very shallow reasons as any may discerne that will but read him To omit I say all this by that which hath beene sayd it is most cleere that vnder the doctrine and practice of Inuocation of Saints in the Church of Rome lyeth lurking most abominable Idolatry 76. The last principall branch of Idolatry maintayned and practised in the Church of Rome is the adoration and worshipping of the Crosse Now by the Crosse they vnderstand eyther the true Crosse of Christ together with any part or portion thereof or the picture or image of that Crosse whether it bee materiall and permanent or transeunt and formall onely Of both which this is the doctrine of the Church of Rome that not onely that Crosse whereon Christ dyed but euery picture and representation of it whether grauen or payntedâ— or expressed in the ayre with the hand and fingers is to be kissed and adored This is the position of Vasques the Iesuite and hee saith that it is the doctrine and faith of the Romane Church And the same is auouched by Bellarmine and confirmed by many arguments weake ones God wot in three whole Chapters wherein hee laboureth to prooue first that the Crosse it selfe secondly that the Image of the Crosse and thirdly that the signe of the Crosse are all to be worshipped and with what kind of worship Aquinas resolues vs in that point wheÌ„ he affirmeth that the very Crosse of Christ whereon he was crucified is to bee worshipped with diuine worship for two causes both for the representation or resemblance it hath to Christ as also for that it touched the body of Christ but the signe of the Crosse or Crucifix is to be worshipped with latria onely in the former respect And this is still the doctrine of their Church for neither is it taxed in their late editions for errour nor contradicted by any other Romish Doctor Yea a late famous Papist and a professor of Diuinitie doth plainely confirme the fame dedicating his booke to Pope Clement the eighth for he saith in playne words that they worship the Crosse with the same worship wherewith they adore Christ him selfe and that they pray vnto the Crosse as vnto him that was crucified on it and repose the hope of their saluation vpon it 77. And this is the doctrine of the Romish Synagogue at this day and their practice is correspondent thereunto for they kneele vnto the Crosse they kisse it they creepe vnto it they pray vnto it yea they repose the hope of their saluation in it as appeareth in that forme of prayer vsed in their Masse booke All haile ô Crosse our onely hope in this time of Lent doe thou increase righteousnes in good men and graunt pardon to sinners Now that this is heathenish Idolatrie may appeare by these reasons First because outward religious adoration is giuen to a piece of wood or brasse or gold or some other matter Secondly because diuine worship euen latria which Augustine saith is proper onely vnto God is giuen to a creature for such is the Crosse at the best Thirdly because they pray vnto it as vnto a liuing thing Fourthly because they repose the hope of their saluation in it And lastly because many if not all of these Reliques which are beleeued to bee fragments of Christs Crosse are false and counterfeit as hath beene shewed already In all these respects the Crosse is made an Idoll and the worshippers of it are no better then Idolaters 78. Ob. I but the Crosse touched Christ and therefore it is to bee worshipped with diuine worship R. So did the Manger wherein hee lay being an infant and the Graue wherein he was layd being dead and the Pillar whereunto he leaned being whipped and the Asse where on hee rode being in his iourney to the City yea so did the wombe of the blessed Virgine his Mother before hee was borne and yet they will not say that any of these are to bee worshipped with latria I am sure the Apostles cannot bee found to haue giuen any maner of religious worship to any of these things much lesse diuine worship though I deny not but that the true Reliques of Christ and those things that any waies pertayned vnto him were reuerenced without doubt by his friends after his departure and so farre we also willingly condescend vnto them but that any religious worship was giuen vnto theÌ„ they can neuer prooue Ob. I but the Crosse was the instrument of Christs passion and Mans redemption and the Altar of that great Sacrifice and the Ladder by which Christ ascended into heauen therefore it is to bee worshipped R. So was Iudas an instrument of Christs passion and our redemption as Saint Augustine teacheth when he saith that Iudas was elected by Christ to the end that by him hee might fulfill our redemption and so was Pilate and Caiphas yet these are not therefore to be worshipped vnlesse wee will reuiue the old heresie of the Caiâ—nians and the Marrionites And so was the Speare that let out his heart bloud which was the price of our redemption and yet they themselues doe not giue diuine worship vnto it for that cause albeit they make an Idoll of it as hath beene declared Ob. I but many mysteries are signified by the Crosse as first Christian perfection in the longitude latitude height and profunditie of it the profundity signifying faith the height hope the latitude charitie and the longitude perseuerance Secondly the effect of Christs passion the highest peece of wood signifying that heauen was opened and God pacified the lowest that was fastned in the ground that bel was emptied and the Diuell conquered the ouerthwart peece that the whole world was redeemed c. Thirdly the vniting of Iewes and Gentiles the two armes of the Crosses vnder one title representing the vnion of two people vnder one head These and diuers other mysteries are hidden vnder the Crosse therefore it is to be worshipped with diuine worship R. Suppose that all these mysteries were there to be coÌ„ceiued yet to say that therefore it is to be worshipped is a silly reason and scarce befitting the learning of Bellarmine for by the same argument all their Sacraments and many other things should be worshipped with diuine worship Ob. I but the Crosse was miraculously found out by Helena and that not before Constantines time when it might safely bee worshipped and it was reuealed to bee the true Crosse by euident miracles therefore it is to be worshipped with diuine worship R. Graunt all this to bee true which notwithstanding may probably be questioned yet that this doth not prooue that the Crosse is to bee worshipped Helenes owne example doeth shew for as Ambrose writeth Shee worshipped not the wood of the Crosse but him that hung vpon the wood because this saith he is a heathenish errour c. neither can they euer prooue that it was therefore reuealed that it might be worshipped 79. Did
