should seeme by his writinge that he litle careth what passeth from his penne so it be walking against the Pope and Popish doctrine Bels VI. Chapter Of Popish Auricular confession THE XXIIII VNTRVTH SCotus sayth Bell affirmeth resolutely that Popishe auricular confession is not grounded on the holy scripture but only instituted and commaunded by the Churche of Rome The minister resolutely slaundereth Scotus Where doth that learned man teach any such doctrine Viewe his margent and nothinge is there found Bell is old ipse he the man that had rather be credited vpon his empty worde then to haue the matter com to the trial of his quotation It helpeth him not to say that he hath noted the place in his Suruay both because many haue not that booke neither doth he here in this particular place of Scotus referr him to that booke and beside what reason can he giue not to quote the place also here But to wincke at this malitious cunninge of his how doth he proue him guilty of this assertion in his Suruay I will first sett downe the doctrine of Scotus and then examin what Bell bringeth for by this meanes the goode reader shal be the better inabled to iudge of the whole matter That learned man disputinge of the necessity of confession to be made to a Priest not mentioning the word auricular whatsoeuer Bell sayeth In 4. dist 17. quast 1. enquireth by what lawe a man is bound to confession and determineth first in generall that the precept must growe from one of these lawes either from the lawe of nature or the lawe positiue of God or the lawe of Churche and descending to particulars he resolueth first that we are not bound by the lawe of nature nextly he disputeth whether it groweth from the precept of the Churche and not liking that opinion he proceedeth to the next member and sayth Breuiter c. To be short it seemeth more reasonable to hould the second member that confession falleth vnder the positiue precept of God But then we must consider sayth Scotus whether it be found explicitely or in expresse tearmes in the Gospell immediatly from Christ because it is manifest quoth he that it is not in the old lawe or whether it be from him expressely in some of the Apostles doctrine or if neither so nor so whether then it was giuen of Christ by word only and published to the Church by the Apostles And hauing made this triple diuision how confefsion might com by the precept of God that is either first commaunded by him in the Ghospell or els secondly to be found in some of the Apostle writings or lastly instituted of Christ by word of mouth only And hauing disputed of the first two membres with dislike-of the second saying It appeareth therefore that it is not of the lawe of God published by Apostolicall scripture Wherevpon he concludeth thus Vel igitur tenendum est c. Therefore we must either hould the first member to witt that it cometh from the lawe of God published by the Gospell c. or if that be not sufficient we must say the third that it is of the positiue lawe of God published by Christ to the Apostles but published by the Apostles vnto the Church without all scripture as the Church houldeth many other things published in word only by the Apostles without scripture c. How saiest thow gentle reader hath Bellbelyed Scotus or no affirminge him to teach that Popishe auricular confession is not grounded on the holy scripture but only instituted and commaunded by the Church of Rome When as he maintaineth plainly that it is de iure diuino of the lawe of God instituted of Christ himself in the Gospell or by word of mouth deliuered to the Apostles and by them to the Church yea and bringeth good reasons which before I omitted to shewe that it was not instituted by the Church as for that the Church would not haue gone about to impose so hard a precept vpon all Christians vnlesse it had been the commaundement of God as also for that it is not found where this precept is imposed by the Church but that before it holy men did thinke that this precept of consession did binde For if they alleadg quoth Extra de Penitēt remissionibus he that chapter out of the Canon lawe Euery one of either sex c. it is euident that the constitution was made by Innocentius the third in the Councell of Laterane but S. Augustin was before that time more then eight hundred yeares who affirmed confession to be necessary as appeareth in his booke of true and false penance and certaine authorityes of his are putt here in the text and certaine in That is of the Master of the Sentences upō whom Scotus doth comment the Canon lawe And not only Scotus his owne wordes nowe cited doe discharge him from the ministers false imputatiō but also the minister himself in his Suruay where he intreateth of this point wholie freeth him for hauing cited Scotus his words to proue that confession to the Priest was not found in the lawe of God extant in any of the Apostles Epistles as before hath been touched he procedeth forward and saith Thus writeth their subtile schoole doctor Scotus Suruey pag. 502. who