their breast Againe Rom. 16. not seruing the Lord but their belly by sweet speeches they seduce the hearts of innocents 2. Cor. 11. And againe such false Apostles are craftie worke-men transfiguring themselues into the Apostles of Christ. 1. Tim 4. So vnto Timothie certaine shall depart from the faith attending to the spirits of error and doctrines of diuels speaking a lie in hypocrisie 2. Pet. 2. Further Peter They shall make merchandize of you in couetousnesse with fained words And lastly Titus 1. Paul vnto Titus Teaching the things which behooue not for filthie lucres sake By these fruits wolues are knowne vnder the garments of sheepe and heretikes vnder the title of the Ministers of the Word De vtil credendi cap. 1. Therefore Augustine defineth an Heretike thus An Heretike is he that either begetteth or followeth false and new opinions for temporall commoditie and chiefely for glorie and dominion sake For euery Heretike forsaketh the vnitie and faith of the Catholike Church either for temporall commoditie or to get the praise of his name By all which we see these words of our Sauiour explicated not by any but such a one as in all things fauoureth the Romane church to point out the right way to iudge false teachers by all which the more I duely obserued the more did I find iust cause to forsake the Church of Rome and to abandon all longer communion therewith 6 For first concerning their doctrines The Bishops of Rome haue beene authors of many false doctrines Sess 24. Can. 3. I haue found the Bishops of the Church of Rome to haue been the authors of many erronious nouelties For Pius Quartus decreed at Trent that it should be lawfull for him to allow those degrees to marrie together which God in Leuiticus had forbidden and to forbid those which God had allowed this was ex Cathedra an hereticall decree who can excuse it but this was not his heresie alone for against true faith and beliefe many Popes haue taught the like marriages Summa Angelica verbo Papa nu 1. Martine the fifth allowed one to keep in marriage his owne sister Of late yeares another Pope allowed King Henrie the eighth to marrie his brothers wife in which case of affinitie Ioannes Viguerius teacheth that the Pope hath no lawful power to dispeÌ„ce And another Pope taught Emmanuel King of Portugale to marry two sisters By which dispensations and doctrine Osor de gest Eman. lib. 2. I perceiued both heresie to be taught by Popes and to be practised Celestine Pope ordained marriage to be void Hadrian quod lib. 6. pag. 34. when either of the parties fall into herefie Pope Steuen the sixth decreed in a Councell that such as were ordained Bishops by Pope Formosus his predecessour were not lawfully ordained Sigebert chron an 902. Sigon de Reg. Jtal. lib. 6. an 896. Baron an 897. nu 6. b de consecrat d. 4. à quodam 32.77 quod proposuisti Ibid. §. sed illud Ambr. Concil Senens apud Baron an 303 nu 89. Caranza in Marcel Tom. 2. an 302. nu 102. Athanas epist ad solitar fas tem an 353. Baron an 357. num 43.44 because Formosus was an euill man which tasteth flat Donatisme Pope Nicholas decreed that to Baptise onely in the name of Christ is good Baptisme contrarie to the decrees of Gregorie and Pelagius Pope Gregorie decreed that a man might take another wife in case his wife were so diseased that she would not yeeld him the debt of mariage the which saith Gratian is contrarie to the sacred Canons and to the doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelists Marcellinus committed idolatrie and offered sacrifice to Iupiter Saturne Hercules and the Pagan gods and was thereupon examined and condemned by a Councell of three hundred Bishoppes Which storie Baronius confesseth was from the beginning beleeued with a generall consent and kept in the ancient Martirologies and Breuiaries of the Romane Church Liberius who was Pope about the yeare three hundred and fiftie fell into Arianisme subscribing to the vniust condemnation of Athanasius whereupon Athanasius fell from his communitie and himselfe as an obstinate Heretike was deposed and cast out of the Church Honorius the first that was Pope in the yeare 626. was a Monotholite Heretike whose heresie was that Christ had but one will and so withall but one nature for the which the Church condemned him in three generall Councels In which matter Caius against Pighius saith Synod 6. act 4.12.13 Synod 7. act vlt. Synod 8. act 7. How can Pighius cleare him whom Psellus Tharasius Theodorus with his Councell at Hierusalem Lâ—â— liv 〈…〉 p. â—lt Epiphanius and Pope Adrian affirme to haue beene an Heretike And Dominicus Bannes deriding Pighius calleth it a iest that now after nine hundred yeares Pighius can find all those wickednesses to be forgers 22. Pag. 91. I haue read that in the yeare 1408. in the Councell of Pâ—sa consisting of a chousand Diuines and Lawyers they were faine to depose two Popes at once Gregorie the twelfth and Benet the thirteenth â—hcodor â—â—c meas de 〈…〉 sum hist 〈◊〉 3 〈…〉 cap ◠§ 3. 〈…〉 Atten. vbi supra cap. 6. § 2. Sess 11.12 the tenours of whose depriuation cals them Notorious Scismatikes obstinate maintainers of Seism Heretikes departed from the faith scandalizing the whole Church vnworthie the Papacie cut off from the Church 〈…〉 Benet continued Pope still for all this a second Councell holden at Constance deposed him againe and declared that he had no right to the Papacie commanding all men to esteeme him as an Heretike and Scismatike The same Councell deposed also another Pope for heresie namely Iohn the three and twentieth against whom it was prooued that he held and defended as his iudgement that there is no eternall life Bian pag. 1384. Sess 34. nor no immortalitie of the soule nor resurrection of the dead Not long after the Councell of Basil deposed Eugenius the fourth See AEn Silu. qâ—aest Concil Basil lib. 2. apud Fascir expetend pag. 20. inde Declaring him to be a rebell against the sacred Canons a notable disturber and scandalizer of the peace and vnitie of the Church a Simonist a periured wretch incorrigible a Scismatike an obstinate Heretike By which exampics of Popes teaching false doctrines against faith and notable heresies I obserued the Church of Rome to haue been cleerely deciphered hauing such false prophets and teachers as Christ speaketh of easie to be discerned by the fruits of their doctrines either taught or professed or both And so this way of iudging Heretikes by their doctrine makes exceedingly against the Romane Clergie especially when I reflect vpon all the nouelties taught and confirmed euen by Popes approuing them as concerning the prohibition of Priests marriages the tolleration of the Stewes and Brothel-houses in Rome and other places adoration of the Eucharist with the worship of Latria with
