much Chapter 9. Proouing That true Merite and condigne Merite is all one That the regenerate doe Good works and receiue reward aboue their desertes That Good workes doe follow Iustification but goe not before the same That the best Workes of the regenerate are stayned with sinne and in rigour of Iustice deserue eternall death That Good workes are so necessarie to attaine eternall life as the way and meanes by which God hath decreed to bring his chosen to it but not as the cause thereof as without them it can not be had That Good workes are the effectes of Predestination depending vpon it not it vpon them That Good workes in a godly sense may be called Meritorious that is they so please God that of mercie he rewardeth them That without the mercie and promise of God they doe not merite Heauen That Charitie is not the forme of Fayth That Fayth as a worker doth not iustifie but respectiuely as an instrument apprehending Christes merites and applying them vnto vs. That Good workes though they be neither the efficient nor the formall nor the finall cause of Iustification which euer goeth before them yet are they the materiall cause and cause sine qua non as the Schooles tearme it the cause or condition without which Iustification shall not haue effect That Good workes must be done for three respectes That Gods Promise doth not make Good workes to be condignely worthy of the reward That condigne merite of Workes was not an Article of Popish fayth for more then 1540. yeares after Christ. Chapter 10. Proouing That Transubstantiation is a Monster lately begotten in Germanie and borne in Rome Chapter 11. Proouing That popish Inuocation doth not onely make Saintes the mediatours of Intercession but also of Redemption That it maketh Saintes ioynt purchasers of saluation with Christes most sacred blood so it be not in the same degree That it was not hatched for more then 1160 yeares after Christ. Chapter 12. Of the popish Communion vnder one kind Chapter 13. Of popish priuate Masse Chapter 14. Of Pope Martins Dispensation Chapter 15 Of worshipping of Images Chapter 16. Of Church-seruice in the vulgar tongue Chapter 17. Of the peeces of popish Masse Chapter 18. Of the mysteries of the popish Masse Chapter 19. Of kissing the Popes feete Chapter 20. Of praying vpon Beedes Chapter 21. Of changing the Popes name Chapter 22. Of the Paschal Torch Chapter 23. Of the popish Pax and the mysterie thereof Chapter 24. Of the Popes Bulles Chapter 25. Of the popish Agnus-dei Chapter 26. Of Candelmas-day Chapter 27. Of the dolefull Oath which popish Byshops make to the Pope Chapter 28. Of the popish Lent-fast Chapter 29. Of the annulling of popish Wedlocke Chapter 30. Of the Popes falsely pretended Superioritie ouer and aboue a generall Councell Chapter 31. Proouing That the Fayth and Doctrine of the Church of England is the old Romane Religion The Iesuites Proeme B. C. INtending to note the principall vntruethes of Bels Pamphlet I haue thought good first to salute his Epistle and see what holsome stuffe hee presenteth in that to his Patrons T. B. I Answere First that If I should stand vpon euery falsehood slaunder and coozening tricke which the Iesuite hath published and handsomely paint him out in his best beseeming colours time would sooner fayle me then matter whereof to speake Howbeit as I meane for the most part to let passe his slaunders his rayling wordes his fooleries his absurdities his contradictions and his impertinent trifles so will I by Gods holy assistance confute all the partes and parcels of his foolish and ridiculous Pamphlet not omitting any thing of any moment in the same Secondly that our Iesuite hath passed ouer in deepe silence my principall and chiefest groundes argumentes authorities reasons as not able to say any thing against them which the iuditious and honest Reader will soone perceiue with all facilitie Thirdly that our Fryer doth but snatch at peeces heere there with the which he thought he might best deale at the least in some colourable shew of wordes But let vs hearken I pray you to that attentiuely which he saith he found in my dedicatorie Epistle B. C. The Minister falleth roundly to the matter presenting his Patrons with a tricke of his occupation in his very first entraunce his wordes be these The visible Church sayth Bell as writeth Egesippus remayned a Virgin free from all heresies and corruptions during the life of the Apostles that is to say about one hundred yeares after Christ to which time S. Iohn the Euangelist was liuing but after the death of the Apostles sayth hee errours by litle and litle crept into the Church as into a voyde and desart House This Collection which Bell hath made is powdred with lies and iugling trickes thicke and threefold Bell belyeth both Egesippus and also Eusebius whom be quoteth in the third Booke of his Historie in the two and thirtie Chapter as the relator of those wordes of Egesippus Read the place he that please no such thing shall there be found nor the name of Egesippus so much as