not able to establishe auricular cōfesiion in the fcriptures flieth to their last refuge to witt to vnwritten traditiōs for in the ende of all he addeth these wordes It appeareth therfore that it is not of the lawe of God published by Apostolicall scripture Therfore we must either houlde the first member to witt that it commeth from the lawe of God published by the Gospell or yf that be not sufficient we must say the thirde to witt that it is of the positiue lawe of God published by Christ to his Apostles but published by the Apostles vnto the Church without all scripture Out of which wordes of Scotus though recited by Bell in latin only we learne that he doth not only giue himself the lye when he sayth in his Suruey that Scotus his opinion is that confession came vnto vs by tradition and affirmeth here the contrary saying that Scotus his opinion is that it was only instituted and commaunded by the Church of Rome but also by the grace of his iugling sincerity playeth two or three Three prety trickes of Bel. The first other pretty prankes in his Suruay The first is when he sayth Scotus flieth to vnwritten traditions and specifieth not wat tradition Scotus speaketh of for it is not of any tradition Ecclesiasticall or Apostolicall but of diuine tradition coming form the lawe of God and instituted of Christ himselfe by his owne mouth declared vnto the Apostles and by them to the church as before hath bene sayd The second is this Scotus quoth Bell not able to establishe auricular confession The secōd in the scriptures flieth to their last refuge to witt vnto vnwritten traditions for in the words
a man of his profession charge vs with so strange paradoxicall and blasphemous an assertion and so iniurious to the sacred bloud of the Redeemer of the whole world and that both of men and women without recoilinge of Conscience we denye what he saith how doth he proue what so boldly he affirmeth Postellus the Iesuit quoth he teacheth this execrable dnctrine which he proueth out of the Iesuits Cathechisme That Postellus was one of that order is more then I doe knowe or more then I list yet to beleue vntill I see better prooffes but yf he were he was no other then such a religious man as Luther was that ranne out of his cloister to lay the foundation of the Gospell I finde him in the Indice of the Councell of Trent commonly annexed thereunto enrolde for an heretike and so discharged from vs albeit I can hardly beleue that euer he could be so madde as to broach any such ridiculous sensles and blasphemous doctrine To iustify this of Postellus Mr. Rogers voucheth the Iesuits Catachisme that is a most scandalous and slaunderous libel made by one Pasquiere a French heretike in disgrace of that renowmed order as he knoweth full well when he citeth out of the same Catachisme two infamous verses tendinge deepely to the Pag. 187. touch of their liues which none so simple to thinke that they would publishe of themselues They are so far from being the authors of that filthie and hereticall booke that one Richeome a learned man of that Society hath sette forth a confutation thereof Should a Catholike compose a like treatise bearinge title The Church of Englands Catechisme fraught with abhominable and most odious opinions and such in truth as they vtterly detest and should I produce out of it most loathsom stuffe against them in disgracè of their religion would he not condemne both the author for a monster of the world and me for an extreame malitious slaunderer to presse them with any such damnable testimony I leaue the application to himself Pag. 17. He condemneth it in vs as an error and dreame that Christ descended downe into hell to deliuer the Soules of our forefathers and that most iniuriously for to omitte what may be brought out of sacred scripture we can not be condemned herein but the auncient fathers must beare vs company and that by the testimony of our aduersaries The fable quoth Casuin of a place vnder the 2. Instit. cap. 16. §. 9. ground called Limbus albeit it hath greate authors yet it is nothing els then a fable Sutcliffe confesseth that S. Hierom and other fathers beleued that Lib. 1. de Purgato cap. 4. there was a simbus patrum before the comming of Christ But he addeth that they affirmed it rather scholasticaliy then dogmatically which yet he neither doth nor can proue we take what he graunteth of their beleuinge the other we deny Willet also can not gainesay the same We confesse In his sâ—nopsis of the editioÌ„ 1600. pag. 353. quoth he that the fathers for the most part of them to haue bene in this error To conclude this doctrine is taught by the church of Englande when as in the Geneua Psalms allowed and authorized by receiued custome amongest them this article of the Crede He descended into hell is turned thus into meeter His soule did after this discende into the lower parts To them that longe in darkenes were the true light of their harts By what warrant therfore Mr. Rogers expoundeth them here to the contrary I know not him selfe can