ecclesia constituitur ex collectione omnium fidelium vnde omnes fideles orbis constituunt istam ecclesiam vniuersaleÌ„ cuius caput sponsus est ipse Christus Papa auteÌ„ est Vicarius Christi non verè caput ecclesiae vt notat glossa in Clem. ne Romani de elect Quae notabiliter dicit quod mortuo Papa ecclesia non est sine capite ista est illa ecclesia quae errare non potest For concerning maters of Faith euen the iudgement of one that is a meere Lay-man ought to be preferred before the sentence of the Pope if that Lay person could bring better reasons out of the old and new Testament then the Pope did And it skilleth not if one say that a Councell cannot erre because Christ prayed for his church that it should not fayle For I say that although a general Councell represent the whole vniuersall Church yet in truth there is not truely the vniuersall Church but representatiuely For the vniuersall Church consisteth of the collection of all the faithful Whereupon all the faithfull in the worlde make this vniuersall church which cannot erre wherof Christ himselfe is the head The Pope is the Vicar of Christ but not truely the heade of the church as noteth the Glosse vpon the Clementines which saith very well that when the Pope is dead the church wanteth not then an head and this is that Church which cannot erre Out of these wordes I note first that by the opinion of the great Papist Panormitan a meere laye mans iudgement euen in matters of faith ought to bee accepted and receyued before the Popes constitution if that Lay-man bring better reasons then doth the Pope I note secondly that through the wonderfull prouidence of God euen the enemies of the truth the Papists I meane are enforced to testifie the truth against themselues in their owne printed bookes For doubtles this Testimony of this Papist is the foundation of that doctrine which is this day established in the church of England and in all other reformed churches throughout the Christian world I note thirdly that a generall councell may erre because it is not the Catholike or vniuersall church indeed A generall councell therfore yeeldeth not any infallible iudgement CAP. VII Shewing that the holy Scripture is the sole and onely infallible rule of truth IN the former Chapters I haue shewed first that all Bishoppes may erre seuerally secondly that many Bishops may erre ioyntly together when they teach one and the selfe same thing Thirdly that the Pope or Bishoppe of Rome may erre not onely in his priuate opinion but also in his publike sentence and definition Fourthly that Prouinciall Councels may erre Fiftly that generall counsels may erre It therefore now remayneth that I find out and set down some such rule as is infallible and will not in any respect point or clause deceiue them that follow it and leane thervnto Which rule say I is the holy scripture the sole and onely written worde of God And I proue the same briefly first by the written word it selfe which telleth vs plainely that the holy scripture was written by the instinct of the holy Ghost euen as God himself appointed it to be done That prophesie came not in old time by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost That God is not as man that he should lie neyther as the sonne of man that he should repent I proue it secondly by the testimony of S. Dionyse Areopagita whose wordes are these Omnino igitur non audendum est quicquam de summa abstrusaque diuinitate aut dicere aut cogitare praeter ca quae nobis diuinitus scripturae diuinae enuntiarunt In no wise therfore may we make bold to speake or thinke any thing of the high and ineffable diuinity but that onely which holy writ hath reuealed to vs from aboue I proue it thirdly by the verdict of S. Austen in these wordes Ego solis eis scripturarum libris qui iam canonici appellantur hunc timorem honorem didici deferre vt nullum eorum authorem scribendo aliquid errasse firmissime credam Alios autem ita lego vt quantalibet sanctitate doctrinaque praepolleant non ideo veruÌ„ putem quia ipsi ita censuerunt sed quia mihi vel per illos auctores canonicos vel probabili ratione quod a veritate non abhorreat persuadere potuerunt I have learned to giue this feare and honour to those onely bookes of scripture which are called Canonicall that I firmely belieue no author therof to haue erred in any point but yet I reade others so that how holy or learned soeuer they bee I doe not by and by thinke it true because they say so but because they perswade me by those Canonicall Writers or by probable reason that that is true they say The same S. Austen in an other place telleth vs plainely that the holy Scripture is the rule of faith These are his wordes Sancta scriptura nostrae doctrinae regulam figit ne audiamus sapere plusquam oportet The holy Scripture setteth downe the rule of our doctrine that we presume not to be wiser then it is meete and conuenient The Iesuite Bellarmine whose words are most forceable against Papistes because he is the mouth of all Papistes confesseth plainely that the worde of God is the rule of faith that the written word because it is the rule hath this prerogatiue that whatsoeuer is contained in it is of necessitie true and must bee beleeued and whatsoeuer is repugnant to it is of necessitie false and must be reiected But because it is a partial rule and not the totall rule of faith thereupon it commeth that something is of faith which is not contayned in the same Thus writeth the Iesuite Out of whose wordes euerie child may gather that the scripture is the infallible rule of faith For although the Iesuite would make vnwritten traditions to bee a ioynt rule together with the written word whose opinion I haue disproued in my Booke of Motiues yet neyther doth hee neither can he deny but that all must bee reiected whatsoeuer is repugnant to the holy scripture By this my discourse hetherto it is cleare and euident to euery indifferent Reader that neither Fathers Popes nor councels prouinciall or generall are or can bee the infallible rule of faith but the sole and onely written word of God that is the holy Scripture But now remayneth a most intricate and dâ—fficult question who must bee the iudge of the Scripture that is who must determine and set downe what writinges what opinions what preachinges what doctrines are grounded vpon the Scriptures and are consonant to the same againe what opinions what Writinges and what doctrines are not grounded vpon the Scriptures nor are agreeable to the same Hic labor hoc opus est I therefore proceede to the next
wordes Sed quia in Nouissimo tempore sanctorum remuneratio perpetua impiorum ventura est damnatio dictum est eis expectate But because in the last time Saints must receiue their rewardes and the wicked their damnation it is said vnto them Expectate ye must expect or doe ye expect a while I could alleadge the wordes of Ireneus of Euthymius of Oxigenes and others to the same effect and yet the doctrine taught by these Fathers is this day holden for a flat heresie euen of the Papistes themselues Caietanus a learned Papist and sometime Cardinall of Rome for which respect hee must perforce be of great credite among them doth grauely aduise the Reader in his commentaries vpon the Pentateuch of Moyses willing him to contemne nothing rashlie but to examine all thinges by the holy scripture and to embrace that which is agreeable thereunto although it swerue from the opinion of neuer so many Fathers His words are set downe at large in my booke of Motiues The great Schooleman and renowned popish Bishoppe Melchior Canus confesseth verie plainely that the consent of many Bishops and learned men doth not yeeld a sound argument for mans conscience to rest thereupon The same Canus in an other place auoucheth boldly that though al the Thomists with the Scotists late writers with the olde take part against him yet must he perforce haue the victorie because reason is on his side his wordes are set downe at large in my Booke of Motiues What neede long periods Austen Ambrose Bede Chrysostome Remigius Eusebius Bernardus Bonauentura Maximus Erardus Bernardinus Aquinas Hugo and almost all the rest affirme with one consent alledging expresse textes of Scripture for their opinion that the blessed Virgin Mary was conceiued in originall sinne and yet doth the late hatched nest of Iesuites with other Papistes this day auouch the contrarie for a truth if any man be desirous to know more of this point hee may find it at large in my books of Motiues and Suruay loe these cannot always be iudges in al matters of faith and religion CAP. III. Of the vncertainety of the Popes Iudgement whose faith say the Papistes can not faile ALbeit the Popes Canons and popish glosses thereupon tell vs that it is sacriledge to reason of the Popes power yet by his holines fauour I hope I may set downe without offence to any godly mā what I find in his own popish decrees and that I may proceede sincerely and plainly for the better satisfaction of the Reader I will distribute this Chapter into seuerall sections The First Section Of the manners liues and conuersation of the late Bishops of Rome ALthough the Bishops of Rome bee now a dayes termed by the name of Holinesse yet haue the liues and manners of manie Popes been most wicked most notorious and most scandalous to the Christian world I will passe ouer Pope Stephanus who disanulled all the Actes of Pope Formosus degrading those whome hee had made Bishops and priestes a rare and strange Metamorphosis in the Church of God Pope Romanus did reproue and abrogate all the Actes of Pope Stephanus and Pope Sergius the third did so hate the name of Formosus that he caused his bodie to be beheaded after it was buried and laide in the ground yea hee commaunded his dead corps to be cast into the riuer Tyber as vnworthy to bee interred in Christian sort Pope Bonifacius the eight entered into his popedome as a Foxe raigned in it as a Wolfe and died in the end as a dogge Pope Christopher was depriued of his pontificall dignitie and enforced to be a Monke Pope Bonifacius the seuenth and Syluester the second aspired to their popedomes by Necromancy and Diabolicall meanes Syluester the third obtayned his popedome by sedition and Damasus the second was made pope by violent meanes without consent either of the Clergie or of the people pope Gregorie the fift was by sedition thrust out of his throne and pope Iohn the 18 by tyranny occupied the popedome But I may not let passe to speake at large of Pope Syluester the second of that name the storie is most memorable well worthy for edification sake to bee engrauen in golden letters of the truth thereof no man can stand in doubt For Martinus Polonus the popish Archbishop of Consentina and high Penitentiarie as also the chiefe