a Dispensation Item a wilful Murtherer in which rank they are not placed that disclose an Heretick to the Inquisition for to put him to death nor those that carry wood for to burn him nor that man that gives a woman a Potion to drink for to kill a Child in her Womb as the same Jesuit there teacheth A married man is not admitted to any Order but he that whoreth or keeps at home a Concubine or more may be a Priest and perform the Functions belonging thereunto as Pope Innocent the third doth define in the Title de Bigamis And thereupon the Gloss of the Doctors addeth Whoredom hath more priviledge here than Chastity Vide the Jâ—usâ—â—s Morals yea a notorious Buggerer or Sodomite is not irregular or uncapable of holy Orders and may sing Mass as Navarrus teacheth who was the Popes Penitential and the most learned of all the Canonists 11. They hold that the Priests and all Spiritual persons ought to be rich because Saint Paul saith a Bishop must be given to Hospitality 12. That no Priest is to be deprived for Fornication 13. That Christians may be distinguished by divers Names and separated into various Professions of different Religions 14. That those Professions are the state of perfection 15. That publick exercises of Religion ought to be in an unknown Language 16. That private exercises are performed that way also in a more holy manner 17. That Kings enjoy their Kingdoms by the Popes favour 18. That the Pope hath right to give and take away and translate Kingdoms 19. That the Roman Church hath Cardinals for Sides-men to the Pope upon whom the universal Church is turned as upon hinges 20. That these are to be joined with the Pope in the Government of the universal Church and that those whether they be Bishops or Presbyters or Deacons are not only to be preferred before other Bishops Archbishops Primates Patriarchs but to be equalled even with Kings Their Errours concerning Justifying Faith 1. THat Faith hath its proper seat and place only in the understanding not in the heart and affection and that it is not an assurance or considence of the heart 2. That Faith is but a bare assent of the Mind without knowledg or understanding of that whereunto it assenteth That there is an implicit Faith which is the Faith of simple men who although they are not able to give good reason of their Belief yet it is enough for them to say they are Catholick-men and that they will live and die in that Faith which the Catholick Church doth teach Now this implicit Faith which they say is sufficient for common Catholicks is nothing else but to believe as the Church believeth though they know nothing themselves particularly 3. That it is not the property of Faith specially to apply to every Believer the Promises of God in Christ for this they boldly call presumption but generally to believe whatsoever is contained in Gods Word to be true 4. They affirm that an historical Faith a Faith of working Miracles and that Faith which justifieth are all one in substance That the Faith of Miracles differeth only from justifying Faith in an accidental quality of more fervour devotion and confident trust yea the Rhemists are more absurd that Faith say they which Saint James calls a dead Faith is notwithstanding a true Faith and the same which is called the Catholick Faith 5. That true justifying Faith may be separated from Love and other Christian vertues 6. That Faith doth not justifie as an Instrument in apprehending the Righteousness of Christ but as a proper and true cause it actually justifyeth by the dignity worthiness and meritorious work thereof 7. That Works are more principal than Faith in the matter of Justification 8. That we are said to be justified by Faith because Faith is the beginning only the foundation and root of Justification 9. That men are not justified by the only imputation of Christs Righteousness or by the Remission of sins or that we are not formally justified by the Righteousness of Christ 10. That our particular Salvation is not to be believed by Faith 11. That a man may fall away from the Faith which once truly he had and be altogether deprived of the state of Grace so that he may justly be counted among the Reprobates Their Errours concerning Repentance 1. THat Repentance which they call Penance is a Sacrament properly so called 2. That Repentance in the New-Testament is another thing from that Testament is another thing from that which it was in the old and also that in the New Testament which is after Baptism is another thing from that which is before 3. That these three are the true and proper parts of Penance Contrition Confession to the Priest and Satisfaction to God for our sins 4. Contrition which otherwise neither ought nor can be excluded from Repentance is required by our Adversaries not simply in Repentance but they teach that sins are blotted out and satisfied for by Contrition 5. They appoint a certain measure to Contrition and do teach that unless it be sufficient there is no Remission of sins granted 6. In reckoning the parts of Repentance they omit Faith