and Councels make close agaynst the Romanistes and then how they turne their Osanna to Crucifie their Praysing to Depressing and their High Valuing to Low Vilifying let their owne Mouth and these Examples verifie Their ancient Pope Gregorie declareth that hee reverenced the foure first Councels as the verie foure Gospels holding firmlie that they only stood for Trueth and only with-stood Errour and yet what is it that Bellarmine accuseth the verie second of these Councels of Even the standing for decreeing of a most grosse Heresie and the with-standing of such a necessarie Trueth which by the definition of Pope Boniface the eight is of such importance to belieue that by him who holdeth not the same there is no salvation to bee expected because hee is without the Church And this great Poynt is the Pope's Supremacie Bellarmine's owne wordes then are these The first sayeth hee Godâ—81 â—81 would haue the Bishop of Constantinople who before was not a Patriarch at all preferred notwithstanding to the three Patriarches of the East and in the second roome next the Bishop of Rome And this may bee vnderstoode sayeth hee by the second Generall Councell Wher-vnto he might haue joyned like-wise the sixt Canon of the first Nyceâ— Councell no lesse peremptor against the fore-saide Supremacie Where it is to be noted that Papall Supremacie which the Greeke Orthodox Church never would admit can no-wise therefore bee called as the Papists tearme it a Catholicke point of Doctrine as also if the Pope cannot erre ex Cathedra it will follow according to Boniface fore-said definition that all the Greeke Fathers are absolutelie damned Next hee spareth not to blotte those holie Fathers of that fourth and famous Councell of Chalcedon both with Fraud and Deceit in the fore-named point saying Thereafter in the yeare 451 the Greeke Fathers sayth he not being content with their former Determination they preassed to make the Bishop of Constantinople equall alway to the Bishop of Rome for in the Councell of Chalcedon in the sixteenth Act thereof the Grecian Fathers decreed but not without deceit sayeth hee and the Romane Legates beeing absent that the Bishop of Constantinople should bee so in the second Roome after the Bishop of Rome that notwithstanding thereof bee should haue the same equall Priviledges as the other had Now if anie grosser Imputations can bee layde vpon anie than hee doeth vpon these holie Fathers and famous Councels let any man consider making them hereticall in Mind and Opinion and false or fraudulent in Manners and Action Yea what farther falsehood and fraude hee layeth to the charge of that famous Orientall Church in corrupting the works of others let his owne wordes testifie For it was the ordinarie Custome of the Grecians sayeth hee to corrupt the Bookes of other men Where-of hee cleareth the Occidentall or Latine Church by a reason to be laughed at for the palpable evidence of the contrarie as shall bee showne saying Quoniam Romani sicut non accumina it a nec impostur as habent That is Because the Romanes as they haue no sharpnesse of wit so they cannot vse deceit sayth he while as all men know experience hath taught that there are none that haue beene more subtill nor sharper witted than they Secondlie how they deale with the Greeke Fathers severallie and a-part FIrst when Chrysostome is adduced for peoples reading of Scripture Bellarmine answereth That continuallie hee exhorted all men sayeth hee to reade the Scriptures Non quod vellet omnes rudissimos id facere That is But not that hee would had all men altho never so vnlearned so to doe And so hee imputeth to this holie Father that hee spake farre other-wise than hee meant and dissimulatelie required that to bee done which hee would not haue done in earnest Next when wee vrge Ireneus testimonie for proving the Pope to bee Antichrist that the number of the name of the Beast most fitlie is Lateinus according to the olde forme of pronouncing as Lipsius witnesseth thereby showing that hee was to bee a Latine Bishop having his Seate in the Latine Church and more particularlie in Latium or Italie his Decrees also in Latine and all publicke Service in these Churches subject to him in Latine like-wise Vnto this Testimonie of Ireneus Bellarmine answereth thus Conjectura illa Irenei sayth he quae tunc aliqua fuit nunc nulla est That is That light conjecture of Ireneus which was some-what in his dayes is of no account with vs now As if such Varlets were best Valuers or Trueth changed with Time and Veritie ran on the Wheeles of vnconstant Varietie Agayne when Saynct Cyprian is opposed agaynst Traditions Bellarmine answereth that Cyprian wrote so sayeth hee when hee would defend his Errour which hee calleth elsewhere the Heresie of Anabaptisme and therefore it is no marvell that he reason after the manner of Heretickes By which answere hee condemneth not onlie Saynct Cyprian but Augustine lyke-wyse who in this poynt of requyring recourse to bee had onlie vnto holie Scripture greatlie commended Saynct Cyprian Lyke-wyse when Theodoret is objected agaynst Transsubstantiation witnessing in his second Dialogue called Inconfusus