best tell Pag. 23. many Papistes quoth he and namely the Franciscans blushe not to say that S. Francis is the Holy Ghost Mr. Rogers blusheth not notoriously to iniury vs with the imputation of so blasphemous an assertion He quoteth in the margent for prooffe the Alcaron of the Franciscans a most shamelesse and scurrilous booke sett out by modern heretikes against that worthy and religious order It seemeth he bestoweth much of his tyme in such spirituall books as these and willingly entertaineth such witnes against vs as the Scribes and Phariseis did against Christ vntill he dischargeth himself better this iniurious and blasphemous vntruth must ly vpon him self Pag. 29. Speaking of our behauiour to the scriptures he Antidot euang in Luc. 16. p. 528. saith To the same purpose but more blasphemously Stapleton saith as the Iewes were to beleue Christ so are we simply and in euery thinge to beleue the Church of Rome whether it teacheth truth or errors He fathereth a grosse vntruth vpon Stapleton his words be these Certum est c. It is certayne that the Iewes ought to haue obeâ—ed Christ so far forth as he gaue testimony to the truth but whether he did that or no belonged not to the Iewes to make any doubt of but simply to beleue Wherefore as the Iewes ought to haue beleued Christ so ought we simply to beleue the Churche not verily whether Note these wordes against Mr. Rogers it teacheth true thinges or not but whether that be certayne to vs or not We ought not to doubt but as the father sending Christ coÌ„maunding him to be heard so Christ sending his church and commaunding that to be heard hath by his wisdom disposed that without all daunger of errour as well the Churche should be heard of vs as Christ of the Iewes True therefore it is not that Stapleton saith we are simply and in euery thinge to beleue the Church whether it teacheth truth or errors for he affirmeth the contrary and his words contayne not any impious or absurd doctrine though Mr. Rogers by ouerlashing and not reciting his wordes truly would make him to speake both impiously and falsely Pag. 49. He taxeth vs for teachinge free will and these words he citeth as out of the Councell of Trent Man Ses 6. cap. 1. hath free will to performe euen spirituall and heauenly thinges VVhat error can this be when straight after Mr. Rogers setteth downe this proposition Man may performe and do good works when he is preuented by the grace of Christ and renued by the Holy Ghost But he will say that the Councell of Trent teacheth that good workes may be done without the grace of Christ and therefore he citeth this doctrine of ours as erroneous and contrary to a former proposition of his which is this Man can not do any good worke that good is and godly being not yet regenerate But herein he doth slaunder the Councell of Trent In the very place by him quoted it rather hath the contrary and in the first Canon of that Session most plainely which is this Yfany shall say that a man is iustified before Ses 6. can 1. God by his workes which are done either by the force of humane nature or the doctrine of the lawe without diuine grace by Iesus Christ be he accursed Iudge nowe gentle Reader whether Mr. Rogers hath dealt truly with vs and the Councell of Trent or
word Yf the good Reader vouchsafe to reade S. Thomas he shal find in him the cleane contrary doctrine to 3. part q. 49. art 5. witte that we are by the passion of Christ deliuered both from Originall and all actuall synne whatsoeuer Pag. 198. He runneth vpon the Iesuits thus The Iesuits quoth he can not brooke Episcopall preheminence and in their high court of reformation haue made a lawe for the vtter abrogation of all Episcopall iurisdiction A most notorious slaunder as the whole world knoweth They liue vnder Bishoppes without any mislike of their dignity nay with condemninge them of heresy that teach otherwise as is apparante in Cardinall Lib. 1. de Clericis cap. 14. CommeÌ„t in 2. 2. disput 10. quast â—1 Bellarmin and Gregorius de Valentia The booke which he quoteth I haue not seene yet I make no doubt but the author is one of trust some false brother or other The thing it self is so false as I maruaile he blusheth not to putt it in printe That they haue made a lawe to abrogate Episcopall iurisdiction is most ridiculoue as though forsoth it were in their power to effect any such thinge and as though they labour not both in word and writinge for the vpholding of that dignity against disciplinarian Caluinists The author he alleageth for proffe is some Quodlibet arian minister though poore VVat son beareth the name So palpable an vntruth knowne to those that knowe any thinge is sufficient both to cassier the credit of those Quodlibets and other like libellaticall pamplets published vnder his name and also deepely to touch the reputation of Mr. Rogers True it is that those religious and learned men to stoppe all suggestions of ambition which hath bene the bane of many haue a seuere constitution amongest themselues ratified by vowe that none shall