the true Church of Christ and which was Gentilisme but now it is no way knowne vnto those which desire to know which is the true Church but onely by Scriptures wherefore because all these things which belongs so properly to Christ in truth heresies haue the same also in schisme Churches likewise holy Scriptures likewise Bishops likewise and other orders of Clerkes Baptisme likewise the Eucharist and all the rest lastly Christ himselfe One therefore that desireth to know which is the true Church whence shall he know it in the confusion of such likenesse but only by the Scriptures Note this likewise heretofore they were knowne by miracles who were true Christians who false How false Christians either could not do miracles as true Christians did or else they could not do such as true Christians did But now the working of miracles is altogether taken away and it is more found that false miracles are wrought by those who are false Christians as Peter according to Clement expouÌ„deth also power is to be also giuen of doing ful miracles vnto Antichrist Likewise heretofore the Church of Christ was vnderstood by their maners when the conuersation of al or most Christians was holy which was not among the wicked But now either such or worse Christians are become then Heretikes or Gentiles And moreouer greater continencie is found amongst those who liue in scisme then among Christians He therfore that will know which is the true Church of Christ whence shall he know it but only the Scriptures Note this The Lord therefore knowing that such a confusion of things should come in the last dayes he therefore commandeth that Christians who are in the Christianitie being desirous to obtaine firmenesse of the true faith should flie vnto nothing but vnto the Scriptures Note againe For otherwise if they haue regard to other things they shall be scandalized and shall perish not vnderstanding which is the true Church and by this they shall fall into the abomination of desolation which shall stand in the holy places of the Church Whereby it appeareth that the only means to find out the true Church is the canonicall Scriptures especially in these latter times to which we are now arriued 5 To our purpose also Gregorie Nissen calleth the Scriptures Other fathers Orat. de eis qui adeunt Hierosolimam A straight and inflexible rule I obserue also Saint Augustine to ioyne with the former who saith The Scripture pitcheth downe the rule of our faith De bono vid. cap. 1. And againe hee saith This controuersie depending betweene vs requireth a Iudge and let the Apostle Paul iudge with him because Christ also speaketh in his Apostle De nupt cencup ad Vater lib. 2. cap. 33. Epist 112. ad Paulin. In another place If a matter be grounded on the cleere authoritie of the holy Scripture such I meane as the Church calleth canonicall it is to be beleeued without all doubt but as for other witnesses and testimonies vpon whose credit any thing may be vrged vnto vs to belieue it it is lawful for thee either to credit or not to credit them according as thou shalt perceiue them of waight to deserue or not to deserue credit He saith besides De doctrin Christiau lib 2. cap 9. Ibid. cap. 42. All points which concerne faith and good life are found in those things which are plainly set downe in Scripture And againe in another place Whatsoeuer it be that a man learnes out of the Scripture if it be hurtfull there it is condemned if it bee profitable there it is found Tract 3. in 1. epist Ioh. Contra lit Petilian Dâ—â—at lib. 3 cap. 6 de vnit Eccles cap. 11. Againe hee saith The Church is our mother her breasts are the two Testaments of the Scripture whence she giueth her children milke Againe further If we or an Angell from heauen declare vnto you either concerning Christ or his Church any other matter or any thing belonging to our faith or life but what you haue receiued in the Legal and Euangelicall Scriptures let him be accursed The same famous Doctor likewise reuoketh from miracles to Scriptures De vnit Eccles cap. 16. saying Say not these things are so because such a one did such and such marualles but let them proue their Church by the canonicall bookes of Scripture and by nothing else These are the demonstrations of our cause these are our foundations these are our grounds whereupon we build And againe Our faith shal reele totter if the authoritie of the Scriptures stand not fast By all which according to this famous Doctor who is termed malleus haereticorum the hammer of heretikes you see this rule of faith most cleerely approued and iustified 6 Neither doe other auncient Writers swarue from the same doctrine Other fathers De error prophan relig p. 61. for Iulius Firminus sayth Let the venerable mysteries of the Prophets be opened let the credit of the holy Oracles stand by vs. Origen further sayth Hom. 1. in Ierem We must of necessitie call the Scriptures to witnesse for our sences and interpretations without them are of no credit Cyrill the Bishop of Hierusalem sayth Concerning the holy and heauenly mysteries of faith Catech. 4. pag. 15. we must not deliuer any thing though neuer so small Note this without the holy Scripture neither may we be led away with probabilities and shew of words neither yet beleeue me barely saying these things vnto you vnlesse thou also beleeue the demonstration thereof from the Scripture for the securitie of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the holy Scripture The Emperour Constantine in his speech to the Bishops of the Nicene Councell hath this memorable saying Theod Hist li. 1. c. 7. pag. 284. We haue the teaching of the holy Ghost written for the Enangelicall and Apostolike bookes and the Decrees of the old Prophets doe euidently teach vs the things that are needfull to be knowne concerning God Therefore laying aside all contention let vs out of the dinine inspired Scripture take the rersolution of those things we secke for Neither will I let my penne paste another notable saying of Saint Augustine which is diligently to bee noted saying In Io. tract 21. Some may obiect we doe rashly in discussing and searching out the wordes of God but way are they vttered if they may not be knowne Why haue they sounded if they may not be heard and why are they heard but that we should vnderstand them Thus the Ancient resolued me in the securitie of this rule 7 And not onely these Proofes of late Writers but also the moderne Writers of the Church of Rome forgetting themselues as it seemeth in their writings euen against their owne grounds about the rule of faith haue giuen me no lesse euidence for this most straight and sufficient rule of the sacred letters and Canonical bookes than the former For first their great