dead and therefore lesse glory ascendeth vnto God by their doctrine then by ours But what doe I say lesse when indeed to giue any part of the Creators glory to the creature is vtterly to take all from the Creator for hee will haue all or none as Tertullian notably obserueth when he saith That true faith requireth this in defending the true God that whatsoeuer is his we make it onely his for so shall it bee accounted his if it bee accounted onely his by which rule the faith of the Romane Church cannot bee the true faith 12. And againe according to the second ground if to giue all the glory to God and none to our selues sauour of humility but to deuide stakes betwixt God and our selues hath a taste of pride then it must needs follow that God is more honoured by the one then by the other because by humility God is honoured and by pride dishonoured and therefore the Apostle saith that hee resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble for what cause but because the proud man seeketh his owne glory whereas the humble deuesteth himselfe of all and layeth it downe at the foote of God the proud man reioyceth in himselfe but the humble reioyceth in the Lord alone according as it is written Let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lord. Now the Romanists that magnifie free-will haue iust cause their doctrine being presupposed to be true to reioyce in themselues which is an argument of pride for whereas our Sauiour saith Without me ye can doe nothing they may say Yes something for wee can either admit or reiect thy grace by our owne power and whereas the Apostle saith Who hath separated thee what hast thou which thou hast not receiued they may say I haue separated my selfe in doing that which I was able and so made my selfe fit for grace and this power I haue not receiued from Gods speciall fauour but from my owne free will All which kinde of speeches as they are full of pride and fleshly vanity so they are stuffed with impiety and blasphemie and manifestly tend to the dispoyling of the diuine Maiestie of that glory which is onely due vnto him And therefore I conclude with two notable sayings one of S. Augustines and another of Cassander a learned Reconciliater of late time Tutiores viuimus saith the Father si totum Deo damus c. that is We liue more safely if we attribute all wholy to God and not commit our selues partly to God and partly to our selues And this is the part of a godly minded man saith the Reconciliater to attribute nothing to themselues but all to Gods grace whence it followeth that how much so euer a man giueth to grace yet in so doing hee departeth not from pietie though hee detract something from nature and freewill but when any thing is taken from Gods grace and giuen to nature which belongeth to grace that cannot be without eminent danger So that by the confession both of this learned Romanist and also of that reuerend Father our doctrine in the poynt of free-will is both more agreeable to piety and respectiue to Gods glory then theirs is and therefore in reason to be preferred before it 13. The next doctrine whereby the glorie of God is darkened and the dignitie of Christs merites blemished is their doctrine of IustificatioÌ„ which I ioyne next vnto Free-wil because their sophistry cunning in this great maine pillar of Religion cannot well be discerned they so palliate the matter with faire glosses goodly words except their opinion touching the power of Free-will be first apprehended And here before I enter into the bowels of this poynt it is to be obserued that most of them vaunt and bragge that they doe much more magnifie Christs merites by their doctrine of Iustification then we doe which how true it is the discourse following I hope shall so manifest that euery indifferent man shall be able to say truely of them as Saint Augustine said of the Donatists These are the words of men extolling the glory of man vnder the name of Christ to the abasing of the glory of Christ himselfe 14. The doctrine therfore of our Church touching the iustification of a sinner is in effect thus much That a sinner is iustified that is accepted into the fauour and loue of God not by any thing in himselfe or from himselfe but by the perfect and vnspotted righteousnes of Christ Iesus imputed vnto him by the meere mercy of God through the couenant of grace and apprehended on his behalfe by the hand of faith The reason whereof is because that which must satisfie Gods iustice and reconcile a sinner vnto him must haue these two properties first it must be of infinite weight and value to counterpoyse with the rigour of Gods iustice and secondly it must be of sufficient ability to performefull and perfect obedience to the law of God so that a perfect satisfaction bee made both in respect of the obedience which the law requireth and also of the punishment that it inflicteth Now no righteousnesse of man is thus qualified but is both imperfect and vnsufficient no not the righteousnes of Angels themselues being though excellent yet â—â—finite Creatures sauing the righteousnes of Christ Iesus onely who is both God and Man and therefore his righteousnes onely and none other is that whereby a sinner must be iustified before God 15. From this it appeareth that when we say that a man is iustified by faith our meaning is not that faith is the cause of our iustification but onely the instrument and hand to apprehend that righteousnes of Christ whereby we are iustified when we say faith alone iust fieth we meane that it alone is the instrument of our iustification because it alone layeth hold vpon the righteousnes of Christ and applyeth it to our selues not that it is euer alone but alwaies accompanyed with charity and patience and zeale and temperance and other fruites of the spirit for we hold that the true iustifying faith is euer mâ—â—re grauida bonoruÌ„ operuÌ„ as one of their own fauourites affirmeth that is full of good workes and euer anon ready to bring them forth as occasion serueth Neither doe we deny as some of them falsly slander vs though many of their chiefest Writers gaine-say their fellowes and affoord vs that fauour to speake the truth of vs but that euery one that is iustified must also be truely sanctified and that saluation is not obtained by iustification alone but by sanctification also yet wee make sanctification and good workes not to be the causes but the effects nor the roote but the fruit nor the anticedents but the necessary consequents and attendants of our Iustification And as Bellarmine truely distinguisheth to be necessary Necessitate praesentiae non efficientiae by a necessity of presence not of efficacie as if they wrought our saluation In a word