That after Consecration the Elements remayne still in their former substance Valentia answereth saying That some of the Ancients in this Matter neyther thought nor wrote truely nor consideratelie as they ought Or hee might haue added At least as the Iesuits now would haue had them In lyke manner when Chrysostome is produced to proue that the Virgine Marie had originall sinne because shee sinned actuallie when Christ rebuked her at the Marriage of Cana in Galile Cardinall Tolet answereth thus onlie In hoâ— Chrysostomus probandus non est that is sayeth hee Chrysostome is not to be approved in saying so More-over when Ignatius a Greeke Father is opponed agaynst the mutilation of the Sacrament Bellarmine answereth Non multum fidendum est Graecis condicibus Ignatii that is sayeth hee The Greeke Writinges of Ignatius are not greatlie to bee trusted Agayne when Origen is objected to proue that Marriage is no Sacrament Bellarmine answereth Origines autem non est tantae authoritatis in Ecclesia ut ejus sententia neâ—essario approbanda sit that is Origen sayeth hee is not of such authoritie in the Church that his opinion necessarilie is to bee followed And yet how frequentlie hee obtrudeth him agaynst vs as of great authoritie let his citation of him and his fellow Iesuits in their Bookes testifie Lindanus when hee citeth him calling him Illustre Alexandriae lâ—men that is The bright light of Alexandria and Durie calling him Testis omni exceptione major that is A Witnesse without all exception greatest Lyke-wyse when Euthimius is alleadged in the matter of the Sayncts beatitude Bellarmine answereth Non est â—ac in re usque adeo magni faciendus that is layeth hee In this matter bee is not so much to
bee esteemed Now to resume if with imputations onelie of double Dissimulation conjecturall Lenitie damnable Heresie rash Inconsideratenesse seducing Errour and such lyke wee should thus aunswere the Testimonies of Fathers consenting clearlie with Scripture affirming them vnworthie of Christian approbation of honest mens trust wyse mens regard or Fatherlie Authoritie what clamours of Indignitie done to Antiquitie should wee heare of our opposed Partie forgetting that Precept of Equitie Quod tibi fieri non vis alterine feceris CHAP. V. How the Romanists deale with the Latine Fathers conjunctly and apart AS Canus sayeth of the Fathers in generall The canonick Authors sayth he as they are supream heavenlie and divine so they keepe a perpetuall and firmè constancie of trueth but other holie Wryters being inferiour and humane they erre some-times yea and bring foorth Monsters against the convenient order and ordinarie course of Nature So doth Alphonsus de Castro declare that they are oftentimes found coÌ„tradictorie to themselues saith he the particular examples where-of Iansenius in his Concordance of the Evangels hath laboured to show in Ierome Ambrose and Augustine Like-wise with levitie and inconstancie thus doeth both Bellarmine and Alphonsus brand holie S. Ierome who when hee is objected vnto them against their Pompaticall and Papall Hierarchie alleadging no difference to bee in Scripture betweene a Bishop and a Presbyter Bellarmine answereth Est autem observandum Hieronymum in hâ—c sententia non adeo constantem videri That is It is to bee observed sayeth hee that Ierome in this point seemeth not to bee so constant as hee should bee The like sayeth Alphonsus in these wordes Ex quibus verbis apparet B. Hieronymum sibi ipsi in hac parte minime constare That is By which words it is evident that S. Ierome was no wise constant in this point Yea more-over when Ierome is produced consenting with a number of Fathers whom their Medina nominateth to prooue the same point that primitiuelie a Bishop and Presbyter were all one Bellarmine answereth grossely giving him the Lie saying Videtur revera Hieronymum in ea opinione fuisse quae falsa est That is It appeareth indeede that Ierome was of that opinion but yet the same is false After the same manner doeth Pigbius also vse Augustine whose doctrine when hee hath brought in two pointes concerning originall sinne agreeable to Scripture yet thus he speaketh thereof Quae Augustini sententia sayth hee non solum incerta sed falsa est That is Which doctrine of Augustine's is not onlie vncertaine but lyke-wyse vntrue or false Yea little lesse vnreverentlie doth Bellarmine vse one of their own Popes to wit Pius the secoÌ„d whose testimony when we oppose against Papall Supremacie proving that no such thing was knowne nor acknowledged in the primitiue Church the fore-saide Pope testifying Quod ante Nicenam Synodum parum respectus habebatur ad Romanam Ecclesiam That is That little regard was had to the Romane Church before the Councell of Nice Bellarmine thus answereth Quae sententia sayth he partim non est vera That is Which declaration of his heere-in is in a part false and vntrue Agayne when Tertullian is produced agaynst the Pope's infallibilitie proving Pope Zepherin to haue beene a Montanist Bellarmine answereth roundlie That Tertullian is a Liar saying Non est omnino Tertulliano hac in parte fides adhibenda that is In that matter there is