light of Scriptures Psal 119. vers 10.4 Psal 119. vers 18. vnto thy Lord God Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum lumen semitis meis Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path And againe Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of the Law 11 Yet thou art to haue great care that thou make not this rule longer than it is nor shorter for this is forbidden by Christ himselfe speaking against such a one saying I protest vnto euery man that heareth the words of the prophecie of this Booke Apoc. 22.18 19. if any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke and if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this prephecie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life and out of the holy Citty and from the things which are written in this Booke This fault of adding to the Books of holie scripture is very notorious in the Church of Rome as I haue duly obserued Ses 41. For the Councell of Trent addeth to the Canon of the old Testament diuers Apocriphall Books which must be beleeued as Canonicall Scriptures as namely Tobias Iudith Hester and the two bookes of the Macchabees Esdras Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus all which are learnedly proued to be Apocriphall by the right reuerend Father in God my Lords grace of Canterburie in his answer to master Doctor Hill his eight reason Num. 3. sequent the consideration whereof made me plainely conclude that heerein the Church of Rome giues great and apparent occasion for any to iudge that she erreth and consequently not to heare her voice thus vttering falshood for trueth giuing equall authoritie to the Apocriphall Bookes with the holy canonicall Scriptures CHAP. VII Containing an obseruation how the Ministerie of the true Church of Christ is the meanes of teaching the true sense and vnderstanding of Scriptures where and when it hath a visible and externall gouernement ALthough I haue cleerely discouered The externall ministe rie of the Church an ordinarie meanes to know the true sense of Scripture that the sacred Scriptures are the chiefe infallible rule of faith and most sufficient in the precedent obseruation yet could I not rest satisfied till I found also a meanes for the simple and vnlearned to ground their faith vppon because Deus vult omnes saluos fieri ad agnitionem veritatis venire God will haue all to be saued 1. Tim. 2.4 and come to the knowledge of his trueth And as well as he in the gouernment of his creatures hath his end to which he designes them so also by his wisedome he doth most prudently substitute subordinate means for the full accomplishment of such his designements now therefore how those that are neither able to reade the scriptures or though they be able haue not sufficient skill and knowledge to consider the circumstances of Texts and by the analogie of faith not learned enough to find out the true meaning of the Scriptures nor haue the gift of interpretation as many and most haue not whereupon arise many deprauations of Scriptures how such should be directed in the right vse of the rule of Scriptures in finding out the right meaning of them I thought it a matter of great weight wel to discouer and by the declaration thereof to affoord a stay to weake consciences in this behalfe In the scrious discussion of which point it pleased almightie God so to second my carefull Labours and indeuours herein as that I receiued ful satisfaction in mine owne iudgement by this conclusion namely That the most ordinary externall direction left by God especially to direct vnlearned men in the finding out of the true sense and meaning of the Scriptures is the ministerie of the true visible Church of Christ assisted by the holie Ghost and the Church in this respect is called 1. Tim. 3.15 Matt. 5.14 The pillar of truth and the ministers thereof The light of the world 2 And therefore as master Harding himselfe confesseth True vnderstanding of Scripturs only in the Church Doctor Hard. conâ—ut of the Apologie of the Church of England fol. 36. Mester Celuine admonisheth very well That it is especially to be noted that out of the Church there is no light of the sound vnderstanding of the Scriptures But the inconsiderate Doctour maketh a verie fond inference vpon this ground saying This ground being laid on which each part must sland and be tried in crow no more against vs boast your selues no more we feare not the iudgement of the holie Scriptures nay it is your selues that feare this iudgement for your owne conscience telleth you that on this ground you are the weaker side Jnstit lib. 4 cap. 8. num 7. hee forgot that master Caluine said Let this be a firme axiome That no other word of God is to be had to which place must bee giuen in the Church than what is maintained first in the Law and Prophets then in the writings of the Apostles neither is there anie way of teaching in the Church of God but by the prescript and rule of his word If master Harding had well obserued this hee would not haue made such an inference or affirmed that the Protestants feare this iudgement but rather would haue concluded as I doe That since both stand vpon the outward ministerie of the true Church let vs seeke the true Church of Christ and hauing found it The deuties of the true church then heare and follow her doctrine teaching according to Scripture and out of Scripture 3 The due obseruation whereof sheweth That the true visible Church is to represse the deprauations of Heretickes and partly to informe those that are vnlearned and to exercise euen the obedience of those that are learned and by the externall ministerie of teaching the true sence of Scriptures is to giue directions and is duetifully by her members to bee heard and followed Which assertion I find not to make either for the present Church of Rome or of Engl. or any other particular Church till it bee prooued which of them is the true Catholike Ancient and Primitiue Apostolike Church teaching the sound Doctrine of the first pure and vntainted ages whereof I am to speake in the Chapter following CHAP. VIII Containeth a fundamentall obseruation how that consormity of doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the Primitiue Church may bee a good meanes in these latter ages to know the true Church of Christ. AFter that I had thus discouered both the most sufficient rule of faith to be the canonicall and true Scriptures and the most ordinarie externall meanes to find out the true sence to be the ministerie of the true Church Antiquitie a good inducement to the true Church I could not yet giue sufficient contentment to my vnderstanding vntill such time as I had found out also
