stephen and at Loreto the church of Iuno Cupra into the chappell of our Lady of Loreto Gregory in his dialogues lib. 2. c. 8. sheweth that Benet in stead of Apollo substituted S. Martin in the castle of Cassinum and that he erected an altar to S. Iohn in the place where an altar stood dedicated to Apollo nay so litle difference there is betweene paganisme and popery that the image of Inpiter in brasse doth now serue in S. Peters church at Rome for the
in 1. sent dist 2. hold contrary Richardus in 1. sent dist 3. holdeth that the mysterie of the Trinitie may be demonstrated by naturall reasons Scotus Maronis and Thomas affirme the contrary About the faculties of the soule called potentiae the schoolemen are diuided into three sectes as may appeare by their disputes lib. 1. sent dist 3. some hold they are all one with the substance of the soule others that they are accidents the third that they are betweene substances and accidents Abbot Ioachim and Richard de sancto victore taught that the diuine essence might generare gigni the contrarie is taught by Peter Lombard and his followers Peter Lombard lib. sent 1. dist 17. taught that charity wherewith we loue God and our neighbour is the holy ghost and that it is not any thing created but now most of his followers in this point forsake him In the 24. dist of his first booke of sentences Peter Lombard saith that the words of number spoken of God are spoken only relaturely and that the word Trinity implieth nothing positiuely but onlie priuatiuely which because it ouerthroweth the mysterie of the holy Trinity is almost generally contradicted by his followers In the 44. distinction of the same booke he saith that God can alwaies doe whatsoeuer he could euer doe and that he willeth whatsoeuer hee would at any time and knoweth whatsoeuer hee knew at any time but his Disciples hold direct contrary Thomas p. 1. q. 46. art 2. holdeth that the world or at the lest some creature might haue beene from euerlasting so likewise holdeth Bonauenture and some others Richardus maintaineth the opposite opinion and that rightly for that the other sauoureth of Arianisme The master of sentences in 4. dist 1. and Gabriel and Vega lib. 7. pro Conc. Trid. c. 13. hold that not onely substances but accidents also are created Alexander Hales q. 9. m. 6. q. 10. m. 1. and Thomas p. 1. q. 45. art 4. affirme that onely substances are created About this question an omnium aeuiternorum sit vnum aeuum vel multiplex there are 5. different opinions the first of Scotus the second of Thomas the third of Durand the fourth of Henricus the fifth of Bonauenture Likewise about this question quae sit ratio formalis cur Angelus sit in loco there are fiue opinions all repugnant one to another Thomas and Richardus doe affirme that two Angels cannot be in one place together Scotus Occham and Gabriel hold the contrarie Thomas holdeth that Angels haue not intellectum agentem possibilem Scotus doth directly contradict him Scotus and Gabriel teach that both Diuels and good Angels doe vnderstand naturally both our thoughts and the thoughts one of another but to Thomas p. 1. q. 57. art 4. this seemeth absurd Antisiodorensis lib. 2. sum saith that Christ had Angelum custodem other schoolemen denie it Scotus in 2. sent dist 1. holdeth that the soule and an Angel do not differ as two diuers kinds others teach contrary Some doctours hold that Angels consist of forme only others hold contrarie as appeareth by their disputes in 2. sent dist 3. The second councell of Nice Act. 5. determineth that Angels soules are corporall nemo dixerit saith the councell vel angelos vel daemones velanimas incorporeas but this opinion will not now bee beleeued of any learned Papists Why then should they rather beleeue that synode in the article of worship of images than in this Scotus saith that the will is the only subiect of sinne Thomas denieth it Concerning the place of paradise there are three different opinions some hold that it reacheth to the circle of the Moone Thomas in 2. dist 17. and Bonauenture doe place it vpon a high mountaine they know not where others place it in the East Concerning the nature of free wil there are diuersities of opinions among schoolemen and others as Iosephus Angles in lib. 2. sent dist 24. and 25. sheweth particularly Richardus holdeth that freewill cannot be changed by God others for the most part hold the contrary Thomas Bonauenture and Setus hold that grace is not a qualitie infused but a qualitie inherent in the soule Alexander Hales and Scotus hold that it is a quality infused Iosephus Angles in lib. 2. sent dist 26. rehearseth three seuerall opinions of schoole-doctors about the diuision of grace in gratiam operantem cooperantem whereby it may euidently appeare that Papists in talking of grace goe about to shut out Gods grace Most schoolemen and others affirme that Adam and Eue beleeued not Gods words concerning the forbidden fruit Bellarmine lib. 3. de amiss grat c. 6. saith they beleeued In the same booke c. 9. Bellarmine saith Adams offence was greater then that of Eue contrary both to ancient doctors and to schoolemen Lib. 5. de amiss grat c. 17. he sheweth great diuersities of opinions among his schoolemen fellowes about orginall sinne and himselfe dissenteth from all About the conception of the blessed Virgin whether it was in originall sinne or not there haue beene not onely contradictions but also tragicall stirres and contentions Certeine schollers of Aquinas beleeue and teach that no man being of yeares of discretion can be iustified by the absolute power of God without the act and concurrence of free will Scotus Vega and Caietan hold contrary both their opinions are touched by Iosephus Angles in 2. sent dist 27. Richardus in 2. dist 27. art 2. q. 1. Scotia in 1. dist 17. q. 1. art 1. and Durand in 1. dist 17. q. 2. and others hold that a man may merit the first grace do Congruo Gregorius Arimineusis in 2. dist 26. Lyra in Ioan. 1. Waldensis and others denie it Sotus lib. 2. de not grat c. 4. saith that the former opinion is neere to Peligiamsine Gregorius Ariminensis and Capreolus in 2. dist 27. q. 1. hold that no man without the illustration of Gods speciall grace can attaine to the knowledge of any moral truth but Thomas and Scotus in 2. dist 27. doe hold contrary Durand placeth originall sinne in the carnall appetite Thomas placeth it in the whole substance of the soule Scotus differeth from both and placeth it in the will of man Iosephus Angles in 2. dist 27. rehearseth three seuerall opinions about this question whether a sinne of omission may be committed without a positiue act The same man reckoneth 5. different opinions about the difference of mortall and veniall sinnes and three opinions concerning this question what is sinne of malice Catharin and Caietan doe striue about faith of infants and diuers other matters and greater would the contention haue beene if the matter had not been taken vp or at least silence commanded by the Pope Bellarmine lib. 1. de pontif Rom. c. 12. saith that the keies of the church are nothing but order and iurisdiction the Master of sentences and Caietan de iust auth pontif Rom. hold that they containe somewhat more Pighius lib. 4. hierarch eccles c. 8.