no credit at all to bee given to Tertullian So lyke-wyse when the same Tertullian is adduced for proving Christian libertie in fasting Bellarmine answereth thus Tertullian saith hee in that booke expoundeth the Catholicke Doctrine after that manner as at this tyme the Lutherians vse that is everie-where mixing in Calâ—mnies and Lies More-over when Augustine in his Retractions interpreting the Rocke where-on Christ was to build his Church is adduced agaynst the Papists to signifie not Peter but CHRIST Him-selfe Bellarmine answereth Ex sola ignorantia linguae Hebreae esse deceptum that is that Augustine was deceived heere-in onelie by his ignorance of the Hebrew tongue And agayne when he is produced agaynst Transsubstantiation showing that Christ's wordes saying I will not drinke hence-foorth of the fruit of the Vine were spoken of the consecrated Cup Bellarmine answereth Augustinum non expendisse hunc locum diligenter that is that Augustine did not weigh or consider this place diligentlie to wit not so friendlie for the Pope's behoofe and his Darling of Transsubstantiation which was hatched after In lyke manner when the foresayde Augustine and Pope Gregorie's expositions on 1 Cor. 3 13 are adduced showing by that Fyre which is spoken of there are meaned the Troubles of this lyfe and no other Fyre of Purgatorie Bellarmine summarilie goeth to worke and sayth Sed hoc jam rejecimus that is But as for this exposition of theirs sayth hee wee haue alreadie rejected it And when hee hath showne how many ancient and famous Authors haue vehementlie oppugned their ydle begging Orders yet he answereth At â—ihileminus vitam mendicantium tanquam sanctam perfectam approbarunt multi Pontifices that is Not-with-standing of all those Ancients and Authors it is enough that manie Popes haue approved the lyfe of begging Friers as holie and perfect Yea more-over when both a Romane Councell and a Romane Pope are produced forbidding the vayling of Nunnes before 60 years of age according to that Apostolicall Precept of receiving of Widowes Bellarmine there-vnto answereth His non obstantibus licere in quacunque aetate si adsit usus liberi arbiâ—rii talia vota nuncupare that is Not-with-standing of all that is alleadged to wit out of Scripture Councels or Fathers it is lawfull sayeth hee of what age so-ever they bee provyding that they haue the vse of Free-will to vnder-goe such Vowes I omit how hee answereth the Authorities of other Fathers onlie with imputation of Ignorance and want of Learning vnto them when they are objected as where hee sayeth Procopius was a better Orator than a Divine sayeth hee Lactantius also was better seene in Cicero's Bookes than hee was in the Scriptures and Victorius was indeed sayeth hee a Martyr but he wanted Learning To conclude therefore if with baser Money anie can bee payed who exacteth Satisfaction to the Testimonies of Fathers than you see by our Adversaries layde down heere let anie one judge Or if Imputations to those Auncientes of Monstrous Births crosse Contradictions grosse Errour light Inconstancie base Lying vilde Slandering blynde Ignorance carelesse Neglect with vndeserved Distrusting them and open Rejection can passe for currant eyther on their bare word to satisfie vs or to expresse their so much pretended and bragged of reverence to venerable Antiquitie then let Light and Darknesse and GOD and Beliall be agreed or as the Poet sayth Iungentur jam gryphes equis aevoque sequenti Cum canibus timidi venient ad pocula damae
who would haue Mothered her dead Chylde vpon her who truelie did owe the living So haue they Fathered their Bastardlie Brood vpon the LORD'S Worthies as if they had beene their legittimate seed and brought them with-in the Sanctuarie Vt ementitis titulis fidem authoritatémque erroribus suis conciliarent as sayeth Senensis that is That by their counterfeyt Titles they might conciliate trust and authoritie vnto their owne Errours and which practise of bringing vp such deluding Counterfeytes for true Samuels Erasmus showes was so ryfe in the tyme of the seventeenth Generall Councell when Errour began to prevayle that hee sayeth Scatebant omnia libris falso celebrium virorum titulo commendatis that is All places were full of Bookes set foorth vnder the false Title of excellent Mens Names The Devill having begun this Practise even in the Apostles owne tymes when the Mysterie of Iniquitie began to worke which made the Apostle Paul to bee therefore so carefull to fore-warne the Thessalonians That they should not bee deceived neyther by worde or alleadged Tradition nor by Writ as from him that is by counterfeyt Epistles in his name to belieue the Lord's Day to bee then at hand And which Practise wee see continued after the Apostles dayes most perniciouslie Therefore the Arrians wrote a Letter to Constantine vnder the name of Athanasius the Eutychians also a Letter agaynst Cyrillus Alexandrinus beeing dead vnder the name of Theodoret and the Maniâ—heans and others manie Bookes some Fathered on Adam some on Enoch â—ome on the Apostles and Disciples of Christ and some on Christ Himselfe vvho were rejected as Augustine sayeth Non quod