striue with him he cannot answere him one for a thousand And againe Cap. 28. How much soeuer wee sweate in good workes we doe not apprehend true cleanenesse but we imitate it And in another place he sayth Lib. vlt. Mor. c. vlt. Our euils are pure euils and the good thinges which wee beleeue wee haue cannot bee pure good thinges With which auncient Writers verie well agreeth Saint Bernard Ser. 5. de verbis Isaiae saying If our righteousnesse be humble perhaps it is right but not pure vnlesse perhaps we beleeue our selues to be better than our fathers who said no lesse truely than humbly All our righteousnesse is like a filthie polluted cloth How is it pure iustice where sinne cannot yet be wanting By all which places I was enforced to conclude the acknowledgement of the imperfection of good workes with the Church of England to be much more agreeable vnto truth and more profitable for true Christian humiliation than an ouerprizing of our workes with the Church of Rome to puffe vp soules with vaine glorie and ostentation by the which manie are most lamentably let fall into the pit of Hell Tolluntur in altum vt lapsu grauiore ruant they are lifted vp on high that their fall may be the greater 10 Againe Imperfect because they cannot iustifie to demonstrate further the imperfection of our workes the auncient Fathers are most cleare teaching that they cannot iustifie a man in the sight of God Saint Ambrose sayth But that is auailefull vnto me Ambros de vit bon li. 1. cap. 6. that we are not iustified by workes of the Law I haue not therefore whereof to glorie in my workes I haue not whereof to boast my selfe and therefore I will glorie in Christ I will not glorie because I am iust but I will glorie because I am redeemed I will not glorie because I am void of sinne but because sinnes are remitted vnto me I will not glorie because I haue beene profitable but because Christ is the aduocate for me with the Father but because the bloud of Christ is powred out for me The same learned Doctor in another place sayth Vaunt not thy selfe for being styled the Sonne of God In Luc. cap. 14. grace is to be acknowledged nature not to be vnknowne neither mayest thou boast thy selfe for seruing well for doing what thou oughtest to doe the Sunne serueth the Moone obeyeth and the vessell of Gentiles chosen of God sayth I am not worthie to be called an Apostle And elsewhere shewing himselfe not to be guiltie of sinne he addeth but in this I am not iustified Saint Augustine further sayth Tract 82. in Ioannem This is glorie towards God wherewith not man but God is glorified if he be iustified not by workes but by faith And againe In Psal 30. You are saued by grace sayth the Apostle and this not of your selues but it is the gift of God not through workes as if you did well that you might be worthie to approach thereunto not through workes least perhaps he be extolled 11 Further Imperfect because not meritorious for proofe of the imperfection of our workes I finde the auncient Fathers to affoord me matter herein teaching them not to be meritorious for Origen was auncient and yet hee said Orig. ad Rom. li. 4. c. 4. I can hardly beleeue there is any worke that may require the reward of debt Saint Chrysostome is auncient and yet hee sayth Hom. 33. in Genes If any of our workes doe follow the free vocation of God they are a retribution of debt but grace beneficencie and greatnesse of bountie are Gods gifts therefore not meritorious Saint Hilarie also sayth In Psal 51. That not the workes of iustice themselues were sufficient vnto the merit of perfect blisse vnlesse the mercie of God also in this will of righteousnesse doe not repute the vices of humane changes and motions Lib. 1. aduers Pelag. Saint Hierome sayth Now therefore wee are iust when wee confesse our selues sinners and our righteousnesse is not in proper merit but by Gods councell Lib. 4 de Ciuit. Dei cap. 20. Saint Augustine sayth Without the merits of good workes the sinner is iustified by faith and that alone De grat lib. arbitr cap. 9. And againe The Saints doe attribute nothing vnto their merits they attribute all to mercie O Lord. And againe elsewhere Wee must vnderstand that God bringeth vs to eternall life not for our merits but for his owne mercie Lib. 1. de vocat Gent. Prosper further sayth Therefore in the Parable of those that laboured in the Vineyard the same reward is giuen to the Labourers whether they labour much or little that those who haue laboured with much sweate and haue not receiued more than the last may vnderstand that they haue receiued the reward of grace and not of workes Yea and Gregorie the great Super Psal 7. Paeniten Bishop of Rome sayth It is one thing for God to reward men according to their workes and another thing to giue the reward for the workes themselues when the Scripture sayth According to our workes the qualitie of our workes is vnderstood and that the reward shall be his whose the workes are for vnto that blessed life wherein wee liue with God can no labour be compared no worke likened seeing the Apostle sayth The sufferings of this life are not worthie of the glorie of the life to come Which proofes of auncient Writers shew most clearely good workes not to be so perfect as the Church of Rome makes them and therefore I may well say with Waldensis He is to be reputed the sounder Diuine Sacrament ti 1. c. 7. p. 30. and the better Catholike and more agreeable to the Scripture that simply denieth such merit confessing that simply no man merits the kingdome of Heauen but obtaines it by the grace and free will of God that giues it 12 From all which authorities of the auncient Fathers Later writers proue the same Bernard orat 1. omn. sanct diuers wayes shewing the imperfection of our workes Saint Bernard seemed no whit to swarue saying But what can all our righteousnesse be before God Shall it not according to the Prophet be reputed as a filthie polluted cloth and if he be straightly iudged all our righteousnesse shall be found vniust and hauing too little What therefore shall be of sinnes when iustice it selfe may not answere for it selfe Therefore deuoutly crying with the Prophet Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord with all humilitie let vs haue recourse vnto mercie whihch alone can saue our soules And in another place If any be deuout if he be solicitous Bernard ser 3. de annuno Mariae if he be feruent in spirit let him take heede he trust not to his merits that he relie not vpon his workes All which though they make strongly against the doctrine of the Church of