once mentioned The Minister both abuseth his Patrons and others with a notorious vntrueth of his owne fathering that vpon Eusebius which is not there to be found Neither can this dealing of his proceed from other roote then meere malice as whose braines are employed about nothing more then the hammering of lyes cauils and corruptions against the Catholicke fayth T. B. I answere First that the Jesuites accusation which here he maketh against mee is too too grieuous and more then intollerable vnto godly eares For he chargeth mee first to haue powdred mine assertion with lyes and iugling trickes Then to haue done the same thicke and threefold Thirdly to haue belyed both Egesippus Eusebius Fourthly he impudently affirmeth that no such thing can possibly be found as I haue alleadged out of Eusebius Fiftly that my position is so false and so farre from the trueth that the name of Egesippus is not so much as once mentioned Sixtly that I haue of meere malice slaundered Egesippus and Eusebius being men of great learning Secondly that seeing the Diuell is the Father of Lyers the Jesuite may very well be thought to be his only Sonne But how shal this be prooued All that shal read his booke must needes thinke he sayth the trueth because he affirmeth it so impudently confidently I would say This text of Christes holy Ghospell may well be verified in the Jesuites their accursed Iesuited crew They loued the prayâ—e of men more then the glory of God The truth is neuer ashamed she will shew her selfe to the confusion of the newly hatched sect of Jesuites of the late start-vp Romish fayth and religion These are the expresse wordes of Eusebius as Ruffinus a very learned Father who liued aboue 1200. yeares agoe hath translated them Post haec idem scriptor
and place be correspondent thereunto I prooue it first because Christ himselfe saith That euery Tree which bringeth not foorth Good fruite shal be cut downe and cast into the fire Secondly because Christ sayth in an other place That whosoeuer loue him will keepe his Commaundementes Thirdly because S. Paul telleth vs in one place That God chose vs in Christ before the world was made that we should be holy in his sight And in an other place That we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesu vnto good workes which he hath prepared that we may walke in them The 5. Conclusion Good workes are the effectes of Predestination depending vpon it not it vpon them S. Paul prooueth it in these plaine golden and pithy wordes Whom he hath Predestinate them hath he Called and whom he hath Called them hath he Iustified and whom he hath Iustified those hath he also Glorified By this golden Chaine we may euidently perceiue that Glorification Iustification Vocation and consequently Good workes are the effectes of Predestination especially if we ioyne this with the other Conclusions afore going For if it be true as it is most true else th'Apostle should be a lyer that we were elected to be Holy and to doe Good workes it is also true it can not be denyed that Holy life and Good workes are the effectes of our Election and Predestination in Christ Iesus For this cause sayth that famous Papist Nicholaus de Lyra in this manner Dicendum quod predestinatio diuina est preparatio gratiae in presenti et gloriae in futuro Et ideo cum sit aeterna sicut ab aeterno predestinauit aliquem ad beatitudinem ita praeordinauit modum quo daret sibi illam beatitudinem I answere sayth this great learned Popish Doctor that Gods Predestination is the preparation of Grace in this world and of Glory in the world to come And therefore seeing it is Eternall as he hath predestinated any one from eternitie to endlesse Blisse or Beatitude so hath he also fore-ordayned the meane by which he would bring him to the same For this cause sayth the Popish Angelicall Doctor Aquinas whose doctrine sundry Popes haue confirmed for Authenticall that Predestination includeth Gods will of bestowing both Grace and Glorie And this Doctor so famous and authenticall addeth these wordes Nam predestinatio est causa et eius quod expectatur in futura vita a predestinatis scz gloriae et eius quod percipitur in presenti scz gratiae For Predestination is the cause both of that which is expected in the life to come that is to say of Glorie and also of that which the predestinate receiue in this life that is to say of Grace For this cause saith our Jesuiticall Cardinall Bellarminus that Good workes follow Predestination as effectes follow their causes These are his expresse wordes Itaque sunt opera bona effectus Predestinationis Therefore Good workes are the effect of Predestination Againe in other place the same Jesuite hath these wordes Itaque illa propositio Deus ab aeterno predestinauit hominibus dare regnum per opera bona praeuisa potest et vera esse et falsa Nam si illud per opera praeuisa referatur ad verbum predestinauit falsa erit Significabit enim Deum predestinasse homines quia opera illorum bona praeuiderat si referatur ad verbum dare vera erit Quia