eorum qui Deo placuerunt reprobetur authoritas sed quod ista non credantur esse ipsoâ—um that is Not that the authoritie of such Men who haue pleased God is rejected but because it is believed that those are not the workes of such Men but of other men sayeth Beda vnder those mens names But the last tho not the least craftie Counterfeyts and Corrupters that ever Satan prevayled by for erecting his kingdome of Darkenesse and a Throne to the Vicar of his Power was that Locust brood which came out of the bottomlesse Pit even that numerous and noysome swarme of Monks other Popish Clergie to whome I may say as Ierome sayde to Ruffinus for preassing to substitute a certayne Arrians Booke for Theophilus Martyr In the Day of Iudgement consider what they will answere to the Complayntes of such holie Men Whose Reverend Names they haue so Roguishlie abused vnto most wicked purposes AN APPENDIX For discerning of Counterfeyts FIrst there are 30 Epistles or there-about of ancient Romane Bishops obtruded vnto vs for the Pope's Supremacie and other Popish Errours vvhich to bee altogether counterfeyt heere-by may bee knowne 1. By the matter contained in them of pleading for Supremacie which was never so much as once thought vpon by those holie Bishops as their owne Duaren out of ancient Records testifieth and concludeth saying Nec dubium est quin vetustiores sancteorâ—sque urbis Romae Episcopi sede Ecclesiaque propria contenti â—eâ—quis Episcopis Ecclesiarum ipsis commissarum liberam administrationem reliquerint quasi urbis unius magis quam orbis Episcopi that is It is no doubt but that the more ancient and holie Bishops of Rome contenting them-selues with their owne proper Seat and Church did leaue to other Bishops the free administration of their Churches in like manner as being Bishops rather of one Citie than of the whole World to wit by the new and now claimed vniversall Supremacie A Pope of their owne testifying likewise that before the Councell of Nice small respect vvas had to the Church of Rome but everie Bishop lived to himselfe and as the same Duaren and Cardinall Cusanus testifieth it beeing but later that the Bishops that succeeded those did farre transgresse those limits of ancient Moderation Next those Epistles are farced vvith the injunction of an heape of Ceremonies vvhich were not not onlie in their times heard of but a long time after in the Church of CHRIST as Augustine and Rbenanus witnesseth and the reason vvhere-of their owne Salmeron giveth to bee this Quia primitivi magis essentialibus fidâ—i plantandis quam ceremoniis vacabant that is Because the primitiue Bishops did vake more and â—ooke care to plant the essentiall Doctrines of Faith than to plant Ceremonies in the Church of CHRIST 2. By the manner or forme of speach vsed in them as by a cleare Shibboleth they may bee discerned counterfeyt beeing written in such a barbarous sort of Diction vvhich was no wayes to bee heard especiallie amongst such learned Bishops as then vvere in Rome the Latine Language in those times being there as it were at the Fountaine head pure terse and neate in the mouthes of all Men. 3. Their Style is all one which never hapneth to bee so vvithout diversitie amongst diversitie of Wâ—â—ters except these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onlie vvho vvere the Spirits Pen men of Sacred and holie Scripture where one was onlie Indyter altho the Scribes were diverse 4. There is no alleadgeance of them in the most famous Councels by anie Romane Bishops or their Deputies where either Lawes were made against anie such Supremacie as in the Councels of Constantinople Chalcedon and Ephesus or where hottest contestation was for anie such either by the Bishop of Rome for himselfe as in the fact of Zozimus at the Councell of Carthage or in the impugning the vsurpatioÌ„ of it by another as in the writings of Gregorie is apparent against the Patriarch of Constantinople 5. There is no mention of those Epistles in the works and writings of the most ancient and primitiue Doctors that either lived then or a long time there-after in the first 400 yeares aboue which doubtlesse if anie such had beene they had not escaped so their notice nor they omitted some-where and vpon some occasions to made mention thereof Secondlie for discerning betweene the true vvrytinges of Fathers and those that are counterfeyt and palliate vnder their names 1. The diversitie of the Stile discovers the diversitie of the writers to a judicious Remarker so that as Augustine speaketh of Cyprian saying Cypriani stylus habet propriam quandam faciem qua possit agnosci that is Cyprian's Style hath a certayne proper Face or resemblance where-by it may bee knowne Even so the verie lyke may bee sayde of others And by this Note of Cognisance Bellarmine him-selfe maketh sequestration of sundrie Patches from the other Workes of ancient Wryters whose name they pretende 2. The grosse Slips which are found in those counterfeyt Additions show that they goe masked onelie vnder false Titles which proceedeth from Ignorance or neglect of computation of Tymes and those Slips are eyther in nomination of persons or recording of Heresies or mentionating of Actions By the first sorte are discovered Iustinus Questions to bee