Chaplain to the Popes Holines hath published the same in writing to the view of all the world Which thing doubtles hee world neuer haue done if he had not thought it a thing necessary to be known Thus therefore doth he write Pope Syluester the 2. was first a Monke a Frenchman borne Gilbertus by name he promised homage to the Deuill so long as he did accomplish his desires which his request the Deuil vndertooke to bring to passe he being very ambitious did so often expresse his desire to the deuill as hee made homage vnto him the Deuill procured him to be made Archbishop first at Rhemes then at Rauennas and at the last to be Pope of Rome for the Deuill knowing his ambitious mind brought him to honour by begrees being made Pope he would needes know of the Deuil how long he should liue in his Pontificall glorie the Deuill aunswered him that he should liue so long as he did not say Masse in Ierusalem the Pope receyuing that aunswere was very ioyfull within himselfe thinking that hee was as farre from death and from the ende of his worldly pompe as hee was farre of in his minde from going on pilgrimage to Ierusalem beyond the Sea But what will yee more The Pope in Lent said Masse in the Church Sanctae crucis which they call in Ierusalem my self know the place Yet the Pope as it seemeth infatuated with pride and excessiue desire of honor had quite forgot the name While he was at Masse O holy sacrifice he heard a great noyse of Deuils and so remembred not the place onely but also his death to bee at hand Hee therefore wept though hee were afore most wicked disclosing his offence to all the companie nothing doubting of Gods mercie withall he cōmaunded to cut away from his bodie all the members with which hee had done sacrifice to the Deuill This hystorie I haue truly set down as I find it recorded by the said Martinus Polonus Archbishop of Consentina a man most deare vnto the Pope so as no Papist can without blushing denie the truth therof me thinks it is an vnfit thing that the faith of all the Christian world should depend vpon the resolution of such wicked Popes Benedictus the ninth as writeth the said Polonus appeared to a man going by a Mill in the likenes of a monstrous beast who had a head and tayle like an Asse and the rest of the bodie was like a Beare And when the man that saw the Monster fled away for feare the monster cryed after him
in these words Feare me not for I am a man as thou art but I shew my selfe in this likenes because I liued like a beast when I was a wicked Pope Much like stuffe I could recite but I studie to be briefe He that desireth to know more hereof may satisfie himselfe by reading my Suruay In these holy disholy Fathers no sound iudgement can be found Sect. II. Of the Schismes and conflictes which haue beene among the Popes or Bishops of Rome POpe Benedict the ninth was depriued of his popedome and the Bishop of Sabina who after that was called Syluester became Pope in his roome This Syluester was afterward expulst Benedict restored to the popedome again After that the same Benedict was yet againe expulst and the popedome was giuen to Iohn Archdeacon of S. Iohn ante portam Latinam who was after that called Gregorie the sixt This pope being altogether vnlearned caused an other Pope to be made iointly with him that he might execute the Ecclesiastical function which himselfe was not able to do Which thing displeased many and therefore the third Pope was appointed who alone should supply the places of the other two One therefore contending against two and two against one for the Popedome and Gregory being dead Henry the Emperour came to Rome against the two and deposed them by canonicall and imperiall censure and placed Sindegerus the Bishop of Babemberge in the popedome At which time the Romanes promised by solemne oathes that they woulde neuer elect the Bishoppe of Rome without the consent of the Emperour of Rome Many Schismes haue been in the church of Rome and amongst our Romish Bishoppes euen for many years together And thereupon it followeth euidently that the succession of the latter Popes can neuer bee proued constantlie to haue descended without interruption from the former The great Papist Onuphrius Panuinius maketh mētion of no lesse then thirtie Schismes which were all in the Church of Rome Bartholomeus Carranza a lerned Writer popish Fryer reckoneth vp two most notable Schismes in the Church of Rome The former Schisme saith he endured for the space of 64 years during al which time their godly Popedome was at Auinion in France and not one day at Rome though at Rome as they prate God placed their holy seat In the latter schisme three of their holy Bishops were Popes at one and the selfe same time to write Iohannes 24. of that name Benedict 13. Gregorie the 12. From which three striuing and contending like Dogges fighting for a bone I would gladly learne how they cā deriue their holy so supposed successiō of which succession I haue spoken more at large in my book of Suruey Of this Romish Schisme speaketh their own dear Abbot Bernarde egregiously these are his words Tempus faciendi c. It is now high time to do good for they haue trodē vnderfoot Gods law The beast mentioned in the Reuelation to whome was giuē a mouth speaking blasphemies and to make wars with the Saints sitteth in Peters chaire like a Lion ready to take his pray Now I weene that all wise men well obseruing and pondering with themselues these manifolde and notorious Schismes in the Church of Rome which haue continued aboue fiftie yeares togither and in which sundry Popes cōtending who should be the Pope no one could truly be discerned to bee Pope will be fully perswaded therwith that if Gods holy pleasure had bin to haue tied all people in the worlde to hang depend wholy vpon the Bishops of Rome from time to time in matters touching faith and their euerlasting saluation as vpon those persons whose faith should neuer faile that God I say would haue prouided for the securitie and common good of his people that the same Bishops should haue beene more honest and godly in their liues more peaceable among themselues more free from doing homage to the diuell more constant in their seates and not so doubtfull and vncertaine in their succession that Gods people were many times at their wits end which Pope they should take for Peters successor These men therefore can not bee iudges in Religion Sect. 3. Of the priuiledges falsely supposed to be granted from heauen to the Bishops of Rome AVgustinus de Ancona a religious Frier hath these wordes Papa Vicarius Iesu Christi vice Dei viuentis in toto orbe terrarū spiritualium temporaliium habet vniuer salem iurisdictionem The Pope being the Vicar of Iesus Christ hath in steede of the liuing God vniuersall iurisdiction of all things spirituall and temporall throughout the whole world Bartholomaeus Fumus a famous popish Frier and renowmed Canonist hath these wordes Omnis potestas iurat fidelitatē Papae obedientiam recognoscens ab eo omne quod habet Et si aliquando aliquid imperator douauit Ecclesiae vt de Constantino dicitur non fuit donatio sed restitutio Euery power sweareth fidelitie and obedience to the Pope acknowledging themselues to haue from him all that they haue and if any Emperor as Constantine gaue any thing to the Church it was no gift but restitution Iohn Gerson sometime the Chancellor of Paris singeth the same song in these wordes Consurgit ex aduerso c. There starteth vp on the contrarie side faire spoken and craftie adulation whispering in the eares of Cleargy-men specially of the Pope Oh how great how great is the maiestie of thine Ecclesiastiall power For as all power was giuen to Christ in heauen and on earth so Christ left al the same power to Peter and to his successors Wherefore the Emperour Constantine gaue nothing to Pope Syluester which was not his owne before but onely restored that which was vniustly detained from him Further as there is no power but of God so is there neither any temporal or Ecclesiasticall Emperiall or Regall but of the Pope in whose thigh Christ hath written the King of kings the Lord of lords The Popes owne decrees tell vs plainly that though the Pope be neuer so wicked and carry to hell with himselfe neuer so many people yet may no mortall man reproue him for the same And the reason thereof is this because forsooth hee may iudge all but none may iudge him neither great nor small The Popish parasites the interpreters of the Canons doe ascribe titles yet more magnificall to the Pope yea titles plaine diuine and proper to God alone These are the expresse wordes in the popish Glosse vpon the Decretals Sic Papa dicitur habere coeleste arbitrium ideo etiam naturam rerū immutat substantialia vnius rei applicando alii de nihilo potest aliquid facere So the Pope is said to haue celestiall arbitrement and therefore doth he alter the nature of things by application of the substantiall parts of one thing to another and hee can make of nothing something To haue recited these absurd and prophane assertions
may be a sufficient confutation of the same Onely Victoria a verie learned popish Doctor shall conclude this section His wordes are these Paulatim ad hanc c. By little and little we are brought to these inordinate dispensations and to this so miserable state where we are neither able to endure our owne griefes nor remedies assigned for the same Giue me Clements Lines Syluesters and then I will commit all things to their charge But to speake nothing grieuously against these latter Popes they are doubtlesse inferiours to Popes of olde time by many degrees Here is falshood enough but certaintie of iudgement none can be had Sect. IIII. Of the Popes priuate errors THat the Bishops of Rome may become heretiques yea that they haue beene heretiques de facto it is so cleare a thing as I shall not neede to stand long about the same Many Popish decrees tell vs that Popes may be deposed when and so often as they swarue from the Christian faith and become heretiques in deed Which Decrees perforce must presuppose that the Popes may be heretiques otherwise they should be frustrate and to no ende at all These are the words Cunctos ipse Papa iudicaturus à nemine est iudicandus nisi deprehendatur a fide deuius The Pope iudgeth all and must be iudged of none vnlesse hee swarue from the faith and bee an heretique Lo the Popes owne Decrees doe plainely graunt that the Pope may be an heretique and then God be thanked he hath a superiour and iudge vpon earth So he may lawfully be controlled yea condemned vnlesse hee keepe the Christian fayth better then many popes haue done Againe in another decree I find these expresse wordes Oues quae suo pastori commissae sunt eum nec reprehendere nisi á fide exorbitauerit nec vllatenus