you spare neither Apostle pastor nor minister neither primitiue and auncient nor present and now being Church say on still as ye doe that the protestants tende euery day more and more to Atheisme and Antichristianisme Rhemist 2. Thessa. 2. sect 14. That the protestantes haue forsaken Christ the protestantes are become Iewes the protestantes wil be circumcised according to Moses law the protestantes require to haue the paschal Lambe the protestantes tell the people there is no hell at all the protestantes at their next proceeding wil vtterly denie God Har ding praefat ad defens apolog ex Iuello Well yee slaunderous mouthed hypocrites if Ieremies saying were not verified vppon you Thou hast a whores forehead thou wouldest not be ashamed 3. 3. ye might well blushe and shew al your blood in your face when you inuent such vnchristian slaunders against vs which the worlde crieth shame vpon and your owne consciences accuse ye of Wee haue no other shielde to holde vp against these iniuries of yours but the prophet Dauids saying with his words in the person of our Church As he loued cursing so let it come vnto him and as he loued not blessing so shall it be farre from him as he clothed him selfe with cursing like a rayment so shall it come into his bowels like water and like oyle into his bones Let it be vnto him as a garment to couer him and for a girdle wherewith he shall alway be girded Let this be the rewarde of mine aduersarie from God and of them that speake euill against my soule Psal. 109 vers 17. 18. 19. 20. Heare ye also what Bernard saith Gladius anceps lingua detractoris Nec verò huiusmodi linguam ipso mucrone quo dominicum latus confossum est crudeliorem dicere verearis haec enim non iam examine Christi corpus fodit sed facit examine fodiendo A slauderous tongue is a two edged sword And such a tongue we need not doubt to cal more cruel then the speares point that peirced our Lordes side for this doth not pierce or wound the dead bodie of Christ but slayeth and woundeth it to death serm de triplici custodia Thus yee papistes shew your selues greater enimies to Christ in slaundering his Church then if ye had thrust his body through that hanged vppon the crosse for then his bodie was first dead before it was pierced But you doe rent and wound the liuelie bodie of Christ now which is his Church I pray God giue you grace if yee belong vnto him to repente you of this wickednes And thus much also concerning the slaunders and malicious reportes giuen out by papistes against our Church The 3. part of the manifold vntruthes forgeries and bold denials of papistes of manifest vntruthes Part. 3. IT followeth now in the third place hauing alreadie sufficiently discoursed of their personal slaunders which they vomite and spue vp either against our Church in general or against some particular members thereof that now we lay open to the worlde their vntruthes and lies which in heapes are coyned and forged out of their shoppes that whereas they accuse vs of lying saying most scornefully That lies are as common with heretikes as lice with beggers Harding it may euidentlie appeare to the world whether of twaine be the greate lyers And first of their forgeries Neuer anie Heretikes were more cunning or had better dexteritie in forging of writinges and foisting bookes of their owne deuising and making vnder the name of other authors First the Canons of the Apostles as they call them which are fathered vpon the Apostles are but bastard writinges falsely going vnder their name for in the last canon the gospell written by S. Iohn is numbred among the bookes of the newe testament which is confessed by all to haue beene penned by the Euangelist after the death of all or most of the Apostles How could then these Canons as they affirme be deuised and published by the Apostles them selues assembled together Againe those Canons of the Apostles doe recken 3. bookes of the Macchabees amongest the canonicall scripture But the papistes them selues receiue but two if then they were perswaded them selues that they were the verie Canons of the Apostles how durst they disagree from them in opinion Plura apud Whitacher controu 1 de scriptur cap. 4. The constitutions also of the Apostles the collection whereof is ascribed to Clemens seemeth to be but a forged booke conteining many thinges false and friuolous as lib. 6. cap. 14. He bringeth in Iames the brother of Iohn writing and speaking with the rest of the Apostles many yeares after his death Lib. 6. cap. 7. he calleth Philip spoken of Act. 8. an Apostle but lib. 8. cap. 52. he maketh him but a Deacon Of the like credite are the counterfeit writinges which passe vnder the name of Abdias Ignatius Hippolytus Policarpus as it may appeare by the homely stuffe contained in them Abdias prescribeth a most superstitious obseruation of Lent fast not onely in abstaining from all flesh-meates but also from all carnall copulation betweene man and wife The same Abdias is also contrarie to himselfe for he affirmeth that Paule suffered 2. yeares after Peter And saith further that Paule after Peter was crucified remained in his custodie at Rome mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles which was as Hierome saith the 3. or 4. yeare of Nero so that by this account there must be 10. yeares space betweene the suffering of Paule and Peter for it is confessed by all writers that Paule suffered the 14. that is the last yeare of Nero. Ignatius saith in his epistle to the Philippians that if any man shal fast on Sunday or Saturday he is a murtherer of Christ so hoat this counterfeit father is about his counterfeit traditions Of the like authoritie is Policarpus epistle ad Philippen which is gathered out of the Apocryphall constitutions of counterfeit Clemens Hippolytus booke is too ful of fables then to be thought to be that auncient Martyrs worke for writing of Antichrist he saith he shalbe no man but a deuil in the shape of man that Iohn the Euangelist shal come with Henoch and Helias before the comming of Antichrist that Antichrist shal bring deuils with him in the shape of Angels and commaund them to carie him vp to heauen with other such stuffe Now commeth in that vncleane dunghil of decretals which are falsely attributed to those good Bishops of Rome that suffered in the great persecutions in the primitiue age of the Church for the testimonie of Iesus As wee may strongly coniecture by the matter and substance of those decretals The epistle fathered vppon Alexander doth euidentlie appeare to be counterfeit by the date which it beareth when Traianus and Helianus were Consuls But there was neuer anie Helianus Consull with Traianus Fulk 1. Tim. 4. 13. Euaristus Bishop of Rome is saide to haue decreed that no priest should be ordained without a title But it is not like that