vvhich is produced agaynst the vnlawfull keeping of impossible and vnlawfull Vowes 2. How the Romanists without anie farther Warrand alleadge onlie of some Fathers That perhaps they are counterfeyt FIrst when the Treatise of Gregorie Nyssen or his Epistle is produced against Pilgrymages Bellarmine answereth thus heere-to Fortenon est Nysseni that is Perhaps that Epistle is not Nyssen's Agayne when Basill is cited agaynst their distinction of Sinne into Mortall and Veniall Bellarmine aunswereth That probablie that worke is not Basill's Lyke-wyse vvhen Pope Bonifacius seconde Epistle is brought foorth agaynst papall Supremacie Bellarmine answereth Valde mihi suspecta est haec Epistola that is I suspect that Epistle greatlie In lyke manner when OEcumenius is adduced to proue that Antichrist shall not sit in the Temple of Ierusalem Bellarmine answereth Fortasse depravatus est textus illius that is Perhaps his Text or Copie is corrupt and vitiate Also when pope Honorius owne Epistles are exhibited which proue him to haue beene an Hereticke and are insert in the eight Generall Councell where-in hee was condemned Bellarmine answereth Fortasse illas Epistolas esse confictas insertas Concilia generali ab Hereticis that is Perhaps those Epistles were counterfeyted and inserted in the Generall Councell by Heretickes More-over when Venerable Beda is adduced testifying that this same pope Honorius was an Hereticke and solemnlie condemned in a Generall Councell as such and therefore consequentlie hee prooveth Facto by deed agaynst their doctrine now That the pope may erre Bellarmine heere-vnto aunswereth Videtur aliquis sciolus addidisse nomen Honorii in libâ—o Bedae that is It would seeme that some Smatterer hath added the name of Honorius in Beda's booke Lyke-wyse vvhen in the matter of their superstitious Fast on set Dayes a Canon of the Apostles and Ignatius Epistle also are produced agaynst fasting on Saturday Bellarmine answereth Potest fieri ut tam in Canone Apostolico quam in Epistolam Ignatiâ— solum probiberetur jejunium diei Dominicae sed postea à Graecis posteâ—ioribus insertum fuerit nomen Sabbathi that is It may bee that as well in the Canon of the Apostles as in the Epistle of Ignatius onelie Fasting on the Lord's Day was forbidden but after that the Grecians who were later inserted the word Sabbath In lyke manner when Damasus the Author of the Pontificall and their owne Gratian lyke-wise declareth That Pope Anastasius the second was of one communion with the Hereticke Photinus Bellarmine answereth Illud de Photino forte est mendaciam that is That Relation concerning Photinus Perhaps it is a Lie Agayne when wee produce Socrates Testimonie agaynst the antiquitie of their superstitious fourtâ—e dayes Lent Bellarmine answereth Probabile est codicem Socratis esse corruptum that is It is lykelie or may bee that Socrates booke bee corrupted More-over when a whole Convent of Fathers in a Romane Councell vnder pope Sylvester are brought foorth agaynst the receiving of young Nunnes forbidding them to bee vailed before 72 years of age Yet Bellarmine without anie farther assurance in the contrarie answereth onlie Fortasse multo minorem numerum debeâ—e poni pro 72 that is Perhaps a farre lesse number of Yeares ought to bee put there than 72. And when a Canon of the Councel of Laterane is adduced for the lawfulnesse of the Marriage of the Clergie not reprehended there in the East Church Bellarmine aunswereth Canonem illum forte non esse ullius authoritatis that is That perhaps that Canon is of no authoritie So that what solide answeres these are to elide that which so clearlie maketh agaynst them and howe they would bee hissed at on our part let anie vnpartiall Man judge And yet these are they who shamelesselie clayme all Antiquitie so clearlie to make for them As the Lyon there-fore may bee knowne by his Paw and Hercules hudge stature by his Foote onlie So by these few Examples preceeding and from the practise but of one especiallie proceeding wee may see what is the lyke Trade and Custome of the rest This is the Direction of that Popish Crue at Duay saying of Ancients that make agaynst them Excogitato commento persaepe negemus that is By devising out a Shift let vs even often times disclaime them Which their Cardinal Baronius calleth Honeslum ConfugiuÌ„ or an honest vvay of escaping an vnhonest he should haue saide And their Sanders calleth Verissimum praesentaneum Remedium A most true present Helpe And if they cannot vvithout grosse Impudencie disclaime Auncientes wee see they come next to the last Bore of their conjecturall Alleadgeances of Perhaps and I suspect or It is probable and would seeme or may bee that they are so as they would haue them And this is their Non ultra hic baerent Therefore justlie wee see that wee may turne over vpon them that vvhich Hart saieth to Raynolds Viam tenetis facilem expeditam modo strenue per gatis respuite omnes authores qui contra vos faciunt supposititios esse dicite it a nempe par est patronos impudentes pudendam causam pudendis