true Catholike Church and desiring not to shew my selfe altogether ingrate vnto Gods so great mercie I haue freely decreed to consecrate and offer vp my selfe wholly vnto his diuine seruice for attaining as much as in me lieth to the end of the said Colledge and I doe promise and confirme by this mine Oath vnto Almightie God that I am and shall bee euer most ready in minde by the assistance of his holy Grace to receiue in due time holy Orders and to returne into England there to gaine soules whensoeuer the Superiour of this Colledge shall thinke good by vertue of his office to command me thereunto For the taking of so vnlawfull an Oath in such my blindnesse against the lawfull power and authoritie of the Gouernours of this Realme with contempt of their Lawes to the contrarie as also for the practise of the contents therein specified vpon false supposition of gaining soules to God whilest I drew them from God from my heart I repent me crauing pardon of God and his Maiestie with diuers others whom I haue offended and grieuously prouoked their iust indignation against me acknowledging that I may truely say vnto God with the prodigall Sonne that wasted his substance in a farre Countrie I will goe to my Father and say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee Luke 15. v. 21. I am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne If thou curteous Reader art as I was glorifie the name of God in the view of thy errours which I hope by this Treatise sufficiently to lay open vnto thee turning to God who is mild and mercifull to all true penitent sinners purposing amendment and acknowledging their sinnes and if thou art otherwise let mee intreat thee for the loue of God to giue him thankes for mee and thou thy selfe to bee constant and firme in the Faith of the present Church of England which teacheth the true Christian Apostolike and Ancient faith in which through Gods grace we may be saued CHAP. IX Containeth an obseruation of the Wonders and supposed Miracles which as Christ hath fore-told the Pseudo-Christs and Prophets shall doe for the seducing of Gods Elect if it were possible AMongst the diuers markes which Cardinall Ballarmine brings to shew vs which is the true Church Miracles make more for the Church of England than for the Church of Rome and to which societie of Christian beleeuers were ought to ioyne our selues to bee true children of Christ hee vrgeth for his eleuenth Marke the glorie of Miracles in these wordes Miracles are necessarie to perswade men to a new faith Bellarm. de notis Eccles l. 4. c. 14. in Epitome or to an extraordinarie mission and are sufficient and efficacious to proue the same so that where true Miracles are found without doubt there is the true Faith Which Assertion when I considered deepely with due obseruation of all points of doctrine concerning the working of Miracles I found this Marke to make as much for the Faith of the present English Church for that it is the same which being new in the Apostles time was confirmed in the hearts of all beleeuers by the Miracles of the Apostles and holy Men of the Primitiue Church at the first planting of the Christian Faith and hereby I am put in minde that as Aristotle saith Aristoteles Prudentis est distinguere it is the part of a prudent man to distinguish betwixt times times betwixt doctrines faithfully compare the beleeuers of the first Ages euen of Rome it selfe with those of after-ages which as I indeuoured to performe in examining this marke of miracles I obserue that vnlesse it were done with great prudence infinite numbers may bee carried simply and ignorantly into grosse errors to the great impeachment of Gods glorie and miserable seduction of their owne soules and therefore to lay downe this obseruation I thought it good to vse extraordinary diligence that therewith all I might be the more assured of truth that the world may clearely see that this pretence of Miracles maketh nothing at all for the present faith of Rome but onely against it shewing the Professours thereof not to bee true Christians 2 For albeit it be a truh not to be denied al that do miracles doe not true miracles that all true miracles can onely be done by God yet doth it not follow that all that doe miracles doe true miracles and such as are done by him for to euery true miracle foure things are required as a learned Roman Teacher affirmeth First Foure thinges required to true miracles Io. de Combis in compend Theolog verit lib. 1. ca. 20. it must be of God Secondly it must be beyond nature Thirdly it must be euident Fourthly it must be fore the corroboration of Faith Therefore if any of these foure be wanting it may bee called a Maruell but not a Miracle Therefore it is also to bee knowne that the Diuell can doe miracles though not true miracles yet such miracles as to men may seeme true miracles for Thomas Aquinas saith and that very truly out of S. Augustine That miracles by art Magicke are made Aug. lib. 83. q. 79 Tom. 4. Part. 1. q. 14. q. 4. Sed contra which are altogether like vnto those miracles which are done by the seruants of God which he explicateth dogmatically after this manner If a miracle be taken properly the Diuels cannot doe miracles nor any other creature but onely God because a miracle properly is termed that which is beyond the order of anie nature created Yet sometimes in a large sense that is called a miracle which exceedeth the faculty and vnderstanding of man and so the diuells can doe miracles which men admire in that they exceede their power and knowledge For one man when he doth any thing tha is aboue the power and knowledge of an other man he leadeth the other into an admiration of his worke that in some sort he seemeth to do a miracle Yet it is to be vnderstood that albeit such workes of Diuells which seeme miracles vnto vs reâ—ch not vnot the true nature of miracles they are notwithstanding sometimes true things As when sire fell from heauen and with one blowe consumed the familie of Iob with all the heards of his cattell and a whirlewinde ouerthrew the house Aug. 20. de Ciuitae Dei c. 19. slew his children which were the workes of Sathan were not fantasmes as Augustine saith And therefore well doth Saint augustine say in an other place speaking of the lying miracles of Antichrist as he same Doctour noteth That the workes of Antichrist may bee called signes of lying Li. 83. q. 79. to 4. eyther because hee will deceiue mortall senses by phantasmes seeming to doe that which hee doth not or because that if they bee true Prodigies yet they drawe those that shall beleeue them to a lie Hence the same Doctour Saint Augustine saieth Aug. li. 83. q. 79. a