accusare possunt Sheepe which are committed to their pastor may neither rebuke him nor in any wise accuse him vnlesse he depart and forsake the faith Dominicus Soto a great Papist hath these expresse wordes Quamuis Papa vt Papa errare non possit hoc est statuere errore nequeat tanquam articulum fidei quia spiritus sanctus id non permittet tamen vt singularis persona errare in fide potest sicut alia peccata committere Albeit the Pope as Pope cannot erre that is to say can not set downe any errour as an article of our faith because the holy Ghost will not that permit neuerthelesse as he is a priuate person so may he erre euen in fayth as he may do other sinnes Pope Anastasius Pope Honorius Pope Iohn and others haue beene heretikes as Viguerius Melchior Canus Alphonsus and Adrianus who was Pope himselfe confesse and no wise papist will or can denie the same Nicholaus de Lyra a verie learned and famous papist hath these expresse wordes Ex quo patet quod Ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis Ecclesiasticaevel secularis Quia multi principes summi pontifices alii inferiores inuenti sunt apostatasse a fide Whereby it is euident that the Church doth not consist in men by reason of power or dignitie either ecclesiasticall or secular because many princes and popes and others of the inferior sort are found to haue swarued from the faith and to haue beene flat Apostataes Iosephus Angles a famous popish Bishop and religious Frier in his booke dedicated to the Pope himselfe confirmeth this matter in these wordes Papa haereticus aut apostata ab vniuersali concilio deponi potest ratio est quia sicut nullus potest esse alicuius religionis praelatus qui non sit in illa religione prosessus ita neque potest esse Papa si fide Ecclesiae careat The Pope being an heretique or apostata may bee deposed by a generall Concell and the reason is because as none can be a Prelate of any Religion which is not professed in that religion so neither can he be Pope that holdeth not the faith of the Church Thus it is cleare euen by popish Doctors and Decrees that the Pope as a priuate person may forsake the Christian fayth teach false doctrine and become a flat Apostata The Pope therefore in his priuate person can not be a competent iudge Sect. V. Of the Popes publique errours in his generall and definitiue Decrees and constitutions DOctor Gerson a famous Papist and Chauncellour of Paris teacheth so plainely that Popes may erre in their publique doctrine of faith and maners as none can doubt there of that ponder well his words thus therefore doth he write Hos fecit latroni qui veri similiter nondum compleuerat poenetentiā pro omnibus peccatis suis qui fuit illa hora propria beatisicatus vidit Deum facie ad faciem sicut sancti in Paradiso propter quod insuper apparet falsitas doctrinae Papae Iohannes 22. quae damnata fuit cum sono buccinarum coram rege Philippo per Theologos Parisienses credidit potius Theologis Parisiensibus quam curiae This did he to the theefe which by likelihood had not yet accomplished pennance for all his sinnes who was blessed in that verie houre and saw God face to face as do the Saints in Paradise by reason whereof appeareth further the falshoode of the doctrine of Pope Iohn which was condemned by the sound of Trumpets before King Philip by the diuines of Paris and the king beleeued rather the diuines then the court of Rome Out of these wordes the indifferent Reader wil easily note with me these important poynts First that the theefe crucified with Christ did see God face to face in that verie houre and so was blessed Secondly that hee reprooueth the false doctrine of Pope Iohn Thirdly that his doctrine was condemned with the sound of trumpets in the presence of the King of France Fourthly that the king gaue more credite to the Diuines of Paris then to the iudgement of the Court of Rome that is then to the Pope and his Cardinals A poynt well worthie to bee noted Fiftly that neither the king nor the learned Papists did in those dayes graunt such authoritie to the Pope as now a dayes the Pope chalengeth to himselfe Whereupon it followeth consequently that the Pope taught false doctrine euen in a weightie matter of faith To which is consectarie that his doctrine was publique as which was publiquely condemned at Paris in the presence of the king Pope Adrian testifieth the same truth as witnesseth the zealous Papist Alphonsus in these expresse wordes Nouissime fertur de Iohanne 22. quod publice docuit declarauit ab omnibus teneri mandauit quod animae purgatae ante finale iudicium non habent stolam quae est clara facialis visio Dei vntuersitatem Parisiensem ad hoc induxisse dicitur quod nemo in ea poterat gradum in Theologia adipisci nisi primitus hunc errorem iurasset se
defensurum perpetuò ei adhaesurum Last of all it is reported of Pope Iohn the 22. that hee publiquely taught declared and commaunded all men to hold that the soules of the iust before the day of iudgement haue not the stole which is is the cleare and facely vision of God And he is reported to haue enduced the Vniuersitie of Paris to this that no man should take degree in the same but he that did first sweare to defend this errour and to adhere to it for euer Thus writeth Adrian who was himselfe Pope of Rome And Alphonsus a mā of good credit with the papists after he had reckoned vp fiue heresies setteth downe this for the sixt heresie that the soules of the iust do not see God till the day of doome ascribing the said heresie to the Armenians as to the authors therof to the Greeks togither with pope Iohn as to the patrones and defenders of the same Here the simple Reader must note well that hee may the better vnderstande this verity and not bee seduced with the colourable Glosse of the Iesuite Bellarmine who seeing the force of this testimonie to ouerthrowe the highest poynt in poperie bestirreth himselfe more then a little in defence of popish faith He telleth vs forsooth if we wil beleeue him that Pope Iohn with all obeysance to his holines bee it spoken erred in deede as is here said but he did that as a priuate man sayeth our Iesuite not as Pope of Rome Which distinction doubles wanteth not onely a good foundation whereupon it should be built but also it flatly destroyeth the playne Text. The reason is euident to euery child First because pope Adrian faith Docuit hee taught Secondly because hee faith Publicè publikely Thirdly because he sayeth Mandauit he commanded all to hold it Fourthly because none could be made Graduats in the schooles which held not this opinion Fiftly because euery Graduate was sworn to defend it and to hold it for euer So then the pope may erre and hath erred de facto euen in his publike decree of faith as well as an other man And that euen by the consent of Adrian who was pope himselfe yea who for learning and knowledge was one of the rarest popes that euer were at Rome Melchior Canus though otherwise he bee a great papist telleth vs plainly that Gerson Almayne and Thomas Waldensis doe all hold this for a constant position that the pope may erre as is already said pope Celestine the third of that name erred as pope and publike person in his iudiciall sentence and publicke decree This to be so Alphonsus aboue named is a constant witnes in these expresse words Celestinum Papam errasse circa matrimonium fidelium quorum alter labitur in haerisin res est omnibus manifesta neque hic Celestini error talis fuit qui soli negligentiae imputari debuit ita vt illum errasse dicamus velut priuatam personam non vt Papam qui in qualibet reseria definienda consulere debet viros doctos quoniam huiusmodi Celestina definitio habebatur in antiquis decretalibus in cap laudabilem titulo de conuersione infidelium Quam ego ipse vidi legi That Pope Celestine erred about Matrimonie of the faithful wherof the one is fallen into heresie is a thing so manifest as all men know the same neither was this error of Pope Celestine such that it can bee imputed to sole negligence so as we may think him to haue erred as a priuate man not as Pope who ought in the decree of euery serious matter to aske counsel of learned men For that definition and decree of Celestine was in the old Decretall Epistles in the Chapter Laudabilem which I my selfe haue seene and read Out of these wordes of Alphonsus who was a man highly renowned among the papistes I note many worthy obseruations First that Pope Celestine erred and that not as a priuate man but euen as Pope and publike person Secondly that hee erred in a verie serious matter euen in a matter of faith to wit that Matrimonie was so dissolued by reason of heresie that the faithfull man or woman might marry againe the hereticall partie liuing which thing sayeth Alphonsus was manifest to euerie man to be an heresie And the late Councel of Trent hath defined it to be so Thirdly that this decree and definition of Pope Celestine was in those dayes enrolled in the Popes Decretals Fourthly that Alphonsus saw and read the same Decree Fiftly that the said decree cannot this day be found among the Popes Decretall Epistles Where I wish the Reader to note by the way that the Decrees of our holy Fathers the Popes haue been such and so much against late Poperie that they are ashamed to bring them now to light If any man desire to know the Popes errors more fully let him read my book of Motiues But now it remaineth that I aunswere to sundrie important obiections whereupon the Papistes would build the supposed Priuiledges of their Popes as that their Faith can not faile and such like The decision wherof God willing shal be performed in the Chapter following The Pope therefore in his publique person is no infallible Iudge CAP. IIII. Contayning the aunswere to sundrie obiections by which the Papistes labour to proue that the Popes faith can not faile The First obiection CHrist prayed for Peter that his faith should neuer faile therefore the Bishops of Romes faith cannot faile nor the Pope erre in his iudiciall decrees The Aunswere I say first that Peters faith quailed when he denied Christ swearing that hee knew not the man For these twaine are the chiefe fruites of faith to belieue with the heart to confesse with the mouth And where eyther of these two is wanting there cannot be a right faith For he that putteth away a good conscience maketh shipwracke of his faith I say secondly that Christ prayed aswell for all the elect as he did for Peter I pray not sayth Christ for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me for they are thine Againe he sayeth I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall belieue in me through their word And consequentlie seeing Christ directed not his wordes to Peter as to one priuate man but as to one representing the whole Church it must needs follow that what soeuer Christ did or saide touching Peters faith must perforce bee vnderstoode of the faith of the whole Church Which faith as I haue copiously proued in my Booke of Suruay shall neuer fayle indeed This my aunswere is confirmed in these wordes of S. Austen Quid ambigitur pro Petro rogabat pro Iacobo Iohanne non rogabat vt caeteros taceam manifestum est in Petro omnes contineri quia in alio loco dicit ego pro his rogo quos mihi dedisti pater volo vt vbiego