viis defendere that is Yee haue gotten saieth he an easie and cleare way so that yee cowragiouslie goe forwardes there-in reject all Authors that make against you and call them counterfeit for so it is fit that shamelesse Patrons by shamefull vvayes should defende a shamefull Cause Their practise herein being like that of the Manicheant as Augustine showeth concerning Apostolicall Writs Inde probo saide Faustus the Manichean hoc illius esse illud non esse quia hoc pro me sonat illud contrame that is Hence I proue this to bee Apostolicall Writ and that not to bee because this maketh for me and that maketh against mee Even as Bellarmine hath no better Warrand to reject Paschasius Testimonie cited against their Mutilation of the Sacrament as none of his but corrupt and vitiate Because saieth hee vvhere it is saide Bibite it should haue beene saide Edite Which is as much to say That Paschasius is not Paschasius except hee speake in the Romane Dialect and frame his Daunce to the Pope's Spring CHAP. IX How the Romanists alleadge the Fathers for them in one place and poynt of Doctrine and at their pleasure reject them in another when they can neyther alleadge them to bee corrupt nor counterfeyt FOR PROBATION heere-of first Bellarmine adduceth S. Augustine for him to proue their sore of Reall Presence in the Sacrament but with a nore of Ignorance he rejecteth him where he expoundeth by the Rocke whereon the Church is builded that Christ onelie meaned revoking anie other Exposition that he had made of the same And when wee adduce out of his booke De moribus Ecclesiae which they oft cite Testimonies against their worshipping of Reliques Bellarmine rejecteth the same with this answere
wordes there-vnto and there-fore that the same is of no authoritie nor his Relation there-of of anie credit at all Like-wise let vs see how vpoÌ„ incertayne probabilities and conjecturall suspicions onlie they reject what-so-ever they finde to make agaynst them VVhen that Record is adduced of pope Boniface the second who in his Letter to Eulalius bishop of Thessalonica maketh manifest That the whole Fathers of that famous Councell of Carthage being excommunicated of the bishop of Rome in token of their not acknowledgement of such power or Supremacie that they remayned so without regard there-of for the space of an hundreth yeares and died moste of them all vnder the said Censure Augustine being one of them yet accounted a Saynct Bellarmine hereto aunswereth Valde mihi Epistolas eas esse suspectas that is That hee suspecteth greatlie those Epistles of Boniface vvhere-as their owne Lindanus sayeth That hee that scorneth those as forged I pray you vvhat will hee leaue sayeth hee of all the Storie of Antiquitie safe or sound vnto vs And when wee produce Socrates Testimonie against the Antiquitie of the fourtie dayes of their Popish Lent Bellarmine answereth That it is probable that Socrates booke is corrupted 3. How they admit them as true onelie when they make for them but otherwyse roughlie reject them TO cleare this out of our foresayde Bellarmine when hee is to liberate Pope Liberius of Arrianisme hee citeth the Testimonie of Socrates Zozomen and Nicepâ—orus as the faithfull Recorders of that Age and yet when Socrates is cited by vs to witnesse the Nicen Councels acquiescing to Paphnutius speach concerning the married Clergie and Zozomen is brought to witnesse Nectarius fact against Auricular Confession Bellarmine calleth â—hem both in those points manifest Liars and Heretickes even as Baronius sayth the lyke of Nicephorus whereas their owne Canus avoweth all those to bee Probatae fidei Authores that is Authors of approved Credite In lyke manner Sopbronius and Simeon Metaphrastes are cited by Bellarmine ut illustres Historici to proue his point of Papacie but when they report that Linus died before Peter whome they make to haue beene Pope after Peter and â—o â—alsifieth their Succession then are they disdainfullie repudiated by Bellarmine Lyke-wyse Bellarmine adduceth Zonaras to proue Honorius Innocencie as there-in one of sole and singular Authoritie yet in another case concerning the Emperour Constantines commanding of Pope Sylvester Bellarmine rejecteth his Narration and Testimonie Also Bellarmine adduceth Marianus Scotus whom Baronius calleth Nobilis Chronologus to proue Pope Zacharie's just deposing of Childerike King of France and Pope Gregorie's the seaventh just oppositioÌ„ to Henrie the fourth But when Fasciculus Temporum who followeth him and the Passionall two of their famous Histories are produced to improoue Peter's sitting at Rome Bellarmine answereth Wee justlie contemne sayeth hee Fasciculus Temporum and the Passional chiefelie seeing Fasciculus followeth Marianus Scotus who contradicteth most clearlie both himselfe and the Trueth Againe for the justnesse of the fore-named Pope Zacharie's deposition of King Childericke Bellarmine citeth Sigebert but when hee is cited to testifie the Innocencie of Henrie the fourth whom Hildebrand persecuted then Bellarmine alleadgeth him to bee vnworthie of Credite Lykewyse for the clearing of the orderlie and just proceedinges in Pope