and take away as it were the soul and life of true Repentance 7. That Repentance goeth before Justification by Faith and that it is a way rather unto Faith and Justification in the Remission of sins 8. That Contrition which is joined with an inward terrour of the Mind and proceedeth from the sight of our sins doth not appertain to the Law but to the Gospel 9. Some Papists affirm that in Contrition it is not necessary to have a formal that is a resolute and express purpose of newness of life but that this is always included in the detesting of sin which implicit or inclusive purpose is sufficient 10. They teach that Contrition ought to be perfect because it must proceed from the love of God which is the most perfect kind of love 11. They affirm that Contrition is a necessary means unto Justification and they make Contrition as a part of satisfaction for our sins so a cause of Justification and Remission of sins not only in disposing and preparing us thereunto but in that thereby we verily obtain and deserve Remission of our sins 12. Sâ— t li 4. 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 17. Contrition they say is not necessary for venial or small offences neither is a man bound thereunto Some think that a general Confession sufficeth for mortal sins which a man understandeth not 13. That there is a kind of Contrition that proceedeth only from the fear of punishment when a man leaveth to sin not for any love to God but only for fear of Hell 14. That it is necessary to Justification that sins all and every one as far as may be be confessed to the Priest as to a Judg. 15. That none can rightly seek for absolution at the Priests hands unless they confess particularly at least all their
Ignorance excuseth sins committed without knowing them and even those which are committed afterwards and that there are properly no sins of ignorance according to the Jesuits 16. The Papists teach that the whole Law of God may in this life be fulfilled by the Regenerate and and that some do keep it perfectly 17. That we may fulfil the Commandements of God and of the Church not only without intention but with an intent contrary and altogether criminal 18. The Jesuits enhaunse and debase as they please the Goods of this world which are the usual object or matter of sin and so nourish vice and dispense with the Law of God 19. They have found out a kind of necessity which dispenseth with the Law of God that necessity makes that lawful which is not lawful by the Law 20. That though God as a Sovereign and absolute Lord might make him suffer an eternal pain who did disobey him in a slight matter yet he could not do it as a Judg because in this quality he is obliged to proportion the punishment to the fault which is not greater than the matter of the disobedience 21. Bellar. de Justif l. 4. c. 10. Greg. Valen Tom. 1. They teach that it is not only possible for men to keep the Law of God in this life but to do more than is prescribed or commanded and that these works do make men perfect and that men of their abundance may allot unto others such works of supererogation 22. That good works are not only necessary to Salvation necessitate praesentiae because they must necessarily be present and we cannot be without thems but necessitate efficientiae they are necessary as efficient causes together with Faith of our Salvation 23. Vid. Cepaâ—in vit Gonzagaeâ— l. 3. c. 2. That a just man in his good works doth not sin but that their works are truly just without any spot or blemish of sin 24. Andrad Orth. Expl. l. 6. They hold that eternal life is bestowed for the merit of Works that Christ did merit for His not only Pardon of all faults and Grace to do all good Works but also that their Works should be meritorious of life everlasting Bayus merit operum l 3. c. 9. They make two kinds of merit meritum de congruo merit of congruity such are the preparative Works before Justification as were the Prayers and Alms-deeds of Cornelius Act. 10. which though they be not simply meritorious ex debito Justitiae by the due debt of Justice yet say they of Congruity they deserve at Gods hands because he doth gratiously accept them The other kind they call meritum de condigno merit of Condignity when the reward is justly due by debt 25. That there is a first and second Justification 26. That the Virgin Mary was without sin that she was conceived and born without original sin and lived and died without actual sin 27. Bernardini de Busti Mariale Par. 3 Serm. 3 That the Virgin Mary during the time of Christs Passion and from his Ascension into Heaven was the sole Queen Mistress and Instructer of his Church on Earth That he assumed her into Heaven Soul and Body Baronius Spondanus Fabrit Destruct Vitior fourteen years after his own Ascension as Baronius Spondanus and others testifie though they contradict each other therein both in the manner time circumstances and reality of her assumption of which there is little or no mention in any old Ecclesiastical Historians or Fathers of the Church 28. Bernard Serm. de