Church beside which are reckoned to 232 bookes beside his homilies and epistles which were more then as many againe So foolish men haue presumed to be most bold with his writings defiling his learned workes with ridiculous additions of their owne All I cannot neither is it needful in this place to recite onely for some trial of the matter I will set downe these fewe The questions Veteris noui testamenti are none of Augustines for quest 21. it is affirmed that Melchisedech was the holy ghost which opinion is heresie with Augustine and in his booke de haeresib he numbreth the Melchisedechians amongest other heretikes Therefore Augustine is not the author and this Bellarm. confesseth De sacrament lib. 2. cap. 10. yet is the authoritie of this booke vrged by our Rhemistes as sound Annot. 1. Corinth sec. 5. Saint Augustine not the author of the serm de sanctis for the author of these homilies alleadgeth the testimonie of Isidorus who liued about 200 yeares after Augustine August ser. 91. and 251. none of Augustines the author saith that the mightie men when they come to Church compell the priest to make short his masse this manner agreed not with Augustines age The booke de visitatione infirmorum none of his Erasmus saieth it is the speech of a brabler neither learned nor eloquent and most impudently entituled to S. Augustine The 215. serm de tempore the treatise de rectitud Cathol conuersat none of Augustines Fulk annot Galath 4. sect 2. The booke de dogmatib ecclesiastic none of Augustines for the author of that booke excludeth those from orders that had eyther more wiues then one or one concubine By this rule Augustine could neuer haue beene a Bishop for he had two coÌ„cubines And many other beside these are found to be counterfeit bookes as he that wil take the paines to peruse Erasmus censures vpon Augustines workes shall easily finde The last forgery which I will charge our aduersaries withall in this place shalbe concerning the donation of Constantine vpon the which the Bishop of Rome doth ground his supreame dominion and right ouer al the political gouernmeÌ„t of the west partes The which said donation is but a forged and deuised deede or instrument of their owne For the donation saith that Constantine was baptised at Rome of Siluester and the 4. day after his baptisme this patrimonie was giuen before his battaile against Maximinus and Liâ—inius Here are manie vntrueths couched together 1. Because the trueth of the storie of Constantines baptisme is otherwise reported by Eusebius Hierom Ruffin Socrates Theodoret Sozomen that Constantine was baptized at Nicomedia not at Rome and by Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia not by Siluester and not before that battaile but in the xxxi yeare of his raigne a little before his death 2. whereas the saide donation giueth iurisdiction to the Bishop of Rome ouer the 4. patriarchall seas of Antioch Alexandria Constantinople Hierusalem how could this be done before his battell with Maximinus when as the citie of Constantinople was not yet begunne So this forged donation neither agreeth with itselfe nor with others Plura apud Fox pag. 105. All this notwithstanding which we haue not barely and nakedlie affirmed but I trust sufficientlie prooued and to the indifferent Reader by more then probable argumentes demonstrated that our aduersaries haue vsed much deceit in conueying false and forged writinges vnder auncient authors names yet they will needes beare the worlde in hand that there is no such matter but that they are those authors proper and peculiar workes Whereupon they are boulde in euerie controuersie as they haue occasion to presse vs with their light and vaine authorities As the constitut of Clemens alleadged by the Rhom annot Luk. 4. sec. 1. Ignatius Math. 4. sec. 2. 1. Peter 2. sect 6. Hippolytus Math. 24. sec. 5. Policarpus Act. 6. sec. 1. Decret Alexandri 1. Timoth. 4. sec. 13. Milcâ—adi Fabian Act. 8. sect 6. Dionisi Areop ibid. S. Andrew S. Martial Hebr. 10. sect 11. Leiturg Iacob Basil. Chrysost. 1. Corinth 11. sect 10. Iodoc. Clicton for Cirill Iohn 11. sect 1. Paulinus Iohn 19. sect 2. August serm de sanct Act. 1. sect 7. de rectitâ—d cathol conuers de visitation infirmor serm de tempor Galath 4. sect 2. de ecclesiastic dogmatib 1. Corinth 11. sect 7. Thus we see both the great boldnes of our aduersaries in vrging such authorities which they knowe to be counterfeit as also the apparant weakenesse of their cause that are constrained to vse such beggerlie shiftes But let them vse and vrge these stragling runnagate and fatherlesse bookes neuer so much wee will still holde vs to this point wherein they shall neuer be able to disproue vs that they do deceiue them selues and abuse the world in making men to beleeue that they are the fathers owne writinges Wee say therefore of these and of all such other bookes as Augustine did of that which went in Henoehs name Libriisti ob nimiam antiquitatem reijciuntur These bookes are too old to be true De ciuitat dei lib. 18. cap. 38. And concerning some of them as those which are