the word of God Now from hence thus I reason If the word of God written be the onely ground of faith then that Religion which will not acknowledge it dependance onely vpon the word written is not to be beleeued but to be suspected as erronious but the word written is the onely ground of faith as hath beene proued therefore that Religion which disclaymeth it dependance only vpon the word deserues iustly not to be beleeued but to be suspected as erronious And in this regard the Romish Religion though it be in our Pater noster to wit vnder the last petition Deliuer vs from euill yet it should neuer come into our Creed to repose our faith and our saluation vpon it 4. Thirdly the Scripture as it is the fountaine and foundation of true Religion So it is the rule of faith and the touchstone of doctrines and the ballance of the Sanctuarie to weigh truth and falshood in that the one may be discerned from the other This the Prophet Esay teacheth when hee calleth vs to the Law and to the Testimonie saying that if any speake not according to that word there is no light in them From which place thus I reason that whereunto we must resort in all controuersies and doubts for resolution that is the rule of faith but such is the Scripture by the testimonie of the Prophet therefore the Scripture is the rule of faith In like manner we may conclude out of S. Peter who saith that We haue a more sure word of the Prophets whereunto wee must take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place till the Day-starre arise in our hearts If the word of the Prophets was a sure direction to the Church of God before the Gospell was written then much more is the whole Scripture contayning the word of the Prophets and of the Apostles together but S. Peter affirmeth the first therefore the second must needs follow For this cause when one asked our Sauiour what hee might doe to bee saued hee referred him to the Scripture for his direction What is written how readest thou And so Abraham referreth the rich gluttons brethren to Moses and the Prophets and Christ telleth the Saduces that this was the cause of their errour because they knew not the Scriptures Out of all which Texts thus I argue If there were any other rule of faith besides the sacred Scripture our Sauiour and Saint Peter would neuer haue sent vs ouer to the Scripture alone but would haue poynted out vnto vs some other meanes but they send vs to the Scripture alone and therefore that alone is the rule and ballance of our faith 5. And this the very title and inscription of the Scripture doth intimate for why is it called Canonicall but because it containes the Canon that is the rule of faith and life The Fathers with one consent agree in this truth Saint Basil calls the Scripture Canonem recti normam veritatis The Canon of right and the rule of truth Chrysostome sayth that Assertio diuinarum legum c. The assertion of the law of God is a most exact Ballance Squire and Rule Saint Augustine calleth it Statera diuina Gods ballance or a diuine ballance these bee his words Non afferamus stateras dolosas Let vs not bring deceitfull ballances to weigh what we will and how we will saying This is heauie that is light but let vs bring that diuine ballance out of the holy Scriptures as it were out of the Lords treasurie and by it weigh all things or rather acknowledge them being weighed by the Lord. Tertullian giueth to the Scripture the same name so doth Gregory Nyssen and our Countriman venerable Bede to passe ouer all the rest as he is reported by Gratian in his decrees telleth vs in most plaine termes that In sacris literis vnica est credendi pariter viuendi regula praescripta The onely rule both of Faith and Life is prescribed vnto vs in the holy Scriptures Now if this be so as it is meere madnesse to affirme the contrary then that religion which doth refuse to be tryed by this rule and to be weighed in this ballance doth giue iust cause of suspition that it is but light stuffe and crooked ware 6. If a man should offer to his creditor a piece of gold for payment and should refuse to haue it either tryed by the touch-stone or weighed in the ballance he might iustly suspect that it was but either light or counterfeit so may any of good sense rightly suspect that religion to bee both light and counterfet which refuseth to be examined by the rule of Gods word especially which is the second branch of the first proposition if it not onely refuse to be tryed by the Scripture but also will admit no tryall nor Iudge but it selfe for as by reason wee conclude that such a man hath an euill cause in hand who in Westminster Hall refuseth to haue his matter tryed by the law and will admit no Iudge but his own opinion that man to be guilty which standing at the bar of iustice accused of some great crime denyeth to be tryed by the verdict of his Country according to the law so likewise the cause of Religion being called in question that must needs in any equall iudgement bee deemed vnsound and guilty which will not stand to the verdict and sentence of the Prophets and Apostles who are the Iury to trye all cases of conscience and of the Spirit of God speaking in the Scripture who is the onely Iudge to heare and determine all questions of doubt which may arise in matters of faith and will be censured and iudged by none but it selfe 7. Against this truth all the Romanists and especially the Iesuites and of the Iesuites chiefly Bellarmine conflict and fight with foote and horse sailes and oares tooth and naile and all they can doe for herein lyeth the very bloud and life of their Religion And if this bee wrung from them that the Scripture is the onely iudge and rule of faith Actum est de regno Pontificio The Romish kingdome goeth to wracke vtterly and therefore they mainely contend to proue first that the Scripture is not the Iudge of controuersies secondly that it is not properly the rule of faith and if it bee a Iudge it is a dumbe one that cannot speake and if it be a Rule it is a partiall and imperfect one not totall and absolute 8. These two positions Bellarmine laboureth to prooue by many sorts of Arguments first from testimonies of the Olde Testament secondly from testimonies of the New thirdly by the authority of Bishops and Emperours fourthly by the witnesse of the Fathers lastly by reason I passe ouer the foure first sorts of Arguments as being sufficiently answered by others and come to the last which are deriued from reason the slightnesse whereof doth plainely discouer the vanity of this their opinion