not only not procure any Ecclesiasticall Prelacy but also resist what he may reseruing due obedience to whom he is subiect not to be aduanced to any such dignity yet may they when it shall seme so good to the Pastor of Gods Church be promoted to prelacy as that worthy maÌ„ Bellarmine was not only created Cardinall but also made Archbishoppe of Capua Mr. Rogers as I suppose is not acquaiâ—tâ—d with any such scrupulous nicenes beinge more like of the twayne to haue made a vowe that he will not refuse any Episcopall promotion if he can tell how to com by it Pag. 220. To bring our religion into extreame hatred with all that be of contrary faith he chargeth vs with this doctrine viz That faith is not to be kept with heretiques An odious slander and not only of Mr. Rogers but commonly receiued amongest all Protestants How doth he proue it forsoth out of the Councell of Constance which he quoteth in the margent but noteth not any particular place which argueth false dealing the Councell being passing longe Gods Church assembled in that sacred Synode is notoriously abused and we dayly iniuried by the licentious pennes of protestats No such thing is in that CouÌ„cel defined And I desire no more then that the good Reader will not giue Mr. Rogers or others creditte before they truly bring forth in particular words what they so confidently auouche in generall terms Thus haue I briefely by a sufficient iury of vntruths conuicted Mr. Rogers of false dealinge and most iniurious and godlesse proceedinge against Catholike religion To prosecute all were a worke of more labour for neuer was booke as I thinke comming forth from such a one of such a subiect with that authority and that carried outwardly so braue and glorious a showe and inwardly was so vgly foule and deformed to the infamy of the author discredit of the booke disgrace of their religion and high commendation of our fayth which standeth vpon so sure grounds that it can not be impugned but by those meanes by which the author of it Christ himself was condemned to the shamefull and opprobrious death of the crosse Being thus dispatched of Mr. Rogers it remayneth to speake a word or two of another booke which was not longe since sent me and is intitled A briefe viewe of the weake groundes of Popery compiled together by one Mr. Vdall a lay gentleman out of diuers Englishe Controuertists as himself semeth to insinuate and in all probabilitie can not otherwise be thought and so no maruaile yf the waters be not sounde when they were drawen from corrupt fountaynes who can euer looke for a wel shapen garment made after a crooked measure Grapes are not gathered Math. 8. v. 16. of thornes nor figges of thistles as our Sauiour saith yet doth it so much please Mr. Vdall that he doth seeme to take great heart of grace for that he was not answeared with that expedition he expected The more hast he maketh the more he vrgeth his owne disgrace yf malice hath sette him a worke but if it be true zeale of truth and sauing his soule as he pretendeth I despaire not of his conuersion wherefore either for the spirituall profitt of himself or the commodity of other or common good of both I will nowe present him with a short sample of suche soule flawes as be in his booke minding afterward with more full hand to prosecute that subiect In his Preface to his deare Cousins whom with poyson lurking vnder sugred wordes he laboureth to inuenime he accuseth vs of open blasphemie against the sacred scriptures which I thinke wil rather proue a grosse vntruth on his parte and where is this blasphemy contayned in a booke as he telleth vs of Cardinall Cusanus which is intitled De authoritate c. Of the authority of the Church Councell aboue and against the scriptures But I besech him did he euer see this booke which so confidently he alleageth yf he hath then should he haue done well to haue noted where that the Reader also might haue found it seing it is not amongest the three Tomes of his workes sett out at Basill In the â—eare 1565. neither mentioned by Trithemius who hath diligently gathered together the workes of learned writers nor yet by Posseuinus who hath lately entreated of the same matter If he hath not what indiscretion is it in so waighty a pointe to rely vpon the creditt of others Veryly would such as reade Protestants bookes but vouchafe sometyme to examine the quotations it were not possible that they could be so pittifully deceiued as they dayly be Cusanus is abused he ueuer wrote any suche booke This vntruth it may be he borrowed from Mr. Iewell who doth not only cite that booke but also as Detâ—ction lib. 5. pag. 410. though he had knowne it very well quote very many places out of the same as he is charged by Doctor Hardinge which argueth that out of true bookes he could haue proued any thinge for himself that out of one which was neuer written found so many testimonies to serue his turne I would not wishe Mr. Vdall