fathered vpon the Apostles and them that followed in the next age as Augustine saith of the epistle which the Manichees ascribed to Christ Si aliqua huiusmodi epistola fuit ab eis proferri potuit qui illi adhaerebant So if they wrote any such bookes it is like they would haue brought them to light that were the Apostles schollers cont Faust. lib. 22. cap. 79. And of them all and the rest of that sort wee pronounce this sentence with the same father Quae proferuntur ab errantibus sub nomine ipsorum quia non sunt ipsorum improbantur nec acceptantur ab ecclesia Those bookes which are brought forth vnder the name of the Apostles and other auncient writers because they are not theirs are reiected and not receiued or acknowledged of the Churche in Psal. 130. Thus hauing in part declared so much as I thought necessary for the matter in hand how deceitfully our aduersaries haue dealt with the worlde giuing them Quid pro quo as wee say one thing for an other in falsely entituling their friuolous pamphletes with graue and good authors names I will spende a little time before I leaue this place to shewe how they haue not onely thrust vppon those auncient doctors and fathers false writinges but haue also falsified their good woorkes by putting in and putting out by clipping chaunging and altering lines wordes sentences And no maruaile then if by such cunning rather cousoning sleightes they make those good authors to speake what they list them selues Ann. 420. There was a councell held in Africa by 217. Bishoppes called the 6. councell of Carthage whereat Augustine was present vnto this councell sent Zosimus then Bishop of Rome certaime messengers with fower requestes or demaundes whereof this was one that it might be lawfull for Bishops or Priestes to appeale from the sentence
TETRASTYLON PAPISTICVM That is THE FOVRE PRINCIPAL PILLERS of Papistrie the first conteyning their raylings slanders forgeries vntruthes the second their blasphemies flat contradictions to scripture heresies absurdities the third their loose arguments weake solutions subtill distinctions the fourth and last the repugnant opinions of New Papistes With the old of the new one with another of the same writers with themselues yea of Popish religion with and in it selfe Compiled as a necessarie supplement or fit appertinance to the Authors former worke intituled Synopsis Papismi To the glorie of God for the dissuading of light-minded men from trusting to the sandie foundation of poperie and to exhort good Christians stedfastlie to hold the rockie foundation of faith in the Gospell Epist. Iud. ver 9. 10. Michael the Archangel when he stroue against the diuell did not blame him with cursed speaking but said the Lord rebuke thee But these speake euill of those things they know not and whatsoeuer things they know naturally as beastes which are without reason in those things they corrupt themselues Haeretici cùm peruersitatis suae rationem reddere non possunt ad maledicta conuertuntur Heretickes when they can render no reason of their wilfulnesse fall to flat railing Printed by Robert Robinson for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1593. To the Right Honorable Sir Iohn Puckering Knight Lord Keeper of the broad Seale of England and of her Maiesties most Honorable priuie Counsell I Haue not neither can forget Right Honorable your courteous acceptation of that simple gift which not long since I presumed to present your Honor withall Since that time I confesse my selfe a debtor to your Lordship and therefore haue strained my selfe for kindnesse receiued to shew at the least thankefulnesse againe and to recompense the meannes of that gift by an other of that sort Iubemur saith one colligere fragmenta ne pereant id est ne minima beneficia obliuisci Wee are bidden to gather vp the verie fragmentes and crummes that is not to forget the least benefites First then J will declare the contentes of this present treatise Secondly the reasons that mooued mee thereunto Lastly why I would haue it passe vnder your honors name First of all therfore as in my former booke I haue gathered together into one summe the Lord by the gracious assistance of his spirite directing me the whole doctrine of the Church of Rome and opinions of Papistes in that worke but plainely and nakedly offering to the Readers viewe the substance of the controuersies and state of the questions betweene vs So further I thought it not amisse to bring to light and to shew as in the face of the Sunne the manifold absurdities inconueniences shiftes subtilties blasphemies which our aduersaries in defense of their errours are constrained to vse in oppugning the trueth This I haue accordingly perfourmed I trust in this worke that the weaknes of their cause the beggerie of their Religion the vanitie of their Councels and deceite of their heartes might appeare and be made knowen to all the worlde This booke I haue intituled the PILLERS OF PAPISTRIE which is built vpon lies and vntruthes faced out with rayling and bitter speech propped vp with blasphemies and patched together with dissonant contrarie opinions among them selues The proofe of these particulars followeth at large discoursed in this treatise First as touching thir lying and vntruthes I could haue wished that they had embraced his wise counsell that saith Aut cauenda sunt mendacia rectè agendo aut confitenda paenitendo non autem cum abundent infoeliciter viuendo augenda sunt docendo August lib. 2. de mendac cap. 21. But they are so farre from correcting by repentance that which they haue offended in practise that they are not onely become liemakers but lie-maisters not practisers of this craft but teachers defenders Concerning their railing speech it is al the Rhetorike they vse Such are no better then sheep-biters meacockes among thē that haue not filed whetted their toongs to smite wound vs withall But here I say vnto thē as Augustine did to the heretike Pascentius