doctrine and practice that the Church of Rome by worshipping of Images is guilty of heathenish and abominable Idolatry 27. Concerning the Reliques of our Sauiour Christ and the Saints whereof their Church hath infinite numbers there is no lesse Idolatry committed to them then was before vnto Images For first some of them confesse that Reliquiae eodem modo atque imagines sunt adorandae Reliques are to bee worshipped after the same manner as Images And therefore if there be Idolatrie in the one it must also be needs in the other for whether the worship be not to be restrained to the Image and Relique but to be referred to the things whereof they are representations and parts as the forenamed Iesuite thinkes with some other or whether it is to be confined to the matter of the Relique and forme of the Image without further relation as Bonauenture Aquinas yea and Bellarmine himselfe with many other seeme to auerre yet it is Idolatry both waies because in both religious worship is giuen to the Creatures in the one simply in the other respectiuely which indeed some what qualifieth the heate of the disease but doth not at all cure the roote of it 28. Secondly others are of opinion that there is greater cause of worshipping Reliques then Images for say they a man cannot worship an Image but his thoughts must needs be caried vp to the contemplation of him whose Image it is but reliquia solùm adorantur ratione contactus quo sunt quodammodo sanctificatae consecratae Reliques are to be worshipped onely in respect of their touching of Christ or the Saints by which they are after a sort sanctified and consecrated and therefore they may be worshipped simply by themselues by reason of that sanctification without Christ or the Saint of whom they are said to be sanctified Here the former qualification for Images is taken away from Reliques and therefore the Idolatry is more grosse yea in regard of this contaction some of them are not ashamed to say that the very wormes of the bodies of the dead are to be worshipped with a right intention and with a sincere faith Thirdly not to stand vpon priuate opinions the determination of their representatiue Church the Councill of Trent doth proue the worshipping of Reliques to be Idolatry for it doth not onely condemne those which refuse to giue worship and honour to them in any respect but euen those also which opis impetrandae causa To obtaine helpe by them doenot honour them Now hence thus I reason to put our trust and confidence in any creature is Idolatry but to seeke for helpe at the Reliques of Saints is to repose trust and confidence in creatures therefore by necessary consequence the worship of Reliques is Idolatry because thereby they seeke for helpe and so the Church of Rome is by the sentence of their owne Councill guilty of this foule sinne and this Councill of theirs is guilty before God and man of protecting maintaining and authorizing the same a farre greater guilt then the former by how much according to the rules of Law the Author of a sinne is euer more guilty then the Actor 21. Fourthly their practice doth make this more euident for as Cassander ingeniously confesseth In these last times too much is attributed to the Reliques and memories of Saints in so much as the better sort of men and those that were most zealous haue placed the summe and substance as it were of Religion in searching out such Reliques adorning them with gold and Iewels and building temples and memorials for them and the worser and wickeder sort haue reposed false confidence in the foolish and superfluous worshipping of them Here we sâ—e the practice both of the better and the worser sort of people that is indeed of all for the most part in the worship of Reliques the one esteeming it the chiefest part of Religion and piety and the other relying wholly vpon it as the onely meanes for the purging away their sinnes and so an occasion to harten them in the same because they thinke as long as they performe this dutie they may sinne freely If any man say that the ignorance and misdoings of some is not to bee imputed as an errour to the Church I answer that it is not some but all generally for the most part that are thus affected and therefore Cassander condemnes both good and bad as guilty of this crime But graunt that many are otherwise minded yet for all that it cannot be denied but the greater part are in this ranke and that is inough to proue their Church Idolatrous because according to the Logicall axiome euery denomination is to be taken from the greater part neither is it a personall errour but a dogmaticall position deriued from the grounds of their Religion as from the Councill of Trent which alloweth to worship them Opis impetrandae causa for to obta ne helpe of them and from the rest of their great Diuines Some of whom would haue them to bee worshipped with the same worship with Images some with a greater reuerence then Images ob contactum and they that mince it finest with a religious reuerence which they call adoration and veneration in all which is that in a sort either openly or couertly allowed by their doctrine which is practised by their people 30. But let vs search a little further into their practice The custome of the Church of Rome is to take the bodies ashes or bones of Saints out of their graues and to adorne them with gold and siluer silke veluet and such like and to carry them about in publike processions and supplications and to shew them to the people to be touched kissed gazed vpon and adored as a singular and meritorious seruice to God is not this Idolatry They teach that God doth tye his grace and vertue to those Reliques whereof they are partakers that adore them with due reuerence and offer precious gifts vnto them yea they promise vnto such many indulgences and Pardons for sinnes Is not this Idolatry Againe they teach that their prayers are better and more effectuall and acceptable vnto God if they bee made before the Reliques of Saints and therefore their practice is in times of necessity to goe a pilgrimage to such places where the most famous Reliques are because they are perswaded that their prayers shall bee there soonest heard of God yea they make men beleeue that the Eucharist hath a great deale of holinesse added vnto it if Reliques of Saints bee included within the Altar Is not this Idolatry They light vp candles and set vp before them Tapers which S. Ierome calleth Idolatriae insignia the Ensignes of Idolatry and cause them to burne euen at noone day and that as they say in resemblance of the golden candlesticke which alwayes burnt before the Arke Exod. 2. 5. but indeede rather in imitation of the heathen who vsed to burne Tapers