irritum fecestis pactum Leui dicit Dominus exercituum But you are gone out of the way and haue scandalized many by the law ye haue made frustrate the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of hostes Now of Leui it is thus said in the same place Lex veritatis erat in ore eius The law of truth was in his mouth And what was the law of truth S. Hierome telleth vs in these wordes Lex veritatis hoc est doctrina populorun quae in Sacerdote nullo debet mendacio deturpari sed tota de veritatis fonte procedere The law of truth that is the doctrine of the people which in the Priest ought not to be stained with any lie but wholy to proceede from the fountaine of truth By which exposition we see plainly that the priests lippes should indeede keepe knowledge but for all that are often void of all knowledge and teach falshood instead of truth Touching the words of Deuteronomie the sense and true meaning is plainly gathered out of the verie text it selfe For first the text in the 17. chapter speaketh as well of the politicall and ciuill iudge as of the Priest which thing Bellarmine himselfe cannot denie And yet that the ciuill Prince may erre all both Iesuites and other Priests will confesse Again in another place of the law the same promis that is here made to the Priests is made generally to all ciuill Iudges and officers These are the wordes Iudges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Cities and they shall iudge the people with righteous iudgement Where I note by the way the falshoode of the Latine Vulgata editio which the late Councel of Trent extolleth aboue both the Greeke and the Hebrew For in the 16. chap. the text sayth thus Vt iudicent populum that they may iudge the people But in the 17. chap. it is thus and they shall teach the people And in Malachie thus and the Priests lippes shall keepe knowledge And yet in the Hebrew text which is the fountaine and originall the worde and is in euery place which the papists guilefully change into the worde that in the 16. chapt so to make their matter good if it would be But let vt be made as it is in the Hebrew and the question will be at an end Melchior Canus a famous learned papist hath these expresse words Fatemur Sacerdotes non esse audiendos nisi docuerint iuxta legem Domini We grant sayth he that the priests ought not to be heard or obeyed vnlesse they shall preach and teach according to Gods law Oh sweet Iesus How can any papist deny that which we affirme seeing the best learned and most renowmed Papists confesse the same euen in their written bookes and printed Commentaries published to the view of the world Lyranus in his Commentaries hath these expresse wordes Hic dicit glossa Hebraica si dixerint tibi quod dextra sit sinistra vel sinistra dextra talis sententia est tenenda quod patet manifestè falsum Quia sentētia nullius hominis cuiuscunque sit authoritatis est tenenda si contineat manifestè falsitatem vel errorem Et hoc patet per id quod praemittitur in textu Iudicabunt tibi iudicii veritatem Postea subditur docuerint te iuxta legem eius Ex quo patet quod si dicant falsum declinent à lege Dei manifestè non sunt audiendi Here sayeth the Hebrew glosse if they shall say to thee that the right hand is the left or the left hand the right such sentence is to be holden which thing appeareth manifestly to bee false For no mans sentence of how great authoritie soeuer he bee must bee holden or obeyed if it manifestly containe falshoode or errour And this is manifest by that which goeth before in the text They shall shew to thee the veritie and truth of iudgement It followeth also and they shall teach thee according to his law Hereupon it is cleare that if they teach falsely and swarue from the law of God manifestly then are they not to bee heard or followed Out of these words well worthy to be engrauen in golden letters I note first that our Papists now a dayes are as grosse and senselesse as were the olde Iewish Rabbins as who labor this day to enforce vs to belieue the Pope though he erre neuer so grosly telling vs that chalke is cheese and the left hand the right I note secondly that Nicho. de Lyra a great learned papist whose authority is a mighty argumēt against the papists doth here expresly cōdemne the grosse error of the Hebrew doctors in thē the impudent error of all Iesuits Romish parisites who to satisfie the humor of their Pope and to vpholde his Antichristian tyranny doe wrest the holy scripture from the manifest truth thereof I note thirdly that we must neyther belieue Bishop nor Pope nor any other liuing man of what authority soeuer if hee teach vs contrarie to the manifest truth of Gods word I note fourthly that Lyra doth gather out of the Text it selfe that the High Priest might erre and teach false doctrine And consequently that the Iesuite Bellarmine doth but flatter the popes Holinesse when he be stirreth himself to proue out of this place that the Bishops of Rome cannot erre because the Iewish Bishoppes had the like priuiledge and could not teach against the truth I note fiftly out of Lyra Carthusianus and Melchior Canus whose words are already set down that the Priestes of the old law erred grossely and taught false doctrine And that all the world may see the falshood of Romish Popery I will adde a notorious and most execrable error of the High Priest himselfe Caiphas the High Priest pronounced before a great multitude that Christ blasphemed whē he thus spoke Hereafter shall ye see the Sonne of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God and come in the cloudes of heauen Now I ween neither the Iesuite nor any other papist in the world will or dare call this blasphemie which Christ Iesus spoke of himselfe If they dare so say the scripture is a plaine testimonie against them and all the world will crie fie vpon them If they neyther wil nor can so say then is the controuersie at an end then hath the High Priest erred iudicially then may their Pope also erre as he hath done indeed then was not Christ Iesus guilty of deat has the hie Priest and the people affirmed him to be Marke the answere to the next obiection The fourth Obiection If the people may controll the Priest then in vaine are the Priestes commaunded to teach the people And it is absurde that the sheepe should rebuke the shepheard The Aunswere I say first that when the Priestes commaund the people to doe against Gods law then may not the people doe thereafter but remember the doctrine and
cōsequently as we are enforced to grant that when we say Christes bodie is broken then is but the signe of his bodie broken euen so likewise are we enforced to graunt that when Christ saide This is my body hee gaue onely the signe and sacrament of his bodie The reason is euident because his bodie can no otherwise be eaten then it is broken that is to say sacramentally or in a signe or if you will so say figuratiuely or spiritually which is all one Here then is no certaintie of iudgement to be found CAP. 6. Shewing that generall Councels may erre THat generall Councels may erre and de facto haue erred euen in matters of faith it is so plaine as nothing can be more plaine when the truth thereof shall betold as it is in deed In the great and generall Councell of the Iewes in which were present as Christes Gospel telleth vs all the Priests the Scribes the Elders togither with the hie Priest Christ Iesus was condemned to death because he named himself the sonne of God Yea Caiphas the high Priest with the consent and assent of the whole Councell pronounced openly that Christ blasphemed when he called himselfe the sonne of God And yet is it euident to all Christian people and all Papists will and must confesse the same that the hie Priest Caiphas erred perniciously and vttered most execrable blasphemie when hee denied Christ to be the sonne of God and true Messias of the world The great and famous Councell of Lateran holden vnder Innocentius the third in which were present the Patriarkes of Hierusalem and Constantinople Metropolitanes 70 Bishops 400 Abbots 12 Priors Conuentuals 800 the Legates of the Greeke and Romane Empire the Orators of the Kinges of Hierusalem France Spaine Englande and Cypres either erred notoriously aboute the creation of Angels or at least made it euident to all the worlde that the decree of generall Councels is not an infallible rule of faith I proue this to bee so by two important reasons First because the Councell hath these wordes Firmiter credimus simpliciter confitemur quod vnus est solus Deus verus creator omnium visibilium inuisilium spiritualium corporalium qui simul ab initio temporis vtranque de nihilo condidit creaturam spiritualem corporalem angelicam scilicet mundanam We firmely beleeue and simplie confesse that there is one onely true God the creator of all things visible and inuisible spirituall and corporall who from the beginning of time created of nothing both creatures togither the spirituall and the corporall that is to say the angelicall and the terrestriall Secondly because great learned men and most renowmed fathers Gregorius Nazianzenus Basilius Magnus Ambrosius Hieronimus Damascenus doe all holde constantly that albeit the Angels had a beginning yet were they before the world was made And this their opinion is deemed probable both to Saint Austen and to the great School-doctor Aquinas Which Aquinas liued after the said Councell of Lateran and had read the same had also written Commentaries vpon this very Canon and consequently he did not repute the decree of the sayde Councell to be an infallible rule of fayth Loe the generall Councell held constantly and firmely beleeued that the Angels were created at one and the same time with the world But the holy fathers and the great Papist Aquinas thought the contrary opinion to be probable notwithstanding the decree of the Councell Whervpon it followeth of necessity that that is not alway the vndoubted truth which is decreed by a generall Councell For which end and purpose Melchior Canus a lerned popish bishop hath written most excellently in these wordes Non satis est vt Conciliorum Pontificum iudicia firma esse credantur in diuino officio publicè à tota etiam Ecclesia celebrari It is not enough to make the iudgements of Councels and Popes firme so as wee