Literae tuae nec ad reddenda conuitia me provocant nec a reddendis literis me reuocare potuerunt So neither shall their rayling writinges prouoke vs likewise to passe the bondes of modestie and to pay them home in the same kind neither yet cause vs to cease from answering their follies Nowe as for their blasphemies it woulde offend a chast and a Christian eare to heare what horrible and vngodly sayings doe passe from them in the second piller of this booke we haue set downe a whole kenning of them But as Augustine saieth to some who the more readily to descrie heretikes them selues also fel into blasphemie tolerabilius in suis foueis delite scerent vulpes quā propter illas capiendas in blasphemiae foueam caderent venatores The Foxes might more safely lurke in their holes then the huntsmen to take them should fal into the pit of blasphemie So though we were the foxes and they the huntsmen it is no good way for the huntsmen to snare themselues to entangle the foxes But we in deede are the huntsmen and they the foxes as it is said take vs These foxes these litle foxes that destroy the vines Cantic 2. 15. Concerning the dissensions and diuisions among papistes it is no strange thing as he saith Omnia vitia erroresque mortaliū diuisi sunt inter se contrarij apud Idolorum cultores diuisi sunt spiritus Iunonis spiritus Herculis Paganus Iudaeus hostes sunt Christi sed diuisi inter se Arrianus Photinianus haeretici diuisi inter se sic Donatistae sic Maximinianistae All vices and errors among men are deuided and contrary to themselues among the Idolatrous Heathen the spirite of Iuno and Hercules are diuided the Paganes Iewes enemies to Christ and yet diuided the Arrians likewise Photmians the Donatistes and Maximinianistes ad also the Scotistes and Thomistes among the Papistes deuided betweene them selues yet Ambo pertinent ad regnum diaboli Both doe belong to the raigne or kingdome of the Deuil Now the reasons that haue moued me principally to enterprise this businesse were these First in respect of those countrie men of ours which haue suffered themselues a long time to be seduced and deceiued with false opinions and a vaine shew of holines beeing as it were made drunke with the whore of Babylons intoxicate cuppe that they now at the length seeing the nakednes beggerie of popish religion would take heed to themselues in time and thinke it enough yea too much to haue sipped of that poisoned cuppe lest drinking more deepely thereof they afterward bee constrained to draw out the dregges to be partakers of their plagues of them we say with Augustine Licèt non timentur vt perdant non
P. 146. He thus friendly saith vnto vs If you do not allowe euerie man yea and euery woman to be a Priest why driue ye not some of your fellowes to recant that so haue preached Why allowe yee the bookes of your new Euangelistes that so haue written An odious vntruth for touching the Ministerie of the Church wee haue none that either haue preached so or written so Iewel defens Apolog. pag. 146. That wee saye all things necessarie to saluation are expressed in the Scriptures pag. 240. But so wee say not Wee holde that all things necessarie are either in the Scriptures expressed or therein contained by necessarie collection and diduction to be drawen from the same That wee which say wee can by no meanes fulfill the law of God doe make God vniust euill impotent and not able to giue so much grace as may helpe to fulfill his lawe pag. 368. Wee make not God vniust or impotent but wee confesse our selues to be sinners Neither is the question here what God is able to doe but what he hath promised for howsoeuer God be able by his abounding grace to make vs perfect in this life and altogether voide of sinne as wee shall be in the life to come yet his power is not contrarie to his will reuealed in his worde which saith that all men haue sinned Rom. 3. 23. And as many as are of the workes of the lawe are vnder the curse Galath 3. 10. That wee tell Christian men they may worke as much as they will but all in vaine page 371. Vntruth for wee saye with Saint Paul your woorkes shall not bee in vaine in the Lorde Although wee doe exclude them from being any cause or meane of our saluation and that by the warrant of the Scriptures Roman 3. 28. Ephesian 2. 10. and in other places That wee professe that the faith of the Catholike Church may faile and fall page 493. Wee speake not of the vniuersall Catholike Church but of the Church of Rome or of any other particular Church which may faile in faith as wee see the Churches of Corinth and Galatia are nowe thoroughly departed from the faith and are wholly subiect to the Turke That wee animate temporall Magistrates by the pretensed example of Dauid and Salomon to intermeddle with Bishops offices pag. 689. Vntruth it is not our doctrine But they rather embolden the Pope to meddle with Princes offices And Bellarmine a great Champion of theirs doeth free vs from this slaunder who confesseth of vs that wee holde Regimen ecclesiasticum spirituale esse distinctum a politico That the Ecclesiasticall regiment is spirituall and a thing distinct from the politicall or temporall That wee teach that the Lordes supper is verie bakers bread and wine with the onely figure of Christes bodie and bloud pag. 320. But wee neuer so vnreuerently called that holy Sacrament It is your selfe master Harding that doeth so vilely disgrace this holie Mysterie calling it A piece of bread not woorth a point a leane and carrien banket a toye Wee call it the Sacrament of thankes-giuing the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ with other names fit for so great mysteries Neither doe wee make them bare figures and signes but as the Apostle saith seales of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4. 