euer any man read more pittifull arguments the rest which â—ee vseth are all of the same stampe Ob. I but a Crucifix is like vnto Christ saith hee therefore it iâ—to bee worshipped with latria R. But the Virgin his Mother was more like to him and yet they giue not vnto her so high a worship Ob. I but the Fathers held the Crosse in great reuerence and the Image of the Crosse and worshipped them R. True they reuerenced them and held them in great estimation but yet there was no worship giuen vnto them vntill neere 400. yeeres after Christ About that time began this superstition for in Saint Ambrose time it was not crept in as appeareth by that testimony before alledged not in Arnobius time who plainely affirmeth that they did not worship Crosses Againe those Fathers that did adore them did not worship the Crosse or the Crucifix but him that hung vpon the Crosse as may appeare by Hieroms testimony concerning Paulae who saith that shee falling prostrate before the Crosse worshipped as if shee had seene the Lord there hanging before her by which it is playne that she worshipped not the Crosse but the Lord. And Ambrose also witnesseth the same when he calleth it an heathenish errour and the vanitie of wickedmen to worship the Crosse But the Romanists teach that the Crosse it selfe and the Crucifix are to be worshipped and that with the highest worship Ob. I but many and strange miracles haue beene wrought by the signe of the Crosse therefore it is to bee worshipped R. The argument is naught for if euery worker of miracles should be worshipped with diuine adoration then all the Apostles might challenge this honour vnto them So might Iannes and Iambres that resisted Moses Yea so might Antichrist himselfe for his comming is with lying signes and wonders lying not onely in respect of their substance which is sometimes counterfeit but also in respect of the end which is to seduce when the miracle for substance may bee true and this is both Saint Chrystostomes and Saint Augustines exposition of that place besides the myracles that were done at or before this signe were effected by the power of the faith and inuocation of Christ crucified and not by the bare signe of the Crosse as most of the Fathers confesse and all of them doe secretly insinuate And therefore the signing of themselues with the Crosse was a secret kinde of inuocation of Christ crucified as Bellarmine himselfe acknowledgeth And thus it followeth that those myracles which they talke of as the driuing away of Diuels and ouercomming mortall enemies and such like are not to be ascribed to the signe of the Crosse but to inuocation and prayer and faith in Christ crucified 80. Ob. I but the Apostle Paul saith God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing but inthe Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ and He tooke the handwriting that was against vs and nayled it on his Crosse and he set all things at peace through the bloud of his Crosse c. therefore it is to be worshipped R. The consequent of this arguments as good as the former for how can it follow that because the Crosse was the instrument of our redemption therefore it should be adored The weaknes of this sequell is before discouered Besides by the Crosse is vnderstood most commonly in the Scripture eyther the whole worke of Christs passion or afflictions and persecutions for Christs sake neyther of which especially the latter are to be adored with diuine adoration In a word there is nothing they can alledge that doth carry with it any shew of sound reason to hide the shame of their Church in this open Idolatrie and yet they labour tooth and nayle for it but they profite but a little 81. Wee confesse that there was a holy and commendable vse of the transcant signe of the Crosse in the primitiue Church to wit as a badge of Christian profession to signifie that they were not ashamed of their crucified God which the heathen and wicked Iewes vsed to cast in their teeth and so of the permanent Crosse erected in publike places to be as it were a trophee and monument of the exaltation of him that dyed on the Crosse But now Popery hath turned this laudable vse of the Crosse into Paganish abomination and hath giuen to it that honour which belonged to him that dyed vpon the Crosse and therefore wee most iustly accuse them of fouâ—e Idolatrie and finde them guilty without all controuersie and that not onely in thâ—s last enditement touching the Crosse but also in the foure former heads And therefore the conclusion is by necessary consequence most firme and true that seeing the Church of Rome is thus many wayes guiltie of Idolatry therefore it is to bee abandoned and forsaken and that religion which maintayneth this impiety worthily to be abhorred MOTIVE VIII That Religion which implyeth manifold contradiction in it selfe and is contrary to it selfe in many things cannot be the true Religion but such is the Religion of the Church of Rome ergo c. 1. IT is an old saying and true Oportet mendacem esse memorem It behooueth a lyar to haue a good memory lest he crosse himselfe in his tale and so discouer his falshood This saying is verified in our Aduersaries the Romanists whose Religion being nothing else but a bundle of lyes and a hotch-potch of olde heresies crosseth it selfe in many substantiall poynts and thereby reuealeth the manifold errours and falsities that lurke in the bosome thereof That this is true the discourse ensuing thereof I hope shall make so manifest that they themselues shall not be able to gainfay it 2. The Maior proposition in this argument is of such euident verity that by no shew of reason it can possibly be contradicted considering that truth is alwayes and in euery part like to it selfe and agreeing consenting and conspiring with it selfe as a perfect body wherein there is such a sweet harmony of all the members that one is not contrary to another but all tend to one and the same end and vnite their forces together for the good of the whole for which cause the Orator defineth truth to bee that which is simple and syncere And the Poet saith that it seeketh no corners To which Saint Bernard alluding thus writeth Non amat veritas angulos non ei diuersoria placent in medio stat c. i. It loueth no corners by-wayes doe not please it it standeth in the miast And therefore the Ancients in their Hierogliphicks represented truth by the picture of the Sunne not onely in respect of the puritie and clarity of it but also in respect of the simplicitie and vnitie Duplicia enim multiplicia sunt veritati contraria i Duplicity and multiplicity are contrary to verity But falsity errour and lying is full of doubtings windings and contrarieties like a dreame in the night