significabit executionem futuram esse per opera bona siue quod est idem glorificationem effectum esse iustificationis et operum bonorum sicut ipsa iustificatio effectus est vocationis et vocatio praedestinationis Therefore that proposition God fore-ordayned from eternitie to giue to men the Kingdome of heauen by their fore-seene Workes may both be true and false For if those wordes by their workes fore-seene be referred to the word Predestinauâ—t hee predestinated or fore-ordayned the sense and meaning is false For it will signifie God to haue Predestinated Men because he fore-saw their Good workes but if the same wordes be referred to the worde Dare to giue and bestow the sense and meaning will be true For it will signifie that the execution must be done by Good works or which is all one that Glorification is the effect of Iustification and Good workes euen as Iustification is the effect of Vocation and Vocation the effect of Predestination Againe in an othor place hee hath these wordes Non ideo pendet praedestinatio ab operibus sed opera a praedestinatione Therefore Predestination doth not depend of Workes but Workes depend of Predestination Againe in an other place he sayth thus Alia ratio est pradestinationis alia executionis Constituit N. in praedestinatione regnum caelorum dare certis hominihus quos absque vlla operum praeuisione dilexit tamen simul constituit vt quo ad executionem via perueniendi ad regnum essent bona opera There is one reason of Predestination an other of Execution For in Predestination God decreed to giue the Kingdome of Heauen to certaine men whom he loued without any fore-sight of Workes howbeit he decreed withall that in respect of the execution Good workes should be the way to come vnto the same For this cause doe our Râ—emistes tell vs that our first Iustification is of Gods Grace and not of our deseruinges because none of all our actions that were before our Iustification could merit or iustly procure the Grace of iustification Thus discourse these famous and great learned Popish Writers to whose Doctrine I subscribe with all my heart For as I haue often sayd else where I highly reuerence the Old Romane religion and to the vttermost of my small talent skill I both haue done doe and will defende the same Yea and iustifie the Doctrine of the Church of England to be the Old Romane Catholike and Apostolike religion which S Peter and S. Paul deliuered to the auncient and first Church of Rome Out of the Doctrine heere deliuered by these famous Papistes Lyranus Aquinas and Bellarminus I gather many excellent Notes First that the Grace Fayth and Good workes which we haue in this world and the Glory which we expect in the world to come doe all wholly proceed from Gods Predestination euen without all desertes of Man Secondly that as God prepared the Kingdome of heauen for his Elect euen before they were borne or had done any Good workes so did he also prepare the way and meanes by which he would bring them to the same Thirdly that no Workes done or fore-seene to be done did mooue God to predestinate any man to the ioyes of Heauen Fourthly that Good workes are not the Cause but the Effect of Predestination Fiftly that Good workes are the way and meanes which God ordayned for the execution of Predestination and for the accomplishment of Glorification Sixtly that not onely Predestination but also Iustification proceedes of
frâ—tres magis satagite vt per bona opera câ—râ—aÌ„ vestraÌ„ vocationem et electionem facâ—utis Againe thus Whom hee hath Predestinate those hath he Called and whom he hath Called those hath he Iustified and whom he hath iustified those hath he glorified Secondly to auoyde tormentes which are due to all euill workes For as th'Apostle teacheth vs Death is the stipend of sinne And our M. Christ telleth vs That euery euill Tree which bringeth not foorth good fruite shal be cut downe and cast into the Fire Yea that hee which had not on a Wedding garment was bound hand foote and so cast into vtter darkenesse Thirdly to attaine corporall and eternall reward So sayth holy Writ Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was hungry and yee gaue mee to eate I was thirsty and yee gaue mee to drinke For which respect Moses is sayd to haue had regard vnto reward And euen so is reward promised to him that giueth but a cuppe of cold Water in Gods name In respect of our Neighbours for diuers considerations First to put away scandall Woe to that man by whom scandall commeth you are the cause that Gods name is blasphemed among the Gentiles Secondly that we may profite our Neighbours by our good examples Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your Good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Now because our late Popes our newly hatched Jesuites and Jesuiteâ— Papistes are so full of Good workes at least in their owne corrupt perswasions that they are able with the same to merite Heauen and eternall Glorie I am content to imploy my Penne in speaking a litle thereof that the world