11. Now hauing seene thus farre with what false opinions they charge our Church generally in respect of our doctrine let vs take some triall also of their iust and true dealing with vs in matters belonging to manners And here I doe not thinke but wee shall finde them halting as before First Harding chargeth vs with continuall aduoutrie and incest calling without all honestie or shame Ministers lawfull wedded wiues their filthie yokefellowes pag. 439. Yea hee saith that our Gospel hath no substance beside carnall libertie and licentious liuing pag. 289. And that thorough our euill teaching the worlde groweth more to be dissolute and wicked pag. 382. But if master Harding had remembred the dissolutenes and licentiousnes of life that is at Rome Hee could not without blushing haue charged vs with incest aduowtries and all Carnall libertie He had forgotten belike that olde English prouerbe Hee that goeth once to Rome seeth a wicked man hee that goeth twise learneth to know him hee that goeth thrise bringeth him home with him Fox pag. 843. The Rhemistes doe accuse the Protestants whom they call heretikes for their lightnesse in admitting euery one without discretion to the Clergie 1. Timoth. 3. 6. But as for that vncharitable name of heretikes wee shall shewe anone that it is more proper vnto them than vnto vs. And neuer any heresie admitted more vnworthie persons to the Clergie than Papistrie hath done not onely into the inferiour places but euen into their chiefe Bishops see for as Alphons testifieth whome wee cited before Manie of their Popes did not knowe so much as their Grammar Harding chargeth the Protestants in diuers Countries to haue attempted to wrest the sworde out of the Princes handes Were the hundred thousand Boures in Germanie saith he consumed by the sworde of the Nobilitie there for their obedience P. 441. So hee slaundereth Luther also that hee stirred vp Thomas Munzer in Thuringia who was the Rebels preacher pag. 447. Thus the Rhemistes deale with Caluin calling him one of the principall Rebels of this time and moste falsely giue out of the Protestants that their Consistories are shoppes of rebellion Thus also they report of Wickliffe that hee should teach that Princes are not to be obeyed being in deadly sinne Annotation 1. Peter 2. Sect. 8. All these are malicious slaunders deuised against vs. First the boures of Germanie were most of them aduersaries to Luther and vnderstoode no parte of the Gospell but conspired together as they saide onely against the crueltie of their Lordes as they had two and twentie yeares before in the conspiracie called Liga Sotularia Anno 1503. fifteene yeares before Doctor Luther began to preache which was Anno 1518. Iewell pag. 441. Secondly Luther was so farre from stirring vp Thomas Munzer that hee called him the preacher of Sathan Sleidan li. 5. Thirdly Neither did Wickliffe teach any such thing for he him selfe was obedient both to Edward the third and to Richard the second both which princes as wee knowe were guiltie of some notorious sinnes Fourthly you rather shewe your selues the rebelles of this age who make no conscience in mouing the subiects to rise vp and conspire against their naturall Soueraignes And England knoweth by experience that your Seminaries of Rome and Rhemes are the shops of rebellion which haue forged so manie conspiracies against our Soueraigne but all hitherto in vaine the Lorde be thanked and wee trust in God shal be so still yee might therefore haue beene ashamed to haue cast vs in the teeth with that which your owne consciences may accuse your selues of Thus much of the slaunders in generall which they belch out against our whole Church now wee will
epistle to the Ephesians word for word And how is it like that Marcellinus which died in the 20. yeare of Dioclesian could write of consubstantialitie of the diuine persons when that controuersie and terme of consubstantialitie was not heard of in the Church before the Nicene Councell which was 23. yeares after him Fox ibid. Eusebius in his decretall epistle writeth thus In sede apostolica extra maculam semper catholica seruata est religio That is in the Apostolike Sea alwayes the catholike religion hath beene preserued without any spotte or blemish And yet his late predecessor Marcellinus within his time and remembrance did fall grieuously in sacrificing to Idols though afterward hee repented thereof and was condemned for the same and expulsed the citie by the Councell of 300. Bishops How then could Eusebius this fault and error of his predecessor beeing so fresh in memorie so report of the Apostolike Sea that it was neuer stayned with any blemish in the faith therefore it is apparant that it was none of his doing The decretall epistle also of Milciades bewrayeth it selfe to be counterfeite wherein the forged author sheweth how much more worthie the popish sacrament of confirmation is then baptisme Thus I hope it is a cleare case to anie man that is not wilfully blinde that those decretall epistles are but forged and bastard writings those holy Bishops and Martyrs to be falsely reputed the authors thereof considering that the matter therein conteyned neyther seemeth to be agreeable to those times nor yet besitting the grauitie of their person Beside these counterfeite decretals of the Bishops of Rome they haue also many other of the like inuention In the decrees of Gratian Distinction 10. Quoniam Is set foorth vnder Ciprians name Ciprianus Iuliano imperatori Ciprian to Iulian the Emperor wherein it is affirmed that the imperiall dignitie is subiect to the papall dignitie as the inferior to the superior But Ciprian lyued not in lulian the Apostata his time not by 200. yeares wherefore this is a lying glosse Siluesters constitution whome I should before haue recyted amongst the number of the Bishops of Rome That the Corporal whereupon our Lords bodie lyeth vpon the altar must bee pure and plaine linnen seemeth also to come out of the same forge for the papistes practise is contrarie they lay it vpon a guilt patten and they haue a certayne poke for reseruation lyned