for whereas before it is cited that he made Pope Sergius the ordainer of t is triple fraction Desancto Greg. Pap. ser 4. yet saith he in another place speaking of Greg. the great He ordained also that in the masse three parts should be made of the body of Christ to signifie that the mysticall body that is the faithful of Christ are diuided into 3. parts for that part which is put in the chalice hidden and put in the wine signifies that part which is in heauen which is hidden from all euills and is made drunk with the plenty of Gods house the other 2. parts signifie the 2. parts of the faithfull which areyet exposed to tribulations the one which in the world is exposed to much trouble the other which is in purgatory subiect to great tormēt Out of which Author by the way I obserue the great alteration made in the masse who saith that whereas the masse was first said confusedly he viz. Greg. adorned it beautifully appointed in to be sung in a threefold language to wit in the greeke as Kyrie-eleison in the hebrew as Amen and Alleluia in the latin as the rest By all which premises if I should adde herevnto the various meanings of the Priests turning one while his backe to the people another while his face Jbidem one while reading aloude as if he were chiding in an vnknowne tong otherwhile in silence as if he were asleep one while turning a half circle other while turning round the whole as if he were dancing Salingers round one while reading at the middle of the Altare then on the right end after hopping to the left like a nimble stage-plaier as I and others somtimes obserued in a quicke footed Iesuit not without smiling at such his antike gestures he did them with so ill a grace If I should adde all these the reading of thē would be too tedious yet by the former related the reader may iudge of the rest the true meaning whereof may be forged out of any priuate mans braine as he pleaseth as it appeares by the distracted senses of these already cited out of diuers Authors truely there is no man of a pious affectiō but may frame far more reuerēd ceremonies than any of these euen almost out of euery ordinary action How the Papists doe vse much to establish the doctrine of the Masse by the allegations of bastard fathers as for the antiquitie of the masses ceremonies most of them are but nouel in respect of the ancient and primitiue times of Gods church neither instituted by Christ or by any of the Apostles many of them ordained in imitation of the Roman heathenish ceremonies practised about the idolatrous worship of their false gods 7 It is strange notwithstanding very obseruable to note the frequent practise of Romish teachers in the citations of bastard Authors when by the ancient Fathers they go about to establish this doctrine of the masse in the mindes of those that are either too simple or ouer-credulous who are easie to be deceiued either by the good opinion they conceiue of them or by the long acquaintance familiar conuersation they haue long maintained but all is not gold that glisters the wolfe wil deceiue by he sheeps skin weeping Crocadils wil bite to death and sweet notes of singing Syrens drowne their hearers Euen so fares it spiritually with poore Romish Catholikes as they call thēselues when they lend their eares to the pretended antiquity the Priests will alleadge for their doctrine which especially is apparent in their proofs for the sacrifice of the masse Pag. 10. For M. Tho. Harding in his answer to M. Iewels challenge Pag. 320. as also M. Tho. Heskins in his Parliamēt do alleage Abdias bishop of Babilon who liued Ann. Dom. 44. vnder whose name there is a Book intituled The Stories of the Apostles which is iudged by Sixtus Senensis for a treatise fained vnder his name by cardinall Baro. is vtterly reiected yet M. Heskins saith For thy better confirmation gentle Reader I shal adde the testimony of Abdias Bish of Babylon Pag. 43. and a Disciple of the Apostles who writeth thus of the masse death of S. Mathew And when all had said Amen when all the Church had receiued the Masse To. 1. pag. 326. pag. 394. Abdias hist Apostol lib. 7. and the mysteries that were celebrated hee stayed himselfe that by the Altar where the body of Christ was by him consecrated there should his martirdome be solemnized These plaine words deuised and fathered vpon Abdias may iustly giue cause for men deceiued to looke about them what they beleeue not easily to beleeue all that either master Harding or master Heskins or others doe alleadge out of Antiquitie for many such counterfeit Writers are often all eadged because no better can bee found for the proofe of their false doctrine I finde likewise that Iodocus Coccius to establish the Masse citeth Clement a Bishoppe of Rome who liued in the yeare 80. as Author of the eight Bookes of Apostolicall Institutions To. 2. pag. 656. 868. To 1. pag. 117. and yet the Cardinall Baronius iudges them to be written in his name and Posseuinus the Iesuite seems to thinke it will be a hard matter to proue them to be either Apostolicall or lawfull or at the least written by Clement himselfe his words are these Turrianus hath not altogether amongst all proued or euicted those constitutions to the Apostolicall or lawfull Posseuin in Appar pag. 328. written by Clement himselfe And yet notwithstanding the Papists make no scruple to cite these bookes as most authenticall as heere Coccius doth So deale the Rhemists also to proue the sacrifice of the Masse alleaging Dionisius the Areopagit Pag. 204. who liued in the yeare 96. as Author of the celestial and ecclesiastical Hierarchy which book notwithstanding is reiected by Caietan that famous schoole-man among the Cardinals Cap. 3. as you shal find it written in Sixtus Senensis Pag. 61. So to proue the same doctrine Doctor Harding in his Reioynder against Iewels Replie of the Masse and also Cardinall Bellarmine alleage Arnobius who liued in the yeare three hundred Pag. 47. and pag 206. Tom. 3.955 as the Author of the Commentaries on all the Psalmes yet is it iudged by Sixtus Senensis by the incongruitie of the stile Pag. 262 et 201. innumberable soloecismes and barbarismes which are in it to be as farre different from his other writings as heauen is from earth and Posseuine saith of them Posseuin in Appar pag. 129. Neither are they approued by Sixtus Senensis nor by others So againe to establish the Masse Iodocus Coccius alleageth Damasus Pope of Rome Tom. 1.667 who liued in the yeare three hundred sixtie seuen as Author of the booke carrying this title of the liues of the Bishops of Rome commonly called Liber Pontificalis which booke Posseuine iudgeth to