to imploy his tyme so badly as with the touch of his creditt and perill of his owne soule to retale the vntruths of such grosse merchants In his fourth page thus he writeth Yea Arias Montanus a chief Papist in his Hebrew bible writeth in the forefromt and principall leaf of the booke There are added saith he in this edition the bookes written in Greeke which the Catholike Church following the Canon of the Hebrewes reckoneth amongest the Apocrypha The true sence of Arias Montanus words is corrupted either by Mr. Vdall or some other from whom he had them by foysting in diuers of their owne That learned man in the edition of the Antuerpiae ex osficina Christoph Plant. 1584. Hebrue Bible with the latin interlineall interpretation in the title page saith There are adioyned to this edition the bookes written in Greeke which are called Apocrypha He saith not they be Apocrypha but that they are so called by some that is the Iewes who exclude them from their Hebrue Canon which he had there sett◠forth That other addition viz which the Catholike Church following the Canon of the Hebrues reckoneth amongest the Apocrypha vpon which the force of his charge dependeth are not in Arias Montanus where Mr. Vdall had them himself best knoweth In fift page he writeth thus The Councell of Laodicea assured by a generall Councell in Trullo did sett downe the same Canon of the script urs Can. 59. which both the old Church had and our Church houldeth and commaundeth Ne aliqui c. that none besides be read and receiued in to authority How many things of note are comprised in these fewe lines against Mr. Vdall First he seemeth greatly to reuerence these two Councels which yet is but a copy of his countenance to delude the ignorant Reader for I doe not thinke that he will stande either to the one or the other though content he is to presse vs with their authority For example the Councell of Loadicea commaundeth Chrisme to be receiued after Can. 48. Can. 50. Baptisme and that the fast of lent be obserued neither of which I am sure pleaseth Mr. Vdall Likewise the Councell of Constantinople holden in Trullo alloweth of images and their veneration when it calleth them imagines venerabiles venerable images which I make no doubt nothing pleaseth his tast The same Councell forbiddeth Can 82. Can. 6. Can. 58. Bishoppes Priests Deacons and Subdeacons to marry wiues after taking of Orders and commaundeth Bishoppes not to dwell with their wiues which they marryed before they entered into the higher Orders of the Clergy which seuerity of theirs must vtterly dislike him as being in his opinion contrary to the word of God Secondly this Councell of Constantinople in Trullo is of no authority as in which the Pope neither by him self nor by his Legates was present and Pope Sergius who then liued Lib. de sex aetatibus in Iustiniano did disanulle that erraticall Synode as venerable Bede writetht with what conscience then can Mr. Vdal call that agenerall Councell and vrge the authority thereof as authenticall when as not only we but also the Protestants vtterly reiect it albeit in this point we for our parts see no cause to refuse it Thirdly true it is not that the Councell of Laodicea setteth downe the same Canon of the scriptures which the Church of England alloweth for the Apocalypse or Reuelation of S. Iohn is omitted Fourthly this Councell forbiddeth the readinge of others not there expressed yet the Church of England readeth the histories of Iudith and Toby in their publike assemblies which Mr. Vdall I suppose will hardly shewe howe it agreeth with the decree of that Councell Fiftly he hath corrupted the Councell by addinge somwhatof his owne for these words and receiued into authority be not there found VVould any euer haue thought that so many things could haue bene notedagainst him in so small a sentence If Mr. Vdall hath viewed the Originall hardly can he be excused from malice yf he hath not let him beshrewe their fingers vpon whose creditt he committed them to writinge In the same fift page he maketh vs to allowe the fourth booke of Esdras most vntruly and that contrary to his owne knowledge when as in the second page he confesseth that we account both the third and fourth of Esdras for Apocrypha Page 51. To eneruat the force of generall Councels thus he writeth Bellarmine reiecteth wholy seauen generall Lib. 1. de Concil cap. 6. and not lib. 10. cap. 60. as Mr. Vdal quoteth it Councels That learned Prelate is iniuriousoy intreated for who would not thinke that Mr. Vdall spake of lawfull and true generall Councels as though such were reiected by Bellarmine which is nothing so for he speaketh of certaine detestable conuenticles assembled by the Arrians and other like perfidious heretikes which they called generall Primum generale c. The first general Councell saith Bellarmine in the opinion of the Arrians which is reiected is the Councell of Antioch c. Ys these be detested by Protestants also for vnlawfull and wicked why is Cardinall Bellarmine singled out as though he alone refused them or the matter so cunningly deliuered as though they were reuerenced by Mr. Vdall