indeed with linnen but the out-side is silke gold siluer and pearles Dionisius booke de Eccles. Hierarchia which commonly is thrust vpon Dionisius Areopagita who was conuerted by S. Paul is worthily suspected not to bee of that authors doing for his writings coulde not haue beene vnknowen to Eusebius Hierome Gennadius who continued the catalogue of the principall writers of the Church for 500. yeares after Christ. And Dionisius Bishop of Corinth who lyued in the raigne of Commodus about ann 185. writing of Dionisius Areopagita declareth how hee was first conuerted to the faith by S. Paul as it is in the Actes of the Apostles and afterward was made Bishop of Athens But of his booke de Hierarch he hath not one word Euseb. li. 4. ca. 23. Gulielmus Gracinus did read in his open lecture in the Church of S. Pauls this book de eccl Hierarch who at the first entrance vehemently inueighed against those that held opinion that Dionisius Areopag was not author of that booke but after a fewe weekes being better aduised hee altered his minde and protested openly that in his iudgement Dionisius Areopag mentioned in the Actes was not author of that booke Ex Erasm. ad Parisiens Historia passionis of S. Andrew S. Martialis epist. ad Burdegalens are but counterfeite fables Fulk Hebr. 10. sect 9. No better is that pamphlet which goeth vnder Linus name intituled De Petripassione Which if it were true that is there reported Peter was most iustly condemned for entysing and leading away women from their husbands Beza annot Iohn 21. v. 19. against the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles The Liturgie of S. Iames is but a late deuised toye for Balsamon patriarke of Antioch sayth that the Liturgie of S. Iames was not extant in his time but vtterly worne away Fulke annot 1. Corinth 11. sect 10. No maruell then if these good fellowes make it not dayntie to belie the auncient Bishops and Martyrs with phantasticall and forged pamphlets seeing that they presume without blushing to vtter their forgeries both of the Apostles themselues and vnder their names not much vnlike to the olde heretikes the Manichees and others that scattered abroade hereticall deuises vnder the Apostles names as the Apocalypse of S. Paul whereof S. Augustine maketh mention Tract in Iohann 98. Another booke of S. Thomas the Apostle Augustine epist. 38. Certayne Epistles fathered vpon the Apostles August in Psalm 47. Yea they conteyned not them selues here but in their foolish conceyte deuised fables more auncient then the floode as the booke of Henoch whereof Augustine speaketh de ciuitat Dei lib. 18. cap. 38. And yet were more impudent for they alleadged an Epistle which they say was of Christes owne writing August cont Faust. lib. 28. cap. 4. I would now our aduersaries did not giue vs occasion by these imaginarie and decoytfull writings of theirs which they would notwithstanding to bee reputed as sound and substantiall to compare them in this respect to those heretikes of elder time Let vs now see what other phantasies they haue which doe maske vnder the name of later writers In the Liturgie that beareth the name of Chrysostome which the papistes call Chrysostomes Masse as it is set foorth by Claâ—dius du Sanctis there is a prayer for Pope Nicholas and the Emperour Alexius whereof the one was neare 500. yeares the other 700 yeares after Chrysostome Iudge therefore Christian reader whether it bee likely to bee Chrysostomes The Liturgie bearing the name of Basill sheweth it selfe to bee none of his because it obserueth not that forme of doxologie that is prayse to the holy Ghost with the prepositioÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Basil doth so earnestly maintayne to be deriued from the Apostles tradition de Spirit sanct cap. 27. 28. There are 4. bookes interserted among Cirils commentaries vppon Iohn which were composed by Iodocus Clictouaeus to supplie so many bookes of Cirils wanting yet are they commonly alleadged by our aduersaries in Cirils name Paulinus Bishop of Nola his epistles forged For epistle 1â— hee writeth thus of the wood of the crosse That it hath such an incorruptible vertue that it susteyneth no diminishing but continueth as though it had neuer beene touched men daily taking part of it Which is so grosse a fable that the Censors appointed according to the Councell of Trent in their Ind. expurgat commanded it to be put out How many bookes are foysted into Augustines workes it were to long to rehearse for as he in number of his workes exceeded any one of the auncient doctors of the
matrimonia As though now a daies very many priestes are not maried Aduers Iouinian lib. 1. And Damasus testifieth Complures inueniuntur qui de sacerdotib nati Apostolicae sedi praefuerunt Many are found that being priestes sonnes ruled the Apostolique sea of Rome as pope Syluerius pope Deusdedit pope Adriane 2. pope Iohn 15. and diuers other ex Gratian. M. Harding therefore hath faced vs out here in denying so euident a trueth We say plainely that S. Augustine affirmeth purgatorie and that it cannot be shewed where he doubteth of it Hard. pag. 354. And yet Augustine writeth thus speaking of purgatory Tale aliquid etiaÌ„ post hanc vitam fieri incredibile non est vtrum ita sit quaeri potest Some such thing to be after this life it is not incredible whether it be so or no it may be a question ad Dulcitium quaest 1. Let any indifferent man now iudge whether Augustine doubteth of purgatorie or not That fornication was neuer allowed in the catholike Church he meaneth the Church of Rome Hard. pag. 7. defens apolog Neither haue the Canonistes euer taught the people that simple fornication is no sin pag. 411. For triall of this matter let vs heare what their canonistes say Etsi notoria sit fornicatio presbyteroruÌ„ tamen non propter eaÌ„ abstinendum est ab officijs illorum Although the fornication of priestes be notorious yet may no man therefore refraine from their seruice distinct 32. Nullus Iohan. Andreâ— M. Harding himselfe calleth the open Stewes in Rome a necessarie euil forauoiding of other disorders that would be greater Againe Qui non habet vxorem loco illius concubinam habere licet It is lawfull for him that hath no wife in stead of her to haue a concubine distinct 34. 