Rome were not the whore of Babylon she would blush that any such imputation should iustly be laid vnto her charge 24. These bee the Romish doctrines which directly and naturally ingender and maintaine ignorance and therefore no maruaile if a flood of ignorance doth ouer-flow the field of their Church seeing it bursteth forth by so many spowts Let vs take a view therefore a little of the effects and fruits of these doctrines both in the Clergie and the people Touching the ignorance of the Romish Clergie what it hath beene in former ages and is yet at this day though the Iesuites bragge neuer so much of their new learning and labour to wipe away that staine from their faces let their owne writers speake Platina the Popes Secretary thus complaineth of the horrible corruption and ignorance of the Priests in his dayes Quanta sit auaritia Sacerdotum c. How great is the couetousnesse of Priests sayth he and especially of those that bee in chiefest authority how great leachery how great ambition and pompe how great pride and idlenesse how great ignorance both of themselues and Christian doctrine how little Religion c I need not declare when they themselues doe so openly proclaime it as though they sought praise thereby This complaint hee maketh in the life of Marcellus the first and the like in Denis the first Boniface the fift Stephen the third and Gregory the fourth The like complaint or worse maketh one Bredenbachius Deane of the Church of Mentz in Germany in the time of Charles the fourth and yeere of our Lord 1370. The Law saith he is departed from Priests Counsell from the Elders Charity from Prelates Religion from Monks Discipline from Clerks Learning from teachers Study from Schollers c. and in the end he bursteth foorth into this exclamation O times ô manners most trouble some and miserable times reprobate and wicked manners both of Clergie and people Mathew Paris saith that in the time of William the Conqueror Clerks were so vnlearned in England that such that vnderstood their Grammar were a wonderment to their fellowes And for Italy Espensaeus a learned Bishop faith that it was told him by an Italian Bishop that his Countrymen did not studie the Scriptures but the Ciuill and Canon Lawes because that was the shortest â—ut to Bishopricks Cardinalships and highest dignities on earth Touching Spaine thus complaineth Aluarus Pelagius that the Bishops there committed thousands of soules to some young Nephewes of theirs to whom a man would bee loth to commit two peares to be kept And for Germanie let vs heare their owne complaint that most vsually Bishops aduanced to the Order of Priesthood vnlearned Idiots vnfit vile and ridiculous persons The like might bee showne in all other Countries but this is sufficient for a taste of the miserable ignorance of the Romish Clergie deriued from their owne confession 25. And therefore we neede not wonder when we read of many Popes that were vtterly vnlearned euen so farre that they knew not the Grammar as that Pope that said as it is reported Fiatur in stead of Fiat and being told that it was false Latine answered that in spight of Priscian and all Grammarians it should be euer after canonized for true Latine Or that Pope to wit Gregory the sixth who being ignorant of Latine was faine to haue another consecrated with him to helpe to say Masse Or that Pope to wit Zachary that condemned Virgilius a Bishop of Germany for saying there were Antipodes Or Paul the second that determined all them to bee Heretikes that named the word Academy Or Bennet the ninth who when hee was made Pope was a childe about ten yeeres old and therefore could not haue any great store of wisedome in him at those yeeres And if Popes haue beene thus ignorant which are the heads of the Church no maruell if Cardinalls which are the necke and Archbishops and Bishops which are the shoulders and Priests and Fryers which are but the armes and legges bee voyd of all vnderstanding for how can the members bee wise if the head be a foole And therefore when wee read that Lois Marsilius an Augustinian Fryer being asked what the two strops of the Bishops Miter signified answered that they represented that the Bishop neuer vnderstood the Old nor the New Testament We haue no cause to wonder at it neyther when that we read that a certain Priest was of this mind that whatsoeuer was in print was as true as the Gospell Nor when we heare another of them fishing the Virgine Maries name out of the first Chapter of Genesis where it is written that God called the gathering together of the waters Maria c. Nor another that prooued our Sauiour Christ to take away the sinne of the world because the word Iesus was written in Hebrew with the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin in the midst But what need I insist in particulars seeing this was one of the rules of a whole Order called the Franciscane or Minorite Fryers â— Nescientes non curent discere literas Let not the ignorant regard to know letters Of which rule they euer were most obseruant from whence springs that elegant Epigramme Cauisti bene tu ne te vlla occidere possit Litera nam nulla est litera not a tibi That is in English thus Preuented well thou hast the letter that doth kill For not a letter wilt thou learne to stop this ill 26. Now then let their Bozius vpbrayd vnto vs the ignorance of all Arts and bragge of their Iesuites learning aboue all others And let their Posseuine and Grester and Tanner doe the same yet they shall neuer shew a whole Order amongst vs and that of Clergie men that make a profession of Ignorance As for the eminence of the Iesuites learning whereof they bragge so much we enuy it not vnto them so that they will not make themselues the onely engrossers of learning but suffer vs poore men to retayle some part with them with whom we may boldly say that for number and quality we haue them that are euery way equall if not superiour vnto them 27. But to leaue their Clergie and come to the multitude of their Lay people which are they indeede amongst whom we may see the true fruit of these their doctrines It is both strange and lamentable to behold the prodigious ignorance of most both men and women that liue vnder Popery and haue receiued the marke of the Beast on their foreheads for as the Priests teach so the people follow like a flocke of sheepe following their Belweather the one commending ignorance the other imbracing it with all their hearts Some of their owne Writers affirme that the Common people for the most part amongst them knew not the Articles of the faith and if they knew not the Articles of the faith how can they giue a reason of them which Saint Peter requireth of