their mindes Afterward the Councell of Basil released the decree of Constance to some as to the Bohemians and the Councell of Trent confirmed it againe Ses 21. c. 2. Whereby it is apparant that the moderne Church of Rome hath swarued in this point of faith from which it beleeued formerly and since it began to be the seat of Antichrist The most ancient Liturgies in their owne forme shew Cyril Cath. mystag 5. Liturg. Marci pag. 62. Thom. p. 3. q. 80. art 12 q. 3. Hom. 16. in nu 1 that the people receiued the wine as well as the bread And Caietane sayth This custome endured long in the Church and that they had ministring cuppes for the nonce to serue the people with wine which none will denie Origen sayth plainegly Christian people were accustomed to drinke the bloud And S. Cyprian How doe we make them fit for the cup of Martyrdome Epist. 2. if first we doe not admit them by the right of communication in the Church to drinke the cup of the Lord The same Author or another as ancient Serm. de coena Dom. in another place sayth The Law doth prohibit the eating of bloud the Gospell commaundeth that it be drunke That the Chalice also was vsed in S. Ambrose his time himselfe sheweth Apud Theod. 5. Hist 15. In 2. Malach. speaking to Theodosius With what boldnesse wilt thou partake with thy mouth the cup of precious bloud S. Hierome sayth in expresse tearmes The Priestes which make the Eucharist and distribute the bloud of the Lord to the people And Paschasius sayth Super cap. 15. Drinke ye all of this as well the ministers as the other beleeuers Apud Gratian. can Comperimus de consecrat dist 2. Gelasius sayth We finde that some receiuing onely the portion of the sacred bodie abstaine from the cup of sacred bloud Who doubtlesse because I know not by what superstition they are taught to be obliged either let them receiue the entire Sacraments or let them be expelled from the entire Sacraments because the duision of one and the same mysterie cannot be without grat sacriledge All which places doe most liuely expresse the faith and practise of the ancient Church to haue beene otherwise than it is now in the present Church 6 Is it not a lamentable thing to see Obserue well this Councell Ses 13. that the Councell of Constance confesseth That Iesus Christ instituted and administred the Sacrament vnder both kinds and that in the Primitiue Church this Sacrament was receiued by the faithfull vnder both kinds And yet against Christs institution and the practise of the Primitiue Church the same Councell most blasphemously complaineth That in some parts of the world some rashly presume that Christian people ought to receiue the Sacraments vnder both kinds and thus censures it to be presumption and rashnesse to follow Christ Of the Fathers of that Councell with the Pope himselfe I may well say Concilium inierunt vt caperent Iesum in sermone Exod. 7. But as the Serpent of Moses deuoured the Serpents of the Sorcerers so Christ will ouercome the malice and craft of such wicked counsellors It is a folly for our aduersaries to say That when Christ said Doe this in remembrance of me he spake onely to Priests for then it would follow that the lay people may be debarred of both kinds and it is as impertinently obiected that the Apostles were Priests therefore Christs Precept Drinke ye all of this belongs to Priests onely for then the Primitiue Church did amisse and S. Paule the Apostle also who deliuered the Supper to the lay people without amputation of either kind in such manner as he had receiued it of the Lord. My conclusion vpon the precedent obseruation Now therefore vpon due consideration of all the premisses finding the Church of Rome to adulterate the word of God to ouerthrow the nature of the Sacrament to goe against the doctrine of the Primitiue Church and to checke most impudently Christs owne institution cursing them that beleeue as Christ teacheth and doe as he commaundeth in drinking as well of the Cup as in eating the Bread of the Sacrament without diuision or amputation I see no ground of faith to warrant the doctrine of the Church of Rome in this case and therefore it is to be feared vnlesse God shew her the greater mercie for all her maledictions and curses to the terror of poore simple Christians shee her selfe will one day inconsolably tast of the bitter cup of Gods wrath and indignation which vpon the suddaine will be poured vpon her to her vtter ruine and destruction and shee that hath so much afflicted and tormented others will find it true that Horrendum est incidere in manus Dei viuentis It is a horrible thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God CHAP. XV. Containing an obseruation of the Pardons and Indulgences which the Peope annexeth to Crosses Graines and Meddals I Haue obserued in reading the liues of Saints a storie worth the noting of Iohn the Bishop of Hierusalem Metaph. in vita S. Epiph. Laurent Surius 12. Maeij who hauing with his honors changed also his minde being surprised with extreame couetousnesse he grew to heape vp great store of treasures beyond all reason or measure which Saint Epiphanius vnderstanding endeuoured to draw him to some liberalitie towards the poore but he who preferred his gold before all other workes of charitie cared not for the poore Epiphanius seeing this obtained of him a certaine summe more by force than by loue which he distributed amongst the poore with great ioy Few daies after the Bishop redemanded againe his money with great importunitie vnto whom Epiphanius gaue good wordes promising to repay him soone after but the Bishop was not contented but vsed him with some violence vttering iniurious speeches against him calling him impostor and cosener Epiphanius nothing troubled spit in his face wherewith instantly strucken blind he fell to the ground whereupon at length he acknowledged his fault crauing pardon Then Epiphanius shewed him into what a gulfe of couetousnesse hee was plunged putting his hand vpon his head restored him his right eye againe who praying him to restore him also his left eye the holy man refused it to the end he should be alwaies warned by that marke euer after to vse more modestie and more carefully to auoid that plague of couetousnesse In this example courteous Reader you haue a liuely representation of the Bishop of Rome his insatiable auarice now that hee is come to such temporall greatnesse in this world and consequently of the spirituall blindnesse wherewith God hath strooken him for the same not suffering him to see the light of truth but to runne head-long into diuers inextricable heresies as a iust punishment for such his greedy desires for the nouelties which are now broched in the Church of Rome were not knowne till this hateful sinne of auarice tooke