may vnderstand the same for edification sake I will say nothing of the outragious behauiour of the Romish Papistes in time of Carnâ—uà le at Rome when and where for many dayes or rather weekes togeather men and women gadde vp and downe in the streetes and into houses some on Horse-backe some on foote transformed vnder Vizardes men into womans apparrell and women into mans apparrell and so to the great scandall of all good people that see or heare thereof worke wickednesse as the same goeth intollerable and odible to God and all good men Two kindes of notorious workes I will onely touch for the present the Stewes the Hospitall De sancto spiritu The Romanes forsooth are so mortified and so holy partly by the Pope for the time being who if he be truely named is not onely Holy but Holynesse it selfe in the abstract partly by the preachinges and other instructions of Jesuites and Iesuited Popelinges that the Pope forsooth must perforce permit them to haue common Brothel-houses or Stewes so to satisfie their beastly inordinate carnall lustes I meane not heere to dispute whether sinne in some cases may be tolerated or noe I haue written of that subiect else where at large But this I meane for the good of the Reader and edification-sake to make it euident to the world that the Romish Papistes who glorie in their meritorious workes are the worst liuers vpon earth The Stewes are not sufficient to bridle the outrage of the inordinate carnall lust of the Saints at Rome but they must further haue a second Toleration or Dispensation for an Hospitall of Charitie forsooth called for the surpassing vertue thereof by the name of the holy Ghost The end of this Hospitall is this to keepe Whores and Whore-maisters from villanous and most cruell Murders Euery night one of that holy Hospitall whatcheth diligently and turning about a Wheele made for the purpose receiueth new borne Bastardes into their câ—stodie The Wheele is so artificially contriued that they can not know or see who bringeth the said Infant-bastardes The Children are curteously receiued haue vsage and education as if they were legitimate The Hospitall is very rich and well able to maintaine all that are brought thither It findeth moe and more able friendes then any other Hospitall More Landes and Goods are giuen to it then to any other And no maruell seeing all that the Romish Saintes doe giue to it is giuen for the maintenaunce and education of their beloued Bastardes When these Bastards come to yeares of discretion either sooner or latter as it seemeth good to the Fathers then they come to visite the sayd Hospitall and to see their owne Bastardes and for a worke of Charitie they make choyse of those whom they loue and like the best Will not such Holy workes of mercie merite Heauen condignely by Popish Fayth and Diuinitie it is approoued with great solemnitie But how will some say doe the Fathers know their owne Bastardes I answere that it is a thing very easie to be done For the Fathers and Mothers or some by their procurement doe hang about the neckes of their Bastardes speciall Tokens or Iewels by which they may know them an other day Which Tokens the Gouernours of the Hospitall by the Lawes thereof which they are sworne to obey obserue and performe must carefully from time to time keepe and see that they neuer be taken from their Neckes during their aboade in the sayd Hospitall This Storie I haue for this end heere inserted that the world may know the meritorious workes of the Pope Iesuites and other Romish Papistes The censure whereof I leaue to the iudicious and honest Reader The 11. Conclusion As it is true by the constant Doctrine of best Learned Popish Writers that the best Workers are not condignely meritorious of Eternall life without the Promise of God made to reward them So it is in like maner true also that albeit by reason of Gods Promise the Reward be iustly both giuen and expected yet neither doth nor can the sayd Promise in reâ— veritate and true estimation of the Worke and the Reward make the worke condignely meritorious of the same Reward Eternall glorie I euer vnderstand This Conclusion consisteth of two partes the former whereof is copiously prooued in the seuenth Conclusion afore-going The latter I prooue by many meanes and inuincible reasons First because a Promise although it make the thing promised to be iustly a kind of debt and so of iustice both required and expected neither doth nor can change the nature of the Worke or attribute any condignitie or worthinesse to the same Secondly because the Promise is freely made and farre exceedeth the worthinesse of the Worke. So sayth the popish Fryer John de Combis in these very wordes Deus nes punit citra condignum remunerat vltra condignum God punisheth vs lesse then we be worthy and rewardeth vs farre aboue our desertes So sayth Abbot Bernard in these expresse wordes Aeternam vitam nullis potes operibus promereri nisi gratis detur et illa Thou must beleeue that thou canst not merite eternall life with any