and Protestants for lawfull generall Councels This is not to deale sincerly and to seeke truth with a pure and vpright heart vnlesse he be so carelesse as to receiue all vpon the report of others which yet can not wholy be excused Thus much shall serue at this tyme for by Gods asistance I intend hereafter more to lay open the manifould maladies of his treatise and to shewe with what weake engines he laboureth to vndermine the impregnable grounds of the Catholike Churche God graunte that the happy newes of his conuersion may crosse these my designements wherof I see no cause to dispaire if truly zeale of religion and desire of saluation which so much he would seme to thirst after hath embouldened him being a lay man to launch into the depth of these mysticall matters Let him not rely too much vnto those from whō he receiueth the substāce of that he writeth least together with the losse of his reputation he incurre also the daunger of eternall damnation and yf vpon this small warning he findeth himself to haue bene deceiued wisdom would he should more carefully looke how he trusteth where he hath bene abused with greater diligence both to examine his owne writers and also to reade our namely Cardinall Bellarmine where he shall finde the most of his obiections answeared as the Catholique author of that letter which he hath putte downe in his booke truly enformeth him To which that giueth no satisfaction alleadged by Mr. Vdall for answeare to witt that Bellarmins reasons are by the learned of his side sufficiently handled and replied vnto when as the most of the arguments in his booke be answeared by Bellarmine and nothinge doe I finde brought by Mr.
of all Saintes and all the good thou doe and the punishement thou shalt suffer be to thee for remission of thy synnes for increase of grace and for the reward of eternall lise which words of Polanchus he doth prosecute with this lying glosse Lo the merits of Saints are ioint purchasers of saluation with Christs bloud and our workes procnre vs remission of our synnes increafe of grace and eternall glory An vntruth it is that the merits of Saints are ioynt purchasers of saluation with Christs bloud if he meane that the merits of Christ and his Saints doe alike auaile to saluation as he must meane or els he saith nothing for the merits of Christ are as I saied before the wellspring from whence all the merits of all mens actions doe proceede and they he for the infinit dignity of the person acceptable of them felues in the sight of his father but the merits of Saints are derieued from Gods grace by the merits of Christ and are not grateful in the eies of God but for his sacred merits and passion the merits therefore of Christ and his Saints may auaile vs for the obtayning of spirituall gists the merits of Christ as the principall cause the merits of Saints as dependent of his and the secondary cause And that God and his creatures may in this manner without any iniury to his name be ioyned together we learne out of sacred scripture Iacob Genes 48. v. 15. 16. desired God and his Angell to blesse his children The Israelites cryed out the sword of our Lord and Gedeon In Exodus we reade thus They beleeued Iud. 7. v. 20. Exod. 14. v. 31. 1. Timoth. v. 21. Act. 15. v. 28. our Lord and Moises his seruante S. Paul testified before Christ Iesus and the elect Angels And the Apostles doubted not to say It hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs. If in these and such like speaches God and his creatures be ioyned together without being made ioynt purchasers for I trust Bell hath not the courage to vtter any such word but as the creator and the secondary cause in like manner may the merits of Christ and his Saints be conioyned as hath been sayed THE XLIIII VNTRVTH AFter a fitt of railing at this doctrine of the Catholique Church in praying to God by the merits of his Saints he saith No scripture no Councell no approued history was euer acquainted with this newly inuented heresy neuer knowne to the Church of Christ for the space of one thousand yeares and odde An vntruth it is that it is any heresy to pray to God by the merits of his Saints as the heretical minister bouldly afflrmeth but alleageth neither scripture Councell or father or approued history to giue credit to his assertion so much he presumeth vpon his owne authority Falsealso it is that it was neuer knowen for the space of a thousand yeares To proue one and the other against Bell In the old testament for so much as iust men then dying went not straight to heauen their raunsom being not paied as here I suppose according to the Catholique doctrine nor they ordinaryly knowing the praiers of the liuing therefore they did not in those tymes vse to pray vnto them formally saying S. Abraham pray for vs as we in the newe testament do yet did they pray vnto God by the merits of his seruaunts as we read in sundry places neither doth that auoid the argument which Bell answeareth in his Suruey viz that Pag. 318. not the merits of his Saints were vrged but his owne promise and couenant sett before him for The merits of holy men prescnted before God Psal 131. 