haue heard reported once by an English Gentleman that serued sometimes amongst them of a Countriman of his who fighting against the Souldiers of the Reformed Religion in the Low Countries and finding his powder so moist that with often putting match to it it would not take fire in most blasphemous manner see swore in the Spanish tongue I vow to God that this day I thinke God is become a Lutheran For in very truth if the Texts which Viguerius citeth so confidently thinking by them to ouerthrow all the Lutheranes in the world be well and rightly vnderstood you shall finde them to be of no efficacie at all and to be but match powder without fire that is Scripture and his owne sense and priuate vnderstanding without the fire of the holy Ghost without the Spirit of truth and the comfortable Master teaching all truth for the prophecie of Esay only foresheweth how Christ the Messias comming into the world should Preach the remission of sinners to all in generall and deliuerie to those that liued in the darknesse of ignorance before the comming to Christ as the Gentills who should finde mercy and truth by Christ as well as the Iewes Neither will I denie which maketh nothing for Viguerius but that the remission of sinnes and also the remission of paines due to sinne is meant by the word Indulgence the infinite guilt of sinne and the eternall paine due to sinne in hell fire both which belong to sinne being taken away by the bloud of Christ and therefore if the eternall paine why not also the temporal what reseruation did Christ make or his Apostles to shew that the ternall pain should be remitted and the temporall be reserued only for the Pope to be pardoned by means of crosses medalls graines rings knotted cords and the like childish trinkets O miserable blindnesse that cannot discerne such grosse errours and so great a prophanation of Christs merites and satisfaction Sweet Iesu open the eyes of all that are thus blinded let them see how the sacred Scriptures are foolishly misapplied wickedly wrested racked and most impiously prophaned for the supporting of Romish nouelties I will not shew how impertinently other places are applied by Bellarmine for the confirmation of the same Romish errour my designement not being to write a whole Booke of Confutations but only to point at the chief obseruations I made in diuers points of religion inducing me from Romish errors and idolatries vnto the light of truth 4 Vpon further consideration of indulgences I find also The doctriue of Romish In dulgences not ancient that as they are not established by Scriptures rightly vnderstood so neither are they supported by antiquity in the primitiue age of the Church Bellar. cites Greg. the first to haue graunted Indulgences in the dayes of stations Bellar. de sacra poenit lib. 5. ca. 3 in 4. dist 20. q. 1 artic 3 quast 2. Alt. sum Theol. tract 6. ca. 9. for proofe wherof he citeth Thomas Aquinas and Altisiodorensis who was before Thomas hee citeth also Leo the third who as S. Lugderus writeth at Aquisgraue in the Pallace dedicated a Church to the blessed virgin Mary enduing the same Church with many indulgences He citeth besides Sergius the second about the yeere 844. who graunted indulgences of three yeares and of three Quadrigenaries vnto those that should visite the Church of S. Martin vpon the mountaine Spist de sanct Suuiberto apud Sur. tom 2 post S. Suuibert vpon the feast of the same Church He citeth likewise Vrban the second to haue graunted a plenary indulgence to those that went to the holy warres Hee citeth also Martine the fift to huae graunted a plenarie indulgence And the Councell of Trent to haue approued also the vse of Indulgences Amongst all which cited by Bellarmine Pope Gregorie the first liued in the sixt centurie Pope Leo the third who was successour to Pope Adrian the first liued in the eight centurie Sergius the second successor to Gregory the fourth liued in the ninth century Vrban the second successor to Victor the third liued in the eleuenth centurie Pope Martin the fift by some called Martin the third successour to Iohn the one and twentieth liued in the fifteenth centurie as appeareth in the French Iesuite Iames Gaultier Table Chron. de l'estate du Christianisme Now therefore when I doe seriouslie consider these assertions of Ioannes Viguerius and Cardinall Bellarmine for the practise of Indulgences the ancientest they cite is Gregory the great who liued in the sixt centurie which was after the sowing of much cockle and more heresies man being asleepe no such practise hauing beene knowne by anie Pope before then whereby it appeareth that their doctrine euen by their owne assertions about these pardons and indulgences is but a new doctrine lately sprung vp in the christian world and hath not the marke of Antiquitie to stand in defence of it 5 This I find also euen by Bishop Fisher to be most true Other late writers shew the noueltie of Indulgences who saith That so long as there was no care of Purgatorie no man sought after Pardons for on it dependeth the credite of Pardons When therefore Purgatorie was so lately knowne and receiued in the Church Assert Luther confut art 18. pag. 86. who now can maruell at Pardons that in the beginning of the Church there was no vse of them Pardon 's therefore began after that they had trembled a while at the paine of Purgatorie I find also that Durandus saieth There are few things to be affirmed for certainetie concerning Pardons 4. d. 20. q. 3. because the Scripture speaketh not expresly of them and the Saints Ambrose Hillarie Augustine Ierome speake not of them at all Caietane also the great Schooleman saith There can no certaintie be found of the beginning of paerdons There is no authoritie of the Scripture or auncient Fathers Greeke or Latine that bringeth it to our knowledge Tra Hat de Indulg ca. 1. And Alphonsus sheweth in verie plaine termes that they are but nouelties saying Their vse seeme to haue come but lately into the Church Haeres verbo Indulg And Henriquez a Iesuite often cited by the Readers in Rome hath these wordes There bee ceertaine late Dinines which affirme it is no rashnesse Sum mor. li. 7. cap. 3. if a man say the vse and practise of Indulgences is not from the Apostles times Now this beeing considered which these Writers esteemed most learned by their owne associates doe finde euen contrary to cardinall Bellarmine who citeth Scriptures for proofe of Indulgences that there is no mention of in the holy Scriptures nor Fathers nor the ancient Church I could not but conclude but that certainely they are nouelties not to bee embraced the doctrine of them is but cockle that ouergroweth the good corne it is after-comming and therefore not to be esteemed So that now finding no good ground of these Pardons I can find no truer