requiratur autem ne pusillanimitate aut contentione aeut alio quolibet Episcopi vitio videatur a congregatione seclusus Vt hoc ergo decentius inquiratur bene placuit annis singulis per vnamquamque Prouinciam bis in anno concilia celebrari vt cōmuniter simul omnibus Episcopis congregatis Prouinciae discutiantur huiusmodi quaestiones et sic qui suo peccauerunt Episcopo euidenter excommunicati rationabiliter ab omnibus extimentur vsquequo vel in communi vel Episcopo placeat humaniorem pro talibus ferre sententiam Concilia vero celebrentur vnum quidem ante quadragesimam Paschae vt omni dissensione sublata munus offeratur Deo purissimum Secundum vero circa tempus Autumni Concerning those who are put from the Communion whether they be of the Clericall or Laicall order let the sentence of Byshoppes throughout euery Prouince giuen according to the Canon be of force that they who are reiected be not receiued of others Let examination be had least any be secluded through pusillanimitie or contention or other fault of the Byshop That this therefore may be duly examined it hath pleased the Councell well that yearely in euery Prouince Councels should be kept twise in the yeare that when all the Byshops of the Prouince shall meete togeather in one place then such questions may be duely examined And so they that haue offended their Byshop manifestly may be iudged by all to be excomunicated not without a cause vntill it please the Byshop of the place or all in the Prouince to shew them fauour Let the Councels be kept one before Lent that all dissention being taken away a most pure Oblation may be presented vnto God The second about Autumne Thus this holy and most famous Councell out of whose definition two thinges are cleered th' one that the Byshops of the Prouince should end and determine all appeales no mention at all made or any regard had of or to the Byshop of Rome Th' other that the auncient Canon ought to be kept which commaundeth that none should receiue them to the Communion who were excomunicated and condemned by others So then the Councell of Nice did curbe the Pope and kept him vnder in his former state And withall the holy Councell prouided a very Christian remedie that none should be vniustly oppressed by his Byshoppe Which remedie was this viz. That hee who found himselfe grieued might appeale from his Byshop yet to the Byshops of the Prouince but to none else Secondly the same Councell ordayned in an other Canon that none should be created Byshoppes but by the Byshoppes of their owne Prouince as also that the Metropolitane of the Prouince not the Byshop of Rome should haue authoritie and power to confirme those who were made Byshoppes within the Prouince Thirdly that the Byshoppe of Rome had no prerogatiue of power but onely within his owne Diocesse is constantly auouched by the sayd Councell in the sixt Canon thereof These are the wordes of the Councell as Ruffinus an auncient and learned Writer about 1200. yeares agoe so within eightie yeares of the time of the Nicene Councell hath interpreted the same Et vt apud Alexandriam et in Vrbe Romae vetusta consuetudo seruetur vt vel ille Aegypti vel hic suburbicariarum Ecclesiarum sollicitudinem gerat And that in Alexandria and in the citie of Rome the old custome be kept that the one haue the sollicitude of Egypt the other of the Churches adioyning and about Rome Thus writeth Ruffinus shewing very plainely that the Byshop of Alexandria had as great iurisdiction or rather more as the Byshop of Rome Yea Cusanus a popish Cardinall vnderstandeth the Canon after the same manner with Ruffinus And it is confirmed by the fourth Canon of the same Councell as Ruffinus citeth it these are the wordes Absque quo ordinationē irritam esse voluerunt Without whose authoritie he meaneth the Metropolitane the Councell decreed the ordination to be voyde and of none effect But this sacred Decree of a Councell so holy and so famous the Pope this day contemneth and challengeth the right of all Metropolitanes to himselfe Fourthly the famous Councelles both of Constantinople and of Chalcedon did make the Byshop of Constantinople equall with the Byshoppe of Rome in all Ecclesiasticall affaires excepting onely the Primacie of honour as we haue already seene See and note well the 30. Chapter of this present Booke Aphorisme second The Canons of the holy Nicene Councell are but only twentie though the Pope and his Jesuites would haue them to be foure-score For first onely twentie are this day extant in the common Volumes of Councels Secondly no approoued Councell did euer admit or receiue any more This is very cleere and euident by the testimonie of the famous Affrican Councell as by and by God willing I shall vnfold Thirdly the famous Councels of Constantinople and Chalcedon haue flatly decreed against the falsely pretended Primacie of the Byshoppe of Rome which Councels for all that did in euery respect highly reuerence the Decrees and Canons of the Nicene Councell and consequently the sayd Councels did not acknowledge