weeping eyes acknowledged with what vniust and slanderous reproches he had loaden Caluine and that all which hee had written of him to his disgrace was false and vntrue now what Bolseck did against Caluine wee haue iust cause to thinke to hane beene the practice of the others against the rest of the fore-named godly men and all other of our profession knowing that old Prouerbe to bee true that though the wound of a mans good name be healed yet a scarre will euer remaine Let this suffice touching their personall slaunders though much more might bee added for their malice in this kinde is of an vnlimitable extent 44. Secondly they calumniate our gouernment and that which two notable false accusations first of vniustice both in the substance of the Lawes enacted against them and secondly of cruelty in the execution of the same Lawes but it is an easie matter to discouer their slanders and to iustifie our state from both these imputations for touching our Lawes first of all they are of that nature that except they will condemne all the statute Lawes that euer were made either in this or any other common wealth they cannot condemne them of iniustice they were not made in a corner or deuised by the braine of any Licurgus Solon or Numa Pompilius pretending the conference and counsell of some diuine power to gaine authority vnto them but by the whole state of the kingdome assembled in Parliament the Lords spirituall and temporall with the Commons a select company gathered out of the wisest sagest and discretest persons of the whole land and that which is the happinesse of this kingdome aboue others not rashly or suddenly but after mature and graue deliberation neither by the Prince alone without his subiects nor the subiects alone without their Prince but by both consenting subscribing ratifying and approouing the same Now doe they imagine any man to bee so simple as vpon their bare word to condemne Lawes thus made as vniust and not rather to condemne them as vniust slanderers and impudent sycophants that thus rage against a whole state vpon a priuat malitious spirit especially seeing no Law bee it neuer so iust doth please the humour of malefactors that would gladly liue without Law that their wickednesse might goe vnpunished for the Law Iulia could not please adulterers nor the Law Cornelia murtherers nor the Law Reminia promooters and yet these Lawes were neuer the worse for that such malefactors disliked them but they rather the more desperate for accusing the Lawes of iniustice as if a theefe condemned of a robbery should cry out that the Law was vniust by which hee was condemned so these fellowes being guilty of treason against the Prince and state haue no wayes to cloake themselues but with this out-cry the Lawes are vniust whereas they should rather keepe themselues innocent and then the Lawes would neuer take no hold of them 45. Secondly if it bee true which Thomas Aquinas sayth that then Lawes are said to bee iust first when they are made for the common good secondly when they exceed not his power that maketh them and thirdly when they haue their due forme to wit when the burthens are imposed on the subiect with a certaine equality of proportion in order to the common good then our Lawes are iust and good Lawes for they are made by full authority in Parliament they tend to the conseruation of the Kings Maiesty and whole Common-wealth in tranquillity and peace and their penalties are so proportioned that by the gentle punishment of some few the whole state is preserued 46. Thirdly they themselues were occasioners at least if not causers of those Lawes that were made against them for the Bull of Pius Quintus which came roaring into this land in the tenth yeere of Queene Elizabeth whereby the Queene was accursed and deposed and her subiects discharged of their obedience and oath was the root of all this mischiefe for it caused the first Lnw made anno 13. Elizabeth and not onely gaue occasion to it but bred recusancy in ordinary Romanists which vsed to come to Church before time and sedition and rebellion in the Priests and Iesuites and some eminent persons yea and manifold bloudy practices by treason against her Maiesties sacred person and the state These perilous effects procured other Lawes to be deuised more seuere and strict then the former against recusants seditions books Iesuites and Priests that beeing borne Englishmen should goe beyond sea and take vpon them the Romish Priesthood and so returne into these dominions to infect her loyal subiects with the poyson of their doctrine and what were the causes I pray you since his Maiesties comming to the Crowne of the reuiuing those former statutes and enlarging them in some points and of the new oath of Allegiance which hath stirred vp so many pens to write both for it and against it were not the treasonable practices of many Romish male contented persons sure it was high time to countermyne against them by some Christian politike Lawes when their malice was growen to that hight that they cared not what mischiefe they wrought so that they might worke their willes by all which it is euident that they may thanke themselues for those Lawes and not our state which were drawen vnto the making therof with vnwilling minds and more vnwillingly to their execution So that as according to the old saying Good Lawes spring out of euill manners so from the fountaine of these fearefull treasons horrible rebellions and bloudy practices sprung all these Lawes which they so calumniate 47. Fourthly the Lawes thus occasioned by their owne villany doe not run vpon them with violence but they desperatly runne vpon the point of the Lawes for if they keepe themselues at home in quiet they might enioy the liberty of their Conscience without any danger from the Lawes saue only a gentle mulct imposed vpon them for refusing to communicate with vs in the seruice of our Church and if like fugitiue children they should flee from their own naturall mother vnto a step-dame in forraine Countreyes and there receiue vpon them not onely the Character of Romish Priesthood but also into them the poyson of treason they might stay there still without any coaction from the Lawes for they were directed onely against such as beeing priested returned into their countrey to practise treason and to withdraw the peoples hearts from their obedience and reconcile them to the Church of Rome So that the Law is but like a naked sword held foorth by the hand of the state for it own defence which these desperate Priests run voluntarily vpon and kill themselues and therefore they themselues are guilty of selfe-murder and not the Law of iniustice 48. Fiftly and lastly this matter may be yet more euident all men know that there was neuer any Law hitherto enacted in this kingdome to put to death any Romanist for his Religion except hee either passed ouer the