Gregorie's Election to the Papacie Bellarmine citeth Platina as the onelie saythfull Recorder in whom sayeth hee is the verie forme of his election set downe But when hee is adduced by vs to prooue the noveltie of Auricular Confession and that the first enjoynet there-of was Innocent the third Bellarmine rejecteth Platina saying I trow it bee a Lie sayeth hee which Platina reporteth adding that hee is no authorized Author altho his Declaration in his Preface to the Pope by whose command hee vvrote doeth evidentlie shovv the contrarie In lyke manner in a matter of Historie for proofe that Peter substituted Clement to succeed him Bellarmine citeth Tertullian Tanquam gravissimus author but vvhen hee is adduced by vs to proue that Pope Zepherin vvas a Monatist in this poynt of Historie Bellarmine answereth That there is no trust to bee given to him Also Gregorie's Dialogues and the Stories there-in contayned are cyted by Bellarmine for Monasticall lyfe and invocation of Sayncts c. but is rejected as false when he ridiculouslie telleth of a Purgatorie of Soules after death into warme Bathes Thus vse they their Historicians at their pleasure whether ancient or more recent even as Herod vsed the Baptist who altho hee heard him in manie things gladlie yet he rejected and persecuted him in the matter of Herodias 4. How they haue so forged and corrupted Recordes that are extant and taken others al-together out of the way that in things concerning the Trueth which maketh agaynst them they haue left verie little to bee seene and feysted in manie contrarie Falsehoods THE thing that ever that Whoore of Babylon hath most laboured for and her Suppostes for her haue most endevoured hath beene still A Supreame and sole Soveraignitie The which altho a Pope and one of the Sitters on that Scarlet-coloured Beast doeth ingenuouslie confesse That Rome was free and farre from the lyke Challenge or the Church of GOD from the acknowledgement of anie such Diotrephes-lyke Preheminence in her purest and primitiue tymes whyle as shee remayned as an holie and chaste Spouse vnto CHRIST vnder the Dragon's Persecution till the tyme of the Councell of Nice Yet that the World may bee borne in hand That such Supremacie as is nowe challenged was ever reckoned due to that Seate of Majestie and that even from the verie beginning and profession of true Christianitie that shee did sit as a Queene there-fore for probation heere-of and to make vp that Gappe betweene the Apostolicall tymes and that Councell of Nice they haue forged some Decretall Epistles of the bishops of Rome to haue interveaned fraughted with no other Ballast nor Burden but Soveraignitie and their Hornes still sounding on high the trebble tune onelie of Lordes Paramont and Vniversall Seignorie And if the Nicene Fathers haue beene too niggardlie disposed by passing a Sentence of confyning those Romane bishops within their owne Circuites agaynst anie such boundlesse and vniversall Supremacie then the VVorlde must knowe that shee is not so destitute of Lovers but that shee hath her Favourites which can mende their Fault and lyke Picke-Lockes with wrong Keyes release their holie Mother from such narrowe Imprisonment and can make Canons before hande to bee vrged in due tyme by their pope Zozimus and to giue such an hard Charge to a whole Africane Councell as they shall bee in hope that those shall yeelde presentlie to such a braue Batterie VVhich if that fayle them as vnluckilie it did and that Paper onelie bee found in the shot in place of hard Bullet Then shall bee
CHAP. VI. How the Romanists haue shamefullie corrupted the Fathers both by adding to them payring from them and altering their wordes AS the particulars of the proofe here-of are heere-after set downe of Popish corrupting of Fathers making theÌ„ either to suffer if not for their works a Purgatorie heere-after yet in their workes a sure Purgatorie heere or else making them against their willes to speake the Language of Israel and Ashdod together So what was the sensible seene experience of that worthie and learned Iunius which him-selfe relateth let his owne wordes and protestation bona fide testifie I will relate sayeth hee truelie that vvhich I saw vvith mine eyes vvhen I remayned in Lions in the Yeare of GOD 1559. and the next Yeare after I vvas familiarlie acquainted vvith the Correcter of a PRINTING-HOUSE there named Ludovicus Saurius vvho dwelt not farre from Mercurie Street in the Lodging close adjacent to the signe of the three Doues Now vvhen I had come to salute this Man it fell out by chance or rather by the singular providence of GOD that I found him busied in revising over the Workes of S. Ambrose vvhich then Frelonius vvas printing and after much talke hither and to vvhen I shewed him that I vvould no longer bee a vvith-drawer of him from his work hee having begun againe the reading over of one Page saide to mee See yee not the manner of this our Edition of S. Ambrose how prettie and perfect it is and to looke vpon it is vvorthie to bee preferred before anie Edition that ever hitherto came out And after I had behelde and praysed the finenesse of the Edition hee