any Canon of the Nicene Synode which made for the pretended Primacie of the Byshoppe of Rome But this Aphorisme shall be further prooued by an euident demonstration in the Aphorismes immediatly following and therefore there is no need now to stand longer about the same Aphorisme third The Councell of Sardica is not a legitimate and lawfull Synode but a bastard and counterfeite conuenticle I prooue it first because S. Augustine doth acknowledge no Councell of Sardica saue one onely which was Hereticall Secondly because Cardinall Cusanus who was a great Champion of the Romish Church is of the same opinion Thirdly because the Councell of Sardica is against the Councell of Nice concerning Appellations to the Pope Fourthly because the Fathers of the famous Affricane Councell in their Epistle to Caelestine then Byshop of Rome doe most constantly affirme with vniforme assent that the Councell of Nice forbiddeth Appeales to the Church of Rome these are their expresse wordes Praefato itaque debitae salutationis officio impendiò deprecamur vt deinceps ad vestras aures hinc venientes non facilius admittatis nec a nobis excommunicatos in communionem vltra velitis excipere Quia hoc etiam Niceno Concilio definitum facilè aduertet venerabilitas tua Nam etsi de inferioribus Clericis vel Laicis videtur ibi praecaueri quanto magis hoc de Episcopis voluit obseruari ne in sua prouincia communione suspensi a tua sanctitate vel festinatò vel praeproperè vel indebitè videantur cōmunioni restitui Presbyterorum quoque et sequentium clericorum improba refugia sicuti te dignum est repellat sanctitas tua quia et nulla patrum definitione hoc Ecclesiae derogatum est Aphricanae et decreta Nicaena siue
single Vow is able to contract Matrimonie albeit he sinne in so contracting but the subiect of a solemne Vow is inabled to matrimoniall contract the transgressions of the Vow single and solemne are of the same nature or kind albeit he that maketh the solemne Vow sinneth more grieuously The reason is because the specificall difference of actes resteth in the obiectes and seeing there is one obiect of both the Vowes to weete to keepe chastitie the actes must be of the same nature or kind howbeit the transgression of the solemne Vow shall be greater by reason of the perfecter state Thus disputeth Fryer Josepth after the opinion of other popish Doctors And doubtlesse his Discourse is euident because euery specificall difference morall aryseth of the obiectes and consequently seeing the obiect of Vow single is one and the same with the Vow solemne the difference betweene them can no way be essentiall neither can the Vow solemne dissolue Matrimonie contracted forasmuch as the Vow single beeing intrinsecally the same can not doe it Marke well the next Proposition The 11. Proposition Matrimonie euen after the solemne Vow of Religion is with our Jesuites and Iesuited Papistes very lawfull and of force so it be done by and with the Popes Dispensation This doctrine is taught by many learned Papistes Antoninus Richardus Hugo Innocentius Conarrunias Nauarius and others The same Doctrine is confirmed euen by the reall and vsuall practise of sundry Popes It may suffice in regard of breuitie to alledge one in the name of all The Popish S. Antoninus sometime the Archbyshop of Florence hath these wordes Papa dispensare potest in statuto Concilij vmuersalis de Voto solennj per prâ—fessionem etiam patet quod licet Papa non possist facere quod professus non fuit professus potest tamen facere quod non sit obligatus religâ—oni et ad votum religionis quia in omni voto intelligitur excepta authoritate Papae Infra et communiter Canonistae tenent quod Papa potest dispensare in voto solenni religionis non quidem tantum vt sit religiosus et non seruet vota sed de religioso potest facere laicum ex magna causa vrgente The Pope can dispense in the Decrees of a Generall Councell It is also cleare that he can dispense in a solemne Vow of profession For albeit the Pope can not make a professed person not to haue been professed yet can hee this doe that the professed person shall neither be bound to his Religion nor to his Vow because we must vnderstand that in euery Vow the Popes authoritie is excepted And the Canonistes doe commonly hold that the Pope can dispense in the solemne Vow of Religion not onely that one be still a Religious person and keepe not his Vow but hee can also make of a Religious person a meere Lay-man vpon an vrgent cause To this Popish canonized Saint and famous Arch-byshoppe let it not grieue our M. Fryer if I adde the worthy testimonie of their famous Popish Canonist and great Diuine Martinus Nauarrus his wordes are these Papa dispensare potest cum Monacho iam professo vt contrabat matrimonium imo de facto multj Papae dispensarunt Loe the Pope when it pleaseth his Holynesse can make of Monkes meere Lay-men he can also make Monkes to continue Monkes still and for all that not to keepe their Vowes Yea how soeuer his Iesuites and Iesuited Popelinges cry out against the Marriage