3. Reg. 15. their merits also be remembred and not only the couenant of God for example Salomon prayeth to God by the merits of his father Dauid saying Remember o Lord Dauid and all his meekenes and a little after For Dauid thy seruant turne not away the face of thy Christ and in the booke of Kings we reade For Dauid our Lord God gaue him a candle in Israel that he might raise vp his sonne after him because that Dauid had done right in the eies of our Lord. S. Augustin relying vpon these such like sayings teacheth that the merits of his Saints may auayle vs in the sight of God Quest. 149. in Exodiâ— Admonemur cum merita nostra c. we are admonished quoth he that when our owne synnes do ly heauy vpon vs that we be not loued of God that we may be holpen with him by their merits whom God doth loue In the newe Testament we find the same doctrine confirmed The sicke man of the palsey was cured for their fayth which brought him to our Sauiour for the sacred text saith and Iesus seing Math. 9. v. 2. their fayth said to the sicke of the palsey haue a good hearâ— sonne thy synnes are sorgiuen thee Yf the fayth of hiâ— seruants liuing vpon earth and dayly offendinâ— him procured mercy to others how much morâ— may the burning charity of his Saints in heauen free from all daunger of synning obtayne for vâ— spirituall benefits at the hand of our heauenly father Much more might be brought but not necessary when as Perkins confesseth sufficient to ouerthrowe Bell for reprehending the auncient fathers as attributing to much vnto the intercession of Saints he citeth these words of S. Leo as offending Problem verbo Intercessio inuocatio c. in that kinde VVe beleue and trust that to obtaynâ— the mercy of God we shall alwaies be holpen by the praiers oâ— our speciall patrones that so much as we are kept down by our owne synnes so much we may be listed vp by the merits of the Apostles And yet Bell inuaigheth against this doctrine as blasphemous and more confidently then truly affirmeth that no scripture no Councell no father no approued history euer knewe it and that it was neuer knowen to the Church for the space of one thousand years and odde how truly how sincerely I referre me to the premisses THE XLV VNTRVTH I Must therfore conclude saith the Minister with this meuitable illation ergo Popishe inuocation of Saintes but a rotten ragge of the newe religion and to shewe â—ow new it is he quoteth in the margeÌ„t the yeare â—fter this manner that is in the yeare of our Lorde â—ne thousand fower hundred and seauen which An. Dom. 1407. â—s some two hundred yeares agoe But I may far â—etter inferre that for grosse vntruths and cunâ—ing lying he may be let loose to any of the Miâ—isterie what one of Bels dependants that reade â—he former wordes or any other not acquainted with his trickes would not veryly thinke that praying to Saints as it is vsed in the Catholique Church is not aboue two hundred years old as the tenor of his wordes import and yet I doe not thincke he will stande to that for yf he shoulde most certaine it is that it is a grosse and
Bell deny this lett him for that great skille which he hath in hunting out the originall of Poperie and superstition tell vs at what tyme bet wixt the first conuersion and the late daies of Edward the sixt the vse of latin seruice crept in Shal we thincke that S. Gregory whom Bell confesseth to haue been an holy Bishoppe indede would euer Woeful cry pag. 62. Suruey pag. 187. haue permitted that custom to haue been brought into our countrey if he he had thought it superstitious wicked nay if he had not reputed it requisite good and Apostolicall More then fower hūdred yeares before the time of S. Gregory the auncient Bryttaines receaued the same manner of seruing God from the blessed Pope and martyr S. Eleutherius that is in the latin tongue which appeareth first because venerable Bede Lib. 2. hist cap. 2. reporteth that there was not any materiall differece betwixt S. Austen sent by S. Gregory and the Britain Bishoppes saue only in Baptisme and the obseruation of Easter Secondly for that certaine it is that they had also since S. Austens tyme the masse in the latin tongue but to thincke that if they had bene once in possession of the seruice in their owne vulgar language that they could haue bene brought from that without infinite garboils especially the opposition betwixt them and the English Saxons in auncient tyme considered or that if any such contention had fallen out that it could haue bene omitted by the curious pennes of our historiographers it were greate simplicitie once to surmise Wherfore what followeth but that they receiued that custom at their first conuersion which was within lessen then two hundred yeares after Christ and consequently that by Bels allowance and the common cōputation of others it is sounde Catholicke and Apostolicall and no◠any rotten ragge of a newe religion as this