saide then vnto mee But if I vvere to buy anie Copie of S. Ambrose Workes I vvould buy anie other Copie vvhat-so-ever before I bought this vvhich thou seest And vvhen I had asked the reason vvhy hee saide so Then hee taking out some Pages foorth of the Hutches or Drawers vnder the Table vvhich vvere all razed and cancelled either in part or in vvhole hee saide to mee This is the first Impression sayeth hee of the Pages vvhich vvith-in those few dayes vvee printed most faithfullie according to the Copie of the Olde and true Impression but two Gray-Frâ—ers since then according to the authoritie given to them haue blotted out in all these Pages as thou seest and haue causâ—d those new ones to bee put in the place of the former against all credite of these our Books vvhich thing hath bred both Charges and exceeding great fashrie to the Printer Frelonius The veritie of which Relation if anie should doubt there-of he may easilie perceiue by collation of S. Ambrose works printed at Paris anno 1529 by Claudius Chevallonius which I haue beside mee or at Basill by Hieronymus Frobenius anno 1538 with that Impression at Lions by Frelonius anno 1560 and as the particulars ensuing shall giue proofe of others First Examples of Popish adding to the Fathers FIrst of adding to the Fathers and their Decrees being conveaned in Councell wee haue a notable evidence in that impudent and audacious fact of Pope Zozimus who added a Canon in his owne behalfe to the verie first Councell of Nice which by that famous sixt Councel of Carthage was as a notable Forgerie detected and declared and could never hitherto by all the croaking Frogges of that Iesuiticall Crew bee soothed sufficientlie or colourablie excused Againe in the matter of appeals where-as the Councel of Milevi decreed vnder paine of Excommunication That none with-in Africke should appeale to any part beyond Sea Bellarmine is forced to grant a forged addition in favours of the Pope to haue beene there-after grosselie by Gratian added to the Canon saying Addidit ad hunc Canonem exceptionem nisi forte ad Apostolicam sedem appelletur sed haec exceptio non videtur quadrare sayth hee nam praecipue propter Romanam Ecclesiam Africani statuerunt ut non liceret appellare ultra mare That is Hee added to this Canon this exception to wit Except perhaps the appeale bee made vnto the Sea Apostolicke but this exception sayeth Bellarmine seemeth not to agree with the Canon for it was chiefelie for the Romane Churches cause that it was decreed to bee vnlawfull to anie to appeale out of Africke to anie part beyond Sea Thus wee see for the Pope's advancement and gratifying how false and trickie his Supposts haue beene of olde even by our Adversaries owne confession clearlie Like-wise when that grosse and blasphemous place in Gratian alleadged on S. Augustine is vpbraided affirming that the Pope's Decretals ought to bee accounted amongst canonicall Scripture Bellarmine answereth Deceptum esse ex depravato codice quem ipse babuit B. Augustini cui tribuit illum canonem codices vero veri emendati B. Augustini non habent ut Gratianus refert That is Gratian sayth hee was deceived by a corrupt Copie of S. Augustine's which hee had beside him to whom bee attributeth that Canon but the true and mended Copies of S. Augustine since then haue not these words as Gratian reporteth theÌ„ How bolde then the Pope's Parasites haue beene with the works of the Fathers in corrupting them for supporting that Whoore of Babylon wee may clearlie see by this confession of Bellarmine's others who now in their latter and mended Copies are forced for shame to haue razed out of their olde Copies such grosse corruptions and openlie to disclaime the same In like manner to proue that in Purgatorie some sinnes are remitted Bellarmine citeth a place of Augustine which their owne Vives in his Notes vpon that Chapter denyeth anie wayes to bee found in the olde Copies and Manuscripts of Augustine kept amongst themselues in their chiefest and Metropolitane Bibliotheakes saying In Antiquis libris Brugensibus Coloniensibus non habentur isti decem aut duodecim qui leguntur versus That is In the ancient Copies which are at Birges and Colen these ten or twelue Lynes which are heere read are not to bee had there More-over the same Ludovicus Vives in his Notes vpon the 8 Chapter of the 22 Booke of Augustine De Civitate Dei sayeth plainlie In hâ—c capite non dubium quin multa sunt addita veluti declarandi gratia ab iis qui omniuÌ„ magnorum authorum scripta spurcis suis manibus contaminabant That is In this Chapter sayth hee without doubt many thinges are added as it were for explanations sake by those who with their filthie Handes haue defyled the Wrytings of all Authors that are of great Authoritie And more particularlie who those are who haue done so their owne Erasmus telleth vs clearlie saying Monachi Patrum corruperunt Scripta That is It was the Monkes saide hee that haue corrupted the Wrytings of the Fathers as is cleare both by that addition in the fore-alleadged corrupt Copie of Gratianus his Augustine making onlie for the Pope and as shall bee Godwilling here-after also shown of