of Priestes yet can hee make the Marriage of Monkes and a fortiorj the Marriage of secular Priestes to be lawfull Marriage euen with his bare word I will say nothing of Couarruvias Richardus Paludanus Scotus Caietanus Josephus Angles and others for of their verdictes the Reader may find great plentie in my Suruay of Poperie See and marke well the fourth Proposition aforegoing Onely heere by the way I would tell our holy Father if it would please him to heare me that seeing he can with his word make the Marriage of Priestes lawfull it were good he should doe it for that which hee may read in the next Proposition The 12. Proposition The forced and coacted Chastitie of Priestes hath been such so intollerable euen by the confession of the best learned Papistes as nothing in the whole world hath brought more shame to Priesthood more harme to Religion more griefe to godly men The great famous Popish Cardinall Panormitanus doth prooue this Proposition so learnedly and with such Christian grauitie as it being well marked is able to confound all Papistes in the world these are his expresse wordes Continentia non est in Clericis secularibus de substantia ordinis nec de iure Diuino quia alias Graeci peccarent nec excusaret eos consuetudo Sequitur et non solum credo potestatem messe Ecclesiae hoc condendi sed credo pro bono et salute esset animarum quod esset salubre statutum vt volentes possint contrahere quia experientia docente contrarius prorsus effectus sequitur ex illa Lege continentiae cum hodie non viuant spiritualiter nec sint mundi sed maculantur illicito coitu cum eorum grauissimo peccato vbi cum propria vxore esset castitas Continencie in secular Priestes is neither of the substaunce of their Orders nor of the Law diuine For otherwise the Greekes should sinne and their Custome could not excuse them And I doe not onely beleeue that the Church can make such a Law but also that such a Law were for the good and for the saluation of soules that such as would might marrie for experience teacheth that a contrary effect followeth of that law of continencie seeing this day they liue not spiritually neither are they cleane but polluted in vnlawfull copulation with their most grieuous sinne though they might liue chastly with their owne Wiues Thus writeth learned Panormitanus the Popes famous Canonist his deare Abbot his reuerend Arch-bishop his honourable Cardinall Let vs now heare what Polydorus Virgilius a zealous learned Papist saith for hee seeing he was an Italian knew best the Italian and Romish fashion These are his expresse wordes I will neither adde to them nor take ought from them but will deale synceerely and truly though our Jesuite be farre from it not onely in this Booke but in whatsoeuer else I shall write hereafter euen vpon the perill of my soule Illud tamen dixerim tantum abfuisse vt ista coacta castitas illam coniugalem vicerit vt etiam nullius delicti crimen maius ordini dedecus plus mali religioni plus doloris omnibus bonis impresserit inusserit attulerit quam Sacerdotum libidinis labes proinde forsitan tam e republica Christiana quam ex ordinis vsu esset vt tandem aliquando ius publici matrimonij Sacerdotibus restitueretur quod illi sine infamia sanctè potius colerent quam se spurcissimè eiuscemodi
is baken in the Ouen and that is dressed in the Panne and in the frying Panne shall be the Priestes that offereth it And euery Meate offering mingled with Oyle and that is dry shall pertaine to all the sonnes of Aaron to all alike B. C. To the matter An vntrueth it is that priuate Masses were not before the time he mentioneth The twelft Councell of Toledo almost nine hundred yeares agoe reprehendeth those Priestes which offering Sacrifice did not communicate Quale illud Sacrificium c. What manner of Sacrifice is that sayth the Councell of which neither he that sacrificeth is knowen to be partaker Which wordes doe shew that none was present to communicate and yet the Councell requireth onely that the Priest himselfe doe Communicate S. Austen also recordeth how a Priest offered Sacrifice in a priuate forme for the freeing of that place from the molestation of wicked spirites In so particular and extraordinarie a place and for so particular a businesse no probabilitie that there were any other Communicantes T. B. I answere first that it is high time for our Jesuiticall Fryer to come once to the matter whose custome is seldome or neuer to be occupied in that honest kind of dealing Secondly that the Councell doth not so much as once name Priuat Masse much lesse doth it approoue the same Thirdly that if priuate Masse had then been vsed in some odde Churches yet would not that serue the Fryers turne The reason is at hand because that which commeth almost 700. yeares after Christ must needes be the New religion To that of S. Austen the same answere is correspondent and our Iesuite sheweth himselfe a very silly and ridiculous disputer while hee seeketh to stablish an Article of Fayth vpon iciune and barren probabilities Fourthly