Assumpt beatae Mariae Mich. Lochi main Serm. 6. Suraez Tom. 2. Disp 54. Sect. 6. They assert that Christ hath assumed her Soul and Body into Heaven and placed her therein far above all Orders of Saints or Angels even at his own right hand in the very Throne of the Trinity and they vow obedience to her 29. They assert that Mary vowed Virginity before the Angel Gabriel came to her with his Message They also say that the Church was in her alone when Christ died 30. That there is a place Rhem Annot. in Matt. 12. Sect. 6. commonly called Purgatory into which some of the Redeemed go after this Life as in a Prison-house where the Souls which were not fully purged in this life are there purged and cleansed by fire before they can be received into Heaven Vid John Verons Hunting of Purgatory 31. They have devised and imagined in their wandring conceit four infernal and subterrestrial places Hell Purgatory Limbus Infantium where Children remain dying without Baptism and Limbus Patrum where they say the Fathers were before Christs coming These places they distinguish three ways 1. By the situation Hell is lowest Purgatory is next Limbus Infantium in the third place Limbus Patrum uppermost 2. They differ say they in measure of punishment some of them have poenam damni poenam sensus a double punishment both of loss in that they are excluded Heaven and of pain also as Hell and Purgatory The other two Limbi are but dungeons of darkness only where they suffer no other smart or pain but are only absent from God 3. They differ in time and continuance say they Hell and the Dungeon of Children shall remain for ever but Purgatory and the Dungeon of the Fathers are temporal The one that is Limbus Patrum is many years ago dissolved and Purgatory also shall cease say they at the coming of Christ This then is their opinion that the Patriarchs and Prophets before Christs coming were not in Heaven but were kept in an infernal place of darkness yet without pain and were delivered by Christs descending into Hell 32. Bellarm. l 4. de Pontif. c. 13. That the Pope is Christs Deputy Vice-gerent and Vicar-General upon earth to whom and to whose Successors we should all give place and yield obedience 33. That the Pope cannot err Here see their shifting distinctions The Pope may err in Manners say they not in Faith alone by himself not in a Council in his Chamber not in his Consistory by way of Conference not of Conclusion in a private Letter not in a Decretal Epistle in his Palace not in the Pulpit which last is truest for he never cometh there But he that erreth in Judgment must of necessity err in his Determinations Many of the Popes have erred greatly Pope Marcellinus was an Idolater and offered Sacrifice to Jupiter and was forced by the Council of Sessa to recant it where there were three hundred Bishops assembled Liberius fell into Arrianism as Athanasius testifieth The like did Pope Foelix as Saint Hierom writeth Vide Willet Controv. 4. Pope Honorius was a Monothelite holding Christ had but one Will and so but one Nature for the which he was condemned in three General Councils Innocent the first made both Baptism and the Eucharist necessary for the Salvation of Infants the latter of these was condemned by the Council of Trent Pope Stephen the sixth abolished all the
multitude of people that have received the Romish Faith and their Church say they hath replenished the greatest part of the world They would prove this by the Propagation of the Church in the Apostles time in Tertullian Irenaeus Hierom Augustine yea and afterward in Gregories days yea and now also besides many great Countries in Europe they have their Church in India America and the unknown parts of the world saith Bellarmine But the truth is not always to be measured by the judgment or opinion of the multitude The greatest part is not the best Christ calleth his Flock a little Flock Besides the Papists have nothing to do with the Church that was propagated in the Apostles time nor for the space of five or six hundred years after Christ and the most of their Errours are more lately sprung up than so The Popes Jurisdiction in Europe is much diminished And for the Indians and Americans it is well known what cruelty the Spaniards used to win that simple people to Christ as Benzo the Italian hath related it and there are few or none of their Popish Catholicks in those Countries but of their own brood that have been sent thither Universality unless it be joyned with verity is no sufficient note of the Church saith Mr. Fox Of Succession THey boast much of the long and perpetual Succession of their Popes from the Apostles for the space of these 1500 years and more condemning all Churches which cannot shew the like order of Succession But the Bishops of the Churches of Antioch and Rome and Alexandria boast themselves to be Successors of Saint Peter and yet are dissenting and separate in Communion The Bishops of Constantinople fetch their Succession from the Apostle Saint Andrew as Nicephorus goeth about to prove in the eighth Book