15. qui. An other saith Si clericus amplectitur mulâ—erem laicus interpretabitur quòd causa benedicendi eam hoc faciat If a priest embrace a woman a lay man must iudge that he doth it with intent to blesse her 11. quaest 3. absit in glossa By this it may appeare what account the Church of Rome in time past hath made of fornication and whether it were tolerated amongst them or not Harding saith that the whores in Rome haue not free libertie of dwelling in the haunted streetes and pallaces but onely in outhouses and by-lanes neither is it lawfull for them to ride in Coches or Chariots but only to go a foote in the streetes and that by their short vailes a note of dishonestie they are discerned from honest women pag. 423. All these are descried to be manifest lyes and vntruthes for the Cardinals gaue cleane contrarie information to Pope Paul the third Meretrices in hac vrbe vt matronae incedunt mula vehuntur habitant insignes aedes the courtizans of this citie goe like honest matrones being carried vpon Mules dwel in the fairest houses ex Iuello defens Apol. 426. Thus we see what credite is to be giueÌ„ to master Harding what small conscience he maketh of a liâ— Master Harding impudently denyeth and so do other Papistes that a woman named Ioan was euer Pope of Rome that there is no such image representing a woman in trauaile nor no such chaire for proofe of the Popes humanitie at his creation neither that the Popes in their procession refraine to go that way where the said Pope Ioane in the middest of a solemne procession fel in trauel P. 428. Yet the storie is reported by Marianus Scotus that liued an 1028. Sigibert Gemblacens that liued ann 1100. Martinus Polonus the Popes Penitentiarie who wrote ann 1320. witnesses of great antiquitie B. Iuell reckoneth vp 16. authors beside that report the same thing none of them all Lutherans That there is such an image representing such a fact that the Pope of purpose refraineth that way it is testified by Theodoricus Niemus the Popes Secretarie And concerning the holow chaire of Porphyrie stone which is kept for such an vse Sabellicus doth report Enead 9. li. 1. plura apud Iuell P. 433. Now who is more like to be the lier M. Harding a new vpstart writer or these so many auncient witnesses I thinke it is not hard to iudge He denieth the storie of Iohn Diazius death how hauing bin a doctor of Sorbona in Paris afterward conuerted to the Gospel was most traiterously slaine by his owne brothers Alphonsus Diazius man at Nuburg in Germanie how he was sent vp by his master with a carpenters axe to kill him so he did his master Alphonsus waiting below and the quarel was because good Iohn Diazius would not returne to Poperie againe this is the truth of the storie as it is faithfully reported by Iohn Sleidan li. 17. Yet M. Harding saith we â—el manie lies at once P. 435. what now wil not these good fellowes denie That the Pope euer coÌ„maunded any such seruice to be done vnto him as that the Emperour should hold his stirrop lead his horse by the brydle ye can neuer shew it by any credible witnesse Harding Pag. 463. yet in the Popes own booke of Ceremonies ca. 8. it is found thus writen The Emperor coÌ„meth to the popes horse in honor of our Lord Iesus Christ whose person in earth the Pope beareth hee holdeth the stirrop till the Pope be mounted and afterward he taketh the brydle and leadeth foorth his horse This is the Popes owne prescription in his booke of Ceremonies And therefore Pope Hadrian 2. was angrie with the Emperour Frederike for holding his stirrop on the wrong side Gregor Haimburgens in appellat Sigismund It seemeth therefore that the Pope looked for this seruice of duetie It is denyed that the Pope put in armes Henricus 5. against Henrie the fourth his father Hard. 469. Yet is it reported by an author of good credit Paschalis Papa Principes contra Henricum 4. concitauit imo eius proprium filium Pope Paschalis raised vp the Nobilitie against Henry the fourth yea his owne sonne Gregor Haimburgens He denieth that euer any of them taught that Gods sayings and precepts be voide except the Bishop of Rome ratifie them pag. 487. Yet are they the verie wordes of Siluester Prierias master of the Popes pallace A doctrina Romanae ecclesiae Romani Pontificis sacra scriptura robur trahit authoritatem The holie Scripture taketh strength and authoritie of the doctrine of the Romane Church and of the Bishop of Rome Siluest Prier contr Lutherum He saith it is a slaunder that any of them should call the Scriptures dumbe and vnprofitable pag. 535. Whereas it is certaine they be their owne wordes One calleth the Scripture mortuum atramentum dead inke Lodouic in Concil Trident. Another saith Scriptura est res inanimis muta The Scripture is a dead and dumbe thing Episcop Pictauiens Another calleth them Euangelium nigrum the blacke Gospell Eckius consul Iuell defens Apolog. pag. 535. It is denyed that