that all approoued antiquitie condemneth our Iesuite with his priuate Masse In the Canons of the Apostles I find these expresse wordes Si quis Episcopus Presbyter vel Diaconus vel ex Sacerdotali catalogo facta Oblatione non coÌ„municauerit causam dicat et si probabilis fuerit veniam consequatur sin verò minus segregetur vt qui populo â—ffensionis causa sit et suspicionâ—â— dedetit aduersus eum qui obtulit tanquam non dignâ— obtulerit If any Byshop Priest or Deacon or other of the Clergie shall not Communicate in time of the Oblation let him shew the cause or if it be found reasonable let him be pardoned but if otherwise let him be excommunicate as one that hath giuen scandall and brought him into suspition which offered as if he had done amisse The Popes owne Decrees are so cleare and manifest at nothing can be more One Canon commaundeth all such to be put out of the Church as do not receiue the holy Communion these are the expresse wordes Paracta Consecratione omnes comunicent qui noluerint Ecclesiaâ—ticiâ— câ—reâ—â—liminibus Sir N. Apostoli slatuerum et suncta Romaâ—â— tinet Ecclesia Whâ—â—â— Consecration is accomplished â—â—t all that will not Communicate be put out of the Church For so the Apostles haue ordeyned and so the holy Romane Church obserueth An other Canon hath these wordes Si quis 〈◊〉 Ecclesiam Dei 〈…〉 sua auertit se a Communione sacramenti et in obseruandis ministerijs declinat constitutam regulam disciplinae istum talem proijciendum de Ecclesia Catholica esse decernimus donec panitentiam agat If any come into Gods Church and heare the holy Scriptures and superstitiously auert himselfe from the Communion of the Sacrament and in obseruing the ministeries swarue from the set Rule of discipline wee decree such a one to be excommunicate vntill he repent An other Canon hath these wordes Omnes fideles qui conueniunt in solennitatibus sacris ad Ecclesiam et scripturas Apostolorum et Euangelium audiant Qui autem non perseuerant in oratione vsque dum missa peragatur nec sanctam Communionem percipiunt velut inquietudines Ecclesiae commouenies conuenit communione priuari All the faythfull which come to the Church in the time of sacred Solemnities must heare the Scriptures of the Apostles and the Ghospell But they that doe not continue in Prayer vntill Masse be done nor receiue the holy Communion ought to be excommunicate as disquieters of the congregation S. Chrysostome is so farre from approouing priuate Masse that he calleth them impudent and wicked that beeing present doe not communicate these are his wordes Ista videlicet et nunc ad omnes nos dicit qui impudenter hic et improbè astamus Quisquis Nâ—mysteriorum consâ—rs non est impudens et improbus astat These thinges verily he now sayth to vs all which stand by impudently and wickedly For whosoeuer standeth by and doth not communicate is impudent and wicked Oh what would this holy Father say if he were this day in Rome and should see many hundredes standing by gazing and the Priest onely deuowring all He would doubtlesse tearme them most impudent and vngratious people This Subiect is plentifully disputed in my Suruey to which place I referre the Reader The 14. Chapter of Pope Martins Dispensation for the Brother to marrie his naturall Sister ALL that our Jesuite sayth in defence of Pope Martins Dispensation is plaine silence in very deed For albeit I soundly confuted the forerunner in my Booke intituled The Popes Funeraâ—l there answering to euery sentence word and syllable which B.C. in his forerunner possibly could deuise yet S. R that Learned Iesuite in his pretensed Answere to the Downefull of Poperie not able to withstand or gainesay the dint of my Authorities Argumentes and Reasons passed ouer all the same being many and of great consequence in deepe silence In like manner this Jesuite fearing to suffer shipwracke vpon the same Rocke is afraid now either to reply vpon mine Answere in the Funerall or to answer my Authors plainely named in the Triall I prooued the Question soundly and clearely in the Popes Funerall by the Authorities and plaine Testimonies of Siluester Prieras sometime Maister of the Popes sacred Pallace and a Fryer so learned that he was surnamed Absolutus Theologus of Bartholomaeus Fumus a religious dominican Fryer a famous Popish summist and a man of great Authoritie in the Holy house of popish Inquisition of Angelus de Clauasio a Papist of great learning and reputation as who was Vicar generall of the Cismontani-Minors of Cardinall Caietain the most learned Papist of that crew and of Martinus Nauarrus a singular Writer and a most famous popish Canonist This notwithstanding all the answere that can any way be extorted from the Jesuites Penne is this and no other viz. that he hath answered me in the Dolefull Knell Which answere if it be pondered seriously with all the circumstaunces thereto apperteyning is able of it selfe if nothing els could be said to ouerthrow Poperie to turne it vpside downe Marke therefore gentle Reader very attentiuely what I