a sinner in the acting of his sin by his powerfull prouidence and not onely foreseeth but decreeth disposeth and determineth in his wisedome all the sinnes of men according to his will and by his secret working blindeth their minds and hardneth their hearts that they cannot repent This we confesse is our doctrine if it be rightly vnderstood for we teach that God doth not barely permit sinne to be done but decreeth before to permit it and in the act worketh by it and ordereth and disposeth it to his owne ends yet so that he neither approueth of it nor is in any respect the cause of the malignity thereof and herein we consent both with the ancient Fathers and with most of their owne Doctors 69. Touching the Fathers Saint Augustine shall be the mouâ—h of all the rest thus writeth he Sinne could not be done if God doth not suffer it and he doth not suffer it against but with his will and being good as he is he would neuer suffer any thing to be ill done but that being also Almightie he can do well of that which is euill And in the next Chapter God doth fulfill the good purposes of his owne by the euill purposes of euill men And in another place God doth worke in the hardening of the wicked not onely by his permission and patience but also by his power and action through his mightie prouidence but yet most wise and iust And in another place Who may not tremble at these iudgements where God doth worke in the hearts of wicked men whatsoeuer he will rendring to them notwithstanding according to their deserts And againe in another place As God is a most holy Creator of good natures so hee is a most righteous disposer of euill wills that whereas those euill wills doe ill vse good natures he on the other side may well vse the euill wills themselues Thus Augustine is our Patrone in this Doctrine and if we be Heretikes he is one too 70. But let vs heare their owne Doctours speake When God doth good and permitteth euill sayth Hugo his will appeareth seeing he willeth that which should be both which he doth and which he permitteth both his operation and his permission are his will God worketh many things sayth Pererius within him that is hardened by which he is made worse through his owne fault he stirreth vp diuers motions either of hope or feare lust or anger and sendeth in diuers doubtfull and perplexed imaginations by which he is pusht forth vnto euill A sinner saith Medina when he sinneth doth against the will and law of God in one case and in another not he doth indeed against his signified will but against the will of his good pleasure he doth not nor against his effectuall ordination No sinne falleth out besides the will and intention of God say Mayer Durand Aquinas and other God sayth Canus is the naturall cause of all motions yea euen in euill men but not the morall cause for he neither counselleth nor commandeth euill Lastly to conclude with two famous Iesuits Vega and Suarez the first sayth that though God doth not command counsell approue or reward sinne yet he doth will and worke it together with vs and the second that God worketh the act of sinne but not the malice thereof This is the very doctrine of Caluine and Martir and all Protestants so that if wee be guilty of this blasphemous consequence to make God the author of sinne they also must needs be in the same case but Saint Augustines distinction will cleere vs both When God deliuered his Sonne and Iudas his Master to be crucified why is God iust and man guilty sayth he but because though the thing was the same which they did yet the cause was not the same for which they did it or if this distinction will not suffice their owne Iesuites will helpe vs out In sinne there are two things to be considered sayth Vasques the act and defect the act is to be referred to God but not the defect in any case which ariseth from the corrupt will of man or the act and the malignity thereof as sayth another Iesuite or the materiall part of sinne which is called by the Schoolemen subiectum substratum the vnder-laide subiect and the formall which is the prauity and anomy of the action the one of these from God the other from man or lastly if none of these will serue the turne yet our owne distinction will acquire vs to wit that Almighty God doth so will decree mans sin not as it is sin but as it is his owne iust iudgement vpon sinners for their punishment and the demonstration of his iustice And thus our doctrine is free from the conception of this vile Monster their calumniation is as vnrighteous against vs as the dealing of God about the sins of men is most righteous and iust And thus those some what too harsh sayings I contesse of Luther Swinglius and Melancthon are to bee vnderstood and no otherwise that the treason of Iudas came from God aswell as the conuersion of Paul charity will construe the wordes according to the speakers intendement and not stretch their intendement to the strict tenter of euery word and syllable 71. Fourthly they accuse vs of blasphemy against the Sonne of God for denying as they say that hee is Deus ex Deo God of God against the doctrine of the Nicene Creed and this they call the Atheisme of Caluine and Beza a palpable slander for neither Caluine nor Beza did euer imagine much lesse vtter the same in that sense which they lay to their charges for let Bellarmine their sworne aduersarie speake for them Caluine and Beza teach sayth he that the Sonne is of himselfe in respect of his essence but not in respect of his person and they seeme to say that the essence of the Deity in Christ is not begotten but is of it selfe which opinion sayth he I see not why it may not be called Catholike Heere Bellarmine telleth vs truely what their opinion was and doth acknowledge it to be a true Catholike doctrine and yet in the same Chapter hee contemneth Caluine for his manner of speaking of it and of intolerable saucinesse for finding fault with the harshnes of the phrase vsed by the Nicene Councill God of God Light of light Marke I pray you his absurdity it is Catholike and yet it may not bee spoken it is true and yet it is to be blamed May not a Catholike doctrine bee spoken then or must the truth bee smothered This is such an inconsequence as neither reason nor Religion can any wayes beare withall and for his saucy dealing with the Nicene Councill all that euer he sayth is that it is durum dictum a hard phrase yet so that hee confesseth it may receiue a good and commodious interpretation if it be vnderstood in the concrete that Christ who is God is of the