may safely beleeue them to celebrate the same publiquely in diuine seruice throughout the whole Church of God These are golden wordes they may not bee passed ouer rawly and negligently but we must firmely imprint them in our hearts And in so doing wee doubtlesse shall reape commoditie more then a little For if we cannot safely giue credite to the Popish seruice which is publiquely done in their Churches how can they or how dare they auouch their doctrine to bee agreeable to Gods worde Nay it is a worlde to heare that the Pope is not ashamed to enforce the worlde as much as in him lyeth to embrace and beleeue that new no Religion lately start vp Popish doctrine whereof the best Popish writers can giue no better reasons The generall Councell of Constance decreed firmely that it was lawfull to debarre the lay-people from the one part of the Eucharist to wit the cuppe And the generall Councell of Basill affirmeth constantly that so to holde and doe is not agaynst the holy institution And yet is it vndoubtedly true that the lay-people ought by Christes institution to receyue both the kindes Saint Paule writing to the vnpriested Corinthians may bee a sufficient proofe hereof For hee telleth them that they ought according to the commaundement which hee receyued of the Lord to drinke of the cuppe as well as to eate of the bread The matter is so plaine as I deeme it a thing needlesse to stand long vpon the same The Councel of Trent a famous general councell by Popish iudgemēt hath flatly decreed that to bee no matrimonie which was euer approued matrimonie in the Catholique Church and is this day perfect matrimonie by Christes institution The wordes of the Councell are these Dubitandum non est clandestina matrimonia libero consensu facta rata vera esse matrimonia quamdiu ecclesia ea irrita non fecit There is no doubt but clandestine and secrete matrimonies made with free consent were perfect and true matrimonies so long as the Church did not disanull the same Yet so it is gentle reader that such secret matrimonies are this day to bee reputed no matrimonies at all Of which kinde of matrimonies I haue written more at large in my booke of motiues That generall Councels may erre the sole and onely testimony of Panormitanus is sufficient and of force enough against all papists because hee was their famous Canonist their most reuerend Archbishop their renowmed Cardinall His expresse words are these nam in concernentibus fidem etiā dictum vnius priuati esset preferendum dicto Papae si ille moueretur melioribus rationibus noui veteris testamenti quam Papae Nec obstat si dicatur quod concilium non potest errare quia Christus orauit pro ecclesia sua vt nō desiceret quia dico quod licet cōcilium generale representet totam ecclesiam vniuersalem tamen in veritate ibi non est vera ecclesia vniuersalis sed representatiuè quia vniuersalis
who affirmed Christ to haue but one onely nature after the vnion hypostaticall albeit hee graunted him to haue had two natures before the sayde ineffable coniunction This to be so most renowmed Historiographers and Chronographers will testifie with me I say secondly at such times and in such places as they might safely and lawfully come togither because in these latter dayes neither can a plenarie and generall Councell meete togither with securitie neither will the late tyrannizing Bishops of Rome permit that freedome to be their vsed which hath beene graunted in former times Hereof none can stand in doubt that will seriously peruse my booke of Motiues The great pillar of Christs Church Saint Augustine confirmeth this whole discourse in these golden wordes Putemus illos Episcopos qui Romae iudicarunt non bonos iudices fuisse restabat adhuc plenarium Ecclesiae vuiuersale Concilium vbi etiam cum ipsis iudicibus causa possit agitari vt si malè iudicasse conuicti essent eorum sententiae soluerentur Let vs imagine that those Bishoppes which gaue sentence at Rome were not good Iudges there yet remained a plenarie vniuerfall Councell of the Church where both the cause might be examined and the Iudges also that there sentences might be disanulled if they were found to haue giuen euill iudgement The same Saint Austen sayeth againe in an other place that great Doctors of the Church thought diuersly of rebaptization and that without all preiudice of fayth vntill the question was decided in a plenarie generall Councell Loe a free and godly generall Councell was in Saint Austines time the ende of all controuersies in religion But now there remayneth a great and most important question to wit what remedie must bee sought to appease controuersies when a free godly and lawfull generall Councell can not bee had To which question aunswere shall bee made in the Paragraph next following The fourth Paragraph I haue proued at large in my booke of Motiues that the decrees of generall Councels in these latter dayes are nothing else but a meere mockerie and sophisticall subtiltie to deceyue and delude the Worlde To which booke I referre the reader that shall expect a larger discourse in this behalfe I say now for the present that seeing generall Councels cannot be gathered togither in such maner and with such freedome as they haue beene in former times of antiquity and seeing withall that some iudges must be designed of meere necessity to appease end and decide doubts difficulties and controuersies in religion least the Church should be vexed turmoiled and swallowed vp with schismes heresies and variety of opinions euerie Emperour and Empresse euery King and Queen and euery other ciuill Magistrate independent by what title or name soeuer he be called must before all things haue a vigilant Christian and religious care to settle establish and plant within their kingdomes Realmes Precinctes common weales territories and dominions where they haue the chiefe and independent soueraignty immediately vnder God the pure and sincere religion of Iesus Christ and to abandon extirpate and vtterly abolish all schismes heresies errors and superstitions whatsoeuer This hath euer beene the religious care of all godly and zealous Princes aswell before Christ in time of the olde testament as since Christ in time of the new testament Holy Moses tooke the molten Calfe which Aaron the High Priest to please the people had made burnt it in the fire bet it to powder strowed it in the water and made the people to drinke thereof He reproued Aaron for his offence who calling him Lord laboured with humble obeysance to excuse himselfe Iosue commanded the Priestes and Leuits to do all their ecclesiasticall functions to beare the Arke to carry trumpets to circumcise to set vp Altars to offer sacrifice and to reade the booke of the law to all the people yea the same Iosue was appointed to go out and in before the people and to leade them out and in least the congregation of the Lord should be as sheepe without a Pastor King David ordered disposed and reformed the Priestes and Leuits in their offices and functions ecclesiasticall He appointed how the Arke shoulde be borne hee ordained Psalmes Singers Instrumentes Officers and all other things for the setting forth of Gods true religion and seruice King Salomon appointed the Priestes to bring the Arke into the temple hee instituted the dedication of the temple hee offered sacrifice hee directed the Priestes Leuites and other Church officers as his father had done afore him He deposed Abiathar the hie Priest and placed Sadocke in his roome King Iosaphat appointed in Ierusalem Priestes and Leuits and Princes of the Families of Israell that they might iudge the iudgement and cause of the Lord to the inhabitantes of the land And he vsed these expresse wordes vnto them Sic agetis in timore Domini fideliter corde perfecto Thus shal yee doe in the feare of the Lord faithfully with a perfect heart King Ezechias tooke away the hie places brake the images cut downe the Groues and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had set vppe He purged the Temple reformed the Priestes and commanded them to doe their duties in cleansing themselues and in offering their sacrifices Hee renued the Passeouer Hee appointed the courses of the Priestes and Leuites by their turnes both for the burnt offeringes and peace offeringes to minister and to praise God in the Temple He also commanded that sufficient maintenance should be giuen to the Priestes that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord and not bee intangled with prouision of worldly thinges And which is to bee noted he called the Priestes and Leuites his sonnes in regard of his royall power and estate in which respect hee was the Father of all his people for otherwise hee was but a Child and for yeares might haue had many of thē to haue bin his father King Iosias brake the Altars of Baalim destroied the Groues burnt the bones of the idolatrous Priestes vpon their altars and purged Iuda and Ierusalem from idolatrie This religious care had the noble Emperour Constantine the Great who as reporteth Eusebius thought nothing to pertaine more to his royall charge then to plant true religion throughout his realmes and dominions S. Austen proueth the facts and examples of the Kinges of the old Testament to haue beene figures of the new Testament and consequently that it is the duty of all kinges in this time of grace to haue speciall regard to the seruice and true worship of God to abandon all false worshippe idolatrie errors heresies and superstition and to plant the Gospell of Christ Iesus in all the partes of their realmes and dominions The same S. Austen in an other place among many golden sentences which I now omit in regard of breuitie hath these expresse words In hoc ergo reges