ragge master gableth and that on the contrary to haue the publique seruice in the vulgar tongue is a newe patch of Protestanisme fetched from VVittenberge or that mart of Martinists the holy city of Geneua A short admonition concerning Bels eleuen chapters following THese chapters I shall soone dispatch seing they concerne not any weighty points of religion but ceremonies and such like in which the Chureh hath authority to ordaine and abrogate to make or repeale lawes as shall seeme most meete for the honour of God and the edification of Christian people For prooffe whereof I could alleage many Protestants but I will content my self only with one whose authority the minister will not refuse being a deere frend of his owne the first letters of his name are Thomas Bell who in a booke sett out not long since against the Puritanicall presbitery called by him The regiment of the Church disputeth earnestly for Imprinted by T. C. c. anno 1606. In his Regiment of the church cap. 7. pag. 53. the authority of the Church in thinges indifferent namely in his seauenth chapter where he deliuereth these two Aphorismes The first of things de facto altered in the Church for prooffe whereof he reckoneth vp sixe particular pointes recorded in scripture yet chaunged by the Church The first is to receiue the communion in the morning though Christ did it after supper The second is to celebrate it in leauened bread though Christ did it in vnleauened bread The third is that the Apostles receiued the communion sitting but now it is receiued kneeling Fourthly Christ premised washing of feet which is nowe omitted Fiftly the Apostles commaunded abstinence from bloud and that which is strangled and yet the Church hath abrogated that decree Sixtly S. Paul prescribed prophesying to be done with bare head yet small account is made thereof The second aphorisme is of thinges not expressed in scriture and yet decreed by the Church to be obserued and kept and this he proueth by the dedication of Salomons temple for seauene daies and out of 2. Paralip 7. Hoster cap. 3. 9. 1. Ma chab 4. the festiuall daies appointed by Mardocheus and the Machabees and afterward vpon this ground in his eigth chapter he iustifieth diuers things in particular instituted by the Church as the obseruation of festiuall daies kneeling at the communion Surplesses Tippets and square capps the ring in marriage and such like This being so what an old house hath this minister brought vpon his owne head neuer did old Elderton so tickle the Iesuits with gentle iyrks as Sr. Thomas hath prouided roddes for the runnigate of Rascall for if he inferre against our ceremonyes as he doth because they were instituted since Christ though very auncient that they be rotten ragges of the newe religion what shall become of their ceremonies which either be borrowed from vs or of far later date what can they be els but pild patches of Protestanisme and rusty raggs of the reformed congregation nay what must their communion booke it self be neuer heard of in the whole world till the late daies of king Edward the sixt and drawen from our Portesse and masse bookes as the thing it self speaketh and their Geneua Gospellers often cast in their teeth Was euer braue Ministers wittes so misledde by I knowe not what night ghoste or colepixen as to say that in one place with good grace which in an other turneth him to great shame and disgrace where is nowe Sr. Thomas and how beates his pulse are ceremonies instituted since the tyme of Christ and and his Apostles rotten ragges or no if not why is he so hotte on foot to persecute them so eagerly and intertaineth them with such homely termes if they be rotten ragges as here he saith how can he defend the English congregation that ruffleth in such raggs or himself that disputeth for the authority of the Church in that case or with what face can he euer looke vpon the Geneua generation of the mocking Martinists Certainly were he not habituated to chopping of faiths and chaunging of religion and that careles contempt had armed him to disgest any disgrace these newes were able to bring the panges of death but he that hath swallowed down mil-stones wil neuer make bones at such small choking oisters How his Regiment of the Bels bookes contrary one to an other Church written against Puritanes agreeth with The triall of the newe religion published against Papists or this with that be curious points of scrupulosity Bell careth neither for contradiction nor conscience but only seeketh the glory of God and the aduauncement of that Gospell which for the tyme present and duringe the same reuelation he firmely beleueth to be the euerlastinge truth But to runne ouer some of his chapters a little more in particular Bels XVII Chapter Of the antiquitie of Popish masse and the partes thereof THe minister very profoundly scoffeth both at other parts of the Masse and also at these following writing thus Gregory added the Kyrie eleyson Telesphorus Gloria in excelsi is Deo Gelasius the collects Hieronymus the