of his Chronology Chapter 6. yet these Bishops by the Judgment of the Roman Church are Schismaticks and Hereticks Whence it appears that the Succession of Chairs cannot be a fit mark for the true Church since it is found in Heretical Churches In the Papal See some Schisms have been and divers times many Popes together excommunicating one another and reciprocally calling one another Antichrist and of those Antichrists the worst commonly overcame So according to the very Canons of the Roman Church factions and corruptions in the creation of Popes have frequently made their election void and therefore have broken the thread of that Succession Of Unity THe Papists boast much of Unity Flac. Ilyric but it is without ground of truth and yet they have many Dissentions Illyricus hath written a Book to the purpose concerning the several Sects and Divisions amongst them The Scotists and Thomists differ about meritum condigni congrui about Original sin in the Virgin Mary about a solemn Vow and a single life Great Differences there are between their Canonists and School-men Albertus Pius dissented from Cajetan Thomas from Lombard Scotus from Aquinas Occam from Scotu Alliancenses from Occam The first Nicene Council allowed Priests Marriage and the Communion in both kinds The Councils of Basil and Constance forbad the Laity the use of the Cup the same Councils decreed likewise that the Pope should be subject to General Councils Many Antipopes have there been at one and the same time Much also might be said of the great Diversity of their Monks and Friers in their Food Habits Shaving and the like Various are their Opinions likewise touching the Controversie of the Sacrament The Papists are very Schismatical engrossing the Title of Catholicks whereby they would imply both truth of Doctrine and universality of Consent to be found only with them but as one well observeth upon no better grounds than the Turks arrogate the Title of Mussulmannâ— that is Crocks Hypâ—â—â— Orthodox and Iâ—annâ— that is at Unity It is not their number that excuseth them from Schism no more than the revolt of the ten Tribes from the house of David could make the two Tribes that clave to it guilty of that rent and themselves to be innocent Unity must be in the truth else the saying of Nazianzen will take place Better is Discord bringing Light Greg. Nazianz Orat 1. de â—â—ace Than Vnity without all right Though Popery appear to have in it Unity yet the same is Vanity and Antichristianity and not in Christs Faith and Verity Of the Power of working Miracles BEllarmine doth greatly upbraid our Church for the defect of Miracles saying Hereticos non potuisse extorquere Miracula neque à Deo neque à Diabolo that Hereticks meaning the Protestants do neither extort Miracles from God nor from the Devil But do they take a pride that the Devil is forward in advancing their Cause and so backward to do us any kindness we will rest content with such Miracles as our Saviour and the Apostles wrought at the propagating of the Gospel but when we dissent from Christs Doctrine we will cast about for new Miracles I. A Miracle is a marvelous The pretended Miracles of Saint Francis reported by Vincentius Antâ—rine Bâ—naventure and Suâ—ius are more than marvelous sensible real Work above the vertue of natural causes wrought for good ends especially for the promoting of Gods Glory and Mans Salvation It is a work of wonder Act. 2.22 Luk. 8.25 Act. 7.30 31. So it is said of Simon Magus he continued with Philip and wondered beholding the Miracles and Signs which were done Îξίστατο he was transported beyond himself with admiration It is true many things may cause wonder which are not miraculous as 1. Other great Works 2. False and seeming Miracles wrought by the power and subtilty of Satan But here I speak of such Works as afford just cause of wonder such Works as deserve admiration from the wisest of men false Miracles are wonders in shew only II. True Miracles are sensible Works apparent to some or other of the Senses and therefore that pretended Popish Miracle of Transubstantiation is but an absurd fancy a thing denied by the Senses the Smell the Taste the Eye all with one consent say it is Bread and Wine and not Flesh and Blood When our Saviour turned Water into Wine there was a sensible change it had the colour and taste of Wine and that so evident that the Governour of the Feast preferred it above any they had drunk before When Melancton was a young Scholar at the University he heard one Lempus a Popish Doctor who would take upon him to draw a Picture of Transubstantiation and so to present a shadow of it to the Eye though it were invisible yea and impossible in it self but Melancton though he was then but a youth instead of wondering at the supposed Miracle admired the dotage and sottishness of the Doctor III. A Miracle is a true and real Work false Miracles are deceitful appearances many Popish Miracles are meer cheats of some lewd persons couzening tricks of deceitful men or wonders of lying spirits IV. True Miracles are above