name aswell as he doth a generall councell which thing I haue already proued I say thirdly that the great popish Archbishops Panormitanus telleth vs as is alreadie proued that a priuate mans iudgement is better then the Popes To which I must needes add the wordes of doctor Gerson the Chancellor of Paris and a renowmed popish writer which are these Quilibet homo doctus potest debet toti concilio risistere si videat illud ex malitia vel ignorantia errare Euerie one that is learned may and ought to resist and stand against a whole Councell if hee perceiue that the Councell erreth either of ignorance or of malice Lo all that I say is true euen by the popish doctrine And so no Papist can with reason denie or gain-say the same For first you see by Gersons doctrine that a generall Councell may erre Secondly that a priuate man both may and ought to withstand the Councell when the generall Councell would decree agaynst the truth Thirdly that lay-men haue euer beene present in Councels and there deliuered freely their opinions Which freedome by late popish tyrannie is this day banished out of the Church I say fourthly that Melchior Canus a famous Schoole-doctor and popish Bishop shall conclude and knit vp this discourse These are his expresse words Praestanti quod in se est Deus fidem ad salutem necessariam non negat Sequitur nō n. vnctio quemcunque simpliciter docet de omnibus sed quemque de his quae sunt ei propria necessaria Sequitur concedimus liberaliter doctrinam cuique in sua vita statu necessariam illi fore prospectam cognitam qui fecerit voluntatem dei Sicut n. gustus bene affectus differentias saporum facile discernit sic animi optima affectio facit vt homo doctrinam Dei ad salutem necessariam discernat ab errore contrario qui ex Deo non est To the man that doeth what in him lieth God neuer denieth faith necessarie to saluation For the vnction doth not simply teach euerie one euerie thing but it teacheth euerie one so much as is proper and necessarie for him And we grant freely that doctrine necessarie for euery mans life and state is sufficiently knowne to him that doth the will of God For like as the well affected taste doth easily discerne the differences of sauours or tastes so doth the good affection of the minde bring to passe that a man may discerne the doctrine of God necessarie to saluation from contrarie error which is not of God Thus writeth the grauest and rarest Papist for learning in the vniuersall worlde and consequently it is and must be of great force against the Papist whatsoeuer hath passed from his penne And I protest vnto thee gentle Reader that nothing hath more estraunged me from poperie and set me at defiance with it then the cleare and perspicuous doctrine of the best learned and most renowmed Papists For whosoeuer will seriously peruse the bookes that I haue published to the view of the world shall therein find confirmed by the doctrine of the best approued Papists euery poynt of setled doctrine in the Church of England Out of these wordes of this learned Papist I note first that when S. Iohn saith the vnction teacheth vs all things he meaneth not the difficult questions in Religion but all such poyntes as are necessarie for euerie mans saluation In note secondly that no man wanteth this knowledge and iudgement of doctrine but he that is willingly ignorant and will not applie himselfe to attaine the said knowledge I note thirdly that euerie priuate man is able to-iudge and discerne true doctrine from falsehoode and error so farre forth as is requisite for his saluation as well as a sound and good taste is able to discerne the differences of tastes Hereupon I inferre this necessarie cōsequent of popish doctrine against the Pope himselfe vz. that many wise godly and learned Bishops with other ministers of the church assembled in a nationall Synode at the command of their naturall Soueraigne are able to discerne so much truth from falshoode and error as is necessarie ether for their owne soules health or for the publique peace of the Church God graunt that this doctrine may take deepe roote in the hearts of the readers to his glorie the good of their soules and the peace of the Church Amen FINIS A COVNTERBLAST AGAINST THE VAINE BLAST OF A MASKED Companion who termeth himselfe E. O. but thought to be ROBERT PARSONS that trayterous Iesuite LONDON Printed by Iohn VVindet for Richard Bankworth dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Sunne 1603. To the right worshipfull my approued good friend Maister John Bennet Doctor of the Ciuill law and one of her Maiesties Councell in the North partes of England IF I shoulde take vppon mee right worshipfull to discourse at large of the plots practises dealings and proceedings of our Iesuites and Iesuited persons time doubtles would sooner faile me then matter whereof to speake I haue verie lately published a discourse of this argument intituled The Anatomie of Popish tyrannie In it the Reader may view at large the doctrine the Religion the manners the natures the conuersation the practises and the whole proceedings of the English traiterous hispanized Iesuites So that now to recount the same were actum agere and a thing altogither needlesse One of these Iesuites hath lately published a most scandalous and rayling Libell against the reuerend and learned man of God master Doctor Sutcliffe as also agaynst master Willet In which Libell the said masked companion terming himselfe E. O. hath obiter disgorged some part of his bitter gall agaynst my selfe For the confirmation whereof that all the world may see his follie and consequently the follie of all the Iesuites who combine and conioyne in this affaire I haue addressed this Counterblast in which the indifferent Reader may plainly behold that the Iesuites and Seminaries can say nothing in deed to the doctrine contained in my Bookes howbeit they bestirre themselues with might and maine to dazell the eyes of the simple and sillie Papists that they shall not see the Sunne shining at noone tide The worke such as it is I dedicate vnto your worship in token of that gratitude which is due vnto you for your worships manifold kinde curtesies towardes mee Accept I pray you the present in good part not respecting so much the gift as the minde of the giuer The Almightie blesse your worship with manie happie yeares to his glorie the good of his Church and the benefite of your owne soule From my studie this 14. of Februarie 1602. Your worships most bounden THOMAS BELL. A COVNTERBLAST against the vaine blast of a masked Companion who termeth himselfe E. O. but thought to be Robert Parsons that trayterous Iesuite CAP. I. Of the manner of Iesuiticall Proceeding in all their seditious and scandalous libels THE Iesuites as the secular Priestes
of all my books and played all their trickes and fetched all their friscoles their crestes are fallen their spirites rampant are become couchant and all that they can deuise to obiect against mee is nothing else in the world but one silly falsly so supposed contradiction For can any Wiseman thinke if they had any better stuffe which could better serue their turne or giue more credite to their cause or be more likely to satisfie the peoples long expectation that they would conceale it for my sake and the loue they beare to me No no my dearest they meane nothing lesse They will neuer while I liue publish any such confutation Their own consciences condemne them they know they are not able to performe it I would most gladly I protest before God and the world once see any such confutatiō during my life therfore here once again I challenge Robert Parsons that trayterous Iesuite whom I take to be this masked E. O. George Blackwell that seditious Arch-priest as the seculars tearme him and all other English Iesuites and Seminaries whosoeuer and wheresoeuer daring them all to publish the confutation of my saide bookes They are many in number and they busie themselues with publishing other needles bookes Pamphlets and libels and consequently they must of necessitie and will vndoubtedly accept of this challenge now after so many yeares and after so long consultation and mature deliberation aswell for their owne credites sake as for the consolation of their silly seduced Popelinges if they dare take the matter in hand But alas they haue said all they can and done what they were able possibly to performe CAP. III. Of the notorious lies of E. O. POpe Siricius as Thomas Bell affirmeth was seduced by Satā published wicked doctrine and taught the flat doctrine of the diuell These are the expresse wordes of E. O. whom as it seemeth the Diuell did euen then possesse when hee vttered them For not one of these words taught the flat doctrine of the Deuill can bee found in my Suruey in the place which E. O. hath quoted but these wordes which he of purpose did omit prohibited marriage as an vnlawfull thing This therefore is a notorious and a most malitious lye It is a lye in graine and that a knocker to vse his owne words else where adorned with the name of the Diuell to giue the more grace vnto it And that worthily because the Deuill is the Architect and chiefe workeman in that arte and occupation Where I wish the Reader to obserue seriously that my proceeding in all my books hath beene such and so sincere as the aduersaries for the space of eight whole yeares can but espie one onelie falsly so supposed contradiction neyther that but by belying mee and by falsifying my wordes So then it is hereby most apparant to all the worlde that if they had any iust matter agaynst me they woulde load my backe till my bones should cracke This is E. O. his first lie The second lie of E. O. is contained in these his wordes both Bell and Gough giue the lie to maister Sutcliffe denying prayer to Saints to bee auncient and Gough to Bell affirming that it was not knowne till the yeare of our Lord 370. For both Origen and Saint Cyprian liued before that time This is an other notorious lie as shall bee cleared by an euident demonstration I therefore say first that Vitium Scriptoris the negligence ignorance and ouersight of the Printer hath beene often is the cause of many faults extant in my bookes which I note here once for al wishing the reader euer to haue the same in remembrance This is apparant two wayes first because this number of 370. should haue beene 350. as is euident by the sixt Canon Secondly for that the number of 274. in my suruey is otherwise in my booke intituled the hunting of the Romish Foxe viz. 1215. and so the indifferent Reader may easily perceyue that the calumniation and cauill of E. O. proceedeth of meere malice against the truth I say secondly that the famous popish writer Aquinas surnamed the Angelicall doctor will confesse with me against E. O. to his euerlasting shame in this combat These are his expresse wordes Actus morales procedunt a voluntate cuius obiectum est bonum apprehensum Et ideo si falsum apprehendatur vt verum erit quidem relatum ad voluntatem materialiter falsum formaliter autem verum Si autem id quod est falsum accipiatur vt falsum erit falsū materialiter formaliter Si autem id quod est verum apprehendatur vt falsum erit verum materaliter falsum formaliter Moral actes proceede from the will whose obiect is good apprehended And therefore if falshood bee apprehended as truth it being related to the will shall be false materially but true formally But if that which is false be taken as false it shall be false both materially and formally But if that which is true be apprehended as false it shall bee true materially and false formally Againe in an other place the same Author hath these words Si ista tria cōcurrant scilicet quod falsū sit id quod enūciatur quod adsit voluntas falsum enūciandi iterū intētio fallendi tunc est falsitas materialiter quia falsum dicitur formaliter propter voluntatem falsum dicendi effectiue propter voluntatem falsitatem imprimendi Sed tamen ratio mendacii sumitur à formali falsitate ex hoc scilicet quod aliquis habet voluntatem falsum inunciandi Vnde mendaciū nominatur ex eo quod cōtra mentem dicitur Et ideo si quis falsum enunciet credens id esse verum est quidem falsum materialiter sed non formaliter quia falsitas est propter intentionem dicentis vnde non habet perfectam rationem mendacii id enim quod praeter intentionem dicentis est per accidens est If these three things concurre to wit that the thing be false which is vttered and that there be also a will to vtter falshoode and withall an intention to vtter falshood then there is falshood materially because falshood is auouched and there is falshoode formally because there is a will to speake falsly and there is also falshood effectiuely for that there is a will to imprint falshoode in the hearts of others But for all that the formalitie of the lie is deriued from the formal falshoode in that forsooth that one hath a desire to speake falsly Whervpō a lie hath the name of this that it is spoken against the mind And therefore if any man vtter a falshood thinking it to be the truth then is it a lie materiallie but not formally because the falshood is beside his intention that speaketh it and so it hath not the perfect nature of a lie For that which is beside the intention of the speaker is meere accidentall These are