Pardons are not knowen to vs by the authoritie of the Scriptures but by the authoritie of the Church Bishops of Rome Apostoli quaedam scripserunt non vt scripta illa praeessent fidei religioni nostrae sed potius vt subessent The Apostles wrote certaine things not that their writings should be aboue our faith religion but rather that they should be vnder Albert. Pigghius Hierarch lib. 1. cap. 2. Gratian is not ashamed to say that the Canons of the Councels are of the same authoritie with the Scriptures distinct 20. can decretales And Gregorie 1. epist. 24. saith he doth reuerence the 4 generall Councels as the 4 Euangelistes Yea our Rhemists are not ashamed to protest that whatsoeuer the pastors Priests do teach in the vnitie of the Church is the worde of God 1. Thessal 2. v. 12. So saith another Determinatio ecclesiae appellatur Euangelium The determination of the Church is called the Gospell Iohannes Maria Uerractus editus an 1561. And Hosius quod ecclesia docet expressum Dei verbum est whatsoeuer the Church teacheth meaning the Church of Rome it is the expresse word of God lib. de express verb. Dei p. 97. Thus they make the decrees ordinances of men equall to Gods worde nay aboue it vt suprà loc 8. It was obiected against certaine good Christians by D. Benet Chauncellor to Fitziames bishop of London that vpon a certaine night they did read certaine Chapters of the Euangelistes in English containing in them diuers erronious and damnable opinions conclusions of heresie Fox pag. 804. Here behold with Papists the Scripture containeth heresie Eckius thus said before the Emperour at the citie of Wormes turning him selfe to Luther if he may once get this aduantage to be conuinced by the Scriptures we shall haue nothing certaine and established in Christendome Fox P. 851. Lo the Scriptures with Papists breedeth vncertaintie of matters An. 1553 the Kings Lieuetenant at Lyons vttered these horrible blasphemies vnto Lodouicus Marsacus martyr of the 4 Euangelistes but two were pure Mathew and Iohn the other two Marke Luke were but gathered out of the other The Epistles of S. Paul further saith hee but that the Doctors of the Church had authorised them hee would otherwise esteeme them no better than the fables of Aesop ex Crisp. pantat Fox pag. 908. So also said Hermannus a blasphemous Papist that the Scripture should be of no more credite than Aesops fables without the approbatiō of the Church Which his saying is defended by Hosius lib. 3. de authoritat scriptur to be godly spoken The said Lieuetenant to a maiden speaking somewhat of the lawe vttered these blasphemous words Cursed be the God of that law ibid. Fox pag. 908. What more vile blasphemie could any of the diuelish sect of the Manichees haue spued out The Bishop of Cauaillon in France examining certaine Christians of Merindoll was angrie with them when they made mention of some demonstration to be made out of the word of God and in a furie cursed and gaue him to the diuel that first inuented that meane Fox pag. 949. And yet Christ for the trial of truth biddeth vs search the scriptures Ioh. 5. No mar uei then if these fellowes curse men seeing they spare not Christ himself A certaine blinde Popish Doctour reasoning with master Tindall boldly said We were better to be without Gods law than the Popes pag. 1076. Lodouicus the Prothonotarie stepped vp in the Councell of Basill and said There was no argument to be gathered of the Acts of the Apostles whose examples were more to be maruelled at than followed Fox pag. 678. Lo here a great blasphemie Scripture is not to be followed Andradius thus vnreuerently writeth of the Scriptures to say no more Neque in ipsis libris quib sacra mysteria conscripta sunt quippiam inest diuinitatis quae nos ad credendum quae illis continentur aliqua religione constringat In those books wherein the holy mysteries are written there is not one iot of diuinitie which by any force of religion can tie or binde vs to beleeue what is there contained in 3. lib. defens concil Tridentin A most impious and vngodly speech for where is there els any true diuinitie to be found but in those holie writings Cardinall Cusanus scripturae saith he adaptatae sunt ad tempus varie intelliguntur ita vt vno tempore secundum currentem vniuersalem ritum exponantur mutato ritu iterum sententia mutetur The scriptures are applyed to the time and may haue sundrie vnderstandings so that at one time they may be expounded one way according to the vniuersall currant order of the Church and the same rite or order beeing broken they may haue another meaning Cusan ad Bohem. epist. 2. What heretike could haue said more than this that the scriptures are mutable and changeable Our Rhemistes also shew great boldnes in giuing their rash censures of the holy writers for these are their words if the Euangelistes and other writers of holie Scripture had not vsed all humane diligence to search out the truth of matters the Holie Ghost would not haue assisted them Act. 15. Sect. 10. And yet it is certaine that S. Paul had the Gospell by reuelation without the help at all of humane diligence for he communicated not with flesh and bloud Galath 1. v. 16. Againe they saie that S. Paul for feare of missing the line of trueth notwithstanding he had the Holie Ghost went to conferre with Peter the rest Rom. 12. Sect. 1. What is blasphemie if this be not to say that the Apostle who was perswaded he had the Spirite of God 1. Corinth 7. 40. was afeard to misse the line of trueth how can this be vnlesse it be imagined that the Holy ghost was not sufficient to keepe him in the right line of trueth In deede he went vp to conferre with the Apostles not to receiue any further direction from them for they did cōmunicate nothing with him Galath 2. 6. but that they might giue testimonie of their consent in doctrine with him to stop the slaunderous mouthes of false brethren who reported the contrarie And now to fil vp the measure of their blasphemies let vs heare what is credibly reported to haue bene vttered by no small person but euen one of their late Popes in the heating of his Cardinals O quantum nobis profuit fabula ista de Christo O what aduantage saith he hath this fable of Christ brought vs ex Iuello defens Apolog. P. 273. Thus by these few examples we may see what blasphemous opinions many of the Papists for we do not in this case charge them all do hold concerning the scriptures Some making humane ordinances equall vnto them in authoritie some preferring them before scripture others calling them hereticall bookes vncertaine mutable mute dumbe Iudges not to be followed in all things with such like blasphemies and these