vnderstande the primatiue Church which is most truly and properly called the ancient Church VVhich Church doubtlesse knewe no Popish inuocation of Saintes as I haue proued in my Suruey For aunswere to which booke or to any of the rest published now many yeares ago neither this hote-spurre mate E. O. nor any other English Iesuite or Iesuited Seminarie dare for their lugges encounter with mee So then there is a sweet harmonie but no discord at all in the writings of maister Sutcliffe of maister Gough and of my selfe In an other place this Libeller sayth that I holde auricular confession to haue beene established in the yeare 254. and doe but proue it by my bare worde onely This is a lie with a witnesse For I haue proued it in the second booke of my motiues and that by the testimonie of Iosephus Angles a Popish Frier and Bishop of Bosana euen in the second to me of that worke which he dedicated to the pope himselfe Sixtus Quintus These are the expresse wordes Ante Concilium Later erat Haereticum negare necessitatem confessionis negantes tamen non erant Haeretici Ratio est quia nondum erat ab Ecclesia declaratum Before the Councell of Lateran it was hereticall to denie the necessitie of confession but they were not Heretiques that denied it The reason is because the Church of Rome had not declared it to be an article of faith In the said second booke of Motiues in the ninth Chapter and fift conclusion the Reader shall finde these expresse wordes Albeit popish auricular confession be so magnified with Papists that euerie one is commaunded vnder paine of damnation to beleeue the same as instituted by Christ himselfe yet was it not an article of popish fayth for the space of one thousand and fiue hundred yeares after Christ. These are my expresse wordes in that place Here I heartily desire all people that are careful of their saluation especially such as are deuoted to the Iesuites and I craue it for the tender mercy of God in the bowels of Christ Iesus to marke attentiuely what I shall sincerely deliuer as I will answere God at the dreadfull day of generall doome I therefore say first that the author of this lewde Pamphlet and scurrilous libell intituled the detection of vntruthes who concealeth his name not daring to auouch it to the world but seemeth to be Robert Parsons the Iesuite alias Bastard Cowbucke expelled out of Baliol Colledge in Oxford for his illegitimation libelling and factious dealing who will affirme or denie anie thing as his owne deare brothers the secular Priestes write of him hath incurred the censures of their church and is become an excommunicate person for publishing this lewde libell and slaunderous Pamphlet I proue it because the generall councell of Lateran celebrated in the yeare 1515. prohibiteth vnder the paine of excommunication to print or cause to be printed any booke or scripture whatsoeuer in any Cittie or Diocesse wheresoeuer vnles the same be first diligently examined by the Bishop of the same Diocesse or by his Deputie and subscribed by their owne hand And it will not serue the Iesuites turne to say or pretend for his excuse that the pope hath dispenced with their sect to print bookes and libels at their pleasure For a generall councell hath power to make constitutions which the Pope is bound to obey but the Pope hath no such power ouer the councell to which he is and must be subiect This doctrine is flatly decreed in two famous popish generall Councels Constance and Basill Yet to this day was it neuer heard of in the world that an inferiour could make lawes to tie his superior or by his owne power exempt himselfe or others from the obedience hee oweth to the lawes of his superior I say secondly that this shameles Iesuite must of necessitie condemne himselfe in his own conscience when he sayeth that I affirme auricular confession to haue been established in the yeare 254. and l proue it by an euident demonstration For though I made mention of the time in three seueral bookes to witte in my Motiues in my Suruey and in my hunting of the Romish Foxe yet did I that but obiter in the two latter bookes referring the Reader to my first Booke that is to my Booke of Motiues In which booke I handled the question indeede and decided it by popish approbation there affirming in expresse wordes that Popish auricular confession was not an article of Popish faith for the space of one thousand fiue hundred yeares after Christ. Which number is set down without figures in that place and so lesse subiect to falshood or corruption But in the other bookes the number is put downe in figures and so more easily subiect to alteration especially seeing my self was distant from the Presse well neare two hundred miles I say thirdly that to obiect to me my reuolt from falshood and my returne to God with remorse for mine errours which this libeller recounteth for want of better matter doth nothing else but argue his owne imperfection and insufficiency to defend the matter hee tooke in hand CAP. IIII. Of the finding out of the endes of the Gordian knot I Say first that Gordius as stories doe relate was first a poore husbandman and afterwarde elected to be the king of Phrygia by the oracle of an Idoll who being made king caused his yokes to be hanged vp in the temple of Iupiter and the cordes to bee knit in such knots that it seemed a thing impossible to vntie or loose the same I say secondly that this masked libeller E. O. or if ye will Parsons that trayterous Iesuite seemeth greatly to fauour Gordius his knot because forsooth as Gordius by the helpe of an Idol became of a poore husbandman a mighty Prince so hee by treasonable plottinges with the King of Spaine forsooth one day of a poore Fryer to be made the Viceroy of England For which end he bestirreth himself to deuise such knots of bloudy treacheries as hee thinketh mans power not able to resist or vntie I say thirdly that all the difficultie in vntying this knot consisteth precisely and specially in this because forsooth I say in my Suruey that the Bishops of Rome were godly men till S. Austens time and long after him and yet withall I doe charge Pope Siricius to haue published wicked doctrine and Pope Sozomene to haue falsified the councell of Nice This is the knot that as our Iesuite E. O. thinketh cannot bee vntied If I can find out the endes of this knot a more large subiect saith he must be prouided for my learning to worke vpon A worthy reward of so mighty a Personage for the vnfolding of one silly knot Well I vndertake in Gods name to find out the ends of this knot expecting that E. O. will for his credites sake performe his promise made herein For the clearing of which difficultie and vnfolding of which knot I desire the
gentle Reader to obserue these pointes with me First that it is one thing to publish wicked doctrine an other thing to teach wicked doctrine publikely The case is cleare and euident Sccondly that Ministers of the Church may be called godly men either in respect of their publike doctrine and preaching or in regard of their good life and holy conuersation For this cause did our Sauiour Christ commaund the people to obserue and doe whatsoeuer the Scribes and Pharisies did preach vnto them but not to doe after their works And he added the reason thereof because saith Christ they say do not Lo Christ reputeth the Scribes and Pharisies both godly and wicked men Godly in respect of their publike doctrine wicked in regard of their sinful liues For doubtles Christ did not commaund the people to obey wicked men as they are wicked but as they are godly that is to say as they deliuered godly doctrine to them Euen so do I say of Pope Siricius and Pope Sozimus that they were godly Bishoppes in respect of their publike doctrine as who neyther taught nor decreed publikely any materiall point of doctrine contrarie to the doctrine of S. Peter This aunswere is confirmed by the vsuall practise of all Papistes euery where For they terme euery Bishop of Rome their holy Father the Pope And this notwithstanding they freely graunt as I haue proued in my booke of Motiues that one Pope entered into the Popedome as a Foxe raigned in it as a Wolfe and died out of it as a dogge That an other Pope gaue himselfe to the Diuell that so the diuell might effect his designements They also graunt that euery Pope may erre in his priuate person and become an Heretike an Idolater an Atheist and whatsoeuer els And so they cannot all be termed holy Fathers in respect of their liues or personall doctrine taught priuate lie They must therefore terme them holy in regard of their publike doctrine agreeable to the doctrine of their predecessors though they be very often wicked in respect of their liues and conuersations So were Siricius and Sozimus good Popes secundum quid but not simpliciter Thirdly it is the vsuall course of holy Scripture to speake of many as of all to terme all wicked when the greater part is wicked and all godly when the greater part is godly This is the constant doctrine both of S. Austen and of your renowmed Papist Melchior Canus But because your Cardinall Bellarmine is the mouth of all Papistes I am content to set downe his expresse wordes so to stoppe your mouthes at this time These are your Cardinals wordes Neque mouere nos debet quod Esaias loqui videatur ita generatim vt omnes homines comprehendat Est enim iste scripturae mos vt loquatur de multis quasi de omnibus Neither ought it to moue vs that Esay seemeth to speake so generally as if he comprised all For it is the manner of the scripture so to speake of many as of all I say fourthly that I speake of the Popes vntill S. Austens time and long after not generally but in indefinitely and consequently my words are and must be true notwithstanding the bad dealing of Siricius and Sozimus I say fiftly that 18. Bishops at the Nicene councel were of a different opinion from the rest yet are the decrees termed the decrees of the Bishops ingenerall So in your last councell of Trent the decrees are published vnder the names of the Bishops there and for all that there were three Bishops that would not agree thereunto I say sixtly that the Iesuites and Seminaries are at their wits end and know not in the world what to aunswere to my bookes The reason is euident to euery childe for that now after many yeares they can finde out nothing at all in any of my Bookes sauing one onely contradiction falsly so supposed And yet to make a faire shew of something they haue hudled vp and iumbled together three places far distant one from another Which supposed contradiction if it were as they imagine would be too deare of a button If they could haue picked out of all my bookes any one thing of moment they would not for shame haue published in a printed Booke such a silly obection as this But the truth must preuaile and wil haue the vpper hand I doubt not but all indifferent Readers will be better perswaded hereafter to belieue the doctrine contained in my bookes especially seeing the aduersaries can say nothing against them in so many yeares but onely that I haue contradicted my selfe in saying in one place that the Popes were godly men till S. Austens time and in an other place that two Popes were wicked men For besides that this is so sufficiently cleared many wayes as the indifferent Reader cannot but perceiue the same it must needes bee most apparant to the world that if the Iesuites or Seminarie Priestes could frame any colourable answere to all my bookes or to any of them they would not doubtles passe ouer with silence all the Articles of Popish faith with the confutation therof set downe in my bookes and busie themselues about one onely silly contradiction and that no contradiction indeed but as they falsly or rather malitiously pretend vnto the Reader Where the Reader if he be wise and indifferent must perforce condemne them and their religion in that they dare not aduenture to encounter with my doctrine which doth touch them and their holy father the Pope so narrowly that many perceyuing it haue renounced both him them and their religion And I nothing doubt but these silly euasions and poore shiftes which they are driuen vnto will be a meane vnder God to cause many moe to renounce all Popish faction euery day more then other To shew the insufficiency of the Iesuites and Seminaries and that they know not possibly what to say or how to deale concerning the aunswering of my bookes I haue thought good to insert in this place the wordes of a letter which the Prouinciall of the Iesuites in England Henry Garnet by name addressed to his fellowes being then in consultation how to frame some kind of answere to my bookes These are the expresse wordes of his letter which by a friend of mine came very lately to my hands The wordes of the Iesuite Garnets letter sent to the rest of his fellowes COncerning the answere to the wrangler I am euen as I was before vncertain what were expedient The man desireth nothing but wrangling and besides that which I feare most is that which I haue seene by experience in other his writings that is exceeding and outragious choller Whereby he will be moued to vtter not only al imperfections which he knoweth of our fellowes but also those things which ought to be most surely sealed vp the man being past all grace and shame Neuerthelesse for this matter as you shal al agree for I doubt not but so many and such
will see what is best If it bee done it must be verie short and rather made to describe the man then to vnfold at large his doctrine For if it bee long neither the time nor commoditie of transporting vp and down nor the securitie of doing it can be correspondent That shall bee done on my part which may be This gentle Reader is there whole narration which for the exact examination and confutation thereof I will repeate by particular members one after an other euer adding a particular seuerall answer to the same The Iesuite Concerning the answere to the wrangler I am euen as I was before vncertaine what were expedient The Answere To these wordes I answere first that the Iesuites haue beene long buzzing about an answere to my bookes and haue vsed as great speede therein as hee that shoulde driue a snaile from Paris to Rome For after my bookes haue beene eight or nine yeares in their handes and vnder their malicious censure they are still at the same poynt where they began That is to say they neither haue made neither can they make any answere to my bookes I answere secondly that though the Papists be greatly troubled about my bookes and doe often consult among themselues how to frame some aunswere therevnto yet can they not this day tell what is expedient for them to doe in that behalfe But euery wise man can easily discerne that if the truth were on their side and that they could confute the doctrine laid downe in my bookes they would vndoubtedly performe the same The Iesuite The man desireth nothing but wrangling And besides that which I feare most is that which I haue seene by experience in other his writings that is exceeding and outragious choller The aunswere To these wordes I answere first that if I did but wrangle they might with facilitie haue aunswered me so many yeares ago Secondly that the Priestes and Iesuites are of a verie shallow iudgement and small reach if they can not tell in eight whole yeares what to answere to a wrangler or wrangling disputation Thirdly that the Iesuite as is confessed alreadie can not yet tell what is expedient to be done in that matter Whereupon it followeth of necessitie that it is a matter of great moment and of no smal importance For otherwise a man of rare wisedome and deepe iudgement such as our Iesuites vsually be especially those Iesuites who are elected to be prouincials and rulers of all others within a whole Prouince could not but know in much lesse time then 8 or 9. yeares what were fit meete expedient to be done concerning the answering of my bookes And yet as this great father of wisdom freely granteth he is still as vncertain as he was afore what aunswere were best to be made Fourthly that our father Iesuite lieth flatly vpon his head when he saith that hee feareth nothing more then my exceeding and outragious choller For first he and his brethren do not spare at all to write against their owne brethren the secular Priests who shew more choller in one leafe of paper then I haue done in all my Bookes Againe he and the other Iesuites doe disgorge more choller agaynst the Seculars in the least page they haue written then my selfe haue done in all my bookes Hereof none can be ignorant that shal seriously peruse my booke intituled the Anatomie of Popish tyrannie The Iesuite Whereby he will be moued to vtter not onely vll imperfections which he knoweth of our fellowes but also those things which ought to be most surely sealed vp The Answere I answere first that hereby euerie one may see that the Iesuites and their fellowes are full of notorious imperfections which they feare shall be made knowne vnto the world Secondly that if the Iesuites be guiltie in their own consciences of greater crimes offences then the secular Priests haue discouered to the world then certes they are so farre from being Saints that they are more like the Diuels of hell Thirdly that they haue damnable practises among them which must be sealed vp and not be made knowne vnto the world But hereof Watson the secular Priest seemeth to haue spoken sufficiently in his Quodlibets My book of Anatomie will tell them more Fourthly that the Iesuite doth vnawares confesse me to be an honest man For it must needes bee the part of an honest man to speake nothing of his enemie but onely that which he knoweth to be true The Iesuite The man being past all grace and shame The Answere I say first that it is no maruaile if this lewde Iesuite write thus of me to his felowes couertly seeing both hee and his fellowes write most bitterly and impudently against their owne brethren the secular Priests men of better deserts by many degrees then themselues Secondly they are arrant traitors cruell murderers impudent lyars notorious coozeners full of enuie pride malice and all vices vnder heauen as the secular Priests write of them and consequently this Iesuites tongue can not or at least ought not to be of credite against any man Thirdly all that this rayling impudent companion can truly say of me is nothing else in deede but that I haue renounced lately inuented popish Religion For the olde Roman religion practised in the primatiue church I allow and defend in al my bookes and will perseuere in the same God willing vnto my liues ende It is the superstition and Idolatrie of latter yeares crept into the Church of Rome by little and little the originall whereof I haue proued in my booke of Suruey agaynst which proofe this proude Iesuite can say nothing that I impugne condemne in all my writings Fourthly this rayling fellow hath graunted alreadie that I will vtter nothing of them but known truths consequently I must haue some grace and honestie left by his owne confession The Iesuite Neuerthelesse for this matter as ye shall all agree For I doubt not but so manie and such will see what is best The Answere Loe they that haue consulted how to answere my bookes are not onely many in number but also of the best iudgement and reputation among them For you heare his wordes so many and such will see what is best And yet these men so many and so worthie haue not in so many yeares found out any answere to my bookes But as he truly sayth they see what is the best to be done As if he should haue said the best is to passe ouer the matter with silence as wee haue done heretofore For his doctrine is sound grounded vpon the Scriptures Councels Fathers and the practise of the ancient Church and we are not able to gainsay the same It is better to sit still then to rise vp and fall The Iesuite If it be done it must be verie short and rather made to describe the man then to vnfold at large his doctrine For if it belong neither the time nor commoditie of transporting vp and downe nor the securitie